Georgy Dzugkov, 23, from Krasnodar, Russia, has been jailed for public obscenity after performing a sex stunt in the back of a vehicle, which was filmed in Phuket, Thailand.
Georgy Dzugkov, 23, was filmed having sex in the back of a black Ford Ranger Raptor in Phuket (Image: Phuket City Police Station/East2West News)
A Russian streamer who was filmed having sex in the back of a speeding pickup has been jailed.
Georgy Dzugkov, 23, will also be deported and banned from Thailand for 99 years after a sex stunt on a street in Phuket. Thai authorities said the sex stunt was a “gross violation of local laws and ethical norms”.
When this footage was shared last October, it caused a stir and shocked everyone involved. The Krasnodar-born vlogger and a 42-year-old Thai woman – both appearing naked – were seen having sex in public in a Ford Ranger Raptor pickup while driving on a rainy road.
Dzugkov is known for performing wild stunts (Image: Life/East2West News)
read more: : Snow maps show ‘four inches per hour’ blizzard will ravage Britons for 18 hours Read more: The Meteorological Department has released the complete list and named nine places that will face snowfall next week.
Dzugkov was reportedly jailed for one year and the woman for 10 months. The pickup driver and cameraman were also sentenced to one year in prison each, as well as facing deportation and a ban on returning to Thailand.
This behaviour was deemed “public indecency” and “seriously disrespectful to Thailand”. After the footage emerged, Dzugkov tried to escape the scandal by flying to Bangkok and aiming to flee Thailand on an international flight—but he was stopped by the police and taken back to Phuket for a criminal investigation.
The Thai woman told police she “felt pressured” by the notorious streamer – who regularly films extreme stunts, pranks and explicit sex videos. She said, “I was scared because it was dangerous, but they convinced me to do it. I felt pressured and needed the extra money.”
The woman has also been jailed for this incident (Image: ViralPress)
Superintendent of Mueang Phuket Police Station, Police Colonel Chatri Chukaev, said, “The Russian admitted being the man in the video but denied having sex.” He claimed he was “wearing underwear” and “looked like he was having sex.”.
The colonel said, “The woman also admitted that she was the same person in the video. She testified that she was paid 1,000 baht by the Russian.” The fee was set at [£22.90] for the purpose of filming content for your Instagram channel.
“His account has millions of followers and he often records such content in Thailand and abroad. When he came to Thailand, he met a Thai woman at the bar where she worked.”
This stunt was done while sitting behind a pickup (Image: ViralPress)
According to the Life news outlet, Dzhugkov is known in Russia for content marked by obscenity, alcohol and drug use, “unbridled behaviour, insults, bullying, sexual scenes and other filth”. His “fiancée” – his regular partner in his videos, a 60-year-old woman he calls Rosa – is openly mocked in his videos.
If you’ve ever spent your morning commute dreaming of starting your career afresh, this feature is for you. Every Monday we speak to someone from a different profession to find out what it’s really like. This week we speak to Barrister Benjamin Knight from Central Chambers, Manchester, and Liberal Chambers, London.
Take-home pay can be extremely low…
Initially, a junior criminal barrister can bill £10,000 to £50,000 in gross fees. That can also be confusing. Some fees are never properly collected; some are written off and exclude chamber contributions, travel, insurance, practice costs, and taxes. Once you factor in the hours, the take-home price can be extremely low. At the top level, you sometimes hear headlines about criminal barristers earning millions. In fact, the handful of people who can get seven figures tend to be very senior Caseys, and the eye-watering figure may reflect years of work on the same big case, along with everything else. The income from crime is also unpredictable from year to year, making planning a normal life strangely difficult.
The bell ringing at 10 o’clock at night is a common occurrence. A typical week is 50 to 60 hours, but a trial week can be twice that. Late nights are common, not because barristers like to be busy, but because you can spend the whole day in court and then start your next day’s work at night: preparing for the next day of hearings as well as pursuing other matters. Add late disclosures and last-minute instructions and you’ll learn to take breaks where you can, rather than when they’re “expected”.
Criminal barristers joke that we don’t retire; we die in our wigs… The more realistic version is that people keep moving while they are still fast and want to do so. Some people go to the bench (become judges). I am Generation X. Retirement always feels like a slightly imaginary concept until you end up with a decent pension path. For many people, this is the attraction of becoming a judge.
