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Interpol join search for missing Scot who vanished from luxury hotel in Kenya

INTERPOL has reportedly joined the hunt for a missing Scot who vanished from a luxury hotel in Kenya.

Campbell Scott, 58, went missing in East Africa after failing to turn up for a three-day workshop.

Police launched an extensive search for the businessman – a senior director with the data analytics company FICO.

Campbell, from Dunfermline, Fife, was on a business trip with a colleague for a conference at the JW Marriott hotel.

He arrived on Sunday and was last seen around 11.15am on Monday.

A colleague reported him missing Monday evening after being unable to reach him on his mobile phone at 6pm.

By 7pm, the hotel advised that the police were contacted sparking a search involving hotel security and management as well as officers from the Parklands police station.

Detectives are reported to have since taken over the case and have visited local bars and hotels in the Westlands district for information relating to Campbell.

A foreign office spokesman said: “We are supporting the family of a British man reported missing in Kenya and are in contact with the local authorities.”

Interpol has been contacted by investigators to help access the businessman’s phone records to find out who he was in contact with before he went missing.

Officers have so far been given the statements of at least five people from the hotel including security guards and staff to help with the investigation.

Campbell was scheduled to meet with officials from the UK, US, and several African countries for a three-day conference about markets for new products.

His FICO bio states that he is based in the London office and is “responsible for global regulatory and compliance product management within the FICO Scores team.”

He joined the company in 2014 from Experian UK and has over 25 years of experience in “data management and customer identity and verification solutions.”

FICO commented: “A FICO employee, Campbell Scott, went missing on Sunday, February 16, in Nairobi, Kenya while he was on a business trip.

“FICO is working with our local partners and local authorities to investigate the matter.

“We do not have any further information at this time.

“Our thoughts are with Campbell’s family and friends.

“Please respect his privacy and do not speculate about this situation.

“If anyone has information that may be helpful regarding his whereabouts, please contact local authorities.”

Photo of Campbell Scott, a missing Scot.
Linkedin
Scots businessman Campbell Scott vanished from a luxury hotel in Kenya[/caption]

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Huge popstar forced to cancel gig in Dubai after falling ill as he tells’s fans he’s ‘so gutted’

A POPULAR popstar has been forced to cancel a gig after falling ill.

Fans were expecting to see the 40-year-old perform his biggest hits from Troublemaker to Dance with Me Tonight in Dubai.

Close-up selfie of a man with a broken voice, wearing an orange hoodie.  Text overlay reads: "A man with a broken voice 😭 Gutted Dubai, I'll be back!!"
Olly Murs lost his voice

However, singer Olly Murs said he was “so gutted” to have to pull out.

He wrote on Instagram last night: “To everyone here in Dubai, unfortunately due to doctor’s orders I am having to cancel tonight’s show at Bla-Bla because of a throat infection.

“I’m so gutted. I look forward to coming back ASAP and will share new date information as soon as I can! Olly x.”

He looked unwell in a picture he posted of himself on Saturday morning.

Olly captioned it: “A man with a broken voice. Gutted Dubai, I’ll be back.”

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Inside Love Island winner’s Gabby and Casey’s surprise welcome home meal at celeb hot spot with famous friends

LOVE Island winners Gabby Allen and Casey O’Gorman have revealed they were thrown a surprise welcome home meal at a celebrity hot spot with all of their famous friends.

This week’s tense Love Island All Stars final saw series three star Gabby, 33, and professional bombshell Casey, 28, scoop the £50,000 prize. 

Gabby Allen and Casey O'Gorman holding hands.
Splash
Gabby Allen and Casey O’Gorman were thrown a surprise party to celebrate their All Stars win[/caption]
Gabby and Casey from Love Island with friends at a restaurant.
Instagram
The couple were joined by the previous All Stars champs, Molly Smith and Tom Clare[/caption]
Gabby from Love Island with two friends.
Instagram
Gabby’s All Stars co-stars Tina and Dannielle helped her celebrate her win[/caption]
Mandatory Credit: Photo by Ricardo De Leca/ITV/REX/Shutterstock (15154846bp) Casey O'Gorman and Gabby Allen 'Love Island: All Stars' TV Show, Final, South Africa - 17 Feb 2025
The couple won Love Island All Stars on Monday
Shutterstock

To celebrate their big win, their showbiz pals put together a surprise party for them at London hotspot, Sheesh.

Gabby took to Instagram to reveal her joy at finding out all her best friends had gathered in posh Mayfair to toast to her and Casey’s Love Island Victory.

The reigning All Stars champs looked delighted as they enjoyed yummy food and drank plenty of champers.

At one point Casey got up to do a speech and thank all his friends for being there.

In another clip, Gabby and her man can be seen pulling each other in for a smooch.

They were joined at their party by their star pals, including last year’s All Stars winners Tom Clare and Molly Smith.

Tom is Casey’s best mate, after they both appeared on Winter Love Island 2023.

Other stars at the party included Messy Mitch and his girlfriend Hayley Griffin.

The couple’s All Stars co-stars Tina Stinnes and Danielle Sellers were also their to toast to their victory.

SPLASHING THE CASH

This week the lovebirds scooped an extra £50K to put into their already bursting bank accounts, after their Love Island All Stars victory

Following their big win the couple appeared on The Morning After podcast to speak to host and series five star Amy Hart

Amy, 31, said: “You’re about to have a little windfall into your bank – fifty grand, twenty five grand each, what are you going to spend it on?”

