Sam

Satellite imagery shows China has been building at least two facilities featuring hardened shelters with retractable roofs along its heavily disputed border with India. These look to be examples of a new pattern of air defense site, with the shelters allowing for surface-to-air missiles to be fired from transporter-erector-launchers situated within. The shelters, which offer added protection against various threats and create complexities for enemy forces, reflect larger trends when it comes to hardening of military infrastructure in China and elsewhere globally.

Geospatial intelligence firm AllSource Analysis was the first to call attention to the two sites in western China, which it assessed using satellite images from Planet Labs taken between August and September. Additional satellite imagery captured in September from Vantor (formerly Maxar Technologies), first obtained by India Today, offers further insights.

One of the sites is situated within Gar County, while the other is near the eastern end of Pangong Lake (also known as Pangong Tso). Both are located inside China’s Tibet Autonomous Region in relatively close proximity to the so-called Line of Actual Control (LAC), which forms the current de facto border with India. Pangong Lake and other areas along the LAC have seen repeated confrontations between Chinese and Indian forces over the years that have sometimes escalated into violent skirmishes. In 2022, TWZ noted an already significant expansion of Chinese military infrastructure on that country’s side of the LAC following the conclusion of a particular serious flare-up in the border dispute that had first erupted two years earlier.

Static surface-to-air missile sites are present at bases across China, especially in border areas and along its coasts, all of which share common circular design patterns. The typical mode of operation at those facilities involves TELs moving out from garages to open positions when ordered.

The facilities in Gar County and near Pangong Lake, which are enclosed inside heavy perimeter walls, have distinctly different configurations from what is typically seen at Chinese air defense sites. Each one has four hardened shelters with retractable roofs, all with the same trapezoidal design. From what can be seen in additional satellite imagery from Vantor, the shelters look to have a reinforced concrete garage-like central section with angled additions, which may just be earthen berms, on three sides.

The Gar County facility also has what appears to be two radars in elevated positions, as well as channels linking them to the shelters and what looks to be the main command center. Communications cables could be laid in those channels.

Similar channels are visible at the facility near Pangong Lake, but there are no apparent radar positions currently. There are signs that construction is still ongoing at both locations to differing degrees.

The facilities in Gar County and along the shore of Pangong Lake also have an array of other structures that look to provide for munitions storage, vehicle maintenance, living spaces for personnel, command and control, and more. Each one also has a pair of basketball courts, a common feature at People’s Liberation Army (PLA) bases, large and small, across China.

Beyond the shelters, many of the other buildings at both locations, including the main command centers, look to have been built to extremely similar, if not identical patterns. This, in turn, points to the sites, which have different overall layouts, having the same core purpose.

As mentioned, the combination of the shelters, radar positions, and other features seen at the Gar Country site, in particular, points to an air defense mission for both facilities. AllSource Analysis assessed that the sites would be sufficient to support an HQ-9 long-range surface-to-air missile system. The HQ-9 is in widespread Chinese service today and is broadly analogous to later models of the Soviet-designed S-300P series. A typical complete HQ-9 system includes a number of 8×8 wheeled transporter-erector-launchers (TEL), each of which can be loaded with up to four interceptors at a time, and offboard search and fire control radars.

The HQ-9 TELs fire their missiles vertically, which aligns with shelters with retractable roofs. One of the Vantor satellite images of the Gar County site shows the roofs of two of the shelters retracted, revealing objects inside that are consistent with HQ-9 TELs in their deployed positions.

Other surface-to-air missile systems that launch their interceptors vertically could also potentially make use of the shelters. It is also possible that they could be used in combination with surface-to-surface missile systems, though this seems far less likely to be the intent with everything else that is visible at both sites.

First and foremost, the ability to fire anti-air interceptors from within hardened shelters offers additional protection for those assets, which could be particularly valuable for Chinese forces arrayed along the LAC with India. The facilities help extend the PLA’s anti-access and area denial bubbles deeper into Indian territory – India Today‘s report noted that there is an Indian air base on the opposite side of the LAC from where the site in Gar County is situated – but are also within range of Indian standoff strikes as a result. Their location also opens them up to the possibility of more direct and shorter-range attacks in the event of a major conflict, including ones involving armed drones or even ground raids. As mentioned, the facilities in Gar County and near Pangong Lake also have fortified perimeters.

