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NewsBeat

Ukraine-Russia war latest: Russian oil depots hit after Putin launches ballistic missile attack on Kyiv

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Ukraine-Russia war latest: Russian oil depots hit after Putin launches ballistic missile attack on Kyiv
Smoke billows from Moscow warehouse after deadly Ukrainian attacks

Ukrainian forces have struck three oil depots and a fuel facility in Russia’s southern Stavropol region this morning, President Volodymyr Zelensky has said.

The Ukrainian president said three Russian “shadow fleet” tankers were also hit in the Black Sea.

It comes after a major Russian aerial assault on Kyiv and other cities this morning, which Ukrainian authorities said killed at least six people and injured 16 others.

The attack on Ukraine’s capital is believed to be the biggest ballistic missile attack of the war.

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The Kyiv government said firefighters were responding to blazes in five different districts after the attack, one of the biggest in recent weeks, hit residential buildings, office and industrial sites, a dormitory and vehicles.

Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said the raid involved “around four dozen” ballistic missiles, the largest number in a single attack since the war began.

The attack on Kyiv comes a day after Ukrainian drone strikes killed at least nine people at warehouses belonging to a major Russian shopping website.

Volodymyr Zelensky said the strikes targeted “significant logistical facilities”, accusing Wildberries of providing equipment for drones and navigation equipment for the Russian military.

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Comment: The West is preparing for the wrong post-war Russia

The West has long assumed pressure would force Russia to moderate or collapse. Both assumptions misunderstand how the Kremlin responds to weakness, says senior policy adviser Dan Sleat.

Nicole Wootton-Cane20 July 2026 03:00

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Ukraine buries its unknown soldiers as families wait for identification

In a military cemetery in Kyiv, a brother and sister walk between the crosses, carrying a bunch of carnations. Each cross in that section bears the same words: “unknown defender of Ukraine,” with an ID number below and a note that identification is ongoing.

One grave stands out: beneath the inscription, a photo was later attached, showing Ihor Yalynych, a soldier last seen alive in Kharkiv region in 2022. After four years of searching, Stanislav and Oleksandra Yalynych found their father.

Identification of the dead is a reckoning that will stretch on for years, among the longest-lasting wounds of Russia’s war in Ukraine. Some graves may remain nameless forever, with the families left to wait.

For most of the war, there was nowhere to bury the unidentified dead. The bodies lay in refrigerated storage while the national military cemetery was still being built. Even before the cemetery was completed in January, the first group of the unknown soldiers were laid to rest in August. More than 300 now lie beneath numbered crosses, with more graves being dug.

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Nicole Wootton-Cane20 July 2026 02:00

A US license could let Ukraine produce Patriot missiles, but it won’t be simple or quick

US President Donald Trump’s pledge to give Ukraine a license to produce Patriot air-defence systems could mark a major breakthrough for Kyiv, but experts and Ukrainian officials warn that turning the idea into real weapons would likely take years.

Speaking last week alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a Nato summit in Ankara, Turkey, Trump said the United States would allow Ukraine to make the US-designed systems that Kyiv has long sought to shield its cities and infrastructure from Russian missiles and drones.

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“We’ll give them the right to make Patriots. We’ll show them how to do it,” Trump said. “I think they can produce them pretty quickly.”

But the statement left open a crucial question: What exactly would Ukraine be allowed to produce?

Nicole Wootton-Cane20 July 2026 01:00

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I have visited Russia every year since the Ukraine war began. The mood has changed

The mood regarding the war in Ukraine has changed in recent months. Ukrainian drones have struck Russian oil infrastructure, causing fuel shortages across Russia. And the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, is exuberant about finishing the war from a “position of strength”.

The hope is that an economic crisis in Russia leads to social unrest and political instability, possibly resulting in the collapse of the ruling regime. This would not be an unprecedented event in Russian history. The Soviet Union rapidly unravelled amid economic and political crisis in 1991.

But how likely is this scenario for Russia today? Alexander Titov writes:

Nicole Wootton-Cane20 July 2026 00:00

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Watch: Outrage in Ukraine as Zelensky sacks defense minister after six months

Outrage in Ukraine as Zelensky sacks defense minister after six months

Nicole Wootton-Cane19 July 2026 23:00

How Storm Shadow missiles could be replaced by new UK strike weapons

Britain has successfully tested new long-range strike weapons, with the government aiming to deliver them to Ukraine within months to bolster its defence capabilities.

