4 weeks agoNew York StateComments Off on Jay Z lawsuit that claimed he raped girl, 13, with Diddy is sensationally DROPPED by accuser as star breaks silence
A WOMAN who accused Jay Z and Diddy of raping her after an MTV party has dropped her lawsuit.
Jay Z – real name Shawn Carter – hailed the legal withdrawal as a “victory” after previously blasting the lawsuit as “blackmail”.
AFPJay Z has hailed the case being dropped as a ‘victory’[/caption]
GettyJay Z pictured with his wife popstar Beyonce[/caption]
GettyJay Z pictured with Diddy back in 200[/caption]
Jay Z issued a statement blasting the ‘laughable’ lawsuit@RocNation
The anonymous victim accused the two rappers of raping her at a party following the MTV Video Music Awards in September of 2000.
Documents filed with in New York said the accuser had “volunteraily dismissed” the case “with prejudice” – meaning it cannot be refiled.
It was not immediately clear if the stars had reached a settlement with the woman, who has not been identified.
But 55-year-old billionaire Jay-Z welcomed the closure of the case, which he slammed as “frivolous, fictitious and appalling.”
He said: “This civil suit was without merit and never going anywhere. The fictional tale they created was laughable, if not for the seriousness of the claims.”
“I would not wish this experience on anyone.
“The trauma that my wife, my children, loved ones and I have endured can never be dismissed.”
Jay-Z’s attorney, Alex Spiro, emphasised in a separate statement that the case “never should have been brought”.
He said: “By standing up in the face of heinous and false allegations, Jay has done what few can – he pushed back, he never settled, he never paid one red penny, he triumphed and cleared his name.”
The complaint said Combs and Carter — who is married to pop superstar Beyonce — took turns assaulting the plaintiff as another celebrity stood by and watched.
“Many others were present at the after party, but did nothing to stop the assault,” it went on.
“Carter has been with Combs during many such instances described herein. Both perpetrators must face justice.”
Combs, also 55, has separately been charged with sex trafficking and racketeering. Federal prosecutors allege that he sexually abused women and coerced them into drug-fueled sex parties using threats and violence.
He has denied all charges, and his criminal trial is currently slated to begin on May 5.
Diddy also faces a wave of sexual assault lawsuits, many of which were filed by the plaintiffs lawyer, Tony Buzbee, a Texas attorney who says his firm represents over 150 people, both men and women, who allege sexual abuse and exploitation by Combs.
Lawyers for Combs said dismissal of the lawsuit without a settlement confirmed that other lawsuits he is facing are built on falsehoods.
@RocNationThe case was voluntarily dropped by the accuser[/caption]
In a statement, his legal team said: “For months, we have seen case after case filed by individuals hiding behind anonymity, pushed forward by an attorney more focused on media headlines than legal merit.
“Just like this claim, the others will fall apart because there is no truth to them.”
Jay-Z and Combs are part of a generation of hip-hop titans who rose to prominence in the 2000s, emerging as wide-ranging entrepreneurs and two of the worlds wealthiest rappers.
Carter is also married to pop sensation Beyonce – and they are one of the biggest power couples in the history of the music industy.
The artists have collaborated over the years, with Jay-Z being featured on Combs debut album, No Way Out and Combs appearing on Jay-Zs sophomore album, In My Lifetime, Vol. 1.
Diddy launched his Bad Boy Records around the same time Jay-Z launched his Roc-A-Fella record label. The pair pair has been frequently photographed together at events.
Jay-Z has won 25 Grammys while Diddy has collected three trophies.
GettyDiddy, Beyonce and Jay Z pictured together in 2004[/caption]
Recent lawsuits against Sean 'Diddy' Combs
Sean Combs was hit with a wave of lawsuits in late 2023 and 2024 with allegations of sex trafficking and sexual assault. He has denied all claims against him.
November 17, 2023: Cassie, Combs’ longtime girlfriend, sued him, claiming she endured “a cycle of abuse, violence, and sex trafficking” until their relationship ended in 2018. Combs and Cassie settled the suit the day after it was filed.
Combs was hit with two more lawsuits a week after he settled with Cassie.
November 23, 2023: Joi Dickerson accused Combs of drugging and raping her and filming the attack when she was a 19-year-old college student in January 1991.
November 24, 2023: A second unidentified accuser in a separate lawsuit claimed that Combs and another man sexually assaulted her and a friend in 1990 or 1991, then showed up at her apartment and beat her several days later.
December 6, 2023: Combs was sued again by an unidentified woman who claimed he and two men gang-raped her in 2003 when she was 17 years old.
February 26, 2024: Rodney ‘Lil Rod’ Jones, who helped produce Combs’ most recent album, claimed that the mogul sexually harassed, drugged, and threatened him from September 2022 to November 2023 as they worked together.
May 21, 2024: Model Crystal McKinney accused Combs of sexually assaulting her after meeting at a Men’s Fashion Week event in New York City in 2003. McKinney claims she was drinking alcohol and smoking weed with Combs and several of his colleagues when she took a hit off a joint that she claims was laced with another drug. McKinney claims she felt woozy, and Combs ordered her to the bathroom, where he allegedly forced her to perform oral sex on him.
May 23, 2024: April Lampros, 51, claimed in her lawsuit that she met Sean Combs in New York City in 1994 while attending the Fashion Institute of Technology. Combs is accused of drugging and raping Lampros in a hotel after promising to help mentor her in the fashion industry.
