MILLIONS of households will see their council tax bills jump dramatically in a matter of weeks – but there’s steps you can take to reduce the cost.

People across the country are facing an average 5% rise in council tax, but 29 local authorities have been given permission to raise bills even further.

Alamy

Millions will see their council tax bills hiked significantly[/caption]

The level of the tax, which pays for local services such as road upkeep and state schools, is set by your local authority.

You can find out what council area you live in on the Government website.

Local authorities in England can raise council tax by up to 4.99% each April without holding a referendum.

But they can increase bills further if they hold a local referendum for public approval.

If you’re living in Scotland, the councils there aren’t subject to strict caps on annual increases.

Councillors in Falkirk have approved the largest council tax increase in the UK – a whopping 15.6%.

The rise means the average Band D household in the area, including parish charges, will see their annual bill increase from £1,363.82 to £1,576.57.

That’s an additional £212.75.

The rises are another blow to struggling households, but there are some steps you can take to help get costs down.

Here’s what you should check…

Are you or the people you live with eligible for a discount?

You might not be aware that you can get a discount on your council tax bill, or even get it for free.

People who live on their own, for example, are entitled to 25% off.

This also applies if there is one adult and one student living together in a household.

You may also be able to get 50% off your bill if you live with someone who doesn’t have to pay council tax, such as a child or someone who is severely mentally impaired.

Pensioners might be eligible for a reduction too.

If you receive the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit, you don’t have to pay.

If not, you could still get help if you have a low income and less than £16,000 in savings.

Other people on a low income or receiving benefits might also be eligible for a reduction.

You’ll need to check with your local council for full details about discounts and exemptions.

Those who live in an all-student household don’t have to pay for council tax at all.

In any case, you will need to apply to the council for a reduction.

Is your home itself eligible for a discount?

You may also be able to get a discount based on the property itself – but again you’ll need to apply.

Your home could be eligible if it has been adapted for a disabled person.

If you can demonstrate this, you will drop a council tax band (or if you’re in Band A, your bill will be reduced by 17%).

The adaptations could include an extra bathroom or kitchen for a disabled person to use, extra floor space, or a room predominantly used by a disabled person.

Properties undergoing major repair work or structural alterations to make them liveable may also be exempt from council tax for up to a year.

You may also not need to pay council tax if your home is empty.

Reasons for this can include:

• If you’re a long-term resident of a care home or hospital
• You’re in prison
• The owner of the property has died.

You may be able to get a discount if your home has an annexe or similar extension.

An annexe is typically described as a self-contained and separate living area from your main home.

If the council believes you have an annexe, you will receive two council tax bills – one for the annexe and one for the rest of your home.

You can get 50% off the annexe’s council tax in this case, although you’ll still need to pay council tax as normal on the rest of your home.

Are you in the right council tax band?

The amount you pay isn’t just determined by the area you live in – it’s also what council tax band your property is in.

The bands go from A to H, and they are based on the estimated value of your property.

People with more expensive homes will therefore pay more in council tax.

You can work out which band your home is in by checking with your local authority or on the postcode checker.

Hundreds of thousands of homes across England and Scotland are thought to be in the wrong band – which means you could be paying more than you should.

If you think this might be the case, you can try to change the band.

You might even get a payout if it turns out you’ve been charged too much.

A good starting point is to check if your band is higher than neighbours in similar or identical properties.

You can use the postcode checker again to find this out.

If neighbours in similar properties are in a lower band than you, you may be able to claim.

However you need to be careful with this as it’s possible your council tax band can be increased as well as decreased, and you could even end up dragging up your neighbours’ bills too.

Therefore it’s important to do a second check on the value of your property before you contact your council.

You will need to estimate what your home was worth in 1991, as the bands are still valued on prices from that year.

If you bought your house after 1991, you can use its price and date of sale.

If you rent or bought earlier, you’ll need to find an estimated price.

Once you have your home’s most recent sale price and the date of its sale, you can use a free online calculator to work out an estimate of what it would have been worth in 1991.

Then if you are still sure your home is in the wrong council tax band, you can contact the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) in England and Wales or the Scottish Assessors Association (SAA) in Scotland to do this.

Make sure you’ve got the evidence to hand showing you’re paying more, such as addresses of similar properties to yours in a lower band.

