KIDS unwrapping a popular gadget were left “crying and upset” after finding the device failed to work properly within minutes of opening it.

The Meta Quest headset was top of the list for children hoping to play VR and AR games this year.

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Meta Quest owners have reportedly complained about ‘bricking’ for weeks[/caption]

Meta

Affected Quest 3S owners may need to request a replacement headset[/caption]

But the gizmo has been plagued by a bodged software update that causes it to “brick” – a problem that leaves the Quest unresponsive and unable to start up correctly.

The issue has reportedly been affecting headsets for weeks.

Quest 2, Quest 3, and Quest 3S models have been impacted.

Meta – which owns Facebook and WhatsApp – says it has been “actively working on resolving the issue for all users, but in most cases, you are now able to use your device normally”.

However, affected Meta Quest 3S owners will need an entire headset replacement, according to The Verge.

One distraught parent shared how the incident ruined his nine year-old son’s Christmas.

“He opened it Christmas morning, started it, and was forced to update it,” the user wrote on Reddit.

“Having never used a VR headset before, I tried to reset it after following Meta’s own instructions. Now it’s hard-bricked.

“It’s been turned on for just 5 minutes in its entire 2-year life.

“My son spent 3 months waiting to play this but couldn’t use it when it came to the big day.

“He spent half of Christmas day crying and upset.”

Another commented: “It’s so absolutely insane that this is an issue for one of the largest companies in the entire world.”

Fortunately, not everyone has been affected by the issue.

“Got a new quest 3s today, unboxed and updated it and all is working well luckily,” one person replied on Reddit.

While an update to fix the issue has been rolled out, anyone still having trouble has been urged to contact Meta support.

“Those still affected by this software update should reach out to Customer Support via the help center,” a company rep said.

“They should have new directions on how to support users now.”

LIAM Payne’s final hours have been detailed by a judge who revealed the former One Direction star was “unable to stand” before falling to his death.

Judge Laura Bruniard said the 31-year-old should have been left in a safe place instead of being put at risk by being taken to his room after binging on drink and drugs.

The judge also concluded Liam fell to his death after trying to climb over his balcony, appearing to support claims he was trying to escape his room because he didn’t want to be there.

It comes as five people have been charged in connection with the 31-year-old’s death on October 16.

The troubled popstar died after falling from a third-floor balcony at the Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Liam’s manager as well as the manager of the hotel and its head of reception have now been charged with negligent homicide – similar to manslaughter in the UK.

They face up to five years in prison if convicted.

Meanwhile, a hotel employee and a local waiter have been charged with supplying drugs, and could be jailed for 15 years.

In a swipe at the two hotel workers she has charged with manslaughter, Bruniard said: “I consider that they didn’t act maliciously with regards to the singer’s death but they were reckless in facilitating his transfer to his room by taking him there.

“They created a legally unacceptable risk and Liam Payne’s death is the result.

“Liam wanted to climb over the balcony, fell into the abyss and died.”

She argued that Liam’s manager and employees of the hotel where he was staying failed him in the moments before his death as she revealed details of Liam’s final hours.

Judge Bruniard said he had been “demanding” drugs and alcohol while staying at the hotel.

On the day of his death, Liam was “unable to stand” in the hotel lobby due to the “consumption of various substances”, court documents said.

Judge Bruniard said that just before 5pm, Liam was “unable to look after himself” and had “clearly fainted” in the hotel lobby.

The singer was “dragged” to his room by the receptionist and two others, which the manager allowed to happen “at least by omission”.

The judge said – given Liam’s “altered” consciousness and access to a balcony from his room – the “proper thing to do was to leave him in a safe place and with company until a doctor arrived”.

Liam’s representative Rogelio “Roger” Nores – who is charged with negligent homicide – is accused of leaving Liam on his own in the hotel in a “state of vulnerability”.

The judge described Liam’s death as “foreseeable”.

