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Trump is selling early access to his posts on Truth Social

Things people don’t want to do this summer, as evidenced by poor ratings: Watch CBS news anchor Tony Doukopil. Tune into Paramount+’s sci-fi teen drama “Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.” Read President Trump’s Truth Social posts.

No matter how much Trump posts, and he has been posting a lot lately, traffic to the platform he uses as his megaphone for official White House statements and personal rants has fallen off significantly this summer. Last month, the overall number of monthly visitors to Truth Social was down about 36% from where it was in 2025, according to the online tracking firm Similarweb. The numbers were similarly dismal in June.

But Trump’s slumping media fortunes may soon get an infusion of cash, or bitcoin, or whatever it takes to line his coffers before the jig is up.

Never one to leave a source of income untapped, the president has come up with yet another way to add to the $2.2 billion he made in just the first year of his second term. His majority-owned Trump Media & Technology Group earlier this month announced that it was rolling out a new service aimed at cashing in on the president’s every word.

Truth API is a subscription service that offers early access to posts from Trump and other notable users of the platform, for a price. It’s charging fees of up to $100,000 and month.

But there’s a hiccup in the president’s latest grift. On Wednesday, media organizations Freedom of the Press Foundation and The Intercept sued Trump, filing a complaint saying that providing quicker access to his posts to those who pay was “extraordinary, corrupt, and unconstitutional.”

Their suit alleges that Truth API contradicts the First Amendment’s guarantee of equal public access to the president’s statements and violates the Fifth Amendment by granting preferential access for “unreasonable sums.” The lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, asked the court to block Trump from publishing official government information exclusively on Truth Social.

So why is this particular money-making scheme garnering so much attention outside Trump’s many other grifts? Because a president’s words can, and often do, sway the stock market. In the frenetic world of Wall Street trading, early access to statements and news from the Commander-in-Chief gives subscribers an edge, and as NPR pointed out, that could mean a difference of millions of dollars.

Unlike any other sitting U.S. president, Trump in his second term has ignored traditional means of communication such as press briefings, live addresses or posting official announcements, executive actions, press releases, and statements on the official White House Website. He’s done so in favor of communicating through his own privately controlled platform, delivering wild posting sprees that often forgo the fact-based, informative briefings we the people still need from our elected officials. But even back when he was using Twitter (now X) during his first term, the White House said his tweets should be considered official statements.

That standard still holds for his frequent barrages of boasts, insults, threats, grouses and indecipherable dispatches via Truth Social. After the humiliating failure of his America 250 celebration, he fired off 67 posts on Truth Social in just two hours, posting almost every single minute between 11:12 a.m. and 1:14 p.m. His musings ranged from attacks on a federal judge to a photo of himself at a 1991 New York City tree-lighting ceremony with his “Home Alone 2” co-stars.

That spree is now among the thousands more posts from the president, that have not been followed up by announcements from the White House outside of Truth Social. “In other words, President Trump’s posts are the only way to get official government news,” the lawsuit said.

Trump Media & Technology Group, or TMTG, is majority-owned by the president. It was launched following Trump’s account suspension across mainstream social platforms including Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. The platforms cited risks of inciting violence following the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot. Trump responded by creating his own platform, and Truth Social debuted in 2022.

But the platform’s parent company, TMTG, has lost money ever since it went public in 2024. On Monday, Trump Media reported a $238-million loss for the second quarter, tied mostly to cryptocurrency assets. Executives told investors on a conference call that they are now going to focus their energy on Truth Social and soft-explained their latest scheme to profit off the presidency.

“Our customers will get published and publicly available posts fractionally faster” than everyone else,” said Kevin McGurn, the company’s interim chief executive. He added that such early access is a “well-established business practice.”

Unless it’s a sitting U.S. president doing the selling. We’re in uncharted territory, once again. But another big question around this new subscription service is whether investors and traders can trust the intelligence they get from early access to Trump’s posts.

It was revealed this week that the president published deceptive information last month, putting the lives of dozens in danger. Before leaving a NATO meeting in Turkey, he posted that he’d be riding on the older Air Force One “for old time’s sake” instead of the newly retrofitted, Qatari-donated jet. His misdirection was part of an elaborate ruse to mask his transfer from Air Force One to a military fighter jet following intel that Iran may be targeting the president’s plane. The subterfuge involved him stowing away in an airport catering container to sneak onto the jet. Of course a president has to be protected, but Air Force One still had members of the press and his administration aboard when they sent it into the sky. Essentially, they were unwitting decoys.

Sometimes a president has to lie to stay safe. And often times this president peddles misinformation as a means to other ends, like amassing more money for himself while holding onto his seat of power. Paying for early access to Trump’s posts is a great idea — for Trump.