July 3, 2024: Adria English, an ex-porn star who went by Omunique, accused Combs of grooming her into sex trafficking in the early 2000s, according to TMZ.
September 24, 2024: Thalia Graves sued Combs, alleging he and his former bodyguard, Joseph Sherman, violently raped her at the Bad Boy Records studio in New York City in 2001. Graves, who was 25 at the time, said Combs offered her a glass of wine, which made her feel “lightheaded, dizzy, and physically weak” before losing consciousness. Graves alleged when she awoke, she found herself tied up and restrained while Combs and Sherman raped her.
4 weeks agoNew York StateComments Off on Jamie Carragher left speechless as Kaoru Mitoma produces ‘sexiest moment since Bergkamp’ to score against Chelsea
JAMIE CARRAGHER was left in awe as Kaoru Mitoma produced a moment of magic during Brighton’s 3-0 dismantling of Chelsea on Friday night.
Mitoma, 27, opened up the scoring for the Seagulls with a superb goal that saw him pull off a sensational first touch to bring down a long ball and get the better of Trevoh Chalobah.
RexJamie Carragher was amongst those left stunned by Kaoru Mitoma’s goal against Chelsea on Friday night[/caption]
PAMitoma produced an incredible first touch to bring down a long ball from goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen[/caption]
APHe then shifted the ball to the side of Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah to get a shot away[/caption]
AFPThe Japanese international curled the effort around goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen[/caption]
ReutersMitoma’s goal opened the scoring as Brighton thrashed Chelsea 3-0[/caption]
The goal seemingly came from nothing as goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen lumped the ball up the pitch towards the front line.
It was that lofty clearance-cum-pass that was plucked out of the air like an apple off a tree by Mitoma, opening up the chance to curl an effort past Chelsea keeper Filip Jorgensen.
Mitoma did just that, guiding the ball into the bottom corner and putting the Seagulls in front at the Amex.
Commentator Jamie Carragher was amongst those blown away by the sensational touch and finish.
Speaking on Sky Sports’ coverage of the match, he said: “What have we just seen? That was outrageous from Mitoma.”
Adding: “The touch is as good as anything you will see in the Premier League this season. Wow. And the finish isn’t bad either.”
Supporters watching on from home were just as taken aback by the silky move and took to social media to wax lyrical about the goal – with loads comparing it to Dennis Bergkamp‘s stunning flick against Newcastle back in 2002.
One fan wrote: “That Mitoma touch. Sexiest PL moment since Bergkamp.”
https://twitter.com/premierleague/status/860620943936368643
News Group Newspapers LtdMitoma’s goal has been compared to Dennis Bergkamp’s famous flick and finish against Newcastle in 2002[/caption]
While another agreed: “That Kaoru Mitoma goal needs to be treated alongside the Van Basten’s and Bergkamp’s of this world, technically you cannot better that! Absolutely unworldly!”
And third posted: “Just saw Mitoma’s goal, even Dennis Bergkamp would be proud of that.”
And a fourth gushed: “Mitoma just painted a masterpiece with his boots.”
Mitoma is well on track to have his best goalscoring return in the Premier League since his debut in 2022, having scored six goals and registered three assists in 25 league appearances this season so far.
The Japanese international has been catching the eye of potential suitors too.
Fabian Hurzeler‘s side are now just four points off fifth place, and only six points off Chelsea in the top four heading into the remaining Premier League fixtures this weekend.
Mitoma is having one of his best seasons in a Brighton shirt
4 weeks agoNew York StateComments Off on What happens if Putin nukes Britain – minute-by-agonising-minute (& why you MUST take your glasses off)
EVER since the invention of the atomic bomb, we’ve lived with the terrifying spectre of one being dropped on Britain.
And since the invasion of Ukraine Putin has repeatedly threatened to deploy Russia’s nuclear arsenal – but what would happen if he sent a bomb flying to London at 9,000 miles an hour?
AFPRussia test fires an intercontinental ballistic missile from its nuclear deterrence forces[/caption]
Death and destruction on an unfathomable scale are just the flick of a button away.
Should Russian warheads be loaded and fired at the West, a doomsday protocol would be chillingly put into action.
What was once unthinkable, would now suddenly become reality.
While experts say a nuclear attack is still unlikely, the repercussions would be catastrophic.
Here, we reveal what would happen if Putin did push the red button, minute-by-agonising-minute…
DAY 1
2.40am: The attack begins
From his nuclear bunker deep inside the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin gives the order. He is most likely to strike at night, when our response time will be compromised.
Military officers confirm the command, and within moments, the launch codes are relayed to missile silos and submarines primed for war.
Russia’s doomsday protocol swings into action as nuclear warheads begin their final countdown.
Across the West, intelligence satellites detect the launch, triggering instant alerts among world leaders and military chiefs.
Within minutes, encrypted warnings are transmitted to the UK’s top security officials.
The Prime Minister is woken from sleep and, still in his pyjamas, rushes to the Pindar – a bunker five floors under the Ministry of Defence which will become the heart of what remains of government.
Above ground, the rest of Britain sleeps on.
2.45am: Public alert issued
Across the UK, an emergency government alert flashes on mobile phone screens, waking up millions of Brits in the middle of the night.
“National Emergency. Seek immediate shelter. Nuclear strike imminent,” the warning would read across people’s phones.
As panic spreads like wildfire, those in major cities like London, Birmingham, and Manchester barely have time to process the message before hell is unleashed.