Fresh court documents also reiterate the theory that Liam had “tried to leave the room through the balcony and thus fell”.

Toxicology tests revealed that before his death, Liam had traces of alcohol, cocaine, and a prescription antidepressant in his body.

Hotel workers, head receptionist Esteban Grassi and chief of security Gilda Martín, are also charged with manslaughter.

Braian Paiz has been charged with supplying narcotics for payment, alongside another hotel employee Ezequiel Pereyra also charged with supplying drugs.

Paiz, 24, and Pereyram 21, have been accused of selling Liam drugs on two occasions mere days before his death and both have been refused bail.

Judge Bruniard reviewed WhatsApp messages exchanged between Liam and the waiter as part of the probe into his death.

The texts reportedly played a key part in deciding his drug charges – of allegedly selling cocaine to Liam twice on October 14.

Paiz’ lawyer admitted his client is a drug user – but has insisted he is not a dealer and that no money changed hands.

Both Paiz and Pereyra are understood to be expected to appeal against the decision to detain them ahead of trial.

Nores, Grassi and Martin were spared pre-trial detention in exchange for a travel ban as well as a seizure of almost £40,000 worth of assets.

Grassi and Martin have been identified as two of the three men pictured carrying Liam back up to his room from his hotel lobby shortly before his balcony fall.

Receptionist Grassi, who made an emergency 911 call moments before the singer died, has not made any public comment since being named as one of the suspects.

But leaked texts he has submitted to investigators suggest Liam asked a bellboy for cocaine shortly after he checked in – and called him “useless” when he told him he was unable to help.

The senior hotel worker also claimed the singer rang reception repeatedly, especially at night, to request alcohol and ask where he could buy cocaine.

MILLIONS of drivers can claim a free ride home this New Year’s Eve, but you must follow simple instructions.

The New Year‘s Eve Safe Ride Home program will give away free Uber and taxi rides between 6 pm on December 31 and 6 am on January 1.

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The holidays are the worst time of year for drunk driving fatalities[/caption]

Under the scheme, funded by the Farah & Farah personal injury law firm in Jacksonville, Florida, a $50 credit will be offered.

The long-running program will also partner with local bars and restaurants to ensure New Year’s revelers get home safely.

Drivers in the cities of Jacksonville, Fort Myers, Saint Augustine, Savannah, and Tampa, can use the following link to sign up for the ride-home scheme.

“After more than four decades protecting accident victims, we’ve seen countless ways that lives are forever altered after a crash,” Chuck Farah, senior partner at Farah & Farah, told CBS-owned affiliate WJAX-TV.

“Our annual New Year’s Eve Safe Ride Home Program is one way that we can help thousands of people avoid being a statistic and return home safely after celebrating.“

Similar schemes are operating across the US this New Year’s Eve.

In Washington, DC, riders will be able to get a subsidized cab between 10 p.m. on December 31 and 4 a.m. on January 1.

The Washington Regional Alcohol Program’s SoberRide is open to anyone aged 21 and over.

To sign up, open the Lyft app’s payment tab and enter the code “SoberRide”.

This will allow riders to cover a trip up to $15 for free.

The promo codes will be posted on the website SoberRide.com at 9 pm on New Year’s Eve.

More than 800 people used the free service last year.

“Lyft is dedicated to providing access to reliable and responsible rides, and we’re proud to partner with programs like WRAP to offer Lyft as an alternative to impaired driving,” Kamillah Wood, Lyft’s director of public policy for community safety, told local commercial outlet WTOP.

“Through our Roadway Safety Program and our partnerships with the public, we hope to empower our community with the tools to protect themselves and those around them this holiday season.”

This program aims to keep drunk drivers off the roads over New Year’s Eve, one of the worst nights of the year for accidents, according to the program’s organizers.

“Over a third of all US traffic fatalities during Christmas and New Year’s in 2022 involved drunk drivers, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration,” said Kurt Erickson, the program’s president.

