The ex-wife of the Angels employee who gave pitcher Tyler Skaggs fentanyl-laced opioid pills was steadfast in her testimony Monday and Tuesday that Angels executives knew of her then-husband’s opioid abuse for several years before Skaggs died after chopping up and snorting the pills in 2019.
The testimony of Camela Kay directly contradicted that of the Angels then-vice president of communications, Tim Mead, and traveling secretary Tom Taylor, both of whom testified during the first week of a trial in Orange County Superior Court that is expected to last until December.
Skaggs’ widow, Carli, and his parents, Debbie Hetman and Darrell Skaggs, are the plaintiffs in the lawsuit against the Angels and are seeking $118 million in lost earnings, unspecified damages for pain and suffering plus punitive damages.
Camela Kay’s testimony fortified the Skaggs family’s contention that the Angels knew that Eric Kay — the team’s communications director of 23 years who is now serving a 22-year prison term for his role in Skaggs’ death — had serious drug problems and that his supervisors and co-workers did not follow team and Major League Baseball policies in dealing with the issues.
Leah Graham, another in the Skaggs family’s deep roster of accomplished attorneys, questioned Camela Kay, taking her through a timeline beginning in 2013 when she first recognized that her husband had a drug problem.
During an Angels road trip to New York to play the Yankees, Eric admitted to her, “I take five Vicodin a day,” Camela testified. She said he made the admission in front of Mead and Taylor, whom she described as shocked, and they told her they “were going to do whatever they could to help him.”
She continued to suspect illicit drug use, however, and the issues came to the forefront in 2017, when the Kay family staged in intervention at their home on Oct. 1, the day after the Angels’ season ended.
Camela testified about a phone call that day in which she said she told Taylor that Eric’s sister, Kelly Miller, had notified her that Eric was distributing pills to Skaggs. Camela said of Taylor’s reaction, “He blows me off.”
The next day, Mead and Taylor visited the Kay home to try to convince Eric to go to rehab for “opioid addiction,” according to Camela. He said Eric told Mead to go into his bedroom and find pills he had stashed there. Mead returned with a handful of baggies containing pills.
“I was standing afar, and Tom was on the couch with Eric, and all of a sudden I see Tim walk out of our bedroom with baggies of pills,” Camela Kay said.
She said Mead placed the pills on the coffee table in front of the couch where Eric Kay and Taylor were sitting. She testified that she believed her then-husband — their divorce was finalized in 2023 — was selling the baggies of opioids to players to make extra money because the family had financial difficulties.
Both Mead and Taylor denied in their testimony that they had any recollection of finding or seeing any baggies full of pills. Mead said he recalled “very little of that morning” and did not remember going into Eric Kay’s bedroom or finding pills there.
Camela Kay testified that she witnessed team employees and players handing out opioid pills on a team flight. On cross-examination, Angels lawyer Todd Theodora asked her how many team flights she had been on, and Camela answered 10 to 12.
Theodora also pointed out discrepancies in her testimony compared to what she said in her deposition several months ago. He also pointed out that in nearly 200 texts and emails to Angels personnel, she never warned them that her husband might be taking or distributing opioids.
Camela said she had strong suspicions throughout the 2018 season that Eric was still using because he displayed erratic behavior and noted that she shared those concerns with Taylor, whose office at Angel Stadium was adjacent to her husband’s.
The Angels have attempted to establish that Eric Kay was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, although Camela disputed that. When Theodora pressed her on her assertion that she had never heard her husband was bipolar, she replied, “He had a drug addiction.”
Camela testified that Eric told her that he was taking opioids to mask mental health issues that included depression, but that he was not taking prescribed medication for bipolar disorder.
A crisis occurred Easter Sunday — April 21, 2019 — when Eric was acting erratically at work and was hospitalized that evening after Taylor had driven him home. While taking Eric’s items from Taylor’s car, Camela said, she found an Advil bottle filled with blue pills next to the car and dumped them on the passenger seat to show Taylor.
Taylor testified that he while he did recall Eric acting erratically and driving him home, he didn’t recall the blue pills in the Advil bottle.
Although Camela said she was forceful in telling Mead and Taylor that Eric needed detox and inpatient care, instead he went through an outpatient rehab program in late April and May. He returned to work — by this time moving up to the position Mead had held before he departed that spring to become president of the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, N.Y. — and about a month later was assigned to go on the trip to Texas that resulted in Skaggs’ death.
Angels communications employee Grace McNamee testified last week that when she learned Eric Kay was going on the trip, she asked colleague Adam Chodzko, “Is this a good idea?”
“Maybe I was talking out loud, the mother in me, it just felt like maybe Eric should spend some time at home after being on leave for, you know, bipolar and mental illness,” McNamee testified.
Testimony last week from Angels human resources executive Mayra Castro established that Eric Kay wasn’t fired, but instead was allowed to resign Nov. 2, 2019. Graham said this bolstered the Skaggs family’s contention that the Angels repeatedly gave Kay special treatment rather than treating his behavior the way they would with other employees.
Castro told Graham that a 63-year-old longtime Angels custodial worker was fired for drinking a hard seltzer during a break. The employee was not visibly intoxicated and told HR she was unaware the drink contained alcohol, Castro testified. The Skaggs family’s lawyers suggested that had Kay been punished similarly, Tyler Skaggs would still be alive.
Castro also admitted to deleting and then restoring an August 2019 text she sent to a co-worker that said of Kay, “Dude he gave me tweaker vibes.” The co-worker responded: “Omfg, I always thought he definitely looked like a tweaker and sketch.” Castro testified that she realized deleting the text was wrong and turned it over to the Skaggs family‘s legal team as part of discovery.
Celebrity Traitors star Jonathan Ross has revealed that show bosses sent out a list of banned topics to cast after contestants began letting slip behind-the-scenes details
23:18, 27 Oct 2025Updated 23:18, 27 Oct 2025
Celeb Traitors stars have been warned about sharing spoilers(Image: BBC)
Celebrity Traitors star Jonathan Ross has revealed that the show’s cast have received a warning from bosses about leaking behind-the-scenes details on social media. Speaking on his podcast Reel Talk, the TV presenter admitted that he let slip details that he later learnt were banned from being discussed.
Last week, the broadcaster called for the BBC to air footage of Alan Carr that was cut from the series. Speaking about how hilarious the Chatty Man had been on the show, he said: “There are so many funny things he did and said which I know already should have been in the first episode which weren’t, should’ve been in the second episode.
“There’s something that happens later on which should be in, but isn’t in,” Jonathan added. “It’s like there’s this Alan Carr gold waiting out there to be spun into something.”
Now, the 64-year-old has revealed that the stars were recently reminded of spoiler rules by show bosses. “It’s nerve-wracking watching it for me,” he said on his podcast, which he hosts with daughter Honey Kinny Ross.
“The round tables of course,” he added. “Because a lot of stuff is edited out and I’m not allowed- I didn’t realise but I’m not allowed to talk about the stuff that’s edited out, which I can understand why.
“When I started talking about it last week, they sent us all a kind of list saying, ‘Just to remind you these are the things in your contracts you’re not allowed to talk about.'”
He continued by saying that he would try to “skirt around it” as much as possible to avoid breaking rules. “There’s a fairly comprehensive list, and most of it I can see is to protect the integrity of the game as a viewing experience for people, so it makes perfect sense.”
At the weekend, body language expert Judi James revealed that Jonathan Ross and fellow Traitor Cat Burns were now ‘enemies’ based on their behaviour. “Their body language was subtle but revealing, proving they, both now recognise they are enemies. Last night’s meet-up was different though because, for Jonathan and Cat, the masks never came off,” she said after Thursday’s episode.
“They surveyed each other without any signals of relief. We saw them ignore Alan to stare at each other, and Jonathan performed a thin ‘smile’ of recognition, which was returned by Cat.
“There was no pretence between them, but no open declarations of war. Jonathan let Cat know he knew what she was doing and she stared him back to let him know she intends to carry on doing it.”
