A 31-year-old man has admitted killing his girlfriend but denied murder as a court heard how a bitter confrontation preceded the death of the pregnant woman, who suffered more than 60 stab, incised and puncture wounds.

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Stephan Garner is facing trial at Manchester Crown Court over the death of Amber O’Brien, 33, whose body was discovered in the bathroom of the eighth-floor flat they shared in Blackley, north Manchester.

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The court heard that the couple had been experiencing relationship difficulties before the fatal incident on April 18. Their final confrontation reportedly involved accusations of infidelity and a dispute surrounding O’Brien’s decision to terminate her nine-week pregnancy with twins.

Garner has pleaded guilty to manslaughter but denies murder. During his testimony, he described the relationship as troubled and said he had wanted to make things work between them.

“It just felt like it was sometimes impossible to resolve trivial issues. When arguments did occur she wouldn’t move past it, she would continue. I loved her. I cared about her. I was sad about the way things were going. I wanted it to work”
Details of the injuries sustained by O’Brien emerged during the proceedings. A pathologist found that she had suffered more than 60 separate stab, incised and puncture wounds, including 32 to her face and neck.

Her body was found on the bathroom floor of the flat at Somerton Court, where she had been living with Garner. She was naked, covered with a blue tarpaulin and lying in water, according to evidence presented to the court.

The circumstances surrounding her death and Garner’s account of their final confrontation are central to the case.
Jurors previously listened to a recording of a telephone call O’Brien made on April 15 to request a termination of her pregnancy.

When Garner was asked whether he knew she was planning to end the pregnancy, he told the court:

“No, none of it was discussed.”

He explained that O’Brien had asked him to drive her to hospital, telling him she needed to have her kidney checked. According to his testimony, she did not tell him that the visit was connected to her pregnancy.

Garner said he felt betrayed because he had wanted to be present during the scan.

“I felt a bit betrayed by the fact she lied to me about the reason she was going. I wanted to be present during that scan.”

He further told the court that O’Brien informed him during their final confrontation that she had terminated both pregnancies because she did not want to have children with someone she considered a cheater.

Garner said the revelation left him devastated and angry.
The court also heard details of the events on the evening of April 17, hours before O’Brien died.

Garner said he went to a pub in Swinton with a friend, where they consumed cocaine and alcohol.

“We took some cocaine, we drank some alcohol at the pub,”

He said he later dropped O’Brien at her mother’s home before collecting her and returning to his flat with his friend.

According to Garner, the couple began arguing after O’Brien accused him of cheating. He claimed the disagreement escalated and that she dragged him from a chair.

“She was getting more irate. Her behaviour escalated. She was going mad.”

Although he acknowledged that he had not remained completely calm, Garner insisted he had never been violent towards her.

“I wasn’t perfectly calm. I was never violent.”

He also told the court that O’Brien threatened to get another man to assault him, leaving him feeling intimidated. He said he eventually told her to go to her mother’s house.

“I couldn’t diffuse it, it was just escalating more and more. She packed a couple of bags and left basically.”

Garner said he later followed O’Brien in his car because he wanted to settle their disagreement. During a telephone conversation, he claimed he told her that he loved her and did not want her to disturb her family in the early hours.

Jurors heard that O’Brien could be heard saying, ‘we’re done Stephan’.

Garner said he caught up with her and attempted to persuade her to return to the flat.

“I’m in love with you, I don’t want to have these arguments.”

He told the court that she entered his vehicle voluntarily. However, he described their mood during the journey back as tense.

“It was awkward. We were angry with each other.”
After returning to the flat, Garner said he encouraged O’Brien to join him and his friend in the kitchen, but she refused.

He claimed she threw a glass of water at him, slapped him and accused him of flirting with her mother. His friend subsequently left because he felt uncomfortable with the confrontation.

Garner told the court that he left the property but returned at approximately 6.20am. He said O’Brien remained angry and later blocked his path when he attempted to leave again.

According to his account, he felt a blow to the back of his head, which he believed was a punch from O’Brien. He said he turned around and pushed her backwards into a spare bedroom.

