attacker

Recovering German mayor-elect says her daughter was knife attacker

On Wednesday, local officials said Iris Stalzer, a newly elected mayor in Germany, accused her 17-year-old adopted daughter of attacking and stabbing her. File Photo by Jens Schlueter/EPA

Oct. 8 (UPI) — A newly-elected German mayor named her daughter as the suspected assailant after a knife attack left the political leader in critical condition.

Iris Stalzer, a member of Germany’s center-left Social Democratic Party elected last month as mayor of Herdecke, was stabbed Tuesday inside her home in the German state of North-Rhine Westphalia.Iris Stalzer

On Wednesday, local officials said the mayor-elect accused her 17-year-old adopted daughter as the suspected attacker.

Conflicting reports had also suggested the suspect was Stalzer’s unidentified 15-year-old son, who also was arrested.

Stalzer, seated in a chair with multiple stab wounds, was found inside her home living room after responders arrived and airlifted her to the hospital.

By Tuesday night, she was able to answer questions by investigators from her hospital bed.

Her daughter reportedly made the emergency call while in the company of her 15-year-old brother.

According to investigators, two knives believed to be the weapon used to attack Stalzer were gathered as evidence, and signs of a struggle were detected in the basement.

Investigators said little about a motive or the family argument that led up to the attack, which reportedly involved both of Stalzer’s children.

Stalzer, 57, won her September 28 runoff election by a 52% margin and a November 4 inaugural was initially set.

On Tuesday, the German SPD stated its party members were in a state of deep shock about the election. A rise in right-wing and anti-Semitic crimes in Germany in recent years included several deaths, including conservative politician Walter Lubcke.

Meanwhile, the Stalzer children were reportedly in the custody of German youth services.

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Another wife of Manchester synagogue terrorist says attacker ‘raped her’ & lied about being married with child – The Sun

ANOTHER wife of the Manchester synagogue terrorist said the attacker “raped” her and lied about being married with a child.

The woman, whose identity is being protected, told how Jihad Al-Shamie abused her mentally and sexually after they first met on Muslim dating app Muzz.

A man, identified as Faraj Al-Shamie, holding his grandson.

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University drop-out Jihad al-Shamie led a tangled love lifeCredit: Facebook
A man with a beard stands behind metal security gates, believed to be the possible Manchester Synagogue attacker.

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The 35-year-old was on police bail accused of rape when he carried out the car and knife terror attack in Manchester on Thursday
Forensic teams investigate a stabbing incident in Manchester, England.

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Forensic teams at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogueCredit: AP

She had converted to Islam in 2012, ten years before meeting Al-Shamie.

The woman became trapped in a volatile cycle in which he would flip between being “vile” and then “nice” to draw her back in to their on-and-off relationship.

Eventually, Al-Shamie told the woman he was married and had a son, but confessed to keeping them secret.

In text messages seen by the M.E.N, he wrote: “I didn’t tell u because I really like you and wanted u to be my 2nd wife.”

But Al-Shamie told her men can have four wives in Islamic culture and that his first wife “accepts” it.

Within a month of entering into a relationship with him, the pair married in January 2022.

The woman said their Islamic ceremony took place over a video call because of Covid restrictions.

But the marriage was soon filled with coercive and controlling behaviour.

She claimed Al-Shamie raped her, but she did not report it to police.

The attacker’s abuse is laid out in Facebook messages between the couple.

Chilling moment terrorist’s car hurtles towards synagogue before ploughing into crowd

He tells her: “Good luck getting any guy to deal with your rubbish.”

And: “You’re not worth it and I can do better – don’t need someone with your baggage and mental issues.”

To try and win her back, Al-Shamie would promise grand gestures, such as buying a property close to where she lived, although these never came into fruition.

The woman told M.E.N she thought she loved him at the beginning of their partnership.

Two armed forces members in camouflage uniforms next to a bomb disposal robot.

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Members of the Armed force prepare a bomb disposal robot inside a cordon outside Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogueCredit: AFP
Melvin Cravitz posing for a photograph.

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Melvin Cravitz, 66, was killed in the attackCredit: Reuters
Adrian Daulby smiling and wearing a blue Russell Athletic t-shirt.

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Tributes have also been paid to 53-year-old Adrian Daulby who died in the horrorCredit: Greater Manchester Police

“He was caring and understanding and didn’t judge my kids for their needs,” she said.

“He would say ‘I love you, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that’. He was controlling and abusive.

“He did rape me multiple times, but to us we just fulfil what our husband’s say.

“He was one of them where you have got to do it there and then.”

Domestic abuse – how to get help

DOMESTIC abuse can affect anyone – including men – and does not always involve physical violence.

Here are some signs that you could be in an abusive relationship:

  • Emotional abuse – Including being belittled, blamed for the abuse – gaslighting – being isolated from family and friends, having no control over your finances, what you where and who you speak to
  • Threats and intimidation – Some partners might threaten to kill or hurt you, destroy your belongings, stalk or harass you
  • Physical abuse – This can range from slapping or hitting to being shoved over, choked or bitten.
  • Sexual abuse – Being touched in a way you do not want to be touched, hurt during sex, pressured into sex or forced to have sex when you do not consent.

