Section: News:World News

RUSSIA has been trying to jam British military satellites every week, according to the head of the UK Space Command.

Major General Paul Tedman accused Moscow of actively attempting to disrupt the UK’s space-based assets through constant stalking and manipulation tactics.

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Maj Gen Tedman told the BBC the disruptions are happening on a weekly basis.

He said: “We’re seeing our satellites being jammed by the Russians on a reasonably persistent basis.

“They’ve got payloads onboard that can see our satellites and are trying to collect information from them.

“They can jam, blind, manipulate or kinetically disrupt satellites.”

All six of the dedicated military satellites operated by the UK are equipped with counter-jamming technology, Tedman confirmed.

Britain continues to fall far behind other powerful nations in terms of their space surveillance systems.

The US, China and Russia each have more than a hundred in orbit.

Beijing and Moscow are both being viewed as potential threats, according to Gen Tedman.

He said both nations had tested anti-satellite weapons in recent years.

Both the UK and the US have warned that Russia is developing the capability to put nuclear weapons in space.

Speaking on the dangers of both countries, Gen Tedman said: “I would say the Chinese have by far the more sophisticated capability but the Russians have more will to use their counter-space systems.”

The UK government is now promising to invest more space missile defence – including plans to test sensors to detect laser threats in space.

Russia’s interference on an astral level comes after Germany’s Defence Minister, Boris Pistorius, also blasted Russia for shadowing satellites used by their military last month.

Berlin said a pair of Russian satellites were “pursuing” space capsules used by Germany’s armed forces.

Pistorius called for talks to draw up offensive capabilities in space as a deterrent – and revealed that Germany will spend $41billion on space defence by 2030.

It comes months after a secretive Russian “killer satellite” was detected launching another mysterious flying object near a US spacecraft.

Kosmos-2558 is on an orbital path which is suspiciously close to USA-326 – an American spy satellite.

It is believed to have the capacity to monitor enemy spy satellites – and potentially shoot them down if needed.

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And last year, Putin launched a terrifying weapon system into space – capable of killing other satellites.

The Russian space object, believed to be Cosmos-2576, was launched on a Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket.

In response to growing international tensions, the UK and the US conducted their first coordinated satellite manoeuvre in space in September.

Defence officials hailed it as a major step forward in allied space cooperation.

The mission saw a US satellite be repositioned in orbit to inspect a UK satellite and confirm it was functioning properly.

The test formed part of Operation Olympic Defender – a joint military framework aimed at improving satellite defence and resilience.

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THREE suspected Hamas terrorists appeared in court in Germany yesterday as police claimed to have foiled a chilling terror plot.

The trio – caught with weapons including an AK47 assault rifle, pistols and ammunition – were feared to be about to export October 7-style horror to Europe.

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Investigators believed they were plotting attacks on Israeli or Jewish sites – like the synagogue attacked in Manchester yesterday.

Germany’s federal prosecutor alleged that they had been procuring firearms in recent months to prepare for a terrorist massacre.

Several pistols and a large cache of ammunition were among weapons taken when police swooped 24 hours before the Manchester attack.

No evidence of a connection between the two incidents had emerged last night – but fears of Palestinian terror spreading across Europe was sparking security concerns.

Two of the Berlin suspects are German citizens but the third was said to have been born in Lebanon.

They were named only as – named as Abed Al G, Wael F M and Ahmad I.

Hamas has carried out hundreds of attacks against Israeli civilians but rarely operated outside the region and they denied involvement.

Details of the plot remained unclear last night – and it was also uncertain whether they were acting on Hamas orders or were self-motivated Palestinian sympathisers.

The worrying arrests came as Hamas appeared spent as a fighting force in Gaza as Donald Trump called on them to surrender or face an unbridled Israeli onslaught.

A German federal judge ruled that the Berlin trio should remain in jail ahead of a full trial for alleged membership in a foreign terrorist organization and plotting serious acts of violence.

Police arrested members of Hamas in Berlin in December 2023 when four suspects were feared to be plotting to attack Jewish institutions in Europe.

THIS is the terrifying moment Ukrainian soldiers on fire dived from their speeding Humvee after a drone strike.

Footage shows brave Ukrainian troops cheating death as they jumped out of the military vehicle after being targeted by the Russian forces.

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Troops from the Kastus Kalinoŭski Regiment were travelling inside the Humvee when a drone attack struck them.

The soliders, who were engulfed in fire, took a leap of faith and dived out of their seats to escape.

They were seen rolling on the floor before dashing away from the burning car.

Smoke can be seen coming out of the US-made military vehicle as the soldiers look at it from a distance.

The Kastus Kalinoŭski Regiment is a military unit within the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

It is made up of Belarusian volunteers fighting agasint the Russians.

THe military unit was formed in March 2022 in response to Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

The regiment is named after Kastus Kalinoŭski, a Belarusian national hero and leader of the 1863 January Uprising against the Russian Empire, symbolising resistance to oppression.

They view the Russian forces as a common enemy of both Ukraine and Belarus, and their aim is to defend Kyiv on the frontlines.

The fighting group also aspires to liberate Belarus from its authoritarian regime, which is aligned with Russia.

Their motto, “Liberation of Belarus through the liberation of Ukraine,” reflects this dual mission.

The unit has become a significant symbol of Belarusian solidarity with Ukraine and resistance to Russian influence, with its members fighting alongside Ukrainian forces to defend their homeland.

Previous footage from the frontlines showed the moment a landmine blew up a Humvee – with Ukrainian soldiers still inside.

The crew miraculously all survived the fireball blast thanks to the tough armour on the US-made military vehicle.

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The clip shows Ukrainian fighters riding in the truck – with one standing up through a gap in the roof to man the machine gun.

One of the soldiers then starts shouting as gunshots ring out in the background.

Two brave men grab their rifles and sprint out to join the battle.

Smoke can be seen rising in the distance as the armed defenders scour the immediate area for Russian attackers.

Suddenly a blast erupts under under the Humvee – with at least three soldiers still inside.

Flames are seen filling the cab, and debris falls from the roof.

The occupants then rush to escape as the vehicle fills with smoke.

And thanks to the incredible US-made armour, they all survived the terrifying blast.

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A TEENAGER has been shot and killed in a tragic accident while squirrel hunting.

Carson Ryan, 17, was on a hunting trip when he was shot by a fellow hunter in Iowa on Saturday.

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The Washington teen was “mistaken for a squirrel by a member of his hunting party”, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

“[He was] struck in the back of the head”, a spokesperson said.

“Carson was transported to UI Health Care Medical Center, where he later died from his injuries,” the spokesperson added.

An investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Carson was in his final year at Washington High School and a player on the varsity football team.

In a tribute Facebook post, the Washington Boy’s Track and Field team said their “hearts are broken”.