The shelters also make it harder for enemy forces to readily determine what is inside, which could lead to opponents expanding valuable resources to destroy empty structures. They also simply provide a way to help shield assets and personnel from extremely low temperatures, harsh weather conditions, and other potentially problematic environmental factors commonly found in this part of the world.

It’s interesting to note here that this is not the first time that structures with retractable roofs that look intended, at least in part, to be used in combination with surface-to-air missile systems, and the HQ-9 specifically, have appeared at Chinese military bases.

In 2017, Reuters reported on the appearance of far less hardened structures with retractable roofs on China’s man-made island outposts in Subi, Mischief, and Fiery Cross reefs, all part of the hotly disputed Spratly Islands chain in the South China Sea. The suggestion, even then, was that those buildings were reflective of a broader trend in Chinese air defense sites.

Life-changing mental health walking and running groups are set to open all over the country in honour of Pride of Britain winner Marcus Skeet

The Mirror’s Pride of Britain Awards 2025 were a night to remember as ordinary people – who have done extraordinary things – were applauded for their hard work by a host of famous faces.

And when Marcus Skeet, the record-breaking charity runner and mental health champion received his Special Recognition Award, he got an extra surprise. After handing Marcus his trophy, pop star Anne-Marie, and podcast duo Pete Wicks and Sam Thompson revealed Pride of Britain had launched a special GoFundMe for mental health charity Mind in Marcus’s honour.

Money raised will pay for special mental health walking and running groups all over the country called Marcus’s Movers. The groups, which include mental health practitioners, cost £2,500 to set up.

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Sam and Pete kicked things off with a £5,000 donation on stage, and then Pub Landlord Al Murray took to the floor to persuade some other famous faces to chip in too.

Dragons Den tycoon Duncan Bannatyne donated £20,000, bringing the total raised on the night to £50,000, enough to fund 20 potentially lifesaving Marcus’s Movers groups. A stunned Marcus told Ashley Banjo: “From the bottom of my heart, that means the absolute world. I’m lost for words.”

Now you can help by donating to the GoFundMe to help Mind set up even more Marcus’s Movers groups in communities all over Britain. The Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards with P&O Cruises celebrate unsung heroes like Marcus. His own life was transformed by walking and running – the teenager went from the lowest possible ebb to becoming a record-breaking charity fundraiser and Pride of Britain winner.

He was 12 when his dad was diagnosed with early-onset dementia. Marcus’s physical and mental health rapidly declined and he was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder and intrusive thoughts which dramatically impacted his life.

At 15 he was in “one of the darkest places”, and attempted suicide after spending months alone in his room with no contact with the outside world. Desperate to turn his life around, Marcus, now 17, started walking short distances at first, before building up distance and speed until he was jogging longer routes. He says: “My mental health was at an all time low so I decided to run, not just for mental health but to raise awareness. Running pushed my body and mind and the feeling after a run was like nothing else.”

Since then, Marcus has raised more than £200,000 for Mind through running, including a run from Land’s End to John O’Groats. The gruelling 874 mile challenge saw him become the youngest person ever – and the first under 18 – to run the entire length of the UK.

Marcus has documented his journey on social media in the hopes of inspiring others who are struggling with their mental health. He says: “Life is brutal, sometimes you feel like you’re in a place you can’t get out of. But I promise you, every road may have speed bumps but you’ll get over them. Mental health is such a big thing, everyone is different but I find running helps mine.”

Find out more about Marcus’s Movers and donate at gofundme.com/f/marcus-movers

LIMP Bizkit bassist Sam Rivers shared a final glimpse of his life just weeks before his sudden death aged 48.

The late star posted a picture of himself relaxing in the back of a limo during a trip to London.

The August 22 Instagram post, now flooded with tributes, showed the rocker leaning back in the plush seat, looking calm and content as he soaked up the moment in the UK capital.

“I hope everyone is having a great day. In London with my fav and and the LB Fam #limpbizkit #limpbizkitstyle #limpbizkitfamily #nothingbutlove,” Rivers captioned the photo.

The laid-back, joyful snapshot has now taken on heartbreaking new meaning after his death.