If any of the above apply to you or a friend, you can call these numbers:

Remember, you are not alone.

1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men will experience domestic abuse over the course of their lifetime.

Every 30 seconds the police receive a call for help relating to domestic abuse.

She categorized their relationship as “his way or no way” and described him as constantly being “pushy” – telling her wives had to “obey” their husbands.

The Sun previously reported how Al-Shamie was a teenage drop-out who smoked weed and was obsessed with violent video games.

A former friend told The Sun on Sunday that killer Al-Shamie would smoke around 2g of strong skunk a day when he was a teen and frequently felt the wrath of his parents.

His obsession led him to dropping out of Liverpool John Moores University a year into his English, media and cultural studies degree course in 2011.

Meanwhile neighbours said he would spend his time lifting weights in his garage or wander around in his pyjamas and flip flops.

The woman also reflected this portrayal in her tales of Al-Shamie, who she claimed was always “between jobs” and “living with his parents”.

After their relationship ended, the last time Al-Shamie contacted her was April earlier this year, but she ignored him.

The woman also recalled her horror when she discovered he had committed the Manchester synagogue terror attack.

“My first thought was just ‘why’. He would never preach anything. The only thing he would do was pray,” she said.

“He never showed me, or said anything about, terrorism, or joining anything. It was all about the mosque and praying.”

This comes as another wife of Al-Shamie also came forward with her story after meeting him on the same Muslim dating app.

Born in Syria, Al-Shamie was granted British citizenship in 2006 when he was around 16, having entered the UK as a young child.

The 35-year-old was on police bail accused of rape when he carried out the car and knife terror attack in Manchester on October 2.

He claimed to be a devout father but cheated on his wife and married a second woman days after meeting her, The Telegraph reported.

The newspaper said that he met a young woman from Manchester after the Covid lockdown.

It’s believed that he moved in with the woman and her family in May 2022 and they married in an Islamic ceremony.

But he was unfaithful and used a dating app to meet several other women.

Al-Shamie’s first marriage reportedly fell apart six months ago after he married a second woman – but it is not known if this was legal.

Elizabeth Davis, 46, is said to have married the killer in secret and only told her family about him only after the synagogue attack.

A source told The Sun on Sunday: “Liz converted to Islam four years ago.

“Her conversion caused tensions with her family, they say she became a totally different person after that.

“She stopped communicating with relatives and friends.

“It was like she had been brainwashed.

“The family only found out that she had got married to Al-Shamie after the synagogue attack on Thursday.

A bomb disposal technician works by the body of a man believed to be the attacker, following an incident where a car was driven at pedestrians and a stabbing attack outside a synagogue.

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Al-Shamie was shot dead by cops after seven-minutesCredit: Reuters
Armed police officers and emergency personnel at the scene of an attack in north Manchester.

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Armed police officers at the scene of the attackCredit: Reuters
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria Starmer visit the site of the Manchester synagogue attack.

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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria Starmer visited the siteCredit: Reuters

“The family are horrified that she has been involved with someone like that.

“It’s possible she got married to him in an Islamic law ceremony.”

Another woman said she was just 18 when she dated Al-Shamie, who she said lied to her about his age.

He told her he was in his mid-twenties and reportedly encouraged her to watch “extreme videos”.

During their four-month relationship, she said he hit her and ordered her to dress more conservatively.

She even said he referenced possibly wanting to join the Islamic State.

She said he stalked her and told her about his rape fantasises.

The Times reported that Al-Shamie used fake name on his dating app accounts but kept getting banned because of his “speech and what he was sending”.

Elizabeth Davis, wife of Manchester terrorist Jihad Al Shamie.

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Elizabeth Davis is said to have married the killer in secret and only told her family about him only after the synagogue attackCredit: Facebook
Elizabeth Davis, wife of Manchester terrorist Jihad Al Shamie.

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Friends of the 46-year-old said is was like she’d been ‘brainwashed’ by Al-ShamieCredit: Facebook

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Footage appears to show synagogue attacker minutes before killing

New footage appears to show the man responsible for an attack at a Manchester synagogue, minutes before he drove his car into worshippers on Yom Kippur.

Two people were killed, when Jihad Al-Shamie carried out, what Greater Manchester Police (GMP) have described as a terror attack in Crumpsall on Thursday.

Footage of a street nearby marked 09:22 BST appears to show a man matching the description by witnesses of the attacker, walking back after an earlier confrontation at the synagogue where he was told to leave.

The doorbell camera then shows a black Kia Picanto, matching the car driven by Al-Shamie, heading back towards the synagogue at 09:26 BST. GMP were called to the scene at 09:31.

The black Kia Picanto also matches the car driven through the gates at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue and at worshippers.

As with the car used in the attack, the back right hub cab can be seen missing from the vehicle in the footage.

Two Jewish men Melvin Cravitz, 53, and Adrian Daulby, 66, died in the attack, the latter believed to have been hit by police gunfire as firearms officers shot Al-Shamie.