In the capital, some know they have no chance of survival and hold each other close, choosing not to wake their sleeping children.
Others panic and hide in bathtubs and under door frames, futile gestures which will be no protection from a nuclear bomb.
Meanwhile, NATO scrambles its forces. A warning is raised across allied nations, with military leaders convening emergency calls to assess the scale of the threat.
The skies above Europe are flooded with surveillance aircraft as NATO’s missile defence systems go on high alert, though their ability to intercept Russia’s arsenal is woefully inadequate – nothing can be done to stop this.
RexLondoners would wake up to emergency government alerts on their phones[/caption]
3am: Fires ignite across London
Within minutes of the alert, Russian hypersonic missiles travelling at 9,000 miles an hour hit their targets.
The first strike is London, the Houses of Parliament.
A fireball one kilometre wide erupts over the city, instantly incinerating everything in its path.
Entire neighbourhoods vanish in a flash, and more than a million lives are snuffed out in seconds.
Anyone within the M25 will go blind if they witness the explosion – and it’s worse for those wearing glasses, for whom the flash will be magnified.
Seconds later a pressure wave of air from the bomb will travel miles, bursting eardrums of anyone left alive in the vicinity.
3.02am: Royals cower in tunnels
“London has a vast network of underground tunnels, so we could see the government trying to command the country from underground, and the Royals being able to shelter in these tunnels as well,” reveals Professor Anthony Glees, security and intelligence expert from the University of Buckingham.
“But the majority of civilians would have nowhere to go. There are no underground bunkers for the masses, and the infrastructure would collapse instantly.
The destruction is total: buildings are flattened, the government is gone, and London is reduced to ashes.
SplashThe British capital be obliterated as the nuke blast would kill and destroy anything in its way[/caption]
3.02am: Submarine fleet awaits orders
Britain’s Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer faces an unimaginable decision: retaliate or accept annihilation.
The UK’s four nuclear-armed Trident submarines are stationed halfway through their patrol in the North Atlantic.
As the Commander of one submarine receives word of the London strike, the crew scrambles to make contact with Downing Street.
But as much as the UK has reason to fear the immediate devastation, Glees said the country’s key asset lies beneath the waves.
The UK’s Trident-equipped submarines could fire back with devastating force – ensuring Russia wouldn’t escape unscathed.
“The UK’s second-strike capability remains our lifeline, p a second strike,” says Glees.
GettyCrews across the UK’s four nuclear-armed Trident submarines would be waiting for the next move[/caption]
3.03am: Gridlocked roads as millions flee
As the nuclear explosion’s electromagnetic pulse (EMP) renders communication lines useless, mobile phones and radios die.
Emergency calls go unanswered, leaving people in the dark and cut off from help.
Cities are left without power, and transportation is at a standstill.
People in the south outside the immediate blast radius take to the roads in their millions, desperate to escape the imminent fallout.
In countries like Russia, especially during Soviet times, emergency systems like steam trains have been prepared for such an eventuality.
But in the UK, the lack of such backstops means that roads are clogged and electric cars fail to start, adding to the nationwide chaos.
3.15am: The fallout begins
Radioactive debris begins to fall, raining down on London and its surrounding areas.
Buildings, earth, and even vaporised human flesh are carried on the wind, spreading a toxic cloud.
In five minutes the cloud has travelled beyond London, threatening East Anglia with deadly radiation.
Anyone outside would inhale plutonium, leading to an agonising death just hours later.
Survivors would face long-term suffering, from radiation sickness to deadly cancers.
And another 10 minutes later, London’s Underground becomes no safe refuge either.
As survivors huddle in the overcrowded tunnels, chaos reigns and fights break out.
The city has now effectively become a radioactive wasteland.
3.45am: Vomiting outside the death zone
Around half an hour after exposure to radiation, people outside the capital – now a barren waste land with no survivors above ground – begin vomiting in agony. Death is not far away.
Carried on a north-easterly wind, the cloud of plutonium travels further up the country, soon reaching the midlands.
3.50am: The ‘shoot-to-kill’ order
The government moves to seal the perimeter of London.
What remains of the army is deployed to the edge of the capital with strict orders- ‘shoot-to-kill’. This is to prevent the escape of radioactive survivors, as military personnel wear protective masks.
Iodine tablets are also distributed in unaffected regions, offering protection against radioactive iodine, which can cause thyroid cancer.
However, for those already exposed, the pills are useless.
4am: The BBC’s message to the nation
By 4am, the BBC’s crisis broadcast system in areas such as Worcestershire begin transmission with a simple but chilling message: “Go in. Stay in. Tune in.”
The government’s priority shifts to managing the consequences of the strike, establishing response centres across the UK for radiation cleansing and survivor evacuation.
11am: Nightingale Hospitals set up
With the death toll aleady in the millions, the government enacts plans for pop up “Nightingale” Hospitals like those used in Covid to treat the millions of people suffering radiation sickness.
“The physical toll on the population would be catastrophic,” says Glees, “and even if survivors managed to find shelter, they would live with the horrific consequences of radiation exposure for years.”
After hours of failed communication with the Prime Minister, the crew of a Trident submarine initiates the retaliatory strike, as authorised by the “letter of last resort.”
The attack sends a message to Moscow: Russia will not escape unscathed.
GettyThe crew of a Trident submarine would launch a retaliatory strike if they don’t manage to communicate with the PM[/caption]
APThe strike would be authorised by the ‘letter of last resort’[/caption]
6am: NATO in, Washington out
The repercussions would ripple worldwide.