As well as free rides, there will be another boost for drivers over the holidays.

Insurance giant AAA’s “Tow-to-Go” service will continue running until 6 am on January 2.

The scheme, which went into effect on December 24, will allow any driver, even if they don’t have an AAA membership, to get towed for free.

A tow truck will tow one person and their vehicle to a safe place within a 10-mile radius.

To request a tow, visit the AAA website or call 855-286-9246.

A POWER cut could be to blame for the deaths of three family members who were killed after eating Christmas cake, police fear.

Zeli dos Anjos, 61, prepared the traditional ‘Bolo de Natal’ festive treat for a family meal on December 23 in the southern Brazilian city of Torres.

Facebook/Zeli Dos Anjos

Facebook/Zeli Dos Anjos

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Tests found arsenic in the blood of those who ate the Christmas cake[/caption]

She was one of six family members including a 10-year-old child who ended up in hospital with food poisoning.

Her sisters Maida, 58, Neuza, 65, and Neuza’s daughter Tatiana, 43, all died shortly after eating the cake.

Traces of the toxic metal arsenic were found in the victims’ bodies – but further tests are ongoing.

Torres-based police chief Marcos Vinicius Veloso said detectives are probing whether bacteria-ridden currants and other spoiled foods used as a cake topping after a power-cut could be linked to the fatal poisonings.

Zeli, who has spoken briefly to cops from her hospital bed, is said to have prepared the Christmas cake at a house in the beach resort of Arroio do Sal a 35-minute drive south of Torres.

She used the house as a holiday home but had not visited for a while because she had been living at her main home in Canoas a two-hour drive inland.

Mr Veloso said: “Zeli had spent some time away from her place in Arroio do Sal and when she returned to it she found the fridge off because from the inquiries we’ve been able to make, it appears there’d been some sort of power cut there.

“When she went into the property there was an unbearable smell.

“Some of the things in the fridge, perishable foods like meat, were thrown away.

“But other items were re-used.

“What we’re trying to confirm is that some of those items, like currants and other crystallised fruit, could have been used in the cake a month later.”

The family ate the suspect cake in an apartment in Torres where her sister Maida lived with her husband.

They noticed it tasted “strange” but carried on eating.

Maida, a teacher, was the first to die.

Her husband Jefferson, who also ate the cake, needed medical treatment but his symptoms were described as “minor.”

He has told Brazilian media no one in the family thinks Zeli had any intention of harming her relatives.

She is expected to be questioned again once she leaves hospital.

Her current condition in hospital has been described as “stable.”

Mr Veloso added: “With the evidence we have collected, we do not know whether the poisoning was negligent or intentional.

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Zeli’s husband is set to be exhumed[/caption]

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The only sister to survive was Zeli (centre)[/caption]

“So far, I have not been able to find any intentional conduct. However, other evidence that comes to light may contradict what I think now.

“This is an investigation that requires great caution.”

In the wake of the Christmas horror, it emerged Zeli’s husband had died from suspected food poisoning in September.

Police did not deem his death as suspicious at the time, but detectives have confirmed Paulo Luiz’s body will be exhumed so a proper post-mortem can take place.

It echoes the poisoned mushroom case in Australia that killed three last year.

Mum Erin Patterson served up a beef wellington that left her former parents-in-law Don, 70, and Gail Patterson, 70, as well as Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson, 66, dead.

The 49-year-old is set to face a murder trial after pleading not guilty to all charges.

CAM NEWTON believes the WNBA will soon become one of the very biggest sports in the USA.

The 2015 NFL MVP was speaking on his 4th and 1 podcast when he declared that one of the Big Four leagues is a “dying sport” that will soon be beaten by women’s basketball.

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Cam Newton believes the WNBA will replace one of the other major leagues in the Big Four[/caption]

Newton, who was a multi-sport athlete as a youngster, believes that baseball is the one set to lose its place given the new wave of WNBA stars such as Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.

