offering

DHS: Mexican cartels offering bounties for ICE, CBP agents in Chicago

Oct. 15 (UPI) — The Department of Homeland Security said it has credible intelligence that Mexican cartels have placed bounties on Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection officers.

The Tuesday statement from DHS said criminal networks have instructed “U.S.-based sympathetics,” including Chicago street gangs, to “monitor, harass and assassinate” federal agents.

According to the federal agencies, the cartels are offering $2,000 for gathering intelligence, between $5,000 and $10,000 for kidnapping and assaults on standard ICE and CBP officers and up to $50,000 to assassinate high-ranking officials.

“These criminal networks are not just resisting the rule of law, they are waging an organized campaign of terror against the brave men and women who protected our borders and communities,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said.

ICE has been conducting an immigration crackdown in Chicago, employing aggressive tactics, such as the use of tear gas and forced entries, that have drawn criticism over the use of force and accusations of intimidation against residents. Local leaders have accused the Trump administration of overreach and violating the Constitution.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly attempted to deploy the National Guard to the city, but federal judges have blocked or delayed the move.

“ICE is recklessly throwing tear gas into our neighborhoods and busy streets, including near children at school and CPD officers,” Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said Tuesday in a statement.

“The Trump administration must stop their deployment of dangerous chemical weapons into the air of peaceful American communities.”

Trump has criticized out at Pritzker for resisting troop deployments, saying he and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson “should be in jail for failing to protect Ice Officers.”

According to the DHS, gangs have established so-called spotter networks in Chicago’s Pilsen and Little Village neighborhoods. Groups including the Latin Kins have stationed members on rooftops with firearms and radios to track ICE and CBP movements to disrupt federal immigration raids being conducted under Operation Midway Blitz.

Last week, the Justice Department charged Juan Espinoza Martinez, 37, with one count of murder-for-hire targeting a senior ICE agent involved in the Chicago operation.

Federal prosecutors alleged Martinez, identified as a Latin Kings gang member, sent a Snapchat message offering $10,000 “if u take him down” and $2,000 for information on the agent’s whereabouts.

On Oct. 3, DHS announced that more than 1,000 undocumented migrants had been detained under Operation Midway Blitz, which began Sept. 8.

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Here’s 15 restaurants offering amazing Mexican, Salvadoran food

One of the joys of living in California is that you’re never too far away from a great meal.

And the variety of Mexican and Salvadoran cuisine throughout the Golden State is unsurpassed.

Once again, our friends on the LA Times Food team have released a well-researched and delicious list to confirm California’s status as a national food mecca.

Critic Bill Addison spent more than a year traveling throughout the state, tasting and compiling selections for the 101 Best Restaurants in California guide.

In his latest article, he’s highlighted 15 of the best Mexican and Salvadoran spots throughout the Golden State, highlighting popular haunts and hidden gems.

Look, this doesn’t have to be a tacos-versus-pupusas debate (sorry, Brad Pitt is correct). We can enjoy both and other plates on this list.

Here’s a few recommendations from Addison’s guide.

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Enchilada plus served at El Molino on Saturday, March 15, 2025 in Sonoma, CA.

(Bill Addison/Los Angeles Times)

El Molino Central (Sonoma)

A molino is the specific mill used to grind nixtamalized corn into masa, which has been the focus of Karen Taylor’s businesses for decades.

In 1991, Taylor started Primavera, a Bay Area wholesale operation built around tamales and tortillas, and a name under which she sells life-giving chilaquiles for breakfast on Saturday mornings at San Francisco’s Ferry Plaza farmers market.

Nearly 20 years later, she translated what she’s learned about fresh masa into a tiny restaurant in the Boyes Hot Springs section of Sonoma County.

A portion of the menu flows with the seasons: in the summer, light-handed sopes filled with chicken tinga and chile rellenos filled with epazote-scented creamed corn arrive; winter is for butternut squash and caramelized onion enchiladas; and spring brings lamb barbacoa tacos over thick, fragrant tortillas.

Among perennials, look for the chicken tamale steamed in banana leaves and covered in chef Zoraida Juarez’s mother’s recipe for mole — hers is the color of red clay, hitting the palate sweet before its many toasted spices and chiles slowly reveal their flavors.

Pollo en chicha at Popoca in Oakland, CA on Wednesday, May 14, 2025.

(Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)

Popoca (Oakland)

At the most visionary Salvadoran restaurant in California, Anthony Salguero refashions his culture’s version of the beverage chicha, fermented with corn and pineapple, into a sticky, intricately sour-sweet glaze for grilled and braised chicken.

He shaves cured, smoked egg yolk over herbed guacamole as a play on the boiled eggs that often accompany Salvadoran-style guac. He serves a half Dungeness crab with tools to extract the meat and a side of alguashte, an earthy seasoning of toasted pepitas, to accentuate the crab’s sweetness.

