club

BONNIE Blue’s security has revealed they often deal with aggressive attacks aimed at her after she was “slapped” in a club.

Bonnie arrived at Onyx Nightclub in Sheffield, South Yorkshire at 1am on Friday as part of her “Bang Bus” tour before chaos ensued.

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The notorious adult film star was appearing at an event dubbed “the wildest freshers experience in Sheffield”.

But carnage soon followed 40 minutes later as footage showed cops tackling suspects at the venue after an attendee reportedly punched her in the jaw.

However, Bonnie’s head of security told The Sun that she wasn’t punched but was “slapped” by a fan.

“Bonnie takes risks every time she poses for thousands of pictures with fans — and that’s always the main challenge for us, as we keep constant eyes on her safety,” he said.

“In this case, a fan took a split-second opportunity to slap her. Our team immediately stepped in with reasonable and necessary actions to de-escalate the situation, and Bonnie carried on with her night’s work.

“For the sake of content and socials, Bonnie often allows fans within arm’s reach, but our team has successfully managed numerous situations to stop anything aggressive — whether verbal or physical.

“This was an opportunistic attack, and it will not be tolerated.”

Bonnie also downplayed the altercation and said she was “totally fine” and thanked her security.

“She said: “There was a tiny incident last night but I’m totally fine — big thanks to my A+ security for keeping everything smooth.

“No scratches, no stress, and definitely no slowing me down. Can’t wait for my Nottingham homecoming for the next two days.”

A separate video from that night showed Bonnie ordering her security to get rid of a woman who said she was “setting feminism back”.

A woman with bright pink hair had approached Bonnie who told the woman: “Your hair looks so cool.”

She replied: “Thank you – but do you know how many years you’ve set back feminism?”

Bonnie is heard to say: “Oh get out. I haven’t.”

She appears to tell security to “get those fat f**** out”.

Her “Bang Bus” tour across the country promised “high energy DJ sets” but “no sexual behaviour”.

The event site, Skiddle, said in the build-up to the event: “This is a night built for making new friends, laughing until your cheeks hurt, and throwing yourself into the wildest Freshers experience in Sheffield.

“Important Notice: This event is a safe space for all. No sexual behaviour is permitted inside the venue – respect others and enjoy the party the right way.”

The adult film star has previously insisted that there were no plans to film herself having sex with students after she appeared at Glasgow University.

She told The Scottish Sun in an exclusive chat that she just wanted to “have a good time and meet more people that would never be able to come to London to see me normally.”

She announced Scotland was the first stop on her tour and said: “I wanted to go on tour through the UK, from the top to the bottom and Glasgow gave me the warmest welcome when I mentioned I would be going to Scotland.”

But all three of the city’s universities distanced themselves from her with Glasgow, Strathclyde and Caledonian, all saying they “have no links with Bonnie Blue”.

Bonnie infamously claimed a record in January 2024 after she was filmed having sex with 1,057 men in 12 hours.

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The 2025-26 Champions League has just begun and the two Belgium teams in the competition have already made their mark.

On Tuesday, Union Saint-Gilloise enjoyed a dream Champions League debut as they stunned PSV Eindhoven with a 3-1 away win.

A youthful Club Brugge side then grabbed a commanding 4-1 victory over Monaco on Thursday – scoring three goals in the space of 10 first-half minutes to set them on their way.

The two Belgian sides have had recent resurgences.

Club Brugge have raced up Uefa’s club coefficient rankings over the past five seasons – going from 44th to 20th.

Union have made an even bigger jump, rising 38 places to 45th as they have reaped the benefits of a 2018 takeover by Brighton chairman Tony Bloom.

As recently as four years ago, Union were playing in the Belgian second tier.

They then narrowly missed out on the Pro League title for three years running, but last term they won the trophy for the first time in 90 years to guarantee Champions League football.

Club Brugge, meanwhile, have proved they are not to be underestimated on Europe’s biggest stage.

Last season they beat both Aston Villa and Sporting, and drew against Juventus and Celtic in the league phase before their campaign came to an end when they fell to Villa in the last 16.

And the club – European Cup runners-up in 1978 – came agonisingly close to reaching the Europa Conference League final in 2024 when they were narrowly beaten by Fiorentina in the semis.

Already this season, Club Brugge have beaten Red Bull Salzburg and thrashed Rangers 9-1 over two qualifying legs to reach the Champions League proper.

Their success has helped Belgian football, moving the association up to eighth in Europe in Uefa’s co-efficient rankings after dropping to 13th just a couple of seasons ago.

Over the past 10 seasons, six Belgian clubs have reached the knockout rounds of a European competition on at least one occasion – the same as their neighbours the Netherlands.

MANCHESTER UNITED fans are calling for a club legend to replace struggling manager Ruben Amorim at the helm.

This comes after the five-time Premier League champion made his punditry debut at Amazon Prime during the Champions League‘s opening week.

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That is none other than United hero Michael Carrick, who was joined by fellow club icons Dimitar Berbatov and Wayne Rooney, with whom he won the Champions League in 2008.

And Man Utd fans were left in awe with the ex-England international’s knowledge and insight while discussing tactics at the studio ahead of his other former club Tottenham‘s clash with Villarreal.

So much so that a number of the Red Devils’ faithful took to social media calling for minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe to bring the former Middlesbrough manager to the Old Trafford hotseat.

One fan tweeted: “I want Carrick!”

Another commented: “Would give Carrick a run.”

A third wrote: “Give Carrick at a run at it. If he’s good give him a permanent.”

This fan said: “Why is Carrick doing punditry? He should be at home planning the filthy 4-2-3-1 he’s gonna cook up for us in a few weeks.”

