reveal

WASHINGTON — New whistleblower documents detail substantial cuts by the Trump administration to the training requirements for new immigration officers.

Among the cuts are the elimination of practical exams, use of force and legal training courses, and an overall reduction in training time, contrary to an official’s testimony to Congress earlier this month.

The documents, provided to Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) by whistleblowers from the Department of Homeland Security, were publicly revealed ahead of a forum Monday afternoon with congressional Democrats — the third in recent weeks probing what the members view as abusive and illegal tactics used by federal agents.

Lauren Bis, deputy assistant public affairs secretary at DHS, said no training hours have been cut.

“Our officers receive extensive firearm training, are taught de-escalation tactics, and receive 4th and 5th Amendment comprehensive instruction,” she said. “The training does not stop after graduation from the academy. Recruits are put on a rigorous on-the-job training program that is tracked and monitored.”

Blumenthal’s office also disclosed the identity of one whistleblower: Ryan Schwank, an attorney who most recently served as an instructor for new Immigration and Customs Enforcement recruits at the ICE Academy within the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Georgia. Schwank, who resigned Feb. 13, is scheduled to testify at the forum.

Schwank is one of two whistleblowers who made a confidential disclosure to Blumenthal’s office last month regarding an ICE policy allowing agents to enter people’s homes without a judicial warrant.

In excerpted quotes from Schwank’s prepared testimony shared with The Times, he calls the training program “deficient, defective and broken.”

“Deficient training can and will get people killed,” he wrote. “It can and will lead to unlawful arrests, violations of constitutional rights, and a fundamental loss of public trust in law enforcement. ICE is lying to Congress and the American people about the steps it is taking to ensure its 10,000 new officers faithfully uphold the Constitution and can perform their jobs.”

Blumenthal’s office did not confirm whether Schwank or the other, still anonymous whistleblower provided the documents released Monday in a 90-page memorandum from minority staff of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.

The documents show ICE has eliminated more than a dozen practical exams that ICE officers previously needed to graduate. In July 2021, a cadet needed to pass 25 practical exams to graduate. Now, nine are required.

Eliminated exams include “Judgment pistol shooting,” “Criminal encounters,” and “Determine removability.”

“All of these are now instead evaluated, if at all, mainly by open-book, multiple-choice written exams and without any graded practical examinations,” the memo states.

Comparisons between the program’s syllabus table of contents and general information sections from July 2025 — before the surge in hiring — and this month show that ICE appears to have cut whole courses, such as use of force simulation training, U.S. government structure, criminal vs. removal proceedings, and use of force.

Earlier this month, acting ICE Director Todd Lyons testified to Congress that while the agency had reduced the number of training days to 42 from 75, “We went from five days a week to six days a week. Five days a week was five eight-hour days. We’ve gone to six 12-hour days.”

But the documents appear to contradict Lyons’ testimony.

“The schedules reflected on these documents indicate that current ICE recruits receive nearly 250 fewer hours of training than previous cohorts of recruits,” the memo states.

The training reductions come as ICE plans to bring up more than 4,000 new Enforcement and Removal Operations officers this fiscal year, which ends in September. One of the documents notes that ICE had graduated 803 new officers in 2026 as of Jan. 29 and projected 3,204 more graduates by the end of the fiscal year.

In a written statement, Blumenthal encouraged more whistleblowers to come forward.

“We know about the Trump Administration’s decimation of training for immigration officers and its secret policy to shred your Constitutional rights because of the brave Americans who are speaking out today,” he wrote. “They are coming to Congress because we have the responsibility to not only bear witness to these crimes, but to do something to make sure they don’t happen again.”

The new series of Big Cats 24/7 is back in the Okavango Delta following the lives of lions and leopards

Having only been away from the Okavango Delta in Botswana for six months since filming the first series, the BBC ’s wildlife filmmakers might have worried there would not be enough new things happening amongst the big cats there. But if anything, the dramatic lives of Africa’s lions, cheetahs and leopards had more shocks and surprises than the first time around.

Following them across six vital months from June to November we see the cats – and humans – battle punishing seasonal change, from flood to extreme drought. The Xudum lion pride, now the largest in the world, grapples with the challenges of this newfound status. When we rejoin them, dominant males Big Toe and Madumo are missing so the pride females, deserted by their leaders, are forced to battle intruders alone and also find enough food to feed 40 lions. There is an influx of aggressive male leopards and a new female, Lediba. And cheetah Pobe surprises the team with two young cubs of her own – but her challenge now is to keep them safe.

Cinematographer and wildlife presenter Gordon Buchanan says: “I think my slight concern was that we’re going back to the same place. We’re going back to the same cats. Are we going to go back to the same stories? And no, absolutely not. I mean I was startled at how things that were quite common in the first year, we see all the time, you didn’t see you didn’t see again,

“This series is a drama. And I suppose our job is just to capture that. This second series is a bit like The White Lotus[TV Drama}. There’s some similar characters, and there’s similar themes, but the stories are completely different.”

For Gordon, returning to cover the Lion pride was the highlight and he adds: “Filming 24/7 means surrendering to their world, working on their terms. The hours are long, the terrain unforgiving – deep sand, floodwaters, freezing cold nights or searing midday heat. You chase fleeting glimpses across vast landscapes and are often driven by nothing more than instinct. It’s physically and mentally gruelling. But when you finally catch ‘the’ moment, it makes everything worth it.

“Many lions don’t even make it to their second birthday so to see a lion you met as a vulnerable cub stride successfully and confidently towards adulthood is the most wonderful thing of all. There’s is nothing more beautiful than a lion cub giving life its best shot.”

This extraordinary, exclusive access to the cats’ lives is supported by the use of cutting-edge filming equipment: state-of-the-art thermal cameras, and the latest in drone technology, meaning the team can film the cats from the ground, the air and, uniquely, through the night. By following the cats around the clock, the team reveals yet more brand-new insights into their lives.

