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TOURISTS with suspected alcohol poisoning are fighting for their lives in Fiji just weeks after six backpackers died from tainted shots in Laos. Guests at the Warwick Resort on Fiji’s Coral Coast allegedly became ill after drinking a cocktail at the venue’s bar on Saturday night. Guests at the Warwick Resort on Fiji’s Coral Coast allegedly became ill after drinking a cocktail Cops and health officials were investigating an alleged alcohol poisoning at a resort on Fiji’s renowned Coral Coast after seven guests fell ill after drinking alcohol, according to local media. The group were taken to the nearby Sigatoka Hospital with “nausea, vomiting and neurological symptoms,” local media reports. It is said that two of the victims were later transferred to Lautoka hospital. The victims are reportedly aged between 18 and 56. Fiji’s Ministry of Health said out of the seven, four are Australians and one is American. The other two victims of the alleged alcohol poisoning have not yet had their nationalities confirmed. The Ministry has also reportedly mobilised a team of Health Inspectors to assist the team at the hospital. They also look to identify other guests who may have been affected by similar symptoms from consuming the same drink as fears loom more could fall ill. The Fiji Police Force is also conducting an investigation into the incident. On Sunday afternoon, Dfat updated its travel advice for Fiji, highlighting a warning about the risk of alcohol poisoning. The updated advice reads: “Be alert to the potential risks around drink spiking and methanol poisoning through consuming alcoholic drinks. “Get urgent medical help if you suspect drink spiking.” The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Dfat) told Guardian Australia through a spokesperson on Sunday evening that it was providing consular assistance to two Australian families in Fiji but declined to provide further details. The suspected alcohol poisoning incident comes after six people died from methanol poisoning in November after drinking tainted alcohol while in Vang Vieng, Laos. A vodka and whisky factory believed to be the source of a deadly batch of drinks that killed six backpackers has been closed by Laos police. Simone White, a 28-year-old lawyer from London, was one of the victims fatally poisoned by methanol whilst partying in the traveller hotspot Vang Vieng last month. Police have arrested the owner of the factory that pumped out cheap local liquors known as Tiger Vodka and Tiger Whisky and banned the sale of the drinks, according to ABC. The run-down site outside the capital city Vientiane has been shutdown by authorities until it sorts out its production process. At the now-abandoned factory blue drapes have been placed over stacks of empty bottles and Tiger Whisky packaging lay beside an extinguished fire outside. The six poisoning victims were all staying at Nana Backpackers Hostel, where eight staff have also been arrested after reportedly refusing to call an ambulance for the dying guests. The detained workers are believed to be Vietnamese nationals, but no charges have yet been brought against them. The manager and bartender at the hostel, Duong Duc Toan, was investigated last week by local police and detained.  The foreign travellers fell ill just hours after drinking free shots of Tiger Vodka given out by the hostel’s bar, but it is not clear if this was the source of the methanol contamination. Toan previously denied any drinks served at the hostel could have made guests ill. Among the victims were Danish friends Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, 20, and Freja Vennervald, 21, who died after they were left “vomiting blood” for 13 hours. Why is methanol so deadly? By Sam Blanchard, Health Correspondent METHANOL is a super-toxic version of alcohol that may be present in drinks if added by crooks to make them stronger or if they are brewed or distilled badly. The consequences can be devastating because as little as a single shot of contaminated booze could be deadly, with just 4ml of methanol potentially enough to cause blindness. Prof Oliver Jones, a chemist at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, said: “The body converts methanol to formic acid. “Formic acid blocks the action of an enzyme that is critical to how the body uses oxygen to generate energy. “If it stops working, cells cannot take up or use oxygen from the blood and lack of oxygen causes problems in a range of organs as the cells start to die. “Symptoms of methanol poisoning include vomiting, seizures and dizziness. “The optic nerve seems to be particularly vulnerable to methanol toxicity, so there is the potential for temporary or permanent blindness, and even death. “While thankfully rare, methanol poisoning is very serious, and treatment should be given at a hospital.” An unexpected but key way of treating methanol poisoning is to get the patient drunk with normal alcohol – known as ethanol – to distract the liver and stop it processing the methanol. Peter JordanSimone White, 28, a lawyer from Orpington, Kent, died after drinking booze suspected to have been laced with methanol[/caption] Australian teenager Bianca Jones died after visiting Vang Vieng with her best friend Holly Bowles, 19, was the sixth person to die after being poisoned by methanol Duong Duc Toan, the manager of Nana Backpack hostel in Vang Vieng, Laos, displays a bottle of Tiger Vodka

