New York State

ARSENAL will be knocked out in the Champions League Round of 16 according to a supercomputer.

The Gunners could face either PSV Eindhoven or Feyenoord in the next round after they beat Juventus and AC Milan respectively in the play-offs.

Rex

Getty

They face a tricky path to the final but a supercomputer predicts they will not get over their first obstacle – PSV.

A supercomputer run by CasinoHawks has determined the Gunners will lose 2-0 in the first leg, away from home.

And with the Gunners plagued by injuries in attack it has been predicted they will only respond with a 1-0 win at the Emirates, knocking them out of Europe.

PSV are then tipped to meet Real Madrid in the next round and lose, with Carlo Ancelotti‘s side progressing to face Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-final.

Meanwhile Aston Villa are also predicted to lose in the Round of 16, to Borussia Dortmund, meaning Liverpool will be the only English side to reach the latter stages.

The Reds will beat Benfica 8-3 on aggregate next up before conquering Dortmund to reach the last four.

The supercomputer claims Liverpool will go all the way, beating Inter Milan before a 4-3 victory over PSG in what would be a thrilling final in Munich.

Arsenal, Liverpool and Aston Villa will find out their Round of 16 opponents on Friday.

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Liverpool will face PSG or Benfica while Villa take on Borussia Dortmund or Club Brugge.

Manchester City were the first English team to be knocked out of the Champions League this season after falling to a 6-3 aggregate defeat to Real Madrid.

ROY KEANE’S daughter admits she “thought life was over” after being diagnosed with the same incurable disease as pop star Selena Gomez.

Caragh Keane, 29, is the second-oldest child of the Manchester United legend, who shares five kids with wife Theresa Doyle.

caraghkeane/Instagram

Insatgram / @officialkeane16

She is the daughter of Man Utd legend Roy Keane[/caption]

caraghkeane/Instagram

Caragh suffered joint pain and blistered skin[/caption]

Instagram/selenagomez

Singer Selena Gomez also has lupus[/caption]

But four years ago, Caragh’s life was turned upside down after being diagnosed with lupus.

The chronic autoimmune condition results in severe inflammation, with singer Gomez needing a career break and kidney transplant due to its symptoms.

Caragh developed extreme joint pain, blisters and alopecia, forcing her to turn down a “dream teaching position.”

And things became even bleaker when she was told she may need to undergo chemotherapy treatment to ease her symptoms.

Caragh told PA Real Life: “Life was over. (There was) no way out. I wouldn’t be here without them (mum and dad).

“When I was diagnosed, I mourned the person I had been and the person I felt I should have been.

“The fatigue was unbearable but you just power on. I was essentially bed-bound for a month-and-a-half.

“I had been experiencing fatigue and memory loss for about six months. Since your immune system is essentially attacking itself, you feel like you only have yourself to blame.”

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Caragh took it upon herself to research the links between gut health and inflammation.

And after switching to a diet of unprocessed, healthy foods, Caragh’s lupus symptoms incredibly vanished.

caraghkeane/Instagram

Caragh reversed her symptoms by changing her diet[/caption]

caraghkeane/Instagram

She hopes to help other lupus sufferers improve their lifestyle[/caption]

She has now created a health company, called Superkeen, which sells organic food to help others suffering with lupus, gut issues and other autoimmune problems.

Caragh added: “When I look at it now, it’s obviously led me on this journey and I’m grateful for the food moments.

“With the main overarching aim of being inclusive and knowing you’re not alone, I hope I can help people.

“Everyone’s on their own journey but we’re all in it together.

“I started eating real whole foods so I focused on good meat, fish and healthy fats, veggies and fruits, gut-healing foods like bone broth and fermented food, and supplements.

“I started noticing my hair growing back and all my blisters started fading on my face.

“My joint pain subsided after a few months and then I remember think, ‘There are lots of people out there suffering that don’t know the healing properties of food’.”

NATALIA Grace was accused of posing as a child by the first family who adopted her.

Her adoptive parents went on to claim she was a sociopath who tried to kill them, but the truth was stranger than fiction.

Instagram

Six-year-old Natalia Grace was adopted by the Barnetts in 2010, but they claimed she was a sociopath in her twenties[/caption]

Who is Natalia Grace?

Natalia Grace was born in Ukraine on September 4, 2003.

She was diagnosed with spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita — a rare form of dwarfism.

Natalia was adopted by Michael and Kristine Barnett in 2010, when she was six years old.

Barnetts’ allegations

But the Barnetts claimed that Natalia was actually an adult masquerading as a child.

