missing

Auwalu Saidu remembers his elder brother, Babayo, with robes and horses. The kind worn and ridden by royalty in northeastern Nigeria. He remembers him through colours, too. Royal festivities in their hometown of Mubi, Adamawa State, are a spectacle of more colours than the rainbow, but Babayo’s signature colours were white and red. He wore the robe, called babban riga in Hausa, proudly. 

In 2005, he was conferred the title of Barade, which means the royal head of security and commander of horsemen.

Babayo had always been drawn to royalty and had worked with Sarkin Mubi, the King of Mubi, for a long time. As Barade, he led the king’s horse convoys, tied his turban, and fulfilled other royal obligations in the palace. It was his full-time job, and he took pride in it. He basked in the praises his brothers sang of him, known as kirari (praise chant). 

“Even when we did something to him or upset him, we’d do that kirari to diffuse the situation, and he’d laugh and forget about it,” Auwalu recounts.

Babayo also married into royalty. His wife is the daughter of the King of Mokolo, a town in Cameroon. After their wedding, she moved with him to Adamawa, where they lived for about 25 years and had four children together. It has been 11 years since he went missing, and she still waits for him. 

The last time Auwalu saw his brother was on a Wednesday morning in 2014. They were living together and had exchanged greetings before Auwalu left for the market that day. Later, word began to spread that terrorists were on the outskirts of the city, so he sold what he could, put the money together, and quickly came home to tell his family about the rumour. But they were not as alarmed as he was. Auwalu took his wife and children and left for Gela, a nearby community, leaving Babayo, who did not believe the news, and others behind. 

“After I left, I was told that he had been seen on a motorbike with one person in front of him and another behind,” Auwalu tells HumAngle. 

After a few days of not hearing from him, Auwalu started to look for his brother. He searched through the town they fled to, asked around, and tried to contact people who were with Babayo, but there was no luck. He also tried to call his phone, but the cellular network had been disrupted at the time.

Auwalu was then told to go to the highway, where corpses had been discarded and people were searching for their loved ones. He went there conflicted. On one hand, he desperately wanted to find his brother, and the pile of bodies carried a faint, bitterly ironic kind of hope. 

On the other hand, he dreaded the possibility that his brother lay among them. He did not want to see his body cast aside in an open field, nor imagine the state he might find it in. He knew the human body does not last long under the elements before worms and insects claim it, but nothing prepared him for the dreadful, inhumane condition of those corpses. He had seen bodies before, but always in their “fresh” state, when they were washed, shrouded, and prayed over, as is customary in Islamic burial rites. Within a day, the dead were laid to rest with dignity.

Yet as he scanned the lifeless faces in front of him, there was no room for wonder. Under a tree, he saw a body so swollen it looked ready to burst. It was not Babayo. None of the bodies were. But that single, bloated corpse seared itself into his memory and shook him to the core.

“That day I couldn’t eat,” Auwalu recounts. “Even when I was offered food, and it was right there in front of me, I couldn’t eat it. I was in so much shock. It wasn’t until the following day that I started slowly eating.”

As the years went by, Auwalu continued to search for his brother. Two years ago, a driver in his area, who regularly transports drinks between Mubi and Cameroon, claimed to have seen Babayo in Cameroon. Auwalu went there and scouted refugee camps, and asked around, but there was no trace of Babayo anywhere. The person who was “seen” was not him. Auwalu left Cameroon, realising that he had been misinformed about the whereabouts of his brother. 

About four years ago, Auwalu had launched yet another search for his brother when he came into contact with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which had reached out about Babayo through its missing persons programme. He was then enrolled in the ICRC’s Accompaniment Programme, which he says has taught him patience and resilience. 

It has also provided support to his nephews, Babayo’s children, helping them cope with their grief. After his brother went missing and the war subsided, Auwalu took in two of them, Dahiru and Salisu, who have lived with him ever since.

Dahiru remembers his father with schoolbooks and a football. His father always asked about his studies, whether he had revised well, and whether he was keeping up. But the memory that lingers most is the day a fight over a ball led him to be beaten up by friends. His father consoled him and promised to buy him his own. He did, and it became one of the symbols of his father’s care. 

Now 17 years old and in SS2, he wants to be a businessman after graduating from secondary school, so he can earn enough money to take care of his mother and siblings. And while he dreams of the man he will become, he dreams of the return of his father, the man who took care of him so fondly when he was young.

“I feel in my heart that my father will come back,” Dahiru says. “I never think that he’s gone forever. I know that he’ll be back.”

His brother, Salisu, remembers his father with toys. Each time he passes a shop with shelves full of them, he thinks of the days his father would buy him one. At first, the memories came with worry and fear. The mere mention of his father’s name evoked such grief that he would be unable to study or play that day. But with time, he has turned that fear into prayer. And now, when he hears the name, he asks God to bring his father back in good health.

Salisu is 15 years old and in JS2. He is outspoken and full of energy, while Dahiru is more shy and measured in his speech. Like his brother, Salisu wants to become a businessman, so he can support those who have helped him, especially his uncle, Auwalu, who has been there for him in his father’s absence. “I want to make him happy,” Salisu says, “just like he’s made me happy.”

Both boys said the ICRC’s programme has given them tools to navigate their emotions. They have learned patience and obedience towards their caretakers and elders, the importance of upholding their morals, and the need to avoid harmful practices such as substance abuse. The programme also encouraged them to seek out trusted people when they feel overwhelmed, to practise breathing exercises when they are angry, and to retreat to quiet places, such as the shade of a tree, where they can calm their nerves.

The ICRC runs the Protection of Family Links, an initiative that helps families affected by war stay connected and supports them in discovering the fate of missing loved ones. It is under this that the Accompaniment Programme was launched in 2019 to support families of missing persons in the North East, while searches are ongoing. 

The programme runs in six-month cycles, offering psychosocial and economic support, along with regular updates on the search. So far, seven cycles have been completed, with the eighth currently underway. It has reached more than 700 beneficiaries. A dedicated Child Accompaniment Programme has also been introduced, with two cycles completed for 68 children aged 13–17.