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The initiative, known as “Project Brakestop,” seeks to produce munitions more quickly and affordably than current systems like Storm Shadow missiles, with specifications including a 500km range, 225kg warhead, and speeds over 600km per hour.

Initial trials took place at a range in the Hebrides, involving three remaining suppliers – MBDA UK, MGI Engineering, and Rotron Aerospace – after a competitive development process that saw 27 industry bids.

Nicole Wootton-Cane19 July 2026 22:00

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Russian strike on cargo ship in Black Sea kills five, Kyiv says

Russian forces struck an international cargo vessel in the Black Sea off the coast of Ukraine’s southern city of Odesa, killing at least five crew members, Ukrainian officials said on Sunday.

The Guinea-Bissau-flagged ship had left port loaded with corn and was carrying a crew of 17 sailors from India and Syria, in addition to one Ukrainian, said Prime Minister Sergii Koretskyi.

Eight crew members were rescued from the vessel — which was still burning late ⁠on Sunday — and five remain missing, he added.

A Reuters witness in Odesa saw smoke billowing from a large vessel off the coast. Moscow has not publicly commented on Sunday’s strike. Russia has stepped up attacks in recent weeks on deepwater ports in southern Ukraine that handle much of the country’s grain and other critical cargo in the fifth year of war.

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“A civilian ship. An international crew. A route serving global food security. Putin saw another target,” acting Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote on X, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“This attack leaves no room for illusions. ‌Putin’s Russia does not care whom it ​kills.”

On Saturday, one person was killed when Russia attacked port infrastructure in Odesa, hitting a vessel under the flag of Antigua and Barbuda. A day earlier, three people were ‌killed in Russian ​strikes on Odesa and ‌Mykolaiv.

Holly Bancroft19 July 2026 21:26

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Protesters rally in Kyiv as Zelensky moves to oust Ukraine’s defense minister

Protesters gathered in downtown Kyiv earlier this week after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky moved to dismiss his defence minister, as parliament convened to appoint a new prime minister as part of a major government reshuffle.

The shake-up could become a test of Zelensky’s political authority as Ukraine’s fight against Russia’s full-scale invasion approaches four and a half years.

Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, 35, is considered to be a moderniser whose technological expertise is credited in part with a significant improvement in Ukraine’s military performance in recent months against Russia’s bigger army. He was expected to leave the government after just six months in the post.

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You can read more about the protests below:

Nicole Wootton-Cane19 July 2026 21:00

Recap: Russia pounds Kyiv with 41 different types of missiles in overnight attack

Russia hit Kyiv with an overnight onslaught involving 41 different types of missiles in the early hours of Sunday morning, Volodymyr Zelensky said.

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Residential buildings, warehouses, a supermarket and a dormitory were among the structures damaged, said Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, adding that three people were ⁠in a serious condition.

At one location in western Kyiv, emergency workers picked through smouldering debris ⁠and doused bombed-out apartments.

Closer to the city centre, the strikes damaged a frequently targeted metro ‌station and destroyed an underground pedestrian passage nearby, leaving a pile of ‌rubble.

A weapons officer checks the missile parts at the metro station after a large-scale attack overnight
A weapons officer checks the missile parts at the metro station after a large-scale attack overnight (Getty)

Nicole Wootton-Cane19 July 2026 20:00

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Kyiv residents react to Russian strikes

Residents in Kyiv have spoken of their determination and fear after Russia launched an overnight onslaught of strikes on the capital.

A resident who identified himself as Vlad told Reuters he had been inside his ​apartment when ⁠a blast tore off his balcony door, which ‌smashed him in the head.

“My grandmother lives with me, and she can’t walk. How could I run away and leave her behind?” he said.

Others continued ordinary life with quiet resilience. Later on Sunday, ⁠workers cleared rubble from around the damaged Kyiv metro station and caved-in underpass as passersby looked on, ⁠seemingly unfazed.

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Fruit vendors resumed business as usual in their makeshift stalls as an excavator poured debris into a dump truck in the background.

“Kyiv will ‌flourish,” said Iryna Lomeyko, 68, ​hinting at the stubborn normality of a neighbourhood that has ‌been heavily damaged by repeated Russian strikes.

“Those idiots destroy ​everything, but we’ll repair it and build anew,” she added. “Everything will be alright.”

