New York State

65 thought they died, 65 still alive. Hopefully The Way Home Season 4 will tell us what that means, but there’s another problem.

Yellowjackets Season 3 Episode 6 is just around the corner, but before then, find out how to watch Season 2 on Netflix with this trick.

Invincible has defeated Conquest (just about) but did Mark have a secret weapon up his sleeve?

WE all love to smell good but hate the price tag that comes with luxe perfumes.

Thankfully, one woman has revealed her favourite scent dupes from Marks & Spencer.

tiktok/@beautyforeverybody

Alex Pavlova shared her favourite perfume dupes[/caption]

M&S

Alex Pavlova, from the UK, took to social media and claimed the selection of perfumes from M&S were so good she had ditched the originals.

She then went on to share four of her favourite ones and how much money the originals cost.

“These Marks & Spencer perfume dupes made me stop buying the originals,” she wrote.

“We love a good dupe, don’t we?” Alex added.

The first on her list was a dupe for the £234 Le Labo Santal 33 scent.

The cheaper alternative is the Warmth fragrance which costs a fraction of the price at £12.

M&S says the expertly blended scent combines aromatic notes of cardamom, cinnamon, cedarwood and sandalwood to evoke a warming feeling of comfort.

She also revealed that the Spiced Amber fragrance was a dupe of Paco Rabanne’s One Million and saves you £80.

Alex was also a fan of Jo Malone’s Wood Sage & Sea Salt perfume but at £118 it was on the pricier side.

Thankfully, she found a budget-friendly dupe from the British store with their Ocean Musk fragrance.

tiktok/@beautyforeverybody

One of her favourites was this Jo Malone dupe[/caption]

And for those who love the fresh and floral notes of Miss Dior perfume but want to avoid the £122 price tag, you’re in luck.

Alex revealed that the £10 Blooming Lovely fragrance for M&S was almost identical.

The clip soon went viral on her TikTok account @beautyforeverybody with over 276k views and 3,000 likes.

People were quick to share their thoughts on the fragrances.

One person wrote: “Spiced Amber has my life.”

Another commented: “I absolutely love them!”

“Smell amazing, just don’t last long sadly,” penned a third.

Meanwhile a fourth said: “Don’t forget their Gardenia and Vanilla is a Marc Jacobs’ Daisy similar scent.”

“They do not last. They smell nice but gone in minutes,” claimed a fifth.

Fabulous will pay for your exclusive stories. Just email: [email protected] and pop EXCLUSIVE in the subject line.

RACHEL Reeves could unleash £24billion of tax hikes and spending cuts this year after her Budget buffer evaporated, economists have warned. 

Goldman Sachs predicted the Chancellor to make £10billion of savings at the Spring Statement later this month.

Getty

Rachel Reeves could be forced to raise taxes further, economists have warned[/caption]

She is expected to take an axe to the country’s bloated welfare bill, as well as squeeze government departments.

But the top bank also reckoned that sluggish growth could force Ms Reeves to return for a further £14billion in tax rises and spending cuts later in the year.

Its economist James Moberly warned this could manifest in stealth taxes that freezes tax thresholds so drags more people into paying higher rates, according to the Telegraph.

Poor growth and stubborn inflation has wiped out the £10billion of headroom Ms Reeves accrued in her autumn Budget.

The number of higher-rate taxpayers topped five million for the first time, as a freeze on thresholds saw more earners dragged into the higher tax band.

In the 2022-23 tax year, there were 5.1 million people paying the higher rate – amounting to 680,000, or 15.3 , more than the previous year.

In comparison, five years earlier, there were 4.2 million people paying the higher rate.

An income tax rate of 40 per cent applies to earnings over £50,271. This threshold has been frozen at the 2021-22 level and will remain in place until April 2028.

Previously, most thresholds were due to rise in line with inflation – but the freeze, introduced by the previous Conservative government, meant more people were dragged into a higher tax bracket if their earnings grew.

HMRC’s figures, which are the most up to date, recognise that so-called “fiscal drag” is behind the latest surge in higher-rate taxpayers.

Higher-rate taxpayers made up 15 per cent of all taxpayers and accounted for 35 per cent of the total amount raised by the Government from income tax in 2022-23.

