German customs officials find tarantulas hidden in spongecake boxes
'My colleagues at the airport are regularly surprised by the contents of prohibited packages from all over the world, but the fact that they found around 1,500 small plastic containers containing young tarantulas in this package left even the most experienced among them speechless,' Mr Ahland said in a statement.
Plastic containers holding young tarantulas (Haupzollamt Koeln via AP)
Mr Ahland hailed an 'extraordinary seizure,' but one that 'saddens us to see what some people do to animals purely for profit'.
Many of the eight-legged creatures did not survive the trip, in a suspected violation of German animal-welfare rules, while survivors were given to the care of an expert handler, the office said.
Mr Ahland said that the estimated value of the shipment was being assessed.
Criminal proceedings are under way against the intended recipient in the Sauerland region, east of the airport, in part for alleged violations of failure to pay the proper import duties and make the proper customs declarations, the office said.
The tarantulas were discovered about three weeks ago, but the customs office only made the images public on Monday.
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Western Telegraph
an hour ago
- Western Telegraph
Gunman who killed four in New York was targeting NFL headquarters, mayor says
Investigators believe Shane Tamura, of Las Vegas, was trying to get to the NFL offices after shooting several people on Monday in the building's lobby but accidentally entered the wrong set of lifts, Mr Adams said in interviews on Tuesday. Four people, including an off-duty New York City police officer, were killed. Police said Mr Tamura had a history of mental illness, and a rambling note found on his body suggested he had a grievance against the NFL over an unsubstantiated claim that he suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). He had played football in high school in California nearly two decades ago. He seemed to have blamed the NFL Eric Adams, New York City mayor 'He seemed to have blamed the NFL,' the mayor said. 'The NFL headquarters was located in the building, and he mistakenly went up the wrong elevator bank.' The note claimed he had been suffering from CTE – the degenerative brain disease that has been linked to concussions and other repeated head trauma common in contact sports — and said his brain should be studied after he died, two people familiar with the matter told the Associated Press. It also specifically referenced the National Football League, one of the people familiar with the matter said. A motive has not been determined but investigators were looking into, based on the note, whether he might have specifically targeted the building because it is home to the NFL's headquarters. The shooting took place at a skyscraper that is home to the headquarters of both the NFL and Blackstone, one of the world's largest investment firms, as well as other tenants. NYPD officers stand in line during the dignified transfer of Didarul Islam, who was shot and killed by a gunman (Angelina Katsinas/AP) The company confirmed one of its employees, Wesley LePatner, was among those killed. 'Words cannot express the devastation we feel,' the firm said in a statement. 'Wesley was a beloved member of the Blackstone family and will be sorely missed. She was brilliant, passionate, warm, generous, and deeply respected within our firm and beyond.' A Yale graduate, Ms LePatner was a real estate executive at Blackstone, according to the firm's website, and spent more than a decade at Goldman Sachs before joining the firm in 2014. Surveillance video showed the man exiting a double-parked BMW just before 6.30pm carrying an M4 rifle, then marching across a public plaza into the building. Then, he started firing, police commissioner Jessica Tisch said, killing a police officer working a corporate security detail and then hitting a woman who tried to take cover as he sprayed the lobby with gunfire. New York police officers embrace (Angelina Katsanis/AP) The man then made his way to the lift bank and shot a guard at a security desk and shot another man in the lobby, the commissioner said. 'Our officer, he was slain in the entryway to the right as soon as he entered the building, the suspect entered the building,' Mr Adams said in a TV interview. 'He appeared to have first walked past the officer and then he turned to his right, and saw him and discharged several rounds.' The man took the lift to the 33rd floor offices of the company that owned the building, Rudin Management, and shot and killed one person on that floor. The man then shot himself, the commissioner said. The building, 345 Park Avenue, also holds offices of the financial services firm KPMG. The officer killed was Didarul Islam, 36, an immigrant from Bangladesh who had served as a police officer in New York City for more than three years, Ms Tisch said at a news conference. 'He was doing the job that we asked him to do. He put himself in harm's way. He made the ultimate sacrifice,' ms Tisch said. 'He died as he lived. A hero.'
