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Defector Media started with a bang. It’s an uphill climb to keep growing — just like in most of digital media.

Four years ago, Defector Media launched with a great story: It was a punchy, eclectic sports website run — and, crucially, owned — by former employees of sports website Deadspin, who had quit en masse after fighting with their owner. Defector founders tried selling subscriptions to launch the site, and that worked fabulously well: By […]

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Watch as Liam Payne sings at 1D bandmate Niall Horan’s concert just days before his death

LIAM Payne sang at his One Direction bandmate Niall Horan’s concert just days before his death.

The singer suddenly passed away in Argentina this afternoon after falling from his hotel balcony, aged 31.

two men are posing for a picture and the caption says reunited
Snapchat
Liam Payne sang at Niall Horan’s concert just days before his death[/caption]
a man and a woman are hugging in front of a crowd and the caption says " went to see niall live "
Snapchat
He had been in Buenos Aires for Niall’s tour with his girlfriend Kate Cassidy[/caption]

He had been in Buenos Aires for Niall‘s tour when he tragically plunged from the third floor this afternoon, TMZ reported.

A source later confirmed to The Sun that Liam had died.

Liam appeared to be in good spirits at the event, where he was seen singing and dancing alongside his girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, 25.

In a video from the concert, he waves his arm and sings along to the music while affectionately kissing his partner on the head.

The Strip That Down hitmaker had travelled to South America to see Niall perform, joking with fans that he wanted to “square up a couple of things” with his former bandmate.

He shared a series of videos and snaps from Movistar Arena on Snapchat, captioning one photo of himself with Niall, “Reunited.”

Earlier this month, Liam had spoken to fans about his trip to Argentina with Kate, mentioning that he was looking forward to seeing his old friend.

He acknowledged that it had been a while since they last spoke and that they needed to catch up.

At the concert, Liam continued to show his support, sharing multiple videos and photos of his friend performing on stage.

He captioned one post, “So happy I got to see Niall in concert,” and enthusiastically sang along to his solo performance of One Direction’s 2014 hit, Stockholm Syndrome.

Liam was staying at Hotel CasaSur in the neighbourhood of Palermo, local media report.

A red tent has reportedly been put up over the body as cops begin the investigation into the death.

Cops were called to an “an aggressive man who could be under the influence of drugs or alcohol”, local media claim.

But when they arrived, they found Liam dead.

Witnesses said Liam smashed his laptop and had to be carried back to his room following the incident.

The 31-year-old rose to fame through the boy band and then carried on with his own solo career after the group broke up.

Liam was part of the One Direction between 2010 and 2015 and had released one solo album in 2019 – LP1.

The Sun revealed last week that Liam had parted ways with his management and had shelved plans for a second solo album.

And earlier this week Liam’s ex Maya Henry called in the lawyers after accusing Liam of repeatedly messaging her, her friends, and her mum.

Liam made his debut as a singer when he auditioned for The X Factor in 2008.

Inside Liam Payne and Cheryl's romance

By Joanne Kavanagh

IT was a romance that caused a media storm.

One Direction hunk Liam Payne was in a relationship with X Factor judge Cheryl.

The pair – who have a ten-year age gap – got together while Cheryl was going through her divorce to second husband Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini at the beginning of 2016.

Despite their age difference they looked completely infatuated with each other when the couple made their red carpet debut at Cannes in May 2016.

Liam even paid a sweet tribute to his girlfriend by getting a tattoo of her eye on his arm.

In 2017, Liam and Cheryl welcomed their baby.

Cheryl posted a picture on Instagram of Liam cradling their 7lb 9oz baby.

She captioned the sweet snap with: “On Wednesday Liam and I became parents to an incredibly beautiful, healthy baby boy looking like a dream.”

One pal told The Sun: “Cheryl gave birth to a baby boy on Wednesday, and both are doing well.

“Liam didn’t leave Cheryl’s side throughout the birth, and like her, he is besotted with their new son and can’t wait to take him home.

“This is the perfect Mother’s Day for Cheryl.”