Nicaraguan chancho con yuca, a slow-cooked pork stew, is the inspiration for a walloping pork chop marinated in achiote, grilled above glowing almond logs and poised at an angle, like a rakishly worn hat, over braised yuca and red cabbage.

Salguero ran the eatery Popoca as a pandemic-era pop-up in Oakland before finding a more permanent home (brick walls, pale wood floors, shadowed lighting) in the city’s downtown. While he focuses on reimagining the traditions and possibilities of Salvadoran cooking, he doesn’t abandon El Salvador’s national dish: The pupusas are exceptional, made from several versions of masa using corn he buys from Mexico City-based Tamoa.

Slow-roasted lamb barbacoa tacos on housemade torillas at Barbacoa Ramirez, a roadside Taqueria in Arleta.

(Ron De Angelis/For The Times)

Barbacoa Ramirez (Arleta)

Lamb barbacoa — when cooked properly for hours to buttery-ropy tenderness — is such a painstaking art that most practitioners in Southern California sell it only on the weekends.

In the Los Angeles area, conversations around sublime lamb barbacoa should start up in the north San Fernando Valley, at the stand that Gonzalo Ramirez sets up on Saturday and Sunday mornings near the Arleta DMV. You’ll see him and his family wearing red T-shirts that say “Atotonilco El Grande Hidalgo” to honor their hometown in central-eastern Mexico.

Ramirez tends and butchers lambs in the Central Valley. The meat slow-cooks in a pit overnight and, cradled in plush made-to-order tortillas, the tacos come in three forms: smoky, molten-textured barbacoa barely hinting of garlic; a pancita variation stained with chiles that goes fast; and incredible moronga, a nubbly, herbaceous sausage made with lamb’s blood.

Join the line (if it’s long, someone usually hands out samples to encourage patience) and then find a place at the communal outdoor table. Worried that options might run out, Addison said he tends to arrive before 9 a.m., an hour when Ramirez’s rare craftsmanship often inspires a mood where people sit quietly, holding their tacos as something sacred.

The week’s biggest stories

Former FBI director James Comey speaks during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Capitol Hill, June 8, 2017.

(Andrew Harnik / Associated Press)

Trump administration, policies and reactions

Crime, courts and policing

Transportation and infrastructure

More big stories

This week’s must-reads

More great reads

For your weekend

Photo of a person on a background of colorful illustrations like a book, dog, pizza, TV, shopping bag, and more

(Illustrations by Lindsey Made This; photograph by James Anthony)

Going out

Staying in

L.A. Affairs

Get wrapped up in tantalizing stories about dating, relationships and marriage.

Have a great weekend, from the Essential California team

Jim Rainey, staff writer
Andrew J. Campa, reporter
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters
Diamy Wang, homepage intern
Izzy Nunes, audience intern

How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to [email protected]. Check our top stories, topics and the latest articles on latimes.com.

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1 Quiet Energy Stock Offering a 7.6% Annual Dividend Yield — and It’s Outperforming the S&P 500

Some investors look for stocks that have good growth potential, while others look for stocks that can provide consistent income. It’s not always an either-or thing as some stocks have proven to do both.

Case in point: energy company MPLX (MPLX 2.05%). Although MPLX may not be a household name like other top energy companies, the stock has been on an impressive run over the past five years. In that span, it’s up close to 186%, while the S&P 500 is up 95% (as of Sept. 9).

No one can predict if the stock will continue growing at its current pace, but one thing’s for sure: Its ultra-high dividend is a dream for investors interested in income stocks.

Large outdoor natural gas pipeline with yellow label and arrows indicating flow direction.

Image source: Getty Images.

How MPLX’s business works

You can think of the energy industry as three parts: upstream, midstream, and downstream. Upstream companies explore for and produce oil and natural gas; midstream companies focus on storing and processing; and downstream companies refine, market, and sell end products like the gasoline you buy at gas stations.

Some larger companies may operate in two or three of the phases, but MPLX solely operates in the midstream section. Formed by Marathon Petroleum, it owns pipelines, processing plants, storage facilities, and other infrastructure that moves and conditions oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids (NGLs).

MPLX says it handles over 10% of all natural gas produced in the U.S.

MPLX has a shareholder-friendly business structure

MPLX isn’t structured like your typical corporation. It’s a master limited partnership (MLP), meaning its profits and losses are passed on to partners (investors) to avoid paying taxes on the corporate level, allowing it to pay out more money to its investors.

Its current 7.6% dividend yield is below its 9% average over the past five years, but it’s still more than six times the S&P 500’s average.

MPLX Dividend Yield Chart

MPLX Dividend Yield data by YCharts

MPLX’s dividend payout won’t be consistent like typical corporations because it depends on its distributable cash flow (DCF). However, its DCF has had a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.9% since 2021.

