Rumours of an ‘unidentified’ virus which causes sufferers to ‘cough up blood’ have been spreading in Russia.

Despite patients testing negative for both influenza and COVID-19, Russian officials have attributed the extreme symptoms to common respiratory infections.

Local media and Telegram channels have shared news of the ‘severe’ infections online, prompting further worry from residents.

One woman told local media that on the fifth day of her illness, she began coughing up blood – and antibiotics didn’t help.

The virus starts with aches and fatigue, before morphing into a high fever with a vicious cough, sometimes accompanied by blood.

Rumours were shut down by Rospotrebnadzor, a Russian agency which oversees public health, saying: ‘no evidence of a new or unidentified virus circulating on the territory of the Russian Federation.’

But news outlet Newizru reported ‘doctors are noting many cases of infection with a strange virus that has not yet been identified’.

One doctor told local media she was sceptical of reports of a new pathogen: ‘This disease is primarily bullous, bronchitis because bullae begin to form in the lungs, the inflammatory process occurs directly in the bronchi and lungs.

‘That is, like ulcers. This virus does not manifest itself in everyone.’

The mystery virus is currently unknown, but it’s made rounds at the end of cold and flu season.

One doctor suggested the fierce virus could be attributed to mycoplasma pneumonia – also known as walking pneumonia.

Pneumonia is a lung condition where the alveoli become inflamed. This can result in fluid building up in the lungs due to their diminished functionality.

This is an informal name for pneumonia that isn’t severe enough to be bedridden – or require hospital treatment.

With ‘walking pneumonia’ the symptoms are so mild that the person may feel like they have a cold and therefore can walk around with no problems.

Often those with walking pneumonia the person doesn’t feel ill enough to go to the doctor – and even if they do go, the symptoms are normally not severe enough for a chest x-ray to be done.

This means that often walking pneumonia is not diagnosed and can linger.

Pneumonia is usually caused by bacteria or viruses, it can also be caused by fungi, parasites, chemicals and any physical injury to the lungs.

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A ‘do not eat’ warning has been issued for a popular crisp brand over an allergen mix-up.

Fans of Ruffles Sabor a Jamon Crisps will be disappointed to know there’s a recall due to unlabelled allergens, which could be life-threatening to some.

The product contains milk and soya, which was not disclosed in English on the packaging. The areas affected are in Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Anyone who bought the popular crisps and suffers from an allergy is being urged to not eat the product, and instead, return it to the store where it was bought for a refund.

‘This product contains milk and soya making it a possible health risk for anyone with an allergy or intolerance to milk or milk constituents and/or an allergy to soya,’ the FSA said.

The recall affects the 150g packages – and covers all batch codes and all best-before dates.

It comes just days after a popular cheese was recalled over fears some blocks were contaminated with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC).

About 100,000 STEC bacteria can rest on the head of a needle – but only 50 are needed to make you sick enough to possibly die.

The virus can cause diarrhoea, stomach cramps, fever and, in extreme cases, life-threatening kidney problems and death.

Isle of Mull Cheese, a dairy farm on the Scottish island of the same name, has recalled its Hebridean Blue Cheese after tests revealed contamination with STEC.

Lidl also issued a recall for a brand of BBQ pork scratchings due to possible salmonella contamination.

The food recall affects Sol & Mar Chicharricos BBQ Pork Scratchings sold in 100g packages.

This applies to products with best-before dates ranging from August 5, 2025, through to August 12, 2025.

A food recall is when potential contamination is identified in a product.

The affected product or products are then withdrawn from shelves and recalled from customers when there is a possible risk to consumer health.

It is the FSA that oversees this.

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A murder investigation has been launched after a 57-year-old was killed and a woman and child were seriously injured during a knife attack.

Detectives said the knife attack happened at a home on Hartfield Avenue in Brighton, East Sussex, around 7.30 am Tuesday morning.

A 19-year-old was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder and serious assaults and taken to police cells for questioning.

A spokesman for Sussex Police said: ‘We have launched a murder investigation following the death of a man in Brighton. Officers attended and found a 57-year-old man inside the property with significant injuries. Sadly, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

‘A woman and a boy were also located at the address with serious injuries and have been taken to hospital for treatment. We are not looking for anyone else in connection with this incident.’

A post-mortem will be carried out on the murdered man’s body and an inquest will be opened later by the East Sussex Coroner.

The victims have not yet been named by police.

Local business Sonia Campos Inner Healing told Metro: ‘I heard the road was blocked this morning due to an incident, but I haven’t seen or heard anything.’

Officer Rachel Carr said: ‘Following an emergency call to police, an immediate response was sent to Hartfield Avenue, where sadly, a man was found deceased, and a woman and child were found seriously injured.

‘A suspect is in custody and a fast-moving investigation is underway to establish exactly what happened and why.

‘This is a tragic incident and we understand it will cause shock and alarm among the local community. However there is not believed to be a wider threat to the public at this time.’

A cordon has been placed around the property in Brighton and forensic science experts were called to the scene to collect evidence about the incident.

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Elon Musk has handed out two million dollar cheques ‘in appreciation’ of voters in a swing state who signed a petition to support ‘free speech and the right to bear arms’.

The tech giant did so in a cheese-shaped hat, a nod to Wisconsin’s famous NFL team, the Greenbay Packers, as he ‘rewarded’ two of the state’s voters.

Musk went as far as to declare the two winners ‘spokespeople’ for his political group.

The awards came ahead of a judicial race in Wisconsin, into which he has pumped more than £15.4 million, deeming it ‘vital’ to the country as two additional seats in the US House are up for grabs.

‘It’s a super big deal. I’m not phoning it in. I’m here in person,’ he said. ‘The House majority is now razor thin.

‘And if the (Wisconsin) Supreme Court can redraw the districts, they will gerrymander the district and deprive Wisconsin of two seats on the Republican side. Then they will try to stop all the government reforms we are getting done, for you the American people,’ he claimed.

Wisconsin’s Supreme Court refused to hear a last-minute attempt by the state’s Democratic attorney general to stop the giveaway, the ruling coming minutes before the planned start of the rally.

Two lower courts had already rejected the legal challenge by Josh Kaul, who argues that Musk’s offer to give $1,000,000 away to those voting for Republican candidates violates a state law.

‘Wisconsin law prohibits offering anything of value to induce anyone to vote. Yet, Elon Musk did just that,’ Kaul said.

However, Wisconsin’s Supreme Court declined to take the case as an original action. The court gave no rationale for its decision.

Musk’s lawyers claim he was exercising his free speech rights with the giveaways and any attempt to restrict that would violate both the Wisconsin and US constitutions.

The payments were ‘intended to generate a grassroots movement in opposition to activist judges, not to expressly advocate for or against any candidate’, Musk’s attorneys argued in court filings.

Before the 2024 election, Musk said he would be ‘awarding $1 million to people who signed the petition every day from now until the election’.

The petition asked for people to pledge their support for the first and second amendments – which support free speech and gun rights – and people were asked for their contact details.

Signers needed to be registered in key battleground states Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin and North Carolina.

Federal law states that anyone who ‘pays or offers to pay or accepts payment either for registration to vote or for voting’ faces a potential $10,000 fine or a five-year prison sentence. 

The law also covers anything of monetary value, like liquor or lottery chances. 

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A federal judge has ruled that Alabama’s attorney general can’t prosecute people who help women travel to other states to obtain abortions in a major win for women’s rights.

US District Judge Myron Thompson sided with an abortion fund and medical providers who sued Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall after he suggested they could face prosecution under ‘anti-conspiracy’ laws.

But the new ruling has found that any prosecutions against those who help women travel to get abortions in other states would violate the First Amendment and a person’s right to travel.

Mr Marshall said he would ‘look closely’ at whether facilitating out-of-state abortions is a violation of Alabama’s criminal conspiracy laws.

The ruling was a victory for Yellowhammer Fund, an abortion assistance fund that had paused providing financial assistance to low-income people in the state because of the possibility of prosecution.

Alabama bans abortion at any stage of pregnancy with no exceptions for rape and incest.

50% of states in America which have abortion bans do not have exceptions for cases of rape or incest.

These include Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Wisconsin, South Dakota, Alabama, Kentucky, Tennessee and Ohio.

Mr Thompson wrote in the 131-page opinion: ‘It is one thing for Alabama to outlaw by statute what happens in its backyard.

‘It is another thing for the state to enforce its values and laws, as chosen by the attorney general, outside its boundaries by punishing its citizens and others who help individuals travel to another state to engage in conduct that is lawful there but the attorney general finds to be contrary to Alabama’s values and laws.’

Mr Thompson said it would be the same as the state trying to prosecute people from Alabama planning a Las Vegas bachelor party because casino gambling is also outlawed in the state.

The Yellowhammer Fund and others had filed lawsuits seeking a court declaration that such prosecutions are not allowed.

‘Today is a good day for pregnant Alabamians who need lawful out-of-state abortion care,’ Yellowhammer Fund executive director Jenice Fountain said in a statement.

‘The efforts of Alabama’s attorney general to isolate pregnant people from their communities and support systems has failed.’

A spokesperson for the Alabama attorney general’s office said ‘the Office is reviewing the decision to determine the State’s options.’

In June 2022 overturned its landmark Roe v Wade decision that established a constitutional right to abortion nationwide.

The ruling left abortion rights to be determined by the states.

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Prince Andrew’s sex assault accuser made a mistake when she said she had been involved in a car crash and had ‘four days to live’.

Virginia Giuffre, who was trafficked as a teen by his billionaire paedophile friend Jeffrey Epstein, posted a photo on Instagram from a hospital bed, showing an array of bruises.

Bidding farewell to her loved ones, mum-of-three Ms Guiffre wrote a public Instagram post saying her car collided with a school bus, leaving her seriously injured.