But fellow filmmaker Anna Dimitriadis didn’t wait long to be reunited with her beloved cheetah pal Pobe. “It’s every wildlife cinematographer’s dream to be able to go back to the same place and see characters that you filmed with before. But seeing her on the first day, it was like she was coming back to welcome us. It really felt like Pobe knew we’d arrived, and it felt like she was showing off because she had her two lovely little cubs as well. It basically felt like just seeing an old friend that I got to know really well. I mean, I got to know her very well. She’s actually tattooed on my arm now so she’s with me forever.”

Anna and Gordon worked alongside a team that also included Brad Bestelink who grew up in the Delta and Botswana born Tristen Woodward in the heart of big cat territory. And by the end of series two, Anna feels even closer to the cat and her routines which we will witness.

“I just know so much about her, and I could really predict her behaviour by the end, like I knew the exact kind of hunting style she was going to do. And I could predict exactly what we were going to see. It was really cool, when you start having that connection with an animal.

“This time, we saw another side. She was playful, tender and at times extremely vulnerable. Our time with her this year was a powerful reminder of how hard life is for a solitary cat. At every stage – whether still learning or in her prime – survival is a constant battle and every success is hard won.”

Meet some of the stars of the Delta…

POBE A smart, experienced and streetwise female cheetah; charismatic Pobe, now seven-years-old has a new family! She has two young cubs to take care of and though she is an experienced mother and superb huntress – already seen one cub, Neelo, to independence – the odds are stacked against her. Navigating Xudum island – now home to the largest lion pride in the world, and leopards round every tree – is no easy task. She knows when to run and hide and avoid danger, but with two innocent cubs in tow, she’s more exposed than ever.

XUDUM A remarkably relaxed and an impressive leopard; Xudum can confidently catch a meal leaping through the air (jumping from trees) or stalking on the ground. She is the resident female leopard followed by the team in Series 1, is now six years old and should have started a family. Unfortunately, after her tragedy witnessed by the team in 2023, Xudum is still to rear a cub successfully. Surrounded by dangerous male leopards (who will kill any cubs that do not belong to them), in series two Xudum must find a new, safer territory in which to make her home and become a mother.

BIG TOE & MADUMO So named due to a prominent digit on his paw, Big Toe is now eleven years old, ruling the Xudum pride alongside his sibling, Madumo, for the last six years. He’s a formidable lion, slightly leaner and wirier than Madumo, but no less formidable. Though he’s undeniably the more handsome of the two, he’s no pretty-boy; usually the first to get into a scuffle with intruders, or younger males in the pride.

Madumo – meaning “to roar” – is the other dominant male lions of the Xudum pride. Though he is bigger and heavier set, Madumo is the brains of the operation, while his coalition partner Big Toe is the ‘grafter’. But when required, Madumo has the muscle to be a powerful and commanding leader. He and Big Toe remain extremely close; most likely brothers from the same cohort of cubs, they make a strong and formidable partnership and over the past 6-years he and Big Toe have successfully protected the Xudum pride.

But as we start season two, both are now absent, where they are is unclear; and without their combined strength and new male lions circling, the Xudum pride’s females are under more pressure to protect their family than ever before.

MATHATA Trouble by name, trouble by nature! Mathata is the oldest cub in the Xudum pride – 18 months in age – and the rest of the youngsters seem to look to Mathata for leadership. But as Mathata (Magogo’s son) grows, will he cause trouble for his siblings, or will he rally them to make trouble for their enemies, and prey?

He is now ready to join his mother and aunts as they hunt and feed their family, but he has a lot to learn before he will start being a useful addition – his inexperience could be a hindrance.

LEDIBA The queen of stealth! Lediba is a small and subtle female leopard. She shows more patience in her stalking and variety to her diet, than any other leopard the team has seen on Xudum island. Lediba (10 years old) is also an experienced mother; previously raising cubs to adulthood and has two young cubs to provide for in series two. She will have to work hard to keep them safe from scavenging lions and unpredictable male leopards. For the team, getting to know Lediba’s character will take as much patience as she shows during each hunt!

MAGOGO At more than eleven years old, Magogo is likely the oldest female in the Xudum pride. She is an experienced, wise and powerful lioness and has successfully reared multiple generations of cubs, showing her skill as a mother. His son, Mathata, is the eldest cub in the Xudum pride, and a future pride male. Despite being eighteen months old, Mathata still relies on Magogo for food and protection against any intruding male lions – so Magogo still has her work cut-out to support him.

* Series Two of Big Cats 24/7 starts on BBC2 and BBC iPlayer on Friday February 27 at 9pm.

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SHE had just turned 19 and was a single mum at college, working part-time in a fish and chip shop when she made her bid for fame on the X-Factor.

Now, 17 years later, Stacey Solomon is worth a staggering £10million, is married to TV star Joe Swash and has five beautiful children. But just when it looked like she had reached the top, insiders tell us that the 36-year-old has made a huge decision, with one wrong move toppling her empire for good.

The one-time X Factor star has hit the £10m mark in her business empire- up from £7.4m in the previous year, accounts revealed.

Despite her huge earnings, Stacey kicked off 2026 by walking away from her talent agency – leaving those close to her blindsided.

The dramatic move, which has also raised questions within the industry, means that Stacey has also pulled the plug on every one of her commercial partnerships this year.

She will no longer be working alongside YMU, the agency that looks after some of the biggest names in the industry, including Amanda Holden, Ant and Dec and Claudia Winkleman.

Insiders say her team at YMU were ordered to walk away from her long-running George at ASDA contract.

Stacey’s decided she wants to stop making everyone else rich.

Insider

We’re told: “It’s a huge change for Stacey – she will no longer be promoting other people’s brands. 

“Right now, she is focused on building her own empire instead and has new ventures on the horizon.

“She’s seeing it as a major business reinvention. She’s seen how well her hair brand REHAB has done and is now keen to replicate that.