Three people remain in hospital, while police have detained four people on suspicion of terror offences.

On Sunday, counter terror police were granted more time to hold them in custody, while inquiries are under way to establish “the full picture” into what was happened, a spokesman for Counter Terrorism Policing North West said.

Two other people, a man and a woman, were released without charge after they were arrested on the day of the attack.

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Who was the Manchester synagogue attacker?

Jonny Humphries, Tom Mullen & Lauren HirstNorth West

Facebook A selfie of a man who is sitting down in a hospital. He is looking directly at the camera. He is wearing a beige polo shirt and wearing a black and is wearing what appears to be a white knitted kufi hat. Facebook

Jihad Al-Shamie rarely spoke to his neighbours, one resident said

The picture is still slowly building surrounding the life of Jihad Al-Shamie but he is known to have been a 35-year-old British citizen of Syrian descent.

Al-Shamie is understood to have entered the UK as a young child and was granted British citizenship in 2006 when he was around the age of 16.

He lived in Prestwich, Manchester, and his family today released a statement saying: “We fully distance ourselves from this attack and express our deep shock and sorrow over what has happened.

“Our hearts and thoughts are with the victims and their families, and we pray for their strength and comfort.”

People in Prestwich told the BBC Al-Shamie was a weightlifting enthusiast who rarely spoke to his neighbours.

They said he would sometimes dress into western clothes and other times “traditional” Syrian dress.

What has his family said?

On behalf of the Al-Shamie family in the UK and abroad, his father Faraj Al-Shamie said: “The news from Manchester regarding the terrorist attack targeting a Jewish synagogue has been a profound shock to us.

“The Al-Shamie family in the UK and abroad strongly condemns this heinous act, which targeted peaceful, innocent civilians.

“We fully distance ourselves from this attack and express our deep shock and sorrow over what has happened. Our hearts and thoughts are with the victims and their families, and we pray for their strength and comfort.

“We kindly request that all media outlets respect the family’s privacy during this very difficult time and refrain from using this tragic event in any context that does not reflect the truth.

“May God have mercy on the innocent victims, and we pray for the swift recovery of the injured.”

EPA A framed Star of David with a bee, the symbol of Manchester, is left at the scene of a deadly terror attack in Manchester. Bunches of lowers have also been left on either side of the picture. EPA

Tributes have been left near the scene of the attack

What did neighbours say?

Geoff Haliwell lives near a house in Langley Crescent, Prestwich, that is believed to be the Al-Shamie family home. It was raided by police officers on Thursday.

Mr Haliwell, 72, said the property used to be on his window-cleaning round and he knew the wider family “a little”, saying they were “really nice people”.

“I was astonished, I was shocked,” he said, adding that he believed the Al-Shamies moved to the street about 15 years ago.

He said the father had lived there for five or six years but then left the home, later visiting in a car with French number plates.

He said Jihad Al-Shamie would sometimes wear western clothes and other times traditional Syrian dress. He also said Al-Shamie would use benches to work out.

He added: “I would see him at least once or twice a week, we just said ‘hello’.

“I didn’t even know his name.

“He was just a straightforward, ordinary lad, nothing would stand out to make you think he was.”

Another neighbour remembered a baby also living at the address but could not recall seeing a woman living there.

She said: “We used to see him out in the garden working out, doing weights, press ups.

“He used to change his clothes.

“One day he would be wearing the full gown, to the floor and the next jeans and pyjama bottoms.”

PA Media Three forensic officers wearing white overalls and masks remain at the scene near Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue. A tent has been erected and a police cordon is in placePA Media

Forensic officers working at the scene near Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue

Another resident told the Daily Telegraph: “I recognised him from the pictures of the attacker. I recognised his little car, the Kia, because he’d always park it badly outside ours.

“I’d see him walking around in his pyjamas and slip-on sandals, carrying a shopping bag.

“He was quite bulked-up and used to keep his exercise weights in his garage. I’d see them there.”

“He never seemed to speak to anyone around here,” they added.

Was he known to authorities?

Al-Shamie’s name has not appeared in initial searches of police and security service counter-terrorism records, and he is not thought to have been under current investigation.

Further checks are under way to see if he appears anywhere in records of other investigations.

There are reports Al-Shamie used to work as a tutor teaching English and computer programming and his father is a surgeon.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said she was “surprised” by the attacker’s name.

Speaking on LBC, Ms Mahmood was asked about the attacker’s name, Jihad Al-Shamie, which presenter Nick Ferrari translated as “struggle of the Syrian”.

She said: “I was very surprised to discover that name myself.

“Actually, as a Muslim, I’ve never heard someone being called Jihad, but it is the name that he was born with – that has always been his name.”

Additionally, the Syrian British Consortium, Rethink Rebuild Society and Syria Solidarity Campaign released a joint statement.

They said: “At this stage, no-one within our Syrian community networks – neither within or beyond Manchester – has been able to identify the individual involved in this attack or confirm knowing him personally.”

