5 hours agoUSA UpdateComments Off on Maura Higgins and Pete Wicks ‘all over each other’ at boozy celeb party after they were spotted ‘straddling’ each other
MAURA Higgins and Pete Wicks were “all over each other” at a boozy celeb party last night, just weeks after they were spotted “straddling” each other.
Maura looked stunning at last night’s Pride of Britain Awards[/caption]
It’s reported she was spotted ‘kissing’ Pete at the after show party[/caption]
The pair are very close and have fuelled romance rumours[/caption]
The pair have always maintained they are “just friends”,
However, according to the Mail the pair were seen getting VERY close at the afterparty for the Pride of Britain Awards.
The outlet said a fan saw Maura “planting a kiss on Pete’s nose before the pair kissed on the lips”.
5 hours agoUSA UpdateComments Off on Laura Woods left baffled and watches on confused as Rio Ferdinand and Martin Keown go full Gary Neville live on TNT
RIO FERDINAND and Martin Keown channelled their inner Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher to leave lonely Laura Woods all on her own.
The former centre-backs were on punditry duty at Villa Park on Tuesday night.
Rio Ferdinand and Martin Keown walked off from Laura Woods live on TNT[/caption]
The pair were doing a demonstration but left the presenter behind on her own[/caption]
https://twitter.com/footballontnt/status/1848839064054608114
Jhon Duran grabbed the hosts’ second goal, turning home in smart fashion to find the bottom corner.
And while analysing the finish, Ferdinand and Keown went full Neville and Carragher as they walked off from the TNT Sports pitchside table to do a demonstration.
Keown even put his microphone down before taking up the new position.
That left presenter Woods awkwardly lurking solo in the background – watching on from afar as the two ex-defenders talked through marking a physical striker.
It is unclear if she knew what was about to unfold.
But the popular host took a quick glance to someone off camera and smiled before diverting her gaze back to the pundits.
And the funny scene had a similar feel to the famous Sky Sports moment in 2019.
The incident went viral online – and even prompted Cates to hilariously recreate the moment as she got her revenge on the partners-in-punditry-crime duo.
John McGinn got Villa’s opener ten minutes into the second half before Duran found the net on 64 minutes.
That ensured Unai Emery’s side are the only side on a maximum nine points with three wins from three in their Champions League debut to sit top of the 36-team table ahead of Wednesday’s fixtures.
Like the Gunners, Villa are yet to concede – beating Bologna to back up their memorable wins over Young Boys and Bayern Munich.
Woods stood alone at the table[/caption]
The two former centre-backs got handsy with each other[/caption]
The duo returned to Woods after completing their practical demo[/caption]
Woods hosted the show as Aston Villa went top of the Champions League league phase[/caption]
5 hours agoUSA UpdateComments Off on I’m a broke student & my weekly food shop cost £35 in Aldi – so I swapped to M&S, it’s the same price with a huge upside
A BROKE student looking to switch up her food shop to save money has revealed her verdict on which supermarket is the best.
Nicole, a university student from the UK, took to social media, revealing she was ditching her usual Aldi food shop for Marks & Spencer.
Nicole ditched Aldi to try M&S for her weekly food shop[/caption]
She was left seriously impressed by one key detail[/caption]
She said: “(I’m) Doing my weekly food shop in M&S might sound really bizarre to you, but if I’m being honest, I’ve been spending £35 to £40 in Aldi and I was like I might as well shift this money to M&S since the food quality is apparently better.”
Nicole explained that she was feeling bad about how expensive her shop was until she realised many students had parents paying for most of their food.
As she headed to the store she revealed that M&S was just £5 more expensive then her Aldi one and was well worth it for a simple reason.
She revealed that the fresh produce in M&S seemed to be much better quality and last way longer when she got it home.
Her haul included satsumas, plums, apples, limes, lemons, green beans and spinach.
Nicole added: “My fruit and my veg has lasted so much longer from M&S compared to Aldi.
“Usually I give my veg like a good 2 to 3 days and then it already starts going off.”
“But my M&S fruit and veg has been good.”
She was also pleasantly surprised that the meat wasn’t more pricey than Aldi as she showed a pack of chicken legs for just £1.50.
Nicole said it just showed how bad the cost of living crisis was that M&S and Aldi were basically the same price.