That one posted: “Carrick such an intelligent and good pundit.”

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And another fan stated: “Michael Carrick doing punditry for Amazon, bring him to the club.”

This comes amid United‘s worst ever Premier League start which has seen Amorim’s men lose two of their first four matches, of which they barely won one.

This follows the Manchester giants’ worst ever Prem finish last season, which saw them sink to 15th place under the Portuguese tactician.

But club bosses are continuing to back the 40-year-old as it is still early in the season.

Nevertheless, Man Utd would have to pay the ex-Sporting Lisbon boss a huge severance fee if they sack him before November 1.

Amorim would be in line to pocket a whopping £12million if he is axed before the first anniversary of him taking the job.

The United head coach’s coaching staff would also be in line for a pay-off if Ratcliffe decided to pull the plug.

Martinelli has been a key player for Arteta during his time as Arsenal manager but the winger’s drop in form meant he had become the topic of fan debate about his place in the team.

The Brazil international was aware of that talk and his confidence suffered.

He scored 10 goals in all competitions last season, with a memorable strike coming in their quarter-final second-leg win at Real Madrid in the Champions League.

Arteta has always trusted Martinelli in big games and the manager was delighted for the 24-year-old to play such a big part in this Arsenal win.

“He fully deserves it,” said Arteta. “I adore Gabi. His attitude, his commitment, his positivity, what he is willing to do for the team.

“We certainly value all of the quality he has and brings to the team – I am so happy he has decided the game for us in the two actions.”

The Arsenal players ran to celebrate with Martinelli after his goal, with Riccardo Calafiori pointing at the player’s name on the back of his shirt in front of the supporters.

“That’s the spirit,” added Arteta. “That’s why I really enjoy every single day working with them and being part of this team.

“The way they look after each other is genuine. They really want the best for each other and they recognise someone that works every single day in the manner that Gabi does. You can go through struggles or through moments, and recognising that and having that capacity to connect with him, I think it will mean a lot to him.”

“I was sure that Gabi was going to react like that. You raise the level to Gabi and he was going to do that.

“They are the moments that hopefully are going to give him the confidence again to go, as he is an outstanding player.”

Tounekti, who has signed a five-year deal, revealed other clubs were interested before he completed his move in the final moments of a “hectic” final day of the summer transfer window.

Celtic’s failure to reach the Champions League was no deterrent to Tounekti, who was delighted to make “a nice start” at Rugby Park.

He gave Kilmarnock a tough time down Celtic’s left, but stressed his ability to play on the opposite flank.

“My strongest position is on the left, but I have also played some games on the right so I can play there if the manager wants me to play there,” he said.

“I feel like it is only the beginning. I have so much more to show, so hopefully I’ll bring more out throughout the season.”

NEWCASTLE UNITED’s proposed plans for a new stadium to replace St James’ Park have seemingly stalled as the club plans to address other business concerns first.

The Saudi-led ownership group have discussed the prospect of building a new stadium in the city since taking over in 2021.

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Plans for a new 65,000-seat ground on the site of nearby Leazes Park were set to be revealed earlier this year before being delayed.

Now it seems these plans have been pushed back until the club is on more stable ground in other areas.

According to reports from the Daily Mail, the owners had prioritised other issues, namely the appointment of a new chief executive, a new sporting director and the production of a new training ground.

Headway has already been made on the list, with the club announcing David Hopkinson as their new CEO last week.

The executive has spent time working with football giants such as Real Madrid, and most recently held a role as a President and COO overseeing the business of the New York Knicks and the New York Rangers in the US.

Reports suggest Nottingham Forest sporting director Ross Wilson is in line to make the change to the North East to address the second point.

This follows the departure of incumbent sporting director Paul Mitchell, who chose to leave the club in June ahead of the summer window.

The holdup, it seems, remains on the final point, with Newcastle still unable as yet to find a suitable site for the development, having made one initial offer before negotiations fell apart.

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Ground has reportedly been broken on designs for the training ground in collaboration with Populous, the architects behind Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The hope is to make further progress on the training centre in Autumn, but until then, it seems plans for a new stadium will remain on the back-burner.

Calls for a new ground have grown as Newcastle look to establish themselves in the Champions League.

Their current 52,000 capacity ground will host Barcelona on Thursday as the Magpies look to get off to a flying start in the competition.

The Blaugrana are facing their own difficulties as they renovate their stadium, a saga that has been marred by extensive delays.

The uncertainty over his future puts his hopes of reaching the milestone of a century of Test appearances agonisingly out of reach at just two short.

“I fear that the international ship has sailed,” said Williams, who also played in a World Cup semi-final having made his debut in 2012.

“I’ve not called time on that but it would be impossible without a club.

“If I start playing regularly and there are some injuries in the back three then Steve [Tandy, head coach] may give me a call.”

Williams worked with Tandy on the Lions’ tour to South Africa in 2021 and believes he can help turn around Wales, who ended an 18-match losing streak in the summer.

“Steve’s personality is a good fit for Wales, he’s very passionate, productive and positive,” said Williams.

“Wales is in a sticky spot but we have a young squad and hopefully the guys can thrive over the next couple of years.”

Williams hopes he can still play a part in that recovery before hanging up his boots.

A handful of companies — from Nvidia to Microsoft — have seen their market value soar from the billions of dollars in recent years into the trillions. In fact, Nvidia reached a major milestone this summer when it became the first company to surpass the level of $4 trillion. It’s important to note that nearly every player with a valuation of $1 trillion or more operates in the high-growth area of artificial intelligence (AI).