Garner claimed that when O’Brien got back up, she was holding a knife that had been kept in the bedroom for renovation work.

He told jurors that they struggled over the weapon and that O’Brien cut his hand during the confrontation.

“I guess it’s a flight or fight response,”

Garner said the knife made contact with O’Brien during the struggle. He claimed the first knife broke before she picked up another one.

Describing the struggle over the weapon, he said:

“We were both struggling for it. I think she put both of her hands on the sharp end. I think both of us have got both of our hands on this knife.

“Then I think I pushed down and it stabs her. I think after that the knife breaks.”

Garner told the court that he eventually took hold of the second knife and stabbed O’Brien.

When his barrister, Ben Myers KC, asked how many times he had stabbed her, Garner said he could not remember.

“I lost control of the situation.”

He said he stopped when O’Brien stopped moving.
During his testimony, Garner attributed his actions to what he described as ongoing abuse throughout the relationship, the dispute over the pregnancy termination and the confrontation involving the knives.

“The constant abuse throughout the relationship, whether it was verbal or physical. Second was her telling me that she had aborted my two children. I felt manipulated and betrayed.

“Her slashing me and trying to stab me with a knife. I snapped because of all this stuff that has happened. When you look at all these factors as a whole that’s how it has made me respond.”

Garner told the court that he felt horrified by what had happened but was afraid to contact the police because he believed officers might not accept his explanation.

He admitted moving O’Brien’s body into the bath, explaining that there had been blood on the floor. He also said he destroyed his mobile phone by throwing it into a lake because he feared arrest.

During questioning, Myers asked whether Garner accepted that he had killed O’Brien.

“Yes.”

Asked whether he accepted that his actions were wrong, Garner replied:

“Of course.”
Garner, of Somerton Court in Blackley, has pleaded guilty to manslaughter but denies murder.

His testimony has provided the court with his account of the couple’s relationship, the dispute surrounding O’Brien’s pregnancy and the events that preceded her death.

The court is examining the circumstances of the fatal confrontation as it considers the murder charge against him.

Nollywood has lost two of its actors, Francis Duru and Stephen Echendu, with news of their deaths emerging separately.

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Francis Duru’s death was announced by his family through a statement shared on his official Instagram page. The family said he passed away following a brief illness.

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The statement reads: “We, the family of Francis Duru, regret to announce his passing following a brief illness.

“We appreciate your prayers, love, and understanding. May his soul rest in perfect peace. Amen.

Duru was a familiar face in the Nigerian movie industry. He began his acting career in 1989 and became well known for playing Ahanna in Rattlesnake, the 1995 film produced by late filmmaker Amaka Igwe.

Meanwhile, Stephen Echendu reportedly died on Saturday and was buried on Tuesday. Further details about his death were not provided in the information available.

The deaths of both actors have brought sadness to those who follow Nollywood and remember their contributions to the Nigerian film industry.

An Amazon employee, Laura Danbom, has filed a lawsuit against the company, claiming she was raped by a senior executive during a business trip to New York City and that the company later instructed her not to discuss the incident at work.

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Danbom, who works at Amazon’s Seattle headquarters as a marketing and operations manager for Amazon Web Services, filed the lawsuit this week.

She accused the e-commerce giant of creating a hostile work environment and violating Washington State’s Silenced No More Act, which protects people who speak out about workplace misconduct from retaliation.

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According to the complaint filed in a Seattle state court, the incident happened on October 27, 2023, when Danbom travelled to New York with colleagues, including Michelangelo Simonte, an advertising executive based in Madrid who continues to work for Amazon.

That evening, the group attended an Amazon-hosted event with an open bar before continuing to karaoke bars, with the expenses reportedly covered by the company.

The complaint states that Danbom and Simonte flirted, joked and got along during the evening. At the end of the night, Simonte kissed her and persuaded her to allow him to accompany her to her hotel room at the Hyatt Place in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighbourhood.

However, Danbom’s lawsuit claims that the encounter took a different turn once they were inside the room.