Last week, Celebrity Traitors aired an unprecedented twist when the results of the latest roundtable were tied between actor Mark Bonnar and historian David Olusoga. After the two received the same number of votes to be banished after two rounds of voting, Claudia revealed that the banishment would be left up to fate.
After they were randomly given a Chest of Chance each – with one of them containing an immunity shield – Mark was ultimately banished from the game after opening with chest with nothing in it. Later on, it was revealed that Joe Wilkinson had been murdered by the Traitors, while at the end of the episode, the group banished Stephen Fry.
Celebrity Traitors continues on Wednesday at 9pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
COMIC Michael McIntyre has admitted turning to fat jabs after his doctor told him he was obese.
The 5ft 5ins star said wife Kitty ordered him to start after the medic ticked him off for being 100kg (15st 10lbs).
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Michael McIntyre, pictured in May, has admitted turning to fat jabs after his doctor told him he was obeseCredit: GettyThe comedian looked thinner this monthCredit: Splash
McIntyre, 49, said he first used Ozempic before switching to Mounjaro and the weight dropped off in only three weeks of injections.
The dad of two, who has long struggled with his weight, made the admission to an audience in London.
He joked: “Have you noticed how tiny I am? I have lost weight.
“Don’t applaud it because there is a little bit of cheating that has gone on.”
McIntyre who once lost 7kg (14lbs) at a £2,000-a-week clinic, confessed that he did not want to use appetite suppressants but Kitty insisted.
He also blamed his problem on eating his kids’ leftovers.
On his trip to the GP, he told fans: “The doctor told me I weighed 100kg.
“He told me I was ‘obese’. How rude. He said, ‘It’s a medical term’.”
McIntyre, whose new series of The Wheel started last night on BBC One, also declared that his weight-loss success will “fall apart” if he ever eats something sweet again.
Mark Poynting,Climate and science reporter, BBC News and
Jonah Fisher,Environment correspondent
PA Media
England’s water companies have been ordered to refund more than £260m to their customers for poor performance.
The economic regulator Ofwat says 40% of that money has already been taken off this year’s bills, with the rest to come off next year’s. But bills are still due to rise steeply until 2030 to fund upgrades to the water system.
Earlier today, the Environment Agency gave England’s water companies their worst ever combined marks in its annual rating system for their environmental performance in 2024, amid a spike in serious pollution incidents.
Industry body Water UK acknowledged that “the performance of some companies is not good enough” but pointed to investment since last year.
Thames Water – the UK’s largest water company – has been penalised the most by Ofwat at £75.2m.
It was also given the lowest, one-star rating by the EA.
A spokesperson for the company said: “Transforming Thames is a major programme of work that will take time; it will take at least a decade to achieve the scale of change required.”
And Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds acknowledged: “We are facing a water system failure that has left our infrastructure crumbling and sewage spilling into our rivers.
“We are taking decisive action to fix it, including new powers to ban unfair bonuses, and swift financial penalties for environmental offences,” she added.
England’s water companies got their worst ever combined score for environmental performance in 2024, the Environment Agency has said.
The EA gave all but one of the nine English water and sewerage companies two stars – “requiring improvement” – or worse in the case of Thames.
Only Severn Trent got the top rating of four stars.
In a foreword to the report, the EA’s chair, Alan Lovell, wrote: “Many companies tell us how focussed they are on environmental improvement. But the results are not visible in the data.”
The EA’s collective rating of the nine companies for 2024 was 19 stars – down from 25 stars in 2023. No year had previously got fewer than 22 stars.
How does your water company rank for environmental performance?
“We know we need to further improve for our customers, communities and the environment, and that is why we have embarked on the largest ever investment programme, delivering the biggest upgrade to our network in 150 years,” the Thames spokesperson added.
Every year since 2011 each of England’s nine water companies have been given a rating for their environmental performance. Only seven one-star ratings have ever been previously given.
The EA says its assessment criteria has been tightened over time, so its ratings do “not mean performance has declined since 2011” and it had seen “some improvement” up to 2023.
“This year’s results are poor and must serve as a clear and urgent signal for change,” said Mr Lovell.
In its report on companies in England and Wales, Ofwat described performance across different measures as “mixed”.
It acknowledged progress in some areas like internal sewer flooding, but said “there remain areas where companies and the sector must do more”, including pollution and supply interruptions for some.
In response, James Wallace, chief executive of campaign group River Action UK, said: “Today’s report shows that water companies in England and Wales are still underperforming, especially on serious pollution incidents, exposing the bankruptcy of the privatised water model.
“We urgently need a complete overhaul of this failed system to ensure that bill payers receive a fair service and that our rivers are properly protected from pollution.”
The EA attributed last year’s environmental performance to three factors – wet and stormy weather, long-standing underinvestment in infrastructure, and increased monitoring and inspection “bringing more failings to light”.
From 2027, the EA will replace its current star ratings with a new system – a scale from one to five, from “failing” to “excellent”.
The government argues this will give a more accurate reflection of performance, with companies not able to achieve the top rating unless they “achieve the highest standards across the board”.
Getty Images
The water industry has faced mounting anger from customers and campaigners for rising bills and repeated sewage spills.
And in April, bills rose by an average of 26% in England and Wales, after the economic regulator Ofwat approved water company plans for billions of pounds of investment.
Bills will continue to rise to 2030 to help upgrade water supplies and reducing the amount of sewage being spilled.
Earlier this year the government said that Ofwat would be scrapped and replaced by a single regulator.
In response to today’s EA’s report, Mike Keil, chief executive of the Consumer Council for Water, said: “Customers are now paying more than ever before through water bills and they will expect to see companies delivering on their promises to cut pollution and help bring rivers, lakes and wildlife habitats back to life.
“If the industry fails to deliver, the damage to public trust – which is already at an all-time low – may be unrecoverable,” he added.
Welcome to Screen Gab, the newsletter for everyone who spent the week belting “You Don’t Own Me” with the same gusto as an empowered ex-wife dressed in white.
Diane Keaton died this week at age 79 at her Los Angeles home. The L.A. native had a career that spanned more than five decades and included a wide-ranging and indelible list of performances in films such as “The Godfather” saga, “Annie,” Baby Boom,” “Father of the Bride” (and its sequel), “The First Wives Club,” “Something’s Gotta Give,” “The Family Stone” — the list goes on and on. Take a moment to read film editor Joshua Rothkop’s illuminating snapshot of Keaton’s life. Of course, her legacy goes far beyond the performance. Times film critic Amy Nicholson wrote how Keaton showed us how to dress up our insecurities and embrace the kooky. And if you want to take a dive into her oeuvre, we have a roundup of 10 Keaton performances worth watching. Pluto TV is featuring an on-demand collection called “Remembering Diane Keaton,” with 15 of her most beloved films available to stream anytime.
And speaking of women who leave a lasting impression — this week saw the return of Keri Russell as Kate Wyler, the highly competent seasoned foreign service officer, with the arrival of “The Diplomat’s” third season. The Netflix series has spent its time tracking the career diplomat’s journey being primed to assume the role of vice president. Its backdrop storyline of an aging president who is expected to pass the torch to a younger female vice president — and the chaos that ensues when the plan is upended — may have real-world parallels, but the show’s creator, Debora Cahn, whose other credits include “The West Wing” and “Homeland,” insists the series is not a commentary. She stopped by Guest Spot to discuss the political thriller.
Also in this week’s Screen Gab, our streaming recommendations are an eclectic pair: a documentary that chronicles the 60-year movement to convert abandoned railroads into public spaces around America and, for those looking to make their viewing of Guillermo Del Toro’s take on “Frankenstein” a double-feature kind of night, we make the case for a ‘90s gory horror-comedy twist on the legend.
ICYMI
Must-read stories you might have missed
Diane Keaton arrives at a news conference at the 40th Cannes Film Festival to introduce her feature directorial debut, “Heaven,” in 1987.