The number of people paying the additional tax rate also rose to 600,000 in 2022-23 – 9.5 per cent more than the prior year.

The additional rate of 45 per cent is placed on earnings over £125,140.

I’VE spotted an incredible broadband, TV, and mobile deal all rolled into one. 

Virgin Media is giving new customers a free Apple iPad when they sign up for its £88.99 Mega Volt bundle online this month.

Virgin Media

New customers to Virgin Media’s MegaVolt bundle will get a free iPad while stocks last[/caption]

Virgin Media, MegaVolt Bundle, £88.99/month
(Includes FREE 9th generation iPad)

Virgin Media has a bit of a reputation for throwing in high-value tech goodies with its broadband and TV packages.

I’ve seen some gems in recent months, such as a free TV or £200 in bill credit up for grabs last month.  

This time, it’s an Apple iPad, and it’s tied to Virgin’s Mega Volt bundle, a great pick for busy households.

The package comes with the provider’s fastest Gig1 Fibre broadband, with average download speeds of 1130Mbps.

The 9th generation iPad is a brilliant freebie for you or the kids to make the most of those super-fast speeds.

Whether it’s streaming their favourite shows, gaming, or even getting stuck into some work.

The TV side of the Mega Volt bundle is just as packed, with over 240 channels plus subscriptions to Netflix (standard with ads), Sky Sports HD, and Sky Cinema HD all thrown in.

And since Virgin teamed up with O2, its bundles often come with a mobile SIM thrown in for good measure.  

This deal includes a 250GB O2 SIM, so you’re sorted for data on the go as well as at home.  

Plus, you’ll get to pick an O2 Extra subscription service, like Disney+, McAfee, Amazon Prime Video, or Audible, for six months at no extra cost.  

All in all, it’s a brilliant deal if you’re after a complete broadband, TV, and mobile package with a shiny new tablet as the cherry on top.

There’s no need to claim or do anything, all eligible customers will be sent the iPad once the cooling off period has ended.

It’s only while stocks last, though, so don’t hang around too long if you’re interested.

Best Virgin Media broadband & TV deals  

You’ll only get the free iPad on Virgin Media’s Mega Volt bundle, but there are plenty of other great broadband and TV deals up for grabs.

• Bigger Combo Volt bundle, £44.99/month – buy here
• Bigger Combo Volt bundle + Sports, £64.99/month – buy here
• Bigger Combo Volt bundle + Movies, £54.99/month – buy here
• Biggest Combo Volt bundle (Netflix & Sky Sports), £88.99/month – buy here

If you’re looking for more broadband deals, we’ve got you covered.  

We regularly round up the best broadband packages from all the major providers to help you find the one that’s just right for you.

Virgin Media, MegaVolt Bundle, £88.99/month
(Includes FREE 9th generation iPad)

A MUM-OF-TWO faked having terminal cancer to con her distraught partner into giving her thousands of pounds for non-existent treatment.

Laura McPherson fabricated stories and sent fake photos at multiple hospital and specialist visits as she swindled nearly £25,000 from Jon Leonard.

Supplied

Laura McPherson, 35, faked having terminal cancer to con her distraught partner[/caption]

Instagram @jonleonard10

Jon Leonard gave McPherson thousands of pounds for non-existent treatment[/caption]

Ross Kaniuk

She was actually splashing out on breast enhancement procedures and trips abroad[/caption]

But instead of undergoing chemotherapy, she was actually splashing out on breast enhancement procedures and trips abroad, including a stay at an Austrian holistic and weight loss centre.

McPherson not only lied to Mr Leonard but also to her friends and even her own family including her distraught 12-year-old daughter, who is now 16.

Over a five-year period, McPherson claimed she had breast, bowel, colon, ovarian and cervical cancer, and was having treatment both on the NHS and privately.

During her deceit, she also claimed she would need a breast removed and that her cancer was terminal, Derby Crown Court heard.

Passing sentence, the judge, Mr Jonathan Straw, called McPherson a “wicked and devious liar” as he heard she had never had any kind of cancer.