NATO members will mobilise quickly, with the UK and France holding the fort in Western Europe with the biggest nuclear arsenal.
Seth Baum, a catastrophic risk expert highlights the complexities of retaliation.
He said: “NATO’s response would have to be carefully calibrated to avoid an all-out nuclear war.
“The policy challenge for NATO becomes, how do you make a response that is appropriate given the horrible attack that was just committed and that punishes Russia appropriately without avoiding an escalation that nobody wants?
“And that’s a tricky thing to do.”
AFPUS President Donald Trump would probably leave America out of Europe’s mess, an expert said[/caption]
TWO WEEKS LATER: Food shortages
Two weeks later, the UK remains a desolate wasteland.
The death toll surpassed a million, and London’s remnants are buried under layers of radioactive dust.
Survivors in rural areas struggle to find food and clean water, as supplies dwindle and aid is non-existent.
The government, operating from remote bunkers, can do little to restore order.
In the aftermath of this unprecedented attack, the world has irrevocably changed.
Russia’s allies would waste no time in pursuing their own goals.
China would push to seize Taiwan amid the chaos, seeing an opportunity to expand its influence.
Iran would be busy recalculating its strategy and focusing on its internal weakness caused by Benjamin Netanyahu’s Israeli forces.
APChina wouldn’t waste time in making moves towards Taiwan[/caption]
AFPPutin’s pal Kim Jong un could also try and seize South Korea amid the nuclear chaos[/caption]
APIran, meanwhile, would have been too weakened by Israel to join the mess[/caption]
“Iran has been weakened in recent years by Israeli military successes in Gaza and Lebanon,” Glees says.
“The Ayatollahs’ regime is teetering on the brink, and a nuclear confrontation would only accelerate its demise.”
Meanwhile, North Korea would have the “perfect timing” to take control of turmoil-hit South Korea as impeached president Yoon Suk Yeol was finally arrested.
“Kim Jong-un will see this as an opportunity to move south,” Glees explains.
“With the West distracted, he’ll try to take control of South Korea and its wealth, destabilising the entire region.”
And this would trigger a global arms race, with nations across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East scrambling to arm themselves with nuclear capabilities, Baum said.
The world would fall into a new era of military escalation, as weakened Britain desperately tries to rebuild itself.
Fears loom of World War Three
By Sayan Bose, Foreign News Reporter
IT is believed the world is closer to a full-fledged global war than it ever was since World War Two.
Many fear the crisis in Ukraine could still develop into a wider armed conflict, with officials warning that further escalation could see the bloodiest conflict in Europe since WW2 if resulting in nuclear war.
North Korea is also ready to pounce on the West as Putin’s alliance with deranged leader Kim Jong-Un continues to grow.
But Kim has also threatened to start a war of his own after labelling South Korea his “principal enemy” – adding that the nuclear weapons at his disposal are not to be ignored.
Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party swept to victory in their elections – meaning there will now be at least four more years of limited to zero dialogue with Beijing.
The result has sparked concerns that there might be conflict with China if the DPP refuses to resume tense peace talks.
Chinese officials described the 2024 election as a choice “between war and peace” in a chilling warning shot to Taiwanese voters.
Amid the backdrop of China’s imperialistic behaviour in the South China Sea, Xi may also leverage India’s territorial disputes with Pakistan to strong-arm New Delhi.
And China may use the opportunity to try and capture Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin – a region that the communist regime wrongly claims to be its own – from India.
What would happen if World War 3 started?
With the advancement of technology and modern weaponry, World War 3 could be the deadliest of all wars ever fought in the history of mankind.
We could see unparalleled levels of suffering, the displacement of millions, severe food insecurity, and disruption to essential services.
It is predicted that in the event of a nuclear war between the US and Russia, an estimated 99 per cent of the population in the belligerent countries, as well as Europe and China, would die.
Other attacks across the globe could result in catastrophic events – upending the structure of society completely.
4 weeks agoNew York StateComments Off on I fear wife will end our marriage if she finds out about my bizarre fetish – she has no idea I get sexual kicks from it
Getty
DEAR DEIDRE: MY unusual fetish for women with their arms in slings has become so obsessive, I’ve started wearing one myself.
My wife has no idea I get a sexual kick out of it — she thinks I’ve injured my arm.
If she found out, I know my marriage would be over.
I’m 52 and my wife is 50. We have two grown-up children.
I’ve had a sexual fascination for women wearing slings since I was a child.
I’ve never come across anyone with the same fetish, which makes me feel so perverted and alone.
I think it started when my babysitter — who I had a crush on — broke her arm.
One evening, she let me try on her sling.
A few years later, I started fashioning my own slings and wearing them when I was alone. I would even pleasure myself while wearing one.
Since then, I have found myself attracted to any woman I see with her arm in plaster and/or a sling.
I know it’s strange, and I can’t explain it. I don’t enjoy seeing women who have been hurt or are in pain — it’s purely the sling that does it for me.
When an ex-girlfriend broke her arm, my libido went through the roof.
She couldn’t work out why all of a sudden I was unable to keep my hands off her and, of course, I didn’t tell her.
We broke up soon after her arm healed up.
I once visited a prostitute and asked her to wear a sling. I could tell she thought I was a total weirdo.
