5 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on Trader Joe’s brings back ‘cute’ $2.69 Christmas favorite snack – fans say ‘makes a great gift’ and comes with a surprise
TRADER Joe’s is spreading some serious holiday cheer with the return of a fan-favorite snack that’s both cute and affordable.
At just $2.69, this Christmas treat is back on shelves, and shoppers are already raving about it.
GettyShoppers are racing to Trader Joe’s to get their hands on a cheap sweet treat[/caption]
Not only does it make the perfect gift, but it also comes with a fun little surprise that’s getting everyone excited.
Fans have been sharing their excitement on Instagram for Trader Joe’s Hot Cocoa Polar Bear.
The popular account ‘trader_joes_treasure_hunt,’ which regularly highlights new products and reviews, spotted the beloved treat back in stores.
Sharing a picture of the sweet snack, they captioned it: “The Hot Cocoa Polar Bear is back!!
“This is the cutest and sweetest of the cocoa offerings at Trader Joe’s!
“A white and milk chocolate cocoa bomb filled with milk chocolate drops and marshmallows!
“Makes a great gift too! Grab one while you can.”
The sweet snack is white and milk chocolate confection filled with milk chocolate drops and marshmallows.
The post gained a lot of attention from shoppers, with many rushing to hit the ‘like’ button whilst others didn’t hesitate to comment their thoughts.
One wrote: “First time I was able to score one!
“Yes, I just bought one for the little guy in my life.”
Whilst a second added: “I still have mine saved from last year LOL.”
And a third said: “I saw today I put it in my cart but I was shocked when I saw the amount of sugar amounts.
Food stamps are a voucher issued by the US government to low-income communities that can be exchanged for food and products.
The SNAP program is available in all 50 states, with benefit amounts varying depending on an individual or family’s income, size, and other expenses.
We previously revealed some insight into what the Trader Joe’s employees really think of their shoppers and how the way shoppers try to be helpful can actually backfire.
Mackenzie Filson, who shared her experience at Trader Joe’s with EatingWell, explained that customers often misdirect their helpful energy in ways that end up slowing things down for the employees.
For example, at the checkout, it’s common for customers to hand items directly to the cashier, which can mess with the store’s efficient process.
“One or two items makes sense, but no more than that,” Filson said.
instagram/trader_joes_treasure_huntThey have brought back the ‘cute’ $2.69 Christmas favorite snack[/caption]
instagram/trader_joes_treasure_huntSome fans loved theirs so much they even saved it from last year[/caption]
If you’ve got items that need to be bagged separately, or a cold drink you’re saving for the car, it’s best to set those aside and hand them over separately.
Otherwise, it’s best to leave the rest to the professionals.
“Next time you want to be helpful in line, just set your items on the conveyor for the cashier to scan when they’re ready,” Filson suggested.
5 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on Chain closes another store and leaves state after three decades – leaving just a handful of outlets left
EXECS of a historic department store chain have pulled out of a US state after closing another one of its stores.
The Sears outlet in the Southcenter Mall in Washington permanently shuttered on December 15.
A chain has closed another one of its stores (stock)GettyThe Sears outlet in Washington state is no moregoogle images
It had been a shopping center staple for over three decades.
But, its days were numbered, and discount sales were held in the run-up to the closure.
Shoppers flocked to the store in the run-up to the closure.
Sears, which was once a booming chain just decades ago, has been reduced to a handful of stores.
The chain, founded in 1892, no longer has a presence in Washington.
However, the company still has stores in California, Florida, Massachusetts, and Texas.
There are just eight Sears locations remaining in the entire country.
Shoppers have been left mourning the closure of the last-remaining Washington store.
“It’s a landmark, it’s something you grew up with, it’s something you could trust,” Barbie Talamante, a former Sears staffer, told the Seattle NPR station KUOW-FM.
“As a little kid you’d go into a Sears store, your parents would buy the washers, dryers, paint, draperies, whatever.”
News of the store’s demise has prompted shoppers to reminisce about their memories.
“I grew up with Sears…both the stores and the catalog,” a Sears fan cried.