MPLX has shown solid financials in recent years

MPLX makes money by charging fees for transporting, storing, and processing oil, natural gas, and NGLs. These are typically long-term contracts, which help provide the company with stable and predictable cash flow.

In the second quarter, MPLX generated $3 billion in revenue, which was down around 1.6% year over year. Its adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) — which focuses strictly on its profits from core operations — was $1.7 billion, up 5% year over year.

MPLX isn’t a company that will typically produce double-digit percentage revenue growth consistently, but what matters most to investors is its DCF because that determines its dividend payout (the main reason many investors invest in the stock to begin with).

MPLX’s DCF in the second quarter only increased 1% year over year to $1.42 billion, but it was able to pay out $0.9565 per share compared to $0.8500 per share in the same quarter last year.

Should you own MPLX’s stock?

An ultra-high dividend yield is great for income investors, especially when it’s as high as MPLX’s. However, that alone shouldn’t be the sole reason you invest in a stock, because it could be a yield trap. Thankfully, when it comes to MPLX, that doesn’t seem to be the case.

MPLX likely won’t experience tech-like high growth over the long term, but it has solid growth opportunities. One of the key ways MPLX grows is via acquiring systems and assets that expand its footprint.

A recent example is its acquisition of Northwind Midstream, which it purchased for $2.375 billion. The company expects this to increase its treating capacity by roughly three times by the second half of 2026 and return mid-teen percentages, which is pretty impressive.

If you don’t mind dealing with the additional tax step needed when dealing with MLPs and their distributions (like filing a Schedule K-1 form), then MPLX can be a good income addition to your portfolio.

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Pub chain with 2,700 sites launches all-new loyalty scheme offering members can get FREE pints and food

A MAJOR pub chain has launched a new loyalty rewards scheme where customers can get freebies including pints and food.

Greene King has relaunched its app and now has a feature where customers can get complimentary drinks and win prizes.

Illustration of a spinning wheel offering a free main course, dessert, or drink.

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The Spin the Wheel game lets you win a free main meal, drink or dessert

These include free pints and vouchers to spend in its 2,700 pubs across the UK.

It’s the first time Greene King has offered loyalty rewards to customers.

The pub chain says customers can now “earn perks, unlock surprises, and access exclusive offers – whether they order at the bar or through the app”.

Among the new features for loyalty customers is a chance to “spin the wheel” to win a prize.

If you spin the virtual wheel on the new Greene King app, you’ll win either a free main meal, drink or dessert.

The free drinks include Peroni, Birra Moretti, Rekorderlig, Aspell, Hazy Day, Coca Cola, Schweppes Lemonade and Madri.

And if you place an order through the app worth at least £1, there’s a chance to win a £50 voucher.

There’s also a “Pub Match” game where every time you spend through the app or scan your membership ID at the till, you are in with the chance of winning more freebies.

The aim of the game is to make it onto the interactive leaderboard of loyal customers, and you have a chance to win up to £50 each month. 

The more you use the app, the higher the chance of winning a prize.

BrewDog beers axed by almost 2,000 pubs across the UK

The rewards are redeemable at Greene King Pubs, Belhaven Pubs, Flaming Grill, Chef & Brewer, Farmhouse Inns and Hungry Horse.

Kevin Hydes, group marketing director at Greene King, said: “Pubs are about creating feel-good moments, but we know many people are keeping a close eye on costs.

“That’s why we’re always looking for ways to make visiting our pubs even more rewarding and to give back to our customers.

“With Spin to Win, we’re giving new customers a little something extra – a chance to enjoy a free treat on us, just for joining our loyalty programme.”

How can I get my rewards?

You can download the new Greene King app for free on your app store.

The Spin to Win game will appear on the homepage of your app.

You can also click into the Rewards section to see the rewards you’ve earned.

You can claim the reward either when you pay through the app or at the bar.

On the app just add all your items to the basket and then apply the reward at checkout.

If you order at the bar, you need to show your Membership ID to the bartender.

You can find this at the top right of your Rewards section on the app.

What other features are on the app?

The app will also let you make and manage your bookings, customise orders and pay.

Greene King says it will reduce wait times and let you order quickly.

There will also be the option to repeat orders with one click.

Which other pubs have loyalty schemes?

Greene King is not the only chain which has a loyalty scheme.

Butcombe, which runs more than 120 pubs across the UK, lets customers access exclusive discounts for downloading the app.

These include earning points, where you get five points for spending £1. Once you reach 500 points, £5 will be added to your account to spend.

You can also get 25 per cent off food every Wednesday.

O’Neills also gives members signed to its loyalty programme the chance to collect stamps that can be exchanged for rewards.

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Walmart+ adds Peacock to streaming offerings to better compete with Amazon Prime

Walmart will soon expand its streaming offerings to its subscription members, with the retail giant announcing a new partnership with NBCUniversal’s Peacock on Monday.