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Manchester synagogue attacker named as Jihad Al-Shamie

Marc WaddingtonNorth West and

James Chater

Watch: Armed police at the scene of Manchester synagogue attack

The man who carried out an attack at a synagogue in Manchester on Thursday which left two Jewish people dead and three others injured has been named by police as Jihad Al-Shamie.

Al-Shamie, a 35-year-old British man of Syrian descent, drove a car at people outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue before attacking people with a knife. He was shot dead by police at the scene.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said three further people had been arrested as part of the investigation into the “terrorist incident”.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer condemned the “terrorist attack”, which took place on Yom Kippur – the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

Sir Keir said that “additional police assets” would be deployed at synagogues across the country, while London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan said that “high visibility” policing in and around synagogues in the capital would also be “stepped up”.

Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis said the attack in Crumpsall, north Manchester, was the “tragic result” of an “unrelenting wave of Jew hatred on our streets, campuses, on social media and elsewhere”.

“This is the day we hoped we would never see, but which deep down, we knew would come,” he added.

The three injured men include one who was stabbed, a second who was struck by the vehicle and a third who later went to hospital with an injury “that may have been sustained as officers stopped the attacker”, GMP says.

GMP said that two men in their 30s and a woman in her 60s had been arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism.

A spokesman for the force added that a suspicious device worn by the attacker during the incident had been assessed and found not to be a viable explosive.

He added that no referrals related to Al-Shamie had been made to Prevent – the government’s anti-radicalisation scheme.

It is understood that Al-Shamie entered the UK as a young child, and was granted British citizenship in 2006 as a minor.

An image verified by the BBC, taken near the scene this morning, shows a man believed to be the suspect with items around his waist

An image taken at the scene showed Al-Shamie, who was later shot dead by police, with items around his waist

Police responded to reports of a car driving at members of the public at 09:31 on Thursday morning, after which officers quickly declared a major incident.

Eyewitnesses describe how security staff prevented the attacker from getting into the synagogue.

Video footage from the scene shows armed officers pointing their weapons at a man on the ground, warning people the man has “a bomb on him” and urging bystanders to back away.

At 09:38, as the man tries to get up, officers shoot him – just seven minutes after the initial call to the police.

Aerial view of Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue on Middleton Road, marked with a red label. Four numbered points indicate locations of a car and stabbing attack incident: (1) car driven at people outside the synagogue at 09:31, (2) Driver attacks others with knife, (3) attempted entry into synagogue blocked, and (4) 09:38 suspect shot by police, who say he had a bomb

Officers, synagogue security and rabbi Daniel Walker were commended by the prime minister for preventing a worse tragedy.

AFP via Getty Images Rabbi Daniel Walker, wearing a white kittel, is standing next to an armed police officer. AFP via Getty Images

Rabbi Daniel Walker was praised as a hero for the way he protected the congregation during the attack

Sir Keir returned to the UK early from a summit of European leaders in Denmark in response to the incident, and later visited an unnamed synagogue.

Speaking from Downing Street after a Cobra emergency committee meeting, Sir Keir said the suspect had “attacked Jews because they are Jews”.

Addressing the Jewish community in the UK, he said: “I promise you that I will do everything in my power to guarantee you the security that you deserve, starting with a more visible police presence, protecting your community.

“I promise you that over the coming days, you will see the other Britain, the Britain of compassion, of decency, of love.”

Robin Simcox, commissioner for countering extremism, told the BBC’s Newsnight programmne that there was an “early indicator” that the attack was “Islamist” because of the dummy suicide vest the suspect was wearing.

He added: “Something pretty fundamental has changed in the UK over the past couple of years, where Jews are now openly saying they don’t feel safe and they’re not sure if they see a future for themselves in the United Kingdom.”

How the Manchester synagogue attack unfolded

PA Media Armed police at the scene, with police vehicles in the background.PA Media

Armed officers were called to the scene of the attack at 09:34, three minutes after a member of the public had alerted police

A map showing the synagogue in the north of Manchester
PA Media The Army bomb disposal unit, complete with a robot, photographed outside Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester.PA Media

The Army bomb disposal unit were called to the incident

A witness at the scene says prayers had started when the attack happened but Rabbi Daniel Walker, who was leading the service, remained calm as he and others led the congregation to safety.

A woman, who described herself as a religious Jew who lives next door to the synagogue, says that as soon as the suspect got out of the car he “started stabbing anyone near him”.

She told the Daily Mail: “Rabbi Walker was incredibly calm, he shut the doors to the synagogue to stop him getting inside.

“He barricaded everyone inside. He is a hero, this could have been even worse.”

GMP chief constable Sir Stephen Watson said there had been many worshippers inside the synagogue at the time of the incident.

He praised security staff and worshippers who had shut the attacker out, saying that thanks to the “immediate bravery of security staff and the worshippers inside, as well as the fast response of the police, the attacker was prevented from gaining access”.

