Celebrity Traitors bosses scrap huge plans for series as epic moment should ‘make great TV’
An ‘epic moment’ has reportedly caught Celebrity Traitors bosses off guard and forced them to scrap huge plans they had for the series. The change will reportedly “make great TV”
The Celebrity Traitors bosses have been forced to scrap a cliffhanger but what has replaces it “will make great TV” according to sources.
The show sees twenty-one famous faces head to The Traitors castle, ready to play the ultimate game of deception and betrayal in the hope of winning a cash prize of up to £100,000 for a charity of their choice.
Fans quickly become invested in the show and to keep viewers hooked it has become known for it’s cliffhangers.
Tonight, viewers will tune in to watch the result of last Friday’s cliffhanger. The all-star line-up will be casting their votes on who to banish from Ardross Castle after the Withnail and I actor battled to convince them he was a faithful.
Actor Richard E. Grant was chosen by host Claudia Winkleman to be a Traitor alongside presenter Maya Jama. However, just minutes into the game, comedian Joe Lycett casually asked him what role he had been given, to which Grant immediately replied, “Traitor!”
He then spent the rest of the premiere manically back-pedaling to convince his fellow contestants that he was actually a Faithful who had simply made a bad joke.
A source told The Sun: “Cliffhangers on The Traitors have become legendary so bosses never want to disappoint and hope to have the nation on tenterhooks all week, waiting for Thursdays to come around – that’s part of the reason the format being fed out twice a week works.
“So they plot out likely moments in gameplay that will be the Friday cliffs. But during filming, something so unbelievable happened even execs didn’t see it coming.
“It forced them to throw plans out the window to accommodate the epic moment – which should make great TV.”
Production firm Studio Lambert decide what elements of the show would make good teasers during pre-production.
Speaking at the launch of the series, executive producer Sarah Fay said: “We always have an idea before going into pre-production what might be cliffhangers but we have to be so reactive because who knows what the story is going to be.
“Last year we went to deadlock [at the Round Table] when it was down to David [Olusoga] and Mark [Bonner] where it was a tie. We never knew that that was going to happen until obviously, it was happening right before our eyes.
“I think the beauty of this game as well is every episode we’ve probably got about three options of what the cliffhanger could be because it’s so nail-biting.”
The Mirror has contacted the BBC press office for comment.
The Celebrity Traitors returns tonight at 8pm on BBC One.
Trump says he won’t let Iran strike L.A. or San Diego: ‘Not going to let that happen’
WASHINGTON — President Trump told a crowd in Texas on Wednesday night that he would not allow Iran to attack San Diego or Los Angeles, a comment that came two days after he made off-the-cuff remarks suggesting the West Coast cities could be struck.
“You want to see a horror show? You want to see problems? Let them hit San Diego, let them hit Los Angeles,” Trump said at a rally. He then assured the crowd: “We are not going to let that happen. We protect our cities. We protect our country.”
The San Antonio crowd cheered the remarks.
Trump’s decision to return to the subject capped two days in which the White House had been on the defensive, and it appeared aimed at tamping down the fallout from remarks he made Monday night that quickly spread online.
Speaking to a crowd in Nebraska, Trump had said: “They can take out a city, let them take out Los Angeles, let them take out San Diego. This is a very small price to pay.”
The comments drew swift condemnation from California leaders, even as the White House communications director, Steven Cheung, insisted the president’s remarks had been taken out of context.
“The media freakout over President Trump’s comments is not rooted in reality,” Cheung wrote Tuesday. “He was clearly stating U.S. cities would have been threatened if a nuclear Iran hadn’t been stopped. America is safer because of the president. Iran has no nuclear, no navy, no air force, and no money.”
But the remarks were enough to rattle many in California and drew backlash from the state’s leaders, including Republican Jim Desmond, a Navy veteran running in a highly competitive U.S. House race.
“I vehemently disagree with President Trump’s comments,” Desmond wrote on social media. “America must stand up to Iran and defend our interests, but the first responsibility of our Commander in Chief is to protect the American people and our homeland.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday opened the state emergency operations center to assess potential threats following Trump’s remarks. San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass also condemned the president for potentially compromising the safety of their cities.
“San Diego is not collateral damage,” Gloria posted on social media. “We are not expendable. And we are never a ‘small price to pay.’ Keep our city out of your reckless war talk.”
Pep Guardiola: Former Man City manager to attend PSG Champions League tie
Pep Guardiola is expected to attend Manchester City‘s Champions League tie against Paris St-Germain next week – the club’s first home match since they were found guilty of the majority of the 115 charges brought against them by the Premier League.
It will mark the first time the Spaniard has returned to Etihad Stadium since he left the club at the end of last season after a decade as manager.
Earlier this month, an independent commission found the club guilty of all charges relating to breaches of the Premier League’s financial regulations between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons.