Recently, I’ve taken to wearing one myself when I’m on my own. But my wife caught me and I had to make up a story about hurting my arm in the garage when I fixed the car.
She believed me — why wouldn’t she? But part of me longs to be honest with her.
You can also send a private message on the DearDeidreOfficial Facebook page.
WORRIED MY GASLIGHTING EX MAY BE SERIOUSLY ILL
DEAR DEIDRE: I’VE been played for a fool by my narcissistic ex, but now I’m worried about him and don’t feel I can abandon him.
Unusually, he hasn’t been in touch for months and I’m scared something has happened to him. Then again, it could just be one of his mind games.
I’m a woman of 31 and he’s 34.
We had an on-off relationship for several years. He was a textbook narcissist – often charming, but controlling with no empathy, arrogant and sometimes cruel.
He was a gaslighter who messed me around, making me feel I needed him.
And he would never introduce me to friends or family. I felt like his dirty little secret – not good enough for a proper relationship.
After I finally managed to walk away, he’d message from time to time, but I was strong and resisted getting back with him.
But then he contacted me to tell me he had a serious health problem.
He told me how much he missed me and hinted that he wanted to get serious.
I think he just wanted someone to look after him. And when he realised I wasn’t going to jump back into his arms, he ghosted me.
But now I haven’t heard from him in six months, and I’m starting to worry he may be really sick or worse.
Should I contact him? Or is he just playing another game to control me?
DEIDRE SAYS: You have no obligation to look after this man, have a relationship with him or even be in contact. Please don’t feel guilty.
Even if he is genuinely ill now – and he may not be – he has spent years manipulating you and taking advantage of your kind nature.
Narcissists don’t change, even ill ones.
You deserve so much better.
Please don’t allow yourself to get sucked back in.
My support packs, Abusive Partners and Addictive Relationships, have lots of information about this type of relationship, which you may find helpful.
THANK YOU
DEAR DEIDRE: AS a child, my mum always put me down and compared me unfavourably to my sisters, telling me they were prettier and more intelligent.
I would always get into trouble with my dad, because she would blame me for their bad behaviour.
I’m now 45, and my relationship with her is very complicated.
She only calls when she needs something and is never there for me.
I decided I needed to put my own mental health first – but I felt guilty.
You told me my mother sounded needy, and reassured me I had no reason to feel guilty.
You advised me to talk to a counsellor, suggested I read your support pack on counselling, and recommended standalone.org.uk, for people estranged from family members.
And you even wrote back to check to see how I was doing.
I decided to set boundaries, as you had suggested, messaging Mum once a week and not letting her mess me around.
Taking a stand and keeping contact to a bare minimum worked. She is now treating me differently – like an equal for the first time.
Thank you so much for all your advice and for giving me hope.
DEIDRE SAYS: I am glad you have realised you’re a strong, capable woman and that things are so much more positive. I’m always here.
TEEN TROUBLES
DEAR DEIDRE: MY boyfriend stopped talking to me because I went out with my best mate instead of him.
Now I’ve dumped him, but I feel guilty and keep wondering if I’ve done the right thing.
We’re both 19 and have been together a year. He wants to see me all the time – he doesn’t like me seeing friends alone sometimes, but says it’s because he loves me so much.
But it was my best mate’s birthday and I wanted to spend time with her.
His response was to sulk and block me. It made me so mad I broke up with him.
Have I made a big mistake?
DEIDRE SAYS: Your boyfriend sounds very immature, insecure and possessive, and you have nothing to feel guilty about.
A partnership shouldn’t be all-consuming – it’s not healthy for anyone. You’d be better off with someone who doesn’t want to control you.
See my support pack, How To Deal With Jealousy.
ONLY ENJOY ONE TYPE OF WOMAN
DEAR DEIDRE: I’M so sick of being single, but the only type of woman I’ll go for is beautiful, tall, curvy and red-headed.
No other women seem attractive to me, so I don’t see the point of dating them.
I’m a man of 48, and have been divorced for ten years.
My ex-wife fitted my criteria – but cheated on me. Since then I’ve been on dating sites and lots of first dates, but if the women don’t look right, I don’t take it any further.
It’s amazing how many women look nothing like their pictures or are much older than they claim.
I’ve always fantasised about redheads and only watch porn featuring them. Other women just don’t do it for me.
My friends keep trying to set me up with their single female friends.
Some are objectively attractive, but I know they’re not for me.
Where can I find the scarlet woman of my dreams?
DEIDRE SAYS: By lusting after this “ideal” of womanhood, you are missing out on a chance to find a loving relationship with someone wonderful.
Most people have a type – features they find particularly appealing. But it sounds like you are fetishising redheads.
I wonder if you had a formative sexual experience involving a red-head, which is why you have become so fixated on them. Talking to a sex therapist could help.
If you really want to meet someone, you need to be more open-minded and focus on personality, not just looks.
Read my support pack, Finding The Love Of Your Life, which will help you see what you need to do.
AlamyHow you can avoid paying more for your Netflix subscription[/caption]
The most expensive premium plan will now cost users £18.99, an extra £1 a month.
And the cheapest ad-supported tier has seen its first price hike too, also going up by £1 from £4.99 to £5.99.
Meanwhile, the standard plan will increase in price by £2 from £10.99 to £12.99.
Those who have added extra accounts outside their households will see bills increase by a further £1 with the price for additional users on the premium plan or the ad-free standard plan, rising from £4.99 to £5.99.
An extra account on the standard plan with adverts will also see the price rise from £3.99 to £4.99.