The Sun revealed in May 2017, that the couple named their son Bear.

They decided on the unusual name after spending a week getting to know him.

Bear adopted his One Direction star dad’s surname, so he is called Bear Payne.

A source revealed: “Cheryl and Liam wanted to get to know [their son] before they decided on the name.

“They didn’t have the name Bear before the birth.

“But they’d been thinking of a name since meeting him and they just felt it suited him.”

In February 2018, The Sun broke the story that Liam’s constant travelling to promote his solo career had placed a huge strain on the relationship, and they were ready to split.

That same month, Cheryl declared that “none of it matters” as she shrugged off questions about her crumbling romance with Liam during a BBC Breakfast interview.

They then put on a united front together at the Brit Awards, where they smiled on the red carpet and Cheryl joked about the couple’s ‘safe word’.

However, by July 2018, Cheryl and Liam made the decision to split.

A pal told The Sun: “Cheryl and Liam worked really hard on their relationship – they had troubles earlier this year and were able to get through them.

“But they’re in different stages of their lives and, after a lot of careful thought, came to a decision that it’s best for everyone if they do go their separate ways.”

Liam and Cheryl then released a statement confirming their break-up.

They posted a message on social media that read: “We are sad to announce that we are going our separate ways. It’s been a tough decision for us to make.

“We still have so much love for each other as a family. Bear is our world and we ask that you respect his privacy as we navigate our way through this together.”

After being eliminated as a solo artist he auditioned again in 2010 and was put into a group with four other contestants to form One Direction.

Liam dated singer Cheryl Cole with the pair having a child named Bear in 2017.

They split in 2018 before he was linked to supermodel Naomi Campbell in 2019.

He had an on-off, three-year relationship with ex-fiancée Maya Henry which was said to have ended for good in May, 2022.

The singer had been open about his battles with drugs.

In 2021, he blamed a “pills and booze phase” for bloating his face to “ten times the size”, while also revealing he used to guzzle the contents of his mini bar when band chiefs checked the lads into hotels to keep fans at bay.

Tributes to Liam Payne

SHOCKED fans have started to flood Liam Payne's last Instagram post with sad tributes as news of the singer's death emerges.

German DJ Anton Zaslavski, otherwise known as Zedd, has taken to X with a devastated statement.

The producer, who worked with Liam on his 2017 hit Get Low, wrote: “RIP Liam… I can’t believe this is real…absolutely heartbreaking…”

American singer, Charlie Puth, who was friends with Liam and also collaborated with him on a song called Bedroom Floor, has posted a series of Instagram stories dedicated to him.

Alongside photos of the two of them together in their younger days, Charlie wrote: “I am in shock right now. Liam was always so kind to me.

“He was one of the first major artists I got to work with. I can not believe he is gone…

“I am so upset right now, may he rest in peace. I am so sorry…”

Irish singer duo Jedward also took to social media, saying: “RIP Liam Payne. Condolences to friends and family.”

In another tweet, they added: “Sending strength to Cheryl and his son Bear. And all the One direction Family. RIP Liam Payne.”

American media personality Paris Hilton shared: “So upsetting to hear the news of Liam Payne passing. Sending love and condolences to his family & loved ones. RIP my friend.”

ITV weather presenter Alex Beresford shared a news video about Liam’s tragic death on Instagram, adding: “Can’t believe this! RIP Liam.”

Meanwhile Love Island star Molly Marsh penned: “I’m so taken aback, rest in peace.”

a man is carrying a woman in his arms with a tattoo on his arm
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Liam and Kate were seen having fun at the gig[/caption]
a group of people watching a niall live concert
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They watched on with their arms over one another[/caption]
a group of men holding trophies in front of a wall that says american music awards
The Mega Agency
One Direction were active between 2010 and 2015[/caption]

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Shoppers rush to Home Bargains to buy ‘bargain’ Gingerbread-themed gift perfect for Christmas scanning for just £15

SHOPPERS are rushing to Home Bargains to buy “bargain” Gingerbread-themed gift, scanning at tills for just £15.

