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Nicola Sturgeon claims JK Rowling is ‘obsessed’ with her and brands Joanna Cherry’s book ‘s***’

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Daily Record

The former first minister insisted she is not “at war” with the billionaire writer of the Harry Potter novels.

Nicola Sturgeon has claimed Harry Potter author JK Rowling is “obsessed” with her – and branded a former SNP MP’s book as “s***”.

The former first minister made the comments during an appearance with broadcaster Iain Dale the Edinburgh Fringe – just a day after the billionaire author’s most recent criticism of the ex-MSP.

In a social media blast, Rowling described the former SNP leader as a “world-class misogynist” and “profoundly disloyal” to her party following criticism of its election campaign in a new foreword for her book.

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Asked by Dale if she wanted an “amnesty” with the Harry Potter author, Sturgeon said she was not “at war”.

“She seems to be at war with me,” she said. “So if we’re going to get an amnesty, I think it’s probably going to have to come from her.”

Rowling has been an outspoken critic of the former first minister, particularly on gender issues – which have become a hot-button issue in Scotland since Ms Sturgeon’s attempt to reform gender recognition laws in 2022.

“We disagree on more than one thing – we disagree about independence, we clearly disagree on trans rights,” Sturgeon said. “My god, that woman is obsessed with me.

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“I don’t spend as much time thinking about her as she does thinking about me.”

The former first minister also hit out at Joanna Cherry KC – the former SNP MP who has been one of her most vociferous critics.

Sturgeon described the former MP’s book, which was heavily critical of her time as SNP leader and first minister and was published earlier this year, as “shit”.

Cherry “seems to have an obsession with me that is not reciprocated”, she said when asked if there was a question she would like to put to the former MP when she appears in a later edition of the show.

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“It’s not a question, it’s a challenge,” Ms Sturgeon said.

“Can she get through more than 30 seconds of the answer to any question without talking about me?”

Asked if she had read Cherry’s book, the former first minister said she had not.

“One of the things that distresses me most the older I get is that realisation of all of the books I’ll never get to read,” she said.

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“Why on earth would I spend time reading one that’s shit?”

Responding to Sturgeon’s comments, Cherry said: “It appears that the criticisms JK Rowling and I have made of Nicola Sturgeon’s politics and her behaviour, in particular her attack on the rights of women, have so discomforted her that rather than addressing them, she has resorted to a foul-mouthed rant.

“I think people can see through this.”

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Moment opposition MP throws eggs at prime minister of Kosovo

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Blond woman wearing white and black blazer lifting right arm and holding egg

An opposition MP, Time Kadrijaj, threw eggs at Kosovo’s acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti during a plenary session on Saturday.

The Alliance party MP hurled at least four eggs in Kurti’s direction before lawmakers and police officers intervened.

Chaos unfolded after Kurti told Parliament he needed more time to hold talks with other parties before proposing a candidate for speaker following the June snap election.

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New ‘modern’ restaurant opens with aim to become ‘one of city’s favourites’

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Cambridgeshire Live

The owner said that all the dishes will be made in front of diners in an open kitchen

A new restaurant offering an array of British classics among other cuisines has opened at the site of a former Italian restaurant. Grain Kitchen & Bar will be opening in the former Mangiare restaurant on Downham Road in Ely.

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The team at Mangiare said they would “cherish the memories” they made when the restaurant closed on August 2. The new business will be run by owner Suman Dahl, 39, who has a decade of experience in the hospitality industry.

The restaurant officially opened on Friday, August 7, after its transformation. It offers homemade dishes, each made in-house. Diners can expect a “warm” atmosphere as they watch meals being cooked in front of them in the open kitchen.

When asked about how the restaurant will stand out among other restaurants in Ely, Mr Dahl said: “It is a modern British restaurant. We will have a global influence in the food. So we will focus on fresh food, quality ingredients, hand-crafted cocktails, premium beers and a warm hospitality.”

