A man has died in Rome after a gas explosion completely destroyed a B&B.

Grant Paterson, 54, from East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire, died from his injuries following the explosion that happened at around 8.30am on March 22.

He was pulled out of the ruins after he suffered severe burns and was taken to hospital for treatment, according to Roma Today.

Grant was employed by CalMac which confirmed today that he had died.

Photos from his social media show him visiting sites like the Pantheon and Colosseum just days before his death.

He wrote in a previous Facebook post: ‘Arrived in Rome, trains, planes, buses and foot… Accommodation is beautiful. This should be a good week … if I don’t get killed in some ungodly way…’

Grant posted about his visit to the Pantheon as well and wrote: ‘Genuinely a dream fulfilled….. I have wanted to see the Pantheon since I was a child. So, so chuffed.’

A JustGiving fundraiser has already raised £12,870 for Grant’s family.

People have been sharing their tributes to him in the comments section, including a user called Debbie, who wrote: ‘So sad to hear this. Hadn’t seen Grant’s face since Hunter High. Just awful. Thoughts with his daughter.’

Adrian Whittaker added: ‘I was saddened to hear this about Grant and and send my best wishes to his family.’

While Rob Walker wrote: ‘So sorry to hear this. Sailed as a passenger on the MV Clansman many times.’

Diane Burke, CalMac’s chief operating officer, said: ‘Everyone at CalMac is distraught that Grant has passed away.

‘He was a true gentleman and a credit to MV Clansman, the vessel he served aboard.

‘During a distinguished 12-year career with us, he embodied the very best of CalMac and, with his larger-than-life character, he was much-loved by colleagues and passengers alike.

‘Our thoughts are with Grant’s friends and family at this extremely difficult time.’

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: ‘We are supporting the family of a British man who died in Italy and are in touch with the local authorities.’

Rome’s Mayor, Roberto Gualtieri, visited the scene of the explosion and told reporters: ‘We don’t know his exact condition, but he suffered burns, and this also suggests that it was an explosion caused by gas, which also causes flames.

‘It was a very loud explosion, a building collapsed and the wall of Villa Pamphili was also damaged.’

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Sticky Vicky became famous for exposing herself to thousands of awestruck Benidorm tourists each year.

Nothing was left to the imagination as her X-rated shows included pulling razor blades and ping pong balls from her private parts.

So adoring fans of the legend will be shocked to hear Sticky Vicky actually harboured a secret from her British fanbase.

Her daughter revealed to Metro the iconic performer did not speak English.

Maria Aragüés Gadea, who took over from her mum when she retired in 2016, told Metro: ‘People don’t know that my mother didn’t speak English, she didn’t understand when a fan spoke to her, she just answered “yes”.’

This revelation comes as Maria pulled in the masses in a return to Benidorm last night.

The original Sticky Vicky is also playing a role in her daughter’s new show.

Maria said: ‘The most special thing is that before the show, there’s a tribute to my mother.

‘I hope you’re surprised by everything about the show. My intention is for people to leave the show feeling satisfied.

‘There are new features, choreography, music.’

She took to the stage at midnight at Rockerfellas cabaret bar, where she will be returning this week and beyond.

The original Sticky Vicky died in 2023 and spent decades in the Spanish city wowing tourists with her X-rated shows.

She was born Victoria María Aragüés Gadea on April 15, 1943, in Santa Cruz De Tenerife on the Canary Islands. 

The performer even trademarked her name after a legal battle in 2009 and her daughter now uses it.

At the age of six she went with her family to Barcelona, and began dancing at the age of eight.

While the young star is back in Benidorm for the long haul, she has not shut down the possibility of showing off her skills in other countries.

Maria added: ‘I can perform anywhere I’m invited, I don’t set limits for myself.

‘I have the opportunity to perform in many countries around the world.

‘It would be nice if tourists would calm down, but I don’t think they’ll stop visiting Benidorm. It’s unique in the world.’

Benidorm locals and British tourists are overjoyed at Sticky Vicky’s return after speculation she had left for good.

Tracy Blevins, who runs tourism website Benidorm Seriously, told Metro: ‘Sticky Vicky is a real Benidorm legend.

‘It is confirmed she is back. I presume she is back for good.

‘Rockerfellas will be her regular venue.’

In 2023, Benidorm received 2,766,366 visits, with 832,000 of them coming from the UK.

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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 British tourist who disappeared after a stag do in the Spanish resort of Benidorm has been found.

Jason Taylor, 36, had been partying with friends in Alicante, and was last seen at Alicante-Elche Airport on Saturday morning.

He was due to fly back to Birmingham at 10.30am, but never boarded the easyJet flight.

An urgent search was launched to find the Welsh engineer, who was missing for more than 112 hours.

On Tuesday afternoon Dyfed-Powys Police said Mr Taylor had been found and was with his family.

A relative of Mr Taylor posted on Facebook to confirm the news, adding: ‘Thank you all for sharing and caring.’

His wife, Maria, told the Spanish Eye today that police obtained CCTV from the airport after it emerged there had been a problem with his boarding pass.

She said she has ‘no idea’ why her husband turned and left the airport, but believes he may have stepped out to ‘clear his head’ and got lost.

‘He waited in the queue for the desk for about three to four minutes and then walked out the airport, he went towards Torrellano way and that is the last they can see of him,’ Maria said.

She said that family members flew out to Spain yesterday to help with the search.

Jason’s friend Gaz Edmunds explained how he ended up getting separated from the group after they arrived to the airport together at around 8.30am.

He said: ‘Our easyJet flight to Birmingham was due to depart at 10.30am, with the gates closing at 10am.

‘Jason had lost his phone so had to access his boarding pass from someone else in the group assisting who was already passed the gate.

‘We tried several times to scan his boarding pass but it was not accepted and the gate would not open, an error message came up saying to contact the airline.

‘So Jason went to go and ask for assistance. One member of the group waited behind the gate for him to return but this was the last we saw or heard from him.’

Gaz said this behaviour is ‘very unlike’ his friend, adding that his family are ‘worried sick.’

‘Jason was not ill, or drunk or incapable.’ he added. ‘Several people are flying back out today to try to find him and understand what has happened.’

A spokesperson for the Foreign Office confirmed to Metro that it is supporting the family of a British man missing in Spain and are in contact with the local authorities.

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A disaster of unimaginable scale looms over Japan as its government is warning that the next ‘megaquake’ could kill as many as 300,000 people.

Such a seismic monster – which could trigger a tsunami powerful enough to obliterate entire coastal regions off the Pacific coast – has been feared for a long time.

Towering waves that would sweep away infrastructure and leave nothing but devastation in its wake.

There are concerns it is a matter of when – not if – after the government sounded the alarm in a report published on Monday.

The warning comes as the death toll from the powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Myanmar has surpassed 2,700, with more than 3,900 injured and at least 270 missing.