But her family has now said she did not intend to share the post publicly, thanking people for the ‘outpouring of love and support’ she has received in the meantime.

‘I’ve gone into kidney renal failure, they’ve given me four days to live, transferring me to a specialist hospital in urology. I’m ready to go, just not until I see my babies one last time, but you know what they say about wishes. S**T in one hand and wish in the other & I guarantee it’s still going to be s**t at the end of the day,’ she wrote.

‘Thank you all for being the wonderful people of the world and for being a great part of my life. God bless you all xx Virginia’.

In a statement released to the Mirror, Ms Guiffre’s family said: ‘Virginia thanks everyone for the outpouring of love and support. She is overwhelmed with gratitude.

‘Today she remains in serious condition while receiving medical care.

‘On March 24, in rural Western Australia, a school bus hit the car in which she was riding.

‘The police were called but said that there was no one available to come to the scene. They asked if anyone was injured and suggested that if they were, they should make their way to the hospital.

‘The school bus driver had a bus full of distraught children and left the scene to get them back, saying he would file a police report, which he did later.

‘Virginia was banged up and bruised and returned home. Virginia’s condition worsened and she was admitted to the hospital.

‘Concerning her Instagram post, Virginia thought that she had posted on her private Facebook page.

‘Virginia and her family thank everyone for their concern.’

Ms Giuffre has been living near Perth in Western Australia, and Western Australia Police said they received a report of a ‘minor crash’ between a school bus and a car in Neergabby, about 12 miles north of Perth, on March 24.

‘The collision was reported by the bus driver the following day,’ a police spokeswoman said. ‘There were no reported injuries as a result of the crash.’

Professor Simon Davies, a Trustee of Kidney Research UK and former Emeritus Professor of Nephrology and Dialysis Medicine at Keele University told Metro: ‘You can get a kidney injury after an accident such as a car crash, but it would be a very severe injury.

‘You’re talking about major trauma which involves a lot of tissue damage. You definitely can have a kidney injury from a car wreck but it would likely be a serious injury – likely in intensive care.

‘And you would not be in a strong position to be having conversations at that point.

‘If someone’s kidneys stop working as a result of severe injuries or trauma then it is right to say that without further proper treatment – dialysis or some sort of supportive therapy – then you could die without that treatment in a matter of days,’ he added.

‘In the context of injury in a car accident or something similar, if somebody says to you you’re not going to live for a few days, then you’ve got a really serious injury 

‘Probably multiple organ failure, where you might need ventilating and kidney support.’

Police would not confirm if Ms Giuffre was the driver.

St John Ambulance Western Australia told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) they were not called to any crash involving a bus there on March 24.

A Western Australia Public Transport Authority spokesperson also told the broadcaster they were unaware of any such bus crashes.

Lawyer Brad Edwards, who represented Ms Giuffre in her previous legal cases, said the situation was ‘very bad’. He told MailOnline they were ‘hoping for better news in the coming days’.

Ms Giuffre’s dad, Sky Roberts, posted a message of support for his daughter, seemingly unaware of the crash beforehand.

He wrote: ‘Virginia my daughter, I love you and praying you get the correct treatment to live a long and healthy life. If there is anything in the world I can do to help you, please let me know. My spirit is with you now and holding your hand.’

Ms Guiffre is thought to be estranged from her husband and did not share further details of the reported crash or where it occurred.

A spokesperson for the East Metropolitan Health Service, which runs Royal Perth Hospital, similarly said Ms Giuffre was not at any of their facilities.

Billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein hanged himself in custody in August 2019 while awaiting his trial for sex trafficking and conspiracy charges. A watchdog report last year blamed prison guard negligence,short staffing, misconduct and performance failures for allowing it to happen.

There was no evidence of foul play in his death, said Inspector General Michael Horowitz.

His close friend Ghislaine Maxwell, a former socialite, is serving a 20-year sentence after being convicted of sex trafficking and grooming girls for him.

In January, the last batch of Epstein court papers to be released showed Ms Giuffre, 41, claimed she was paid $15,000 (£12,000) to have sex with Prince Andrew.

As part of a civil lawsuit against Epstein’s former lover Ghislaine Maxwell, she told a judge of her alleged abuse by the Duke of York in 2016.

Asked under oath in 2016 over whether she was paid ‘by or on behalf of Jeffrey Epstein’ for the encounter, which Andrew denies took place, she said: ‘Yes, I did receive $15,000.

‘I don’t know what equivalent that is to pounds. I received it in American dollars.’

Prince Andrew reached an out-of-court settlement with Ms Giuffre, née Roberts, to avoid going to trial in 2022.

He had faced a public hearing over allegations he sexually abused the American woman three times when she was just 17, and while she was the victim of a trafficking ring orchestrated by billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and his girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell. 

The Duke has always strenuously denied the accusations.

Under civil law, agreeing to settle a case does not amount to an admission of guilt.

The news today comes after King Charles gave an update on his health, saying he had been in hospital due to side effects from his cancer treatment.

The monarch ‘required a short period of observation’ before returning to Clarence House, Buckingham Palace said last week.

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If you woke up feeling a bit groggy this morning, that might be because you had an hour of sleep cruelly ripped away from you.

The clocks sprung forward an hour last night, meaning an hour less in bed – but it’s not all bad news.

British Summer Time (BST) has officially begun, meaning more sunshine throughout the day and into the evening.

Though a stolen hour of sleep isn’t welcome, there will be a noticeable change when the sun goes up and down.

Brighter mornings and evenings are sure to put a smile on your face, even with slightly less sleep.

What time did the clocks go forward?

The clocks changed at 1am this morning, Sunday, March 30, when they sprung forward one hour.

Many devices, such as smartphones, change to the new time automatically, but if you have traditional clocks too you’ll need to go around your house changing them.

The clocks will go backwards again on Sunday, October 26.

Why do we change the clocks?

Turning the clocks back allows us to have extra sunlight in the morning at the expense of the same amount in the evening.

The idea was first seriously proposed in the 1890s by British-born New Zealand scientist George Vernon Hudson, whose passion for collecting insects after work inspired him to propose daylight saving time.

He suggested a two-hour shift to his government but the proposal was rejected.

The idea took off in the UK after businessman William Willett (whose great-great-grandson is Coldplay’s Chris Martin) began promoting the idea in 1907.

He had been inspired by the sight of houses with their blinds down on sunny mornings near his home in Kent, realising people were ‘wasting’ daylight.

His proposal was backed by two MPs, including a young Winston Churchill, but nothing was done until the First World War.

The turning point came when Germany moved clocks forward to conserve energy in the spring of 1916, which allowed both soldiers and civilians to use fewer resources such as coal.

Not long after, Parliament passed Britain’s Summer Time Act of 1916, which turned clocks back in the autumn and forward again in spring.

Does everyone want the clocks to change?

Not really; it’s quite an unpopular rule with many people, but they don’t agree on what the new system should be.

Earlier this week the British Sleep Society (BSS) called for the clocks to never go forward again.

It wants the government to stick to one time all year round – and it should be the winter one.

They argued that more natural daylight in the morning is healthier for our circadian rhythms and sleep health.

But the public discussion has more typically been around changing the clocks to permanent summertime so we maximise daylight hours after people finish work and school. It is argued that this could reduce road accidents when lots of people are on the roads in the darkness.

In 2018, it emerged Britain could scrap the annual changing of the clocks in plans that never came to fruition.

Which countries change their clocks?

Clocks-changing isn’t just a UK thing – more than 70 countries around the globe do it.

Most European countries observe European summertime (Daylight Saving) – changing their clocks at the end of March and again at the end of October.

The only European countries that don’t are Iceland, Turkey, Belarus and Russia. Neither do nearby Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.

Meanwhile, the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand observe Daylight Saving.

Most Asian countries, including India, Japan, China and Mongolia, opt not to use Daylight Saving Time, while many Middle Eastern countries also avoid changing their clocks.

For some, such as Iran and Jordan, dropping DST is a fairly recent change, while Egypt decided to restore it in 2023.

In Africa, most countries do not use it. Morocco does, as do the nearby Canary Islands, which are part of Spain.

Are there any benefits to the clocks changing?

How the change affects you depends on a variety of factors such as what time you wake up in the morning and your pattern of activity throughout the day – but everyone’s circadian rhythm will adjust regardless.

Dr Tim Mercer, an NHS GP Partner and GP Trainer with Opera Beds, told Bristol Live: ‘During the evening and in darkness, the pineal gland increases melatonin production, signalling to the body that it’s time to sleep.

‘Conversely, exposure to daylight suppresses melatonin production, keeping us more alert during the day.

‘With the earlier onset of darkness after the clocks go back, the body may start producing melatonin earlier in the evening, potentially making you feel sleepy earlier than usual.

‘This shift can lead to temporary disruptions in sleep patterns as your body adjusts to the new schedule.’

Numerous studies have found negative effects associated with the start of BST – such as a temporary decline in sleep quality and alertness which can increase the risk of accidents.

The end of BST has not been well-studied, but researchers at Liverpool John Mores University are currently looking into it and the wider effects of disruption to people’s perception of time – and you could help.

Any UK-based adult who wants to take part in the study can complete an online survey about their experiences this week and/or next week.

Ways to mitigate changes to sleep routine after clocks turn back

Dr Mercer provided six tips to help mitigate the effects on our sleep routine.

Gradual Adjustments: In the run-up to the time change, you could try shifting your bedtime and wake-up time by 10 to 15 minutes earlier each day. This gentle transition can help ease your body into the new schedule, lessening the shock to your system.