“[We] ask you to keep Carson’s mom, family, classmates and teammates in your hearts as we navigate the devastating loss of Carson,” the post read.

A vigil was held for Carson on Saturday evening, hosted by the secondary school to honour their former pupil.

Assistant football coach Nic Williams said: “Carson was a fierce competitor in everything he did”.

“He loved fishing. He loved being with his friends. But more importantly, Carson was a person of incredible faith,” he said.

The heart breaking accident has added fuel to the fire of the ongoing debate surrounding gun laws and young people in the US.

Carson’s shock death comes as the New York Police Department revealed that a 13-year-old boy had been declared brain dead after being shot in the head on his way to school.

Just last week a mass shooting at a church in Michigan also claimed four lives and left eight survivors injured.

The gunman, Thomas Jacob Sanford, 40, ploughed his car into the church before unleashing gunfire on worshippers inside.

COFFEE lovers are racing to grab a popular autumn-inspired beverage, and it’s costing them nothing but time.

TopCashback is offering a delicious deal for new members, to get £5 cashback for just a £2 spend on a hot drink of their choice.

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The deal means seasonal coffee trend followers can get certain sized pumpkin spiced lattes for free.

All shoppers need to do to secure the sweet deal is spend at least £2 on a hot drink.

Then, to claim the offer, shoppers must sign up to TopCashback via this special link.

After signing up, shoppers should snap a picture of their receipt and receive £5 cash back into their TopCashback account.

Starbucks has priced the warm version of the seasonal favourite Tall Pumpkin Spice Latte for £4.90.

Savings on TopCashback can be made on other cosy-weather purchases, even saving shoppers money in the lead up to Christmas.

 Topcashback will pay you when you sign up and make a purchase through its links.

You could then put this extra money into your savings.

Cashback deals are often advertised as a percentage.

For example, you would get up to 5% back when you spend £30 or more.

But you should always be cautious when spending and not let offers tempt you to hand over money you didn’t intend to spend.

Only use cashback to make a purchase if you were going to buy the item anyway.

Topcashback said its members earn more than £300 a year, which works out at around £25 a month.

So if you used TopCashback for every purchase until Christmas, then you would have £75 by December 25.

M&S weren’t to be outdone, adding new autumn drinks to their menu just in time for the seasonal shift.

The supermarket retailer revealed over 20 brand new items as part of the autumn menu shake-up.

As Autumn isn’t complete without the smell of cinnamon and cosy drinks, M&S has launched limited-edition cinnamon latte and matcha.

Alongside toasties and new drinks, M&S has also brought out a new line of breakfast rolls.

The halloumi and avocado ciabatta is stuffed with grilled halloumi, smashed avocado and zingy tomato and chilli chutney.

M&S cafe is also the first UK high street retailer to sell a gluten-free bacon roll loaded with smoked British bacon.

Plus, a load of old favourites and new showstoppers have been added to the bake and cake section.

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Money-Saving Tips from Gemma Bird: Save £2k Before Christmas

IF youre’ looking to save cash, you’ve come to the right place, as here, Gemma Bird has shared her top tips that’ll save you £2k before Christmas.

• Set a budget: Track your spending and create a realistic budget.
• Cut unnecessary costs: Cancel unused subscriptions and avoid impulse buys.
• Meal planning: Plan meals to reduce grocery bills and avoid takeaways.
• Sell unwanted items: Declutter and sell items online for extra cash.
• Cashback and discounts: Use cashback sites and hunt for discount codes.
• DIY gifts: Make personalised gifts to save money and add a personal touch.
• Pick up a seasonal shift: A really easy way to pick up a bit of extra cash in the winter is to find yourself some seasonal work.

Follow these practical tips from Gemma Bird to boost your savings before the festive season!

THE world’s tallest bridge has opened to the public — cutting journeys from a staggering two hours to just two minutes.

China‘s Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge in Guizhou province is a whopping nine times higher than the Golden Gate Bridge and twice the height of the Eiffel Tower.

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It is almost as tall as the 632-metre, 128-story Shanghai Tower, China’s tallest building.

As well as breaking world-records, the bridge has increases connectivity in the region.

Locals were previously forced to spend almost two hours navigating the vast canyon.

But now, travel time is reduced to just two minutes.

The mighty structure took three years to build, requiring advanced technologies, such as satellite navigation and drones.

Soaring 2,050 feet over the Beipan River, travelling over the world’s tallest bridge will not be for the fainthearted.

The gargantuan structure features massive steel reinforcements weighing 215 metric tons.

These will help support the heavy loads going across the 0.9 mile-long structure.

Officials also believe the crossing will stimulate economic development in Guizhou, one of China’s lesser developed provinces. 

Chen Jianlei, deputy director of Guizhou Transport Department told China Daily: “The completion of the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge will strengthen economic ties between [neighbouring cities] Guiyang, Anshun and Qianxinan, fostering regional economic integration.”

The chief engineer of the record-breaking bridge has said that seeing his project come to life gives him “a profound sense of achievement and pride.”

The central element of the bridge, its primary load-bearing part, is made up of 93 segments weighing a collective 22,000 tons – or three times the weight of the Eiffel Tower.

Work on the £227 million project began in 2022.

Until it opens, the title of tallest bridge in the world will remain with the Beipanjiang Bridge in Guizhou province around 200 miles north of the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge.

The bridge with four lanes of traffic was finished in 2016 and stands 1788 feet over the Beipan River.

Meanwhile, construction has started once again on the world’s tallest skyscraper that was left half-built seven years ago.

Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah Tower, once completed, will be three times taller than the Shard and will dwarf all other developments.

The enormous tower would stand 3,280ft high when completed.

The Jeddah Tower has long been touted as the next Burj Khalifa – the world’s tallest building in Dubai, at 2,723ft.

Following the unveiling of incredible plans for one of the world’s tallest skyscrapers, which will include the highest nightclub and observation deck on the planet.

The Burj Azizi also set for Dubai will be a staggering 2,379ft tall.

Azizi Developments say construction of the £1.15 billion tower – twice the size of The Shard – has already begun and is expected to be completed in 2028.

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BRITAIN must join the fight against Hamas and not reward terror by recognising a Palestinian state, the former chief of Mossad has said.

Veteran Israeli spy Yossi Cohen vowed to eradicate every last enemy fighter in Gaza – as he fumed that Israel is “doing the world’s job alone”.

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Mr Cohen demanded to know why Britain and other countries were not helping Israel after joining previous fights against other terror groups.

Sitting down with The Sun, he said: “The big question is, will you join us?

“More than 70 countries, including Britain, fought together to defeat one terror organisation with ISIS, and you joined the war against the Taliban in Afghanistan.

“How many armies are fighting with us alongside Hamas? None. The state of Israel is doing the world’s job alone. You’re invited.”

With or without the support, Mr Cohen said he will hunt down every last Hamas fighter, vowing: “If there are 100 Hamas fighters left in Gaza City… I’ll find them for you.”