Starting Sept. 15, Walmart+ subscribers can choose to receive ad-supported versions of Peacock Premium or Paramount+ as part of their membership. Every 90 days, Walmart+ members can switch between the two services.

“The additional option of Peacock Premium adds even more value and more choice to our membership, without raising the price,” said Deepak Maini, senior vice president of Walmart+, in a statement. “This is just one of the many ways we’re evolving Walmart+ to meet the needs and wants of today’s consumer.”

The move could appeal to consumers who feel overwhelmed by the different streaming choices and give them a chance to sample what each platform offers without dealing with additional cost.

Walmart+, which charges $98 for an annual plan, includes free shipping, free same-day delivery on groceries and prescriptions, gas discounts and other benefits. Adding more streaming content could help Bentonville, Ark.-based Walmart compete with Amazon Prime, though Walmart does not invest in original content, unlike the Seattle e-commerce behemoth.

Walmart declined to say how many people subscribe to Walmart+.

In 2020, Walmart launched Walmart+, which competes with Amazon’s $139 annual Prime membership. Prime offers perks such as free shipping and streaming series such as “The Summer I Turned Pretty” and “Reacher,” action movie “The Pickup” and NFL football games.

Last week, Amazon announced that Peacock Premium Plus, the streaming service’s ad-free version, would be available on Prime Video for an additional fee, along with 100 other subscription options in the U.S. Amazon also said it had a multiyear deal for the Peacock app to be available on its Fire TV in the U.S.

Walmart has had a spotty track record on its own streaming efforts and currently does not have its own streaming service or produce its own originals. In 2010, Walmart purchased video-on-demand service Vudu and in 2018 partnered with MGM to create original programming for the platform. The retailer later sold Vudu to Fandango in 2020.

Before that, Walmart launched a web store to sell movie and TV show downloads but shut it down in less than a year after its partner, Hewlett-Packard Co., discontinued the technology for the site after it underperformed.

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Mobile network offering TRIPLE data SIM-only deal – 24GB for £7/month

SMARTY’s latest offer hands you a massive data boost for no extra cash.

Right now, you can bag 24GB of data for only £7 a month, the same price you’d normally pay for just 8GB.

Illustration of a mobile plan offer: 24GB for £7.

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This bargain data deal triples your dataCredit: Smarty

Smarty SIM-only deal, 8GB 24GB data for £7/month

That’s triple the data without spending a penny extra.

It’s Smarty’s latest push to give shoppers more for their money, and frankly, it’s a pretty solid offer.

If you’re after enough data to stream Spotify, scroll socials, and cover your everyday browsing on the go, this plan has you well covered.

You’re on a low, flat monthly fee with no sneaky mid-contract price hikes lurking in the small print.

And because Smarty runs on rolling 1-month contracts, you can walk away whenever you like, no strings attached.

That kind of freedom is a big part of why Smarty has built such a loyal following among budget-conscious shoppers..

The service rides on Three’s network, which already offers solid coverage across most of the UK.

To be sure, you can double-check your signal with Smarty’s handy coverage checker before you sign up.

There are a few tempting offers on the table right now, but the standout is the 8GB SIM-only plan, currently boosted to a chunky 24GB for just £7 a month.

That’s not bad at all when you consider some providers will happily charge you twice as much for a fraction of the allowance.

Best SIM-only Smarty deals:

If 24GB isn’t enough, you’ll find other plans going up to unlimited data, still at budget rates.

Here are some of the best:

But for light-to-moderate users, the triple-data offer is hard to beat.

And with no contract tie-in, you can switch, upgrade, or leave whenever you fancy.

If you’re also hunting for other tech savings, there are a couple of standouts doing the rounds this week.

You can boost your online security and save 72% on NordVPN, and they’re throwing in a free Amazon gift card worth £50 just for signing up.

And for those who want a new handset without the big spend, there’s an ‘excellent condition’ refurbished iPhone 13 going for just £20 a month.

If these deals don’t quite fit the bill, have a look at our roundup of the best SIM-only deals from all the big networks.

Smarty SIM-only deal, 8GB 24GB data for £7/month

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DOJ sues Oklahoma to stop offering migrants in-state-tuition

Aug. 8 (UPI) — The Justice Department filed a lawsuit this week challenging an Oklahoma law that provides eligible undocumented migrants with in-state tuition benefits, the latest litigation targeting migrants’ access to higher education amid the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration.

Though announced Thursday, the lawsuit was filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The law, approved by the state’s legislature in 2007, offers in-state tuition at the 25 state-run colleges and universities to anyone — including undocumented migrants — who graduated from an Oklahoma high school and resided in the state with a parent or legal guardian while attending the state high school for at least two years before graduation.