Morning Light Exposure: Getting some natural sunlight in the morning can aid in resetting your internal clock. Light is one of the strongest signals for regulating the circadian rhythm, so spending time outside in the early daylight hours can assist your body in adjusting more swiftly. If the lighter mornings are disrupting your sleep routine, consider investing in blackout blinds or a sleep mask.

Consistent Sleep Routine: Stick to a consistent sleep routine by going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, even on weekends. This helps regulate your body’s internal clock, making it easier to adapt to the new time.

Limit Stimulants: Try to avoid caffeine and electronic devices, which emit blue light, at least an hour before bedtime. These can interfere with melatonin production and make it harder to fall asleep.

Activity Levels: The onset of autumn and winter may lead many people to reduce time spent on outdoor activities and exercise. Keeping up regular physical activity in winter is generally beneficial for sleep, even a brisk 15-minute walk can have a significant impact.

Sleep hygiene: It’s crucial to comprehend what environment boosts your sleep. This encompasses managing lighting, temperature (the perfect bedroom temperature is approximately 16-18C), and noise for a night of profound sleep. Typically, the darker, cooler, and quieter you maintain your sleeping area, the better your odds of sleeping undisturbed.

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A US state has become the first to ban fluoride from public drinking water – going against advice from dentists and other national health organisers.

Republican governor Spencer Cox signed legislation barring cities and communities from deciding whether to add the mineral to their water systems – comparing it to being medicated by the government.

Florida, Ohio and South Carolina are considering similar measures, while in New Hampshire, North Dakota and Tennessee, politicians have rejected them.

The American Dental Association slammed the Utah law, saying it showed ‘wanton disregard for the oral health and well-being of their constituents’.

Cavities are the most common chronic childhood disease, the ADA noted, and fluoride helps to strengthen teeth and reduce cavities by replacing minerals lost during normal wear and tear.

The ban will go into effect on May 7, bringing into the mainstream concerns over fluoridation that for decades were once considered fringe opinions.

It comes weeks after water fluoridation sceptic Robert F Kennedy Jr. was sworn in as US health secretary.

Kennedy said in November that the administration of Donald Trump would advise water systems nationwide to remove fluoride.

‘As a father and a dentist, it is disheartening to see that a proven, public health policy, which exists for the greater good of an entire community’s oral health, has been dismantled based on distorted pseudoscience,’ the association’s president, Denver dentist Brett Kessler, said in a statement.

Utah politicians also said the ban was a matter of personal health choice and that putting fluoride in water is too expensive.

Last year, a federal judge ordered the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to regulate fluoride in drinking water because high levels could pose a risk to the intellectual development of children.

Federal officials determined last year ‘with moderate confidence’ that there was a link between higher levels of fluoride exposure and lower IQ in kids.

However, the National Toxicology Program based its conclusion on studies involving fluoride levels at about twice the recommended limit for drinking water.

The amounts of fluoride that can be added to water based on federal guidelines are below levels considered problematic, Kessler said.

The National Institutes of Health says very high doses of fluoride that can cause sickness are typically the result of rare accidents, such as the unintentional swallowing of fluoride used by dentists’ offices or supplements inappropriately given to children.

The agency says it’s ‘virtually impossible’ to get a toxic dose from fluoride that’s added to water or toothpaste at standard levels.

Since 2015, federal health officials have recommended a fluoridation level of 0.7 milligrams per litre of water. For five decades before that, the recommended upper range was 1.2 milligrams per litre.

The World Health Organisation has set a safe limit for fluoride in drinking water of 1.5 milligrams per litre.

More than 200 million people in the US, or almost two-thirds of the population, receive fluoridated public water.

Fluoride in drinking water can reduce cavities by at least 25% for all age groups, according to the Utah Dental Association.

Opponents of the Utah legislation to limit fluoridation warn it will have a disproportionately negative effect on low-income residents who may rely on fluoridated water as their only source of preventative dental care.

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A pensioner who was ‘struggling to manage his son’s behaviour’ stabbed him in the neck with a kitchen knife during an argument.

Teesside Crown Court was told that Peter Simpson, 68, had ‘snapped’ before going to the kitchen for a knife and stabbing his adult son in the neck.

The court heard that the son has autism and ADHD and that Simpson found it difficult to cope with his behaviour.

Police had been called to his home in Stockton on multiple occasions following violent incidents from both Simpson and his son.

Prosecutor Michael Budge told the court that on July 29 last year, shortly after 4.00 pm, Simpson rang the police telling them that he had stabbed his son in the neck during an altercation and that his son was heard in the background saying the blood was ‘gushing’.

When officers arrived, Budge said: ‘(The son) was in the living room with a blood-soaked tea towel pressed against his neck.’

Simpson’s son told officers there had been an argument over a bank card.

Budge said: ‘He told his dad he did not want him to be arrested or go to jail.’

But, Simpson insisted on telephoning the police and reporting what he had done.

The son was taken to hospital where he was treated for the injury, which thankfully had not damaged any major vessels and he made a good recovery.

The court heard that Simpson told police during an interview: ‘I wasn’t going to murder him, I wouldn’t do that.’

Simpson appeared in court after admitting a charge of wounding with intent.

Defending lawyer Isabella Denn-White said her client struggled to manage his son’s behaviour and regular requests for money.

She said there was a ‘loss of control and ability to cope’ and cited bouts of depression, for which he never sought any medical attention.

She said it was due to him struggling to manage his son’s behaviour that ’caused him to act the way he did on that particular evening. Something snapped’.

Denn-White said: “He regrets everything that has happened and if he could take it away he would.”

She said his son has been struggling without his dad and that although the relationship is difficult the pair rely on each other. The barrister said her client had also been drinking alcohol at the time of the incident.

Judge Jonathan Carroll said that although the son did not want his father prosecuted the decision was taken out of his hands.

He said: ‘It is a great relief to everybody involved that in fact the injury was relatively low level. That is a matter of chance. This case could just have easily ended up in his death.’

Simpson was sentenced to four years and five months in jail and an order was made that any future contact with his son would have to be supervised.

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WH Smith, long the UK’s go-to for pens, Sudoku books and gifts, is closing down 10 branches in 2025 in another blow to the UK high street.

Eight branches have already been closed in Scotland, Kent, and Manchester this year as the historic retailer places 500 stores up for sale.

And now shoppers will be waving goodbye to even more in London, Manchester and the West Midlands.

The news comes as WH Smith is set to disappear from the high street street after being sold for £76 million.

The stationery brand, which was founded in 1792, has announced it is selling its shops to the owner of Hobbycraft, Modella Capital, and will eventually rebrand as TGJones.

The sale does not include the retailer’s locations in airports and train stations. The brand has also not been sold to Modella Capital.

WH Smith, which runs 1,100 stores, announced plans to open 110 new branches in airports, railway stations and hospitals.

In another move to revamp, the retailer will sell now trendy vinyl records after 30 years off the shelves. 76 of its stores will soon stock Toys R Us products – an iconic toy shop that disappeared almost a decade ago.

Which WH Smith stores have closed since 2024?

• Alfreton, Derbyshire – January 2024
• Ramsgate, Kent – January 2024
• Oban, Argyll and Bute, Scotland – February 2024
• Nantwich, South Cheshire – February 2024
• Margate, Kent – April 2024
• Bridgwater – September 2024
• Sale, Manchester – September 2024
• Bournemouth – October 2024
• Old Christchurch Road, Bournemouth – January 2025
• Luton, Bedfordshire – January 18
• March, Cambridgeshire – January 25
• Basingstoke, Hampshire – February 1
• Long Eaton – February 1
• Newtown, Powys – February 15
• Winton branch in Bournemouth, Dorset – February 15
• Rhyl, Denbighshire – February 15
• Bolton, Greater Manchester – February 15
• Accrington, Lancashire – March 15

Full list of WH Smith stores closing in 2025

• Halstead, Essex – April
• Halesowen, West Midlands – April
• Diss, Norfolk – April
• Newport, Wales – April
• Haverhill, Suffolk – April 26
• Woolwich, London – April
• Stockton, County Durham – May
• Oldham, Greater Manchester – May
• Bedford – July
• Orpington, Greater London – no date given yet

WH Smith is not alone in shuttering stores. Last year, more than 13,000 high street shops closed for good, according to the Centre for Retail Research.

‘Halesowen is becoming a ghost town,’ said on Facebook user on the Dudley town’s WH Smith closing.

On the Diss closure, a local shopper added: ‘This is unfair for this town.’

An Oldham resident said: ‘Couldn’t make it up.’

Which stores are opening?

Some new stores are opening, however, as WH Smith moves away from the high street to travel hubs.

According to its accounts, travel sales grew by 15% over the same time frame compared to a 3% fall in revenue for its high street portfolio.

Revenue across the business rose 8% over the 20 weeks to January 20 compared to the same period the previous year.

It previously pledged to open 15 stores in 2024, with an additional 15 after that ‘each year over the medium term.’

WH Smith CEO Carl Cowling told the BBC in 2023 that the newsagent spent £100 million opening new stores in airports and aimed to capture over 20% of the airport retail market over the next four years in the US and Europe.

Kate Hardcastle, chief executive of retail insights agency, Insight with Passion, added that airports and service stations were a ‘golden opportunity’ for WH Smith, after they had been ‘dwindling’ on High Streets.

‘As more of us now travel with technology we are all the more likely to forget essentials, all much more of a selling opportunity than the odd bottle of water.’

‘A retailer like WH Smith is going to see the value in investing and building a new captive airport audience than a challenged High Street,’ she added.

Which stores will stock vinyl?

Music fans will soon be able to pick up records in more than 80 WH Smith sites across the nation.

The newsagent initially stopped selling vinyls over thirty years ago, when demand for the product slowed.

But sales have increased since 2006 as some people pivoted to a more ‘vintage’ way of listening to music, while others switched from CDs to iTunes and streaming.