As daylight reduces and Christmas approaches, the importance of making a room cosy with decorative lighting greatans so much more.

RWXTK8 The Home Bargains store on the Reading Link Retail Park in Reading, Berkshire.
Home Bargain’s shoppers could not believe their eyes when they saw the online ad for this steal
XMAS SURPRISE Shoppers rush to Home Bargains to buy 'bargain' Gingerbread-themed gift perfect for Christmas scanning for just £15, https://home.bargains/product/cba0ca5f-6f48-4af5-bb13-38f53c4527a5/winter-charm-led-gingerbread-townhouse-ornament
The Winter Charm LED Gingerbread Townhouse Ornament was selling online for as little as £15

Home Bargain’s shoppers could not believe their eyes when they saw the online ad for this steal.

The Winter Charm LED Gingerbread Townhouse Ornament was selling online for as little as £15.

Standing at 40cm tall, the enchanting ornament features a gingerbread townhouse, with white frosting around the edges, candy decorations and a sprinkle of snow.

The LED lights shine through the little windows of the gingerbread town house, creating a warm and inviting glow.

Although it appears that the ornament has sold out online, there is an option to be notified as to when it’s back in stock.

To find your local Home Bargains store, simply head to the website and click Store Locator.

Then enter your postcode or town to find your nearest store.

How to shop for bargains

As always, we recommend shopping around to find the best deal.There are plenty of comparison websites out there that’ll check prices for you – so don’t be left paying more than you have to.

Most of them work by comparing the prices across hundreds of retailers.

For example, Google Shopping is a tool that lets users search for and compare prices for products across the web.

Just type in keywords, or a product number, to bring up search results.

Price Spy also logs the history of how much something costs from over 3,000 different retailers, including Argos, Amazon, eBay and the supermarkets.

Once you select an individual product you can quickly compare which stores have the best price and which have it in stock.

How to bag a bargain

SUN Savers Editor Lana Clements explains how to find a cut-price item and bag a bargain…

Sign up to loyalty schemes of the brands that you regularly shop with.

Big names regularly offer discounts or special lower prices for members, among other perks.

Sales are when you can pick up a real steal.

Retailers usually have periodic promotions that tie into payday at the end of the month or Bank Holiday weekends, so keep a lookout and shop when these deals are on.

Sign up to mailing lists and you’ll also be first to know of special offers. It can be worth following retailers on social media too.

When buying online, always do a search for money off codes or vouchers that you can use vouchercodes.co.uk and myvouchercodes.co.uk are just two sites that round up promotions by retailer.

Scanner apps are useful to have on your phone. Trolley.co.uk app has a scanner that you can use to compare prices on branded items when out shopping.

Bargain hunters can also use B&M’s scanner in the app to find discounts in-store before staff have marked them out.

And always check if you can get cashback before paying which in effect means you’ll get some of your money back or a discount on the item.

It comes after Home Bargain’s impressed fans once again with its L’Oreal Blemish Buster Gift Set.

This was marked down from £38.99 to just £7.99.

That’s over 80 per cent off meaning customers save £31.00.

Inside the set was:

  • 1x Smooth Sugars Clearing Scrub 50ml.
  • 1x Pure Clay Blemish Rescue Mask 50ml.
  • 1x Hydra Genius Aloe Water 70ml.

Essentially, customers looking to exfoliate, treat and hydrate their skin for a good price, need look no further.

A Home Bargain’s representative posted a photo of deal to Facebook and wrote: “An ideal stocking filler. Just look at that saving.

“Available in store & online.”

Similarly, it appears this item is currently out of stock.

Debatably no wonder, as just one of these items usually costs around the price of the whole set.

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Beloved grocery chain with over 800 stores launches first-ever rewards program and urges shoppers to spot the ‘dots’

A POPULAR American grocery chain with over 800 stores nationwide has launched its first-ever loyalty program.

Bargain Retailer Save A Lot, known for having a red dot in its logo, has urged customers to spot the “dots” which are the new offer points for shoppers to save money.