They alleged that she exhibited violent behavior and made threats against their family.

Michael detailed the threats he and his ex-wife (they split in 2014) allegedly faced from Natalia in The Curious Case of Natalia Grace — a three-part docuseries that premiered on ID in May 2023.

He said in the documentary: “She threatened to stab my sons, drag their bodies outside and bury them underneath the deck.”

Michael added: “I promise you within five years someone is dead.”

He also told Good Morning America: “We were told by doctors, ‘This person is a sociopath. This person is a con artist. You are all in danger.’

“Natalia would do things like place clear thumbtacks on the stairs face up so that when we would walk up the stairs we would be stepping on thumbtacks to pain and injure ourselves.”

Kristine Barnett also alleged that Natalia attempted to poison her coffee with a cleaning agent.

Natalia has always denied Michael and Kristine’s allegations that she attempted to harm them and their three biological children.

Petition to change Natalia’s age

According to the Barnetts, Natalia was 21 years old when they adopted her on April 26, 2010 — not six years old.

In 2012, they successfully petitioned a court to legally change Natalia’s birth year from 2003 to 1989, effectively altering her age from 8 to 22.

The following year, the Barnetts moved Natalia into an apartment in Lafayette, Indiana, before relocating to Canada with their biological children.

It’s a blessing to be alive today because looking back at my seven-year-old self, I should have been dead.

Natalia GraceThe Curious Case of Natalia Grace: The Final Chapter

DNA age verification

In August 2023, a DNA test estimated Natalia’s age to be around 22, supporting her claim about her true age.

Her birth year was later legally restored to 2003.

Natalia had also always denied the speculation surrounding her ‘real age’, maintaining that she was in fact a child when the Barnetts adopted her.

Legal proceedings

In September 2019, Michael and Kristine Barnett were charged with counts of neglect of a dependent, neglect of a dependent causing bodily injury and conspiracy to commit neglect of a dependent for the abandonment of Natalia in 2013.

Following a trial, however, Michael was found not guilty of three counts of neglect and conspiracy to commit neglect of a dependent in October 2022.

Tippecanoe County Jail

Michael and Kristine Barnett faced charges of neglect, but they were ultimately dropped[/caption]

Kristine’s charges were also dropped in March 2023.

Second adoptive family

Bishop Antwon and Cynthia Mans legally adopted Natalia in June 2023 — but she had already been living with them for around a decade.

She joined the Mans family in their strict religious lifestyle while living with them in Indiana and Tennessee, helping to care for her 10 adoptive siblings.

Natalia alleged that the Mans family was controlling and forbade her from contacting outsiders.

So she orchestrated a complex escape plan with the assistance of her boyfriend Neil, whom she met on Facebook.

Max

Natalia has featured in multiple TV shows, including The Curious Case of Natalia Grace[/caption]

Natalia contacted Nicole and Vince DePaul, who had previously unsuccessfully attempted to adopt her in 2009.

The plan required several months of careful preparation and coordination.

Neil played a crucial role in facilitating communication between Natalia and Nicole DePaul.

Initially skeptical of Neil’s identity and intentions, Nicole eventually confirmed his relationship with Natalia and became involved in the escape plan.

The arrangement culminated in Nicole and her daughter Mackenzie driving from upstate New York to Nashville, to secretly retrieve Natalia from the Mans family home.

Matt Symons for The US Sun

Natalia finally found a happy home with Nicole and Vince DePaul, both of whom are also little people[/caption]

Just three days before Christmas 2023, Natalia escaped with her new family.

Where Natalia is now

As of February 2025, Natalia Grace, now 21 years old, is living with Nicole and Vince DePaul — both of whom are also little people — in upstate New York.

In the ID show The Curious Case of Natalia Grace: The Final Chapter (2025), Natalia said: “The last thing I told my sisters were, ‘You guys go ahead to the church sanctuary and I love you.’

“And then I saw [the DePauls] pull up and Mack jumped out and I’m like, ‘Oh, my gosh, she’s actually here.’

“My heart started pounding. I was terrified. I was completely terrified.”

On her new life, Natalia added: “It’s a blessing to be alive today because looking back at my seven-year-old self, I should have been dead.

“Learning everything that I have about how to live with my dwarfism— it’s been a great experience.

“I love it. I mean, of course, I still miss my siblings and everything. But I love it. I feel free.”

SUBWAY has made a big menu change, adding a much-loved British dish.

