LeBron James went face to face with ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith.
Read More »
LeBron James appears to scold ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith in stunning scene after Lakers game
India signs $248 million defence deal with Russia for T-72 tank engines
New Delhi, March 7 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Ministry of Defence has signed a $248 million contract with Russia’s Rosoboronexport for the procurement of more powerful 1000 HP Engines for T-72 tanks of the Indian Army, in...
The post India signs $248 million defence deal with Russia for T-72 tank engines appeared first on Social News XYZ.
Scots castle haunted by ‘Betty the ghost’ hits the market AGAIN for £5million
A HAUNTED Scots castle has hit the property market AGAIN for £5million.
The historic Carbisdale Castle, near Bonar Bridge in Sutherland, was the World War II home to the King of Norway and has 19 bedrooms.
The mansion was bought by a London investment firm in 2016 from the Scottish Youth Hostel Association who had owned the site since 1945.
It was later put back on the market for £1.2million, but the deal fell through.
Now, several years later, the castle is on the market again for £5million after a “vast restoration”.
The castle’s ghost is well-known among people who stayed there while it was a youth hostel with one of the top-floor bedrooms dubbed the “spook room”.
The property is said to be haunted by a ghost called Betty, who appears in various parts of the castle dressed in white.
A description from estate agents Strutt & Parker reads: “Situated atop a natural escarpment overlooking the confluence of the Rivers Oykel and Shin, Carbisdale Castle occupies one of the most dramatic positions of any building in Scotland.
“Lying on the southern edge of the county of Sutherland, the site was deliberately chosen for its prominence by the estranged Duchess of Sutherland who commissioned construction of the castle commencing in 1905 as part of her divorce settlement from her husband, the 3rd Duke of Sutherland.
“Though situated amongst the generally wooded slopes of the upper Kyle of Sutherland, the elevation of the setting affords panoramic views from throughout the castle with the easterly outlook over the Kyle of Sutherland to the Dornoch Firth and the westerly views up Strathoykel being particularly impressive.
“The current owner has undertaken a vast restoration of key parts of the castle to turn it back into the historic castle that it once was.
“The intention of the project was to combine all of the decorative features and grandeur of the Dowager Duchess of Sutherland’s original creation with services, systems, fixtures, fittings and layout of the highest contemporary quality together with reorganisation of the existing accommodation to suit 21st Century living and the potential development of a spa and swimming pool as complementary features.
“The current position is that significant work has been carried out, and the castle will be offered with the remaining few bedrooms finished, together with the Wellness Suite to be completed by the existing owner, subject to contract with the full purchase price paid.”
The castle was built for Mary Caroline, Duchess of Sutherland, the second wife of George Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 3rd Duke of Sutherland, whom she married in 1889.
Then Mary Caroline Blair (née Mitchell), wed the wealthy landowner after her first husband Captain Arthur Blair, who worked for the duke, died in a shooting accident in 1883.
Much to the distaste of Victorian society and the frustration of her second husband’s children, the duchess married the Duke of Sutherland after being his mistress.
Was Manson a CIA ‘puppet’ & crazed followers brainwashed by mind-bending experiment? New clues on murders that shook LA
IT was one of the most shocking and depraved killing sprees in history and sent shockwaves through the elite of Hollywood.
Across five weeks in the summer of 1969, Charles Manson – who liked to refer to himself both as Jesus and Satan – and his cult followers known as The Family, cold-bloodedly killed nine people across California.
The frenzied stabbings and macabre messages smeared on walls with the blood of the victims were chilling and attracted even more publicity because one of the victims was glamorous actress, Sharon Tate, newly married to film director Roman Polanski.
She was also eight months pregnant at the time of the murder.
High on drugs, The Family was under the spell of Manson and devotedly followed his orders in carrying out the gruesome murders.
But a gripping Netflix documentary, CHAOS: The Manson Murders, asks whether the cult leader was just a puppet of the CIA and FBI?
Did he learn brainwashing techniques from the CIA’s mysterious mind-altering programme MKUltra? And what is the connection with Jack Ruby who shot dead Lee Harvey Oswald two days after he had assassinated President John F. Kennedy?
