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A CHINA zoo has been slammed for painting donkeys in black and white to look like zebras to attract more visitors. The rubbish dye job was quickly spotted before the Zibo City amusement park in Shandong province admitted the animals were donkeys instead. AsiaWirePicture shows a donkey painted as zebra[/caption] The animal was painted to lure in more touristsAsiaWire AsiaWireThe zoo staff defended the act as a marketing strategy[/caption] Pictures of the painted donkeys have since gone viral on Chinese social media where people have slammed the zoo for mistreating animals and misleading visitors. One user called the act “misleading and unethical”. Another said that it’s “unfair to the animals and the visitors”. But amusement park’s staff defended the act as a marketing strategy to increase the number of daily visitors. They claimed that the dye used was non-toxic and did not harm the animals. However, animal rights activists have expressed concerns over the welfare of the painted animals, arguing that such practices can cause stress and health issues. This incident has sparked a broader debate about the ethics of altering animals’ appearances for entertainment purposes. Many are calling for stricter regulations to prevent such practices in the future. This is not the first case where Chinese zoo staff have been caught painting poor animals to change their appearance. Last year, the Taizhou Zoo in the country was slammed for painting dogs to look like pandas in a bid to draw in crowds. Even the amusement park’s ticket included a snap of the “new species” as the zoo charged £2.25 to see them during China‘s Labour Day holiday. Clips taken by visitors appeared to show the pups with black ears, limbs, and dark circles around their eyes, but their canine features were still very much apparent. Taizhou Zoo later admitted that the “fake pandas” were in fact dyed chow chow pups who debuted their new look for the national holiday. A staff member said the zoo got the idea of dyeing the dogs into pandas online. Some zoo visitors even demanded their money back after noticing the “pandas” barking and panting. Meanwhile, footage from China showed a dog painted as a tiger cub in another crooked Chinese zoo scam to lure in tourists. The animal was seen covered in black stripes and splodges over a carrot-orange background. In September last year, another Chinese zoo was caught pulling the very same stunt. Social mediaAnother Chinese zoo was slammed by visitors after dyeing dogs to look like pandas[/caption] AsiaWireFootage shows dogs painted as tigers in the Taizhou Zoo[/caption]

A BRIT businessman has been found dead after going missing in Barcelona two years ago. Giles Pooley, reportedly a Bafta-winning digital producer, mysteriously vanished from his home in the Catalan city in 2023. SolarpixGiles Pooley has been confirmed dead in Barcelona[/caption] He went missing in 2023Solarpix DNA tests have now confirmed that a body found at the end of last year is that of the missing Brit. Giles had last been seen on March 8 2023. His flatmate called the cops when he got home and saw Giles’ beloved Husky dog Finn was alone. Friend Dan Cleland said: “We’re still waiting to know fully what happened, but police have confirmed he’s gone. He overcame so much in life, reaching incredible highs, so I don’t want to focus on how he left us, I want to remember what he gave us. “Giles was talented. He won a place at The Brit School, then launched himself into production in Soho across ads and promos. “He landed a job at Sky Movies working his way up the world of digital media winning a Bafta for his work on Terry Pratchett’s Hogfather.” Giles described himself on an online profile as a “multi-award-winning digital producer” who created interactive products for British TV broadcasters as well as cultural institutions across the globe. His death is not being treated as suspicious. Barcelona design agency LuzidLab, which Giles helped found, said in its own tribute: “Giles was such a vibrant, charismatic, and passionate person whose infectious energy touched everyone he met. “After working in the UK’s broadcasting industry, he moved to Barcelona in 2012, bringing his creativity and drive with him. “Giles was committed to creating work that made a positive impact on society. “Working with him was always fun, he inspired us to think big, dig deeper, and create work that we could all be proud of. “His influence will remain with us, and we’ll carry his memory forward in everything we do. We hope our future projects reflect his spirit and make him proud.” It comes after two Brit pensioners in their 80s were found dead at a Costa Blanca home after their bodies reportedly lay undiscovered for days. Cops are now investigating after the bodies of the man and woman were found Thursday afternoon at 3.30pm at a home near the small town of San Fulgencio – a 45-minute drive south of Alicante. SolarpixDNA tests confirmed the video producer died[/caption]