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Khloe Kardashian slips and posts unfiltered photo of her ‘old face’ before plastic surgery

KHLOE Kardashian paid tribute to her younger sister Kylie Jenner with a series of throwback snaps – and fans couldn’t help but comment on her changing features.

TV star Khloe posted the range of retro pics online alongside her little sister Kylie for her 29th birthday – while followers drew comparison with her visage pre-surgery.

Khloe Kardashian posted an unfiltered throwback photo of her and Kylie Credit: Instagram/khloekardashian
The elder sister marked Kylie’s 29th birthday with a gushing tribute Credit: Instagram/khloekardashian

One wrote on Reddit: “Surprised she posted their uncanny faces with their old faces.”

A second stated: “Khloe looks sooo different on the 5th pic. I’m shocked she shared that with people!”

A third mused: “Seeing pictures of them as kids makes my heart so sad for the little girls they used to be.”

The model and mum-of-two penned a heartfelt essay to Kylie on her big day and wrote: “Happy birthday to my world class poker player baby sister.

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“Kylie, I swear in another lifetime I was your mother. I don’t care how old you are, you will forever be my baby.

“I know I’ve loved you long before this life and I’ll love you long after it.

Khloe uploaded a host of retro photos of her sister Credit: Instagram/khloekardashian
An adorable young Kylie was seen on a pink Barbie bike Credit: Instagram/khloekardashian

“My sister by blood, my best friend by choice, and one of the greatest loves of my life.

“I know in every lifetime, every reality, every realm, we will always find one another.”

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She continued: “Watching you become the woman you are makes me so incredibly proud and emotional.

“The mother, friend, sister, daughter, businesswoman you are inspires me endlessly.

“You light up spaces you aren’t even in by the mention of your name.

“You’re hysterical, gentle, loving, lighthearted, patient and so much fun and yes, obviously the most gorgeous but your heart will forever be the most beautiful thing about you.”

She concluded: “I know how rare of a bond all of ours is, and I’ll never take it for granted.

“What a blessing that I get to do life with you the way that we do.

“My forever baby. My forever bestie. My forever soulmate. My forever.

“I love you beyond words.”

Khloe has previously spoken about the cosmetic work she has had done.

Last year, she revealed she has had a nose job, laser hair for the “hairline and everywhere else”, Botox and sculptra “where my face tumor was removed in my cheek”.

The siblings were seen goofing around in one of the pictures Credit: Instagram/khloekardashian
Khloe turned heads in a barely-there vintage dress at sister’s birthday party Credit: khloekardashian/Instagram
Kim also posted throwback pics with her sisters Credit: kimkardashian/Instagram
Kim marked Kylie’s birthday with some sweet family snaps Credit: kimkardashian/Instagram

Khloe added that she had also undergone soft wave laser for skin tightening, and “filler in the past but not any over the last few years (I hear it never goes away, so I’m sure it’s still there but calmed down)”.

She added: “Collagen baby threads underneath my chin and neck.

“Salmon sperm facials/regular facials, peptides, vitamins and daily skin care.”

Kylie turned 29 on Monday 10th, but threw herself a party at home last Friday evening.

Her sisters Kim and Khloe were in attendance as well as Hailey Bieber and husband Justin Bieber.

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Ben-Gvir posts AI video of starving Palestinian ahead of elections | Elections

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Israeli far-right minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has posted an AI-generated video depicting a starving Palestinian prisoner as well as real videos mocking detainees who describe poor jail conditions. It’s part of a campaign to promote his harsh treatment of Palestinians ahead of October’s elections.

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BP posts 143% profit hike as Iran war sends oil and gas prices skyward

British oil giant BP posted second quarter profit on Tuesday of $5.7 billion, more than double the $2.35 billion it made in the April to June period in 2025, amid sharply higher oil and gas prices caused by the U.S.-Iran conflict. File photo by Neil Hall/EPA

Aug. 4 (UPI) — British oil giant BP posted second-quarter profit on Tuesday of $5.7 billion, more than double the $2.35 billion it made in the April to June period in 2025, amid sharply higher oil and gas prices caused by the U.S.-Iran conflict.

Profit was $2.5 billion more than what the company made in the first quarter, the first two months of which were before the United States and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, and easily beat the $5 billion expected by analysts.

BP’s results, the latest of the oil giants to report bumper profits in recent days following on from Shell, Exxon Mobil and Chevron, came a day after U.S. President Donald Trump accused energy firms of exploiting the current shortage of supply.

“Based on a shortage, they’re making too much money,” he said Monday after Exxon Mobil and Chevron last week reported a combined $26.5 billion profit for the second quarter.

Trump demanded the companies return some of their windfall to the public by cutting their retail prices, saying profits that had jumped as much as 12-fold were not acceptable and that he was not happy about it.