“Stacey’s decided she wants to stop making everyone else rich. She might be worth a lot, but money is always a concern for her. She’s worried that one day everything she has worked for could disappear, and now she’s decided it’s time to take full control.”

The insider added: “Stepping back from all this could be a huge mistake. She does have her TV work, but the brand deals were bringing in a lot of cash for her.

“She could lose it all; that is a genuine fear for her. It’s no secret that Stacey sees herself as the one who has to manage the money both she and Joe make. And she makes a lot more than him.”

Former EastEnders star Joe was declared bankrupt twice over unpaid tax bills – once in 2009 and again in 2013.

Stacey – who shares Rex, six, Rose, three, and Belle, two, with Joe and is also mum to Zachary, 17, and Leighton, 12 – is said to always make sure he contributes 50/50 so she is protected financially as much as possible.

But what price has fame and fortune had on her high-profile relationship with Joe?

Stacey has been branded bossy and ruthless in the past, and the tension in their marriage was very evident during their BBC fly-on-the-wall series. 

We’re told that money is still a source of contention for the pair, who live in £1.2m Pickle Cottage,  and Stacey struggles to feel comfortable despite being set for life. 

During one episode of their BBC documentary, Stacey opened up about her money fears as they planned to take their children on a posh skiing trip.

The TV personality said: “I think I will always, one, feel like an imposter in this life, because this is not what I imagined my life would be when I was growing up.

“But two, I always have in the back of my mind tomorrow you could have nothing, so be careful today.”

Cashing in

Three years ago, Stacey invested some of her own cash into small haircare brand REHAB and now owns a third of the firm.

Today, it’s not such a small firm – it was hailed the fastest-growing beauty brand on the FEBE 100 list for 2025.

The award is only eligible for firms with annual revenues over £3million,  which gives you an idea of just how much the brand is pulling in. 

The insider added: “Stacey has loved working with REHAB, it’s all women, there are only seven staff on the books, and it’s become a real passion project.

“She’s making great money and now really believes in her business nous.”

The star presenter runs a firm called Keymap Entertainment that takes in cash from her media and lucrative ad deals.

New accounts show the tele favourite has £7.5m tied up in investments and £1.6m in cash.

A TV insider remarked: “Stacey is adored by fans old and young. She has worked so hard to get to the position she is in – and deserves every penny.”

It’s thought she will see out the remainder of her contracts with YMU before stepping back completely. 

Sources tell us that YMU have been really taken aback by her decision: “She has been the cash cow of the agency for many years. 

“She out-earns their other high-profile clients.”

Some of her biggest deals have included projects with Asda, Jet2, In The Style and Primark, which have really boosted her earnings, and presumably also helped the bank balance of those working for her. 

One of her new business plans is her very own beauty company, Belle & Rose Ltd, named after her daughters, which she set up a couple of years ago with plans to sell beauty products and tools in “specialised stores”.

Interestingly, she’s yet to launch anything under that name yet but as her other deals come to an end, it’s becoming increasingly likely we will see it come to fruition this year. 

She has worked so hard to get to the position she is in – and deserves every penny.

TV insider

It’s certainly been an extraordinary journey – her life really changed forever when she won I’m A Celebrity in 2010, and it soon became clear a singing career would be put on the back burner. 

She became a national treasure, amassing an incredible six million Instagram followers, who watch her every move as she shares her home hacks and family life.

Her Tap To Tidy catchphrase went viral on the social media platform and led to her having her own book, paving the way for her job on Sort Your Life Out, which has become a BBC big hitter. 

It’s a far cry from the nervous teen who wowed Simon Cowell and Cheryl as she took to the stage in hotpants, saying she wanted to win for Zach so she could “get him into a good school and get him all the things he needs”. She’s done that and then some. 

Stacey Solomon’s career so far

Stacey Solomon has been a familiar face on viewers’ screens for over a decade. Let’s take a look back at her career.

The X Factor (2009): Stacey competed in series six of long-running ITV singing competition The X Factor. During her time in the show, she was mentored by Danni Minogue in the ‘Girls’ category. The star finished in third place, behind Joe McElderry and Olly Murs.

I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here (2010); In late 2010, Stacey headed to the infamous I’m A Celeb Aussie jungle. After 21 days, she triumphed to win the tenth series. It was through I’m A Celeb that she met future husband Joe Swash – who’d won two years earlier and was hosting the ITV2 spinoff.

Celebrity Juice (2011―2013, 2016―2019): The star appeared as a panellist on 21 episodes of the comedy panel game show hosted by Keith Lemon. Stacey was a regular in the 21st series, broadcast in 2019.

Loose Women (2016 – present): Stacey has been a permanent panel member of the daytime show since 2016. She previously made guest appearances in 2011 and 2012.

Sort Your Life Out (2022 -present): This BBC show sees Stacey, with the help of an expert team, transform participants’ living spaces after removing clutter.

KATIE Price and her new husband Lee have insisted they’re the “strongest” and most “beautiful” couple they know as they revealed their plans to return to the UK.

The former glamour model, 47, tied the knot with the businessman in a secret ceremony last month and they’re currently on their honeymoon in Dubai, where he lives full time.

Lee Andrews was supposed to come to UK a few weeks ago but he claimed he was forced to delay his flight to look at properties for the pair to live in.

While fans of Katie were convinced it was because he wasn’t allowed to leave the country, we revealed Katie has put a deposit down on a pad in the UAE.

The loved-up pair have now revealed their both returning to the UK and it could be very soon.

Katie said: “So yeah we’re still in Dubai and we are coming to England very soon.

LOVE NEST

Katie Price’s husband Lee Andrews unveils ‘family home’ after house deposit

Making waves

Katie Price’s ex JJ shares post on ‘recovery’ – as she jets to Dubai to Lee

Lee replied: “Within a day right?”

Katie added: “Watch out England we’re coming for you.”