City continue to deny any wrongdoing and have lodged an appeal against the findings in the Premier League’s report that stated the club falsely inflated commercial revenues by £830m through “sham” contracts.
In the aftermath of the verdict, 55-year-old Guardiola backed City’s owners and leadership and says he will “always” be behind the club.
“I want every single Manchester City fan across the world to know I am here; more than ever,” he posted on social media.
“I am, always have been, always will, be behind my club, my owner, my chairman, Ferran [Soriano], the players, staff, Enzo [Maresca] and you, our unique supporters.
“Let me be clear: we will get through this together. I love you all.”
Why is Guantanamo prison still open? | Prison
Guantanamo Bay opened after the US invasion of Afghanistan and once held hundreds of detainees. Twenty-five years later, the war is over, but the prison remains open. Why? Al Jazeera’s Noor Wazwaz explains.
Published On 8 Oct 2026
Democrats sue US President Trump over taxpayer-funded ad campaign | Donald Trump News
The Democratic National Committee has filed a lawsuit against United States President Donald Trump over television advertisements that were publicly funded and allegedly used to promote his political policies.
Ken Martin, who heads the Democratic Party’s leadership body, suggested in a statement on Wednesday that the ads were designed to bolster Republican odds in the upcoming November 3 midterm elections.
Recommended Stories
list of 3 itemsend of list
“Donald Trump is misusing millions of taxpayer dollars to fund pure propaganda ads in a last-ditch attempt to save Republicans in November,” Martin said.
Later that day, Common Cause, a democracy watchdog group, filed a second lawsuit over the same set of ads.
It argued that the ads were “overtly political” and therefore ran afoul of laws that bar public funds from being used for political propaganda.
“These ads are not public-service announcements,” Common Cause said in its lawsuit, citing a justification Trump has offered for the television spots. “They are personal publicity and political propaganda through and through.”
Both lawsuits argue that, to create the ad campaign, Trump directed the White House to repurpose $20m in funds that Congress allocated for commemorative activities related to border security, including for those killed in the line of duty.
That manoeuvre, they argue, violates the separation of powers established in the US Constitution.
“The founders made clear more than 200 years ago that the executive can spend money only according to Congress’s direction,” Common Cause’s lawsuit said.
The two lawsuits also point to a provision Congress includes in its appropriations bills barring the use of taxpayer funds for “publicity or propaganda purposes”.
Both complaints seek to have the ads declared illegal, and the expenditures stopped. They also call for steps to be taken to recover any money already spent on the ads.
The Democrats’ lawsuit was filed in Washington, DC, while the Common Cause complaint will be heard in the Southern District of New York.
Trump has faced mounting criticism over the ads, which began airing in September.
So far, the advertising campaign has cost more than $12m to run, according to the media tracking firm AdImpact.
The $20m Trump tapped for the ads comes from a $175m package Congress assigned to the Department of Homeland Security as part of Trump’s immigration enforcement agenda.
Critics have pointed out that one of the ads appears nearly identical to a television spot Trump used in his 2024 re-election campaign.
Three ads have aired so far. In one, a choir sings “love me” over a montage of Trump as he declares the US will “never be a communist country”. Another uses images of Mount Rushmore as Trump heralds a new “golden age of America”.
The third is darker: Trump walks towards the camera in black and white, warning of a “final battle” against the “deep state” and other perceived enemies.
On Wednesday, the news agency Reuters and the research firm Ipsos released a poll showing the ads are highly unpopular. Some 86 percent of the Americans surveyed, including four out of five Republicans, said it was inappropriate for Trump to have used public money for them.
Trump has defended the ads as “promotion for the country”, and he has argued they were similar to public outreach campaigns put out by previous administrations.
But after a bipartisan backlash, Trump said on Monday that taxpayer funds would no longer be used for future ads.
He did not, however, commit to paying back the money already spent on the existing ads.
Members of Trump’s Republican Party have been among those speaking out against the ad campaign.
Senator Thom Tillis, a Republican from North Carolina, said the advertisements resembled something former Hungarian leader Viktor Orban would put out.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, meanwhile, indicated he agreed with the message in one of the advertisements, but he emphasised that “it shouldn’t be paid for with taxpayer dollars”.
Dolly Parton’s nephew accused of using ‘no trespassing’ sign, barbed wire to deter process server
Dolly Parton’s estate is alleging that Bryan Seaver, the country icon’s nephew and former head of security, used a “no trespassing” sign and barbed wire to avoid being served legal documents.
There is an active restraining order and lawsuit against Seaver by Parton’s company, She’s Alive LLC, which is run by Parton’s former manager, Danny Nozell, for allegedly threatening and extorting her estate.
Seaver served as Parton’s head of security for more than 20 years and, on Aug. 25, delivered the news of his aunt’s death via a video on her Instagram account.
Legal troubles for Seaver first came to light on Sept. 22 when a case was filed by She’s Alive in Davidson County Chancery Court in Nashville on the heels of Seaver’s termination as head of security. Both Seaver and his company, Squadron Augmented Protection Services LLC, are the defendants in the lawsuit.
