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- Couple dies after becoming trapped in jacuzzi during holiday in Spain
- Video shows passengers scrambling for life jackets as ferry sinks off Cyprus
- Dominique de Villepin approaches candidacy for France’s 2027 election
- Some Ontario government and business websites display ‘Lake America’ on maps
- Trump announces U.S. deal with Venezuela to enhance oil reserves
- Businessman dies as storm sinks yachts off Cyprus coast, injures several
- Covenant to produce medium-range missiles near Leipzig from 2027
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Couple dies after becoming trapped in jacuzzi during holiday in Spain
8:00 am
Get you up to speed: Couple dies after becoming ‘trapped in hot tub’ | News UK
Thomasina and Patrick Tobin died in their villa jacuzzi from suspected heart attacks while on holiday in Cullera, Spain. Their two teenage children discovered their bodies, prompting a police investigation into the circumstances of their deaths.
Police are investigating the potential malfunction of the jacuzzi’s suction fittings, with hot tub industry experts examining the scene to determine the cause of the incident. The Department of Foreign Affairs is providing consular assistance to the couple’s children, who alerted neighbours to the tragedy.
The Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed it is providing consular assistance to the children of Thomasina and Patrick Tobin, who died in a jacuzzi in Spain. Experts from the hot tub industry are assisting Guardia Civil in investigating the incident, focusing on the jacuzzi’s suction fittings as part of their analysis.
What remains unclear — The exact cause of the couple’s fatal heart attacks and whether electrical issues contributed to the incident remains under investigation.
Couple dies after becoming trapped in jacuzzi during holiday in Spain
A family holiday turned to horror after a couple died, with police investigations suggesting they became trapped in their villa jacuzzi.
Thomasina and Patrick Tobin both suffered fatal heart attacks while staying in Cullera, Spain.
It was previously reported that their two teenage children found their bodies in the outdoor jacuzzi on Tuesday, August 25.
It’s unclear exactly how the couple died, but the cardiac arrests are thought to have been brought on by physical exhaustion from attempting to escape the water.
‘Preliminary analyses indicate that the victims suffered cardiac arrest brought on by acute stress following physical exhaustion and the desperation of the moment,’ Valencia newspaper Las Provincias said.
The Tobins, who lived in London, died on Tuesday while on a two-week holiday in the luxury Cap Blanc area near Valencia.
It’s said their children, reportedly 14 and 16, both with additional support needs, had alerted the neighbours to call police after discovering them in the tub.
Homicide detectives were initially called in due to the marks and scratches but foul play has been ruled out.
Police are investigating the theory that a freak accident occurred in the jacuzzi, preventing the couple from being able to get out.
Hot tub industry experts joined the Guardia Civil team to examine the scene, looking into the suction fittings and their power.
Las Provincias explained: ‘According to the first investigations, the excessive suction force would have imprisoned the couple inside the bathtub, which triggered a situation of extreme anguish and desperate physical effort to free themselves from the hydraulic grip.
‘The autopsy findings almost definitively reinforce the theory of accidental entrapment. Preliminary analyses indicate that the victims suffered cardiac arrest brought on by acute stress following physical exhaustion and the desperation of the moment.’
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Police have suggested the scratch marks were due to the couple attempting to free each other.
Another theory is that one parent may have suffered a heart attack after being electrocuted, due to a potential fault in the tub, with the other dying trying to save them.
Relatives are said to have flown out to Spain to support the children while the Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed it was working on the case.
A spokeswoman told the Irish Mirror: ‘The Department is aware of this case and is providing consular assistance in the case of the Irish citizen concerned.
‘As with all consular cases, the Department does not comment on the details of individual cases.’
Thomasina was from Castleblayney, daughter of Irish playwright and actor Tommy McArdle, but had lived in London for 20 years as a chartered surveyor on projects such as the Ritz and the Shard.
Patrick was initially reported to be Irish too but is actually from New Zealand. It’s unknown how long the couple had been together.
Video shows passengers scrambling for life jackets as ferry sinks off Cyprus
7:00 am
Get you up to speed: New video shows terrifying scramble for lifejackets before ferry capsizes | News World
The Filo Jet ferry capsized near Diana Beach off the northern coast of Cyprus with approximately 270 passengers and crew onboard. At least eight people have died, and authorities have arrested the captain and seven crew members as investigations continue.
Authorities have arrested the captain and seven crew members of the Filo Jet as investigations into the capsizing are ongoing. The incident occurred against the backdrop of severe weather in Cyprus over the weekend, although officials had deemed the conditions safe for travel.
Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman expressed that he was “deeply saddened” by the incident, stating efforts are being made to employ technology to reach passengers still trapped in the vessel. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan offered condolences and confirmed that “efforts to reach those who are still missing continue uninterrupted.”
What remains unclear — It is not known how many passengers or crew members remain missing following the capsizing of the Filo Jet.
Video shows passengers scrambling for life jackets as ferry sinks off Cyprus
Passengers scrambled for life jackets onboard a high-speed ferry as it was sinking off the northern coast of Cyprus.
