A woman has lost both of her hands after trying to ‘engage’ with a shark while on a vacation of a lifetime in the Caribbean.

The tourist attempted to snap a picture of the apex predator, which is believed to be between six and nine feet long, when the beast snapped back at the holidaymaker in hip-deep water on a beach on Providenciales, the main island in the Turks and Caicos archipelago.

The incident took place on Friday last week (February 7), at the eastern end of Blue Hills Beach near Da Conch Shack and Thompson’s Cove Beach – with the culprit understood to be either a bull shark or tiger shark, according to Visit Turks and Caicos Islands.

Turks and Caicos Islands government has since warned tourists of the dangers that lurk in its crystal clear waters.

The Department of Environment & Coastal Resources Authorities issued the following statement: “On Friday 7th February a tourist was injured by a shark in the waters adjacent to Blue Hills, Providenciales.

“The individual was taken to Cheshire Hall Medical Centre where she was stabilized and later flown off island for further medical care.

“Upon confirmation of the incident the Department of Environment & Coastal Resources (DECR) issued a beach closure notification from Thompson’s Cove Beach to Froggies ATV, Blue Hills in an abundance of caution. The beach was reopened on Sunday, February 9th at 1pm after it was determined that the shark had moved to deeper water.”

It continued: “The shark was estimated to be approximately 6ft in length, however the species is yet to be confirmed.

“Further to the investigation, it has been determined that the tourist had attempted to engage with the animal from the shallows in an attempt to take photographs.

“The DECR would like to urge the public to always be aware of your surroundings, follow local advisories, and respect marine life. Swim in designated areas, avoid murky waters, never swim alone, and do not attempt to feed marine wildlife under any circumstances.”

This month’s incident is the fourth recorded shark attack to have taken place in the Turks and Caicos since 2020.

The first took place in September 2021, when a male tourist was bitten on his wrist by a seven-foot lemon shark or tiger shark, while the next took place almost two years later in May 2023, this time a 22-year-old holidaymaker lost his foot.

In May last year, a male resident was attacked while snorkelling, with the bite being so severe that it resulted in amputation of his leg above his knee.

An infamous prison which has been accused of ‘torturing and abusing’ inmates has been picked as a new destination for deported migrants under the Trump administration.

Since Donald Trump took over the White House as the 47th President of the United States, he has taken a tough approach to immigration.

Within weeks of his presidency, he signed a slew of executive orders to ‘reclaim control’ of the States, hiked up tariffs to neighbors, Canada, Mexico and China to encourage their cooperation in halting illegal immigration and even threatened Colombia with similar sanctions for refusing to accept deportation flights which have been ramped up.

He’s also been looking at revoking student visas for foreign youngsters and deporting them if they are found protesting against Israel, launching a new detention center for deportees in Colorado, and proposed another idea to exile repeat criminal offenders of any nationality, including the US, to far away lands in a ‘modern’ take on a penal colony.

Trump’s plans for Guantanamo Bay

As part of his plans, he’s also been looking at expanding the controversial Guantanamo Bay prison which was opened by President George Bush in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attack to send ‘illegal enemy combatants’.

Now, Trump is hoping to send migrants to the notorious Cuba jail by signing the Laken Riley Act.

The prison is still home to some 15 terror suspects, including those behind the September 2001 attacks.

During his first term in Oval Office, Trump reversed a Barack Obama administration order to keep the prison open in 2018, despite protests from human rights activists.

Under President Obama, more than 150 detainees were released but the former POTUS was slammed for failing to fully close the center.

‘Living hell’

Guantanamo Bay has been dubbed a ‘legal black hole’, reports The Mirror, where its prisoners endure a ‘living hell’ of abuse and torture.

The perimeter of the prison is surrounded by a minefield and plans reveal prisoners will either be kept in small detention centers or tents manned by soldiers and marines.

Meanwhile, Amnesty International branded the prison ‘a symbol of torture, rendition and indefinite detention without charge or trial’.

As well as human rights protesters, the United Nations also slammed the facility, calling it a ‘stain on the US Government’s commitment to the rule of law.’

Former prisoners that were released under Obama’s rule included a British father, Shaker Aamer, who said he was tortured, beaten and held in solitary confinement for 13 years in the prison where he was held without charge.

Obama pledged to close Guantanamo in 2016, saying it ‘undermines’ national security rather than strengthening it.

Before signing the Laken Riley Act, which makes the expansion of Guantanamo Bay vision a reality, Trump previously said: “We have 30,000 beds in Guantanamo to detain the worst criminal illegal aliens threatening the American people.

“Some of them are so bad we don’t even trust the countries to hold them because we don’t want them coming back.

“So we’re going to send them out to Guantanamo Bay. This will double our capacity immediately, and tough. That’s a tough – that’s a tough place to get out of.”