The lawsuit argues the rule violates two of President Donald Trump‘s executive orders on immigration — one signed Feb. 19 directing federal departments and agencies to ensure no taxpayer-funded benefits go to “unqualified aliens,” and one April 28 ordering “appropriate” actions to end enforcement of laws and practices “favoring aliens over any groups of American citizens,” including those in-state tuition to undocumented migrants.

The Justice Department sayd that the law favors undocumented migrants over out-of-state Americans, calling it “unequal treatment,” and argues it violates the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution, which holds federal law takes precedence precedence over state laws.

Prosecutors are asking the court to declare the law unconstitutional and issue a permanent injunction against its enforcement.

The state’s Republican attorney general, Gentner Drummond, has filed a motion in support of the Trump administration lawsuit, saying Tuesday marked “the end of a longstanding exploitation of Oklahoma taxpayers.”

“Rewarding foreign nationals who are in our country illegally with lower tuition costs that are not made available to out-of-state American citizens is not only wrong — it is discriminatory and unlawful,” Drummond said in a statement.

Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has led a renewed crackdown on immigration, seeking to conduct mass deportations and limiting the protections of migrants already in the country.

This is the fourth lawsuit since since June challenging state laws offering in-state tuition or tuition benefits to migrants that are unavailable to out-of-state-Americans.

In early June, the Justice Department filed a lawsuit against a similar Texas law. As in Oklahoma, the Republican-led state sided with the Trump administration, and the two reached an agreement to halt its enforcement.

Similar lawsuits have also been filed in Kentucky and Minnesota.

Florida ended in-state tuition for undocumented migrants in February.

According to the Higher Ed Immigration Portal, 23 states and Washington, D.C., provide in-state tuition to undocumented students. Of those, 18 and D.C. provide access to state financial aid.

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Grindr introduces new tab offering “uncensored versions” of its original content

Grindr is making the app a one-stop shop for its original entertainment.

On 7 August, the popular dating platform announced that users would no longer have to leave the app to access their original content, thanks to the new Grindr Presents feature.

Now, the company’s popular entertainment offerings, such as the Katya-hosted Who’s The Asshole podcast, the viral Daddy Lessons series, editorials, music drops, and more, will all be available via a new in-app content hub.

In addition to making it easier for user to access their content, Grindr revealed that all of it will be uncensored, so say goodbye to the unwanted bleeps and hello to Katya and friends’ uncut and profanity-filled interviews.

Lastly, the social media company teased that Grindr Presents isn’t a one-off decision; instead, it’s a “bigger shift” into “making Grindr not just where the gays are, but where the culture is.”

Grindr Presents isn’t the only new addition introduced on the app this year.

Back in March, Grindr announced an expansion of its new Right Now feature – first implemented in Australia and the greater Washington D.C. area in 2024.

The intent-based option enables users seeking an immediate connection to upload text and photos to a real-time feed, separate from the main grid.

In a statement, the Chief Product Officer at Grindr, AJ Balance, gave insight into the new feature, stating that it “empowers users to find exactly what they want, when they want it – without the guesswork.”

“We built this intention-based feature based on feedback from our community so they can connect with like-minded people, without wasting time on mismatched expectations,” he said.

“Too often, people start a conversation only realize they’re looking for different things – one person wants a date, the other a quick connection. Right Now makes it clear who’s available and what they’re looking for, in real-time.”

A few months later, Grindr unveiled its new age verification feature for UK-based users, designed to address underage use of its app and ensure compliance with the UK government’s Online Safety Act.

Under the new policy, the app now requires UK individuals to confirm their age by uploading a “quick video selfie” or a video selfie paired with a photo ID.

For new users, the one-time action will be prompted during the registration process. Established users will be asked to complete the task upon opening the app.

UK individuals will be blocked from accessing the app until they complete the process, which uses biometric verification technology from FaceTec.

Lastly, Grindr has confirmed that user privacy will also be a priority, revealing that all documents and videos will “only be used for age assurance, are securely encrypted during the process, and are permanently deleted once age assurance is complete.”  

For more information about the aforementioned changes to Grindr, click here.



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Gregg Wallace offering private coaching after MasterChef sacking as he shares monthly fee

Former MasterChef presenter Gregg Wallace announced over the weekend that he is now offering one-to-one coaching for fans who want to get ‘fitter’ and ‘stronger’

Former MasterChef judge Gregg Wallace is offering one-to-one coaching after he “transformed” himself by embracing a new healthy lifestyle. He promoted the venture, which he said is priced at £200 a month, just days before the news of his exit from the show.

It was announced last year that Gregg, 60, would be stepping away from the BBC show whilst its production company Banijay UK reviewed historical misconduct complaints, which were said to be from across a range of shows. As reported at the time, he said through a lawyer: “It is entirely false that he engages in behaviour of a sexually harassing nature.”