Nicole Wootton-Cane19 July 2026 19:00

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Woman ‘love rival’, 70, is charged over killing of Brit expat Karen Carter at her French Dordogne village home

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Karen Carter, 65, was found outside a property she ran in the village of Trémolat, east of Bordeaux

A 70-year-old woman has been charged over the killing of British expat Karen Carter, who was found stabbed to death at her French home over a year ago. 

Carter, 65, was attacked at the property in the village of Trémolat in Dordogne on April 29 last year. 

The mother-of-four had been on the verge of divorcing her South Africa-based husband, Alan Carter, now 66, while at the same time seeing Jean-François Guerrier, a 75-year-old retired business executive who lived close to her French home.

The investigation into her killing was mired in mystery, but local media reported that a woman has now been formally charged with Carter’s murder. 

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The public prosecutor of Périgueux, Jacques-Edouard Andrault, told Sud Ouest: ‘On July 2nd, the investigating judge in Périgueux formally charged a woman with murder.

‘This 70-year-old woman, originally from Trémolat, was taken into custody on April 30, 2025, during a preliminary investigation before being released.’

The prosecutor added: ‘Since then, the investigations conducted as part of the judicial inquiry opened on May 7, 2025 have led the investigating judge to indict her.’

Dordogne Libre, a local French paper, reported that the woman who was arrested was known in this case for having ‘unrequited feelings’ for Guerrier, and frequented the same community café as Carter. 

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It was previously reported that she was held for 48 hours after the incident, before before being released after ‘checks regarding her whereabouts.’ 

Carter died in front of the guesthouse she opened in the tranquil village. 

Investigators said at the time she had been stabbed eight times, with one blow ‘penetrating the aorta.’

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Karen Carter, 65, was found outside a property she ran in the village of Trémolat, east of Bordeaux 

Carter, 65, was attacked at the property (pictured) in the village of Trémolat in Dordogne on April 29 last year 

The home of Karen Carter, a 65-year-old married mother of four who was found outside the property she ran in the village of Trémolat

The home of Karen Carter, a 65-year-old married mother of four who was found outside the property she ran in the village of Trémolat

They added that the cause of her death was a ‘massive haemorrhage.’ 

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The public prosecutor said the ‘judicial inquiry is continuing.’ 

Her lover, Guerrier, had hosted a wine tasting party on the day Ms Carter died, and later followed her to her home in his car.

When he got there he found her lying in a pool of blood, before she was declared dead at the scene by emergency workers.

Mr Guerrier first said he was concerned that his lover had not telephoned him on reaching her house, which was just 10 minutes away from his.

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He then told police he ‘had come to spend the night at Karen’s’, leaked interview notes revealed. 

Ms Carter was said to have divided her time between France and South Africa. She and her husband owned their property, called Les Chouettes, for 15 years. 

The farmhouse and barn sleeps 16 in total and was a popular holiday rental. The couple owned two other properties near Trémolat.

The couple had four adult children together – two daughters and two sons – who live in the UK, America, Australia and South Africa. 

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On the day of her death, Carter had trained with her football team, comprising women aged between 50 and 70.

Later that evening, she attended a wine tasting soirée at Cafe Village – a bar which acts as a community hub, where she occasionally volunteered.

Two days before her murder, on her 65th birthday, Karen Carter (pictured) posed for what is believed to be her last ever photograph while out for lunch with friends

Two days before her murder, on her 65th birthday, Karen Carter (pictured) posed for what is believed to be her last ever photograph while out for lunch with friends

The 65-year-old was attacked at the property (pictured) in the village of Trémolat in Dordogne on April 29 last year

The 65-year-old was attacked at the property (pictured) in the village of Trémolat in Dordogne on April 29 last year

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Before she left, Guerrier asked her to call him when she got home so he knew she was safe.

But when no such call was made, he drove to Carter’s home and found her body.

Despite the best efforts of medics, she died at the scene from severe blood loss.

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‘Lessons to be learned’ after York student’s river death

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Evan d’Andilly drowned after entering the River Ouse from Ouse Bridge four days before his 20th birthday on March 5, 2025, an inquest heard.

In a narrative conclusion, coroner Jonathan Leach said police, fire crews and the York Rescue Boat were called to the scene but Evan’s life “could not be saved”.

Evan D’Andilly who drowned after entering the River Ouse in York on March 5, 2025 (Image: Family)

During the inquest, concerns were raised by Evan’s family members about the more than 10 minutes it took to launch the York Rescue Boat to get to Evan.

