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Harry Styles has paid tribute to his former bandmate Liam Payne saying his energy was “infectious” and the time spent together would be “among the most cherished years of my life”.

The Watermelon Sugar popstar said in a post on Instagram on Thursday evening he was “truly devastated” by the death of Payne, with whom he shot to fame as part of boy band One Direction.

Payne, 31, died after plunging to his death from the third floor of a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina’s capital.

The circumstances of his death were suspicious and possibly involved drugs, Argentinian prosecutors have said, but there was no sign of third-party involvement.

“His greatest joy was making other people happy and it was an honour to be alongside him as he did it,” Styles said.

“Liam lived wide open, with his heart on his sleeve, he had an energy for life that was infectious.

“He was warm, supportive and incredibly loving. The years we spent together will forever remain among the most cherished years of my life. I will miss him always, my lovely friend.

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“My heart breaks for Karen, Geoff, Nicola and Ruth, his son Bear, and all those around the world who knew him and loved him, as I did.”

Read more:
Liam Payne obituary
Liam Payne in pictures: A life in the spotlight
Payne posted on social media in hours before death

Tributes to the 31-year-old singer have been pouring in from all over the world since the shocking news of his death emerged.

One Direction issued a statement saying they were “completely devastated” by “the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly”.

On his Instagram page, fellow One Direction member Louis Tomlinson said he had “lost a brother”.

Calling the singer “an incredible songwriter with a great sense of melody”, he said they “got even closer since the band” and offered to be an uncle to Payne’s son, Bear if he “ever needs me”.

File photo dated 19/02/14 of (left to right) Zayn Malik, Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson and Nial Horan from One Direction with their Awards in the press room at the 2014 Brit Awards at the O2 Arena, London.. Liam Payne has died after falling from the third floor of a hotel in Buenos Aires, according to local officials. He was 31. Issue date: Wednesday October 16, 2024.
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L to R, Zayn Malik, Styles, Payne, Louis Tomlinson and Nial Horan from One Direction. Pic: PA

Zayn Malik posted simply “Love You Bro”, along with a picture of the two of them asleep together, seemingly in a vehicle.

‘Heartbroken’

His family said they were “heartbroken” in a statement issued through Payne’s representative.

“Liam will forever live in our hearts and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul.

“We are supporting each other the best we can as a family and ask for privacy and space at this awful time.”

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The 31-year-old singer died after falling from the third floor, police said

Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood, who performed with One Direction in 2014, said he was “shocked and saddened”.

The Backstreet Boys said in a social media post that their hearts go out to “Directioners around the world.”

The production company behind the film One Direction: This is Us, hailed Payne as a “truly wonderful soul”, before adding in a post on Instagram: “Every room was brighter for him being in it.”

Former X Factor judge Sharon Osbourne said the music industry had failed Payne, who was “just a kid” when he entered “one of the toughest industries in the world”.

Payne previously said he struggled with alcoholism at the peak of his success, describing hitting “rock bottom” to The Diary Of A CEO podcast host Steven Bartlett.

But in 2023 he posted a YouTube video confirming he was almost six months sober after nearly 100 days in a US rehab facility.

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As fans mourn his loss, Sky News takes a look back at Payne’s life

In past interviews, Payne alluded to the gruelling consequences of growing up against the surreal backdrop of the entertainment industry.

“I don’t think you can ever deal with that. It’s all a bit crazy for us to see that people get in that sort of state of mind about us and what we do,” he told the AP in 2013.

What do we know about Payne’s death so far?

Pictures from  Liam Payne's hotel room in Buenos Aires. Pic: Buenos Aires Police
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Evidence of damage in Payne’s hotel room. Pic: Buenos Aires Police

Pictures from Payne's hotel room in Buenos Aires. Pic: Buenos Aires Police
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Pictures from Payne’s hotel room in Buenos Aires. Pic: Buenos Aires Police

The Buenos Aires police said they found Payne’s hotel room “in complete disarray” with broken objects and furniture.

They found packs of clonazepam, a central nervous system depressant, energy supplements and over-the-counter medications strewn about his belongings. The Argentine public prosecutor said there also appeared to be alcohol and narcotics in the room.

Forensics teams reported that a whiskey bottle, lighter and mobile phone were retrieved from the building’s internal courtyard where Payne’s body was found.

One of his close friends has shown Sky News messages he sent her hours before he died.

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The results of the requested toxicology tests are pending and could take weeks to become public.

:: Anyone feeling emotionally distressed can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK.

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Police search for missing sisters last seen three days ago near Aberdeen river

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Police search for missing sisters last seen three days ago near Aberdeen river

Specialist search teams, police dogs and divers have been dispatched to find two sisters who vanished in Aberdeen three days ago.

Eliza and Henrietta Huszti, both 32, were last seen on CCTV in the city’s Market Street at Victoria Bridge at about 2.12am on Tuesday.

The siblings were captured crossing the bridge and turning right onto a footpath next to the River Dee in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club.

Henrietta Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
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Henrietta Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland

Eliza Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland
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Eliza Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland

Police Scotland has launched a major search and said it is carrying out “extensive inquires” in an effort to find the women.