Gabby replied: “I didn’t even know that was a thing until just now! I didn’t know that’s what you won.”

Amy quizzed: “Did they ask for your bank details, like, ‘we’ll transfer you’.”

Gabby and Casey's winner winner chicken dinner at a restaurant.
Instagram
Gabby and her friends enjoyed a yummy meal and plenty of champers[/caption]
Two women at a nighttime event.
Splash
Tina and Dannielle looked stunning as they arrived together[/caption]
Grace Jackson and Luca Bish holding hands.
Splash
Casey’s best pals Molly and Tom were there to help celebrate[/caption]
Gabby Allen and Casey O'Gorman holding hands.
Splash
Gabby looked incredible in her daring outfit[/caption]

A stunned Gabby said: “Yeah! It was literally that.”

Revealing their plans for the winnings, Casey – who appeared as a bombshell on series nine and the first All-Stars spin-off before his late entrance this year – said: “We’ve got to go away.

“Somewhere nice. I think we’ll go to the Maldives.”

Happy with her man’s answer, Gabby nodded and added: “Sexy.”

She continued: “The first thing that came into my head was that I’d like to do something nice with my mum, take her on holiday as well.” 

Love Island All Stars champs Gabby and Casey break their silence on win and reveal how they will blow £50k prize, , TAKEN WITHOUT PERMISSION https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FUWd8JtW80
The couple revealed how they would spend their winnings
YouTube

SMITTEN CASEY

Speaking ahead of their victory on Monday, Casey told Love Island host Maya Jama: “I absolutely adore her.

“She has just blown me off my socks since I got here.

“As soon as that first conversation I had with her, it was game over for me.”

All Stars results in full

WINNERSGabby Allen and Casey O’Gorman

2nd PlaceGrace Jackson and Luca Bish

3rd PlaceCurtis Pritchard and Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu

4th Place: Catherine Agbaje and Omar Nyame

5th PlaceElma Pazar and Sammy Root

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I’ve won full set of Scottish trophies with Rangers and Hearts, but I’m chasing one more which would be just as special

DANNY WILSON has Premiership, Championship AND Scottish Cup medals to his name.

But, for the defender, adding to them with Livingston at this stage of his career would feel every bit as good.

Livingston's Danny Wilson celebrates after a soccer match.
SNS
Danny Wilson joined Championship side Livingston in October[/caption]
Heart of Midlothian team celebrating Scottish Championship victory.
Keith Campbell - The Sun Glasgow
Wilson won this league with Hearts in 2015[/caption]

The 33-year-old grew up expecting to compete for trophies as a kid at Rangers.

He moved to Liverpool where the demand for success is as intense as it gets.

And he then came back north to lead a rebuilt Hearts back to the top flight at the first attempt.

Though that was a decade ago, Wilson’s desire for success hasn’t dimmed any.

He’s now part of a Livi side chasing success on three fronts.

Davie Martindale’s men face title rivals Ayr United at Somerset Park today.

They have St Johnstone in the Scottish Cup quarters and Queen’s Park in the SPFL Trust Trophy final.

And Wilson admits it’s fun to be in the mix once more at the business end of the season.

He said: “I was lucky enough to play in cup finals and go for titles when I was young.

“When that happens you think it’s going to be like that all the way throughout your career. You realise quite quickly that it isn’t!

“Coming here as I did earlier in the season I could see Livingston were doing well.

“But now we’re in a cup final, a quarter-final and right in the thick of it in the league.

“It’s everything that you want as a player, to come in and have games so meaningful.

“It’s great to be a part of and I’m really enjoying it.

“I’m not the boring old guy telling the younger ones to savour it, but they should.

“I think there’s a part of your career where you’ve got to realise it for yourself.

“As we get closer to it we’ll talk about the cup competitions, but our priority right now is the league.

“It’s boring to say it’s game by game but that’s what it’s going to have to be because it is so tight up there.”

Boss Martindale faced a huge rebuild following the club’s relegation last summer.

He got the majority of his side in place quickly as he looked to get off to a fast start.

Then, when Wilson became available in October, he found the funds to get him on a short-term deal.

The defender struggled with injury at first but signed another deal to the end of the season last month.

And, with the likes of Ryan McGowan and Stevie May around as well, Wilson likes the blend of youth and experience the Lions have.

Rangers players celebrating with the CIS Insurance Cup trophy.
Action Images - Reuters
Wilson, left, of Rangers with the CIS Insurance Cup trophy in 2010[/caption]

He said: “I think in football nowadays there’s a real push for getting youth into the team.

“We’ve got a good blend of that here. I think he values the experienced ones in the squad.

“The experienced ones are there for everybody who needs them but the young ones have got to find their own way as well.

“They’re in a good environment here where they are in a place that’s challenging on the pitch, off the pitch.

“I think it’s important that they find their own way and us as the older heads can help them through that.”

Wilson feels the club’s treble trophy hunt has kept them fresh during a hectic schedule.

He said: “When you’re at some places you can value one tournament or trophy over another.

“I don’t think we’ve done that here. I think we’ve given respect to everything that we’ve been in.

“That’s why we find ourselves in a final, a quarter-final and in the thick of it in the league.