“In Laura’s hotel room, during the early morning hours, Simonte raped her,” the complaint states. “Before the rape started, she said no. During the rape, Laura asked him: ‘you realize this is,’ and Simonte finished her sentence saying ‘rape? Yes.’ He ignored her protests. He raped her.”

The following day, Danbom reported the incident to the New York Police Department, according to the complaint. She reportedly handed officers a condom Simonte had left behind and underwent a rape examination.

The lawsuit further states that a detective monitored a phone conversation between Danbom and Simonte in the hope of obtaining information about the incident. During the call, Simonte reportedly said he was “200% sure” they had never had sexual intercourse.

However, according to the complaint, he later told police during an interview that he was too intoxicated to remember what happened.

Simonte did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent through LinkedIn.

Danbom’s lawyer, Jay Free, said the NYPD did not refer the case to prosecutors after investigators concluded they had exhausted their investigative options. The lawsuit also claims that police failed to interview people Danbom said she had spoken to immediately after the incident, including another Amazon employee.

Two days after the incident, Danbom reported it to Amazon’s human resources department. She also told friends and her therapist about what she said had happened.

Amazon subsequently launched an internal investigation and placed Simonte on a leave of absence lasting several months, according to Danbom. However, the company ultimately concluded that he had not violated its policies.

The lawsuit states that Amazon described Danbom’s account as “unfounded due to lack of evidence” and treated the matter as a “he said, she said” situation.

Danbom claims the company’s investigation was incomplete because investigators did not speak with witnesses who could support her account or collect other available evidence.

She also accused Amazon of asking questions that made her feel responsible for preventing the incident, including challenging her over whether she had shouted “no.”

“Before the rape began, she said no. No means no,” the lawsuit states. “This is shameful questioning by a leading employer in 2024.”

According to the complaint, Amazon told Danbom that the matter could be reopened if New York prosecutors brought charges against Simonte. She also claims the company instructed her not to discuss the matter at work, describing the allegation as “highly confidential.”

“It prevented me from warning other women who might interact with him at events,” Danbom told The Post.

The lawsuit further states that Laura was initially told her role would remain unchanged and that she would still be expected to communicate directly with Simonte through phone calls, emails and remote meetings.

In response to the lawsuit, Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said the company takes reports of sexual misconduct seriously.

“We take any allegation of this nature extremely seriously, and we have zero tolerance for workplace sexual misconduct or violence of any kind. We thoroughly investigate each report we receive and take appropriate action, up to and including termination, against those who are found to have violated our policies,” Nantel said.

She added that Amazon has policies and trained investigators to ensure complaints are handled appropriately, but declined to comment further because the case is ongoing.

Laura told The Post that she took two leaves of absence following the incident. She said she applied for 10 positions within Amazon before moving to a different role in 2024, where she would no longer need to interact with Simonte.

She said “It was really an escape.

“The position was a lateral move. I was on a path for a promotion and had to walk away from that.”

Danbom is seeking compensation for lost wages, including back pay and future lost earnings, bonuses and other employment benefits. The amount will be determined through the legal proceedings.

The lawsuit contains Danbom’s allegations, which have not been established as findings of fact in court. The case remains ongoing.

An Akwa Ibom woman identified as Hanson Cooler has taken to Facebook to express her anger towards family members who she says have put her under pressure to support them financially because she is married to a white man.

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In a post shared on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, Hanson accused some relatives of causing her stress, pain and losses because they believe her marriage means she is responsible for taking care of them and everything they own.

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Expressing her frustration, she wrote:

“To every FAMILY MEMBER who has put me in so much stress, discomfort, pains and loss, just because you feel marrying “ a white” is a job, and as such I am owing you, and I should be taking care of you and ALL you owned, it shall never be well with you.

“Your own homes too shall NEVER experience peace. You shall loose more than you earn too. You and whoever is supporting you, your own too shall spoil unless you kpai God.”

A 76-year-old woman, identified as Grace Edge, has been arrested and charged in connection with the shooting deaths of her ex-husband, Wallace Truman Edge, 75, and his girlfriend, Pamela Cook, 40, in Georgia, United States.

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According to reports, the incident happened on Monday afternoon when Grace allegedly went to the couple’s residence on McNatt Falls Road in Uvalda, Toombs County, and opened fire.