The founding member of the rap-rock giants passed away on Saturday, though a cause of death has not yet been revealed.

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His bandmates confirmed the news in an emotional statement to fans.

They wrote: “In Loving Memory of Our Brother, Sam Rivers. Today we lost our brother. Our bandmate. Our heartbeat.

“Sam Rivers wasn’t just our bass player — he was pure magic. The pulse beneath every song, the calm in the chaos, the soul in the sound.”

They added: “From the first note we ever played together, Sam brought a light and a rhythm that could never be replaced. His talent was effortless, his presence unforgettable, his heart enormous.

“We shared so many moments — wild ones, quiet ones, beautiful ones — and every one of them meant more because Sam was there.

“He was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of human. A true legend of legends. And his spirit will live forever in every groove, every stage, every memory. We love you, Sam.

“We’ll carry you with us, always. Rest easy, brother. Your music never ends. — Fred, Wes, John & DJ Lethal.”

DJ Lethal shared his own heartfelt message, writing: “We love you Sam rivers. Please respect the family’s privacy at this moment. Give Sam his flowers and play Sam rivers basslines all day! We are in shock.

“Rest in power my brother! You will live on through your music and the lives you helped save with your music, charity work and friendships. We are heartbroken enjoy every millisecond of life. It’s not guaranteed.”

Rivers, born in Jacksonville, Florida, co-founded Limp Bizkit in 1994 alongside frontman Fred Durst and drummer John Otto, later joined by guitarist Wes Borland and DJ Lethal.

Together they reshaped late-’90s rock with hits like Break Stuff, My Way, Behind Blue Eyes and Take a Look Around, and their albums — including Significant Other and Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water — became era-defining records, with four going platinum or multi-platinum.

The band earned three Grammy nominations and a Billboard Music Award, cementing their status as one of the most influential rock acts of their generation.

Rivers’ journey wasn’t without battles.

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He left Limp Bizkit in 2015 after being diagnosed with liver disease caused by excessive drinking, later revealing he underwent a life-saving liver transplant in 2017.

He rejoined the band in 2018 after recovering, continuing to perform with them until his death.

Sam Rivers, the founding bassist of the band Limp Bizkit, has died at age 48, the band announced Saturday.

“Today we lost our brother. Our bandmate. Our heartbeat,” the band wrote in an Instagram post. “Sam Rivers wasn’t just our bass player — he was pure magic. The pulse beneath every song, the calm in the chaos, the soul in the sound.”

The post did not cite a cause of death.

Formed in Jacksonville, Fla., Limp Bizkit and lead singer Fred Durst rose to prominence in the late ’90s and early 2000s with its mix of rock and hip-hop.

Rivers also sang backup vocals for the band, which topped radio charts with songs including “Break Stuff,” “Nookie,” “Re-Arranged” and “My Way.”

“From the first note we ever played together, Sam brought a light and a rhythm that could never be replaced. His talent was effortless, his presence unforgettable, his heart enormous,” the band wrote in the post. “We shared so many moments — wild ones, quiet ones, beautiful ones — and every one of them meant more because Sam was there.”

The tribute was signed by Durst, along with band members Wes Borland, John Otto and DJ Lethal.

“He was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of human. A true legend of legends. And his spirit will live forever in every groove, every stage, every memory,” it said. “We love you, Sam. We’ll carry you with us, always. Rest easy, brother. Your music never ends.”

In a comment on the post, Leor Dimant — also known as DJ Lethal — asked people to “please respect the family’s privacy at this moment.” He added that fans can “give Sam his flowers” by playing his bass lines all day.

“Rest in power my brother,” Dimant wrote. “You will live on through your music and the lives you helped save with your music, charity work and friendships.”

SAM Rivers, bassist for rock-rap group Limp Bizkit, has died aged 48, according to an emotional statement from the band.

His fellow band members paid tribute to their “brother” on social media after he passed away on Saturday evening.

Announcing the news to fans on Instagram, the band wrote: “In Loving Memory of Our Brother, Sam Rivers. Today we lost our brother.

“Our bandmate. Our heartbeat. Sam Rivers wasn’t just our bass player — he was pure magic.

“The pulse beneath every song, the calm in the chaos, the soul in the sound.”