In documents reviewed by the New York Times, Seaver is accused of mounting “an obscene, deliberate and escalating campaign of threats” to acquire money from the Parton estate, including a profane threat made toward at least one Dollywood business partner.
Seaver filed a motion last week to delay a hearing scheduled for Friday, saying he needed time to meet with his preferred legal counsel.
The following day, lawyers for She’s Alive asked the court to deny this motion, arguing that Seaver “attempted to evade service of process” and that the “court should not reward that behavior.”
According to court filings obtained by ABC News, a process server tried to issue court documents to Seaver for the third time but encountered a “no-trespassing sign in the front yard and barbed wire draped across the handrails leading to the front door.”
The new hearing date is set for Oct. 20.
The legal complaint includes text messages in which Seaver wrote that he would become “the hand of retribution for my entire family.” According to the complaint, in other text exchanges between him and a longtime lawyer of Parton, he described himself as a “killer,” a term he would later argue was taken out of context.
There are also claims that Seaver began making financial demands before Parton’s death, including in a text to Nozell where he said he would launch a podcast “dedicated to ruining Dolly’s brand partnerships and telling the violations these people have done on us” if demands were not met, the New York Times reported.
Nozell was Parton’s longtime manager and is credited with reviving the “I Will Always Love You” singer’s international touring career.
The Times reached out to Seaver, Nozelle and She’s Alive LLC but did not hear back.
Applied Digital targets 3.5 to 4 GW by end of 2030 as it expects over 600 MW to enter service in the next 12 months (NASDAQ:APLD)
Earnings Call Insights: Applied Digital (APLD) Q1 2027
Management View
- “Today, we have approximately $36 billion in contracted revenue across 5 campuses, 3 states and 2 very different geographic regions of the country.” (Chairman, CEO, Secretary & Treasurer Wesley Cummins)
Seeking Alpha’s Disclaimer: This article was automatically generated by an AI tool based on content available on the Seeking Alpha website, and has not been curated or reviewed by humans. Due to inherent limitations in using AI-based tools, the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of such articles cannot be guaranteed. This article is intended for informational purposes only. Seeking Alpha does not take account of your objectives or your financial situation and does not offer any personalized investment advice. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank.
California Proposition 40 election voter guide: California’s billionaire tax
Business groups such as the California Chamber of Commerce, the California Teachers Assn. and Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California oppose the proposal.
Gov. Gavin Newsom and Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton, who are running to replace Newsom, also have spoken out against it.
Opponents describe the wealth tax as a “flawed experiment” that will harm California’s economy because companies and rich people will flee the state.
“If they leave, it will create a huge hole in our budget, threatening core services like education, healthcare and public safety,” arguments against the proposition say.
Opponents of the measure say the proposal is an ineffective attempt to address the long-term effects of the healthcare cuts and would harm California’s economy and budget.
The state budget in California already is largely dependent on income taxes paid by its highest earners. Because of that, revenues are prone to volatility, hinging on capital gains from investments, bonuses to executives and windfalls from new stock offerings, and are notoriously difficult for the state to predict.
Billionaires such as Palmer Luckey, the co-founder of defense tech startup Anduril Industries, and entrepreneur Mark Cuban have pushed back against the proposal on social media. Some tech executives have been relocating or moving their assets to try to avoid the potential tax. Google co-founder Sergey Brin has been cutting ties to California, relocating to Nevada while funding groups such as Building a Better California that are backing ballot measures that could nullify the billionaire tax.
More than $187 million has been spent opposing the proposition, with the bulk coming from Building a Better California, cryptocurrency company Ripple Labs and its co-founder Chris Larsen, data from the secretary of state show.
Harry Kane targets 100 England goals
Striker Harry Kane says he could reach 100 goals for England after equalling his country’s appearance record of 125, drawing praise from team-mates Morgan Rogers and Jude Bellingham.
READ MORE: Do England already have their Kane replacement – or is he yet to emerge?
Yemeni government forces claim 1,860 Houthis ‘neutralised’ | News
Yemeni government forces said in a social media post that they carried out 2,103 “precise targeting operations.”
Published On 8 Oct 2026
Yemeni government forces said they have “neutralised” 1,860 Houthi fighters since launching a large-scale counter-offensive to retake territory under control of the rebel group.
The spokesperson for the internationally recognised government’s army said in a social media post early on Thursday local time that they carried out 2,103 “precise targeting operations” against Houthi military positions across several fronts as part of the ongoing “Dawn of Yemen” operation.
Recommended Stories
list of 3 itemsend of list
Rashad al-Alimi, chairman of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, announced on Sunday the “Dawn of Yemen” operation to retake all Houthi-held territory, including the capital, Sanaa, which the Iran-backed group has controlled since 2014.