“I’m suggesting that there’s a possibility that Manson was being used by the State,” says journalist Tom O’Neill, author of the book Chaos: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties.
The first killing took place on 25 July 1969, when Manson, who lived with his commune consisting mainly of young women in Spahn Ranch, Los Angeles, sent three members to the house of drug dealer Gary Hinman, who Manson believed owed him money.
After being held hostage for two days, Hinman was stabbed to death by Bobby Beausoleil.
Manson instructed him to make it look like the Black Panthers – the African American civil rights movement – had committed the murder.
So Beausoleil daubed ‘political piggy’ on the wall in Himan’s blood, along with a paw print.
On 8 August, Manson sent four members of the Family to the rented house of record producer Terry Melcher – the son of actress and singer Doris Day – who had turned down his request for a recording contract.
However, Melcher had moved and the house had been rented to the film director Roman Polanski and his actress wife Sharon Tate.
High on drugs they shot Steven Parent, an 18-year-old friend of the caretaker, outside the house before bursting in and killing the four occupants – Sharon Tate, hairstylist Jay Sebring, aspiring screenwriter Wojciech Frykowski and his girlfriend Abigail Folger.
Tate, 26, who was eight and a half months pregnant, died from stab wounds and her blood was used to write the word “pig” on the outside of the house.
The following night Manson, who had not attended the previous killings, went with six members of the Family to the house of a supermarket executive, Leno LaBianca, and his wife Rosemary.
He gave instructions for them to be stabbed to death and then left while his order was carried out.
Afterwards, the slogans ‘death to pigs’ and ‘Helter Skelter’ were daubed on the walls and refrigerator door in the victim’s blood.
‘Police knew’
Surprisingly, the police initially ruled out any connection between the Tate and LaBianca killings, despite the similarities.
“I feel that the police knew who did the murders really quickly but they didn’t pursue them for two months,” says Tom O’Neill.
“The Family left a trail of evidence everywhere, but the cops didn’t do anything. They knew that the LaBianca and Tate murders were connected, as was the Gary Hinman murder.”
The final victim was Hollywood stuntman Donald Shea who, for a time hung out with The Family at Spahn Ranch but who Manson decided to have killed because he believed he had reported their crimes to the police.
He was murdered on 26 August, hit with a pipe wrench and stabbed, more than two weeks after the Tate-La-Bianca murders.
“Eventually the police raided the Spahn Ranch where they were all picked up on other charges [vandalising part of the Death Valley National Park by burning stolen vehicles].
“They had stolen guns, vehicles and credit cards and underage runaway girls yet they were all released three days later. Were they letting Manson do whatever he liked?”
Was he getting away with murder?
The Family left a trail of evidence everywhere, but the cops didn’t do anything. They knew that the LaBianca and Tate murders were connected, as was the Gary Hinman murder
Tom O'Neil
“I started looking into the possibility of MKUltra and Dr Louis ‘Jolly’ West being involved. West was an expert on hypnosis and brainwashing.
“He was a scientist who was using the Haight Ashbury Free Medical Clinic in California to recruit subjects for his study of the brain altering uses of LSD on youths.”
Project MKUltra was a human experimentation programme designed and undertaken by the CIA to develop procedures and identify drugs that could be used during interrogations to weaken individuals and force confessions through brainwashing and psychological torture.
Manson was a regular face at the Haight where he took the women in his commune to be treated for venereal disease and unwanted pregnancies.
“There are documents showing that Jolly worked for the CIA for about 15 years and lied about it,” says Tom.
“Jolly was also connected to the Kennedy assassination. He went to examine Jack Ruby a few weeks before he was going to testify as to why he shot Oswald.
“Jolly flies into Dallas, goes to the county jail, spends a couple of hours talking to Ruby and comes out after his examination and says, ‘In the preceding 24 hours, Jack Ruby has had a break with reality. I find him to be mentally ill at this time and I think a mentally ill person should be in a hospital.’
“So, in other words, on the day of him meeting Jack Ruby, he lost his mind.
“Well, this is what Jolly West had been doing for 10 years – learning how to induce someone without their knowledge. It was a CIA objective of MK Ultra.