This technology has helped revenue roar higher at these companies, and considering the growth forecasts for the AI market, this trend should continue for quite some time. The stock I’m going to talk about here has already benefited in a big way from the AI boom, and according to the company’s forecasts, an enormous amount of growth lies ahead.

This player wowed the market this week with its predictions for growth, and the stock surged, adding $244 billion in market cap in just one trading session. My prediction is this AI leader won’t stop here; it will become the next to join the trillion-dollar club — and this could happen in the coming days. Let’s zoom in on this company that’s rocking the AI market.

Image source: Getty Images.

What’s the trillion-dollar club?

First, though, a quick note on the trillion-dollar club. It isn’t exactly an official club with a particular structure — instead, it’s a way investors and analysts often refer to companies that have reached the level of at least $1 trillion in market capitalization. As mentioned, most of these players, unsurprisingly, considering the strength of the AI boom, are in the technology industry.

The AI stock I’m talking about isn’t a young start-up that’s recently roared onto the scene. This player has been around for almost 50 years, progressively building out its expertise. It started out as a database management specialist, and today it offers cloud infrastructure and other related products and services, too — all of these elements, together, have created an AI powerhouse. The company? Oracle (ORCL 35.96%).

This tech player, in the latest quarter, saw cloud infrastructure revenue soar 55%, and remaining performance obligations — or contract value yet to be recognized — skyrocket 359% to $455 billion. On top of this, the company predicted cloud infrastructure revenue will increase 77% to $18 billion in this fiscal year, then will progress over the coming four years to the following levels: $32 billion, $73 billion, $114 billion, and $144 billion.

Several multibillion-dollar customers

Oracle expects to win several multibillion-dollar customers in the coming months to set it on the path toward those goals. Though Oracle faces competition from other cloud providers, the company sets itself apart thanks to its ability to leverage the strength of its database offering and AI — large language models can be put to work on customer-specific questions without compromising security or privacy. Oracle also offers great flexibility to customers, even the ability to leverage the Oracle database across any cloud.

Customers have rushed to Oracle for the training of AI workloads, and now the company sees potential for massive growth in AI inferencing. So, there are a lot of reasons to be optimistic about Oracle right now, especially considering that analysts expect today’s billion-dollar AI market to reach into the trillions by the next decade. This signals AI isn’t just a short-term trend, but may be a lasting revolution.

My prediction

Now let’s take a look at my prediction. Oracle closed at about $328 on Sept. 10 after gaining more than 35% in one trading session. At this level, an 8.5% increase to $356 would push it to a $1 trillion market value — my prediction is this sort of movement, in light of Oracle’s solid growth outlook, could easily happen in a matter of days.

What does this mean for you as an investor? Oracle’s climb toward $1 trillion — or even past that level — is positive as it shows the investment community believes in this growth story. It also may increase the weighting of the stock in market cap-weighted indexes like the S&P 500. As a result, funds tracking the benchmark would have to boost their holding of Oracle accordingly.

A gain in market cap, though, isn’t a reason on its own for buying a stock. So, you wouldn’t want to pile into Oracle just because it reaches a certain level. But Oracle is a buy today because of the reason behind this market value movement — and that’s growth. So, whether Oracle enters the trillion-dollar club in the coming days or not, it makes a fantastic stock to buy and hold as this AI boom marches on.

JOIN Sun Club for £1.99 a month today and get two tickets to the world-famous London attraction Madame Tussauds.

There’s thousands of tickets on us, for free – plus you can unlock incredible deals and freebies throughout the year, including tickets to Alton Towers, Chessington World of Adventures and Cadbury’s World.

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Sun Club offers readers access to more of our award-winning articles from showbiz exclusives, real-life stories, and unrivalled investigations.

Along with being able to unlock extra articles and unlimited access to the Sun website and app, there are big perks including competitions and offers.

Our latest fantastic offer is your opportunity to bag two free tickets to Madame Tussauds.

To book your Madame Tussauds London  tickets join Sun Club now for just £1.99 a month for your first year. Following this, its £4.99 a month.

Or. join for £12 for an annual subscription for the first 12 months, then £49.99 a year thereafter.

Once free Madame Tussauds tickets run out, we have 34,000 tickets available from £19.

Usually, an adult ticket costs £39 on the door, or £29 if you book online, so that’s a fantastic saving.

There’s only a select amount of tickets for free and at a discounted price – once they’re gone, they’re gone, so join now to get a trip the family will love on us.

Madame Tussauds is a fun, interactive attraction for all ages.

It’s a great opportunity to get a selfie with the wax replicas of all your favourite stars – including The Beatles, Posh and Becks, Harry Styles and Dua Lipa.

There’s eight zones and over 150 lifelike figures across three floors of fun – so there’ll be stars for everyone to meet and enjoy.

You’re sure to have a truly memorable experience – so here’s how to claim.

How to claim the tickets

Head to the ‘Offers Hub,’ select the ‘Madame Tussauds London’ tile and click ‘Book’ from 11.00am on Wednesday, September 10. Remember to set an alarm!

Your unique booking code will appear, copy your unique booking code and click the book button again, this will direct you to the Sun Superdays Madame Tussauds London website where you can choose your tickets.

You will receive your tickets via email.

You must book your tickets by midnight on Wednesday, October 8.

18+ UK only (exc. IoM & CI). Online access required. Sun Savers multiple code collect 06/09/25 – 18/09/25. Digital Newspaper and Sun Club subscribers apply from 10/09/25. Redeem by 08/10/25. Non-transferable & non refundable. Subject to availability, daily allocation limits apply (40,000 total tickets available, incl. 6,000 free tickets, remaining tickets from £19-£22 per ticket). Allocation dates subject to change without notice until 15/03/2026. Full T&Cs apply, see Sun Club website.