However there are ways you can avoid the price hike and Martin Lewis’ Money Saving Expert has revealed these top tips.
Firstly, if you’re on a standard or premium plan you can consider downgrading.
The ad-supported plan is significantly cheaper than others, so if you don’t mind the odd commercial break it’s worth considering.
And, by changing, you could end up paying less than you did before the price change came in.
If downgrading doesn’t appeal, you could look at sharing an account with a friend or family member living in the same household.
Netflix’s standard plans allows two users to watch on separate screens at the same time, while the premium plan allows you to watch on four devices at the same time.
If you were to split the cost of the premium plan between four you’d be paying £4.75 a month each, less than even the cheapest, ad-supported tier.
If you don’t have others to share with in your household you can ask a friend or family member to add you as an extra member.
This allows you to share an account even if you don’t live in the same house.
Under the new prices it costs £5.99 to add an extra person to an ad-free plan.
If a person was added to the standard plan the total cost would be £18.98 a month – or £9.49 if the price was split between two.
If none of these solutions work for you, then you can always consider ending your subscription.
You can cancel a Netflix subscription at anytime without being penalised.
So, if you’re not desperate to watch Netflix-only programming you could consider one of the cheaper streaming services.
For example Disney + Standard with ads is £4.99 a month, Amazon Prime with ads is £5.99 and Apple+ TV is £8.99 a month.
Remember, you can also use free trials to access services without paying – but remember to cancel before the trial period ends.
Netflix last overhauled prices in the UK in December 2023.
Experts had warned that a price surge was imminent in the UK after new higher fees were announced in the US, Canada, Argentina and Portugal.
Many users were angry to find out about the increase and some threatened to cancel their subscriptions.
“Blimey, another price hike? They must think we’ve all got money trees in the garden!” one person wrote on X.
“That’s my @NetflixUK cancelled…” another commented.
“I dumped Netflix,” a third viewer added.
How to save on broadband and TV bills
HERE'S how to save money on your broadband and TV bills:
Audit your subscriptions
If you’ve got multiple subscriptions to various on-demand services, such as Amazon Prime, Netflix, and Sky consider whether you need them all.
Could you even just get by with Freeview, which couldn’t cost you anything extra each month for TV.
Also make sure you’re not paying for Netflix twice via Sky and directly.
Haggle for a discount
If you want to stay with your provider, check prices elsewhere to set a benchmark and then call its customer services and threaten to leave unless it price matches or lowers your bill.
Switch and save
If you don’t want to stay with your current provider check if you can cancel your contract penalty free and switch to a cheaper provider.
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Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
4 weeks agoNew York StateComments Off on I dealt heroin & crack at 14 for a county lines gang – I had no fear & only stopped after horror incident in a drug den
SOME girls dream of being influencers, others of being vets, or lawyers.
At the age of 14, Nequela Whittaker wanted to be the biggest drug dealer in South London.
SUPPLIEDNequela as a young child, a few years before she became involved in county line gangs[/caption]
Nequela WhittakerNequela is now a qualified youth worker and campaigner[/caption]
The ambition led to being targeted and recruited by a drug gang which then used her as a mule to traffic narcotics across the UK.
“I thought that if I was going to be bad, I might as well be good at being bad,” Nequela, 35, tells Fabulous.
Eventually, she was caught and jailed.
Today she has turned her life around and now helps other young people who are groomed and trafficked by gangs in what are known as ‘county lines’ dealing operations.
“I wanted nicer things and more expensive stuff, so I started to sell crack and heroin”
Eloquent, open and smart, she is a perfect example of how people can turn their lives around if they’re given the right opportunities.
Nequela had a tough start in life.
She grew up on an estate in Brixton and although as youngster she enjoyed football, dance, performing arts, athletics and even played the violin, she fell in with a bad crowd when she was a teenager, started her own gang and was lured by the easy money of drug dealing.
“We started a criminal enterprise,” she admits. “I wanted nicer things and more expensive stuff, so I started to sell crack and heroin to users I befriended on the estate where I lived.
“It expanded to where I was recruited by a drug gang at the age of 16 and started transporting drugs up and down the country in a typical county lines operation.”
The phrase ‘county lines’ describes the business model organised crime gangs (OCGs) use to transport and sell drugs outside their territory.
The ‘county line’ is the name given to the mobile phone line used to take orders for drugs.
In county lines operations, children as young as 12 are coerced and manipulated to work in these distribution networks.
Teenagers are commonly enticed with expensive phones or trainers or given drugs until they are indebted to the gang, which then often uses violence and fear to control them.
Teenage girls and young women are increasingly targeted for recruitment into county lines operations because they attract less attention from police.
The gangs use devious and manipulative methods to befriend victims.
Some offer girls beauty treatments such as Botox, false lashes, nails and lip filler as a way to groom them and gain their trust.
St Giles Trust is a charity which helps vulnerable young people.
Last year, its SOS project supported 382 young people to leave or reduce their involvement in county lines and other exploitative activities.
Project founder Junior Smart OBE warns that girls and young women often fall off the radar of official bodies because resources are mainly focused on boys.
He explains: “Young women are often targeted because they are perceived as a lower risk, being seen as less likely to attract attention from the police or other authorities.
“Criminals exploit vulnerabilities such as poverty, trauma, or isolation, knowing these individuals may be more susceptible to manipulation.
“Girls and young women are increasingly at risk of criminal exploitation.”
