THREE people have fallen to their deaths in the same week after attempting to climb an infamous 14,700ft mountain.
The Swiss Matterhorn attracts thousands every year, but a recent spate of tragic accidents has hit the alpine spot with cops launching an investigation.
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The Matterhorn in the Alps is one of the tallest mountains in EuropeCredit: Alamy
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Almost 600 people have died trying to climb the infamous peakCredit: Alamy
Each of the three people died within just days of each other, with none of them yet identified.
One of them, a man, died on Friday with cops saying he was likely alone on the enormous mountain.
He made it a whopping 13,000ft up the Matterhorn before losing his footing and falling 2,600ft to a glacier below.
The other two left a hut on the mountain on Wednesday morning to make the climb down the summit.
When they failed to come back as planned, a search and rescue operation was launched.
They were later found dead by a rescue helicopter on the north face of the enormous mountain, having fallen 3,200ft.
Tragically the owner of the accommodation they were staying in said a thunderstorm had struck a few hours after they left.
He added: “It probably caught them.”
They had left to climb the Hornli ridge – the most popular Matterhorn route on its Swiss side.
The Matterhorn straddles the Alps border between Italy and Switzerland.
It’s summit is an incredible 14,692ft above sea level, making it one of the tallest in Europe.
It has four steep faces, towering above fields of glaciers below and edged by steep ridges.
Almost 600 people have died while climbing the mountain.
Between 2,500 and 3,000 people try to hike it every year.
IN the depths of the Indian Ocean lies an island home to a secretive military base believed to be one of the CIA’s notorious Black Sites.
Diego Garcia, a white-sand paradise isle, also houses dozens of trapped asylum seekers who have been stuck there in a makeshift prison for almost three years.
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Diego Garcia, site of a major United States military base in the middle of the Indian Ocean
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A US B-2 Spirit bomber stops for refueling on Diego Garcia in 2001, following an air strike mission over AfghanistanCredit: Reuters
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Fuel tanks at the edge of a military airstrip on Diego GarciaCredit: Reuters
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US B-1B Lancer bombers on Diego Garcia in 2001Credit: Getty
Owned and leased to the US Navy by Britain, Diego Garcia hosts as many as 5,000 American military personnel along with dozens of ships and aircraft.
After 9/11, US bombers launched attacks on Afghanistan from the island, banned except for authorized military crew.
It was also used as a launching pad for attacks on Iraq during the 2003 invasion.
An investigation by TIME magazine in 2008 revealed how a secret CIA black site on the island was being used for “nefarious activities” between 2002 and 2006 as part of America’s War on Terror.
In 2006 questions were raised about whether Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, a 9/11 mastermind now held at Guantanamo Bay, was on the island, the Associated Press reported.
More recently in 2015 a senior Bush administration official told VICE news how US prisoners were interrogated in a CIA Black Site on the isle.
Human rights group Reprieve has also alleged that US Naval ships docked at the island were used to torture detainees.
In October 2021, some 60 people fleeing conflict in Sri Lanka were sailing across the Indian Ocean in hopes of reaching Canada.
When their boat started to sink, British navy ships rescued them and took them to Diego Garcia.
The asylum seekers were told their boat would be repaired so they could sail out again – but instead they were essentially imprisoned on the island.
They have spent almost three years stuck there, The Guardian reports.
One of the passengers from the shipwreck said: “I’ve been put in a prison on this island although I have committed no crime.
“My mental state is deteriorating. I live in a body that has no life inside it.”
Officials on the island have restricted their movements, keeping them in a fenced off area the size of a football pitch, surrounded by a 7ft high metal fence.
“We cohabit with the rats,” one mum on the island said.
“They taste the food on our plates; climb on top of our children when they are sleeping and bite us.”
The group, which includes 16 children, are only allowed to leave the cordoned area for medical care or occasional beach trips.
Someone in the camp told The Guardian: “One three-year-old child deliberately broke his teeth so he could go out to the dentist and get soft food.
“He wanted to eat a banana, which we don’t usually get.”
Diego Garcia reportedly has a downtown area with bowling alleys, bars and shops where US military can go out drinking and dancing.
There are tennis courts, parks and softball pitches.
Some wild conspiracy theories swirled after the disappearance of MH-370, which disappeared in 2014 with 227 passengers and 12 crew on board, that the jet landed on Diego Garcia.
The White House press secretary rubbished the claim at the time, with officials later dubbing it a “baseless conspiracy theory”.
The UK, working with the US, had forcibly expelled the indigenous population from the island in the years between 1968 and 1973.
By 1977, Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia was officially established in an American naval base on the island.
It is leased to the US by the UK and is now contested territory as Mauritius claims it belongs to them, not Britain.
Diego Garcia is the largest island in the Chagos Archipelago, part of the British Indian Ocean Territory.
Just south of the equator, it lies along a major trade route between Asia and Africa.
The US Navy has dozens of ships positioned around the island and its lagoon.
Bomber aircraft and at least one USS aircraft carrier are also thought to be housed there.
The British government states online that only those with connections to the military base are allowed to visit the island.
A US Navy statement about the island reads: “U.S. Navy Support Facility Diego Garcia provides logistic support to operational forces forward deployed to the Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf areas of responsibility in support of national policy objectives.”
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US Air Force ground crew members wave at a B-52H bomber as it takes off in Diego Garcia for a strike mission against Afghanistan, 2001Credit: AFP
INCREDIBLE footage illustrates how Ukraine has captured a huge slice of Russian territory in a week-long rapid blitz.
It’s taken Kyiv’s troops just several days to claim 400 square miles of enemy soil as Vlad grapples with being the first Russian leader to surrender home turf since the Second World War.
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Ukraine is blasting its way into Russia as the war enters a fiery new chapterCredit: Reuters
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A Russian man reacts to missile debris, with many of his fellow residents evacuatingCredit: Kommersant Photo/Anatoliy Zhdanov via REUTERS RUSSIA
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A Ukrainian soldier holds up the peace sign as he goes into battleCredit: Reuters
The advance then spills into the rival country in multiple directions, with troops speeding straight ahead in a sharp incision as others take wider territory to the northwest and southeast.
Ukraine’s territory takeover then broadens out in all directions, leading to the huge 400,000 square mile coup in only seven days, according to the country’s top commander.
Thousands of troops have piled in with beefed up convoys including tanks and aircraft.