Then, earlier today, it was reported that Gregg had been fired from MasterChef after a year-long investigation into the allegations, with 50 people making new claims. He issued a lengthy statement this afternoon in which he claimed that he has been exonerated of “all the serious allegations which made headlines last year” but apologised after saying that he was found “primarily guilty of inappropriate language”.

Just days before the latest developments, Gregg took to Instagram over the weekend to share with his followers that he is offering coaching for people who want to “get fitter and stronger”. He wrote over a video message on Sunday: “One to One Coaching £200 a month.”

Gregg Wallace in a white t-shirt sat recording a video message.
Gregg Wallace announced over the weekend that he’s offering one-to-one coaching for £200 a month(Image: greggawallace/instagram)

Gregg, who lost five stone in his fifties, said in the video itself: “Are you feeling well? Are you feeling energised and healthy? Because if you’re like me and you’re over 50, the chances are you have put a huge amount of effort into your job and looking after your family, and very little focus has gone on you and your wellbeing.”

He continued: “And you could be thinking to yourself ‘I wanna feel healthier. I wanna feel fitter. I’d like to get rid of this belly and look better in my clothes.’ I transformed my life. I’m now fitter at 60 than I was at 30 and let me tell you it’s not about eating salads and it’s not about being in the gym all day.”

Gregg, who has promoted his coaching role previously too, concluded: “What you need is a guide. Somebody to show you. Someone who’s done it. I coach people one-to-one. I help them get fitter and stronger as we get older because it’s important we look after ourselves. If you’d like to talk to me about helping you, leave me a message here.”

The former Celebrity MasterChef host shared in the comments section of the post that his coaching is “not just for over 50s”. And when asked by someone how they could sign up, Gregg told them to direct message him on the platform.

Gregg’s post was uploaded just days before it was reported today that he won’t be returning to the BBC. And he issued a statement this afternoon about an investigation that was launched into allegations previously made against him.

He said that he has been cleared by the Silkin report of the “most serious and sensational accusations” made against him and accused the BBC of “peddling sensationalised gossip masquerading as properly corroborated stories”.

However, he apologised for the inappropriate language which the report found him “primarily guilty” of between 2005 and 2018. He went onto say: “I was hired by the BBC and MasterChef as the cheeky greengrocer. A real person with warmth, character, rough edges and all. For over two decades, that authenticity was part of the brand. Now, in a sanitised world, that same personality is seen as a problem.

“My neurodiversity, now formally diagnosed as autism, was suspected and discussed by colleagues across countless seasons of Master Chef.

“Yet nothing was done to investigate my disability or protect me from what I now realise was a dangerous environment for over twenty years. That failure is now being quietly buried.”

Gregg Wallace in a white shirt and blue jacket.
The news came just days ahead of reports that he won’t be returning to MasterChef following an investigation into alleged misconduct(Image: BBC /Shine TV)

A BBC spokesperson told The Mirror: “Banijay UK instructed the law firm Lewis Silkin to run an investigation into allegations against Gregg Wallace. We are not going to comment until the investigation is complete and the findings are published.”

The Mirror understands that Banijay will be releasing the report and that the BBC did not fire Gregg as the corporation does not employ him. He was instead employed by Banijay.

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.



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dynaCERT Announces Closing of $5,000,000 Non-Brokered Listed Issuer Financing Equity Offering

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NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR

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FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. WIRE SERVICES

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TORONTO — dynaCERT Inc. (TSX: DYA) (OTCQB: DYFSF) (FRA: DMJ) (“dynaCERT” or the “Company“) is pleased to announce the closing of its previously announced non-brokered private placement offering (the “Offering”) of units (each, a “Unit”). The Company has issued 33,333,333 Units at a price of $0.15 per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of up to $5,000,000. Each unit is comprised of one (1) common share of the Company (a “Common Share”) and one (1) common share purchase warrant (a “Warrant”). Each Warrant is exercisable into one (1) Common Share at an exercise price of $0.20 per Warrant for a period of thirty-six (36) months. All dollar values are in Canadian dollars.

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The Units have been issued pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption (the “LIFE Exemption”) under Part 5A of National Instrument 45-106 – Prospectus Exemptions. dynaCERT prepared and filed a Form 45-106F19 offering document (the “Offering Document”) on June 24, 2025 relating to the Offering, which can be accessed under the Company’s profile at www.sedarplus.com, as well as on the Company’s website at www.dynacert.com. Pursuant to applicable Canadian securities laws, the Common Shares and Warrants issued pursuant to the LIFE Exemption are immediately freely tradeable and are not subject to a restricted trade period.

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As described in greater detail in the Offering Document, the Company intends to use the proceeds of the Offering to finance sales of the Company’s HydraGEN™ Technology Products to participants in the mining, oil & gas, transportation and generator sectors on a global basis and for working capital and for general corporate purposes.

