An unconscious woman lies still on the ground as medics surround her twisted frame.

The 25-year-old has just endured a public flogging, receiving 21 lashes after being convicted by an Indonesian court for breaking Islamic law by sharing a kiss with her partner during a TikTok live-stream.

While this gesture might seem like a simple act of affection, within Aceh—Indonesia’s sole province adhering to a form of Sharia Law—it incurs harsh repercussions.

Pictured writhing in pain as she was repeatedly whipped, the woman is one of the newest victims of Aceh’s severe public punishments, where hooded enforcers beat offenders in front of crowds until they lose consciousness.

Known as ‘algojos’, these stern officers carry out the lashings with rattan sticks in front of Islamic court authorities and curious spectators, a violent display that has drawn criticism from human rights advocates.

Dressed in dark robes that shroud them from head to toe, and their faces concealed by cloaks to maintain anonymity, the algojos are there to inflict pain with every strike. 

Under Sharia Law, people can receive up to 100 lashes for morality offences including adultery and gay sex. 

Caning is also exercised to punish people for gambling and drinking, and for women who wear tight clothes or men who skip Friday prayers. 

The woman and her partner were sentenced to 25 lashes earlier this month, but ended up receiving 21 strokes because they had already spent four months in prison.

Images showed her kneeling and screaming in agony as a masked Sharia police officer repeatedly whipped her. 

Her face appears to contort in pain with each strike before the punishment becomes too much to bear and she loses consciousness. 

Four other people were also publicly caned on the same day for online gambling and adultery.  

Dozens of onlookers watched the caning, with some calling for the officials who carried out the punishment to ‘whip stronger’.

The public nature of the punishments is intended to shame offenders who breach Sharia as well as to inflict pain. 

Horrific images from previous canings show convicts lying on the floor, their bodies distorted as they grimace from the pain. 

It is common for convicts to faint, with pictures and videos often showing them being carried out on a stretcher after they receive their violent punishment. 

Several suffer from agonising wounds. One recent image showed red and purple blistery welts on a man’s bare back after he received several lashes. 

One particularly disturbing video filmed in 2023 showed a woman kneeling in front of a large crowd as she was whipped 22 times before collapsing. 

She is then helped up and taken away as she struggles to walk after being flogged repeatedly. 

Another video taken last year captured multiple men being struck by a robed algojo as crowds watch on.  

Earlier this month, a couple received 27 lashes for physical intimacy, while two men were caned 29 and eight times, respectively, for gambling.

And in May, authorities flogged two men and two women 100 times for having sex outside of marriage. 

Five others were also caned at the time for violations including being in proximity to members of the opposite sex and alcohol consumption.

And in one of the most extreme cases Aceh has seen in recent years, a woman collapsed after she and her partner were caned 140 times each for having sex outside of marriage and drinking alcohol. 

The couple were struck on their backs in January with a rattan stick in a public park while dozens watched. 

The woman fainted after enduring her brutal punishment and had to be escorted by ambulance at the end of the relentless ordeal.  

The woman was pictured kneeling as a masked man whipped her repeatedly with a cane, while another image showed her wiping away tears.

She was also seen being wheeled off in a stretcher following her beatings, while her partner appeared to grimace in pain in separate photographs.

It is thought to be one of the highest numbers of cane lashes imposed since Sharia was implemented after Aceh was granted special autonomy in 2001.

Muhammad Rizal, the head of Banda Aceh’s Sharia police, said at the time: ‘As promised, we make no exceptions, especially not for our own members. This certainly tarnishes our name.’ 

Canings, though not a legal form of punishment in Indonesia, retain strong support in Aceh.

They are often staged outside mosques or in community squares, with crowds watching and photographing the event. 

Indonesia is the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, but officially recognises six religions as well as indigenous beliefs.  

Human rights groups say the public humiliation adds to the cruelty and causes lasting psychological damage.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have repeatedly condemned the practice, saying it violates Indonesia’s constitution and its obligations under international law.

Usman Hamid, the Executive Director of Amnesty International Indonesia, said: ‘Such behaviour might be considered inappropriate because social media is viewed by people of various age groups, including children. 

‘But is it a crime that warrants imprisonment or even caning? That would be excessive.’

Amnesty said in a statement: ‘Caning contravenes Indonesia’s constitution and is in clear violation of international human rights law and standards.

‘It constitutes a cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment and can amount to torture in violation of the UN Convention against Torture and other international covenants, to which Indonesia is a State Party.’

Local officials have defended the practice as a deterrent and as part of the province’s identity. 

However, critics argue it has damaged Indonesia’s human rights reputation and inflicted lasting trauma on those forced to endure it.

The practice also has wide support among Aceh’s mostly Muslim population. 

More than 90 per cent of the 255million people who live in Indonesia describe themselves as Muslim, but the vast majority practice a moderate form of the faith. 