They added: “From the first note we ever played together, Sam brought a light and a rhythm that could never be replaced.

“His talent was effortless, his presence unforgettable, his heart enormous. We shared so many moments — wild ones, quiet ones, beautiful ones — and every one of them meant more because Sam was there.”

“He was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of human. A true legend of legends,” the statement continued.

“And his spirit will live forever in every groove, every stage, every memory.”

The band concluded: “We love you, Sam. We’ll carry you with us, always. Rest easy, brother. Your music never ends. — Fred, Wes, John & DJ Lethal.”

The 48-year-old’s cause of death is yet to be revealed.

In 2015, Rivers left the band after being diagnosed with liver disease due to excessive drinking.

He revealed that he had undergone a liver transplant before rejoining the band in 2018.

Rivers was a founding member of Limp Bizkit, having formed the band with Fred Durst and John Otto in 1994.

The band then added guitarist Wes Borland and DJ Lethal in 1996.

The group dropped six albums, including critically-acclaimed “Significant Other” and “Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water”.

Rivers has played on all six albums, four of which have been certified platinum or multi-platinum.

Limp Bizkit are best known for songs including “Behind Blue Eyes” and “Take a Look Around.”

Most eyes are, understandably, on the Ashes rather than this series.

It should not be forgotten, however, that this was the first of only six T20s England have before the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka begins in February.

While Bethell, who flickered in striking a fine straight six before falling to a top edge for 15, can press their case to play against Australia, Curran is one of those with the most to gain before the World Cup.

The 27-year-old was picked for the first time in any format under coach Brendon McCullum last month and offers a second seam-bowling option in the batting-heavy side Brook’s England favour.

Having seen Bethell, Buttler, who made 29, Jordan Cox and Tom Banton tamely chip catches into the air on a surface that nipped for the quick bowlers and held for the spinners, Curran was fortunate to be dropped on 14 by bowler Jacob Duffy and at deep extra cover by Tim Robinson when he had 26. Both were straightforward chances.

While at no point did Curran find his best batting rhythm, he remained calm to power the impressive left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner for one six over long-off and flicked a full toss over square leg in a final over from which he took seamer Duffy for 19.

This match will not last long in the memory, but Curran at least took advantage of what limited opportunity he was given.

SAM Fender has won the 2025 Mercury Prize for his album People Watching.

The singer-songwriter nabbed the prestigious award at the ceremony in his native Newcastle – the first time it has been held outside London.

He won with his third album ahead of a star-studded pack of 12 nominees, including Pulp, Wolf Alice, FKA Twigs, PinkPantheress and Pa Salieu.

Sam was not fancied by the bookies, so his victory is something of a shock.

The Geordie name checked fellow nominees during his acceptance speech to an ecstatic crowd.

He said: “I just I really didn’t – we did not expect this at all. I want to say thank you – I cannot think.”

Sam then grabbed his guitar and launched into a rendition of his album’s titular track, People Watching.

Sam also thanked Annie Orwin, the inspiration behind the song, for being like a “surrogate mother”.

Judges said they loved People Watching’s “character and ambition”, adding: “It felt like a classic.”

Wolf Alice and Pulp have both won the award in the past.

If either of them had taken it home, they have become just the second act to win it twice, joining PJ Harvey.

This is a breaking news story, more to follow…

England were flat in the first two ODIs – particularly the opening thrashing at Headingley, when they were bowled out for 131 – but responded with a record win in the third at Southampton.

Batters Ben Duckett and Jamie Smith have been rested for this series while a new-look side will be led by Bethell against Ireland at the end of the month, providing players such as Curran with another chance to impress McCullum.

“I sat down with him recently and asked him to bang down the door, to force his way into the top six and with his bowling ability,” McCullum told Sky Sports after the ODI series.

“He is a very attractive resource and it was just a matter of putting in performances to get himself back to where he needed to be.

“He was honest. He said he was determined to have a long international career and fair play to him, he has banged it down.”

Duckett and Smith were among those to play all five Tests against India before going straight to The Hundred and then the ODIs.

England have a white-ball series in New Zealand before the Ashes in November, and face another tight turnaround with the T20 World Cup taking place in India and Sri Lanka in February – although the schedule is yet to be released.