The 39-year-old added that the restaurant will offer “good food, everything homemade, good vibes and warm hospitality” which he thinks is “missing nowadays” from the hospitality industry. Mr Dahl hopes that customers who visit his restaurant will sit down and let the team “look after you”.

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The menu will include dishes like pie of the day, fish and chips, burgers, and chicken Milanese. Mr Dahl wanted to keep some Italian dishes on the menu such as “fresh pasta” for those who enjoyed the former Italian restaurant, Mangiare. It will also offer sweet treats including brownies, bread and butter pudding, and apple crumble.

Mr Dahl added: “We want to focus on consistency, quality, good service and make a place where people can come and meet together and spend their time with coffee, lunch and dinner.”

The restaurant will offer a range of menus and will be open seven days a week. Around 15 hand-crafted cocktails are on offer among a range of other drink options.

Mr Dahl said he is “excited” to open Grain Kitchen & Bar as he has opened a few restaurants previously but this is his first in Ely. He added that he is aiming for Grain Kitchen & Bar to become “one of Ely’s favourite places”.

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Prepped to kill: Chilling moment serial Tube sex attacker leaves home and heads towards site where he would murder woman

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This is the chilling moment a serial Tube sex attacker leaves his home and heads towards the site where he murdered a woman

This is the chilling moment a serial Tube sex attacker leaves his home and heads towards the site where he later murdered a woman.

Simon Levy was recorded pacing away from the home he shared with his mother and sister in Tottenham the night before Sheryl Wilkins, 39, was found dead in a nearby car park.

The 40-year-old leaves the terraced address in casual clothing and a backpack shortly after 9.30pm on August 23 last year – but does not return until the following day.

Levy, who has now been convicted of two murders, two rapes, a near-fatal suffocation and 13 sexual assaults, pursued Miss Wilkins at a bus stop and brutally murdered her.

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During his trial at The Old Bailey, CCTV footage from that night and August 24 showed Levy and Miss Wilkins visit a side area of the B&M car park on Tottenham High Road.

Miss Wilkins’ body was found there by two police officers on patrol at approximately 6.30am.

The court heard it was the same location that the monster also violently raped another – surviving – woman, eight months before.

Shortly before 1am, Levy led Miss Wilkins behind the wall of the service yard, just off the main car park, and was hidden from the CCTV camera opposite.

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This is the chilling moment a serial Tube sex attacker leaves his home and heads towards the site where he murdered a woman

Simon Levy (pictured) was recorded pacing away from the home he shared with his mother and sister in Tottenham the night before Sheryl Wilkins, 39, was found dead in a nearby car park

Simon Levy (pictured) was recorded pacing away from the home he shared with his mother and sister in Tottenham the night before Sheryl Wilkins, 39, was found dead in a nearby car park 

The 40-year-old leaves the terraced address in casual clothing and a backpack (pictured) shortly after 9.30pm on August 23 last year ¿ but does not return until the following day

The 40-year-old leaves the terraced address in casual clothing and a backpack (pictured) shortly after 9.30pm on August 23 last year – but does not return until the following day

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Jurors heard that around 1.40am, Levy was captured on CCTV moving in and out of view, stepping out from behind the wall and returning twice.

The court heard that Levy returned home but did not take a direct route and instead walked away from his house using back streets.

Police discovered Miss Wilkins, a sex worker, face down and covered by a jacket in a B&M car park half a mile away at 7.30am.

She had multiple injuries but prosecutors argued that Levy had smothered her in a sexually motivated attack.

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In footage obtained by the Daily Mail, Levy can be seen being led away by detectives from his home on the evening of September 4.

One local resident said Levy, who is blind in one eye, was friendly with neighbours, close to his mother, and had lived with her his entire life.

They said: ‘It’s a complete shock. The amount of times he would say hello and I’d just assume he was a regular family-oriented man.’

The monster was on Friday convicted by a jury of murdering two women and almost killing a third.