Some 270 passengers and crew were onboard the Filo Jet when it capsized near Diana Beach shortly after departing the city of Kyrenia for Tasucu in Turkiye.
At least eight people died in the incident, and authorities have now arrested both the captain and seven crew members as inquiries into the capsizing continue.
A clip shared on X showed manic scenes onboard the ferry as people rushed to put on lifejackets, with some still holding onto their backpacks as the boat went down.
Survivors reported the ferry moving erratically, lifting out of the water before slamming into it again, with the violent thuds eventually breaking the bow of the two-hulled vessel.
Passengers in lifejackets wait to be rescued following the capsizing of the Filo Jet ferry off the coast of Northern Cyprus (Picture: AP)
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Survivor Efe Multici said: ‘The vessel had been moving very badly. It was constantly lifting out of the water and slamming back down. It was shaking violently.
‘Three or four minutes later, the ferry leapt high into the air, then came crashing down. The front left side burst open and water started pouring in.’
The incident came as Cyprus was rocked by a severe storm over the weekend, with at least three yachts also crashing into rocks on the island’s southern coast.
However authorities had deemed the weather on Sunday safe enough to sail.
Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman said he was ‘deeply saddened’ by the sinking, which he said had shocked communities, adding that efforts were being made to use technology to reach passengers still stuck in the stricken vessel.
Passengers on top of the stricken Filo Jet catamaran vessel after it capsized near Diana Beach (Picture: Reuters)
Speaking at a crisis centre, he said: ‘There is a great sense of shock here. This is not something we have experienced before.’
Northern Cyprus is an annexed area of the island recognised only by Turkiye, on which the area depends for economic and military support.
Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan offered condolences to passengers.
‘Efforts to reach those who are still missing continue uninterrupted’, he said.
‘God willing, we hope to receive positive news from these efforts.’
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Dominique de Villepin approaches candidacy for France’s 2027 election
6:00 am
Dominique de Villepin approaches candidacy for France’s 2027 election
Candidacy Update
Dominique de Villepin, former French Prime Minister, stated he will confirm his candidacy for the 2027 presidential election once the campaign has officially begun.
Dominique de Villepin, former French Prime Minister, stated he will confirm his candidacy for the 2027 presidential election once the campaign has officially begun.
Primary Dynamics
Dominique de Villepin’s rejection of a primary campaign approach underscores a significant strategic divergence within French political factions as they prepare for the 2027 presidential election.
Dominique de Villepin’s rejection of a primary campaign approach underscores a significant strategic divergence within French political factions as they prepare for the 2027 presidential election.
Villepin’s Stance
“I will confirm my candidacy once the election campaign has begun,” stated Dominique de Villepin, dismissing participation in a primary as a “gimmick for the desperate.”
“I will confirm my candidacy once the election campaign has begun,” stated Dominique de Villepin, dismissing participation in a primary as a “gimmick for the desperate.”
French presidential race: De Villepin set to run, Faure enters socialist primary
Although he is not yet officially a candidate in France’s 2027 presidential election, Dominique de Villepin is getting very close.
Speaking to BFM TV Sunday, the conservative politician — who formerly served as prime minister under Jacques Chirac and heads the La France Humaniste party — said he would confirm his candidacy “once the election campaign has begun”.
He added that he was ruling out taking part in a primary, arguing that “it is not the right way of doing things” but rather “the latest gimmick for the desperate”.
Meanwhile, Olivier Faure, the first secretary of the Socialist Party (PS) is due to announce on Sunday evening on TF1 that he will take part in the party’s primary election, after informing MPs from his group of his decision Saturday night. He informed MPs in his group of his decision in a message sent during the night from Saturday to Sunday.
But Dominique de Villepin reserved most of his criticism for Édouard Philippe, arguing that the latter is “playing into the hands” of Marine Le Pen by entering into a form of “one-upmanship” with his proposals to restrict immigration to Mayotte.
The latter, a presidential candidate and leader of the Horizons party, was hosted on Sunday in Tourcoing by Gérald Darmanin for the start-of-season rally of his political movement Populaires. In mid-August, the justice minister officially announced his support for his “friend of twenty years” in the presidential race.
Centrist Gabriel Attal, another former prime minister — who was appointed by French President Emmanuel Macron — and the Renaissance party’s presidential candidate, stated he had “never ruled out a primary”.
Attal’s comments come after more 200 elected French politicians signed a column in Le Figaro newspaper on Wednesday, calling for the centrist and right-wing bloc to hold a primary election, as part of a bid to identify a single candidate able to take on the far-left and far-right.
In an interview with France 2 and France Inter, Raphaël Glucksmann, the main rival of Olivier Faure in the social-democratic primary, once again took aim at the leader of France Unbowed (LFI), Jean-Luc Mélenchon, saying that he had “gone beyond all acceptable limits” and that “the democratic left” must “show that it is capable of breaking with those who sow chaos”.
Some Ontario government and business websites display ‘Lake America’ on maps
4:00 am
Get you up to speed: Some Ontario government, business websites show ‘Lake America’ on maps
Google announced changes to its Maps application that will see Lake Ontario referred to as such in Canada, while users in the United States will see it labelled as Lake America. This decision affects how the lake is identified depending on the user’s location.