Sales for the classic music product grew for the 16th year in a row last year, with over six million sold.

Emma Smyth, commercial director of the newsagent said: ‘After thirty years vinyl is back at WH Smith.

‘I’m sure there are many customers out there who remember spending hours in record shops browsing the latest vinyl LPs and the artistic record covers.

‘It’s no surprise that vinyl is growing in popularity again, and we are very excited to be bringing back record selections to more than 80 different stores across the UK for both seasoned fans and new listeners alike,’ she added.

Where can you buy vinyl in WH Smith?

The full list of WH Smith locations where you can purchase a vinyl is as follows:

• Berkhampstead
• Bromley
• Canterbury
• Chester
• Crawley
• East Kilbride
• Epsom
• Exeter
• Gloucester
• Gyle
• Henley
• High Wycombe
• Kingstonis
• Lichfield
• Marlborough
• Monks Cross
• Preston Deepdale
• Romford
• Salisbury
• Watford
• White City
• York
• Jersey
• Perth
• Stafford
• Weston-super-Mare
• Northallerton
• Douglas
• Scarborough
• Buxton
• Argyle Street
• Beeston
• Brecon
• Brent Cross
• Broughton Parc
• Bury St Edmunds
• Carlisle
• Cirencester
• Cribbs Causeway
• Darlington
• Bluewater Park
• Deal
• Dumfries
• Elgin
• Ely
• Exmouth
• Grantham
• Great Yarmouth
• Hamilton
• Harpenden
• Haslemere
• Hastings
• Havant
• Haywards Heath
• Hempstead Valley
• Hereford
• Honiton
• Leighton Buzzard
• Lewisham
• Liverpool
• Llanelli
• Marlow
• Monmouth
• Morpeth
• Newport (Isle of Wight)
• Petersfield
• Sevenoaks
• Meadowhall
• Southport
• Southsea
• Swanage
• Taunton
• Teesside Retail Park
• Temple Fortune
• Twickenham
• Uckfield
• Wallington
• Warrington
• Wimbledon
• Witney

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A report from German Intelligence has warned of a potential ‘test attack’ against NATO from Russian forces.

The German Federal Intelligence Service cited preparation from Russia’s government for a ‘large-scale war’ against NATO as tensions with the West reach a boiling point.

It comes as peace talks with Ukraine have seemingly stalled after both Russia and Ukraine accused one another of breaking a tentative ceasefire in the Black Sea.

The report warned: ‘Russia’s military spending is increasing at a record pace—expected to reach approximately £100 billion in 2025, exceeding 6% of GDP.

‘Compared to 2021, the defence budget has effectively quadrupled. The Kremlin plans to expand its army to 1.5 million personnel and increase military assets along NATO’s borders by 30-50%.’

Lithuania’s intelligence service added that Moscow might attempt to ‘test NATO’ through a smaller ‘military operation’ to see how the alliance responds.

Earlier this week, a retired British Army general warned the UK might have less than two years to prepare for a war with Russia.

General Sir Richard Shirreff thinks Russian tanks will ‘roll across the border into Estonia and Latvia’.

Writing for MailOnline, he said: ‘Within four hours they are approaching the Estonian capital of Tallinn. The British-led Enhanced Forward Battle Group in Estonia puts up brief resistance but takes heavy losses before being overwhelmed and forced to withdraw.’

Russia could fire its missiles at RAF bases in England and other targets in Western European countries, which launch retaliatory strikes on Russian energy and military infrastructure while sending reinforcements to the Baltic states.

In February, Metro joined thousands of troops for NATO’s ‘most intense’ war drills on Putin’s doorstep.

Metro travelled to Smârdan, NATO’s Romanian military base, just a handful of miles from the borders of neighbouring Ukraine and Moldova, to witness drills for a possible invasion by Russia.

Nato officials in Smârdan told Metro that the continent is facing the most precarious environment in decades in the face of Russian aggression.

Commander Carl Howard, chief media operations at JFC Naples, stressed how important this exercise of supporting the eastern flank is as Europe moves towards a ‘war mentality’.

Speaking about the preparedness of UK forces, he said: ‘We have managed to get 10,000 troops here, rapidly at the border near Ukraine.

‘British soldiers are very professional. I am at the end of my 36-year career and I am blown away by their professionalism.

‘This is a great showcase of putting Britain on the map front and centre for a very, very important Nato exercise.’

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A dad had four toes amputated after a serious infection was dismissed by his GP as athlete’s foot.

Michael Jones said he wasn’t referred to specialists despite visiting his doctor four times in just three weeks, complaining of a black rash, pins and needles and pain in his feet.

But when his little toe turned completely black, Michael said he was finally taken seriously – but it was too late to save his toes.

He underwent an emergency operation to remove three toes on his right foot and unblock veins in his leg, and later had to have another toe removed on his other foot after it became necrotic.

Michael, from Caerphilly, has since won an out-of-court settlement for £285,000 against his GP practice following a five-year legal battle.

Specialist construction worker Michael’s ordeal began when he visited his GP following a fall from a step ladder in May 2018 when he broke his ribs and punctured his lung.

Michael complained of pain in his foot and the appearance of black ink-type spots on the end of his toes.

He visited his local Nantgarw Medical Centre – which his family had been using for more than 60 years – and described his symptoms.

After a quick chat with his GP, he said he was told it was probably due to the fall. He was prescribed co-codamol and sent home.

Over the next few days, the black dots became more prominent and he developed a foot rash as well as pins and needles. He returned to his GP, but was sent away again with Ibuprofen.

‘My doctor didn’t bother to examine my feet. Instead, they just spent the whole time on the computer and sent me home with some Ibuprofen,’ he said.

‘I thought it was a bit strange they didn’t take my blood or refer me for more tests, but I thought they were the expert, not me.’

He then was diagnosed with athlete’s foot, at which point he said he ‘nearly burst out laughing’.

‘It was ridiculous. I was glad another doctor came in and saw I had a rash and ordered urgent blood tests. Finally, I thought I was getting somewhere,’ he said.

As he waited for his results, his toe turned totally black. Soon after the black on his little toe started to spread to his other toes and to the heel of his foot.

Medics discovered he had above-the-knee thromboses – a potentially life-threatening condition which requires immediate surgery as it prevents blood from getting to the feet.

He underwent a successful operation, but soon after discharge Michael said a member of his GP surgery visited his house in person to hand deliver a sick note, claiming he would be back at work in six weeks.

Michael said:’I was sat bed bound in my front room with a vacuum machine on my leg to stop the infection and missing my toes, and here he was telling me it was no big deal and that I would be back at work soon. He also said they had done nothing wrong.’

In a final insult, after returning to the hospital to get another toe removed on his other foot, when he tried to extend his sick note the surgery ordered him to attend in person.

‘It was the final straw,’ he said. ‘I trusted my doctor and thought I was in safe hands and they let me down in the worst way possible.

‘This whole ordeal has shrunk my world because of all the things I can’t do anymore. If they had done their job properly and done even a few basics like a blood test I wouldn’t have had my life ruined.’

Michael launched legal action against his former GP and surgery, eventually winning £285,000 to cover his current and future care.

Solicitor Max Cosstick said: ‘Michael trusted the advice he was given by his GP and is now paying the price. He was compensated because of their failure to refer him to surgery in time, something which eventually cost him his toes. There were multiple opportunities to help him but they failed him.’

Michael spent nearly two years recovering to walk again with the help of his three sons Jack, 27, Michael, 33, Ellis, 32, and partner Julie, 65.

But he continues to struggle in everyday life and misses simple things like being able to walk to the shop and get himself a paper.

‘I get frustrated a lot of the time about the things that I can no longer do. I used to be fit and always on the go. I was never one for sitting down and watching the telly and now I have been forced into it. I haven’t had a full night’s sleep since this all started and am up three times a night with shooting pains,’ he added.

A spokesman for the NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership said: ‘NWSSP is very sorry to hear of the impact that the issues in this case have caused the patient. The Welsh Risk Pool works with partners & stakeholders to ensure lessons are learned from all claims.’

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A crocodile killed a beachgoer and swam near the shore while clutching his body in its jaws as horrified onlookers watched.

The reptile lurked below the surface as Sadarwinata, 51, paddled around Talise Beach in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, on March 27.

Locals said they tried to yell and warn him after seeing the croc’s silhouette swimming toward Sadarwinata.

The crocodile then bit the swimmer and thrashed him around in a ‘death roll’, before swimming away.

The local rescue team said they received a report of the fatal attack at 7:15 am, launching a thermal drone to find Sadarwinata’s body.

Gruesome aerial footage showed the crocodile holding Sadarwinata’s corpse in its mouth as it swam around aimlessly.

Deny Abrahams, city police commissioner, said: ‘According to eyewitness statements, the victim was swimming too close to the crocodile that was already visible around the location.

‘They shouted to warn him, but the victim was in the water and didn’t hear. The rescue efforts were carried out swiftly by the joint team.

‘One of the members of the Central Sulawesi Police Mobile Brigade Corps was even forced to shoot the crocodile to make it release the victim.’

Officers collected Sadarwinata’s body, punctured with bite marks, from the sea, before sending it to Bhyangkara Hospital for a post-mortem exam.

Police said conservationists were at the scene to prevent similar crocodile attacks. They warned visitors to be vigilant when swimming at the beach.

The Indonesian archipelago is home to 14 types of crocs, with a large population of extremely large and violent breeds.

Conservationists believe many of the crocs have been driven further inland, closer to villages, due to overfishing reducing the crocodiles’ natural food supplies, combined with habitat loss.

Widespread tin mining has also caused villagers to encroach on the crocodiles’ natural habitats, pushing the creatures closer to people’s homes.