THIS is the unbelievable moment a Ukrainian aircraft-style drone smashes into Putin’s puppet Kadyrov’s special operations base. The site, in the Russian city of Grozny, Chechnya, erupted into a gargantuan fireball in yet another devastating blow to mad Vlad. The moment the Ukrainian aircraft-style drone smashes into Putin warlord Kadyrov’s special ops baseTwitter TwitterThe site erupted into flames[/caption] Smoke billowed from the siteEast2West Several drones reportedly struck the special forces facilities, as well as a base where troops are sent directly from to fight in the illegal war against Ukraine.  Ukraine‘s targeted attack appeared to hit the base of a special operations unit, renowned to be a key base for the Russian dictator’s warlord Kadyrov who has sent tens of thousands of troops to the war. Footage shows the WW2-style plane flying increasingly low and at lightning speed. It then dramatically smashes into the facilities – erupting into a ginormous ball of fire. Smoke is then captured billowing from the blasted site. Shooting was heard in attempts to down the pilotless plane loaded with explosives, but there appeared a lack of air defences against the slow-moving incoming drones. It is the third strike on the city in 11 days. The extent of damage and any toll was not immediately known.  Ukraine’s military have been consistently adapting and improving their aircraft and weaponry since Vlad launched his barbaric full-scale invasion in 2022. The use of the WW2-style planes to hunt down Russian drones on the battlefield continue to serve a blow to Putin’s increasingly desperate war effort. Air Marshal Bagwell, who served for 36 years in the RAF, said the fact that Ukraine is using a relatively slow propeller-driven plane to take out Putin’s 21st century drone is “embarrassing” for Vlad. The former combat pilot, who served in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and Syria, told The Sun: “There should be some serious questions here for Russia. “To have your highly sophisticated 21st century drone shot down by a 1970s prop aeroplane designed for training by somebody with a machine gun out the back – that’s embarrassing. “This will be sending ripples of concern back into Russia.” It came soon after Putin, 72,  had awarded Kadyrov, 48, a ‘For Services to the Fatherland’ honour in an unannounced but secretly-filmed Kremlin ceremony. Kadyrov – who holds the rank of colonel-general in the Russian national guard – had demanded better air defence protection for his capital. Kadyrov has been widely sanctioned by the West for human rights abuses as well as his support to Putin over the war.  He previously threatened to place Ukrainian prisoners of war on rooftops of strategic buildings to discourage attacks by Volodymyr Zelensky’s forces. A new investigation by Proekt independent media found that Kadyrov has tripled the size of what amounts to his own private army. No less than nine new paramilitary units have been established since the start of the war. No other regional leader in Russia is allowed to maintain their own private army.  The rise of drone warfare in Ukraine DRONES have been deployed in the war in Ukraine on an unprecedented scale as thousands are used daily to hunt down enemy forces, guide artillery and bomb targets - transforming modern land warfare. Ukraine has become increasingly reliant on first-person-view (FPV) drones — nimble, target-seeking, kamikaze unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Since early 2023, the cheap, explosive, flying machines have become one of Kyiv’s biggest success stories after its military ran perilously short on munitions due to long-stalled Western weapon shipments. The attack UAVs have come to define the conflict, helped by constant streams of footage filmed onboard as they tail troops, blast Russian positions or smash into tanks worth millions with ruthless precision. The potent quadcopters cost around £300, are largely made from off-the-shelf pieces of kit and as demand soars, an army of civilians are helping to assemble them in their homes. Some are fitted with grenades or homebuilt bombs, others are used for reconnaissance missions to identify enemy positions and guide artillery fire. Now, almost every fighting brigade in Ukraine has an assault drone company. With the 600-mile front frozen in hellish trench warfare, the success of FPVs on the battlefield is “undeniable”, according to the commander of Ukraine’s attack drone operations. The senior special