Searches are conducted through various methods, including announcing names, active tracing, and photo tracing, which enable wider community involvement in identifying the missing. Through these combined efforts, the Accompaniment Programme continues to address both the emotional and practical challenges faced by families, while keeping the search for their loved ones active and visible.

Whenever Auwalu remembers his brother, worry overcomes him. But then, he says, he remembers his own mortality and surrenders it all to God.

In the years after Babayo’s disappearance, his children often asked where their father was. Auwalu would comfort them and tell them he would return. He has taken on the role of their father, caring for them as though they were his own. He does his best to fill the emptiness of their loss, to give them enough love and guidance that their pain is eased. Over time, Babayo’s sons have spoken of their father less and less. Auwalu hopes the boys will grow into responsible men, able to care for and raise families of their own. Seeing the boys calmer and less weighed down by grief has eased his own pain, too, even if it has not disappeared entirely.

“At one point, whenever something would happen, they would say, ‘If my father were here…’ But now, because we treat them well, they are happy, even as they still remember him and see his photos in our home,” Auwalu says. “If I were to speak to him, I would tell him: If you are still alive, please come back.” 

Auwalu says their mother has suffered greatly since her son’s disappearance. It has been tears and grief all these years, as he was very good to her when he was around. He provided for her and took care of all that concerned her. Since the day he went missing, she has persistently been in distress, and her health has faltered again and again. 

Babayo’s wife, Fatoumata, has waited for him for 11 years now. While some Islamic clerics ruled that she could remarry because of her husband’s prolonged disappearance, she refused. She continued to hope and believe that he would return. She was living in Cameroon with the other children. But recently, she has shown signs of being open to remarrying. Four days ago, she moved back to Mubi to stay with her uncle, who says he will arrange for her to get married.  

As for Auwalu, every time he receives news or follows a lead that ends in yet another disappointment, it chips away at his hope a little more. When he returned from Cameroon, for instance, he felt defeated and consumed by despair, and throughout his journey home, his thoughts were only of Babayo.

He has dreamt of his brother more times than he can count. Once, he dreamt that Babayo returned dressed in white. But in those dreams, he never spoke. And now, as the long years have gone by, even those dreams come to him less often. 

Sept. 23 (UPI) — Mexican authorities said Tuesday they had found the bodies of a pair of Colombian musicans days after the country’s president pleaded for their return, blaming drug cartels and the United States for their disappearance.

Prosecutors in Mexico City announced they had found the remains of Bayron Sanchez, known as B-King, and DJ Jorge Luis Herrera Lemos, known as Regio Clown, after they had been missing for a week, reported El Pais.

Officials have not offered any explanation for the deaths of the musicians who had just played one of their first international concerts. But Colombia President Gustavo Petro suggested in a post to X Sunday that “multinational mafias” had a role in their disappearance.

Petro also wrote that the mafias are growing in South America because of the “rampant drug consumption in the US,” which he called a “decadent society” lacking in love.

The Trump administration has had a fraught relationship with Colombia under the leadership of Petro, a former Marxist guerilla turned left-wing politician. President Donald Trump has accused Petro of not fulfilling his country’s counter-narcotic obligations. Trump administration officials also raised concerns about the assasination of conservative Colombian politician Miguel Uribe Turbay.

“It is a source of second-hand embarrassment to see a Head of State behaving in this rude manner, blaming the United States for the disappearance of two of his citizens in Mexico,” U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau wrote in a response to Petro on X.

In his post, Petro appealed to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum for help and stated that the musicians disappeared after a performance in the Mexican state of Sonora. However, the artists were last see at a gym in Mexico City’s upscale Polanco neighborhood, reported Parriva.

Sheinbaum, for her part, said Monay that the Mexican Foreign Ministry had been in touch with Colombia and that investigations into the musicians’ deaths were underway, the news outlet reported.

Rescuers in the rugged Eastern Sierra are searching for a Seattle man who has been missing since early September — and possibly longer — after climbing among some of California’s most remote and daunting mountain peaks.

Billy Pierson, an experienced alpinist, was in California getting in shape for an upcoming trip to Nepal, according to a comment his brother, Steve Pierson, left on Facebook.

On Aug. 9, the alpinist was hiking with a friend. “After their hike, he separated from that friend and is believed to have headed toward Inyo County,” the Inyo County Sheriff’s office said in a news release. “He was later reported missing on September 10, 2025.”

It was not immediately clear when Billy Pierson separated from his friend, or who was the person who reported him missing. The Inyo County Sheriff’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday.

Billy Pierson, an experienced alpinist, was in California getting in shape for an upcoming trip to Nepal.

(Inyo County Sheriff)

It is believed Pierson was attempting the Palisades Traverse, a classic and technical mountaineering route along the Sierra crest that covers close to 20 miles and crosses the summits of five mountains taller than 14,000 feet.

In addition to climbing the challenging peaks, mountaineers also often have to navigate the Palisades Glacier, one of the last true glaciers remaining in California.

Steve Pierson said his brother’s plan was to begin, or end, his epic trip at Temple Crag, a familiar landmark to seasoned Sierra climbers and hikers that towers above the magnificent, glacier-fed Big Pine Lakes.

The Inyo County Sheriff’s office, working with Inyo County Search and Rescue, scoured the area around Temple Crag with no success.

Pierson is 5’9”, 165 lbs, and was last known to be carrying a large, navy blue or gray backpack. He was wearing black and yellow shoes and liked to hike in a baseball cap with a bandana underneath.

News that Pierson is missing follows several other incidents this summer in which hikers got dangerously lost or were found dead.

On Sept. 12, an Argentinian climber fell 2,000 feet to his death on Mt. Shasta. The 45-year old tech executive had summited successfully, but lost his way on the descent, winding up on the steep and icy Wintum Glacier. He attempted a controlled slide to reach the safety of a trail below, but lost control, collided with a boulder, and eventually slid the length of the glacier.