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It comes after the police, prosecutors and courts repeatedly released him on bail, despite warnings he posed a grave danger to the public.

Levy suffocated Carmenza Valencia-Trujillo, 53, in March 2025 before using the same method to murder Miss Wilkins five months later.

He was also found guilty of violently raping the woman in January last year and leaving her for dead.

Detectives fear Levy may have claimed scores of victims during a years-long campaign of offending which escalated from groping women on the London Underground to rape, suffocation and murder.

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Despite a record of sexual violence dating back to 2018, British Transport Police (BTP), the Metropolitan Police, the Crown Prosecution Service and magistrates repeatedly failed to keep him behind bars.

He was released on bail four times, leaving him free to stalk women across London’s transport network.

Campaigners are now demanding a public inquiry into a scandal they say makes a mockery of promises to tackle violence against women and girls.

Levy was jailed for three years in 2021 for sexually attacking two women at Notting Hill Carnival and a Camden street party.

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Levy, who has now been convicted of two murders, two rapes, a near-fatal suffocation and 13 sexual assaults, pursued Miss Wilkins (pictured) at a bus stop and brutally murdered her

Levy, who has now been convicted of two murders, two rapes, a near-fatal suffocation and 13 sexual assaults, pursued Miss Wilkins (pictured) at a bus stop and brutally murdered her 

In footage obtained by the Daily Mail, Levy can be seen being led away by detectives from his home on the evening of September 4

In footage obtained by the Daily Mail, Levy can be seen being led away by detectives from his home on the evening of September 4

Just five months before he murdered Miss Wilkins, Levy raped and suffocated Carmenza Valencia-Trujillo (pictured), 53

Just five months before he murdered Miss Wilkins, Levy raped and suffocated Carmenza Valencia-Trujillo (pictured), 53

Even in prison he continued targeting women, groping a female officer in 2022.

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After being released halfway through his sentence in February 2023, he began roaming busy Tube stations at peak times, using crowded carriages to trap victims.

He regularly tied a jumper around his waist to conceal his hand as he assaulted women, his trial heard.

Levy was arrested in November 2024 over two Tube attacks, one of which was recorded by a victim on her phone.

But a BTP officer delayed basic identity checks for weeks and instead extended his bail.

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Detective Chief Superintendent Pete Fulton later admitted: ‘The officer just wasn’t getting a grip on their workload. It was incompetence, to be honest.’

When Levy was arrested, police found him carrying a TfL staff Oyster card which had been reported missing by a bus driver.

BTP mistakenly returned it to him, allowing him to travel free across London and continue hunting victims.

On January 21, 2025, the same night he learned his bail had been extended, Levy attacked a sex worker.

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He broke her collarbone, raped her and suffocated her by squeezing her neck and covering her face, leaving her close to death.

Four days later she directed police to the exact area of Levy’s home, but she was never formally interviewed because she was withdrawing from drugs.

On March 17, Levy murdered Miss Valencia-Trujillo.

Her body was found face down in a stairwell at a disused block of flats in Southwark. Her neck had been compressed and her face smothered.

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Travel records from the stolen Oyster card placed Levy at the scene.

He was arrested on April 1 but released on bail after a post-mortem recorded the cause of death as unascertained.

Days later, BTP chose to extend his bail rather than arrest him for further offences.