Danny Wilson, Liverpool soccer player in action.
PA:Press Association
Wilson in action for Liverpool[/caption]

“There’s going to be an edge in all these games if we keep applying ourselves, keep putting points on the board and keep progressing in the cups.”

With the title race between Falkirk, Ayr and Livi so tight, Wilson knows a clash like today’s will have a huge bearing on who goes up.

He said: “Over the next 12 games there’s going to be twists and turns.

“It’s good to be part of it. There’s a good feel about the place just now.

“It’s important we put points on the board, because I don’t really see the other two teams slipping up much.

“And when you get to the head to heads like this one they are going to be really important.

“Every point is going to be important.”

Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page

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I’m a pro shopper, if you let me near your trolley I’ll immediately swap out 10 items, never bother with butter to start

IF YOU’RE heading out to do your weekly food shop this weekend you can expect to pay a pretty penny.

Rising food prices mean a typical family of 4 now spends a shocking £628 a month on food, equivalent to £157 a week. 

Shopping cart filled with groceries in a Tesco supermarket.
Getty
A pro shopper has revealed what items you should swap out of your trolley immediately[/caption]

But it needn’t be the case according to one savvy shopper.

Richard Price, professional shopper of Britsuperstore, says you can save over £1,500 a year (or £120 a month), just by making a few simple swaps on your food shop.

Swap chicken breasts for chicken thighs or drumsticks (save £431 – £575/year)

One of the easiest ways to cut costs without compromising on quality is swapping chicken breasts for thighs or drumsticks. 

For example, Tesco British Chicken Breast Fillets cost £6.84 per kilo, but chicken thighs are just £2.85 per kilo, and drumsticks are even cheaper at £2.35 per kilo. 

Thighs and drumsticks are not only more affordable, but they also have a richer flavour, offer more iron and zinc, and stay juicer when cooked.

Swap fresh fruit for frozen fruit (save £262/year)

Sainsbury’s fresh raspberries cost an eye-watering £13.33 per kilo, while the frozen version is only £7.86 per kilo. 

You’re getting the same nutrients, but they last much longer, reducing waste. Another tip is to consider the ‘wonky’ version of fruits, sold in supermarkets like Lidl and Aldi – there’s nothing wrong with them, they’re just less perfect in appearance and much cheaper.

Swap beef mince for turkey or pork mince (save £115 – £134/year)

Ground beef is one of the most expensive meats, and I suggest switching to turkey or pork.

While Aldi’s 10% fat British Beef Mince is £6.58 per kilo, their British Turkey Mince is 7% fat at £5.38 per kilo and their British Lean Pork Mince is only £5.18 per kilo with a tiny 5% fat. 

With their lower saturated fat content, turkey or pork are a healthier choice for heart health, while still being a good source of protein and B vitamins.

To stretch mince even further, I suggest substituting some of the mince for beans or lentils. Try using just 500g of mince and adding a 400g tin of mixed beans for 69p; not only will you save money, but it’ll also add fibre and reduce fat content.

Swap block butter for spreadable butter (save £43/year)

The BBC reported just this week that Butter has seen the second-highest inflation rate of all groceries over the past year – increasing by a huge 18%. But there’s an easy way to save. 

Tesco British Salted Block Butter is currently £7.96 per kilo, but Tesco Butterpak Salted Spreadable is just £4.38 per kilo. The only real difference is a little added oil to make it easier to spread, but the taste and quality remain the same.

Swap ‘protein’ yoghurts for Greek yoghurt (save £163/year)

It’s easy to be sucked in by big ‘high protein’ labels on items, but they can be misleading. Take Aldi’s 0% Fat Authentic Greek Yogurt, for example, priced at £0.38 per 100g, it has a solid 10g of protein per 100g. 

In contrast, the Brooklea Protein Raspberry Yogurt Pouch costs £0.45 per 100g but only provides an extra 2.5g of protein per 100g.

Swap jar seasonings for packet seasonings in the world food aisle (save £60 a year)

Spices in regular jars are expensive, but the same seasonings in the world food aisle cost far less. Tesco Ground Cumin in the spice section is 19p per 10g, while East End Ground Cumin Powder is just 12p per 10g. 

The same goes for garlic powder, turmeric, and other essentials. Even better, multipurpose seasonings contain several common spices and cost as little as 11p per 10g.

Swap out pre-grated cheese and pre-cut veg (save £152 a year)

Pre-cut and grated items are a hidden expense, where you pay a huge amount more, just for the convenience. 

How to save money on your supermarket shop

THERE are plenty of ways to save on your grocery shop.

You can look out for yellow or red stickers on products, which show when they’ve been reduced.

If the food is fresh, you’ll have to eat it quickly or freeze it for another time.

Making a list should also save you money, as you’ll be less likely to make any rash purchases when you get to the supermarket.

Going own brand can be one easy way to save hundreds of pounds a year on your food bills too.

This means ditching “finest” or “luxury” products and instead going for “own” or value” type of lines.

Plenty of supermarkets run wonky veg and fruit schemes where you can get cheap prices if they’re misshapen or imperfect.

For example, Lidl runs its Waste Not scheme, offering boxes of 5kg of fruit and vegetables for just £1.50.

If you’re on a low income and a parent, you may be able to get up to £442 a year in Healthy Start vouchers to use at the supermarket too.

Plus, many councils offer supermarket vouchers as part of the Household Support Fund.