If the VOA agrees that your property is in the wrong section, it will contact you to let you know it will be changed.

Can you pay in a lump sum?

Of course, this option won’t be possible for everyone.

But if you can pay your council tax in a lump sum rather than monthly, you may be able to get a small discount.

You should check whether your local authority offers this.

For example, the London Borough of Havering offers a 1.5% discount on council tax bills to those who pay early in a lump sum.

WOMEN are more likely to ignore symptoms of heart complaints – as many believe it’s not an issue that will affect them.

A study of 2,000 adults found women are more likely to ignore unexplained chest pain, take pain relief or simply wait for it to pass compared to men.

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Just 35 per cent of women feel heart issues are likely to affect them[/caption]

Heart disease is a leading cause of death among women in the UK, with more than 30,000 admitted to hospital each year due to a heart attack.

But 41 per cent admitted they would rely on rest and even indigestion medicine if they were to suffer chest pain, compared to just 34 per cent of men.

And while 38 per cent of men would seek medical help, only 30 per cent of women would do the same.

It also emerged just 35 per cent of women feel heart issues are likely to affect them, with 51 per cent believing they aren’t at risk as they live a healthy lifestyle.

Others aren’t concerned as they have no history of heart complaints in their family (50 per cent), have regular check-ups to show up any issues (29 per cent) or they are just too young to worry (19 per cent).

Dr Ameet Bakhai, a cardiologist working with Healthspan Plant Sterol Plus, a blood pressure and cholesterol supplement brand that commissioned the research, said: “Women have a range of risk factors stacked up against them compared to men.

“And data has shown women are also more likely to be sent home from A&E than men.

“Female biology plays a significant role in heart disease risk, and it goes beyond just cholesterol and blood pressure.

“Many women and men also don’t recognise the association between gender unrelated factors, such as diabetes, depression, chest infections, radiation, poor sleep and noise pollution, chronic emotional stress, night shift work.

“And even smoking, high salt diet, blood pressure and cholesterol are all related.

“Everyone should be conscious of the signs, their family history and medical issues that can put you more at risk – as well as the best ways to help avoid it and keep your heart healthy.

“It makes no difference whether you are male or female, young or old – poor heart health can impact everyone.”

The study also revealed only 58 per cent of women are confident they could recognise the signs of a heart attack in a woman, which are tend to be different to men and can often mimic stress, indigestion, or anxiety.

It also emerged that 14 per cent of women think high cholesterol is something that only affects men, with 26 per cent of 45-54-year-olds claiming they have never had their cholesterol checked.

Another one in twenty admitted it has been more than five years – despite the NHS offering a free health check every five years for those aged 40-74, which includes a cholesterol test.

Another one in 20 women haven’t had their blood pressure checked for more than five years, and half of those polled don’t know what their usual blood pressure reading would or should be.

But 4.2 million adults in England have undiagnosed hypertension, high blood pressure, according to ONS data.

Dr Hilary Jones, GP and medical advisor to Healthspan, said: “Many people are unaware of the close relationship between high cholesterol and high blood pressure.

“Left unmanaged, these conditions can significantly increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.”

The research, carried out via OnePoll, found one in four women were unaware alcohol consumption can have a big impact on blood pressure, while 28 per cent didn’t know salt intake or weight gain outside of pregnancy can make a difference.

Others didn’t know general dietary choices (40 per cent), sugar consumption (54 per cent) and caffeine intake (47 per cent) could also affect their heart health.

Dr Ameet Bakhai added: “Warning signs such as such as dizziness, shortness of breath, or unexplained fatigue are all signs that should be investigated.

“Becoming heart aware is vital but this survey on a more positive light does highlight, that the heart prevention education messages via the NHS, British Heart Foundation and brands such as Healthspan are getting through to women as they begin to understand more about the symptoms and signs of heart disease and health.”

Natasha Whitehead, 32, from Northamptonshire, who was struggling with high cholesterol, despite losing weight, is now being tested for familial hypercholesterolemia, a condition which increases the risk of heart disease and early heart attacks.

Luckily, she was more aware of the risks as her Mum also suffered from high cholesterol and has been on statins for more than 15 years.