A newly proposed bill could see men find an eye-watering amount if they are caught ‘ejaculating without intent of conceiving a baby’.

Titled ‘The Contraception Begins At Erection Act’ – which legislators in Ohio and Mississippi are hoping to pass – would make it illegal for a man to ejaculate with no intention of conceiving a baby.

Both states have exceptions for sperm donation and if a couple use contraception. In Mississippi this would criminalise male masturbation; in Ohio this wouldn’t be the case.

A summary of the Mississippi bill reads: “This bill, known as the ‘Contraception Begins at Erection Act,’ proposes to make it unlawful for a person to discharge genetic material (sperm) without the intent to fertilize an embryo, effectively criminalizing certain male reproductive behaviors.”

While the bill wouldn’t jail men, it would hand them hefty fines.

On the first offense, it would be $1,000, which would be raised to $5,000 for a second offense. And if it was to happen for a third time, the individual would have to fork out a whopping $10,000. The same fines would apply in both states.

As you might have gathered, the legislation is not entirely serious.

The Mississippi bill was put forward by lawmaker Bradford Blackmon, the bill would come into force on July 1, 2025, if signed into law by Gov. Tate Reeves – but as we say, this is extremely unlikely to happen.

Blackmon noted that many bills regarding reproductive rights are often targeted at women.

“All across the country, especially here in Mississippi, the vast majority of bills relating to contraception and/or abortion focus on the woman’s role when men are fifty percent of the equation,” he wrote, as per NBC News.

“This bill highlights that fact and brings the man’s role into the conversation. People can get up in arms and call it absurd but I can’t say that bothers me.”

The Ohio bill was brought by State Representatives Anita Somani, who has also been an OBGYN for 30 years, and Tristan Rader. They say it has been drafted in response to moves regulating women’s bodies.

Representative Somani said: “You don’t get pregnant on your own. If you’re going to penalize someone for an unwanted pregnancy, why not penalize the person who is also responsible for the pregnancy?”

She emphasised that her aim is not to pass the bill, but to start a conversation

She added: “It’s more to make the statement and start the conversation. You know, I’m not here as an OBGYN, I’m not here to regulate reproductive rights, I’m here to show the absurdity of regulating anybody’s rights.”

Women’s reproductive rights in the US have changed drastically in recent years — the biggest being the overturning Roe V. Wade ruling in 2022, which dated back to 1973.

The precedent had given women the right to have an abortion, with it now being illegal in ten states for women to have a termination, even if they have been raped.

Some of the bill’s critics have taken it at face value, with Ohio State Republican Representative Austin Beigel saying: “It’s beyond ridiculous what’s going on here. It’s a mockery of the most basic biological concepts.”

Last year, Luigi Mangione was arrested as the suspect in the killing of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson and has now addressed the support he has received in a statement.

Brian Thompson was shot and killed after stepping out of a New York hotel on December 4 with video surveillance capturing the moment he was attacked.

A few days later, after the police called on the public to help identify the alleged shooter, Mangione was apprehended in Pennsylvania after being recognized by a McDonald’s employee.

He was then extradited back to NYC and the 26-year-old was charged with the CEO’s murder and pleaded not guilty in front of a court in late December.

He faces multiple charges from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, including first and second-degree murder, criminal possession of a weapon and murder as an act of terrorism.

Despite these charges Mangione has received ongoing support from people around the world with some people even becoming obsessed with the alleged assassin.

A new website has been created by Mangione’s legal team that provides answers to frequently asked questions in addition to having a message from the accused to his supporters.

In a statement he spoke directly to them and said: “I am overwhelmed by – and grateful for – everyone who has written me to share their stories and express their support.

“Powerfully, this support has transcended political, racial, and even class divisions, as mail has flooded MDC from across the country, and around the globe. While it is impossible for me to reply to most letters, please know that I read every one that I receive.

“Thank you again to everyone who took the time to write. I look forward to hearing more in the future.”

Multiple fundraisers have been popping up since Mangione’s arrest with the website GoFundMe explaining the decision to take many of them down.

GoFundMe’s terms and conditions clearly state that fundraisers can’t be used for ‘the legal defense of financial and violent crimes, including those related to money laundering, murder, robbery, assault, battery, sex crimes or crimes against minors’.

This then resulted in fundraisers being started on Christian site GiveSendGo with the communications director Alex Shipley defending this controversial move.

He has previously said: “We believe every person is entitled to due process in a court of law — not in the court of public opinion.

“To be absolutely clear, we do not support or condone vigilante justice. However, people have a constitutional right to a strong legal defense, and access to that defense should not be reserved only for the wealthy or those who fit a particular narrative.”

Warning: This article contains discussion of rape which some readers may find distressing.

All allegations made against Jay-Z by a woman who claimed she was raped by the rapper when she was just 13 years old have been dropped.