On Friday, Shell, the other British supermajor, also posted results showing it more than doubled its earnings, reporting a $9.84 billion profit for the April to June period, up from $4.26 billion in the same period last year.

Environmental groups criticized the profit made by BP as unseemly.

“Clearly not everyone is feeling the pain of the energy crisis. While BP banks another round of enormous profits, millions of households are paying the price through sky-high energy bills and a climate crisis accelerating rapidly out of control with increasingly severe heatwaves, wildfires and droughts,” said Friends of the Earth campaigns head Rosie Downes.

BP CEO Meg O’Neill told CNBC on Tuesday that while she understood the pressure ordinary consumers felt when they were confronted by the prices at the pump, the company had little control over the cost.

“The reality is we produce a global commodity and the prices for the product we sell hangs off that global commodity price, said O’Neill, who stressed that the sterling financial results were due to strong performances across all its businesses,” she said.

She added that the company had tweaked the firm’s refining runs to ensure the products consumers needed most at any given point in time were available in sufficient quantities but insisted BP was “there was more to do.”

“We are not making the most of our potential. Our performance over the past few years has not met our own expectations, let alone those of our shareholders. We have not delivered consistently; we have written off too much value; and our costs and liabilities are not resilient enough in a low price environment,” said O’Neill.

BP’s results came four days after it put its North Sea oil business on the market amid uncertainty over whether the British government will forge ahead with phasing out North Sea oil and gas, in line with its Net Zero by 2050 target, or issue some new drilling licences to meet U.K. demand in the interim.

O’Neill said Tuesday that in a conversation with Prime Minister Andy Burnham he had assured her that he would take a “pragmatic” approach to the issue.

“The U.K. is still using a huge amount of oil and natural gas every single day, and we ought to be using our domestic resources first instead of buying those resources from a third party,” O’Neill added.

Analysts estimate BP’s 24 fields, about half of which are still producing, should fetch around $2.6 billion.

There are estimated to be at least 12 billion barrels of oil left under the North Sea, although developed reserves awaiting to be pumped are much lower.

Martin Luther King Jr. delivers his famed “I Have a Dream” speech from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington on August 28, 1963. The speech galvanized the nation’s civil rights movements and led to the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, the 1965 Voting Rights Act and the 1968 Fair Housing Act. File photo by UPI | License Photo

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Tech giant Palantir posts ‘otherworldly’ growth despite criticism over Gaza | Technology News

Second-quarter revenue jumped 93 percent but Palantir’s ties to Israel and role in military technology are controversial.

United States artificial intelligence and data analytics giant Palantir Technologies has reported “otherworldly” quarterly results, sending its shares more than 14 percent higher in after-hours trading, as its growth shows no signs of slowing despite mounting criticism over its close ties to the US and Israeli governments and concerns about its growing role in artificial intelligence and warfare.

Palantir Technologies reported a revenue of $1.94bn for the second quarter, up 93 percent from a year earlier, and raised its forecast annual revenue to between $8.15bn and $8.158bn, up from $7.65bn to $7.662bn earlier. It said strong demand from both commercial customers and government agencies drove the surge.

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“This quarter was otherworldly: our US commercial revenue grew 149 percent year-over-year, our overall revenue grew 93 percent year-over-year,” Chief Executive Alex Karp said. “Demand for AI sovereignty has now been unleashed.”

In a letter to shareholders, Karp wrote: “Our business is compounding at a rate and scale that we have never before witnessed.”

Palantir holds multibillion-dollar contracts with US government agencies, including the US Army. Revenue from its US government business rose 90 percent year on year to $809m, even as the company has faced growing opposition over its role in President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, which critics say has resulted in unlawful deportations and killings.

Founded in 2003 by technology entrepreneurs including Karp and multi-billionaire Peter Thiel, Palantir opened its first office in Israel in 2015 and has since expanded its work with the Israeli military.

Following what Palantir described as a “strategic partnership” with Israel in January 2024, the company significantly expanded its operations supporting Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and operations in the occupied West Bank.

According to Open Intel, a platform tracking corporate involvement in the genocidal war on Gaza, Palantir has actively recruited former members of Israel’s elite Unit 8200 cyberintelligence division. The group says Palantir’s software integrates intercepted communications, satellite imagery and other datasets to help generate military targeting lists for Israeli forces.

In a statement to Al Jazeera earlier this year, Palantir UK reiterated the company’s support for Israel.

The company has also secured major contracts with the United Kingdom’s government. In January, the UK’s Ministry of Defence awarded Palantir a $323m (240-million-pound) contract. A separate $444m (330-million-pound) NHS contract awarded in November 2023 has also attracted criticism, with campaigners raising concerns about the handling of sensitive health data and the heavy redaction of contract documents.