Mr Cohen, who reveals his life as a spy in his new book The Sword of Freedom, slammed Sir Keir Starmer for his decision last week to formally recognise a Palestinian state – insisting he has “no power to do that”.

Several other countries including France, Canada and Australia all recognised Palestine this month – pushing the number of UN members doing so over 150.

Successive UK governments have vowed to recognise a Palestinian state at the point of most impact as part of a peace process – and Starmer felt the time was now.

The PM said the decision was in aid of a two-state solution, which is the “opposite” of what Hamas wants – though the terror group still claimed it as a victory.

But Mr Cohen said the move by Starmer was cynical.

It was designed to “strengthen” support for the Labour government at home, Mr Cohen claimed, while serving no purpose on the world stage.

He speculated that Starmer felt forced into the decision to “keep people quiet” in the UK – rather than it being “from his heart”.

And he fumed it was a “reward” to Hamas for their heinous October 7 attack.

“If Hamas are the UK’s partners, that’s very sad,” Mr Cohen said.

Cohen dismissed the declaration as toothless because it is “legally impossible” for other countries to mandate a two-state solution.

Referring to the Oslo Accords of 1993, the only standing agreement Israel has with the Palestinian Authority, he insisted that decisions about statehood may only be made between Israel’s government and the PA.

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Earlier this year, Trump also suggested recognising the Palestinian state would risk “rewarding Hamas”.

Cohen said there is a history of governments, including the British, saying one thing to their population and another thing to Israel behind closed doors – and that he “hopes” that remains the case.

He revealed that, in his former roles, he met with foreign diplomats who would be appreciative during private meetings – only to later release “the filthiest statements” about Israel.

‘We take care of Gazans’

Directly addressing the hundreds of thousands of Brits who regularly take to the streets as part of pro-Palestinian marches, Mr Cohen said: “Israel is conducting a just war. This is absolutely the right thing that we have to do.

“Intentionally, we do not kill civilians. Intentionally, we do not starve anyone. Intentionally, we’re taking care of the Gazan people.”

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Mr Cohen even claimed he had received criticism in Israel for helping bring in financial support for Gazans from donors.

“Why is it that we do that? Because we do care about the Gazan people,” he insisted.

A United Nations commission determined this month that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.

Israel’s conduct in the war has faced increased scrutiny over the past year as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza deepens.

Reflecting on why there is such a gulf in feeling between Israel’s public and Brits, Mr Cohen said his country is still reeling from the atrocities committed on October 7 – with hostages still being kept in Gaza.

He said: “Civilians were killed and butchered. Babies included, burned in their beds, raped. The atrocities that we’ve seen are on a different scale.

“This is the reaction of a normal country. We are a normal country.

“Demonstrators will demonstrate whether Israel conducts itself rightly or wrongly. This is part of their agenda.”

Civilians were killed and butchered. Babies included, burned in their beds, raped. The atrocities that we’ve seen are on a different scale

Yossi CohenFormer director of Mossad

Hundreds of civilians in Gaza are being killed every week in air strikes and shootings.

Israel has repeatedly blamed Hamas for the high civilian death toll – claiming the people of Gaza are being used as human shields.

The IDF has recently expanded its military operation in Gaza City where hundreds of thousands of civilian remain.

Confronted with this fact, Mr Cohen said: “The type of war that we conduct is hard.

“It is not something that you can even imagine when you have terrorists living together with kids and babies in kindergartens, UN facilities, hospitals, clinics, and any other thing.

“They just conquered everything, every single house in the region, to create a kind of a terror activity in within.

“So it’s hard to do, but I know for sure that the state of Israel is doing its best to make sure that the Gazan people will not be hurt.”

Almost 70,000 people have been killed in Gaza since October 7, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health and the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The ex spy master served as Benjamin Netanyahu’s national security advisor – and has hinted at aspirations to become the next Prime Minister of Israel, or returning to the government in some capacity.

“If Netanyahu wants to use me or to use my capabilities… of course he can do that,” Mr Cohen said. “He knows my phone number.”

Hinting at Netanyahu’s handing of the war, he added: “I think the people of Israel need a change that is basically founded on the need of unification.

“It is getting a little bit too intense to my taste.”

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‘Amazing’ Tony Blair

Cohen also passionately backed an emerging plan for former UK PM Tony Blair to temporarily govern Gaza after the war.

Blair has reportedly pitched a plan to Donald Trump which would see him lead a Gaza International Transitional Authority (GITA) overseeing the strip before handing over to the Palestinian Authority.

Cohen told us it was an “amazing move from Blair”, and insisted they would work well together.

He said: “This is the main problem – what do we do the day after? And who is going to take care of the close to 2.2 million people?

“We need someone to run the show in the Gaza Strip and stop it deteriorating into the hands of Hamas.

“Tony Blair‘s initiative and willingness to do that is highly appreciated. God bless him.”

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A BRITISH grandad and veteran suffering from cancer has been left homeless and starving in Dubai after being arrested for a crime he’d been acquitted of a decade earlier.

John Murphy, who served in the British military before building a life in the UAE, was arrested a decade earlier over allegations of being offensive to hotel security.

The 59-year-old’s lawyers said he should have walked free but he was jailed awaiting trial.

In the interim period, John’s landlord sued him for rent arrears that piled up during his detention.

His belongings were seized, a travel ban imposed, and his passport withheld.

The travel ban imposed on him has also never been lifted.

For nearly 10 years he has been trapped in Dubai, unable to work and unable to leave, putting John in an ‘inescapable legal limbo’.

John’s lawyers now say he has been ‘literally starving’.

The grandfather has been forced to sleep on public transport and wash in shopping centre toilets, according to his legal contacts.

“I haven’t eaten in four days,” Murphy said in a message sent from Dubai.

“I’ve been on the streets for three weeks.

“I try to ride the metro all day to rest, but security chase me away.

“I wash in mall toilets, I’ve been in the same clothes for weeks, and my health is failing.

“I need urgent cancer treatment and dental care, but I have nowhere to turn.”

Despite homelessness being illegal in the UAE, when John attempted to surrender to the police, they refused to arrest him.

He has been surviving on public transport, caught between a rock and a hard place – unable to leave, unable to work, unable to resolve his debts.

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Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai said John’s situation was “outrageous”.

“John was found innocent, yet ten years later he is starving on the streets, denied cancer treatment, food, or shelter,” she said.

“This is the direct result of a system that criminalises debt and traps people in a cycle of poverty and despair.

“They won’t let him leave, and they won’t even arrest him. He is being left to die in plain sight.”

A friend of John’s has launched a GoFundMe page and appealed directly to both the British and Irish embassies for help.

To date, neither has secured his release.

“The Trump administration successfully repatriated a number of American citizens from the UAE,” Stirling added.