The clip went viral on her TikTok account @nikiolo1 with over 315k views and 27k likes.
People were quick to take to the comments admitting M&S was their go-to shop.
One person wrote: “People thought I was bougie for doing my uni shops in M&S.”
“Honestly but it’s acc giving same price point as Aldi,” said Nicole.
What is the UK's cheapest supermarket?
WE'RE all looking for ways to save on our supermarket shops. But which store should you go to if you're on a strict budget?
According to Which?, who compare thousands of prices at the top eight UK supermarkets – Aldi, Asda, Lidl, Morrisons, Ocado, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose – every month, there’s one place that outweighs the rest in terms of being budget-friendly.
In April 2024, Aldi was at the top of the list, with Which? comparing 67 popular groceries costing an average of £112.90.
Lidl isn’t far behind, at £115.23, followed by Asda in third place with a bill of £126.98.
Tesco was next, at £128.17, while Sainsbury’s rounded out the top five with £131.02.
Another commented: “M&S is top tier. Thank youuuuuu.”
“I do most of my shop at M&S. It’s so much worth it for the quality you get,” penned a third.
Meanwhile a fourth said: “Nah genuinely cause I spent £50 in Aldi the other day and I was being STRICT.”
“I’ve been saying M&S fruit and veg is better quality and stays fresh way longer! And a lot of their essential items are the same price as Aldi/Asda,” claimed a fifth.
Someone else added: “The quality is unmatched.”
Fabulous will pay for your exclusive stories. Just email: fabulousdigital@the-sun.co.uk and pop EXCLUSIVE in the subject line.
5 hours agoUSA UpdateComments Off on Britain’s biggest ‘buy now, pay later’ firm ‘saves customers nearly half a billion in interest’
KLARNA, Britain’s biggest “buy now, pay later” firm, says it has saved customers nearly half a billion pounds in interest since its UK launch in 2014.
Around 10million — more than a third of households — have used Klarna to buy goods in the past year.
Roughly 10million shoppers have used Klarna to buy goods in the past year[/caption]
Tulip Siddiq, economic secretary to the Treasury, confirmed rules would come in next year to legislate the ‘buy now, pay later’ sector[/caption]
And the boom in “buy now, pay later” has prompted the Government to say it will legislate the sector to protect shoppers.
Last week Tulip Siddiq, economic secretary to the Treasury, confirmed rules would come in next year.
And Klarna co-founder and CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski welcomed the move.
He said: “We are in favour of regulation — I’m not an anarchist that doesn’t believe in rules.
“The main thing I’m worried about is if it will reduce competition against the banks who are raking in profits from customers.”
Klarna said that during its decade in the UK, the banks and traditional credit card firms such as American Express have made £160billion from customer interest charges.
The Swedish firm, co-founded by Mr Siemiatkowski in 2005, lets customers buy goods and split payments over three months without interest.
It made almost £1billion in revenues in the first half of this year from ads and charging retailers commission.
Klarna charges people who miss a payment a maximum £5 late fee.
However, it says its default rates are 30 per cent lower than traditional lenders’.
Mr Siemiatkowski, who started his working life flipping burgers at Burger King, told Sun Business: “We’ve saved consumers nearly half a billion pounds in interest — that’s real money in their pockets, not lining the banks’ coffers.
“We’ve proven that paying for everything — from flights to garden tools and getting your boiler fixed — doesn’t have to mean being gouged by high interest rates.”
Debt charities have argued that Klarna encourages people to buy things they can’t afford.
But Mr Siemiatkowski said: “Having fixed payment instalments without interest is a lot better than racking up credit card debt.”
HSBC to be split in two
HSBC has announced a big shake-up that will split its UK and Hong Kong business into separate divisions.
The overhaul comes six weeks after Georges Elhedery, the bank’s former finance chief, was promoted to the top job.
HSBC also named Pam Kaur as its first female finance chief as part of its restructuring.
The bank said the overhaul is along geographic lines of “Eastern” markets and “Western”, which will include UK high street branches.
HSBC, founded in Hong Kong in 1865, has been in the middle of rising geopolitical and trade tensions between Beijing and the US and UK.
