“What Happened to Him?”: Zimbabweans React to James Makamba’s Drastic Weight Loss
Pic: Zimbabweans React to James Makamba’s Drastic Weight Loss Zimbabweans were left in shock after a recent picture of renowned businessman James Makamba surfaced on social media, showing him looking noticeably thinner and almost unrecognizable. The once-bulky Makamba, now appearing frail, was dressed in a suit that seemed oversized due to his significant weight loss. […]
The post “What Happened to Him?”: Zimbabweans React to James Makamba’s Drastic Weight Loss appeared first on iHarare News.
China Turns Up the Heat on Taiwan With Live-Fire Drills
Nish Panesar discovers the truth about The Six in EastEnders and launches sick plan
THE Six’s secret is finally uncovered by Nish Panesar next week in EastEnders.
Nish starts to grow suspicious of The Six after he overhears a clandestine chat between Kathy and Suki in upcoming scenes on the BBC soap.
Nish is adamant something is awry[/caption] Suki decides to take matters in her own hands[/caption] Nish summons The Six to meet him in The Vic – but what does he have planned?[/caption]He later rumbles the women’s group meet at No.41, where they try to remember their statements from Christmas.
Nish is adamant something is awry.
But, the women insist they have nothing to hide.
Nish insists on travelling with the group to the police station where he and the women are re-interviewed by DCI Arthurs on the events of Christmas.
Later, Nish heads to No.41, convinced Suki is hiding something.
Suki reels as Nish confronts her about the truth.
Suki invites the rest of The Six to No.41 on false pretences on Nish’s orders.
And it’s not long before things escalate as the women learn their secret is no longer safe.
Suki decides to take matters in her own hands and sends the rest of the women home.
But, it soon becomes clear that Nish will not be easily bought.
At No.41, Suki rejects Stacey’s calls as she prepares for the worst – Nish is moving back into No.41.
Later, Avani has some difficult questions for Nish, which prompts Nish to summon The Six to meet him in The Vic and reveal his plan.
EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Darkest soap storylines
Over the years the likes of EastEnders, Emmerdale and Coronation Street have all tried to try outdo each other with their outlandish plots in a bid to keep us tuning in each week. But here are some of the darkest that had fans in shock…
Charity Dingle shocked as a blast from the past returns to Emmerdale as spoilers reveal Adam Barton update
A FACE from Charity Dingle’s past returns, and Moira Dingle pays a visit to Adam Barton next week in Emmerdale.
Upcoming scenes on the ITV soap will see Cain confront his deepest fear as he faces the prospect of Moira’s death.
A blast from the part returns for Charity[/caption]Despite concerns, Matty and Moira are set to go ahead with their plan to visit Adam Barton, Cain is surprised to hear when they tell him.
Cain is struggling with the prospect of her going away.
As Moira and Cain comfort each other, both are painfully aware this could be a rehearsal for a more permanent farewell.
Adam arrived in Emmerdale in 2009 but left in 2018 after confessing to Emma Barton’s murder.
At the time, Adam told police that he’d murdered Emma in order to save his mum Moira Dingle from prison.
Emma died after jumping from a viaduct in 2017 – but it later transpired that Moira had pushed her.
Adam’s exit storyline was a dramatic one as it saw Aaron and Cain breaking him out of the prison van.
After escaping, he has been living life abroad, but his name has been mentioned in the soap several times.
Meanwhile, Charity gets the shock of her life when someone from her past returns to the Dales.
And Chas invites both Liam and Ella to Halloween in the pub, Liam struggles to hide his feelings for her.
Paddy has delayed sacking Ella but she’s picking up on his strange behaviour.
Liam awkwardly confesses his feelings for Chas and she reciprocates and they end up kissing.
Liam prepares to break up with Ella.
But will it go to plan?
Forgotten soap storylines
The nation's soaps have had many gripping storylines play out over the years. However, some plots proved to be far less memorable. Here are some forgotten stories from Weatherfield, Walford and more...