Battles in Yemen have focused in recent days on areas around the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a shipping route that has become more crucial for energy exports since the conflict between the US and Iran restricted trade through the Strait of Hormuz.
Forces aligned with the Yemeni government launched an operation on Tuesday to capture strategic territory near the strait and around the city of Mocha, which the Houthis had captured in September.
Coalition targeting
The Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen said on Wednesday it destroyed 82 Houthi military targets in the Yemeni governorates of Saada, Hodeidah, al-Jawf and Marib.
The spokesperson for the coalition said in a statement the targets included ballistic missile sites including “11 mountain-based ballistic missile storages in Saada, command and control centres, communication systems, missile and weapons storages”.
The new operation followed Houthi attacks on Tuesday and Wednesday targeting King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and Abha International Airport, according to the spokesperson.
Saudi Arabia’s civil aviation authority said the attacks on the two airports killed three people.
One person was killed and eight wounded in an attack on King Khalid International Airport, and two were killed and 28 wounded in an attack on facilities at Abha airport, the General Authority of Civil Aviation said in a statement.
Thursday 8 October Battle of Angamos in Peru
The Battle of Angamos (Combate naval de Angamos) was a naval battle fought on October 8th 1879, during the War of the Pacific (1879-1883). Also known as the Saltpeter War, the war began as a dispute between Chile and Bolivia over control of the Atacama Desert a region rich in valuable minerals. Peru became involved when Bolivia declared war on Chile and invoked Peru to fight on their side as part of a secret mutual agreement.
The Battle of Angamos took place off the coast of what was then Bolivia (the are is now part of present-day Chile), between the Chilean navy and the Peruvian navy.
The Chilean Navy, under the command of Captains Galvarino Riveros and Juan Jose Latorre surrounded and captured the ironclad steam-propelled warship Huáscar. The captain of the Huáscar was Admiral Miguel Grau Seminario, who was killed by the Chileans.
The defeat in the battle was seen as key turning point in the war and the Peruvian forces were unable to prevent the subsequent invasions into its territory by Chile.
Admiral Grau is considered a hero in Peru and today many streets, parks and other landmarks are named in honour of him and his warship.
Yemen war live: Yemeni forces claim key heights as Houthi attacks go on | Houthis News
Saudi civil aviation authorities say Houthi attacks on Abha and King Khalid International airports have killed three civilians, including two women, and injured 36 others.
Published On 8 Oct 2026
Joe Manganiello says local shaman healed him from deadly condition
In a new memoir, Joe Manganiello is getting candid about the condition that nearly killed him and the measures he took in search of healing.
The upcoming book, “Bloodlines,” which hits bookstores and online retailers Oct. 13, follows Manganiello’s career in Hollywood from “True Blood” werewolf to “Magic Mike” hunk, his seven-year marriage and subsequent divorce from “Modern Family” star Sofía Vergara and his battle with a mystery autoimmune condition that he says nearly killed him.
The 2010s were off to a stellar start for Manganiello. He was landing notable parts in buzzy projects and fell in love with television’s Colombian Jessica Rabbit, but shortly after the couple said “I do,” the actor’s rise abruptly switched course because of health issues that left doctors stumped.
Adam Rodriguez, onstage from left, Kevin Nash, Channing Tatum, Matt Bomer and Joe Manganiello in “Magic Mike.”
(Warner Bros. Pictures)
“I was getting sicker and sicker,” he told People. Manganiello detailed debilitating abdominal pain, fevers, rashes, headaches, fatigue and ulcers in his digestive tract that caused bleeding and led to countless colonoscopies. In 2016, he was rolled into an emergency “major organ amputation” in which doctors removed a portion of his intestines and sent him home 60 pounds lighter than his normal weight, with a colostomy bag in tow.
“It happened to me, and it’s the truth, and I have all the scars to prove it,” Manganiello told the outlet. Doctors attempted to treat the actor with prescriptions used for patients with Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis, but nothing worked. An autoimmune disease seemed to be the culprit, he said, but such “conditions are a dumping ground for things [doctors] don’t understand. They start running you through this gauntlet of drugs.”
Manganiello said that, as a result of the illness, his marriage fell apart, he gave away his gun to protect himself from suicidal impulses, and he took in an itty-bitty Chihuahua named Bubbles.
He also started to pursue alternative treatment, which included a trip to Cuba, where he licked the pituitary gland in a goat’s skull, an esoteric ritual used to attempt a factory reset on a person’s immune system. When that didn’t cure him, he turned to a Santa Monica shaman who believed generational trauma caused the actor’s ailments.
“Whatever chains there were to the past suffering of my ancestors, they were completely broken,” he said. “There’s not an ounce of fear in me about moving forward with my life.”
Manganiello revealed he’s since had reconstructive surgery on his digestive tract and is seemingly cured.
“I can’t believe I’m alive,” he said. “I feel like I was reborn.”