The compliance administrator said: “I’ve always struggled with my weight, but I was determined to get slim for my wedding in July 2024, so I cut out takeaways, sugary snacks, and oversized portions and started eating a more cholesterol-friendly diet with oats, oily fish, nuts, avocado, and pulses.

“I also went on intermittent-fasting regime, eating within a seven-hour window, as well as running on the treadmill and lifting weights, and I’d succeeded in losing a massive eight stone.

“But when I got my next blood test, my cholesterol levels hadn’t budged from a previous blood test.

“I was disheartened that, even after such huge lifestyle changes and weight loss, my cholesterol had stayed the same.”

Natasha was reluctant to go on statins after seeing loved ones experience side effects, so decided to try plant sterols supplements instead, something she believes led to her cholesterol levels finally dropping after another five months and a three stone weight loss.

GAZING out over the sparkling crystal blue waters of the Bahamas, Gary and Kat Vanhoeck could scarcely believe their luck.

After selling up in the UK, they bought a 36ft yacht and embarked on a new life in paradise without a care in the world.

Dan Charity

In 2015, British diving instructor Gary Vanhoeck was shot dead by two armed raiders on his luxury yacht[/caption]

Dan Charity

Kat has spoken out for the first time about the shocking incident[/caption]

Dan Charity

Gary was a dive instructor at Stuart Cove’s[/caption]

Neither of them knew the first thing about sailing but diving instructor Gary was adamant they would learn.

“Will it be a dream or the biggest mistake you ever made?” he wrote ahead of their new adventure. 

“Who knows, but unless you try it you will always ask…So here goes.”

They embraced their new life with the same vigour and enthusiasm, relying on books to learn how to sail, and never once looked back.

For five wonderful years, Gary and Kat took groups of scuba-divers down into the depths before returning ashore to relax in the picturesque beauty made famous by 007.

But their idyllic new life was brutally shattered when two armed robbers crept aboard in the dead of night.

In the chaotic moments that followed Gary, 51, was marched off the boat and executed close to the dive school where they both worked with a single shot to the back of the head.

Below deck, one of the men cornered Kat and wrapped silver duct tape around her head until she was unable to see and could barely breathe.

After what felt like an age, silence finally descended across the boat and Kat felt her way out to the bow, peeling back the layers of gaffer tape before making a run for it.

Today, in her first and only interview, she relives her ordeal in harrowing detail and reveals the shocking failures that have left her searching for justice a decade on.

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The pair’s boat where the horrific murder occurred in 2015[/caption]

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The couple sold everything to start a new life[/caption]

Dan Charity

The murder of Gary Vanhoeck is coming up to the 10th anniversary[/caption]

Dream life

Clutching a tissue in one hand Kat, now 55, begins: “The Caribbean is what you see on the TV – it was paradise. 

“Clear blue seas, white sands, the Mecca of the sailing world. 

“It was everything we ever dreamed of. Every day was different, but the sun was always shining. 

“We used to go and sit underneath a tree and have a beer to toast the day.

“And we’d do it all over again the very next day.

“We learned how to feed sharks and we did private charters. It was idyllic.

“The Caribbean was fabulous up until May 1, 2015. That day came and everything changed.”

It had been Gary’s idea to leave their jobs in radio behind, sell up and move their lives to the Caribbean.

He had seen a job advert and was never one to ignore an opportunity.

His first wife had died young from cancer and it had taught him that life was just too short to simply sit back and watch it pass by. 

Kat recalled: “Life for us in the UK was good. We had a great life – a beautiful house and kids.

“But it was an opportunity that Gary thought he couldn’t miss. 

“It was now or never and that’s why we both decided to go for it.

He grabbed hold of life with both hands…and we never looked back. 

Kat Vanhoeck

“Yes, it was daunting. Moving to a new country, especially when it’s thousands and thousands of miles away from your family, is hard.

“But we both made it work. And it was the best decision Gary and I ever made.”

Gary purchased their boat Lucky Break – despite neither of them having any nautical experience – and Kat joined him weeks later armed with a few bikinis, shorts and a series of ‘how to’ books.

He loved the idea of living abroad, learning to sail and, as he sought to sell the idea to Kat, “living like pirates”.