PA Media Keir Starmer walks out of his Prime Ministerial car outside No 10 Downing Street. He in correcting his suit blazer whilst his assistant closes the door behind himPA Media

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer arrives at No. 10 to chair an emergency Cobra meeting

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said: “Tonight, our first thoughts are with the families of those people who died, those injured and those traumatised by this, an horrific antisemitic attack on our Jewish friends and neighbours. We condemn it outright.

“Greater Manchester will never stand aside when one of our communities is attacked.”

On Thursday evening, a GMP spokesman said crime scenes remained in place on White House Avenue, Crumpsall and Langley Crescent, Prestwich, which were linked to the arrests made earlier.

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‘Camilla saw off attacker with shoe’ and ‘Farage scare tactics’

The headline on the front page of the Daily Mail reads: "Labour 'civil war' fuelling Rayner sleaze crisis".

Revelations in a new book saying Queen Camilla was the victim of an attempted indecent assault as a teenager dominate Monday’s papers. The Daily Mail leads with the detail that the future Queen fought off her attacker on a train by “hitting him with her shoe”. Also splashed on the paper is Labour’s “civil war”, as it features shadow cabinet minister Alex Burghart saying senior figures in the party are more concerned with “jockeying” to take over from Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer than dealing with problems facing the country.

The headline on the front page of the Daily Telegraph reads: "Queen fought off sex attacker".

The Daily Telegraph headlines with “Queen fought off sex attacker”. The paper says the incident, detailed in Power and the Palace by Valentine Low, occurred when the Queen was “16 or 17”. The Telegraph adds that the episode was relayed by the Queen to former PM Boris Johnson in 2008.

The headline on the front page of the Sun reads: "Camilla whacked groper in goolies".

“Camilla whacked groper in goolies” is the Sun’s take. The paper notes the Queen’s campaign for victims and survivors of sexual and domestic abuse, and features a quote from the book of her saying she defended herself by doing “what my mother taught me to”.

The headline on the front page of the Times reads: "Leaving ECHR 'not a threat to Ulster peace".

The Times leads with a report that says the UK withdrawing from the European Convention on Human Rights will not jeopardise peace in Northern Ireland. The paper says the study by the Policy Exchange think tank says the argument is “entirely groundless”. Also front and centre is some “black magic” brought by actress Alicia Vikander, as she poses on the red carpet at the Venice Film Festival.

The headline on the front page of the Daily Mirror reads: "I'll defeat Farage scare tactics".

Sir Keir has vowed to tackle Reform UK leader Nigel Farage’s “scare tactics”, repots the Daily Mirror. The paper says the PM is ready with a range of policices that “offer genuine hope” and accuses Farage of “talking down” to the British people. Sharing the top spot is Liverpool’s “stunner” of a win over Arsenal, after a “hotshot” made by Dominik Szoboszlai.

The headline on the front page of the Guardian reads: "Drug 'better than aspirin' at preventing heart attacks".

“The deadly war on journalism in Gaza” leads the Guardian, as the paper fills its front page with pictures of some of the reporters killed in the region during the3 conflict with Israel. A special report by the Guardian says at least 189 journalists have been killed in 22 months in Gaza. Alongside, the paper reports doctors have found a drug that is better than aspirin at preventing heart attacks and strokes. It says the “stunning” discovery could transform health guidelines worldwide.

The headline on the front page of the Financial Times reads: "Europe laying 'road map' for deploying troops in Ukraine, von der Leyen says".

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen says Europe is laying the “road map” for deploying troops in Ukraine, according to the Financial Times. In an interview with the paper, von der Leyen says European capitals are working on “pretty precise plans” for potential military deployments to support Kyiv as part of post-conflict security guarantees. Filling the top picture spot is the protests in Indonesia as people continue express their “rage at MPs” over politicians’ salary perks.

The headline on the front page of the Metro reads: "Rail tickets revolution".

The Metro declares a “rail tickets revolution”, as the trialling of a pay-as-you-go ticketing app for passengers starts on Monday in England. The paper says the system which allows people to check in and out of rail journeys using an app on their phone could make travel “simpler and cheaper”. Elsewhere, the Metro teases a three-way “battle of the Bonds” between actors Aaron Taylor Johnson, Callum Turner and Jacob Elordi.

The headline on the front page of the Daily Express reads: "Police told: end shop theft sprees now!"

The Daily Express announces their new campaign to “halt the shoplifting crisis” costing stores “more than £2.2bn a year”. The paper is demanding that police attend every reported theft as it says “opportunistic stealing sprees” have soared to record levels.

The headline on the front page of the Daily Star reads: "Look Nessie!"

Finally, the Daily Star announces “Nessi’s back!” as it reports on what it says is a new sighting of the Loch Ness monster. The paper dubs the return of “Britain’s fave monster” as the “best in 30 years”.

The Times leads on a report, backed by former Labour Home Secretary Jack Straw, that finds withdrawing from the European Convention on Human Rights would not jeopardise peace in Northern Ireland.

It says the study – by the Policy Exchange think tank – dismisses the argument widely cited to oppose leaving the ECHR as “entirely groundless”.

Straw is quoted as saying the report “helps clear the ground” for a debate about leaving.