California Proposition 39 election voter guide: Voter ID requirements
Proposition 39 is opposed by leading state Democrats, major civil rights organizations including the American Civil Liberties Union and major labor unions in the state, who say the measure would disenfranchise eligible voters and expose voters to identity theft by forcing them to write personal ID numbers on mail ballot envelopes.
According to campaign finance reports, the ACLU of Northern California has contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to defeating the measure. Quinn Delaney, a major Democratic donor and fundraiser for former President Obama, and Patty Quillin, a major philanthropist and wife of Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings, both have given $1.5 million.
The Service Employees International Union Local 2015, which represents long-term caregivers, provided $1 million, the SEIU California State Council for Working People gave $500,000, and the California Teachers Assn., through its independent expenditure committee, gave another $500,000.
Arnulfo De La Cruz, president of SEIU California and SEIU Local 2015, said in a statement that the group’s members “know our nation is stronger when working people make their voices heard and have their ballots counted,” and that strict voter ID laws “are part of Trump and MAGA extremists’ agenda to rig the election system so they can cling onto their own power and get richer from corporate corruption.”
Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) recently convened a news conference where a slate of Democratic leaders — including state Senate President Pro Tempore Monique Limón (D-Goleta) and Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Hollister) — called on Californians to vote no on Proposition 39.
The Democrats called the measure a “dirty trick” from “Trump acolytes” akin to historic poll taxes designed to disenfranchise Black voters, and a power grab that would seriously harm millions of eligible voters, especially in Black and Latino communities.
“Proposition 39 is a direct assault on everything California stands for. Our people, our values and our fundamental belief that every eligible voter here in California deserves to have their voice heard and deserves to have their vote counted,” Rivas said.
Declan Rice contract: Arsenal and England midfielder close to agreeing new deal
Declan Rice is close to agreeing a new long-term Arsenal contract, sources have told BBC Sport.
The England midfielder has become a crucial player for the Gunners since his arrival from West Ham for £105m in July 2023.
His current deal expires at the end of next season but BBC Sport revealed in March that talks over a new contract were under way with the process now at an advanced stage.
The 27-year-old has made 165 appearances for Arsenal and helped the club end their 22-year wait for a Premier League title last term.
Rice would receive a significant increase to his reported £240,000-per-week salary, putting him on a par with the club’s best earner Bukayo Saka, who is believed to be paid about £350,000 a week.
While Rice withdrew from Thomas Tuchel’s England squad before the recent three-week camp, he has amassed 80 caps since switching his international allegiance from the Republic of Ireland in 2019.
Tuchel has also previously lauded him one of the “best midfielders in Europe”.
Rice is expected to be involved for Arsenal when they host Leeds in the English top flight on Saturday (12:30 BST).
The news comes after Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta’s new four-year deal with the Premier League champions was announced on Wednesday.
EU-China trade talks begin in Beijing amid escalating pressure | European Union News
Talks will focus on the €1 billion daily deficit and rare earth export restrictions.
Published On 7 Oct 2026
European Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic has arrived in Beijing for talks on the European Union’s (EU) growing trade deficit with China.
Sefcovic will meet Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao on Thursday and Friday after months of discussions over the EU’s trade deficit of more than €1bn ($1.12bn) daily, as well as Chinese curbs on exports of rare earths and other critical minerals.
Recommended Stories
list of 3 itemsend of list
Meanwhile, Chinese companies are increasingly challenging Europe’s top car brands. China rejected the EU request for voluntary curbs on Chinese hybrid car exports as the two sides enter negotiations, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday. The European Commission now hopes to get Beijing to accept a unilateral EU measure to cap hybrid imports instead, the outlet said, citing two diplomats briefed on the plan.
The two days of discussions come just as a majority of EU lawmakers called for a more assertive trade policy towards Beijing in a non-binding resolution on Wednesday. China vowed a “resolute response” to safeguard its industries if the European Union goes ahead with restrictions against Chinese companies or products, according to its commerce ministry.
Germany and France propose rapid EU measure
French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, leaders of the bloc’s two biggest powers, on Tuesday urged the EU to prepare a “credible instrument” that could be quickly activated to strike back against countries that harm the bloc economically.
The new measure would not target any specific country. German officials said the EU needed a tool as powerful as the Section 301 tariffs imposed by the United States or China’s restrictions on critical-mineral exports.
The proposed weapon – to be discussed at an EU leaders’ summit next week – would give the European Commission the power to respond to a trade aggression within days.
China responded to the letter by urging Paris and Berlin to steer clear of “protectionist” measures.
“We hope that France and Germany, as major economies in the world, will uphold openness, cooperation and free trade,” the commerce ministry said in a statement.
“They should avoid going down the wrong path in the wrong way, only to ultimately suffer the consequences themselves.”
G20 finance leaders, except China’s, agreed in September to act against “non-market” distortions that exacerbate imbalances. Beijing says that hyping up issues such as economic imbalances and overcapacity is a form of protectionism designed to exert pressure on and restrict China.