In December, a killer croc was filmed resurfacing with the body of a 46-year-old woman in its jaws hours after mauling her to death.

Nurhawati Zihura decided to wash her feet in some seawater when the crocodile grabbed her.

Locals ventured into the waters in boats, throwing chicken at the crocodile to try and distract it from the dead body.

When the Croc eventually did let her go, helpers pulled her out of the water and took Nurhawati back to shore.

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The tremor, which tore though Mandalay, the country’s second-largest city, restored homes, businesses, Buddhist monsatires and roads alike.

The country’s government, led by a military junta, said 3,408 people have been injured. The figure is expected to rise as rescuers wade through the rubble, with some putting the true death toll at 10,000.

A state of emergency has been declared in six regions and states in Myanmar, which is in the throes of a prolonged and bloody civil war.

The earthquake also shook neighbouring Thailand some 600 miles away, killing eight people and injuring 26 at three construction sites, including one where a partially built high-rise collapsed in Bangkok.

After saying Greenland was ‘cold as shit’, US Vice President JD Vance slammed Denmark for ‘under-investing’ in the territory’s security.

He and Second Lady Usha Vance landed with a US delegation to visit the self-governing, mineral-rich territory of Denmark that Donald Trump has suggested the US should take over.

Initially Usha had announced a solo trip to the Avannaata Qimussersu dog sled race in Sisimiut. Vance then said he would join her, only to change the itinerary again – after protests from Greenland and Denmark – to a one-day visit of the couple to the military post only.

Vance visited US troops at Pituffik Space Base on the mineral-rich, strategically critical island.

He slammed the territory’s ruling nation in remarks, saying: ‘Our message to Denmark is very simple: you have not done a good job by the people of Greenland.

‘You have underinvested in the people of Greenland, and you have under-invested in the security architecture of this incredible, beautiful landmass filled with incredible people. That has to change.’

Vance also said the US has ‘no option’ but to take a significant position to ensure the security of Greenland.

‘I think that they ultimately will partner with the United States,’ he added.

‘We could make them much more secure. We could do a lot more protection. And I think they’d fare a lot better economically as well.’

Vance’s trip was overshadowed by angry Greenlanders and Danes, who expressed outrage that the original itinerary was planned without consulting them.

Friday’s one-day visit to the US Space Force outpost at Pituffik, on the north-west coast of Greenland, removed the risk of potentially violating diplomatic custom by sending a delegation to another country without an official invitation.

It also reduced the likelihood that Vance and his wife would cross paths with residents angered by Trump’s announcements.

Trump previously slammed Denmark’s control over Greenland after previously saying the US should take it over.

‘A boat landed there 200 years ago or something. And they say they have rights to it,’ Trump said. I don’t know if that’s true. I don’t think it is, actually.’

All five parties in Greenland’s parliament issued a joint statement last week rejecting Mr Trump’s remarks.

Denmark has recognised Greenland’s right to independence at a time of its choosing.

Beyond his focus on Greenland, Trump has refused to rule out military intervention in Panama to retake that country’s canal, saying that Canada should be America’s 51st state.

He also suggested that US interests could assume control of the war-torn Gaza Strip from Israel and redevelop it as a “Riviera”-like seaside resort.

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A distinguished headteacher who cheated her school out of almost £3,000 has been struck off.

Hilary French listed John Lewis gift cards as expenses – they were intended to be used as gifts for staff members, student prizes and guest speakers.

French, 69, had worked as head teacher at Newcastle High School for Girls since January 2006 until an audit revealed suspicious goings-on in 2018.

A Teaching Regulation Agency misconduct panel heard French was asked to explain claims for a Sweaty Betty jacket, a sofa and a trip to Bath. Eventually, the school called in the police.

In May 2023 she was convicted on three fraud charges and was given a six-month jail term suspended for a year.

The trial judge said French had a long and distinguished career as a teacher but between 2016 and 2018 she claimed 65 John Lewis cards worth £2,970.

She also expensed a weekend trip in 2017 and the Sweaty Betty coat which was found in the boot of her car.

The judge said French could not explain why she committed the fraud and said it was ‘carelessness’.

The TRA panel was told French was held in the highest esteem by teachers, parents and pupils alike calling her ‘honest, ethical, trustworthy’ and had ‘integrity and respect’.

The panel heard Ms French repaid the money and had no financial difficulties.

French has been banned from teaching for at least the next five years.

In January, two senior teachers of a special educational needs school were banned from teaching after a panel found them guilty of ‘improper use’ of £250,000 in school funds.

Mike Turner, who joined River House School in Warwickshire as head in 2000, and Simon Constantinou, who joined as a deputy in 2004, were accused of abusing their positions over a period of more than 10 years.

Alarms were raised after an employee of the school who joined in March 2015 discovered ‘potential financial irregularities’ and asked for an audit.

Constantinou, who is now over 70 years old, was suspended in May of that year, and Turner, who is now 70, retired three months later.

Both were referred to the Teaching Regulation Authority the following year.

The findings against Turner included accepting ‘overpayments’ of £36,000 of a ‘Recruitment and Retention’ allowance. The school’s governing body approved a one-off £4,000 payment for the allowance in 2005.

But Turner continued to be paid the same amount every year until 2015, when the audit began, the panel heard.

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The Ministry of Defence is investigating after documents showing sensitive military information were found scattered in the street.

The papers, some marked ‘official – sensitive’, were discovered spilling out of a black bin bag in the Scotswood area of Newcastle on March 16.

But mystery is surrounding the source of the documents, and exactly how they ended up on a quiet street in north England.

Downing Street said ‘appropriate action’ will be taken to find out more about the discarded papers.

The documents reportedly include details about soldiers’ ranks, shift patterns, email addresses, weapon issue records and access information for military facilities.

They appear to relate to units based at Catterick Garrison. One sheet was titled ‘armoury keys and hold IDS codes’ – thought to reference an armoury and intruder detection system.

Security expert Will Geddes told Metro there could be several reasons why the papers ended up on Newcastle Street.

‘It could have been information that was stolen,’ he explained. ‘It’s all in hard copy form and could have been stolen by someone who took off – a disgruntled employee, maybe someone who has been sacked or has a grievance of some type.’

Mr Geddes explained that sometimes companies who handle sensitive information outsource destruction companies, who work to dispose of confidential waste – and perhaps, this could be an instance of that.

‘The key issue here really is, why are they not using shredders? When you throw out sensitive documents you want to make sure they are destroyed.

‘One of the things I would be asking is, has it been stolen? Rather than a secure destruction company potentially dropping it. It’s a difficult one to guess and judge exactly what may have gone wrong.’

Mike Gibbard, a football fan from Gateshead, stumbled across the documents while parking ahead of Newcastle United’s Carabao Cup final clash with Liverpool.

He told the BBC he was shocked: ‘I peered down and started to see names on bits of papers, and numbers, and I thought ‘what’s that?’

‘They were piled up against a wall, in a black bag, in the road, underneath cars – spread all the way up the road.’

After reading some of the papers, he said he was ‘alarmed’, citing details of perimeters, weapons checking in and out, mobile phone numbers and more.

‘This shouldn’t be here, anyone could pick it up,’ he said.

Government guidance states that some ‘official – sensitive’ documents could pose a ‘threat to life’ if they are compromised.

The documents were handed to Northumbria Police and a spokesperson said they were subsequently given to the MoD.

A MoD spokesperson said: ‘We are aware that documentation allegedly relating to the department was recently handed into the police.

‘We are looking into this urgently and the matter is the subject of an ongoing internal investigation.’

Government guidelines recommend that sensitive documents be destroyed using shredders.

A Number 10 spokesman added: ‘The Ministry of Defence is currently looking at documents handed to the police, but the matter is the subject of an ongoing investigation by the Army.

‘As you will appreciate, I won’t be able to comment on any specifics while that takes place, but you can expect that appropriate action will be taken in response to any potential information breach.

‘It’s obviously important that that investigation is allowed to take its course.’

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Thousands of X users have reported outages with the popular social media app.

Just after 6.30 pm, a spate of users logged issues on Down Detector, with many saying the app wasn’t loading at all.

As of 7:00 pm, more than 12,000 reports have been logged.

Metro contacted X for comment.

Today’s outage comes after earlier this month, the website went offline and prompted billionaire owner Elon Musk to blame a ‘massive cyber attack’ on Ukraine – with no backing.

‘We get attacked every day’, Musk said at the time. ‘But this was done with a lot of resources. Either a large, coordinated group and/or a country is involved. Tracing …’

A cybersecurity expert has warned it was ‘dangerous’ to point the finger at Ukraine.

Jake Moore, global cybersecurity adviser at software security firm Eset, told PA he is ‘confident’ it was a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack, which involves multiple IP addresses flooding a server or website with internet traffic.

Mr Moore added that a ‘simple analysis’ of the IP addresses would point towards their location, but that this can be ‘tampered with’ to make it seem that the origin is in a different country.

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A British couple who were ringleaders of a gang selling millions of fake Xanax pills around the world have been jailed.

Brian Pitts, 30, and Katie Harlow, 27, ran an international criminal empire from a luxury villa in Thailand between 2018 and 2019.

Up to 11 million counterfeit pills were produced in sheds and garages across the West Midlands before being sold on the dark web through shady cryptocurrency payments.

The gang included family members and friends, who collectively sold more than £4,000,000 of fake pills across the UK and USA and laundered the profits through Bitcoin.

The pair were finally caught after a five-year international investigation led by pharmaceutical giant Pfizer.

They were arrested when they returned from Thailand with designer clothes and Rolex watches in their luggage in August 2019.

A court heard while the gang made at least £4 million they could have made more than £11 million from their illegal operation.