Also in September, a San Luis Obispo County man — Kirk Thomas-Olsen, 61 — was found dead in Yosemite National Park more than 20 days after he was expected to return from his solo hike.

In August, a boy scout troop hiking in the Emigrant Wilderness north of Yosemite National Park came upon a 78-year old man who had spent a night without food, water or shelter in the mountains. He had lost his pack and seemed incoherent when the scouts found him and escorted him to safety.

On Sept. 18, the Federal Reserve cut its benchmark interest rate by 0.25%. It was the central bank’s first interest rate cut since December, as it looks to balance both sides of its dual mandate to achieve both stable prices and maximum employment.

Interest rate cuts benefit companies with more debt, including small-cap stocks. One value play that investors might be overlooking is regional banks. Here’s why.

Image source: Getty Images.

How interest rate cuts could benefit regional banks

Regional banks can benefit from interest rate cuts because their deposit costs typically adjust downward faster than loan yields. Most deposits are short-term and rate-sensitive, while many loans are fixed or repriced more slowly. This timing gap can boost net interest margins, easing pressure from prior rate hikes.

Lower rates also stimulate borrowing demand, boosting loan growth and fee income. Together, these dynamics can boost profitability and capital flexibility for regional banks during easing cycles. The primary beneficiaries are banks with strong deposit franchises, sensitivity to interest rates, and balance sheets heavily tilted toward lending.

PNC Financial is one regional bank with a relatively low deposit beta, supported by a stable, low-cost funding base and broad geographic reach, with a balance sheet tilted toward lending. By contrast, more asset-sensitive peers such as Zions Bancorp and KeyCorp, whose earnings were pressured by higher deposit costs in the rising rate environment, could see outsized margin recovery if funding cost sensitivity eases with rate cuts.

How investors could play the rebound

For investors, rate cuts create an opportunity in regional banks. As funding costs ease faster than loan yields, margins expand, credit demand rises, and earnings improve.

With valuations still compressed from pressures that emerged during the regional bank crisis a couple of years ago, regionals could deliver solid upside as monetary policy becomes a tailwind. For those interested, the SPDR S&P Regional Banking ETF (KRE -1.25%) is one way to play the rebound across a diverse group of over 140+ regional bank stocks.

Debbie Slater, the mother of Jay Slater, who went missing in Tenerife in 2024, is heard speaking to UK police the day after her son went missing in a new Channel 4 documentary

Jay Slater’s mum says her “legs turned to jelly” and she called police to report him missing

In a new Channel 4 documentary, viewers will hear Debbie Duncan speak to the UK police the day after Jay went missing on holiday. “He has been located miles and miles away from where he is staying, up a bloody mountain,” she tells UK police after calling 999.

She then tells police how Jay spoke to his friend Lucy Law but only had 1% battery so the conversation was short-lived and speaks of her concern and not knowing the two lads he went off with.

Jay, 19, from Oswaldtwistle in Lancashire, went missing in Tenerife in June 2024 after attending a music festival.

READ MORE: Jay Slater’s haunting final message that was never received by his pal revealedREAD MORE: Last Jay Slater CCTV before he went missing finally released raising more questions

CCTV footage showed him in nightclubs but he then got into a car with two men he had met on the holiday and was driven to an Airbnb in the remote village of Masca, about 22 miles (36km) away from where he was staying.

It is thought he then tried to get back to where he was staying and got into difficulty.

On a separate second call to Spanish police, his friend Lucy tells them: “My friend he’s met some people, and they’ve drove him up into the mountains. I don’t know why and he’s left the house,

“And I don’t know if something happened, and I was telling him, you need to go back to your friends and tell them to drive you back down. And he said ‘No, I can’t. I can’t’. But I don’t know why that was.”

The Disappearance of Jay Slater airs on Channel 4 next Sunday night and has never-before-seen CCTV footage, previously unheard audio, the discovery of unsent messages, and access to the Slater family as they search for answers about what happened to Jay.

After the calls to police a huge search was launched before Jay’s body was found in a remote area near the village of Masca on 15 July.

Within hours of Jay ‘s disappearance in the summer of 2024, mass online interest set conspiracy theories flying, causing a social media storm led by true-crime keyboard detectives.

The case became the focus of global attention, with over 30 million videos online speculating about Jay’s whereabouts.

At an inquest into Jay’s death in July, the late teenager’s mother told how her son’s death had “touched the hearts of the nation”. Debbie gave a tribute to the 19-year-old, whose death from head injuries was ruled an accident, following a two-day hearing at Preston Coroner’s Court.

Coroner Dr James Adeley ruled Jay, who had taken a number of drugs, had fallen in a dangerous ravine, suffering un-survivable head injuries while try to walk back to his holiday let across mountainous terrain in Tenerife, in July last year.

Debbie, accompanied by the teenager’s father, Warren Slater, wept as she told the court her son was “full of fun and was always a joy to be around” with many friends.

He was close to completing his apprenticeship as a bricklayer, was learning to drive and had been “counting down the days” to his first holiday with friends abroad.

“Not in a million years did we predict what was to unfold,” she said. “He had a large circle of good friends who have been left devastated at his tragic death. Our lives will never be the same without Jay in it.”

Her son’s disappearance prompted huge media coverage and sparked a multitude of conspiracy theories on social media.

Debbie added: “He may of just been a story for the past 13 months, a story full of untruths. He did touch the hearts of the nation and that overwhelms us. We ask you to please now let Jay rest in eternal peace.”

*The Disappearance of Jay Slater airs on Channel 4 on Sunday September 28 at 9pm.

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AN URGENT hunt for a 15-year-old girl is underway after she went missing last week.

The girl was last seen in Flintshire but is now believed to be 120 miles away in South Wales, police said.

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Shyla has been missing for a week with and was last spotted in the village of Drury, Flintshire, last Saturday, September 13.

She is described as around 5ft tall with an average build and her hair dyed red.

