The IRGC says the aggression came in response to what it described as the US seizure of an Iranian commercial vessel.
Published On 22 Apr 202622 Apr 2026
An Iranian gunboat has fired on a container vessel near the coast of Oman, according to a British maritime monitoring agency, in an incident that occurred hours after United States President Donald Trump said he would extend a ceasefire with Iran.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) centre said on Wednesday that the ship’s captain reported that the vessel had been approached by a vessel of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) before shots were fired.
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It “has caused heavy damage to the bridge. No fires or environmental impact reported,” the agency added. No casualties were reported, and all crew members were said to be safe.
British maritime security firm Vanguard Tech said the ship was sailing under a Liberian flag and had been informed it had permission to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important waterways.
Iranian news agency Tasnim, however, said the vessel had ignored warnings issued by Iran’s armed forces.
The incident followed a warning from the IRGC’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters after what it described as the US seizure of an Iranian commercial ship in the Sea of Oman, the IRNA news agency reported.
It accused Washington of violating the ceasefire and carrying out “armed piracy” after allegedly firing on the Iranian vessel and disabling its navigation systems.
Trump extends ceasefire
Trump earlier announced he would delay a planned military attack on Iran after requests from Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Writing on Truth Social, Trump said the decision was made because Iran’s government was “seriously fractured” and needed time to present a unified position.
“We have been asked to hold our Attack on the Country of Iran until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal,” he wrote.
He added, however, that the US naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz would remain in place and said the military had been ordered to stay “ready and able”.
The announcement marked a shift from comments made a day earlier, when Trump said it was “highly unlikely” he would extend the truce beyond Tuesday.
‘Positive and negative signals’ from Tehran
Al Jazeera’s Tohid Asadi, reporting from Tehran, said Iranian officials were sending mixed messages over the ceasefire and the prospects for negotiations.
“Tehran is saying they won’t negotiate under imposed terms and conditions … when we compare the initial 10-point and 15-point proposals by the Iranians and Americans, we can understand that the two sides are poles apart,” he said.
“The atmosphere is also clouded by this mistrust in Tehran towards the United States, as well as the simultaneous military rhetoric related to a potential failed negotiation … It is a warning that another round of confrontation may be ahead.”
He said Iran still viewed the Strait of Hormuz as a key source of leverage in any talks.
“It’s trying to exercise authority over the ships and vessels transiting this strategically significant chokepoint,” he said.
Asadi added that Iranian officials framed their regional position as based on mutual security. “Iranians are saying that the basis of their foreign policy behaviour, particularly when it comes to Israel, is security for all versus security for none,” he said.
After decades of selling insurance, Illinois-based broker John Jaggi had never seen anything like it.
More than 80 of his customers who were enrolled in the same Medicare supplemental plan from the insurer Chubb got hit last August with a 45% increase.
“In my 49 years of doing biz as a broker, I’ve never seen a premium increase be effective immediately on everyone, instead of on their policy anniversary,” said Jaggi, whose brokerage scrambled to find more affordable options for clients. The policies pick up deductibles and other costs not covered in traditional Medicare, and without one there is no upper limit on how much a consumer might owe each year.
While 45% was an unusually big jump, Jaggi and other brokers say double-digit premium increases for Medicare supplemental, or Medigap, policies are becoming the norm.
A Chubb spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment on the increase.
More than 12 million people — about 43% of those in traditional Medicare — buy a Medigap policy. Others rely on some sort of retiree employer coverage or a different backup. About 13% of people in traditional Medicare don’t have supplemental coverage, according to KFF, meaning they could be vulnerable to large costs if they have a serious illness.
In the supplemental market, following big increases last year, rates appear to be rising again. In early 2026 filings with state insurance commissioners from Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Humana, Mutual of Omaha, and UnitedHealthcare, rate increases for Plan G policies — the most commonly purchased supplement type — ranged from just over 12% to more than 26% in the first quarter, according to Nebraska-based consulting firm Telos Actuarial.
“While this is a small dataset across a select number of states, it’s an indication that carriers are looking to correct their premium rates in light of upward pressure on their claims experience,” said Brett Mushett, a consulting actuary with Telos.
Climbing numbers
Premium rates vary based on the type of coverage chosen, where a beneficiary lives, and their age. For Plan G coverage, beneficiaries paid an average monthly premium of $164 in 2023, according to KFF. That amount has likely risen since.
