Meet the female assassin hired to take out drug dealers at £330 per hit by her own government

Maria fears she will never be able to escape her cycle of violence (file picture)

She's the female assassin hired to execute drug dealers on behalf of her government.

Her life may sound like something from a glamorous Hollywood blockbuster but in reality it's anything but.

'Maria' moves from safe house to safe house constantly fearing for her life and worried she won't be allowed to quit a brutal commission which sees her paid £330 per hit.

She is just one of those caught up in the Phillipines' brutal drug war, where controversial President Rodrigo Duterte has come chillingly good on his warning to drug dealers: "Do not destroy my country, because I will kill you."

President Duterte was elected on a promise to get tough on the country's crystal met crisis which has seen it gripped by crime and addiction.

Nigerian Swinger drowned at his first sex party in swimming pool of swanky James Bond-themed event at £3m mansion

Edmund Echukwu drowned while attending his first swingers party

A swinger attending his first sex party drowned after drinking whisky and taking a woman into the swimming pool of a £3m mansion - an inquest has heard.Dad-of-three Edmund Echukwu, 35, attended a James Bond-themed sex party at a private £3m eight-bedroom mansion in Radlett, Hertfordshire.

An inquest into his death heard he suddenly grabbed the woman as he swam with her towards the deep end before going under the water.

The woman, referred to in court only by the name of Rachael, said that at first she thought it was just horseplay and she wriggled free.

The court heard there was some doubt as to whether Mr Echukwu - a Nigerian-born social worker from Edgware, Middlesex, could swim or not.

Rachael - who obtained a High Court Order this week stopping any information appearing which might lead to her identification - told the inquest: "I don't think I even knew his name. I don't remember it. He was really polite. He didn't talk on the dance floor and I don't remember him being drunk.

World's fattest boy, 10, goes back to school after shedding some of his 30st frame

Arya Permana hit the headlines when his mother put him on a last ditch diet to save his life

A child said to be the fattest boy in the world has gone back to school after a strict diet helped him walk again.

Arya Permana plumped up to a massive 30st 23lbs before his terrified mother put him on a desperate exercise regime to try and save his life.

The ten-year-old was so overweight he spent most of his time lying down - and wasn't able to walk, sit or play for any length of time.

His ever-growing giant frame had left his helpless parents with so much anxiety that they put him on a strict diet to stop him from bloating even further.

Cristiano Ronaldo wins UEFA Best player award 2015/2016

Real Madrid and Portugal striker Cristiano Ronaldo this evening defeated Antoinne Griezmann of Atletico Madrid/ France and Gareth Bale of Real Madrid/ Wales to win the prestigious UEFA best player award 2015/2016.

Cristiano Ronaldo helped Real Madrid win the Uefa champions League and was a major player as Portugal beat so many top European countries touted as favorites to win the EURO cup.

 

Posting a photo of him carrying the award on Instagram, he wrote ''Very happy and proud to win such a special award. Thank you to my team mates from Real Madrid and Portugal

Man brutalizes his 5 year old daughter in Lagos (photos)

A man named Sukurat Idowu, 45, has been arrested by the Lagos state police for brutalizing his 5 year old daughter at their home in Ikotun.

The man, who works as a road side mechanic assaulted the little girl named Monsurat by beating her with hot iron and causing serious body injury...



The suspect is currently being held by the command for the offence of child abuse. He was arrested after a concerned neighbour who witnessed the battery reported the case at Ikotun division.

 The neighbour narrated to the police how the suspect sent the victim to go and dispose of the content of a potty in the latrine and the child fell into the gutter, an occurrence which infuriated the father and made him to beat her mercilessly with a hot iron.

Donald Trump campaign official says Hillary Clinton will be dead within a year because she's sick

Imagine! John E. Jaggers, who runs the Trump campaign in Maryland and Northern Virginia, citing a wool coat Clinton wore on Nantucket to cover up alleged medical devices, has predicted that Hillary Clinton will die in a year's time and her vice-presidential pick Tim Kaine will rule USA for 8 years if Clinton is elected as president.

According to Jaggers, Clinton's decision to sport a long coat on a recent trip to Nantucket is not normal.

'How many of you would wear a wool coat in August?' Jaggers asked at a gathering called Women4Trump in Virginia's tony horse country community of Middleburg.

'The woman who seeks to be the first female president of the United States wears a wool coat at every single thing. Have you ever stopped to wonder why? It's a big deal, folks,' Jaggers added. 

'She's alive!': Dramatic moment a ten-year-old girl is pulled from the rubble after 17 HOURS trapped upside down in Italian debris of earthquake that killed 247 people and 'wiped towns off the map'

This is the dramatic moment a ten-year-old girl was pulled from the rubble after spending 17 hours trapped upside down in debris from the Italian earthquake.

The child was hauled to safety by rescuers who shouted 'she's alive' as they carried her from the ruins of a building in the devastated central Italian town of Pescara del Tronto.

Footage shows just the dust-covered legs of the youngster as emergency crews tried desperately to free her from the rubble.

One rescuer could be heard saying: 'You can hear something under here. Quiet, quiet.'

He then urged the child to wriggle free, saying: 'Come on, Giulia, come on, Giulia. ... Watch your head.' Cheers broke out when she was pulled out. 

It was a brief moment of joy on a day in which at least 247 people were killed in the region following a 6.2-magnitude quake at 3.30am yesterday.

Rescue: Footage captured the dramatic moment a ten-year-old girl was pulled from the rubble after spending 17 hours trapped upside down in debris from the Italian earthquake

A major Trump economic policy is happening right before our eyes — and it's a disaster

Donald Trump has been a bit light on policy proposals, especially when it comes to the economy.