McPherson, from Derby, had pleaded guilty at a previous hearing to fraud between March 1, 2017, and January 31, 2022.

The court heard that among those McPherson had lied to about having cancer was her best friend called Katie.

And when Katie’s father genuinely had the disease – but chose not to go through with the pain of chemotherapy – McPherson called his attitude “disgusting”.

Meanwhile McPherson’s sympathetic friends and family bought her scores of flowers, gifts and cards.

When she claimed she had received the all-clear from one type of cancer in 2018, she persuaded Mr Leonard to buy her a celebratory present of a £30,000 Rolex watch.

McPherson and Mr Leonard began their relationship in 2011 and for several years it was a happy one.

But in 2017 she began hoodwinking him when she said she was having chemotherapy in a Derby hospital.

Mr Leonard was running his Ultra Events business, which was ironically raising millions of pounds for cancer charities.

McPherson, 35, claimed on a number of occasions that she was travelling abroad for treatment.

Ross Kaniuk

Over a five-year period, McPherson claimed she had breast, bowel, colon, ovarian and cervical cancer[/caption]

Ross Kaniuk

McPherson’s sympathetic friends and family bought her scores of flowers, gifts and cards[/caption]

In one of her cruellest lies she said she was having a hysterectomy at the private Mayr clinic in Austria leading Mr Leonard to give her money to pay for it.

But in reality, she was enjoying a holiday of holistic wellbeing and weight loss therapy.

While claiming to be sick from cancer, McPherson was supposed to be working for Mr Leonard’s company.

He continued to pay her salary even though she didn’t do anything because it was believed she was too ill.

You are a wicked and devious liar who embarked on five years of deceit.

Mr Jonathan Straw

To cover her tracks, McPherson never allowed Mr Leonard or her friends to accompany her when she was pretending to have hospital appointments.

On New Year’s Eve 2021 she made Mr Leonard drop her off at the Royal Derby hospital for supposed cancer treatment, but she was never admitted.

Prosecuting Mr Siward James-Moore said on that occasion Mr Leonard’s suspicions began to be aroused when he checked McPherson’s work emails.

He found she had actually ordered a taxi from the hospital to Coventry from where she boarded a train.

Mr Leonard said McPherson became abusive towards him most days, but he said he accepted it because he believed it was caused by the stress she must have been feeling because of her terminal illness.

McPherson’s deceit finally came to light when told Mr Leonard she needed over £7,000 for a mastectomy and breast enhancement at a Manchester private clinic.

When Leonard contacted the surgeon to pay the bill, it turned out her “treatment” was in reality just for the breast enhancement.

The couple separated three years ago after which Mr Leonard allowed McPherson to stay in his home as he moved out and let her keep a car he had bought her.

But McPherson continued to maintain the pretence that she had cancer.

She was to eventually drop it when she pleaded guilty in court last September.

The emotional toll this had taken on me is difficult to express in words.

Jon Leonard

Mr Leonard, 44, said he has struggled professionally with his business and with forming new relationships as a result of McPherson’s actions.

McPherson, despite her claims of having had a hysterectomy, had another child last year and now runs a coffee shop,

The prosecutor said McPherson’s GP had confirmed she has never had any cancer.

The judge ordered McPherson to be electronically tagged as he imposed a curfew on her to stay at her home from 7pm to 6am every Wednesday to Sunday.

He imposed a community order for two years and ordered McPherson to complete 30 days with a probation officer.

He said if she breached her terms she would receive an immediate two and a half year prison sentence.

Ross Kaniuk

During her deceit, she also claimed she would need a breast removed and that her cancer was terminal[/caption]

Supplied

McPherson and Mr Leonard began their relationship in 2011[/caption]

NHS England will be abolished in a bid to cut red tape and “free up” cash for doctors and nurses, Sir Keir Starmer has announced.

The PM said the move will put the NHS “back at the heart of Government where it belongs”.

AFP

His comments came as he delivered a speech in Yorkshire on turning the “weak” British state into an “active government”.

A CLIP of her bursting into tears after having sex with 100 men in a day went viral last year.

And now adult star Lily Phillips has revealed what actually happened before she made an emotional confession about having to “disassociate” from the bedroom antics in documentary  I Slept With 100 Men in One Day.