The Daily Mail focuses on the “sleaze crisis” surrounding Angela Rayner after the Conservatives argued that criticism of the deputy prime minister was being fuelled by a civil war within Labour over who should succeed Sir Keir Starmer.

Shadow cabinet minister Alex Burghart tells the paper it is “very likely” that Labour rivals of Rayner are behind leaks about her personal life and tax affairs.

The Mail says Rayner’s allies insist she is the victim of a smear campaign.

An asssertion by the Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, that she was offered a place at a prestigious US medical school has been described as “impossible” and “implausible”, according to the Guardian.

It says Badenoch has told multiple interviewers she was invited to study at Stanford University in California when she was 16, but academic and admissions experts have said such an option does not exist at that age.

A spokesman for Badenoch insists she was offered the place and says the Tory leader questions “hysterical efforts” to disprove this.

The Daily Telegraph says council tax bills will be cut by up to £350 a year at Reform-controlled authorities by overhauling pension funds.

The party’s deputy leader Richard Tice is quoted as blaming high fees and bad investments for wasting taxpayers’ money.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government says it does not recognise Reform’s assertions about the Local Government Pension Scheme.

The Daily Express is demanding action to halt what it calls the shoplifting crisis.

It wants police to attend every reported theft as part of its “stop the shoplifters crusade”.

The policing minister, Dame Diana Johnson, tells the paper the government’s neighbourhood policing plan will reverse a decade of decline under the Conservatives.

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Woman ‘raped’ near popular park late at night as cops hunt attacker

A WOMAN has been raped in a horrific late-night attack close to a popular park.

Police launched an investigation after receiving a report that a woman had been sexually assaulted late last night in the Burnham Park area of Slough, Berkshire.

Thames Valley Police said the victim was attacked at some time between between 11.45pm yesterday and 12.30am today.

She is being supported by specially trained officers, cops confirmed.

Superintendent Clare Knibbs said the force was now hunting for the attacker as it “carries out a thorough investigation“.

She said no arrests have been made at this time but that officers were “following a number of enquiries”.

Supt Knibbs added that the force was working with the victim to gather further information.

She said: “We would ask anyone who was in the park or anyone who has further information to please come forward and call 101 quoting reference 43250434481.

“Additional reassurance patrols will be conducted in the Burnham Park area.”

More to follow… For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online

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Burnham Park entrance sign and library directions.

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The victim was attacked in the Burnham Park area of Slough, Berkshire, late last night



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Coronation Street star teases true identity of Gary’s attacker in ‘revenge twist’

Coronation Street’s Maria Connor will be left devastated to learn her husband Gary Windass has been attacked, and now actress Samia Longchambon has teased who did it

There could be a revenge twist looming on Coronation Street as the identity of who attacked Gary Windass is set to come to light
There could be a revenge twist looming on Coronation Street as the identity of who attacked Gary Windass is set to come to light(Image: ITV)

There could be a revenge twist looming on Coronation Street as the identity of who attacked Gary Windass is set to come to light.

Maria Connor will be left concerned over her husband’s disappearance in upcoming scenes when she realises something bad has happened. What she doesn’t know though is Gary is in a coma in hospital after being attacked.

While we know Nina Lucas and Summer Spellman are linked to the crime, we have no clue yet as to who committed the assault. That said, spoilers have confirmed Gary’s attacker is covering their tracks, even pretending to be his next of kin as he remains in a coma.

The mystery person has given the hospital a fake identity for Gary too, so Maria and his loved ones have not been informed. Ahead of their identity being revealed to viewers, Maria actress Samia Longchambon has teased what’s really happened to the character.

Ahead of Maria hunting for her missing husband and then eventually finding out he’s been in hospital, the actress teased who could be behind it. She shared: “Maria’s mind is spiralling now but she doesn’t stop for a second to think who actually attacked him and put him in a coma.

READ MORE: Coronation Street Gary Windass faces death as secret attacker covers up grim crime

Coronation Street's Maria Connor will be left devastated to learn her husband Gary Windass has been attacked
Coronation Street’s Maria Connor will be left devastated to learn her husband Gary Windass has been attacked(Image: ITV)

“She’s aware Gary has got a lot of enemies from over the years who could have potentially wanted to take revenge on him.” So could Gary’s attack be a mystery revenge plot, and is it someone from his past?

Maria will turn to detective Kit Green in upcoming episodes, sure something is terribly wrong. Determined to find him, Samia teased Maria could take matters into her own hands to figure out what has happened.

After an unknown coma patient is found, Maria will be told by Kit that it isn’t Gary. On what’s ahead, Samia spilled: “I think she feels comfort that Kit has assured her that he’ll do everything he can to find Gary, but that absolutely wouldn’t stop Maria from doing everything she can to find him.”

The news about the coma patient not being Gary leaves Maria with mixed emotions as she fears her husband could be dead. Samia explained: “When Maria learns that Gary isn’t the coma patient, she is with Kit and confides in him that she knows it’s awful but she actually wishes it was him just so she knew where he was.