- Ken and Audrey’s romance (2015): After the death of wife Deirdre (Anne Kirkbride), Coronation Street original Ken Barlow (William Roache) started to move on in his life. He started to develop a spark with old friend Audrey (Sue Nicholls), with then-Corrie boss saying it would be like “Ross and Rachel”. In the end, nothing ever came of it and the two remained platonic pals.
- Beth’s bigamy (2016): Despite being happily married to Kirk (Andrew Whyment), a troubling secret came to light about Beth Tinker (Lisa George). It transpired that she had never divorced from her first husband, Darryl (Paul Loughran), father of her son Craig (Colson Smith). Although Craig and Kirk were shocked – and Beth was arrested – the storyline didn’t didn’t go much further.
- Kat Slater’s secret son (2017): Capitalising on the popularity of Kat (Jessie Wallace) and Alfie (Shane Richie), the two received a spin-off back in 2017. Titled ‘Redwater’, it saw the two travel to Ireland where they met long-lost son Luke, now called Dermott Dolan, played by Oisín Stack. Despite the high-tension events during Redwater, Kat seems to have put the experience behind her as Dermott’s not been mentioned since.
- Alfie’s brain tumour (2015): Having learned in 2015 that he had a brain tumour, Alfie kept the news from Kat until their trip to Ireland. At the time, actor Shane Ritchie revealed fans would see a change in Alfie as he battled the illness. It would appear that at some point after leaving the Square, was told the tumour was non-malignant. By the time Alfie returned in 2022, fans were left confused over what had happened to the storyline.
- Kathy and Buster’s affair (2016): In 2016, Walford legend Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth) fell into the arms of convict Buster Briggs, played by Karl Howman. Buster was the long-time lover of Shirley Carter (Linda Henry) and fathered both her sons – Mick (Danny Dyer) and Dean (Matt Di Angelo). When Buster left, he begged Kathy to join him, but she refused for the sake of her family. Meanwhile Buster didn’t even stop to say goodbye to Shirley before exiting with a broken heart. Fans expected a showdown between the two women, but this never came to pass.
- Jacob’s OCD (2016): After his dad, David (Matthew Wolfenden), was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2016, Jacob (Joe-Warren Plant) developed Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). This manifested in the form of cleaning. Jacob’s OCD made a brief return one year on, after David had another scare after finding a lump. Jacob frantically searched the bins for a “lucky coin” that had accidentally been thrown away. Despite stressful situations – such as being groomed by his teacher Maya, losing his fiancee Leanna to a serial killer, dealing with mum Leyla’s drug addiction, and surviving a stabbing – the condition doesn’t appear to have returned.
- Marlon and Charity’s fling (2003): Few fans would likely remember few will remember the one-night stand between Charity (Emma Atkins) and Marlon (Mark Charnock) in 2003. The pair slept together when Charity was staying with Marlon while still under suspicion for husband Chris’s supposed “murder”.
- Alex Browning’s revenge plot (2014): Fans expected a confrontation when Dr Browning’s son Alex (Ojan Genc) mer stepmum Mercedes McQueen (Jennifer Metcalfe). After all, Mercedes, with Cindy Cunningham (Stephanie Waring) and Lindsey Butterfield (Sophie Austin) had murdered Alex’s dad, double-murderer Dr Paul Browning, after he kidnapped and attacked his new wife. In fact, the soap teased Alex would seek revenge for his father’s death upon arriving. However, he instead gave Cindy’s son Hilton (his half-brother) a life-saving transplant, became his godfather, and leaving the village soon after.
Also in Emmerdale, Gail is frustrated with Ryan and unravels her woes to Mary and Bob and is soon roped into joining the book club.
Emmerdale airs weeknights at 7:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
Gail Platt fights for her life in hospital as Jesse makes a shock announcement in Coronation Street
GAIL Platt will fight for her life on Coronation Street as her love interest Jesse Chadwick will make a huge announcement.
The veteran character was previously rushed to hospital on the long-running ITV soap.