“It is disappointing that Britain and Ireland have not stepped in to save John Murphy.

“He is a veteran, a grandfather, and he has already suffered enough.

“The Irish and British governments must act now.”

John’s quagmire comes after British student Mia O’Brien was detained in the city after being busted with 50g of cocaine.

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Mia was sentenced to spend 25 years in a UAE prison after she was found with the drugs that had a street value of £2500.

Her family this week issued a plea for help saying she had “never done a bad thing in her life” and had made a “very stupid mistake”.

But now her heartbroken mum Danielle McKenna, 46, has revealed new details about her lengthy jail term.

She revealed that Mia, 23, was caught with 50 grams of the Class A drug in the Middle East last October.

The huge amount of cocaine was found inside Mia’s apartment in “one big chunk”.

The Liverpool University law student was arrested alongside two other people – her friend and the friend’s boyfriend.

All three have been charged with drug dealing.

Mia was convicted by a judge after a one day hearing on July 25.

She was also fined a staggering £100,000 by the court before being sent to the hellish Dubai Central Prison, also known as Al-Awir.

The notorious lock-up has been dubbed the affluent city’s version of infamous jail Alcatraz.

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“Mia feels she has destroyed her life as she wanted to be a lawyer or solicitor, ” Danielle told the Daily Mail.

“I speak to her but she can’t say too much on the phone.

“She’s just made a stupid mistake after going over to see a friend and her boyfriend in Dubai.”

The mother-of-five said Mia pleaded not guilty to intent to supply the drugs.

But the judge swiftly ended the trial and handed her a life sentence of which she has to serve 25 years.

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A BRITISH man who stabbed his flat mate to death in Portugal has been found after spending more than a year on the run.

William Hunter murdered 22-year-old Elliot Mulligan in an Albufeira apartment in April 2022.

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The 34-year-old was sentenced to spend 18 years behind bars for killing the Liverpool man, but lodged an appeal in 2023.

He was released on bail in April the following year, after reaching the custodial time limit for prisoners on remand.

Hunter immediately breached his bail and fled, leading police on a multi-agency manhunt.

The UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) said he was arrested by Guardia Civil officers in Alicante on September 15.

Portuguese authorities have sought the killer to be extradited and complete his jail sentence.

In a statement, NCA spokesman Gill Duggan said: “Above all, our thoughts remain with Elliot’s family, who have endured an unimaginable loss and the painful reality that the man responsible had not been held accountable for his violent actions”.

“Our pursuit of Hunter was relentless, driven by a deep commitment to securing justice for those who love Elliot,” he continued.

“With thanks to our partners at Merseyside Police and in Spain and Portugal, Hunter is behind bars where he belongs, and where he will remain for a long time to come.”

Detective Superintendent Mark Drew from Merseyside Police said Hunter’s arrest had been a “joint operation”.

“We are committed to working with our partners to capture those that evade law enforcement and bring them to justice,” he said.

“We continue to support Elliot’s family.

“As they finally see justice being done for their tragic loss, we hope that the arrest of William Hunter brings them some comfort.”

Hunter was convicted and sentenced over the brutal murder in 2023, where he stabbed Elliot multiple times in the chest, back, arms and hands.

The two men had been living together when they’d gotten into an argument on April 6 in 2022.

Hunter later launched his savage attack, stabbing Elliot 24 times.

Elliot attempted to flee the luxury flat by jumping from the balcony, walking several metres across the garden before eventually collapsing.

Emergency services were unable to save him, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

An autopsy of Elliot’s body found he had died from multiple incisive wounds.

THIS is the moment a Ukraine naval drone strikes one of Vladimir Putin’s key fuel sites sparking chaos in Russia.

The Salavat factory was hit for the second time in less than a week amid Volodymyr Zelensky’s soaring campaign against Russian oil.

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Footage shows thick black smoke billowing out of the facility as an inferno rages on the ground.

A second explosion, meanwhile, is seen pounding the building.

Locals reported hearing a “loud noise” before flames ravaged the surrounding area.

The Salavat refinery, considered a linchpin in Russia’s oil industry, was last hit on September 18 – causing a “massive explosion”, according to local media.

It’s just one of a number of facilities Ukraine has targeted in recent weeks as it steps up its campaign on Russian energy infrastructure.

The strikes have sparked chaos in Moscow with petrol stations reportedly not able to stockpile fuel.

Widely used petrol – such as Ai 92 and Ai 95 – are often unavailable, according to reports.

One employee at a petrol station in the western Belgorod suggested the oil crisis had reached a tipping point, with stations forced to close “because there was no gasoline”.

She told Reuters: “The station in the neighbouring village also closed, and others simply ran out of gasoline.”

Moscow has been forced to ban fuel exports for six months, sacrificing vital revenue just to stop unrest at home.

Military intelligence expert Philip Ingram MBE previously explained how “Putin’s greatest fear” is “the Russian people rising up.”

Before the invasion, energy exports made up around 40 per cent of the Kremlin’s budget.

Even under sanctions, oil and gas still bring in 30 per cent of Russia’s income.

He showed how Ukraine has zeroed in on this “river of oil money” with pinpoint strikes hundreds of miles inside Russian territory.

Long-range drones have torched colossal refineries, exploded pumping stations and set storage tanks ablaze – systematically dismantling Moscow’s refining capacity.

The campaign has shattered Russia’s aura of invulnerability, exposed its sprawling oil empire as a fatal weakness, and brought the war crashing into the lives of ordinary Russians.

And as Ingram puts it: “It proves that in modern warfare, the most effective battle plans aren’t always about brute force on the tactical frontline, but about finding your enemy’s single point of failure – and striking it again and again with unrelenting precision.”

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It comes as Donald Trump announced in his keynote speech at the UN General Assembly that Ukraine could win back “every inch” of its territory with Russia.

In a major pivot from his previous stance on the three-and-a-half-year conflict, Trump also dismissed Russia’s military strength and mocked its inability to beat Ukraine in just a few days.

Posting on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump said Ukraine “may be able to take back their country in its original form and, who knows, maybe even go further than that”.

Trump’s Vlad-bashing follows months of growing frustration at Putin’s refusal to end the offensive in Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov hit back at Trump’s insults, particularly those levelled at the Russian economy.

“The phrase ‘paper tiger’ was used in relation to our economy,” he said.

“Russia is more associated with a bear. And paper bears don’t exist.

“Russia is a real bear.”

Peskov did, however, admit that the Russian economy had faced “tensions”.

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BARACK Obama will be visiting London and Dublin for an evening of political discussion on current global challenges.

Here’s everything you need to know about the event dates and how you might still be able to get your hands on the tickets.

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When is An Evening with Barack Obama in UK and Ireland?

The former US leader will be hosting a speaking in the UK and Ireland in September 2025.

The 44th president will engage in a conversation with the audience at The O2 Arena, London on September 24, 2025.