“One of the biggest problems I have is that I’ve never been able to put West and Manson in the same room.”
Debunked theory
Manson was an avid fan of The Beatles and he and his followers would avidly listen to The White Album, studying the lyrics.
It was the title of one of the tracks, Helter Skelter, that was daubed on the LaBianca’s fridge.
The words were seen as Manson’s name for the race war he was starting. But Tom O’Neill no longer buys that.
“In the beginning I believed it. Now I believe the story was managed and manipulated.
“It served the purposes of COINTELPRO and CHAOS to have the world turn against the left-wing anti-war movement, which a lot of people conflated with hippies.
Manson Family victims
IN the summer of 1969, the Manson Family, under the direction of their deranged leader Charles Manson, committed a series of brutal murders that shocked the nation.
- Sharon Tate – A rising Hollywood starlet, Sharon was eight and a half months pregnant when she was viciously murdered in her own home. Married to director Roman Polanski, her promising career was tragically cut short.
- Jay Sebring – A celebrity hairstylist and former lover of Sharon Tate, Sebring was known for his charm and connections in Tinseltown. His life ended brutally that fateful night.
- Abigail Folger – Heiress to the Folgers coffee fortune, Abigail was a socialite with a generous spirit. She met her untimely death alongside her friends.
- Wojciech Frykowski – An aspiring screenwriter from Poland, Frykowski was Abigail Folger’s boyfriend. His dreams of making it big in Hollywood were shattered in a night of horror.
- Steven Parent – An 18-year-old visiting the property’s caretaker, Steven was in the wrong place at the wrong time, becoming an unexpected victim of the Manson Family’s savagery.
- Leno LaBianca – A successful supermarket executive, Leno was known for his business acumen. He and his wife became targets in their own home, falling prey to the Manson Family’s madness.
- Rosemary LaBianca – Wife of Leno, Rosemary was a co-owner of a dress shop. Her life was brutally taken in the supposed safety of her residence.
- Donald “Shorty” Shea – A stuntman and ranch hand, he was killed on August 26, 1969. Manson believed he was a police informant and resented his interracial marriage. He was brutally beaten and stabbed by Bruce Davis Tex Watson, Steve “Clem” Grogan.
“COINTELPRO was started in 1967 by the FBI and CHAOS the same year by the CIA. Those two programmes were designed to infiltrate left-wing groups, especially the Black Panthers, and neutralise them. That’s what their own documents say.
“The powers that be in 1969, believed there was going to be a civil war because of this left-wing movement. There were celebrities [like Jane Fonda and Warren Beatty] that were supporting the Panthers and having fund raisers for them.
“There’s a COINTELPRO memo from November 1968 – less than a year before the Tate-LaBianca murders – which said, ‘When the armed rebellion comes, we have to make the celebrities understand that they are going to be lined up against the wall with everyone else.’
“And what happens? Eight or nine months later, Sharon Tate and Jay Sebring, two of the biggest jet-setters in that world, are slaughtered.
“It’s kind of ironic, if nothing else, that before we knew about COINTELPRO and the FBI having the Panthers in their sights, Manson’s plan was to pin these murders on the Panthers.
“What we think of now, when we think of the Manson murders, is youth becoming corrupted and being turned into these monsters.
“So, in other words, the message is don’t let your kids do drugs, don’t let them join communes, don’t let them march against the war because they’re all going to turn into these crazed killers who have no respect for life.
“Manson used LSD to create personality change and make it fixed so that it lasted after the LSD trips had ended, which was the research objectives for MKUltra.
“I have a Jolly West report to the CIA which says that he had successfully learned how to replace true memories with false ones. He used LSD and hypnosis and other unnamed drugs.
“The question is, how did Manson learn how to brainwash those kids in under a year?
“Yes, he was a con artist, but everybody who knew him in prison and everybody who knew him prior to the murders said he was a joke. Nobody took him seriously. He somehow got help. Where did that come from?”
CHAOS: The Manson Murders is on Netflix now
Emotional reason why Bernie Ecclestone, 94, sold £500million car collection in sale that dwarfs previous world record
BERNIE ECCLESTONE has revealed the emotional reason behind selling his stunning car collection worth £500million.