‘I’ve saved £350 on family days out with Sun Club’

Catherine Lofthouse has saved a massive £350 on days out and holidays thanks to Sun Club deals.

She signed up in February and has claimed free theme park tickets, booked a bargain caravan break and bagged a pair of darts tickets.

She also booked a brilliant break in Norfolk for a May weekend for just £130 for six people. The same caravan booked direct from the holiday park would have cost her £200.

She reckons she’s on track to save £1,000 in her first year of being a Sun Club reader.

Catherine said: “There are huge savings to be had on days out and holidays for Sun Club members.

“We’ve already had a great day out at Alton Towers Resort on a school inset day, which would have cost £58 for two people if I’d booked online in advance instead of using my free tickets.

“I also booked Chessington World of Adventures and Thorpe Park during the summer holidays, which both would have been more than £65 for two tickets without the Sun Club offer.

“I”m certainly maxing out my Sun Club membership. Make sure you’re doing the same!”

Other fantastic Sun Club offers

There’s other fantastic Sun Club offers waiting for members in our Offers Hub.

Fancy a getaway? You can take the family away from just £9.50.

There’s over 250 holiday parks in the UK and Europe to choose from.

For those with a sweet tooth, you can get two tickets to Cadbruy World – we have thousands of tickets on us, and over 26,000 from just a tenner.

Journey through an assortment of interactive zones as you discover the history, the magic and the making of Cadbury confectionery – here’s how to book yours.

Grab your partner by the hand and win a £7,000 road-trip for two, thanks to Travel Texas.

Enter our competition by Thursday, September 18 for the chance to win a seven night action-packed road trip – yeehaw!

There’s no denying the trajectory of artificial intelligence (AI) over the past few years. Many of the companies that have pivoted to adopt this game-changing technology have ascended the ranks of the world’s largest companies when measured by market cap. When the stock market closed on Tuesday, there were 11 members of the vaunted $1 trillion club, the vast majority of which have significant ties to AI.

After the market close, industry stalwart Oracle (ORCL 1.37%) reported its recent quarterly results, and despite missing Wall Street’s expectations, the stock surged higher and never looked back. Why? In a stunning turn of events, the company signed numerous multibillion-dollar contracts that kicked its future growth potential into overdrive.

Given the magnitude of these deals, it seems the writing is on the wall for Oracle to join this elite fraternity. The company’s growth is at a tipping point, and management’s commentary suggests the company has a long AI-centric runway for growth ahead.

Image source: Getty Images.

A trusted partner

Oracle holds a coveted place in the technology community, as roughly 98% of Global Fortune 500 companies make up its customer rolls. The industry stalwart provides its customers with a strategic combination of cloud, database, and enterprise software. Naturally, when the shift to AI began in earnest, this captive audience began to turn to Oracle for its expanding collection of cloud and AI solutions.

The company’s growth has been uneven, but the future looks bright. During Oracle’s fiscal 2026 first quarter (ended Aug. 31), total revenue grew 11% year over year to $14.9 billion, while its adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $1.47 grew by 6%. Both numbers accelerated compared to Q4, but missed Wall Street’s consensus estimates, which called for revenue of $15 billion and adjusted EPS of $1.48.

However, that wasn’t the headline. Last quarter, CEO Safra Catz noted that the company had reached a “tipping point,” noting that revenue growth was accelerating, “and it’s only going up from here.”

That turned out to be an understatement. Oracle reported explosive growth in its remaining performance obligation (RPO) — or contractual obligations not yet included in revenue — which skyrocketed 359% year over year to $455 billion, up from $138 billion in Q4.

Catz explained, “We signed four multibillion-dollar contracts with three different customers in Q1,” calling the results “astonishing.” He went on to say that demand for Oracle Cloud “continues to build.” The company expects to sign “several additional multi-billion-dollar customers and RPO is likely to exceed half a trillion dollars.”

Looking to the future, Oracle is forecasting Oracle Cloud Infrastructure revenue to grow 77% to $18 billion this year — but that’s just the beginning:

• Fiscal 2027 cloud revenue of $32 billion, up 78%.
• Fiscal 2028 cloud revenue of $73 billion, up 128%.
• Fiscal 2029 cloud revenue of $144 billion, up 97%.

Mind you, this is just Oracle Cloud Infrastructure revenue, and Catz noted that “most of the revenue in this five-year forecast is already booked in our reported RPO.” That means that any future contracts will probably increase those growth targets.

The path to $1 trillion just got much shorter

Oracle is leveraging its position as a trusted partner to help customers choose suitable AI and cloud solutions and profit from the growing adoption of generative AI.

Before today’s results, Wall Street was expecting Oracle to generate revenue of $66.75 billion in its fiscal 2026 (which began June 1), giving it a forward price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of about 10. Assuming its P/S remained constant, Oracle needed to generate revenue of approximately $98 billion annually to support a $1 trillion market cap. Given those figures, Oracle could have achieved a $1 trillion market cap before 2028.

Wall Street hasn’t yet had time to update its models, but given the magnitude of the company’s results, previous forecasts are out the window. Barring unforeseen circumstances, I predict Oracle will join the $1 trillion club within the next 12 months.

Estimates regarding the market potential of generative AI continue to ratchet higher. Big Four accounting firm Price Waterhouse Coopers (PwC) calculates the opportunity could be worth as much as $15.7 trillion annually by 2030, which illustrates the magnitude of the opportunity.