“In some states, like Ohio, Medicare supplements for years would have a 3% to 5% year-over-year increase. Now it’s 10% to 15%” said Amanda Brewton, owner of Medicare Answers Now, a marketing organization whose clients are sales agents.
In Alaska, Premera Blue Cross raised the premiums on its Plan G policies by nearly 12% for this year, according to rate sheets provided to KFF Health News by insurance agent Patricia Mack, who said another insurer raised rates by nearly 13%.
For example, a 65-year-old woman who last year would have been charged $172 a month for a Plan G policy would now face a monthly rate of $192, said Mack, who owns Alaska Insurance Benefits in Wasilla.
Premera spokesperson Courtney Wallace said in an email that Medicare makes changes to deductible and copayment rates each year, which affects supplemental plans that cover those increasing amounts.
Wallace also noted that the insurer saw higher medical service use among its members, “which further drove claims costs and ultimately impacted premiums.”
Agents and policy experts blame a range of factors for rising premiums: an increase in use of medical services by beneficiaries; aging of the population; increases in labor and medical costs; rules in some states governing Medigap plans; and people’s enrolling in — or getting out of — private Medicare Advantage plans.
“Five years ago, it was exceedingly uncommon to have a carrier with a rate increase of more than 10%. Now it’s very uncommon to see a rate increase below 10%, and it’s not uncommon to see it over 20%,” said Chalen Jackson, vice president for government affairs at Integrity, a Dallas-based company that sells life and health insurance.
Jaggi, who co-owns Jaggi Petry Insurance & Investments in Forsyth, Illinois, said he eventually found other options for many of those 80-plus clients with the large increase, which came from an insurer that had previously been the lowest-cost option. But it wasn’t easy — and continuing increases are expected.
“These are unbelievable increases,” said Jaggi, who said he is seeing premium hikes exceeding 15% this year across a range of insurers.
Policy experts have outlined possible solutions, including for Congress to cap out-of-pocket costs for Medicare beneficiaries or subsidize the purchase of Medigap coverage.
“Traditional Medicare is the only federal health insurance program without an out-of-pocket cap,” Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) wrote in an email, adding that the program “needs to be updated and strengthened to protect the Medicare guarantee for American seniors.”
But making changes to Medicare that require congressional approval is unlikely in the current legislative environment, especially because adding an out-of-pocket cap would add costs to the federal budget.
How this plays out
People generally qualify for Medicare when they turn 65. Beneficiaries have six months after they initially enroll in the traditional fee-for-service program to purchase a Medigap plan at standard rates without having to answer health-related questions.
Strict rules then kick in around when beneficiaries can enroll in or switch Medigap coverage and options become much more limited, with each one generally involving trade-offs or tough choices.
At least 16 states have what’s known as a “birthday rule,” which requires insurers once a year to allow people enrolled in a Medigap plan to change to different supplemental coverage — usually around their birthdays — without being medically underwritten. Those rules can help consumers, including those with health conditions, to switch.
An additional four states — Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, and New York — require insurers to offer at least one Medigap policy to all applicants either year-round or during an annual enrollment period, depending on the state. Changes are allowed no matter the person’s health.
Another option for those facing high Medigap costs is to leave traditional Medicare and enroll in a private-sector Medicare Advantage plan, which have out-of-pocket caps. But joining one means beneficiaries must generally rely on a set of in-network doctors and hospitals. And if they change their mind and want to go back to traditional Medicare, they have only a 12-month window in which to purchase a Medigap plan without passing health questions. After that, it can be more difficult.
“A lot of people don’t know that if they are in Medicare Advantage for a year, they can get turned down by a Medigap plan or charged really high premiums because of a preexisting condition, which for many people effectively traps them in MA plans,” said Brian Keyser, a research associate at the liberal Center for American Progress and co-author of a recent report on the issue.
There are some exceptions. For example, if a Medicare Advantage plan withdraws from a market or leaves the Medicare program, its enrollees can qualify for a supplemental plan without being asked health questions or charged more for having preexisting conditions.
For this year alone, about 2.6 million people lost Medicare Advantage coverage when their insurer pulled out of their markets, according to KFF, and more than a million lost coverage for 2025. Many switched to other MA plans, but “somewhere around 440,000 of those people did go to a Medicare supplement policy,” sometimes because there was no other MA plan in their area, said George Dippel, president of Deft Research, a Minneapolis-based market research organization focused on insurance for older people. Deft is part of Integrity, the Dallas company.
