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BASHAR al-Assad packed planes with two tonnes of cash worth £200m and sent them to Russia.
The tyrant cowardly escaped the country just hours before rebels captured his palace in their lightning blitz that ousted his regime.
But in the years before, Assad flew banknotes out of the country to Russia.
Records show tonnes of cash being sent from Damascus to Moscow between 2018 and 2019, the FT reports.
The payments came at a time when Assad’s regime was being propped up by Russia’s fighter jets and the Wagner mercenary group.
Once the cash was shifted, Assad’s family also began buying up luxury properties in Moscow as well as paying for food and military help.
The money was mostly sent in Euros and USD between March 2018 and September 2019, records show.
There were 21 flights from March 2018 to September 2019 with money worth over $250m.
Russian trade records from export data service Import Genius, show in 2019 a plane carrying $10m in $100 bills was sent on behalf of the Syrian central bank.
The central bank then airlifted in around €20mn in €500 notes in February 2019.
Syria was under severe economic sanctions after Assad carried out horrific acts of repression against his own people – including the use of chemical weapons.
A source said that by 2018 foreign reserves were almost depleted and the Assad was paying for Wagner and grain imports in cash.
Putin personally granted political asylum to Assad after he was forced to flee – and now he and his family are looking to build a new life in Russia.
The Syrian dictator and his family may be living in one of the 20 Moscow apartments his extended family owns, looking to maintain their luxurious lifestyle despite being in exile.
Purchased in the prestigious Moscow City district, the apartments are said to be worth more than £30 million in recent years, showing just how safe the Assads are in their pal Putin’s country.
The majority of the apartments are in the City of Capitals complex – a twin-towered skyscraper that sat once as the tallest in Europe.
Following the outbreak of civil war in 2011, Assad battled to keep his regime alive against the rebels.
Russia protected Assad at the UN and then sent its jets in 2015 to give the tyrant air dominance.
Putin also only officially sent a small number of special forces troops to prop Assad up.
However, Russia was also sending private military contractors like Wagner to help win the war on the ground.
Putin could now lose his military bases in the country with negotiations ongoing over what will happen to them.
Russia is reportedly trying to keep control of Khmeimim Air Base and Tartus naval base.
The bases are key for Russia’s power projection with the Tartus naval base the only port on the Mediterranean for Putin.
However, Western leaders want the new Syrian government to boot out the Russians if they want full recognition.
Assad cowardly told his office he was going home before fleeing to the airport to be smuggled out of the country.
The tyrant didn’t even tell some of his closest family with one of his cousins shot dead by rebels in an ambush trying to flee Damascus.
Assad told almost no one amongst his closest staff or advisers that he was planning to flee the country, Reuters reports.
He continued to act like he would stay and fight – even meeting with army chiefs hours before he escaped telling them to keep fighting and that Russia was coming to help.
Assad told his staff at the end of Saturday when he finished work that he was going home.
He even told his media adviser to come to his home and write a speech.
But, when she got there, she didn’t find the tyrant who had instead fled to the airport.
THE Assad dynasty in Syria began with Hafez al-Assad – who seized power in 1971 through a military coup and established an authoritarian regime.
His rule focused on centralised government control, military strength, suppression of dissent, aligning Syria closely with the Soviet Union, and an anti-Israel stance.
He established a cult of personality and corruption flourished as loyalty to Hafez became the most important value.
Bashar was not the first choice to succeed his father, with his elder son Bassel groomed to take over the role.
Bashar was working as an ophthalmologist at Western Eye Hospital in London when Bassel died in a car crash in 1994.
Suddenly, Bashar became the heir apparent and was called back to Damascus to be groomed for leadership.
He spent six and a half years learning the ropes from his father and working in the military.
Hafez died from a heart attack in 2000 and, with the loyalty of his party, transferred power to Bashar establishing the first Arab dynastic republic.
Initially, there were hopes for liberal reforms under Bashar, but hopes faded as he instead continued his father’s repressive policies.
When protesters rose up in 2011, Assad brutally sought to crush them with harsh violence.
But, he lost the support of many of his people and brought about the Syrian Civil War.