Palantir has also faced scrutiny over its vision for the future of artificial intelligence. In The Technological Republic, a recent book co-authored by Karp and the company’s head of corporate affairs, Nicholas W Zamiska, the authors argue that technology companies have a responsibility to build advanced military AI capabilities. Critics have described the philosophy as a form of “techno-fascism”.

Al Jazeera has contacted Palantir for comment.

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Unnauthorized ‘Odyssey’ copy posts online, prompts warning from studio

Universal Studios has issued a stern warning after an unauthorized copy of its hit film “The Odyssey” was leaked over the weekend.

“We became aware of the unauthorized posting of the film and immediately initiated takedown protocols,” the studio said in a statement. “We take copyright infringement seriously and will pursue all appropriate remedies to protect our content and intellectual property rights.”

The studio was responding to a post on X that shared a high-quality copy of the Christopher Nolan film. The post was viewed more than 2.1 million times before a takedown notice replaced the copy of the film.

The post was shared Saturday on X at 2:25 p.m. Pacific, and the account was suspended within three hours, according to Variety.

“The Odyssey” continues to be a top attraction for filmgoers, drawing huge crowds on its second weekend. Demand for advance tickets caused AMC’s app to crash in June. At the time, users on social media said wait times had reached an hour.

The film in its second weekend pulled in $87 million, acccording to Rentrak, a data analytics company that tracks box office sales.

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TSMC posts record profit and pledges $100bn to expand US manufacturing

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TSMC posted a record quarterly profit on Thursday and raised its revenue outlook as booming demand for artificial intelligence chips continued to fuel growth at the world’s largest contract chipmaker.


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Taiwan-based TSMC reported earnings of $4.31 per share for the April-June quarter, beating analysts’ expectations.

Revenue came in at $40.2 billion (€36.8bn), above analysts’ estimates of $39.63 billion (€34.6bn).

In local currency, net profit reached a record NT$706.6bn (€19.1bn), up 77% from a year earlier, while revenue climbed 36% to NT$1.27 trillion (€36.8bn), as appetite for the advanced chips TSMC makes for customers such as Nvidia and Apple showed no sign of cooling.

Given that it manufactures semiconductors for almost every major chip designer, the Hsinchu-based firm’s results are closely read as a gauge of the wider sector and of broader AI demand itself, just as investors fret over a possible bubble.

CEO Che-Chia Wei described global AI-related demand as “extremely robust” and said he expected it to remain very strong until around 2029 or 2030. On that basis, TSMC now forecasts 2026 revenue growth of slightly above 40% year on year, up from its previous guidance of more than 30%.

Thursday’s figures confirmed what monthly sales data had already suggested.

As reported on Monday, June revenue jumped 67.9% year on year, and first-half sales rose 35.6% from the same period in 2025, slightly ahead of analysts’ consensus forecasts for the quarter.

TSMC shares rose about 1% after the earnings release but later pared those gains as a sell-off in AI-related shares weighed on benchmarks across Asia during Thursday’s session.

Expanding US manufacturing

Alongside the results, TSMC said it would spend an additional $100 billion (€87.4bn) to expand its manufacturing capacity in the US, on top of the $165 billion (€144bn) already committed to building six fabrication plants in Arizona.

The move would bring the company’s total US investment pledges to around $265 billion (€231bn).

The fresh funds are expected to fund four further Arizona plants dedicated to the most advanced chips, those of 2 nanometres and below, and are intended to “support the strong multi-year demand” from the company’s leading American customers, CEO Che-Chia Wei said during the firm’s earnings conference.

TSMC also said it would spend more this year than previously planned, increasing its capital expenditure budget to between $60 billion (€52.4bn) and $64 billion (€55.9bn), up from an earlier range of $52 billion (€45.4bn) to $56 billion (€48.9bn).

The announcement follows a trade agreement struck earlier this year between the Trump administration and Taiwan, under which Taiwanese companies committed to invest at least $250 billion (€218bn) in the US technology sector inreturn for lower tariffs.

Additional sources • AP

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Trump posts doctored photo of the Obamas and Air Force One with graffiti spray-painted on plane

President Trump on Sunday posted a falsified image of former President Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama, waving before boarding an Air Force One that had been spray-painted with graffiti.

It came months after another post by the president that showed the couple as primates in a jungle. That one was deleted after stiff, bipartisan backlash.

The latest image shows the Obamas smiling and waving at the top of stairs alongside a baby blue and white presidential plane with graffiti painted on it that included the Democrat’s campaign slogan “Yes We Can,” “Obama” and “BLM,” short for Black Lives Matter. The post also shows graffiti in Arabic on the plane that says the phrase “alhamdulillah,” which means “praise be to God” or “thank God.”