“I can only speak for myself but I obviously don’t play Test cricket so I can just focus on the white-ball side of things, I can go to New Zealand and then have a rest so I’m fresh for that World Cup,” spinner Rashid told BBC Sport about the packed schedule.

“It’s probably going to be a bit of a challenge for the guys [playing all formats] but that’s the schedule.

“Everyone will be up for it, no huffing and puffing or no complaining because we all know that’s part and parcel of cricket. We’ll all be raring to go mentally and physically.”

The first T20 starts at 18:30 BST on Wednesday, with the second match at Old Trafford on Friday and the finale at Trent Bridge on Sunday.

Thursday might be an off-day for the Dodgers.

But for their most intriguing recent draft pick, it’s also the opening day of a different kind of season.

In the 17th round of last month’s MLB draft, the Dodgers took a flier on University of Missouri pitcher Sam Horn, a 6-foot-4 right-hander with a big fastball, a promising slider and an athletic, projectable build.

Like most late-round prospects hoping to become a diamond in the rough, Horn came with questions. He pitched just 15 innings in his college career after undergoing Tommy John surgery as a sophomore. His limited body of work led to a wide range of scouting opinions.

In Horn’s case, however, the biggest unknowns had nothing to do with his potential as a pitcher.

Because, starting Thursday night, he will also be under center as quarterback for Missouri’s football team.

Horn is not only a two-sport athlete, but someone still undecided on whether his future will be on a mound or the gridiron. As a quarterback, he was a four-star recruit in Missouri’s 2022 signing class. And this fall, he has been locked in a battle with Penn State transfer Beau Pribula, jockeying for first-string signal-caller duties at an SEC program coming off a 10-win season.

When Missouri opens its 2025 football schedule Thursday night against Central Arkansas, Pribula will play the first half, and Horn will play the second half. As for the rest of the season, Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz has yet to hand either player all the keys to the offense.

“I think both quarterbacks have done an excellent job of doing the things that we’ve asked them to do, and there wasn’t enough separation that I felt like there was a clear-cut starter,” Drinkwitz told reporters this week. “And so the next-best evaluation is in a live football game to see how guys respond, not only to preparation and a game plan, but also respond to a crowd, also respond to being tackled and being hit.”

It’s a QB battle that Dodgers officials have followed with fascination throughout Missouri’s fall camp.

Already, the club has signed Horn to a baseball contract with an almost $500,000 signing bonus (well above the norm for the 525th overall pick).

The question now is whether he ever ends up playing for them.

“We’re pleasantly hoping he does,” Dodgers vice president of baseball operations Billy Gasparino said this week. “We think there’s a whole window of opportunity to get him much better, and quickly.”

Once upon a time, the Dodgers viewed Horn as one of college baseball’s better pitching prospects. Even in a limited sample size as a freshman in 2023, Gasparino said the team evaluated him as having potential future first-round talent.

“He’s a tremendous athlete,” said Gasparino, the longtime point man for the Dodgers’ draft operations. “He has really good arm action. I think that part was very elite.”

By the time Horn actually became draft-eligible this summer, though, uncertainties about his future made his scouting process unique.

All along, Horn signaled to MLB teams that he wanted to play football this fall. As a redshirt junior, he will have another season of eligibility in football next year as well. Gasparino said the narrative around Horn, who is originally from Lawrenceville, Ga., is that “baseball is his first love.”

“But,” Gasparino added, “he definitely seemed split on what he wanted to do going forward.”

This is not the first recent example of the Dodgers drafting a power-conference college quarterback.

Two years ago, they used their final 20th-round selection in the 2023 draft on then-Oregon State quarterback DJ Uiagalelei, a former two-sport star at St. John Bosco. Uiagalelei, however, never signed with the team. As a highly-touted five-star talent with NFL aspirations, he never made the switch to baseball either, his draft rights with the Dodgers lapsing after he transferred to Florida State for the 2024 football season.

Horn’s situation appears to be different. Unlike Uiagalelei (who never actually pitched collegiately), he spent the last three years on Missouri’s baseball team. And if he doesn’t win the starting quarterback job with the Tigers football squad this fall, his odds of reporting to the Dodgers next spring figure to be much more realistic.

