It’s one of those things that will go down in viral sporting history- but not necessarily for the right reasons- and rugby legend Donncha O’Callaghan isn’t shying away from it! Back in 2006 as the dad-of-four was lining out for Munster against the Cardiff Blues in the Heineken Cup, his team shorts were literally ripped […]
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A mother-of-five who was allegedly seriously beaten by her husband has died of her devastating injuries. Gardaí confirmed over the weekend that Sharon Naughton, who was aged in her 50s, succumbed to her injuries following an alleged violent incident at her home in Loughbaun, Aughrim, Ballinasloe, Co. Galway, last Monday night. Her husband, and the […]
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THOUSANDS visit Porsche’s famed museum in Stuttgart every year – such is the global popularity of the acclaimed German marque.
But few get to gaze upon the secrets of the famous sports car maker, hidden away in a nondescript building close by.
Not many fans realise that hundreds of cars are shut away behind closed doors, including prototypes, race cars and one-offs, in a Porsche-owned warehouse.
Here are some of the best, rarest and most unusual examples you might be lucky enough to see inside.
Synonymous with its connection to iconic Hollywood film star James Dean and the ‘Rebel Without a Cause’ star’s death in 1955, the 550 Spyder was once one of the most successful racing cars of the 1950s, and is one of Porsche’s best-loved little motors.
Nowadays, they’re considered hot property, with an example selling at auction in 2018 for £4,115,763 – currently the highest price for a 550 at auction.
In the 1950s, Porsche looked to take on the likes of Jeep and Land-Rover with the military-styled 597, much like the Cayenne was built decades later to take on the Cherokee and Range Rover, respectively.
Produced in 1955, Porsche’s first off-roader was powered by a 356-sourced flat-four engine as part of West Germany’s aim to build a motor that could match the Willy’s Jeep.
However, Porsche didn’t secure the government contract as the 597 was deemed too expensive to manufacture.
As a result, just 71 Porsche 597s were manufactured, 49 of which were built for the civilian market.
Fancy a family friendly 911?
The Type 915 – with its unique, stretched body – was designed to comfortably seat four adults in a 911, making the famous compact sports car resemble a Tardis inside.
Company executives ultimately chose not to produce the Type 915 as they feared it would cannibalise the brand’s other cars.
The 924 is one of Porsche’s most famous models and was a hit with many consumers.
To promote the new sports car upon its release, the German marque’s marketing team decided they needed to build one capable of setting a headline-grabbing record.
Taking to the oval circuit in Nardo, Italy, the coupe – with an upgraded 253 bhp engine and a wind-cheating body kit – the aim was to break a world record by averaging over 155 mph for a distance of 10,000 miles.
However, in July 1977, the attempt was cancelled.
Based on the 928, the little-known 995 was designed to be economic, safe and noise-free.
Featuring a 3.0-litre V8 engine with a cylinder deactivation system or a 2.2-litre four-cylinder engine, along with an electronically controlled dual-clutch automatic transmission.
The 356-powered motorcycle, built by instrument-maker Peter Hess, could hit a top speed of 155 mph thanks to its 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine.
While the instrument cluster, shaft drive unit and forks came from a BMW motorcycle, the frame was designed by Hess and was even approved for road use by the German authorities.
But sadly, the idea didn’t materialise beyond the single example tucked away in the Porsche warehouse.
The famous 959, once the fastest road-going motor in the world, was extensively tested in a wind tunnel in 1982, a year before the model was unveiled at the Frankfurt motor show.
The test mule, which can be found in the warehouse, has its spoiler integrated into the deck lid, and its underbody is equipped with a plastic cover.
To really help with the authenticity, fans can find hand-written notes all over the body – a testament to the numerous tweaks made before its final design.
Between the end of the 914 in 1976 and the introduction of the Boxster in 1996, Porsche failed to release a road-going roadster.
The mysterious 984 gives a good indication of what an entry-level mid-engined Porsche convertible would have looked like in the 1980s.
Built to be light, aerodynamic and affordable, the 984 was aimed at young drivers – especially based in the US.
However, development stopped after new car sales in the US collapsed in the wake of the 1987 stock market crash.
The world’s greatest motor race taken on by the world’s greatest supercar?
In the 1980s, former Formula 1 driver Jacky Ickx convinced Porsche to enter the famous Paris-Dakar – the historic off-road endurance race.
While mechanical issues prevented the 959s from finishing, the 1986 team earned a popular one-two finish.
Looking to freshen up the 911, Porsche envisioned a toned-down version of the beach buggy-like Panamericana.