Some Medicare experts note that anytime insurers enroll people whose health status they can’t consider — whether because of birthday rules or because their Medicare Advantage plan left the market and thus qualified them for an exemption from medical underwriting — it potentially exposes them to more health care utilization and higher costs, making them more likely to increase premiums across the board to offset the possible financial hit.
Another option mentioned by brokers for people looking to lower their costs is to consider one of the two types of Medigap plans that come with a deductible, which is currently just under $3,000 for a year. Those plans charge far lower monthly premiums than Medigap plans that pick up a much larger portion of annual amounts people must pay toward their Medicare services.
Still, “a lot of people are not comfortable with a $3,000 deductible,” Mack said.
KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF — the independent source for health policy research, polling, and journalism.
On Wednesday 22nd April, Dr Oscar explained how fall prevention can help reduce fatalities.
You can speak to your GP about fall prevention services in your area and there are some exercises that can help improve balance available on the NHS website, external.
GLASGOW, Scotland — The most serious cyberattacks in the U.K. are now carried out by hostile nations including Russia, Iran and China, the head of the U.K.’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) will say in a speech Wednesday.
Richard Horne, the head of the NCSC — part of the U.K’s signals intelligence agency GCHQ — will warn that the U.K. is living through “the most seismic geopolitical shift in modern history.” British businesses, he will say, need to prepare themselves to defend against cyberattacks because the U.K. could be targeted “at scale,” if it became involved in an international conflict, according to a preview of his speech shared with reporters.
In recent months, authorities in Sweden, Poland, Denmark and Norway have all warned that hackers linked to Russia have targeted their critical infrastructure including power plants and dams.
Horne will say the NCSC currently handles around four “nationally significant” cyber incidents a week and while criminal activity, such as ransomware, remains the most common problem, the most serious threat comes from cyberattacks carried out directly or indirectly by other states.
In December, Blaise Metreweli, the head of Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service, or MI6, said the world is more dangerous and contested now than it has been for decades and that the U.K. is operating in a space between peace and war.
“Let’s be clear, cyberspace is part of that contest,” Horne will say.
China’s intelligence and military agencies display an “eye-watering level of sophistication in their cyber operations,” while Iran is “almost certainly using cyber activity to support the repression of British individuals on our streets who are seen as a threat to the regime,” Horne will say in his speech at the CyberUK conference in the Scottish city of Glasgow.
Moscow, meanwhile, is using tactics and techniques honed during its war in Ukraine and is “moving them beyond the battlefield,” Horne will say, pointing to “sustained Russian hybrid activity” targeting the U.K. and Europe. Companies, he will say, must learn how cyber operations have been used in conflict situations in order to boost their own resilience.
In a conflict situation, Horne will say, the U.K. would likely face cyberattacks at scale but — unlike with ransomware — companies will not be able to pay their way out in order to recover data and access to systems. For that reason, he will say, every organization needs to understand the “full extent” of the risk they face and improve their cyber defenses before it is too late.
On Friday, Swedish authorities said that a pro-Russian group with links to Russia’s security and intelligence services was behind a cyberattack on a heating plant last year.
Carl-Oskar Bohlin, Sweden’s minister for civil defense, compared it to incidents in Poland in December, when coordinated cyberattacks hit combined heat and power plants supplying heat to almost 500,000 customers, as well as wind and solar farms. Poland later said evidence indicated hackers were “directly linked to the Russian services.” Norwegian authorities also warned that a hack in April 2025 which affected water flows from a dam was linked to Russia while in December, Danish authorities said another attack on a water utility company in 2024 left some houses without water.
Other incidents linked to Russia by European officials include an attack on German air traffic control, attempts to gain access to Signal and WhatsApp accounts belonging to officials and journalists and attempts by hackers linked to Russian military intelligence to steal users’ sensitive data by exploiting a weakness in some internet routers.
Bill Cassidy’s roles as a lawmaker, a doctor and a political candidate will collide on Wednesday as he questions Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in two high-stakes Senate hearings.
The Louisiana Republican chairs one of the Senate committees that oversees Kennedy’s department and sits on another, giving him two chances to interrogate the secretary about his plans for an agency responsible for public health programs and research. As a doctor, Cassidy has clashed with Kennedy’s anti-vaccine ideas even though he provided crucial support for the health secretary’s nomination last year.
At the same time, Cassidy is fighting for his political future in next month’s primary, where President Donald Trump has endorsed one of his opponents in an unusual attempt to oust a sitting senator from his own party.
How Cassidy handles the hearings could affect his chances at a pivotal moment of his reelection campaign and set the tone for how Congress oversees the nation’s health agenda at a time of rampant distrust and misinformation.