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The securities described herein have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”) or any state securities laws, and accordingly, may not be offered or sold within the United States except in compliance with the registration requirements of the 1933 Act and applicable state securities requirements or pursuant to exemptions therefrom. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy any securities in any jurisdiction.

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About dynaCERT Inc.

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dynaCERT

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Inc. manufactures and distributes Carbon Emission Reduction Technology along with its proprietary HydraLytica™ Telematics, a means of monitoring fuel consumption and calculating GHG emissions savings designed for the tracking of possible future Carbon Credits for use with internal combustion engines. As part of the growing global hydrogen economy, our patented technology creates hydrogen and oxygen on-demand through a unique electrolysis system and supplies these gases through the air intake to enhance combustion, which has shown to lower carbon emissions and improve fuel efficiency. Our technology is designed for use with many types and sizes of diesel engines used in on-road vehicles, reefer trailers, off-road construction, power generation, mining and forestry equipment. Website:

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READER ADVISORY

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This press release of dynaCERT Inc. contains statements that constitute “forward-looking statements”. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause dynaCERT’s actual results, performance or achievements, or developments in the industry to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Actual results may vary from the forward-looking information in this news release due to certain material risk factors. This news release is not intended for distribution to U.S. news services or for dissemination in the United States.

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Except for statements of historical fact, this news release contains certain “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as “plan”, “expect”, “project”, “intend”, “believe”, “anticipate”, “estimate” and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions “may” or “will” occur. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. We cannot guarantee future results, performance of achievements. Consequently, there is no representation that the actual results achieved will be the same, in whole or in part, as those set out in the forward-looking information.

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Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ

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from those anticipated in the forward-looking information. Some of the risks and other factors that could cause the results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking information include, but are not limited to: uncertainty as to whether our strategies and business plans will yield the expected benefits; availability and cost of capital; the ability to identify and develop and achieve commercial success for new products and technologies; the level of expenditures necessary to maintain and improve the quality of products and services; changes in technology and changes in laws and regulations; the uncertainty of the emerging hydrogen economy; including the hydrogen economy moving at a pace not anticipated; our ability to secure and maintain strategic relationships and distribution agreements; and the other risk factors disclosed under our profile on SEDAR at

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. Readers are cautioned that this list of risk factors should not be construed as exhaustive.

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The forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. We undertake no duty to update any of the forward-looking information to conform such information to actual results or to changes in our expectations except as otherwise required by applicable securities legislation. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

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All the UK attractions offering 33% off this summer including Legoland and Thorpe Park

Alton Towers Resort, Chessington World of Adventures Resort, Thorpe Park, Legoland Windsor Resort, Warwick Castle, Cadbury World and The London Eye are among those offering money off

Legoland, Windsor
Train travellers can also bag money off Legoland tickets (Image: Getty Images)

If you are wondering what to do with your kids as the summer holiday approaches, wonder no more.

National Rail has an excellent, money-saving scheme which delivers big savings on attractions across the UK. There is money off close to 500 different venues and events, so there’s a really good chance that there’ll be a bargain on offer in your neck of the woods.

You can score savings including two-for-one deals and a third-off entry to top attractions in and around Great Britain. To claim, you just have to take the train.

The scheme is designed to encourage people to get out of cars and onto the rails, a mode of transport that tends to be better for the environment.

READ MORE: Brits urged to check key passport detail to avoid holiday disruption

People Enjoy Bank Holiday Monday At Thorpe Park
The scheme also offers discounts on Thorpe Park entry(Image: (Image: Getty))

To take advantage of the discounts on offer, head to the National Rail website and choose an attraction. Then, download and print the vouchers you find there and use them to buy a ticket at the attraction, or buy a ticket online. Just make sure you save your train ticket to show at the box office.

There are a huge number of attractions taking part, with two-for-one deals on offer at dozens. Including:

  • The Shards’ viewing gallery
  • The Beatles Story Museum
  • Tudor World
  • Howletts Wild Animal Park
  • Grand Pier Weston-super-Mare
  • The Household Cavalry Museum
  • Thinktank at Birmingham Science Museum
  • The Cartoon Museum
  • The Fashion and Textile Museum

Train travellers can also bag a third off many excellent days out. Theme park giant Merlin is taking part and is offering 33.3% off:

  • Alton Towers Resort
  • Chessington World of Adventures Resort
  • Thorpe Park
  • Legoland Windsor Resort
  • Warwick Castle
  • Cadbury World
  • The London Eye
  • Shrek’s Adventure! London
  • Madame Tussauds Blackpool
  • The Dungeons (York, Edinburgh, or Blackpool Tower
  • The Blackpool Tower Eye
  • LEGOLAND® Discovery Centres (Manchester or Birmingham)
  • SEA LIFE Aquariums & Centres (Birmingham, Great Yarmouth, Loch Lomond, Blackpool, Brighton, Manchester, Scarborough, Hunstanton and Weymouth SEA LIFE Adventure Park)

READ MORE: UK’s ‘most walkable’ seaside resort is perfect for exploring on footREAD MORE: Couple spend £40k travelling 40,000 miles down world’s longest road

If you love bargains and want to protect the environment, then there are other schemes that are worth checking out. Good Journey is a not-for-profit, sustainable travel company that is trying to change the way the world travels.