Evan had already been in the freezing water for 10 minutes when the rescue boat was called, the inquest heard.

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The hearing was told Evan, who had drifted into the middle of the river after entering the water, stayed above the water for 20 minutes but throw lines were not long enough to reach him.

Police search the River Ouse in York for Evan d’Andilly on March 5, 2025 (Image: Newsquest)

It was also told that North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue relies on the volunteer-run York Rescue Boat for water rescues in York, as the fire service’s nearest rescue boats are in Selby and Malton.

The fire service requested its boat from Selby to help rescue Evan, but the boat did not arrive until 3.37am – 14 minutes after the last sighting of Evan.

Speaking outside Northallerton Coroners’ Court on Wednesday (July 22), Evan’s father, Gordon d’Andilly, said there was “no doubt” that Evan could still be alive if other assets, such as a York-based fire rescue boat, were available to the emergency services. 

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Gordon d’Andilly and his fiancé Teresa Widd speak to the media outside Northallerton Coroners’ Court on Wednesday (July 22) (Image: Dylan Connell)

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said it has improved its emergency equipment since Evan’s death.

Mr d’Andilly stressed that he had “nothing but praise and thanks” for the emergency services who worked to rescue his son but said: “In relation to the assets that are available [to the emergency services], my opinion differs. It’s become apparent that the resources that first of all the police thought were available, aren’t there.

“By that, I mean the [fire service’s] York rescue boat that was previously in York was decommissioned a number of years before.”

He questioned why the fire service did not have its own rescue boat stationed in York, saying: “If you’ve got an issue in your house with the plumbing and there’s a leak downstairs but you have the fittings upstairs, you’re going to move the fittings to where the actual issue is.

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“York is an issue … That’s difficult to live with.”


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Mr d’Andilly’s fiancée, Teresa Widd, said it was revealed during the inquest that York’s fire crews are only trained for riverbank rescues, meaning they are not trained to enter the water for rescues.

She added that the fire service’s own rescue boats are based in other areas such as Malton and Selby.

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“People can’t survive for long [in cold water],” she said. “So why are those resources so far away from York?”

Mr d’Andilly added: “I hope lessons can be learned and this inquest can service its purpose – preventing further families from having to go through what we’ve had to.

“We miss Evan terribly, and we will love him always.”

He urged anyone with children to “give your kids a hug”.

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Lorraine d’Andilly speaks to the media outside Northallerton Coroners’ Court on Wednesday (July 22) (Image: Dylan Connell)

Speaking after the inquest, Evan’s mother, Lorraine d’Andilly, said Evan was “so much more than the circumstances of his death”.

“He was an awesome human being,” she said. “Kind, loving, generous and incredibly funny.

“He brought joy to so many people and he is deeply loved and deeply missed every single day.

“He filled our lives with laughter and his death has left a space that can never be filled.

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“He had so much life ahead of him and he should still be with us today.”

‘Evan’s life mattered and we remain committed to ensuring that his legacy is one of learning, compassion and positive change’

She added: “Nothing can bring Evan back – no finding today can ever lessen the pain of losing him or undo the devastation that our family has endured.

“But acknowledging what went wrong is an essential step towards accountability.

“And, more importantly, towards preventing another family from suffering the same heartbreak.

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“Evan’s life mattered and we remain committed to ensuring that his legacy is one of learning, compassion and positive change,” she continued. “We would like to thank everyone who has stood beside us during this horrendous time.”

A North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: “Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Evan D’Andilly following the conclusion of the inquest into his death. We recognise the profound loss they have suffered and the impact this tragedy has had on those who responded and on the wider community.

“We remain committed to working with our partners to learn from incidents, reduce risk and help keep people safe around North Yorkshire and York’s rivers and waterways.

“Water safety is a shared responsibility, and alongside ongoing prevention campaigns and community education, we continue to strengthen our response capability.

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“North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service operates six Swift Water Rescue stations and a powered rescue boat based in Selby, with resources positioned across the county to respond to flooding and water rescue emergencies.

“In York, we have recently enhanced our provision through additional bankside extended pole and reach lines and the imminent rollout of Fast Rescue Deployment Devices (FReDs) to York and Acomb stations.

“Together with the specialist capabilities provided by York Rescue Boat in conjunction with the Service, these improvements strengthen the response available along the city’s waterways.”