For example, Tesco’s British Mature Grated Cheddar Cheese costs £11 per kilo, but buying a block of Tesco British Mature Cheddar Cheese is only £8 per kilo. Similarly, Tesco Carrot Batons are £3.12 per kilo, but loose carrots cost just 69p per kilo.

Swap out pre-made burgers (save £33 a year)

A four-pack of Sainsbury’s Quarter Pounder British Beef Burgers costs £7.16 per kilo, while a 500g pack of Sainsbury’s British 20% Fat Beef Mince costs just £5.80 per kilo. 

Making your own burgers takes minutes; simply shape the mince into patties, season, and cook for 5 minutes on each side. You’ll get better quality and save money.

Swap out hummus and make it yourself (save £54 a year)

Homemade hummus is a simple and cheaper alternative to store-bought. A 200g tub of hummus costs £1.40 at Sainsbury’s, increasing to £2.50 for the popular Sabra dip. But, a 400g tin of chickpeas is just 49p. 

Blend it with garlic, cumin, olive oil, and lemon juice (ingredients you likely already have at home) and you’ll make double the amount for half the price.

Swap out oven pizza for a homemade pizza (save £57 a year)

Instead of buying a frozen pizza, try making your own using a pack of four Village Bakery Greek Style Flame Baked Flatbreads (£1.49) or Village Bakery Soft White Pittas (8p each!), Cucina Tomato Purée (£0.59), and Everyday Essentials Grated Cheddar Cheese (£2.99 for 500g). 

You’ll have enough ingredients to make at least four pizzas, and you’ll avoid the preservatives.

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I waded through bodies in Ukraine’s No Man’s Land to Russian trenches – they found me & unleashed hell, says UK soldier

MACER Gifford’s mission was simple: clear Ukraine’s No Man’s Land of mines and find out everything he could about the Russians without getting killed.

The Brit fighter crawled into the enemy’s trench in the dead of night and swiped the radio and crucial documents – his heart racing as he inched back towards the treeline, thinking he’d got away with it.

Portrait of a man with a long grey beard, wearing a tan jacket, near destroyed military vehicles.
Chris Eades
Macer Gifford, a former banker from the UK, joined the fight against Putin’s invaders[/caption]
A group of Ukrainian soldiers posing for a selfie near Kherson.
Chris Eades
Macer pictured with his unit near Kherson, Ukraine[/caption]
Soldier in camouflage holding a rifle in a wooded area.
Supplied
Macer switched from collecting intelligence to fighting for the key city of Kherson[/caption]

But his heart stopped as he heard the sickening sound of a Russian soldier screaming: “The Ukrainians are here!” following the crack of machine gunfire.

Within seconds, a hail of bullets was raining down on Macer and his Ukrainian comrades as they lay stock still – praying they wouldn’t be hit.

First came the grenades and then the machine gun fire – and Macer’s only hope of survival was that the Russians couldn’t know exactly where they were in the darkness.

The former London banker told The Sun: “The machine gunfire came in sweeps because they weren’t exactly sure I was there.

“They would light up a position, the tree line, and the bullets would smack into the trees that would hit the ground.

“I was just lying there enduring it, just thinking to myself that there’s no cover, I’m not under the ground here.

“If I take one of these bullets, if it just slips under my armour and strikes me in the head, then I’m dead and my body will be here for months because we were a kilometre away from the nearest Ukrainian position.”

After a hellish few minutes, there was a break in the fire before the Russians began shooting 100 metres behind where they were laying in the darkness.

Macer and his team knew this was their only chance to escape with their lives.

The Brit said: “I got up and then started running forward. We just got out of that through the skin of our teeth.

“To be honest, it was just pure luck that we survived that one.”

He’d been sent on what should have been a suicide mission by a Ukrainian general who could hear Russian voices in the darkness pushing towards their position – but having no idea where they were.

Macer, whose commander had the call sign ‘Sneaky’, was used to skirting No Man’s Land, gathering intelligence, looking for minefields and preparing the way for Ukrainian assaults in Kherson.

The machine gunfire came in sweeps because they weren’t exactly sure I was there. They would light up a position, the tree line, and the bullets would smack into the trees that would hit the ground

Macer Gifford

But this mission was different – they were tasked with going into the Russian trench and retrieving vital intelligence.

Macer said: “I knew it was going to go down. I knew we were going to fight.

“There’s always a calm before the storm, it was surreal in that moment because I knew things were going to get bad.

“But I still had a moment to breathe and feel my chest against my body armour.

“I could feel the weight of my bag on my back and the weight of my rifle, and I could think to myself – I’m alive now but in a few minutes I could be dead.”

Luckily for Macer, he escaped.

The only way to survive was to dig into the ground and to hide

Macer Gifford

Months earlier, Macer had watched with horror the columns of Russian tanks massing on the Belarusian border and Vladimir Putin insisting he wasn’t about to invade Ukraine.

He knew he had to do something and – knowing that a full-scale invasion was on the cards – he travelled the 2,000 miles to Ukraine to provide humanitarian assistance.

Macer spent the first two months of the war teaching Ukrainian soldiers how to treat medical emergencies while distributing life-saving kits.

But it was during his treks across Ukraine to share the knowledge he’d gained fighting ISIS terrorists in Syria that he learned of the horrors committed by Russian soldiers in Bucha and Irpin.