Recommendations from the film and TV experts at The Times
A view of the Island Line Trail in “From Rails to Trails.”
(PBS)
“From Rails to Trails” (PBS.org)
Trains ran close to where I grew up, and I’m still stupidly excited whenever I see one in action. There are fewer now than there were then, but part of their romance is the alternative routes they carved through the land. “From Rails to Trails” documents the 60-year movement to transform abandoned rail lines — which is to say, most rail lines — into paths for biking and hiking, turning them into linear public parks, making the countryside accessible but also remaking urban spaces. It’s a movement not without its opponents, its reversals and consequences, including the gentrification that can follow them. But this often moving hour-long documentary is a paean to old-fashioned coalition building and community activism — needed now more than ever — and the success of a new idea many now take for granted. Former Vermont governor Howard Dean and former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg chime in. New voice of the everyman Edward Norton narrates. — Robert Lloyd
“Frankenhooker” (Pluto TV, Tubi)
The lament of “The Bride of Frankenstein” is that the heroine herself is only onscreen for a few minutes. Get your fix by watching Frank Henenlotter’s “Frankenhooker.” This sleazy-brilliant 1990 romp is so clever it ranks (severed) head and shoulders with the black-and-white classics. An inventor, Jeffrey (James Lorinz), is bereft over losing his fiancée Elizabeth (Patty Mullen) to a freak lawnmower accident. He vows to rebuild his future bride — but hotterr. “I can make you the centerfold goddess of the century,” Jeffrey says with a leer. The real vanity is his. He wants a sexy, mindless babe. Henenlotter (also of the schlock hit “Basket Case”) claimed he didn’t think deeply about the subtext of his horror movies, a feint that dates back farther than George A. Romero pretending “Night of the Living Dead’s” martyred Black hero wasn’t a comment on race. They’re both fibbers. “Frankenhooker” is a giddy, popcorn-chomping comment on the disposability of women, especially the sex workers Jeffrey murders for spare parts. But what brings it to life is Mullen’s uproarious resurrected sexpot. Stomping around wearing a purple bra and a ghastly sneer, she belongs to no man — ring on her finger or not. Make it a double feature with Guillermo Del Toro’s terrific new “Frankenstein” in theaters this week. — Amy Nicholson
Guest spot
A weekly chat with actors, writers, directors and more about what they’re working on — and what they’re watching
Allison Janney as Grace, Rufus Sewell as Hal Wyler and Keri Russell as Kate Wyler in Season 3 scene from “The Diplomat.”
(Alex Bailey / Netflix)
Will the U.S. ever be ready for a female president? Time will tell. But “The Diplomat” has provided its contribution to the list of fictional ones. The Netflix drama, a fast-paced look at the art of diplomacy, stars Keri Russell as Kate Wyler, a newly-appointed U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom who is tapped from the ranks of career diplomats to be quietly prepped to become vice president. The plan, of course, hasn’t gone as expected. In the whirlwind final moments of last season, the president dies and suddenly the person Kate was enlisted to push out, Vice President Grace Penn (Allison Janney), is whisked into duty — just as Kate has discovered the VP is responsible for hatching a terrorist plot. The show returned for its third season earlier this week and explores the aftermath as Penn is sworn in as president. Here, creator Debora Cahn shares what she was interested in unpacking in Season 3’s marriage dynamics, orchestrating a “West Wing” reunion and the time she met former Vice President Kamala Harris. There are some mild spoilers ahead, so bookmark for later if you haven’t begun the season! — Yvonne Villarreal
What did you want out of Kate’s journey this season? Her professional ambitions are once again tested by her marriage. Hal keeps claiming it’s Kate’s time to be in the spotlight and yet he manages to steal it.
We wanted to look at how it happens that someone like Hal winds up in the spotlight even when he’s desperately trying not to; the circumstances that surround decisions like this, which make it such that even the people in the middle of them don’t really have any control over it. You can look at what Grace is doing, and you can understand why she thinks Kate is fantastic, but that the choice, in terms of what’s going to make it easier for her to get through the day, is Hal. And we didn’t want to have a science fiction White House where there are two women happily running the country. That’s just not the world that we’re living in. And it felt like the most honest thing that we could do is tell a story about what it means to be really qualified and really experienced and really ready, and then watch it all slip away at the last second.
The season includes a delightful “West Wing” reunion, a show you wrote for. Allison Janney returns as VP-turned-President Grace Penn and Bradley Whitford portrays her husband, Todd. What was it like to see them back together onscreen? And what did you want their marriage dynamic to say?
It was like first day of school jitters for the first day that each of them was on set. We really wanted to make sure that this was something new and it wasn’t a reference to the work that we’d done together in the past. And the second they started, it was just clear that we were watching a new relationship that these two great actors were building together and informed by the fact that they know each other quite well and that they’ve been good friends for 20 years, but using that to create something new and fresh and really, really satisfying.
This is a marriage that has some very similar structural dynamics to Kate and Hal, but there are some fundamental differences, which is, there was never an assumption that Todd’s career could continue to function alongside Grace’s once she became vice president; and certainly when she becomes president, there’s no question that will become the focus for both of them. And so there are dynamics that Kate and Hal still wrestle with, which we see are kind of absolved with Todd and Grace. And in some ways that helps, and in some ways it doesn’t help.
We’re looking at a couple that’s 10 years farther down the road in their marriage and have made, in some ways, a more pragmatic decision about what it means to have two smart, capable people with careers existing at the same time. Their decision is that one of them isn’t going to exist right now. I think the thing that I enjoy most about both Hal and Todd is that these are people who really, really, really love their wives and really want to be supportive and they still fail or they struggle so, so mightily. We’ve talked about this before: I don’t like writing villains. I don’t want to write politicians that have bad values or selfish goals. I also don’t want to write people in a marriage who don’t give a s— about each other. I would much rather look at the much larger problem, which is, you do really care about each other. You do really want the best for each other, and you still can’t manage to make it happen.
Allison Janney as President Grace Penn and Bradley Whitford as First Gentleman Todd Penn in “The Diplomat.”
(Clifton Prescod / Netflix)
“The Diplomat” premiered in a different political climate from the one it’s in now. The show is not a direct commentary on what’s happening now, but how does the current reality, particularly as it relates to what those in civil service are facing, inform how you think about or build stories moving forward? What sorts of questions are you asking now of people who work in the government?
We write a story two years before the audience watches it, so we we don’t want to be making a direct commentary. Even if we did, the world is moving so fast, we couldn’t try and keep up. But we do want to be in the foreign policy headspace that the world is in, and try to be looking at what are the bigger questions and bigger conflicts that face people who are working in this field. We think a lot about the fact that 300,000 people were fired from the federal government. We think a lot about what it’s like to work for this administration and — I’m trying to figure out what to say without getting into Season 4, which I don’t want to do. It doesn’t inform the specifics of any of the stories that we’re telling, but it does inform the worldview and the bigger questions that face people in this field as the field changes. As the world changes.
You’re writing about people whose job it is to make hard decisions every day. What was the hardest decision you had to make for this third season — either in the writing phase or the production phase?
We moved the base of production from the UK back to New York. The first two seasons we were based in the UK, and then for Season 3, we did half and half. There were a lot of really good reasons for that. It also meant that we had a crew that grew this organism with us — and we were very close to them; they had huge influence on the show — and leaving them behind was really, really terrible. It’s a tough time in the film and television industry right now, and we felt pretty good about bringing jobs back to this community. That was something that was important to us and we really wanted to do. So, we are comfortable with the decision that we made, but, boy, it sure wasn’t fun making it and going through it. It’s people’s livelihood. It’s not a small thing.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris recently released a book chronicling her whirlwind and brief campaign as a 2024 presidential candidate. Have you read it?
I have not read it. But did I tell you about when we met her?
No. Tell me. You were also filming this third season during the election, right?