A North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: “First and foremost, our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Evan d’Andilly.

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“The tragic death of Evan is felt deeply by all our officers and staff who, under extremely difficult circumstances, tried to save him.

“The findings of the inquest will be carefully reviewed by all the emergency services and partner agencies involved in the response.”

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Bedhampton home opens community ‘Cool Space’ for local people during the heatwave

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Bedhampton home opens community ‘Cool Space’ for local people during the heatwave

Portsdown View, a luxury care home in Bedhampton, recently opened its doors to anyone in the community seeking shelter from the heatwave. Visitors were invited to relax in the home’s air-conditioned communal spaces, enjoy complimentary refreshments, make use of its facilities, and spend time getting to know the residents.

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Modelling scout and suspected Epstein pimp is found dead at his Paris home after name appeared more than a thousand times in declassified files

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Daniel Siad, 69, (pictured) was one of several French men accused of aiding Epstein to traffic and abuse women

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A French modelling scout with close ties to the late US financier Jeffrey Epstein has been found dead at his home outside Paris, prosecutors said on Wednesday.

Under investigation in France, Daniel Siad, 69, was one of several French men accused of aiding Epstein to traffic and abuse women.

Siad had not yet been questioned by investigators, but had denied the allegations, saying he wanted to be heard and give his version of events.

‘An investigation to determine the cause of death was opened on Monday evening following the discovery,’ the Nanterre prosecutor’s office said.

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An autopsy will be carried out as part of the probe, after he was found dead in his home in Colombes, Hauts-de-Seine. 

Facing several complaints, including allegations of rape, Siad was the subject of an investigation conducted by the office specialising in combating human trafficking.

Siad’s name appeared in more than 1,000 documents released as part of the declassified Epstein files.

He likened his efforts to recruit women to fishing.

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Daniel Siad, 69, (pictured) was one of several French men accused of aiding Epstein to traffic and abuse women

Siad claimed before his death that he only knew Jeffrey Epstein (pictured) in a professional capacity

Siad claimed before his death that he only knew Jeffrey Epstein (pictured) in a professional capacity 

‘In This busyness I feel like fisherman some time I cache quick, some time no fish,’ Siad wrote to Epstein in 2014.

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Siad had insisted that the American convicted sex offender had ‘taken advantage of his trust’.

Born in Algeria, he allegedly acted as a pimp for Epstein, working with him from the early 2000s to 2017. 

He scouted models from across the world. In 2022, a French woman told police how she had been caught in Epstein’s grasp after Siad introduced her to the paedophile financier. 

And in May, Siad told French media that he knew and connected young women to Epstein. 

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Despite this, he claimed that Epstein always presented himself in a professional manner as a casting director for Victoria’s Secret. 

He told CNN last month he always ‘trusted’ Epstein and only had a business relationship with him. 

Siad claimed: ‘I trust in him, I believe him. This guy is a professional person – he needs somebody. He knows I have good connections around. 

Jeffrey Epstein (pictured, centre, with two unknown women) was infamous for controlling the women in his life

Jeffrey Epstein (pictured, centre, with two unknown women) was infamous for controlling the women in his life

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Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell seen in an undated photo

Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell seen in an undated photo

‘If I find the right person who can assist him, I am honoured.’ 

The now-dead model scout said that he visited Epstein’s £10million Paris flat, nicknamed Avenue Foch, but only went for business meetings. 

He claimed: ‘Each time I presented him with models, and I left with the models.

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‘I only had professional relations with him. I don’t know his private life.’ 

French authorities in 2020 arrested modelling agent Jean-Luc Brunel after allegations he procured women for the US billionaire. He was found dead in prison in 2022.

Epstein died in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking.

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Lily Allen’s ‘raw and intimate’ new documentary is coming to Prime Video

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Daily Mirror

Lily Allen’s phenomenal musical comeback with West End Girl caused quite the stir.

Lily Allen fans will see the star as “she’s never been seen before” in a “redefining” new documentary.

Pop star Lily Allen was a cultural icon in the noughties, and was recently catapulted back into the spotlight after an eight-year break, thanks to her scandalous hit album West End Girl.

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Now, the Not Fair singer is at the heart of an upcoming biographical documentary “offering an intimate portrait of the life and career of a global icon and voice of a generation”.