When she was last seen she was wearing grey jogging bottoms, a brown woolen hoodie and white trainers.

It’s also believed that she has connections to Barry, Penarth and Cardiff Bay.

South Wales Police are now urging anyone with information on her whereabouts to come forwards.

They also want to talk to anyone who may have seen her in recent days.

COPS are desperately hunting a woman and an eight-year-old girl who vanished more than three weeks ago.

Sally-Jean, 37, was last seen with eight-year-old Ava in Tilehurst, Reading on August 25.

The pair were reported missing on Monday with a frantic search for them launched immediately.

Police said they are “extremely concerned” for the safety of the woman and the youngster and are appealing for the public’s help finding them.

Ava is described as black with an afro hairstyle while Sally-Jean is white, about 5ft 4in tall, with long brown hair, green eyes and tattoos.

Sally-Jean has links to Reading, Caversham and Tilehurst and has one large and distinctive tattoo on her right lower arm, cops said.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of either Sally-Jean or Ava is asked to contact Thames Valley Police as a matter of urgency.

Inspector Iain Watkinson said: “We are extremely concerned for the welfare of Sally-Jean and Ava and we have been working hard to find them since they were reported missing on Monday.

“We are now appealing for the public’s help.

“Anyone with information on their whereabouts should call 101 or make a report on our website.”

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Sept. 18 (UPI) — The status is unknown for four special operations soldiers aboard a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter that crashed Wednesday evening in Washington state.

The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were dispatched to respond to the crash in the Summit Lake, Wash., area and had located the scene of the crash.

The local sheriff told USA Today that “the scene is on fire,” with about an acre burned following the crash that occurred at about 9 p.m. PDT.

The four soldiers are assigned to the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, according to the U.S. Army Special Operations Command.

The crew was on a “routine training flight” when air traffic controllers lost contact with them, which suggested something had gone wrong, a U.S. Army spokesperson told ABC News.

The accident’s cause is under investigation.

Thurston County Sheriff Derek Saunders said the crash site is about 15 miles from Joint Base Lewis McChord.

“Deputies have located the crash site but have been unable to continue rescue efforts as the scene is on fire and is starting to overheat their footwear,” Saunders said. “Special operation rescue units are responding.”

Joint Base Lewis-McChord is located in the Puget Sound region and is home to I Corps and the 62 Airlift Wing. According to the base’s website, there are 40,000 active-duty troops at the base, plus their families and thousands of contractors.

The Military Times reported that the weather was good at Olympia Regional Airport on Wednesday night, with clear skies and a visibility of 10 miles.

This is a breaking news story. Check back for developments.

MILLIONS of struggling households on Universal Credit could be missing out on discounted broadband worth up to £200.

Social tariffs are offered to those on Universal Credit and other government benefits such as Pension Credit.

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And it can help you save hundreds of pounds a year compared to the standard deals.

Not only that, but they often come with no exit fees, although you should always check the terms and conditions carefully.

It comes after fresh analysis by Policy in Practice shows that there was over 7.5million missed claims for the tariffs.

And the average household is missing out on £200 a year.

It means you can get access to broadband at a discounted price, which can help if you are struggling with other costs.

For example, 4th Utility social tariffs offers a broadband for £13.99 a month.

Meanwhile, BT offers a Home Essentials package for those on Universal Credit and the guaranteed element of Pension Credit.

And those Employment and Support Allowance, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Income Support can also apply.

You’ll need to provide some personal information when you apply, including your National Insurance Number, so we can check that you’re eligible.

Community Fibre also offers an essentials package that costs just £12.50 a month.

Meanwhile, EE also offers a £12 monthly sim deal, for those on claiming Universal Credit.

The group will ill carry out an eligibility check every 12 months to see if you still meet the criteria to get the discounted deal.

How to get the best deal

Like with any offer, it is worth shopping around to ensure you are getting the best deal.

The regulator Ofcom has a list on its website of all the firms offering social broadband and mobile phone tariffs.

The list can be found here – www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/saving-money/social-tariffs.

It’s worth scanning the list to find the package that best suits your needs.

You can also compare deals via comparison sites like Uswitch.

What other support can I get

If you claim Universal Credit you could be missing out on extra support, such as discounts to your council tax bill.

The support is given out by local councils in England, so how much is cut will depend on where you live, your income, dependants and other benefits.

You can find out if you’re eligible by visiting gov.uk/apply-council-tax-reduction.

Households can also get access to free school meals, and school uniform grants which can be worth up to £300.

During the winter, claiming benefits such as Universal Credit can also make you eligible for the warm home discount scheme.

This is a £150 discount on your electricity bill to help tackle rising costs during the winter.

COPS have released CCTV footage as part of an urgent hunt to help find a missing 18-year-old girl.

Concerns are growing for Lily Higgins, who was last seen leaving her home in Leicester, Leicestershire, yesterday afternoon.

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Video taken from her doorbell camera shows the teenager leaving her address in Torridon Close at around 2.30pm.

She was reported missing by her concerned family just before 8pm.

Drones have been deployed in the area as officers urgently search for the missing teen.

The youngster is described as being 5ft 2in, of a slim build with long blonde hair.

She was last seen wearing a black puffer coat, black jogging bottoms, a checked scarf and black trainers.

Leicestershire Police confirmed specialist teams were hunting for Lily.

The force said: “Police have released an image take from the home doorbell camera that shows Lily leaving the home address.

“A specialist search team are currently out looking for Lily.

“The police drone has also been used to assist with searching.

“Anyone who has seen her or has information that could assist in the police search, call 101, quoting incident number 621 of 17 September.”

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

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LOVE Islander Millie Court has showcased her stunning figure in a beautiful red dress, leaving ex-boyfriend Liam Reardon to contemplate what might have been.

Millie took to Instagram to share a series of snaps of her wearing the plunging lace number.

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Earlier this month The Sun reported that Millie and Liam had split up for the second time.

It came after they’d first fallen for each other on series seven of the ITV2 reality show, which they went on to win.