“Sad to see such an icon fade.”
Another customer recalled when they told their grandson that Sears was the so-called “original Amazon.”
“He didn’t get it,” the shopper said.
“But my age and older do.”
“Truly sad. Used to buy our appliances, yard products, tools, and clothes there,” a third fan cried.
How does bankruptcy work?
Bankruptcy is a specific legal process that helps companies eliminate debt they can't repay.
The process allows businesses to start fresh and gain access to new credit.
Supervised by federal courts, bankruptcies allow a company to sell off its assets more easily to pay off creditors, according to Investopedia.
Chapter 11, a common process for companies, is used to restructure a business with the goal of remaining open – even if it means selling off most of the company’s properties.
Chapter 7, on the other hand, sells all of a company’s assets, putting it out of business.
Chapter 15, alternatively, allows for collaboration between American and foreign courts to conduct bankruptcy proceedings with “parties of interest involving more than one country,” per the United States Courts.
Shoppers told how they used to flock to Sears to grab household and kitchen appliances.
Sears chiefs have gradually whittled down their portfolio in the years since the company filed for bankruptcy.
Bosses filed for bankruptcy in 2018 at a time when there were 700 Sears stores.
And more than 60,000 workers were on the company’s books then.
At the time, chiefs revealed they would close 142 stores in a bid to revive itself.
Sears emerged from bankruptcy in 2022 but only after a sweeping set of closures.
STORE PORTFOLIO CUT
In October 2022, the company had just 24 stores.
The years that followed have seen further closures.
But, the closure of the Washington store has sparked fears among some shoppers regarding the future of other chains.
One shopper prayed that Macy’s wouldn’t suffer a similar fate.
Macy’s chiefs have recently announced a slew of store closures.
5 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on Prince Andrew pulls out of pre-Christmas lunch with Royal Family after Chinese ‘spy’ pal unmasked
PRINCE Andrew has pulled out of a pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace after his “close confidant” Chinese “spy” was unmasked.
The Sun exclusively revealed on Sunday insiders had urged the duke to “uninvite himself” from the family’s pre-festive bash taking place on Thursday.
Jon BondThe Duke of York leaving Royal Lodge, Windsor, today[/caption]
SplashPrince Andrew with Sarah, Duchess of York, for the Royal Family’s traditional Christmas Day service in Sandringham last year[/caption]
It comes as a suspected Chinese spy, as Yang Tengbo, who was friends with Andrew has been unmasked for the first time
He was due to attend the lunch at the palace but a source said: “He is under pressure to step away.”
Andrew has now decided to give the event a miss, reports MailOnline, following another scandal.
It comes just days after the Duke of York said he won’t be joining the Royal Family at Sandringham for the usual celebrations on Christmas Day.
It is understood his ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York, has also dropped out from the Norfolk festivities.
The pair are said to be staying at Royal Lodge, in Windsor, for the period instead.
‘ENOUGH IS ENOUGH’
Both Andrew and Fergie’s daughters, Beatrice and Eugenie, had already chosen to spend Christmas with their respective in-laws.
“There’s only so many times the duke can be asked to keep his head down and wait for the storm to pass. Enough is enough.”
Yang Tengbo, 50 – who is understood to have been a “close confidante” of the Duke of York – can be named after a court anonymity ban was lifted this afternoon.
During a tribunal hearing, judges concluded Yang had not been honest about his links to the Chinese state and could exploit his relationship with the duke and other public figures.
The former chairman of Hampton Group had been in the country for two decades.
Photos show him posing alongside ex-Prime Ministers David Cameron and Theresa May, as well as the royal.
He was even invited to Andrew’s birthday party in 2020 and supported him through his recent scandals.
But the suspected spy subsequently lost an appeal against a decision to ban him from the UK on national security grounds.
He was stopped by counter-terrorism services in 2021 and ordered to surrender his devices.
Court documents said Yang had split his time between China and the UK and told officials he considered this country his second home.
In February last year, he was “off-boarded” from a flight from Beijing to London and told the home secretary was in the process of examining the case to exclude him from the UK.