Read more on Russia-Ukraine
Commander Oleksandr Syrskyi claimed Ukraine now controlled the massive chunk of Russian territory as it continued to “conduct an offensive operation in the Kursk region”.
He said:“The troops are fulfilling their tasks. Fighting continues along the entire front line. The situation is under our control.”
President Volodomyr Zelensky on Monday night warned adversary Vladimir Putin that war was “coming home” to Russia.
He said: “Russia brought war to others, now it’s coming home.
“Ukraine has always wanted only peace, and we will certainly ensure peace.”
Tens of thousands of Kursk citizens were forced to evacuate last week with locals in the neighbouring Belgorod region now also given orders to leave.
‘Rattled’ Putin’s body language reveals deep fear over Ukraine invasion as he nervously twitches & rubs hands
As many as 130,000 Russians are now displaced.
Belgorod governor Vyacheslav Gladkov warned the entire region was under missile alert.
He told residents: “Go down to the basement and stay there until you receive the all-clear”.
The warring nations traded air attacks overnight, with 14 Ukraine drones launched into the Kursk, Belgorod and Voronezh regions taken out by air defence, according to Russian media.
Kremlin forces fired 38 attack drones and two ballistic missiles into Ukraine, sending the entire country on air-raid alert as fighting intensifies.
On the ground, Zelensky’s men tried to push further into Vlad’s territory.
The Kursk town of Sudzha is expected to be hotly fought over given the flow of Russian gas that runs through it.
As much as half of Russian natural gas sent into Europe travelled through Sudzha in 2023, making up five per cent of EU consumption.
Russian war bloggers and Ukrainian telegram channels claimed it was under Kyiv’s control, according to Reuters, although those assertions are yet to be verified.
Putin’s illegal invasion in 2022 has led to the Kremlin currently controlling nearly a fifth of Ukrainian territory after two-and-a-half years of fighting.
Ukraine’s surprise push into Russia has been widely seen as an attempt to divert fighting away from its own turf.
Why has Ukraine invaded Russia?
By Ellie Doughty
UKRAINE’S daring invasion into Russia has been launched for two key reasons – with one aimed at Putin and one at the West.
A high-ranking Ukrainian official told AFP that the idea behind the attack is to stretch Putin’s armies as much as possible, spreading them thinly over different areas.
The security brass told AFP on condition of anonymity that “the aim is to stretch the positions of the enemy, to inflict maximum losses and to destabilise the situation in Russia as they are unable to protect their own border”.
As well as acting as a huge morale-boosting win for Ukraine – the invasion also has a second key purpose in Kyiv’s masterplan.
It is a message to allies in the West who have closely monitored Putin’s war.
Military analyst Franz-Stefan Gady told The Washington Post: “This is definitely one consideration that it is really a signal to the West and to Ukrainian allies and partners that Ukraine is still capable of launching offensive operations.
“That Ukraine is capable of conducting fairly complex operations into enemy territory.”
Vlad on the other hand claims Ukraine are simply trying to gain leverage for peace talk negotiations.
Vlad has speculated the surge was driven “with the help of Western masters” to gain leverage at the negotiating table for potential peace talks.
Although Kremlin chiefs and state media are insisting Ukraine is losing masses of troops in what will be a botched invasion, reports from the ground aren’t as glowing as Moscow might hope.
Speculation is swirling that Russian troops are even looting their own citizens’ evacuated homes.
Footage posted to X purports to show soldiers searching through a Kursk home before complaining that it had already been ransacked.
Retired general Andrei Gurulev, a member of Putin’s United Russia party, hit out at the military for failing to stave off Ukraine’s offensive, The Times reported.
He said: “Regrettably, the group of forces protecting the border didn’t have its own intelligence assets.
“No one likes to see the truth in reports, everybody just wants to hear that all is good.”
According to state news agency RIA, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service called Zelensky’s attacking move “insane”.
They claim the Ukrainian chief has sparked a threat of escalation that could expand beyond the two nations’ conflict.
US senators Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal meanwhile jetted into Kyiv to meet with Zelensky and praised the “bold and brilliant” move.
Graham said: “Taking this war to Putin and making him understand and pay a price is the right thing
“So two-and-a-half years later you’re still standing and you’re in Russia. Remind me not to invade Ukraine.
“I’m so proud of you, your people, your military, your leadership, your country.”
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Zelensky says he’s bringing the war home to RussiaCredit: Ukrainian Presidency/Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images
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Tanks and troops rumble further into RussiaCredit: REUTERS/Viacheslav Ratynskyi
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Vlad insists Ukraine will lose masses of troops in their offensiveCredit: Reuters
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Ukraine claims tanks and troops have taken a huge slice of territoryCredit: AFP
HMS Richmond (foreground) monitoring the Chinese destroyer JiaozuoCredit: PA
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The HMS Richmond monitored the task force as it headed to RussiaCredit: PA
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The Jiaozuo, a 7500-tonne destroyer, and Honghu, a 23,400-tonne supply ship were headed to St Petersburg to participate in Russian Navy Days.
Richmond used her helicopter ‘Brigand’, cutting-edge sensors, and old fashioned visual contact to watch the two boats pass through the channel.
A French warship and a patrol ship from the Belgian navy as part of a NATO task force also helped watch the Chinese vessels past their countries.
UK Minister for the Armed Forces, Luke Pollard, said: “These escorts are a clear demonstration of how the Royal Navy continues to protect the sovereignty of UK waters.
“Working closely with our allies to support Euro-Atlantic security is a top priority for this government.
“I thank the crew of HMS Richmond for conducting a safe and professional transit and all they do in keeping our nation secure at home and strong abroad.”
HMS Richmond’s Commanding Officer, Commander Richard Kemp, said: “Close monitoring of foreign vessels in UK waters is routine business for the Royal Navy and ensures their compliance with maritime law and respect for UK sovereignty.
“By maintaining a visible and persistent presence, the Royal Navy demonstrates our commitment to the NATO alliance and in maintaining maritime security which is crucial to our national interests.”
A Royal Navy spokesperson said it was not a common occurrence that Chinese warships passed through the English Channel.
The operation involved following the Russian frigate through stormy seas during Storm Ciaran – which brought 104mph hurricane winds and an amber warning of danger to life.
In 2019, HMS St Albans and Westminster monitored another Chinese destroyer that was making the same trip.