The F1 supremo has sold his 69-car garage that “embodies 70 years of history”.
Red Bull owner Mark Mateschitz has purchased the collection for an undisclosed figure.
Ferraris driven by legends Michael Schumacher and Niki Lauda were on offer, as well as the iconic Brabham BT46B that was banned for being too fast.
Ecclestone, 94, said the reason behind the sale was to take stress away from his wife Fabiana, 47, and son Ace, 4, when he dies.
He told The Telegraph: “With a bit of luck I might get two or three more years and I don’t want to leave all this for Fabiana to sort.
“All these car dealers would be driving her mad. So the best thing to do is to get all the cars together and try to make sure they go to proper homes.
“Ace might not be interested in handling all this either. He might be more into football. Sooner or later, this had to happen.
“I’m still more or less in control, so I can do what I like. Maybe in another year I won’t be able to.”
Opening up on the sale to Mateschitz, high-end car dealer Tom Hartley Jnr said: “There has never been a transaction in the collectors’ car world that even comes close to this.
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS
“By several multiples it is the biggest sale price ever achieved.
“When we put the cars up for sale before Christmas I don’t think we could have anticipated how much interest there would be. It’s been utterly incredible.
“We received offers from all over the world, including from two separate sovereign wealth funds.
“But I do feel the collection has gone to the best home, and to the buyer which Bernie most favoured.
“The buyer moved extremely quickly. We spoke with him before Christmas, he flew over, we showed him the cars and he was very, very excited.
“He was definitely a favoured buyer of Bernie’s.”
Inspector Morse, The Bill & Poirot star ‘died unexpectedly hours after routine surgery’ – as family pay poignant tribute
A STAR who featured in Inspector Morse, The Bill, and Poirot has died unexpectedly just hours after a routine surgery.
Tony Mathews, 81, has been remembered by his family for how “he lit up the room” following his death in 2023.
An inquest into his sudden death concluded on Thursday, with Coroner Sarah Clarke saying clinicians had been “perplexed” by how he died.
However, the inquest at Maidstone Coroner’s Court concluded that Tony had suffered from an abdominal bleed, known as an intraperitoneal haemorrhage.
He had gone in for an elective stoma reversal on December 13 that was “uneventful”.
However, his abdominal bleed began post-surgery and it was exacerbated by the administration of anti-coagulant treatment, the coroner said.
Although this was correctly given for his atrial fibrillation, and despite showing signs of improvement, Tony was later found dead on December 16, as a result of a cardiac shock.
In a statement, Tony’s son, Kent said: “My Dad, Tony Mathews was a loving father, and a talented actor and painter.
“He was a sharp, funny man and his energy always lit up a room. Even at the end he was making jokes with doctors from what we now realise was his death bed.
“The family are very thankful to the court and to our lawyer for all their work to find out what happened to him and come to a conclusion about how and why he died.
“It has been a thorough investigation, and we now have some closure, which is what we hoped for.
“Rest in peace, Dad.”
Tony was best known for his roles in Inspector Morse, The Bill and Poirot.
He also starred in The Duellists and played Royston Andrews in The Governor during his fruitful acting spell.
Tony was educated in Canterbury, Kent, before becoming an actor.
He appeared in numerous TV shows over two decades during a long career on the screen.
Tony first appeared in The Duellists in 1977, playing the role of Gen. Treillard’s Aide-de-Camp.
In 1980 Tony appeared in The Dogs of War as the Bank Vice President before taking on the role of Gerald Lowen in Poirot a decade later.
Popular drama Poirot aired from January 1989 to November 2013.
David Suchet starred as the the fictional private investigator and title character.
Tony then went on to play a pathologist in Inspector Morse in 1992.
The experienced actor also starred in episodes of the popular drama The Bill from 1990 until 1993.
The Bill focuses on the lives and work of one shift of police officers of all ranks.
Storylines deal with situations faced by uniformed officers working on the beat, as well as plainclothes detectives.
It was broadcast on ITV from October 16, 1984, until August 31, 2010.
Tony also played Lord Lucan in Escape and featured in Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years as Anthony Eden.