David will remain suspicious of Jesse as he will snap at him amid huge pressure[/caption] Gail Platt was rushed to hospital after she was seen to clutch her chest in agomy[/caption] She will be left fighting for her very life[/caption]Gail (Helen Worth) was seen to clutch her chest and hold her arm in a panic on Coronation Street.
Her kids clashed with her apparent partner as they remained suspicious of Jesse Chadwick’s (John Thomson) motives.
After she was taken to the medical centre, the entire Platt family will rally around her bedside.
Tensions will be high amongst the infamous clan as David (Jack P. Shepherd) will feel like he’s responsible for the situation.
Jesse will question David on his feelings and his guilt which will result in David snapping back.
Will his own suspicions of David be confirmed?
Meanwhile, Shona (Julia Goulding) will reveal that Jessie has gone back to the Platt house by himself.
This will lead David to completely panic at the spiralling situation.
Meanwhile, Damon (Ciaran Griffiths) will call Sarah (Tina O’Brien) from prison.
He will reveal that the blame has been shifted for the theft of the money.
It will seem that they are in the clear as one Harvey’s associates will be held responsible, although he did receive a beating.
Although Sarah will be relieved, Damon then says that he will need to cut off all contact with her.
After he will suddenly end the call, a saddened Sarah will inform Jesse that she’s off the hook with Harvey thanks to Damon.
She will also apologise to Jesse for suspecting him of taking the money in the first place.
However, Jesse will then make an announcement to the family which will leave them completely stunned.
Gail's biggest Corrie storylines
Over the years the character of Gail Platt has been the centre of several major plots.
Here we take a look back over actress Helen Worth’s biggest storylines:
Teenage daughter’s pregnancy
One of Gail’s most controversial storylines was in 1999.
It came when her 13-year-old daughter Sarah became pregnant.
Multiple marriages
Gail holds the record for the series’ most married female character.
She has been wed a whopping six times, each one worse the last.
Married to a serial killer
One of Gail’s multiple marriages saw her wed Richard Hillman, who turned out to be a serial killer.
At the climax of the storyline, 19 million fans tuned in to watch Hillman drive his wife and her family into a canal.
Scrapping on The Street
Gail has proved over the years she can’t resist a good scrap.
Her most memorable bust-up saw her attack Eileen Grimshaw on the cobbles in 2004 while in her dressing gown.
Jail bird
In 2010, Gail found herself wrongly banged up in jail.
She was wrongfully arrested for murdering her 4th husband Joe McIntyre.
Coronation Street is available to watch on ITV1 and stream on ITVX.
I got a log burner for £800 – I now rarely have to use my heating
MUM of two Bryony Lewis has not looked back since getting a log burner fitted in autumn 2022.
She reckons she’s already saved £2,000 on her bills since switching to burning wood instead of turning her heating on two years ago.
The 40-year-old, who lives in a five-bed home in Fareham, Hampshire, with her husband, Dan, her son Theo, eight, and daughter, Izzy, six, runs her own e-commerce business, T & Belle, which sells gifts for parents.
That means she spends a lot of time working at home – and over the winter the heating bills rack up.
So a few years ago, she started looking into what she could do to reduce her bills, and found that log burners can be a great way to heat the whole house up for far less.
With energy bills having risen from October 1, when the price cap went up by 10%, Bryony is very glad she made the investment.
This move by Ofgem saw the average annual energy bill jump from £1,568 to £1,717, meaning households are set to fork out even more cash to heat their homes this winter.
Bryony said: “The cost-of-living continues to go up and gas and electricity bills are making an increasingly big dent in our finances. We are very happy we made the decision to find a cheaper alternative to central heating.”
According to Uswitch, the average household with typical consumption could pay around £226 on gas over three months (October to December) based on the current price cap unit rates.
This is based on regulator Ofgem’s ‘breakdown of usage.’ But note that the cost for each household will vary based on a number of factors, such as type of home, energy performance certificate (EPC) rating, number of radiators and type of boiler.
After getting a smart meter, Bryony calculated the family was easily spending upwards of £800 on central heating over six months.
How much did it cost to switch?