HMS Richmond has recently seen action in the Red Sea, when it destroyed two attack Houthi drones with powerful Sea Ceptor missiles.
The Type 23 frigate set sail from Plymouth armed with 32 Sea Captor missiles and a Wildcat helicopter in January.
HMS Richmond joined the destroyer HMS Diamond, frigate HMS Lancaster, a squadron of three mine hunting vessels HMS Bangor, HMS Chiddingfold and HMS Middleton and the support ship RFA Cardigan Bay.
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The Chinese destroyer Jiaozuo (front) and support vessel Honghu (centre) passed through the English ChannelCredit: PA
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HMS Richmond has been active in the Red Sea battling Houthi drones
Simon (left) disappeared from Bangkok just days after an Australian
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This is Kieran James Cramer, an Australian who also vanished in the busy city
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Kieran’s dad flew in and found him, but why he went missing is still unknown
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In the same month, Australian Kieran James Cramer disappeared in the busy southeast Asian city on July 1.
The student nurse, 28, was nowhere to be seen or heard for more than two weeks.
His dad Darren jetted in from Australia to launch his own search, filing reports with local cops, the embassy and Interpol.
Eventually he found his son in Bangkok – but how he went missing remained a mystery.
Darren told Daily Mail Australia: “We found him in Bangkok … (But) he won’t talk to us.
“We are very worried about his safety at the moment.”
Simon travelled to Thailand for a solo trip originally supposed to be July 22-August 3.
But for an unknown reason he cut it short, telling his girlfriend he’d fly home July 26.
He never showed up.
Distraught family members believed he vanished in Bangkok, before a man claiming to be a Thai immigration officer told them he boarded a plane to Finland.
Missing David Maynard shared tragic final posts days before his entire family vanished at sea after boat capsized
Both are cases of men in their 20s going missing from trips in Thailand and bewildering their worried families.
Simon’s sister Sarah Dale Robinson’s latest social media update said: “We have received confirmation that Simon did board the flight on the 26th July.
“A massive thank you to everyone that has shared and the kind people that have found this information out as the authorities at both sides haven’t done anything.
“I am waiting for a call back from the police and embassy in Helsinki.”
It’s believed he took a Finnair flight from Bangkok-Helsinki, but never hopped on a connecting jet into the UK.
Friend Demi Guttesen also wrote on Facebook: “Please share. Simon’s whereabouts are still unknown and he is still very much missing but now the focus is on Helsinki, Finland where his connecting flight would have landed at the time he was last active on his social media.
“If anyone has any connections in Helsinki or Finland please let me know. Thank you.”
The Foreign Office didn’t comment on Simon specifically, simply saying it stood ready to help any Brit abroad.
Timeline of missing Brit Simon Robinson
July 22: Simon flies to Thailand for a solo trip
July 26: He phones his girlfriend, letting her know he’ll return to the UK early
August 2: He still hasn’t been seen and family start posting on social media to raise public awareness. They fear he never left Bangkok
August 5: Family now believe Simon did in fact board a plane, but to Helsinki, Finland
August 6: It’s revealed he was last active on social media the same time a flight to Finland was due to land
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Both men went missing after spending time in the busy Bangkok streetsCredit: Instagram @thailandluxe
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Simon is now thought to be here in Helsinki, 5,000 miles from BangkokCredit: Getty – Contributor
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Family will be hoping Simon’s case ends like Kieran’s – foundCredit: Asia Pacific Press via ViralPress
TENSIONS in the Middle East have long been a fluctuating and dangerous area of global concern.
Conflict between Israel and Palestine in the Gaza Strip, West Bank and on Israeli territory itself is nothing new.
Iran and Israel have long been in conflict with each other too.
But after a brutal terrorist attack by Hamas on Israeli soil in October last year, things entered a new phase.
Israel hit back like never before, unleashing almost ten months of ground warfare and airstrikes on the decimated enclave in a bid to destroy Hamas and rescue its hostages.
The Iran-backed terror group had killed some 1,200 Israeli people and kidnapped 250 more in the hideous October 7 massacre.
The UN estimates that at least 39,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the fresh war there broke out.
This figure includes data from the health ministry in Gaza which falls under Hamas domain and has sparked concerns from officials about accuracy.
Now, after almost ten months of war in Gaza, tensions have appeared to enter an all new high after a series of deadly strikes and high-profile assassinations in late July and early August.
Less than two days later, at around 2am on Wednesday July 30, Israel killed Hamas’ top political leader Ismail Haniyeh as he slept in Iran’s capital Tehran.
Israel has yet to explicitly claim responsibility for the hit, but after vowing to take out all of Hamas last year, they are widely believed to be behind it.
US officials have also said they suspect Israel of being behind the assassination.
Unnamed Iranian officials also shared the explosive theory with The Telegraph, further confusing the murky details around Haniyeh’s death.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), concluded its investigation into the humiliating security breach on Saturday August 1 and said he died after a “short-range projectile” was fired from outside the building.
A statement shared on Iranian state TV said a 7kg rocket warhead was used in the attack.
Iran and its proxy groups; Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen all vowed to seek revenge on Israel over the assassination of Haniyeh.
Then, on the night of Saturday August 3, Hezbollah fired some 30 rockets from Lebanon towards Galilee in northern Israel.
Tel Aviv’s impressive Iron Dome Defence system launched into action, destroying “most” of the missiles and no one was hurt.
But the UK, US and France have all urged their citizens to evacuate from Lebanon as fears of a wider war breaking out in the region continue to spiral.
ROUGHLY 50 rockets have been blasted towards Israel from southern Lebanon, according to Israeli media.
Videos showed Israel’s Iron Dome defence system kicking into action and shooting down the missiles over the Galilee region.
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Rockets have been fired at Israel from southern LebanonCredit: AFP
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The Israeli Iron Dome air defence system fires to intercept an attack and shoot down missilesCredit: AP
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The Israeli army fires a flare over the border with Lebanon, in upper Galilee, northern IsraelCredit: EPA
In a statement, Hezbollah said: “In support of our steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and in support of their valiant and honourable resistance.
“And in response to the Israeli enemy’s attacks on the steadfast southern villages and safe homes, especially the attacks that targeted the villages of Kafr Kila and Deir Siryan and injured civilians.