Find tips and personal finance news at Money Blog
You can make friends with your opponents, of course… Sometimes close friends. Professionalism comes first. You’re not there to be friends; you are there to do your job properly. Cordial is the default. Being friendly is normal. Hostility is usually a sign that someone is doing it badly. There is a social scene, but it is not the heady fantasy that some dramas sell. People are busy. Events occur, and WhatsApp groups exist, as one would expect. Is it competitive? There can be a bit of swagger at the very junior end, and students can be ridiculously curious. But most criminal barristers are too busy trying to escape the diary to play status games.
The job can still be lonely, especially when barristers are away from home for long periods, but the bar can also be a wonderful source of support and unity when someone needs help, provided that they actually ask.
There should always be a flicker of adrenaline before addressing a judge or jury… If not, you’re either not paying attention or have become numb. I don’t work from a script but from bullet points and themes. If I write everything down, I edit myself as I speak. Your perspective changes with experience. Good advocacy is listening, especially in cross-examination, where you need to plan in advance and adapt to an answer you did not quite expect.
Judge’s advocacy and jury’s advocacy are different… Juries usually hear fresh cases. The judges have heard versions of the same presentation for years, and sometimes the blinkers are so tight, you have to push them back without any complaints. If I am wrong, I admit it immediately. Maintaining credibility is crucial, as it can be earned and lost with ease.
Pupil is extremely competitive and expensive to reach.
The ultimate goal is not merely to have letters after your name; rather, it is to receive instruction that enables you to produce high-quality work suited to your skills, ultimately reaching a point where you can walk onto the court and feel, “I should be here.” Additionally, efforts are being made to eliminate imposter syndrome, which is more common at bars than people realise.
One case always reminds me that this job is not just about winning arguments… Early in my career, I was doing prison law work. A client asked me to meet his cellmate, who was illiterate and unable to write. The cellmate was convicted of a serious sexual offence much earlier, said to have occurred when he was a child. Upon meeting him, I observed that he was gravely ill and evidently experiencing abuse in prison. He was being used “as a reward” for other prisoners, among other things. Despite my efforts to investigate an appeal, the case’s age resulted in a significant amount of lost paperwork. All I could do was focus on getting him out of jail and into safe health care. We managed it. Over time, he stabilised physically, then mentally, and eventually built something resembling life. One Christmas Eve I went to visit him in the medical unit and he gave me a Christmas card. A nurse told me it was the first card she had ever written to anyone. It’s still in my desk drawer.
I was part of the longest jury trial in English history… It was a test of endurance for everyone, including the jury. This proved to me that juries can handle complex, document-heavy cases well if you present them properly. This trial is as effective a rebuttal as you could want to the myth that juries can’t handle complexity.
image: Photo: iStock
I was attacked at work… by defendants, and once by a party in family proceedings when I was in mixed practice. Emotions run high and people can lash out. Such an incident has happened to me too, when I felt unsafe going home and complained about it. It involves a car and an M62… In certain types of tasks, you become more cautious when leaving court buildings. Online hostility also exists. Comment sections can be terrifying. I even stopped reading that stuff years ago. People sometimes forget that representing someone does not mean endorsing what they are accused of. It is never appropriate to attack lawyers for doing their job.
Historically, the legal profession was dominated by affluent, cisgender, heterosexual, white men, which created visibility issues; if individuals cannot see people who resemble them in this field, they may easily assume that those individuals are not like them. This is true for care leavers and the neurodiverse, and it’s also true for openly gay and trans people. After we made progress, the lack of adequate legal assistance and unfavourable working conditions made access challenging once more. The debt is huge, the early years can be financially difficult and people wisely decide not to stake their lives on it. This trend hurts everyone, as it reduces not only the number of advocates but also the number of future judges. If we want the best people and a judiciary with wide experience, the system must be viable for those who do not have a financial safety net.
The criminal justice system is more fair than people think… And I think juries take their oaths seriously. I have witnessed decisions that required meticulous, forensic reasoning. But prejudice exists. Some of the bias is unconscious. You can see the difference in the patterns and results. The system is often fair, but it’s not perfect, and we shouldn’t pretend it is. I don’t accept that the answer to injustice is to weaken the jury, one of our best safeguards against it. In most cases the jury helps the system, so removing them worsens the backlog. If you want fewer failed trials, do the boring things right: prompt and appropriate disclosures, case management that is substantive rather than performative, and resources and training for institutions that continue to fail at a fundamental level.
I would start with this: the lack of adequate administrative units in police forces and the shrinking of the CPS, along with a culture of backlash in both, are significant issues.