Bryony paid £800 for her log burner, plus around £1,000 to get it installed – but this included the cost of removing the family’s previous open fire place, so without that it would have been cheaper.
She said: “We paid around £800 for our ACR Woodpecker WP5 Plus – but as we’ve discovered, it doesn’t take too long to recoup the cost.”
Bryony opted for a modern multi-fuel burner, which is a more eco-friendly type that is approved for use in smoke-control areas.
Now, the only ongoing running costs are logs, kindling and firelighters, which has been far cheaper than running central heating.
Bryony said: “For the whole of the winter season last year – from October to March – we spent a total of £100 on those three items,” she said.
One of Bryony’s top tips is to invest in good-quality kiln-dried logs.
“Doing this means the unit gives out a lot of heat,” she explained.
When buying logs, remember to look out for the “Ready to Burn” logo, a scheme that certifies solid fuels for burning in England.
The only other associated cost Bryony needs to budget for is getting the chimney swept regularly.
She said: “We last did this last in September and it cost us around £60.”
If you’re looking for a qualified individual locally, the National Association of Chimney Sweeps (NACS) is a good starting point. Also get your burner regularly serviced to keep it in tip-top condition.
When getting any wood-burning appliance installed, you must always use a qualified tradesperson, such as a HETAS-registered installer.
And make sure you’re up to speed on wood burning stove winter rules – read more here.
“Even on the coldest days, we only put it on for a maximum of one hour in the morning and the same before bedtime, despite the fact I work from home.”
Other energy-saving measures
Investing in a log burner is not the only energy-efficient change Bryony has made at home.
“Our smart meter showed me that the oven was another energy-guzzling appliance,” she said.
“So, after researching the alternatives, I invested in an air fryer. This was back in 2022, and we have made really good use of it since then.”
The family went for a 7.6-litre Ninja Dual model.
“As a family, we do a lot of things to try to be more efficient,” said Bryony. “We take care to always switch appliances off at the plug, as leaving devices on standby can cost a small fortune.”
Figures from Quotezone suggest households could save around £80 a year by switching off ‘vampire’ appliances such as gaming consoles, computers, laptops, and speakers, as well as dishwashers, washing machines, tumble dryers, microwaves, coffee makers and TVs.
Bryony added: “Other steps we take to save on energy costs include replacing all our lightbulbs with energy-saving ones.”
Top ‘radiator’ tips to keep a lid on energy bills
If you aren’t in a position to invest in a log burner, there are still steps you can take to heat your home more efficiently.
- Try turning your thermostat down by just one degree. This can be an easy way to save £100 a year
- Bleed your radiators to remove excessive air, and ensure they are heating up effectively
- Remember to turn off radiators in rooms in the house that you’re not using
- Move furniture away from radiators to ensure the heat is not being blocked
How to challenge an overpayment demand from the DWP
IF you get a letter from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) saying that you’ve been paid too much money, it can be very stressful.
Overpayments can happen for lots of reasons including system errors, changes in your circumstances, and even mistakes made by the government itself.
The bad news is that if you have been overpaid you almost always need to pay the money back, even if you didn’t notice and have spent it already.
However, you can usually speak to the DWP to work out a monthly payment plan, or there will be a deduction in future benefit payments until the debt is repaid.
The benefit office will determine how much money you should have received, what needs to be paid back, and whether you need to pay a penalty (for instance if you lied about your circumstances).
However, if you think that your payments were correct and you shouldn’t owe DWP anything, then you can challenge the decision.
We revealed earlier this year that some people are being sent overpayment demands, but after we intervened, it turned out they didn’t owe a penny – so it’s worth checking.
Single mum Penny Davis managed to get a £12,382 bill wiped after she challenged a Universal Credit overpayment demand – and found she was actually owed £2,000.
What to do if you get a letter saying you’ve overpaid
You should get a letter from the benefit office explaining why they think you’ve been overpaid. If you haven’t been given the reasons in writing, ask for them.
If you still think there’s a mistake, start by phoning up the benefit office and explaining the issue.
Give them any evidence you’ve got that supports your belief that you’ve not been overpaid. This might resolve the problem quickly.