We were we were shooting it during the election. We were writing it during the election. And we we were worried about how it was going to look. We didn’t want it to look like a commentary on this presidency. But we did have a female vice president that we liked a whole lot, and a male president that we really loved and was of a certain age and didn’t make it through the process — the dynamics kept getting more and more troubling.
Keri and I were at the [White House Correspondents’] Dinner. And there was a receiving line, and we met and shook hands with the president and the first lady and the vice president and the second gentleman. And I said, “Ma’am, I’m writing a story about what it’s like for a woman who’s really experienced and really smart and really capable and really ready to do a job who then gets passed over for someone who is perhaps less qualified.” And she laughed. Then she said, “Call me.”
Have you called?
I have not called. I felt like she had some stuff going on. I didn’t really want to bother her and say, “Heyyyyy … let’s talk about how that went …”
What have you watched recently that you are recommending to everyone you know?
“Dying for Sex” [Hulu, Disney+]. It was brutal and intense and very funny and extremely well-written. And I just thought what they did from a public health service perspective, sharing practical information about what it actually means to go through the process of death, I thought it was just a huge public service.
What’s your go-to “comfort watch,” the movie or TV show you go back to again and again?
“Postcards from the Edge” [VOD] — it is just so smart and so funny and both Shirley MacLaine and Meryl Streep are just absolutely to die for.
Lucca, September 21, 2025. Kevin Spacey’s Masterclass continues in the Church of San Francesco with a complete change of suit and tie. Pictured: Kevin Spacey addressing the audience. Pictured: kevin spacey Ref: BLU_S8543873 210925 NON-EXCLUSIVE Picture by: IPA / SplashNews.com Splash News and Pictures USA: 310-525-5808 UK: 020 8126 1009 [email protected] World Rights, No Portugal Rights, No Spain Rights, No Italy Rights, No France RightsCredit: Splash
ACTOR Kevin Spacey sexually assaulted a man despite being told, “No, this is not right”, court documents allege.
The star is being sued at the High Court by the man known only as LNP, who says he suffered pain, anxiety and distress.
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Elizabeth-Anne Gumbel, for LNP, says in papers filed at the court that the alleged assaults happened on about 12 occasions from 2000 to 2005.
She says: “Mr Spacey would place his own hand on the claimant’s leg without consent.
“The claimant would attempt to remove the hand and say, ‘No, this is not right’.”
She called it a “breach of trust and exploitation by a powerful man in a position of responsibility on a much younger man”.
Ms Gumbel said that LNP had suffered “pain and suffering at the time of the abuse itself, which was exacerbated by feelings of embarrassment, shame, dirtiness and confusion”.
He also suffered “anxiety and distress and mild post-traumatic symptoms from the abuse”.
She said: “The assaults were committed in circumstances of breach of trust and exploitation by a powerful man in a position of responsibility on a much younger man.
“The claimant seeks to claim aggravated damages.”
Oscar-winner Spacey, 66, has previously denied allegations of inappropriate behaviour and wrongdoing.
He has yet to file a defence to the claim.
Kevin Spacey sexually assaulted a man despite being told, ‘No, this is not right’, court documents allegeCredit: Splash
While in Israeli detention, Palestinian photojournalist Shadi Abu Sido was told his wife and children had been killed in Gaza. But when he was released under the ceasefire deal, he discovered they were alive.
Viewers can’t stop talking about the new series on Netflix with some saying it’s the ‘best’ in a long time
Helen Kelly Head of Screen Time
22:31, 11 Oct 2025
The ensemble go through boot camp forming alliances and unlikely bonds
The Netflix series fans can’t stop raving about is set in the tough, unpredictable world of the 1990s US Marine Corp, when being gay in the military was still illegal.
It follows Cameron Cope (played by Miles Heizer ) – who is keeping his sexuality hidden – and his best friend Ray McAffey (Liam Oh), the son of a decorated Marine, as they join a diverse group of recruits.
The ensemble go through boot camp forming alliances and unlikely bonds as they are pushed to the limits.
Boots is an eight-part comedy drama that focuses on friendship, resilience, and finding your place in the world.
The series may have only been out for a matter of days but it’s already in the number seven spot on Netflix.
One viewer reviewed: “Boots on Netflix??? I’m OBSESSED. The best show in a while.”
While another added: “Boots on Netflix is phenomenal. Binged it in one day, and couldn’t stop. Max Parker absolutely *crushed* it as Sullivan and I’d watch an entire season just about his journey.”
A third begged for more episodes, writing: “I binged the entirety of Boots today on Netflix. Absolutely in love. It’s like Orange is the New Black, but 90’s military. I need season 2 nowwww.”
Another continued: “If you’re looking for something to watch this weekend, I highly recommend Boots on @Netflix, starring the wonderful actor Miles Hezier. I unashamedly binged all episodes in one sitting.#Boots.”
Someone else shared: “I just finished #boots and I LOVED IT <3 so fun but also dramatic and the characters are interesting! I think it’s not gonna get renewed but i hope i’m wrong!!”
Thankfully, the cast are hopeful the series will be renewed. Speaking to Radio Times, lead actor Miles shared: “It would be interesting to see him navigating that, especially in this military world.
“That would be cool. But like Max said, there’s so many different directions and so many things I would love to see. But just for fun, I’d like to see a little romance.”
Co-star Liam added: “He ends the season in this interesting spot of really questioning the path that he’s been on for the first time since he was a kid.
“I would like to see him continue to interrogate the choices that he’s made in his life, or the choices that he hasn’t made, that have been made for him by his father, by this sense of duty that he has.”
The airline said Andy would need to pay almost four times the price of his ticket if he wanted the bag on the plane
Andy Donovan had tried to book the bag before his flight but the website wouldn’t allow it
A man was charged over a thousand pounds – to take one extra suitcase on his Qatar Airways flight. Andy Donovan, 23, planned a trip to Kingsbury, Melbourne, for six months to play cricket over the Australian summer.
He booked a Cathay Pacific flight, which included a transfer in Hong Kong. But he switched his ticket that morning for a Qatar Airways flight to Melbourne, via Doha, Qatar, when he saw the ‘super typhoon Ragasa’ was headed for Hong Kong.
The flight, on September 22, cost him £312.28 to book. Andy’s bag allowance changed with his flights and was reduced to one bag of checked luggage, rather than two, as his Cathay Pacific flight had been. As Andy needed two suitcases – one for his possessions and a second for cricket kit – he attempted to buy an extra bag on the Qatar Airways website but claims it kept crashing.
So he resolved to pay at the airport – until, to his horror, he was charged £1,103.72 for his additional 25kg bag. Andy, a marketing executive, from Exeter, Devon, said: “I thought I could pay for the extra luggage in person – I knew it might be more, but I didn’t think it would be that much. It was several times the cost of the actual ticket, it didn’t make any sense.
“I was in shock. I had no choice but to pay it because I needed my kit. It’s personalised to me for my specifications so I couldn’t just replace it.
“They charge you per kilo you’re over the limit, and I had a whole extra 25kg bag. I wasn’t offered to buy a whole extra bag at the airport.”
Andy said it wasn’t explained to him how the charge was calculated but he paid it so he could still fly. Qatar Airways’ website states that within six hours of departure, per additional kg of luggage, there is a $60 (approx £44.60) charge. Andy plays for the Philippines national cricket team.
His younger sister, Katherine Donovan, 21, also plays for that team and he claims she had taken the same flight a week earlier, with two bags, with no issues. But ahead of Andy’s departure, dad Barry Donovan, 81, a retired pilot, was the one who spotted news of the typhoon near Hong Kong the day of the flight.
To avoid his son being stuck in Hong Kong airport, he advised Andy switch to a flight which transferred elsewhere, which he was allowed to do because Barry had privileges as an ex-employee of Cathay Pacific. On the day of the flight, Andy instead got a ticket for a Qatar Airways flight to Melbourne, via Doha, Qatar.