The use of graffiti is a coded message to remind people of crime and urban decay and has been used in racist messaging against Black people in the past.

Trump has a yearslong record of intensely personal criticism of the Obamas, and of using incendiary, sometimes racist, rhetoric. That includes everything from feeding the lie that Obama was not born in the United States to crude generalizations about majority-Black countries and posts that have sparked anger on his Truth Social website.

The president’s post of the Obamas as primates came in February, during the first week of Black History Month. It was removed following widespread criticism from civil rights leaders and Republican senators. Trump refused to apologize, however, and a staffer was later blamed for making the post.

This time, the presidential plane is a sensitive topic since Trump last week took his maiden voyage on a new Air Force One — a retrofitted Boeing 747-800 worth $400 million gifted by Qatar. The aircraft’s trademark light blue hull that helped Air Force One blend into the sky was replaced with Trump’s preferred color scheme: a navy-blue belly with red and gold stripes.

After giving a speech on the National Mall in Washington to mark Independence Day and the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence on Saturday night, Trump had no public events Sunday and spent the day at his golf club in Virginia. He’s scheduled to leave Monday for Turkey to attend a summit with NATO allies.

The White House did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment. Nor did a spokesperson for the Obamas.

Sunday’s post also followed one from last month when Trump shared an doctored image of Obama’s new presidential library in Chicago so that it looked like the building had a large bag of garbage on top and was surrounded by a wasteland. “The Obama Library ten years from now will be a ‘Mecca’ for those who hate America! President DJT,” he wrote then.

Trump has frequently criticized the Obama library in public comments, and he posted the library image twice on his social media platform.

The Air Force One image was part of a series of Sunday posts Trump made on Truth Social, including a past picture that appeared to show Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni grinning and gazing upward at Trump under the words “RESTRAINING ORDER NEEDED.”

That, too, could touch off a new firestorm at this week’s meetings in Turkey, since Trump had suggested that Meloni asked “over and over” for a photo with him during the recent Group of Seven summit.

Trump’s comments prompted Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani to cancel a subsequent, planned trip to Washington, while Meloni called Trump’s account “completely fabricated,” saying “Italy and I never beg.”

Weissert writes for the Associated Press.

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Victoria and David Beckham celebrate 27 years of marriage in sweet tribute posts on their wedding anniversary

VICTORIA and David Beckham have celebrated 27 years of marriage with sweet tribute posts on their wedding anniversary.

The superstar couple said “I do” in 1999, and have been smitten with each other ever since.

Victoria and David Beckham celebrated 27 years of marriage together with a series of sweet posts Credit: Instagram
The couple have been married since 1999 Credit: Instagram

Today, they thrilled fans when they each shared posts to commemorate their long and happy marriage.

Victoria, 52, posted a picture of herself lovingly kissing her husband on the cheek, and penned: “After 27 years of marriage, four amazing children and countless matching outfits, you’re still my *everything*.

“Happy anniversary!! I love you so much.”

While David, 51, shared a slew of pics from their time together, dating back to when they first met.

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David shared a slew of snaps of their time together Credit: Instagram
The pair first started dating in 1997 Credit: Instagram

The smitten husband then wrote: “29 years together. 27 years married & you have given me everything I could ever wish for.

“Our proudest achievement will always be our family 🩷 I love you & Happy Anniversary.”

The famous couple said their “I do’s” on July 4, 1999, with their first-born Brooklyn as their ring bearer.

The big day came after the two started dating in 1997 and Becks popped the question the following year.

The happy couple have been smitten with each other ever since Credit: Instagram
The Beckhams share four children together Credit: AFP

Posh and Becks sat on golden thrones at the altar and spent all the money needed to have their dream wedding.

According to reports, they splashed out around £500,000, making it one of the most extravagant celebrity weddings.

Along with Brooklyn, the couple also share three more children – Romeo, 23, Cruz, 21, and Harper, 14.

However, their eldest son is currently embroiled in a bitter estrangement with David and Victoria.

However, the couple are currently estranged from their eldest son Credit: Getty
Brooklyn recently made a savage dig at his family for a new advert Credit: Instagram

In January, Brooklyn made a dozen explosive accusations in a ruthless statement hitting out at his family.

The aspiring chef called out his famous parents for their “inauthenticity”, accused them of making bribes and scolded the family for their treatment of his wife on their wedding day.

In a shock move, he also sent his parents a legal notice warning they can only contact him via lawyers.

In the extraordinary “desist” letter, he also instructed them not to “tag” him on social media.

But in a surprising twist, last month Brooklyn filmed a World Cup advert taking a savage swipe at his family’s estrangement.

It showed the eldest Beckham boy throwing down his match tickets onto the coffee table, which appeared to show a £250,000 designer watch gifted to him by his dad and a stack of unopened letters.