Maria Connor will be left concerned over her husband's disappearance
Maria Connor will be left concerned over her husband’s disappearance(Image: ITV)

“It’s bittersweet for Maria because she’s of course glad Gary isn’t in a coma, although little does she know he actually is, but at the same time she’s worried even more now because her fear is he could be in a worse condition or even dead.” The disappearance came after Maria and Gary rowed over Lou, while Maria is yet to discover how Lou tried to kiss him before blackmailing him before he left to visit his mother Anna Windass.

But amid her initial thoughts on Gary staying away because of their drama, something leads to Maria panicking. Samia said: “It was definitely when Gary misses Liam’s birthday that Maria starts getting really panicked and nervous.

“She was obviously worried before where he was because he had been gone a long time and was ignoring her messages and phone calls and thought they would have sorted it out long before that. But as soon as he misses Liam’s birthday she absolutely has a gut feeling that something isn’t right and thinks something awful might have happened to him.”

She went on: “She’s really upset that he’s gone but it’s not until he’s been gone too long that she realises something is really wrong and is even more worried. Her emotions turn from being upset about the fact that they’ve fallen out to being worried about his safety.”

Coronation Street airs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm on ITV1 and ITV X. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .



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Coronation Street Gary Windass faces death as secret attacker covers up grim crime

Coronation Street’s Gary Windass has been missing for a while, and now spoilers have confirmed he’s secretly been attacked and is fighting for his life in a coma

Gary Windass' fate in Coronation Street and what happened to him will finally be explained
Gary Windass’ fate in Coronation Street and what happened to him will finally be explained(Image: ITV)

Gary Windass’ fate in Coronation Street and what happened to him will finally be explained on the ITV soap, as a shocking new image confirms his fight for survival.

The character has been missing after failing to return home, leaving his loved ones worried. It escalates next week as Gary misses his stepson Liam Connor’s birthday, and Maria Connor decides to report her husband as a missing person.

Detective Kit Green soon gets involved and reassures Maria that an unidentified coma patient discovered is not Gary. But we learn someone has attacked him and is covering their tracks, with their identity revealed very soon.

New spoilers and a horrifying image reveal Gary is facing death, and is fighting for his life in a coma. While spoilers had revealed Gary was in hospital, there’s new details surrounding the mystery.

Gary has been viciously attacked by a yet to be named person or people. He’s now unconscious in hospital, with it yet to be revealed whether he survives or not.

READ MORE: Coronation Street ‘reveal’ what Nina and Summer saw as character left for dead

Maria Connor decides to report her husband as a missing person
Maria Connor decides to report her husband as a missing person(Image: ITV)

As his family wonders where he is, someone knows and has chosen to stay silent. After brutally attacking Gary they’ve gone to huge lengths to cover up their grim crime, and we will see the full extent of this in upcoming episodes.

Not only that, but it’s been revealed that the attacker is hiding Gary’s real identity to stop his family from being informed about what has happened. The attacker is still very much involved in the plot, and we will soon find out who they are and why they did their crime.

Gary is very close to the Street, in a coma in Weatherfield General – so will Maria and the police find him? Friday’s episode will reveal the moment Gary is revealed to be a coma patient at the hospital in a dramatic development to the mystery surrounding his vanishing act.

As Maria’s concern continues she’s stunned to get a message from him claiming to be staying with a mate. But something happens next week that leaves her seriously worried, and she heads to the police station to report him as missing.

Coronation Street's Gary Windass has been missing for a while
Coronation Street’s Gary Windass has been missing for a while(Image: ITV)

The attacker meanwhile has claimed Gary is someone else, faking his name and identity. To make matters worse, the attacker is also fraudulently claiming to be his next of kin.

Knowing the state he is in, they continue to keep it from his family to cover their tracks. Obviously pretending to be family to keep an eye on his condition, what will they do if Gary wakes up?

Gary remains in a critical condition as the storyline continues, and the episodes ahead will delve into the events that left him in a coma. With secrets to be uncovered and the identity of those involved coming to light, there’s so much to come out about what has happened.

Coronation Street airs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm on ITV1 and ITV X. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .



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Israeli embassy staffers shot dead in DC: What we know on attacker, victims | Israel-Palestine conflict News

Two staff members from the Israeli embassy in the United States were shot and killed on Wednesday night as they left a Jewish museum in Washington, DC, prompting outrage from US and Israeli officials.

A 30-year-old man from Chicago, Illinois, named as Elias Rodriguez, has been arrested in connection with the shooting, the police said. He is the only suspect.

President Donald Trump condemned the shooting as “horrible”, stating there was no place for “hatred” in the US. Israeli President Isaac Herzog said he was “devastated” by what had unfolded in the US capital.

“This is a despicable act of hatred, of anti-Semitism, which has claimed the lives of two young employees of the Israeli embassy,” he said.

Kristi Noem, Secretary of Homeland Security, said federal authorities were investigating the attack and would bring its “depraved perpetrator” to justice.

Here is what we know so far:

What is known about the shooting?