The sandwich chain has launched their new Spudway jacket potato, a full-customisable tattie on its own or as part of a meal deal.

Subway

The Spudway comes with toppings including British staples like Cheese & Heinz Beans and Tuna Mayonnaise.[/caption]

Alamy

Subway have launched their new ‘Spudway’ jacket potato in 170 selected locations[/caption]

Selected restaurants are offering the new menu option from February 19 to April 15, or while stocks last.

The Spudway comes with a variety of toppings, or can be customised with any topping from the normal Subway menu.

Options for the jacket potato include British staples like Cheese & Heinz Beans and Tuna Mayonnaise.

Chicken Tikka, Rotisserie Style Chicken & Bacon and new Taco Beef are also on the menu.

Or you can choose your own tried-and-tested favourite Subway filling – think, Marinara Sauce, Veggie Delite or Steak and Cheese.

The new Spudway potato can be bought on its own, or as part of a meal deal – which includes a spud, drink, plus crisps or cookie.

The price of the new meal is to be confirmed, but is likely to be similar to a Sub sandwich.

Solo Subs start from £3.99, and for £1.60 you can turn it into a meal with the option of a drink and a treat or a snack.

Subway, famed for its foot-long Sub sandwiches, said it launched the Spudway due to the popularity of jacket potatoes on social media.

Deniz Safa, Director of Innovation & Culinary at Subway, said: “We’re always looking to bring our fans delicious and customisable options that suit every taste and every budget.

“Given the recent buzz on social media and growing consumer demand, we’re eager to see how Spudway is received, and if our guests love it, this could be just the beginning!

“Made with British potatoes, salted butter and a double portion of cheese, plus any of our many toppings, Spudway is the perfect freshly-made, high-quality lunch choice.

“With jacket potatoes surging in popularity – thanks to their comforting, filling nature and great value – now is the ideal time for Subway to trial this exciting addition to our menu.”

Subway is trialling the new Spudway jacket potato in 170 selected restaurants, with potential for a nationwide rollout later this year.

To see if you can pick up a Subway jacket potato near you, visit their website subway.com/en-gb/campaigns or see our list below.

The latest launch comes weeks after Subway announced a shake-up to its menu including footlong nachos, spicy taco beef subs, and much more.

Highlights include the Mexicana beef crunch sub, stacked with Doritos, cheese, jalapeños, and chipotle sauce, plus the show-stealing footlong nachos — tortilla chips topped with cheese, salsa, and optional guacamole.

Prices start at just £2.99 on the new Saver Subs menu, making it easier to dig into Subway’s spiciest offering yet.

Last year saw Subway add another British favourite to its menu, with the launch of its first ever toastie.

For the first time ever, a Ham & Cheese Toastie joined the Saver Subs menu line up, filled with ham, melted American-style cheese and Subway’s much-loved Chipotle Southwest Sauce.

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Subway isn’t the only chain shaking up its menu in February.

Chains such as McDonald’s and KFC have revealed big changes in recent weeks.

McDonald’s

Fast-food giant McDonald’s added the Philly Cheese Stack, Raspberry and White Chocolate Pie and a Mars McFlurry to the menu.

The Philly Cheese Stack features two beef patties with a cheese sauce, cheese slices, grilled and crispy onions and pickles served in a toasted bun. 

It’s the first time customers have been able to get their hands on the seasonal burger since last September.

The burger costs £5.29 on its own, or £6.99 for a medium meal.

KFC

KFC has rolled out a new and improved version of its Double Down burger, last seen on the menu nearly half a decade ago.

KFC has brought back the dish, but with a twist.

The burger, which features two breaded chicken breasts instead of a sandwich bun was last seen on the menus in 2019.

The snack now also features a hash brown wedged between the chicken buns along with cheese and KFC Supercharger sauce.

The burger made its comeback on February 10 and costs £7.49 as a single item, or £9.49 if you want to add fries and a drink.

Greggs

Greggs has added a new chicken burger and wrap to menus as part of its hot made-to-order range.

The BBQ crispy chicken burger costs £4, while the wrap has southern fried chicken goujons and costs £3.80.

Both items are part of the Hot Sandwich Deal, which includes any hot sandwich, wedges, or side salad and a drink for £4.95.

SHUFFLING along a scruffy pavement lined by dilapidated buildings, a lone dealer emerges from a drug den where addicts shoot up after cooking heroin flogged by kids in £10 bags.

Meanwhile, less than 100 yards away, workers are building Britain’s next generation 167ft Royal Navy nuclear Trident submarines at BAE Systems’ £31bn shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness.