Andy had to call Barry for a loan to cover the costs – as he had no choice to pay if he still wanted to fly. Barry compared the policy to “extortion” and feels “someone should go to jail for this”. Barry said: “We got the tickets sorted for Andy, but nowhere on the tickets was the luggage restriction mentioned.
“He tried to book an extra bag online but couldn’t. When he rang me from the airport, I told him to just pay whatever they charged, and we’d sort the money later. But when he told me what that was, I couldn’t believe what they charged him.”
“£1,100 is totally unacceptable. It’s extortion – ‘give us the money, or you don’t travel at all’.”
Barry says both he and Andy have attempted to contact Qatar Airways but have not received a response. Barry added: “How many other people have they done this to? It’s just not right.”
This Morning’s Tom Swarbrick didn’t hold back when discussing the royals on the ITV daytime show, saying that many of them should ‘get a job’ and stop ‘hanging on’
One traveller came back from a Spanish holiday hotspot bearing crucial advice for anyone mulling over an Autumn break there. Tasha Penney took took to TikTok to share her advice with people
Katie-Ann Gupwell and Chloe Dobinson
11:49, 25 Sep 2025
Lanzarote is a popular hotspot for many Brits (Image: David C Tomlinson via Getty Images)
As Britain battles yet another spell of cold and miserable weather, countless people are fantasising about fleeing to warmer shores. The urge to dash off somewhere tropical feels overwhelming, particularly when confronted with Britain’s never-ending downpours.
One traveller who came back from Lanzarote bearing crucial advice for anyone mulling over an Autumn break to the Canary Islands. Tasha Penney, known as @tashapenney_ on TikTok, warned holidaymakers in October last year against trusting weather forecasts too heavily regarding Lanzarote’s conditions. In her eye-opening clip, she explained at the time: “If you’re coming to Lanzarote, and you’ve been worried about the weather, because when you look up online about Lanzarote weather, it always says windy, cloudy, overcast.
“It pretty much says the weather’s like not great most of the time. Don’t be worried, because it’s all a big lie.
“We’ve been here for three days and, every day, it’s said it’s going to be like 24C, cloudy. It actually predicted rain yesterday. None of the times we’ve had any of that. It’s been clear blue skies, the clouds are like that.”
Banishing any remaining concerns, Tasha revealed that the genuine temperatures felt considerably warmer than predicted, offering comfort to prospective tourists that weather worries are unnecessary.
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Regarding the climate, she had absolutely zero complaints.
Her footage subsequently become a sensation, amassing hundreds of views and triggering countless responses from watchers, loads of whom are weighing up a Lanzarote getaway this year. Holidaymakers have been raving about Lanzarote, dubbing it the ideal year-round escape destination.
One fan gushed at the time: “Lanzarote is great all year around. My second home.”
Another traveller commented: “I was here for a week. It was roasting, overcast three days, sunny four. Probs it was highest 30.”
Heaping further praise on the destination, a third visitor revealed: “I’m going with my best friend in December to break up the cold. Can’t wait.”
A fourth sun-seeker posted from the island itself at the time, declaring: “Here now and it’s lush. It’s rained a little bit, usually late at night or for less than a minute, but it’s been so hot.”
The appeal of Lanzarote, situated amongst the stunning Canary Islands, comes as no shock given its standing as an excellent winter sunshine retreat.
The destination regularly enjoys a delightful average temperature of 20C during January, seldom falling beneath a mild 16C.
Better still, getaways there won’t break the bank.
For budget-conscious travellers, you can either secure a package holiday or hunt down bargain flights and sort out your own accommodation.
Radio star Nikki Osborne was approached by a member of staff as she headed to the Qantas lounge ahead of her flight – and what followed left her feeling ‘angry and frustrated’
Nikki Osborne was told to button up ‘to protect other cultures’(Image: Instagram/nikkiosborneofficial)
A woman has said she was left feeling ‘humiliated’ and ‘degraded’ after she was approached by an airline worker with concerns over her outfit.
Nikki Osborne has now opened up about the incident, which took place in Qantas’s Brisbane lounge. The 44-year-old was dressed in tailored white shorts, a pink lace bodysuit and a knitted white cardigan for a work trip to the Whitsundays, Australia, when she claims she was confronted by a lounge employee.
“A staff member hurried up to me, grabbed me by the arm and said: ‘Firstly, I’m a long-time fan of yours, but I’ll need you to button your cardigan up to cover yourself to protect the other cultures in the lounge,” Nikki, an Australian radio personality, wrote in her QWeekend column.
Nikki felt “shock” and “embarrassment” over the incident(Image: Instagram/nikkiosborneofficial)
“Other cultures I thought? All I saw in the lounge were a few FIFO workers and a mum! She was very polite about it. I however was suddenly shaken with a combination of shock, embarrassment, humiliation, anger and frustration.
“It was actually hard to process that I’d been made to feel like a tart in my hometown, in front of my male colleague too.”
Nikki continued: “Now, I’m a born and bred Queenslander but I’ve always made an effort to dress well and be taken seriously in my profession as a radio host, writer and stand up comedian. I’m also a mother. To have a woman suggest that my choice of dress is inappropriate really hit hard.
“I was wearing tailored white shorts, a pink bodysuit with a knitted white cardigan over the top, which I had worn at work earlier that day. Do I have cleavage? Yes. Had I covered the top of it? Yes. Was that enough? Apparently not!”
Nikki said that to “have a woman suggest that my choice of dress is inappropriate really hit hard”(Image: Instagram/nikkiosborneofficial)
According to Nikki, the airline later reached out with assurances the incident wouldn’t happen again. But she said the follow-up phone call left her feeling even more scrutinised when staff went through her outfit item-by-item.
But her faith in Qantas was restored when a flight attendant greeted her warmly by her comic persona ‘Bush Barbie’ and treated her with complete respect. “That air steward salvaged my week,” she said.
Nikki has now said that while she’ll continue flying with Qantas, she’ll think twice about what she wears in the lounge, the Daily Mail reports.
“I’ll continue to choose what is appropriate clothing to wear and steer clear of the high moral ground of the Lounge.”
According to the Qantas website, the airline declines entry to its lounge if “some items of clothing are too casual or inappropriate”.
Among the banned list are thongs, bare feet, head-to-toe gym wear, beachwear (such as boardshorts), sleepwear (such as Ugg boots), clothing with offensive images or slogans and revealing, unclean or torn clothing.
“These guidelines are intended to create an environment everyone can enjoy, so please be mindful of your choice of clothing and footwear when visiting Qantas Clubs and Business Lounges in Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney,” the website said.
Maggi Thorne, 42, boarded a Southwest Airlines flight from Orlando to Nashville when she was left shocked by the reaction to her outfit choice. The seven-time American Ninja Warrior contestant says she was approached soon after boarding by a flight attendant.
The flight attendant reportedly told Maggi to cover up, writing on X, formerly Twitter: “[Southwest Airlines] attendant just shamed me in front of passengers saying my attire wasn’t appropriate”. Maggi was wearing a black cropped top and high waisted jogging bottoms to travel, meaning most of her body was covered – apart from her arms.
She added: “A tank top and high-waisted pants. Flight 1039. Is this really happening in 2023? The passengers around me were stunned as she shamed me for all to hear.”
Maggi said she told staff she was “not ok” with being told to cover up her outfit. The AWN star maintained there was nothing wrong with her outfit. She thinks the attendant was out of line for categorising her outfit as breaching Southwestern’s clothing policy of “lewd, obscene, or patently offensive” attire, she told Insider.
Maggi reportedly refused to cover up and complained to another crew member, adding: “When I told her I wasn’t okay, I don’t think she knew what to do. I’m not a confrontational person, but what happened isn’t okay and someone should say something about it.”
Southwest Airlines has since reached out to Thorne, offering her an apology and informing her that a complaint has been filed on her behalf.
Cruise passengers have been warned to check certain items in their cabins before they start settling into their holiday – and it will only take a few minutes
(Image: Getty Images)
When you board a cruise, it’s natural to want to ditch your bags and head straight to the pool or buffet, and get the holiday started as soon as possible.