The figures have been updated from a previous estimate, made in 2014, for the potential consequences of a huge earthquake along the Nankai Trough south of Japan.

The 500-mile undersea trench runs from Shizuoka, west of Tokyo, to the southern tip of Kyushu island.

It is where the Philippine Sea oceanic tectonic plate is ‘subducting’ – or slowly slipping – underneath the continental plate that Japan sits atop.

The plates become stuck as they move, storing up vast amounts of energy that is released when they break free, causing potentially massive earthquakes.

The Cabinet Office’s disaster management working group said up to 215,000 people would be killed by a tsunami, 73,000 by the collapse of buildings and 9,000 by fire.

But the predicted toll as a whole is lower than the 2014 estimate which said that up to 323,000 people would die.

Over the past 1,400 years, such megaquakes in the Nankai Trough have happened every 100 to 200 years.

The last one happened in 1946, but scientists say it is extremely difficult to predict them.

In January, a government panel said the probability of such a disaster in the next 30 years has marginally increased, with a 75-82% chance of it happening.

Last August, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) issued its first ever ‘megaquake advisory’ under rules drawn up after the devastating 2011 earthquake, tsunami and Fukushima nuclear disaster.

It said that the likelihood of a new major earthquake along the Nankai Trough was higher than normal after a magnitude 7.1 jolt in southern Japan which injured 14 people.

The advisory was lifted after a week but caused shortages of rice and other staples as people replenished their emergency stocks.

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A speedboat carrying 36 tourists and crew erupted into a fiery explosion off the coast of Thailand.

At least six people have been in injured – with the captain among them – in the fire near Maiton Island, off Phuket Island, this morning.

The vessel, Tana Marine 555, was just 50 meters offshore when the blast ripped through it, turning it into a fireball.

Footage from the scene shows the flames raging, sending thick plumes of black smoke billowing into the sky.

The force sent debris flying as flames rapidly consumed the boat, leaving people on board with mere seconds to react.

The tourists, mainly from Russia and Kazakhstan, were jumped into the water, swimming for their lives. They were later rescued by a passing boat.

Nachapong Pranit, director of the Phuket Marine Office, said a rescue team was deployed after receiving a report at 9:20 am.

The Phuket Information Centre said: ‘The fire spread rapidly. There were 36 crew members and tourists on board.

‘Everyone was able to get off the boat in time. However, there were minor injuries from the incident.’

A report said three tourists were injured along with the captain, a guide and the boat’s mechanic.

Later reports said that two were injured with burns and were taken to a waiting ambulance and transferred to hospital.

One report said the vessel had made a swimming stop when the engine exploded and ignited – but for this the casualties would have been far higher. Authorities are yet to comment on what happened.

‘The fire was caused by an engine malfunction,’ it said

‘While rescue services were getting to the site, the boat washed up on the shore, where it completely burned out.’

This is the latest disaster involving a vessel in the last week after a tourist submarine with 45 Russian citizens on board sank off the coast of Egypt.

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Donald Trump has threatened to bomb Iran unless a new nuclear deal is reached, only escalating tensions in a region already on edge.

‘If they do not make a deal, there will be bombing,’ the US president told NBC News on Sunday.

He added: ‘There is a chance that if they do not make a deal, that I will do secondary tariffs on them like I did four years ago, that brought them to a position that they very much wanted to be.’

Iran’s leaders fired back, warning that ‘someone in a glass room does not throw stones at anyone’ – a clear reference to America’s military presence in the Middle East.

Iran fires back at Trump’s bomb threat

Commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force, Amir Ali Hajizadeh, said: ‘The Americans have at least 10 bases with 50,000 troops in the region, which means they are sitting in a glass room.’

With more than a dozen US bases in the region – all within Iran’s missile range – the exchange of threats has reignited fears that a miscalculation could spark a devastating war.

As of October 2024, US defence officials said there were at least 43,000 servicemembers in the Middle East, many on ships at sea, according to the Council on Foreign Relations.

In total, the US has military facilities across at least 19 sites – eight of them considered to be permanent by many regional analysts – in countries like Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and the United Arab Emirates.

The US military also uses large bases in Djibouti and Turkey, which are part of other regional commands but often contribute significantly to missions in the Middle East.

Iran’s military arsenal largest in region

Meanwhile, Iran boasts more than 3,000 ballistic missiles, the largest arsenal in the Middle East, and has shown willingness to use them if it is pushed into a corner.

This arsenal does not include its burgeoning land-attack cruise missile force.

Vast improvements have also been made over the past decade in the precision and accuracy of the missiles.

Many Iranian missiles are also inherently capable of carrying nuclear payloads, which has long been an international concern.

Timeline of nuclear fallout

The first steps of the fallout between Iran and the US were made during Trump’s first term in the White House, in 2017-2021.

A 2015 deal with global superpowers required Iran to limit its nuclear ambitions in exchange for sanctions relief.

But in 2018, the US leader withdrew, imposing sweeping sanctions.

It was after that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said that Iran had amassed enough fissile material for multiple bombs but had made no effort to build one.

On March 7, Trump said he had written to Khamenei, warning that he must either agree to fresh negotiations or face a military confrontation.

But Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian has ruled out direct negotiations with the Trump administration over the country’s nuclear programme.

Instead, he has signalled a willingness for ‘indirect talks’.

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Prince Andrew’s ex-girlfriend has shared a one-word response after Virginia Giuffre revealed she has just ‘days to live’.

Lady Victoria Hervey, a socialite-turned-reality show performer, dated the Duke of York briefly in 1999.

Giuffre, one of Jeffrey Epstein’s most prominent accusers, sued the prince in 2022, alleging that he raped and sexually abused her as a teen.

Andrew has denied Giuffre’s accusations and said he has ‘no recollection’ of meeting her. They reached an out-of-court settlement in 2022.

Giuffre revealed on Instagram yesterday that she has just ‘four days to live’ after a car crash involving a school bus.

Sharing a photograph of herself covered in bruises from the hospital, Giuffre said she was suffering kidney failure.

‘I’m ready to go, just not until I see my babies one last time, but you know what they say about wishes,’ she said.

As Giuffre fights for her life, Hervey shared the photo of the injured campaigner on Instagram and claimed ‘karma’ had reached her.

The aristocrat said this in Instagram Story with the backing music of The Final Countdown by Europe.

Without evidence, she added: ‘If Virginia Giuffre really does have days to live then a complete confession is needed.

‘I don’t believe it though, the FBI are on her right now and arrest warrants are incoming: She’s conveniently dying to evade jail.”

She then posted three consecutive screenshots of a Google search generated by artificial intelligence (AI) about kidney failure.

‘More attention-seeking BS from the biggest scam artist,’ Hervey added.

Virginia, who campaigns on behalf of victims of sex trafficking, said she has been transferred to a specialist hospital.

‘Virginia has been in a serious accident and is receiving medical care in the hospital,’ her spokesperson said.