Given the recent contract wins, Oracle has proven that it is leveraging its experience to profit from this windfall. The writing is on the wall, and Oracle is poised to join the fraternity of trillionaires in short order.

This Lower East Side hotel is not only in the centre of one of the city’s most eclectic boroughs, but is home to a live music venue, a rooftop bar, and an underground nightclub.

They say New York is the city that never sleeps, and this downtown hotel proves that. I stayed at the Moxy Lower East Side hotel, a haven for eclectic travellers looking to ditch high-brow Manhattan for a taste of the urban boroughs.

Located on Bowery, the Moxy is in the centre of the Lower East Side, with SoHo and Chinatown within walking distance. However, the true draw of the area is its lively atmosphere, with crowds filling the streets in the evenings as they sit outside bars, restaurants, and music venues.

Graffiti-filled corners and event spaces pack the area, which is the birthplace of American punk rock and new wave music. Paying homage to this, the Moxy Lower East Side has so many venues that you don’t need to leave to experience some of the borough’s rich culture.

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“That’s where I go if I want a real night out with my wife,” a local tells me. “First, hitting the rooftop for a pre-drink, then dinner, before catching some live music, and then, if I’m up for it, I’ll go down to the club for a dance.”

It’s almost hard to believe all of that can be done in what’s known as Marriott’s budget-brand Moxy. But lo and behold, as you walk into the modern hotel, there is a piano lounge to the left. Silver Lining Lounge offers nightly acts, including bands, resident performers, and jazz acts in its soundproof location – where hotel guests have first dibs at reservations. BRIT Award winner Lola Young also performed at the venue earlier this year in what was her first NYC showcase, while chart topper Benson Boone has also graced the boards.

With a large stage at the front of the room, the venue – owned by Tao Group hospitality – has table service and offers specialty cocktails alongside light bites such as tacos, fries and oysters.

Across the lobby is The Fix, which is your typical hotel bar filled with families, professionals catching up on work, and friends grabbing drinks. When it hits 9pm, a DJ arrives to lift the mood of the lobby, meaning you get a lively entrance if you’ve got a late check-in time.

Because of its location and modern design, the hotel is a hotspot for Instagram events – something which is in full swing on the Friday night I’m staying. “We’ve got a pop-up jewellery making class for influencers going on,” the hotel manager tells me as we slide past glamorous social media stars on the way to the lifts.

On the top floor of the 303-room hotel is the Highlight Room rooftop bar, which is bustling as I head up for a drink around sunset. With a DJ booth in the corner, indoor and outdoor seating, and an atmosphere that screams glamorous New York City, this is clearly a popular gem for locals looking to let loose after a busy week.

While the hotel doesn’t have a typical restaurant to grab some buffet food, it does have a high-brow modern Japanese eatery, which is well-known in the area and popular amongst celebrities. From sushi platters to wagyu beef and crown melon, Sake No Hana is truly a dining experience and rivals famous friend Nobu, which is just a 30-minute walk away.

Just when I thought there couldn’t possibly be any more nightlife under one roof, I was taken down to the Moxy’s subterranean nightclub, Loosie’s. The small venue is decked out with VIP booths and a sizable dancefloor, meaning visitors can party until 4 am and not have too far to go back to their rooms.

The Highlight Room, Loosie’s, and Silver Lining lounge all have separate entrances from the main hotel, meaning they’re not just for guests to enjoy. In fact, most of the guests inside the Moxy venues were locals taking in the music, food, and cocktails.

Book it

Moxy Lower East Side has rates from $179 (£133) per night. Book at moxylowereastside.com

Having earned three national championship rings playing volleyball for UCLA, 6-foot-8 Tom Stillwell knows a little bit about competition and commitment to sports excellence.

Nothing, though, compares to his joy being a Girl Dad.

“That’s a full-time job, and being a volleyball dad is the best,” said Stillwell, an All-American at UCLA.

It was never planned that his two daughters, Maya, a 6-4 senior, and Lucy, a 6-0 sophomore, would become volleyball players at Harvard-Westlake. Stillwell and his wife, Julie, met at UCLA. She’s 5-6 and neither was thinking how tall their kids might be. But it happened. They were raising giants.

“We felt they needed to be involved in something and as they started to get really tall, I started to talk to friends who had tall females and their recommendation was get them involved in sports because it’s going to turn their tall from being awkward to cool,” Stillwell said. “For them, whether it was tennis, swimming, basketball or volleyball, it didn’t really matter to us. It was whatever they became connected with. They both had journeys.”

Maya had little interest in sports growing up.

“I was not athletic,” Maya said. “It was originally a way to get my body moving. I was into art and music. I started in club when I was 12 and hated it. It wasn’t for me. When COVID happened, we were forced to move to another club and I loved my teammates and coaches and started to like it.”

She became a top middle blocker, playing on a national championship club team and receiving a scholarship to Northwestern. She’s taken advantage of a mini-grass court in the family backyard and her father’s experience having switched from basketball to volleyball during his high school days at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame.

Lucy followed her sister into volleyball after trying other sports. She’s a backup at Harvard-Westlake, which started the season 7-0 until running into Marymount. The team is 10-2. Both have grade-point averages above 4.0.

Except for their mom, the Stillwells share a common experience — receiving stares because of their height.

Said Maya: “People at school are used to it, but walking outside, it’s like, ‘Oh you’re so tall. Do you play basketball?’ I never get, ‘Do you play volleyball?‘”

“It’s very funny,” Tom said. “I think all tall people have a similar experience with people coming up to you and asking, ‘Do you play basketball?’ When you play sports it helps to have that community because of a lot of their club people are similar height.”

