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Scottish Sun
29-06-2025
- Scottish Sun
Dark side of Egypt where tourists are tortured & killed and Brits are banged up & ‘forced to pay bribes by corrupt cops'
Beyond the plush resorts of the Sharm el Sheikh and Hurghada, Egypt harbours dirty secrets PHARAOH'S CURSE Dark side of Egypt where tourists are tortured & killed and Brits are banged up & 'forced to pay bribes by corrupt cops' WHEN it comes to a perfect holiday destination for Brits, Egypt has it all - five-star resorts, scorching temperatures and stunning beaches. But beyond the boundaries of its luxury all-inclusive havens is a dark underbelly that the country's tourist board would rather holidaymakers didn't see. 18 Ivonne Daniela Latorre died after being beaten in Egypt Credit: Newsflash 18 The Pyramids of Giza attract millions of tourists from around the world every year Credit: Getty 18 Brit Laura Plummer was held for over a year in a hellish Egyptian prison after painkillers were found in her bag Credit: Collect 18 A former British ambassador to Egypt recently branded the country a 'police state' The Pharoah nation sucks in a staggering 18million tourists each year, and the industry props up around 10 percent of the whole economy, and it's clear to see why. Flocking in their droves, tourists arrive to visit ancient tombs and lounge on the two magnificent coastlines of the Mediterranean and the Red Sea. But beyond the plush resorts of the popular Sharm el Sheikh and Hurghada - Egypt harbours dirty secrets. Tourists have disappeared in mysterious circumstances - only to turn up mutilated or dead. It is a police state in Egypt. It is violent and vindictive and it is abusing a British citizen John Casson A brutal police force deals in bribes and locks people up on bogus charges, including Brit holidaymakers. The ancient-world sites are riddled with canny con artists who know how to wangle money out of tourists. And animals are tortured and worked to death - with some discarded in makeshift graveyards around the back of the pyramids. Egypt's picture-postcard image is being tested, with a former British ambassador to the country recently branding it a "police state". John Casson said the authorities are "violent and vindictive" and urged the government to "deploy the full range of tools it has to protect British citizens". "This includes official travel advice that should caution against travel to Egypt," he said. Egypt's huge new mega resort will have 11 districts with hotels, attractions and UK flights "It is a police state in Egypt. It is violent and vindictive and it is abusing a British citizen." Egypt's dangerous underbelly was dragged into the spotlight last month when a Colombian tourist suffered a grisly fate. Ivonne Latorre, 24, was found dying in a coma at the side of a road after going missing from the Zamna electronic music festival in Cairo. She has sustained horrific injuries after crossing paths with men posing as producers - and tragically died five days later in hospital. Nobody knows who mutilated Ivonne, but an investigation has been launched into the beauty queen's mysterious death. I used to love going on holiday there, but I'll never step foot in that country again Tony Camoccio Holidaymakers have also accused the country's police officers of corruption, arresting tourists on bogus charges and offering them a way out with bribes. Tony Camoccio, a 56-year-old Londoner, was arrested and locked up in a terrifying jail for simply patting a security guard on the back. The window business owner was told he was going to be charged with sexual assault and locked up for seven years. He told The Sun: "I was locked in a cage outside for two nights with 80 other people. I was just in a T-shirt and shorts and it was one degrees at night. 18 Ivonne, left, died in hospital five days after being found Credit: Newsflash 18 Tony Camoccio was told he would be banged up for seven years on fabricated sexual assault charges Credit: supplied 18 Camels and other animals are routinely mistreated at key tourist sites Credit: PETA Asia 18 A camel tied up at the pyramids foams at the mouth Credit: PETA Asia "Then they told me to sign a document and said I would be released." But the document Tony signed was not a release paper - he says he'd been tricked into signing a confession written in Arabic. Tony said: "It was all about money. My lawyer was told I could get out if we 'made the policeman happy' - clearly meaning a bribe." But the most shocking thing Tony witnessed was inside the brutal Police Station 1 prison. He said: "You couldn't sleep at night because the guards were beating women and children, making them scream. It was horrible. "Egypt is a dangerous place. Most tourists just stay in their hotels because they know that, but it means they don't see the truth. "I used to love going on holiday there, but I'll never step foot in that country again." Tony was lucky to escape the police's clutches when he was released after just over a week - but not everyone has been so fortunate. An Italian Cambridge University graduate, Giulio Regeni, 28, was tortured to death after being scooped up in 2016 - and Italy blames the Egyptian authorities. His mutilated body was found in a ditch near Cairo nine days after disappearing while on a research trip - and an autopsy revealed he had been subjected to extreme torture. Rome has officially charged four members of Egypt's National Security Agency with his murder and torture, and prosecutors still hope for a trial. 