She needed little persuading and they initially settled in the British Virgin Islands before eventually departing Tortola for the Bahamas in 2010.

Gary had been offered a job as operations manager at Stuart Cove’s world famous diving school and, like before, could not pass up the opportunity. 

They docked the boat in the marina on the south west tip of New Providence where the James Bond films Thunderball and Casino Royale were filmed – and fell in love with the island of New Providence.

They made friends, worked hard and, above all else, lived like pirates. Then everything changed.

After a day at sea they returned to their tree in the marina, sank a bottle of beer and surveyed the idyllic life they had created.

Dan Charity

Gary could not pass up the opportunity at the famous diving school[/caption]

Dan Charity

The pair had no previous nautical experience[/caption]

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The couple worked at the Stuart Cove’s Aqua Adventures[/caption]

Horror raid

They showered, then sat down for supper and settled down to watch a film.

By the time Kat wanted to turn in it was nearing 10pm. Gary stayed up to watch the end of the film but promised her he would be in soon.

Kat begins to shake and stares straight ahead, her eyes fixed as she recalls the horrendous memories of that night.

“The next thing, I’m getting pulled out of the bed,” she begins.

“A guy dressed from head to toe in black, the full shebang, black balaclava, says ‘get off the boat’.

“With that, I screamed and said, I can’t get off the boat, I’m naked. 

“I was thrown to the floor and bound up with silver duct tape.

He bound my head in gaffer tape. I couldn’t see and I couldn’t breathe.

Kat Vanhoeck

“I kept thinking ‘what’s going to happen next? What are they going to do to me?’

“Are they going to rape me? Should I stay? Should I hide? Should I hide underneath the table? 

“Do I hide on the other bed? All these things run through your mind.

“I sat there and couldn’t hear anything, so I felt my way to the bow of the boat and tried to find the end of the duct tape to unravel it and that’s what I did.

“It was stuck to my face, hair, everything. 

“I looked around and couldn’t see anybody. And then I looked again and could see this person running and then just disappear.”

Tragic discovery

Kat looked around for Gary but there was no sign of him. She seized the opportunity to escape, running barefoot through the marina and half a mile up the road to a friend’s home.

She banged on the door until Charlotte and her boyfriend Beto answered and told them: “They’ve got Gary.”

The couple drove Kat back down towards the dive school which, by now, was swarming with police and paramedics.

Kat said: “As I walked in, I could see Gary. I started to run over to him but they pulled me back and said, ‘don’t let her go near him, they’re working on him’. 

“I slumped to the floor and was picked up and placed in a chair nearby.

“The police were asking me questions and I was trying to answer, but all I kept saying to Charlotte was, ‘he’s alive, isn’t he? He’s alive?’

“Beto comes up and I’m saying it again and again. He disappears and I keep saying, ‘he’s alive?’ 

“When Beto reappeared Charlotte put her arms around me and said, ‘I’m sorry, Gary’s gone’.

“He’d been shot in the head.”

It all becomes too much and Kat breaks down in tears, her entire body physically pulsing from the trauma of reliving the ordeal.

But she vows to carry on, composes herself and resumes moments later – describing the immediate aftermath.

The police accompanied her back to the boat before she was taken to a nearby station where she was held for 16 hours as detectives tried to piece together what had happened.

She is sure they suspected her of involvement. 

But CCTV from the marina corroborated her story, with the two men involved captured running from the boat and along the dock. 

Searches later revealed they had made off with £6,000 worth of jewellery and Kat’s iPhone.

Dan Charity

The boat was docked in the marina on the south west tip of New Providence where James Bond films were filmed[/caption]

Dan Charity

Brian Miller Jr was charged with the murder of Gary (pictured)[/caption]

In the days that followed a drive-by shooting provided cops with their first big breakthrough.

A bullet casing from the latest scene matched the one next to Gary’s body – and this time they had a man in custody.

That night I lost everything, my husband, home and job. Having to rebuild my life over again has been the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do

Kat Vanhoeck

Brian Miller Jr, then 23, was charged with Gary’s murder, armed robbery, burglary and possession of an unlicensed Blacklight Point .40 pistol and 10 live rounds of ammunition. He denied all the charges.

Kat flew back to the UK with Gary’s ashes and remained for several months before returning to the British Virgin Islands alone. 