CHINA must be put in the highest threat category, MPS demand
By JACK ELSOM, Chief Political Correspondent
CHINA must be put in the highest threat category of a new foreign influence register, MPs tonight demanded.
Ministers were accused of dragging their feet after confirming the list of shadowy operators will not go live for at least six months.
The Beijing “spy” row sparked angry exchanges between Labour and the Tories, with both parties claiming the other had recklessly sucked up to the Communist regime.
It saw Sir Keir Starmer slammed for taking a “sycophantic tone” with President Xi at the G20 summit last month.
Security Minister Dan Jarvis said the long-awaited Foreign Influence Registration Scheme will launch next summer.
The programme – announced under the Conservatives – will force people working for overseas powers to declare their activities to the Home Office.
It is divided into two tiers, with the highest “enhanced tier” for hostile states that require additional vetting.
Government source have told The Sun that China was currently not being earmarked for that category.
Former Tory security minister Tom Tugendhat, who spearheaded the scheme in government, yesterday said: “The advice from MI5 was very very clear. If China isn’t in the enhanced tier it’s not worth having.”
Ex-Home Secretary Suella Braverman added: “Isn’t it regrettable that it has taken a high-profile case, public outcry, and the Opposition dragging the Minister to the chamber to finally get the government to commit to implement the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme.”
And former Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith blasted: “How was it that somebody who was known for the security committee forces was allowed to get so close to a member of the royal family without proper scrutiny exposing him.”
Mr Jarvis insisted the Government would not hesitate to use “every tool at our disposal” to keep Britain safe – and blamed the Tories for leaving the register plans in disarray.
He said: “Where there are individuals who pose a threat to our national security, we are committed to using the full range of powers available to disrupt them.”
Conservative Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp attacked Sir Keir’s summit sitdown with President Xi last month.
He said: “Given what we’ve learned and what we know, these very close relations that the prime minister is apparently attempting may not be wise, and the rather sycophantic tone the prime minister took with President Xi at the G20 a few weeks ago may not be very wise in light of what we now.”
Highlighting David Cameron’s infamous beer with the China strongman, Mr Jarvis shot back: “At least he did not take him to the pub for a pint.”
That order was made the following month, with his appeal against the decision rejected last week by a special immigration appeals tribunal.
Judges concluded Yang had not been honest about his links to the Chinese state and could exploit his relationship with the duke and other public figures.
Guy Vassall-Adams KC, for Yang, told the High Court: “There has been an enormous amount of media reporting in relation to this story, and particularly in relation to the relationship between my client, H6, and Prince Andrew, as well as a huge amount of speculation about the identity of my client.”
Yang said he has “done nothing wrong or unlawful”, adding in a statement that the “widespread description of me as a ‘spy’ is entirely untrue”.
It comes after the Sun reported last week a foreign agent knew how to sneak people in and out of the duke’s Royal Lodge home.
The shock revelation emerged in a letter from one of the royal’s top advisers, Dominic Hampshire, to the spy.
Mr Hampshire continued to work for Andrew even after the note was found by MI5 on the spy’s phone in 2020.
It read: “I hope that it is clear to you where you sit with my principal (Andrew) and indeed his family.
“You should never underestimate the strength of that relationship.
“You sit at the very top of a tree many people would like to be on.”
It added: “Under your guidance, we found a way to get the relevant people unnoticed in and out of the house in Windsor.”
Mr Hampshire also confirmed the man could act for Andrew in talks with Chinese investors.
The note was sent 10 months after the duke withdrew from public life after paying damages to Virginia Roberts-Giuffre, a victim of his US paedo pal Jeffrey Epstein.
A source told The Sun: “Dom was still working for the duke until at least April this year.
“It’s hard to believe, given that Andrew must have known for years that his Chinese links had become a matter of national security.”
A statement from the duke’s office on Friday said “nothing of a sensitive nature [was] ever discussed”.
The statement added: “The Duke of York followed advice from HMG and ceased all contact with the individual after concerns were raised.