THE Kremlin has reportedly given the Russian state media a Soviet-style guide to stop talking about Donald Trump and make him “look weak”. The highly-controlled media outlets have been ordered not to show Trump as a “strong leader” who is capable of putting an end to the Ukraine war. ReutersA Ukrainian serviceman fires a self-propelled howitzer towards Russian troops[/caption] EPAPutin has reportedly ordered the Russian media not to show Trump as a ‘strong leader’[/caption] GettyTrump spoke with Putin to end the Ukraine war[/caption] The Soviet-style guide also asks the Russian media to stop using Trump’s name in media reports. And they must report that Putin is the one controlling the peace deal narrative and taking charge of any interactions with Trump. They should emphasise that Putin will get what he wants from any talks. One source from Russia said: ” “In that scenario, the [Russian] president would be the side guided by someone else, and therefore the weak side.” Political experts say these propaganda orders from the Russian government seem to show Putin’s fear of Trump who has made it his priority to put an end to the war. The dictator is said to be “concerned” that Russians may begin to perceive Trump as a more proactive and decisive politician than Putin. A report from Russian independent media said: “[The Kremlin] demands to emphasise that the outcome of any talks with their American counterpart depends on the Russian president. “The Kremlin does not want Trump to be presented to Russian citizens as a ‘strong leader capable of changing the situation’. “The [Russian] president would be…the weak party. “So it turns out that Putin couldn’t do it, but Trump could. No one needs that kind of picture.” One Russian news outlet reported that “Trump agreed with Putin” on Ukraine. Another outlet Moskovsky Komsomolets wrote that Trump is interested in making peace “just like Putin”. Editors are also ordered to avoid portraying Trump as a clean brush sweeping away the old order, in case it gives Russians any ideas about Putin’s regime which has ruled for a quarter of a century. It comes as Putin agreed the “war must end” after Donald Trump went past Ukraine and European leaders to do business directly with the Kremlin. The chat is believed to be Putin’s first confirmed direct contact with a US president since the start of the war in February 2022. The call reportedly lasted for around an hour and a half, according to the Kremlin. They said the topics centred on sorting out “peaceful negotiations” to end the Ukraine conflict. GettyHowitzers of the 53rd Mechanized Brigade fire towards Russian points in Bakhmut, Donetsk Oblast[/caption] APA Russian tank rolls through Ukraine[/caption] Reuters Bulgarian and Spanish army special forces soldiers participate in a Nato military drill[/caption] Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the Russian president invited Trump to visit Moscow with American officials soon. Trump has repeatedly claimed in the past the war “never would have happened” if he had been president when Putin first threatened to invade. Kyiv later confirmed a call had also taken place between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Trump. Zelensky posted a defiant message on X after the call. “No one wants peace more than Ukraine. Together with the US, we are charting our next steps to stop Russian aggression and ensure a lasting, reliable peace,” he said. “As President Trump said, let’s get it done.” The conversation lasted an hour and immediately followed Trump’s chat with Putin. Trump left a similarly glowing review of the chat with Ukraine’s leader as he said the “conversation went very well.” WAR & PEACE President Zelensky today met up with US Vice President JD Vance in Munich for crunch talks over ending the war. They were seen speaking together alongside both Washington and Kyiv delegations as they discussed the latest developments in the bloody conflict. Footage of the historic meeting saw Donald Trump’s number two explain that the goal remains the same between both America and Ukraine – to stop the war. He said: “Fundamentally, the goal is as President Trump outlined – that we want the war to come to a close. “We want the killing to stop but we want to achieve a durable lasting peace, not the kind of peace that’s going to have Eastern Europe in conflict just a couple of years down the road.” He also vowed that the two nations would continue to have conversations in the coming days, weeks and months. Zelensky echoed these thoughts as he thanked America for its support. The heroic leader said he hopes to continue on with the positive conversations as they prepare a “plan on how to stop Putin and finish the war”. Both Vance and Zelensky have already spent the day voicing their hopes about a potential deal between Kyiv, Moscow, and now Washington. Zelesnky warned the West that Vladimir Putin is preparing to unleash a war against Nato in the next 12 months.