Youtube/Holly Randall Unfiltered

Lily Phillips has revealed the truth behind the clip of her crying after sleeping with 100 men in one day[/caption]

YouTube

The 23-year-old was seen breaking down as she spoke to documentary maker Josh Pieters following her “14 hour f**k marathon”[/caption]

YouTube

But in the new podcast interview, Lily has said she was just “exhausted”, and the hour-long interview had been cut to just a few minutes[/caption]

instagram/lilyphillip_s

In an interview on the Holly Randall Unfiltered podcast, Lily was asked by the host: “What was going through your mind in that moment that made you emotional?”

In response, Lily insisted she was simply “exhausted”, and had been subjected to a lengthy interview with the documentary makers after her “14 hour f**k marathon”.

“It was probably an hour (of) questioning with the documentary team,” she recalled.

“And people don’t realise things are edited down to look like two minutes, when like it’s a very in-depth chat we were having.

“And yeah, I think I was just very exhausted.”

Lily added she was also emotional because she’d hated having to have to tell her sex partners that their time was up during the busy day, as she admitted she wanted them to have the “best experience”.

“I had to have some like awkward conversations, which I hate with the guys about feeling like I let them down a little bit in what they were expecting versus what they got,” she sighed.

“I wanted to give them like the best experience, especially some of them had travelled so far.

“And when I had to turn around and be like, ‘I’m so sorry, your two minutes… you need to get out of here,’ kind of thing, I did feel like really bad and awkward.”

In the documentary, filmed by Josh Pieters, Lily said of her experience sleeping with 100 guys in 14 hours: “It’s not for the weak girls, if I’m honest – it was hard.

“I don’t know if I’d recommend it. It’s a different feeling. It’s just one in one out, it feels intense.

“I think by the 30th when we’re getting on a bit, I’ve got a routine of how we’re going to do this and sometimes you disassociate and it’s not like normal sex at all.

“In my head right now, I can think of like five, six guys, 10 guys that I remember and that’s it.

“But it’s just weird, isn’t it? If I didn’t have the videos, I wouldn’t have known I did 100.”

Meanwhile, in the podcast interview, Lily told Holly that just because she’d been emotional during the documentary chat, it doesn’t mean she hates her job.

And she also took aim at the “narrative” that comes with being a female porn star.

“I hate this narrative that like just because I get upset or like I’m exhausted or I’ve had a hard day at work means I hate my job,” she said.

“And you know, I’m being exploited and I’m miserable.

“That is like my number one ag with it because I love this job and I love everything this industry has given me.”

The 23-year-old added she also feels that she’s a “bad representation for the adult industry”.

“I don’t want people looking into the industry to think everyone’s so exploited there,” she said.

“It’s tricky because when you’re in this industry, everyone’s so, like, I’ve met some of the nicest, kindest people.

“Everyone’s so openminded. And we’re all in this together.

“And then it’s everyone on the outside that thinks this job is just the worst or we’re being exploited or something like that.”

Youtube/Holly Randall Unfiltered

In the podcast interview, Lily also took aim at the narrative that she’s being “exploited” as a female in the porn industry[/caption]

Instagram

DREAME turned heads earlier this year, debuting the world’s first robot vacuum with legs.

I’ve tested it in this Dreame X50 Ultra Complete review to see if it’s up to the challenge of a busy family home.

Dreame X50 Ultra Complete, £1,399 £1,299 from Amazon

There’s no shortage of robot vacuums out there, but Dreame has been standing out since 2017, making smarter and better models every year.

Its latest, the X50 Ultra Complete, debuted at CES 2025 with some seriously impressive upgrades.

This thing promises to handle just about anything, with extendable legs to help it climb over thresholds and a retractable laser tower to let it squeeze under low furniture.

The self-cleaning station takes things even further, washing the mop pads with hot water, drying them with hot air, and emptying the robot’s dustbin, so there’s less for you to do.

All that doesn’t come cheap, but if you’re after a vacuum that (almost) does it all, this one might just be worth it.

I’ve put it to work to see if it really lives up to the price tag.

Read on for my full review.