Plaintiff Jane Doe alleged that the 24-time Grammy-winner carried out the heinous act on her at an afterparty for the MTV Video Music Awards back in 2000, and claimed Diddy, whose real name is Sean Combs, also drugged and raped her.

However, since filing the lawsuit in October, initially just against Combs before adding Jay-Z’s name in December, she gave an interview that raised some questions over her credibility.

Doe conceded that ‘not all the facts are clear’ of her recollection of the night in question – where she even suggested a female celebrity watched the ordeal happen, before adding: “I have made some mistakes. I may have made a mistake in identifying.”

The 55-year-old, whose wife Beyoncé won a record 35th Grammy earlier this month, issued the following statement through his record label, Roc Nation.

“Today is a victory. The frivolous, fictitious and appalling allegations have been dismissed. This civil suit was without merit and never going anywhere. The fictional tale they created was laughable, if not for the seriousness of the claims,” Jay-Z wrote.

“I would not wish this experience on anyone. The trauma that my wife, my children, loved ones and I have endured can never be dismissed.

“This 1-800 lawyer gets to file a suit hiding behind Jane Doe, and when they quickly realize that the money grab is going to fail, they get to walk away with no repercussions. The system has failed.”

He added: “The court must protect victims, OF COURSE, while with the same ethical responsibility, the courts must protect the innocent from being accused without a shred of evidence. May the truth prevail for all victims and those falsely accused equally.”

While the allegations against Jay-Z have been dropped, Combs remains in jail as he awaits trial – due to take place on May 5.

It comes after he was indicted by a grand jury following his arrest at the Park Hyatt hotel in Manhattan back in September.

Combs has since been charged with racketeering and sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, charges he’s continued to deny. A 14-page federal indictment accuses the rapper of organizing events known as ‘freak offs’.

The indictment accuses Combs and others in his enterprise of ‘wield[ing] the power and prestige of Combs’ role at the Combs Business to intimidate, threaten and lure female victims into Combs’ orbit, often under the pretence of a romantic relationship’.

With the ‘assistance of members and associates’, the document claims Combs ‘transported commercial sex workers across state lines and internationally’ and ‘then used force, threats of force, and coercion, to cause victims to engage in extended sex acts with male commercial sex workers that Combs referred to as, among other things, ‘freak offs’.’

If you’ve been affected by any of the issues in this article, you can contact The National Sexual Assault Hotline on 800.656.HOPE (4673), available 24/7. 

Selena Gomez fans say they are disgusted by a ‘nasty’ Valentine’s Day gesture from Benny Blanco.

The celebrity couple, who started dating in 2023 and recently got engaged, have apparently hit a nerve with fans over their somewhat cheesy Valentine’s Day post.

While some women would be happy with a bouquet of flowers, chocolates or a card, the key to Selena Gomez’s heart is, apparently, cheese. And a lot of it.

Taking to Instagram, Benny Blanco posted a video of his grand gesture to his beau, which featured a bathtub full of nacho cheese.

Instead of a bed of rose petals, the music producer staged a somewhat romantic scene with a trail of chips leading to the tub of cheese and ‘I love you’ written out in the chips sprawled across the bathroom floor.

The footage showed the tub was filled to the brim with bright yellow nacho cheese sauce with plenty of chips to tuck into.

Explaining the gesture, Blanco wrote in the caption: “When your fiancé isn’t much of a flowers girl.”

However, not everyone has been a fan of the idea as some raced to Twitter to say it was ‘nasty’ and unhygienic.

One fan said: “After this I would never want queso or chips again lollll,” while another wrote it was ‘f****** disgusting’.

Another fan, who seemed to believe the pair would be bathing in the cheese, wrote: “Every girl’s dream, yeast infection for Valentine’s Day.”

“Weird and a waste lol,” said a third.

“I don’t know about that one… Eating off of the bathroom appliances it not romantic to me,” a fourth added.

“Those drains are going to need a great plumber,” a fifth wrote.

“She said she wanted something cheesy for Valentine’s and he took it literally,” said another.

Others said it was a ‘waste of food’ and money and slammed the idea as ‘unromantic’ and ‘not sanitary’.

However, not everyone was hating on the idea as some said they would appreciate a similar gesture.

“I’d finish the whole tub in one sitting,” said another.

Another fan added: “That’s one way to win her heart!”

“This is adorable,” read another comment.

The comments come as the ‘Lose You to Love Me’ singer and her record producer fiancé Blanco were the butt of Nikki Glaser’s jokes at the Golden Globes.

“Selena Gomez is here,” the comedian began. “A double nominee tonight for Emilia Perez and Only Murders [In The Building], and she’s here tonight with her new fiancé Benny Blanco.

“And Benny Blanco is here because of the genie that granted that wish. Man, lucky guy.”

The pair laughed as Gomez mimed that she was in the lucky one of the two, while Blanco simply laughed and kissed the singer on the shoulder.