THIS is the moment Sun Man Jerome Starkey joined Royal Navy gunboats as they intercepted a Russian convoy in a dramatic Channel showdown. HMS Iron Duke charged at full speed up to a Russian warship as a naval Wildcat helicopter swooped and circled as low as 80ft above the waves. © Jerome Starkey 2025Sun journalist Jerome Starkey watched on as the Navy intercepted a Russian warship[/caption] © Jerome Starkey 2025The Wildcat naval helicopter involved in the showdown was from the 815 Naval Air Squadron based at Yeovilton, Somerset[/caption] Jerome StarkeySun Man Jerome Starkey sat on board the Wildcat as the Navy caught up to the Russian convoy[/caption] Armed Russian sentries scrambled to man machine guns on the decks of landing ship Aleksandkr Otrakovskiy, which led the six-vessel convoy. Waves crashed over the Royal Navy frigate as it closed to within 1,000 yards of the rusting Russian warship. The Wildcat chopper – with The Sun proudly onboard – was half that distance away as it scanned the Russian tank transporter with high-tech sensors and thermal optics. It was the first time journalists have joined a Royal Navy intercept mission in living memory. Cockpit displays in the Wildcat showed Russian sailors with Kalashnikov rifles slung across their chests as comrades manned heavy machine guns mounted on the warship’s bows. It is the closest Britain’s armed forces have come to Russia’s military since tyrant Vladimir Putin illegally invaded Ukraine three years ago. HMS Iron Duke, a Type 23 frigate, was one of four Royal Navy vessels that stalked the Russian ships towards a home base in the Baltics. Plucky HMS Cutlass, one of the smallest warships in the impressive fleet, shadowed the convoy through the Strait of Gibraltar. The Spanish and French navies watched them up to Brittany where Britain’s RFA Tideforce and the offshore patrol ship HMS Tyne joined the French ship Rhone. They were backed overhead by two French Rafale fighter jets – which flew multiple passes at 300ft – and an RAF P-8 Poseidon spy plane. HMS Iron Duke’s captain Commander David Armstrong insisted the mission was vital to Britain’s security. He told The Sun: “It is not enough to hope the Russians won’t do anything detrimental to our security. “We need to be here to make sure they can’t.” It was the 13th time his frigate, known as the Fleet Ready Escort, has bravely scrambled to meet Russian ships in the last six months. The increased patrols come amid claims that Russia is attacking vital subsea cables in the Baltic Sea. Cdr Armstrong added: “Part of Russia’s doctrine is quick wins, deescalate and deny – and that is what we are trying to guard against. “They could cut subsea cables, say it’s nothing to do with us, and then ask the West ‘what are you going to do about it?’. “The mission of the Fleet Ready Escort is to make sure the Russians – or any non-allied nation – don’t have that opportunity, because we are watching. © Jerome Starkey 2025HMS Iron Duke’s captain Commander David Armstrong insisted the mission was vital to Britain’s security[/caption] The SunThe Navy was closely tracking the Russian convoy[/caption] GettyThe HMS Iron Duke involved in the defensive mission[/caption] He added: “As a maritime nation we rely on trade by sea. So much of our food, our energy and data travels on or under the sea. “Sea lines of communication are of critical importance. “The protection of our critical national infrastructure relies on control of our territorial seas.” HMS Iron Duke steamed out of Portsmouth at dusk on Wednesday as the Russian convoy approached Lands End. The 436ft long frigate was armed Sting Ray torpedoes, devastating Sea Ceptor missiles, a 4.5inch main gun and crucially a well drilled crew of 180, ranging from 18 to 55 years old. They were joined under the cover of darkness by a Wildcat naval helicopter from 815 Naval Air Squadron based at Yeovilton, Somerset. Cdr Armstrong insisted he is never trying to give Putin or Russia a message but just doing his job. He added: “What I can say, as the captain of a warship, is that if you are a non-allied vessel and you pose a potential threat to UK interests you should expect the Royal Navy to monitor you because that has been our job for hundreds of years. “It is what the Navy does.” As dawn broke on Thursday HMS Iron Duke was lurking beyond the horizon, out of sight of the Russian convoy. On the captain’s orders, the engineers below deck spun up the ship’s two gas turbine engines which provided a power boost as they hit a top speed of 28 knots. At the same time Wildcat launched from the flight deck and