The doors will open at 6pm and the event will commence at 8pm.

Obama will then travel to Dublin and hold the show on September 26, 2025 at the 3Arena.

An Evening with Barack Obama in Dublin will be moderated by Irish journalist Fintan O’Toole.

How can I still get tickets?

You can still snap up last minute tickets to An Evening with Barack Obama.

For London show, the main ticket platforms are Ticketmaster, Seat Unique, Stub Hub, and Vivid Seats.

Tickets may also be available at the O2 Box Office.

If you’re looking to nab the tickets for Dublin, then check out Ticketmaster or Seat Unique.

There is a limit of six tickets per person or per household, and any excess tickets will be cancelled.

VLADIMIR Putin’s prized golden goose – Russia’s oil empire – has become a sitting duck, and it’s Ukraine’s drones that are pulling the trigger.

In the latest episode of Battle Plans Exposed, military intelligence expert Philip Ingram MBE lays bare how Kyiv has opened a devastating new front in the war in the oilfields, refineries and pipelines that bankroll Putin’s invasion.

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“This is the oil war,” Ingram says.

“It’s a highly strategic, calculated campaign to cripple the engine of Putin’s war.”

Watch the latest episode on The Sun’s YouTube channel here…

For decades, Russia’s vast energy reserves paid for everything from tanks and cruise missiles to soldiers’ salaries and propaganda handouts.

Before the invasion, energy exports made up around 40 per cent of the Kremlin’s budget.

Even under sanctions, oil and gas still bring in 30 per cent of Russia’s income.

The episode shows how Ukraine has zeroed in on this “river of oil money” with pinpoint strikes hundreds of miles inside Russian territory.

Long-range drones have torched colossal refineries, exploded pumping stations and set storage tanks ablaze – systematically dismantling Moscow’s refining capacity.

Footage of Rosneft’s Ryazan refinery erupting into flames after a single drone strike captures the scale of the destruction.

“This isn’t a military base on the border,” Ingram warns.

“This is a core piece of Russia’s national infrastructure – hundreds of miles from Ukraine.”

What makes these attacks so devastating is their precision.

Ingram explains that the real targets aren’t the giant tanks but the refinery’s processing units – “the heart of the refinery,” where crude is split into diesel for tanks, jet fuel for fighters and gasoline for the home front.

Knock one of these units out, and the entire facility is useless for months, even years.

The episode shows how Ukraine has already knocked out at least 12 per cent of Russia’s refining capacity – stripping away over 600,000 barrels a day.

That’s billions in lost revenue that can’t be pumped into Putin’s war chest.

The impact is twofold. First, it chokes the Russian military itself: “No diesel, and tanks don’t move.

“No jet fuel, and fighters are grounded,” Ingram says.

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Second, it hits ordinary Russians – with fuel shortages, soaring prices and the chilling sight of their industrial heartland burning.

The Kremlin’s response? Denial, spin and panic.

Moscow has been forced to ban fuel exports for six months, sacrificing vital revenue just to stop unrest at home.

“Putin’s greatest fear,” Ingram says, “is the Russian people rising up.”

This is asymmetric warfare at its most ruthless – cheap Ukrainian drones inflicting billion-dollar wounds on the Kremlin.

The episode shows how the campaign has shattered Russia’s aura of invulnerability, exposed its sprawling oil empire as a fatal weakness, and brought the war crashing into the lives of ordinary Russians.

And as Ingram puts it: “It proves that in modern warfare, the most effective battle plans aren’t always about brute force on the tactical frontline, but about finding your enemy’s single point of failure – and striking it again and again with unrelenting precision.”

It comes as Ukraine claims to have turned the tide on the eastern front in a brutal counter-offensive.

Kyiv’s top general Oleksandr Syrskyi said his troops had clawed back around 60 square miles since August, with Putin’s men retreating from a further 70 square miles north of bomb-blitzed Pokrovsk.

He boasted Russian forces had paid a horrifying price — 1,500 killed, another thousand wounded and 12 main battle tanks blown to pieces.

“Control has been restored in seven settlements and nine more have been cleared of enemy sabotage and reconnaissance groups,” Syrskyi declared, claiming nearly 165 square kilometres were liberated and almost 180 cleared of Russian saboteurs.

The breakthrough follows a shaky summer where Russian “saboteurs” punched six miles through Ukrainian lines overnight, threatening to cut supply roads.

But Ukraine has regrouped and is now pushing them back, Syrskyi insisting: “In the past 24 hours alone the enemy have lost 65 servicemen, 43 of them killed in action, along with 11 pieces of equipment.”

The destroyed kit ranges from tanks to artillery, drones and even a quad bike used by desperate Russian troops.

Russia has tried to claw back the narrative, claiming it captured a hamlet south of Pokrovsk — a claim Ukraine flatly denies.

Instead, Kyiv points to wrecked Russian armour littering the battlefield and insists the Kremlin’s army is being bled dry.

The fighting comes as Volodymyr Zelensky prepares to meet Donald Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

Ukraine’s war leader is set to press the US president for tougher sanctions if Putin refuses to come to the table.

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Trump — who once called Putin a “genius” — admitted the dictator had “let him down”.

“I thought this war would be one of the easiest to solve because of my relationship with Putin. But he has really let me down,” he said during his visit to Britain.

But Britain’s spy chief Sir Richard Moore has poured cold water on any idea of a quick peace.

In a message aimed squarely at Trump, he said: “I have seen absolutely no evidence that President Putin has any interest in a negotiated  peace short of Ukrainian capitulation.”

He warned the world not to be duped by the Kremlin tyrant: “We should not believe him or credit him with strength he does not have.”

Moore added Russia was grinding forward “at a snail’s pace and horrendous cost” — and that Putin had “bitten off more than he can chew.”

He lauded Ukraine’s resistance and heaped praise on Zelensky, saying: “My admiration for him is unbounded,” while savaging Putin for plunging Russia into “long term decline” where he invests only in “missiles, munitions and morgues.”

The warning came days after Russia’s indiscriminate blitz killed three civilians in Zaporizhzhia — two women aged 40 and 79 and a man of 77 — even as Ukrainian forces notched up new gains and unleashed fresh revenge strikes on Russian soil.

Last month, Kyiv marked Independence Day with a wave of drone attacks crippling Russian energy sites and claimed to have wiped out three of the “Butchers of Bucha” in precision bombings in occupied Luhansk.

The Russian soldiers had been accused of taking part in the notorious 2022 massacre where hundreds of civilians were executed, tortured and raped as Putin’s troops stormed towards Kyiv.

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ITALY has been battered by brutal floods after a wave of torrential rainfall swamped vast parts of the north.

Streets and railways erupted into rivers, trapping people in cars and houses, and hundreds of school children had to be rescued from flood waters.