'Tourist exploitation' While only a fraction of tourists have serious run-ins with the police, there are other murky realities about Egypt that almost all will experience. One is the near-constant stream of scams that plague tourists as they navigate the cities and attractions. A popular travel blogger who visited Egypt recently vowed never to return - and even re-booked flights to get out two days early. Antonina, behind the Embrace Someplace blog, said: "The constant 'in your face' deceit was one of the worst parts about visiting Egypt. 18 Guilio Regeni was kidnapped and tortured to death Credit: Refer to Caption 18 Laura Plummer, from Hull, said the Egyptian jail was the most horrific thing she'd ever seen Credit: PA:Press Association "These daily demands for as much money as possible started to get to us because it happened no less than 10 times a day. "Eventually we just stopped leaving the hotel. To put it bluntly, I felt like a walking ATM while visiting Egypt. "It seemed to me that, as a tourist, the objective was to get as much money from me as possible. The level of tourist exploitation is absolutely next level." The Pyramids of Giza - visited by tens of thousands every day - are a hotspot for the scams, particularly as the industry picks up again post-Covid. The problem is so bad it has driven a surge in social media influencers creating "avoid the scams" videos. Men with whistles are documented posing as officials, trying to get tourists to follow them to a spot only to charge an extortionate price for the "service". Others falsely tell visitors they are walking the wrong way - ultimately hoping to charge for pictures taken with the pyramids, according to Sam Mayfair's viral TikTok report. 18 British-Egyptian Alaa Abd el-Fattah is being held illegally in jail Cairo, according to the UN Credit: Reuters 18 Tora maximum security prison, where Alaa was initially held Credit: AFP 18 Laila Soueif's has been on hunger strike for over 250 days to protest the ongoing detention of her son Credit: Alamy But the ongoing case that pushed John Casson to call for a change to UK travel advice is that of a British-Egyptian man who has been locked up there for years, with the UN ruling that he is being held illegally. Alaa Abd el-Fattah was banged up five years ago - and has not been released despite his sentence expiring in September. His mum, Laila Soueif, in London, is on death's door after almost 300 days of hunger strike - and she has vowed not to eat until her son is free. I saw two girls getting tortured with sticks in my cell Laura Plummer James Lynch, working for Alaa's campaign, told The Sun that David Lammy's progress with the Egyptian authorities "risks being too slow for Laila and Alaa, British citizens whose health and lives are at serious risk as a result of their prolonged hunger strikes". Alaa's unfair detention echoes the story of Laura Plummer, a shop worker from Hull, who was locked up over prescription painkillers found in her luggage. The Brit ultimately spent 14 months in horrific conditions. Laura was convicted at trial, but she says a guilty verdict was recorded due to a mistake in translation. She was freed in 2019 following a Sun campaign and said: "The prison was horrendous. I was in a cell with 200 people and only 84 beds." Laura was moved from Cairo to Hurghada Prison, where she said she "witnessed the most horrendous things", including "two girls getting tortured with sticks". 18 Scars and raw wounds can be seen all along this camel's neck from rope burns Credit: peta asia 18 A horse is whipped after stumbling over in the road Credit: PETA Asia She said: 'What should have been a two-week holiday in the sun turned into a 15-month trip to hell." Left to die Animal abuse is also a problem in the country, an issue brought to light by a harrowing PETA Asia investigation. The animal rights group uncovered the routine abuse of the creatures forced to work at the pyramids and other attractions. Donkeys, horses and camels in particular are worked to death ferrying tourists around in the scorching heat, and often treated cruelly by their handlers. A recent report said that "handlers viciously beat animals who are simply too exhausted to go on". It said: "Screaming camels are viciously beaten with sticks by men and children at the Birqash Camel Market before being sold to the tourism industry. "Sick, injured, or starving horses and camels are often abandoned by carriage operators who treat them like disposable tools." Tour companies have started moving away from offering camel rides after widespread outrage at the findings of successive investigations, but the local operators are pushing back. As if all that isn't enough for tourists to deal with, a surge of fatal shark attacks have terrorised the coast in recent years. A 48-year-old Italian man was mauled to death in December, and a 24-year-old Russian man was killed in June of 2023. There have been at least two more confirmed deaths from shark attacks in the past ten years - and a host of injuries. It's Red Sea coast makes it far more dangerous to swim around than any of the other countries on the Med, as this map shows. Most visits to Egypt will pass without hitch but, after four years of diplomatic experience in the country, John Casson said the nation must do more to protect Brits, who bring in millions each year. He said: "Egypt cannot have it both ways. It pretends to be a friend and depends on flows of British tourists to keep its economy afloat. "It needs to discover that that kind of partnership is not compatible with abusing our citizens and blocking our embassy from carrying out the most fundamental consular actions on their behalf." 