David Nelson

Authorities in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria are working to help tackle the town’s drug issues[/caption]

David Nelson

Chris Gibson is a former addict who says heroin is still a huge problem in the town[/caption]

Cumbria Police

Three nuclear-armed ballistic missile HMS Dreadnought submarines are being constructed there – but while locals take pride in its shipbuilding prowess, the Cumbrian town close to the Lake District is increasingly plagued by its reputation for poverty and drugs.

It was dubbed “Britain’s most infamous brown town” after an influx of heroin caused a high number of overdose deaths, with 12 in one three-month period alone.

County lines drugs gangs smuggle in heroin and crack cocaine from Manchester and Liverpool, often using children to deliver the goods.

A recent police crackdown has seen a large number of drug dens closed down as cops and local residents fight back against the trade, but Class A substances continue to blight the area.

When The Sun visited as part of its Hooked series, which reveals the drug epidemics in towns up and down the nation, former heroin addict Chris Gibson, 46, told us: “The crackdown has helped but heroin is still a big problem here.

“It has got a bit better, but ketamine is now just as much of a problem. You see youngsters coming with all sort of bladder and health problems now. It’s very sad.”

Wandering near the homes built for shipyard workers on Barrow Island, one heroin user told how he injects heroin up to five times a day to feed his habit.

The shuffling man in his 30s, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “I take whatever I can get. I smoked it first and now I shoot up. I started when I was 18.”

Dad-of-one Chris, 46, kicked his habit with the help of drug rehab and is now a drug recovery worker.

Recalling the height of his addiction, he said: “It was a living nightmare. I started taking drugs in the 90s during the rave scene.

David Nelson

Drug users enter dilapidated buildings to snort and inject substances[/caption]

David Nelson

The town is known for its £31billion nuclear submarine shipyard[/caption]

David Nelson

Residents have said drug addicts can easily get their hands on illegal substances[/caption]

“When other people went home, I wanted more so I got into other things.

“I started smoking heroin and it spiralled after that. Eventually I went on to inject it. It became my world and my life fell apart – with my family and everything.

“It was a living nightmare in the end. It was hellish.”

There is a lot of poverty and deprivation here so people can be easy targets

Chris Gibson

Speaking near the centre of town, he added: “Barrow still has a big problem with heroin.

“There is a lot of poverty and deprivation here so people can be easy targets. But addiction is in the mind.

“You have to try and break the cycle. Things are getting better but there’s a long way to go.”

Deep-rooted

Another resident, unemployed Mike Brownhill, 28, said: “Someone I went to school with died of a heroin overdose. It can get hold of people and they lose everything.

“I did it for a few years but then got help when my partner fell pregnant. It was tough but I made it through.

“It’s very easy to get drugs here. I was one of the lucky ones to make it away from drugs. Many aren’t so lucky.”

While a number of drug dens near the town centre have now been shut down, many are thought to have moved to different locations.

Drug problems have deep roots in the isolated town.

It’s very easy to get drugs here. I was one of the lucky ones to make it away from drugs. Many aren’t so lucky

Mike Brownhill, local resident

In 2018 Barrow, which has a population of 67,000, had the ninth-highest rate of deaths from opiates in England and Wales – more than double the national average.

Two years later, the Office of National Statistics (ONS) said 17 people died of drugs-related deaths in the town.

The ONS said it was 12 the next year, while there were 15 deaths reported in 2022.

A few years ago the shipbuilding hub was labelled the “drugs capital of the north”, where people were more likely to die from drugs than those in nearby Manchester, Liverpool or Lancaster.

However Cumbria Police has launched several initiatives against the heroin trade.

NNP

David Nelson

Despite being on the edge of the Lake District, few tourists make it as far as Barrow[/caption]

Eight people were jailed at Preston Crown Court in July for their role in a county lines plot which involved children delivering Class A drugs.

They were caged for a total of 50 years for the drugs operation that ran heroin and cocaine from Manchester to Barrow.

Cops said the ‘Shakka’ line, run from a cell in South Yorkshire, flooded Barrow with drugs through a county lines network with a ‘home delivery service’.

It was estimated the county line supplied drugs with a street value estimated at more than £110,000 in Barrow over a four-month period between September 2022 and January 2023.

A spokesperson from Cumbria Police said: “Our officers work all-year-round to protect Cumbria against serious and organised crime.

“Drug dealing is a blight on the county and significantly contributes to immense suffering to some of the most vulnerable people in society. However, Cumbria Constabulary is committed to rooting it out.