“The Islamic Resistance included the new settlement of Beit Hillel in its fire schedule and bombarded it for the first time with dozens of Katyusha rockets.”
The missile hit a village in the Israel-occupied region on Saturday evening, killing 12 young people including children.
Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) quickly pointed fingers at Iran-backed Hezbollah, who operate out of southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah, a staunch supporter of terror-group Hamas, has launched renewed attacks against Israel since war broke out in the Gaza Strip in October last year.
The elite green berets jetted into Cyprus with orders to prepare for a “non-combatant evacuation” mission with the Middle East on the brink of an all-out war.
A source insisted British nationals were still being ordered to leave by commercial means but officers are on standby to help the remaining civilians.
The commandos have been deployed to RAF Akrotiri in case the flag goes up to launch the mission.
The mobile, all-weather air defence system managed to bring down a number of the rockets.
The dome is made up of missile batteries which are shaped like giant match boxes and are tilted in the direction of Gaza.
The impressive Iron Dome is only set up to detect rockets heading towards highly populated regions in Israel such as Tel Aviv or Jerusalem.
What is the Iron Dome?
The Iron Dome is a mobile, all-weather air defence system in Israel designed to intercept and destroy short-range rockets and 155mm artillery shells fired from a distance of 4km to 70km.
It intercepts rockets that are travelling in the direction of a urban areas and brings them down – it is the first system of its kind in the world.
Developed by Rafael Advanced Defence Systems, if can be operated in all weather conditions including fog, dust storm, low clouds and rain.
The system was ready for use in March 2011 and in April it had successfully intercepted a BM-21 Grad launched from Gaza for the first time.
The Jerusalem Post reported that the Iron Dome had shot down 90 per cent of rockets launched from Gaza that would have landed in populated areas.
It is part of a future multi-tiered missile defence system being developed by Israel, but each interception rocket launch costs $50,000.
The dome is made up of missile batteries which are shaped like giant match boxes and are tilted in the direction of Gaza.
It can detect a target using radar and monitors its trajectory.
A control centre then calculates an interception point and then commands a rocket to launch if the foreign missile is heading towards an urban area.
Once in contact with the missile, the rocket explodes and brings it down.
Each launcher contains 20 Tamir Missiles with proximity war heads and there are several batteries positioned around the country.
Since being implemented in 2011 the computer systems have been updated, improved and upgrades to improve the accuracy of the rockets.
More to follow… For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online
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Iran’s revenge could come via its proxies, like the HouthisCredit: EPA
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Iranian state TV showed rockets launching in the April attack
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Tehran’s missiles can reach Israel from Iran
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Iran said the barrage was in response to Israel bombing their embassyCredit: AFP
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Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei led prayers at the funeral of Haniyeh
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Hamas leader Haniyeh was killed by a bomb smuggled into the guesthouse months earlier
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The coming bombardment is set to be even bigger than when the Ayatollah tried to blitz Israel with an unprecedented missile and drone blitz back on April 13.
The tyrant sent 170 drones, 30 cruise missiles, and 120 ballistic missiles across the Middle East, the IDF said.
Tel Aviv had blown up the Iranian embassy in Damascus and killed two generals – as the tit-for-tat strikes escalated and the region threatened to spiral into all-out war.
US spies have now begun to get intelligence that Iran will attack Israel in just a few days time, Axios reported.
America is taking precautions to protect its ally and expects “a rough few days”, an official said.
Israeli officials also believe Iran will launch another wide-ranging missile strike on their country.
Iran’s Supreme Leader ordered a “direct attack on Israel” after Hamas’ Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in a guesthouse.
Tehran, a staunch backer of Hamas, said it is “Tehran’s duty” to seek “revenge for Haniyeh’s blood”.
The powerful Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps also threatened to target US bases if Biden “interferes” with their revenge strike, blogs linked to the IRGC said.
Israel’s brazen assassination of Hamas leader lays bare spies’ deadly reach after drone rocket launched NEXT DOOR to Iran’s sleeping president
And Hezbollah’s boss Hassan Nasrallah said his group was preparing a significant attack.
He said: “We are not talking about separate fronts anymore. This is an open campaign on all fronts and there is no doubt [the war] has entered a new phase.”
Former Israeli intelligence official Avi Melamed said the attack could come via one of Iran’s proxies like Hezbollah, Shia militias in Iraq, or the Houthis in Yemen.
He said that planning is already likely underway and the attack could involve a cyber strike.
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Iranians burn an Israeli flagCredit: Reuters
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Hezbollah fighters training
He said: “An attack on Israel that results in harm to human life, civilian and strategic infrastructure would lead to a powerful Israeli counter-strike in various arenas and could escalate into a large-scale violent conflict beyond what we have seen so far.
“It is possible that this escalation will be confined to a short period of a few days; however, it cannot be ruled out that a dynamic of further escalation could significantly increase the level of violence and the circle of involved parties.”
Iran’s April attack marked the first time the country struck Israel directly since the start of the conflict.
But almost all of the bombs failed to hit their target with RAF fighter pilots helping shoot them down.
Israel said 99 per cent of the missiles were shot down, but a seven-year-old was injured.
The Ayatollah led prayers on Thursday as he wept over the coffin of Haniyeh at his funeral.
Haniyeh was staying in a building next door to the president’s Sa’dabad Palace as he attended the new leader’s inauguration.
Israeli agents killed Haniyeh with a bomb smuggled into the guesthouse two months ago, the New York Times reported.
The beige secure six-story structure has few windows and showed damage to it in a new photo circulating social media Wednesday.
Iran’s chilling threat came shortly after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s broadcast speech on Wednesday night.
Speaking at a news conference in Tel Aviv, the PM said that when it comes to threats against Israel, the country is prepared for any scenario.
He vowed: “Israel will make anyone who is against us pay a very heavy price.”
Netanyahu added he “will not give in” to voices calling for the end to the war.
“There has not been a single week when I have not been told domestically and from outside the country: end the war,” he said.
“I did not give in to those voices and I will not give in to them today.”
Other countries said the conflict could spiral into war following the recent assassinations.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry said the attack escalated the “war in Gaza to a regional level”.
“If the international community does not take action to stop Israel, our region will face much larger conflicts.”
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said: “a full-scale war is the only way to a shaky peace in the region.”
Iranian proxies also pledged to make Israel pay immediately following the killing of Haniyeh.
What is Israel’s Iron Dome & how does it work?