The ad went live on social media after we revealed Brooklyn spurned his sister Harper’s attempt at a reconciliation.

The teenager was pictured delivering a letter to the house Brooklyn shares with his wife Nicola Peltz, 31.

They quickly hit back at the Beckhams, claiming the letter felt like an “orchestrated move by his family” – insisting it “made them feel uncomfortable.”

A spokesman for the couple added: “That photographers were in place as the letter was hand-delivered says it all.

“This was choreographed for the cameras.”

But a source close to the Beckhams called it “another untrue and unfair accusation”.

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Rally for Luxembourg teacher fired over pro-Gaza posts | Gaza

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Students and supporters of a Luxembourg teacher fired over social media posts held a demonstration for her this week. Fatima Kurtic was fired in October over a post deemed anti-Israel. She told Al Jazeera about the motivations and costs behind her pro-Palestinian activism.

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World Cup 2026: Concerning increase in racist social media posts

More than 100 examples passed the legal thresholds for preparing case files to enforce action.

While detection methods have improved, the SMPS said the “data trends show a concerning direction of travel in terms of racially aggravated abuse”.

The Netherlands players who missed penalties in the last-32 shootout defeat to Morocco on Monday all suffered racist abuse.

Justin Kluivert, Quinten Timber and Crysencio Summerville were subjected to discriminatory, racist and hateful comments on social media, said the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB).

More than six million posts and comments were scanned – an increase of 33% – with 225,000 identified for human review.

Around 1,000 accounts were identified for further investigation and 181,000 hateful comments hidden.

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Micron posts record results as AI boom drives 15-fold jump in net profit

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Micron, one of only a handful of companies able to make advanced memory chips at scale, said on Wednesday that revenue in the third quarter reached $41.4 billion (€36.5bn), more than four times the $9.3 billion (€8.2bn) it recorded in the same period last year.


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The figure also comfortably beat the roughly $35.7 billion (€31.4bn) analysts had forecast, while profit climbed even more dramatically.

The Idaho-based group posted net income of $28.24 billion (€24.9bn), or $24.67 per share, against less than $2 billion (€1.7bn) a year ago. Adjusted earnings of $25.11 a share sailed past the $20.49 expected.

The market reaction to the impressive results was immediate.

Micron shares rose more than 15% in after-hours trading to around $1,213, leaving the company valued at roughly $1.16 trillion (€1tn).

The stock has now climbed about 700% over the past year, one of the most dramatic re-ratings of any large company through the AI boom, reflecting a fundamental shift in the economics of the AI build-out.

The vast data centres being constructed by hyperscalers such as Amazon, Microsoft, Google and Meta, which have collectively earmarked hundreds of billions of dollars in capital spending this year, depend on enormous quantities of high-bandwidth memory, a specialised chip that sits alongside the processors made by Nvidia and others.

Micron has said its entire 2026 output of these chips is already sold out under fixed-price contracts.

According to CEO Sanjay Mehrotra, the results reflect what he called the strategic value of memory in the AI era.

The company pointed to a series of multi-year customer agreements that it expects to make earnings more durable and predictable, a notable claim in an industry long defined by brutal boom-and-bust cycles.

Margins to rival the biggest names

What has startled analysts most is Micron’s profitability.

The company reported a gross margin of around 85% for the quarter, a level that now rivals or exceeds those of far larger technology names such as Nvidia and Meta, an extraordinary position for a memory maker historically squeezed by volatile chip prices.

The tightness of supply, with new factories not expected to add meaningful output until 2028, has handed producers exceptional pricing power.

Micron’s guidance was more striking still.

The company expects revenue of around $50 billion (€44bn) in the current quarter and adjusted earnings of roughly $31 a share, implying the boom is accelerating rather than fading. It is ramping up investment to match, lifting planned capital spending to about $27 billion (€23.7bn) this fiscal year and signalling a further jump in 2027, management told analysts during the earnings call.

The results offer reassurance to investors betting that AI infrastructure spending remains robust, with Micron’s order book serving as a real-time gauge of that demand.

The open question, as ever in the memory industry, is how long the upswing can last before supply catches up. Even the most bullish observers acknowledge that risk has not completely disappeared.

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Ashley Cain breaks silence after BBC axe for historic ‘abusive’ posts as reality TV star says ‘I cannot change the past’

ASHLEY Cain has spoken out for the first time since he was axed by the BBC after allegedly making degrading comments about women online.

The reality TV star penned an apology on Instagram, addressing “language I used many years ago that I am not proud of”.

Ashley Cain, 35, has spoken out for the first time since he was dropped by the BBC Credit: Splash
The Ex on the Beach star had made derogatory comments about women Credit: Instagram/mrashleycain

The 35-year-old was dropped by the Beeb last week after historic social media posts came to light which were deemed “offensive” to women.