But who gets the extra leg room when flying?

“I’m older and taller,” Maya said.

“She does,” Lucy said.

“Let me tell you who gets the worst seat. Julie, my wife,” Tom said. “She’s like, ‘I’m the mom. I birthed you. I get the worst seat?’”

The daughters never got to meet their legendary grandmother, Liz Shapiro, who was always at Tom’s games at Notre Dame and UCLA. Her generosity to both schools in terms of support will never be forgotten. She died of cancer after Tom’s volleyball career had ended.

“She was a rabid fan,” Tom said. “She would have been at every game, every tournament, club, high school, probably trying to watch practice.”

Tom, 51, has been helpful offering tips whenever his daughters ask, but he has tried to let them listen and learn from their coaches and not impose his own athletic beliefs on them.

“Volleyball just connected with them. It was fun to watch,” he said. “I told them they’re not doing it for me or my wife. They have to enjoy it and if they don’t, they shouldn’t do it. This is their journey, not mine.”

As a Girl Dad, Tom has adopted a specific philosophy no matter what he sees or hears.

“All I’m trying to be is their dad,” he said. “That’s my No. 1 focus. Not their volleyball coach, not their mentor in volleyball. It’s hard enough for these teenage girls. They don’t need to hear their dad yelling.”

This period drama is a compelling watch

If you’re on the hunt for a new period drama to lose yourself in, this relatively recent series from Channel 4 with a star from Netflix‘s Thursday Murder Club is worth checking out. It follows hot on the heels of another costume drama that’s been hailed as “first class” and a top-notch Shakespeare adaptation, reports the Manchester Evening News.

The series has been showered with praise from viewers on IMDB. One viewer gave it a perfect 10/10 review, saying: “Each episode builds on the one before it. It is stunning. I’m not going to give any spoilers away, but this is the most visually astounding thing I’ve ever seen come out of UK, and that includes Downton Abbey.

“The acting is amazing, there are so many strong performances that it’s impossible to pick out just one; the storyline riveting, the costumes are pitch-perfect, and there’s more than a little sex, drinking, and romance.”

Another 10/10 reviewer chimed in: “Some months ago, I binge watched all of S1 over a weekend. Real life was effectively cancelled until the closing credits of the final episode. It was a glorious, immersive experience. This is a genuine ‘Jewel’ of a show.”

A third fan gushed: “Fabulous show. The acting is superb, the characters and the writing top notch, the attention to detail and historical accuracy amazing.”

READ MORE: ‘Best period drama’ hailed ‘alternative Austen’ leaves fan vowing to ‘watch series always’READ MORE: ‘Unbelievable’ period drama based on ‘scandalous’ real-life court case is unmissable

Another viewer added: “The setting is beautiful and the audio and visuals and costumes really bring you into the series. I can almost smell the air of the mountains.

“There are several themes running through the series and you can see things starting to come together into a more coherent whole by the 3rd episode. I would rate this series as one of the best i’ve seen – along the lines of Downton Abbey or The Wire.”

Another viewer gushed: “It’s a really lovely show. I had tried to watch it when it was first broadcast on PBS, but somehow it was not compelling enough and I somehow got the sense that the story would be insubstantial. I’m so happy I went back to the show and starting watching again.

“I didn’t give the show enough of a try or sometimes it just happens this way. I remember my first attempt at seeing “The Wire” didn’t work, but then a year later I went back to see what the rest of the American viewers and critics were raving about.”

Indian Summers debuted in 2015 boasting a brilliant cast featuring Dame Julie Walters, Nikesh Patel and Henry Lloyd-Hughes, with the Channel 4 series hailed as the successor to Downton Abbey.

Taking place in 1932, the programme chronicled the final chapter of British Colonial Rule in India during escalating political upheaval as the country fought for freedom from its imperial overlords.

The programme brimmed with political scheming and cunning characters, leaving numerous individuals in dangerous circumstances.

The star-studded cast also includes Madeleine Mathers, Game of Thrones actor Patrick Malahide, Jemima West, Gandhi star Roshan Seth, Fiona Glascott, Lillete Dubey, Line of Duty’s Craig Parkinson, Amber Rose Revah from Netflix’s The Punisher, Art Malik, and Rachel Griffiths, among others.

Indian Summers is streaming on Channel 4 now

WIN a pair of tickets to see the iconic musical, Starlight Express! We have ten pairs up for grabs.

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Starlight Express is now playing in the specially designed Starlight Auditorium at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre.

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Audiences will be immersed inside a world of speed, song and storytelling as an incredible cast of 40 whizz around and above, performing some of musical theatre’s most beloved songs.

The theatre production setlist includes the classics AC/DC, Make Up My Heart, Light at the End of the Tunnel and of course Starlight Express.

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The songs are all played out as a child’s train set magically comes to life and the engines race to become the fastest in the world.

Rusty the steam train has little hope of winning until he is inspired by the legend of the ‘Starlight Express’.

Seen around the world by over 30 million people, Starlight Express is an electrifying experience for all ages.

The kids will love it and so will parents – we can guarantee an amazing time with all the family.

Competition is open to UK (exc NI) residents aged 18+ only. Competition ends at 23:59pm on Tuesday, September 30, 2025. Winners will be notified within 28 days. Full T&Cs apply, see Sun Club.

Angel City winger Alyssa Thompson left for London on Wednesday afternoon as negotiations continued on a transfer that would send her from the NWSL to Chelsea of the Women’s Super League. But she might be running out of time since the WSL transfer window closes at 3 p.m. PDT Thursday, less than 24 hours after she boarded her flight.