Ongoing trade talks
EU and Chinese officials have been discussing trade imbalances since June. Sefcovic said he wanted “tangible results by October” as well as some form of commitment that can be put to EU leaders meeting in Brussels.
Trade relations with China top the summit’s agenda next week, as ballooning debt has prompted auditors to warn about the next seven-year EU budget and has spurred protests in France.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament last month that the trade imbalance had reached a tipping point and that Europe would use every tool at its disposal to rebalance the relationship.
UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon says shots fired at Israeli border post | Israel attacks Lebanon News
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon said there were no casualties after small arms fire targeted a border post.
Published On 7 Oct 2026
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) says one of its posts on the Lebanon-Israel border was targeted by small arms fire, with no casualties reported.
The UN force said the incident occurred on Wednesday morning with several rounds of small arms fire targeting a UNIFIL position near Kfar Shouba along the UN-drawn border with Israel, known as the Blue Line.
Recommended Stories
list of 3 itemsend of list
“Such deliberate attacks gravely endanger the lives of peacekeepers,” UNIFIL said in a statement, adding that it was investigating the incident.
Under pressure from the United States and Israel, the UN Security Council decided earlier this year to set December 31 as the end of the mandate for the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon.
UNIFIL was initially created to oversee the withdrawal of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon after Israel’s 1978 invasion, and its mandate has been renewed annually since then.
The mission was expanded after the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah. Proponents say it remains important to maintaining a demilitarised buffer between the two sides along the volatile Israeli and Lebanese border.
Israel has long accused UNIFIL of failing to prevent threats posed by Hezbollah and has increasingly pushed for the end of its mission since cross-border fighting escalated in the wake of the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks on Israel and the start of Israel’s war on Gaza.
UNIFIL currently has 7,500 peacekeepers from around 50 countries operating in Southern Lebanon.
Last month, Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam pressed the UN on the need to “avert the vacuum” that would be caused by withdrawing the mission from the country’s south without a viable replacement.
Violence has decreased since a ceasefire following a June memorandum of understanding in the US-Iran war. Lebanon and Israel concluded a US-sponsored framework agreement later that month.
The Israel-Lebanon deal involves the disarmament of Hezbollah, a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon’s south and the deployment of the Lebanese army to the region, starting in test areas known as “pilot zones”.
Coronation Street character shot as Jodie bursts in on David and Shona with a gun
Coronation Street has released a first look at the moment villain Jodie Ramsey brandishes a gun in a deadly showdown with Shona and David Platt, moments before the gun goes off
Jodie Ramsey points a gun at Coronation Street favourites David and Shona Platt in tense scenes on Thursday.
Someone gets shot, leaving them fighting for their lives. Intent on stealing her sister’s life, Jodie takes violent action in a deadly showdown.
It seems a scuffle, with confusion over whether the gun is real or not, leads to it firing. But will death loom for Jodie, David or Shona, and will Jodie be stopped?
Fans have seen Jodie targeting her sister, and others, for weeks. On Thursday her plan to steal David all for herself comes into play, as she tries to seduce him.
Shona finally clocks that her villainous sister is out to get her, and plotting to steal her life. Confronting Jodie over her obsession with her family, the pair have it out, and secrets are exposed.
As David and Shona watch in horror, Jodie raises the gun at them. As David and Shona remain convinced it’s the fake gun they found recently, they challenge her unaware it’s real.
As the situation spirals the gun is fired, shooting someone. As the person collapses, the others are left reeling in horror – but who is shot, and will they die?
Will Jodie be successful in her seduction of David too, and could it lead to a sad split for him and Shona? All will be revealed during Friday’s dramatic episode of the ITV soap.
The fallout is being kept under wraps, while cryptic spoilers confirm someone could be safe. They state that David calls for an ambulance, so does this mean he isn’t hit?
Either way, paramedics soon arrive to tend to the victim, but their fate is not revealed. What is known is that in the days following, the police will investigate what has happened at the Platts house.
Soon it emerges not everyone is telling the truth about what went on, as statements are questioned. As detective Lisa Swain leads the investigation, she soon questions the given version of events.
Speaking to the Mirror recently, Shona actress Julia Goulding said Jodie would get a whole lot worse. She told us: “It’s only go to get more dramatic – how far will Jodie go? I think it’s going to wow everybody. It’s never plain sailing.”
Julia added of the plot: “I think she’s a really intricate complex character. Something has happened to make her like that; she’s not a baddie. She’s got many layers. It’s going to be interesting for the audience to peel those back. I love having Olivia with us; it’s nice exploring Shona’s background as well.”
Coronation Street airs weeknights at 8:30pm on ITV1 and ITV X. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .
L.A. County supervisors call for improvements to restraining order system
Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath presented a motion Tuesday calling for “bold action” to better protect victims of domestic violence and stalking, seeking to help them more effectively navigate the county’s restraining order system and obtain court-ordered protection.