Stop the “liberated” nonsense… One thing I would change is honest reporting. If you report a sentence, publish comments and references related to it.
If I am competent, available, and properly guided, I should not select clients based on popularity or my personal feelings. The rules exist so representation doesn’t become a luxury only for likeable people.
If a client admits to committing the act, I cannot mislead the court; instead, I may assess whether the prosecution can substantiate its allegations or generally recommend a guilty plea, ensuring that the conviction is based on the actual actions taken rather than any exaggeration. What matters is a safe conviction and a lawful sentence.
One case that later influenced me involved a crime involving indecent images… The content was extremely serious. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced appropriately. Subsequently, his family discovered that the images depicted his childhood abuse, and other family members were also victims. While it didn’t absolve the crime, it altered my perception of it. It was a sobering reminder that the world is usually more complex than “victims and monsters.”. He declined to pursue the charges as a form of mitigation, but he was clearly trying to understand what had been done to him over the years, from infant to adult.
I would advise anyone aspiring to become a barrister to safeguard their reputation promptly. Social media has a long memory.
If I could change one thing about the justice system, it would be more honesty, especially an honest relationship between the system, the media, and the public. The public often does not understand what happens in court. The press is increasingly chasing outrage and clicks. Lawyers explain their cases very poorly and are often reluctant to speak about personal matters. As a result, public conversations become distorted, where any outcome that is not the most severe is perceived as “getting away with it.” We need political courage and a more adult debate: what outcomes do people really want in life—punishment, rehabilitation, or diversion— and what are they willing to pay for? Without that honesty, every other improvement sits on the sand. Any conspiracy theorist can call for being “tough…” We constantly think about these issues, but the situation is not as simple as it may seem. There are no monsters. There are people who may (or may not have) committed monstrous acts. The justice system cannot just let people sleep in their beds easily.
Banking operations in public sector banks across the country are likely to be disrupted on Tuesday as bank unions go on a nationwide strike to press for immediate implementation of the five-day working week.
The strike called by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), a group of nine unions representing bank officers and employees,
The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), a group of nine unions representing bank officers and employees, initiated the strike after the Chief Labour Commissioner failed to provide assurances on their demands during a conciliation meeting on January 23.
With banks already closed on January 25 (Sunday) and January 26 (Republic Day), the strike on January 27 is expected to disrupt branch-level services for three consecutive days.
“Despite detailed discussions during the conciliation proceedings, no assurance was received on our demand.
Therefore, we have been forced to go ahead with the strike action,” CH Venkatachalam, general secretary of UFBU constituent All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA), told PTI.
What services are at risk?
Public sector banks, including State Bank of India (SBI), are likely to disrupt branch-level services like cash deposits, withdrawals, cheque clearance, and administrative functions.
Punjab National Bank (PNB) and Bank of Baroda are likely to be affected. However, the operations of major private sector lenders like HDFC Bank remain unaffected.
ICICI Bank and Axis Bank are expected to remain largely unaffected, as their employees are not part of the unions participating in the strike. Digital banking services, including UPI and internet banking, will continue to function, although availability of cash at ATMs may face local issues due to logistical delays.
Why are the bank unions on strike?
The unions are demanding that all Saturdays be declared holidays, saying the proposal was agreed to during the 12th bilateral agreement signed with the Indian Banks Association (IBA) in March 2024 but has not been notified by the government yet.
All India Bank Officers Confederation (AIBOC) general secretary Rupam Roy said, “It is unfortunate that the government is not responding to our genuine demand.
There will be no loss of man-hours, as we have agreed to work 40 minutes extra daily from Monday to Friday.” At present, banks are open on the first, third, and fifth Saturdays of each month.
‘Not against customers’: Unions
Union leaders stated that the strike aims to enhance the efficiency and stability of the banking system, not to cause inconvenience to customers.
“This movement is not against customers, but for a sustainable, humane and efficient banking system. A rested banker serves the nation better.
A balanced workforce strengthens financial stability. 5-day banking is not a luxury; it is an economic and human necessity,” said L Chandrasekhar, general secretary, National Confederation of Bank Employees (NCBE).
Banks report possible disruption
Several public sector banks, including SBI, have informed the stock exchanges about the possible impact of the strike.
We advise that the bank has made necessary arrangements to ensure normal functioning of its branches and offices on the day of the strike.
but there is a possibility that the work in the bank may be affected by the strike,” SBI said in a regulatory filing on Friday.