Set to be released on Prime Video, the film will take a deep dive into her “extraordinary journey” and why she has remained a cultural force for the past two decades.

The special will feature interviews from those closest to the star to give subscribers a real insight into the musical legend’s life away from the cameras.

The official synopsis teases: “As a pioneering woman in modern music, Lily’s sharp wit and candid storytelling directly paved the way for a generation of today’s biggest female artists.

“This is a story of resilience, reinvention, and an artist reclaiming her narrative on her own terms.

“This is Lily Allen as she’s never been seen before. Raw, real, and redefining what it means to thrive in the spotlight.”

So far, a release date for the Lily Allen documentary hasn’t been confirmed by Prime Video but it will be sometime in 2027.

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Her shocking fifth studio album West End Girl was written following the collapse of her marriage to Stranger Things star David Harbour.

The famous couple first started dating in 2019, got married the following year and separated in 2025.

In her 14-track West End Girl album, she accuses Harbour of infidelity and talks about their open marriage agreement.

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Harbour has since addressed the album in an interview with Variety, saying “stories are complex” and that “it wasn’t my experience”. Nevertheless, he does “respect her creation of art to channel her experience”.

The Lily Allen documentary will air sometime in 2027 on Prime Video.

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Bolton in the spotlight as McVitie’s shoots Jaffa Cakes campaign

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Bolton in the spotlight as McVitie’s shoots Jaffa Cakes campaign

Le Mans Crescent was packed with cameras, cast members and production crews as filming got underway for the iconic brand.

Actors promoting Jaffa Cakes mingled with performers in racing gear, who dashed through the crescent to the cheers of assembled crowds.

Filming for Jaffa advert in Le Mans Crescent (Image: NQ)

Colourful racers sprinted through the historic crescent while crowds cheered them on, creating a scene that was more Hollywood than Hobnob.

The campaign transformed one of Bolton’s most iconic locations into a film set, leaving passers-by with plenty to digest.

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McVitie’s is one of the UK’s best-known food brands owning various biscuit favourites such as Jaffa Cakes, Hobnobs and Digestives.

The Bolton shoot forms part of a wider production being filmed across several locations throughout the UK, with crews scheduled to wrap up work in the town later today.

Location Manager, Chris, praised the support the production team received locally and said Bolton had once again proved itself an ideal filming destination.

Filming for Jaffa advert in Le Mans Crescent (Image: NQ)

He said: “We’ve had great support from Bolton Council with this because it was a very tight turnaround.

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“I work in Manchester a lot and come to Bolton quite a bit and it’s always nice to come up here because the response we get from the people of the town is just great.

“It’s a lovely place to film.”

According to the team, viewers should be able to see the brand-new advert on TV screens very soon.

Passers-by stopped to watch the action unfold throughout the morning, with many curious to discover which company was behind the production.

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The filming is just one of many shoots over the last few months as Bolton has been recently celebrated as the new ‘Hollywood of the North’ which has helped make £1.2m for the borough economy.

Le Mans Crescent in particular has become one of Bolton’s most recognisable filming locations.

The landmark setting has featured in a range of major productions over the years, including Peaky Blinders and Coronation Street, while the old Bolton Magistrates’ Court has regularly been used for courtroom scenes in television dramas.

Early in the month crews were spotted filming The Woods, a new Netflix programme by Harlan Coben with the popular streaming giant announcing it was adapting another one of the bestselling author’s novels.

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According to the team, viewers should not have to wait too long before spotting the new McVitie’s advert on their television screens.

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What the lotus flower reveals about veteran PTSD in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey

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What the lotus flower reveals about veteran PTSD in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey

Warning: this article contains spoilers for Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey.

In Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, Odysseus (played by Matt Damon) is lost not only at sea, but within his own memories. On the island of the nymph Calypso (Charlize Theron), eating lotus flowers offers him relief from the trauma of Troy, allowing him to forget the war, his comrades – and eventually even his wife and son.

While it’s a point of focus in Nolan’s film, the episode of the so-called “Lotus eaters” is, in the scheme of Homer’s Odyssey, very minor. Occupying scarcely more than 20 lines of verse in a poem of over 12,000, the story of the magical, memory-wiping fruit is no more than an unfortunate escapade.

The cyclops, in the economy of the poem, is far more significant. The famous trick, by which Odysseus makes the cyclops believe he is called “Nobody”, rendering the creature’s cries for help useless (“Nobody is attacking me!”), encourages Odysseus, at a safe distance, to reveal his name. The cyclops’ subsequent curse becomes a major motive force for the rest of the poem.

