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DOJ Says 15 Police Officers ‘Under Restricted Duty’ due to Involvement in Missing Sabungeros Case

Families of Missing Sabungeros Meet w/ DOJ Secretary Boying Remulla DOJ – The Department of Justice claimed that 15 police officers are currently under “restricted duty” over the missing sabungeros case. A whistleblower identified as alias “Totoy” implicated Chinese-Filipino business giant Charlie Ang or more popularly known as Atong Ang and former actress Gretchen Barretto ... Read more

The post DOJ Says 15 Police Officers ‘Under Restricted Duty’ due to Involvement in Missing Sabungeros Case appeared first on PhilNews.

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Love Island shock as huge pop star enters the villa for sexy performance

An image collage containing 1 images, Image 1 shows Two laughing women on Love Island

THE Love Island stars are in for a treat, and so are viewers at home, when a HUGE pop star enters the famous villa.

It’s been an explosive few days with love triangles, people being dumped and furious rows, so the Islanders could do with a bit of fun.

Love Island cast around a fire pit.
Rex
The Love Island stars are set to get a big surprise[/caption]
EROTEME.CO.UK FOR UK SALES: Contact Caroline 00 44208 374 8542 If bylined must credit ITV2 Love Island Picture Shows: The heart rate challenge. The results. The girls - Meg, Alima, Helena, Shakira, Emily, Toni and Yasmin. The boys - Dejon, Tommy, Ben, Conor, Harry, Harrison and Giorgio. NON-EXCLUSIVE Date: Monday 30th June 2025 Job: 250630UT14 London, UK EROTEME.CO.UK Disclaimer note of Eroteme Ltd: Eroteme Ltd does not claim copyright for this image. This image is merely a supply image and payment will be on supply/usage fee only.
The Islanders are being treated to a performance by a VERY famous pop star
ITV
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MAY 23: Katy B performs during day 1 of BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend at Sefton Park on May 23, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Joseph Okpako/WireImage)
The Sun can reveal Katy B is recording a performance in the villa TONIGHT
ITV
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MAY 23: Katy B performs during day 1 of BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend at Sefton Park on May 23, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Joseph Okpako/WireImage)
The singer will belt out a surprise set for the Islanders
Getty

The Sun can exclusively reveal that singer Katy B will be strutting her stuff into the villa, for a surprise set.

Insiders tell us that the singer will be filming in the villa tonight, as the Islanders get treated to a performance.

The Katy On a Mission hitmaker will be seen belting out all her biggest songs, as the Islanders dance along.

Over the years the villa has seen some HUGE stars perform, including Craig David, Jason Derulo and Rita Ora.

As the performance is being filmed tonight, this could mean it will play out on Sunday night’s episode.

CASA AMOR RETURN

Katy’s performance could also coincide with the return of Casa Amor, which The Sun confirmed today will start on Sunday.

The fan-favourite part of the show sees a whole host of stunning bombshells introduced to test the current Islanders.

Viewers will see the iconic Casa Amor neon light flicker on as a teaser at the end of tonight’s show.

And with the current crop of stars struggling to form genuine connections, it’s likely to cause complete chaos.

There was already a taste of what to expect from the second villa earlier in the series when four stars spent time away for the Sleepover.

On that occasion, four new arrivals moved into the Casa villa – but only one, Gio Russo, made it back into the original villa.

The repercussions of the villa switch-up were brutal, with Remell Mullins paying a high price for his decision.

The Islander looked set to recouple with new girl Poppy Farnan after snogging and cuddling her the whole time.

But, at the last minute, he changed his mind and decided to stick with Alima Gagio.

Her relief quickly turned to despair when Helena Ford, who was also with him at the Sleepover, told her how he’d been behaving.

Alima moved quickly to call things off and it wasn’t long after that Remell was sent packing from the show altogether, with Alima not far behind.