Cassidy hasn’t faced Kennedy in public since September. In the subsequent months, Kennedy has attempted a dramatic rollback of vaccine recommendations that, if not blocked by an ongoing lawsuit, could undermine protections against diseases like flu, hepatitis B and RSV.
After a backlash, Kennedy has also pivoted to spending more time talking about less controversial topics like healthy eating — albeit with his own spin, including sharing exaggerated claims that various ailments can be cured by diet alone.
Cassidy will have to decide on Wednesday whether to grill Kennedy on vaccines, an issue deeply important to him, or put their differences aside and prioritize loyalty to the Trump administration.
“He’s taken a risk showing any sort of resistance to RFK,” said Claire Leavitt, an assistant professor at Smith College who studies congressional oversight. “He may pay an electoral price for that.”
Cassidy has spent years walking a political tightrope. He’s one of the few Republican senators who voted to convict Trump during an impeachment trial after the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
As a liver doctor, he advocated for babies to receive hepatitis B vaccines shortly after birth, a step that could have prevented the disease in his patients. But when Trump nominated Kennedy, a longtime anti-vaccine activist, Cassidy supported him. He did so after securing various commitments, including that Kennedy would work within the current vaccine approval and safety monitoring system and support the childhood vaccine schedule.
The vote for Kennedy did not appear to mollify Trump. The president endorsed U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow, one of Cassidy’s two primary opponents.
Cassidy also faces opposition from Kennedy’s allies in the “Make America Healthy Again” movement, a group that includes both anti-vaccine activists and a wide variety of other crusaders for health and the environment. The MAHA PAC, aligned with Kennedy, has pledged $1 million to Letlow’s campaign. While the organization hasn’t publicly said so, some have questioned whether the support is partly in retaliation against Cassidy for criticizing Kennedy’s vaccine policy agenda.
“I’m not really sure what MAHA’s beef is,” Cassidy told reporters earlier this month. “Let me point out that I am the reason that Robert F. Kennedy is now the secretary of HHS. He would not have gotten there otherwise.”
Cassidy argues that he has “strongly supported” the MAHA agenda, especially when it comes to the fight against ultraprocessed foods. However, the physician-turned-senator acknowledged that he and MAHA have “disagreed on vaccines.”
“We’ve seen, frankly, that I am right,” Cassidy added, pointing to recent measles-related deaths of children who were not vaccinated.
At a hearing in September, he slammed Kennedy’s decision to slash funding for mRNA vaccine development. He interrogated Kennedy over his attempt to replace members of a vaccine committee, suggesting the new members could have conflicts of interest. He also raised concerns that Kennedy’s vaccine policy decisions could be making it harder for Americans to get COVID-19 shots.
Later that month, Cassidy convened a hearing featuring former U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Susan Monarez, who was ousted by Kennedy less than a month into her tenure after they clashed over vaccine policy, and former CDC Chief Medical Officer Debra Houry, who resigned in August citing an erosion of science at the agency.
“I want to work with the president to fulfill his campaign promise to reform the CDC and Make America Healthy Again. The president says radical transparency is the way to do that,” Cassidy said at the time.
Political consultants said they expect Cassidy’s primary opponents, Letlow and Louisiana Treasurer John Fleming, to seize on any sound bites from Wednesday’s hearings that can make Cassidy seem at odds with the Trump administration.
But Dorit Reiss, a vaccine law expert at UC Law San Francisco, said the political risk of advocating for vaccines may not be as strong among Republicans as some people assume.
“He’s probably not alienating voters by focusing on the issue and calling it out,” she said.
Louisiana political consultant Mary-Patricia Wray said she thinks most diehard MAHA voters already know who they are voting for, and it’s probably not Cassidy.
Instead, she said, he may still be able to appeal to Democrats who switch their party registration to vote in the primary, as well as a wide swath of still-undecided Republican voters who care about the same health care affordability issues he advocates for every day in Congress.
“If I was advising Bill Cassidy, I would tell him your goal here is not to get out unscathed,” Wray said. “Your goal is to prove that your consistency on issues regarding public health is an asset in your campaign, not a detriment.”
Also at stake if Cassidy doesn’t make it to November’s general election is what will happen to his responsibility to oversee the massive U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as the chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee.
Leavitt, the Smith College professor, said seniority typically plays the most important role in who chairs Senate committees. She said another Republican in today’s increasingly hyper-partisan Congress may not be as willing as Cassidy to check Kennedy’s power.