He was told by Ukrainians he was training about their friends who were massacred and shot in the street, tied and left unburied.

A former British banker fighting with the Ukrainian army near Kherson, during shelling.
Chris Eades
Macer, from the UK, during shelling near Kherson[/caption]
A former British banker fighting with the Ukrainian army near Kherson.
Chris Eades
Macer spent the first two months of the war teaching soldiers how to treat medical emergencies[/caption]
A former British banker receives a Ukrainian medal for fighting Russian forces in Ukraine.
Chris Eades
Macer, pictured receiving a medal for his contribution in Ukraine, quit his job as a banker to fight against ISIS and Putin’s invaders[/caption]

Macer had been met with the same horrors in Syria – watching innocent civilians waving white flags shot dead by ISIS snipers and his comrades and children blown up in car bombs.

The Brit had quit his job as a banker in London to fight against ISIS after watching Jihadi John behead kneeling hostages and others being burned alive in cages.

And now, he was being met with the same horrific crimes against humanity – but this time committed by Vladimir Putin’s soldiers.

The Brit told The Sun: “I was confronted with the same dilemma as I was in Syria.

“I could have stuck with my humanitarian work and helped that way, or I could directly confront the people who are destroying the country.

“So I decided to pick up a gun, just as I had in Syria.”

The amount of times that we had patrolled the zero line – or No Man’s Land – and found the body parts of soldiers who had been hit in their positions

Macer Gifford

He joined the 131st Separate Reconnaissance Battalion, where he fought in the fields between Mykolaiv and Kherson, the islands of Dnipro and the forests of Lyman.

It was during the Christmas of 2023 that Macer and his unit switched from collecting intelligence to fighting for the key city of Kherson.

He quickly saw the difference between ISIS’ fanatical battles with their suicide missions in Syria to the sheer scale of artillery at the feet of Russian soldiers in the fields of Ukraine near Kherson.

Macer said: “The first thing that struck me was the huge amount of artillery and mortars that struck us and hit us, and it was truly terrifying to be under such sustained bombardments.

Illustration of a proposed peace plan for the Ukraine war, showing troop movements and territorial concessions.

“The only way to survive was to dig into the ground and to hide.

“The amount of times that we had patrolled the zero line – or No Man’s Land – and found the body parts of soldiers who had been hit in their positions.”

He likened the burnt tree stumps, the churned up ground, the twisted wires and the bodies laying with their limbs blown off like that of the Second World War.

But after weeks of fighting, the Ukrainians were quickly making ground by Kherson and the Russians were pulling their troops back across the Dnipro river.

And for the first time in the war, Macer’s unit had pushed forward and chased Putin’s men back.

I could have stuck with my humanitarian work and helped that way, or I could directly confront the people who are destroying the country. So I decided to pick up a gun

Macer Gifford

Macer said: “It was amazing, because civilians were coming out of their homes and it genuinely felt like I was a British solider in the Second World War, liberating French villages.

“It was the same reaction, the same tears, the same human emotion.”

The next phase for Macer was the fight on the islands of the Dnipro river – and it was like nothing he’d experienced before.

The former public schoolboy, who grew up in rural Cambridgeshire, said: “It was so different because it was just small teams of about five people infiltrating these islands on speedboats under the cover of darkness.

“We would be taking ground, engaging with Russian reconnaissance teams and looking again for mines, securing positions, and utilising drones.

“And that went on for months.”

Macer said when they battled for those strategic islands, they were fighting against elite Russian units, who were “very aggressive” and worked in small-man teams.

He said: “It was very much a battle of equals, whereas in other parts of the front line there was a lot more human mean waves being used by Russia.”

Azov Brigade soldier in a trench during military training amidst smoke.
AFP
A Ukrainian soldier of the Azov Brigade in a trench during a military training exercise in eastern Donetsk region[/caption]
Ukrainian soldier walking through a trench in a forest.
Getty
A Ukrainian soldier on the frontline in Kreminna, Ukraine’s Luhansk region[/caption]
Ukrainian soldier on the phone as artillery fires.
Getty
A Ukrainian soldier fires towards the Russian position in the direction of Avdiivka[/caption]

The Brit banker-turned-fighter said every time their small boats would land on an island, Russians would try and hunt them down with drones.

“They would hit us in the boats and we were just losing too many good people – in fact, several of my own team were wounded by shrapnel from falling grenades and falling mortars from drones,” Macer said.

It was that ruthless, brutal drone warfare that made Macer turn his attention to creating an elite UAV unit in the 131st battalion.

His team began striking Russian targets with their homemade drones, watching in awe as Russian tanks blew up in front of them.

But suddenly, the pace shifted again – and a few days of rest turned into months of brutal battles in the forests of Lyman, a now ruined railway town near the frontlines of the Donbas region.

Several of my own team were wounded by shrapnel from falling grenades and falling mortars from drones

Macer Gifford

The Brit said: “We were moved from the South to the Far East where some of the worst fighting was taking place in the Forests of Lyman and we fought there for several more months.”

And after months of coming under relentless Russian bombardment and years fighting for Ukraine, Macer decided it was time to come home.

“I decided, after the creation of this drone team, that this was my last mission – basically for Ukraine – because it had been so successful and destroyed millions of dollars worth of vehicles, I could hold my head up high.