Detectives fear Levy (pictured during one of his Tube assaults) may have claimed scores of victims during a years-long campaign of offending which escalated from groping women on the London Underground to rape, suffocation and murder

Detectives fear Levy (pictured during one of his Tube assaults) may have claimed scores of victims during a years-long campaign of offending which escalated from groping women on the London Underground to rape, suffocation and murder

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Despite a record of sexual violence dating back to 2018, authorities repeatedly failed to keep him behind bars. He was released on bail four times, leaving him free to stalk women across London's transport network. Pictured: Levy, at Westminster Tube station, in the heart of the capital

Despite a record of sexual violence dating back to 2018, authorities repeatedly failed to keep him behind bars. He was released on bail four times, leaving him free to stalk women across London’s transport network. Pictured: Levy, at Westminster Tube station, in the heart of the capital

Met Deputy Assistant Commissioner Kevin Southworth described Levy (pictured outside court) as 'a prolific predatory monster' and admitted collective failures had allowed him to continue offending

Met Deputy Assistant Commissioner Kevin Southworth described Levy (pictured outside court) as ‘a prolific predatory monster’ and admitted collective failures had allowed him to continue offending 

He then committed four more Underground attacks.

Levy was charged with five sexual assaults on May 2 and remanded overnight, but magistrates released him again after prosecutors failed to oppose bail.

The CPS has admitted it cannot establish whether the court was told he was also being investigated for murder.

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The BTP had specifically warned prosecutors that his offending was escalating and that he had ‘a total disregard for bail conditions’.

Levy later failed to attend several court hearings, but warrants were not issued for his arrest.

In August, he murdered Miss Wilkins, smothering her and leaving her body close to his home.

Met Deputy Assistant Commissioner Kevin Southworth described Levy as ‘a prolific predatory monster’ and admitted collective failures had allowed him to continue offending.

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Asked whether Miss Wilkins’s death could have been prevented, he said: ‘If Levy had been remanded at that point, he would not have been able to go on to commit, at the very least, the murder of Sheryl.’

The Met has referred itself to the police watchdog, while BTP has said its failures were treated as a performance matter.

CPS chief prosecutor Lisa Ramsarran apologised, admitting: ‘There was relevant information that was not provided to the court when bail applications were being considered.’

Harriet Wistrich, of the Centre for Women’s Justice, said the case exposed ‘routine failure at every stage’.

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She added: ‘We end up with two women dead, two children who’ve lost their mother and families that have lost their loved ones as a consequence of failures.

‘There must be an independent investigation, if not a public inquiry, because these things just keep happening again and again.’

Assistant Chief Constable Charlie Doyle said: ‘Our thoughts remain with Levy’s victims and their families, and I commend those who took the stand to give evidence against him in the trial in January for the horrific sexual assaults he committed against them.

‘We understand that Levy’s actions will have a life-long impact on his victims and acknowledge that our initial investigation was not carried out at a fast enough pace.

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‘It is clear opportunities to expedite the investigation were missed and we have amended our procedures to address these issues to ensure that repeat offenders are dealt with expeditiously and that linked offences are prioritised more effectively.

‘It is possible that there are other victims of Levy who have not yet reported what happened to them.

‘If you recognise Levy and believe you may have been a victim of his offending, I encourage you to come forward and report it to us by texting 61016.’

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Inside hillside Thornley home with stables and stunning views

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Inside hillside Thornley home with stables and stunning views

A detached dormer bungalow set on a hillside near the village of Thornley from where it enjoys far-reaching views across the Weardale landscape, it delivers an outstanding balance of lifestyle, space and versatility.

Approached via a private driveway with extensive parking at both the front and rear, Karakoram sits in grounds that extend to around four acres and include gardens of around a quarter of an acre that are mainly laid to lawn but include both a sunken patio ideal for outdoor entertaining and a further paved patio as well as an EV charging point.

Karakoram has a wealth of beautifully appointed accommodation and everything you need to keep horses. (Image: Ryan James Estate Agents)

At the heart of this stylish home lies its light-filled open-plan kitchen, dining and living area, perfectly tailored to modern family life and sociable living and complemented by a walk-in pantry/utility space.

Another of Karakoram’s standout features is the substantial lounge and dining room, designed for both relaxed living and large-scale entertaining.

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Featuring a log-burning stove, this room is bathed in natural light thanks to striking floor-to-ceiling picture windows that frame the surrounding landscape.

