Damage

In 2011, after seeing the level of abuse that The X Factor contestant Frankie Cocozza was getting online, Nicola Brookes posted a message of support. In a Facebook comment, she advised Cocozza to keep his friends and family close and be patient while waiting for the harassment to end. For some reason her innocuous comment infuriated the internet trolls – sparking a 10-year campaign of abuse. For the next decade, Brookes, now 55, was plagued by people who seemed set on the goal of destroying her reputation – impersonating her online, stealing her photos to create accounts in her name, faking profiles that made it seem as though she was a paedophile and drug dealer. One of her tormentors, Nicky Wright of South London, was jailed for stalking in 2018. Another turned out to be a police officer, who was suspended. Yair Cohen, who touts himself as the first Internet lawyer, makes a living tracking down anonymous trolls online. Brookes was one of his first digital cases. After deploying … [Read more...] about ‘I could have sorted Wagatha in 24 hours’: Meet the troll-hunting lawyer

“Putin doesn’t lie.” It was a striking claim from the defence secretary Ben Wallace yesterday morning, and one perhaps guaranteed to have you choking on your porridge. Recent history, after all, is littered with Russian lies. Two weeks after Russia invaded its neighbour, the Russian foreign minister insisted “we did not attack Ukraine ’’. It was as unbelievable as the suggestion by the two Salisbury poisoning suspects that they’d come to England’s cathedral city to see its “famous 123m spire”. And yet Wallace was trying to make an extremely valid point. “One of the lessons of the last 10 to 15 years is people have underestimated Vladimir Putin. They have ignored what he has said publicly and they have done so at their peril. He wrote in July last year what he was going to do effectively in Ukraine. People thought he was just posturing. There is a sort of phrase that often goes round that ‘Putin doesn’t lie’. Putin has said lots of threats; he often carries them … [Read more...] about Everyone keeps saying ‘Putin lies’ – but does he?

The family of a Connecticut man who was severely injured while riding in a police van this month says he was left paralyzed after multiple officers ignored his repeated calls for help. Randy Cox was handcuffed and incapacitated when police in New Haven dragged him from the back of the vehicle. He was not wearing a seat belt and his head was slammed against the back of the van when the officer driving it made a sudden stop, a disturbing video shows. His family is now calling for justice and is pursuing damages against the city. "It made me sick to my stomach, to treat somebody like that," Cox's sister, Latoya Boomer, told CBS News. Cox was at a block party on June 19 when police arrived in response to a weapons complaint. Officers arrested Cox, who they say is an ex-felon and was carrying a firearm illegally. As they were taking him to jail, authorities say Officer Oscar Diaz was speeding and came to a sudden stop to avoid an accident, causing Cox to hit his head. "Help! I … [Read more...] about Connecticut man left paralyzed after video shows his head being slammed against back of police van; 5 officers placed on leave

A customer shot and injured an employee at the Freddy's Frozen Custard off Millerville Road Wednesday night following a fight, Baton Rouge police said. Authorities responded around 9:45 p.m. to a shooting at the restaurant, located at 13636 Millerville Greens Blvd. According to investigators, an argument between an employee and a customer started after the customer’s food was accidentally given away. The two then agreed to meet outside, where a physical fight started. The fight was broken up by another employee, police said. As they returned to the store, the customer fired multiple shots, injuring the first employee. The injury was non-life threating, authorities said. The front of the store was also damaged in the shooting. No additional information about the shooting was immediately available, including potential suspects. … [Read more...] about Argument about food order leads to customer shooting employee, Baton Rouge police say

The UK government will spend 2.5% of GDP on defence by 2030, Boris Johnson has announced, as NATO's secretary general warned that the alliance must stand up to Vladimir Putin. Speaking from the NATO conference in Madrid, the prime minister told broadcasters that "we need to invest for the long-term in vital capabilities like future combat air, whilst simultaneously adapting to a more dangerous and more competitive world". "The logical conclusion of the investments on which we propose to embark, these decisions, is that we'll reach 2.5% of GDP on defence by the end of the decade," he continued. UK to give extra £1bn in military aid - live Ukraine updates Mr Johnson said the spending targets set by NATO members a decade ago - with every country pledging to spend 2% of GDP on defence - "were then set for a very different era". Advertisement "What we're saying is that we want Jens Stoltenberg, the [NATO] secretary general, to start work on that … [Read more...] about UK to spend 2.5% of GDP on defence by 2030, Boris Johnson announces