ISRAEL’S Iron Dome helped shoot down 99 per cent of the missile and drones it launched on Saturday. But what is it?
The air defence system is one of the best in the world having successfully intercepted thousands of rockets.
Mobile and fit for all-weather, the Iron Dome is at the forefront of that and was central to fending off Iran’s April 13 missile and drone attack.
Here’s the lowdown on the high tech system.
What is Israel’s Iron Dome?
Iron Dome is a counter rocket, artillery, and mortar (C-RAM) short range air defence system.
It is designed to intercept and destroy short-range rockets and artillery shells fired from distances of 2–43 miles away.
It intercepts rockets that are travelling in the direction of urban areas and brings them down – the first system of its kind in the world.
Israel hopes to increase the range of the dome’s interceptions to 250km and make it able to stop rockets coming from two directions.
Developed by Rafael Advanced Defence Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries, it can be operated in all weather conditions including fog, dust storm, low clouds and rain.
From 2011 to 2021, the United States contributed a total of $1.6billion to the Iron Dome defence system, befor another US$1billion was approved by the US Congress in 2022.
How does it work?
The dome is made up of missile batteries which are shaped like giant match boxes and are tilted in the direction of Gaza.
The Iron Dome monitor detects a target using radar and monitors its trajectory.
A control centre then calculates an interception point and then commands a rocket to launch if the foreign missile is heading towards an urban area.
Once in contact with the missile, the rocket explodes and brings it down.
Each launcher contains 20 Tamir Missiles with proximity war heads and there are several batteries positioned around the country.
Since being implemented in 2011 the computer systems have been updated, improved and upgrades to improve the accuracy of the rockets.
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Iranian missiles are exhibited in a Tehran parkCredit: Getty
A BRIT political prisoner has vanished from a Russian jail and sent to an “unknown location”.
Vladimir Kara-Murza, 42, is serving a 25-year prison sentence for “treason” in a hellhole Putin penal colony in Siberia.
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Russian opposition activist Vladimir Kara-Murza
The prison service, FSIN, said Kara-Murza was being transferred from the IK-6 penal colony in Omsk, Siberia to another location – but it did not say where.
A number of Russian dissidents have vanished from Russian prisons in recent days.
Human rights activists say it’s a possible sign that a prisoner swap with the West may be close.
His health is known to be frail after twice being poisoned by Russian secret services.
Kara-Murza – also a journalist – was jailed in April 2023 in a “show trial” for denouncing Putin’s war against Ukraine and calling for Western sanctions.
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NORTH Korean tyrant Kim Jong-un is grooming his young daughter for the top job after getting morbidly fat again, South Korean spies say.
It’s believed Kim, 40, is suffering from high-blood pressure and diabetes, weighing a whopping 140kg – or 22st – despite standing at 170cm.
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Kim has been rolling out his daughter as his health declines, say South Korea spies
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Kim’s obesity could contribute to fatal heart problems so he’s getting his daughter ready, it’s believed
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The chubby tyrant is known for his smoking
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Now he is said to be training his daughter up to take the reins as Supreme Leader – even though she is said to be just 11 years old.
Kim, a boozy operator also known for his smoking, comes from a bloodline beleaguered by heart issues.
He took over from his father Kim Jong-il in 2011 when he died from a huge heart attack.
Prior to that, Kim Il-sung suffered a sudden heart attack in 1994.
Current-day Kim appeared to have lost a heap of weight around 2021, but South Korea’s chief spy agency believes he’s put it all back on.
The National Intelligence Service (NIS) revealed to South Korean politicians that he is sending the scales off the charts at 140kg and therefore is at high risk of heart disease.
The NIS says Kim’s daughter, Kim Ju-ae, could be next in line for the thrown.
The secretive North Korea hasn’t divulged her official age but the NIS believes she is about 11.
Although she is yet to be officially designated his successor, she has set tongues wagging since late 2022, attending numerous events alongside her infamous father.
According to local reports, NIS secretary Park Sun-won said: “Kim Ju-ae is hinted at as a strong successor and is undergoing successor training.”
Watch as North Korea flies MORE rubbish-filled balloons but the South replies by blasting K-pop songs from loudspeakers
He added: “How North Korea refers to Kim Ju-ae and what activities she appears in are very significant.
Intelligence Committee secretary Lee Seong-won said: “Kim Jong-un is extremely obese, weighing 140kg and in his 40s with a body mass index that greatly exceeds the normal level … putting him at high risk for heart disease.”
“We have determined that he has been showing symptoms of high blood pressure and diabetes since his early 30s.
“If he does not improve his current health, there is a possibility that he may develop cardiovascular disease, which is a family history, so we are closely monitoring him.”
Others speculated his heavy drinking and smoking were behind the weight gain.
One of the Russian dictator’s £260million jets disappeared and a £30million bomber jet was set on fire after Ukrainian forces shot them out of the sky above the Azov Sea.
They were blasted out of the air in one of Moscow’s worst days for its air force since Russia’s invasion in 2022.
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Plumes of smoke could be seen from a distanceCredit: East2West
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Putin’s prized SU-34 is estimated to cost £40millionCredit: East2West
WATCH the terrifying moment a 95-year-old nan was almost set on fire after her family crammed her birthday cake with 95 candles.
The clip starts off with the grandma beaming with joy as a dog barks in the background on July 25.
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The nan was beaming with hot moments before the cake set on fireCredit: Jam Press Vid
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A huge flame suddenly rose and the family blew all 95 candles out effectivelyCredit: Jam Press
Her family start singing an Argentinian rendition of Happy Birthday while she is seated across from the cake which is glowing brightly.
They grin, clap and cheer as they capture footage of the jovial birthday bash but the gateau quickly catches fire.
A huge flame starts rising from the cake, just millilitres away from the elderly woman’s face.
The astonished gran opens her mouth in shock and points at the flaming cake.
The family shriek in panic before blowing each of the 95 candles out.
Their joint efforts proved successful as smoke is seen rising and the 95-year-old continued her birthday celebration in peace.
Her granddaughter said: “My grandmother turned 95, and my family decided to put 95 candles on the cake.
“No one thought it might catch fire, and my grandma.”
When one follower asked the granddaughter what happened to the cake, she replied: “It didn’t make any sense”.
She continued: “But we had to quickly remove all the candles while they were still burning.