The star’s Walter Mitty-like husband shared a snap of the couple holding hands with the caption: “The strongest and most beautiful couple we know.”

Katie recently leapt to her man’s defence hitting out at “snakes” and “bitter people” amid rumours of Lee being a con-man.

She took to Instagram to post a furious message in defence of her new husband.

A loved up Katie added text to a clip which read: “@wesleeeandrews has given me more love more security more respect.

“And proven that everything that’s been said about him is absolute BS by bitter people and snakes in all areas.”

The Sun revealed how the self-proclaimed businessman lives a ‘Walter Mitty’ style existence in Dubai.

Lee was accused of using artificial intelligence to fake images of himself with tech billionaire Elon Musk and reality TV star Kim Kardashian.

He also claimed on his LinkedIn profile to have been a Member of the Board of Advisors to the Labour Party since 2015.

But a Labour source said: “We don’t have a board of advisors and he doesn’t work with us.”

Two of Lee’s exes also sent Katie stark warnings to stay away with one, Alana, telling her to “run for the hills.”

Despite Lee’s life seemingly unravelling the pair still seem set on moving into a home together.

Lee posted a mock-up of the lavish property on social media, which included his & her’s cars, rooms their for kids and their parents.

The room labelled “kids” comes amid recent hints that the former glamour model might be pregnant.

Lee and Katie’s dream home plans have emerged despite concern over their quickfire marriage from those closest to Katie.

BREAK ups are often messy – none more so than when Gigi Hadid and Zayn Malik called time on their six-year romance in 2021. 

There were allegations of infidelity, heated differences over parenting their then one-year-old daughter Khai, and most explosively an escalating conflict with his girlfriend’s mother Yolanda. Now, after Zayn revealed in an explosive podcast that he ‘never loved’ the mother of his only child, insiders tell me how Camp Gigi’s inner circle are red with rage – and the shocking move her mum Yolanda may now take.

Indeed, their relationship has never been rosy.

One Direction singer Zayn, 33, was charged – and pleaded “no contest” to four counts of harassment against Gigi and Yolanda after their spilt in 2021.

The leaked court documents from the time do not paint a pretty picture of the relationship.

According to one account, Zayn got into an argument with Hadid matriarch Yolanda and called her a “f**ing Dutch s**t” and ordered her to ‘stay away from [my] f**ing daughter.’

Another document stated that the Bradford-born musician told Gigi to ‘strap on some f***ing balls and defend your partner against your f***ing mother in my house’ during a phone call with the mother of his child.

So it was a surprise to many among their close circle of friends that they were able to move on from the breakdown of their relationship and move forward on amicable terms. 

It was later confirmed that they shared 50:50 custody of their daughter, with the supermodel’s representative stating she was “solely focused on the best for Khai” and requested privacy.

Father and daughter have since formed a close bond with one another and Khai is said to have inherited Zayn’s musicality, according to sources. 

An associate of the model tells me: “Gigi would have been well within her rights to fight for full custody of their daughter after everything that happened.”

“She decided against that. Of course she wanted to avoid a very public showdown in the courts but ultimately she wanted to do everything in the best interest of Khai – and that meant having Zayn in her life.”

Over the years Gigi has kept a steely silence when it comes to the father of her child, and I’m told the pair had an unwritten rule not to talk about one another publicly. 

That went out of the window on Wednesday when despite writing several love songs about his ex, Zayn claimed he was never in love with Gigi. 

During an interview promoting his new single Die For Me, he reflected on his relationship with the Victoria’s Secret angel. 

He said: “My understanding of love is always developing. 

“At that moment in time, I might have thought it was love, but as I’ve got older, I’ve realized maybe it wasn’t. Maybe it was lust. Maybe it was this. Maybe it was that. I don’t feel like it was love.”

He later tried to clarify that he had “the utmost respect for her” but the damage was done. 

One pal of Hadid told me: “There is nothing respectful about badmouthing the mother of your child. Gigi was completely blindsided. It’s all so unnecessary and pathetic.”

“It feels like a grubby ploy to get some headlines ahead of his new album launch.”

“How can he say he was never in love with her? They were together for six years. To even suggest that their daughter was not the product of a loving relationship is cruel beyond words.” 

“Gigi has always refrained from saying an unkind word about him, so it makes it all the more humiliating.”

There is nothing respectful about badmouthing the mother of your child. Gigi was completely blindsided. It’s all so unnecessary and pathetic.

The strength of feeling from her camp is understandable. Not only was Gigi instrumental in the 50:50 parenting arrangement, against the advice of some of her inner circle I’m told, but she has publicly praised Zayn as a father.

In the years following the breakup, she has included him in her Father’s Day tribute when posting to her 76million Instagram followers. 

As well as celebrating her own dad Mohammed, she has posted about “Khai’s baba” including a tender picture of father and daughter in one Instagram story in 2022. 

Just last year, Gigi – who has now found love with Oscar-winning actor Bradley Cooper, 51 – told a Vogue cover interview that she and Malik had entered this new phase of their partnership with “love, and a feeling of camaraderie,”

She added: “We’re not interested in giving everyone our whole story. What we are interested in is raising our daughter together, with so much respect for each other, and not just as co-­parents, but what we’ve been through together.”

“Zayn and I do our custody schedules months in advance. That doesn’t mean that it doesn’t change here and there, but we help each other out and have each other’s backs.” 

But during the same podcast appearance this week, Zayn even talked about their differences over parenting. 

Revealing that he had left £500 to his daughter from the Tooth Fairy he said: “It was her first tooth! Her mom gave me s**t about it, and I was like, at the end of the day, I work my ass off, and I should be able to give my kid what I wanna give.”

Even the interviewer defended Gigi, adding: “Hold on. I may have to agree with her mom on this one.”

‘DIGNIFIED SILENCE’

Zayn completed a Las Vegas ­residency last month and has announced a 31-date world tour kicking off in May, and is not looking for love – certainly not a public one. 