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Save A Lot has launched its first loyalty program[/caption]

Under the loyalty program that has been launched as a mobile app, customers can earn dots every time they shop which they can further redeem for free products.

The app also features exclusive coupons and bargain deals for customers that add additional value to their shopping hauls.

“Save A Lot Rewards marks our evolution in the digital space – even as an independent, bannered wholesaler, we recognize the importance of personalized and incentivized shopping,” said Trey Johnson, Chief Merchandising and Marketing Officer at Save A Lot.

“There’s benefit in a loyalty program for everyone – more value for our shoppers to get better deals and value for us in learning more about who is shopping at Save A Lot, so we can better serve them,” he added.

Users can download the Save A Lot Rewards app via the Apple and Android app stores.

Save A Lot will offer one-time use weekly offers for new and existing loyalty customers till November 19.

It comes after Save A Lot confirmed the closure of one of its stores after desperate efforts to save it fell through.

The budget store on the east side of Buffalo, New York, has shut down for good.

The owner of the Save-A-Lot store has revealed that he could not continue to run the business which was hemorrhaging money.

“Everything went downhill after we got looted,” Ron Horrigan told The Buffalo News, saying that he has been losing money for years which has only gotten worse.

In 2022, the store was looted numerous times, and its insurance deductible of $5,000 failed to cover clean-up and re-stocking.

Meanwhile, the pandemic dramatically impacted finances, and footfall to the store has also dropped this year by 50%, according to Horrigan.

The area has also been targeted heavily by shoplifters with Horrigan saying it is worse than that seen at his other locations in Chaffee, Cheektowaga, and North Collins.

In addition to this, Horrigan is six months late in rental payments after minimum wage increases and food delivery costs by suppliers rose by $21,000.

Despite his efforts to get financial help from the city, Mayor Byron Brown allegedly denied Horrigan’s request because his sales were too high to be eligible for a grant.

“The city, they all cry when somebody leaves, ‘Oh it’s a food desert. Nobody’s coming in,'” Horrigan said.

“Well, they don’t do nothing when somebody’s going out, either.”

Despite efforts to take over the struggling location by Upstate Supermarket, a Save-A-Lot franchisee with nine locations, no agreement was made.

Broadway Market and Upstate Market reportedly failed to agree on lease terms, per the outlet.

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Kamala Harris refuses to answer questions about her role in hiding Biden’s mental decline in tense Fox News interview

KAMALA Harris has swerved questions about President Joe Biden’s reported cognitive decline in a fiery sit-down interview with Fox News.

The presidential hopeful spoke with Bret Baier in a 30-minute prime-time segment.

Fox News
Vice President Kamala Harris sat down with Fox News host Bret Baier for an interview on Wednesday[/caption]
Baier fired off questions about Joe Biden’s reported mental decline, but Harris swerved them
Fox News

Baier came in hot, immediately grilling Harris about immigration, transgender issues, and how she would distinguish herself from Biden.

Toward the end of the interview, he questioned, “When did you first notice that President Biden’s mental faculties appeared diminished?”

Harris mumbled about Biden’s “experience and judgment” before stopping the answer short by saying “Joe Biden isn’t on the ballot.”

“I think the American people have a concern about Donald Trump,” she said in a glaring deflection.

“People who worked for him […] have said he is unfit and dangerous and should never be president of the United States ever again.”

The bizarre answer came after Baier had already blasted her for her characterization of a former president who nearly half of the population want back in the White House, according to polling.

“Are they misguided the 50%? Are they stupid?” he said.

“Oh God, I would never say that about the American people.” the vice president responded in a shocking U-turn.

VP’S PLAN

When questioned about immigration, Harris admitted that the system was “flawed.”

The two debated the hot-button issue, with Baier bringing up crimes committed by illegal immigrants, like the murder of Rachel Morin.

“Those are tragic cases. There’s no question about that,” Harris responded.

“We need more judges. We need to process these cases faster.”