Pitts, from Bilston, West Midlands, previously admitted conspiracy to supply class C drugs and conspiracy to commit a trademark offence. He was jailed for eight years at Wolverhampton Crown Court yesterday.

Barlow, who lived with Pitts in a modest three-bedroom semi-detached house, admitted money laundering and was jailed for two years and one month.

The pair and their accomplices were caught when Pfizer bought multiple batches of the pills and ran tests which confirmed the tablets were fake and dangerously dosed with other drugs and bulking agents.

Regional Organised Crime Units across the UK launched an investigation to identify the gang who were later arrested.

Three other members of the gang were sentenced with five others due to be sentenced over the next few days.

Lee Lloyd, 48, of Tipton, West Midlands, was jailed for seven years and two months after admitting six charges.

Kyle Smith, 26, of Willenhall, West Midlands, was sentenced to four years having pleaded guilty to five charges, including conspiracy to supply Class C drugs.

Mark Bayley, 63, of Wolverhampton, was jailed for six years and five months after admitting charges including conspiracy to supply Class C drugs and possession with intent to supply Class B drugs.

The court heard how police officers raided a shed in Tipton and found a fake Xanax factory complete with an industrial powder mixer.

Cops also swooped on a garage in Wolverhampton where they found a tablet press machine, metal pill casts and stamps along with powder and a handwritten recipe list.

There, four pill press machines capable of producing 10,000 pills an hour had been bought from a UK company for £30,000.

CPS’ Jonathan Kelleher said: ‘This was a case of fake medicines being produced on an industrial scale, with significant potential harm to the public. These drugs should only be prescribed by a doctor and anyone buying them on the Dark Web, produced in a back-garden shed, has no clue what they are taking.

‘Brian Pitts and his associates were not concerned with these dangers and only saw a money-making opportunity.’

Detective Dave Hollies said previously: ‘The scale of production of these counterfeit tablets ran in the millions. We found evidence the group had purchased over two tonnes of bulking agents which made up over 90 per cent of the tablets.

‘The weight of active ingredients purchased was up 220kg. And the profit in Bitcoin also ran into millions.’

Xanax is a powerful tranquilliser used to treat anxiety and panic attacks. It is not available on the NHS but can be obtained in the UK through a private prescription.

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It’s the first major update from Myanmar’s military leadership since the earthquake this morning. They added there will be more casualties as the search for any survivors continues.

Major search and rescue operations are also underway in Bangkok after the earthquake struck neighbouring Myanmar, with the impact rocking Thailand’s capital.

Rescuers are looking for 81 workers who went missing after a Bangkok high rise collapsed.

Myanmar declared a state of emergency after the earthquake rocked the nation and rippled out to other nearby countries earlier this morning.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said a 7.7 magnitude earthquake had struck central Myanmar at a depth of 6.2 miles just before 1 pm local time (6:20 GMT).

The epicentre of the disaster was about 10.6 miles from the city of Mandalay, which has a population of about 1.2 million, according to USGS.

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Medieval manuscripts detailing unusual treatments – including an infertility cure made from weasels’ testicles – have been revealed in a new exhibition at Cambridge University Library.

Curious Cures: Medicine In The Medieval World looks at how medical practitioners of the time sought to understand and treat illness with… strange methods.

One 15th Century manuscript compiled by a Carmelite friar, and translated from Latin, included a suggested infertility cure to help a woman to conceive.

It said: ‘Take three or four weasel testicles and half a handful of young mouse-ear [a plant] and burn it all equally in an earthenware pot.

‘Afterwards, grind and combine with the juice of the aforementioned herb, and thus make soft pills in the manner of a hazelnut kernel, and place them so deeply in the private parts that they touch the uterus, and leave there for three days, during which she should abstain entirely from sex.

‘After these three days however, she should have intercourse with a man and she should conceive without delay.’

Dr James Freeman, the exhibition’s curator, said: ‘The remedies in these manuscripts take you to the medieval bedside and reveal the strange and surprising things that physicians and healers tried to make their patients well again. We’ve translated many of the recipes on display.’

Dr Freeman said medieval medicine ‘wasn’t simply superstition or blind trial-and-error’, but guided by ‘elaborate and sophisticated ideas’ about the body and the influence upon it of the wider world and even the cosmos.

The manuscripts also revealed that medicine wasn’t only used by university-educated docotrs, but monks, friars, surgeons, apothecaries, midwives, and regular people.

Manuscripts drawn from the collections of the university library and Cambridge’s historic colleges will go on display.

There will also be rotating astronomical instruments, surgical diagrams and some of the earliest anatomical images in western Europe.

A particularly striking manuscript contains illustrations of ‘Vein Man’ and ‘Zodiac Man’, illuminating how medicine and astrology were entwined in medieval times.

One of the most beautiful manuscripts on display belonged to Elizabeth of York, Queen of England, wife of Henry VII and mother of Henry VIII.

This richly illuminated book contains a copy of the Regime Du Corps, a guide to healthy living originally composed two hundred years earlier for a French noblewoman by her personal physician.

It was written in French, the language of royalty and aristocracy and spread quickly across western Europe.

‘Such a detailed health regime was out of reach for all but the most wealthy,’ said Dr Freeman.

‘However, the medical recipes that were added later at the back of the book use the same spices and common herbs that are found time and time again in more common recipe books.

‘There is even a recipe for a laxative powder, which makes you wonder about Elizabeth and Henry’s diet!’

The free exhibition will open to the public on March 29 and will run until December 6.

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Cases of gonorrhoea that are resistant to antibiotics are on the rise in England, with fears that the ‘super’ STI could soon become ‘untreatable’.

Gonorrhoea can usually be treated effectively, although some cases can be resistant to the antibiotic ceftriaxone, which is the first line of treatment.

Antibiotic resistance means the bacteria that causes the infection has developed the ability to survive and multiply – even when exposed to the antibiotic.

So what makes this STI ‘super? Well, some cases have been classed as ‘extensively drug-resistant’ – or XDR – meaning the infection did not respond to ceftriaxone or the second line of treatment.

New figures from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) show from January 2024 to March 2025, there were 17 cases of resistant gonorrhoea.

This is compared to 16 cases across 2022 and 2023. In the same period, there were nine XDR cases reported – six in 2024 and three in 2025 so far.

Ceftriaxone-resistant gonorrhoea was first detected in England in 2015 and 42 cases have since been reported.

Most cases are linked to the Asia-Pacific region, where resistance to ceftriaxone is common.

Transmission in England is so far limited, but rising cases could present treatment challenges in the future.

Symptoms of gonorrhoea include green or yellow discharge from the vagina or penis, pain when urinating, pain and discomfort in the rectum.

For women, symptoms can include lower abdominal pain or bleeding between periods. But many people do not have symptoms.

Dr Katy Sinka, consultant epidemiologist and head of the STI section at UKHSA, said: ‘Gonorrhoea is becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics, which could make it untreatable in future.

‘If left untreated, it can cause serious problems like pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility.’

Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the bacteria that causes gonorrhoea, appears on the UKHSA’s list of viruses and bacteria which pose the greatest threat to public health.

Figures show there were about 54,965 gonorrhoea diagnoses at sexual health services in the first nine months of 2024 – compared to more than 85,000 in the whole of 2023.

There were also about 7,000 syphilis cases in the first nine months of last year compared to 9,513 in the whole of 2023.

Dr Sinka added: ‘The best way to stop STIs is by using a condom. If you’ve had condomless sex with a new or casual partner, get tested, whatever your age, gender or sexual orientation. This includes when you are having sex abroad.

‘Early detection not only protects your health but prevents transmission to others. Many STIs show no symptoms, which is why regular testing is so important. Testing is quick, free and confidential.’

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A 26-year-old man who was let out of prison on the government’s early release scheme stabbed a man the day he was let out.

Lewis Bell, 26, a father of one, was stabbed to death after an altercation in a drug den by Liam Matthews, who had been released from HMP Holme House the same morning.

Matthews slashed at Bell with a chisel after spotting two other men fighting with him in the street.

His early release came in the first month the emergency measures aimed at freeing up spaces in overcrowded prisons were introduced.

He was convicted of manslaughter at Teesside Crown Court in Middlesbrough on Thursday, Cleveland Police said.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson vowed to investigate the case fully but said the government had been left with ‘no choice but to introduce an emergency early release programme.

Last year, Downing Street said the early release policy had to be brought in to avoid ‘unchecked criminality’ where the police and courts were unable to lock anyone up because there were no places available.

The prisons watchdog warned it was ‘inevitable’ that some would reoffend.

After slashing Bell, the attackers ran offand threw away their weapons and clothing with the help of a fourth man, who also arranged a taxi to take them away from the scene.

Alongside Matthews, Sean McLeod, aged 23, was convicted of murder, Ashton White, 18, was convicted of manslaughter and Macauley Wright, 26, was convicted of assisting an offender. The three will be sentenced on June 19.

Matthews had been convicted of violent disorder after a street fight in 2023 and was sentenced to 22 months for that crime.

Bell’s family said he was a ‘much-loved father, son, brother and uncle’, adding: ‘Lewis was killed in the most brutal and heartless way. We hold all three males convicted responsible for his murder despite the convictions of two of them for manslaughter.’

DCI David Glass added: ‘Lewis Bell did not deserve to die. This was a pre-planned, sustained attack by a gang who chased him down with weapons in the street. They inflicted a number of stab wounds, one of which was fatal, and they left him to die.’

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: ‘We had no choice but to introduce an emergency early release programme. We did so with protections in place, including exclusions for those serving for serious violent crimes.

‘Like with all serious further offences, this case will be investigated fully so we can take action where necessary.’

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Spring is around the corner – British Summer Time begins this weekend, the flowers are blooming – but it seems England can’t quite shake the winter bugs floating around.