Manila, Philippines A boat carrying more than 350 people sank near an island in the southern Philippines early Monday, killing at least 18 people, authorities said. Rescuers rescued hundreds of people, while a flotilla of coast guard and navy vessels are still searching for the missing.
Coast Guard officials said the cargo and passenger ferry apparently encountered technical problems and sank after midnight. According to a rescued passenger who lost her 6-month-old baby, the steel-hulled ship suddenly tipped to one side and sank into the water, sending people out to sea in the dark.
“My wife grabbed our baby and we all got separated into the ocean,” a distraught Mohammad Khan told Gamar Alih, a volunteer rescuer who posted a video of Khan’s comments on Facebook.
He said he and his wife, who was holding their child, were rescued, but the child drowned. When Khan narrated his ordeal, his wife cried beside him.
Passengers rescued by the Philippine Coast Guard are brought to safety after a ferry carrying more than 350 passengers capsized in the waters off Baluk-Baluk Island, Basilan, Philippines, on January 26, 2025.
M/V Trisha Kerstin 3 was sailing from the port city of Zamboanga to southern Jolo Island in Sulu province with 332 passengers and 27 crew members in excellent weather. It sank about a nautical mile off the village of Baluk-Baluk in Basilan province, coast guard commander Rommel Dua told The Associated Press.
Officials said rescue workers saved at least 316 passengers and crew members retrieved 18 bodies. Coast Guard and Navy ships, along with a surveillance aircraft, an Air Force Black Hawk helicopter and a fleet of fishing boats, launched search and rescue operations for about two dozen people missing in Basilan, Dua said.
Dua said the cause of the boat sinking was not immediately clear and would be investigated. He said the coast guard cleared the ferry before leaving Zamboanga port and there was no sign of overloading.
A map shows the approximate location of a ferry that sank en route from Zamboanga City in the southern Philippines to Jolo Island.
Local media reported that 15 passengers on the ship’s manifest decided not to board the ship at the last minute and refunded their fare. Dua said, if confirmed, the number of missing people would reduce.
Alih, a village councillor in Zamboanga City, told the AP press that he volunteered to help with the search and rescue because some of his relatives were among the ferry passengers. They all survived.
The provincial capital of Isabela, where he and ambulance vans were waiting, received several passengers and two bodies, according to Basilan Governor Mujiv Hataman.
the Philippine archipelago due to frequent typhoons
Maritime accidents are common in the Philippine archipelago due to frequent typhoons, poorly maintained ships, overcrowding, and irregular enforcement of safety regulations, especially in remote provinces.
In December 1987, the ferry Dona Paz sank after colliding with a fuel tanker in the central Philippines, killing more than 4,300 people in the world’s deadliest peacetime maritime disaster.
Senior Conservative Ruth Davidson has vowed that the Conservatives will “fight the country back” as she launches a new campaign group aimed at winning over millions of centre-right voters. The former Scottish Tory leader said she was “not satisfied” about Reform’s lead in the polls as she unveiled Prosper UK alongside former West Midlands mayor, Sir Andy Street.
It brings together former Tory MPs and business leaders and argues that the Tories need to reconnect with voters who reject populism on both the left and the right. Ms Davidson said, “If you believe in something, you fight for it. We think.” [the UK] Prosper UK launched with six founders, including former cabinet ministers David Gauke and Amber Rudd. It aims to push the party towards the centre-right, saying the country deserves better than a choice between Labour and Nigel Farage at the next election.
Sir Andy and Baroness Davidson argue that only the Conservatives
Sir Andy and Baroness Davidson argue that only the Conservatives can provide that alternative by embracing their pragmatic, centre-right roots. Sir Andy, who served as the first directly elected West Midlands Mayor, said, “I am thrilled to launch Prosper UK, a new movement to bring hope to the millions of voters who have said they want to see real long-term policies to fix our sagging economy and get the country back together.”
He said, “There is clear space to gain support for practical and honest, pro-business politics. I call on everyone who shares our values to sign up as supporters of Prosper UK and help shape the future of the UK.”
Baroness Davidson said, “Prosperity is about much more than money. It’s about opportunity. It’s a country that feels up and where young people know they can go far with their talent and hard work.”
She added, “I’m fed up with Labour and Reform politicians talking about tearing Britain down or threatening to explode politics. Britain has its issues, but many people are working hard to improve their communities. Now is the time to support them.”