But her life was frozen in time as Miller’s trial was repeatedly delayed due to administrative errors or overrunning cases.

This week his trial was postponed at the last minute for the 11th time.

He remains on bail, free to roam the sun-kissed island Kat once called home, whilst she continues to serves a life sentence.

Dan Charity

Gary is listed as part of the diving crew for the Oscar nominated Robert Redford film All is Lost[/caption]

Dan Charity

Gary was killed by two gunshots to the head[/caption]

Shocking injustice

After wiping the tears away with a tissue her face stiffens as she addresses the injustice of it all. “Gary’s life was taken in a millisecond,” she says.

“I have the memories, but life, you can’t bring back life, and that’s the biggest thing they took from me.

“I never thought I’d be still fighting for justice 10 years down the road. It’s wrong.

“You’re playing with someone’s life. Every time we get a court date, I have to relive it to prepare myself.

“If that had happened in the UK, this would have been over and done with within a year.

“All I want is justice for Gary. I want to know why he was murdered. There are so many unanswered questions.

“He was my life and I miss him dearly. Until I can get justice for him I can’t get on with my life.”

Kat is now back in the UK and has settled in Warminster close to her family – but the agony of that night lives on.

“That night I lost everything, my husband, home and job. Having to rebuild my life over again has been the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.”

She refuses to return to the Bahamas – even for the trial. “For me, paradise is now a living nightmare.

Dan Charity

It was Gary’s idea to leave their jobs in radio behind and move their lives to the Caribbean[/caption]

Dan Charity

Kat never thought she’d be fighting for justice 10 years later[/caption]

A WANTED man who was suspected to have aided the murder of Brit businessman Campbell Scott in Kenya has died by suicide.

Police said that Samuel Musembi, who was alleged to have ferried the 58-year-old Brit’s corpse, took his own life on Wednesday.

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Wanted murder suspect Samuel Musembi took his own life on Wednesday, according to police[/caption]

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Musembi is wanted over the murder of 58-year-old Brit businessman Campbell Scott[/caption]

Scott, whose body was found in a sack of pineapples, is feared to have been kidnapped and tortured before his eventual death.

Musembi is alleged to have driven a vehicle that carried Scott’s corpse from Piepline Nairobi to Makongo Forest in Makueni county, Kenya.

Prior to his suicide, he was allegedl been hiding at a relative’s house in Dandora, Nairobi.

Detectives say he sought temporary accommodation at a friend’s house in Dandora, and told them that he needed some rest “far away from home” for unknown reasons.

The friend then went to work and left Musembi in the house with the rest of his family, and told his relatives Musembi looked “restless”.

When the friend returned, Musembi appeared to have locked the door from the inside.

He broke the door down to find Musembi lying on the bed with foam frothing out of his mouth and blood pouring from his neck.

Not known, clear with picture desk

A suspect was captured on camera walking with Scott before his death[/caption]

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BONNIE Blue has sparked outrage once again with a foul-mouthed advert that reportedly earned her a five-figure sum from a ‘family-friendly’ tech giant.

The controversial pornstar, 25, has appeared in a social media campaign wearing a robe and sitting in what seems to be a room strikingly similar to the one where she claims to have slept with over 1,000 men.

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Bonnie Blue has featured in an advert for a ‘family friend’ tech company[/caption]

Instagram

While many companies typically steer clear of partnering with influencers like Bonnie, this tech firm has chosen to defy convention, stir up controversy, and make her the face of their campaign.

The company, Air.hq, features Bonnie in what looks like the Marylebone Mansion in which she performed her 1,057 ‘sporting event’, wearing red Louboutins and seated on a flat bed.

And according to the Mail Online, the OnlyFans model bagged a high five-figure sum for the half-day shoot.

The tech company posted several different clips on their Instagram page, and they featured Bonnie talking about the app. 

In the first video posted, she looks to the camera and says: “I know what people say about me online, and you’ll think I have a nerve saying what I’m about to say, because of, well, my history, but I’ve only just found out what Dr****x is doing, and I think it’s disgusting.

“With Dropbox’s name being hilariously bleeped out.

“There’s having fun, and then there’s f***ing 18 million creative people.