Sharia law in Aceh was introduced in 2002, with further provisions added the following year, after it was granted special autonomy in 2001, an attempt by the central government to quell a long-running separatist insurgency. 

As part of that deal, Aceh won the right to be the only Indonesian province to use Islamic sharia law as its legal code.

Among the measures introduced in 2003 was a ban on a person being alone with someone of the opposite sex who is neither a spouse nor a relative. 

The law also set out punishment for sex crimes, unmarried people engaging in displays of affection, people caught found guilty of adultery and under-age sex.

Religious police in Aceh have been known to target Muslim women without head scarves or those wearing tight clothes, and people drinking alcohol or gambling.

Men and women have collapsed in pain due to the severity of their injuries, and people can be caned for something as innocent as standing too close to a partner in public or being seen alone with someone they are not married to.

Over the past decade, the central government has devolved more power to regional authorities to increase autonomy and speed up development.

In 2018, the province began consulting the public on whether it should introduce beheading as a punishment, although Indonesia’s central government warned such plans would not be permitted under national law.

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — In a tragic incident on Sunday morning, a young girl and her older brother were fatally shot by her ex-boyfriend during a confrontation in Texas, officials report.

According to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, deputies quickly responded to reports of the shooting on West Canino Road in northern Harris County, with the call coming in around 10:50 a.m. local time.

Preliminary findings reveal that the altercation began as the 17-year-old girl stood outside a residence with a toddler. Her 19-year-old ex-boyfriend, reportedly armed, initiated the confrontation, leading to a heated argument.

In a heroic attempt to defuse the situation, the girl’s 29-year-old brother exited the house. He positioned himself protectively before his sister, but tragically, the armed ex-boyfriend opened fire, killing both siblings before fleeing.

When deputies arrived, they immediately began emergency medical procedures until EMS arrived, but despite their efforts, the victims were pronounced dead on the scene. Thankfully, the toddler survived unscathed, authorities confirmed.

HCSO said that its patrol units, along with Humble Police Department officers and police dogs, found the suspect in the 8800-block of Will Clayton Road and took him into custody.

HCSO officials said the investigation remains ongoing and possible charges are pending.

In a significant development, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is gearing up to intensively search for and detain Haitian nationals poised to lose their Temporary Protected Status (TPS). This decision, shared with Fox News by numerous federal insiders, marks a dramatic escalation in operations.

Plans for this expanded operation could kick off as early as this week, signaling a robust federal response.

The pathway for this enforcement action is being cleared by the Supreme Court, which is set to send down its certified judgment to the lower courts on Monday. This move will empower the Trump administration to terminate TPS protections for over 300,000 Haitian individuals.

Federal sources revealed to Fox News that Ohio is expected to be a prominent focus of this operation, primarily because of Springfield’s substantial Haitian community. These operational tactics have been communicated to ICE leadership, ensuring that the agency is fully informed of the plans.

Last month, the Supreme Court reversed lower-court judgments that had postponed the administration’s TPS terminations for Haiti and Syria while litigation continued.

TPS was first granted to Haiti following the country’s devastating 2010 earthquake. The designation allows eligible foreign nationals from countries experiencing armed conflict, natural disasters or other extraordinary conditions to temporarily live and work legally in the United States.

The anticipated enforcement operation follows the Trump administration’s long-running effort to end Haiti’s TPS designation, arguing that the program was never intended to become a permanent form of legal status.

Following the Supreme Court’s decision, White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson called the ruling “a tremendous win” for the administration.

“Today, the Supreme Court affirmed what President Trump has always maintained: temporary protected status is, by definition, temporary. It was never intended to be a pathway to permanent status or legal residency,” Jackson told News Media. “The Trump Administration continues to lawfully end the egregious abuses to our immigration system that have hurt Americans for years.”

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) General Counsel James Percival also praised the ruling in a post on X.

“The Court vindicates DHS yet again,” Percival wrote. “The T in TPS stands for TEMPORARY, yet many of these designations became de facto amnesty. This is a win for the rule of law and common sense.”

The anticipated enforcement operation comes as Springfield remains a focal point in the national immigration debate after the rapid growth of its Haitian community thrust the Ohio city into the national spotlight during the 2024 presidential campaign.

NFL enthusiasts have taken New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel to task, accusing him of using an adorable puppy as a diversion in press conferences amidst swirling affair accusations.

The controversy ignited back in March when the New York Post released intriguing photos depicting Vrabel in a seemingly cozy interaction with Dianna Russini, a former reporter for The Athletic. The pair were seen at an Arizona retreat costing $2,500 per night, exclusively for adults.

Russini, who is married, has consistently denied any indiscretions and maintained confidence in her journalistic work concerning Vrabel. Despite her assertions, she was subsequently placed on leave by The Athletic and eventually resigned, breaking ties with its owner, The New York Times.

In contrast, Vrabel resumed his responsibilities with the Patriots, addressing the media as the team launched its training camp on Friday.