If that doesn’t work and you still disagree, you can formally dispute an overpayment by asking for a free mandatory reconsideration. You must do this within a month of receiving your original letter.
You might be able to get an extension in some circumstances, for instance if you’ve been in hospital or had a bereavement.
Don’t forget, someone will look at your whole benefit claim again. This means your benefit could stop, stay the same, increase or decrease.
If you’re not sure, you can contact a charity such as Citizens Advice, Advicenow, or StepChange for help. They can also provide advice if you’ve been accused of benefit fraud. You can also seek advice from a legal professional.
The government says you can ask for mandatory reconsideration if any of the following apply:
- you think the office dealing with your claim has made an error or missed important evidence
- you disagree with the reasons for the decision
- you want to have the decision looked at again
What benefits qualify for a mandatory reconsideration?
You can ask for mandatory reconsideration for most benefits including:
- Attendance Allowance
- Bereavement Allowance
- Carer’s Allowance
- Carer’s Credit
- child maintenance (sometimes known as ‘child support’)
- Compensation Recovery Scheme (including NHS recovery claims)
- Diffuse Mesotheliomia Payment Scheme
- Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Funeral Expenses Payment
- Income Support
- Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
- Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- Maternity Allowance
- National Insurance credits
- Pension Credit
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- Sure Start Maternity Grant
- Universal Credit (including advance payments)
- Winter Fuel Payment
Before making a request for a mandatory reconsideration, make sure you understand why the decision was made. Being clear will help you to explain your case.
If you need help understanding the reason for your benefit decision, call the benefits office. They should be to explain and answer any questions you might have.
You can ask for a written explanation from the benefits office – known as a ‘written statement of reasons’. You can still ask for mandatory reconsideration after that but must do so within 14 days from when you get the statement.
How to ask for mandatory reconsideration
To ask for a mandatory reconsideration, you need to contact the benefits office. If you get Universal Credit, you can do this via your journal. Other ways to ask for one include by letter, by phone, or by filling in and returning a form.
The contact details may vary depending on which benefit the dispute refers to, but they should be on your overpayments letter.
If you want to dispute a Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction overpayment, you’ll need to contact your local authority.
For tax credits or Child Benefit, you need to contact HMRC.
What you need to provide
When asking for a mandatory reconsideration, you’ll need to provide:
- The date of the initial decision
- Your full name and address
- Your date of birth
- Your National Insurance number
You need to say which part of the decision you think is wrong and provide supporting evidence to prove it.
For example, this could be medical evidence or bank statements and payslips. The government says you should only include evidence you have not already sent, and that you should not include general information about your condition or unrelated appointment details.
Make sure you write your name, date of birth and National Insurance number at the top of each bit of evidence so it’s clear it relates to your claim. Unfortunately, you can’t claim back the costs of providing evidence.
If you’re not sure what evidence to send, read the guidance on the form for asking for mandatory reconsideration. You can also ring the benefits office, or speak to a charity or legal adviser.
What happens next?
The benefits office will reconsider its decision about your overpayment. You’ll then get a letter called a ‘mandatory reconsideration notice’ telling you whether they’ve changed their minds.
This letter should explain the reasons for the decision and the evidence it was based on.
If you disagree with the outcome, you can appeal to the Social Security and Child Support Tribunal. This must be done within one month of getting the letter, unless you have a good reason.
This body is independent of government, and a judge will listen to both sides of the argument before making a final decision.
If you were overpaid
You can usually try to negotiate to make sure that your repayments are affordable.
If you think the repayments will leave you in serious hardship, you should let the benefits office know as they may be able to help.
You can also ask the DWP if it will “exercise its discretion not to recover an overpayment”, which means writing off what you owe.
They don’t have to say yes, and if they refuse you, it can’t be challenged. You need to give as much evidence as possible about how the payments will affect you and your family.
Even if you have very good reasons, bear in mind it is extremely rare for the DWP to decide you don’t need to pay back the money if you genuinely owe it.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing squeezeteam@thesun.co.uk
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