In 2013, the cruel dictator even used chemical weapons on rebel areas as he did anything to stay in power.
The civil war dragged on killing hundreds of thousands, destroying cities, and opening the way for ISIS to flourish.
Eventually, Assad gained the upper hand after Iran sent in Hezbollah crack forces and Russia sent in jets to bomb rebels and mercenary group Wagner to fight them.
It appeared that Assad was on the brink of winning the war earlier this year with the rebels confined to an area in the northwest of the country.
Assad chose not to negotiate with the rebels and instead sought to defeat them completely.
But the rebels launched a surprise offensive on November 27 and swept aside Assad’s corrupt and disloyal army.
After seizing Damascus in a swift and decisive offensive, rebel forces declared victory and announced that the city was “free of Assad.”
The dictator fled Syria in total humiliation – having to issue a statement through the Russians he had resigned the presidency and left the country.
Bashar has now been given refuge in Moscow and is currently under Russian protection.
The collapse of the 54-year-old Assad dynasty ignited celebrations across Syria.
In the capital, thousands poured into the streets, waving rebel flags and lighting flares.
Statues of Assad and his late father, Hafez, were toppled in symbolic acts of defiance.
James “The Machine” Wade is a unique figure in the world of professional darts.
When he’s not winning major tournaments he relaxes by mending motors — here’s everything you need to know about his life, career and net worth.
James Wade was born in Aldershot, England, on April 6, 1983.
The Machine has won the UK Open, World Matchplay and World Grand Prix during his illustrious career.
However, things might have been very different for the current world No. 16.
In 2021, James said: “Without the PDC and Sky Sports, I’d still be a mechanic playing darts in the pub.
“I’m grateful for the lifestyle and the opportunities they have given me.
“I’ve done my bit to promote myself and the sport at times, and my record is better than 90% of PDC players in terms of trophies and titles won.
“Maybe I’m not as marketable as others — and that’s okay, I understand that.
“I’ve tried jumping up and down, making a show of myself in front of the cameras, but I’m not that person. It was false.
“I’d like to be that ‘fashionable’ commodity but I’m just fortunate to be a person who’s sometimes quite good at playing darts.
“And I’d like to be popular — because you don’t have to be a world-beater to win recognition.
“Wayne Mardle never won a world title, but he was good at dancing, the Hawaii Five-0 act and he was really popular.
“Was he a better player than me? No — but he proved that it’s not all just about landing a dart in a tiny little target the size of a paper clip.”
James’ darts journey began at a young age, showing promise in local tournaments before turning professional in 2001 at the age of 18.
He made an immediate impact by reaching the final of the British Classic.
After switching from the BDO to PDC, James’ breakthrough came in 2006 when he made a sensational run to the final of the World Matchplay.
Without the PDC and Sky Sports, I’d still be a mechanic playing darts in the pub
James Wade
He went on to hit an astonishing three nine-dart finishes during that calendar year.
In 2007, James won the World Matchplay, beating Terry Jenkins in the final.
This made him the youngest player ever to claim this prestigious title at the age of 24 — a record since broken by Michael van Gerwen and Luke Littler.
He went on to win multiple major titles in the following years, including:
What sets James apart from his peers is his enduring passion for mechanics.
Despite his success in darts, he has never lost touch with his roots as a mechanic.
James worked as a car mechanic before turning professional and continues to maintain his interest in the field.
In 2022, he said: “Ever since I was young, my dad has taught me about cars and we always worked in the garage together.
“Even when I climbed up the world rankings and was battling Phil Taylor and winning top titles, I relaxed by working on cars at the garage.”
James’ impressive record includes:
In October 2018, he married Sammi Marsh.
In 2018, the couple welcomed their first child, a son named Arthur, who was born shortly after their marriage.
They welcomed a second son named Alfred in August 2022.
The Wades’ keep their family life relatively private, but James has often expressed how important family is to him amidst his busy career.
James has been very open about his struggles with mental health, particularly his bipolar disorder.
He serves as a patron of Bipolar UK, using this platform to raise awareness about the condition and related issues.