Casa Amor neon sign on a Love Island set.
Casa Amor is coming back on Sunday night
Rex

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Solon wants debt relief for modern jeepney drivers

MANILA, Philippines — A neophyte lawmaker has proposed condoning all loans related to the Public Transport Modernization Program (PTMP) that were incurred by public utility jeepney (PUJ) drivers and operators, now financially distressed. FPJ Panday Bayanihan party-list Rep. Brian Poe said he has filed a bill on Thursday — the proposed Jeepney Drivers’ Debt Forgiveness

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I’m raging after catching my neighbour STEALING electricity & this was after they caused our water to be cut off too

A WOMAN was left shocked after discovering that her neighbour has been stealing her electricity.

The 29-year-old revealed that she recently moved to a new city with her husband and one-year-old child – and problems started to arise with her neighbour.

Image of a security camera and an extension cord plugged into a neighbor's house, along with text messages about the electricity theft.
Reddit
A woman was left shocked after discovering her neighbour was stealing electricity from her[/caption]

She explained that they live in a semi-detached building, and share a wall with their neighbour, who is in their late 40s or early 50s.

The first issue they had with the neighbour is that she didn’t pay her half of the water bill, and as they share one water metre, it was cut off.

The US-based woman wrote on Reddit: “We didn’t make it a big deal about the water because it was resolved and turned back on the same day. 

“We’ve given a lot of grace considering she smokes weed and it seeps through that wall so you can smell it through our restroom and child’s room.”

Things reached a head when they spotted she had been stealing electricity from them by plugging in a lead to go to her house.

They immediately texted her asking what was going on, and her replies were rather emotional.

She replied saying: “I’ll unplug asap, and I’ll come right over to tell [sic] to you.

“It’s been the worst week and I don’t know how much more I can take.”

She added in a later text: “I’m at my wits end.

“Everything is falling apart and my daughter won’t help me.

“My electric bill is 2000 dollars because I went the whole year without paying everything myself.

“I’m paralyzed and I’ll be sitting in the dark again in about 2 hours. 

“NOONE can help me. And I’m so tired, I can’t ask anyone for anything else. I’ll be homeless.”

The woman whose electricity was being stolen said they were also going through a hardship.

She texted back: “I feel like we’ve been respectful neighbors to you and would appreciate to be treated the same way.

“If you could have simply asked us out of respect we would have worked some type of agreement with you. 

“I understand you’re going through hardship but we are too. 

Text messages showing a dispute between neighbors over electricity theft.
Reddit
The woman replied saying she felt like the neighbour had taken advantage of her[/caption]

“And we feel like you plugging into our electricity without asking is taking advantage of us thinking we’re just a dumb young couple who won’t notice. 

“I understand you have a child you’re taking care of but we have a baby we’re trying to better provide for.”

They explained that they would be now letting the property management handle the situation. 

Screenshot of text messages showing a conversation between neighbors about electricity usage.
Reddit
The neighbour offered to pay $100 for the electricity[/caption]

PAY BACK

In response to this, the neighbour said she had been “embarrassed” to ask for help, and offered them $100 to pay them back for the electricity.

Many people were shocked at the encounter, with one saying: “She shamelessly plugged it in but too scared to admit fault. Instead of just owning up to her mistake, she’s whining about how awful things have been for her. Coward.”

Another added: “There was no mistake here. What she did was very deliberate and had her sob story ready to go to guilt the neighbor into letting her continue to leech.”

I had a two-year bin war with my next door neighbour

Gemma Smith and Sophie Wood were engaged in a weekly feud for a year over their wheelie bins.

When Gemma moved next door to Sophie, 34, who is unemployed, in November 2020 they were civil to one another.

Gemma, who is single and doesn’t work due to stress, says: “Sophie seemed nice and we’d stop and exchange pleasantries.

“But it all changed at the beginning of 2022, when Sophie’s bin was full and she put her rubbish bag in mine.