Guinness confirms above inflation price hike in fresh blow for pubgoers
GUINNESS has confirmed it is bringing in an above inflation price hike in a fresh blow for pubgoers.
Diageo, which makes the beloved Irish stout, has increased the amount it charges pubs to buy draught Guinness products by 4.2%.
The rise is significantly higher than the reported inflation rate for January, which stood at 3%.
Drinkers can expect the rise to hit prices at the bar as pubs are already struggling with a cost increases.
The price hike will come into effect on May 1 2025, a month after operators are hit by increases to employer National Insurance Contributions and the National Living Wage.
Pub bosses shared their frustration at the news with industry newspaper the Morning Advertiser.
JKS Pubs managing director Dom Jacobs said many had anticipated the increase and set out plans to put up prices.
He added: “We will limit this as much as we can, but there will be no getting around it.”
Meanwhile Ash Corbett-Collins, chairman of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) told The Sun: “The news that Diageo is hiking draught Guinness prices by 4.2% for UK pubs highlights the grim choice that publicans are facing; having to put up prices for customers or absorbing that cost themselves, putting the survival of their own business at risk.
“Pubs, bars and taprooms are doing all they can as a means to survive as they battle against a tidal wave of issues such as high energy bills, National Insurance increases and rising costs of goods.”
Guinness has said the price increase will affect Guinness draught in kegs, Guinness Microdraught and Guinness Surger.
However, Guinness products sold in cans and retail settings will not be impacted.
The stout giant defended the price of a pint of draught Guinness and said that with an average price of £4.62 it was 16% lower than a world premium lager.
Parent brand Diageo said: “We have today informed our on-trade customers of a cost price increase (CPI) on Guinness draught products.
“Guinness is a high-quality beer that is a significant footfall generator for hospitality, and this CPI ensures we can sustain investment levels in, and continue to grow, the Guinness brand.”
Guinness was hit by supply problems over the festive period as the maker failed to meet demand, leaving pumps running dry.
Pubs have reported continuing limits on supply and a Diageo spokesperson added: “While demand for Guinness continues to grow, we have made progress in replenishing stock levels in Great Britain so that supply has returned to more normal levels.
“We will continue to manage supply responsibly so that consumers can look forward to enjoying high-quality pints through the spring and summer.”
However, it’s not all bad news for consumers as JD Wetherspoon has confirmed it has no plans to increase prices as a result of the rise.
A spokesperson said the average price of a pint of Guinness in around 670 of its pubs is £3.60, or £3.20 on a Monday when it’s included in a promotion.
Guinness has seen a surge in popularity in recent years and in January there were reports it could be sold off for as much as £8billion as Diageo eyes cashing in.
The pub industry is facing mounting pressures, including soaring energy bills, rising costs, and squeezed household budgets.
In April they will also be hit by upcoming hikes in employer National Insurance Contributions and the National Living Wage.
Several operators have warned punters to expect price increases as a result including All Bar One owner Mitchells & Butlers and Fuller’s.
As costs increase the British Beer and Pub Association has warned that more pub closures could also be on the horizon.
The trade body estimates that the cumulative impact of the Autumn Budget will create an extra £650 million in costs for the sector.
Many pubs are also bracing for a planned reduction in the business rates discount for hospitality, leisure, and retail firms, which will drop from 75% to 40%.
Camra’s Corbett-Collins has also renewed calls for business rates reform alongside changes to help publicans stock more beers from independent brewers to support the industry.
Last month research revealed the most expensive beer brands and the areas where a visit to the pub will hit your wallet the hardest.
How to save money buying alcohol
Alcohol can be pricey if you’re planning a party or hosting an event but there are ways to cut costs.
It’s always important to drink responsibly, here, Sun Savers Editor Lana Clements share some tips on getting booze for the best price.
Stocking up can mean big savings on drinks, especially if you want to buy wine or fizz.
The big supermarkets regularly offer discounts of 25% when you buy six or more bottles of wine. The promotions typically run in the lead up to occasions such as Bank Holidays, Christmas and Easter.
If you know you are going to need booze later in the year, it can be worth acting when you see offers.
Before buying your preferred drink make sure you shop around to find the best price – you can use a comparison site such as pricerunner.com or trolley.co.uk.