Prosper UK will work with think tanks, trade bodies and businesses to develop a pro-enterprise, pro-growth agenda, with insiders saying it intends to move decision-making out of Westminster. Former CBI chairman Rupert Soames supported the initiative, saying, “Prosper UK believes in the power of private enterprise, investment and innovation to deliver prosperity to Britain’s businesses and people.”
Vice President Amber Rudd said, “Businesses, entrepreneurs, and risk-takers in our country need to be at the forefront of politicians’ strategies. This approach will enable us to achieve growth in our communities.
Prosper UK has the direct support of more than 70 high-profile political figures, many of whom are former MPs, and Mr Street says he has met with party leader Kemi Badenoch and had a fruitful conversation about the direction of the Conservatives over the next few years.
Bodyweight training keeps getting criticised the same way: it won’t make you stronger. It’s true that at a certain point, you’ll need external loads to build more strength. But many lifters focus on the drawbacks of bodyweight training rather than its benefits, explains Brad Kolovich Jr. “If you can’t control your body, you don’t truly own your strength.” In his new book, Bodyweight Blueprint, strength coach Brad Kolovich Jr aims to dispel the myths surrounding bodyweight training and provide a blueprint for getting stronger anytime, anywhere. Kolovich, a lifelong athlete and strength coach, trains high-profile bodies like Tyler Perry, Cody Rhodes, Alicia Silverstone, Luke Evans, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II using bodyweight methods. If it works for them, there’s no reason why it shouldn’t work for you too.
Who is it, Brad Kolovich Jr?
Before coaching A-list celebrities, he was a nationally competitive tennis player who travelled the country competing in tournaments since the age of 10. His athletic background shaped how he views training: movement quality, durability, and repeatable performance matter more than chasing PRs.
Today, Colovich Jr owns and operates ColoFit Personal Training, based in Atlanta and Lake Oconee, GA, where he trains everyone from everyday professionals to elite athletes and A-list celebrities. His book outlines his system, which is based on taking control of your body weight.
It was difficult and painful for the coach-turned-athlete to understand the importance of bodyweight training. After years of intense, high-volume tennis training, he had knee surgery at the age of 14. He learnt that strength without control, balance, and form has consequences.
Then, later, as a coach, he began to notice patterns in his clients’ activities. They were getting stronger on paper, yet movement quality declined, injuries occurred and progress stalled.
That’s when the idea of the lightbulb emerged. Kolovich Jr began to shift his focus from barbells to bodyweight work, such as perfecting push-ups, squats, lunges, holds, and tempo-based movements. Then something unexpected happened: everything improved. Strength improved, joints felt healthier and performance improved.
It then became clear to him that bodyweight training was not a regression. This is the foundation. But before we get into the specifics of bodyweight training, let’s dispel some myths.
Common Myths About Bodyweight Training
Some people think that bodyweight exercises are great as warmup moves, but that’s only an appetiser for the main course. Those who believe this have likely never performed single-arm push-ups, pistol squats, or front levers. As Colovich Jr points out, the information dispels the common myth that bodyweight training is for beginners. “In fact, mastery over real body weights is extremely challenging. Most strong lifters struggle when you introduce momentum, instability, full range of motion, and tight control.”
The second major misconception is that building muscle without weights is impossible. However, muscle growth and strength come from resistance and tension – not just iron. “Another myth is that you can’t build muscle without weights,” says Kolovich Jr. But when you understand leverage, time under tension, unilateral work, and density, bodyweight training becomes a powerful tool for hypertrophy, athleticism, and longevity.
He overlooks several bodyweight training myths here.
Myth: You need a gym for a perfect workout
Truth: Your body is a tool. Bodyweight training can target every major muscle group, including the chest, back, legs, and core; it can also include mobility, balance, and cardio conditioning in one session.
Myth: You’ll settle down soon
Truth: Plateaus arise from a lack of progress, not from the tools used. The Bodyweight Blueprint addresses this by incorporating exercise variations, rep tempo, low stability, and programming techniques (e.g., circuits, HIIT, and power-focused sessions) to ensure continuous adaptation.
Myth: Bodyweight training can’t improve athletic performance
Truth: Explosive bodyweight movements, such as jump squats, plyo pushups, sprints, and mobility drills, train power, agility, and coordination. These are important for athletic performance.
Keeping this in view, how does Kolovich Jr get Captain America to do push-ups?