“I took it out and put it on top of her bin.

“It fell off, gulls pecked at it and there was rubbish everywhere.”

Both women refused to clear up the mess, claiming it was the other one’s fault.

Gemma says: “I felt so angry.

“There was cat litter spread all over my drive — it was absolutely disgusting and we ended up shouting at each other.

“We were both as bad as each other — we’d walk past each other and I’d tell her she was a lazy cow and to clean up after herself.

“We’d scream insults at each other.”

Within six months Sophie had set up a CCTV camera and threatened to report Gemma to the council.

In retaliation, Gemma set up the baby monitor — which can record video — to try to pin more wrongdoing on Sophie.

Then last July Sophie spotted Gemma in tears on her doorstep following a burglary at her home.

Gemma says: “Sophie came straight round and asked if there was anything she could do.

“We are now the best of friends and help each other out all the time.”

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Child injured after dog ‘launched’ at her in busy town as OAP bit by German Shepard MULTIPLE times in separate attack

AN INVESTIGATION has been launched into two separate dog attacks involving an elderly woman and a child in Co Clare.

The shocking incidents were both reported in Newmarket-on-Fergus on Monday, June 23.

The first incident involved an elderly woman who was reportedly bit by a German Shepherd.

Talking on Clare FM, County council dog warden Frankie Coote stated that the victim suffered multiple bites in the attack.

She had to be brought to the nearby hospital for treatment and may require surgery for her injuries.

In a separate incident, a German Shepherd, which was on a lead and wearing a muzzle, left a young girl injured.

Mr Coote said the dog’s muzzle fell off when it “launched at the young girl”.

It is believed that the attack involved a different dog from the incident involving the elderly woman.

A spokesperson for Clare County Council told the Irish Sun: “The Dog Control Service received a complaint on Monday relating to a lady being attacked by a dog in Newmarket-on-Fergus, County Clare. 

“This matter is currently under investigation by the Dog Warden with the assistance of An Garda Síochána.

“Separately, another complaint was received last Monday relating to a child being bitten by a dog in Newmarket-on-Fergus. This matter is also under investigation by the Dog Warden.”

Earlier this week, the HSE released shocking statistics on the number of people treated in hospitals for dog bites, which has increased year on year.

A total of 488 people had medical attention in Irish hospitals after dog attacks last year, compared to 343 treated in 2023.

The HSE said each patient’s injuries were recorded on their hospital in-patient or day care discharge sheet.

The 145 increase in patients suffering dog attack injuries comes as the Government brought in new laws banning devil dogs in February this year. 

XL BULLY BAN

No one is allowed to keep a XL bully type pit bull terrier without an exemption certificate from their local authority.

The move to regulate the dangerous dogs came after a rise in dog attacks nationwide which culminated in the horrific death of Nicola Morey, 23, in June last year.

She was attacked and mauled to death by her own pit bull dogs at her Limerick home causing grave shock nationwide.

In a second serious incident a nine-year-old boy, Alejandro Mizsan, had his face severely damaged after being attacked by a devil dog which was let off its lead by its owner.

The child had been out playing on the street with other kids in the Forgelands housing estate, Enniscorthy, Wexford and had to undergo facial surgery.

The dog’s owners Niall Byrne and Karen Millar were both subsequently jailed on various charges over the incident.

The Government hopes the new pit bull ban will reduce the number of dog attacks nationwide.

German Shepherd lying in the grass.
Getty Images - Getty
Two separate incidents involving an elderly woman and a child were attacked by a German Shepherd[/caption]

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ITV axe hit crime drama with Hollywood actress after just two series – leaving fans gutted

ITV HAVE axed a hit crime drama with a huge Hollywood actress after just two series.

Fans have been left absolutely gutted after the commercial broadcaster has seemingly made yet another huge cut.