The singer – who was previously engaged to Little Mix singer Perrie Edwards until their relationship ended in 2015 – also talked about how fame has affected his love life. 

He concluded: “I’m not looking for a public relationship again… I’ve just learned from it that it don’t work for me.”

My source said: “That sounds like a good idea and he should stop talking about his past relationships in public too.” 

There is now concern about how the Hadid clan – which includes mum Yolanda, the outspoken Real Housewives of Beverly Housewives star, dad Mohammad, the real estate mogul and father, supermodel sisters Gigi and Bella, and their brother Anwar – will react. 

“Gigi will maintain a dignified silence and do anything to make Khai happy,” my source said. “But I wouldn’t bet on Yolanda staying quiet.”

If Zayn and Yolanda’s past encounters are an indication of what is in store, then sit back and grab some popcorn. 

Super Bowl LX was mainly a defensive struggle.

Until the fourth quarter, the only points scored were four field goals by Seattle Seahawks kicker Jason Myers.

Many people have expressed the opinion that Seattle’s 29-13 victory over the New England Patriots was pretty much a snoozefest.

Those people, however, probably did not see one of the most exciting parts of the game because NBC did not show it on the TV broadcast.

Early in the fourth quarter, two men attempted to run onto the field, and one of them was successful.

According to the Santa Clara Police Department, Alex Gonzalez, 25, and Sebastian Rivera Jimenez, 24, were arrested at the stadium during the game for allegedly trespassing and field incursion.

Videos posted on social media by fans show that one of the alleged trespassers entered the playing area at around midfield. He ran between a pair of officials, one of whom dived after him and missed, then took off toward the end zone.

He made it near the 10-yard line, with Patriots rookie receiver Kyle Williams in pursuit at one point, before sliding to a stop. Although he’s being referred to by many as a “streaker,” the man was dressed from the waist down.

Numerous messages were painted on the man’s torso, including “@fxalexg,” which is the social media handle of public investor Alex Gonzalez. On Monday, Gonzalez posted a video to TikTok of someone, presumably himself, at the Super Bowl wearing dark glasses and a long, extremely fake-looking beard.

“This was Fxalexg disguise to streak the Super Bowl,” the caption reads.

Gonzalez added in the comments, “They never saw it coming.”

While NBC did not show the incident, announcer Mike Tirico said, in explaining the brief stoppage of play, “We have some rocket scientist running around the field.”

Gonzalez allegedly pulled off a similar stunt two years ago during Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, according to multiple media outlets.

A man named Sebastian Rivera Jimenez, who identifies himself as a filmmaker in his Instagram bio, posted a few videos on his Instagram Story that appear tied to one of the incidents. One video appears to show him wearing a fake, blue mustache while enjoying Bad Bunny’s halftime show from a front row in the stands. Other videos appear to show him being held to the ground and then taken away by security before he could make it onto the field.

“Most viral moment,” one of the captions reads. “Ill send you an invoice @nfl.”

Jeffrey Epstein pressured a media tycoon he did business with to quash coverage of allegations of his sexual abuse of girls, according to documents released by the United States Department of Justice.

Epstein leveraged close personal and professional ties with the Canadian-American billionaire Mortimer Zuckerman to try to influence the New York Daily News’s coverage of allegations against him after his 2008 conviction for soliciting a minor for prostitution, the documents show.

After Epstein reached out to Zuckerman, the then-owner of the Daily News, the tabloid first delayed its coverage of the allegations and then omitted details that the late financier had specifically requested be left out, according to the documents.

In an email dated October 9, 2009, Epstein shared a “proposed answer” to questions from the newspaper with Zuckerman that disputed allegations made against him and his girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell, who is currently serving a 20-year sentence for child sex trafficking.

The allegations, which had been put to Epstein and Maxwell by then-Daily News journalist George Rush, included accusations that the pair had subjected a minor known as “Jane Doe No 102” to routine sexual abuse and had engaged in threesomes with “various underage girls”.

The allegations also included claims that Maxwell kept a computer database of “hundreds of girls and oversaw the schedule of girls who came to Epstein’s homes”.

In the proposed response that he shared with Zuckerman, Epstein said “no sex occurred” with Jane Doe No 102 and she had admitted in a deposition to being an “escort, call girl, and a massage parlor worker since the age of 15”.

“All of the adult establishments in which she admitted working require proof of age. Rc the rest of the questions,” Epstein’s email to Zuckerman said.

“These are all malicious fabrications designed to get Mr Edwards clients more money than they normally receive though she did testify under oath that she made as much as 2000 per day,” the email said, referring to Bradley J Edwards, a Florida-based lawyer who has represented many of Epstein’s accusers.

Later that day, Zuckerman told Epstein in an email that the Daily News was “doing major editing over huge objections” and he would “c copy asap”.

“take ghislaine out. if possible,” Epstein responded in an email a few minutes later.

“the very first plaintiff, deposed admitted in a sworn videotaped statement that she lied and was an escort , call girl since age 15. SHE took the fifth. over 40 times.. its crazy.. thanks for you help.”

“Please call me asap,” Zuckerman wrote to Epstein several hours later, before asking Epstein to call him again later that night.

The Daily News ultimately published an article on December 19, 2009, that described Epstein reaching a settlement with his accuser for an undisclosed amount of money.

The article noted that Epstein was facing “more than a dozen” lawsuits from women who accused him of sexually abusing them but made no mention of Maxwell or the allegations against her.

Zuckerman, a staunch supporter of Israel who served as head of the America-Israel Friendship League and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, has never been accused of any involvement in Epstein’s crimes.

Rush, who left the Daily News in 2010, confirmed that Epstein had tried to “cajole” Zuckerman, the current owner of US News & World Report, into burying or shaping the story to Epstein’s liking.

Rush said the Daily News decided to delay publication after Epstein offered the newspaper an interview.