“We continue to be proactive, using local intelligence to conduct misuse of drugs act warrants and stop searches as part of our ongoing efforts to target and disrupt drug supply within our communities.”

Barrow – the hometown of England lioness Georgia Stanway, Hairy Bikers star Dave Myers and ex-Liverpool captain Emlyn Hughes – is classed as one of the most deprived in England by the Office of National Statistics.

Barrow Borough Council was one of the first local authorities to declare a poverty emergency in September 2020 after the devastating impact of Covid and the cost of living crisis.

Recent government figures found one in 10 adults are unemployed, a quarter have no qualifications and a fifth of kids live in poverty.

All that remains of Barrow’s once bustling shipping industry is BAE Systems.

Despite being on the edge of the Lake District, few tourists make it as far as Barrow.

But not all the locals are so despondent.

Speaking near the centre of town, hotel porter Geoff Pike, 64, said: “It’s a great place to live despite having had a few problems.

“You are by the Irish Sea and the beach.

“I think the kids get into drugs as they are just bored. But every place has its problems, not just Barrow.”

Takeaway worker Ilyas Cosar, 54, added: “It’s quiet here now. There are many people who work at the shipyard. I like it here now. There is not really any trouble.”

David Nelson

A takeaway worker said although it’s now quiet in the town centre, there are still ongoing problems[/caption]

David Nelson

Local Resident Geoff Pike believes kids get hooked on drugs when they are bored[/caption]

David Nelson

Barrow-in-Furness has seen a sharp rise in drug use[/caption]

David Nelson

Despite the town’s issues, Geoff still believes it’s a ‘great place to live’[/caption]

COPS have issued an update after a woman believed to be Madeline McCann was “arrested for stalking” parents Kate and Gerry.

Julia Wandelt, 23, from Poland, became an internet sensation in February 2023 after claiming to be the missing Maddie.

PA

Paul Tonge

AFP - Getty

After flying in from Wroclaw in Poland to meet her 60-year-old Cardiff-based pal around 8pm last night, the pair were seized.

Both women were arrested at Bristol Airport on “suspicion of stalking involving serious alarm/distress” and “remain in custody”.

Leicestershire Police said: “Last night two women were arrested at Bristol Airport as part of an ongoing investigation.

“A 23-year-old woman from Poland and a 60-year-old woman from Wales were arrested on suspicion of stalking involving serious alarm/distress.

“They both remain in custody and enquiries are continuing.”

Julia became an internet sensation after claiming to be the missing Maddie, in February 2023.

She created the Instagram handle @IAmMadeleineMcCann and shared “new” DNA results to show her relation to Gerry McCann.

This was despite previously showing she is 100 per cent Polish.

She claimed the results were submitted to a “world expert” who compared them to DNA found at the crime scene in 2007, when Madeleine disappeared in Praia de Luz, Portugal.

Julia alleged experts also matched her eyes, teeth and voice with Madeleine.

She also claimed her “source” believes the evidence “strongly supports that Gerry McCann could be Julia’s biological father”.

Earlier this week, Julia shared an audio clip on her Instagram account in which she claims to have tried to speak with Gerry McCann on the phone.

The man hung up on her a few seconds in to the call, saying she must have the wrong number.

Julia previously told the BBC‘s disinformation and social media correspondent, Marianna Spring, how she was sexually abused as a young child.

The Polish national said she first started believing she was Madeleine McCann after seeing resemblances between sketches of suspects and her abuser.

She claimed this led to her suffering from gaps in her memory which caused her to become suspicious about her upbringing after her parents dismissed questions on whether she was adopted.

Julia also said she was never shown photos of herself in her early years or a birth certificate.

However, her parents had quickly refuted this and provided evidence.

OURA is as big a name in the world of celebrity fitness these days as Ozempic.

But with celebrity status comes celebrity price tags — Oura charges up to £499 for its new-generation smart rings, as well as a monthly subscription fee on top.

In this RingConn Gen 2 review, I’ve tested one of the dark horses in the smart ring race; it’s cheaper than Oura with better battery life, but can it really compete?

Paul Edwards

RingConn Gen 2, $387 (£311.30)

A decade ago this year, Oura Ring came out with the first generation of its smart ring, sparking a wave of imitations.

They come at a range of price points; unpronounceable brands on Amazon sell them for less than £50, while Ultrahuman recently announced the release of its £1500 “luxury smart ring”.

Even mainstream tech giants have got in on the act, with Samsung releasing its Galaxy Ring last year.