Reiss, the vaccine law expert, said she wishes Cassidy had done more hearings or introduced legislation to rein in Kennedy. And she said the senator bears the blame for allowing Kennedy to bring unfounded vaccine fears into the government in the first place.
“His original sin, of course, was voting for Kennedy at all,” Reiss said.
___
Associated Press writer Sara Cline contributed to this report.
Buying a diamond can be daunting, but simple home tests can help identify fakes. Checks like the fog, water, and dot tests, along with examining the sparkle and setting, offer initial clues. Always look for certification and consult a jeweler if unsure to ensure an authentic purchase.
Buying a diamond can feel a bit scary. Whether it’s for an engagement ring, a gift, or something you’ve saved up for, there’s always that tiny voice in your head saying: “What if this isn’t even real?”And that worry isn’t totally irrational. Fake diamonds and lookalikes are way more common than most people think. Some are obvious, but others can honestly fool even careful buyers at first glance.The good part? You don’t need fancy equipment or gem expert training to figure most of them out. A few simple, everyday checks can already tell you a lot.Let’s go step by step.
First things first: not everything shiny is a diamond
Before anything else, it helps to know this – there are plenty of stones that look like diamonds but aren’t.You’ll often come across:cubic zirconiamoissaniteeven plain glass in cheaper jewelleryThey can look pretty convincing under bright shop lights, especially when set in polished rings or pendants.But diamonds behave differently with light, heat, and pressure. That’s what helps us tell them apart.1. The fog test (quick and easy)This one is super simple.Just breathe on the stone like you’re fogging up a mirror.
A real diamond clears up almost instantlyA fake one usually stays foggy for a few secondsIt’s not a lab-grade test, but it’s a quick way to get a first clue.2. Check how it sparkles (not just “shines”)Diamonds don’t just sparkle randomly—they have a very specific look.
A real diamond usually shows:
bright white flashesa little bit of rainbow reflection (but not too much)Here’s the tricky part—if the stone looks too rainbow-heavy or overly flashy, it could be fake. Stones like cubic zirconia often go a bit overboard with that “disco ball” effect.Real diamonds look more balanced and natural.3. The water test (simple but useful)Take a glass of water and drop the stone in.Real diamond → sinks quicklyMany fakes → float a bit or sink slowlyNot perfect science, but it’s a decent quick check if you’re unsure.4. Look at the jewellery settingThis is something people often miss.If someone is selling you a “diamond,” but it’s set in very cheap metal, that’s a red flag.
Real diamonds are usually found in:
goldplatinumgood-quality certified silverAlso pay attention to the finish:Are the edges neat or rough?Does it feel light and flimsy?Sometimes the ring tells the story better than the stone.5. The dot test (surprisingly handy)Place the stone on a piece of paper with a small dot on it.Now look through it.If you can clearly see the dot → might be fakeReal diamonds usually distort light so much that the dot is hard to see clearlyIt’s not perfect, but it’s a good “gut check.”6. Look for bubbles insideIf you can zoom in (even with a simple magnifying glass), check carefully.Real diamonds don’t have air bubblesIf you see tiny bubbles, it’s likely glass or synthetic materialNatural diamonds may have small internal flaws, but not round bubbles.7. Heat test (don’t try this at home)You might hear that diamonds can handle heat really well—and that’s true.But don’t try heating jewellery yourself. It can damage the setting and isn’t worth the risk.Just know this is why professionals use heat-based tools to test stones.8. “Too perfect” can be suspiciousThis is a weird but important one.
If a diamond looks:
super flawlessunusually cheapand too good to be true…it probably is.Real diamonds often have tiny natural marks inside them (called inclusions). In fact, experts sometimes use those to confirm authenticity.
So a little imperfection isn’t a bad thing – it can actually be reassuring.9. Always ask for certificationThis is the safest way to avoid confusion.
A real diamond usually comes with certification from labs like GIA or IGI, which clearly mention:
cutclaritycaratcolourIf there’s no certificate, be extra cautious.10. When unsure, ask a jewellerThere’s nothing awkward about this. Even experienced buyers double-check sometimes.A jeweller can quickly test it using proper tools like:diamond testersmagnification lenseslight refraction devicesSometimes a 2-minute check can save you from a costly mistake.