He has said, however, that as president he would raise tariffs on Chinese goods (he's tossed around the number 45%) because the country is "cheating" with its low prices in the global marketplace.

So what would this look like? What would be the consequences of aggressive tariffs on global goods?

There's at least one place where we can see how a trade war with China would play out for the US: the steel industry. For over a year it has been ravaged by anemic demand and rock-bottom prices. China's incredible output of steel hasn't helped matters, and the world has been asking the country to slow its production. In fact, the US has been taking measures to shore up the price of domestic steel since President George W. Bush was in office.

RYAN LOCHTE PHELPS GOT 6-MONTH SUSPENSION ... And He Could Have Killed Someone

Ryan Lochte is going to get punished by the USOC ... but sources connected with the 4 swimmers don't think it's fair for the organization to annihilate them to appease those who are out for blood.

Lochte's lawyer, Jeff Ostrow, tells 3m360 he has faith in the USOC and that the organization will punish Lochte in a manner that matches his conduct during the drunken Brazilian escapade. Ostrow would not say more.

Michael Phelps' punishment for his 2 DUIs is unquestionably relevant. The reality is ... but for the grace of God, Phelps could have killed an innocent person while driving drunk. After his second DUI in 2014, the USOC imposed a 6-month suspension.

The org. did not strip Phelps of his medals or keep him from competing in the 2016 Olympics.

As for Lochte and crew, they were drunk as well, but none got behind the wheel. Our sources say worst-case scenario ... Lochte damaged a sign outside a gas station bathroom and peed on the grass.

As for the "lies" -- our sources are adamant ... he and the other swimmers were taken out of a cab at gunpoint and ordered to turn over hundreds of dollars ... classic robbery. The sources acknowledge the swimmers were deceptive by implying they were pulled over in a moving cab.

Bottom line ... sources connected with the 4 swimmers say a 6-month suspension would be harsh given Phelps' punishment, but could still be justified. Anything more, they say, is just vengeance to appease the media and the public.

Lagos police discover shallow graves in home of prophet who chained his teenage son and 27 others

The Commissioner for Police in Lagos state, Fatai Owoseni, has disclosed that shallow graves were discovered at the home of 70 year old Prophet Emmanuel Adeyemi who chained his son and 27 others at his Oyinbo Unity Estate home in Ojodu, Lagos state.

Speaking to newsmen at the police command yesterday August 23rd, Owoseni said the prophet who claims to be a traditional medicine practitioner, was arrested alongside his first wife last weekend after they got a tipoff that the couple buried some dead persons in their home.

MEEK MILL TRIED TO BLOCK DRAKE FROM PHILLY TURNUP

Meek Mill tried to set up a full blockade of Drake in Philadelphia, but the plan blew up in his face ... TMZ has learned.

Sources in both rappers' camps tell us Meek had Sunday night marked down on his calendar -- knowing full well Drake was scheduled to be behind enemy lines ... performing in Meek's hometown. We're told Meek's crew put out calls to several nightclubs asking them to turn down Drake if he wanted to throw an after-party.

Father and son find valuable lump of whale vomit on beach which could be worth an astonishing £65000

A UK father and son pair, Alan Derrick, 67, and Tom, 39 were on a leisurely walk on the beach when stumbled across a lump of whale vomit. What is news however is that the smelly lump could be worth a load of cash, £65000.
Engineer Tom picked up the grey waxy 'rock' and keen fisherman Alan thought it looked like super valuable 'whale poo' he had once seen in a newspaper.

Tests at Alan's home in Somerset confirmed it could be ambergris - a highly-prized but stinky substance used in the manufacture of perfume.

8 Christian Students Burnt To Death In Zamfara Poly For Alleged Blasphemy Against Prophet Muhammadu

No fewer than eight people have been burnt to death by a mob at Abdu Gusau Polytechnic, Talata Mafara of Zamfara state as a result of alleged blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) by a student of college.

The incident occurred on Monday when a male student alleged to have committed a blasphemy during an exchange of words with a Muslim friend, a situation which caused tension in the school.

It was also learnt that a mob had penetrated into the house where the alleged person was said to be hiding to avoid being lynched.

After they gained entrance, they set the house ablaze along with seven other persons in it. .

Police in Zamfara state confirmed the incident and imposed an indefinite curfew in the town with a view to restoring peace in the area.Spokesman of the police in the state, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Shehu Muhammad, in a press statement, cautioned any person or group of persons found violating the curfew order to desist from doing so or they would be arrested and prosecuted.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in Sokoto, Nigeria for meetings with religious leaders

This morning U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Sokoto, Nigeria, for meetings with religious leaders and to deliver a speech about countering violent extremism. He was received by Martin Brennan Charge d'Affaires U.S. Embassy Abuja.

Boy, 13, is killed and a 37-year-old man suffers serious injuries after crashing in a £1.2m Ferrari supercar which can reach speeds of up to 201mph

A 13-year-old boy has been killed and a man has suffered serious injuries after the rare £1.2million Ferrari supercar they were in crashed last night. 

The 37-year-old man and teenage boy were travelling in the red Ferrari F50 - which is capable of reaching 201mph - when the vehicle crashed.

The teenager, from Winchester, Hampshire, suffered life-threatening injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Officers from Hampshire Constabulary were called at 8.45pm last night to the quiet village of North Warnborough, near Hook, following the tragic incident. 

The Ferrari F50 (pictured, stock photo) is capable of travelling at 201mph and can reach 60mph in just 3.8 seconds