“I rushed home to be back with my dad and I’m so glad I did because within a month of me coming back to the UK he sadly passed away.”

For Macer, his time in Ukraine began as a humanitarian mission, hoping to make a difference that way – but he knew that picking up a gun was the only way he knew he could.

“What it’s done is it’s shown me how much injustice there is in war, and that Vladimir Putin has caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people, including his own, and ripped a country apart,” Macer said.

He added that the world now faces an unprecedented level of danger – one of a looming Third World War between major powers.

Unless we win this war, it will drag on for many more years

Macer Gifford

Macer explained: “Putin has set the world on a very dangerous path, one of genuine confrontation between nuclear states.

“I hope to see the West take this more seriously and start to give more sophisticated weapons to the Ukrainians and the permissions to use them, because unless we win this war, it will drag on for many more years.

“And it will grow, and it will spread to other parts of the world. There is an axis of evil on this planet, and it includes Russia, China, North Korea and Iran.

“And unless we wake up to that reality and confront it, we are going towards a very dark place.”

Ukrainian medal awarded to a former British banker fighting in Ukraine.
Chris Eades
Macer received a Ukrainian medal for his contribution to the fight against the Russians[/caption]

You are wrong, Donald

The Sun Says...

DONALD Trump’s smearing of the Ukraine regime as scam artists who provoked a war using US taxpayers’ money is a rant beneath the dignity of his office.

Almost nothing in it is true.

It reads like a post on a forum for ­conspiracy theorists. It is an unprecedentedly shocking statement from the President of the United States.

Vladimir Putin has made no secret of his imperialist ambitions, nor his denial of his neighbour’s right to exist as a sovereign, free country.

He invaded Ukraine, butchered and raped its people, stole its children and bombed its cities.

President Zelensky — far from duping anyone or inviting the conflict, far from being a “dictator without elections” — has been a heroic wartime leader who needs Western aid to overcome staggering odds.

The idea he is riding a “gravy train” is laughable. And his people, with whom he remains highly popular whatever Trump claims, have resisted conquest with immense bravery.

It is troubling and short-sighted in the extreme for the so-called leader of the free world to have no interest in a war ­raging in Europe because he is separated from it by the Atlantic.

America is not a business where Trump, as CEO, has no task except to slash costs and maximise profits. It is the most powerful democracy on Earth with global responsibilities and — let’s be frank — a duty to discern right from wrong with absolute moral clarity.

Others in the White House should urgently point this out.

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Cops ‘increasingly concerned’ for missing woman after car found abandoned in remote moor as frantic search ramps up

COPS are “increasingly concerned” as a major search ramps up for the missing woman whose car was found abandoned in a remote moor.

Jenny Hall, 23, was last seen leaving her home in Tow Law, County Durham, just after 3pm on Tuesday.

Photo of Jenny Hall, a missing 23-year-old runner.
Jenny Hall, 23, was last seen leaving her home on Tuesday
Red car parked on a road.
Dashcam footage shows a missing woman’s car the last time it was spotted
Map showing the last known movements of Jenny, including where she was last seen, where her car was found, and the search area.

Teesdale and Weardale Search and Mountain Rescue Team (TWSMRT) said it searched an area of moorland between Eggleston and Stanhope on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, cops said they are scouring running trails in between Eggleston and Hamsterley, Durham, which Jenny frequently used.

More than 100 miles of track have already been covered in the Teesdale area alone to find the missing woman.

Sniffer dogs have also been deployed to the area around where Jenny parked her car.

Mountain rescue teams and police are working with air support in challenging weather conditions in a bid to find the young woman.

Dashcam footage from a passing motorist shows Jenny’s red Ford Focus can parked in a remote lay-by surrounded by empty moorland.

The driver who captured the footage said: “It is an incredibly remote area. My fears for the missing woman are growing.

“I really hope she is found safe and well.”

The car, a red Ford Focus, was found parked on the B6278, between Eggleston and Stanhope the following day.

Durham Constabulary say Jenny, who is 6ft with long dark hair, was last seen wearing a blue hoodie with a John Deere logo and dark jogging bottoms.

Her family have now confirmed she may have also been carrying a green jacket and had her hair up in a ponytail.

Police believe Jenny, may have been heading to the Barnard Castle area when she left home in her red Ford Focus.

Cops said they are carrying out a wider sweep of the Teesdale area.

The force is appealing for any information that could help locate Jenny.

But individuals were advised not to try and assist as it could “hamper the systematic search”.

A police spokesperson said digital intelligence officers have conducted enquiries into Jenny’s digital devices.

Behind the scenes, they have looked at her mobile phone, smart watch and running apps but none have provided any results.

Chief Inspector Dean Haythornthwaite, of Durham Constabulary, added: “We have become increasingly concerned for Jenny since she was reported missing on Tuesday and have been exploring all lines of enquiry, including dozens from members of the public.

“We are focusing our search on areas we know Jenny likes to run through and we are determined to do everything we can to find her.

“I would like to thank everyone who is working around-the-clock in our search and efforts to reunite Jenny with her family.”

A spokesperson for Teesdale and Weardale Search and Mountain Rescue Team added: “Many thanks to the local farmers and gamekeepers who have provided invaluable assistance over the last two days and also to Cleveland Mountain Rescue Team,

“Kirkby Stephen Mountain Rescue Team, Swaledale Mountain Rescue Team, North of Tyne Mountain Rescue Team and Northumberland National Park Mountain Rescue Team.”