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North-western Italy swallowed the worst of the weather, with orange alerts issued for parts of Lombardy and Liguria on Sunday, but the capital Milan has also suffered with severe rainfall on Monday night.

In Meda, Lombardy, cars were picked up by the surging water and taken away down the streets.

One clip shows the powerful river depositing a car on top of another – while a railway track can be seen full to the brim with gushing brown water.

The Seveso river which runs through Milan burst its banks and completely submerged several neighbourhoods, and the Lambro is also threatening to overflow in the city.

Specialised flood vehicles had to rescue around 300 children stranded in schools in the Niguarda district of Milan.

In Cabiate, Como province, fire crews plucked residents from swamped neighbourhoods by winching them up to helicopters after the Tarò River overflowed.

They also combed the streets checking submerged vehicles for anyone trapped inside.

Landslides and flooding have brought chaos to the Bormida Valley in Lugaria, and most of the region’s schools have been forced to shut.

Water spurted up through manhole covers along the busy Via Vittorini road – where flood defences have been erected to protect homes.

Milan’s Palace of Justice has been forced to shut down after water pooled inside and the power had to be turned off.

Milan’s Civil Protection Councilor, Marco Granelli, urged all residents to exercise “maximum caution”.

More than 70 emergency calls have been put into the fire service amid the watery mayhem.

The flooding was caused by heavy storms which swept across the north of the country.

A German tourist is currently reported to be missing in Piedmont after flash flooding, with a search operation underway.

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Officials said more than 650 emergency interventions were carried out across Lombardy, with over 200 firefighters mobilized.

A mother and her 10-month-old baby were rescued from the roof of their car in Monza and Brianza province after being trapped by floodwaters.

In Florence, a pine tree collapsed onto a parked van, though no injuries were reported.

Weather forecasters said unstable conditions would continue in the coming days, with thunderstorms forecast for central and northern Italy and temperatures expected to fall.

Heavy rainfall could also extend to southern regions over the weekend.

Italy‘s flood trouble follows similar scenes in Spain.

One child died as torrential floods continue to wreak havoc across a Spanish holiday hotspot.

Horror weather sparked travel chaos with flights cancelled and trains abandoned due to fallen trees on the tracks – as officials warn of more rain to come.

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UKRAINE claimed its troops have turned the tide in a key part of the eastern front.

Kyiv’s top general Oleksandr Syrskyi said his troops had recaptured some 60 square miles in a major reversal since August.

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He also claimed Putin’s invaders had abandoned positions in a further 70 square miles north of the bomb-blitzed town of Pokrovsk.

The advances are welcome successes for Kyiv after months of Russian assaults wore down Ukraine’s morale.

Gen Syrskyi claimed Russian forces had suffered eye-watering losses including 1500 killed in action, another thousand wounded and at least 12 main battle tanks destroyed.

In a statement on Monday Gen Syrskyi said: “Control has been restored in seven settlements and nine more have been cleared of enemy sabotage and reconnaissance groups.

“As of 12pm on 22 September 2025, a total of 164.0 km² have been liberated and another 180.3 km² cleared of enemy sabotage groups.”

Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy announced the counter-attack success last week.

The fight back followed a shock Russian advance in August.

Small groups of Russian “saboteurs” found weak points in the Ukrainian line and advanced almost six miles overnight, threatening to cut a key supply road between Dobropillia and Kostiantynivka.

Ukraine’s troops scrambled to contain the breakthrough and have now started to push them back.

Gen Syrskyi said his forces had continued to advance yesterday.

He said: “In the past 24 hours alone the enemy have lost 65 servicemen, 43 of them killed in action, along with 11 pieces of equipment.”

The wrecked Russian kit included four artillery guns, six drones and a quad bike which Russian troops used for assaults.

Gen Syrskyi claimed his assault teams “advanced between 200 m and 2.5 km in certain areas.”

The destroyed Russian weapons ranged from 12 main battle tanks to almost 60 motorcycles over the course of the counter offensive.

Russia hit back by claiming its troops had advanced to the south of Pokrovsk and captured the hamlet of Kalynivske.

Ukraine denied the Russian advance.

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It comes as President Zelensky prepared to meet Donald Trump at the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

Zelenskyy is expected to press Trump for sanctions on Russia if Putin refuses to meet them.

President Trump said Putin had “let him down” over peace in Ukraine.
Speaking during his state visit to Britain Trump said he thought the war in Ukraine would have been the easiest war for him to solve because of their relationship.

He said: “I thought this war would be one of the easiest to solve because of my relationship with Putin. But he has really let me down.”

The head of Britain’s MI6 warned Putin was “stringing us along”.

In a message aimed squarely at Donald Trump, the spy chief Sir Richard Moore said: “I have seen absolutely no evidence that President Putin has any interest in a negotiated  peace short of Ukrainian capitulation.

Sir Richard, who is known as C, used his final chief as head of Britain’s Secret Intelligence  Service to say Putin lies to the world, to his people and “perhaps even to himself.”

He said: “We should not believe him or credit him with strength he does not have.”

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Trump has called Putin a genius, repeatedly mentioned Russia’s size and strength, and he rolled out the red carpet for Putin when they met in Alaska last month.

Sir Richard, who has access to Britain’s most secret reports on Putin’s intentions, insisted the Russian dictator was still determined to bring Kyiv under Russian control.

He said: “Putin seeks to impose his imperial will by all means at his disposal.”

But he said Russia was doomed to fail.

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He said: “He cannot succeed. Russia simply does not have the wherewithal to fully subjugate Ukraine by force.

Sir Richard acknowledged Russian troops were “grinding forward on the battlefield”.

But he said it was at “a snail’s pace and horrendous cost”.

He said: “Putin has bitten off more than he can chew.

“History warns us never to underestimate a country fighting for its independence and for its very survival.

“Greater powers than Russia have failed to subjugate weaker powers than Ukraine.

“In the end, if we hold our nerve, Putin will need to come to terms with the fact that he has a choice – to risk an economic and political crisis that threatens his own rule, or make a sensible deal.”

Sir Richard, who has been tipped as a possible British ambassador to Washington, lavished praise on Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy.

He said: “My admiration for him is unbounded.”

By contrast he accused Putin of plunging Russia into “long term decline”.

He said: “He invests not in infrastructure, schools and hospitals but in missiles, munitions and morgues.”

Britain and European leaders have rallied around President Zelenskyy after the war leader had a disastrous meeting with President Trump in the White House in March.

Trump’s relations with Zelenskyy have since improved but Ukrainians fear he could cut US support to Ukraine on a whim.

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Trump threatened Russia with “serious consequences” if he didn’t make steps towards peace.

But Trump’s deadline passed with no penalties for Russia.

And Moscow has since flown a squadron of drones into Poland during a night-time blitz on Ukraine.

Sir Richard goaded the Russian president – who is himself a former KGB intelligence officer –  by encouraging Russians to spy for Britain.