Karakoram has a wealth of beautifully appointed accommodation and everything you need to keep horses. (Image: Ryan James Estate Agents)

Also on the ground floor are a bathroom, study, gym, pantry and a tack room.

The current layout lends itself to annexe-style living, offering flexibility for a range of uses.

Upstairs are a modern shower room and three bedrooms, two of them being spacious doubles.

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Karakoram is exceptionally well equipped for equestrian use.

Karakoram has a wealth of beautifully appointed accommodation and everything you need to keep horses. (Image: Ryan James Estate Agents)

Its land has been divided into three fenced and watered paddocks and includes a professionally constructed fully enclosed sand and rubber arena complete with equestrian mirrors, a stable yard featuring a feed and storage room plus three generous stables, one of which is currently configured to accommodate two ponies.

There is also hardstanding with a covered wash-down area.

Karakoram has a wealth of beautifully appointed accommodation and everything you need to keep horses. (Image: Ryan James Estate Agents)

Of particular note is Karakoram’s scope for further development.

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Previous discussions with the local authority indicate potential to convert the existing annexe and loft space into fully self-contained accommodation without the requirement for full planning permission.

This presents an excellent opportunity for multi-generational living, guest accommodation or the creation of an additional income stream, subject to obtaining the necessary consent.

Karakoram has a wealth of beautifully appointed accommodation and everything you need to keep horses. (Image: Ryan James Estate Agents)

PROPERTY FACTS

Karakoram, Thornley

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Price: £850,000

Ryan James Estate Agents 01388 737483

www.ryanjamesestateagent.co.uk

Karakoram has a wealth of beautifully appointed accommodation and everything you need to keep horses. (Image: Ryan James Estate Agents)

Karakoram has a wealth of beautifully appointed accommodation and everything you need to keep horses. (Image: Ryan James Estate Agents)

Karakoram has a wealth of beautifully appointed accommodation and everything you need to keep horses. (Image: Ryan James Estate Agents)

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Family-run farm suffering with ‘all time high’ theft

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Cambridgeshire Live

Farmers are finding themselves having to deal with verbal abuse and robberies

Judith Jacobs on the impact of theft at her farm in Newborough

Farmers are finding themselves as victims of verbal abuse and robberies – with one farmer saying rural theft is at an “all-time high”. England has just experienced its driest July on record, resulting in smaller yields and extra money having to be spent on animal feed.

Field fires have also contributed to the finacial burden of the hot weather in Cambridgeshire and across the rest of the country. But despite this, one of the most significant problems hitting farm profits is rural theft.

Judith Jacobs, owner of Moor Farm in Newborough near Peterborough, believes rural theft is at an “all-time high”. She said: “We’ve been robbed and we’ve been verbally abused. We’ve had machinery stolen and nobody wants to do anything about it. The impact on us is stress beyond stress.”

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Theft of machinery hits all farms hard, but especially smaller farms who find it even harder to replace kit worth thousands of pounds.

The farm is currently carrying out its harvest, which is a “busy time of year,” said Judith. However with the dry weather causing problems, the farm’s yield is down, which is eating away at the farm’s profit.

Judith added: “We don’t have enough straw and hay. We’re feeding our cattle when we shouldn’t be feeding them [at this time of year] as normally they eat grass. Then we’ve got the added stress that we can’t feed our animals because the machinery is gone.”

Judith said her and other farmers feel “let down” by the police. “It’s quite sad and we are under pressure at the moment. So please, be kind to us when you come to the countryside.”

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Fly tipping is also a problem for farmers. “Fly tipping for farmers at the moment in the Peterborough area is horrendous. Every day we have an incident of fly tipping at one of our farms or neighbouring farms. That’s also a fire hazard.”

Sergeant Tom Nuttall from Cambridgeshire Police’s rural crime action team said the force takes rural crime “extremely seriously”.