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Wallace and Pamela were reportedly shot four times each. Pamela’s 55-year-old mother was also inside the home when the shooting occurred. She immediately called 911 for help but was shot in the arm during the incident.

During the emergency call, Pamela’s mother told the dispatcher: “She just come in start shooting”

When asked whether there had been an argument before the shooting, the frantic caller replied, “No, she come in just shooting.”

Authorities said Wallace and Grace had been divorced for more than a decade but had maintained an on-and-off relationship over the years. However, Wallace had recently started dating Pamela, a development investigators believe may have contributed to the incident.

“Mr. Edge had started dating Pamela, and it appears that based on information we received that Grace was not accepting of the situation,” Toombs County Sheriff Jordan Kight told WTOC.

Grace was arrested shortly after the shooting. According to Sheriff Kight, she appeared to have driven directly from the scene to the sheriff’s office.

“We believe she had drove straight from the residence where this happened and drove straight here to the sheriff’s office,” Kight said.

The sheriff also revealed that the former couple had repeatedly contacted police over domestic disputes and other incidents involving one another.

Grace is facing seven charges in connection with the shooting, including two counts of malice murder, two counts of murder and three counts of aggravated assault.

She is being held at the Toombs County Detention Center while awaiting her first court appearance.

A woman identified as Sammy has shared her shocking experience of discovering she was pregnant only hours before giving birth, after initially believing she was suffering from a urinary tract infection (UTI).

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During an interview with The Morning, Sammy explained that she had experienced unusual symptoms for some time but never suspected that she was pregnant.

According to her, she initially mistook the discomfort for menstrual cramps and other issues, while changes in her body appeared to be connected to her weight-loss journey.

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Sammy revealed that she had lost a total of 10 stone, and she believed her weight loss could explain why her periods had become irregular or stopped altogether.

Speaking about her experience, she said she had been feeling unusual discomfort around her intimate area and decided to seek medical attention after the symptoms persisted.

She explained:

“I’d been feeling a bit odd.

“I felt just a bit heavy, a bit dry, and a bit sad down there. It’d been like that for a while and I wasn’t sure what it was, so I had a smear test in August, I would have been eight months pregnant then but didn’t know obviously.

“It all came back fine, I wanted to eliminate that first. And then I thought… enough’s enough, I need to go get it looked at. I explained the symptoms to the doctor, and they said, let’s do some tests.”

Sammy also disclosed that she had noticed what felt like a fat tyre around her stomach but attributed the change to her weight-loss journey rather than pregnancy.

When she visited the hospital, medical staff carried out tests for a urinary tract infection and pregnancy. However, the pregnancy test reportedly returned a negative result, despite showing a faint line.

Doctors also investigated the possibility of a hernia but were unable to identify the cause of her symptoms. She was eventually sent home and asked to take another pregnancy test, which came back positive.

Despite the result, Sammy said she was not immediately alarmed and intended to wait for a further pregnancy scan before fully processing the news.

She took antibiotics for the UTI and continued with her normal routine. However, her condition took a dramatic turn when she developed severe pain in the middle of the night.

Initially believing she was experiencing menstrual cramps, she soon realised the pain was becoming unbearable.

“It progressed and got worse,” she recalled.

Sammy was rushed to the hospital, accompanied by her father. It was there that medical staff informed her that she was in labour.

Recalling the moment, she said:

“I was crying in pain, and they said, ‘You’re in labour,’ and I said, ‘No, I can’t be.'”

She eventually gave birth to a baby boy but revealed that she was still experiencing severe pain immediately after delivery and required stitches.

Describing how difficult it was to process everything that had happened, she added:

“When I gave birth to him, I was still very much in pain, I had stitches and things like that, I was like, ‘Oh gosh I’ve had a baby,’ but I’m still in horrendous pain, so I didn’t get a chance immediately to be like, ‘Oh I’ve had a baby'”

Guatemalan evangelist pastor Abraham Ixcotoyac could face up to five years in prison over an incident involving his 15-year-old daughter, Yuleidy Ixcotoyac, who was declared dead before waking up during her funeral hours later.