“She wants to go to Chelsea and made it very clear she wants to leave,” said a person close to Thompson, who would speak only on condition of anonymity for fear of disrupting the delicate negotiations. “The rest is out of our hands.”

Thompson’s agent, Takumi Jeannin, declined to speak about the negotiations on the record while Angel City did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

The speedy Thompson, 20, has already said goodbye to her Angel City teammates and did not suit up for the team’s win over Bay FC on Monday. She reportedly spent two days waiting to fly to London, where the transfer would be announced, only to repeatedly be told the deal had hit a snag.

If the transfer is agreed to, the fee for the U.S. international and World Cup veteran is expected to top $1 million and could smash the record $1.5 million the Orlando Pride paid Mexico’s Tigres for Lizbeth Ovalle last month.

USWNT defender Naomi Girma was the first $1-million transfer in women’s soccer history when she went from the San Diego Wave to Chelsea last January. Canadian Olivia Smith broke that record in July, going from Liverpool to Arsenal for $1.3 million.

Thompson was still an 18-year-old senior at Harvard-Westlake High when she became the youngest player taken in the NWSL draft, going to Angel City with the No. 1 pick in January 2023. That summer she became the second-youngest player to appear in a World Cup game for the U.S.

Thompson signed a three-year contract worth an estimated $1 million after the draft in 2023, then agreed to a three-year extension in January. She is the club’s all-time scoring leader with 21 goals in all competitions and she ranks sixth in appearances with 74. Her six goals in 16 games this season ranks second behind Riley Tiernan’s eight and she also has three goals and three assists in 22 games with the national team.

Thompson leaving Angel City would also mean leaving her sister and roommate Gisele, 19, a national team defender who was signed by Angel City in December 2023.

For Angel City, meanwhile, losing Thompson would strike a significant blow to the team’s playoff hopes. The club, which has won two straight and is unbeaten in its last four, is a point out of the league’s eighth and final postseason berth with eight games to play. But Angel City already lost two players — midfielders Alanna Kennedy and Katie Zelem — on transfers to London City of the WSL for undisclosed fees last month. And the week before that it traded forward Julie Dufour to the Portland Thorns for $40,000 in intra-league transfer funds and an international roster spot.

In addition, the club is without Scottish international Claire Emslie, who is on maternity leave, defender Savy King, who is on medical leave, and U.S. World Cup champion Sydney Leroux, who has stepped away from soccer to deal with her mental health.

After Monday’s win over Bay FC, Angel City coach Alexander Straus said the uncertainty over Thompson’s future with the team has been distracting.

“If I’m being honest, the last couple of days, it’s been difficult,” he said.

Straus said he learned Thompson would not be available just a day before the game.

“It’s been hard for me in my position when things change,” he said. “It changes our plans and changes the plans for the players.”

“But none of us is bigger than the club,” he added. “We focus on that, what is our value together. And if somebody leaves at some point — or somebody has left a couple of weeks ago — I think it does something to a group. It’s not easy, but it’s how you manage it.”

While the loss of a player like Thompson would hurt Angel City on the field, the likely seven-figure transfer fee would help ameliorate that. The same might not be true for NWSL, whose success and its marketing has long been built around the personalities playing in the league.

Yet in recent years it has lost Alex Morgan to retirement while national team stars including Girma, Crystal Dunn, Emily Fox, Lindsey Heaps (nee Horan), Catarina Macario and Korbin Shrader (nee Albert) have left to play in Europe.

Losing Thompson would be another blow.

As for Chelsea, it is the most successful club in the WSL, having won a domestic treble last season in Sonia Bompastor’s first season as coach. Bompastor replaced Emma Hayes, who left to take over the U.S. national team.

Chelsea will open its WSL season on Friday against Manchester City.

ASHLEY and Tyler Young are set to become the first father-son duo to take to the field in Championship history.

The pair were denied a historic meeting by Peterborough boss Darren Ferguson in last season’s FA Cup when Tyler and his Posh team-mates took on Premier League side Everton.

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Had Tyler taken to the pitch while his old man was on the field, they would’ve become the first father-son duo to play against one another in the 154-year history of the FA Cup.

But now, they could potentially play for the SAME TEAM after Tyler was signed to Ipswich Town‘s Under-21s following a successful trial.

Former Manchester United and England star Ashley joined the Tractor Boys this summer at the ripe old age of 40.

And the magnitude of Town’s signing of his son hasn’t gone unnoticed by football fans.

One wrote on X:”Like father, like son.”

Another said: “Hopefully, they get given a game together.”

And another said: “Finally get to play together professionally.”

One remarked: “Would love to see them play in the same team together.”

SUN VEGAS WELCOME OFFER: GET £50 BONUS WHEN YOU JOIN

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Another chimed in: “Father and son at the same club, a beautiful story.”

Ashley inked a one-year deal with Ipswich in July following his release from Everton.

Manager Kieran McKenna said of his arrival: “Ashley has had a fantastic career and his achievements speak for themselves.

“He has maintained an extremely high level of professionalism and competitiveness through his career and he is still playing at a very good level.

“We feel his leadership and experience will be valuable to the group this season and he is very hungry to contribute on and off the pitch.”

Ipswich will be back in action a week on Friday night, welcoming Sheffield United to Portman Road.

Former England goalkeeper Joe Hart and striker Chris Sutton discuss Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi’s “respectful” approach to the transfer window, after a proposed move to Liverpool collapsed on deadline day.

Watch the Monday Night Club on BBC iPlayer, and listen on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds.

The Netflix film was shot at a stunning Grade II listed house.