His BBC Three documentary Into The Danger Zone has been shelved for its second season.

In response to a disastrous day as he was dropped by his management, Cain took to Instagram to address the controversy.

“You may have seen a recent article concerning language I used many years ago that I am not proud of.

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Ashley Cain ‘dropped by management’ after BBC axe & ‘abusive’ posts about women

The reality star has featured on programmes including Celebrity Masterchef on the BBC Credit: BBC
He said he wanted to take ‘accountability’ for his past comments Credit: BBC

“I don’t deny it. I don’t excuse it. And I certainly don’t condone it,” he began.

Cain blamed the loss of his football career as one of the factors which caused him to feel “lost, frustrated and unsure of where my life was heading”.

He went on: “The reality is that growth doesn’t happen overnight. It happens through experience.

“Through mistakes. Through hardship. Through being forced to look in the mirror and ask yourself whether you’re willing to become better.”

Yesterday, the Daily Mail reported that Ashley had been dropped as a client by his management company Off Limits amid recent events.

“Ashley has been dropped by Off Limits, who also represent stars such as Jimmy Bullard, Jesy Nelson and Harry Redknapp,” an insider told the publication.

“They have a roster of talent who are household names, they don’t want to be associated with him after the vile posts came to light.

“Ashley is now pretty much blacklisted in the industry, and it’s doubtful he will ever be on television again.”

The second season of Ashley Cain: Into the Danger Zone has been shelved Credit: BBC
Cain said the tragic loss of his daughter Azaylia in 2021 after a battle with leukaemia Credit: miss_safiyya_/Instagram

Ashley no longer appears on Off Limits website as a listed client.

The Ex on the Beach star’s Twitter posts made in 2011 and 2013 are said to have referenced extreme sex acts and appeared to make light of consent.

He reportedly used offensive, sexualised and aggressive language about women.

Derogatory terms allegedly written in 2014 and 2015 include “sl**s”, “b***hes” and “psychos”.

He also said he’d like to “choke slam” and “spit in the face” of Love Island star Jessica Hayes while commenting on the ITV2 reality show.

Cain’s apology post said he has learnt lessons from fatherhood over the past decade.

His daughter Azaylia Cain sadly died in 2021 of a rare form of acute myeloid leukaemia.

She was just eight months old when she died after a battle with the aggressive disease.

“Losing my daughter changed me forever,” Cain wrote.

“Since then, I have dedicated my life to trying to honour my daughter’s legacy and help others wherever I can.”

The reality star added: “I cannot change what I said over a decade ago. What I can do is take responsibility for it.

“What I can do is continue striving every day to be a good father, a good human and a positive force in the lives of others.”

Cain’s shock slurs sit uncomfortably alongside his more recent work as a BBC presenter exploring masculinity and gangs in dangerous locations around the world.

A BBC spokesperson said: “We are very clear we expect the highest standards of behaviour from everyone who works with or for the BBC.

“When allegations are brought to our attention we take them seriously. We will consider this information carefully and do not intend to comment further at this stage.”

The BBC were reportedly unaware of the offensive content prior to recruiting Cain as a host.

Dad-of-three Cain was a professional footballer at the time of his oldest offensive tweets.

Following contracts at Coventry City and non-league Barwell, he was forced to retire from the game in 2014 due to the effects of a serious achilles injury.

He turned to reality TV and starred in the first series of Ex on the Beach. More recently he appeared on Celebrity SAS, The Real Full Monty and Celebrity MasterChef.

Cain was left devastated in 2021 when his daughter Azaylia died from leukemia aged just eight months.

He set up The Azaylia Foundation in her name and has tackled gruelling endurance challenges to raise money and awareness.

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Ashley Cain ‘dropped by his management’ days after BBC axe for historic ‘abusive’ posts about women

ASHLEY Cain has been dealt a fresh blow following his BBC axe after allegedly making degrading comments about women online.

Historic social media posts by the reality TV star, 35, that have been deemed ‘offensive’ to women came to light last week and resulted in him being dropped by the Beeb – with the second series of his BBC Three documentary Into The Danger Zone now shelved.

Ashley Cain was dropped by the BBC after historic degrading comments about women online came to light Credit: BBC
The SAS Who Dares Wins star has now reportedly been dropped by his agent Credit: PA

The Daily Mail reports that Ashley has now been dropped as a client by his management company Off Limits amid recent events.

“Ashley has been dropped by Off Limits, who also represent stars such as Jimmy Bullard, Jesy Nelson and Harry Redknapp,” an insider told the publication.

“They have a roster of talent who are household names, they don’t want to be associated with him after the vile posts came to light.