Police officers searching a forest.
Digital intelligence officers have conducted enquiries into Jenny’s digital devices
Search and rescue team members searching for a missing runner.
Rescue teams have scoured 100 miles of terrain to look for the missing woman
Police and mountain rescue vehicles at a search site.
Cops deployed sniffer dogs to help with the search
Search and rescue team member with dog searching snowy moorland.
Over 30 trained mountain rescuers and three search dogs are part of operations

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Surgeon ‘abused 299 patients’ with average age of 11 & kept sick diary of crimes – writing ‘I’m a paedophile & proud’

A VILE surgeon accused of sexually abusing 299 patients kept a sickening diary of his alleged crimes writing that he was a paedophile and “proud of it”.

Depraved Joel Le Scouarnec, 73, is set to start his trial next week in France’s biggest-ever child abuse case, with his youngest alleged victim having been just one year old.

Joël Le Scouarnec, former surgeon, on trial for sexual assault.
France 3 Bretagne
Former surgeon Joel Le Scouarnec has been accused of sexually abusing 299 people[/caption]
Mugshot of Joël Le Scouarnec.
256 of the alleged victims were children
Courtroom sketch of a man in a dark jacket, flanked by others.
AFP
His trial is set to start on 24 February[/caption]

The disgraced doctor has been accused of abusing 299 victims between 1989 and 2004, mostly in hospitals around Brittany, France.

256 of those alleged victims were under the age of 15, with the youngest aged one and the oldest aged 70.

Le Scouarnec will face more than 100 rape charges and over 150 sexual assault charges at trial, with the average age of his alleged victims being just 11 years old.

Officials claimed he would carry out some of the attacks when his patients were under anaesthetic and being operated on.

The former surgeon is already serving 15 years behind bars after he was found guilty in 2020 of raping and sexually assaulting four young girls.

Two of these victims were his nieces, one was his neighbour, and the fourth was a former patient of his.

Horrifying evidence discovered in the previous investigation into the paedophile helped lead to his new bombshell four-month trial, which is due to start on 24 February.

He stopped working at the hospital and was arrested in 2017 when his six-year-old neighbour reported being raped.

After his 2017 arrest, investigators made shocking discoveries at his home, including the repulsive diary where he detailed sexual acts with children.

The monster doctor described himself as an “exhibitionist, voyeur, sadist, masochist, scatologist, fetishist, pedophile”.

Every year on his birthday Le Scouarnec would record his age and write a vile message to himself.

He wrote: “I am a paedophile and I am proud of it.”

His diaries reportedly described the apparent crimes in great detail and without an ounce of regret or empathy.

He also included the children’s names, the date he allegedly abused them, and where it happened.

Le Scouarnec denied these words were a reality and claimed they were just his sick “fantasies”.

Cops also discovered horrifying child-sized sex dolls, some of them chained up, and over 300,000 child abuse images were discovered.

MISSED CHANCE

Worrying questions have been raised after it was revealed a litany of chances to stop the monster were missed.

An FBI warning had alerted the French authorities that the former surgeon had been visiting child abuse websites.

Photo of Joel Le Scouarnec, a retired French surgeon accused of sexually abusing hundreds of children.
He is already serving a 15-year prison sentence for sexually assaulting four children
charentelibre.fr
Photo of Joël Le Scouarnec.
He allegedly carried out some attacks when his patients were under anaesthetic and being operated on
Courtroom sketch of Joel Le Scouarnec's trial.
Reuters
Joel Le Scouarnec during his trial at the courthouse in Saintes, France, on 3 March 2020[/caption]

The disgraced surgeon had been convicted of downloading pornographic images of children in 2005.

A psychiatrist at the hospital Le Scouarnec was also working raised the alarm and said this conviction should lead to him being kicked out of his job.

It was revealed the French health ministry was made aware of this conviction in 2006 but decided to take no further action.

In June 2008, Le Scouarnec moved to a new hospital in Jonzac, in south-west France, and told the director he was being investigated.

This was disregarded and the monster worked there until he retired in 2017.

Photo of Joël Le Scouarnec.
Investigators found diaries in his home that detailed his alleged crimes
Vannes courthouse in France before the trial of a surgeon accused of rape and sexual assault.
Reuters
His trial will take place at a courthouse in Vannes, France[/caption]

The child sex cases that have rocked France

FRANCE has been shaken by several shocking child abuse and rape cases.

Joel Le Scouarnec, 73, will face the courts again in a new court case accusing the former surgeon of abusing nearly 300 children.

He was previously sentenced to 15 years behind bars for sexually assaulting four children.

The surgeon has been accused of assaulting kids between 1989 and 2014.

Authorities believe he could have also done this to children as he operated on them under anaesthetic.

The Outreau case from the early 2000s also shocked France.

An extensive paedophile network was revealed after a criminal case in northern France.

A couple confessed to abusing children between 1997 to 2000 but after they pointed fingers at friends and neighbours, the huge web was unraveled.

Among the 18 suspects were a priest who lived in their apartment building, a court bailiff from a neighbouring town, his wife, a taxi driver, a labourer, and his son.

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Top snooker stars including Championship League winner and Masters champ at risk of missing Crucible World Championships

SEVERAL top stars are at risk of missing out on automatic seeding at this year’s World Snooker Championship.