Scottish Sun
5 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
5 mysteries in NY shooting after gunman crossed US to storm Manhattan office & kill 4 – but spare woman leaving elevator
Cops said the shooter had a 'documented mental health history' and was carrying a suicide note in his back pocket KILLER'S MISSION 5 mysteries in NY shooting after gunman crossed US to storm Manhattan office & kill 4 – but spare woman leaving elevator CHILLING mysteries have emerged following the NYC shooting rampage after the assailant drove across the country to massacre people right in the heart of Manhattan. The lone gunman carrying a semi-automatic rifle brazenly walked into a skyscraper less than a mile away from Times Square to launch a bloodbath that rocked the city overnight. Advertisement 13 The suspected shooter is seen entering the Manhattan building with a rifle Credit: Obtained by NY Post 13 Officials named Shane Tamura of Las Vegas as the shooter 13 Tamura's gun was recovered by cops covered in blood 13 NYPD officers stand guard as an ambulance carries the body of a cop who was tragically killed in the shooting Credit: AP 13 The shooter was named as Shane Tamura, 27, by NYC Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch. Tamura attacked 345 Park Avenue on East 52nd Street between Park Avenue and Lexington Avenue at about 6.30pm (11.30pm BST) on Monday. He stormed the high-profile office block, sprayed the lobby with gunfire and killed four people including an off-duty police officer. A fifth victim, who was critically injured and is understood to be an NFL employee, remains at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, officials said. Advertisement Emergency responders desperately tried to save those shot, and a bloodied victim was seen being carried along a street while others tended to a person lying on the ground outside. Hundreds were left running for their lives as they desperately tried to flee the horror. Cops responded with counter-terrorism units, a bomb squad, and a heavy weapons team. As an investigation into the shooting rampage continues, several key details have emerged that deepen the mystery of the shooter. Advertisement Why did the gunman travel across four states? Tamura, 27 and a Las Vegas resident, travelled cross-country to carry out the shooting right in the heart of Manhattan. According to the New York Police Department (NYPD), Tamura started from Las Vegas, and then his car travelled through Colorado on July 26. He then travelled through Nebraska and Iowa on July 27, and was seen in Columbia, New Jersey, on July 28. The vehicle entered New York City shortly thereafter, before he reached Manhattan. Advertisement He then double-parked his BMW, got inside the building and massacred four people before turning the gun on himself. A photo obtained by the New York Post appeared to show Tamura - who went to high school in California - had a concealed firearms permit. Why did he choose a high-profile skyscraper? Tamura stormed the 345 Park Avenue office building - right in the heart of Manhattan - to carry out his shooting rampage. The 634-foot skyscraper - owned by Rudin management - houses several financial firms, including Blackstone, Deutsche Bank, and KPMG. Advertisement It also houses the NFL headquarters and the office of the Consulate General of Ireland. Rudin is one of the largest privately owned real estate companies in New York City. 13 The 345 Park Avenue skyscraper that Tamura attacked Tamura took the elevator to the 33rd floor which was occupied by the landlord's office. Advertisement He then "began to walk the floor, firing as he travelled' and killed one more man, Tisch said. Tamura then shot himself in the chest, she added, with his body left splayed on the ground in a walkway inside the office. There were no indications so far that Tamura had prior connections to the real estate industry or to the city. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that a Blackstone chief was among those killed. Advertisement Why did he spare a woman in elevator? The shooter let a woman walk by unharmed, New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said during a news conference. It is understood that after shooting several people while entering the building, the gunman called for an elevator to go up from the lobby. In a chilling moment of mercy, Tamura then spared the life of a woman who came face-to-face with him as she exited an elevator. 13 Police officers work near the scene of the shooting in Manhattan Credit: Reuters Advertisement 13 Friends of Didarul Islam, the officer who was shot and killed by a gunman earlier this evening Credit: AP 'A female exits that elevator, and he allows her to walk past him unharmed,' Tisch said. Tamura previously shot at a woman in the lobby, it is understood, making the case more mysterious as to why he spared the second woman's life. Why did he turn the gun on himself on the 33rd floor? The suspected shooter first exchanged fire with a New York Police Department officer in the lobby. Advertisement Then the gunman went up to the 33rd floor, where he shot his last victim, officials said The NYPD said they received calls from the 32nd and 33rd floors. Workers desperately ran for their lives in suits while those trapped in Blackstone's office built a barricade across the door with furniture. 13 Blackstone workers barricaded the door to their office with furniture Advertisement 13 Office workers fled the shooting with their hands raised Credit: Cops then received reports of a body found in a stairwell with a rifle with an apparently self-inflicted injury, the official told CNN. NYPD Chief Tisch said: "He goes up to the 33rd floor... and begins to walk the floor firing rounds as he travels. "One person was struck and killed on that floor." Advertisement Ms Tisch said Tamura then fatally shot himself in the chest. Was the attack targeted at the NFL because of 'brain disease'? The NFL occupies floors five to eight in the building. One of the people "seriously injured" in the shooting was an NFL employee, The New York Post reports. Tamura, who cops said had a "documented mental health history", had a suicide note in his pocket that alleged he suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a brain disease linked to head trauma. Advertisement CTE is a condition commonly associated with football players, as repeated head injuries can cause the disease. It has been widely reported that Tamura, back in his college days, played football - and has been described as a standout athlete. 13 Tamura pictured in football gear back in the day Credit: Enterprise News and Pictures What is CTE? CHRONIC Traumatic Encephalopathy is known as a brain condition that is often linked to repeated head trauma. The condition is diagnosed after death and is commonly found in pro-sports players due to concussions. Some symptoms of CTE include memory loss, confusion, impaired judgment, depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, and progressive dementia. These signs can begin to appear after years or even decades after the last brain trauma. A CTE scan is used to diagnose the brain disease after someone has passed away as there is no test to run while someone is alive. Doctors often slice brain tissue and use special chemicals to make the abnormal tau protein visible to examine for patterns related to CTE. In the note, which was several pages long, Tamura blamed football for his apparent struggle with CTE, cops said. Advertisement He mentioned in the note that his brain should be studied and added: 'You can't go against the NFL, they'll squash you.' According to CNN, he wrote in it: 'Terry Long football gave me CTE and it caused me to drink a gallon of antifreeze. 'Study my brain please I'm sorry Tell Rick I'm sorry for everything." Terry Long, a former football player for the Pittsburgh Steelers, died by suicide after drinking antifreeze in 2005. Advertisement Former classmate Caleb Clarke told NBC that Tamura hadn't lived up to the promise he had shown. He said about his former classmate: 'The only thing I can really think of is there was a point where it looked like the sky was the limit, and then it wasn't anymore." Cops are now desperately trying to piece together why he carried out the sick shooting and are yet to officially reveal the motive of the attack. 13 A police officer stands guard following the shooting Credit: Reuters Advertisement 13 If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, chat on or text Crisis Text Line at 741741.