How Kolovich Jr explains bodyweight training to his clients
Kolovich’s two gyms are filled with high-class equipment, so you can imagine a client’s surprise when he says bodyweight training is on the menu. “I tell them this,” says Kolovich. “If you can’t control your body, adding weight hides weaknesses.”
If Luke Evans disagrees with him and wants to hit the bench instead of doing tempo push-ups, he brings out the big guns. “Bodyweight training forces you to connect with your body,” explains Kolovich. “You’re not relying on external resistance to feel a movement. You’re learning how to engage the right muscles, strengthen your core, and capture every inch of the rep.”
Once their customers realise that mastering bodyweight movements improves their barbell lifts, reduces joint pain and increases their training duration, buy-in is immediate.
“I work with high-profile clients who need to look great, move well, and stay healthy under demanding schedules,” he says. “Bodyweight training plays an important role in his programmes.
“Whether it’s preparing Cody Rhodes for the WWE World Championship or helping Yahya stay camera-ready while preparing for the role of Emmy-winning Dr Manhattan, bodyweight work creates an athletic, flexible body without unnecessary wear and tear,” explains Kolovich.
bodyweight exercise progression
Kolovich emphasises that the principle of progressive overload still applies—even when your body is the only resistance. I give bodyweight exercises the same respect as heavy lifts. Everything is intentional and progressive. I manipulate tempo, range of motion, leverage, unilateral loading, volume, density, and rest periods.
Since you can’t add plates, Colovich Jr adjusts other variables, such as:
Repetition and speed manipulation: Increase reps for volume and slow down the speed, especially the eccentric phase, to increase the time under tension. Adding a 3- to 5-second pause at the most challenging part of the movement increases muscular endurance and strength.
Taking advantage of your body position: changing your body position relative to gravity changes the weight distribution – for example, moving push-ups from incline to decline. The bodyweight blueprint introduces leverage-based progressions, such as moving the hands or feet closer to the anchor point during suspension training to increase difficulty.
Reducing Stability: Unilateral and balance-challenging variations place increased demands on the core and joint stabilisers. For example:
Regular Squats → Split Squats → Bulgarian Split Squats
Push-ups → Archer Push-ups → One-arm Push-ups
Increasing Complexity: Kolovich has introduced neurologically demanding changes into his programming. Thinking:
Push-ups → Grasshopper Push-ups
Squats → skater squats
Using external devices: suspension trainers, sliders, and ab rollers increase instability, range of motion, and enhance core engagement. These devices make traditional activities harder without increasing weight.
The Wrap-up
Often, bodyweight training is treated as a fallback option when it should be the foundation. Master your movement, and everything else in your training will become faster, safer, and better for the long term. If you want to start doing this, shop around Bodyweight Blueprint.
Chelsea’s transfer window is underway on multiple fronts, with youth recruitment, senior targets and short-term squad decisions developing simultaneously.
As the Blues balance immediate needs with long-term plans, several names have emerged that indicate just how broad their vision is.
advertisement
Chelsea complete move for teenage full-back Yessa Alao
Photo by Stuart Leggett/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Chelsea have bolstered their youth ranks with the addition of highly rated left-back Yasa Alao. The club views the 17-year-old as a player for the future, aligning with their ongoing focus on securing top domestic prospects.
The deal also reflects Chelsea’s willingness to act decisively in a competitive market, ensuring that promising talent is brought into the system before their value rises further.
Dusan Vlahovic is back in the Chelsea striker conversation
As the summer window approaches, Chelsea’s search for attacking firepower continues to draw familiar names. Dusan Vlahovic is once again being discussed as a possible option, with his contract situation making him one to watch.
advertisement
The Serbian forward’s physical presence and goal-scoring pedigree are in line with what Chelsea have often lacked in recent seasons, although any move will depend on wider squad and financial considerations.
Chelsea linked with defensive experience Harry Maguire
In a more surprising development, Chelsea have been loosely linked with Harry Maguire as they assess centre-back options. The England international will represent a shift towards proven Premier League experience.
Such a move would prioritise leadership and reliability, especially if Chelsea decide that immediate stability at the back outweighs long-term development projects.
advertisement
Morgan Rodgers’ interest and Anselmino’s withdrawal show extensive squad planning
Chelsea’s thoughts extend beyond title transfers. Interest in Morgan Rodgers draws attention to players with creative versatility and the ability to integrate into fast-moving squads.
Meanwhile, the decision to bring back Aaron Anselmino from loan reflects a short-term defensive need, suggesting Chelsea may want to have extra cover as the season progresses.