Indeed, girls and young women accounted for nearly a third of the new child criminal exploitation cases seen by St Giles last year.
How do you know if County Lines drug dealing is happening in your area?
Some signs to look out for include:
An increase in visitors and cars to a house or flat
New faces appearing at the house or flat
New and regularly changing residents (e.g different accents compared to local accent
She became a trusted member of the gang and was never scared of being targeted by rival gangs.
“I had a very big ego. I didn’t walk with fear,” she says.
But eventually in 2007 when she was 17, she was caught.
SUPPLIEDNequela was selling drugs to her community when she was in school[/caption]
Nequela was groomed into a gang by a female palSUPPLIESSUPPLIEDNequela was handed a four-year sentence, but spent less than a year in prison[/caption]
“I was on my way to Aberdeen to do a job and I got caught at the train station. I was arrested and put in the cells for five days.
“Then I got bail and came back to London where I went on the run. I knew I was facing a jail sentence but at that age I couldn’t face prison mentally,” she says.
“I went under the radar and got my mind right before it was time for me to go.”
Nequela managed to evade arrest for a year before she was finally caught and arrested in London and then taken back to Scotland to stand trial.
In October 2008 she pled guilty to intent to supply crack, heroin and class B drugs and was given a four-year sentence, of which she served just under a year.
She admits that prison did nothing to rehabilitate her.
“I came out in 2009 and I tried to get work, but I was struggling to find a good job. It felt like going one step forward and ten steps back.
“I needed money so I went back to dealing, but that life was leading me to risky situations,” she explains.
Numbers up to date as of July 2023
One day, Nequela was with a friend in a drug den in London selling drugs when two men locked them both in a room and started to beat her male friend.
Nequela managed to call a cousin who was part of a respected street gang in the 1980s and he rushed over and used his influence to get her out.
“It was the worst thing I’ve ever experienced,” she shivers. “That was the day I turned my whole life around.
“It was too close; it could have ended very differently. I needed to go all in and get myself a job and navigate the right pathway.”
But as many young people trying to break from drug gangs discover, it was not easy going straight.
Nequela had to cut herself off from most of the people she knew.
“You have to get rid of all the friends who are involved in that lifestyle. You’ve got to be mindful of the people that you’re meeting and any partners who may be involved in that kind of life,” she explains.
“Not everybody has the tenacity to keep going. It is hard to find a job and be accepted because there is so much stigma against people who have been involved in that life.”
It is believed that at least 27,000 children are county lines gang members, according to a statement made in Parliament in 2023.
And a staggering 120,000 children are also estimated to experience other risks associated with child criminal exploitation, such as emotional and physical harm and sexual violence.
There are reports that some gangs even brand the children they exploit.
The Home Office established a County Lines programme in 2019 and since then more than 5,000 drug lines have closed and, as of March 2023, more than 8,817 individuals had been referred by police to safeguarding.
Nequela now helps young people at risk of being lured in by these drug gangs.
She signed up to the Youth Leadership Apprentice Programme and in 2013 went to Goldsmiths University to study a degree in applied social science, community development and youth work.
She now runs her own business called Committed Empowered Original and has also written a memoir about her experiences, Street Girl, which has been turned into a theatre production.
She’s noticed that the gangs are evolving, and that social media is now increasingly used as a recruitment tool.
“I’ve seen how easy it is for young people to be lured in,” she warns. “There are group chats where somebody anonymously offers the opportunity to make money, and kids jump at the chance.
SUPPLIEDNequela turned her life around after prison and got herself a degree[/caption]
4 reasons why gang and knife crime is on the rise in the UK
Simon Harding, Professor of Criminology at the University of West London explains...
1. The evolution of street gangs
According to his research, the most significant change is in the average age of gang members. Previously, members older than 21/22 would leave the gang. Now, gang members are staying on and attracting younger members – the groups are getting increasingly crowded. This also means there is more and more competition for those who want to get to the top.
2. County lines and the drug market
County Lines are drug distribution and supply networks that run from large cities to provincial towns, smaller cities and seaside resorts. The National Crime Agency reports 800 lines running from London and approximately 2500 county lines running nationally.
Behind the operations of these county lines, urban street gangs are engaging in criminal exploitation. Through the grooming and recruiting of young people, groups employ children and youths to operate for them in localised areas.
3) The impact of social media
In Simon’s opinion, the influence of social media is pervasive and exacerbates the severity of the situation.
“Social media acts as what I would call ‘an accelerant’ and pours petrol on the flames” of drugs and country lines, he says.
4) The ‘Landscape of Fear’
A mixture of all these elements can lead to a ‘landscape of fear’ for young people who live in deprived communities. Even if they are not in a gang it can lead to young people feeling that they need self-protection and thus the need for a knife.
“We may not see the recruiters on the street, at the chicken shop or in the parks anymore, but they’re on the phones of these young people.”
For parents worried that their children are being targeted, there are signs to look out for.
These include changes in a child’s behaviour, the appearance of unexplained money or possessions beyond the child’s means, increased secrecy, changes in friend groups and routines, truancy and the use of multiple phones or SIM cards.
“Early intervention is key, so parents should maintain open communication with their children and seek professional support if concerned,” advises Junior.
“Breaking free from county lines is challenging but possible with the right support. We advise reaching out for help from trusted organisations like St Giles.”
And as Nequela proves, there is life beyond the gangs.