‘She greatly appreciates the support and well wishes people are sending.’

Giuffre said that Epstein, a billionaire financier, and Ghislaine Maxwell trafficked her to rich and powerful men. She was recruited to provide massages for Epstein and was later required to be on call for him for sexual purposes.

Epstein was awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges when he hanged himself in August 2019 in his New York prison cell.

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

After the lawsuit was filed by Guiffre, Andrew was forced to relinquish his military titles and lost his use of the title, ‘His Royal Highness’.

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Virginia Giuffre has gone from living a quiet life in her mansion along the Australian coast to what could be her deathbed.

Giuffre, 41, drew worldwide attention after claiming she was trafficked for sex to the Duke of York by the late paedophile Jeffrey Epstein as a teen.

The mother-of-three has now shared a post on social media saying she has just days to live after being hit by a school bus.

Before her accident, Ms Giuffre led a quiet life as one of 8,600 residents of the laid-back Ocean Reef community in North Perth.

Little did her neighbours know that she was set to receive an eye-watering sum of money in an out-of-court settlement with Prince Andrew over the accusations.

What happened in Ms Giuffre’s lawsuit against Prince Andrew?

Ms Giuffre sued the Duke of York in 2021, accusing the estranged royal of sexually assaulting her on three occasions when she was 17.

Andrew has repeatedly denied the claims, but in 2022 agreed to pay her an undisclosed sum in an out-of-court settlement.

The settlement included a ‘substantial donation to Ms Giuffre’s charity in support of victims’ rights’.

At the time, Andrew released a statement praising the ‘bravery of Ms Giuffre and other survivors in standing up for themselves and others’.

He also vowed to ‘demonstrate his regret for his association’ with Epstein by supporting the ‘fight against the evils of sex trafficking, and by supporting its victims’.

What has Ms Giuffre been doing since the lawsuit?

Ms Giuffre effectively held the future of the Duke’s reputation at her fingertips, having regular phone and Zoom meetings with his team as the sounds of the ocean waves lapped behind her.

Her last known address was a £1,000,000 seaside property in Ocean Reef, where she lived with her husband, Robert Giuffre, and their three teenage children.

The couple have been married for 22 years, but are reportedly estranged.

Laying low in her six-bedroom home, 12 miles up the coast north of Perth, Ms Giuffre says she walks her dog, Juno, each day to unwind.

The simple act is one of her many coping methods to try to recover from the memories of her two years as a sex trafficking victim of Epstein, she said.

In a statement read at Maxwell’s trial in 2022, Ms Giuffre said she is haunted by nightmares about her past. Nightmares, she added, she fears will never stop happening.

‘In those dreams, I relive the awful things you and others did to me and the things you forced me to do,’ she said, addressing Maxwell.

Beyond dog-walking, Ms Guiffre spends her days rolling out her yoga mat to stretch, attending regular therapy sessions and taking trips into town to shop and get a haircut.

‘I’m doing as many things to clear my mind as possible so that I can be sharp and focused when it matters,’ she told The Cut in 2021.

Peace of mind is key for the campaigner, with her home also sporting a space, walk-in wardrobe, a balcony overlooking the sea and an entertainment room.

It’s a mansion a world away from her childhood, which saw her suffer homelessness after running home from the sexual abuse she suffered at the hands of a family friend, she told Panorama in 2019.

The mansion, lined by 10-foot-high security gates, is believed to have been funded by previous large out-of-court settlements related to Epstein and his former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell.

Ms Guiffre also takes her three children – two sons in their mid to late teens, and a daughter aged 14 – to and from school as well as their after-school clubs and sporting events.

But life with Ms Guiffre as a mother can be a strange one.

‘They have friends that say, “Oh my god, is this your mum?'” Giuffre said.

‘It’s a lot for them to carry. But they’re teenagers. They’re at that prime era in life where I think it’s important to teach them about sex trafficking.’

She also runs the charity Speak Out, Act, Reclaim, or Soar.

Soar is ‘dedicated to providing a safe and empowering space for survivors of sex trafficking to reclaim their stories and stand up for themselves and each other’, according to its website.

‘I do this for victims everywhere,’ Ms Giuffe has said about her charity work.

‘I am no longer the young and vulnerable girl who could be bullied. I am now a survivor, and nobody can ever take that away from me.’

Has Ms Giuffre written a memoir?

One year after settling her lawsuit with Andrew, Ms Giuffre signed a multi-million dollar deal to write her memoir in 2023, in which she was expected an insight into the years of sexual abuse she suffered at the hands of Epstein.

The book, said to be 12 years in the making, would also detail her meetings with Andrew.

The memoir has not yet been published and, with Ms Giuffre’s life on the line, fears have been raised that the full details of her encounter with the Duke will never come to light.

Posting on Instagram from what could be her deathbed, she said: ‘This year has been the worst start to a new year, but I won’t bore anyone with the details but I think it important to note that when a school bus driver comes at you driving 110km as we were slowing for a turn that no matter what your car is made of it might as well be a tin can.

‘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.

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

Her father, Sky Roberts, commented on the post, saying: ‘Virginia, my daughter, I love you and praying for you to get the correct treatment to live a long and healthy life.

‘If there is anything in this world I can do to help you, please let me know. My spirit with you now and holding your hand.’

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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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Ads for a Russian nationality on Facebook could in fact be a recruitment campaign for Kremlin spies, officials have warned.

Posters showing a smiling young woman waving a Russian passport have been popping up on social media in Lithuania.

‘Russian passport – support at every step. Russian citizenship for Russian-speaking Lithuanians. Without the need to renounce Lithuanian citizenship. Repatriation within three to six months’ the ad reads.

It promotes Russian nationality without the need to renounce Lithuanian citizenship -even though dual citizenship is generally not permitted in the country.

These ads may also be used as a recruitment tool for the Russian secret services, Lithuanian institutions have warned.

‘Russia is seeking to identify certain individuals who may be sympathetic to or have some sentiments towards that country to possibly exploit them in the future,’ Vilmantas Vitkauskas, head of the Crisis Management Centre in Lithuania, told broadcaster LRT. 

According to the centre, the ads are published by a private Russian firm, the Central Migration Agency.

It issues Russian international passports and runs a so-called repatriation programme approved by the Kremlin.

Lithuanian political analyst Gabriele Burbulyte-Tsiskarishvili said the ad is looking to ‘mislead’ citizens to renounce their nationality.

She said: ‘When accepting citizenship of another country, a citizen of Lithuania must renounce their Lithuanian citizenship (unless there are exceptional circumstances).

‘This has nothing to do with the information in the advertisement because the decision is made by the Lithuanian side; therefore, a person who has become a participant of the repatriate programme and has not renounced citizenship of Lithuania immediately violates the law and it is only a matter of time when it will happen set.’

The analyst added that the ad has been ‘circling’ on social media in Lithuania for awhile.