“The duke met the individual through official channels, with nothing of a sensitive nature ever discussed.
“He is unable to comment further on matters relating to national security.”
Writing for the Sun, royal expert Phil Dampier said: “By allowing a Chinese spy inside royal residences like Windsor and Buckingham Palace he endangered the security of the whole Royal Family and the institution of the monarchy.”
PAPrince Andrew has pulled out of a pre-Christmas bash at Buckingham Palace[/caption]
The suspected spy alongside the dukeYang Tengbo has been unmasked
5 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on Fortnite down as servers prepare for update 33.11 and Winterfest 2024’s launch
Fortnite_20241206161701Epic Games
FORTNITE servers just went down as the game is preparing for its last patch for this year.
The unusual downtime schedule may have caught some players off guard as Fortnite is deploying update v33.11 to bring Winterfest 2024.
Epic Games is bringing cosy vibes to Fortnite with Winterfest 2024, so the game needs some downtime
Fortnite went down at 12pm UK time / 7am ET on December 18, 2024, and matchmaking was disabled about 30 minutes before that time.
The downtime for this update comes a few hours later than the usual very early morning schedule.
It’s a planned maintenance downtime, unlike the Fortnite login issues players had a couple of weeks ago.
Update v33.11 will kick off Fortnite’s holiday season event, Winterfest 2024, which will bring new festive skins and give the Battle Royale island a snowy makeover.
We expect downtime to last a few hours, after which the game will be playable again, with the new Winterfest 2024 content.
The previous update took three hours to deploy, so if nothing goes wrong this time, players should expect Fortnite servers to come back online around 4pm UK time / 11am ET.
As always, the best place to check Fortnite’s current server status is the official Epic Games Public Status page.
The developers have promised to provide any updates if necessary while the game is down for maintenance.
Hopefully everything goes to plan and the game servers are back in no time.
In any case, we will keep you posted.
For more on the game, check out if you’re eligible for a Fortnite refund, as there is still time to claim it.
All the latest PS5 reviews from The Sun
Get the lowdown on more of the latest PS5 releases from our expert reviewers.
5 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on How to drive an automatic car in the snow
WINTER snowy weather conditions can challenge even the most confident driver.
There are specific skills for manual and automatic cars, and here we’ll be focusing on the latter.
APHere’s how to make life behind the wheel of an automatic less stressful when the going gets tough[/caption]
Bracing the cold
As Britain enters the colder months, it will pay to know how to tackle the ice and snow when you’re out driving.
There are a number of methods to get the best out of your automatic vehicle, particularly when the weathers not on your side.
Many automatics have a winter driving mode which sets you off in second gear and minimises the chance of wheelspin.
More expensive vehicles could also have a “snow mode” for the cold season, softening power delivery to the wheels to ensure a safe and smooth drive.
Yet most automatics have neither of these – and without gears to help you grind through thick snow, making driving an automatic in the winter quite be daunting.
Where there’s a wheel there’s a way
Unfortunately we can’t control the weather, but we can find out the best way to approach winter driving.
There are some ways to take advantage of your automatic’s ease of use, without having to overthink gear changes you can let your car do all the work.
Going easy on the controls from the steering wheel to the brake pedal will also set you in good stead.
Avoiding slamming on the brakes is always sensible, but particularly in winter when there’s less grip.
And always, always corner slowly and carefully, leaving double your usual distance from the car ahead to increase your braking distance.
Ten times rule
Autotrader advises drivers to remember the Ten Times rule and drive more cautiously in cold weather.
The rule gets its name from the fact that ice can increase stopping distances by up to ten times.
This means it will take far longer to bring your motor to come to a halt than it would in less wintry conditions at the same speed.
According to the RAC, the average stopping distance for a family car on a dry road at 30mph is 75 feet, while at 70mph it’s 315 feet.
By the Ten Times rule, this could increase to 750 feet and 3150 feet respectively.
That means it could take up to half a mile for your car to come to a stop from 70mph.
What’s the difference?
In truth, neither an automatic nor a manual is any safer to drive in the snow.