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Christopher Nolan’s new film adaptation of the Odyssey has reversed this. Although the cyclops still represents the clash of civilisation and brutishness, the episode in the film is relegated to a symptom of a wider problem.




À lire aussi :
Can we map The Odyssey? How ancient geographers and modern researchers have traced Odysseus’s travels


When finally reunited with his wife, Penelope (Anne Hathaway), Odysseus confesses his guilt over the destruction of Troy. To trick a people into accepting a gift – the Trojan horse – which spells their doom, in the name of the goddess Athena, is to violate the divine sanctions that keep human behaviour decent. If the cyclops does not know “the laws of Zeus” (in Greek, xenia: the bonds of behaviour between guest and host), what of it? The Trojan war has collapsed any meaning these notions once had anyway.

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The trailer for The Odyssey.

Into the gap steps the lotus – in Nolan’s film it’s a flower, and not a fruit as in Homer’s poem. In Nolan’s film, the magic flower is used by Calypso to purge Odysseus’ trauma. What she unleashes is, however, a crippling addiction. Only through painstaking narrative can Odysseus slowly piece together the memory of his men, and only by touching an artefact from his past can his memory of his wife be restored. The whole first half of the film, then, is a lotus-induced dream.

The traumatic Odyssey

How are we to handle memories we do not like? If you could remove them, would you? For many, memories are so painful that chemical remedies are sought.

Among UK veterans of combat, 11% have reported alcohol misuse problems. In the US, some million veterans suffer from addictions to alcohol or drugs.

Nolan’s Odysseus is a commentary on this. Confronted with a world he has played a pivotal role in destroying, Odysseus loses himself in lotus addiction. Calypso’s motives are left tantalisingly ambiguous. Part nursemaid, part temptress (but somewhat sexless in comparison with Homer’s version), she regulates the supply of the drug she has introduced him to (we see her both encourage and forbid the use of lotus).

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Odysseus is depicted as fairly passive during Nolan’s scenes of the sack of Troy.
Universal Studios

Both forgetting and memory have their pitfalls. Neither the bitterness of dwelling on a lost past, nor the blanking out of suffering, are the same as healing. In Homer’s Odyssey, a pivotal moment features Odysseus listening to a singer tell the story of the Trojan war at a banquet. It’s the only time Homer actually mentions the notorious wooden horse. Much is made of Odysseus’ response: he covers his face and he weeps. The song of the Sirens too introduces Odysseus to pain and regret, to memory both lost and betrayed.

In the film, unlike the poem, narrative therapy – the telling of the tale – does not suffice. The solution is rather the rediscovery of powerlessness – of a small human’s place in a vast world. Nolan’s Odysseus is a figure of controlling power, whether successfully, in the case of the attack on the Cyclops, or unsuccessfully, as Circe (Samantha Morton) implies when his men raid her home. Research has found that surf therapy can help veterans suffering with PTSD. In a similar way, Odysseus’s trauma is healed by understanding, and yielding to, what he cannot control after all.

Odysseus is described by Homer in the first line of the poem as polutropos: “of many turns”, “complicated”, “resourceful” – the word is notoriously untranslatable. Whatever this means, in Nolan’s imagination, Odysseus is not a warrior. He is a culture hero – a figure who changes the world – and it is responsibility for the downfall of a culture which has marked him with trauma.

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Paintings by Hartlepool artist capture North East life in new exhibit

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Paintings by Hartlepool artist capture North East life in new exhibit

Stanley Davison: A Decade in Paint at Hartlepool Art Gallery will run until Saturday, October 10, bringing together paintings produced by the self-taught Hartlepool artist over the past ten years.

The exhibition features a wide range of works inspired by the town and its history, with recognisable locations including Fish Sands, the old cemetery on the Headland, the derelict Steetley Pier and Hartlepool harbour all appearing in the collection.

An example of the work by Davison that will be on show in Hartlepool Art Exhibition. (Image: Stanley Davison, Hartlepool Art Gallery)

Many of the paintings on display are rooted in local life, drawing inspiration from family, friends and familiar faces from across Hartlepool.

A distinctive feature of Stanley’s work is his use of artists’ mannequins and shop-window figures instead of human subjects.