That’s why, as Missouri’s QB battle has unfolded this preseason, Gasparino scoured Missouri recruiting site message boards and local news outlets, looking for any indication of which way the program was leaning.

“The coach is going to give nothing,” Gasparino said jokingly. “So you kind of have to go on the message boards, and to the local writers, to figure out, ‘Alright, who is winning? What is going on?’ It’s been kind of a hard read.”

Leading up to the draft, Horn’s situation also required extra scouting legwork. The Dodgers dusted off his old freshman year and high school evaluations, after he pitched just 10 ⅔ innings in Missouri’s spring baseball season coming off his Tommy John procedure. They also reached out to NFL scouting departments and college football recruiters, “just to figure out how talented he was at football,” Gasparino said.

The Dodgers do have downside protection if Horn ultimately decides to stick with the football, with Gasparino noting that “to actually get his signing bonus, he has to come to us.”

But in the meantime, they’ll be keeping a close eye on Missouri’s football season — starting with Thursday night’s opener in which Horn is slated to see the field.

“Definitely gonna be watching,” Gasparino said. “I mean, I guess first, it’s like, don’t get hurt. But also just hoping that the right answer becomes very clear on what he should do sport-wise … Of course, we’d be disappointed if it’s not baseball. But would hate another year of in-between.”

Spectacular fifties from Jordan Cox and Sam Curran fired Oval Invincibles to a thrilling six-wicket victory over Trent Rockets in a table-topping clash in The Hundred.

Cox hammered an unbeaten 58 from 32 balls and Curran struck 54 from 24, as the Invincibles hit a remarkable 103 runs from 28 deliveries to drive to victory with 11 balls to spare.

Opener Joe Root struck a season-best 76 as Rockets reached 171-7 and the visitors looked well-placed in their reply when they had their opponents 70-2 after 60 balls.

However, Cox and Curran launched a superb turnaround from that point, adding 51 from the next 10 legitimate deliveries.

The pair smashed six sixes and a four between them as they took 19 off David Willey and 32 from Sam Cook, who bowled the most expensive five-ball set in men’s Hundred history.

Curran reached his fifty from 22 balls, but fell before the close, caught on the ropes off Rehan Ahmed.

Cox pushed on, reaching his own half-century from 30 deliveries, guiding his side home alongside Donovan Ferreira and Sam Billings.

The win near guarantees Invincibles a play-off spot and offers further evidence as to why the two-time defending champions remain the team to beat in the men’s competition.

TV star Sam Faiers has sparked controversy after advising her sister Billie to explore holistic options before going ahead with her young son’s tonsil removal.

Sam Faiers has come under fire after suggesting her sister Billie consider alternative health approaches instead of scheduling her son’s tonsillectomy.

In a scene from their show Sister Act, Billie explains that her eight-year-old son Arthur is set to have his tonsils removed after repeated illness. “Arthur is getting his tonsils out. He had tonsillitis I’d say six times last year, and it made him so poorly,” she says.

“When the doctor looked at them, straight away he said to me ‘nah… they are really, really unhealthy tonsils.” She adds: “But tonsils serve no purpose in your body.” It comes after Sam’s heartache after cruel thieves stole her late grandmother’s precious wedding ring.

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Sam, who later says she leans toward holistic health, disagrees with the decision and encourages testing for allergies first. “Everything in your body serves a purpose,” she argues.

“When you’re not well and something inflames in your body or your tonsils are raised or your hair is falling out, or you’ve got a rash, it’s because your body is telling you something isn’t right.

“So it’s Arthur’s body’s way of telling him I’ve got an allergy, or you know, I’ve got a virus and that’s his way. So when they’re out, how else is his body going to tell you that something is wrong?”

Billie responds, agreeing that “he has some kind of allergy or intolerance.” However, Sam’s comments prompted backlash online, with critics accusing her of spreading misinformation.

One viewer wrote: “She’s no doctor and shouldn’t be allowed to give advice that’s dangerous.” Another labelled her “Mrs Know It All.”

Another user shared a personal warning as they wrote: “Don’t ever mess about waiting for tonsils out… I was rushed into hospital because it made me so ill. I’ve had fibromyalgia for 15 years, and now severe arthritis. I wish I could dream everything be OK with positivity or a cream or holistic, but life’s not like that.”