In December 2018, James was criticised for his “thuggish” and “bullying” antics when he screamed in the face of Japanese opponent Seigo Asada after defeating him at the oche in the World Darts Championship.
Following the incident, James released a statement saying: “I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely apologise for my actions.
“Seigo Asada is a great player and I would like to say sorry to him, the fans and the PDC.
“Anyone that has followed my professional career will know that this was very out of character for me and I am disappointed in myself with the way I acted both on the stage and in my interviews after the match.
“I was fighting a battle with myself before I even got on the stage due to a hypo-mania episode which can happen to me at any time and no-one is more upset than I am about what happened.
“I would like to again apologise and hope that people can understand how remorseful I am.”
According to CelebrityNetWorth, James has amassed an impressive fortune of £2.4million as of November 2024.
His earnings come from tournament winnings, sponsorships and media appearances.
He will be hoping to add to his net worth at the upcoming World Darts Championship, taking place at Ally Pally between December 15, 2024 and January 3, 2025.
HARRY MAGUIRE revealed he has held talks with Manchester United about his future.
The former Red Devils captain is out of contract at the end of the season, though the club have an option to extend his stay by a year.
Maguire has struggled with injuries in recent months but his performances have improved, and he played 90 minutes in the derby win over Manchester City.
His future at Old Trafford is still unclear but Maguire said he has held positive talks with club chiefs.
He said: “I haven’t really thought about it. I’ve still got this year to go with an option in their hands.
“But, yeah, all the signs are positive at the moment and the chat that I’m having is really positive.”
Maguire appears to have turned a corner since being made available for transfer in the summer of 2023.
West Ham had a bid accepted for the centre-back but Maguire turned it down as he wanted to stay and fight for his place at United.
Maguire is now being picked by new boss Ruben Amorim, who has deployed a back three since taking the reigns.
Speaking of his adjusted role, Maguire added: “I’ve been injured when he first joined, so I’ve just got buy myself a bit of time and they’re looking after my minutes, so I haven’t been able to play back-to-back games yet.
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AMAD DIALLO left Manchester City stunned as he turned the derby on its head.
The flying winger won a penalty, converted by Bruno Fernandes, in the dying embers to level it up.
But the best was yet to come as Amad flicked past an onrushing Ederson before expertly slotting in a dramatic winner from a tight angle deep into injury time.
Here’s how SunSport’s Neil Custis rated the Man Utd players…
Andre Onana – 6
He just does not fill you with confidence. Does not command his area and as we found out midweek in Plzen, his distribution from the back is a major plus for the opposition.
Wasn’t tested that much however.
Lisandro Martinez – 7
Looking a calmer presence under Amorim than he did before when he seemed to want to live up to his nickname from his Ajax days of ‘The Butcher of Amsterdam’.
Great through ball at the end to pick out Amad’s run for the winner.
Harry Maguire – 8
Had a great battle with Erling Haaland which the United man won.
The right call to bring the former captain in for such a big game. Looks like he suits the position in the centre of that back three.
Matthijs de Ligt 78′ – 7
A decent enough performance. Looked more comfortable alongside Maguire than other centre-back partners.
Diogo Dalot – 5
Mistimed his jump to be beaten to the ball by Josko Gvardiol for the City opener. Did not create enough going forward from his wing-back role.
Bruno Fernandes – 8
Missed a big chance after being put through by Hojlund and clipping the ball wide.
But when the moment comes from the penalty spot he is a cool head in the hottest of atmospheres sending Ederson the wrong way to equalise
Manuel Ugarte – 7
Sat in front of the back four and negated much of what Phil Foden was trying to do for the home side.
Noussair Mazraoui 78′ – 8
The best of the summer buys. Used as the right wing back on this occasion and is able to adjust to whatever is asked of him. One of United’s best performers on the day.
Mason Mount 13′ – 6
Looked very close to tears when he had to come off after early in the game. He is just getting no luck whatsoever with injuries and has not had a decent run since joining the club.
Amad Diallo 90′ – 9
The greatest moment of his career so far with a memorable derby winner. A brilliant run first of all to meet Martinez’ pass, he then clipped the ball past Ederson and while it was a scuffed finish he got it on target.