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The recurring characters give the paintings a unique quality, creating scenes that range from playful and imaginative to reflective and thought-provoking.

The exhibition also includes inventive reworkings of famous paintings by artists such as Caravaggio, Velázquez and Cézanne, reimagined in contemporary Hartlepool settings and featuring local people.

An example of the work by Davison that will be on show in Hartlepool Art Exhibition. (Image: Stanley Davison, Hartlepool Art Gallery)

Stanley said: “I’ve been painting since I was ten years old and I’ve never really stopped, in digs, in the sitting room and in a box bedroom with the easel fixed to the wall.

“Everything I paint comes from this place and the people in it, family, friends, people I’ve worked with and drunk with over the years.

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“I had my first exhibition here in Hartlepool in 1981 and it’s good to be sharing my work here again.”

Visitors to the gallery will also have the chance to buy any of the paintings on display.

Councillor Rob Darby, chairman of Hartlepool Borough Council’s Housing, Growth and Communities Committee, said the exhibition highlights both the town’s heritage and the talent of one of its artists.

“Stanley’s work captures the spirit, character and history of Hartlepool in a truly distinctive way,” he said.

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“This exhibition is a fantastic opportunity for residents and visitors alike to enjoy, and even buy, the work of a very talented local artist whose paintings celebrate the town, its heritage and its people.

“We are delighted to welcome this major exhibition to Hartlepool Art Gallery, and I would encourage everyone to come along and see it.”

Entry to the exhibition is free.

Hartlepool Art Gallery is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 4pm.

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Olivia Attwood leaves fans ‘obsessed’ with Pete Wicks glimpse

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Manchester Evening News

Fans are definitely enjoying the couple

Olivia Attwood has left fans “obsessed” as they catch another glimpse of Pete Wicks following their “hard launch”.

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The 35-year-old TV star recently split from the footballer after two years of marriage, but Olivia has since opened up about the details which led to their split after over ten years.

The Loose Women star first met Bradley at a nightclub back in 2015. Olivia went on to star in Love Island in 2017, but Olivia and the footballer reconciled after her short romance with fellow Islander Chris Hughes came to an end.

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Bradley popped the question in Dubai in 2019 and the pair got married in June 2023 at the luxury five-star hotel Bulgari in Knightsbridge, and have since been living together in Cheshire.

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Since the split, Olivia has been seen with good friend and Sunday Roast podcast co-host Pete Wicks. While their relationship status remains a secret from the public, photos of Olivia and Staying Relevant podcast host Pete emerged last month of them enjoying a romantic holiday at a resort in the south of France.

Now, the pair have been seen ditching the UK together again. Olivia is currently out in Ibiza and has been joined by Pete and her pals for the trip. But she’s also been surprised by her sister, Georgia, with her arrival on the party island kept a secret from the Loose Women star until her arrival.

Taking to Instagram, Olivia shared a video of the moment she was approached by her sibling, having no idea she would be joining them. The TV star screamed before she launched from her seat in shock, and that’s when the camera moved to show Pete sitting next to her at the table.

Since then, Pete posted a set of black and white pictures showing off their sizzling romance. The first black and white snap saw them lying together on a yacht while sailing across the water, and another showed Olivia lying in Pete’s lap as he kissed the top of her head.

Discussing their latest trip together, Pete gushed: “It was wonderful to see her, it has been two and a half weeks…. so we had a fabulous time, I have really hurt my back, because I was backflipping off boats, we went for lovely dinners, we went to clubs, we drank a lot.

“It was magical, is probably the best way to describe it. Obviously, she’d been out there filming for a couple of weeks so I hadn’t seen her, so yeah, and I really missed her and it was lovely.”

Now that their relationship is seemingly public, fans have been excited over catching the odd glimpse of Pete as Olivia shares carousel images of her trip away.

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One fan penned: “So obsessed with you two”, as another agreed: “I am loving this new chapter of your life so much (sic) obsessed with love xx”.

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Ex-Southern Water chief charged over ‘efforts to manipulate water quality tests’

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Ex-Southern Water chief charged over ‘efforts to manipulate water quality tests’

Wright, 61, of Haslemere, Surrey, Barker, 58, of Chiltington, West Sussex, 65-year-old Massey, of Brandhill, Shropshire, and 64-year-old Gregory, of Southampton, are accused of conspiring to implement artificial no-flow events at waste water treatment works between 2012 and 2017.

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