However, one of the brands most comparable to Oura is one I’ve only recently heard of; RingConn.

In fact, it’s so comparable that Oura took it (and a couple of other competitors) to court for patent infringement last year.

With its second-generation ring priced at $387 (£311 at the time of writing) regardless of colour, it presents a decent saving over the Oura Ring, and on paper, it goes toe-to-toe with the big dog of Smart Rings; in some ways, such as battery life, it even outdoes it.

I’ve been testing out the RingConn Gen 2 ring for the last couple of months, and comparing it with my 3rd Generation Oura ring to see how it matches up.

Read on for my full thoughts.

Pros

• Relatively affordable
• Doesn’t require an ongoing subscription
• Excellent sleep tracking including Sleep Apnea Monitoring
• Provides a wealth of sleep data
• Nicely designed
• Impressive battery life
• AI assistant provides helpful actionable suggestions
• Portable charging case

Cons

• Activity and health tracking isn’t as sophisticated as Oura
• App and communication could be more sleek
• AI plans need expanding

Rating: 7/10

How I tested the RingConn smart ring

Sophia-Loren Alexander

I tested out the RingConn against my third-generation Oura Ring[/caption]

RingConn Gen 2, $387 (£311.30)

As The Sun’s reviews manager, it’s my job to test out the most trendy products — and these days, they don’t come hotter than smart rings.

I’ve already tested out arguably the biggest two names in the game; the Oura Ring and the Samsung Galaxy Ring.

I’ve been wearing Ringconn’s competitor for the last couple of weeks, alongside my trusty third-generation Oura Ring.

It’s been tasked with improving my poor sleeping habits, and I’ve also embarked on its “Body and Mind Balance” AI plan to see if it can make me feel better day-to-day.

Other criteria I’ve been focusing on include value for money, battery life, design, app compatibility and more.

RingConn review: Quickfire Q&A

Is RingConn legit? Don’t be put off by RingConn’s admittedly odd name, or the fact that most people have never heard of it. It’s a worthy competitor to the Lords of the Smart Rings, Oura and Samsung.

How much is the RingConn Gen 2? It’s $387 — approximately £310 in pounds and pennies — and it feels important to mention here that there is no monthly subscription involved.

Who is the RingConn best for? People who are put off by the Oura Ring’s high price point and frankly audacious subscription fee but want an easy-to-use companion for sleep and step tracking.

What we loved: Its interminable battery life, its promising-looking AI health plans and well-fleshed-out sleep monitoring. And the portable charging case is a lifesaver.

What we didn’t: The AI plans need some work, its communication can be a bit confusing, and there’s a way to go before its app and insights can compete with Oura. I’d also have preferred more sophisticated suggestions about what to change about my day-to-day habits.

Does it tarnish? When she reviewed the RingConn for her piece about the best smart rings, The Sun’s Health Features Editor Alice Fuller noted that her ring got a bit beaten up during testing. However, after a couple of months of wearing it on my dominant hand, I’ve been impressed with mine — it’s got a couple of nicks, but nothing major.

Our verdict: Ringconn has carved out a well-deserved place for itself in an increasingly saturated market, providing a cheap alternative to some of the more expensive tech on the market. However, don’t expect as professional an experience as you’d get from the big dogs.

Ringconn review: The Nitty Gritty

First impressions

Sophia-Loren Alexander

Even next to the Oura Ring (left), the RingConn (right) looks noticeably sleek[/caption]

RingConn Gen 2, $387 (£311.30)

As is the case with most smart rings, the first thing you’ll have to do when you order a RingConn is figure out your ring size.

To achieve this, RingConn will send you a sizing kit (free of charge).

It contains sizes 6-14 — the same range as Samsung, and a slightly larger one than Oura.

Once it did arrive, my first reaction was a pleasant surprise; this is a really sleek ring.

Rather than the completely circular design opted for by Oura and Samsung, Ringconn’s ring has a very slightly squared-off silhouette, which is a nice detail.

It’s also impressively slim. Next to it, my third-generation Oura Ring looks visibly chunky.

I’m not sure if that’s some sort of optical illusion created by the squared-off design fitting closer to the finger, because it seems a more stark difference than the 1.1mm on paper. (It’s also worth noting that the Oura Ring Gen 4, which Sun Shopping hasn’t managed to test out yet, is slimmer than the third generation).

However, the big game-changer in the RingConn box is not even the ring itself.

Paul Edwards

RingConn Gen 2, $387 (£311.30)

Instead, it’s the charging case that accompanies it, which allows you to charge the ring while on the go.