18 Horses eating from a rubbish heap Credit: peta asia 18 PETA Asia found there was a graveyard for dead and dying animals near the pyramids Credit: PETA Asia
The Irish Sun
29-06-2025
- The Irish Sun
Dark side of Egypt where tourists are tortured & killed and Brits are banged up & ‘forced to pay bribes by corrupt cops'
WHEN it comes to a perfect holiday destination for Brits, Egypt has it all - five-star resorts, scorching temperatures and stunning beaches. But beyond the boundaries of its luxury all-inclusive havens is a dark underbelly that the country's tourist board would rather holidaymakers didn't see. 18 Ivonne Daniela Latorre died after being beaten in Egypt Credit: Newsflash 18 The Pyramids of Giza attract millions of tourists from around the world every year Credit: Getty 18 Brit Laura Plummer was held for over a year in a hellish Egyptian prison after painkillers were found in her bag Credit: Collect 18 A former British ambassador to Egypt recently branded the country a 'police state' The Pharoah nation sucks in a staggering 18million tourists each year, and the industry props up around 10 percent of the whole economy, and it's clear to see why. Flocking in their droves, tourists arrive to visit ancient tombs and lounge on the two magnificent coastlines of the But beyond the plush resorts of the popular Sharm el Sheikh and Hurghada - Egypt harbours dirty secrets. Tourists have disappeared in mysterious circumstances - only to turn up mutilated or dead. It is a police state in Egypt. It is violent and vindictive and it is abusing a British citizen John Casson Former British ambassador to Egypt A brutal police force deals in bribes and locks people up on bogus charges, including Brit holidaymakers. The ancient-world sites are riddled with canny con artists who know how to wangle money out of tourists. And animals are tortured and worked to death - with some discarded in makeshift graveyards around the back of the pyramids. Egypt's picture-postcard image is being tested, with a former British ambassador to the country recently branding it a "police state". John Casson said the authorities are "violent and vindictive" and urged the government to "deploy the full range of tools it has to protect British citizens". "This includes official travel advice that should caution against travel to Egypt," he said. Egypt's huge new mega resort will have 11 districts with hotels, attractions and UK flights "It is a police state in Egypt. It is violent and vindictive and it is abusing a British citizen." Egypt's dangerous underbelly was dragged into the spotlight last month when a Colombian tourist Ivonne Latorre, 24, was found dying in a coma at the side of a road after going missing from the Zamna electronic music festival in Cairo. She has sustained horrific injuries after crossing paths with men posing as producers - and tragically died five days later in hospital. Nobody knows who mutilated Ivonne , but an investigation has been launched into the beauty queen's mysterious death. I used to love going on holiday there, but I'll never step foot in that country again Tony Camoccio Brit held in Egyptian jail Holidaymakers have also accused the country's police officers of corruption, arresting tourists on bogus charges and offering them a way out with bribes. Tony Camoccio, a 56-year-old Londoner, was arrested and locked up in a terrifying jail for simply patting a security guard on the back. The window business owner was told he was going to be charged with sexual assault and locked up for seven years. He told The Sun: "I was locked in a cage outside for two nights with 80 other people. I was just in a T-shirt and shorts and it was one degrees at night. 18 Ivonne, left, died in hospital five days after being found Credit: Newsflash 18 Tony Camoccio was told he would be banged up for seven years on fabricated sexual assault charges Credit: supplied 18 Camels and other animals are routinely mistreated at key tourist sites Credit: PETA Asia 18 A camel tied up at the pyramids foams at the mouth Credit: PETA Asia "Then they told me to sign a document and said I would be released." But the document Tony signed was not a release paper - he says he'd been tricked into signing a confession written in Arabic. Tony said: "It was all about money. My lawyer was told I could get out if we 'made the policeman happy' - clearly meaning a bribe." But the most shocking thing Tony witnessed was inside the brutal Police Station 1 prison. He said: "You couldn't sleep at night because the guards were beating women and children, making