Woman poured petrol on ex-lover’s brother before new van is torched
“The top of the cake ended up covered in white wax.
“Still, it was totally edible – [we] just needed to remove the wax.”
This comes after haunting footage in Iraq captured a deadly fire erupt at an wedding as the newlywed couple enjoyed their first dance.
Bride Haneen and groom Revan were seen smiling as they sway sweetly, just seconds before their big day turns into a fatal disaster.
An elaborate indoor fireworks display began as the pair slow danced, which investigators believe sparked the horror blaze that ripped through al-Haitham Hall in Qaraqosh, Iraq.
Officials announced that 98 people had been confirmed dead while more than 100 were injured and suffered serious burns.
The newlyweds were also feared to have perished in the inferno, but it has since emerged that they survived after reportedly escaping through a kitchen door.
They suffered minor burns and lost a number of close relatives, a friend of the couple told AFP.
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The family say they didn’t realise placing 95 candles on the cake would be dangerousCredit: Jam Press
SIX people have reportedly been killed and seven have gone missing after a fishing boat sank off Falkland Islands.
The tragedy struck nearly 200 miles off the coast when the ship under the flag of British territory St Helena carrying 27 people ran into trouble.
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At least six dead after a fishing boat sinks near Falkland IslandsCredit: AFP – Getty
The 176-foot vessel, called the Argos Georgia, went down in the South Atlantic Ocean near Argentina, according to Spanish officials.
The other 14 passengers have been rescued by two nearby fishing boats.
Ten members of the crew were identified as Spaniards by Pontevedra regional officials in Galicia.
No information was provided regarding their health while family members are being notified.
The regional government stated on X that one of the deceased is the ship’s cook, who is from the northwest town of Baiona.
They further mentioned that the crew consisted of various other nationalities.
The British-controlled Falkland Islands, which Argentina claims as its own, had received an emergency signal on Monday.
The signal indicated the boat was east of Stanley, the island’s capital, when it took on water and was travelling at a pace of 35 knots per hour, according to tracking website MarineTraffic.com.
A helicopter, another aircraft and several vessels scrambled to the crew’s rescue but had to halt their operation due to severe weather.
The rescue team spotted the survivors stranded at sea on Monday but were forced to turn around because of poor visibility, wind and rough water.
The efforts were picked back up on Tuesday after the storm passed.
The Argos Georgia was constructed in 2018 and is operated by the privately held joint British-Norwegian business Argos Froyanes Ltd.
The company said in a statement: “Our crew members are true professionals and have regular training for such a situation.
“We trust in their ability to use the safety equipment to the best of their ability.”
In 1982, Argentina’s army launched an invasion of the Falkland Islands, which claimed the lives of 255 British soldiers and 649 Argentines.
This led to a ten-week war between Argentina and the United Kingdom over two British-controlled territories in the South Atlantic – the Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.
Thai police at the entrance of the Grand Hyatt Erawan where six people were found deadCredit: Getty
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The poisoned cups and teapot that held a residue of cyanide
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Chilling scene pictures showed the family’s untouched room serviceCredit: AP
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The guests at Grand Hyatt Erawan in Bangkok were found dead by a hotel worker
The room had been locked from the inside with scene pictures showing the teacups that held the victim’s poisoned drinks.
A post-mortem showed traces of the deadly cyanide chemical in all of the victim’s bodies – confirming they had died by poisoning.
Local media has since reported that one of the victim’s daughters – Sherine Chong, 56 – allegedly killed them over a row about debt.
She then took her own life by also drinking the poisoned tea, Khaoso reports.
The victims had traces of the fast-acting chemical in their systems and purple lips, indicating a lack of oxygen, the local hospital said.
A hotel worker at the Grand Hyatt Erawan in Bangkok found the group dead in their room.
Chilling pictures showed a table covered in untouched room service food delivered before they died.
Four of the bodies were found in the living room and two in the bedroom.
Two appeared to have reached for the door but collapsed before they could make it, cops revealed.
Hotel records showed no one else had visited the room the night they died.
A seventh person outside of the group of victims booked the hotel room where the tragedy unfolded.
After speaking to her cops determined she is the sister of the one of the victims.
But she flew back to her home country on July 10 – meaning investigators have ruled her out of their enquiries.
The victims included four Vietnamese nationals and two Vietnamese- Americans.
Suspected killer Chong had both a Vietnamese and US passport and had visited Thailand five times before.
She had reportedly persuaded a couple in the group to invest in a hospital build in Japan.
They apparently lost £215,000 in the project.
Dr Kornkiat Vongpaisarnsin, from the local Thai hospital, said they are waiting on further results to reveal the exact level of poison in each victim’s system.
Police Lieutenant General Trairong Phiwpan confirmed on Wednesday that one of the people in the group had killed the others.
Phiwpan said: “After staff brought teacups and two hot water bottles, milk and teapots… one of the six introduced cyanide.”
The three dead women were named as 46-year-old Nguyen Thi Phuong, Sherine Chong, 56, and Nguyen Thi Phuong Lan, also 46.
The male victims are Tran Dinh Phu, 37, Dang Hung Van, 55, and 49-year-old Hong Thanh Pham.
They were staying at the hotel in a popular tourist area of Bangkok known for its luxury amenities.
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Emergency vehicles gather outside the hotelCredit: AP
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Police make their way through the hotel after the grim discoveryCredit: EPA
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The guests entering the hotel captured on CCTVCredit: Royal Thai Police
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Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin speaks to press after the murdersCredit: EPA
If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call the Samaritans for free on 116123.
A body has been found in the hunt for missing British teenager Jay SlaterCredit: Pixel8000
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Zak and Jay’s father Warren Slater spent the four weeks scouring Tenerife for any trace of the teenCredit: Ian Whittaker
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A whopping £53,700 has now been donated to the GoFundMe, with £320 across 20 people gifted since the announcement of the grim discovery.
Some of those donating left messages to the family.
One said: “I am so sorry to hear the news my deepest condolences to your family.”
Another said: “Would all who can please join together and pray to Almighty God for the safe return of Jay alive to his loving family and friends. Prayer is all powerful and can move mountains.”
Spanish cops axed the official search less than two weeks in – but a body believed to be Jay’s was found today in the area he was last known to be, Masca.
A spokesman for the Civil Guard said today: “After 29 constant days of searching the lifeless body of the young man has been found in the Masca area.