Officials in Vilnius have urged Lithuanians not to engage or respond to the ads and to report any suspicious activity. 

The Lithuanian Foreign Ministry said in a statement it was illegal for the country’s nationals to hold multiple passports, without first securing an exemption.

The decision to take a Russian passport would also ‘expose men to the possibility of being drafted to participate in Russian aggression in Ukraine’, the ministry said.

Lithuania, which was the first Soviet republic to proclaim independence in 1990, has cut ties with Russia – not only diplomatically – since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

It is one of the Baltic states to have disconnected their electricity systems from Russia’s power grid in February, part of a plan to integrate with the EU and boost security. 

The nation is also doing everything to prepare for an invasion by Russia amid stalling talks about a ceasefire in Ukraine.

Lithuania’s government had already reinstated conscription in 2015, but in January, it committed to spending between 5% and 6% of its GDP on defence annually until at least 2030.

Metro has contacted META for a comment.

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A five hour police hunt for a corpse ended in shock when the body turned out to be a lifelike sex doll.

The ‘dead body in a blue plastic bag’ was first spotted on Saturday evening by a dog walker at a demolition site in Rostock, northern Germany.

It was only once homicide investigators, police drones and fire engines were at the scene for five hours did they discover the human remains were actually something entirely different.

The alleged corpse was in fact a lifelike female sex doll.

The love buddy had even been set on fire in several places and stuffed into a blue IKEA bag.

Bemused police officers then carted off the synthetic doll and a funeral director, hired to transport the body to a morgue, was told to go home.

The cordon and crime scene were hastily deconstructed, what has already been labelled ‘one of the most bizarre police operations in criminal history’.

This is not the first time a human sex toy has been mistaken for a dead body.

Police officers in the US state of Georgia responded to a call of a female body found along a hiking path in the Hitchiti National Forest.

After racing to the trail they unearthed a discarded human-sized sex doll.

The blonde-haired doll was dressed in a short blue shorts and a pink tube top and appeared remarkably lifelike when partly submerged in the woodland.

Cops quickly dubbed the doll Selena and collected her as evidence.

They department then joned on Facebook that Selena was ‘a little under the weather’ but ‘has been having a nice day and is expected to make a full recovery.’ 

The Police assured Selena’s owner that their DNA would not be collected, but stressed the importance of not littering.

The post went viral and received more than 39,000 likes; 35,000 shares and 7,500 comments.

Sex Dolls have become increasingly popular over recent years as the sex toy market has expanded worldwide.

There are 130,000 monthly searches on Google for “sex doll” and “sex dolls” in the US alone.

In the UK, sex toy companies reported that sales of the dolls skyrocketed during lockdown.

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Free accommodation, a car and a yearly salary of £330,000 – this is what a remote town with only 500 residents is offering to attract a new doctor.

Julia Creek, a small town in Queensland, Australia, is looking to replace its outgoing physician urgently.

Considering the package is about five times the earnings of an NHS doctor, it almost sounds too good to be true.

The only drawback? Whoever takes on the job would be the sole doctor in the remote area, with the nearest major city, Brisbane, a gruelling 19-hour drive away.

Prospective applicants must embrace searing heat and tropical insects as well.

The North West Hospital and Health Service is currently advertising for the role of a senior medical officer.

It had previously recruited Dr Adam Louws, in 2022, when the offer was a few thousand pounds lower.

He said: ‘My mother-in-law sent me a link to this news article saying, “the half a million dollar job that no one wants.”

‘My first thought when I saw it and I looked at it was, where’s Julia Creek?’

Before Louws arrived in 2022, the town had not had a permanent doctor for 15 years, with a roster of visiting physicians dropping in for short stays.

Janene Fegan, mayor of McKinlay Shire, which includes Julia Creek, knew that the town needed a good sales pitch.

She was involved in the local health service’s campaign that recruited the outgoing doctor and offered to promote the town again when the job was advertised in March.

‘We actually have a very, very good lifestyle and a very safe lifestyle,’ she said.

‘Yes, there is distance to travel at times, but how many people do you hear now wanting to escape from that and go off-grid?’

Fegan added: ‘You don’t have to stay forever. Just give it a shot.’

When the job was advertised in 2022, some health care analysts said the bolstered salary still was not enough to compensate for a solo doctor’s workload.

But Louws said working solo prompted him to learn medical skills that he would have sent patients ‘two minutes down the road’ for another practitioner to perform when he lived in the city.

He also fulfilled a childhood dream of learning to milk dairy cows.

‘The money is plenty. It is,’ Louws said. ‘One of the things that I think people don’t necessarily consider enough about this job is the other things that this town has to offer.’

Louws applied for the job three days after first hearing about Julia Creek, following study on Wikipedia.

Soon, he and his wife and four children were packing to move.

When he had been in the job six months, Louws said, he knew ‘nine out of 10’ people in the town by name.

‘It feels kind of like stepping back in time about 60-odd years,’ he added. ‘Everyone knows everyone.’

At the end of his two year contract in Julia Creek, however, the distance from his extended family had taken a toll and he plans to return to his practice in the city.

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Donald Trump has voiced his anger towards Vladimir Putin – a major shift from the softer approach the US president has taken in ongoing talks to end the war in Ukraine.

He threatened the Kremlin with his weapon of choice – secondary tariffs of 25% to 50% on all Russian oil if his efforts to negotiate a ceasefire deal are thwarted.

Putin rejected a US-Ukrainian plan for a 30-day ceasefire, and suggested that Volodymyr Zelensky be removed from office as part of the process.

In response, Trump told NBC News: ‘If Russia and I are unable to make a deal on stopping the bloodshed in Ukraine, and if I think it was Russia’s fault — which it might not be — but if I think it was Russia’s fault, I am going to put secondary tariffs on oil, on all oil coming out of Russia.

‘That would be that if you buy oil from Russia, you can’t do business in the US.

‘There will be a 25% tariff on all oil, a 25- to 50-point tariff on all oil.’

The US president said the tariffs would come within a month if a deal is not reached.

He also stressed that he is ‘very angry’ and ‘pissed off’ over Putin’s recent attack on his Ukrainian counterpart, suggesting that Ukraine should implement a transitional government as any part of a deal, effectively pushing the war leader out of power.

Trump said that such comments were ‘not going in the right location’ for peace talks.

He further announced plans to speak with Putin this week and stressed their ‘very good relationship’, quickly adding that ‘anger dissipates quickly … if he does the right thing.’

There are fears the Russian president is ‘dragging out’ the invasion after Zelensky told European leaders at a summit in Paris that Russia ‘doesn’t want any kind of peace”

Since entering the White House, Trump has been pushing for a speedy end to the more than three-year war and holding meetings with both Russian and Ukrainian officials to facilitate it.

After all, the politician repeatedly touted that he would achieve a ceasefire on his first day in office during his campaign trail.

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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 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.