Baier pressed her on her previous statements where she supported decriminalizing illegal border crossing, but she shut him down and reversed her stance.

“I do not believe in decriminalizing border crossings,” she said.

Baier also grilled Harris on her support of transgender inmates getting gender-reassignment surgery.

Harris simply said she wishes to follow federal law, which, under Trump, allowed for several prisons to provide gender-affirming treatments, The New York Times reported.

The vice president was questioned about her struggle to distinguish herself from Biden, to which she said she was a “new generation of leadership.”

“My presidency will not be a continuation of Joe Biden’s presidency,” she said.

She went on to tout her plan for a $25,000 tax credit given to first-time homebuyers and a $50,000 tax break for small business owners.

Harris continually bashed Trump despite being questioned about her current role in the White House and slammed the former president for bringing her “personal grievances” into politics.

“People are tired of that,” she said.

‘FUNDAMENTALLY FLAWED’

In an analysis exclusively given to The U.S. Sun, political commentator Gianno Caldwell blasted Harris for using “every attempt to dodge Bret Baier’s questions.”

“Her sales pitch to the American people is fundamentally flawed,” Caldwell, an analyst who founded a bipartisan political consulting firm, said.

“If she has all of these great ideas, why hasn’t she implemented them over the last three-plus years?”

Caldwell said Harris’ performance showed she “isn’t a presidential candidate who will serve with conviction and honesty.

“Her attempts before millions of Americans failed to show a vision for Americans who are suffering over an economy, border, or inflation she created as a partner with Joe Biden or her tie-breaking vote for the $1.9T American Rescue Plan,” he said.

Caldwell said America does not have the budget to back Harris’ policies.

“Democrat economists warned her it would cause inflation, and it did.

“That’s who Kamala Harris is and would govern as president. We cannot afford that as a country.”

Gianno Caldwell's full analysis of Harris' performance

POLITICAL analyst Gianno Caldwell slammed Harris in analysis exclusively given to The U.S. Sun.

“Kamala Harris used every attempt to dodge Bret Baier’s questions and clearly showed she isn’t a presidential candidate who will serve with conviction and honesty.

Her sales pitch to the American people is fundamentally flawed.

If she has all of these great ideas, why hasn’t she implemented them over the last three-plus years?

Her attempts before millions of Americans failed to show a vision for Americans who are suffering over an economy, border, or inflation she created as a partner with Joe Biden or her tie-breaking vote for the $1.9T American Rescue Plan.

Democrat economists warned her it would cause inflation, and it did. That’s who Kamala Harris is and would govern as president. We cannot afford that as a country.”

MEDIA BLITZ

Harris’ interview comes in the midst of a media blitz to make a last-minute appeal to voters.

Last week, she sat down with Stephen Colbert for the Late Show to guzzle a beer and slam Trump for “gaslighting Americans.”

And days earlier, she made the bizarre choice to record an episode of Alex Cooper’s podcast Call Her Daddy, despite the show’s racy history.

The U.S. Sun previously spoke with a political expert who analyzed Harris’ appearances and said he didn’t believe they would sway voters.

“It’s not enough just to show up on these platforms,” Matt Terrill, former chief of staff for Marco Rubio’s presidential campaign, warned.

Kamala Harris' appearance on Call Her Daddy

Kamala Harris sat down with the podcaster Alex Cooper for an episode of the Spotify show Call Her Daddy.

Cooper admitted she felt qualified to have a conversation around the issue of reproductive rights.

On the show, Harris opened up on the lessons she learned from her mom.

Harris once again repeated the line that she was a former prosecutor and worked to protect the most vulnerable in society.

She hurled jibes at her rivals Donald Trump and his running mate JD Vance.

Harris claimed Trump is “full of lies” and she ripped Vance’s comments about childless cat ladies.

The vice president also lashed out at Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders after the Republican claimed she doesn’t have anything keeping her humble.

Harris told Cooper she was blessed regarding her relationship with her husband Doug Emhoff and his two children.

“Voters care about substance, and what voters care about right now is: ‘Where do these candidates stand?’