A quick reality check
No single home test is 100% perfect. But if you combine a few, you usually get a pretty clear idea.For example:fog test + water test + sparkle check = strong hintadd certification = almost full confidenceFinal thoughtsSpotting a fake diamond isn’t about being an expert – it’s more about paying attention.If something feels off – too cheap, too flashy, or just not right – trust that instinct and double-check.Real diamonds usually come with proof, not just promises.And once you know these simple tricks, jewellery shopping suddenly feels a lot less stressful… and a lot more in your control.
Emilie Lavinia is a fitness, health and wellbeing writer and editor, who reports on news, trends and investigates our relationship with health.
Filming fitness content can be a challenge, even for experienced creators. To capture the run, you have to disrupt the run. To make it look effortless, you have to think about angles, lighting, audio, framing – all while trying not to trip over.
Beth Fletcher knows this all too well. Based in Macclesfield, Beth is a running creator who documents everything from casual trail runs to ultramarathons. But her content isn’t glossy or overly staged. It’s usually self shot and shows Beth enjoying the process of running as a regular person.
“I didn’t start to be like, ‘Look at me, because I’m an amazing runner,’” she says. “I just like to share my realistic journey and show that anyone could do it.”
Beth started running after her dad encouraged her to try it. “We’re a running family – he was already doing ultramarathons,” she says. “But one of the other reasons I started running was for mental health and I think it’s massively helped. It releases those endorphins, it gives you something to focus on and I can take in the scenes while being out in nature as well.”
As she’s graduated from 5Ks to ultramarathons herself, Beth’s content has also evolved. Below, she shares her tips on how to film fitness content while on the go using the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra.
How to keep fitness videos stable while moving
The Galaxy S26 Ultra’s Super Steady Video with Horizontal Lock* is designed for creators on the move (Beth Fletcher)
Beth says one of the simplest hacks is also the most overlooked – don’t film for too long. “When you’re running, it’s hard to keep still when your arms want to move,” she says. “So my tip is that I’m not recording for minutes at a time, it’s 30 seconds here, 10 seconds there.”
That keeps your footage easier to hold steady and makes your final edit feel more dynamic. You can edit those clips together however you want but generally, shorter clips are better for socials anyway and are more likely to be seen by more people.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra’s Super Steady Video with Horizontal Lock* is designed for movement, which is exactly what running content demands. Beth says it’s a genuine relief not having to constantly stop and reset.
“It keeps the recording at a level that you want,” she says. “And you don’t have to stress about a specific angle. You can just keep running and not have to be like, right, let me stop, prop, adjust it, and then go,” she adds. “It’s a smooth transition, which is really nice.”
How to film fitness content solo without bulky equipment
Beth is often running long distances so needs to keep photography equipment to a minimum (Beth Fletcher)
Some creators love elaborate rigs – tripods, lights, the works. Beth doesn’t believe you need any of that to create great content while in motion.
“I’m not a very out-there person,” she says. “If I had a massive tripod, I wouldn’t like that. I don’t like a lot of attention.”
Instead, she films in a way that feels private, even in public spaces and advises that this often suits first-time content creators or those who want to respect others when out and about.
“I like to film on my own,” she says. “Or with a small setup. You can just take a phone with you and do your own thing in a way that feels personal to you.”
“A lot of creators are doing the same races with all the kit, the content looks the same. So I like to just film with my phone and do my own thing and I think that resonates with people.”
When to use the front camera for content
Beth uses Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra’s front-facing camera, powered by its Advanced Selfie AI processor (Beth Fletcher)
Running content generally features stunning scenery but Beth often films herself because it makes followers feel like they’re there beside her.
“We’re not all perfect in the running community and that’s what makes it so nice. We all have bad days, so some days I might say, ‘Oh, I skipped my run today’ and someone else will say, ‘Oh yeah, me too’. It keeps me going because it’s like, ‘Okay, I’m not the only one. I’m not alone.’”
Some front-facing cameras are known for compromising on quality, but Beth relies on hers for her connection to her community, no compromises required.
“The Galaxy S26 Ultra has an Advanced Selfie camera so in video mode the clips still look good. I can capture real moments quickly, especially if I’m running with my dad or my dog. I have a cocker spaniel and he ran about 25K with me the other day, he wasn’t even tired!”
How to film workouts and runs in low light on your phone
If the lighting is poor, you can elevate it with your phone’s built-in settings and edit clips afterwards with simple editing tools, advises Beth.
“I do like running in the mornings and not so much at night. But in winter, obviously I was running in the dark. I’d use the video flash or the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s Nightography Video.”**
Timing can dictate the quality of your content but if you’re a busy person with a set routine and your only opportunity to run is during hours where light might not be optimal, the key is to light your own way and be smart with editing.
