The Kremlin has denied Vladimir Putin fled Moscow by plane after claiming Russia is ‘facing treason’ from members of the mutinous Wagner group. One of several planes that Putin uses for official visits took off from Moscow at 2.15pm local time, according to Flight Radar, which tracks aircraft in real-time. Less than half an hour later, it went off radar about 150 kilometres from Mr Putin’s official residents. “Putin is working at the Kremlin,” his spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the Tass news agency when asked about reports of him going to the north-west, possibly St Petersburg. FlightRadar data reported that at 15:06 that the plane disappeared from radars near the Tver region. It is believed one of Putin’s residences is located in the Tver region. Deputy premier Denis Manturov, left Russia for Turkey on Saturday, according to multiple reports. It comes after Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin claimed he and his troops had taken control of key sites in Rostov-on-Don, a major logistical hub, including the airfield. An audio message on the social media app Telegram detailed Prigozhin’s fighters had crossed the border and were “ready to die” in confrontation with those in their way. “All of us are ready to die. All 25,000, and then another 25,000,” he said, after earlier accusing the Russian top brass of launching strikes against his men,” he said. “We are dying for the Russian people.” Prigozhin later took to the Wagner Telegram channel to share a chilling message for the Russian president. “Putin made the wrong choice. All the worse for him,” he wrote. “Soon we will have a new president.” However, Putin was quick to double-down on those working outside his regime and warned on Saturday morning of “inevitable punishment” for anyone dividing Russian society. “This is a criminal campaign. It is equivalent to armed mutiny,” Putin said. “Russia will defend itself and repel this move. We are fighting for the life and security of our citizens and our territorial integrity. “In the face of those who are fighting on the front, this is a stab in the back of the troops and the people of Russia.” Wagner are a private paramilitary group run by Prigozhin who currently claims to have more than 25,000 fighters under his command. Read More Ukraine-Russia war – live: Furious Putin calls Wagner mutiny ‘treason’ and ‘mortal blow’ to troops Rishi Sunak ‘in touch with allies’ about Wagner group rebellion in Russia Is this the end for Putin? His country now stands on the edge of civil war The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary

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A 12-year-old boy has been charged with murder after he allegedly shot and killed a Sonic employee in northern Texas, police said. The boy and a 20-year-old, Angel Gomez, visited a Sonic restaurant in Keene, Texas on Sunday night. Mr Gomez allegedly began acting unruly in the parking lot and began urinating near the restaurant, prompting an employee, Matthew Davis, 32, to confront him, according to CBS News. The confrontation between Mr Davis and Mr Gomez escalated into violence, at which point the 12-year-old allegedly grabbed an assault rifle the two had been traveling with and shot the Sonic employee several times, according to police. The boy fired at least six shots from the rifle, according to KTVT's reporting. Mr Gomez and the 12-year-old then fled the scene. Police were called in response to the shooting, where they found Mr Davis lying in the parking lot around 9:40pm. Mr Davis was reportedly struggling to breathe when they found him. He was rushed to a hospital for surgery but ultimately died from his injuries. Mr Gomez reportedly returned to the Sonic after the shooting and was arrested on murder charges. Police then tracked down the juvenile in Rio Vista, approximately 15 miles away, and took him into custody on murder charges. Law enforcement searched the home and located several firearms. A cross was erected and flowers have been left at the Sonic in memory of Mr Davis, who was the father to a 10-year-old son, according to NBC5. Jane Baggett, a local resident who stopped by the Sonic to contribute to the memorial, said she was regretful there was nothing more the community could do for Mr Davis. “I wish there was more that we could do, but right now if they could just see that support and love, and maybe, even if we didn’t know him, [know] his life mattered to many of us,” she told NBC5. A spokesperson for Sonic also released a statement acknowledging the attack. “We are saddened to learn about the tragedy involving a franchised team member in Keene, TX. The franchisee is cooperating fully with local authorities as they conduct their investigation.” A GoFundMe has been established to help pay for Mr Davis' funeral costs. Read More New Mexico shooter, 18, roamed community armed with three guns firing randomly at cars and homes, police say A pregnant woman reported her boyfriend’s abuse. He wasn’t arrested until after her murder over an abortion New Mexico gunman who killed 3 and injured 6 shot randomly at cars, houses, police say