“And, what is their plan on affordability – namely housing, healthcare, food, and fuel?

“Where do they stand, and what is their plan for border security?”

Harris has struggled to distinguish her vision for America from President Joe Biden’s, but last month, she boldly said she offers “a new generation of leadership.”

“My focus is very much on what we can do over the next 10, 20 years to catch up to the 21st century again.

“Americans want a leader who brings us together as Americans and not someone who professes to be a leader who is trying to have us point our fingers at each other.”

Still, Americans appear to be almost evenly divided between Harris and Trump as Election Day nears.

The latest polling from FiveThirtyEight showed Harris ahead of Trump by just over two percentage points.

But the polls have not yet been updated following her Fox News appearance.

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Gianno Caldwell attends an event in Beverly Hills California[/caption]
Fox News
Baier and Harris sparred over transgender issues, the border crisis, and how she will distinguish herself from Joe Biden[/caption]

Allan Lichtman's 2024 presidential election prediction

Renowned historian Allan Lichtman has accurately predicted the outcomes of presidential elections since 1984 using his 13 Keys to the White House algorithm. The scholar has revealed who he thinks will be inaugurated as the 47th president in January next year based on his system of true and false statements.

If six or more statements go against the White House party, they are projected to lose the presidential election.

Midterm elections: The Democrats suffered losses in the 2022 House elections, meaning the key turns false. (Harris 0-1 Trump)

There is no primary contest: This key turns in favor of Harris because the Democrats got “smart” and rallied behind the vice president after Joe Biden ended his campaign, according to Lichtman. (Harris 1-1 Trump)

The sitting president is seeking another term: This turns false because Biden suspended his re-election campaign. (Harris 1-2 Trump)

There is no third-party challenger: This statement is true because third-party candidates like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. needed to poll at 10% nationally, according to Lichtman. (Harris 2-2 Trump)

The short-term economy is strong: This key goes in favor of the White House Party. (Harris 3-2 Trump)

The long-term economic growth has been as good as the last two terms: This key also swings toward Harris. (Harris 4-2 Trump)

The White House Party has made major national policy changes: This key is also true, according to Lichtman’s theory. (Harris 5-2 Trump)

There is sustained social unrest during the term: College campus demonstrations have erupted in reaction to the Gaza conflict, but no protests have broken out that threaten the fabric of society. This means the key goes in Harris’ column. (Harris 6-2 Trump)

The White House is untainted by scandal: Despite House Republican efforts to impeach Joe Biden, they have been unable to pin a scandal on him. (Harris 7-2 Trump)

The incumbent is charismatic: Harris is not considered a Ronald Reagan or Franklin D. Roosevelt-like figure so the key is false. (Harris 7-3 Trump)

The challenger is uncharismatic: This key goes in favor of the White House party – even though Trump is a showman. (Harris 8-3 Trump)

Lichtman warned that the two foreign policy keys – whether there has been a major success or no failure – could flip either way.

But, even if both statements flipped against Harris, Trump would not have enough keys in his column to win the election.

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Prince Harry and Meghan return to Europe after ‘buying a home in Portugal’ following Frogmore Cottage eviction

PRINCE Harry and Meghan are returning to Europe after reportedly buying a home in Portugal.

The US-based couple are said to have splashed out after being evicted from Frogmore Cottage.

a man and a woman wearing sunglasses are smiling and clapping
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Prince Harry and Meghan are said to have splashed out on a home in Portugal after being evicted from Frogmore Cottage[/caption]

They went house-hunting with Princess Eugenie and husband Jack Brooksbank, who own a home in Melides, south of Lisbon.

The purchase may allow the Sussexes to acquire a “Golden Visa”, where they would have access to the EU’s Schengen area.

The late Queen Elizabeth II gave Frogmore Cottage in Windsor to the Sussexes in 2018 as a wedding present.

It was leased to Eugenie and her husband in 2020 after the Sussexes moved to the US.

Harry and Meghan were then asked by King Charles to give up the property.

They have been contacted for comment.

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