They then broke up for the first time in 2022, before getting back together a year later.

They host the Liam and Millie podcast together, and for a while they were able to keep a long-distance relationship going, despite her being based in Essex and Liam living in Wales.

But unfortunately, it seems the distance between them became increasingly problematic, and they broke up for a second time earlier this month.

A source close to the couple exclusively told The Sun Online: “Millie and Liam have tried so hard to make their relationship work.

“But unfortunately, the distance was just difficult and they have sadly ended their relationship for a second time.

“Obviously, they’ve worked things out before, so friends are hoping this might just be a blip as it’s all still very fresh.

“But right now they are spending time apart. Everyone who loves them hopes they can work it out.”

When they broke up the first time Millie said the decision to split wasn’t taken lightly but was “best” for both of them.

She said on Instagram: “Hi everyone, to avoid any speculation Liam and I wanted to share with you that we have separated.

“It’s been a tough decision and I am gutted but it’s ultimately what is best for us right now. Thank you to every single one of you for supporting our relationship.

“Nothing will ever take away from the amazing experience we shared in Love Island and the past year and I wish Liam all the best in everything he does.

“We’re both ready for new chapters and I’m excited for what’s next. Love, Millie.”

Liam also addressed their first split, saying they were struggling to keep pretending to be happy, when that wasn’t how they were truly feeling.

 He said: “We want to keep it a bit more private to a certain extent.

“We spend our lives on social media, it’s hard not to share the relationship.

“But after Love Island we plastered as much of each other out there as possible, and I kind of felt like we had to show people we were really happy all the time even if we were unhappy.

“Now we’re just loving life.”

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A DESPERATE mum has issued a heartbreaking plea for her missing daughter to “please come home”.

Amy, 36, was last seen near Quarry View Garden Care in the village of Chinnor, Oxfordshire, at around 1pm on Saturday.

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She is known to regularly visit The Quarry in the area, with police urging members of the public to “call 999” if they see her, Oxford Mail reports.

In a fresh appeal to find her, mum Trixie Sophie said: “Ami please come home your family miss you your children.

“Miss you. You don’t need to tell anybody where you are. Just phone your mum.

“Wherever she is I will come and get her. She can come home to me.

“I won’t tell anybody, we just want you home safe my darling with your family.”

Amy has been described by police as a white woman, around 5ft 5ins tall, of a slim build and was last known to have blonde hare – though she frequently dyes it.

She also has three stars tattooed behind her left dear, a black out stop watch and a love heart tattoo on her wrist and fortune cookie tattoo on her ankle.

A spokesman for Thames Valley Police said: “Have you seen Amy? She is 36-years-old and missing from Aylesbury.

“Amy was last seen at around 1pm on Saturday near Quarry View Garden Care in Chinnor.

“She is a white woman, around 5ft 5ins tall, of slim build and was last known to have blonde hair, though she frequently dyes it.

“Amy has three stars tattooed behind her left ear, a blacked out stop-watch and love heart tattoo on her wrist and a fortune cookie tattoo on her ankle.

“She is known to frequent The Quarry, Chinnor.

“If you see her, please call 999. If you have information on her whereabouts, please call 101 or make an online report, quoting 43250444275.”

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THIS is the heartstopping moment when a child walks 100ft up along a holiday park monorail track.

The terrifying clip shows the kid strolling along the heights at Hersheypark after getting separated from his parents.

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In jaw-dropping footage, the child can be seen teetering along the edge of the rail track.

Shocker onlookers gathered around as the horrifying events unfolded.

It happened at the park in Hershey, Pennsylvania on Saturday.

Visitors frantically waved at the kid as he walked along the lofty monorail tracks.

“Go to him now!”, someone can be heard shouting as a man jumps from a roof onto the tracks.

The kid had already been reported missing by his parents at around 5pm.

He had entered a secure area for the monorail ride, Hersheypark said according to ABC 7.

The kid was reportedly at the monorail station for some 20 minutes before walking onto the track.

One of the park guests eventually got onto the tracks and rescued the child.

Park officials reunited the kid with his parents at around 5.30pm.

A statement reads: “We are grateful for the vigilance of our guests and the swift response of our team, and we remain committed to maintaining the highest levels of guest safety throughout Hersheypark.”

It comes after a tourist died at Disneyland after passing out on its Frozen ride next to his wife.

The 53-year-old man from the Philippines lost consciousness on the beloved Frozen Ever After ride at the theme park in Hong Kong on Friday.

His wife noticed that he had fallen into a coma on the ride and immediately notified staff.

First-aid responders rushed to the scene as the ride returned to its starting point and performed CPR.

The holidaymaker was taken to North Lantau Hospital but sadly was pronounced dead shortly after at 11:30am local time.

A spokesperson for Disneyland Hong Kong said: “The resort deeply regrets the passing of the guest and will do its utmost to provide necessary assistance to his family.

“The initial investigation has shown the incident is not related to ride safety.”

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MOSCOW has weighed in on the case of a missing British three-year-old amid fears the child has been “kidnapped” by his Russian mother.

A pundit on the country’s state media said the kid is “Russian” and demanded the Kremlin “protect the mother’s right” to be with her child.

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Oliver Pugh has been the subject of a frantic police search since he went missing in Marbella, on the Costa del Sol.

He has a British father and a Russian mother, who are now separated.

The family lived in Spain, where are court order had barred the child from being removed from the country.

Spanish cops fear Oliver was taken to Russia – where he would be out of reach of the father. 

Russian authorities have not officially commented on whether the child is in the country.

But state media propagandist Vladimir Kornilov said today on Telegram: “It is suspected that she took her son to Russia. 

“This, of course, is not yet a fact. 

“But if this is indeed the case, it seems to me that we must do everything possible to protect the mother’s right to be with her Russian child.

“Well, if London can call him British, why can’t I call him Russian by the same logic?”

He added: “How [do] you determine that the boy is British if his mother might think otherwise?”

Oliver is described as being 2ft 7in tall, with blond hair and distinctive grey eyes. 