Chris Pratt has shared why he believes people shouldn’t wait to start a family. The Guardians of the Galaxy star, 43, recently spoke to Men’s Journal about how becoming a father has made him a better actor. Pratt shares son Jack, 10, with ex-wife Anna Faris and daughters Lyla Maria, two, and Eloise Christina, one, with wife Katherine Schwarzenegger. Pratt explained that fatherhood has made him a more versatile actor because he sees being a parent as a “tool” to tap into his “emotional potential” during a scene. “That instinct you have to protect them – those are all things you can try to fake, but it doesn’t really come close to what you have access to when you’ve lived it,” he told the outlet on 8 June. “For me, having kids is what it’s all about, and how it’s benefitted me as an actor is a pleasant byproduct.” The Parks and Recreation alum went on to encourage others to have children as soon as possible because of the joy that it brought to his own life. “People say all the time, ‘Don’t rush to have kids,’” Pratt said. “I personally disagree. Rush. Have them. Of course, make sure you find a great partner, but don’t wait.” He then recalled a conversation he had with actor Adam Sandler, who told him: “Every day you wait is a day they don’t get to have you in their life.” “The younger you have kids, the more time they get to have with you,” Pratt continued. “It’s wild. Having kids is incredible. The things you normally take for granted in life are new.” Chris Pratt has often shared glimpses into his life as a father of three on social media. The Jurassic World star was married to Anna Faris in 2009. They welcomed their son Jack in 2012, but announced their split in August 2017. Pratt and Faris finalised their divorce in October 2018, four months after he began dating his current wife, Katherine Schwarzenegger. He proposed to the 33-year-old author in January 2019 and they were married in June that year. They went on to welcome daughter Lyla Maria in August 2020 and daughter Eloise Christina in May 2022. Chris Pratt previously sparked backlash on social media when he praised his wife for giving him a “gorgeous healthy daughter,” as many people noted that his son Jack was born prematurely. He shared an Instagram post of himself and Schwarzenegger in 2021, encouraging his followers to “find someone” who looks at them the way his wife does. “We met in church. She’s given me an amazing life, a gorgeous healthy daughter, she chews so loudly that sometimes I put in my earbuds to drown it out, but that’s love!” the actor wrote in the Instagram caption. “She helps me with everything. In return, periodically, I open a jar of pickles. That’s the trade. Her heart is pure and it belongs to me.” However, many fans accused the actor of being “passive aggressive” towards Faris, who has been open about their son’s health issues in the past. In June 2022, he addressed the backlash towards his social media post by calling out critics. “I said something like, ‘Find someone who looks at you the way my wife looks at me.’ And then I gave her some sh*t in the thing and said, ‘But I love you. I’m so thankful for my wife – she gave me a beautiful, healthy daughter,’” he told Men’s Health at the time. “And then a bunch of articles came out and said, ‘That’s so cringeworthy. I can’t believe Chris Pratt would thank her for a healthy daughter when his first child was born premature. That’s such a dig at his ex-wife,’” he recalled. “And I’m like, That is f**ked up. My son’s gonna read that one day. He’s nine. And it’s etched in digital stone. It really f**king bothered me, dude. I cried about it,” he said. “I was like, I hate that these blessings in my life are – to the people close to me – a real burden.” His wife – Katherine Schwarzenegger – has since revealed that she tries to ignore online criticism, though she’s aware of the negative comments often centred around her husband. “Growing up, hearing people say certain things about my parents, my siblings, my extended family was difficult,” Schwarzenegger told the New York Times, referencing her famous parents Maria Shriver and Arnold Schwarzenegger. “I see what people say,” she said. “But I just know that it’s so far from the reality.” Most recently, Chris Pratt sparked a debate by posting a Mother’s Day tribute in May that didn’t include mention of his ex Anna Faris. Read More Chris Pratt posts Mother’s Day tribute with no mention of co-parent Anna Faris Katherine Schwarzenegger addresses public backlash to Chris Pratt relationship Anna Faris says she’s ‘getting closer’ to ex-husband Chris Pratt and his new wife Katherine Schwarzenegger Chris Pratt says people should ‘rush’ to have children: ‘Don’t wait’ Jamie Foxx’s rep addresses conspiracy Covid vaccine left actor ‘paralyzed and blind’ Mother sparks debate over parent who wouldn’t give daughter cake