Parminder Nagra as DI Ray in ITV's drama.
ITV
ITV has reportedly axed DI Ray amid a slew of cuts[/caption]
Parminder Nagra as DI Ray and Dinita Gohil as Amara Choudhry in a scene from DI Ray.
�Justin Slee 2023
Parminder Nagra starred as the titular detective in the gritty crime drama[/caption]
Parminder Nagra as DI Ray in a scene from the ITV series.
ITV
An ITV spokesperson confirmed the show did not have high enough ratings to get recommissioned[/caption]

Bend It Like Beckham actress Parminder Nagra, 49, led the star-studded cast of DI Ray.

The star is also known for roles in huge projects such as NBC’s ER, The Blacklist and Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

She played the title role of DI Rachita Ray alongside the likes of Game Of Thrones and Killing Eve star Gemma Whelan.

Law & Order: UK actor Jamie Bamber completes the lineup playing DCI Martyn Hunter.

However, it’s been reported that ITV have axed the series due to ratings that were lower than expected.

An ITV spokesperson confirmed to TV Zone: “We’re really proud of what DI Ray achieved, but sadly the viewing figures for series two didn’t meet with ITV’s expectations.

“It’s always a very difficult decision not to recommission a drama and in this case DI Ray really brought a fresh perspective to the crime genre.”

They added: “We’d like to thank Parminder Nagra, Maya Sondhi and the team at HTM Television for two brilliant series.”

The drama followed Leicester-born inspector Ray who takes on a horrific homicide investigation.

However, the case forced her to confront a personal conflict she has faced throughout her life between her South Asian heritage and her British identity.

On her very first day, she was told the murder that she has been assigned to is a ‘culturally specific homicide’.

Despite waiting for the promotion, she suspected that she was chosen as a ‘token appointment’ for her ethnicity, rather than for the merits of her ability as an officer.

Although she stayed determined to solve the case and find the killer, she was left to call out the biases of her colleagues that they brought to the investigation.

This is combined with the fact that she had to look into the world of organised crime.

Crime dramas on ITVX

Crime drama buffs have a wide selection of choices on ITVX - here is a selection of some of the programmes available to binge.

  • Professor T: Based on a Belgian TV series of the same name, former Death in Paradise lead Ben Miller plays the title character. Professor Jasper Tempest is a criminologist with OCD who helps the police solve crimes. The cast also includes Emma Naomi, Barney White and Andy Gathergood.
  • The Beast Must Die: This series follows a mother’s grief for her son, who was killed in an accident. Nicholas Blake’s novel of the same name has been adapted for the programme. Stars include Cush Jumbo, Jared Harris, Billy Howle and Geraldine James.
  • Red Eye: Starring Richard Armitage, Jing Lusi and Lesley Sharp star in this six-part thriller, which mostly takes place  during an all-night flight between London and Beijing. With dead bodies piling up and a mystery to unravel, the heroes must work fast to get to the truth.
  • The Twelve: This Australian drama originally aired as a miniseries in 2022, with the episodes dropping in the UK in February 2023. Four months later, the show was renewed for a second season. Jurassic Park star Sam Neill stars in the leading role of barrister Brett Colby.
  • Manhunt: Martin Clunes stars in this drama based on true murder investigations. Series one focused on the death of Amélie Delagrange, which took place in 2004, while the second depicted the search for serial rapist Delroy Grant.

This comes after ITV announced sweeping changes to its Daytime output.

Good Morning Britain will be produced by a team at ITV News at their headquarters at Gray’s Inn Road.

Meanwhile Loose Women and Lorraine will only air on a seasonal basis for 30 weeks of the year.

Lorraine Kelly will also only take to the airwaves for half an hour at a time for a reduced show from January.

This Morning will also join the other programmes in moving out of the Television Centre complex in White City and will be broadcast from a new studio – rumoured to be at the Hospital Club.