“There’s no tagging. Finding your assets is a disaster. I think it is sickening.”

Air.hp captioned the video: “BREAKING: Bonnie Blue is exposing the newest world record holder…and it’s not what you think. 

“Creative teams have been getting screwed by bad software for too long. Enough is enough.”

In a second clip posted by the company, she was filmed walking over to her flat bed appearing to be angry and saying: “What was the point in all of this?

“You said no one had f***ed that many people at once.

“So how did you not know about this? 

“They’re called D*****x and apparently 18 million people a year pay to get f***ed by them.

“That’s 49,315 a day. How the f*** did we not know about them?”

This particular advert ends with the tagline: “Don’t get f***ed. Get Air.”

In a pinned post the company wrote: “Bonnie Blue is making history once again, and this time, for a very different reason.

Instagram/@bonnie_blue_xox

The advert appears to be on the same bed she bonked over ‘1,000 men’ on[/caption]

Instagram

Bonnie has been causing outrage amongst the public due to her stunts[/caption]

“In an exclusive behind-the-scenes clip, Bonnie reacts to the news that the record she thought she owned wasn’t hers after all.

“Now, Bonnie is speaking out, calling the situation ‘shocking’ and ‘honestly, disgusting.’

“Stay tuned. This story is far from over.”

However, not many people have been amused by the company’s decision to feature Bonnie. 

One person commented: “Giving her air time is a cardinal sin!

“You could sell immortal life but using her would mean I’d rather die!”

A second added: “Is this really the route you’re gonna take?” 

A third said: “She’s sickening.” 

THIS is the shocking moment one of Vladimir Putin’s soldiers is sent flying 50ft in the air like a human cannonball.

A Ukrainian drone dropped a bomb over the Russian’s battlefield bunker that also stored live ammunition – causing an almighty blast.

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Footage has captured the moment one of Vladimir Putin’s soldiers is sent flying 50ft in the air like a human cannonball[/caption]

East2West

A Ukrainian drone dropped a bomb over the Russian’s battlefield bunker that also stored live ammunition – causing an almighty blast[/caption]

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The soldier’s body landed just feet away from the bunker[/caption]

Footage captured the sharp rise and fall of the soldier after the underground hideout he was cowering in was hit by a targeted aerial assault near the city of Toretsk.

A powerful drone, deployed by the 1st Battalion of the 12th Azov Brigade, filmed the moment an explosive was dropped in the bunker.

The force of the blast rocked the battlefield and was far bigger than expected due to a stash of ammunition hidden beneath the ground detonating upon impact.

This sent the soldier flying out of his hideout as he was carried up in the air by plumes of smoke and a string of debris.

His lifeless body can be seen in the middle of the eruption travelling at terrifying speed directly upwards.

The fighter likely died before being thrown out of his bunker.

The graphic drone video goes on to show the soldier’s corpse lying on the ground just a few feet away from his bunker.

A Telegram account of the grim death said: “The 12th Azov Brigade showed a Russian flying out of a hole into the sky like a cannonball from a gun.”

The victim has not been identified but he is part of Putin’s destructive meatgrinder approach to the conflict in Ukraine.

Since the despot invaded over three years ago, he has lost over 891,000 troops, according to the latest figures from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

It comes as Ukraine carried out its second huge blitz on Moscow in just three days.

Overnight, a major oil refinery exploded in a huge fireball blast due to the intense aerial strikes.

One of Russia‘s prized oil refinery’s which sits just 55 miles from the Kremlin dictator’s £1billion clifftop palace on the Black Sea was the main target of the attack.

The hit triggered a seismic ten explosions at the site followed by a massive inferno with flames ripping through the region.

Krasnodar regional governor Veniamin Kondratyev announced: “The Kyiv regime attacked the oil complex in Tuapse. 

“One of the gasoline tanks caught fire. The area of the fire is more than 1,000 square metres, and emergency services are working.”

Vnukovo airport – which was used less than 24 hours earlier by Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff as he left Moscow after meeting Putin and his cronies – was also shut down due to the intense drone bombardment.

The strikes come just three days after Ukraine launched one of their biggest drone attacks of the war so far.