He added: “Our dedicated Rural Crime Action Team (RCAT) works closely with key partners, including Cambridgeshire Countryside Watch, Local Authorities, and the National Farmers’ Union (NFU), to prevent, deter and investigate offences affecting our rural communities.

“While RCAT is not a 24/7 resource, the team works proactively to build better capability across the force. Over the past year, we have delivered rural crime training alongside farmers to more than 330 police officers and staff, helping frontline colleagues better recognise rural crime trends, understand the impact these offences have on victims, and improve the initial response to incidents.”

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Sgt Nuttall added that the force also recognises that rural crime has a “significant impact” on farmers. The police are “committed” to supporting rural communities by preventing crime in the countryside.

Sgt Nuttall said: “There are a number of effective measures that can help reduce the risk of agricultural equipment being stolen, including fitting overt and covert tracking devices, investing in good quality CCTV, over securing equipment wherever possible, marking property with a unique identifier such as a postcode and surname, and retaining an accurate record of makes, models and serial numbers.

“Reducing rural crime is a shared responsibility. Effective outcomes rely not only on thorough police investigations, but also on crimes being reported, victims and witnesses supporting investigations where possible, and the wider criminal justice system being able to consider the evidence and impact presented.

“As with all investigations, we pursue all reasonable lines of enquiry to identify offenders, gather evidence, and present the strongest possible case to the Crown Prosecution Service where appropriate. Where cases proceed to court, decisions on guilt and sentencing are matters for the independent courts.”

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Success of Belfast Fleadh ‘a dream come true’ for organisers

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Success of Belfast Fleadh ‘a dream come true’ for organisers

“It’s exceeded all expectations for us because from the very outset we wanted all communities to be involved, and that has been our goal, and I think we have achieved it with the flute bands and the leadership of the bands forum that has ensured that all communities have been able to come in, feel welcome and to engage,” he said.

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Manchester United vs PSG LIVE score and goal updates as Bryan Mbeumo scores after Ibrahim Mbaye

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Manchester Evening News

Heaton

Spilt a Kvaratskhelia shot but up quickly 6

Mazraoui

Goal came down his side 5

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Maguire

Enjoyed a tuen away from Kvaratshkelia 7

Heaven

Wrong side for goal and hacked down Kvaratshkelia 5

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Shaw

Solid 6

Santos

Tidy on the ball 7

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Mount

Frustrating injury 5

Amad

Great pressing for the goal 7

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Lacey

Very lively 7

Dorgu

Looked sharp down the left 7

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Mbeumo

Poor until a great goal 7

T. Fletcher

Composed 6

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Amanda Knox says her murder trial evidence was ‘just vibes’ in comedy show | News UK

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Amanda Knox says her murder trial evidence was ‘just vibes’ in comedy show | News UK
Amanda, who was jailed for murder of student Meredith Kercher in 2009 but acquitted two years later, took to the stage for the first time at the gilded Balloon (Picture: AP)

Amanda Knox joked about dry-humping and said murder trial evidence was ‘vibes’ as she made her comedy debut at the Edinburgh Fringe.

Amanda, who was jailed for the murder of student Meredith Kercher in 2009 but acquitted two years later, took to the stage for the first time at the Gilded Balloon.

Meredith’s family have heaily criticised the show, saying she was treating her rape and murder as a joke.

But speaking to the packed room at the Fringe surrounded by children’s toys, Amanda said the murder was pinned on her because was ‘a little too theatre kid’.

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She even joked about her infamous kiss with her ex-boyfriend outside the crime scene in Italy, saying: ‘Even if I had been dry-humping his leg while making awkward eye contact with the lead detective, that would make me in heat, but it wouldn’t have made me a murderer.

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‘Even If my nickname were murder pussy, it wouldn’t make me a murderer.’