“The discovery has been possible thanks to the tireless and discreet search carried out by the Civil Guard over these 29 days.
“Everything is pointing to the body being that of the young British man who disappeared on June 17, pending full identification.
“Initial inquiries are pointing to him having suffered an accident/fall in the area where he was found.”
Jay’s distraught family have been updated and a formal investigation by police is set to follow.
Jay Slater’s mum using GoFundMe donations to fly specialist search teams from Netherlands to Tenerife to hunt for teen
British overseas missing persons charity LBT Global said: “LBT Global is saddened to announce that a body found in Tenerife does look to be that of Jay Slater.
“It is understood the body was found close to the site of his mobile phone’s last location.
“Although formal identification is yet to be carried out, the body was found with Mr Slater’s possessions and clothes.
“LBT Global are supporting the family at this distressing time and ask for everyone to afford them space and privacy to come to terms with the news.”
Distraught mum Debbie Duncan has announced part of the donations were being used to pay for the private search.
Former President Donald Trump released a statement on his social media platform Truth Social after being shot at during his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania earlier this evening.
“I want to thank The United States Secret Service, and all of Law Enforcement, for their rapid response on the shooting that just took place in Butler, Pennsylvania.
“Most importantly, I want to extend my condolences to the family of the person at the Rally who was killed, and also to the family of another person that was badly injured.
“It is incredible that such an act can take place in our Country. Nothing is known at this time about the shooter, who is now dead.
“I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin.
“Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening. GOD BLESS AMERICA!”
Vice President Kamala Harris sends prayers to Donald Trump
She has sent prayers to the former president and his family.
I have been briefed on the shooting at former President Trump’s event in Pennsylvania.
Doug and I are relieved that he is not seriously injured. We are praying for him, his family, and all those who have been injured and impacted by this senseless shooting.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi released a statement regarding the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump earlier this evening at his rally in Pennsylvania.
As one whose family has been the victim of political violence, I know firsthand that political violence of any kind has no place in our society. I thank God that former President Trump is safe.
As we learn more details about this horrifying incident, let us pray that all those…
The reported shooter was reportedly on a rooftop adjacent to the venue, ABC reports.
Three senior U.S. law enforcement officials also revealed to NBC News that the Trump rally shooting occurred OUTSIDE the U.S. Secret Service security perimeter of the event.
Eyewitness accounts from rally shooting
Pennsylvania State candidate David McCormick told Fox News of the chaos that erupted as at least 8-10 shots appeared to ring out while Trump was speaking.
McCormick claimed another person in the crowd was also injured and that there was a lot of blood on the scene.
He said that it appeared some of the alleged shots came from the left side of the president as he was facing the crowd and that a man behind him was hit.
The candidate said others in the crowd quickly rushed around to administer first aid.
He added that he believed it was a small caliber firearm but he could not be certain if there was just one gun or two.
ONE of the two British women who took part in a bloody Malia brawl has been identified as a River Island manager.
The footage showed two women, one who remains unidentified, taking swings at each other in party resort Malia, Crete.
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River Island manager Lexi Ryder, 20, was seen in vicious fight with another woman in Greece in ‘row over a man’Credit: Facebook
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The 20-year-old has since admitted street brawling ‘is not clever’Credit: Facebook
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Lexi, in black, attacking another woman who is wearing white and greyCredit: Supplied
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She admitted: “Black eye swollen, bruised nose, concussion, and a damaged ego” in a since deleted TikTokCredit: TikTok
The woman wearing black in the 14-second-clip has been named by MailOnline as 20-year-old River Island sales manager Lexi Ryder, from Northwich, Cheshire.
Her opponent wore a white top and grey shorts opposite Lexi, who opted for a bodysuit featuring extreme cutouts.
She uploaded a series of posts to her social media accounts following the brutal attack, thought to have broke out over the same man.
Lexi has since deleted the TikTok post she captioned: “Scrapping in Malia streets is not clever,” admitting her unwise role in the boozy brawl.
Bare-faced and wrapped up in a cosy grey hoodie in the TikTok, Lexi appears to be in better condition as a purple vape lies on her chest.
She said: “Black eye swollen, bruised nose, concussion, and a damaged ego.”
The video showed the boozy brawl escalate so far that they end up punching and kicking each other.
At one point, the woman in white was seen grabbing Lexi’s hair, yanking it down and punching her several times.
She then heaves her down to the ground before fleeing, leaving the 20-year-old sales manager bloodied on street.
Lexi was later filmed sitting on the floor, recovering from the brutal beating.
The Sun visits Split in Croatia, one of the hottest party destinations in recent years
Residents in Tenerife, where thousands took to the streets to call out low-quality tourism, have accused drunk holidaymakers of ruining their island.
The anti-tourist sentiment in the Canary islands quickly spread across Europe with protesters in other holiday hotspots calling for tourists to “go home”.
Graffiti have also appeared on walls in cities across Greece and Spain telling visitors to stay away.
Hugh Elliott said Brits have to remember they are guests during their time in the party resort, as they’re accused of “drinking cheap beer” and being “low quality”.
Elliott’s visit comes as thousands of protesters demand tourist tax, fewer flights and a clampdown on foreigners buying houses march in Spain, Greece and Italy.
Speaking during a visit to Majorca yesterday to publicise the Stick With Your Mates campaign for responsible alcohol consumption, Elliott said: “Generally what we all want is responsibility.
“During holidays we all want to have a good time, don’t we, and young people above all.
“This is about understanding what responsibility is about, responsibility as guests because us foreigners are guests here in Spain and in Calvia, it’s a question of knowing how to behave with responsibility and have a good time.
“The tourism here is a type of tourism that appreciates the destination.”
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Lexi, who wore a plunging black bodysuit, is seen on the ground after the boozy brawlCredit: Supplied
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The River Island manager is thought to be one of the women in the rowdy videoCredit: Facebook
Monday July 8 marks three weeks since Jay Slater, a 19-year-old from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, vanished in Tenerife.
The apprentice bricklayer, who flew out to the popular holiday island for a rave festival with friends Lucy Law and Brad Page, has made headlines around the country.
On Sunday June 16 the three of them headed off to one of the events at Papagayo nightclub.
In the early hours of Monday 17 – Lucy and Brad were ready to head back to their hotel, but Jay wanted to keep partying.