Horvath cited recent Los Angeles Times reporting on the challenges victims face when obtaining and enforcing restraining orders as an inspiration for the Board of Supervisors motion, which was co-authored by board chair Hilda Solis. The supervisors are scheduled to consider the measure during the board’s Nov. 10 meeting.
“A recent story from the L.A. Times spoke to the process of domestic violence restraining orders and the work done and not being done across the county to support survivors in need of this critical support,” Horvath said.
The Times’ reporting identified at least 63 women killed in 2024 and 2025 in L.A. County whose cases involved a former partner or close relative arrested or charged with their murder. The deaths accounted for more than 40% of the 156 women killed during that period. At least 10 of those women had filed for restraining orders.
In July 2024, the county Department of Public Health’s Office of Violence Prevention issued a report with more than a dozen recommendations for reducing domestic violence homicides by improving access to restraining orders. Today, most of those recommendations have not yet been implemented.
The office said the delay was the result of insufficient funding and challenges with coordinating between the many agencies responsible for the county’s restraining order system.
If passed, the motion would mandate reports from the county’s chief executive, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, and the departments of Public Health, Mental Health, Consumer and Business Affairs, Public Social Services, and Homeless Services to assess current efforts, improvement plans and additional funding needs.
“We know that domestic violence restraining orders protect survivors and I believe the board must take every step possible to better support and protect our survivors,” she said. “The county,” she added, “must step up and lead in this space.”
The motion calls for allocating millions of dollars annually to fully fund nine county-run self-help legal centers that assist people navigating the restraining order process.
It would also officially identify “Gender-Based Violence and Intimate Partner Violence” as a priority for the Board of Supervisors, and require a presentation from the Sheriff’s Department on how the agency plans to improve its handling of restraining orders.
The Office of Violence Prevention would be required to develop a plan for a “peer navigator model” to guide survivors through the restraining order system.
The Department of Homeless Services and Housing would be asked for an assessment of what additional resources would be necessary to provide emergency beds for all people fleeing intimate partner violence.
Patriots QB Drake Maye is ‘a little bit skeptical’ about moon landing
Drake Maye is having a great week.
After a slow start to the season, the New England quarterback seemed to return to his almost-MVP form from a year ago (he finished second in voting to the Rams’ Matthew Stafford) on Sunday during a 29-26 win over the previously unbeaten Buffalo Bills.
On Wednesday, Maye was announced as the AFC offensive player of the week for his efforts in that game, which included completing 22 of 37 passes for 269 yards with three touchdowns and one interception and rushing for 54 yards in eight attempts.
With Maye-mania surely back on track in New England, there was probably no better time for the third-year quarterback to casually drop that he kinda, sorta, maybe, possibly isn’t quite sure moon landings have ever actually happened.
During an appearance Monday on WEEI-FM (93.7) in Boston, Maye was asked by a caller, “What wild conspiracy theory out there do you actually kind of secretly believe in?”
Maye asked for a moment to think — “let me try not to get too controversial,” he said — before revealing his answer.
“I don’t know about the moon, you know?” Maye said. “I’m not really sure 200% if we went there or not. I wouldn’t say I’m leaning one way or the other. I just know I’m a little bit skeptical.”
Maye spent three years at North Carolina, including two as the Tar Heels’ starting quarterback. In 2022, he set a school record with 4,321 passing yards, tied another with 38 passing touchdowns and was named the Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year.
During his time at Chapel Hill, Maye said during the radio interview earlier this week, he took a class on conspiracy theories.
“They studied Hitler being alive and ‘are birds real?’ — some of the classic ones that you hear about,” Maye explained.
Asked to elaborate on the birds one, Maye said there are some who believe birds are actually instruments of the government used to spy on us — “or something along the lines of that,” he said.
Maye isn’t the only athlete who has expressed moon-landing doubt. In 2018, Stephen Curry said he didn’t think humans had ever been there, although two days later the Golden State Warriors superstar said that he was kidding.
Former NASCAR and IndyCar driver Danica Patrick reportedly posted one such theory on her Instagram Stories in 2024 and wrote that she believes it.
“I don’t care if you think I’m crazy,” she wrote. “I already know I am.”
Earlier this year, Boston Celtics guard Derrick White described himself as a “non-moon landing guy.” Also, two-time major golf champion Bryson DeChambeau said that while it’s likely that moon landings have happened, some of the footage we’ve been shown might have been fake.
Judge orders officials to preserve Pike execution evidence | Newsfeed
A Nashville judge ordered Tennessee officials to preserve evidence from Christa Pike’s failed execution, including drugs, syringes, medical equipment and recordings. Pike’s lawyers say the two failed lethal-injection attempts amounted to unconstitutional cruel punishment.
Published On 7 Oct 2026
From winter sun beach resorts to ‘cyberpunk’ cities

TORN on where to go on holiday next year? You’re in luck – the cool new places have been revealed.