PASADENA, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 25: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) Comedian Amanda Knox performs at The Ice House Comedy Club on March 25, 2026 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Michael S. Schwartz/Getty Images for ABA)
(Picture: Michael S. Schwartz/Getty Images for ABA)

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Meredith’s sister Stephanie Kercher has launched a petition to cancel Knox’s stand-up show called ‘Cartwheel’ at the Edinburgh Fringe, claiming it treats her sister’s death as entertainment.

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But Amanda has defended the show, saying she believed that her former flatmate would have found it ‘funny’.

In the show, she described Meredith as ‘so much more sensible than me’, before adding: ‘After her murder, everyone was so intent on judging me’

A spokeswoman for Amanda Knox defended the performance, saying the petition made ‘false assumptions and mischaracterises the show’.

The petition, entitled ‘Stop the Amanda Knox “Cartwheel” performance at the Edinburgh Fringe’, has gathered almost 1,000 signatures in 48 hours ahead of Knox’s show debuting in Edinburgh this weekend.

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Gilded Balloon said it had no comment beyond a statement given last month in defence of hosting the show.

The sister of murdered student Meredith Kercher has backed a petition calling for the Edinburgh Fringe to cancel a show by Amanda Knox. Stephanie Kercher said she ?could not fathom? how rape and murder could be the subject of a comedy gig.
Meredith’s sister Stephanie Kercher has launched a petition to cancel Knox’s stand-up show (Picture: BBC)

It said: ‘The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is an open-access festival.

‘As a Fringe venue, we provide a platform for a wide range of voices, in line with the Fringe’s long-standing commitment to freedom of expression (within the confines of the law) and ensure our audiences can make informed choices.

‘Artists and companies choose to participate at our venue and take on the financial and creative responsibility for their work.

‘Amanda’s show is a one-woman piece exploring themes of motherhood, presented independently by her.’

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A spokeswoman for Amanda Knox said: ‘Cartwheel is a show about motherhood, raising a daughter in a world that is unfair and dangerous for women, and what it costs to be the kind of mother who tells her the truth about that.

‘Neither the author of this petition nor anyone who signed it has seen Cartwheel. The petition contains false assumptions and mischaracterises the show.

‘Cartwheel honours Meredith Kercher’s memory.

‘A petition to cancel a show no one has seen, on the grounds of false accusations intended to shame and vilify a wronged woman into silence, is not an argument against Cartwheel.

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‘It’s a fairly precise description of what Cartwheel is about and why it deserves to exist.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

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‘Green Boots’ could finally be brought home to wife after 30 years frozen on Everest. ‘I will ask: where were you?’

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‘Green Boots’ could finally be brought home to wife after 30 years frozen on Everest. ‘I will ask: where were you?’

Content warning: This article contains an image of a dead body

The remains of an Indian climber frozen on Mount Everest for 30 years could finally be brought home to his wife, who says she will ask: “Where were you all these years?”.

An expert rescue team from India is preparing to embark on a risky mission to recover what they believe are the remains of Dorje Morup, a 48-year-old who died in a blizzard during his team’s descent from the summit of the world’s tallest mountain in May 1996.

It was only this year that he was identified as ‘Green Boots’, owning to the distinctive lime-coloured Koflach footwear worn by the late climber whose body has been preserved in the ice at some 8,500 metres for the last three decades.

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Morup’s wife, Konchak Yangskit told the BBC that in all this time she and the family had never given up hope that her husband would one day return home.

“When he comes home, I will ask him: ‘Where were you all these years?’,” she said.

Authorities hope to send out a rescue mission to recover the body by September (Base camp pictured in 2024)
Authorities hope to send out a rescue mission to recover the body by September (Base camp pictured in 2024) (AFP/Getty)

Now aged around 75, she told the broadcaster it had been difficult to believe what had happened as she never had confirmation.

“Even though we organised cremation prayers at home, my heart refused to believe he had died,” she said. “I didn’t see his dead body, so it was difficult for me to believe it.”

Morup was part of a six-member expedition that was caught in a deadly storm near the summit in 1996 while trying to become the first Indian team to climb from the more challenging Chinese side.