“You can edit brightness, vibrancy, saturation, everything afterwards on your phone,” explains Beth. “Just to make the colours stand out because often they just can look a bit samey in low light. It then really brings out the green in the grass and just makes the video come to life.”
How to capture sharp action shots without motion blur
An in-built 10x Optical Quality Zoom helps Beth better capture the scenery on her run (Beth Fletcher)
If you’re running past a beautiful view or over a finish line and you have one take, you have to make it count. During a race you aren’t going to go back and retake a blurred shot because minutes count.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra’s 200MP main camera is built to capture clear, detailed action photography even while you’re moving. There’s also an in-built 10x Optical Quality Zoom, which Beth explains comes in very handy when you’re shooting from a distance.
“It’s ideal for crowded marathons and big events but also in the surroundings where I train.”
How to record clear audio while filming outdoors
Outdoor audio can be unforgiving at times and it can make or break a good video. “There’s a lot of traffic where I live and it can be very windy,” Beth says. “I used to think there was no option but now I just use a quick editing tool to change the sound quality.”
Samsung’s Audio Eraser† makes it possible to keep your voice clear while removing background noise. “It makes your voice just sound normal, but without the external noise. So I can just film myself while I’m running and still listen to my music without worrying about the sound of my breathing or the wind or other people making noise – Stronger by Kelly Clarkson is my ultimate running track.”
“For my voiceovers, I don’t want it to sound like I’m reading a script so I’ll give myself a few points and often, the third take is the one. I speak like I would to someone I know so it sounds real. The audio on the phone is super crisp so I don’t always need a microphone, I don’t take one out with me that much.”
How to edit fitness content on your phone in public
Privacy Display‡ makes it easy to edit content in public spaces by reducing screen visibility from side angles (Beth Fletcher)
Beth admits she sometimes feels awkward editing videos on trains or in cafés. So the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s Privacy Display‡ feature is great if you’re editing on the go. “It’s really cool,” she says, “because when you look from the side you can’t see anything on the screen.”
“It’s not like anyone’s going to judge you, but it’s nice to just have a bit of privacy when you want to.”
Beth’s overall philosophy for fitness content is simple – make your capture easy and enjoy the process. “Just go for it,” she says. “Be yourself, record yourself doing what you’d naturally do anyway and don’t try and be someone else.”
“My plan is to keep documenting my journey. I’ve got a 50K race in June so I really want to show people that you can do these long distances. I’m not a quick runner but I love to show people you can just enjoy it and see how far you can go. So much of running is mental.”
FAQs: Filming fitness content on your phone
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How do you film stable fitness videos while running?Keep clips short (10 to 30 seconds), hold your phone steady, and use stabilisation tools like Super Steady video* on the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra to reduce shake while moving and filming on the go.
Do you need a tripod to film fitness content?No– most fitness creators film handheld, especially when running or training outdoors. A phone like the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is designed for stable, on-the-go filming without bulky equipment or extra setup.
Is it better to use the front or rear camera for fitness videos?Rear cameras offer higher detail and resolution, but the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s Advanced Selfie camera makes it easy to film high-quality, front-facing clips that feel more personal and engaging for your audience.
How can you film workouts in low light on your phone?Use features like Nightography video** for footage that looks clear and polished even in dark or low-light conditions.
How do you avoid blurry footage when filming action shots?Use a high-resolution camera like the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s 200MP camera, along with stabilisation and optical zoom, to capture sharper footage while moving quickly or filming fast-paced fitness and running scenes.
How do you record clear audio while filming outdoors?Use tools like Audio Eraser† to reduce wind and background noise, helping keep your voice clear, without needing to rely on an external microphone.
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Find out more about the Samsung Galaxy S26 series and Galaxy S26 Ultra camera and AI features at Samsung
*Super Steady results may vary depending on editing method and/or shooting conditions.
**Results may vary depending on light condition, subject and/or shooting conditions.
†Samsung account login required. Six types of sound can be detected; voices, music, wind, nature, crowd and noise. Results may vary depending on audio source & condition of the video. Network connection required to be used on supported apps.
‡Requires manual activation in settings to function. Privacy Display feature is not AI powered.
The number of players selected varies slightly each year and this year there will be 257 picks.
NFL teams scout players at college and then assess them during the NFL Combine, a week-long event in February featuring physical and mental tests where teams can also interview prospects.