“Unfortunately, Epstein immediately insisted that the interview be off the record. He also used the conversation to make remorseless claims that he was a victim of overzealous prosecutors and shyster lawyers,” Rush told Al Jazeera.

Rush said Zuckerman, who sold the Daily News in 2017, never suggested that the newspaper cancel the story altogether or publish coverage that was favourable to Epstein.

“I do recall being advised to leave Ghislaine Maxwell out of the story,” Rush said.

“At the time, the paper’s lawyers had libel concerns, and I saw it as a necessary compromise.”

Rush said he had objected to the efforts to interfere in his story but the episode did not cause a “newsroom furore”.

“Most people hadn’t heard of Epstein at that point. I didn’t like Epstein and Maxwell trying to appeal to the owner,” he said.

“But I was relieved that the story wasn’t killed, just delayed, and hopeful that Epstein might say something quotable in the interview. It speaks to Epstein’s arrogance that he thought he had the power to get Mort to do his bidding.”

Zuckerman’s personal assistant and the Zuckerman STEM Leadership Program, an initiative founded by the billionaire to fund scientific collaboration between the US and Israel, did not reply to requests for comment from Al Jazeera.

Ties for two decades

Zuckerman’s ties to Epstein stretch back more than 20 years.

In 2005, Zuckerman, who also owned The Atlantic magazine from 1984 to 1999, worked with Epstein on the short-lived relaunch of the gossip-and-entertainment magazine Radar.

After a US congressional panel in September released a scrapbook prepared for Epstein’s 50th birthday in 2003, Zuckerman was among a slew of high-profile names revealed to have sent the financier their well-wishes.

But the latest tranche of files from the 2019 prosecution of Epstein, released last week by US authorities, show that Zuckerman’s relationship with the sex offender was much closer than previously believed.

In 2008, Zuckerman sought Epstein’s advice on his plans for passing on his estate, sharing sensitive details about his financial affairs in the process, including a copy of his will and an evaluation of his assets that put his net worth at $1.9bn.

In 2013, Epstein drafted several agreements to provide Zuckerman with “analysing, evaluating, planning and other services” related to the billionaire’s plans for passing on his wealth.

Epstein proposed a fee of $30m in a proposal drafted in June 2013 before offering his services for $21m in a revised proposal that December, according to the documents.

In correspondence around this period, Zuckerman appeared to hold Epstein’s claimed expertise in high regard.

“Your questions have been critical to my growing understanding of how much lies ahead before my finances are properly organized,” Zuckerman wrote to Epstein in an email dated October 12, 2013, after the financier had earlier claimed to have identified “wild errors” in Zuckerman’s accounting of his finances.

“You have been an invaluable friend and In the most constructive way a provocateur I am completely grateful and am now beginning to focus, in on the issues you have raised. With appreciation from a hesitant amateur   Mort.”

It is not clear whether Zuckerman ultimately signed the agreement proposed by Epstein.

Zuckerman and Epstein communicated regularly, and the two men arranged numerous dinners and other meetings over the years, according to the documents, including at the financier’s Manhattan home.

“Mort is now booked for tonight at 8:30…i am being asked if you could see him this weekend…please advise,” Lesley Groff, Epstein’s personal assistant, wrote on May 5, 2015, in one of many emails detailing appointments.

While Zuckerman turned to Epstein for financial advice, he also appeared to regard him as a friend.

“Hi there. You are very special. And a great friend. Mort,” Zuckerman wrote to Epstein in an email dated August 24, 2014.

AS the ugly aftermath of his Instagram tirade against his family rumbles on, Brooklyn Beckham’s one-time pals appear to have become unwitting contestants in a real-life game of The Traitors.

Having already severed ties with his parents, David and Victoria, the A-list nepobaby is now ruthlessly banishing his inner circle, with insiders revealing how “incredibly close” friends have been blindsided by his “bizarre” and brutal behaviour.

Former best mates, including Madonna’s son Rocco Ritchie and Gordon Ramsay’s twins Jack and Holly, have all fallen by the wayside since the 26-year-old tied the knot with Nicola Peltz, while even newer friends such as pop star Selena Gomez have found themselves ruthlessly cut off.

His brother Romeo this weekend unveiled a new tattoo that reads “Family” — leaving no doubt where his loyalties lie.

And as divisions grow between the wannabe chef and his famous family, he and Nicola, 31, appear to be weeding out any “traitorous” friends who have slighted them — or picked the wrong side in the feud.

The Sun can reveal that the latest famous face to be cut adrift is Brooklyn’s former classmate Anais Gallagher, the daughter of Oasis star Noel and Meg Mathews.

Just days after David’s oldest son released a bombshell Instagram statement — in which he vowed never to reconcile with his “controlling” family who only care about “Brand Beckham” — 26-year-old influencer Anais was stunned to discover she had been blocked online.

Having attended sixth form with Brooklyn — at the exclusive, £12,000-per-term Fine Arts College in Belsize Park, North West London — the pair were part of the same close-knit group of friends which also included Rocco.

‘I find this book offensive’

As the children of two of Britain’s most famous couples, they quickly hit it off and became thick as thieves with a flirty on/off relationship.

Our insider said: “They grew incredibly close while they were at school and there was always a lot of flirting between them.

“It was never anything with a label but they were certainly more than friends.

“Victoria, it’s fair to say, wasn’t 100 per cent enthralled with their closeness — in her eyes the Gallaghers don’t have quite the same reputation as the Beckhams.

“Anais and Brooklyn stayed close for quite a while after — she even went to his wedding to Nicola — and Anais assumed they were still on good terms even though their lives have taken different paths.

“She was really blindsided when she realised that he had blocked her.

“Anais is pretty sure it’s because he’s worried she’s going to spill the beans about what went on. But that’s not her style.”

Brooklyn’s feelings towards Anais might have started to change in 2022, shortly after his lavish $3million oceanfront wedding to billionaire’s daughter Nicola.