roared into view of the Russians. © Jerome Starkey 2025A Russian Ropucha-class tank transporter, the Aleksandr Otrakovskiy, leads a convoy of six Russian ships on a transiit of the English Channel[/caption] © Jerome Starkey 2025The Wildcat took off in the cover of darkness[/caption] The SunJerome watched on closely as naval orders were shared between the fleet[/caption] At one point, commercial shipping forced HMS Iron Duke to close in to 1,000 yards of the Aleksandr Otrakovskiy before later opening up to two miles. Cdr Armstrong said a sentry appeared on the top deck and sailors in body armour manned their ship’s machine guns. But he insisted it was “nothing overly aggressive”. The Russian flotilla included two warships, two container ships and two oil tankers for refuelling en route. The pair of warships – the Aleksandr Otrakovskiy and Ivan Gren – were escorting container ships merchant vessels Sparta I and Sparta II, and the oil tankers General Skobolev and Yelnya. Experts suspect they were laden with thousands of tons of arms and munitions after Moscow was forced to evacuate its Tartus naval base in Syria when former President Bashar al Assad was toppled by rebels last year. At no point did the vessels pose a specific threat to Britain and the crews were “safe and professional,” the Navy said. But there are fears the weapons on board will be used against Ukraine. SEA SABOTAGE Their passage through the Channel came days after Defence Secretary John Healey vowed to take “robust action” against suspected Russian subsea sabotage. He ordered an Astute class nuclear submarine to surface yards away from the Russian spy ship Yantar last year after it was suspected of interfering with subsea cables in the Irish Sea. In a stark message to President Putin, Healey said: “We see you. “We know what you are doing and we will not shy away from robust action to protect this country.” Finland also boarded a Russian vessel suspected of dragging its anchor to deliberately sever an internet cable. And Baltic states are considering using anti-piracy laws to seize Russian “ghost ships” which are smuggling oil to evade global sanctions. Why are there fears over subsea sabotage? SUSPICIONS have been raised over potential deep sea disruption from Putin‘s Russia after a string of key underwater cables have been sliced in recent months. In January, Russia was accused of sabotage in the Baltic Sea after a Kremlin ship allegedly cut a key Finish power cable with its anchor after dragging it on the seabed for dozens of miles. The Estlink 2 power cable in the Gulf of Finland was ruptured along with four other communication lines in the suspected deliberate act of vandalism. Officials believe the ship was a 751ft Eagle S part of Russia’s “shadow” or “dark” fleet operated by Putin to evade sanctions.  A Chinese vessel was also seen in the area at the time of the incident. Since Vlad’s invasion of Ukraine almost three years ago, Russia have been using hybrid warfare tactics to get to their enemies. This has typically targeted nations who have strongly backed Ukraine such as Germany by targeting critical infrastructure, such as undersea cables. The recent issues have prompted Nato to bolster up their surveillance systems across Europe. A giant 36ft stealth submarine drone dubbed the “Blue Whale” has been deployed in the Baltic Sea by Germany. The huge drone is set to patrol across European waters on behalf of Nato after being released by the Germany navy. The autonomous Blue Whale’s goal is to carry out deep sea surveillance in the Baltic Sea. Its capabilities also include the ability to detect and pursue suspicious vessels as well as mines linked to foreign interference. German navy commander Jan Christian Kaack says it will confront “high-performance weapons from potential foes, including some which are extremely difficult to defend against”. But for many of the crew it was just another day at work. Leading Seaman James Chadwick, 24, from Manchester said: “To us it is just a standard day. “We have been trained to do it, we know exactly what to do and how to react in any situation.” He said team work was key to the vessel’s success. He added: “You always have to rely on teamwork. If you don’t have the engineers or the medics or the chefs it wouldn’t run.” Sailors like James spent a staggering 215 days away from home last year. His shipmate Louis Barker, 21, from Skipton, said the sense camaraderie was key. He said: “People always have so much going on at home it can be very very difficult. “When you talk about teamwork you have got to make sure your oppos and the people around you are doing alright.” Commander Armstrong agreed as he said: “The British people are very lucky that we have young sailors who are so dedicated to king and country that they are prepared to do this. “This is service, and we all signed up, but sometimes the public forgets.” © Jerome Starkey 2025On board the HMS Iron Duke[/caption] The SunThe dramatic Channel showdown saw the HMS Iron Duke charge at full speed up to a Russian warship[/caption]