Each college/university holds a Pro Day, where draft hopefuls have another chance to showcase their skills, and they may also visit teams for more tests and interviews.
Then comes the draft.
Each pick will not necessarily be the best player still available, they may be the player which that team feels best suits their needs.
The total number of picks varies each year as teams are awarded compensatory picks for players they lost in free agency.
They are also rewarded with picks for developing minority candidates for head coach/general manager positions, while teams may have to forfeit picks for breaching NFL rules.
This article is the latest from BBC Sport’s Ask Me Anything team.
MEXICO CITY — Mexico’s government said it was beefing up security at tourist sites after a man opened fire on tourists at pyramids outside of Mexico City less than two months before the FIFA World Cup.
The Monday shooting, carried out by a lone gunman on top of one of the Teotihuacan pyramids — a UNESCO Heritage Site and one of Mexico’s most frequented tourist attractions — killed one Canadian tourist and injured a dozen more.
It also set off a flurry of questions the next morning by reporters to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum about what security protocols her government was taking ahead of the sports competition, which Mexico will jointly host with the United States and Canada over the summer.
About an hour from Mexico City, Teotihuacan was slated to be a key site for visitors during the festivities. Just days before the shooting, local lawmakers even pushed forward an initiative to revive a nighttime interactive light show projected on the pyramids for World Cup visitors, which was previous suspended at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The unexpected act of violence comes as Sheinbaum’s government has gone to great lengths to project an image of safety ahead of the soccer competition, following a surge of cartel violence February in the World Cup host city of Guadalajara.
“Events like this only further magnify the negative images that Mexico has on security issues, undermining the narrative that President Sheinbaum is trying to build that Mexico is a safe country,” said Mexican security analyst David Saucedo.
On Tuesday, Sheinbaum acknowledged that the archaeological site lacked security filters to prevent the attack in part, she said, because the shooting “was an isolated incident” that hasn’t occurred before in such a public space.
While Mexico suffers from cartel violence, especially in strategic and rural areas, mass shootings in public spaces are rare in Mexico compared to the U.S., where it is much easier to legally obtain a gun.
“Our obligation as a government is to take the appropriate measures to ensure that a situation like this does not happen again. But clearly, we all know — Mexicans know — that this is something that had not previously taken place,” Sheinbaum said Tuesday morning.
Mexican Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch, the face of the government’s crackdown on cartels, said on Tuesday that security forces had been ordered to “immediately strengthen security” at archaeological sites and major tourist destinations across the country.
He said the government will increase the presence of Mexican National Guard, boost security checks at key sites and fortify surveillance systems to “identify and prevent any threats” against citizens and visitors.
The announcement was an effort by Mexican authorities to assuage ongoing concerns about violence in Mexico ahead of the tournament.
Sheinbaum’s government has touted security successes under her leadership. Homicides have dipped sharply since she taken office to the lowest levels in a decade, government figures show. The government has also taken out a number of top capos and highlighted a dip in fentanyl seizures at the U.S.-Mexico border.
But they have hit hurdles in recent months, namely a burst a violence in Guadalajara in February, triggered by the killing of Mexico’s most powerful cartel boss. The bloodshed was met with a wave of concern by people in and outside of Mexico. Sheinbaum vowed there would be “no risk” for fans coming to the tournament and FIFA president Gianni Infantino said he had “full confidence” in Mexico as a host country. Sheinbaum later met with FIFA representatives to assess security for the World Cup matches to be played in Mexico.
Mexico’s government doubled down on security measures, which include deploying 100,000 security forces across the country, particularly concentrated in the country’s three host cities, Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey. Officials said it would deploy more than 2,000 military vehicles, as well as dozens of air crafts and drones, and establish security perimeters around areas like stadiums and airports in key cities.
“As you can see, we are very prepared for the World Cup,” Sheinbaum said in early March.
Despite the rare nature of the Monday shooting at the pyramids, the extreme act of violence reignited scrutiny by some about the government’s capacity to prevent violence during the soccer tournament, and once again boosted pressures on the government.
FIFA was approached for comment about the pyramid shooting, but the soccer body typically does not address security issues and incidents that happen away from tournament venues.
Saucedo, the security analyst, said that pressures to concentrate security in host cities and tourist areas like Teotihuacan may come at the expense of other more crime-torn areas in greater need of police and military.
“Events like the one that took place yesterday in Teotihuacan clearly show that public safety agencies are overwhelmed,” he said.
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Associated Press reporter Graham Dunbar contributed to this report from Geneva.