Its biggest investor, Chinese insurer Ping An, had tried unsuccessfully to agitate for a break-up of the company last year.
Mr Elhedery, who replaced Noel Quinn, said the revamp will result in “a simpler, more dynamic and agile organisation”.
Big buys 'delayed'
CONSUMERS are still nervous about making big purchases, figures from DIY retailer Wickes and Halfords show.
Wickes yesterday reported that sales of its bathroom and kitchens had fallen by 13 per cent in the last quarter as customers put off big projects.
Meanwhile, car parts to bikes retailer Halfords reported a 0.1 per cent slip in sales.
Boss Graham Stapleton said shoppers’ confidence was dented “by uncertainty around the contents of the Budget”.
In San Francisco today you can take a ride with a Waymo self-driving car.
At KLARNA, we have seen how our AI customer service agents help to resolve problems in just two minutes, compared to 12 minutes before.
Our lives and the way we work are already changing and it will affect jobs at an accelerating pace.
Governments need to stop dragging their feet.
While we need smart regulations to keep AI in check, we can’t afford to strangle it with red tape.
The looming threat is that if our governments dither too much we will fall behind less democratic countries who do not share our values.
The answer has to be to promote progress while also offering an answer to those people impacted by the changes.
AI is already shaking up the job market — and we’ve already paused hiring more staff because of AI efficiencies.
Some jobs will change, new roles will emerge and some will disappear. Some firms talk about retraining and upskilling but can we really expect a 55-year-old translator to magically become a TikTok star or influencer?
That’s why governments need to wake up and step up.
While AI is driving progress, they must ensure that it benefits society as a whole, not just a select few.
Mulberry hush
MULBERRY has branded Mike Ashley’s £111million takeover “untenable”, as it swatted away a sweetened approach.
Mr Ashley’s Frasers Group already owns 37 per cent of the luxury handbag maker.
However, its second attempt to grab the business stalled after Mulberry’s biggest investor rejected it.
Challice — controlled by Singaporean billionaire Christina Ong and her husband — own a majority 56 per cent stake and can block any deal.
Shares fell by almost 10 per cent, valuing it at £81million.
Failure of duty
THE VIRGIN WINES boss has attacked government plans to hike alcohol duty as “ill-thought through and amateurishly executed policies”.
Jay Wright, chief exec of the online wine seller, said the drinks industry had been “battered beyond belief” in recent years by people with “no understanding of the effects”.
Another duty hike is feared in next week’s Budget.
Mr Wright still toasted £1.7million of profits, after a loss of £700,000 in the year to the end of June.
A cost-cutting drive saved £1.4million.
THE new Minister for Investment, Poppy Gustafsson, is launching a scheme to attract more funding into women’s sport.
She will say today that women’s sport, including football, rugby, tennis and netball, could be worth over £1billion this year alone.
5 hours agoUSA UpdateComments Off on Watch moment MAFS’ Holly LEAVES show and begs bosses to ‘get her out’ after husband Alex’s shock outburst
MARRIED At First Sight star Holly Ditchfield decided to quit the show tonight after struggling with her husband Alex Henry’s behaviour.
Upset Holly begged producers to ‘get her out of here’ and headed home to be with her family following a huge row.
Alex erupted during the last commitment ceremony and lashed out at a number of the girls – leaving Holly furious.
And when she tried to talk to Alex about what had happened, he rejected how she was feeling.
Speaking to Lacey about what had gone on, Holly said: “After the commitment ceremony we had a major argument because I just didn’t’ like the way you were spoken to.
“What upset the most is after, he said ‘what’s wrong with you?’ and I said ‘I’m really missing my children’ and he just said ‘f*** this, I can’t be ar*** with this’ and he just walked off.”
She continued: “I am going home today. I need to have some time to think and then I will be coming back. It’s just got really bad now. I am not myself.”
Speaking on camera, Holly added: “Me and Alex are just not getting on. I need some space, get me out of here.”
Alex’s relationship with Holly has been very up and down throughout the series but the pair were on track.
Those watching at home are pleased that Holly decided to take a break from the process.
One person commented: “You just know that even though Holly isn’t saying it – Alex has been horrid with her because if he can speak to the girls like that, imagine what it’s like behind closed doors.”