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The incident occurred in Guatemala on October 10, when Yuleidy reportedly lost consciousness while her father was driving her to a medical centre in the early hours of the morning. She was subsequently declared dead.

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However, about eight hours later, during her funeral, the teenager reportedly began moving before opening her eyes and sitting upright, leaving mourners shocked.

Following the incident, Guatemala’s Public Prosecutor’s Office launched a formal investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the teenager’s reported death and the events that followed.

The Sacapulas Municipal Prosecutor’s Office is working with regional prosecutors to determine why Yuleidy was declared dead without medical certification and whether negligence or other criminal wrongdoing was involved.

According to international media reports, investigators are examining whether the case involves the simulation of a crime, gross negligence or other irregularities.

The National Institute of Forensic Sciences (INACIF) confirmed that Yuleidy had not been taken to a morgue and that no official death certificate had been issued.

Authorities are also investigating whether medical procedures and health protocols were breached and whether anyone involved in the incident could face legal consequences.

Abraham Ixcotoyac could face up to five years behind bars if investigators establish his criminal responsibility. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities work to determine exactly what happened.

Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff has escaped a shooting attack in Mumbai, India, after gunmen on a motorcycle reportedly opened fire at his vehicle in the upscale Juhu district on Sunday evening.

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The 36-year-old actor was leaving a venue when the attackers allegedly targeted his vehicle. Although Shroff escaped without gunshot injuries, two people, including his driver, were wounded and taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Mumbai Police Deputy Commissioner Mohit Garg confirmed that the actor was safe and under police protection following the incident. He also said that several specialised police teams had been deployed to investigate the shooting.

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In connection with the attack, police in Rajasthan detained three suspects at Kota railway station while they were travelling on a Pune-Jaipur train.

According to Police Superintendent Tejaswani Gautam, preliminary questioning revealed that two of the detained suspects had previous criminal records involving theft and firearms-related offences.

Investigators are also examining claims circulating on social media from individuals who say they have links to the Lawrence Bishnoi criminal network. However, authorities have yet to establish an official motive for the shooting.

Police investigations are ongoing as officers work to establish the circumstances surrounding the attack and determine the suspects’ possible involvement.

Barbara Thornhill has been trending on social media following her appointment as the next director of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking under the Trump administration.

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The discussion began after her portrait was shared online, prompting some social media users to comment on her appearance. Several users questioned whether she had undergone reconstructive surgery on her face, although no evidence was provided to support the speculation.

Sharing her photograph, a Republican official at the Department of State welcomed Thornhill to the team and highlighted the importance of her new role in combating human trafficking.

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The official wrote: “Ambassador Thornhill, welcome to the team. I’m proud to have such a dedicated leader join us as Ambassador-at-Large to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons. Human trafficking is a grave human rights issue and a transnational crime exploiting men, women, and children for profit. We will continue to go after traffickers, protect survivors, and deliver justice for the American people”

A baby born with two heads and one body is fighting for his life after doctors discovered that he was experiencing breathing difficulties.

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The baby was reportedly delivered by Caesarean section at around 32 weeks of pregnancy and weighed 2.25kg (4lb 15oz) at birth.

Despite his struggle to breathe, doctors also diagnosed him with dicephalic parapagus, a rare form of conjoined twinning in which two distinct heads are positioned side by side on a single shared torso.

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The birth took place at MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur, Odisha, India, where doctors confirmed that the baby was in critical condition.

According to the hospital’s chief of paediatric surgery, Dr Manas Ranjan Sahu, the baby has two spinal columns but shares one heart and one liver. He also has one pair of arms and legs, a single genital and urinary tract, male external genitalia and no anal opening.

The hospital superintendent, Dr Sudeepa Dash, said a multidisciplinary medical team had been formed to manage the baby’s complex condition.

However, doctors have warned that his chances of survival may be poor because of the multiple abnormalities and associated health complications.

The baby’s 22-year-old mother was transferred to the hospital for specialist care before giving birth.

The child is the couple’s first baby, while his father works as a daily-wage labourer.