forces officer “Arsenal” told The Sun the quadcopters-turned-munitions now successfully blitz Putin’s targets in three out of five operations. And as the war moves into what Arsenal calls a more “technological phase”, he argued FPVs are increasingly vital to Ukraine’s success. He said: “If Mavic (surveillance) drones are our eyes – for the adjustment of artillery fire, withdrawal of groups to positions, reconnaissance – then FPV drones are our sword, our strike force.” Over two thirds of Russian tanks destroyed by Ukraine so far in 2024 have been taken out using FPV drones, a Nato official told Foreign Policy. Their long-range capabilities also save countless lives as the drone operator can be stationed away from the frontline. And drones are not just used on the battlefield, both Ukraine and Russia are hitting targets hundreds of miles deep into enemy territory using long-range UAVs. They are highly cost effective means to blitz factories making weapons, military bases or energy facilities. And yet, in a constant game of cat and mouse, both sides are developing increasingly sophisticated means of stopping drones using electronic warfare. In response, Russia and Ukraine are racing to develop UAVs guided by AI instead of GPS that can easily be jammed. Ukraine is counting on key allies to help in this mission and to send them more expensive, high-tech drones, but deliveries are not anywhere near the sufficient scale needed. In 2023, Ukraine’s goal was to procure 200,000 drones. For 2024, Zelensky vowed they would build a million themselves. Between January and February this year, officials revealed FPV production already totaled 200,000. East2WestRamzan Kadyrov, Vladimir Putin on 27 June 2023 in Kremlin, Russia[/caption] The WW2-style plane was captured soaring through the skyEast2West East2WestThe site erupted into flames[/caption]

RUSSIAN troops withdraw from Syria ­yesterday — following the toppling of the regime of Vladimir Putin’s ally Bashar al-Assad. Moscow ordered military units out from posts in the Alawite Mountains but reportedly plans to keep an airbase and naval facility manned. Channel 4Russian troops preparing to get out of Syria following Assad’s ousting[/caption] Channel 4Scores of Russian military trucks waving flags were seen leaving Syria[/caption] Military sources said equipment and senior ­Syrian officers were also being evacuated. Footage from Syria shows hordes of Putin’s troops fleeing the country in military trucks after a decade of bloodshed. And satellite pics from a Russian airbase on the west coast reveals how Vlad’s men have been forced to take apart their attack helicopters and air defence units before leaving hot on Assad’s tail. Bloodthirsty dictator President Bashar al-Assad was removed from power last week in an incredible 10-day blitz by rebel forces. He fled to Russia – where longtime pal Putin gave him sanctuary – and where the twisted pair will now be licking their wounds after a double-pronged defeat. Putin had sent his forces to Syria some nine years ago to help keep Assad in power during unrest in the country. But on Friday footage captured by Channel 4 showed a long convoy of Russian military vehicles pouring down a road as they made their way quickly out of the country. It is a great victory and a great joy An onlooking Syrian Dozens of troops were seen crammed inside army trucks flying the Russian flag. Mad Vlad had sent the Russian military into Syria in 2015, with ground troops, fighter jets and ground weapons to aid Assad’s twisted regime. Together are responsible for killing thousands of Syrians throughout the bloody Civil War that started in 2012. A happy Syrian watching as Russian soldiers drove past told Channel 4: “It is a great victory and a great joy. “[Russians] They killed us and destroyed us. Thank god.” Meanwhile, the satellite pics captured by Maxar and Planet Labs show at least two Antonov AN-124s, one of the world’s largest cargo planes, at the Khmeimim air base. The huge jets were stationed with their nose cones open – allowing for Vlad’s men to pile in dismantled army kit. Three Il-76 transport aircraft, Russia’s workhorse heavy lifters, were also on the ground. And three An-32s and one An-72, smaller models of transport aircraft, were visible in the satellite images. An analyst at Maxar noted that a Ka-52 attack helicopter “was being dismantled and likely prepared for transport”. Parts of an S-400 air defence unit were also seen breaking up for a return to Mother Russia. Putin’s naval base at Tartous, Russia’s only Mediterranean repair and replenishment hub, “remains largely unchanged”, Maxar added. Moscow has backed Syria since the early days of the Cold War, recognising its independence in 1944 as Damascus sought to throw off French colonial rule. The West long regarded Syria as a Soviet satellite. The Kremlin has said its focus since Assad’s fall was to ensure the security of its military bases in Syria and of its diplomatic missions. ReutersA