We’re sorry to report that someone has scooped up one of the biggest lottery wins ever in last night’s EuroMillions draw.

A lucky lottery participant in Austria snagged a whopping €250 million (or about £209,300,000), Kronen Zeitung, an Austrian newspaper, reported.

He won with a stake of just €10.

The winning numbers were 10, 21, 30, 42 and 45, lucky star numbers one and nine.

The man is one of 5,125,411 winners, National Lottery says. So, to be safe, maybe check your ticket.

National Lottery says that while no one pocketed the top prize, at least three people in the UK have won £246,037.60 each for matching five numbers and one lucky star.

Eight people will soon see £13,503.10 drop into their bank accounts for matching five numbers.

Andy Carter, senior winners’ adviser at National Lottery operator Allwyn, previously said: ‘This Friday night promises to be a massive one for EuroMillions players, as the country’s biggest ever winner could be made.

‘Get your tickets early as there is an astounding estimated jackpot of £202 million up for grabs. A single UK winner of this jaw-dropping prize would be crowned The National Lottery’s biggest winner of all time.

‘This colossal amount of money would make any lucky ticket-holder richer than some of the UK’s biggest and richest names, such as Harry Styles, Adele and Harry Kane.’

Austria has a bit of a winning streak when it comes to lotto jackpots.

An Austrian man bagged a life-changing sum of €240,000,000 (roughly £200,700,000) in August 2023, one of the highest wins in the competition’s history.

It’s not to say the UK hasn’t struck gold in the past, though. Two Britons have bagged the EuroMillions jackpot this year: the £83,000,000 prize in January and the £65,000,000 jackpot last month.

But winning the lottery can be both a blessing and a curse, some winners have said. From bankruptcy and substance abuse to even assassination, things aren’t always so peachy for fresh-faced millionaires.

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A British tourist who ended a knifeman’s rampage in Amsterdam has been given an award for heroism by the city’s mayor.

Footage shows the man, who has not been named, chasing the suspect through busy streets before tackling him.

He could then be seen pinning the suspect to the ground until authorities arrived on Thursday afternoon.

The suspect had stabbed five people near Dam Square, with detectives saying he used multiple knives in the attack.

The victims are a couple in their late 60s from the US, a 73-year-old woman from Belgium, a 26-year-old man from Poland and a 19-year-old Dutch woman.

They all remain in hospital in a stable condition, Mayor Femke Halsema said in an update on Friday.

Ms Halsema thanked the Brit for showing ‘great instinct’ and presented him with a badge for heroism.

‘He was walking down the street and heard a commotion,’ she told local broadcaster AT5.

‘He saw someone passing by and instinctively thought: this isn’t right, something bad is happening here. He managed to tackle him to the ground.

‘Of course you don’t know what the suspect was planning, what could have happened next, but you can’t rule anything out. This man made a decision in a split second, which is truly exceptional and for which there should be a lot of appreciation.’

Speaking of the tourist, the mayor added: ‘He is a very modest British man. He has no desire to become famous.

‘He is now mainly concerned with the victims, he feels responsible for them.’

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

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 major 7.7 magnitude earthquake has struck Myanmar, causing damage and casualties across the country and in neighbouring Thailand.

The quake happened in central Myanmar at a depth of 6.2 miles just before 1pm local time (6:20 GMT), according to the United States Geological Survey.

As our map shows, the impact was felt across a large part of South East Asia, although Myanmar and Thailand were the worst hit.

At least five people have been confirmed dead so far, including three people working on a skyscraper which collapsed in Bangkok in Thailand. Several more are said to be trapped under the rubble.

However, Bangkok’s governor said damage to other buildings across the city was limited.

Two people also died after a mosque caved in in a town in central Myanmar.

Where is Myanmar located and what did it used to be called?

Myanmar is in South East Asia. It shares borders with Thailand, India, Bangladesh, Laos and China as well as the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal. 

The country was originally called Burma. It was changed by the country’s national government from the Union of Burma to the Republic of the Union of Myanmar in 1989.

How close is it Myanmar to Thailand?

The two countries sit next to each other, with Myanmar located to the west of Thailand. The border they share is approximately 2,400km (1,500 miles) long.

The Thai capital of Bangkok is around 560 miles from Mandalay Myanmar’s second largest city, which is 12 miles from the 10km (6.2 miles) deep epicentre of the quake.

How common are earthquakes in the area?

Myanmar is particularly vulnerable to earthquakes as it sits onthe Sagaing fault, a major tectonic boundary between the Indian plate and Burma microplate.

The two tectonic plates are constantly colliding, causing frequent tremors felt across the country and beyond.

How does the size of this earthquake compare to recent activity in the area?

This month’s earthquake is the strongest for several years.

In 2016 a 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck near the city of Bagan, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. More than 100 ancient temples were damaged.

Another 6.8 magnitude earthquake happened in central Myanmar in 2012 causing several casualties and damage to buildings.

How many people have been confirmed dead so far?

Two people have been confirmed dead after a skyscraper in Bangkok collapsed during the quake. Eighty one people are trapped inside the rubble, say officials.

Three worshippers were also killed in a central Myanmar town when a mosque caved in, eyewitnesses have said.

More deaths are expected.

What damage did the earthquake cause?

One of the most shocking scenes to emerge was the collapse of the skyscraper in Bangkok, which was in the middle of construction.

Videos show the building crumble to the ground as several terrified people run away from the scene.

However, Bangkok’s governor Chadchart Sittipunt said at a press conference today that damage elsewhere is limited.

‘At first, we were worried that there would be widespread damage, but we have received reports that it is limited,” he said.

‘The building (skyscraper) where the incident occurred was a building under construction, which is fragile because the systems are not complete. I believe the situation is not as severe as we initially concerned.

‘Bangkok’s building standards are good, he added. ‘I believe that the damage from the incident is limited. Don’t panic.’

In Myanmar, the earthquake caused the collapse of several buildings in five cities and towns, state media reported.

Two buildings also collapsed and an expressway was damaged, the Global New Light of Myanmar reported on its website. It did not give details of any casualties.

Less is known about the impact the quake has had on Myanmar in part because information has been tightly controlled in the country since the military seized power in a 2021 coup, with dozens of journalists arrested by the junta and restrictions on operations of independent local and foreign local media.

Internet services in rural areas is limited and media and international organisations often rely on images, footage and accounts shared on social media, posing verification challenges.

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This is the terrifying moment panic erupted on board the Egyptian submarine that sank in the Red Sea.

The bodies of six passengers were pulled to the coast of Hurghada, a city on the Red Sea coast, after ‘Sindbad’ capsized at around 10am yesterday.

Out of the six who died, two were children and all on board were Russian citizens, according to TASS news agency.

Four other people are in a critical condition and are fighting for their lives in hospital. The cause of the incident is still unclear.

The footage shows that the submarine started to sink as tourists were getting on board and standing on the top deck.