The Thursday Murder Club airs on Netflix on August 28 and the film, which has already received mixed reviews, is an adaptation of Richard Osman’s 2020 novel.

Taking place at a retirement village known as Coopers Chase, the film follows four amateur sleuths as they take it upon themselves to investigate a recent murder.

The film was shot primarily at Shepperton Studios in July 2024, as well as on location in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire. The Thursday Murder Club trailer shows Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Celia Imrie and Ben Kingsley in character as Elizabeth, Ron, Joyce and Ibrahim with a stunning stately home doubling up as Coopers Chase.

Here is everything you need to know about where Coopers Chase is and whether you can visit in real life.

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Where is Coopers Chase in the Thursday Murder Club?

Production designer James Merifield chose somewhere he had filmed before to replicate the retirement village from the beloved book.

To bring Coopers Chase to life, he chose Englefield House in Berkshire – a Grade II listed house originally built in 1558.

The home has had substantial alterations since the 1820s, with Netflix explaining: “Its scale and architecture worked well as the ex-priory of the book.

“Within the house itself, many rooms and corridors were dressed to provide the residents with their elegant communal spaces, but there were also some substantial set builds including the Jigsaw Room where the gang congregates.”

As for the nearby cemetery, the set was inspired by a corner of the famous Highgate Cemetery in North London. It was constructed so convincingly that several cast members thought it was real.

READ MORE: Thursday Murder Club Netflix release time as cinema fans have just days to watchREAD MORE: Thursday Murder Club director unveils ‘beautiful’ extra film featuring cut scene

Can you visit the Coopers Chase house?

While Englefield House is a private residence and is not open to the public, the gardens are open to visitors every Monday throughout the year.

Visitors do not need to book in advance, but there is an entrance fee of £5. RHS and NGS cardholders, as well as children are entitled to free entry.

From March to October group tours are offered from Tuesday to Thursday for a minimum of 20 people and must be booked in advance. The estate’s website has all the details on how to book.

Englefield House is available to hire for private and corporate events, and the estate grounds and deer park provide a stunning location for outdoor events.

The estate has hosted a number of concerts, country fayres and classic car auctions in the house.

The Thursday Murder Club airs on Netflix on August 28

The Thursday Murder Club star Helen Mirren had a throwback moment in the Netflix film as it paid tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II.

WARNING: This article contains spoilers from The Thursday Murder Club.

Helen Mirren experienced a nostalgic moment in The Thursday Murder Club as the Netflix film honoured the late Queen.

The legendary actress has graced screens in countless acclaimed productions throughout her career, including Prime Suspect, Hitchcock, The Madness of King George, Gosford Park and the Fast and Furious franchise.

However, it was her 2006 Academy Award-winning performance as the late Queen Elizabeth II that truly cemented her legacy, portraying the monarch who tragically died aged 96 in September 2022.

The film, penned by The Crown mastermind Peter Morgan, explores the Royal Family’s response following Princess Diana’s tragic death, as mounting public pressure from newly appointed Prime Minister Tony Blair (Michael Sheen) forces their hand.

It proved a delightful throwback when the 80-year-old star adopted a remarkably similar appearance in Netflix’s newest big-screen offering The Thursday Murder Club.

As the investigative team begins examining a property developer’s murder, pensioner Elizabeth Best (portrayed by Helen Mirren) decides to go “undercover” at the local police station.

Emerging from her bedroom, Elizabeth sports a lengthy checked skirt, cardigan, headscarf, oversized spectacles and walking stick.

She informs her husband: “I’m going out for the day, if you need me, just call me”, whilst Stephen Best (Jonathan Pryce) assures her he’ll manage perfectly well.

He then chuckles: “What on earth are you wearing? You look like the Queen.

“Do I?” Elizabeth questions, a smile playing on her lips.

Stephen, who is living with dementia, then comments: “That was a sad day. The funeral.”

Elizabeth enquires: “Do you remember that?”, to which he responds: “Of course I do. September 19, 2022. We watched it on the telly. You were obsessed with the security arrangements.”

She chuckles and concurs when Elizabeth informs him she’s “got a plan”, leading him to gently caress her face and say: “Oh my darling Elizabeth, you’ve always got a plan.”

Pryce, who plays Stephen, also has a Royal link as he portrayed Prince Philip in the final two series of The Crown on Netflix.

The Thursday Murder Club will premiere on Thursday, August 28, on Netflix.

Despite Nuno’s latest comments, it seems clear there is considerable friction behind the scenes at the City Ground.

If Forest continue to win games, then sacking him becomes that much tougher.

But can Nuno really expect to come out on top in a dispute with the owner and head of football?

“This is a battle that Nuno will lose,” European football expert Julien Laurens told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“We all know that once you start questioning your owner, it’s done. For him to come out with this unprompted, he offered it to the whole world, he knows that it is coming and that he can’t win this battle.

“We also know that him and Edu don’t get on. He was already there when Edu arrived at the club, and we all know when a new sporting director arrives, they like to come with their own people.”

Former Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha said Nuno may consider resigning now that the relationship was “broken”.

“Nuno’s stock is so high with the fanbase, they will want to fully believe in him,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“But it is also so awkward for them because they will be grateful for what the owner has done for the club in the last few years.

“With Edu coming into the club in such an important position, he will want his own people in play, because they will never really fully trust the person that is already in play? If he could pick a manager now, would he pick Nuno? No.

“That will be nagging for as long as possible, but Marinakis and Edu won’t be rooting for him to fail so they can make the change.

“But the relationship is broken and I would not be surprised if Nuno walks before he is sacked.”