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An American researcher has been rescued from a cave in Turkey more than a week after he fell seriously ill 1,000m (more than 3,000ft) below its entrance.

Mark Dickey, a 40-year-old experienced caver, was on an expedition to map Morca cave in southern Turkey’s Taurus Mountains when he became seriously ill on 2 September with stomach bleeding.

The Speleological Federation of Turkey said he had left the cave after midnight local time and the rescue mission “has ended successfully”.

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Rescue effort to free US man in Turkey cave

Teams from across Europe rushed to the cave – the third deepest in Turkey – when Mr Dickey became too frail to climb out himself and carried him with the help of a stretcher, making frequent stops at temporary camps set up along the way.

Following his rescue, the caver described the experience as a “crazy, crazy adventure”.

“It is amazing to be above ground again,” Mr Dickey said, as he praised the rescue operation.

On Tuesday, Mr Dickey described having to throw up large quantities of blood.

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At one point he did not think he was “going to live” after his consciousness was waning.

Parents filled with ‘incredible joy’

A statement from Mark’s parents, Andy and Debbie Dickey, said the fact their son “has been moved out of Morca Cave in stable condition is indescribably relieving and fills us with incredible joy”.

The American was first treated inside the cave by a Hungarian doctor who went down on 3 September before other physicians and rescuers took turns caring for him.

The rescuers faced steep vertical sections and had to navigate through mud and water at low temperatures in the horizontal sections.

They also had to deal with the psychological toll of staying inside a dark and damp cave for extended periods of time.

Read more:
Mark Dickey sends video message from cave

Italian Alpine rescuers carry Mark Dickey on a stretcher
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Italian Alpine rescuers carry Mark Dickey on a stretcher

A map showing the cave where American Mark Dickey is trapped

Around 190 experts including doctors, paramedics and experienced cavers from Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Italy, Poland and Turkey took part in the rescue.

Teams of a doctor and three to four other rescuers took turns staying by Mr Dickey’s side at all times.

Members of the CNSAS, Italian alpine and speleological rescuers, start to descent on ropes the Morca cave during a rescue operation near Anamur, south Turkey
Pic:CNSAS /AP
Members of the CNSAS, Italian alpine and speleological rescuers, start to descent on ropes the Morca cave during a rescue operation near Anamur, south Turkey
Pic:CNSAS /AP
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Rescuers begin their descent on ropes. Pics: AP

The rescue began on Saturday after doctors, who had administered IV fluids and blood, determined Mr Dickey could make the arduous ascent.

Before the evacuation could begin rescuers had to widen some of the cave’s narrow passages, install ropes to pull him up vertical shafts on a stretcher and set up temporary camps along the way.

Mark Dickey
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Mark Dickey

Mr Dickey, from Croton-on-Hudson, New York, appeared in a video on Thursday, but said he was not “healed on the inside” and needed a lot of help to get out of the cave.

He is an instructor with the US National Cave Rescue Commission (NCRC) and is highly regarded in the international speleological (the study of cave exploration) community and has previously taken part in rescue missions.

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Soulja Boy arrested on suspected weapons charge during traffic stop

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Soulja Boy arrested on suspected weapons charge during traffic stop

Soulja Boy has been arrested and charged with possession of a firearm during a traffic stop.

The rapper, whose real name is DeAndre Cortez Way, was a passenger in the car that was stopped in the Fairfax area of Los Angeles early on Sunday morning, the LAPD said.

“A passenger was detained and police arrested DeAndre Cortez Way for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm,” the statement added.

Possessing a firearm as a convicted felon is a felony.

The 35-year-old was booked into jail in the LAPD’s Wilshire Division shortly after 6am. It is not clear if he has since been released.

Police did not provide information on what prompted the traffic stop and who else was in the vehicle with Way.

Soulja Boy is yet to publicly comment on the incident.

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Man tries to detonate 14 IEDs while being arrested
Trump orders two nuclear subs closer to Russia

Soulja Boy is best known for his 2007 hit Crank That, which topped the Billboard Hot 100 for seven weeks and landed him a nomination for best rap song at the Grammys.

The rapper was arrested and charged with a felony in 2014 for carrying a loaded gun during a traffic stop in LA.

In April this year, the Chicago hip-hop artist was ordered to pay more than $4m (£3m) in damages to his former assistant after being found liable for sexually assault, as well as physically and emotionally abusing them.

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Tennessee: Man tries to detonate 14 explosive devices while being arrested

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Tennessee: Man tries to detonate 14 explosive devices while being arrested

Police in Tennessee have discovered 14 improvised explosive devices in a man’s home as they were arresting him, the local sheriff’s office said.

Officers were executing a warrant in the home of Kevin Wade O’Neal in Old Fort, about 45 miles (70km) east of Chattanooga, after he had threatened to kill public officials and law enforcement personnel in Polk County.