Parminder Nagra as DI Ray in a hospital corridor.
ITVX
Parminder Nagra stars as the title role as she is brought on to solve a complicated homicide case[/caption]
Gemma Whelan as DCI Kerry Henderson in DI Ray.
ITV
Game Of Thrones actress Gemma Whelan also leads the cast of the cancelled show[/caption]
Annette Badland in DI Ray season two.
ITV
Former EastEnders actress Annette Badland also made a guest appearance in the show[/caption]

DI Ray is available to stream on ITVX.

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Wimbledon 2025 LIVE RESULTS: Play on NOW as Raducanu vs Sabalenka headline, Alcaraz, Fritz, Kartal and Norrie feature

WIMBLEDON is heading towards the business end at the All England Club.

Emma Raducanu faces her toughest test yet as the British star takes on No1 seed Aryna Sabalenka in the third round on Centre Court this evening.

Before that, defending men’s champion Carlos Alcaraz features against Jan-Lennard Struff.

Taylor Fritz, Sonay Kartal and Cameron Norrie are also all in action, while Ben Shelton will finish his second round tie against Rinky Hijikata after it was suspended late last night.

  • Start time: From 11am BST / 6am ET
  • TV channel: BBC One & Two (UK) / ESPN (US)
  • Live stream: BBC iPlayer / ESPN+

WIMBLEDON 2025 FREE BETS AND SIGN UP OFFERS

Follow our live blog below…

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Moment mechanic’s penis is CRUSHED by out-of-control car as he reveals ‘I don’t know if my man bits will work again’

WATCH the terrifying moment a mechanic’s penis is crushed by an out-of-control car.

Karl Farrar, 49, has been left unsure if his “unrecognisable” penis still works after the traumatic accident.

Security camera footage of a man being hit by a car in a garage.
Kennedy News
Karl Farrar, 49, was crushed by the car after it rolled off a ramp[/caption]
Security camera footage of a car rolling backward in a garage, injuring a man.
Kennedy News
The estimated 1,800kg vehicle crushed him against a wall, causing soft tissue damage[/caption]
Security camera footage of a garage showing several cars, one of which appears to have been involved in an accident.
Kennedy News
A coworker then crushed him again when they accidentally reversed further[/caption]
Man in hospital gown.
Kennedy News
Karl was rushed to hospital where an MRI revealed soft tissue and nerve damage[/caption]

The mechanic was struggling to reverse the BMW estate into his garage, so he put the handbrake on and jumped out of the vehicle.

However, while we was walking behind the car it began rolling down the ramp.

Terrifying footage shows Karl unsuccessfully trying to stop the vehicle by pushing it, as he is forcefully thrown backwards.

The car – which he estimates is 1,800kg – crushes him against the wall before he is seen shouting in agony.

It then comes to a standstill, as Karl is seen desperately yelling for help.

A staff member quickly gets in the car and tries to drive away, not realising it is in reverse.

Karl was crushed again by the reversing vehicle, before the member of staff manages to successfully manoeuvre it away from him.

The wince-inducing video then shows him collapse in the centre of the shop floor, unable to get back up.

His coworker then gets out of the car to help him while he lies doubled up on the floor.

An ambulance rushed him to Manchester Royal Infirmary where he stayed for a week, with doctors telling him he had suffered soft tissue damage to his pelvic area and groin after an MRI.

Karl says he has been unable to watch the CCTV footage back as it is too “traumatic” for him.

He has been left particularly concerned about his “unrecognisable” manhood, as he is unsure if they “work or function” – but he is hopeful it will be OK after the healing process.

Karl, from Hyndburn, Lancashire, said: “My man bits were smashed to bits. They were swollen, they were black and blue and unrecognisable in one bit.

“I don’t know if they work or function because the area is very painful and sore still but I think it’ll be okay. It was scary for a couple of weeks though.

“It’s Final Destination stuff.

“My sensitive man area got smashed into my stomach and the belt buckle went into my stomach. A lot of the damage is soft tissue and nerve damage. Luckily nothing broke.