While a second said: “Holly has matured during this process – It’s a shame that Alex hasn’t.”
And a third added: “Alex should’ve been taken off the show by now, you can tell he sees any woman as below him – the disrespect is INSANE and im glad the girls are sticking up for themselves.”
And Women’s Aid condemned his involvement in a lengthy statement, saying the decision to feature him is both “disappointing and concerning.
Which of the MAFS UK 2024 couples are still together?
AS per the NDA’s attached with the show, brides and grooms are banned from revealing anything about the current status of their relationships.
However, there have been a few things let slip, which have acted as spoilers for viewers of the show.
It was recently revealed that Ross McCarthy, who had been a favourite alongside wife Sacha Jones, had dumped his blonde wife just two weeks after filming, leaving her blindsided in the process.
Myleene Klass hits the right notes in a Barbie-pink gown as she presents Classic FM Live at the Royal Albert Hall[/caption]
Myleene wore this plunging dress with gold platform heels to host the London event[/caption]
Afterwards she posted online: “Classical music, OG (original gangster).
“Thank you to everyone that came to @classicfm Live.”
5 hours agoUSA UpdateComments Off on Two credit card companies exposed after quietly charging $1.99 fee for common request – but there’s a way to avoid it
TWO credit card companies have been exposed after quietly charging $1.99 for a normal request – but there’s a trick to avoid it.
A new push to move credit card users to a digital statement will now incur a penalty for those who don’t want to comply.
A new push to move credit card users to a digital statement will now incur a penalty[/caption]
But a fee of $1.99 has been rolled out if you have opted for receiving paper statements.
One big name doing so is Synchrony Bank who have co-branded and store-affiliated credit cards with over a shocking 100 cards.
These include Sam’s Club Credit Card, the Lowe’s Store Card and Amazon Store Card.
Towards the end of last year, Citibank released new guidance to customers saying that going paperless was “required” in order to “access your account on Citi.com and the Citi Mobile App”.
While there isn’t a law banning paper statements, permission is required to begin paperless billing.
Alicia Galowitsch told NBC that the charge began to add up for her and her family.
She said: “It’s very tight. It’s very tight to where we had to start going to a food bank.
“It’s going to be $11.94.”
The pair have a few credit cards and receive statements in order to keep organized.
Ms Galowitsch added: “If I’m not here, the payments are going to be late because Mark’s not going to know what to do.
“With paper statements, everything is written down for him.”
Other concerns among furious customers include not being tech-savvy enough to use online banking, and also that keeping things paperless can pose security threats.
Credit card users have taken to social media Reddit to express their anger about the fee.
One user warned: “I have the Paypal mastercard and got a letter in the mail today. Beginning in April they will start charging if you are not using electronic statements.
“It is a small fee of $2.50 but still just a heads up if anyone has any cards by them may want to check.”
Another said they were “closing [their] account” over the fee.
It comes after Visa and AmEx made subtle changes to the way you redeem rewards – and your points are losing value.
Americans have amassed millions of credit card points to be used on airplane tickets, hotels or converted to cash.
But the value of credit card points has fallen in the past few years due to inflation.
A credit card point gained through online banking was previously worth about one cent, according to the card issuers.
However, one cent has lost about 20% of its purchasing power since 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
SIGNS YOUR CREDIT HAS BEEN COMPROMISED
Here are signs your credit has been compromised:
Recognizing the early signs of identity theft is essential.
Michael Bruemmer, vice president of Experian Global Data Breach Resolution and Consumer Protection, outlined several warning signs, including:
Unrecognized charges to your credit card or bank account
Unexpected credit checks on your report
Receiving unfamiliar bills
A sudden drop in your credit score
“All of these could be red flags that someone is using your identity,” he warned, adding that early detection can help minimize the damage.
5 hours agoUSA UpdateComments Off on Target is lowering prices on an additional 2,000 products for the holiday season with best-selling toys under $20
TARGET has promised to slash prices on merchandise a second time this holiday season.
With Halloween only days away and Black Friday not long after, shoppers nationwide are searching for the best deals.
Target shoppers can expect more deals before Black Friday[/caption]
Thousands of items are getting price reductions (stock image)[/caption]
The retail giant is answering that desire with continued reductions on more than 2,000 items, “including food and beverages, everyday essentials, holiday gifts and items to prep the home for the holidays,” per a Tuesday press release.