Nonetheless, much of the attention shifted away from Vrabel’s remarks to his unexpected companion—a cute German Shepherd puppy named BB—prompting fan speculation about his intentions for bringing the furry friend to the event.

It didn’t take long for many social media users to accuse Vrabel and the Patriots of attempting to use the adorable animal to ‘deflect’ from the Russini affair scandal. 

The Patriots’ own social media post did little to help that. ‘A puppy at the podium,’ they wrote, alongside a ‘smiling face with hearts’ emoji. 

It’s fair to say, their post didn’t go down well with fans. In response, one said: ‘PR team working overtime here for Vrabel.’

‘Pressers with puppies is the easiest way to: – disarm the tension in the room (which helps the speaker, in this case, Vrabel) – Softens the person’s image to the press (he can’t be that bad with a puppy right? – the thought).

‘The biggest problem (and why it doesn’t work) is in Vrabel’s case, we all see through it. Which then devalues the whole reason of having the puppy with you in the first place. Probably would’ve been better off just not doing the presser at all, if I were to guess.’

Another disgruntled fan said: ‘Please tell me we’re not going to have an NFL coach Herbstreit-ing a dog around all season because he’s in PR trouble, we have to start being adults about this’.

Meanwhile, one fan said: ‘Admin said he can’t be questioned while holding a puppy’. 

‘Okay PR Crisis Control Team, game recognize game. Well-played,’ another said. 

One user jokingly wrote: ‘Is that who he shares the doghouse with?’ 

Recently, Patriots owner Robert Kraft admitted that he has nothing but compassion for New England head coach Vrabel in the wake of the infidelity allegations. 

Speaking at Fanatics Fest in Manhattan on July 17, the 85-year-old billionaire was asked about the upcoming NFL season months after Vrabel admitted to failing the team and his family, albeit without directly admitting to an affair.

‘Well, we’re privileged to have Mike as our head coach,’ Kraft said of the reigning NFL Coach of the Year. ‘You know, no one is infallible. And what’s great about Mike is he has great intellectual knowledge about football – all the technical skills. He relates to the players beautifully.

‘And he’s someone I have a strong belief and faith in. And I hope he’s going to be our head coach for many years to come.’

In April, the Post published pictures purportedly showing Vrabel and Russini kissing at a bar in Manhattan in March of 2020. Russini married Shake Shack executive Kevin Goldschmidt in September of that year and has since given birth to the couple’s two sons.

The Daily Mail also published photos of Vrabel and a pregnant Russini renting a boat on a Tennessee lake in 2021, when he was coaching the Titans and she was reporting on the team for ESPN.

Speaking before the first round of April’s NFL Draft, Vrabel stopped short of confessing to an affair. However, he did admit to causing ‘a distraction to the people that I care most about, my family, this football team, the organization and our fans.’

He would ultimately miss the third day of the draft to attend a family counseling session.

Julia Roberts graced the wedding of her niece, Emma Roberts, to Cody John in Idaho this past weekend, capturing the festive spirit with her presence.

The illustrious star of “Pretty Woman” was among the crowd at the celebration held at the stunning Sun Valley estate, owned by John’s family, on a sunny Saturday afternoon.

Despite the heat, she looked elegant in a long-sleeve, blue-and-white polka-dot dress, comfortably seated in the second row during the ceremony.

At 58, Julia showcased her signature red locks in a chic bun, completing her look with stylish sunglasses for the sun-drenched event.

Joining her was her husband, Danny Moder, who complemented the occasion with a dapper appearance in a gray suit and a striking burgundy tie.

The “My Best Friend’s Wedding” star and Moder, who wed in 2002, appeared overjoyed while watching the bride and groom tie the knot.

Julia also let loose and stepped out to Emma and John’s rehearsal dinner afterparty on Friday night.

The A-listers went bar hopping in Ketchum along with their bridal party, with exclusive photos obtained by Page Six showing Emma taking a smoke break.

The “We’re the Millers” star donned a semi-sheer dress and carried a tote bag that read “hitched” for the outing.

The group stayed out until around midnight before returning to the Sun Valley Lodge. While Julia was present at the afterparty, she wasn’t photographed.

Emma — the daughter of Julia’s brother, Eric Roberts — notably shares a close relationship with her famous aunt.

The duo, who are often spotted at events together, made a stylish appearance at New York Fashion Week in September.

Over the years, Emma has had a rocky relationship with her famous father, with Eric previously sharing on the “Inside of You” podcast in 2024 that the “toughest time” of his life was the “loss of relationship” with his daughter.

The “Dark Knight” actor, 70, also didn’t walk Emma down the aisle Saturday. The “American Horror Story” actress was instead escorted by her 5-year-old son, Rhodes, whom she shares with ex Garrett Hedlund.

Emma seemingly has a good relationship with her mom, Kelly Cunningham, as the matriarch attended her dress fittings.