Skyscanner’s Travel Trends 2027 report has looked at which destinations are seeing the biggest year-on-year searches.
This means these are the destinations which are seeing a boom in interest in demand, and much higher than the year before.
Skyscanner boss Bryan Batista said: “Travel is entering a new era.
“As people become more intentional about how they spend their time and money, they’re making different choices about where they go, how they book and what creates lasting value.”
So here are the top 10 destinations set to be the next big thing for Brits next year.
1. Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
The destination with the biggest boom in searches is Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan.
Searches are up 501 per cent, which could be accredited to it featurin in this year’s Race Across The World.
Expect Soviet architecture and leafy parks overlooked by the Tian Shan mountain range.
You’ll have to stopover to get to Bishkek, with common flight routes being with Pegasus or Turkish Airlines via Istanbul, taking around 10 hours.
2. Hurghada, Egypt
Hurghada might not be little-know, being a popular winter sun holiday destination.
Yet searches there are up 186 per cent, most likely up after seeing a slight drop by the Middle East conflict earlier this year.
The Egyptian resort is loved by those wanting to fly and flop, or is big with divers.
You can easily find holiday packages to Hurghada with seven nights for as little as £249pp with loveholidays.
3. Malmö, Sweden
Forget Stockholm, Malmo is the trending destination in Sweden.
With searches up 103 per cent, it makes a great alternative city break that is quieter than the other busier cities.
It’s hard not to spot the huge Turking Torso skyscraper, as well as its beautiful castles (and much-loved falafel street food scene).
EasyJet has recently launched new city breaks to Malmo – or you can fly there with Ryanair for £14.99, taking just 1hr50.
4. Trapani, Italy
Sicily’s Trapani, a coastal city in the west, has seen a boom by 95 per cent in searches.
The huge Greek temple of Segesta is its main attraction, dating back to 430BC.
Otherwise it is used as a popular jumping off point to explore the Egadi Ilands.
Direct flights with Ryanair can be found from Bournemouth for £14.99.
5. Samos, Greece
Forget Mykonos and Santorini – after all, Greece has hundreds of other islands to explore without the crowds.
And Samos has seen an increase in searches, up 75 per cent.
Actually nearer to Turkey than Greece, expect all the classics – ancient ruins, beautiful beaches and a fantastic food scene.
Jet2 has added new flights, while TUI has said it is set to be big as well.
6. Chongqing, China
If you’ve ever wanted to step into the set of Blade Runner, you need to head to China’s cyberpunk city of Chongqing.
The city – which has seen searches up 70 per cent – has huge skyscrapers best seen lit up at night.
China is having a moment too, with visas scrapped for Brits until the end of the year, and seeing a huge boom in tourism.
You can even fly there direct with Tianjin Airlines, taking around 11 hours.
7. Da Nang, Vietnam
Vietnam is often named as one of the most affordable holiday destinations, yet most trend to travel to Hoi An or Ho Chi Minh.
Yet the beach city of Da Nang has seen searches increase by 68 per cent according to Skyscanner (just after it was named a top 2027 holiday destination by Lonely Planet too).
There’s white sand beaches, but it is also, bizarrely, famous for its two beaches – Golden Beach, which is held between two huge stone hands, or Dragon Bridge which is shaped like the creature itself.
To get there, it is best to fly via places like Singapore or Bangkok, or a short domestic flight from other cities in Vietnam.
8. Sal, Cape Verde
Cape Verde remains a popular winter sun destination for Brits.
And a 67 per cent increase in searches to Sal means it is getting even more popular.
Hot weather all year round, no jet lag and short direct flights – all you’d need from a warm break from the UK
Flights to the African island are direct, with tour operators like TUI offering affordable package holidays.
9. Kittilä, Finland
If you want the ideal Christmas break, where better than Lapaland?
With searches up 65 per cent, Kittilä in Finland has it all husky sledding, reindeer safaris and and Northern Lights.
You an even head over to Levi for some fantastic skiing too.
EasyJet fly direct, and they start from £28.99.
10. Guatemala City, Guatemala
The last trending destination on the list is Guatemala City which has seen searches increase 63 per cent.
It is actually the biggest capital in Central America, with everything you could want – fantastic coffee scene and historic museums.
The scenery is pretty stunning two, with a number of volcanoes being the backdrop.
Guatemala’s tourism minister suggested earlier this year that more flights from Europe could connect to the city – but until then, you’ll have to fly via Madrid with Iberia.
Top 10 Best Value Destinations List
- Bilbao, Spain (-66%)
- Wrocław, Poland (-47%)
- Bordeaux, France (-34%)
- Zurich, Switzerland (-33%)
- Ancona, Italy (-31%)
- Rhodes, Greece (-22%)
- Pula, Croatia (-20%)
- Carcassonne, France (-20%)
- Fez, Morocco (-19%)
- Krabi, Thailand (-15%)






