4 weeks agoNew York StateComments Off on Four places you should never put your Amazon Alexa device – and the first could result in a bank-raiding attack
AMAZON’S Alexa devices are dotted around millions of homes worldwide.
But many folks could be keeping their Amazon Echo and Dot gadgets in risky positions.
GettyAll Alexa gadgets should be kept out of private spaces, like the bedroom and bathroom, experts have cautioned[/caption]
Steer clear of windows
Experts say you should keep your Amazon Echo speakers away from all the windows in your house.
It can give crooks easy access to the speaker and all its connected devices.
For example, if your car is connected to your smart speaker, someone may be able to unlock and start it, CNET reported.
An attacker may also be able to transfer money from your bank account to theirs via the Alexa PayPal skill – if they manage to guess your four-digit pin correctly, according to The Times.
Under your TV
Storing your Alexa under the TV is also a no-go, if you want to limit how often the gadget tunes into your conversations.
If the device hears “Alexa” – or even just similar sounding names and commands – it can be activated unnecessarily.
Not only could this interrupt the film you’re watching, but it also starts recording what’s said directly after the command.
So, if you’re having a private conversation in that moment, your privacy might be at risk.
Therefore, putting it on a side table or bookshelf makes more sense.
Near a space heater
As with any tech gadget, your Alexa shouldn’t be exposed to heat sources, according to Amazon.
That includes space heaters, heater vents, radiators, open fires or stoves.
At best, heat will slow the gadget down. And at worst, could potentially cause a fire or damage to your Echo.
In the bedroom
All Alexa gadgets should be kept out of private spaces, like the bedroom and bathroom, experts have cautioned.
Amazon says that Alexa will only record speech after the wake word, “Alexa,” is said.
Unless the device is triggered accidentally.
Amazon says a small number of conversations are reviewed by staff, for the purposes of improving the device’s understanding of human speech.
But you still might not want your bedroom talk to be included in these reviews.
Instead, it’s best to leave your Alexa in spaces where you’d be more likely to host guests, such as the living room or kitchen.
Dr Hannah Fry, a mathematician and expert on tech company algorithms at University College London, said: “I think there are some spaces in your home, like the bedroom and bathroom, which should remain completely private.
“This technology is activated by a trigger word but it keeps recording for a short period afterwards.
“People accept that, but we should all spend more time thinking about what it means for us.”
What is Alexa?
If you've never heard of Alexa, here's what you need to know...
Alexa is an “intelligent” personal assistant built by Amazon.
You can find her on several different devices, including Amazon’s Echo speakers.
Alexa responds to voice commands, and can talk back to you.
She can perform thousands of different tasks, including telling you about the news or weather.
But she can do more complex things too, like ordering a pizza or arranging an Uber taxi pick-up.
To activate Alexa, you need to say “Alexa” to an Amazon Echo speaker.
Because she’s powered by artificial intelligence, Alexa is constantly getting smarter.
Alexa will also get more used to your voice, and better understand what you want her to do over time.
4 weeks agoNew York StateComments Off on Woman in her 40s is ‘shot’ at pub on Valentine’s Day in front of horrified customers – as attacker remains on the loose
A WOMAN was reportedly shot at a village pub on Valentine’s Day in front of horrified customers with her attacker still on the loose.
Police were called to a “disturbance” at the Three Horseshoes pub on Main Road in Knockholt, Kent, just after 7pm.
LNPA woman was reportedly shot at a village pub on Valentine’s Day[/caption]
LNPCopes were called to a ‘disturbance’ at the Three Horseshoes pub in Kent[/caption]
UKNIPA morning view of the pub after Kent Police launched an urgent manhunt[/caption]
LNPForensics teams were seen in the Knockholt area last night[/caption]
Officers and South East Coast Ambulance Service paramedics rushed to the scene where they found a woman in her 40s who had “suffered serious injuries”.
The suspect, a man believed to be known to the victim, fled the area before officers arrived and remains at large.
Witnesses described being told that shots had been fired but this has not yet been confirmed by the force.
A man whose daughter was in the pub at the time told KentOnline there had been a shooting.
Steve Maines, a parish councillor in Knockholt, said he had been told that shots had been fired.
He told the BBC: “We were sitting having our Valentine’s Day meal when all of a sudden we heard this huge commotion outside in the car park.
“We were told someone had been shot so we had to leave.”
Kent Police have launched an urgent manhunt with officers actively searching for the suspect and investigating the full circumstances of the attack.
The Three Horseshoes is located around five miles north-east of Sevenoaks.
A statement on the pub’s Facebook page read: “The Three Horseshoes will be CLOSED today Saturday 15th February following a tragic incident outside the pub last night, sorry for any inconvenience.
“Hopefully we will be open on Sunday as usual x thank you.”
A police spokesperson said: “Kent Police was called at 7.02pm on Friday 14 February 2025 to a report of a disturbance at the Three Horseshoes pub in Main Road, Knockholt.
“Officers attended the scene along with South East Coast Ambulance Service where a woman in her 40s had suffered serious injuries.
“The suspect, a man who is believed to be known to the victim, left the area and is currently outstanding.
“Enquiries to locate him and to establish the full circumstances are ongoing.”
The Sun has approached Kent Police for further information.
LNPThe suspect, a man believed to be known to the victim, fled the area before officers arrived[/caption]
LNPEmergency services arrived just after 7pm on Friday[/caption]
LNPParamedics rushed to the scene where they found a woman in her 40s[/caption]