them scream. It was horrible. "Egypt is a dangerous place. Most tourists just stay in their hotels because they know that, but it means they don't see the truth. "I used to love going on holiday there, but I'll never step foot in that country again." Tony was lucky to escape the police's clutches when he was released after just over a week - but not everyone has been so fortunate. An Italian Cambridge University graduate, Giulio Regeni, 28, was tortured to death after being scooped up in 2016 - and Italy blames the Egyptian authorities. His mutilated body was found in a ditch near Cairo nine days after disappearing while on a research trip - and an autopsy revealed he had been subjected to extreme torture. Rome has officially charged four members of Egypt's National Security Agency with his murder and torture, and prosecutors still hope for a trial. 'Tourist exploitation' While only a fraction of tourists have serious run-ins with the police, there are other murky realities about Egypt that almost all will experience. One is the near-constant stream of scams that plague tourists as they navigate the cities and attractions. A popular travel blogger who visited Egypt recently vowed never to return - and even re-booked flights to get out two days early. Antonina, behind the Embrace Someplace blog, said: "The constant 'in your face' deceit was one of the worst parts about visiting Egypt. 18 Guilio Regeni was kidnapped and tortured to death Credit: Refer to Caption 18 Laura Plummer, from Hull, said the Egyptian jail was the most horrific thing she'd ever seen Credit: PA:Press Association "These daily demands for as much money as possible started to get to us because it happened no less than 10 times a day. "Eventually we just stopped leaving the hotel. To put it bluntly, I felt like a walking ATM while visiting Egypt. "It seemed to me that, as a tourist, the objective was to get as much money from me as possible. The level of tourist exploitation is absolutely next level." The Pyramids of Giza - visited by tens of thousands every day - are a hotspot for the scams, particularly as the industry picks up again post-Covid. The problem is so bad it has driven a surge in social media influencers creating "avoid the scams" videos. Men with whistles are documented posing as officials, trying to get tourists to follow them to a spot only to charge an extortionate price for the "service". Others falsely tell visitors they are walking the wrong way - ultimately hoping to charge for pictures taken with the pyramids, according to Sam Mayfair's viral TikTok report. 18 British-Egyptian Alaa Abd el-Fattah is being held illegally in jail Cairo, according to the UN Credit: Reuters 18 Tora maximum security prison, where Alaa was initially held Credit: AFP 18 Laila Soueif's has been on hunger strike for over 250 days to protest the ongoing detention of her son Credit: Alamy But the ongoing case that pushed John Casson to call for a change to UK travel advice is that of a British-Egyptian man who has been locked up there for years, with the UN ruling that he is being held illegally. Alaa Abd el-Fattah was banged up five years ago - and has not been released despite his sentence expiring in September. His mum, Laila Soueif, in London, is on death's door after almost 300 days of hunger strike - and she has vowed not to eat until her son is free. I saw two girls getting tortured with sticks in my cell Laura Plummer locked up in Egypt for over a year James Lynch, working for Alaa's campaign, told The Sun that David Lammy's progress with the Egyptian authorities "risks being too slow for Laila and Alaa, British citizens whose health and lives are at serious risk as a result of their prolonged hunger strikes". Alaa's unfair detention echoes the story of Laura Plummer, a shop worker from Hull, who was locked up over prescription painkillers found in her luggage. The Brit ultimately spent 14 months in horrific conditions. Laura was She was freed in 2019 Laura was moved from Cairo to Hurghada Prison, where she said she "witnessed the most horrendous things", including "two girls getting tortured with sticks". 18 Scars and raw wounds can be seen all along this camel's neck from rope burns Credit: peta asia 18 A horse is whipped after stumbling over in the road Credit: PETA Asia She said: 'What should have been a two-week holiday in the sun turned into a 15-month trip to hell." Left to die Animal abuse is also a problem in the country, an issue brought to light by a harrowing PETA Asia investigation. The animal rights group uncovered the routine abuse of the creatures forced to work at the pyramids and other attractions. Donkeys, horses and camels in particular are worked to death ferrying tourists around in the scorching heat, and often treated cruelly by their handlers. A recent report said that "handlers viciously beat animals who are simply too exhausted to go on". It said: "Screaming camels are viciously beaten with sticks by men and children at the Birqash Camel Market before being sold to the tourism industry. "Sick, injured, or starving horses and camels are often abandoned by carriage operators who treat them like disposable tools." Tour companies have started moving away from offering camel rides after widespread