satellite image shows An-124 heavy transport aircraft with its nose cone lifted, at Russian Khmeimim airbase[/caption] Youtube/ Chanel 4Russian troops bundled inside trucks leaving Syria[/caption] The dramatic rise and fall of dictator Bashar al-Assad ASSAD’S rule over Syria ended in dramatic fashion after rebel forces stormed Damascus in a surprise offensive, forcing the dictator to flee to Russia. His life took a dramatic turn in 1994 when his elder brother, Bassel, the family’s chosen heir, died in a car accident. Bashar was abruptly recalled to Syria and groomed for power. Initially, hope stirred for reform as Bashar promised modernisation, anti-corruption measures, and political openness. But the so-called “Damascus Spring” was short-lived. Within a year, Assad cracked down on dissenters, signalling the beginning of his authoritarian rule. The Assad regime quickly devolved into a kleptocracy, with Assad and his extended family siphoning wealth while suppressing opposition. The Syrian Civil War became a geopolitical quagmire. Assad, backed by Russia and Iran, portrayed himself as a bulwark against terrorism while cynically releasing jihadist prisoners to bolster extremist factions. This fuelled the rise of groups like ISIS, reshaping global terror. The end of Assad’s reign came abruptly in December 2024, as rebel forces launched a lightning offensive, exploiting weakened Syrian defences. Rebels captured Damascus in a lightning campaign, declaring the capital “free” and marking the end of years of brutal authoritarian rule. With Russia mired in Ukraine and Iran preoccupied with regional conflicts, Assad’s regime was left vulnerable. Rebels stormed Aleppo, marking a symbolic victory, and Assad fled Damascus. Assad left aboard a military plane amid rumours of its crash before resurfacing in Moscow, where Vladimir Putin granted him asylum. It comes as an apparent Russian conspiracy to distribute false news about an al-Assad ‘aircraft accident’ has been exposed. The Ukrainian Centre for Strategic Communication and Information Security claimed on X that Russia “hid their trail” in assisting al-Assad’s escape by circulating fake claims that he died in a crash. Meanwhile, opposition forces took control of key cities, toppled Assad’s statues, and announced plans for a transitional government. The fall of Assad deals a blow to allies Russia and Iran, with both withdrawing assets from Syria.

BILLIONAIRE tech mogul Elon Musk says he could transform transatlantic travel by building a $20 trillion vacuum tube tunnel. The Tesla and Space X mastermind believes someday tourists may be able to whizz between London and New York in as little as 54 minutes on board an underwater train. ShutterstockStock of an underwater train as plans for potential transatlantic travel have been revealed[/caption] GettyThe innovative idea is to create a vacuum within a tunnel that when paired with pressurised vehicles such as a train can travel at 3,000mph[/caption] GettyTech mogul Elon Musk says he could transform transatlantic travel by building the tunnel and train system[/caption] Initial plans for the ambitious tunnel system have been around for years with Musk not being involved in the blueprints. Clever architects and developers are said to be working on the possibility of creating a tunnel and a train which is capable of reaching speeds of up to 3,000mph. The innovative idea is to create a vacuum within the tunnel that when paired with pressurised vehicles causes the almighty speeds. News outlet Newsweek reports: “By creating a vacuum within the tunnel and using pressurised vehicles, trains travelling along the structure could theoretically reach speeds of more than 3,000 mph. “Making the journey between London and New York barely an hour long.” Despite researchers claiming to have the ability and knowledge to create such a fast-paced and simple route they are still facing major issues. Transforming the idea into reality is expected to cost up to $20 trillion (£15.8tn). The almighty cost is believed to be the biggest stumbling block for any ambitious entrepreneur, bold businessman or even a nation itself to fund the project. Earlier this week however, X chief Musk commented on the possibility of the tunnel and claimed he could build it for a fraction of the price. The 53-year-old posted a reply to a viral post about the tunnel saying: “The @boringcompany could do it for 1000X less money.” The Boring Company are a US infrastructure and tunnel construction company founded by Musk. They have already been leading the charge for seamless travel after creating a bustling, neon-coloured tunnel underneath Las Vegas. The company constructed a series of “hyperloop” tunnels around Las Vegas’ Convention Center and near the Hawthorne, California SpaceX headquarters. Dubbed the Vegas Loop, it spans 1.7 miles and connects riders on the outskirts of the Convention Center facility to the city’s public transit system. Its main goal to help with traffic