Screams and shouts in Russian can then be heard before the video ends surrounded by water.

Anaesthetist Ravil Valiullin, 40, and his wife Kristina, 39, a children’s doctor, were killed on the vessel, while daughters – aged 10 and 15 – survived and are now in hospital.

One of the survivors, a tourist named Regina, was with her two children, nine and ten.

‘We were saved by the fact that we were on the top of the submarine, we did not have time to go inside,’ she said.

‘We were queuing at the boarding, when the submarine began to sink into the water.

‘The Egyptian who was responsible for loading shouted “Stop, stop!” but naturally no one inside heard him.

‘He shouted to us “Faster, faster, go to the pontoon” from which people were boarding.’

She told Baza media outlet: ‘We pushed the children out. I tried to swim away from the submarine. I was afraid that I would be pulled under it because of the currents.

‘I swam away, sat on the structures that were built around the pontoon so that they could moor here. From there I moved to the pontoon itself.’

Red Sea governor Amr Hanafy said yesterday that the submarine had a valid licence and that the crew had all obtained the correct certificates.

According to the Association of Tour Operators of Russia, the submarine hit a reef and subsequently lost pressure at a depth of 20 metres.

The group on board had paid for a sea trip to inspect the coral reefs in the Red Sea, which is infested with sharks.

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The crew members on board a submarine that sank in the Red Sea and killed six people have been questioned by Egyptian authorities.

The bodies of six passengers were pulled to the coast of Hurghada, a city on the Red Sea coast, after ‘Sindbad’ capsized at around 10am yesterday.

Out of the six who died, two were children and all on board were Russian citizens, according to TASS news agency.

Anaesthetist Ravil Valiullin, 40, and his wife Kristina, 39, a children’s doctor, were killed on the vessel, while daughters – aged 10 and 15 – survived and are now in hospital.

Four other people are in a critical condition and are fighting for their lives in hospital. The cause of the incident is still unclear.

Red Sea governor Amr Hanafy said yesterday that the submarine had a valid licence and that the crew had all obtained the correct certificates.

According to the Association of Tour Operators of Russia, the submarine hit a reef and subsequently lost pressure at a depth of 20 metres.

The group on board had paid for a sea trip to inspect the coral reefs in the Red Sea, which is infested with sharks.

According to Sindbad Submarines’ website, the submarine has portholes which allow passengers to see the Red Sea’s coral reefs.

The area where it capsized was in front of the marina of one of the famous hotels in Hurghada.

Tourist trips have been run on the Sindbad for several years, but it is unclear if there are previous incidents on record.

Egypt has always been a popular holiday destination for Russians.

Hurghada is located to the south east of the capital Cairo, and is known for its coral reefs and beaches.

This is not the first time an incident like this has happened in the Red Sea.

In late November 2024, five people were found alive after a wave smashed into their yacht, causing it to capsize off Egypt’s Red Sea coast.

11 people died in the tragedy, when the boat, reportedly called ‘Sea Story’, was carrying 44 passengers when it capsized at around 5.30 am.

Survivors cited by local media say that the boat capsized in about five to seven minutes.

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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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Vladimir Putin has launched a new nuclear-powered submarine equipped with hypersonic Zircon missiles capable of travelling at several times the speed of sound.

Russian state TV footage from the Arctic port of Murmansk shows the tyrant greenlighting the launch of the vessel, named Perm after a city in the Urals, with the order: ‘I hereby authorise!’

Perm is the first nuclear-powered submarine to be equipped with Zircon missiles as a standard feature, according to Russian agencies quoting documents associated with the launch.

The Zircon has a range of 625 miles and travels at nine times the speed of sound, according to Russia.

Military analysts have said its hypersonic speed could mean greatly reduced reaction time for air defences and a capability to attack large, deep and hardened targets.

Putin has previously boasted the weapons have ‘no analogues in any country in the world’.

The Perm is the sixth submarine in Russia’s Yasen and Yasen-M classes built by the Sevmash shipyard near Murmansk.

The Russian agency reports said the vessel’s construction specifications differed slightly from earlier models in the same class.

Putin was said to have also visited a submarine named Arkhangelsk, in the same class, and toured the Atomflot enterprise, which oversees Russia’s icebreaker projects while in Murmansk.

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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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People in the EU are being advised to stockpile enough food, water, and essentials for 72 hours in a continent-wide strategy to make everyone more prepared for catastrophes such as floods, fires, pandemics, and military attacks.

And it makes me feel more than a little jittery.

The suggested emergency kit should include ID documents in waterproof casing, a Swiss army knife, and playing cards, according to Hadja Lahbib, the European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness, and Crisis Management.

It worries me when the authorities start doling out advice like this because some of my darkest childhood memories are of ‘survival manuals’ that really didn’t make me feel safe at all – and I don’t think these ones will either.

This latest advice comes just days after the French government announced that it will produce survival manuals to prepare citizens for any ‘imminent threat’ to the country. It’s a scary list of circumstances, with examples like invasions, natural disasters, industrial accidents, or a nuclear leak. 

It will suggest a ‘survival kit’ including plenty of water and food, plus basic medical supplies including paracetamol, compresses, and saline solution.

But France is not alone. Last year, Sweden told people to gather blankets and battery-powered radios, Norway suggested iodine tablets in case things go nuclear, and Germany told people to transform their cellars or garages into bunkers.

It is a cause for concern in an increasingly unstable world, and all of this brings back memories of a survival manual that absolutely petrified me when I was a kid.

The Protect and Survive pamphlet was released by the British government in the 1970s and 80s, advising us how to protect ourselves during a nuclear attack.

It was a terrifying read right from the menacing first page: ‘Read this booklet with care. Your life and the lives of your family may depend upon it.’

Things got no happier over the next 30 pages, which suggested how to build a fallout room and an inner refuge that we could stay in for two weeks and what food to stock.

The details got steadily grimmer, including special ‘sanitation arrangements’ and what to do if someone dies. Envy them, I suppose.

And I don’t think that’s changed much in the intervening decades.

If you found yourself outdoors as the mushroom cloud went up, you were advised to ‘lie flat (in a ditch) and cover the exposed skin of the head and hands’. 

People who lived in bungalows were warned that their homes would ‘not give much protection’, while those who dwelt in caravans were told, with weapons-grade dismissiveness, that ‘your local authority will be able to advise you on what to do’.

I read the booklet in 1984 as an 11-year-old, shortly after I watched Threads, the terrifyingly brilliant BBC film about nuclear war. That film traumatised me and made me determined that the horrific scenes would never come true.

So I joined the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) to try and stop a nuclear war and I read Protect and Survive to try and work out what to do if there was one.

My parents were a bit surprised when I suddenly covered my clothes in CND badges, spiked my hair up and began to spend my Saturday afternoons at peace demos rather than football matches. They were absolutely horrified when I started unscrewing the living room door.