Had almost grabbed an equaliser with a flick header before that which was well saved by Ederson.
Then was alert to Nunes back pass to win the penalty that did lead to United drawing level.
Rasmus Hojlund 78′ – 6
Most we saw of him was a head to head confrontation with Walker when the City player slumped to the ground and a little fall of his own when he tried to win a pen.
But then he provided a great through ball for Fernandes which should have brought the equaliser.
Subs
Kobbie Mainoo 13′ – 6
Did a solid job as he came on in a deeper role than Mount and Fernandes moved forward
Joshua Zirkzee 78′ – 6
Not the man who is going to come on and change a game, but he did well to hold onto possession in the closing seconds.
Antony 78′ – 6
Came on to try and make a difference but is lacking the confidence which a lack of starts brings.
Leny Yoro 78′ – 6
Continues to ease himself back to full fitness after that summer injury.
Victor Lindelof 90′ – 6
No time to have any influence on the game.
“Hopefully with 90 minutes under my belt for the first time in two, three months, really.
“I’s nice, it feels good. Obviously playing the back three, I’ve played in numerous times in my career – generally played on the left, but obviously playing in the middle at the moment.
“It feels good, we feel solid. There’s still, like I say, so much more improvement we need to do.”
Speaking of Amorim’s impact, Maguire continued: “I think you can see we have a good structure, a good style of play, the way that he wants us to work.
“But, yeah, I think his demands, he’s tactically very good. He’s proven that he’s a winner.
“And, look, we’re still pretty new. I think he’s been here a month now or so, and we’re really looking forward to where we can go and where we can take this club, and I’m sure he’ll take it in a positive way.”
FORMER darts world champion and ex-rugby player Gerwyn Price has won a huge number of titles during his career.
The three-time Grand Slam Champion – who won the World Darts Championship in 2021 – has had wife Bethan Palmer by his side during his rise to fame.
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Gerywn Price is married to Bethan Palmer.
The former professional rugby player, who is nicknamed ‘The Iceman’, met his future wife when they were both just 17 years old.
The two first crossed paths in their mutual hometown of Markham, Wales.
Palmer has been by Price’s side for years, and was with him when he played as a hooker for Welsh Premier Division sides Neath and Cross Keys.
The sportsman also played for rugby league sides the South Wales Scorpions and the Blackwood Bulldogs.
Price then converted to darts in 2014, ending his rugby career.
Price and Palmer tied the knot in 2018 and held their wedding in their hometown, Markham.
Price’s nickname may be “The Iceman” but he has shown his warmer side with his partner and often thanks her for her support and care.
On their first wedding anniversary, Price paid tribute to his supportive wife.
Praising his spouse, he wrote on Instagram: “Happy first anniversary to the most amazing wife you could ever wish for, Bethan Price.
“There’s not many women that would be as understanding easy going and supportive.
“Love you forever.”
Along with the heartwarming caption, he shared a series of adorable snaps from their wedding day.
Despite her husband’s popularity, Bethan chooses to keep a lower profile.
She is less public online and doesn’t appear to have any public social media accounts.
Bethan does have an Instagram account but, as of December 2023, it is private.
It has been reported that Palmer is a sports manager who acts as an advisor for her famous husband.
Bethan and Gerwyn are both listed as co-directors of the Gerwyn Price Limited company.
The couple founded the Wales-based company in May 2016.
Price and Palmer are parents to two children.
The loved-up couple have two daughters named Emily and Bethany.
Their first baby girl, Emily, was born in 2006.
She then became a big sister to Bethany four years later.
After he won the Grand Slam of Darts in 2018, some people on social media sent Price’s children nasty messages.
After one user sent Emily, who was just 12 years old at the time, a rude message about her father, Price called on his own fans for help.
Price asked his followers on social media to get the troll reported and “kicked off” Twitter, now known as X.
He wrote at the time: “I mean come on my daughter is 12 years of age, I don’t mind the trolling myself I can take it like I do week after week, but this is not on what a pathetic human being if that’s what you can call him….
“Could I get some retweets and some followers to report this bloke and get him kicked off Twitter? Much appreciated.”