Newton said: “Baseball is like a — I hate to say — a dying sport.

“I think baseball will be surpassed by WNBA in 20 years. Baseball isn’t being played by Americans anymore.”

One of his co-hosts said “bring back steroids” but Newton responded:”I don’t know about bring back steroids.

“I’m Cam Newton, and I do not approve that message.

“We’ve got a bunch of blurters, blurting out s***.”

He then added: “For those that take offense to that, it’s just the truth?

“Who’s really paying attention to baseball?

“Especially baseball during the regular season.”

Newton’s comments do not go nearly as far Stephen A. Smith, who previously got into trouble over his take on Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani.

In 2021, the ESPN analyst had said it was not a good thing for Ohtani to be the face of MLB because he didn’t speak good enough English and needed an interpreter.

He later issued a full apology.

“Let me apologize right now,” Smith began the lengthy explanation.

“As I’m watching things unfold, let me say that I never intended to offend ANY COMMUNITY, particularly the Asian Community — and especially SHOHEI Ohtani himself,” he wrote.

“As an African-American, I’m keenly aware of the damage stereotyping has done to many in the country, it should’ve elevated my sensitivities even more.

“Based on my words, I failed in that regard and it’s on me, and me alone!”

He went on to call Ohtani “one of the brightest stars in all of sports.”

Newton’s comments also don’t reflect the recent success of MLB on TV.

Game 4 of the World Series gave the MLB their biggest audience since 2019, drawing 16.7million viewers.

Game 5 then went one better and pulled in 18.6m viewers, the highest share since 2017.

TRADER Joe’s shoppers are mourning the loss of a popular frozen breakfast item after the grocer discontinued it.

Shoppers, however, are not completely out of luck, as Costco stocks its shelves with a similar product.

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Trader Joe’s discontinued a popular breakfast item[/caption]

TRADER JOE'S

The grocery store pulled the beloved Trader Joe’s Cheese Blintzes from its shelves[/caption]

Trader Joe’s is beloved for its affordable selection of unique, curated products that can only be found there.

From its iconic soup dumplings to its beloved frozen hashbrowns, the grocer is chock-full of fan-favorite products.

Disappointment arises, however, when the chain removes a popular product from its shelves, leaving fans with no way to get their hands on it.

This was the case when Trader Joe’s discontinued its Cheese Blintzes, a breakfast staple from its frozen section.

The cheese-filled crepes were pulled from the chain’s shelves, according to a Facebook post last month in the Trader Joe’s Discontinued group.

“So sad to find out this has been discontinued! It was a regular in our breakfast rotation for years. We used fresh fruit like strawberries with Truwhip whipped topping from Sprouts,” wrote the disappointed customer.

They shared that the Trader Joe’s location in Glendale, Arizona was all out of the product and they were informed by an employee that the Cheese Blintzes had been discontinued.

Several other Trader Joe’s fans similarly commented that the breakfast item was no longer available at stores in New Jersey, New York, and Massachusetts.

The original poster added that they were told the Cheese Blintzes were discontinued because the supplier went out of business.

Many Trader Joe’s shoppers were dismayed at the loss of one of their favorite products.

“I loved these Cheese Blintzes! I’m bummed out that they’re gone,” wrote one Facebook user.

“Another favorite product discontinued, not happy!” fumed another Trader Joe’s customer.

“All good items at Trader Joe’s seem to be discontinued,” complained a third shopper.

“Sad that you use many items for years and then they retire them. Cheese Blintzes has been a staple item for many years and now they decide to stop selling it. How sad.”

BLINTZ BLISS

The discontinuation of the beloved Cheese Blintzes from Trader Joe’s isn’t all bad news for fans, as shoppers can score alternatives at other retailers.

One fan of the breakfast item shared that blintzes were in stock at Costco.

“Costco sells nice blintzes in the freezer section from time to time!” they wrote.

“I stock up when I see them. The same company makes potato/cheese pierogis that are delicious. They’re almost always stocked at my Costco.”