The concept never reached production, but many of the car’s styling cues, including the slanted headlights, later used on the 993-series 911, and the Boxster.
RAPPER Slowthai has been found not guilty of raping two fans at a house party after he performed a gig.
The Grammy-nominated artist, who is married to singer Anne-Marie, stood trial charged with three counts of rape.
Slowthai – real name Tyron Kaymone Frampton – was accused of isolating the fans after instigating a “no phones and no boys” rule.
Frampton, 29, and co-accused Alex Blake-Walker, 27, then allegedly raped the pair before high-fiving each other.
The pair have now been cleared of three counts of rape against two women.
Blake-Walker was also found not guilty of one count of sexual assault after ten hours of jury deliberation.
A trial at Oxford Crown Court heard Frampton had performed a gig at The Bullingdon music venue in Oxford on September 7, 2021
The alleged assaults were said to have then taken place later at a party after the gig.
The court heard the women joined the rapper and his friend on a tour bus before heading to the party.
Once there, Frampton took the two women away from their friends as his entourage turned up the music to block any sound from the roof, jurors heard.
The court was told both women were allegedly raped simultaneously as he and Blake-Walker discussed “swapping the girls”.
Jurors heard the alleged ordeal only came to an end when Frampton and Blake-Walker were interrupted.
Frampton, who was supported throughout the trial by wife Anne-Marie, jumped from the roof into a garden below.
He and Blake-Walker agreed that sexual activity had taken place with the two women but the pair insisted it was consensual.
They denied three joint charges of rape and one of sexual assault against two women.
Frampton arrived on the music scene in 2019 with album Nothing Great About Britain.
He was nominated for best dance recording at 2021’s Grammy Awards.
The rapper wed Anne-Marie in Las Vegas in July 2022 and the pair had their first child, a daughter, earlier this year.
A MYSTERY illness leaving hundreds of patients shaking uncontrollably has struck Uganda, local media reports suggest.
The disease locals are referring to as Dinga Dinga, translating to “shaking like dancing”, has already affected around 300 people, mostly women and girls, according to health officials.
The puzzling illness, reported in Uganda’s Bundibugyo district, causes fever and intense body shaking, making it difficult for those affected to walk.
Dr Kiyita Christopher, the district health officer, told the media that no cases have been reported outside Bundibugyo, and samples have been sent to the health ministry for analysis.
He reassured the public that there have been no fatalities linked to the disease and that it is typically treatable with antibiotics.
“Patients usually recover within a week,” he said.
Some have turned to herbal remedies to ease symptoms, but Dr Christopher strongly discouraged this approach.
“There is no scientific evidence that herbal medicine can treat this disease,” he warned.
“I urge locals to seek treatment from health facilities within the district,” he added.
Christopher told Ugandan newspaper, Monitor, that the illness was first reported in early 2023 and remains under investigation by health laboratories.
One patient, Patience Katusiime, shared her harrowing experience with the illness, describing how her body shook uncontrollably despite feeling paralysed.
“I felt weak and got paralysed, with my body shaking uncontrollably whenever I tried to walk,” she said.
“It was very disturbing. I was taken to Bundibugyo Hospital for treatment, and thank God, I am now fine.”
It comes just months after an outbreak of a new mpox strain was reported in Uganda and other East African states.
In August, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the ultra-deadly clade 1b variant of the disease a global public health emergency.
Officials warned that an outbreak of the virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DCR) and neighbouring countries like Uganda posed a situation of “international concern,” marking the WHO’s highest level of alert.
The strain has recently reached other continents, with imported cases being detected in Europe and Asia.
Five people in the UK have also tested positive for the bug, with the majority coming from a single household in London.
Germany reported its first case of the mutant bug in October, following Sweden’s first case in August.
A NEW health threat is emerging in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where a mysterious illness called Disease X is killing people.
Experts use the term “Disease X” for any unknown pathogen with the potential to spark a global epidemic.
The mystery outbreak began in late October and has since sickened more than 400 people and killed 79.
People have fallen ill with a range of symptoms including fever, a cough, aches, and anaemia.
Most cases and deaths have been in children under 14.
So far, ten people have already tested positive for malaria. However, multiple diseases may be involved and testing is still ongoing
Last week, a team of doctors, epidemiologists, and other outbreak specialists were sent to Panzi, the rural part of the DRC where a mysterious illness has hit.
The area also suffers from high levels of malnutrition and low vaccination coverage, leaving children vulnerable to many diseases including pneumonia, measles, influenza, and others.
ONLY Chelsea have scored more Premier League goals than Tottenham this season.
In fact, the Blues and league-leaders Liverpool are the only teams that boast a better goal difference than Spurs’ +17 right now.