Pros:

• 20,000 Pa suction — in other words, serious cleaning power
• Rotating mop pads leave floors spotless
• Self-emptying base means less hassle
• Easy-to-use app for straightforward scheduling

Cons:

• Pricey — it’s an investment
• Pro-Leap struggles with thresholds over 6cm
• The base station is very loud when emptying

Rating: 8.5/10

Dreame X50 Ultra Complete, £1,399 £1,299 from Amazon

How I tested the Dreame X50 Ultra Complete

As a first-time robot vacuum owner, I was excited to put the Dreame X50 Ultra Complete to the test.

With its improved agility and ability to climb small thresholds, I was keen to see how it performed in real life.

Since my kitchen and bathroom are the only tiled areas in the house, I set up the base station there to see how well it tackled the constant crumbs and spills.

For three weeks, I let it roam the kitchen and living room, tracking how often it needed emptying, how well it cleaned, and its overall impact in a busy home.

Dreame X50 Ultra review: Quickfire Q&A

How much is the Dreame X50 Ultra? Brace yourself — it costs £1,299. However, you can find it through Dreame’s Amazon storefront for £1,199.

Who’s it best for? It’s perfect for anyone looking for a smart, hands-off cleaning solution with powerful suction and mopping capabilities.

What we loved: We loved the 20,000 Pa suction, self-emptying base, and the fact it mops and vacuums, keeping our floors spotless with minimal effort.

What we didn’t: The bulky base station takes up a fair amount of space, and it can’t handle tight corners or high thresholds in some homes.

Dreame X5O Ultra review: The Nitty Gritty

Dreame X50 Ultra Complete, £1,399 £1,299 from Amazon

First impressions

I was genuinely excited for the X50 Ultra to arrive — it made quite a splash on its debut at CES 2025 thanks to Dreame’s claim that it’s the “world’s first robot vacuum with robotic retractable legs”.

Right out of the box, I could tell the X50 Ultra is a slick, premium piece of tech.

The matte white body and clean edges give it a modern, polished feel that sets it apart from other clunkier robot vacuums.

The package includes everything you could need: spare parts, accessories, and extras that make you feel like you’re getting your money’s worth.

Dreame X50 Ultra Complete, £1,399 £1,299 from Amazon

Along with the base station and robot, I got 10 mop discs, extra dust brushes, replacement rollers, three dust bags, filters, and even floor cleaning fluid and a maintenance brush.

Considering the price, it’s great knowing I won’t have to spend more on parts anytime soon.

One thing to note is the size of the base station; it’s pretty bulky and requires some space.

I had to figure out where to place it, and I ended up putting it in a corner of the kitchen.

It’s out of the way and allowed me to take advantage of the mopping function since the area is tiled.

But, if you’re in a smaller space, be aware that this unit takes up a fair amount of room.

I did run into a few setup hiccups at first, as I got the unit before its February launch, but once those were sorted, it was smooth sailing.

The process was simple: download the Dreame app, scan the QR code on the robot, connect it to Wi-Fi, and you’re ready to start mapping rooms and putting the vac to work.

The Dreame took less than five minutes to scan and map my kitchen, and the map is incredibly accurate.

I was able to easily adjust it, add no-go zones, and mark areas with impassable thresholds to avoid any falls.

On its first clean, I used the CleanGenius mode, which uses AI to map out the room and clean it efficiently.

In just nine minutes, it had done a great job on my average-sized kitchen.

But what stood out was how it automatically detected the floor mats by the door and in the kitchen, vacuuming those areas first, then mopping the tiles around them without me needing to do anything.

After every cleaning cycle, the robot returns to empty its dustbin in its self-emptying base station.

It was louder than expected, so if you’re planning to run it late at night, that’s something to keep in mind.

That said, the noise only lasts a couple of minutes, so it’s not a huge issue.

Dreame X50 Ultra Complete, £1,399 £1,299 from Amazon

One downside, and a feature I’d been excited for, is the effectiveness of the Pro-Leap feature.

The X50 Ultra can raise its wheels to navigate small thresholds up to 6cm high, which will be useful in some homes.

Unfortunately, the 12cm steps in my house were too high for this feature to make a difference.