Anyone can lose hair on their head , with most people losing between 50 and 100 hairs a day. Male and female pattern baldness is usually runs in the family, but there are many different reasons for hair loss, including genetics, hormone imbalances, fungal conditions of the scalp, stress , autoimmune diseases, and nutritional deficiencies. According to experts, many people are currently facing hair-related problems like hair loss and hair thinning, which are at an all-time high. But fret not as there are some things you can do to naturally regrow your hair. Rosemary oil Cosmetic doctor and founder of Adonia Medical, Dr Ifeoma Ejikeme recommends Rosemary oil, which has been proven to be good for preventing hair loss and encouraging hair growth. The rosemary plant contains carnosic acid which is known to heal nerve and tissue damage and improve cellular turnover. Some trials using rosemary oil have proven it is just as effective as minoxidil – a common drug used … [Read more...] about Unusual at-home hair loss treatments that actually work – from onion juice to massages

A shocking video shows rats crawling over fresh croissants in a Sainsbury's bakery after the store had become infested by rodents that climbed through a damaged drain and into the ceiling, a health inspector's report has revealed The stomach-churning video, captured by videographer Anthony Mitson, first emerged last year showing the rodents scurrying around the backed goods at the branch in Islington, North London . Rats were seen crawling over croissants and leaping onto metal shelves behind the open-fronted stand before scampering away. READ MORE: Fearless rats are sneaking into homes 'through toilets and letterboxes' At the time, Sainsbury's assured their customers that they would be taking immediate action and calling in contractors. Health inspectors were called to the building and conducted an investigation into how the supermarket became infested following the incident. It has now been revealed that the rats gained access to the bakery via a space … [Read more...] about Sainsbury’s bakery infested with rats that ‘climbed in from ceiling,’ report reveals

A woman had her finger amputated after contracting a potentially lethal infection during a manicure. Jose Jackson, 57, was warned she could lose her arm if she did not have surgery. The gran of two was accidentally jabbed in the cuticle – the area of clear skin where the bottom of the nail meets the finger – while having a set of acrylic nails applied at a salon. Her finger swelled up and went purple, then began weeping pus. The damage was so bad that doctors had no choice but to remove half her finger. An inspection at the salon found their tools had not been cleaned properly between customers. Jose, from Carmarthen, south-west Wales, later sued and won a five-figure settlement. She is telling her story to highlight the importance of cleanliness in nail bars. The pub manager told the Daily Star Sunday: “I wanted to treat myself so I felt nice, but it ended up ruining my life and costing me a finger. “The infection had eaten away at my finger and my bone. “The … [Read more...] about Woman loses half a finger after manicure ‘treat’ goes horribly wrong

The parents of Archie Battersbee have won an appeal to have their ‘fight for their son’s life’ reconsidered. A High Court judge ruled earlier this month that the 12-year-old is dead and that life support treatment should stop. But his ‘devastated’ family says his heart is still beating – with mum Hollie Dance claiming her son has squeezed her fingers to ‘let me know he’s still there and just needs more time’. Now, Court of Appeal Judges have said there should be another High Court hearing to determine whether his life support treatment should end. The case will be heard by a different judge after lawyers representing Archie’s parents argued that Mrs Justice Arbuthnot had made errors in her ruling. The fresh hearing next month gives time for a fuller analysis of whether it is in Archie’s best interests for life-sustaining treatment to continue. Archie’s mum said: ‘We’re delighted. We wanted another hearing and we’ve got everything we wanted.’ Archie is … [Read more...] about Archie Battersbee’s family win appeal to have life-support case reconsidered

A swimmer has survived an attack by a shark that scientists believe is comparable in size to the largest great white ever to be recorded. Steve Bruemmer, 62, was swimming at Lover’s Point Beach in Monterey, California, on Wednesday when a shark bit his stomach, leg and arm . Bruemmer lost 30 pints of blood – but is miraculously expected to make a solid recovery. Based on a forensic examination of the bite marks on Bruemmer, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife confirmed that the shark was a great white. Scientists estimate that the shark measured as long as 20 feet, which is the largest that great whites typically grow, The Sun reported. If true, the California shark’s length matches that of Deep Blue, the biggest great white that has ever been recorded. Deep Blue, a 2.5-ton female estimated to be more than 50 years old, was filmed swimming 550 miles south of Mexico’s Guadalupe Island. Great white sharks can live up to 60 years and do not stop growing, … [Read more...] about Swimmer survives attack by ‘world’s largest’ great white shark