“Ashley is now pretty much blacklisted in the industry, and it’s doubtful he will ever be on television again.”

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Ashley Cain’s axed BBC doc is still on iPlayer after bosses admits vetting failure


STAR PROBE

BBC launching investigation into Ashley Cain ‘failings’ after his show is axed

The reality TV star presented BBC Three doc Into The Danger Zone Credit: BBC/True North
A second series has now been scrapped Credit: BBC

The Sun has reached out to Off Limits and Ashley Cain for comment.

Ashley no longer appears on Off Limits website as a listed client.

The Ex on the Beach star’s Twitter posts made in 2011 and 2013 are said to have referenced extreme sex acts and appeared to make light of consent.

He reportedly used offensive, sexualised and aggressive language about women.

Despite this, series one of Ashley Cain: Into the Danger Zone aired in April 2025.

It followed his journey to the world’s most dangerous places, interviewing young men who live on the fringes of society.

Filming for a second series took place earlier this year however, it will no longer air following The Guardian‘s report accusing Ashley of writing derogatory terms in 2014 and 2015 including “sl**s”, “b***hes” and “psychos”.

The newspaper also revealed Ashley was secretly sacked from a BBC job last year for being “drunk on set”.

After the success of his documentary, he was picked to host, Sin City: The Real Las Vegas.

Ashley was flown out to Nevada to film the show but concerns were raised about his conduct.

Appearing to be drunk during filming of the show, the production was suspended and Ashley was ultimately dropped from the project and replaced by another presenter.

Despite this, the incident went largely ignored as Ashley returned to filming with the BBC earlier this year for the second series of his Into The Danger Zone series.

A BBC spokesperson told The Sun:  “The posts by Ashley Cain, albeit from many years ago, are completely unacceptable.”

“The BBC has clear requirements around vetting and social media checks, which are undertaken by the production company.

“In this instance, the process clearly failed and we are investigating why.

“We are continuing to strengthen our processes to ensure everyone working for, and on behalf of, the BBC meets our values and standards.

“We have no plans to broadcast the new series of ‘Into the Danger Zone’, and no future projects with Ashley Cain.”

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Lewis Hamilton goes Instagram official with Kim Kardashian as he posts first pic of girlfriend after Monaco Grand Prix

FORMULA One star Lewis Hamilton has gone Instagram official with Kim Kardashian after sharing his first photo of the reality star following the Monaco Grand Prix.

The snap quickly sent fans into a frenzy, with followers flooding the comments section as the pair confirmed their relationship.

Lewis Hamilton went Instagram Official with girlfriend Kim Kardashian Credit: Instagram/LewisHamilton
Kim and Khloe Kardashian arrived in Monaco for the Grand Prix weekend Credit: Splash

Kim Kardashian appeared in Lewis Hamilton’s photo dump from the star-studded Monaco Grand Prix weekend attended by a host of celebrities and sporting icons.

Kim looked glamorous as ever, and many were quick to point out that it was the first time Lewis had shared a photo featuring Kim on his social media.

In the snap, Kim was seen holding Lewis’ racing helmet.

The reality star opted for a daring black sheer top, adding to the glamour of the Monaco Grand Prix weekend.

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The stylish photo immediately caught fans’ attention.

One commented: “Great pics Lewis and a fab weekend well done ❤️ And welcome to the family Kim kardashian ❤️”

Another added: “In his boyfriend era”.

A third penned: “YES!!!!!! Kim on the grid!”

A fourth said: “Omgggggg kimmmmmm😍”

A fifth wrote: “Omg Kim !! U guys are so cute”.

Kim made her F1 trackside debut Credit: Getty
Kim arrived in Monaco to support her boyfriend Credit: Getty

Kim made her F1 trackside debut to support her Ferrari driver boyfriend.

She arrived with her sister Khloe Kardashian as well as a huge entourage.

Kim wore a stunning cream one-shoulder maxi dress, while Khloe opted for a satin plunge midi dress also in cream.

Kim watched the race and Lewis narrowly miss out on winning.

Kimi Antonelli became the youngest winner at 19 years old. 

Despite the loss, Lewis appeared in high spirits as he blew Kim a kiss and sprayed her with champagne as he celebrated on the podium.

After being friends for a decade, Kim and Lewis were first spotted getting cosy on New Year’s Eve in Aspen Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
Lewis and Kim went public with their romance at the Super Bowl in February Credit: X

Kim and Lewis have been friends for over a decade.

They were first spotted getting cosy on New Year’s Eve in Aspen. 

They went public with their romance at the Super Bowl in February.

Just last week, they took a huge step in their relationship as he was seen with her four children for the first time.

A source previously said that the couple have an “intense” relationship and Kardashian’s family absolutely “adores” him.

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