Anais attended the bash, but that same year she slammed Brooklyn’s photography book, What I See, despite attending its launch event.

His photography attempts were widely mocked — and his pal said: “I genuinely find this book offensive.”

It first became clear that Brooklyn was having a social clear-out when none of his former friends or family came to see him renew vows with Nicola last August at her family’s 130-acre estate in New York state.

Instead they partied with Georgina Chapman, her partner Adrien Brody and Nicola’s glam squad.

Brooklyn was close to a string of nepo-babies in London, including Jack and Holly Ramsay.

During his schooldays, he was often snapped skating or hanging out with pals alongside Madonna and Guy Ritchie’s son Rocco — who at the time was dating Kim Turnbull, now the girlfriend of Brooklyn’s sibling Romeo.

Madonna was said to be very pleased about Brooklyn’s influence on her son, but it’s not known if Victoria felt the same way.

Rocco was at Brooklyn and Nicola’s lavish wedding in 2022 — but he was absent when they renewed their vows, raising questions about whether the friends who the Beckhams’ eldest child grew up with supported his relationship.

An insider explained: “There has clearly been a real shutdown. Brooklyn has no contact with mates from his former life in the UK. It’s like the marriage to Nicola meant he started a whole new life with new people around him.

“It’s sad but people have sensed a shift in his life and priorities.

“And being aligned with someone who is feuding with his parents so publicly is a bad look.”

Brooklyn once spoke highly of Rocco and Jack, saying in 2017: “I’ve changed schools quite a few times but I have some close friends that have known me since I was very young. I have a handful of really close friends, but in particular I’d say Jack Ramsay and Rocco Ritchie.”

And as his time with Rocco came to an end, so did his friendship with DJ Kim Turnbull, who he was once romantically linked to.

Her relationship with his brother Romeo hasn’t helped the situation — and insiders say their dating made it clear to him whose side she was on.

And Brooklyn’s friendship with Jack is now said to be non-existent. He no longer speaks to Gordon and Tana’s eldest son, who is in the Marines.

Meanwhile, Brooklyn is believed to have declined an invitation to attend Holly’s wedding to Adam Peaty at the end of last year.

Tellingly, his parents and siblings were all in attendance, including brothers Cruz and Romeo.

It’s been more than five years since Brooklyn has been seen with anyone from his old London life.

His Instagram is now full of pictures with just Nicola or her family who appear to have become their closest confidants.

But it is not only his pals who have been cast aside. Up until last year, American actress and pop star Selena Gomez was a permanent fixture in the Peltz-Beckhams’ lives, joking they were all so close it was like a throuple.

Now the trio are no longer speaking — with sources telling The Sun that Selena was left feeling betrayed after best pal Nicola unceremoniously dumped her.

‘Victoria didn’t like me’

Despite numerous photos together over the past few years — including girls’ night sleepovers, and gushing birthday tributes — Brooklyn and Nicola were not in attendance at Selena’s fairytale wedding to Benny Blanco in September.

While it was claimed Nicola and Brooklyn were unable to attend due to a busy work schedule, questions have been raised about why they refused to move things around for someone who was once so close in their lives.

Nicola is certainly no stranger to shutting people out. Before she started dating Brooklyn in 2019, she had a year-long relationship with Anwar Hadid — brother of models Bella and Gigi — but the romance is now tinged with ill-feeling.

Nicola was 22 and Anwar was 17 at the time, and there were rumours that he grew distant from his family during the relationship. Nicola unfollowed the whole family on social media after they split.

Now, as tensions with Brooklyn’s parents reach an all-time high, their social circle certainly seems to be getting smaller and smaller.

He suffered from anxiety. Brooklyn felt as though the world was constantly waiting for him to muck up

Afton McKeith

So who is still on their side? Despite spilling the beans on their time with Brooklyn recently, former flames Tallia Storm and Afton McKeith appear to have proved their loyalty.

Afton, who dated Brooklyn when they were 17, and Tallia, who was linked to him in 2016, were quick to speak out about their experiences — in particular with Victoria — in support of Brooklyn.

Singer Tallia recalled the time the pair were meant to attend a charity gala, which was hosted by Victoria’s close pal, the actress Eva Longoria.

She explained: “I was meant to sit next to Brooklyn.

“We were all super excited — and then he messaged me on the night itself, when I was already inside, saying, ‘My mum won’t let me come, I’m sorry.’ And that was that. Obviously, Victoria didn’t like me or whatever.”

Afton, the daughter of I’m a Celeb star Gillian McKeith, grew up alongside Brooklyn in West London — and gave a scathing review of David and Victoria’s parenting.

If you’ve ever crossed him, he won’t forget — and as the war with his parents drags on, he’s taking note on who has his back and who clearly doesn’t

Our insider

She said: “He suffered from anxiety. Brooklyn felt as though the world was constantly waiting for him to muck up.

“I now feel his parents could have protected him more and considered the impact of the public Brand Beckham.”

At least Brooklyn and Nicola also appear to have two high-profile champions in their camp, with The Sun last year revealing how Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were secretly supporting the couple and even had them round for dinner.

Closer to home, Brooklyn seems to have reserved an olive branch for little sister Harper — the only sibling he has reached out to since the estrangement — after wishing her a happy birthday in July.

Unfortunately for Anais, building bridges may be harder.

Our insider added: “Brooklyn has the memory of an elephant, just like the infamous, blurry image of one he snapped in Kenya for his photography book.

“If you’ve ever crossed him, he won’t forget — and as the war with his parents drags on, he’s taking note on who has his back and who clearly doesn’t.”

Anyone planning a Traitorous move on Brooklyn or Nicola better watch out — they won’t be returning breakfast in the morning.

EXCLUSIVE

Email exchange shows Epstein sought to arrange meeting between top Democrat and US Virgin Islands representative.

An associate of the United States Virgin Islands’ sole representative in the US Congress asked Jeffrey Epstein for help to arrange a meeting between the politician and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, according to documents released by the US Justice Department.