outrage at the findings of successive investigations, but the local operators are pushing back. As if all that isn't enough for tourists to deal with, a surge of fatal shark attacks have terrorised the coast in recent years. A 48-year-old Italian man was There have been at least two more confirmed deaths from shark attacks in the past ten years - and a host of injuries. It's Red Sea coast makes it far more dangerous to swim around than any of the other countries on the Med, as Most visits to Egypt will pass without hitch but, after four years of diplomatic experience in the country, John Casson said the nation must do more to protect Brits, who bring in millions each year. He said: "Egypt cannot have it both ways. It pretends to be a friend and depends on flows of British tourists to keep its economy afloat. "It needs to discover that that kind of partnership is not compatible with abusing our citizens and blocking our embassy from carrying out the most fundamental consular actions on their behalf." 18 Horses eating from a rubbish heap Credit: peta asia 18 PETA Asia found there was a graveyard for dead and dying animals near the pyramids Credit: PETA Asia 18 A camel is tugged by the jaw at a livestock market in Egpyt Credit: PETA Asia
Scottish Sun
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Chilling texts of tourist, 24, beaten to death at festival after being abducted by man who ‘promised to make her a star'
The family is desperate to discover what happened in the woman's final hours HOLS HORROR Chilling texts of tourist, 24, beaten to death at festival after being abducted by man who 'promised to make her a star' Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A TOURIST found dying in a coma after a music festival sent a series of terrifying texts to her parents following an apparent abduction. Ivonne Daniela Latorre vanished from the Zamna electronic music festival in Cairo, Egypt, which she went to with her friend, Colombian beauty queen Estefania Bedoy. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 6 Ivonne Daniela Latorre died after being found in a coma Credit: Newsflash 6 Ivonne (L) with her friend Estefania Bedoy and Jessi Escobar (middle), who the police want to speak to Credit: Newsflash 6 A selection of the texts Ivonne sent to friends and family after apparently being abducted She was found horrifically injured and in a coma days after crossing paths with some men who posed as producers and promised to make the friends into stars. Ivonne died in a Cairo hospital five days later on May 4, whilst Estefania made it back safely to the hotel. Now, horrifying messages she sent to her parents in Colombia have emerged, tracking her realisation that she was in grave danger. One chilling text referring to "The Serbian" said: "He's scaring me." read more in world news FLEX APPEAL Body language analysis reveals who is REALLY in control between Putin & Xi Another read: "They want to do something to me. They want to kidnap me." In a third she begged: "Please come with the police. Please come urgently." She also told her parents: "They don't want to make us a band," revealing that the men had lured the friends in with false promises. Ivonne flew into Cairo on April 24, excited for the festival to mark her birthday. Pictures and videos posted to her social media showed Ivonne enjoying herself in the sun. The two women were reportedly invited to an after-party on April 27 by somebody called Jessi Morena, who they met at the festival. At least ten dead and dozens injured after tourist boat capsizes in China A snap shows the pair decked out in Egyptian attire alongside Jessi, in front of a large crowd of revellers. All went smoothly and the pair partied the night away - until they met two unidentified men. It was at this point that Ivonne sent out the distress signals. Estefania ended up back at the room, unharmed, but without Ivonne. 6 The Colombian disappeared after attending a music festival in Cairo Credit: Newsflash 6 Ivonne was in Egypt with her friend Estefania Bedoya - a former Colombian beauty queen Credit: Newsflash Her family told Colombian press: "Neither her family nor her friends knew she was missing until Tuesday, April 30, when Estefanía, her travelling companion, contacted us." After hearing of her disappearance, Ivonne's friends and family made a series of frantic calls to Cairo hospitals to locate her. In a conversation later shared by Ivonne's relatives, Estefanía wrote: "She hasn't woken up. They found her several days ago. "She fell from a great height and I wasn't there; she was with other people at the time." She died five days after her loved ones found her in hospital - never recovering consciousness. Cairo police are quizzing Estefania, who apparently refused to tell Ivonne's family what had happened to her. They are also seeking a man called Jessi Escobar, a friend the women are said to have met locally, and the two men she introduced them to. One relative, Alexandra Marin, told Colombian media: "We had a hard time finding the hospital due to language barriers and the lack of cooperation from the people involved." Ivonne's family has launched a GoFundMe appeal to help them bring back her body and fund the legal expenses to investigate her death.