After arresting the 54-year-old, officers noticed “something smouldering” in the bedroom where he was found.

Kevin Wade O'Neal. Pic: Polk County Sheriff's Office
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Kevin Wade O’Neal. Pic: Polk County Sheriff’s Office

On closer inspection, they discovered an improvised explosive device and evacuated the house until bomb squad officers arrived at the scene.

Fourteen devices were found inside the property – none of which detonated.

Improvised explosive devices were found in Kevin Wade O'Neal's home. Pic: Polk County Sheriff's Office
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Improvised explosive devices were found in Kevin Wade O’Neal’s home. Pic: Polk County Sheriff’s Office

Kevin Wade O'Neal's home in Old Fort, Tennessee. Pic: Polk County Sheriff's Office
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Kevin Wade O’Neal’s home in Old Fort, Tennessee. Pic: Polk County Sheriff’s Office

O’Neal was charged with 11 counts of attempted first-degree murder, corresponding to nine officers and two other people inside the property when the suspect tried to detonate the devices.

He also faces 14 counts of prohibited weapons and one count of possession of explosive components.

More on Tennessee

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O’Neal is being held at the Polk County jail and his bond is yet to be determined.

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Trump orders two nuclear subs to be moved closer to Russia

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Trump orders two nuclear subs to be moved closer to Russia

Donald Trump says he has ordered two nuclear submarines to be positioned in the “appropriate regions” in a row with former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev.

It comes after Mr Medvedev, who is now deputy chair of Russia‘s Security Council, told the US president on Thursday to remember Moscow had Soviet-era nuclear strike capabilities of last resort.

On Friday, Mr Trump wrote on social media: “Based on the highly provocative statements of the Former President of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev, who is now the Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, I have ordered two Nuclear Submarines to be positioned in the appropriate regions, just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that.

“Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences, I hope this will not be one of those instances. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

Trump-Russia live: Follow Ukraine war latest

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Trump: ‘We’re going to protect our people’

Speaking outside the White House later in the day, Mr Trump was asked about why he had moved the submarines and replied: “We had to do that. We just have to be careful.

“A threat was made and we didn’t think it was appropriate, so I have to be very careful. So I do that on the basis of safety for our people. A threat was made by a former president of Russia and we’re going to protect our people.”

The spat between Mr Trump and Mr Medvedev came after the US president warned Russia on Tuesday it had “10 days from today” to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine or face tariffs, along with its oil buyers.

Moscow has shown no sign that it will agree to Mr Trump’s demands.

Trump’s move appears to signal a significant deterioration in relationship with Putin

Normally it’s Moscow rattling the nuclear sabres, but this time it’s Washington in what marks a dramatic escalation in Donald Trump’s war of words with the former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev.

More importantly, it appears to signal a significant deterioration in his relationship with Vladimir Putin.

The US president’s patience with the Kremlin was already at its thinnest earlier this week, when he shrank his deadline for progress towards a peace deal from 50 days to 10.

But Russia’s lack of outward concern with this stricter ultimatum – which has swung from dismissive to (in Medvedev’s case) insulting – seems to have flicked a switch.

For this is the first time Trump’s pressure on Moscow has amounted to anything more than words.

We don’t know where the subs are, or how far they had to move to get closer to Russia, but it’s an act that sits several rungs higher than the usual verbal threats to impose sanctions.

How will Russia respond? I’m not sure Vladimir Putin has ever caved to an ultimatum and I doubt he’ll start now.

But I don’t think he’ll want the situation to deteriorate further. So I suspect he’ll make another offer to the US, that’s dressed up as a concession, but in reality may prove to be anything but.

It’s a tactic that’s worked before, but the stakes have suddenly got higher.

Read more:
Who are the winners (if any) and losers of Trump’s tariffs?

On Thursday, Mr Medvedev reminded Mr Trump that Russia possessed a Soviet-era automated nuclear retaliatory system – or “dead hand”.

Mr Medvedev, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, was referring to a secretive semi-automated Soviet command system designed to launch Russia’s missiles if its leadership was taken out in a decapitating strike.

He made the remarks after Mr Trump told him to “watch his words” after Mr Medvedev said the US president’s threat of hitting Russia and its oil buyers with punitive tariffs was “a game of ultimatums” and added that “each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war” between Russia and the US.

Dmitry Medvedev. Pic: Reuters
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Dmitry Medvedev. Pic: Reuters

Mr Medvedev served as Russia’s president from 2008 and 2012, when Mr Putin was barred from seeking a third consecutive term, but then stepped aside to let him run again.

As deputy chair of Russia’s Security Council, he has become known for his provocative and inflammatory statements since Moscow invaded Ukraine in 2022.

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