Having had an Oura Ring for a few months, I can say confidently that the biggest inconvenience is finding time to charge it.

The time I charge most of my other devices — while I’m asleep — is obviously out as its main purpose is to track my slumber, and I also don’t want to charge it while I’m on the go lest my steps go uncounted.

Having the RingConn case in your bag means that you can throw the ring in it for a few minutes while out and about, and RingConn claims that you can get over 150 days of continuous use from the charging case alone.

Does it deliver?

‘Appy days

As is the case with all smart rings, the RingConn links to an app on your phone, where you’ll find all your vital stats and feedback.

The app is easy enough to connect to; to be honest, a couple of months later I can barely even remember doing it, which speaks for itself.

If memory serves, it simply comprises downloading a (free) app and connecting to the ring via Bluetooth. It took two or three minutes, max.

A big factor making setup easier is the fact that you don’t have to sign up for a rolling subscription to use all of the ring’s capabilities, as is the case with Oura. (I’ll save my scathing opinion piece on this for another time).

Kieran Ahuja

The first thing you’ll see when you open the app is a four-leaf clover display[/caption]

The first thing you’ll see in the app is a four-leaf clover-shaped graphic displaying your four core vitals; Sleep, Stress Level, Activity and “Vitals Status”, which comprises things like heart rate and blood oxygen.

This is a nice idea from RingConn, making it good for people who don’t want to do a deep dive into their stats every day; it’s nice to be able to log on for just a few seconds per day and get an overview of your vitals.

Inferior insights

However, it became obvious after playing around with the app for a while that RingConn isn’t operating at Oura’s level when it comes to insights, especially when it comes to things like cardiovascular health, which is something Oura has been working hard on recently.

It does have pretty robust sleep tracking, going as far as to offer a comprehensive assessment of whether you suffer from Sleep Apnea (I don’t, thankfully).

But while it might sound harsh, accurate sleep tracking is pretty much the bare minimum for a £300-plus smart ring these days.

While it might sound harsh, accurate sleep tracking is pretty much the bare minimum for a £300-plus smart ring these days.

I also noticed that the RingConn is a lot more complimentary with its sleep scores than Oura. My sleep score from RingConn is usually in the high 70s to low 80s; with Oura, I’m lucky to break 75.

This isn’t necessarily good or bad, though.

AI on hand

Kieran Ahuja

Conversation with the RingConn AI Assistant can feel… one sided[/caption]

The way that RingConn makes up for its less exhaustive tracking is to channel its insights into an AI assistant, designed to make its data more useful and easier to act on.

The assistant, which was only introduced recently and which RingConn admits is still in the beta stage of development, works in two main ways.

The first is a direct-message interface through which the bot sends a constant drip of emoji-punctuated insights, encouragements and affirmations.

I’ll admit I quickly got bored of these; they essentially just verbalise data from the app dashboard, and for some reason, there’s no notification when the AI assistant sends you a new message; instead, you have to manually go into the interface to check for new messages.

And to make things even more annoying, the conversation is almost entirely one-sided; there are a couple of questions you can choose from (“How did I sleep?”, “How active am I?”) but there’s no way of asking it anything specific.

And, to put it diplomatically, you can tell that RingConn’s AI assistant has not been trained by a company whose first language is English.

There are no howlers, exactly, but some messages are worded… clunkily, and this is something a theme throughout the app.

Take this example: “You start today’s activities with full energy! The duration of medium and high-intensity activities has reached five minutes, keep moving!”

The AI Assistant’s second responsibility is to compile and update an AI Health Plan, which sets achievable targets relating to sleep time, number of steps, daily activity and stress level.

These targets are reassessed every week, and the AI assistant might also slash your targets if you’ve had a bad night’s sleep.

Having these achievable targets is really helpful; the 10,000 steps target that everyone harps on about — which, you might be interested to learn, actually started thanks to a marketing campaign for a pedometer ahead of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics — doesn’t fit everyone’s lifestyle, and the same goes for getting eight hours of sleep.

It’s good to know that my targets are designed using my data; as someone who struggles to sleep, RingConn only challenges me to get seven hours of sleep per night, and as someone who walks everywhere, it’s not unreasonable for it to ask me to target 13,000 daily steps.

I’m looking forward to seeing how RingConn further leverages AI to make its ring more user-friendly; the initial signs are encouraging, but there’s certainly some undiscovered potential.