However, insiders have suggested that before you head out, you should get settled in your cabin properly. That includes doing a quick sweep of the “high traffic areas” which previous passengers may have been touching, which may not fall into the crew’s list of deep cleaning priorities.
Unpacking your bags, getting your bearings and joining the safety drills before the ship sails are all on most people’s radars already, but according to industry experts, there are approximately seven items that you may want to sanitise before you can truly settle in.
When sharing their advice on the first things to do when you board a cruise, the team at Cruise Critic explained: “We’re not suggesting that your cabin steward isn’t doing a proper job at cleaning your room. But a little extra precaution never hurt anyone, and it will just take a few minutes to sanitise (or re-sanitise) certain areas of your cabin.”
There are a few checks to make before you can settle into your cabin (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
The seven “high-traffic areas” in your cabin which you may want to check are the “doorknob, deadbolt, TV remote, light switches, bathroom faucets, thermostat, safe keypad”, as well as other items you think might have been picked up a lot by previous passengers. (We know, it’s not nice to think someone else has been in the room before you but of course that’s the reality!). The experts added: “If you want to go the extra mile, rewash the bar glasses if your cabin has them.”
Before the ship sails off, you may also want to check your phone, or you may end up facing some hefty bills when you get home. In fact, there’s a costly mistake which quite a lot of passengers make with their phones onboard the ship.
You may not be getting any signal at sea, but that doesn’t mean that data roaming charges won’t apply. Most people assume that because they are unable to connect to the internet unless they opt for a cruise line’s Wi-Fi package, then their phone won’t be incurring data charges. However, even at sea your phone may intermittently connect to maritime networks and satellites – and you’ll be hit with the fees that come alongside this.
Opting for a Wi-Fi package can be an easy way to avoid these types of costs, but of course these can be quite expensive. If you’re sticking to a budget or you’re quite happy to ditch your social media feeds and emails for a few days, then one of the easiest ways to avoid the potentially high costs is to switch off data roaming, or at least put your phone on airplane mode.
Want to join our cruise community?Sign up to Anchors Awayfor a weekly dose of cruise news, sneak peeks inside ships and travel tips we think you’ll love.
Thomas Skinner, who is a contestant on this year’s Strictly Come Dancing, admitted he has made “big mistakes,” including cheating on his wife Sinead just weeks after their wedding
04:59, 16 Sep 2025Updated 05:06, 16 Sep 2025
Thomas Skinner is pictured at an award-ceremony after his The Apprentice stint(Image: Getty Images)
Thomas Skinner’s mistress has claimed the salesman told her she “was the love of his life” during their fling.
And Amy-Lucy has today again stressed the three-month fling was far more meaningful than Thomas, 34, had made out in his interview with reporters. Amy-Lucy, who lives near Brentwood, Essex, said: “Thomas told me I was the love of his life and sold me an absolute dream. He told me that he was in a loveless relationship of convenience.”
Thomas, who was on series 15 of The Apprentice in 2019, has claimed his wife has forgiven him, and the salesman said he and Sinead, who share three children, have “moved forward together”.
Amy-Lucy O’Rourke has hit out following Thomas’ claims(Image: instagram/amylucyclinic)
Thomas is on Strictly Come Dancing this year(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Ray Burmiston)
Amy-Lucy, though, has spoken out this week, claiming Thomas’ account of thing hasn’t quite been accurate. The beauty clinic boss told the Daily Mail she and Thomas were often out in public together and acted like a couple besotted with one another.
She added: “It makes me really angry that his narrative is that he told her. He did not tell her. I can’t believe he’s trying to make out that he did the honest thing. He did not, he tried to keep the lie up for weeks and was torturing me emotionally. He was playing me and Sinead off against each other. Telling me one thing, telling her another.”
And the dad of three has said he has become a “target”, and is “being portrayed a public enemy number 1” following the affair bombshells. In a lengthy statement on X, he wrote: “My life ain’t perfect…..far from it. I’ve made big mistakes, I’ve let people down, and done things I’ll always regret in my past.
“The worst was what I did to my wife three and a half years ago…..one stupid moment I’ll carry forever. It was nothing more and nothing less despite what is being said. I told her straight away. She had every right to leave me back then, but she forgave me…….and that forgiveness changed my life.
“Since then, we’ve built a new home, had two more beautiful children, and moved forward together. We are stronger. Family is everything to me. It’s what I do everything for.
“But I’ve noticed I’ve become a target. Every part of my life is being dragged out….. even my families. People around me have been offered BIG money to sell stories. And I’ve noticed I’m being portrayed as public enemy number 1. They’re trying to break me and get me cancelled.”
Three days after President Trump publicly accused Sen. Adam Schiff of committing mortgage fraud, an attorney for Schiff wrote privately to the Department of Justice that there was “no factual basis” for the claims — but “ample basis” to launch an investigation into Bill Pulte, the Trump administration official digging into the mortgage records of the president’s most prominent political opponents.
“We are disturbed by the highly irregular, partisan process that led to these baseless accusations; the purposeful, coordinated public disclosure of these materials containing confidential personal information, without regard to the security risks posed to the Senator and his family; and Mr. Pulte’s role in this sordid effort,” attorney Preet Bharara wrote in the July 18 letter reviewed by The Times.
The Federal Housing Finance Agency, where Pulte serves as director, did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday.
A Justice Department spokesperson said Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi has directed Ed Martin — a Trump loyalist and director of the department’s “Weaponization Working Group” — to “commence a probe” into criminal referrals from the housing agency, and Martin “will make public statements regarding the matter when appropriate.”
Trump previously nominated Martin — a Missouri lawyer and conservative activist with no prosecutorial experience — to serve as the U.S. attorney in Washington, D.C. However, Schiff, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, placed a hold on Martin’s nomination, and it was ultimately withdrawn amid a lack of support from Republican senators.
Bharara outlined several reasons why he believed the president’s allegations against Schiff are without merit, and attached a copy of a letter from Schiff to the mortgage lender on his home near Washington, D.C, that Bharara said proved Schiff had been “completely transparent” about listing both that home and a unit in his home district in Burbank as primary residences in mortgage documents.
Schiff’s simultaneous designation of two different homes as primary residences was the basis for Trump’s allegations and for Pulte’s referral of the matter to the Justice Department for criminal review.
Bharara blasted Pulte as “a Presidential appointee who seems to have made it his mission to misuse the power of his office to manufacture allegations of criminal conduct against the President’s perceived political adversaries,” and advised top Justice Department officials to not become complicit in such a politically motivated campaign.
“You should decline Mr. Pulte’s invitation to join his retaliatory harassment of Senator Schiff,” Bharara wrote to Bondi and Deputy Atty. Gen. Todd Blanche. “Instead, Mr. Pulte’s misuse of his position should be investigated by a nonpartisan Inspector General to determine whether Mr. Pulte’s conduct should be referred to the Department of Justice for criminal investigation.”
Democrats have questioned the legality of Pulte’s probes into several of Trump’s political opponents, including Schiff, who led a House impeachment of Trump; New York Atty. Gen. Letitia James, who has led investigations into and lawsuits against the president; and Lisa Cook, a Federal Reserve governor who has voted to maintain federal interest rates rather than reduce them as Trump has demanded.
Pulte has lodged different allegations against each, but at their core is the claim that they all misrepresented facts in mortgage documents to secure favorable tax or loan terms, including by listing more than one home as their primary residence at the same time.
Trump cited the claims against Cook as reason to remove her from the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, which she is challenging in court. Critics have condemned the move as a partisan attack designed to allow Trump to wrest control of the economy away from the independent Federal Reserve.
Pulte has downplayed or ignored reporting by ProPublica that several of Trump’s own Cabinet members have made similar housing claims in mortgage and other financial paperwork, and reporting by Reuters that Pulte’s father and stepmother have done so as well. Additional Reuters reporting on eight years of court data found that the federal government has only rarely brought criminal charges over misstatements about primary residence in mortgage records.