Another shopper added that they had found blintzes in the refrigerated section of Costco.

Those without a Costco membership can also get their hands on an alternative for the discontinued Trader Joe’s Cheese Blintzes.

One Facebook user shared that the Golden brand sells cheese blintzes in the Kosher section.

They can be found at most major grocery stores, such as Randalls, H-E-B, Wegmans, ShopRite, and Whole Foods.

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Shoppers can score products similar to Trader Joe’s Cheese Blintzes at stores such as Costco, H-E-B, and Whole Foods[/caption]

Trader Joe’s has confirmed it will close down all 597 locations for an entire day – and Costco won’t be any help.

Plus, Trader Joe’s shoppers are calling the stores “a hellish experience” and reveal two reasons why the chain is “going downhill.”

A BOMBSHELL investigation into South Korea’s horror plane crash has revealed how the very same plane was involved in another smash just three years ago.

It has been claimed that Jeju Air swore the plane had no history of accidents and no maintenance issues – despite being involved in a collision in 2021 as it took off.

The damning report, published by JTBC news, said the tail of the Boeing 737-800’s fuselage came into contact with the runway.

It damaged the enormous jet – but Jeju allegedly continued to fly the plane as planned, leading to a fine of more than £108,000.

When CEO of Jeju Air, Kim Yi-bae, was questioned over the plane that smashed on Sunday killing 179 people, he said it had no accident history.

But Korea Airports Corporation reported that “after checking the statistical system, the same plane had an accident three years ago”.

The crash took place on February 17, 2021, as the jet took off from Gimpo Airport to Jeju Airport.

Several years later, on Sunday at Muan International Airport, the same plane crash landed on the tarmac and careened into a brick wall.

It exploded in an enormous fireball, killing all but two of the 181 onboard in a devastating catastrophe.

Authorities and loved ones of the crash victims are camped out at the airport as officials attempt to ID the body parts of those killed.

One heartbroken man at the scene asked police: “Can you promise that they will be put back together?”

Officials are believed to have recovered more than 600 body parts as they deal with the aftermath of the horror crash.

South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport – who dished out the fine to Jeju Air in 2021, said: “It is a violation of safety regulations to fly without properly checking for damage to a part of the aircraft.”

One member, Park Yong-gap, added: “In particular, the aircraft involved in this accident had a collision accident three years ago while taking off.

“Yesterday, Jeju Air said that it had no accident history at all. Isn’t that a false explanation?”

Jeju Air hit back, claiming: “The accident three years ago was so minor that we classified it as a non-accident under the Aviation Act and said that there was no accident history.

“We have paid the full fine and completed all inspections and maintenance, and are now operating normally.”

Serious questions are being asked about whether Sunday’s crash – the worst aviation incident to hit South Korea in decades – could have been avoided.

Devastated families are demanding to see their relative’s bodies.

Anger has been directed at police, who say they are taking their time to carefully identify victims.

Police superintendent general Na Won reassured families they were making their best efforts to collect and match as many bodies as possible, reports BBC.

Lee Jin-cheol, the Administrator of the Busan Regional Aviation Administration, said until now fingerprints had been used to ID bodies.

He added: “But we have nearly reached the limit, and there are cases of errors occurring.

“From now on, we will likely have to rely on DNA testing.”

Among those killed were three generations of the same family.

A man in his 60s told Korean Yonhap news agency that his sister-in-law, daughter, her husband and their young children had died.

All those on board the flight are thought to have been Korean except for two Thai nationals -one of whom was a 22-year-old woman called Sirithon Chaue.

Tragically, her mother was waiting for her at the airport when the plane crashed landed.

Chaue’s uncle told how she was going to visit her mum, who lives in South Korea, and hoped to find a job there.

He added: “She always dreamed of working there as an air hostess.

“Her mother was waiting at the airport and at first she thought the plane malfunction was minor. But then she saw the videos of what happened on social media. She was in shock and panic.”