It’s about the driver – and their ability to read the road surface and act accordingly.
LNP
The best advice applies to both automatic and manual cars, such as cornering carefully and avoiding heavy brake usage where possible.
UK roads rarely become actively snow ridden, but 2024 looks to be different.
Insurance cover
We’ve written about this crucial question.
The answer is yes, your car insurance will still be valid if you take it out in the snow — but be warned.
If your insurers believe you have negligently put your car in harm’s way then any claim could be questioned.
Poor driving can still result in rejected claims – and bad weather is no excuse.
Forbes Advisor consumer affairs expert Kevin Pratt told us: “Simply knowing you’re going to get a pay-out shouldn’t mean you take undue risks.
“If your insurance company can prove contributory negligence on your part, your claim might be questioned, and any pay-out reduced.”
Driving when there is a weather warning in place will not automatically invalidate your cover providing drivers follow precautions.
A statement from the AA said: “Yes, you can drive during any weather warning, be it red, amber or yellow.
“But the aim is to make you aware of the risks and their likelihood so that you can plan ahead.
“Your insurance provider won’t invalidate your policy just because you had to drive in heavy snow or strong winds.
“If your car is taxed, has a valid MOT and is insured, you’re legal for being on the road.”
Ten things YOU should know as a car owner
To help you feel more confident as a car owner, here are ten things you should be familiar with about your vehicle:
Here are five tips on how to exercise caution when driving on icey roads, as well as how to ensure your car is equipped to manage the snowy weather conditions:
Check your air pressure and tread depth
De-ice your car
Increase your stopping distance
Reduce your speed
Stick to local/familiar roads where you can
Other essential tips for drivers include, carrying a winter kit in your boot.
Pack your winter kit with with essentials like a tow bar, jumper, and torch in the unfortunate event that you might need it.
It is also worth considering fitting winter tyres.
Winter tyres have deeper treads and are better equipped to handle snow and ice.
5 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on How ‘colossally arrogant’ Prince Andrew built shadowy inner circle of millionaire pals as ‘bulletproof’ royal jet-setter
PRINCE Andrew’s questionable taste in friends has landed him in hot water again – bumping him off the guest list for the Royal Family Christmas at Sandringham.
He and ex-wife Fergie are no longer expected to join the King and Queen for a festive lunch after an alleged Chinese spy with links to the Duke of York was publicly named for the first time.
Prince Andrew’s ties with Yang Tengbo have got him into hot water againThe Duke previously invited Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell to SandringhamRex FeaturesGettyPrince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson are not expected to join the family for the festive feast[/caption]
The suspected spy – previously only known as H6 – has been revealed as businessman Yang Tengbo, who also goes by Chris Yang.
He has been barred from the country on the grounds he was considered to have engaged in “covert and deceptive activity” – although he has denied the charges.
Tengbo, named on Monday after a judge lifted a court order, is said to have used his close friendship with Andrew to secure invitations to St James’s Palace and Windsor Castle.
But this isn’t the first time the ‘party prince’ has found himself in hot water over his inner circle.
Over the years he has clocked up links with everyone from convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein to a dictator, a gun-runner, fixers and a disgraced banker.
Royal biographer Christopher Wilson says: “It is my opinion that Prince Andrew is a man with low self-esteem. All these people are like iron filings drawn to a magnet because they are getting close to the Royal Family.
“And Andrew wanted to show his importance by introducing people to the Queen. It wasn’t as if he was sufficient, he had to show that he could get these people to the Queen. Well the moment the Queen died that was over as King Charles would have nothing to do with it or his contacts.
“People turned a blind eye because he was the Queen’s favourite son.
“It is incredible how people will still bow, even when things are going wrong or people are behaving badly.”
Many of Andrew’s questionable ties were nurtured in his years as Britain’s “special representative” for Trade and Investment, where he jetted around the world in luxury, earning himself the unfortunate nickname “Airmiles Andy.”