Customers can expect significant savings on everything they need for holiday preparations, especially Christmas.
There are also sales on everyday items needed as it gets cooler during the winter months.
Target noted that bath towels, beauty products, beverages, board games, cookies, cold medicine, cough medicine, frozen vegetables, ice cream, snacks, toilet paper, and more could feature cost reductions.
It also emphasized that the reductions are on top of its “everyday low prices,” which it routinely makes changes to depending on the market.
Discounts on over 5,000 items were previously announced in May for summer, which Target said saved shoppers “millions of dollars” this year already.
That mark was surpassed soon afterward for a total of 8,000 price cuts on merchandise in 2024.
With the additional 2,000, that brings the total to a whopping 10,000 items at Target with price reductions.
FUNDS FOR FAMILY
Rick Gomez, executive vice president and chief commercial officer at Target, emphasized that the retailer’s discounts are part of its mission to help families celebrate “without compromise.”
“We know families are excited to celebrate the holidays, so Target is committed to helping them find joy without compromise — with great products across our assortment at even lower prices,” Gomez said in Tuesday’s release.
“From meal prep and gifting to everyday needs, Target’s offering the kind of exceptional value that’ll make it even easier for everyone to save money as they embrace the magic of the season.”
Parents looking to get their children some popular toys can also do so with what Target calls its “largest holiday assortment ever” this year.
Over half of the selection is under $20, with $5 and $10 options from top brands that can fit most shoppers’ budgets.
Most stores and the Target website and mobile application already have deals going on right now for toys.
What is Target Circle 360?
In April, Target launched its first-ever paid membership program, Target Circle 360.
For $99 a year, members get access to the following perks:
Unlimited, free same-day delivery on orders over $35
An extra 30 days to return your items
Free two-day shipping on 100,000s of items
5% off in-store and online
Automatic deals and exclusive partner perks
BUY IT NOW
The LEGO Technic 2022 Ford GT Model Car Set is only $95.99 after an original listing of $119.99.
A Bluey Fire Truck is also $19.99, down from $24.99.
Kitchen items, pet essentials, and cold and flu relief also feature similar discounts.
While the reductions on thousands of products will likely appeal to many Americans, an ex-Target executive has warned that consumers are “running out of money” this year.
“They’re increasingly stressed by inflation and the exhaustion of their pandemic-era savings,” Gerald Storch, former Vice Chairman at Target, told Fox Business’s Maria Bartiromo in a recent conversation.
Storch added that the current economic conditions could make it a “weak Christmas” for retailers like Target.
5 hours agoUSA UpdateComments Off on Kansas City Chiefs quarterback signed by Cleveland Browns with Deshaun Watson set to miss rest of season through injury
THE Cleveland Browns have signed a new quarterback after Deshaun Watson’s feared season-ending injury.
The AFC North team are having a disastrous season, and are bottom of their division with a 1-6 record.
Their woes continued in Week 7 when they were beaten by the Cincinnati Bengals, 21-14.
Their controversial QB Watson was injured towards the end of the first half of the game.
He was carted off the field, and booed by both sets of fans at his home Huntington Bank Field.
The 29-year-old ruptured his right Achilles, and will miss the rest of the 2024-25 NFL season.
This is despite him being on a mega $230 million contract.
The Browns have now signed up a new quarterback as cover for him.
They have taken Bailey Zappe off the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad to bolster their options.
It is not known where he will be in the starting order ahead of their Week 8 clash against the Baltimore Ravens.
But Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Jameis Winston are the two leading options.
However, Thompson-Robinson is suffering from a finger injury.
If he does not play on Sunday against the Ravens, Winston will start.
Zappe is then expected to be his back-up.
The 25-year-old was drafted by the New England Patriots in the fourth round in 2022.
He started in eight games in two seasons under head coach Bill Belichick.
Diamonds are forever
Kansas City's newest Super Bowl rings feature 529 diamonds, 38 rubies and a nod to their game-winning play.
The Chiefs flashed their latest piece of jewelry at a special ceremony on Thursday, June 13.
The new bling features the years of Kansas City’s Super Bowl wins – 1969, 2019, 2022 and 2023.