New figures have shown that norovirus levels in England remain ‘stubbornly high’ for this time of year with no clear sign of a post-winter fall in numbers.

An average of 903 hospital beds were filled each day last week by patients with norovirus symptoms – almost unchanged from 899 the previous week.

While the total is down from a record 1,160 patients in mid-February, it is the first time in four weeks there has not been a small decrease.

It is also the highest number of norovirus patients recorded in England for this point in March and is well above the equivalent total at this stage from the past three years.

Earlier this month, NHS England said visits to its norovirus webpage had risen by 40% in one week – from 53,052 to 74,324 – as patients turned to Google for advice.

The flu is still rampant too, with some 50 flu patients in critical care, down from 60 the previous week.

Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS England’s national medical director, said: ‘While the worst of winter is no doubt over for NHS staff, virus rates in our hospitals remain stubbornly high and we are still feeling the pressure – the green shoots of spring for the NHS aren’t showing just yet.

‘Hospitals continue to run at near capacity, while the added pressure from almost one in seven beds taken up by patients who don’t need to be in hospital hasn’t relented for 12 weeks and counting.

‘It’s vital that the public continue to use 999 and A&E in life-threatening emergencies and use NHS 111 – and 111 online – if you need advice and support for other conditions.’

Amy Douglas, lead epidemiologist at the UKHSA, said earlier this month: ‘Norovirus levels are still exceptionally high and now with multiple genotypes spreading at the same time, people could end up getting infected more than once this season.

‘We are seeing the biggest impacts in health and social care settings, such as hospitals and care homes.’

What are the symptoms of norovirus?

If you have been infected with norovirus, you will experience:

• Feeling sick (nausea)
• Diarrhoea
• Being sick (vomiting)
• These last two may even occur at the same time, which gives norovirus its notoriety as an illness you don’t want to get

You may also have:

High temperature

Headaches

Aching arms and legs

There are around 80 deaths each year from norovirus in the UK, typically older adults and immunocompromised patients.

Anyone who has symptoms are urged to avoid visiting the hospital until they have been symptom free for 48 hours.

According to the NHS, washing hands frequently with soap and water is the best way to stop the vomiting bug from spreading.

Avoiding close contact with someone who has the virus, and eating food handled or prepared by them also limits risk.

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A woman who was dining at an Italian restaurant in Liverpool is ‘shaken’ after she was sexually assaulted by a man.

The woman, in her 70s, alerted police to the incident at Botanico, on Allerton Road in Woolton, at around 1 pm on Wednesday, March 19.

The woman said she had been touched inappropriately and kissed by the unknown man.

Now, CCTV images of a person police believe may have information that could assist with their investigation have been released.

Detective Mike Fletcher said: ‘We take reports of sexual offences very seriously and we are very keen to speak with the person featured in the images to help with our enquiries.

‘This was a traumatic experience for the victim which left her shaken. We are working hard to ensure that the person responsible is identified.

‘We hope this man can come forward to assist with our enquiries or that others may recognise him and provide this information to the police.

‘We believe he could hold information that could be vital to our continuing enquiries.’

Metro contacted Botanico for more information.

Earlier this month, police launched an investigation after a woman was allegedly sexually assaulted at a bus stop.

This Is Not Right

On November 25, 2024 Metro launched This Is Not Right, a year-long campaign to address the relentless epidemic of violence against women.

With the help of our partners at Women's Aid, This Is Not Right aims to shine a light on the sheer scale of this national emergency.

You can find more articles here, and if you want to share your story with us, you can send us an email at vaw@metro.co.uk.

Read more:

• Introducing This Is Not Right: Metro's year-long violence against women campaign
• Remembering the women killed by men in 2024

The victim was approached from behind by a stranger in the Priory Meadow area of Hastings, East Sussex at around 2.15pm on February 12.

The man then ‘sexually assaulted her by touching’, Sussex Police said. The victim was left shaken by the incident, said police, and received support from specially-trained officers.

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As conflict continues to erupt across the world, many have questioned the preparedness of their own countries in case of a full-scale war.

The European Union went as far as warning the nearly 450,000,000 people who live within its borders to stockpile emergency supplies to last 72 hours in case of war or natural disaster.

But one country bordering Russia is more than prepared: Finland.

The nation has an astounding 50,500 bomb shelters in case of emergency or conflict – a stark contrast to those available and operational in the United Kingdom.

When the Soviet Union and the West began a tense fight for supremacy, it sent ripples of anxiety through the world.

The UK bolstered its army, amassed weapons and drew battle plans drawn out as the Cold War gripped the nation.

The threat from Russia was more pertinent in the Cold War, but Finland never forgot the 1944 bombings in Helsinki, orchestrated by the Soviet Union.

After the Second World War, many countries stopped constructing bomb shelters – but not Finland.

They added a requirement in their building code for every residence over a certain size to have an operational shelter in case of emergencies like war.

So how do these shelters compare to the UK’s current capabilities in case of a conflict? Metro toured one of Helsinki’s shelters largest to find out.

Finland’s Civil Defence Shelters

In Finland, there are 50,500 civil defence shelters, with the capability to shelter more than 4.8 million people – both Finnish nationals and those who may be visiting from abroad.

The Finnish Ministry of the Interior explains: ‘Civil defence shelters protect against the effects of explosions and splinters, collapse of buildings, blasts, radiation and substances hazardous to health.’

91% of the shelters can sustain an attack conducted with conventional weapons, while 83% are equipped to also provide shelter from gas emissions or nuclear emergencies.

During times of peace, the shelters are used for recreational activities, such as sports halls, metro stations, parking lots and even a children’s play area.

The only prerequisite for any businesses operating in the shelters is that they are able to clear the area for use in 72 hours.

And in case of emergency or war, the Finnish Civil Defence volunteers help coordinate the response to organise those sheltering in the bunkers.

‘Civil defence duties include warning the population, evacuation to shelters, firefighting and rescue operations, and medical care. The same authorities are responsible for civil defence and rescue services during both normal times and emergencies,’ the ministry explains.

Tomi Rask, a preparedness teacher with the Helsinki City Rescue Department, showed Metro around one of the civil defence shelters.

He said: ‘The first barrier against any weapon is that we are approximately 20 metres below ground already in straight bedrock.

‘There are four different sheltering halls and a maintenance corridor with this shelter, all of which would be divided into small sheltering rooms. People feel more secure in confined spaces, rather than large spaces. Then we need some different functions within the sheltering period, depending on the threat, depending on the situation.

‘There would be a children’s area, elderly people area, distribution of water, distribution of information. Leisure areas and an area for resting, and first aid.’

There are three massive metal doors at each entrance to the Finnish defence shelter – one to protect against pressure from blasts, the second to protect from toxic elements, and the third to protect from nuclear blasts.

The Finnish shelters are also strictly analogical and manual – no computers help to run the shelter, and all information is received by radio to prevent any miscommunication or panic.

Mr Rask added: ‘We are aiming to protect every citizen in the country. Most of the countries are aiming to protect the government, the decision makers, but in Finland we protect everyone.’

The UK’s sheltering capabilities then and now

In the First and Second World Wars, the UK was bombed by German forces, killing an estimated 30,000 civilians and prompting many to construct their own shelters in more rural areas.

For Londoners who didn’t have a private shelter, refuge was sought in London Underground stations, with many sleeping in the tunnels until the all clear was given.

Ten deep-level shelters in the London Underground were constructed, each able to hold 8,000 people: Belsize Park, Camden Town, Chancery Lane, Goodge Street, Stockwell, Clapham North, Clapham Common and Clapham South.

In the early 1940s, London was home to more than 8 million people – today, that number has grown by more than 1 million, who would need shelter in case of an attack.

So how many of these shelters are actually prepared to be used today? The tube stations which were previously used are an option for shelter, but are not equipped for long term sheltering and do not protect against a nuclear or chemical attack.

There are a few areas in the UK that have large concentrations of shelters – 46 are in London, with other large metropolitan areas like Manchester and Birmingham having a handful.

In Wales, there are about a dozen bunkers spread across the country, while Scotland has about 23 shelters dotted around Glasgow and Edinburgh.

The Isle of Man has one shelter, and in Northern Ireland, there are only four operational shelters – meaning the UK is drastically underprepared compared to a country like Finland, who is all too familiar with the threat of attack.

How can the UK prepare for a potential conflict?

Given the tumultuous situation in Israel-Gaza, Russia-Ukraine and that of China and Taiwan, many Brits are looking at how to better prepare in case of a time of war.

During the Cold War, a ‘Protect and Survive’ booklet was released by the British Government and gave stern instructions on what to do if World War Three was to break out.

It was just last week that France decided to issue 20-page survival manuals, with 63 measures on how the French can protect themselves from armed conflict, natural disasters, industrial accidents and nuclear leaks.

It also includes the essentials needed in these scenarios like six litres of water, canned food, batteries, a torch, paracetamol and bandages.

Paul Ingram, a senior research associate at the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk previously told Metro: ‘Our modern life has been prioritised around convenience and efficiency.

‘For some reason, we seem to have been fairly bad at maintaining resilience. People laugh at the prepping community, and I think that’s because they find it uncomfortable to be faced with harsh realities.

‘Just consider, what would I do if the electricity goes down for two or three days – how would that affect me and what would I do to mitigate that? That’s better than burying your head in the sand and thinking “Oh the authorities will have everything under control”.’

For now, the UK government has not issued guidance on what to do if a conflict were to reach the UK.

But a Cabinet Office spokesperson previously told Metro: ‘The UK remains well prepared for a range of potential emergencies and scenarios thanks our whole nation approach to national resilience.