And yet Ange Postecoglou’s side are only tenth in table, level on points with Brentford and Newcastle in 11th and 12th respectively, such is their frustrating nature.
Spurs are arguably the most curious team in the land at present, capable of outplaying any opponent on their day but also liable to inexplicable slip-ups.
Their inconsistent nature causes headaches for Dream Team managers but the strength of their attack means there are plenty of points on offer most Gameweeks.
Certainly that was the case on Sunday when the North Londoners waltzed to a 5-0 victory over Southampton at St Mary’s.
Spurs could have inflicted more damage on Saints but opted to conserve energy in a goalless second half.
James Maddison (£4.5m) and Son Heung-min (£5.2m) were the biggest beneficiaries as they banked 19 points each – both were directly involved in three of the five goals.
The former has amassed 56 points in seven outings since the start of Gameweek 12 while the latter has gone one point better in the same time frame, despite not looking his best.
Dejan Kulusevski (£3.6m) also took advantage of Southampton’s porous defence to score in his third consecutive game.
The Sweden international now has five goals to go alongside his tally of eight assists in 2024/25 – he averages a goal involvement every 114.6 minutes in all competitions.
However, one Spurs player was particularly notable for his lack of returns at the weekend, Brennan Johnson (£3.8m).
The Wales international was named on the bench and mustered just one point after he replaced Son at half-time.
The former Nottingham Forest man has registered just ten points from his last four outings at a time when several of his team-mates have cashed in.
This disparity is noteworthy because Johnson is the most popular Spurs asset in Dream Team.
Not only that, an ownership of 27% makes him the sixth-most selected player in the whole game at the time of writing!
On current evidence, it appears gaffers are backing the wrong the horse.
On paper, there’s not much between Postecoglou’s main attacking threats.
Johnson, Maddison and Son have all registered 14 goal involvements apiece with Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke (£4.2m) on 13 each.
The former is the club’s top scorer this season with ten goals to his name in all competitions but it’s Maddison who leads the way in terms of points, the metric that matters most.
MOST DREAM TEAM POINTS AMONG TOTTENHAM PLAYERS THIS SEASON:
Furthermore, Johnson owners may be concerned about his minutes lately.
Prior to his benching at St Mary’s, he was hooked after 53 minutes against Chelsea and played just an hour at Ibrox in the Europa League.
Previously, Maddison’s playing time nosedived but the 28-year-old has seemingly clawed his way back up the pecking order with some encouraging performances while Kulusevski is arguably Spurs’ Player of the Season at this stage.
Postecoglou’s troops are due to take on Manchester United in the Carabao Cup on Thursday night so gaffers will be afforded another glimpse before having to decide upon their strategy for Gameweek 16.
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BUFFY the Vampire Slayer’s Sarah Michelle Gellar has made a major U-turn on the possibility of doing a show reboot.
Buffy: The Vampire Slayer took the world by storm when it made its debut back in 1997.
It earned cult status among fantasy fans but a lot has happened since it first aired 25 years ago.
Sarah had always said she would never return to the world of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, leaving at its natural conclusion, but she now appears to be having a change of heart.
Her views were prompted by watching the recent Sex and the City and Dexter series reboots and seeing how they have grown from the original.
Sarah has said she would be open to taking on the role of Buffy Summers again in a reboot.
Speaking on The Drew Barrymore Show, Sarah was asked whether she’d consider a return to her old character.
She said: “It’s funny. I always used to say no, because it’s in its bubble, and it’s so perfect.”
“But watching Sex and the City [sequel series, And Just Like That] and seeing Dexter, and realising there are ways to do it, definitely does get your mind thinking, ‘Well, maybe.’”
She added: “It could be anything. It’s a universe. And it makes you realise that in this world, we need those heroes, I think, more so than ever.”
Buffy the Vampire Slayer ran between 1997 and 2003 and was based on Joss Whedon’s 1992 movie with the same name.
It followed Buffy Summers as she relocated to Sunnydale High School, where she had to battle various supernatural forces.
Playing Buffy Summers helped turn Sarah into a Hollywood leading lady.
She went on to bag roles in Cruel Intentions, Scooby Doo, The Grudge and Scream 2.
She also made various TV cameos including in The Simpsons, American Dad, Sex And The City, Star Wars Rebels and The Big Bang Theory.
Fans were devastated when the iconic series came to an end in 2003 after seven installments.
But last year, the iconic 90s show returned for a spin-off audio series with a twist, Slayers: A Buffyverse Story, which focuses on James Marsters’ character Spike.
The show is available as a nine part audio only series on Audible.