“It was obviously very painful but I’m not one for being amazingly soft.

“The scariest thing for me was when they had me on the floor and they were trying to put my leg straight and I couldn’t bear it because the pain was too bad.

“The fact that I’ve done drifting racing for 16 years and drag racing and never hurt myself [but have now] injured myself on a random runaway car is pretty unlucky.

“For a couple of days I couldn’t really move my right leg and that was scary because they [the doctors] said it had this crushing injury and I didn’t really understand it.

“They were talking to people about maybe losing my lower leg and having to cut from top to bottom and I was on a ward with people who had legs off and were having legs off. That scared me.

“I think it’s traumatic [the video]. I don’t want to see it.”

He said they later found out the car had an issue with its handbrake.

They also fitted the car with two new doors and fixed its rear.

Karl said: “Many people have asked what’s happened and I’ve struggled to explain properly so here you go.

“The car was put in reverse twice so that crushed my leg harder into the booth.

“I’m now hobbling about but there’s still some pretty grim internal damage and a hole in my groin area. That said I’ve done way better than the doctors and physio thought I would at this point.

“I’ve been brave enough to download the video and share it so I know I was dumb trying to stop it it all happened so fast so be kind.”

One commented: “You’re gonna have to start wearing a Cape now.”

A second said: “Lucky lucky man.”

A third added: “That could have been a lot worse, glad you’re on the mend.”

Paramedics attending to a man lying on the garage floor.
Kennedy News
He has been left concerned about his ‘unrecognisable’ manhood[/caption]
Security camera footage of a man injured in a garage after a car rolls backward.
Kennedy News
Karl was left curled up on the shop floor in pain[/caption]
A leg with road rash in a hospital bed.
Kennedy News
He has been unable to watch the ‘traumatic’ CCTV footage of the accident[/caption]

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Songwriter Derek A.E. Fuhrmann whose music appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 dies at 44 after health battle

THE singer-songwriter Derek A.E. Fuhrmann has died at the age of 44. 

Fuhrmann, who was suffering from cancer, died in Nashville on June 27. 

He was best known for writing music that appeared in the movie The Amazing Spider Man 2. 

Tributes have poured in for Fuhrmann in light of his death.

He was part of the band Omnisoul.

“Derek was many things to us,” they posted on social media.

Man playing a grey electric guitar.
Derek A.E. Fuhrmann has died at the age of 44
Instagram

More to follow… For the latest news on this story, keep checking back at The U.S. Sun, your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, sports news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures, and must-see videos.

Like us on Facebook at TheSunUS and follow us on X at @TheUSSun

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Mystery 12-mile-wide ‘fuzzy object with a tail’ spotted blazing through our solar system at 37 miles a SECOND, Nasa says

A MYSTERIOUS cosmic object has been spotted zooming through our solar system – and astronomers say it is only the third of its kind.

The “fuzzy” object with a “short tail” is no fur-ball alien, but instead a large icy comet from interstellar space.

Illustration of interstellar asteroid ʻOumuamua.
ESA
An artist’s impression of an interstellar comet[/caption]
Image of interstellar object A11p13Z.
David Rankin / Saguaro Observatory
The interstellar comet is seen inside the red box[/caption]
Image of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS.
ESA
The comet was first spotted on 1 July by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) telescope in Río Hurtado, Chile[/caption]
Illustration of interstellar comet C/2025 N1 (ATLAS) trajectory through the solar system.
NASA/JPL-Caltech
Comet A11pl3Z’s path through the solar system[/caption]

The celestial visitor is only the third interstellar object on record to grace our solar system, and is also likely the largest yet detected.

It follows the rare visits from the famous 1I/ʻOumuamua asteroid in 2017 and 2I/Borisov in 2019.

“The fact that we see some fuzziness suggests that it is mostly ice rather than mostly rock,” Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, told AFP.