East2West

The secret underground bunker where the Russian was hiding out with the live ammunition[/caption]

Russian air defences were left scrambling to shoot down over 337 drones across 10 different regions with Moscow and Kursk the main targets.

The attacks appeared to be a fiery response from Kyiv against Moscow’s refusal to accept a US-proposed 30-day ceasefire agreement.

On Thursday afternoon, Putin gave his first response saying he agreed in principle, but raised a long list of questions and caveats – which he called “nuances”.

Addressing all of his concerns would take a long time – far from the immediate peace Trump wants.

Putin said: “We agree with the proposals for the ceasefire, but our position is based on the assumption the ceasefire will lead to a long-term peace.”

Trump warned Putin today to spare trapped Ukrainian soldiers in Kursk – saying their slaughter would be the worst massacre since World War 2.

Russian forces have already seized 28 settlements in the wartorn region in the past week alone.

The US President urged the tyrant to sign a ceasefire following “very good and productive discussions” between Washington and Moscow yesterday.

Trump said on Truth Social: “AT THIS VERY MOMENT, THOUSANDS OF UKRAINIAN TROOPS ARE COMPLETELY SURROUNDED BY THE RUSSIAN MILITARY, AND IN A VERY BAD AND VULNERABLE POSITION.

“I have strongly requested to President Putin that their lives be spared.

“This would be a horrible massacre, one not seen since World War II. God bless them all!!!”

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Ukraine have bravely hit back at Russia with overnight strikes on Moscow[/caption]

KYLIE Jenner looks sexier than ever in a stunning new shoot that sees her squeeze her curves into skin tight latex dresses.

The cosmetics queen, 27, modelled a plunging red dress by independent London brand Poster Girl on Instagram.

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Kylie Jenner modelled a stunning new latex line[/caption]

Instagram

Designs are available in red and black[/caption]

The collaboration between Kylie’s Khy brand and the small British outfit, headed by designers Natasha Somerville and Francesca Capper, drove fans on social media wild.

It was a dream come true for both parties with Kylie writing how she’s always “adored” the brand.

She added, “I really fell in love with their latex pieces. They make me feel so confident and sexy.“

Fans can snap up the risque designs when they drop on Tuesday.

Poster Girl’s bosses said the collab, which is their first, “couldn’t make more perfect sense.”

They added, “Thank you @kyliejenner for this incredible opportunity, it truly means the world to us.”

One follower commented, “stunninggggg omfg.”

Another said, “One of my fav brands!!!!!”

A third wrote, “Congratulations just wow.”

The high fashion shots come just days after Kylie and Hollywood actor boyfriend Timothée Chalamet caused uproar on social media with their raunchy PDA at the BNP Paribas Indian Wells Open in California.

A lipreader has decoded exactly what the loved-up pair were talking about – and it’s definitely on the raunchier side.

Nicola Hickling, who has correctly lipread interactions from Demi Moore to Kanye West and the royals in the past, broke down what she believed the pair’s conversation to be during their steamy display.

Nicola claims Timothée kicked things off by telling his other half they were “making love… like all day”.

They then shared a kiss, with the actor reportedly telling Kylie, “I love you.”

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The sexy outfits have been a hit with fans[/caption]

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Kylie called collaborators Poster Girl one of her favourite fashion brands[/caption]

“Hey, I love you too, sweetie,” smitten Kylie is said to have replied.

At this point, Nicola said that Timothée appears to playfully mimic crying, repeating ‘Bu Bu Bu, I’m hurt,’ in a lighthearted, exaggerated tone.

She said: “His expression and delivery suggest he’s teasing Kylie, possibly dramatising the moment for affection or humour.”

In response, Kylie puts her hand on his tummy and chest, gently rubbing him as she asks her “bub” if he is “okay”.

Nicola – who was commissioned to translate the pair’s chat by Casino.org – then revealed the “secret kink” as Timothée laughs and says: “Oh don’t work me up! The nipples, touch the nipples!”

He then begs Kylie “Don’t stop, please” before switching into French as he continues wooing his other half during the conversation.

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Kylie and Timothée Chalamet cosied up at Indian Wells last weekend[/caption]

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Kylie can pull off both casual and high fashion[/caption]

Micheál Martin rounds out his visit to Washington DC today with further meetings in the US capital.

It comes just six months after their announcement.

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