And he boasted that some of Putin’s opponents were already “secretly working with MI6”.

Sir Richard was making his final public speech before stepping down after five years as the chief of MI6.

And he formally launched new “dark web portal” codenamed Silent Courier,  to help potential spies contact MI6 secretly from anywhere in the world.

He is due to be replaced by Blaise Metreweli, the first ever female chief of MI6, who is currently serving as Q, head of the MI6 gadgets.

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GERMANY’S army is preparing its forces to treat 1,000 injured troops a day as the prospect of a war between NATO and Russia looms ever larger.

Berlin’s war planning lays bare the scale of devastation that such a conflict would unleash upon the continent.

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The Kremlin denies that it wants a war against Russia’s Western rivals.

But recent incursions of military jets into NATO airspace has amplified fears that Putin has his sights on members of the alliance.

Since Russia‘s brutal invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Western countries have been forced to reckon with the prospect of a major war breaking out on European soil once again.

It has prompted military leaders to warn of the scale of casualties that could come if Moscow attacked the alliance.

Germany’s Surgeon General Ralf Hoffmann told Reuters that the exact number would depend on the intensity of fighting.

But he said: “Realistically, we are talking about a figure of around 1,000 wounded troops per day.”

Berlin is far from the only country to ramp up planning for mass casualties in the face of Russian sabre-rattling.

France has also placed its hospitals on a war-footing, with health bosses ordered to be ready for a “major engagement” by March 2026.

In anticipation of a large influx of wounded soldiers, Paris has ordered the country’s health centres to integrate the “specific needs of defence” into their planning.

They want French hospitals to be prepared to take in not only their own country’s injured troops, but also those of NATO allies.

Hoffmann added that Germany needs to look to the war in Ukraine to adapt how it approaches medical training for the battlefield.

“The Ukrainians often cannot evacuate their wounded fast enough because drones are buzzing overhead everywhere,” he warned.

Flexible transport options would be needed to get injured troops out of harm’s way, Hoffmann said, such as how Ukraine has used hospital trains.

Germany’s chief of defence General Carsten Breuer issued a stark warning this summer as to how soon a Russian attack could come.

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He told the BBC that Moscow’s increased military production represents a “a very serious threat” that could come as soon as 2029.

“This is what the analysts are assessing – in 2029. So we have to be ready by 2029,” he warned.

“If you ask me now, is this a guarantee that’s not earlier than 2029?

“I would say no, it’s not. So we must be able to fight tonight.”

In Britain, government officials are hurriedly updating decades-old contingency plans to protect the country in the event of Russian aggression.

Former NATO commander Colonel Hamish de Bretton-Gordon previously told The Sun: “Britain is very much in the sights of Putin’s derision, and we are the ones likely to be attacked first.

“Britain really has got to dust off its contingency plans.

“Over 20 years of neglect, and we understand that’s exactly what this report is about at the moment.”

An assault on one NATO country by Russia would require all other member states to take up arms in their support.

This is because of the alliance’s Article 5 protection guarantee, which makes an attack on one an attack on all.

Fears of confrontation with Russia have spiked since Moscow’s air force launched incursions into NATO airspace in recent weeks.

Russian MiG-31 fighters entered the skies over Estonia earlier this month, prompting Western jets to be scrambled in response to shoo them away.

Moscow’s drones have also entered Polish and Romanian airspace over the past weeks.

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VLADIMIR Putin has fired his top general amid ongoing humiliating blows from Ukraine.

General Alexander Lapin, 61, was reportedly sacked for failing to sweep through the Sumy region – considered one of the tyrant’s key war goals.

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Once a decorated militant, he was awarded the Kremlin’s top honour: the Hero of Russia.

Despite his many medals, however, he came under fire and was criticised as “incompetent” by military experts.

Putin ally Ramzan Kadyrov, head of Chechnya, said of him three years ago: “If I had my way, I would have demoted Lapin to private, deprived him of his awards, and sent him to the front line to wash off his shame with the rifle in his hands.”

Reports suggest Russia lost three battalions in its attempt to capture the Sumy region as Ukraine continues to grind down on Vlad.

His dismissal, however, has raised suspicions Putin is looking for scapegoats to explain his humiliating military defeats.

This includes his slow territorial gains into Ukraine while losing millions of men both injured and killed.

He was also earlier blamed for Ukraine’s impressive advance into Russia’s Kursk region, which the tyrant only narrowly pushed back on thanks to North Korean forces.

During the war, Lapin commanded the Centre group of forces, reaching  the title Hero of Russia.

A year later, he was appointed Chief of the General Staff of Russian Ground Forces.

Later he commanded the Leningrad Military District, then the North group.

In his new role, he will be in charge of recruiting contract soldiers in Tatarstan, the 44th largest region in Russia.

He will also liaise with service families including widows of fallen soldiers. 

It comes as analysts have recognised how Ukraine has been heavily defending a key town for over a year in its war with Russia.

The key town of Pokrovsk has also been deemed strategically critical for Putin’s territorial ambitions.

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As a vital railway and transport hub, Provosk could give Russia a huge supply line if captured, according to intelligence officer Philip Ingram.

It has been nicknamed the “gateway to Donetsk” by Russian media with key crossroads that could enable Putin the seize the rest of the area.

Putin has also revealed how he just about “dodged” death trying to fire up the engine of a motorbike.

The 72-year-old told defence minister Andrei Belousov of the incident: “I once got on a motorcycle, revved it.

“And it went into a spin and flipped over.

“I just dodged it at the last second. It fell right next to me.”

The Russian leader has long sought to cultivate an image as a macho tough guy as part of his domestic persona.

He shared the motorbike anecdote dressed in military fatigues – despite being hundreds of miles from the war zone.

NATO says the word airmen is offensive and must be replaced by the gender-inclusive term “air force personnel”.

The western military alliance’s woke language manual challenges ­“unconscious bias”.

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It warns that gendered terms are outdated and risk alienating women and minorities.

Words such as serviceman, guardsman, and my guys are out — in favour of “service member”, “guard” and “team”, the Sunday Telegraph reported.

Even manning is corrected to staffing.

Critics branded it a farce, saying Nato’s job is deterring Russia, not policing pronouns.

Sir John Hayes, the Common Sense group of MPs chairman, fumed: “Their job is to defend countries, not promote distortion of language.

“These terms are a farce.”

However, the guide says “ranks in the Navy and air force don’t change”.

In January, an ex-Nato commander blasted woke Navy chiefs for renaming a submarine to avoid upsetting the French.

HMS Agincourt was the fleet’s sixth vessel and was named after the 1415 victory by outnumbered English archers.

A move to rebrand the under-construction hunter-killer was thrown out last year as “woke nonsense” by Tory Defence Secretary Grant Shapps.

VLADIMIR Putin has revealed the moment he had a dice with death while riding a motorbike.