The release of a “sleep improvement plan”, which RingConn has been teasing on the app for a while now, might be a positive step.

Practical matters

Kieran Ahuja

The RingConn (right) constantly outlasted my third-generation Oura Ring when it came to battery life[/caption]

A big tick on the scoresheet for RingConn’s smart ring is how unbelievably easy it is to live with.

First and foremost here is the battery life; it feels endless. On some occasions, I’ve had to charge my Oura Ring twice before I’ve had to charge my RingConn once.

If anything, RingConn has understated the 10-12 day battery life that it claims on its website.

The charging case makes life even easier, meaning you can charge it on the go or when you’re sitting at your desk at work.

Another practical consideration is that it’s pretty resistant to tarnishing. My Oura Ring began to look pretty beaten up after just a few weeks; on the other hand (literally), my RingConn, which I’ve worn on my dominant hand since I got it, looks pretty much brand-new.

However, I will caveat this by saying that The Sun’s Health Features Editor, Alice Fuller, had a different experience, finding that her ring got scratched after several weeks of wear.

Alice Fuller

The Sun’s Health Features Editor, Alice Fuller, found that her ring got quite tarnished, but mine seems okay so far.[/caption]

RingConn Gen 2, $387 (£311.30)

How much is the RingConn Gen 2?

The RingConn Gen 2 retails for $387, which translates to around £310 in pounds and pennies.

While that doesn’t exactly make it a bargain, it certainly compares well to Oura, whose 4th generation ring starts at £399 (for the basic black and silver finishes) and goes up to a wincing £499 (for more lux colourways like gold and rose gold).

However, the bigger saving comes once you’ve got the ring; Oura charges a £5.99 monthly fee to use your ring’s full suite of features.

Admittedly, it’s not much, but I’ve never been quite sure how this fee is justified — asking customers to pay a monthly fee to access the features of a device they’ve already bought seems cheeky at best.

And although I’m sure you have more expensive monthly subscriptions, the costs do add up; you’ll save over £70 per year opting for the free-to-use RingConn over the Oura Ring.

Where to buy the RingConn Gen 2

For now, it seems that the only place to get your hands on (or in) the RingConn Gen 2 is the brand’s official website.

However, you can get the first-generation ring at third-party stockists including Argos, AO and Currys, so it wouldn’t be surprising to find the Gen 2 stocked there in the future.

RingConn Gen 2 alternatives

As you might have realised from my constant comparisons, the most obvious competitor to the RingConn Gen 2 is the Oura Ring.

It’s now in its fourth generation, and is generally accepted to be the standard-bearer when it comes to smart rings.

However, if you’re an Android user, you’d probably be better served by the Samsung Galaxy Ring, which integrates seamlessly with other Samsung tech and has the bonus of not charging a monthly fee.

More affordable options include the Amazfit Helio, which is around half the price of the other smart rings mentioned.

The Blues have won just of their last 11 games in all competitions.

Luis Rubiales has been given a €10,800 (£8,935) fine and a restraining order after being found guilty of sexually assaulting Jennifer Hermoso during Spain’s World Cup final celebrations in 2023.

The former president of the Spanish Football Federation kissed Hermoso without her consent during the Women’s World Cup medal ceremony after Spain beat England.

Along with the fine, Rubiales has been prohibited from approaching Hermoso within a 200-metre radius and from communicating with her for one year.

Rubiales was also acquitted of coercion after he was accused of trying to get Hermoso to downplay the incident. Prosecutors had demanded a two-and-a-half year jail sentence.

During the trial, Hermoso said she felt ‘disrespected’ by Rubiales’ actions and said the fallout from the final had put her life on ‘standby’.

‘I felt it was totally out of place and I then realised my boss was kissing me, and this shouldn’t happen in any social or workplace setting,’ she said.

‘I felt disrespected. One of the happiest days of my life was tarnished and I think it’s very important for me to say that I never sought, much less expected, that this would happen. I think personally that it was a lack of respect.

‘Obviously, even today, I say that my life changed at that moment. I’d spent years fighting to win titles for my team, like the World Cup, but all that’s happened to me means that I just haven’t been able to enjoy any of it from the moment I set foot back in Madrid.

‘I’m a world champion but it seems that, even to this day, my life has been on standby. I honestly haven’t been able to live freely.’

Rubiales, meanwhile, remained adamant that he had received consent from Hermoso.

‘I am absolutely sure that she gave me her permission,’ Rubiales told the court.

‘In that moment it was something completely spontaneous.’

More to follow…

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It happened during an altercation at a bar this week.