Five of those killed were children under the age of ten.

Among them was a three-year-old boy, who is understood to have been killed alongside his parents as they returned from their first family holiday.

AN EXTREMELY rare first-generation Ford GT40 is set to fetch a pretty penny at an upcoming auction.

The iconic supercar, much-loved by gearheads for its groundbreaking design, incredible speed and racing heritage – not least its famous win at Le Mans in 1966 – is one of only 31 ever made.

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A first-gen Ford GT40 is set to sell at an upcoming auction[/caption]

Mecum Auctions

It’s thought that the classic car could go for millions[/caption]

Ford Motors

The iconic GT40 is best known for its victory at the 1966 24hrs of Le Mans[/caption]

Set to go under the hammer at Mecum’s Kissimmee auction in mid-January, the fast Ford bears the chassis number P/1034 – meaning this model was built by the UK company Ford Advanced Vehicles which designed and built the first GT40s in late 1965.

These incredible vehicles were then delivered to owners the following March, with this example believed to be the very first GT40 delivered to a private owner.

According to Motor Authority, the car’s first owner was James Fielding, the chairman of Heenan & Froude, the company that manufactured the dynamometers used by Shelby American for testing GT40s.

Fielding then reportedly sold the car in 1971 to his neighbor Paul Weldon in exchange for a Rolls-Royce, who then went on to race the car in several amateur events at locations such as Silverstone and Brands Hatch in the UK.

Powered by a 4.7-liter V-8 engine with Weber carburetors, much like most GT40s of this era, it appears the car’s 5-speed manual transmission is the original, but its mighty engine was built by UK engineering specialists Mathwall Engineering and dyno tested to confirm a 335-hp output.

The listing states that the car also comes with an additional 1966-dated engine that has accompanied it from the beginning, along with a report from renowned GT40 enthusiast Ronnie Spain.

Approximately 105 models were built across the MkI to the MkIV GT40s, with the Mk II being the model that secured Ford its first Le Mans win in 1966.

The car is listed as Lot S214 for Mecum’s Kissimmee auction, which runs from January 7 to 19.

Meanwhile, for racing fans, the 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans will take place on Saturday, June 14 and Sunday, June 15 at the Circuit de la Sarthe in Le Mans, France.

This comes as a classic Jaguar E-type worth $62,000 undergoes a months-long restoration that’s completely transformed it – making it now valued at $200,000.

And elsewhere, a gearhead who was scammed out of $45,000 to buy his dream car has urged federal law enforcement agencies to do more to protect Americans like him.

Matthew Hobson, a retired firefighter from Oklahoma, dreamed of owning a classic 1968 Chevy Camaro – and even had a picture of one on his wall when he was young.

Speaking before Christmas, he said: “I have had a picture of this car on my wall since I was 12 years old.”

Decades later, Hobson came across a Camaro for sale online and he immediately contacted the sellers.

He said: “They sent me videos, they walked around the car; it was so professionally done.”

He says that he believed he’d done his due diligence; investigating the car, the company and the process for weeks prior – claiming everyone seemed professional and legit.

Feeling reassured, he wired $45,000 from his pension fund to make the purchase.

He added: “I mean, it was texts, phone numbers, bill of ladings, bill of sales.

“It couldn’t have been any more legit.”

But after waiting for updates on the delivery of the vehicles and hearing nothing but excuses, the suspected scammers then simply disappeared.

A TOURIST riding in an Uber taxi was shot dead in a hail of gunfire after her driver took a wrong turn into a dangerous suburb in Brazil.

Diely da Silva, 34, died instantly when the car she was in came under gunfire in Vargem Pequena, in the west of Rio de Janeiro.

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Diely da Silva, 34, was killed in Vargem Pequena, Rio, Brazil, three days after Christmas[/caption]

NF/newsX

Diely da Silva, 34, poses in undated photo[/caption]

Accounting manager Diely had been holidaying in the city ahead of New Year’s Eve celebrations.