Don’t forget that loyalty cards can unlock better savings so make sure you factor that in too.
If you like your plonk, wine clubs can also be a good way to save money and try new varieties. You’ll usually have to pay a membership fee in return for cheaper price so work out if you will be buying enough to make the one off cost worthwhile.
OTHER BEER NEWS
Brewers have also been impacted by escalating costs with many cutting product lines or reducing the strength of much-loved brews.
Punters were left fuming earlier when Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company (CMBC) announced it was ditching 11 classic cask beers.
The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) slammed the decision as “another example of a globally owned business wiping out UK brewing heritage”.
A number of major beer brands have slashed the strength of their lagers in a budget-boosting move too.
Hophead has reduced its ABV from 3.8% to 3.4% with landlords still being charged the same wholesale price.
Bottles of Banks’s Amber Ale were also changed from 3.8% to 3.4% in the middle of last year.
Meanwhile, Carlsberg Danish Pilsner, Grolsch Premium Pilsner and Banks’ Amber Ale have been reduced to 3.4%.
The move from a number of beer brands come after drinks started being taxed by alcoholic strength.
The change since August means that drinks are now taxed according to strength rather than type.
What is happening to the hospitality industry?
By Laura McGuire, consumer reporter
MANY Food and drink chains have been struggling in recently as the cost of living has led to fewer people spending on eating out.
Businesses had been struggling to bounce back after the pandemic, only to be hit with soaring energy bills and inflation.
Multiple chains have been affected, resulting in big-name brands like Wetherspoons and Frankie & Benny’s closing branches.
Some chains have not survived, Byron Burger fell into administration last year, with owners saying it would result in the loss of over 200 jobs.
Pizza giant, Papa Johns is shutting down 43 of its stores soon.
Tasty, the owner of Wildwood, said it will shut sites as part of major restructuring plans.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.
Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories
Footballer, 19, dies after drowning on his own stomach acid and ringing mum to say ‘I can’t do this anymore’
A 19-year-old footballer has died suddenly after suffering from a mystery illness for months.
Luca Manolache tragically called his mum in his final moments, and expressed concern that he may be dying to a nurse.
The teenager’s cause of death was put down to drowning on his own stomach acid and a severe lung infection, according to the autopsy verdict.
Reports suggest he also suffered a ruptuered aorta, triggering an internal haemorrhage.
His mum, Ana Maria Manolache, and his dad Viorel, have been left utterly devastated over their son’s tragic passing.
The former FCSB – previously known as Steaua Bucharest – and Dinamo player was extremely dedicated to his football, and never liked to miss a single game.
On 28 February, he began feeling severely unwell whilst out with a family member, Ana’s godson, who called an ambulance.
Ana told local press that her son called her whilst she was in Bucharest, Romania, where she works.
As his condition worsened, in the brief phone call, Luca was fearful and said: “Mum, Mum, I can’t do it anymore”.
While Ana told press that he has asked a nurse on the scene: “Do you think I’m going to die?”.
Whilst in the ambulance, Luca began to complain that his vision disappeared, and that he couldn’t see anything.
Ana rushed to be with her son who was transported to the County Hospital in Târgoviște, Romania.
She unfortunately did not make it there in time, and Luca’s sister called her to tell her that he had passed away.
Doctors worked hard to save his life however his body began to negatively react with his stomach acid, causing him to drown.
Doctors told Ana that the circumstances of her son’s death were extremely rare.
Luca was a midfielder for Metaloglobus București, but hadn’t played a single match since August 2024.
He was forced to stop playing due to a series of incidents which saw him suffer from prolonged fatigue, dizziness and chills.
The team and his parents began noticing that he was struggling to get through even just half of a football match.
His football coach began to believe that he wasn’t preparing properly for his football games.
One match even resulted in an ambulance being called as Luca complained that his vision had become black, and that he felt weak.
He would have convulsions and a high temperature, but x-rays of his lungs and blood tests all came back normal.
A physical test showed that he could only run on a treadmill for 10 minutes, and after stopping he immediately started to shake and had a fever.
Doctors presumed that Luca must have a strong infection in the body, and so they administered him antibiotics, paracetamol and pain medication.