Peter Veres, an astronomer with the International Astronomical Union’s Minor Planet Center, which was responsible for the official confirmation, added: “It looks kind of fuzzy… It seems that there is some gas around it, and I think one or two telescopes reported a very short tail.”

The 12-mile-wide comet, known originally as A11pl3Z before it was confirmed to be of interstellar origin, is blazing through the solar system at great speed.

While astronomers are still refining their calculations, the object appears to be zooming more than 60 kilometers (37 miles) a second.

Illustration of interstellar object 'Oumuamua.
Nasa
An artist’s impression of ‘Oumuamua, the first known interstellar visitor in our solar system[/caption]

The comet poses no threat to Earth, said Richard Moissl, head of planetary defense at the European Space Agency (ESA).

It’s closest approach of Earth, which is projected to occur in late October, will see it pass “just inside the orbit of Mars,” according to Moissl.

It will pass our blue dot no closer than 240 million kilometres – over 1.5 times the distance between Earth and the Sun.

By the time it does make its closest path of Earth, it will be hidden by the Sun – meaning stargazers will have no chance of spotting it in the night sky.

While it is expected to reappear by early December, this will only offer astronomers another window for study.

The comet was first spotted on 1 July by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) telescope in Río Hurtado, Chile. 

Its unusual trajectory immediately raised suspicions that the comet came from an unknown world in interstellar space.

Its current path “means it’s not orbiting our star, but coming from interstellar space and flying off to there again,” according to Moissl.

What's the difference between an asteroid, meteor and comet?

Here's what you need to know, according to Nasa...

  • Asteroid: An asteroid is a small rocky body that orbits the Sun. Most are found in the asteroid belt (between Mars and Jupiter) but they can be found anywhere (including in a path that can impact Earth)
  • Meteoroid: When two asteroids hit each other, the small chunks that break off are called meteoroids
  • Meteor: If a meteoroid enters the Earth’s atmosphere, it begins to vapourise and then becomes a meteor. On Earth, it’ll look like a streak of light in the sky, because the rock is burning up
  • Meteorite: If a meteoroid doesn’t vapourise completely and survives the trip through Earth’s atmosphere, it can land on the Earth. At that point, it becomes a meteorite
  • Comet: Like asteroids, a comet orbits the Sun. However rather than being made mostly of rock, a comet contains lots of ice and gas, which can result in amazing tails forming behind them (thanks to the ice and dust vaporizing)

ESA’s Planetary Defence Office, tasked with safeguarding Earth from potential asteroid and comet impacts, alerted astronomers who can now track the comet’s path.

These efforts are part of ESA’s broader mission to detect, track, and characterise near-Earth objects.

“What makes interstellar objects like 3I/ATLAS so extraordinary is their absolutely foreign nature,” ESA wrote in a recent blog post.

“They are remnants of other planetary systems, carrying with them clues about the formation of worlds far beyond our own.

“It may be thousands of years until humans visit a planet in another solar system and interstellar comets offer the tantalising opportunity for us to touch something truly otherworldly.”

That’s why the space agency is preparing the Comet Interceptor mission for 2029.

ESA is set to send a spacecraft into a parking orbit in space to wait for a suitable target comet – or even a rare interstellar object – to retrieve samples from.

Illustration of Comet Interceptor spacecraft approaching a comet.
ESA
CGI image of ESA’s Comet Interceptor spacecraft[/caption]

All you need to know about planets in our solar system

Our solar system is made up of nine planets with Earth the third closest to the Sun. But each planet has its own quirks, so find out more about them all...

  • How old is Earth? Plus other facts on our planet
  • How many moons does Mercury have?
  • What colour is Venus?
  • How far away is Mars to Earth? And other facts on the red planet
  • How big is Jupiter?
  • How many moons does Saturn have?
  • Does Uranus have rings?
  • How many moons does Neptune have?
  • How big is Pluto?
  • How hot is the Sun?

 

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