Western Telegraph
5 hours ago
- Western Telegraph
Russia carries out deadly air strike on Ukrainian prison
Moscow has kept up its relentless pounding of civilian areas despite US President Donald Trump's threat to punish Russia with sanctions and tariffs unless it stops. Four powerful Russian glide bombs hit a prison in Ukraine's south-eastern Zaporizhzhia region, authorities said. They killed at least 17 inmates and wounded more than 80 others. In the Dnipro region of central Ukraine, authorities said Russian missiles partially destroyed a three-storey building and damaged nearby medical facilities, including a maternity hospital and a city hospital ward. A prison was hit in the village of Bilenke, (Ukraine's State Criminal Executive Service via AP) Officials said at least four people were killed and eight injured, including a pregnant woman who was in a serious condition. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that across the country, 22 people were killed in Russian strikes on 73 cities, towns and villages. 'These were conscious, deliberate strikes — not accidental,' Mr Zelensky said on Telegram. Mr Trump said on Monday he is giving Russian President Vladimir Putin 10 to 12 days to stop the killing in Ukraine after three years of war, moving up a 50-day deadline he had given the Russian leader two weeks ago. The move meant Mr Trump wants peace efforts to make progress by August 7-9. He has repeatedly rebuked Mr Putin for talking about ending the war but continuing to bombard Ukrainian civilians. But the Kremlin has not changed its tactics. 'I'm disappointed in President Putin,' Mr Trump said during a visit to Scotland. Mr Zelensky welcomed Mr Trump's move on the timeline. 'Everyone needs peace — Ukraine, Europe, the United States, and responsible leaders across the globe,' Mr Zelensky said in a post on Telegram. 'Everyone except Russia.' Yesterday, very important words were spoken by President Trump about how the Russian leadership is wasting the world's time by talking about peace while simultaneously killing people. We all want genuine peace – dignified and lasting: Ukraine, all of Europe, the United States,… — Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) July 29, 2025 The Kremlin pushed back, however, with a top Putin lieutenant warning Mr Trump against 'playing the ultimatum game with Russia'. 'Russia isn't Israel or even Iran,' former president Dmitry Medvedev, who is deputy head of the country's Security Council, wrote on social platform X. 'Each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war. Not between Russia and Ukraine, but with his own country,' Mr Medvedev said. Since Russia's full-scale invasion of its neighbour, the Kremlin has warned Kyiv's Western backers that their involvement could end up broadening the war to Nato countries. 'Kremlin officials continue to frame Russia as in direct geopolitical confrontation with the West in order to generate domestic support for the war in Ukraine and future Russian aggression against Nato,' the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington think tank, said on Monday. The Ukrainian air force said Russia launched two Iskander-M ballistic missiles along with 37 Shahed-type strike drones and decoys at Ukraine overnight. It said 32 Shahed drones were intercepted or neutralised by Ukrainian air defences. The Russian attack close to midnight on Monday hit the Bilenkivska Correctional Facility with glide bombs, according to the State Criminal Executive Service of Ukraine. Glide bombs, which are Soviet-era bombs retrofitted with retractable fins and guidance systems, have been laying waste to cities in eastern Ukraine, where the Russian army is trying to pierce Ukrainian defences. The bombs carry up to 3,000 kilograms of explosives. At least 42 inmates were admitted to hospital with serious injuries, while another 40 people, including one staff member, sustained various injuries. The strike destroyed the prison's dining hall, damaged administrative and quarantine buildings, but the perimeter fence held and no escapes were reported, authorities said. Ukrainian officials condemned the attack, saying that targeting civilian infrastructure, such as prisons, is a war crime under international conventions.