Earlier this summer, Sam also came under fire for controversial comments she made about sun cream. The reality star took to social media to reveal she doesn’t get her children to wear sun cream.

The former TOWIE star explained that her kids have “built up a really good tolerance to being in the sun” as she made wild claims about sunscreen having “pretty harmful and full of toxic ingredients” in, which has been discredited by a skin doctor.

In a lengthy post shared on social media, she wrote: “So this is always a bit of a controversial one, but honestly, me and my whole family don’t actually wear sunscreen. Over the years, the kids have built up a really good tolerance to being in the sun.

“Of course if it’s really hot and the sun feels too harsh I’ll make sure we head into the shade… usually around lunchtime we’ll go in, have something to eat and just avoid those peak hours.”

She then went on to add: “I’m really careful about sunscreen in general, because a lot of them are actually pretty harmful and full of toxic ingredients. If you do want to protect your kids, I think SPF swimwear is such a good and safer option.

“But also, don’t be afraid of the sun! Early in the morning or later in the afternoon when it’s not as strong, I love letting the kids run around and soak it up, it’s good for them. That said, I do always bring a Tallow Zinc SPF with me when I go away, just in case. And hats or caps are a must! Especially for us ladies because no one wants extra sun damage.”

The comments were later heavily criticised by a skin doctor.

The Mirror has approached Sam’s representatives for comment on this story.

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Sam Curran stars as he takes three wickets and completes a run-out to wrap up a dominant victory for Oval Invincibles against Southern Brave to move the two-time defending champions four-points clear of The Hundred table.

MATCH REPORT: Curran shines as Invincibles thump Brave

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Sam Faiers and Billie Shepherd have reunited to star in a new ITV2 series titled Sam and Billie: Sister Act – and the first trailer has been released

A sneak peek at Samantha Faiers and Billie Shepherd’s new ITV2 reality show has been released.

The sisters have teamed up once again for a new venture titled Sam and Billie: Sister Act, four years after their shared series The Mummy Diaries concluded in 2021.

Sam and Billie are embarking on the next phase of their lives as they take on the world together.

Now that the children are a bit older, it’s time for them to concentrate more on themselves and enjoy some sisterly downtime, all while juggling motherhood, their careers and life in the spotlight.

As the girls set off on joint journeys of self-discovery, they delve deeper into their lives, grapple with health concerns and confront some startling truths, but as always, they pull through it together with plenty of love and laughter as they continue to create lifelong memories, reports OK!.

In a tribute to sisterhood and with a bond that’s stronger than ever, Sam and Billie open up like never before.

From emotional heart-to-hearts and healing past wounds to marking milestones and dealing with life’s unexpected twists and turns, the sisters unite to experience the glamorous highs and humbling lows.

With numerous trips abroad, glitzy events and family life back home, this series offers an all-access pass.

The Mummy Diaries began as a one-off special in 2018 when Sam announced she was expecting her first child, Paul, with her partner Paul Knightley.

The programme was later given the green light for a full series, before being rebranded as Sam and Billie: The Mummy Diaries for the third series to highlight Billie’s family’s increased participation.

In 2021, it was recently revealed that Sam was stepping back from reality TV and would no longer feature on the popular ITVBe show with her partner Paul and their children.

The format subsequently shifted, with Billie and her husband Greg Shepherd taking centre stage alongside their children Nelly and Arthur.

Sam & Billie: Sister Act kicks off on August 19 at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX

Watch highlights as debutant Rashid Khan and team-mate Sam Curran both take three wickets in a dominant win for the Oval Invincibles over the London Spirit in their opener of The Men’s Hundred at Lord’s.

MATCH REPORT: Men’s Hundred: Oval Invincibles v London Spirit

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Few initiatives of the Trump administration more seriously undermine our understanding of the nation’s past than Executive Order 14023 from March 27, which promises “to restore Federal sites dedicated to history, including parks and museums, to solemn and uplifting public monuments.”

The order directs the Interior secretary to cleanse all National Park Service sites of any signage that “inappropriately disparages Americans past or living” and instead “emphasize the beauty, grandeur, and abundance of landscapes and other natural features.” The Park Service staff was also instructed to purge gift shops of books that could be construed as critical of any American. In a similar vein, the Smithsonian Institution was ordered to remove “improper ideology” from its properties to assure they reflected “American greatness.”