It did handle transitions well, like moving from tiled floors in the bathroom to the carpeted hallway, but it didn’t need the Pro-Leap capability to do so.

Does it deliver?

I may not have used the Dreame X50 Ultra for all its features, but I still ended up loving it.

To be honest, it’s kind of cute in its own way, and now it feels like part of the family, even if it’s a bit overworked and underpaid.

It’s kind of cute in its own way, and now it feels like part of the family, even if it’s a bit overworked and underpaid

I have a large, carpeted, open-plan living room and dining area, and while the X50 Ultra can’t handle steps higher than 6cm, you can still move it between different levels of the house.

To manage it, you need to create a Multi-Floor map, and it will clean each room and return to its starting point when done.

Once finished, all I had to do was take it back to its base station to empty the dustbin and recharge.

In terms of cleaning, it takes about 40 minutes to do my living room, which is longer than a quick run with a handheld vacuum.

Dreame X50 Ultra Complete, £1,399 £1,299 from Amazon

But honestly, it does a much better job, and you’re able to customise the cleaning power, so I set it to max to take full advantage of its impressive 20,000 Pa suction.

It cleans in an S-pattern, starting with the edges and then working up and down the room, leaving those satisfying vacuum lines you usually only see from professional cleaners.

On my hard floors, it did a better job of picking up larger specks, and the crumb-ridden kitchen floor, which up until now was the bane of my existence, is now a thing of the past.

It mops without using much water, and the floor dries in under 10 minutes, a welcome change from the usual wait after a traditional mop.

The whole setup gives off a real ‘home of the future’ vibe, especially with the voice control feature, which I initially linked up to my Echo Dot.

However, I did run into some issues getting Alexa to understand a few commands, which was a bit frustrating.

So, I ended up asking the Dreame robot directly instead.

Just say “Okay, Dreame”, and it turns toward you, responding with “I’m here” before getting to work.

Then you can tell it to get to work, and it does its thing without complaint.

Will it replace your handheld vacuum?

The big question: Is a £1,400 robot vacuum really a replacement for your trusty handheld vacuum?

The short answer is not exactly.

While the X50 Ultra does a solid job, it’s not quite up to the task of replacing a deep clean, and it struggles to reach right into corners.

That said, my approach is to do one big clean myself, then let the robot take over for routine maintenance in between.

Given how well it keeps things tidy, I’d happily let it do the work for a few weeks before I pull out the mop and vacuum again.

So, if you’re looking for convenience, it’s worth the investment.

How much is the Dreame X50 Ultra Complete?

At £1,299 (down from £1,399 as part of an introductory offer), the Dreame X50 Ultra Complete is definitely on the pricey side.

But, as they say, you get what you pay for.

With features like an auto self-emptying station, Pro-Leap technology, and a retractable laser, it brings a lot of smart tech to the table (or, rather, floor).

Of course, there are cheaper options, like other Dreame models in the L10 series, which start at £549.

But with the lower price comes some trade-offs, like less powerful suction and none of the next-gen features that come with this flagship model.

Where to buy the Dreame X50 Ultra Complete

As it stands, the two places you can pick up the newest Dreame model are the brand’s official website and through the Dreame storefront on Amazon.

If you choose to order through Dreame itself, you’ll get free next-day shipping via DPD on orders over £99, (safe to say the X50 Ultra qualifies).

Likewise, Amazon offers the Dreame with next-day free Prime delivery for its members, but it’s down to £1,299, so you can bag an extra saving.

Alternatives

Choosing the right robot vacuum cleaner can feel like a minefield at times, but there are solid alternatives.

The iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max is one of the top picks around, practically becoming synonymous with the category.  

Retailing for £1,399, you can bag it on Amazon for a slightly more affordable £1,349; that’s a typical price tag for a self-emptying setup.

But you don’t have to fork out thousands for a decent model, especially if you’re not quite ready to part ways with your trusty corded vacuum.

Eufy is another top contender, with the Eufy X10 Pro Omni going for £799, which still handles the vacuuming and mopping.

There are also great options that cover the basics without costing a fortune, like the Roborock Q5 Pro, which costs just £299.99.