It would be easy to say that Protect and Survive did nothing positive for me but it did. Its laughably futile advice taught me at an early age that, when push comes to shove, our rulers won’t be able to save us and we’ll have to look after ourselves. 

I’ll always be grateful for that wake-up call.

But I can trace back a disaster document scaring me even further.

I was six years old when I went on my first flight and it was quite a debut: a 24-hour flight to Australia. 

There was little inflight entertainment in those days – just a couple of films broadcast at a set time on a screen far away.

I got so bored and the only thing handy to distract me was an illustrated booklet explaining what to do if the plane crashed. 

The more I looked at the cold illustrations of oxygen masks, life rafts, people whizzing down chutes from a mangled jet, or bobbing around in the sea with only a whistle to protect them, the more my boredom turned into terror.

At six years of age, I was old enough to understand the horror of what the illustrations were depicting but not old enough to grasp that, even though we were being warned what to do if the plane crashed, that didn’t mean the plane would crash, nor that it was even likely to.

Even when I read Protect and Survive five years later I wasn’t sassy or resigned enough to understand the obvious truth that, if you find yourself under nuclear attack or in a serious plane crash, the best thing to do in either scenario might be just to simply die.

I felt more scared than informed, but maybe that’s part of the point of this sudden rush of survival manuals in Europe. 

A population that’s unsettled and on a war footing against an unspecified and unexplained threat might be more malleable and forgiving of their rulers’ performance. So maybe they’re trying to protect us, but maybe they’re trying to scare us, too.

That said, many people’s lives have been saved by following the advice in air safety briefings, and while the tips in the European manuals may seem obvious to you and me, there’s nothing wrong with being prepared, and they could save people’s lives in these precarious times we live in.

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing jess.austin@metro.co.uk. 

Share your views in the comments below.

A tourist submarine incident that sank off Egypt’s Red Sea coast, killing six Russian citizens, is now at the centre of a growing mystery over its safety record and the cause of the disaster.

‘Sindbad’, which operated off the marina in Hurghada, was transporting 45 Russians on an underwater excursion when the incident happened earlier this morning.

Questions are now being asked about what caused the vessel to sink – and the security measured around such tours.

What caused the ‘Sindbad’ to sink?

Dr Simon Boxall, from the National Oceanography Centre at Southampton University, speculated that the submarine could have started its descent with its hatches still open.

He told Metro: ‘We don’t know why there’s been an incident. We don’t know if it sank. We don’t know if it capsized.

‘All we know is there been an incident quite soon after it left port. It means there’s a possibility that the hatches were open.

‘You wouldn’t really shut the hatch until you’re ready to dive on the actual reef.’

This would have allowed water to flood into the lower deck of the vessel where passengers would have already been sitting.

An account from one of the 39 survivors, Elena Boldareva, supports this theory as she claimed that the vessel began to dive with its hatches still open.

Egyptian authorities have remained tightlipped about the case of the fatal incident, which has left two teenage girls orphaned after their parents both died.

Who are ‘Sindbad’ Submarines?

The sunken vessel is believed to be operated by Sindbad Submarines, and it is understood that it has been operating such trips for several years.

But not much has been revealed about that specific vessel in the last few hours after the incident.

Dr Boxall said there are about 20 such submarines worldwide, adding that they are ‘not uncommon’.

‘Generally speaking, they’ve got a very good safety record,’ he added.

‘Obviously, in this case, the safety record has gone wrong somewhere. The website says the vessel was engineered in Finland, which is an odd statement.

‘If it had been built in Finland, they would normally say, “built in Finland” and the Finnish have a very, very good safety record and do build incredibly good ships.

‘So, we don’t know exactly where it was built or how old it was when it went down.’

How much do Sindbad trips cost?

According to an online tourism website for Egypt, prices to go on the excursion with Sinbad start at £58 for one adult.

Children can join for £30, but infants go free.

Have any other tourist tragedies happened in the Red Sea? 

Yes.

In late November 2024, five people were found alive after a freak wave smashed into their yacht, causing it to capsize off Egypt’s Red Sea coast.

11 people died in the tragedy, when the boat, reportedly called ‘Sea Story’, was carrying 44 passengers when it capsized at around 5.30 am.

Survivors cited by local media say that the boat capsized in about five to seven minutes.

One of the two British tourists who were rescued said it was ‘pitch black and the water was all around us.’

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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 major update into Michael Schumacher’s health was disclosed years on from his skiing accident.

The Formula One legend’s health has been shrouded in secrecy ever since his skiing accident in December 2013.

He has not appeared in public since, and his family have protected his privacy at their Lake Geneva home.

But Felix Gorner, a reporter for German broadcaster RTL, revealed Schumacher ‘can no longer communicate verbally’.

Gorner, who is said to be one of the journalists closest to the family, said in newly resurfaced quotes from a previous interview: ‘The situation is very sad.

‘He needs constant care and is completely dependent on his caregivers. And he can no longer express himself verbally.

‘Currently, there’s a maximum of 20 people who can approach Michael.

‘And, in my opinion, it’s the right strategy. Because the family is acting in Michael’s best interests.

‘They’ve always strictly protected his privacy, and that hasn’t changed.’

In October, it was claimed he was seen in public for the first time in 11 years after he attended his daughter Gina-Marie’s wedding.

His daughter Gina-Marie, 27, wed Iain Bethke at the family’s luxury four-acre Mallorca villa.

While privacy was still closely guarded, with guests required to leave their phones at the door, the wedding is believed to be the first time Michael has been allowed in public since his accident.

Majorcan news outlet Ultima Hora reported that the ceremony lasted for around half-an-hour and that the newlyweds said ‘I do’ at around 4pm.

Last year, brother Ralf Shumacher revealed he was no longer in touch with his brother and wife, but said he is always there to offer support.

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For nine months there was no trace of Émile Soleil, a two-year-old boy who vanished from his grandparents’ house in a village in the French Alps.

Dogs, drones and dozens of volunteers – even a helicopter – scoured the slopes and woods around Haut-Vernet, where ‘Little Émile’ was last seen in July 2023.

It took a hiker accidentally stumbling across Émile’s bones in a nearby ravine last March for the question of where he was to be answered.

‘Now that we have found little Émile, the police will be able to speed up their investigation’, local resident Gilles Thézan said at the time, determined to ‘find the culprit’.

But although Émile’s grandparents were this week arrested on suspicion of murder – later to be released without charge – what happened to two-year-old Émile remains a mystery a year after he was found.

Wondering how such an extensive search could have missed him, some locals are convinced the killer returned to dump Émile’s remains when the world’s attention was turned elsewhere.

That became the view of public prosecutor Jean-Luc Blachon. In only the second press conference of the investigation, on March 27, 2025, he said: ‘The clothes and bones discovered were transported and deposited shortly before their discovery.’

Others believe he fell victim to an animal attack, or died of hunger, thirst or exhaustion.