With Schiff, who is a former prosecutor, Trump alleged that he intentionally misled lenders about his primary residence being in Potomac, Md., rather than in California, in order to “get a cheaper mortgage and rip off America.” Trump cited an investigation by the Fannie Mae “Financial Crimes Division” as his source.
California Sen. Adam Schiff’s lawyer wrote a letter to the Department of Justice saying there was “no factual basis” for President Trump’s accusations that Schiff had committed mortgage fraud.
(Jose Luis Magana / Associated Press)
A memorandum from Fannie Mae investigators to Pulte, previously reported by The Times, noted that investigators had been asked by the Federal Housing Finance Agency inspector general’s office for loan files and “any related investigative or quality control documentation” for Schiff’s homes.
Investigators said they had concluded that Schiff and his wife “engaged in a sustained pattern of possible occupancy misrepresentation” on their home loans between 2009 and 2020 by simultaneously identifying both the Potomac home and the Burbank unit as their primary residence. The investigators didn’t say they had concluded a crime had been committed.
Schiff has publicly dismissed Trump’s allegations as baseless, accusing the president of making mortgage fraud claims “his weapon of choice to attack people standing in his way and people standing up to him, like me.” Bharara’s letter outlined his defense in more detail.
Part of that defense was the letter Bharara said Schiff sent to his lender on his Maryland home, Quicken Loans, a copy of which was provided to the Justice Department and reviewed by The Times.
In that letter, which he sent during a 2010 refinancing, Schiff wrote that while California was his “principal legal residence” and where he paid taxes, he had been informed both by counsel for the lender and for the House Administration Committee that the Maryland home “may be considered a primary residence for insurance underwriting purposes” because members of his family lived in it for most of the year.
Bharara called the letter a “transparent disclosure” and “the antithesis of ‘mortgage misrepresentation.’”
Schiff has previously said that neither of the homes were vacation or investment properties and were classified correctly, both in accordance with how they were used by his family and in consultation with House attorneys and his lenders.
Another part of Schiff’s defense, Bharara wrote, was that even if he had committed fraud by making false statements in his mortgage filings — which Bharara said he did not — the 10-year statute of limitations for charging him has lapsed, as the “most recent mortgage application that Mr. Pulte even accuses of inaccuracy is more than twelve years old.”
Bharara also laid out several reasons why he felt that Pulte’s actions deserve to be investigated.
Bharara asserted that the Federal Housing Finance Agency inspector general appeared to have asked the Fannie Mae Financial Crimes Investigation Unit to delve into Schiff’s mortgage records “at Mr. Pulte’s behest,” and that Pulte personally referred the matter to the Justice Department in May, before the Fannie Mae unit had even provided him with its findings.
He also wrote that the criminal referral was made public “as the President sought to distract from criticism related to [convicted sex offender] Jeffery Epstein.”
Schiff’s address was published as a result, which Bharara said presented a threat to the senator and forced him to take “extra security precautions.” Schiff also has launched a legal defense fund to help him defend himself against the president’s accusations.
Bharara, a former U.S. attorney in New York, described Pulte’s actions as “highly irregular,” and part of a “pattern” of him “misusing his office” to go after Trump’s political opponents.
“Opening an investigation on these deficient facts, after this much time has passed, after such an irregular and suspect process, and when the President has repeatedly expressed his longtime desire to investigate and imprison Senator Schiff, would be a deeply partisan and unjust act, unworthy of the Department of Justice,” Bharara wrote. “Instead, it is Mr. Pulte’s conduct that should be investigated.”
US tech giant says jury decision misunderstands its products and it will appeal.
Published On 4 Sep 20254 Sep 2025
Google has been told by a US jury to pay $425m for violating the privacy of tens of millions of users who opted out of a feature tracking app use.
The jury in San Francisco handed down the verdict on Wednesday after a group of Google users accused the tech giant of continuing to collect data from third-party apps even when they changed their account settings to prevent the practice.
Google said the decision misunderstood how its products work and that it planned to appeal.
“Our privacy tools give people control over their data, and when they turn off personalization, we honor that choice,” Google spokesperson Jose Castaneda said in a statement.
In their lawsuit, the plaintiffs alleged that Google collected and sold users’ mobile app activity data in breach of privacy assurances contained in its Web & App Activity settings.
The suit, which was filed in July 2020, covered some 98 million Google users.
During the trial, Google had argued that collected data was “nonpersonal” and “pseudonymous” and stored in “segregated, secured, and encrypted locations”.
Google has faced a number of other recent privacy-related lawsuits.
In May, the tech giant agreed to pay $1.375bn to the state of Texas over claims it had collected residents’ face geometry and voiceprints without proper consent, and tracked users’ locations even when they opted out of the feature.
Strictly Come Dancing 2025 is just weeks away with 15 stars competing for the Glitterball Trophy
09:37, 31 Aug 2025Updated 09:44, 31 Aug 2025
Strictly’s judges will be watching every dance step
The launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2025 is now just weeks – but there’s bad news for two of the show’s brightest stars.
Pro dancers Luba Mushtuk and Nancy Xu are reportedly gutted to have been told they won’t be getting celebrity partners this year, meaning they are out of competing in the main show.
The BBC dance show kicks off next month with the likes of Emmerdale’s Lewis Cope and model Ellie Goldstein taking part.
There will be 15 stars competing in a couple with one of the experienced professionals. Sadly, it has now been revealed that favourites Luba, 35, and Nancy, 34, will not be training up and performing with the famous faces this year.
A source said : “Luba and Nancy were gutted not to be in a celebrity pairing and competing on the show this year.
Strictly professional Nancy Xu won’t be getting a partner this year(Image: Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)
“They are, understandably, disappointed, but realise that not everyone is able to get a celebrity partner every year.
“Of course, the professional dancers are all expert athletes and want the best chance possible to win, it’s in their nature, but they’re grateful for the gig,’ the insider told The Sun On Sunday.
Last year Nancy was partnered with former X Factor winner Shayne Ward, while Luba was with DIY SOS star Nick Knowles.
Luba Mushtuk had a rough ride on Strictly last year with her partner Nick Knowles plagued by injury(Image: PA)
Earlier this week it was reported that long-serving dancer Gorka Marquez is actually ‘relieved’ not to have a leading role in this year’s show.
Gorka declined the opportunity to be centre stage with a celebrity partner in favour of spending weeks as a judge on the Spanish version of Strictly, Bailando Con Las Estrellas.
A source told The Sun: “Gorka loves Strictly and is so proud to be one of the longest-serving pros, but has said he’ll be relieved not to be there during another fraught series while the show and its cast are accused of toxic behaviour.
“He’s very excited to have been part of the group dances, which were pre-recorded, and loves everyone on the show. But this is the third series where they face questions about bullying, chaperones and everything else.”
Gorka Marquez is switching things up by joining the judging panel this year(Image: Gorka Marquez Instagram)
A spokesperson for Gorka responded: “Gorka does not feel this way at all; he is delighted to still be a part of Strictly alongside his Spanish filming schedule.”
One agent of a star on the show said: “Everyone is a little more mindful about the fact that things can blow up…and one misstep is all it takes. Last year Wynne Evans came under immense pressure, while the previous year Amanda Abbingdon said she had a torrid time…the phrase danger money has been bandied about.”
Strictly has been hit by a string of storms recently. Last year, dancer Giovanni Pernice quit after being accused of bullying and harassing 2023 partner Abbington. Some complaints against him were upheld but he was cleared of the most serious ones in a probe.
In the same series, the BBC pro Graziano Di Prima was removed over claims of misconduct towards partner Zara McDermott during training. And this year, Welsh opera singer Evans left the dance tour after being accused of making inappropriate remarks.
The current series of Strictly got off to a rocky start with Game of Thrones actor Kristian Nairn quitting the show after just one week into rehearsals. He was swiftly replaced by Emmerdale actor Lewis Cope, who is now hot favourite to win.