It was then that he left the south of the island and headed to an Airbnb in the northwest with two British men.
The Sun revealed the identity of one of them – convicted drug dealer Ayub Qassim, who spent nine years behind bars in the UK.
For days it was thought that the second mystery man went by the name ‘Johnny Vegas’.
On Sunday former detective Mark Williams-Thomas, who is out in Tenerife investigating, said Qassim told him he is in fact the man behind the nickname ‘Johnny Vegas’.
We don’t yet know the identity of the second man – who remains a key part of the puzzle in Jay’s mysterious disappearance.
Qassim claims he drove Jay and the friend back to their accommodation and said they all went to sleep.
In the morning he offered to drive the teen back to the Los Cristianos resort after a nap, but Jay, hungry and tired, said he wanted to leave immediately.
Lucy, the last person to speak to Jay, claims she had a panicked call from him soon after he left the holiday let, telling her he was lost and thirsty, his phone was about to die and that he’d been cut by a cactus.
Jay had been seen by the owner of the Airbnb that morning wandering around near the Rural de Teno park – a mountainous region close-by.
He is believed to have been attempting the 11-hour trek back to his hotel, despite the alleged offer of a lift and more buses scheduled for the day.
It was there that his phone last pinged – and he hasn’t been seen or heard from since.
Mark Williams-Thomas has claimed he left the Airbnb quickly, and was “scared”.
Bizarrely, Qassim says he was woken up that morning by a phone call from an unnamed friend of Jay, saying he was “in a ditch” somewhere and had been “cut by a cactus”.
Jay’s friend Lucy claimed to have “tracked down” the two men in the Airbnb after he vanished – quizzing them on the morning of Jay’s disappearance.
Some reports have suggested Lucy knew the two men, although it is not clear how.
She has dubbed his disappearance “weird and suspicious”.
Both men were questioned by Spanish cops on June 17 but quickly deemed “irrelevant” to the investigation and cleared to fly back to the UK.
Police spent almost two weeks searching for Jay in the Tenerife mountains, scouring a 2,000ft ravine, before calling it off on Sunday June 30.
Jay’s family have repeatedly slammed the Spanish investigation into his bizarre disappearance.
His uncle, Glen Duncan, is convinced of “third party involvement”.
And the teen’s devastated dad, Warren Slater, says “everything stinks”
He told The Sun: “My starting position, I’ve said this from day one, ask the two men who’ve taken him – and then start from there.”
A number of unanswered questions remain, over why Jay would have travelled so far with two older men he didn’t know, why said men would have taken him in, and why he braved the Tenerife mountains with no phone battery, water or heat protection for a day-long walk.
UKRAINE set two major Russian oil depots ablaze with kamikaze drones.
Columns of smoke were seen rising into the sky on Friday night as the facilities were hit in Russia’s Krasnodar area.
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Ukraine set two major Russian oil depots ablaze with kamikaze dronesCredit: East2West
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Columns of smoke were seen rising into the sky in Russia’s Krasnodar areaCredit: East2West
Russian regional headquarters said fuel storage tanks had been set alight.
They also said separate drones were shot down in the Black Sea’s Yeysk.
Reports said the Ukrainians had also damaged a communications tower.
Putin boasts two palaces in Krasnodar region – an official residence in Sochi, and a private £1 billion clifftop residence at Gelendzhik likened to the lair of a James Bond villain.
It comes as Kyiv pursues repeated attacks on Russian oil depots, seeking to disrupt Vladimir Putin’s war machine.
Ukraine’s Sumy province came under fire the same night, with a Russian drone supplied by Iran damaging a power station and cutting off electricity and water.
The Ukrainian Air Force reported they shot down 24 of the 27 Shahed-type drones.
JAY SLATER’S dad has said he thinks his son may have been heading towards the sea in Tenerife when he vanished on June 17.
Warren Slater, 58, has been scouring the mountains of north-west Tenerife himself since cops called off the active search last Sunday.
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Jay Slater’s dad Warren and brother Zak are out in Tenerife searching for himCredit: Doug Seeburg
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Police, mountain rescue, volunteers and sniffer dogs out in the mountains hunting for Jay last weekCredit: Ian Whittaker
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Jay pictured with his mum Debbie, who is still in Tenerife searching for him
Jay’s last known location was in the Rural de Teno park, near a 2,000ft ravine with a steep drop into the sea around the holiday island.
A huge search team made up of police, volunteers, firefighters, drones, helicopters and sniffer dogs spent two weeks searching the sparse parkland nearby.
On Sunday June 30 local authorities axed the mammoth hunt, leaving Jay’s “angry” family to fend for themselves.
When asked if his son Jay could’ve been heading towards the sea on the morning he vanished, Warren told Manchester Evening News “Maybe”.
He said: “I’ve done this trail now twice. Every step I’ve took there’s been an opening.
“If you land on one of those cactus’ you’re not moving. Surely somebody’s gonna find you after two weeks.”
“It’s hundreds of square feet of this little bushy stuff. You can’t explain this to somebody unless they see it. You can take a photograph or film it, but until you’re here…”
Warren told MEN he has gone past sadness to anger over the police response to Jay’s disappearance.
He said: “I’ve gone past the sadness bit and I’m angry, if that makes any sense.
“I’m angry that nothing’s happened. If I left you here and then you just disappeared, do you not think police would be on my case?”
Apprentice bricklayer Jay, from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, was last heard from on the morning of June 17 when he phoned a pal to tell her he was “lost in the middle of nowhere”.
He had gone back to a remote Airbnb with two British men on the northwest of island in the early hours before leaving later that morning.
After missing the bus, he started walking the 11-hour route back to his accommodation and disappeared in the rural north-west mountains.
On Monday, Jay’s parents pleaded with cops not to give up on the hunt for their son during a crunch meeting.
Detectives promised to probe any new tip-offs or information that comes in but stood firm in axing the active search.
A source close to the family revealed that the decision to cut off the search was the “nightmare scenario” Jay’s family were “dreading”.
Ex-detective Hedges told The Sun: “It’s certainly possible. I think it’s important to let the investigation keep all lines of inquiry open until they’re proven to be not viable.
“It is quite a long time to survive without food. Depends on how much rain there is, as to whether there’s sufficient water.
“But certainly, one should always consider that possibility.”
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Jay’s devastated parents Debbie and Warren are out in Tenerife