Her driver, 34-year-old Anderson Pinheiro, was also shot but survived after being rushed to hospital for immediate treatment.

Military police investigating the shooting, which happened on December 28, believe the car could have been targeted for entering a gang’s territory after the driver took a detour.

Diely had travelled to Rio from her home in Jundiai, Sao Paulo state.

Local mayor Gustavo Martinelli said: “It is unacceptable that violence continues to take innocent lives, causing pain and suffering to so many families.

“May God comfort the hearts of all who are facing this irreparable loss.”

A friend of the victim, Maria Alves, said that Diely was inspiring, determined and “always had a smile on her face”.

Maria said: “I wish I had had time to invite you to be the maid of honour at my wedding, I was looking forward to it.

“Unfortunately, the world is cruel and violence took you away from us.”

Uber told local media they are cooperating with the police inquiry and that Diely’s family could be entitled to compensation under the ride platform’s insurance.

The taxi company said: “Uber deeply regrets that citizens who only want to work or move are victims of the violence that permeates our society.

“We share our feelings with the user’s family at this difficult time, and we hope that the authorities will bring those responsible to justice as soon as possible.”

Uber added: “All trips on the platform are covered by insurance and Uber always remains at the disposal of the security agencies to collaborate with the investigations.”

More to follow… For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online

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ELF fans finally got an update on our beloved Buddy The Elf – though it’s not quite the sequel we were expecting. 

Comedian Will Ferrell donned his iconic green elf outfit for a trip to an NHL game with his wife and son, but showed the ever-bubbly Buddy having a bit of a crisis. 

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Buddy the Elf has certainly been on a rough ride over this holiday season[/caption]

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The joyful elf is a family favourite every Christmastime[/caption]

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Now Buddy is drinking beer and smoking cigarettes[/caption]

After what was sure to have been a busy Christmas season, Buddy looked a little worse for wear, with a dishevelled beard and a cigarette out of his mouth. 

A far cry from the syrup-loving, energetic character we know, Buddy was instead seen downing a pint from the sidelines as he watched the Los Angeles Kings take on the Philadelphia Flyers.

“Buddy” later spoke to reporters at the game, saying it was a “tough holiday season” and he was hoping for a Kings win.

In a Christmas miracle, it seems he got his wish – so let’s hope he’s feeling a bit more spirited now. 

Unfortunately for fans, this is likely the closest we’ll get to a follow-up to the 2003 feelgood film, with Will admitting he turned down a $29million paycheque to appear in the sequel. 

Speaking to Hollywood Reporter in 2021, Will said he had “no regrets” saying no to the movie, and explained: “I would have had to promote the movie from an honest place, which would’ve been, like, ‘Oh no, it’s not good. I just couldn’t turn down that much money,’ and I thought, ‘Can I actually say those words? I don’t think I can, so I guess I can’t do the movie.’”

The story of Elf sees Will star as Buddy, a human who, as a baby, sneaked into Santa’s sack on Christmas day.

Only discovered when Santa returned to the North Pole, he was raised by the elves as one of their own – with Buddy oblivious to his true nature as he grew up.

When he finds out the truth, he decides to travel to New York City to find his dad, who is a successful businessman who is hardened to the joy of Christmas.

Over the course of the film, Buddy learns about living in the human world, while also spreading Christmas cheer for all to hear.

Naturally, that comes with a fair amount of chaos – with Buddy’s insatiable desire for sugar seeing him buzzing around Manhattan and running into trouble.

The movie grossed $220million and quickly became a Christmas staple watch around the world, in line with Home Alone and Miracle on 34th Street.

James Caan played his irritated father, with Zooey Deschanel playing Buddy’s love interest who helps him adjust to his new life.

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Will Ferrell became a household name thanks to the syrup-loving elf character[/caption]

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Comedian Will never misses the opportunity for a good laugh[/caption]