Luca took these tablets for a short time, and further repeated tests on his lungs, heart and gallbladder came back clear.
One medical episode saw him spend two weeks in hospital after being taken in as an emergency.
A doctor found that he had some peripheral blood vessels in his lungs however this was not seen as a serious issue.
He had injections and took some medication to prevent his blood from clotting, a treatment which he had for six months.
During this time, he was prohibited from exercise and his parents even took him to private clinics so he could be examined.
His death came suddenly, shocking his relatives but also his teammates who he played football with.
Metaloglobus București shared an emotional post on their Instagram just days ago in tribute to Luca, as reported by NeedToKnow.
“We are shocked and deeply saddened by this tragic loss,” they wrote.
“His love for football and his smile brought happiness on the field.
“The last appearance in the Metaloglobus shirt was on August 24, 2024, in the match against CS Afumati, playing 10 minutes from the reserve position.
“Following the game against CS Afumati, the player complained of fatigue during training, which led the technical staff to stop him from training and recommend thorough medical examinations.
“Rest in peace dear ‘Mano’.
“Sincere condolences to the grieving family, the entire Metaloglobus family is with you in these devastating moments.”
Ben Cohen & Kristina Rihanoff’s company debt rockets to £1MILLION as marriage crumbled amid money woes
STRICTLY’S Kristina Rihanoff and Ben Cohen were struggling with £1million debt as their 12-year romance crumbled around them.
Yesterday The Sun told how their marriage has ended and now the full extent of their financial difficulties can be revealed.
The issues started when the pair, who own a £1.75m house in Northamptonshire, went into business together, with Kristina also working as a dance instructor.
Kristina said the pair had “invested everything we’ve ever had” into their company Soo Yoga, after turning her passion for the exercise into a business.
However after the pandemic hit, they ran into serious trouble.
Their financial difficulties were made public in court last September, when Kristina was caught driving her £30,000 Audi without insurance.
Kristina sobbed as Ben took to the stand and admitted human error on his part meant Kristina had been driving without insurance – meaning she was facing a driving ban which would be financially devastating for her business as a dance instructor.
As Ben spoke to the court, he revealed the pair were fighting to save their relationship, admitting he was crippled with debts from their businesses, including their joint yoga venture.
Paperwork reveals that debts accrued by their companies now add up to £1million.
Their Soo Yoga Group ran up debts of £488,470 and another of their fitness firms – Yoga Wellbeing Limited – had debts of £63,000.
Their business Soo Greens Limited also racked up £54,000 of debts and fitness company Beyond Wellbeing was dissolved in 2022 with debts of £22,000.
Ben also quit as a company director of struggling web firm Silicon Networks in 2020 and the company is now in liquidation with debts of £275,000, including a £98,000 tax bill owed to HMRC.
Speaking in court last year, Ben became emotional as he spoke about the realities of the financial crisis they were facing.
He said: “I get up every day and I fight not to lose everything – to lose my cars and my house and my relationship. I’m so overdrawn.”
When asked about the strain it had put on their relationship, Ben said: “We’re still living together. We’re in it financially.
“We’re in business together so the problem is that we opened the business before Covid and we got the worst severities of it and in all honestly this is just another problem for me to deal with.
“I’ve got credit cards that are overdrawn. I’m overdrawn in both accounts. We have got a business debt because of Covid. It’s just another problem.”
Following the court case, where Kristina was spared a driving ban due to “exceptional hardship”, the pair put their Northamptonshire home up for sale.
But rather than choosing to limp on, the pair have now split and are trying to move on with their lives.
“There is only so much one couple can take,” a friend explained.
“The financial problems Kristina and Ben were facing pushed them to the brink and it has been incredibly stressful for them.
“This was what properly broke them and ended the relationship.
“But their union hasn’t always been rosy and they have had an up-and-down relationship for many years.”
Strictly Curse - The Lowdown
STRICTLY Come Dancing's latest series has already been hit by rumours of a BBC show 'curse' - yet what is it?
A host of Strictly Come Dancing stars have been struck by the Strictly Curse during the past two decades.