The Irish Sun
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Chilling texts of tourist, 24, beaten to death at festival after being abducted by man who ‘promised to make her a star'
A TOURIST found dying in a coma after a music festival sent a series of terrifying texts to her parents following an apparent abduction. Ivonne Daniela Latorre vanished from the Zamna electronic music festival in Cairo, Egypt, which she went to with her friend, Colombian beauty queen Estefania Bedoy. Advertisement 6 Ivonne Daniela Latorre died after being found in a coma Credit: Newsflash 6 Ivonne (L) with her friend Estefania Bedoy and Jessi Escobar (middle), who the police want to speak to Credit: Newsflash 6 A selection of the texts Ivonne sent to friends and family after apparently being abducted She was found horrifically injured and in a coma days after crossing paths with some men who posed as producers and promised to make the friends into stars. Ivonne died in a Cairo hospital five days later on May 4, whilst Estefania made it back safely to the hotel. Now, horrifying messages she sent to her parents in Colombia have emerged, tracking her realisation that she was in grave danger. One chilling text referring to "The Serbian" said: "He's scaring me." Advertisement read more in world news Another read: "They want to do something to me. They want to kidnap me." In a third she begged: "Please come with the police. Please come urgently." She also told her parents: "They don't want to make us a band," revealing that the men had lured the friends in with false promises. Ivonne flew into Cairo on April 24, excited for the festival to mark her birthday. Advertisement Most read in The Sun Pictures and videos posted to her social media showed Ivonne enjoying herself in the sun. The two women were reportedly invited to an after-party on April 27 by somebody called Jessi Morena, who they met at the festival. At least ten dead and dozens injured after tourist boat capsizes in China A snap shows the pair decked out in Egyptian attire alongside Jessi, in front of a large crowd of revellers. All went smoothly and the pair partied the night away - until they met two unidentified men. Advertisement It was at this point that Ivonne sent out the distress signals. Estefania ended up back at the room, unharmed, but without Ivonne. 6 The Colombian disappeared after attending a music festival in Cairo Credit: Newsflash 6 Ivonne was in Egypt with her friend Estefania Bedoya - a former Colombian beauty queen Credit: Newsflash Advertisement Her family told Colombian press: "Neither her family nor her friends knew she was missing until Tuesday, April 30, when Estefanía, her travelling companion, contacted us." After hearing of her disappearance, Ivonne's friends and family made a series of frantic calls to Cairo hospitals to locate her. In a conversation later shared by Ivonne's relatives, Estefanía wrote: "She hasn't woken up. They found her several days ago. "She fell from a great height and I wasn't there; she was with other people at the time." Advertisement She died five days after her loved ones found her in hospital - never recovering consciousness. Cairo police are quizzing Estefania, who apparently refused to tell Ivonne's family what had happened to her. They are also seeking a man called Jessi Escobar, a friend the women are said to have met locally, and the two men she introduced them to. One relative, Alexandra Marin, told Colombian media: "We had a hard time finding the hospital due to language barriers and the lack of cooperation from the people involved." Advertisement Ivonne's family has launched a GoFundMe appeal to help them bring back her body and fund the legal expenses to investigate her death. 6 Jessi Escobar allegedly introduced the pair to the two men Credit: Newsflash