Spain‘s National Police are urging anyone with information to contact them. 

A spokesperson said: “We are treating this as a parental abduction. 

“We believe the mother has left Spain and has taken the boy to her homeland, which is Russia.”

Neither the mother or the father has been named.

The Foreign Office is “supporting the family of a British child who has been reported missing in Spain”.

Diplomats have been in contact with the Spanish authorities. 

It is unclear whether the child has joint Russian citizenship, or whether an international arrest warrant has been issued for the mother. 

Russia always refuses to extradite its own citizens.

Spain’s Ministry of Interior published a picture of Oliver shortly after his disappearance.

He is last believed to have been seen in Marbella on July 4.

When Ruth Adamu finds her son, Hikame, he is in school. She walks down its corridors to find him, takes his hand, and tells him to come with her. She promises to buy him a new pair of shoes, and together, they head towards the gate. 

But just as they are about to leave, he pulls away and says, “Mummy, I’m coming,” before turning back inside. As he wanders off, she begins to worry he might get lost or go missing, and panic sets in. 

This is how her dreams about the boy go. 

Other times, when he appears in her dream, he tells her he is going to school, and she urges him to stay home. She reminds him that school is almost closing, and that he can go when it opens again.

The last time she dreamt of him, he asked her to be patient as he was going to meet “them.” In other dreams, he confides that he is afraid of the people he is with. 

Whenever she wakes up from such visions, she slips into despair so deep it ruins her day and leaves her unable to do anything at all. She agonises over what state he might be in and wonders whether he has been radicalised by Boko Haram, the terrorist group in whose hands her son fell in 2014 as they fought to establish a radical Islamic state. 

“I know they won’t be easy on him. If he’s alive, they’ll definitely train him,“ she says, and that thought makes her heart ache.

Ruth was a 48-year-old mother of five in 2013 when her husband was killed by Boko Haram. She was surprised by how much her youngest child, 11-year-old Hikame, brought her comfort in her grief. Whenever she appeared to be sad or lost in thought, he would run to her and shout, “Mummy! Mummy! What is it? Come with me, let me show you something,” and then he’d engage her in a way that lifted her out of that heavy, sorrowful mood.

“He was very caring and very obedient,” she reminisces. “He never wanted, or allowed himself to see me worried or alone.”

When she headed out to sell eggs, he would drop whatever he was doing, even a game of football, and run to her, saying, “Mummy, let me come with you.” She would tell him it was fine and that he should go play, but he always insisted. 

He would accompany her, help with the sales, return home, and then assist with chores. Only after making sure everything was done would he ask, “Mummy, there’s nothing else, right?” Then, and only then, would he finally go off to play.

Hikame loved pigeons. He saved some money and asked his mother to help him cover the rest so he could buy one. A cage was built for it, and he delighted in feeding and caring for his new bird. Soon, Ruth grew an interest in the joys of pigeon-rearing as well. 

Ruth was separated from Hikame when he was 12 years and 10 days old. She remembers precisely that it was October 30, 2014. On that day, the town of Mubi, in Nigeria’s northeastern Adamawa State, came under attack by Boko Haram, which had declared war on the Nigerian state. 

That morning, she had started the generator to pump water into her fish pond. The sound kept her from hearing the chaos until her children came running to warn her. When she turned it off, the gunfire became loud, and she looked up to see an aeroplane firing downwards. 

She took all her children in the car and fled. They spent the night in the bush before proceeding at dusk, only stopping to ask for directions. A group of people by the roadside told her it was safe enough to drive on the main road, as the terrorists were already in Mubi, so she was unlikely to encounter them. Just then, a car passed by, and she was confident to follow suit.

“What I didn’t know was that it was a Boko Haram vehicle. When we reached a checkpoint manned by the terrorists, it was allowed to pass, but I was asked to stop,” she narrated.

Ruth, her children, and the three other people she had kindly given a ride obeyed the commands they were given. She handed over her keys to the gun-wielding terrorists who surrounded them, one from the front and another from behind. 

“The man in front turned to the other and asked, ‘What do we do with these ones who have obeyed us?’ The other stayed silent at first, then turned to me. ‘Madam, are all these your children?’ he asked. ‘No,’ I replied. He paused before saying, ‘All of you may go, except these two young men [Hikame and one of the passengers she had given a lift].’”

Ruth immediately fell to her knees and cupped her palms in an attempt to plead, but even before the words left her mouth, the terrorist violently cocked his gun and told her to get out of his sight. Her daughter dragged her away. 

They found a spot nearby, sat and waited for him to change his mind, or for his associates to convince him to let them go, or maybe for some miracle to happen where she could walk away with all her children. After waiting for what felt like too long, her daughter convinced her that it was time to move forward. Reluctantly, she left Hikame behind. 

When they reached the next safe town, she got a phone and called her eldest son and told him to try contacting Hikame. After several attempts, he spoke to his brother and told him to run whenever he got a chance. He warned him not to stay with the terrorists or listen to anything they preached to him. Then he emphasised, again, that he must run away. 

Whether Hikame got a chance to do so is still a mystery to his family 11 years later. They have never heard from him since that call. His number stopped going through, although tracking showed that he was around Bama, in Borno, northeastern Nigeria. Ruth went to the police station and declared her son missing. She did the same with the Nigerian Army, too, and finally, with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

“The ICRC were the one who truly cared,” Ruth says. “I gave them Hikame’s details, and we’ve stayed in touch for about eight or nine years. At first, they often called to ask if I had heard anything about him. But those calls upset me badly. I would tremble, feel anxious. Talking about him was too painful, so I asked them to stop calling,” she explains. 

One time when they called, she broke down, shouting, crying, her head aching. Then one staff member consoled her softly. He told her that he, too, had been a victim. He offered words that soothed her and gave her strength and a renewed sense of hope. He also told her about a programme for the family of the missing she could join, promising that if she tried it and didn’t like it, she could leave whenever she wished.