François Balique, the Mayor of Haut-Vernet, said it was ‘absolutely incomprehensible’ that Émile got into trouble by himself.

‘I can’t help but believe that an adult is involved in this matter. Émile would never have gone alone to where he was found,’ Mr Balique said.

How the search unfolded

July 8, 2023Émile goes missing

The toddler is dropped off at his grandparents’ house near Le Vernet, a small village in the French Alps, where a family reunion is being held. Émile is last seen playing in the garden and is reported missing at 5.15pm.

July 9, 2023Search and rescue scour the area

A massive search is underway in the mountains, including a helicopter, drones and sniffer dogs. They take in a 1,200 acre area but there is no trace of Émile.

July 10, 2023Search is made wider

After a public appeal has still yielded no results, the area being examined is made wider. Police search Émile’s parents’ home near Marseille, 200 miles away, where they are staying for the summer holidays. 

July 11, 2023Mum’s voice played from speakers

A recording of Émile’s mother’s voice is given to pilots to play ‘as loud as possible’ from speakers on the aircraft to try and reach the toddler and find where he is. Local houses are also examined.

July 13, 2023Search officially ends

A potential lead comes to nothing after blood found on a car the previous day is analysed as coming from an animal. The search is wound down with still no answers about what happened.

July 19Outsiders still banned from village

A restriction on those who are not local entering Le Vernet is renewed, to stop ‘malicious tourism’ after the case generated a lot of media interest.

Local prosecutor Remy Avon says authorities are still looking at all possibilities, including murder, kidnap or an accident such as being run over by a tractor or combine harvester.

September 19, 2023Search resumes for a time

Divers search a lake near Grenoble again in a bid to find Émile, shortly after detectives used a jackhammer to break apart a slab at a home close to where Émile’s family lived.

Le Vernet mayor François Balique says it seems the boy must have been moved from the area by ‘a madman, or someone Machiavellian’, as no trace has been found.

March 28, 2024family re-enacts Émile’s last moments

Police summoned 17 family members, neighbours and witnesses to Haut-Vernet to re-enact the last moments before Émile disappeared.

March 30, 2024Child’s remains found in France

A hiker discovers a skull and other remains while walking in the Alps, just over a mile from where Émile was last seen. They are passed to police

March 31, 2024Émile confirmed dead

Genetic analysis confirms that the bones found are those of Émile. The discovery sparks renewed press interest, and also questions about why they were not found before given the large search in the area.

Mayor Balique said: ‘The gendarmes couldn’t have missed him with the dogs. There was even logging there in autumn. The wood cutters didn’t see anything either. It’s incomprehensible.’

His parents speak of their grief via their lawyer, who said: ‘This heartbreaking news was feared… (They) know on this Resurrection Sunday that Émile watches over them in the light and tenderness of God.’

February 8, 2025Émile’s funeral

Hundreds of people attended Émile’s funeral on February 8.

Among them were his entire family, including little sister Alaïs, nearly three years old, and his brother Vincent, who was born in October.

March 22, 2025Priest who baptised Émile kills himself

Father Claude Gilliot, the 85-year-old Catholic priest who baptised Émile and later fell out with the toddler’s grandfather, killed himself.

His sister said: ‘Claudine Vandenbroucke, said: ‘I’m very angry with Émile’s family, because I think it all started with them.’

March 25, 2025grandparents arrested on suspicion of murder

Philippe and Anne Vedovini, the grandparents who were minding Émile when he disappeared, were arrested in dawn raids near Marseilles.

They, along with two of their children – Émile’s aunts or uncles – were held on suspicion of murder and concealing a body.

March 27, 2025grandparents released without charge

After two days of questioning, police released Émile’s relatives without charge.

March 27, 2025prosecutor says Émle was ‘transported and deposited’

In only the second press conference since the investigation began in July 2023, public prosecutor Jean-Luc Blachon said: ‘The clothes and bones discovered were transported and deposited shortly before their discovery.’

Evidence on Émile’s skull suggested a ‘violent facial trauma’.

Blachon said: ‘The expert reports introduce the probability of the intervention of a third party in the disappearance and death of Emile Soleil.’

When did Émile Soleil go missing?

Neighbours last saw Émile walking Haut-Vernet’s only street around 5.15pm on Saturday, July 8, in 2023. He was wearing a yellow t-shirt and white shorts.

His grandmother, Anne Vedovini, now 59, said there were ‘fifteen minutes of inattention’ when Émile disapeared while under her care.

A witness claims to have seen grandfather Philippe Vedovini, also 59, cutting wood outside the house around this time.

Where was Émile found?

The remains were found in the Auches Ravine, just over a mile from where Émile was last seen playing.

This area had been part of the massive search for Émile, although the prosecutor said he could not confirm that exact area had been scoured.

Gilles Thézan, a resident of Haut-Vernet, told Le Parisien: ‘There’s a trick going on.Everything was raked from top to bottom.

‘I say that the little one died and that someone went to hide him there much later.

‘We’re going to have to find the culprit. Now that we have found little Émile, the police will be able to speed up their investigation, even with what remains of the body.’

Marie-Laure Pezant, a spokeswoman for the local gendarmerie (police) told French TV that it was possible the bones had been placed there by a person, but it could also have been by an animal. Or they could even have ended up there due to changing weather conditions.

It is also possible that they were simply missed during the search last year, when undergrowth during the summer was thicker.

Jean-Luc Blachon, the Aix-en-Provence prosecutor, said he could confirm that area was searched ‘but not using drones or specialised dogs.’

He added: ‘At this time, we cannot say whether Émile’s body was already in the searched area. I cannot say that every square meter was searched.

‘The topography there is difficult with steep slopes making observation and excavation difficult.

‘It was also very hot in July 2023, with temperatures of more than 30°C in the shade. which could have affected the effectiveness of the tracking dogs and infrared cameras’.

Police commander Pierre-Yves Bardy told reporters yesterday: ‘We’re looking for any trace and any clue.’

However, their investigation may be hampered by the fact that the woman who found the remains picked up the skull and took it away in a plastic bag to alert police, thus disturbing a potential crime scene.

‘It would have been better if she hadn’t touched anything,’ a source told Le Figaro.

Why were the grandparents been arrested?

Philippe and Anne Vedovini were arrested, along with two of their children, Émile’s aunts or uncles – during dawn raids of their home in Marseilles on Tuesday, March 25.

Held on suspicion of murder and concealing a body, their arrests reportedly followed months of wiretaps that allowed police to listen into the family’s conversations.

They were released without charge two days later.

Investigators have conducted 287 witness interviews, carried out 50 searches, followed up 3,141 reports and combed around 285 hectares, the public prosecutor said on Thursday, March 27.

It was only the second press conference they have given since the search for Émile began in July 2023. The first was when his body was found last year.

Police could take the Vedovinis back into custody at any point in the investigation.

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