At least 13 people have been killed in severe storms lashing parts of Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria. Two people have been confirmed dead and four people are missing in central Greece after torrential rain flooded homes and businesses. The body of an elderly woman was recovered close to a seaside community in the southern Pelion region near the port city of Volos on Wednesday, while 10 people were trapped in the area, Michalis Mitzikos, a local mayor, told Skai television. One man had died on Tuesday after a wall collapsed. Greece has said the weather was the most extreme, in terms of rainfall, since records have been kept. “Yesterday the rainfall was very intense, unprecedented,” said Vasilis Batsios, 44, in Volos. “For 24 hours it was non-stop and there was a lot of water; the amount of water was unbelievable.” Police issued traffic warnings for the cities of Trikala and Karditsa as the rainstorm was not expected to weaken before Thursday. Skiathos, a popular holiday island in the northwest Aegean Sea, has also been hammered by rain, leaving hundreds of British holidaymakers stranded after their flights were cancelled. Jet2, which normally operates many flights between the UK and Skiathos, has cancelled all its Tuesday and Wednesday services. Holidaymakers on the island have been left with “no way to get food” with many currently unable to get to the airport. One stranded tourist said the centre of Skiathos was “underwater” and described the situation as “horrendously scary”. Police have ordered all residents and tourists to stay off the streets and the island’s mayor has put in a request to declare a state of emergency. The Foreign Office has updated its travel advice for Greece, telling British tourists on the island to check the local emergency communication services for updates as the “situation can change quickly”. It comes as the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said that the northern hemisphere experienced its hottest summer on record, fuelled by the climate crisis A flash flood at a campsite in northwest Turkey, near the border with Bulgaria, killed at least five people and and carried away bungalow homes, with three people found dead on Wednesday. Rescuers were still searching for one person reported missing at the campsite. Another two people died in Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city, where Tuesday’s storms inundated hundreds of homes and workplaces in several neighbourhoods. The dead in Istanbul included a 32-year-old Guinean citizen who was trapped inside his basement apartment in the Kucukcekmece district, Turkish broadcaster Haberturk TV reported. The other was a 57-year-old woman who died after being swept away by the floods, the DHA news agency reported. Around a dozen people were rescued after being stranded inside a library, while some subway stations were shut down. Istanbul governor Davut Gul urged motorcyclists to stay at home. In Bulgaria, a storm caused floods on the country’s southern Black Sea coast. The body of a missing tourist was recovered from the sea on Wednesday, raising the overall death toll to three. Border police vessels and drones were assisting efforts to locate another two people still listed as missing. TV footage showed cars and camper vans being swept out to sea in the southern resort town of Tsarevo, where authorities declared a state of emergency. The Met Office said “slow-moving” Storm Daniel crossing would bring further rain to the central Mediterranean region. “Much of the area will see between 50 and 150mm of rain over the next two days from Daniel, as it’s a slow-moving system,” Stephen Dixon, a Met Office spokesperson told The Independent. “There are also strong winds and rough seas throughout the period. Daniel will gradually weaken in a few days’ time.” Greece’s weather service said a village in Pelion received 75.4cm (nearly 30in) of rain late Tuesday, by far the highest level recorded since at least 2006. It noted that the average annual rainfall in the Athens region is around 40cm (15.75in). “There is clear evidence that extreme weather events, such as floods, droughts, and wildfires, are becoming more frequent and more intense with climate change,” Aleksandra Kazmierczak, a climate expert with the European Environment Agency (EEA), told The Independent. “We have seen this across Europe this summer and now unfortunately also in Greece. We need to rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions to avoid the worst consequences of climate change, but it is equally important that we prepare our societies for its current and future impacts.” The WMO and the European Union’s climate change service Copernicus also announced that last month was the hottest August ever recorded. The month was about 1.5C warmer than pre-industrial averages. “The dog days of summer are not just barking, they are biting,” United Nations secretary-general, Antonio Guterres, said in a statement. “Climate breakdown has begun.” Read More Hundreds of Brits stranded in Greece as Skiathos flights are cancelled amid storms Moment Greece flooding sweeps cars into sea as roads turn into fast-flowing rivers Flights back to UK cancelled amid severe Greek island floods US lawmakers visiting The Hague say Russian President Putin is committing genocide in Ukraine ‘Sleaze buster’ Sir Chris Bryant joins Labour frontbench ‘Labour cannot be allowed to bankrupt Britain’, claims Sunak

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