And eyebrows were raised throughout his ten-year tenure in the role for some of his decisions including lunching at Buckingham Palace with a “notorious” member of the former Tunisian regime, taking a holiday with a Libyan gun smuggler and claims he used an official trip to try to find a buyer for his home in the UK.
Christopher has long questioned Andrew’s actions – suggesting he was “colossally arrogant” and saw himself as “bulletproof” during his decade in the role – but is yet to receive any answers.
“After Andrew was dumped as Trade Ambassador, I did an investigation into who exactly he answered to as he swanned around the world,” he explains.
“Who fixed up his trips, who chose which countries he visited and who he met. Did he write any reports and, if so who were they sent to? Was the work he did evaluated? And which person was directly responsible for his activities as he represented our country abroad?”
Andrew left his trade envoy role in July 2011 just months after concerns were raised about his friendship with disgraced tycoon Jeffrey Epstein who was jailed for sex offences.
But previously to that the government body UK Trade & Investment (UKTI), which employed the Prince in his role without a salary, said: “The Duke’s unique position gives him unrivalled access to members of royal families, heads of state, government ministers and chief executives of companies”.
The role had taken him on expenses-paid delegations all over the world – where he met many of his controversial contacts.
Goga Ashkenazi
Goga introduced him to many society figures in Kazakhstan and AzerbaijanRex FeaturesAndrew was said to be besotted by the socialiteRex Features
In 2007 Prince Andrew fell head over heels for Oxford-educated Kazakhstan socialite Goga.
Although there’s no suggestion of wrongdoing on her part, she introduced him to the movers and shakers at the helm of politics and business both there and in Azerbaijan.
Christoper says: “Prince Andrew’s ex-girlfriend Caroline Stanbury introduced him to Goga Ashkenazi and she is one of the people with a hand in this story.
“It was her ex – Timur Kulibayev – who bought Prince Andrew and Fergie’s marital home, Sunninghill House for £15million – £3million more than the asking price.
“Ashkenazi’s father was a top communist official in Moscow but she [moved with] the Kazakhstan ruling class and so introduced Andrew to all these people in Azerbaijan.
“He benefited from that – he certainly benefited from the extra £3million on the sale of his unsaleable house. So she was really a lynchpin in part of the deals that were clearly going on all the time he was a trade ambassador.”
Goga has always denied her alleged “fixer” role in the house sale, telling The Times: “I introduced them, that’s all.”
Nursultan Nazarbayev, President of Kazakhstan
The Duke of York meets Nursultan Nazarbayev on a visit to Kazakhstan in 2010Getty - ContributorHe introduced the former president to the late Queen at Buckingham Palace in 2015[/caption]
Andrew met the autocratic leader of Kazakhstan in 2007 and made several trips to the country, including once in 2008 to celebrate the President’s birthday.
In 2016, it was revealed that Andrew’s office had tried to broker a property deal between the Crown estate and the President’s son-in-law Timur Kulibayev for one of the Crown’s houses in Kensington.
It was the very same Timur Kulibayev who paid over the odds for Andrew and Fergie’s unloved mansion in Surrey.
Christopher explains: “If you are a member of the Royal Family there are any number of people who want to ingratiate themselves to you and they are enablers.”
Ilham Aliyev, President of Azerbaijan
Ilham Aliyev, president of the Republic of Azerbaijan, meets the Prince in BakuRexAPHe was accused of hundreds of human rights abuses[/caption]
Aliyev was one of many rulers Andrew met on his taxpayer-funded travels as trade envoy – despite the fact the president had been accused of numerous human rights violations.
These meetings included a formal lunch at Buckingham Palace, four meetings at the annual Davos forum and a visit by Andrew to the Azerbaijan capital Baku just weeks after a highly-disputed election in 2010 which stripped all seats from his opposition.
Christopher says: “We don’t know whether he ever made any reports as to the success or otherwise of the missions he went on and that went on for ten years.
“Did he or his private secretary ever write any reports saying ‘we’ve been to Azerbaijan and the benefits we have accrued by going there are x,y, and z?’ And if he didn’t send in any reports then what was the point of him going in the first place?”