The ageing Russian tyrant shared an anecdote of how he almost died as he tried to fire up the engine.

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Speaking to defence minister Andrei Belousov, he said the incident was a time when he “dodged” death.

But Putin did not reveal when or where the moment happened in his story.

The 72-year-old despot said: “I once got on a motorcycle, revved it.

“And it went into a spin and flipped over.

“I just dodged it at the last second. It fell right next to me.”

Putin has long sought to cultivate an image as a macho tough guy as part of his domestic persona.

He has frequently been pictured shirtless doing outdoors activities and sports to reinforce his personality cult.

The tyrant shared the motorbike anecdote dressed in military fatigues – despite being hundreds of miles from the war zone.

He spoke last week at the culmination of anti-Western war games involving Russia and Belarus.

In the past, Putin has appeared with the Night Wolves motorcycle club to help foster his macho image.

The Russian President was photographed riding a Russian-made Ural motorcycle with a sidecar in 2019.

It comes as the warmongering despot’s brutal attacks against Ukraine continue to intensify.

The Kremlin’s forces have launched devastating strikes on Ukraine over the past days.

Yesterday, The Sun reported that Russia had launched 580 drones and 40 cruise and ballistic missiles overnight.

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At least three people were killed and 13 others injured in the savage attacks.

And earlier this week, Russian jets violated NATO airspace over Estonia.

Three MiG-31 jets flew over Vaindloo Island and stayed there for nearly 12 minutes.

NATO allies scrambled Italian F-35s to repel the planes – which had their transponders turned off.

Security expert Will Geddes told The Sun: “What we’re increasingly seeing is incursions into NATO country airspace, whether that be Poland, quite recently on September 10, with drones, whether it be Romania, or now Estonia.

“This is becoming increasingly concerning, as NATO has a joint agreement in terms of protecting their airspace.”

He added: “I think what it really comes down to is the fact that Russia is testing NATO countries, and testing their aerial defence measures.”

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HELLMANN’S has stepped in to cover the cost of repairing a Spanish café set ablaze by an angry customer who couldn’t get mayonnaise with his sandwich.

The mayo giant pledged to foot the bill after the shocking arson attack at Cafetería Las Postas near Seville, Spain, last month.

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A Hellmann’s spokesperson said: “Cafetería Las Postas, we’re sorry we weren’t there. From now on, you can count on us.”

The brand promised to restore the premises and ensure the condiment will never be missing from its shelves again, Euro Weekly News reported.

Owner José Antonio Caballero called the incident completely “surreal” and said there was “no explanation for what he did.”

He explained: “First one waiter and then another the second time this gentleman asked for mayonnaise gave him the same answer which was that the bar didn’t have a kitchen and the sandwiches came ready-prepared and we didn’t have sauces.

“At that moment he walked to the garage opposite, returned to the bar with a bottle in his hand which we discovered afterwards had petrol inside, and asked the first waiter: ‘Are you sure there’s no mayonnaise?’ without giving him time to reply.

“There’s no explanation for what happened. It was awful.”

Horrifying CCTV shows the suspect storming inside, splashing fuel over the counter, and setting it alight with a lighter.

As flames shot towards the ceiling, terrified customers – including children as young as four – scrambled to safety while staff fought the blaze with an extinguisher.

Caballero said the fire left damage of up to £7,000 but praised “quick-thinking workers” for stopping it spreading.

He added: “The important thing is that nobody was injured. There were young children and elderly people around. Imagine if someone had been hurt.”

The 50-year-old suspect was arrested within minutes in a nearby square after burning his hand.

Police said he was taken to a health centre under guard and is due in court.

Investigators are probing why he started the blaze, with reports suggesting he was with two others at the time.

The mayo-fuelled attack has since divided opinion online after Hellmann’s public response.

Some hailed the move as clever marketing, while others blasted it as insensitive.

One local fumed: “Hellmann’s, it’s a little in bad taste, no? Will you get noticed? Yes. But at what cost? I don’t think a brand like yours needs to do this.”

Another said: “What happened is not a joke.”

A third remarked: “Taking advantage of someone’s misfortune to do marketing.”

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A BRITISH grandad has revealed how he was shackled to a wife-and-child killer during his horror months locked up by the Taliban.

Peter Reynolds and his wife Barbie, 76, were arrested in February and dragged through ten different jails in Afghanistan, sometimes held in cages and sometimes split apart, with weeks spent in solitary confinement.

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Peter, who spent his 80th birthday behind bars instead of celebrating with his family in the US, told The Sunday Times: “We felt huge powerlessness.

“We were told we were guests. But when I was taken to court, I had my ankles and hands cuffed together with murderers and rapists.”

At one point, the grandfather found himself shackled to a man who had murdered his own wife and three children.

Peter and Barbie were finally freed this week, flown out on a Qatari aircraft and back to Heathrow on Saturday, where they reunited with their family after months of agony.

The couple’s release came after months of behind-the-scenes mediation led by Qatar, whose diplomats in Kabul arranged medication, doctors and calls with their family.

Footage showed the pair smiling as they finally boarded a flight out of Afghanistan.

They had lived in Afghanistan since 2007, running a community project called Rebuild.

They were among the few foreigners who chose to remain after the Taliban seized back power four years ago, settling in the mountainous Bamiyan region — better known for the giant Buddhas destroyed by the regime in 2001.

The couple, who first married in Kabul in 1970, insisted they had lived peacefully for years without trouble from the authorities.

Barbie described watching her husband struggle into a police truck with his hands and ankles chained as the “worst moment.”

The pair endured months of solitary confinement, a basement cell with no windows, and illness from “oily and salty” prison food.

Meals were scarce and left them sick. Barbie, who suffers from anaemia, grew weaker by the day.

Peter, who has a heart condition, often went without the beta blockers he relies on after a mini-stroke last year.

He is believed to have suffered a silent heart attack while in custody.

At one stage they were transferred to the Taliban’s intelligence HQ and locked in an underground cell, cut off from sunlight and phones.

UN human rights experts later warned their health was deteriorating so rapidly that they were at risk of “irreparable harm or even death.”

The couple insist they had done nothing wrong.

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The Taliban later claimed they had “violated Afghan laws” but gave no details.

And a search of their home and staff turned up nothing.

They were originally detained alongside their American friend Faye Hall, who was freed in March after a court order.

But the Reynoldses remained locked up for another five months with no explanation.

At one point, relatives back in Britain said they were “pretty frustrated” after repeated pleas to Taliban officials went ignored.

Back in Britain, the couple are exhausted but jubilant.

Barbie wants salad and Marmite, while Peter wants baked beans.

But most of all, they want time with the grandchildren they feared they’d never hug again.

“It is a mystery how or why we have been released,” said Peter.

“There’s a lot to process. I’m looking forward to listening to our family’s narrative of all that has unfolded in the last eight months.”

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