The top 16 players in the rankings, calculated by prize money earned across two years, will secure seedings at the Crucible, thus avoiding qualifying.

Kyren Wilson holding the Cazoo World Snooker Championship trophy.
Getty
Reigning champion Kyren Wilson is set to launch his title defence[/caption]

Those who miss out, however, will have to get through the notorious qualifying event at Sheffield’s English Institute of Sport.

The cut-off point to secure a top 16 spot comes after the Tour Championship.

As defending champion, Kyren Wilson has already secured the top seed despite being behind runaway leader Judd Trump in the rankings.

Next up are Ronnie O’Sullivan, Mark Selby, Mark Williams and Luca Brecel, with the quartet very strongly placed.

Mark Allen is seventh as it stands, just ahead of Chinese duo Ding Junhui and Zhang Anda.

Barry Hawkins is 10th and Si Jiahui 11th, with John Higgins 12th and Xiao Guodong 13th.

Sweating on their places will be Jak Jones and Gary Wilson in 14th and 15th respectively.

Currently occupying the 16th and final seeded spot is Neil Robertson.

JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS

At £332,050, the 2010 world champion is just £3,650 ahead of Chris Wakelin in 17th.

Masters champion Shaun Murphy is down in 20th and would currently be forced into qualifying, due to his big triumph coming in an invitational event.

Championship League winner Ali Carter, meanwhile, is 19th and would also miss out on seeding as it stands.

As would 18th-placed Snooker Shoot Out champion Tom Ford.

Last year’s semi-finalists David Gilbert and Stuart Bingham are down in 22nd and 24th respectively.

While Wu Yize is 21st and 23rd is Hossein Vafaei – who claimed the Crucible “stinks” during last year’s tournament.

Four ranking events remain before the cut-off.

The World Open is set to get underway tomorrow, with the World Grand Prix and Players Championship scheduled for next month.

Several players may still be sweating on their places as the Tour Championship gets underway on March 31.

The World Snooker Championship will take place between April 19 and May 5.

Top 16 players guaranteed Crucible place as it stands

1 Kyren Wilson £1,130,300

2 Judd Trump £1,740,200

3 Ronnie O’Sullivan £690,000

4 Mark Selby £658,000

5 Mark Williams £638,600

6 Luca Brecel £623,900

7 Mark Allen £567,900

8 Ding Junhui £497,000

9 Zhang Anda £496,550

10 Barry Hawkins £468,050

11 Si Jiahui £425,200

12 John Higgins £406,250

13 Xiao Guodong £369,000

14 Jak Jones £364,800

15 Gary Wilson £358,900

16 Neil Robertson £332,050

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Lucky EuroMillions player bags life-changing €500k in Plus draw as winning shop revealed

A LUCKY player is waking up €500,000 richer after matching all five numbers in last night’s EuroMillions Plus draw.

The punter purchased their winning Quick Pick ticket on the day of the draw, from SuperValu New Ross, The Quays, New Ross, Co. Wexford.

EuroMillions logo with a smiling star.
EuroMillions players are being urged to check their tickets
PR Handout

The winning numbers in the EuroMillions Plus draw (Friday, 21st February) were: 15, 23, 26, 29 and 48.

And a Corkonian is also in high spirits this morning after bagging a life-enhancing prize of €213,502 in the EuroMillions main draw.

The player successfully matched 5 numbers and one lucky star on their Quick Pick ticket, purchased on Thursday from Texaco Service Station, Model Farm Road, Co. Cork.

The winning numbers in the main EuroMillions draw (Friday, 21st February) were: 1, 3, 11, 20, 43 and the two Lucky Stars were 2 and 11.

The National Lottery is urging all players in Wexford and Cork areas to check their tickets carefully and if you’re holding the winning ticket, be sure to contact the National Lottery prize claims team on 1800 666 222 or email claims@lottery.ie to arrange the collection of your prize.

Spokesperson for the National Lottery, Emma Monaghan said: “We’re over the moon to see two big wins from Wexford and Cork emerge from last night’s EuroMillions draw.

“It’s moments like these that remind us all of the excitement and possibility the games bring.

“So, to all our players, check your tickets very carefully – who knows, it could be you!”

Earlier this week, a lucky punter told how she is “lost for words” after winning her second big Lotto prize in eight years.

Ann Foley just turned 60, and it turned out to be a hugely memorable day.

While surrounded by family and friends at a surprise party, she was handed a small envelope.

Inside was a birthday card, along with a scratch card.

As she sat down to scratch it, she found that she had won €10, which she described as “not bad”.

She then set about exchanging it for a Bingo Multiplier scratch card in Walshe’s Shop and Main Street in Stoneyford.

As she scratched her second card, she was shocked to learn she bagged €50,000.

Eight years ago when she turned 52, she was given another scratch card as a present from her mother.

Back then, she also won €50,000 – creating a new sense of Deja vu for her.

But even weirder were the similarities between both times – it was the same time of day, her son was in the shower and her husband David had called her on his was home from work.

Ann explained: “I was lost for words – I couldn’t believe that it had happened again!

“The fact that it all unfolded just like it did 8 years ago, almost spooked me out, but I wasn’t complaining!

“The last time I won, we were able to clear the remainder of our mortgage and tackle some home improvements that I had on the list, it really made such a difference to our lives.”

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