IT’s been HOT this summer – it’s no surprise if some of your usual garden favourites are wilting somewhat.
But as the climate changes it’s worth thinking about new varieties that can cope a bit better going forward.
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Dr Emily Atlee is co-founder and CEO of wildflower company SeedballCredit: Supplied
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Coneflower or Echinacea come back every year and don’t need much wateringCredit: Roman Biernacki
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Cornflowers are annuals – but they self seed so it feels like they’r returningCredit: Not known, clear with picture desk
There’s a whole host of wildflowers out there that can handle the heat and still put on a beautiful show.
Dr Emily Attlee, conservation scientist and co-founder of Seedball has shared her top picks with Sun Gardening.
CONEFLOWERS
“Not just a feast for the eyes, these are tough and reliable perennials that come back year after year. Easy to grow and adored by pollinators, coneflowers bring long-lasting colour and drought resilience to any garden.
OXEYE DAISY
“Spotted on roadside verges, the oxeye daisy is a fuss-free flower that thrives on neglect. It handles poor soil well and requires very little watering once settled in.
These cheerful self-seeders return annually and spread with ease – bringing with them rustic charm and a welcome haven for pollinators.
MEADOWHALL CRANESBILL
Although young plants may need a little more water to begin with, meadow cranesbill is a fantastic choice for dry, well-drained soil once matured.
With rich violet blooms and a place in the geranium family, this plant supports pollinators while adding definition and charm to beds and borders.
MUSK MALLOW
With soft pink flowers and a classic cottage garden appeal, musk mallow is both beautiful and hardy. Low maintenance and drought tolerant, it dies back in Autumn but reliably reappears in spring. Its vintage look and wildlife-friendly nature make it a garden favourite.
CORNFLOWER
These eye-catching blue blooms feature open faces, frilled petals, and curly stamens. Loved by bees and other beneficial insects, cornflowers are easy going once established and thrive with minimal watering. Ideal for adding colour and texture to a dry garden.“
She added: “These are just a small selection, as most native wildflowers are naturally suited to withstand drought once they’ve taken root.
Everyone can see the sunflowers but you need 20-20 vision to spot the three hidden faces in 13 seconds
“Many have evolved over time to adapt to the UK’s unpredictable weather patterns, including long dry periods. Some even store seeds beneath the soil, ready to regenerate when conditions improve.
“So, if you’re planning for the future of your patch, wildflowers are a smart, sustainable choice.”
For more tips from Emily and the Seedball team, visit www.seedball.co.uk.
Also in Veronica’s Column this week
Top tips, news, Plant of the Week and a competition to win a Spring Bulb Bundle with 183 bulbs!!
NEWS! Multi award-winning garden designer, Pip Probert, from BBC 2’s Your Garden Made Perfect, is designing the headline feature garden at this year’s BBC Gardeners’ World Autumn Fair, taking place at Audley End House and Gardens in Saffron Walden, Essex next weekend. As reported previously in Sun Gardening – the ‘Make a Metre Matter’ campaign encourages gardeners to transform a metre of outdoor space for the good of the planet. More than 13,500 eco-friendly metres have been pledged at gardenersworld.com to date, and Pip’s feature garden is brimming with meaningful metres to inspire Autumn Fair visitors to get involved. For tickets, visit www.bbcgardenersworldfair.com.
TOP TIP! If you’re thinking about attracting birds to your garden and keeping them happy in Autumn – then Honeysuckle is a win-win plant for your outside space. It will provide you with a gorgeous scent and lovely trumpet-shaped flowers, as well as being a great climber for trellis and walls. But in September it also provides lush red berries – a favourite food source for birds and other wildlife. Or consider Cotoneaster shrubs – blackbirds and thrushes absolutely love them – just check the size of the one you’re buying as you don’t want it to take over.
TOP TIP! IF you’re coming to the end of your tomato journey for this year and you’ve still got some on the vine that look like they’ve got no chance of turning red – don’t despair. Some experts suggest putting them in a bowl with a banana! The bendy yellow fruit emit ethylene – a compound that helps fruit ripen. Or you can just make green tomato chutney. Remember to chop up your vines and chuck them on the compost.
JOB OF THE WEEK! If you’re lucky to have wisteria – cut back this year’s current green shoots to five/six leaves. It will prevent it from growing too large and unwieldy.
PLANT OF THE WEEK! Spider Lillies are blooming now – and are named after the stamens resemble spider legs. Great for tropical borders, they look really exotic, best in full sun, in well drained soil and are full hardy to -5ºC
TOP TIP If your kitchen ginger has started sprouting, plant in a shallow tray with the shoot poking out – as it grows, keep topping up the soil. Keep on a sunny windowsill and you can grow year round as long as it doesn’t get too cold.
WIN! Win one of FOUR Spring Saver Bulb Bundle – 183 Bulbs WORTH £64.94 from Suttons Seeds. Featuring a variety of beloved spring-flowering bulbs to bring colour from February all the way through May, they’re ideal for beds or rockeries and can be layered in patio pots. To enter visit www.thesun.co.uk/SPRINGBULBS or write to Sun Spring Bulbs competition, PO Box 3190, Colchester, Essex, CO2 8GP. Include your name, age, email or phone. UK residents 18+ only. Entries close 11.59pm. September 6, 2025. T&Cs apply
Watch: Moment Air Canada ends news conference after union activists disrupt event
Air Canada flights will resume on Sunday after the government ordered cabin crew to end a strike that led to hundreds of cancellations, the airline has said.
The Canadian Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) told staff to return to return to work by 14:00 EDT (18:00 GMT) and said that a collective agreement that expired on 31 March would be extended until a new one was agreed, Air Canada added.
Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu ordered binding arbitration to end the dispute, after more than 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants walked earlier on Saturday causing 700 cancellations.
The union accused the government of “caving to corporate pressure”, having resisted a forced agreement.
Flight attendants are calling for higher salaries and to be paid for work when aircraft are on the ground.
The strike took effect at 00:58 EDT on Saturday, though Air Canada began scaling back its operations before then.
Air Canada said it had suspended all flights, including those under its budget arm Air Canada Rouge, for the duration of the strike, and advised affected customers not to travel to the airport unless with a different airline.
Flight attendants picketed major Canadian airports, where passengers were trying to secure new bookings earlier in the week.
But later on Saturday, Hadju said “stability and supply chains” must be preserved, while the two parties had been “unable to resolve their differences in a timely manner”.
She invoked Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code to restart negotiations arbitrated by the government, with a resulting deal being legally binding.
Air Canada, which flies directly to 180 cities worldwide, said the first flights will begin this evening, but cautioned that it would take several days to return its operations to normal.
“During this process, some flights will be canceled over the next seven to 10 days until the schedule is stabilised,” it said in a statement. “Air Canada deeply regrets the inconvenience for its customers.”
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (Cupe) described Hadju’s decision to intervene in the dispute as “violating our charter rights”, saying it will cause “incalculable damage” to workers’ rights.
It alleges that forcing a bargain to end the strike will “ensure unresolved issues will continue to worsen by kicking them down the road”.
Cupe has yet to publicly respond to the directive to end the strike.
In contract negotiations, Air Canada said it had offered flight attendants a 38% increase in total compensation over four years, with a 25% raise in the first year.
Cupe said the offer was “below inflation, below market value, below minimum wage” and would still leave flight attendants unpaid for some hours of work, including boarding and waiting at airports ahead of flights.
The union and the airline have publicly traded barbs about each other’s willingness to reach an agreement.
Earlier this month, 99.7% of employees represented by the union voted for a strike.
Cupe has asserted that it had been negotiating in good faith for more than eight months, but that Air Canada instead sought government-directed arbitration.
“When we stood strong together, Air Canada didn’t come to the table in good faith,” the union said in a statement to its members. “Instead, they called on the federal government to step in and take those rights away.”