Chief Inspector Darren Bruce said: “Local officers, led by specialist search advisors, are being assisted by resources including police dogs and our marine unit.”

Aberdeenshire Drone Services told Sky News it has offered to help in the search and is waiting to hear back from Police Scotland.

The Huszti sisters. Pic: Police Scotland
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CCTV of the sisters. Pic: Police Scotland

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The sisters, from Aberdeen city centre, are described as slim with long brown hair.

Police said the Torry side of Victoria Bridge where the sisters were last seen contains many commercial and industrial units, with searches taking place in the vicinity.

The force urged businesses in and around the South Esplanade and Menzies Road area to review CCTV footage recorded in the early hours of Tuesday in case it captured anything of significance.

Drivers with relevant dashcam footage are also urged to come forward.

CI Bruce added: “We are continuing to speak to people who know Eliza and Henrietta and we urge anyone who has seen them or who has any information regarding their whereabouts to please contact 101.”

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Britain’s gas storage levels ‘concerningly low’ after cold snap, says owner of British Gas

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Britain's gas storage levels 'concerningly low' after cold snap, says owner of British Gas

Britain’s gas storage levels are “concerningly low” with less than a week of demand in store, the operator of the country’s largest gas storage site said on Friday.

Plunging temperatures and high demand for gas-fired power stations are the main factors behind the low levels, Centrica said.

The UK is heavily reliant on gas for its home heating and also uses a significant amount for electricity generation.

As of the 9th of January 2025, UK storage sites are 26% lower than last year’s inventory at the same time, leaving them around half full,” Centrica said.

“This means the UK has less than a week of gas demand in store.”

The firm’s Rough gas storage site, a depleted field off England’s east coast, makes up around half of the country’s gas storage capacity.

Gas storage was already lower than usual heading into December as a result of the early onset of winter.

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Combined with stubbornly high gas prices, this has meant it has been more difficult to top up storage over Christmas.

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UK’s first taxpayer-funded injection room to open in radical move to tackle drugs epidemic

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UK's first taxpayer-funded injection room to open in radical move to tackle drugs epidemic

Glasgow has been a city crying out for solutions to a devastating drugs epidemic that is ravaging people hooked on deadly narcotics. 

We have spent time with vulnerable addicts in recent months and witnessed first-hand the dirty, dangerous street corners and back alleys where they would inject their £10 heroin hit, not knowing – or, in many cases, not caring – whether that would be the moment they die.

“Dying would be better than this life,” one man told me.

It was a grim insight into the daily reality of life in the capital of Europe’s drug death crisis.

Scotland has a stubborn addiction to substances spanning generations. Politicians of all persuasions have failed to properly get a grip of the emergency.

But there is a new concept in town.

From Monday, a taxpayer-funded unit is allowing addicts to bring their own heroin and cocaine and inject it while NHS medical teams supervise.

A dirty needle thrown less than 100 metres from the new injection centre
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A dirty needle thrown less than 100 metres from the new injection centre

It may be a UK-first but it is a regular feature in some other major European cities that have claimed high success rates in saving lives.

Glasgow has looked on with envy at these other models.

One supermarket car park less than a hundred metres from this new facility is a perfect illustration of the problem. An area littered with dirty needles and paraphernalia. A minefield where one wrong step risks contracting a nasty disease.

Drugs paraphernalia in a supermarket car park in Glasgow, near the new facility
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Drugs paraphernalia in a supermarket car park in Glasgow, near the new facility

It is estimated hundreds of users inject heroin in public places in Glasgow every week. HIV has been rife.

The new building, which will be open from 9am until 9pm 365 days a year, includes bays where clean needles are provided as part of a persuasive tactic to lure addicts indoors in a controlled environment.

There is a welcome area where people will check in before being invited into one of eight bays. The room is clinical, covered in mirrors, with a row of small medical bins.

Clean needles are provided to lure addicts to inject in a controlled environment
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Clean needles are provided to lure addicts to inject in a controlled environment

One of the eight bays users can inject in
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There are eight bays users can inject in

We were shown the aftercare area where users will relax after their hit in the company of housing and social workers.

The idea is controversial and not cheap – £2.3m has been ring-fenced every year.

The aftercare area
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The aftercare area

Read more: ‘Dying would be better than my £1,000 a month heroin addiction’

Authorities in the city first floated a ‘safer drug consumption room’ in 2016. It failed to get off the ground as the UK Home Office under the Conservatives said they would not allow people to break the law to feed habits.

The usual wrangle between Edinburgh and London continued for years with Downing Street suggesting Scotland could, if it wanted, use its discretion to allow these injecting rooms to go ahead.

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The stalemate ended when Scotland’s most senior prosecutor issued a landmark decision that it would not be in the public interest to arrest those using such a facility.

One expert has told me this new concept is unlikely to lead to an overall reduction in deaths across Scotland. Another described it as an expensive vanity project. Supporters clearly disagree.

The question is what does success look like?

The big test will be if there is a spike in crime around the building and how it will work alongside law enforcement given drug dealers know exactly where to find their clients now.

It is not disputed this is a radical approach – and other cities across Britain will be watching closely.

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