Tarek Kaituni
Tarek Kaituni, nephew of Libya’s leader Muammar Gaddafi, at his wedding to Dutch model Lisa Van GoingaRex FeaturesMark StewartBeatrice – pictured on her 18th[/caption]
The Libyan gunrunner also found himself a seat at the royal table thanks to his friendship with Andrew – he was a guest at Fergie’s 60th birthday and Eugenie’s wedding.
And he reportedly gifted Princess Beatrice an £18,000 diamond necklace for her 21st birthday.
Prince Andrew first became involved with Kaituni, who has US citizenship, in 2005 – the same year Kaituni was convicted of attempting to smuggle a submachine gun from Holland to France.
It’s believed Kaituni arranged secret meetings for the Duke with Colonel Gaddafi, which the BBC described as ‘private’ rather than officially arranged summits.
In 2011 he boasted to undercover reporters that he could arrange for Andrew to make an appearance at the launch of a golf resort in Libya, in exchange for a fee.
Selman Turk
Selman Turk was accused of stealing money from a 77-year-oldThe Duke of York shaking hands with Selman Turk at the Pitch@Palace event in 2022GettySarah Ferguson was said to have been paid £225,000[/caption]
In 2022, The Telegraph claimed that Prince Andrew was introduced by Kaituni to an alleged fraudster who reportedly paid him more than £1million.
The Duke of York was introduced to Selman Turk by Tarek Kaituni in the early summer of 2019 and the pair struck up a friendship. The Prince attended dinners at Turk’s London home.
Turk is alleged to have facilitated payments to the Duke totalling £1.1million, to his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson of £225,000 and to Princess Eugenie of £25,000.
It was also alleged that Turk stole the money from Nebahat Evyap Isbilen, a 77-year-old Turkish millionairess, who had trusted him with moving more than $87million out of her homeland when she fled political persecution.
He was later convicted of contempt of court after he was ordered to disclose what he had done with Ms Isbilen’s money, but failed to do so. He was jailed for 12 months, but the Court of Appeal later suspended the prison sentence.
Christopher says it isn’t unusual for people to want to make extravagant gifts to royalty – and Andrew saw no reason why he should not accept them.
“People love to do this, they want to do it,” he says. “When you are royal you don’t have to do anything. People will come and butter you up and offer you the world.
“I don’t think Andrew saw why he shouldn’t do it. He is colossally arrogant and very stupid. At the same time he is clever enough to be able to accrue considerable wealth.”
Sakher el-Materi
AFPSakher el-Materi, son-in-law of Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, met the Prince at a Buckingham Palace lunch[/caption]
The son-in-law of Tunisian dictator Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali attended a lunch, hosted by Prince Andrew at Buckingham Palace, in 2011, along with 15 bosses of multinational corporations.
At the time, Ben Ali’s government was considered to have one of the worst human rights records in the world by charities including Amnesty International.
The meeting was said to be part of his role to help broker deals for British business overseas, and many of his engagements were in the Middle East.
Materi later fled Tunisia after the Arab Spring and was convicted in absentia of corruption and embezzlement.
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi
EPASaif al-Islam Gaddafi is the second son of the late dictator[/caption]
The second son of Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi was once seen as his heir apparent.
English-speaking, he was seen as the reformist face of the regime, but following the 2011 revolution he was also accused of crimes against humanity.
He was also allegedly friends with the Duke of York, although this was denied.
The Duke had met Saif al-Islam Gaddafi twice in Libya in an official capacity in October and November 2007, months after BP announced it had struck a £450million deal with the Libya Investment Corporation
Speaking in the Commons in 2011 after the Prime Minister’s update on the Libyan crisis, Chris Bryant, a former Foreign Office minister, said: “Isn’t it increasingly difficult to explain the behaviour of the UKTI (UK Trade and Investment) special ambassador for trade, who is not only a very close friend of Saif Gaddafi, but is also a close friend of the convicted Libyan gun smuggler Tarek Kaituni?
“Isn’t it time we dispensed with the services of the Duke of York?”