“That programme helped me so much. It taught me resilience, how to manage my emotions, and gave me counselling. I used to isolate myself, but now I socialise more. We sit together as a family in the programme, they support us, even with transport fares, and they empower us. I’ve also built friendships there, and we visit and strengthen each other,” she says.

The International Committee of the Red Cross has registered at least 25,000 missing people in Nigeria since 2015, with over 14,000 of them being children.  

The protracted insurgency in the country’s North East has fueled a massive missing person problem across the region. Some vanish while fleeing violence, others are captured by terrorist groups, and many civilians are arbitrarily detained by the army, unable to distinguish terrorists from innocent people. 

An investigation by HumAngle revealed the devastating scale of the issue, documenting mass killings and mass graves. For families, the emotional toll is immense as they wait for news, grieve without bodies, and face practical challenges like inheritance disputes, as missing loved ones are not legally declared dead. Women wait years for their husbands, and children grow up with unanswered questions about their parents or siblings.

The ICRC started an Accompaniment Programme in 2019, which offers families of the missing emotional, economic, legal, and psychosocial support, helping them find hope and resilience.

It is the same programme that Ruth participated in. It has provided her with a support system, she says, as those who go through it have formed an organisation. They visit one another, pray together, and contribute small amounts of money to support each other during emergencies or special occasions, like weddings. It gives Ruth strength and comfort.

She says she no longer wallows in her grief for long periods of time. She doesn’t cry as frequently or avoid social interactions anymore. Talking about Hikame has also gotten easier, and the panic attacks don’t happen when she is asked about him. 

However, Ruth still believes that her body has suffered the consequences of grief and left scars that aren’t easily seen.

“Like my eyes,” she says. “I no longer see well with them, and I know it’s how much I cry that has affected it. It became so bad that I couldn’t step outside of my room into the light at some point. It hurt to look at the light. My legs also hurt, and I’m not as active as I used to be.”

When Ruth stands up, it is slightly laboured. She disappears into her room and reappears with two photos of Hikame in her hands. In one, he’s wearing a blue and yellow graduation gown and hat. There are other students in the background wearing school uniforms. 

Hikame will turn 23 on October 20 this year. If he were safe with his family, he would have worn a similar gown about three more times by now: once for his secondary school graduation, again for his university matriculation, and later for his convocation. 

Perhaps this picture is one that conjures up her frequent dreams of him in a school setting. 

In grief psychology, there’s a concept called continuing bonds. It refers to the way people hold on to memories, thoughts, or moments with loved ones who have passed or gone missing, sometimes even dreaming about them. “This is seen as part of healing, helping them cope with loss. In Ruth’s case, dreaming of her son in a school setting likely shows how important those school memories were to both of them,” Chioma Onyemaobi, a licensed clinical psychologist, explains.

Now 60, Ruth lives with her teenage granddaughter, who she says has helped in engaging her so that she doesn’t fall into despair again. The girl reminds her of Hikame and how he did the same for her when she was grieving her husband. 

If grief, as they say, is love that has nowhere to go, then while nothing can replace Ruth’s love for Hikame, she channels it into her granddaughter, all the while holding onto hope for a reunion with her son.

She no longer runs her fishery or egg businesses, partly because the war took everything from her and forced her to rebuild from scratch, and partly because the weight of grief has drained her strength. 

Now she buys wholesale rice, shares it among retailers, and earns a commission from their sales.

There’s one more thing Ruth does. One more place she channels love into: the rearing of pigeons. 

“To this day, I make sure I never stop caring for pigeons,” Ruth says, and a teardrop escapes her eyes. She blinks. “I rear some even now, and every time I feed them, I think of Hikame.” 

A selection of fan responses to BBC Sport on Thursday

Brian: Totally embarrassing. Over a week to get Eze signed and still couldn’t manage it and Arsenal do it in hours. A kick in the teeth to Spurs fans. We spend so much wasted time on negotiating deals, it’s pure frustration!

Bob: Can’t say I’m that bothered. He is 27 years old and his career so far has been QPR and Palace. He’s not been wanted by anyone like Barca or Real – move on.

Ian: Spurs’ mentality is like being a multi-millionaire and driving 25 minutes out of town because the petrol is 5p cheaper. By the time you get home you haven’t saved anything, wasted a bunch of time, and everyone else is confused by what you’re doing and laughing at you.

Andre: Eze is a fantastic player and would strengthen any team he plays for. But, we can’t look back. He isn’t a Spurs player so let’s not cry about him. Onwards and upwards!

Christopher: Can’t help but feel that Ange would’ve sounded Eze out and identified if his heart was in joining THFC or if he was stringing them along. If anything, it would have prevented this song and dance from playing out at Levy’s Tottenham.

Anthony: Completely get it from Eze’s perspective, it’s his boyhood club. For me, it’s another case of Levy and co. taking far too long to wrap something up. Realistically this only reportedly happened because of Havertz’s injury, but in football you should never take anything for granted. Not sure where to go now, put the extra funds towards Savinho and find another 10 quick.

Bob: If he’s a Gooner we don’t want him. Simple.

Mark: For once I don’t think we can blame Levy for dragging his heels on this outcome. I don’t think Eze ever wanted to sign for us, all we did was set it up for Arsenal to step in. Fair play to their buying team and no doubt our smug North London neighbours will be letting us know how good they feel.

A BODY has been found in the search for a missing County Durham man.

Police were searching for 35-year-old Dean from Chester-le-Street when they recovered the body Wednesday afternoon.

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While formal identification is yet to take place, the body is believed to be Dean.

Durham Constabulary issued an appeal to help find the missing man early on Wednesday.

His mum also posted an appeal on Facebook, writing: “Has anyone seen my son Dean he left home yesterday at 11am to go to the gym at Chester le Street and he hasn’t come home.”

She posted another photo of Dean this evening without a caption.

He had last been seen crossing the road to the cycle path near the Pelton Buffs Social Club just before 11am on Monday.

The body was recovered from the Pelton area.