All in all, recent developments point to a club keeping its options open, adjusting plans as opportunities and obstacles continue to shape the window.
A devastating 4 km long landslide forced more than 1,000 people to evacuate an idyllic Sicilian town.
A shocking aerial view shows the southern mountain town of Nissemi standing precariously on the edge of a cliff with many buildings dangerously close to collapsing.
The buildings appear to be about to collapse into the ravine below. Credit: lassiliteMore than 1,000 residents have been forced to evacuate their homes Credit: EPAThe devastating landslide left deep tears in the surrounding hills
The deep ditch and large pieces of earth in the surrounding fields illustrate the scale of the landslide.
There has been no report of any death or injury since the incident on Sunday.
Regional president Renato Schifani estimates losses totalling 740 million euros (£640 million).
According to the city’s mayor, Massimiliano Conti, heavy rains over the past few days have caused landslides.
Read more about landslides
camp search
One in six teenagers still missing after landslide in camp as families face agonizing wait
Conti called the situation “dire,” adding: “The situation continues to worsen, as even more deterioration has been recorded.”
Schools were forced to close their doors on Monday and Contee said the city was working to restore order.
Local authorities are said to be working with police, fire and civil defence units to prepare an action plan.
Officials said all residents within a four-kilometre radius of the landslide had been evacuated.
The displaced locals have reportedly been moved to a temporary shelter set up in Pio la Torre Sports Hall in Nissemi.
Hundreds of camp beds have been brought in from Palermo to aid efforts.
And according to L’Union Sarda, 70 volunteers are helping authorities deal with the fallout at the landslide site.
Sicily’s coastal areas were hit by Hurricane Harry last week, with heavy rains affecting coastal roads and housing.
The ground condition had reportedly deteriorated due to heavy rains in the area, which led to the landslide.
Just days earlier, Hurricane Harry caused further devastation in Sicily when a landslide at a cemetery caused coffins to fall down a cliff.
About 20 coffins fell into a ravine beneath a cliffside cemetery in Croton.
An aerial view reveals extent of damage Credit: EPAMany buildings were damaged due to landslides Credit: lassilite
Mayor Levino Rajani said the damage to the San Mauro Marchesato cemetery is a “deep wound” to the community.
“It is a wound that affects the memory, honour and dignity of our loved ones, causing endless pain,” he said.
He said skilled climbers would recover the coffins as soon as it was safe to do so.
Sicilians had to flee for their lives from a huge storm-tossed wave that slammed straight into the harbour, while two people died in Greece and Malta as wild weather ravaged Europe.
Hurricane Harry hits an Italian island with severe weather, leading to a state of emergency.
Last Tuesday, a street in Letoganni, north of Catania, was inundated with floodwaters that looked like a tidal wave, with the waves engulfing everything.
Loose garbage bags were the first to be swept away by the storm, followed by chairs and heavy plant pots.
Frost became emotional in the witness box and said it was “distressing” to relive the events.
Sadie Frost told a court that journalists had “violated” her privacy by allegedly hacking her voicemail for information.
The actress became emotional while giving evidence in her case against the newspaper publisher, which includes claims that a reporter found out about her aborted pregnancy through a private investigator.
She told the High Court that she knew “100%” that the other stories were obtained through hacking because they matched her voicemail “word for word”. In a written statement, she said that the alleged activity had made her believe that she “couldn’t trust anyone”.
Associated Newspapers Ltd (ANL) has denied all wrongdoing in relation to Frost and six other claimants, including Prince Harry.
Frost accused Mail journalists of calling her then-husband,
In court, Frost accused Mail journalists of calling her then-husband, actor Jude Law, in 2002 after discovering that their two-year-old daughter had swallowed part of an Ecstasy tablet at a children’s party. When Frost received press attention, she began to cry.
She said in her statement that she was “pained” when she learnt that her landline was allegedly being listened to, adding that it had caused her and her children “pain.”
Frost and other claimants have accused Associated Newspapers of “serious violations of privacy” over a 20-year period.
Her claim relates to 11 articles and two “episodes” of alleged unlawful information gathering for articles that were not published, including one about her pregnancy.
David Sherborne, representing Frost, said she discovered she was pregnant in 2003, which was unplanned and later aborted. She said she only told her father, Jackson Scott, and “maybe” a close friend about the termination.