Jeffrey Epstein
GettyThe Prince’s links to Epstein and Maxwell were his downfall[/caption]
Although not linked to his trade envoy job, being close acquaintances with disgraced financier and convicted paedophile Epstein was Andrew’s biggest faux pas.
The pair allegedly first met in 1999 when they were introduced by mutual friend Ghislaine Maxwell, now herself behind bars for sex trafficking.
By the early 2000s Epstein was a frequent guest at royal events including Andrew’s 40th birthday party and Princess Eugenie’s birthday bash in 2006. Just eight days later he was arrested and charged with soliciting prostitution.
He was jailed in 2008 after which Andrew said he had cut all ties with him – but they were infamously pictured on a walk together in Central Park in 2010. It later emerged that Epstein had stepped in to pay off some of Sarah Ferguson’s debts.
Epstein was arrested on new sex trafficking charges in 2019 and took his own life in prison. Andrew’s alleged relationship with Virginia Giuffre – who was underage at the time – then came under the spotlight.
A disastrous Newsnight interview, in 2019, led to him stepping back from royal life and, while Andrew denied anything untoward happened between him and Ms Giuffre, they settled out of court in 2022 for an undisclosed sum thought to be around £12million.
Statement from Tengbo Yang
In a statement issued on his behalf, Mr Yang said he had done “nothing wrong or unlawful” and descriptions of him as an alleged spy were “entirely untrue”.
The statement said he had voluntarily waived his right to anonymity.
Mr Yang said: “Due to the high level of speculation and misreporting in the media and elsewhere, I have asked my legal team to disclose my identity.
“I have done nothing wrong or unlawful and the concerns raised by the Home Office against me are ill-founded. The widespread description of me as a ‘spy’ is entirely untrue.
“This is why I applied for a review of the Home Office decision in the first place, and why I am seeking permission to appeal the SIAC decision.
“It is also why an order extending my anonymity up to the point of determination of the appeal process was granted.
“I have been excluded from seeing most of the evidence that was used against me under a process which is widely acknowledged by SIAC practitioners as inherently unfair: decisions are made based on secret evidence and closed proceedings, which has been described as ‘taking blind shots at a hidden target’.
“On their own fact finding, even the three judges in this case concluded that there was ‘not an abundance of evidence’ against me, their decision was ‘finely balanced’, and there could be an ‘innocent explanation’ for my activities. This has not been reported in the media.
“The political climate has changed, and unfortunately, I have fallen victim to this.
“When relations are good, and Chinese investment is sought, I am welcome in the UK. When relations sour, an anti-China stance is taken, and I am excluded.
“I am an independent self-made entrepreneur and I have always aimed to foster partnerships and build bridges between East and West.
“I have dedicated my professional life in the UK to building links between British and Chinese businesses.
“My activities have played a part in bringing hundreds of millions of pounds of investment into the UK.
“I built my private life in the UK over two decades and love the country as my second home. I would never do anything to harm the interests of the UK.”
5 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on PBA: Rain or Shine averts meltdown, spoils Magnolia’s comeback for 3rd win
The Rain or Shine ElastoPainters went through a hard-fought battle against the Magnolia Hotshots to post their third victory in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup.
5 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on DOJ: Clemency, GCTA ilan sa mga paraan at proseso para posibleng makalaya si Mary Jane Veloso
Patuloy ang panawagan ng kampo ni Mary Jane Veloso kay Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. para mabigyan siya ng absolute pardon. Pero ayon sa Department of Justice, hindi lang clemency mula sa pangulo ang paraan para posibleng makalaya si Veloso.
5 days agoUSA UpdateComments Off on Mga tindahan ng paputok sa Bocaue ininspeksyon; PNP nagpaalalang bawal ang pagbebenta ng paputok online
Nag-abiso ang PNP na bawal bumili ng paputok online. Kasabay niyan ay nag-inspeksyon ang mga pulis, ang lokal na pamahalaan ng Bulacan, at Pyrotechnics Regulatory Board ng lalawigan sa mga tindahan ng paputok at pailaw sa Bocaue, Bulacan.