Police thanked Teesdale and Weardale Search and Mountain Rescue for their help during the search.

A spokesperson for Durham Constabulary told ChronicleLive: “We’re very sorry to report that a body has been found in the search for Dean. Sadly, the body of a man was recovered from the Pelton area this afternoon.

“Formal identification has yet to take place, but we believe it to be that of the 35-year-old, from Chester-le-Street. Dean’s family have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers.

“We’re very sorry to report that a body has been found in the search for Dean. Sadly, the body of a man was recovered from the Pelton area this afternoon (August 20).

“Formal identification has yet to take place, but we believe it to be that of the 35-year-old, from Chester-le-Street. Dean’s family have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers.”

His family have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers.

THE real reason for Molly-Mae Hague’s absence from Tommy Fury’s BBC show premiere has been revealed.

The social media influencer was missing from the launch of his brand new reality TV series which raised eyebrows despite the pair being back together and claiming to be at “they’re happiest”.

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Molly also failed to mark the event on social media and shared no posts to support Tommy and his show.

But The Sun understands that Molly skipped the event as she was keen to not “overshadow” the launch of Tommy’s programme and let him have his own time in the spotlight following their up and down 12 months.

A source told The Sun: “Molly is keen to keep a low profile at the moment.

“She is obviously back with Tommy but it’s his night and doesn’t want to overshadow it.

“It’s been a funny time for Molly – she’s very thick skinned but she’s had a lot to deal with and isn’t used to backlash.”

A representative for Molly told The Sun that she was “away working” and very busy which caused her to miss the event.

Current social media snaps show Molly enjoying a sunny break away with her best pal, Tayla-Blue.

The best friend duo could be seen enjoying a relaxing evening by the beach with their children yesterday evening in snaps shared to Tayla’s social media feed.

One photo showed Molly and her daughter Bambi attempting to take a splash in the sea.

Whilst other snaps showed Bambi looking stylish on the beach.

For Tommy, he was joined by his parents in Manchester for a screening of BBC show The Good. The Bad. The Fury, which sees him rehash details of their recent split, as well as make a series of shock revelations about it.

In the show, he made the shock revelation that he was  downing “20 shots a night” and drinking to get “blackout drunk” ahead of their split last year. 

He said: “The reason for our ending the relationship was alcohol.”

He added: “I couldn’t train, box, lift weights, that was all gone.

“My right hand was messed up, I was in dire pain, it’s just what happens over years of impact on the hand.

“I had lost my entire identity, lost my life.”

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Rescuers are looking for more than 150 people who were still missing on Monday in northwestern Pakistan, which was devastated by landslides and flash floods on Friday.

Torrential rains triggered the flash foods killing at least 344 people and destroying hundreds of homes.

Most of the deaths – 317 – were reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where monsoon rains, expected only to intensify in the days ahead, have driven flooding and landslides that collapsed houses.

More than 150 people are missing in Buner, where at least 208 were killed and “10 to 12 entire villages” were partially buried, according to authorities.

“They could be trapped under the rubble of their homes, or swept away by floodwaters,” said Asfandyar Khattak, head of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Provincial Disaster Management Authority.

“Separately, in Shangla district, dozens of people are also reported missing,” Khattak added.

The spokesman for the province’s rescue agency said about 2,000 rescue workers are involved across nine districts, where rain is still hampering efforts.

“The operation to rescue people trapped under debris is ongoing,” said Bilal Ahmad Faizi.

“The chances of those buried under the debris surviving are very slim,” he added.

After days without power, the electricity supply was restored on Sunday afternoon.

Flooded roads hampered the movement of rescue vehicles, as a few villagers worked to cut fallen trees to clear the way after the water receded.

The provincial government has declared the severely affected mountainous districts of Buner, Bajaur, Swat, Shangla, Mansehra, and Battagram as disaster-hit areas.

On Saturday, hundreds gathered for mass funerals, where bodies wrapped in blood-stained white shawls were laid out on the village ground.

Iran said it stood ready to provide “any cooperation and assistance aimed at alleviating the suffering” in neighbouring Pakistan, while Pope Leo XIV addressed the flooding with prayers “for all those who suffer because of this calamity”.

The monsoon season brings South Asia about three-quarters of its annual rainfall – vital for agriculture and food provision – but also brings destruction.

“The intensity of this year’s monsoon is about 50 to 60 percent more than last year,” said Lieutenant General Inam Haider, chairman of the national disaster agency.

“Two to three more monsoon spells are expected until the first weeks of September,” he told journalists in Islamabad.

Landslides and flash floods are common during the season, which usually begins in June and eases by the end of September.

The torrential rains that have pounded Pakistan since the start of the summer monsoon have killed more than 650 people, with more than 920 injured.

Pakistan is one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change, and is contending with extreme weather events with increasing frequency.

Officials say about 10 people rescued after accident in African country’s northwestern region.

Rescuers are searching for more than 40 people who are missing after a boat capsized in Nigeria’s northwestern state of Sokoto, according to authorities.

Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said on Sunday that its Sokoto operations office had deployed a response team to support rescue efforts following the “tragic boat mishap”.

NEMA’s director general, Zubaida Umar, said the agency responded after “receiving reports that a boat conveying over 50 passengers to Goronyo Market had capsized”.

NEMA said in a statement shared on social media that about 10 people had been rescued, and more than 40 other passengers were missing.

Nigeria’s The Punch newspaper, citing a local official, said the accident may have been caused by overloading, a recurring issue for boats in the state’s riverine communities.

Boat accidents are common in Nigeria, particularly during the annual rainy season, from March to October, when rivers and lakes overflow.

At least 16 farmers died in a similar accident in Sokoto State in August 2024, when a wooden canoe carrying them across a river to their rice fields capsized.

Last month, at least 13 people died and dozens more went missing after a boat ferrying about 100 passengers capsized in Niger State, in north-central Nigeria.

Two days later, six girls drowned after a boat taking them home from farm work capsized midstream in the northwestern Jigawa State.