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It has long been believed that the remains of the climber known as Green Boots belonged to Tsewang Paljor, another climber killed on the expedition.

But testimony from survivors and the location of the last known radio contact with the climbers have led the authorities to believe that the body actually belongs to Morup.

The Indo-Tibetan Border Police in June made a fresh appeal for a specialist high-altitude recovery agency to bring down the body from the Tibetan side of the mountain so they could confirm the hypothesis with DNA testing.

Authorities believe the remains of the climber known as ‘Green Boots’ may belong to Dorje Morup, who died on a climb 30 years ago
Authorities believe the remains of the climber known as ‘Green Boots’ may belong to Dorje Morup, who died on a climb 30 years ago (Wikimedia/@Maxwelljo40)

If the body is confirmed to belong to Morup, the remains will be given back to his family, the BBC reports. Morup’s son, Punchok Dorjai, said the family would want to hold a funeral for him in Ladakh’s capital, Leh.

Ms Yangskit told the broadcaster that the night before he left, her husband had promised to come back a hero and to make his country proud.

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“He asked me to take care of the kids and come to the airport to greet him on his return,” she said.

The remains of ‘Green Boots’ lie inside Everest’s ‘death zone’ above 8,000m, where harsh conditions make recovery missions extremely dangerous.

At that altitude, temperatures can drop to -40C and air pressure is so low that the body struggles to take in oxygen.

On the Chinese side of the mountain, where the ‘Green Boots’ body is, there are fewer supports and steeper slopes, complicating efforts, Sherpa sources told BBC News Nepali.

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Bright yellow tents in Mount Everest Base Camp in Nepal, in the Himalayas
Bright yellow tents in Mount Everest Base Camp in Nepal, in the Himalayas (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The operation is expected to be further complicated by the need to coordinate with Chinese authorities to transport the body across the Tibet-Nepal border, fly it to Kathmandu, and arrange repatriation to India.

The Indo Tibetan Border Police wants the body to be returned by September, the BBC reports, and is now looking for mountain rescue Sherpa groups to volunteer their services.

Do you have a story? Contact james.reynolds@independent.co.uk

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More than 20,000 people evacuated as wildfire spreads in western Canada

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Shootings at school and home in northeastern British Columbia leave 10 dead, including shooter

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — More than 20,000 people were ordered to leave their homes overnight in western Canada as a fast-moving wildfire grew rapidly and raced toward towns along British Columbia’s Okanagan Lake, destroying homes in its path.

The entire community of Summerland, home to about 12,000 people, was ordered evacuated, along with about 8,000 people in and around nearby Peachland. Officials had not determined how many homes were destroyed.

The Bald Range wildfire was first reported on Friday evening but grew to about 50 square kilometers (19 square miles) within hours, overwhelming the smaller community of Faulder and covering the roughly 15 kilometers (9 miles) to Summerland at extraordinary speed.

Erick Thompson, an emergency official with the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen, called it one of the “quickest-moving, fastest-growing” wildfires the region had experienced.

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Thompson eventually had to abandon the emergency operations center and evacuate his own family.

“I had to leave the EOC to come and get my family to leave this area. We’re heading south,” he said in a video posted early Saturday from his vehicle as traffic backed up around him.

Canada has endured increasingly destructive wildfire seasons in recent years, forcing mass evacuations and repeatedly sending smoke across large parts of Canada and the United States.

Videos posted on social media appeared to show multiple homes burning as residents fled along roads with flames on both sides.

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Homeowner Kerry Gold and her husband, Mike Elsinga, fled around 12:30 a.m. after watching flames spread beyond nearby mountains.

“It’s scary. It’s moving fast,” Gold said.

The couple, who recently moved from the city of Vancouver, had packed bags, prepared a carrier for their cat and planned to help a disabled friend evacuate.

“You want to stay here and protect your home, but you also don’t want to get caught in it,” Elsinga said.

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