‘This government has taken practical steps to enhance that in recent years with the introduction of the Emergency Alerts System and other measures including the UK Government Resilience Framework, regular emergency exercises and strengthening our work with local partners and front line authorities.’

Currently on the government’s website, a section called ‘prepare yourself for emergencies’ focuses on disasters like weather and power outages.

Civilians are currently encouraged to keep an emergency grab bag, including the following:

• First aid kit and medication
• Copies of important family documents in a waterproof bag
• Prescription medication
• Cash and Credit Cards
• Car Keys
• Toiletries and sanitary supplies
• Mobile phone and charger
• Infant supplies
• Spare clothes
• A battery torch with spare batteries or a wind-up torch
• A battery radio with spare batteries or a wind-up radio
• Bottled water and emergency food, enough for three days
• Childcare supplies or other special care items
• Extra set of house and car keys

This article was first published on March 2, 2024.

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Police in Amsterdam say at least five people have been wounded in a stabbing in the Dutch city.

Two local newspapers reported three of the victims were taken away by ambulance – the condition of the others is unknown.

The attack unfolded near central Amsterdam’s Dam Square, on Sint Nicolaastraat, Dutch Police said.

A suspect has been taken into custody.

Video and photos shared on social media showed a helicopter landing to take victims to hospital.

When asked about a possible motive, Amsterdam police spokeswoman Esther Izaks told The Associated Press that “it’s too early to tell”.

The area is a popular tourist destination and visitors could still be seen on the top of the nearby Nieuwe Kerk, or New Church.

Nearby public transportation has been halted.

Police urged people who may have witnessed the stabbing to come forward with any images that could assist in the investigation.

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A Trump-loving Republican congresswoman who told a British journalist to ‘go back to your country’ because of her accent acted like she was in a ‘bad reality show’, an expert has said.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, from Georgia, ridiculed Sky News reporter Martha Kelner as soon as she caught wind of her British accent.

The 50-year-old Republican and Trump loyalist had just left a committee hearing on funding for public broadcasters when she began taking questions from reporters.

She was flooded with questions on the controversy over how a journalist was added to a group chat on air strikes in Yemen with top US officials, but when U.S. Correspondent Kelner decided to chip in all hell broke loose.

‘Should the Defense Secretary—,’ she asked before Green, known as MTG, interjected.

‘What country are you from?’ Greene asked as she rolled her eyes.

As sooner as Kelner answer ‘the U.K.’, MTG then ripped into the reporter saying: ‘Go back to your country.’ 

Greene continued her rant: ‘Okay, we don’t give a crap about your opinion and your reporting. Why don’t you go back to your country where you have a major migrant problem? You should care about your own borders.’

Judi James, a body language expert, told Metro: ‘Marjorie Taylor-Greene, in particular, is known to have no filter. In this video, you can really only describe her body language as pure contempt. It signalled someone that somebody was enjoying the sense of superiority – being able to sort of be so dismissive.

‘Her chin was raised. Her brows were raised. She was looking down her nose at the journalist. Her hand was outstretched, flattened, a dismissive gesture.

‘It was the type of gesture that you generally don’t really see unless it’s on a bad reality show. You don’t expect to see this in the political arena.’

But Ms James said she doesn’t think MTG ‘realises’ what she’s done after going on the tirade.

‘I think what she’s gonna find now is a journalist deliberately speaking to her to get her to swear or shout. If you know somebody overreacts like that, they will see if they can sort of get a rise out of her,’ she observed.

This isn’t the first time MTG has forcefully told a reporter from the USA’s closest ally where to go.

Last year she told Emily Maitlis, formerly of the BBC and now with The News Agents podcast, to ‘f**k off’ after the veteran broadcaster quizzed her on her support for conspiracy theories involving ‘Jewish space lasers’.

In the exchange at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, Maitlis asked: ‘Can you tell me why so many people who support Donald Trump love conspiracy theories, including yourself? He seems to attract lots of conspiracy theorists.’

MTG replied: ‘You’re a conspiracy theorist, and the left and the media spread more conspiracy theories. We like the truth, we like supporting our Constitution, our freedoms, and America First.’

Pushed on her own support for conspiracy theories, MTG said: ‘No, why don’t you go talk about Jewish space lasers, and really, why don’t you f**k off.’

Why does MTG seem to take such a petulant approach to the media, including journalists from the UK? It’s all part of a strategy, Kelner wrote after her own run-in with the MAGA die-hard.

Last night, Kelner said: ‘Discrediting the messenger, rather than focusing on the message and what lessons can be learned, is the order of the day for the Trump White House.’

She had tried to force a reply from MTG on her questions about the Signal ‘war plans’ leak, attempting to shout over the politician so she could be heard.

She asked Greene: ‘Do you care about American lives being put at risk?’

But the Trump support screamed back: ‘I don’t care about your fake news.’

Greene then turned her attention to an American reporter, who wanted to get an answer to Kelner’s question.

MTG refused to be drawn on this however, and so the American asked a similar question about the Signal chat scandal.

For the past two days, top White House officials have faced relentless pressure from lawmakers and the press on the scandal.

Questions have been asked about why President Donald Trump’s national security team was sharing sensitive information in an unsecured manner.

Once Greene was probed on this again, she launched another furious reply: ‘You want to know about complete disregard about operational security?

‘You should talk about the Biden administration and how they ripped our borders open to terrorists, cartels, child sex trafficking, human trafficking, and drug trafficking across our borders for four years.

Greene similarly told a British journalist to ‘go back to your country,’ in 2022.

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A rapist who was caught on baby monitor footage has been described as a ‘danger to women and children’.

27-year-old Connor Pennell, from Skelmersdale, was jailed for nine-and-a-half years at Bolton Crown Court after detectives uncovered footage through a camera monitor that was saved to his phone showing the horrific rape of a woman.

The court heard concerns were raised back in July last year in Wigan when officers spoke to the victim who bravely came forward.

Pennell had previously been charged with battery and strangulation, but further evidence resulted in additional charges including rape, non-fatal strangulation and three counts of voyeurism.

Once arrested and interviewed, Pennell pleaded his innocence and even told officers his phone would back up what he was saying.

But when officers retrieved his phone’s data, they found Pennell had recorded footage on a baby monitor, including the horrific rape of the victim.

The court also heard that on one occasion, the victim thought she was going to die after Pennell strangled her.

In a victim impact statement, the woman said: ‘I was a funny, bubbly, confident, loyal, young girl, and I had many friends who I loved and a whole family who I loved with all my heart and who loved me, I had a life and a future to look forward to.

‘He stripped pretty much every aspect of my life away and has changed the course of my future. I’m not the same person I was.

‘He made me re-live it all, sitting in this court, surrounded by strangers watching videos of myself in an extremely personal state that haunts me. I have flashbacks of everything he has done to me and flashbacks of the trial.’

She said she hopes his sentencing will help other victims come forward and know their ‘voices will be heard, and justice will be served’.

This Is Not Right

On November 25, 2024 Metro launched This Is Not Right, a year-long campaign to address the relentless epidemic of violence against women.

With the help of our partners at Women's Aid, This Is Not Right aims to shine a light on the sheer scale of this national emergency.

You can find more articles here, and if you want to share your story with us, you can send us an email at vaw@metro.co.uk.

Read more:

• Introducing This Is Not Right: Metro's year-long violence against women campaign
• Remembering the women killed by men in 2024

‘Survivors always say the bruises disappear but the mental aspect of it takes much longer and they are right, so I am relearning to love myself,’ she added.

‘I will not let him take any more of me. He [Connor] is a danger to women and children, and I pray that today’s sentencing reflects how powerful it is what one man’s damage can cause.’

Pennell was sentenced to nine-and-a-half years and will be placed on the Sex Offenders Register.

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The location of a chest Christians believe holds the Ten Commandments could have been under our noses this entire time.

At least, that’s what these CIA documents claim.

The Ark of the Covenant (no, not the Indiana Jones movie) was built by Israelites around the 13th century BC, according to the Bible.

It’s believed that Moses then put the stone tablets which have the Ten Commandments on them inside of the chest.

But newly resurfaced CIA documents from the 1980s seem to point to Ethiopia as the area where the lost Ark is.

In the eighties, the CIA did experiments with people who said they could tell information about objects, people and events from far away.

One of these people reportedly gave coordinates of an object matching the description of the lost Covenant in the Middle East, claiming people around it were ‘speaking Arabic’.

‘The target is a container. This container has another container inside of it,’ the document states. ‘The target is fashioned of wood, gold and silver…. and it is decorated with [a six-winged angel],’ the person told the CIA.

Now, this should be taken with a grain of salt. But, it’s still fascinating.

The Ark has been ‘missing’ since 586 BC when it’s believed to have vanished during the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem.

It could very well still be in the ‘Holy Land’, but some rumours have placed the Ark as far away as Ethiopia.

The psychic person who claimed to know where the Ark was also went on to describe buildings which resembled domes of mosques, along with people ‘clothed in all white’ with ‘black hair and dark eyes’.

‘The target is hidden — underground, dark and wet were all aspects of the location of the target,’ they said. ‘The purpose of the target is to bring people together. It has something to do with ceremony, memory, homage, the resurrection. 

‘There is an aspect of spirituality, information, lessons and historical knowledge far beyond what we now know.’

Eerily, the psychic claimed that anyone who attempted to open the container by ‘prying or striking’ it would be ‘destroyed by the container’s protectors through the use of a power unknown to us.’ 

In 2018, a group of American Christians claimed to have found the real Ark in a remote African church where it’s guarded by monks.

Bible Archaeology Search and Exploration Institute (BASE) claimed to have spoken to some locals including the monk who is the ‘Guardian of the Ark’ at the Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion in the city of Axum in Ethiopia.

However many other researchers were quick to dismiss the claim.

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