The outreach to Epstein was made on behalf of Stacey Plaskett, the islands’ delegate to the House of Representatives, as the politician sought to lobby Schumer for relief after two hurricanes ripped through the Caribbean in 2017, according to the documents.

“We have to help Stacey get a meeting with Schumer. Any thoughts?” Erika Kellerhals, a tax lawyer in the US Virgin Islands, wrote to Epstein in an email on January 24, 2018.

“[S]hould not be a problem need to know the reason and subject,” Epstein wrote back a few hours later.

“She has been unable to confirm a meeting with him. He is driving the disaster relief bill and has only been talking about Puerto Rico and not the [Virgin Islands]. She’s concerned we will be ignored,” Kellerhals told Epstein in response.

After his exchange with Kellerhals, Epstein sent an email to Kathy Ruemmler, a former chief counsel to US President Barack Obama, asking for help in setting up a meeting with Schumer.

“schumer is driving the puerto rico . virgin islands relief=bill. the VI congressional rep Stacey plaskett , h=s not been able to get a meeting. confirmed with him. ca= you help?” Epstein wrote to Ruemmler, who is now the chief lawyer to Goldman Sachs.

“I do not have any relations=ip with him, but let me see whether I can get to his COS,” Ruemmler said in response, referring to his chief of staff.

The emails are among some 3.5 million pages of files released last week that relate to US authorities’ investigations into Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

It is not clear if a meeting between Schumer and Plaskett went ahead, though Congress ultimately approved emergency funds for the US Virgin Islands as part of a two-year budget package passed in February 2018.

There is no public record of Schumer meeting or directly communicating with Epstein.

Schumer, Plaskett and Kellerhals did not respond to requests for comment. Ruemmler could not be reached for comment.

The email exchange with Epstein, which has not been previously reported, is the latest among numerous examples of how the disgraced financier continued to exert influence at the highest levels of politics and business long after his 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution with a minor.

Plaskett’s ties to Epstein have been a source of controversy for years.

Plaskett narrowly escaped censure by the House of Representatives last year over revelations that Epstein had coached her over text during a Congressional hearing in February 2019.

Shortly after Epstein was arrested for a second time in July 2019, Plaskett announced that she would donate a sum to charity equivalent to several campaign donations she had received from Epstein and his associates.

While Plaskett is a non-voting member of Congress, the Democrat participates in floor debates and sits on several influential committees, including the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

Plaskett has previously denied enabling Epstein, calling him a “demon” and saying she was “disgusted by his deviant behavior”.

Names of the rich and powerful are littered throughout the latest batch of the “Epstein files.” Here are some of the most prominent global figures.

The Sunday Telegraph says the King paid a surprise visit to joggers at a Parkrun event on his Sandringham Estate in Norfolk. “Yes, it really IS His Majesty,” is the Sunday Mirror’s headline, above a photo of the King, laughing beside one of the organisers, who’s holding up a sign to that effect. Joggers “lapped up” the joke, it says.

Alan Sugar’s iconic boardroom has seen some hugely talented business folk walk through his doors, whereas some The Apprentice hopefuls have been less successful…

Both outgoing candidates on The Apprentice insisted tonight Lord Sugar was wrong to fire them – with one businesswoman taking weeks to get over his decision.

To mark series 20 of The Apprentice, Lord Sugar sent his 20 candidates to Hong Kong, one of the world ’s most vibrant trading hubs, tasked with securing nine items at knock down prices. But both the male and female teams struggled with the unknown geography, tight deadlines and business basics.

After setting up the boardroom outside of London for the first time he sent Nikki Jetha and Georgina Newton packing, as their female team only bought two items, with half the team also almost two hours late to the finish line which led to further penalties.

Looking back, actress and events manager Georgina, 31, said: “I didn’t deserve to be fired. I think in the first episode, I probably contributed more than anybody on my team, and I think for the show, the person that contributes the least should go home. I thought I had a few more weeks, at least, left in me. I was devastated. I spent two weeks feeling sorry for myself but then I picked myself back up, put myself back together and then cracked on ready for the next thing. But I was really sad.”

However, it was not all bad news as Georgina got to travel long-haul for the first time in her life and insisted she had learned a great deal. She added: “I’ve been performing in theatre all of my life. I’ve always played a character, and I think for a lot of my life, I’ve hidden behind being somebody else, and being in this process, it’s the first time I’ve ever done anything just as Georgie. And I think what I realise the most from this is that I am enough just as I am. I can hold my own. I’m enough, and I think that’s a really lovely takeaway.”

Niki, who was project manager for the task and amongst those arriving late, insisted she should not have been fired because she led on the challenge for the unorganised female team. The 33-year-old said: “I did not get to show more of myself and what I’m capable of, but I definitely don’t feel defeated. You know, I stepped forward, I took a risk and I own the outcome.

“I was brave enough to stand up and take on a challenge during the first task. It was, you know, unfamiliar territory. Not knowing the process, let alone the country, and not having the internet and things like that. But I did the best I could do under the pressure, with limited information, and I’d rather be fired for stepping up than staying safe in the background. There’s a saying that ships are safest in the harbour, but that’s not what they’re built for.”

Laying into some of her teammates but refusing the name people she added: “There were some people who weren’t team players, and they didn’t contribute. You know, they spent more time complaining and moaning, as opposed to giving ideas and working out how we can push forward.”

Georgina now has a job selling items for brands on TikTok and hopes to land a job on a shopping channel whilst Niki is back at her old job and raising a family.

She concluded: “I’m doing exactly what I do best. I’m a mortgage advisor, I’m still advising my clients, growing my business and building my brand, but ultimately, I’m still a mum, family-focused, but I’m definitely not slowing down, and this is not the last you have seen of me.”

* The Apprentice continues on BBC1 and BBC iPlayer on Thursdays at 21.00.

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