Officers responded to multiple calls about a shooting near the Capital Jewish Museum at about 9:00pm on Wednesday (01:00 GMT Thursday).

The victims, a man and a woman, were leaving an event at the museum, which is in the area of 3rd and F streets in Northwest, Washington, DC, close to an FBI field office and the US attorney general’s office, when the suspect approached a group of four people and opened fire, Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith said at a news conference.

First responders found the victims unconscious and not breathing. Despite life-saving efforts, both were pronounced dead.

According to police, the suspect entered the museum after the shooting and was detained by security personnel at the event.

“Once in handcuffs, the suspect identified where he discarded the weapon, and that weapon has been recovered, and he implied that he committed the offence,” Smith said.

What do we know about the victims?

The two were named by the Israeli embassy in Washington, DC as Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim.

Both were members of staff. The Israeli ambassador to the US, Yechiel Leiter, told reporters the young staffers were a couple “about to be engaged”.

“The young man purchased a ring this week with the intention of proposing to his girlfriend next week in Jerusalem,” Leiter revealed.

What do we know about the suspect, Elias Rodriguez?

The suspect has been identified as 30-year-old Elias Rodriguez from Chicago, Illinois.

Reporting from close to the site of the shooting, Al Jazeera’s Heidi-Zhou Castro said the suspect was not previously on the radar of local authorities.

“He was not a known entity. There was no heightened alert prior to this happening,” she said.

What do we know about the suspect’s motive?

So far, the police have not confirmed any motive.

Speaking on Thursday, Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Saar, blamed a “toxic anti-Semitic incitement against Israel and Jews around the world” since the Hamas-led attack on Israel in October, 2023.

When the suspect, Elias Rodriguez, was taken into custody, he began chanting: “Free, free Palestine,” Police Chief Smith said.

Mohamad Elmasry, professor of media studies at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, said the attacks were “awful” and were rightfully being condemned regardless of political ideology.

He said: “You have the Trump administration, Israel and some of their supporters coming out and saying that this is an act of anti-Semitism … and that could be the case, that it is just an act of naked anti-Jewish hatred, which obviously should be condemned,” Elmasry told Al Jazeera.

“But it’s also possible that Mr Rodriguez carried this act of vigilante violence out against the State of Israel, or that he’s taking out his frustrations over the genocide [in Gaza] or Israel’s apartheid policies, on these embassy staffers. That’s an important distinction, because if that’s the motive, then it requires a different course of action.”

What has been the reaction to the shooting?

“These horrible DC killings, based obviously on antisemitism, must end, NOW!” President Trump posted on social media early Thursday.

“Hatred and radicalism have no place in the USA. Condolences to the families of the victims. So sad that such things as this can happen! God bless you all!”

Israeli officials also strongly condemned the incident, describing it as a “despicable act of hatred”. Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said after the shooting: “We are witnessing the terrible price of anti-Semitism and the wild incitement against the State of Israel.

“I have instructed to enhance security arrangements at Israeli missions around the world and to increase protection for state representatives,” Netanyahu said.

On Thursday, reactions and condolences poured in from other countries as well.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called the shooting a “heinous act” in a post on X, adding that at the moment “we must assume there was an anti-Semitic motive.”

Kaya Kallas, the EU foreign policy chief, said: “Shocked by the shooting of two Israeli embassy staff in Washington DC. There is and should be no place in our societies for hatred, extremism, or antisemitism. I extend my condolences to the families of the victims and the people of Israel.”

France’s foreign minister, Jean-Noel Barrot, said: “The murder of two members of the Israeli embassy near the Jewish Museum in Washington is an abhorrent act of antisemitic barbarity. Nothing can justify such violence. My thoughts go to their loved ones, their colleagues, and the State of Israel.”

In Ireland, the prime minister, Micheal Martin, said: “I strongly condemn the horrific gun attack that killed two Israeli embassy staff in Washington DC last night. My deepest sympathies go to the family and friends of the couple, and the Israeli people. There can be absolutely no place for violence or hate.”

Antonio Tajani, the Italian Foreign Minister, said: “I stand with the State of Israel for the tragic murder of two young employees of the Israeli embassy in Washington. Scenes of terror and violence to be strongly condemned. antisemitism born of hatred against Jews must be stopped, the horrors of the past can never return.”

What will happen next?

Police Chief Smith said law enforcement did not believe there was an ongoing threat to the community at present.

FBI Director Kash Patel said he and his team had been briefed on the shooting.

“While we’re working with [the Metropolitan Police Department] to respond and learn more, in the immediate, please pray for the victims and their families,” he wrote on X.

Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser told reporters her administration would not tolerate “violence or hate in our city”.

“We will not tolerate any acts of terrorism, and we’re going to stand together as a community in the coming days and weeks to send a clear message that we will not tolerate anti-Semitism,” Bowser said.

The shooting comes as Israel has launched a new military campaign in Gaza to control all of the Strip, while continuing to impose an 11-week aid blockade that has been widely condemned.

Many world leaders, including allies, have demanded that Israel end the war and let aid into the war-ravaged territory or face punitive actions.

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