congestion in the area. The current quickest commercial way of getting across the Atlantic and into the Big Apple is by plane. A non-stop flight currently takes between seven to eight hours meaning the vacuum tunnel could reduce travel time by up to a third of a day. This is if it can reach the unprecedented speeds experts believe it could hit. The current world’s fastest public train, the Shanghai Maglev, reaches a top speed of just 286mph. But if the vacuum technology and use of jet propulsion can be developed then it could see the new train’s engine capable of soaring to much higher heights. The @boringcompany could do it for 1000X less money Elon Muskvia X The Boring Company are yet to formally announce any plans to work on the London to New York idea despite their founder’s comments. But if Musk’s prediction were to be true then it would bring the cost down to the billions range. The second major issue with such a transformative project is the potential time and effort it will take to successfully build and test it out. If it was to be built at the same rate as similar-style tunnel networks across the world, such as the Channel Tunnel then it could take 782 to complete, say Newsweek. It comes as developers are already looking into shortening the length of time it takes to travel between London and New York. A supersonic jet is in the works which is believed to take passengers across the ocean in 3.5hours. The XB-1 plane, from Boom Technology, has already completed seven out of ten subsonic test flights as engineers work towards making the aircraft supersonic. It has hit speeds of Mach 0.81 – or 499 knots, up from Mach 0.67 on its previous flight. And has reached a new max altitude of 23,015ft. Musk himself has also spoken about creating a rocket capable of quickening up the journey in recent years. SpaceX is reportedly building a vehicle that will fire tourists from London to New York in under half an hour dubbed the 18,000mph Starship. Musk’s The Boring Company have already built an underground tunnel in Las Vegas GettyConcept pictures of a high speed futuristic train[/caption]

AT least five people including two security guards have reportedly been killed in a shooting spree at a French migrant camp near Dunkirk. The horror shooting took place in Loon-Plage before a person claiming to be the gunman turned himself in, French media reports. A French police officer holds an HK G36 assault rifle as he stands guard near the Gambetta High School in Arras, northeastern France (stock picture) Special forces police were first called to the camp on Saturday afternoon after reports of “a lone gunman killing people”, said an investigating source. They identified the self-confessed killer as Paul D., a 22-year-old from Dunkirk who claimed to be a “former colleague” of the dead security guards. Paul D. is said to have gone on a shooting spree around an area full of asylum seekers sleeping rough. Four of his victims died around a makeshift camp at Loon-Plage where small boats packed with migrants set off for to the UK from the English Channel beach there. One other victim, reportedly a transport manager, was shot dead before the attack. All those killed received “precise shots to the head, suggesting the killer had a lot of experience with firearms”, said an investigating source. The source added: “Four people were shot dead around the camp at Mardyck – two security guards and two migrants. “The gunman is also said to have shot a transport manager earlier in the afternoon.” A source told Sky News that cops confirmed “multiple murders were committed”. The killer is first thought to have opened fire in Wormhout, some 15 miles inland from Dunkirk. His car pulled up outside a farmhouse, and then he went inside and shot a 29-year-old public transport manager dead in front of his family, according to an investigating source. He then drove towards Loon-Plage in his car, where he reportedly shot two Iraqi Kurd migrants in the head. Two security guards working for Eamus Cork Security, a company that helps safeguard Dunkirk port, were then shot dead in the same way. They had been travelling in their own vehicle, but the alleged killer asked them to get out, before shooting them. The man then drove some eight miles to the coastal town of Ghyvelde, and turned himself in to the cops, before confessing to all five murders. Confirming the arrest, a spokesman for Ghyvelde gendarmes said the man “was not known to police”, suggesting he had no previous criminal record. He now remains in custody and faces murder charges, it is understood. Four weapons were found in Paul D.’s car, and he was the legal owner of a Smith and Wesson 44 Remington rifle, said a spokesperson for the French Police. David Calcoen, the Mayor of Wormhout, said: ‘I am stunned by what has happened. ‘I cannot understand how this could have happened.’ There are frequent reports of gun and knife violence by people smugglers around the migrant camps in northern France.