Google has confirmed that users in Canada will see Lake Ontario on its Maps application, while users in the United States will refer to it as Lake America. The updates aim to provide region-specific naming conventions, with an anticipated rollout date yet to be specified.
Google has stated that it will refer to the large body of water as Lake Ontario for users in Canada and as Lake America for those in the United States, indicating a clear segmentation in their mapping approach. Further updates on user experience improvements are expected as the company continues to refine its localised content.
What remains unclear — It is uncertain how this change in naming will affect users’ experiences in both Canada and the U.S.
Some Ontario government and business websites display ‘Lake America’ on maps
Google previously said people in Canada would see Lake Ontario displayed on its Maps application, while it would say Lake America for people in the U.S.
Trump announces U.S. deal with Venezuela to enhance oil reserves
1:00 am
Get you up to speed: Trump says U.S. deal with Venezuela will boost oil reserves
President Trump announced that the U.S. will start “topping out” its strategic petroleum reserve using Venezuelan oil as part of a recent agreement. This move is expected to have limited impact on high gas prices for Americans.
The U.S. government is set to initiate the topping out of its strategic petroleum reserve with Venezuelan oil as part of a recent agreement. No timeline has been provided for when this initiative will commence or its potential impact on domestic gas prices.
President Trump announced that the U.S. will initiate the “topping out” of its strategic petroleum reserve with Venezuelan oil following a recent agreement. However, analysts suggest this move is unlikely to significantly alleviate the ongoing high gas prices faced by Americans.
What remains unclear — The specific volume of Venezuelan oil to be added to the U.S. strategic petroleum reserve is not disclosed.
Trump announces U.S. deal with Venezuela to enhance oil reserves
Businessman dies as storm sinks yachts off Cyprus coast, injures several
12:00 am
Get you up to speed: Man killed after lethal storm sinks two yachts in Cyprus | News World
A businessman, Dimis Mavropoulos, 77, died after several yachts were forced into rocks by a storm off the coast of Cyprus, where at least six others sustained injuries. A high-speed ferry carrying 260 people capsized near Kyrenia, with emergency services responding to the crisis amid challenging sea conditions.
The search and rescue operations for the capsized ferry involve the TRNC and Republic of Turkey Coast Guard units, as well as other relevant institutions. Public works minister Erhan Arikli stated that rough sea conditions are hindering the ongoing rescue efforts.
Public works minister Erhan Arikli acknowledged that “rough” sea conditions were complicating the ongoing rescue operation in the aftermath of the incidents off the coast of Cyprus. Search and rescue efforts by the relevant authorities, including Turkiye’s vice-president Cevdet Yilmaz, are continuing without interruption to account for any missing individuals following the capsizing of the ferry.
What remains unclear — Authorities have not confirmed the total number of fatalities or how many individuals are still missing from the capsized ferry incident.
Businessman dies as storm sinks yachts off Cyprus coast, injures several
A businessman has died after several yachts were forced into rocks by a storm off the coast of Cyprus.
At least six people have been left injured after a vessel crashed in choppy seas near Cape Greco on the Island’s southeastern coast.
Dimis Mavropoulos, 77, was pulled unconscious from the water by a rescue helicopter before being later pronounced dead.
Two survivors were treated in hospital, Sigmalive reported.
A witness named only as A Panikos told Philenews said he was taking pictures on the coast when disaster suddenly unfolded.
He explained: ‘The first boat was intact, it did not hit the rocks. It was later broken by a huge wave. We tied the rope to a large rock and threw it for the man to catch, because he did not know how to swim.’
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A businessman has died after several yachts crashed into rocks in a storm in Cyprus
The vessel then broke up in the water as police arrived on the scene, he said.
Mr Mavropoulos’s ship tipped sideways into the rocks when two women dived off the decks, Panikos said.
The businessman was reportedly urged by his friends to evacuate the boat, but insisted on staying behind to save it from the rocks.
Heavy rain and strong winds swept across Cyprus on Saturday, flooding streets, triggering landslides and toppling trees.
On the island’s northern coast, a high speed ferry carrying 260 people capsized in the storm near the town of Kyrenia.
Mayor Murat Senkul told CNN Turk that 159 of the 258 passengers on board the vessel were accounted for. That number is thought to have now risen to more than 200.
However, it is understood that the incident caused several fatalities and dozens are still missing.
Survivors arrive on shore after being rescued from the capsized ferry in northern Cyprus (Picture: Reuters)
The vessel, which some reports said was a catamaran, began taking in water about four miles off the shore when emergency services including ambulances were dispatched to the scene.
Public works minister Erhan Arikli said ‘rough’ sea conditions were complicating the rescue operation.
‘Our priority is to bring our passengers to land without loss of life’, he said.
Turkiye’s vice-president Cevdet Yilmaz said: ‘We are deeply saddened by the news we have received.
‘A catamaran-type passenger ship has sunk after taking on water off the coast of Girne.
‘Search and rescue operations have been launched by the TRNC and Republic of Turkey Coast Guard units and relevant institutions and are continuing without interruption.’
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