A SCHOOLGIRL was knifed to death by a video game player who was “frustrated” because he lost a game of Fortnite. 11-year-old Louise Lasalle’s body was found one day after she was lured into the woods and stabbed to death by gaming fanatic Owen L, 23, in Épinay-Sur-Orge, Paris, on 7 February. Mariane LassalleLouise Lasalle, 11, was missing for one day before she was found ‘murdered’ in woods[/caption] Mariane LassalleLouise Lasalle’s body was found a few hundred metres from her school[/caption] Owen L was seen on CCTV wearing a black puffer jacket “He was very angry after an argument with another gamer,” said prosecutor Gregoire Dulin, who also said that Owen L was known to throw tantrums when losing video games. On 7 February, Owen L was playing popular battle royale game Fortnite when he lost a game, insulted another player and stormed out of his home. His girlfriend, Laurianne B, told cops that he often threw fits of rage while playing violent shooter games such as Fortnite. Prosecutor Dulin said that Owen L “wanted to steal something or blackmail someone in order to calm down”. The killer then bumped into Louise who had a lanyard with her phone in it around her neck and decided to follow her. He then persuaded the schoolgirl to follow him into a nearby woodland, claiming that he had lost something there. The computer science student then threatened Louise with a knife and told her he was going to search her things to steal money. Terrified Louise screamed before the sick killer pushed her to the ground in a panic  Mariane LassalleLouise’s sister appealed for help after her sibling went missing[/caption] AlamyKiller, Owen L, killed the girl after raging on popular shooting game Fortnite[/caption] Prosecutor Dulin said: “She started screaming. Panicked, he pushed her to the ground and stabbed her.” Cowardly Owen L then ran back home, leaving the phone beside her corpse. There was no evidence of sexual assault, according to the prosecutor. Unemployed Owen L, who has confessed to the killing, lived with a well-off family but had a police record for petty crime and was reported to the police by his sister for allegedly beating her.  Described as a video game addict, the computer science student lived with his 49-year-old father who is a senior bank executive and his mother who works as a HR manager. A police source said that Louise was “hit more than 10 times by an object that could have been a knife”, particularly in the neck and torso. The murderer insisted he was innocent immediately after he was arrested, but later admitted guilt after his DNA was found on Louise’s body. CCTV also showed Louise crossing the road near her home at 1:58pm before a man in a black jacket with his hood up, later identified as Owen L, is seen following her.  Louise’s phone was turned off at 2:07pm, which caused her worried mother to check a geolocation app three minutes later. Her parents alerted police two hours later and her sister Mariane posted an appeal on social media asking for help to find her lost sibling. She wrote online: “My little sister Louise Lassalle disappeared at 2pm near Andre Maurois college in Epinay. She went through the Bas Follet trail.  “She had a purple backpack with a butterfly on it and a navy blue coat. She [had] a large white bandage on her chin too.” Louise’s body was found a few hundred metres from her school on Saturday.  Owen L now faces life in prison if convicted of murder, whilst his girlfriend has been charged with failing to report a crime, and faces up to three years in prison and a £37,000 fine. Investigations showed that Owen L had previously attempted to lure another girl into the woods, but she luckily refused. A grieving former student of the same school called Camille told French media that “it could have happened to any of us”. Louise’s death has shocked parents across France and raised concerns about children’s safety in the country, especially after their interior minister pledged to give tougher penalties for violent crime. GettyFortnite is a cartoon-style shooting game which is one of the most popular games in the world[/caption]