The barrister claimed that Katie Nicholl, who was showbiz editor of the Mail on Sunday at the time, would “must have” known about the situation through unlawful information gathering. He said that his notes mentioned a private investigator who had charged him £400.
Antony White Casey, on behalf of the publisher, said that the payment was not linked to the pregnancy and that a freelance journalist with sources close to Frost had told Nicholl about the pregnancy.
During the cross-examination, Frost stated to the court, “It was evident that there was a hidden agenda against me.” The Daily Mail had said they were interested in Sadie Frost.”
When White suggested that Frost’s family members had provided information to the press and that this “might” have encouraged her friends to do the same, Frost said she did not agree.
Concluding her evidence, she said it was “difficult and very painful to relive something I didn’t want to relive”.
She said, “It hurts me for my kids to see what I’ve been through, but I’ve done it for them.”
Frost said in her written statement that the publisher was so angry that she thought it was okay to profit from someone going through so much pain without thinking about me or my children.
He said he was not aware he had a potential claim against the publisher until 2019 and that ANL “must be held accountable”.
White argued that Frost’s claims were “without any basis in the evidence before the court”. He said the stories were sourced “completely legitimately” and that his social circle was considered “leaked”, with family members regularly passing on information to the press.
He said claimants were “grasping at straws” and claims were brought too late.
Privacy cases must generally be brought within six years of the alleged violation, unless victims can show that they cannot bring a case within that time.
The other claimants in the case against ANL are:
Sir Elton John and his husband David Furnish
actress liz hurley
Sir Simon Hughes, former Liberal Democrat MP
Baroness Doreen Lawrence, a campaigner whose son Stephen Lawrence was murdered in a racist attack in south London in 1993
They accused ANL of “blatant, systematic and continued use of unlawful information gathering” for stories between 1993 and “after that” in 2018, including through private investigators and blogging.
ANL has denied allegations of illegal information collection.
The case continues and is expected to last nine weeks.
London — Manchester’s ambitious mayor was barred from trying to re-enter Parliament in a special election in the city in the coming weeks, sparking controversy within Britain’s ruling Labour Party on Sunday, critics claim. Prime Minister Keir Starmer did not want to see a potential opponent back in the House of Commons.
andy burnham Joe, who has been in charge of the Greater Manchester region since 2017, urged Labour’s governing committee on Saturday to stand as the party’s candidate for the Gorton and Denton constituency in the upcoming election, which is expected to be held by the end of February.
Had he won that election in a traditionally safe Labour seat, he would have had to step down from his job as mayor, meaning another special election there would likely have had to be held. May 2028 marks the expiration of Burnham’s mandate.
A 10-strong group of Labour’s National Executive Committee, responsible for the party’s election machinery, made the decision to block Burnham.
Labour said the NEC had decided to refuse to allow Burnham to stand for Manchester Mayor to avoid an “unnecessary election” which would have a “substantial and disproportionate impact on party campaign resources”.
Many experts predict that Labour will suffer defeat in the May elections.
The May elections are widely predicted to be the UK’s equivalent of the US midterm elections. If current opinion polls are any guide, Labour is expected to lose power in Wales for the first time since the legislature was formed in 1999, fall well short of gaining power in Scotland and lose local elections in England.
Since winning the July 2024 general election with a landslide, Labour has seen its poll ratings decline, partly due to a series of policy mistakes directly linked to Starmer’s decision-making.
other parties, including anti-immigration reform uk And the Greens have been the main beneficiaries of Labour’s apparent decline in support.
The Prime Minister’s poll ratings are particularly poor at present and many within the party think he may face a leadership challenge if the May elections are as unsuccessful as anticipated.
Burnham, who served in Labour governments under Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown in the 2000s, has made no secret of her ambition to lead the party at some stage in the future. Burnham, known as the “King of the North” in reference to the television fantasy show “Game of Thrones”, has twice previously run for the Labour leadership and lost.
Although Burnham insisted she would be a team player in her request on Saturday, many Starmer allies appear to disagree, as she expressed a number of views that put her at odds with the prime minister, particularly on economic policy. Last September, he said he wanted to “start a debate” about the direction of policy and how to defeat reform.
Labour MLA John Slinger said the “quick and clear decision” meant the party could “move on from the damaging introspection and psychoanalysis of the past week” and “come together” behind a final candidate.
Others were stunned by the decision.
Former cabinet minister Lewis Haigh said it was “incredibly disappointing” and called on the NEC to “change course and make the right decision”.