Championing car-free leisure travel across the UK, the independent organisation founded by Nat Taplin launched in 2018, with the support of a coalition of conservation and transport organisations. Good Journey actively promotes green travel and is built on the ethos of widening sustainable visitor travel across the UK and to broaden access to culture, heritage and leisure to everyone — not just those with a car.

According to Good Journey, around half of all CO2 emissions from tourist attractions come from visitors’ cars. Getting more visitors to arrive by bus, train, bike, or foot is therefore key to cutting those carbon emissions. The non-profit organization also hopes to open up access for the 22 percent of UK households without a car (roughly 15 million people).

The Good Journey website currently features more than 500 attractions across England, Wales and Scotland that you can reach car-free, each with detailed travel instructions and a door-to-door journey planner to the point where whether walking routes have pavements or even bus shelters to take refuge if it’s raining, are pointed out.

Available kid’s activities, places for shelter in case of bad weather, and views to look out for on your walk or train ride are also meticulously pointed out. The website can be used to search for discounted train tickets and quieter cycling routes as well.

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Wrestle a luchador? Airbnb to offer 22,000 experiences

Airbnb wants to do your hair, cook your dinner, massage your back and possibly photograph your honeymoon. All these services, and several more, are part of a new bid by the company to further expand beyond its roots as a lodging broker.

The company unveiled Airbnb Services — which includes 10 initial categories — while relaunching its experiences program and introducing a new app design at a media event in Los Angeles on Tuesday. Rather than heavily emphasizing lodging, the redesigned app more strongly integrates all of its offerings and encourages more interaction among guests and hosts.

This new approach opens new possibilities for the company and its customers, who could order services and experiences from home or on the road. But this step depends on a lot of behind-the-scenes work. The new services menu — which went live Tuesday with 10,500 offerings — will be offered in 260 cities, and Airbnb vows to protect consumers by carefully vetting those legions of service providers.

Airbnb, born in 2007, grew to challenge the hotel industry and became a giant in the world of hospitality. It first launched its Airbnb Experiences program in 2016, serving as a matchmaker between travelers and people offering their services as specialized tour guides and teachers. But that effort sputtered.

By 2022, many critics on Reddit and elsewhere were complaining that Airbnb experiences were unreliable, and industry website Skift reported that Airbnb had stopped adding new experiences and reduced emphasis on them on its homepage. With this relaunch, company representatives said, Airbnb is aiming to focus more narrowly on distinctive experiences that have been more closely vetted. The company also said it would include more experiences focused on meeting or spending time with celebrities.

To start, Airbnb would offer about 22,000 experiences in 650 cities in 22 categories. To announce the new moves, Airbnb co-founder and Chief Executive Brian Chesky convened hundreds of influencers, podcasters and media in a special-event space in Boyle Heights.

“What if you could Airbnb more than a place to stay?” Chesky asked the audience. “Today we are changing travel again.”

For instance, Chesky said, “Now you can book a professional chef to come right to your home.” The same goes for photographers, personal trainers, massage and spa treatments, hair-styling, makeup and nails. Moreover, “you don’t need to stay at an Airbnb to book these services. You can book them in your own city.”

Chesky said he expects to add thousands of more services over the course of 2025.

In the case of Airbnb Experiences, “we’ve learned a lot about how to make them better,” said Chesky, tacitly acknowledging the feature’s uneven history. As before, the goal is to give travelers an experience that reaches beyond the usual photo-op spots and bus-tour stops.

Stressing small groups, specific themes, Chesky said the new experiences will fall into five categories: history and culture; food and drink; nature and outdoors; art and design; and fitness and wellness. He encouraged anyone who is an expert in their city and has something to share to apply to be a host. Airbnb representatives said the vetting process, which can take up to two weeks, includes online scrutiny of a host’s work history, licensing, education and any awards — along with ongoing attention to guest reviews.

The renewed program also includes about 1,000 Airbnb Originals — adventures in the company of “the world’s most interesting people.” As examples, Chesky cited a mezcal-tasting session in Mexico City with an expert, a class with a ramen master in Tokyo, a dance with a K-pop performer in Seoul and a visit to Notre Dame with an architect who worked on the cathedral’s restoration.

Those offerings feature at least a few celebrity options, which include spending a Sunday with Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, “learning to throw the perfect spiral” or an anime-intensive encounter called “Become an Otaku Hottie with Megan Thee Stallion.” Airbnb said those initial celebrity experiences are free, offered as a promotion, with guests chosen from applicants.

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