This is where celebrities who may or may not be attached in the outside world become more than friends with their professional partners.
A total of 20 relationships are said to have been impacted so far over the show’s 20 years.
It has seen relationships crumble with dance floor romances and punishing rehearsal schedules to blame.
This includes the partnerships of Louise and Jamie Redknapp as well as Kevin Clifton and Karen Hauer.
Controversially, Judge Craig Revel Horwood once said of the curse: “I think of it as a blessing, to be honest. One person is married, the other one had a girlfriend but my point in this entire thing is: if you come on Strictly, sometimes you are in a relationship that is not working anyway.
“There has to be something wrong in your relationship before it all goes awry.”
Series one winner Brendan Cole left his fiancé, fellow Strictly professional Camilla Dallerup, during filming for the very first series in spring 2004.
Brendan was said to have fallen for his celebrity partner and inaugural winner Natasha Kaplinsky, although the duo didn’t confirm they were romantically involved.
‘I used to struggle a lot mentally’ – Sharlene Mawdsley reveals journey to conquer insecurity & become star
SHARLENE Mawdsley has warned that ‘imposter syndrome is so common’ in an empowering message before International Women’s Day.
The theme of this year’s IWD is ‘Accelerate Action’ so the sprinter was a natural voice to speak up in encouraging more women to chase their sporting dreams.
The Herbalife athlete opened up about how, despite now being one of the leading lights in Irish athletics, she was racked with self-doubt as recently as around the time of the 2021 Olympics.
The 26-year-old managed the qualification time for the Tokyo Games but ultimately was not selected.
This devastating blow sparked huge self-doubt, forcing her to question whether she deserved to compete.
She recalled: “I used to struggle a lot mentally and it came to a stage where I felt I no longer enjoyed competing even though I had done all the hard work behind closed doors on the track and in the gym.
“I felt the ‘I shouldn’t be here’ mentality kick in”.
After the challenges she faced around those Games, she worked tirelessly with a sports psychologist and gradually began to rebuild her confidence on the road to the 2024 edition in Paris.
Sharlene says: “Imposter syndrome is so common, not only in sport, but when I began the ‘fake it till you make it’ mantra, it just became my reality.
“Working with my sport psychologist and speaking more openly with my team meant a lot of the imposter syndrome went away, and my overall performance began to get better.”
“I’ve also had great support from Herbalife. They’ve helped me out with everything and anything.
“There was nothing that I needed to look for outside of Herbalife because they’ve got a great range of science-backed supplements to fuel me day-to-day and on the track.”
With Herbalife, a global health and wellness company, aiding her in taking control of her physical needs, Sharlene can focus on managing her mindset.
Serving as a role model for women navigating their own self-doubt, the Tipperary native offers vital advice: “Focus on what you can control, and don’t waste time worrying about what you can’t”.
She encourages others to remember that life is short and letting go of unnecessary worry is essential to achieving success.
The 400m specialist adds: “When I let my thoughts get the better of me before, I would tell myself to take the safe option. Now I embrace the challenges.”
Sharlene also stresses the importance of staying true to herself explaining: “By staying true to myself and allowing myself to feel my true feelings I continue to accelerate action in my career and life.”
“I continue to push the boundaries of my own training by working with the world’s best and in my everyday life I will do everything I can to be happy.”
Sharlene continues to combat challenges by remembering all the hard work that she has put into excelling as an athlete.
The European relay champion notes: “Looking back on training diaries just days before the race and trusting my coach, these are small things to do, but for me make such a huge difference in the ‘Sharlene’ that shows up on the track.”
VISIBILITY IS PARAMOUNT
Sharlene shares she is now able to embrace every time she gets to represent Ireland and show the world the hard work she has put in.
This year’s IWD theme is a call to acknowledge the strategies, resources, and activity that positively impacts women’s advancement to support and elevate them.
It’s about celebrating the people who roll up their sleeves and take bold steps towards equality.
Sharlene believes that ‘Showing more women in sport is key to progressing this’.
She also explains how support from others has been key to the success she has achieved to date.
She hails: “Having my friends and family understand what I do is hugely important as they are the driving force behind me on all those bad days.
“I will always be so appreciative and grateful for them.”