Unwilling to depend on park personnel to enforce the patriotism mandate, the Trump administration is enlisting park visitors to report potentially offending displays and ranger talks that present an insufficiently sanitized account of American history. On June 9, acting National Park Service director Jessica Bowron instructed regional directors to “post signage that will encourage public feedback via QR code and other methods that are viable” concerning anything they encounter at a park site that they believe denigrates the nation’s history. (It is worth noting that when queried about the QR code directive, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum claimed to know nothing of the mandate, although he signed it on May 20.) How will the Trump administration respond if a visitor uses one of the mandatory QR codes to file a complaint?

And that is just the beginning. The Trump administration has also made clear it would like to eliminate entire sites that are not “National Parks, in the traditionally understood sense.” That means targeting those features that lack the grandeur of Yosemite and the Grand Tetons: smaller parks, sites and memorials, many of which honor women and minorities. Generally lacking soaring redwoods or massive gorges, these sites — many in urban areas where President Trump’s revisionist history has not caught on — would seem to describe places in California such as César Chavez National Monument outside Bakersfield, Manzanar National Historic Site and Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond.

Trump and his ahistorical myrmidons — he just mused that the Civil War ended in 1869 — regularly display an abysmal ignorance of basic American history. In their view, such federal (and presumably state) sites should present only a simplistic view of our complex 249-year history, one that virtually ignores the contributions and struggles of hundreds of millions of Americans.

Even before we see how many “tips” the Park Service’s invitation elicits from visitors eager to rat on rangers, the wording of the executive order itself is chilling. Any signage or lecture that “inappropriately disparages Americans past or living” — and who is to say what constitutes disparagement? — must be replaced with rhetoric that emphasizes “the greatness of the achievements and progress of the American people.” Needless to say, the many sites that tell the stories of civil rights and anti-slavery struggles, the Civil War, the role of immigrants, the battles for labor rights and the rights of women and LGBTQ+ people are going to have a challenging time ensuring they in no way offend those willing to acknowledge only uninterrupted “greatness” of the American story. Sometimes our greatness has been manifested by our progress toward a more perfect union — and that story cannot be told without mentioning imperfections.

One need not have a PhD in history to appreciate the dire threat presented by these efforts to replace historical scholarship with uncritical flag-waving. Historians have an obligation to challenge myth, to uncover obscured stories, to give voice to those who were unable to fully participate in earlier eras of the American story because of their race, ethnicity, gender or viewpoints. That is why our government has protected sites including Ellis Island (which President Lyndon B. Johnson added to Statue of Liberty National Monument), Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument and Stonewall National Monument (both recognized by President Obama). Trump’s Orwellian orders seek to undo a half-century of scholarship that revealed a far more complex and nuanced history than the simplified versions taught to generations of schoolchildren.

Fortunately, professional historians have not been cowed like many university leaders, law firms and others who have shamefully capitulated to Trump’s assault on free speech and intellectual integrity. A March statement from more than 40 historical societies condemned recent efforts to “purge words, phrases, and content that some officials deem suspect on ideological grounds [and] to distort, manipulate, and erase significant parts of the historical record.”

The national parks consistently rate as one of the most popular features of American government. Neither their rangers nor their exhibits should be intimidated into parroting a sanitized and distorted version of the nation’s past. As the historians declared, “We can neither deny what happened nor invent things that did not happen.” Americans should use those QR codes to send a clear message rejecting efforts to manipulate our history to suit an extremist ideological and political agenda.

John Lawrence is a visiting professor at the University of California’s Washington Center and a former staff director of the House Committee on Natural Resources.

TORONTO — Myles Straw scored the winning run on a throwing error by pitcher Sam Bachman in the 10th inning, and the Toronto Blue Jays extended their winning streak to six games by beating the Angels 4-3 on Friday night.

Straw, the automatic runner, scored from second when Bachman fielded Ernie Clement’s sacrifice bunt and overthrew first base.

Bachman (1-2) entered in the 10th and walked leadoff hitter Nathan Lukes, putting runners on first and second with nobody out for Clement.

Chad Green (3-2) worked a scoreless inning for the win.

Jo Adell tied it for the Angels with a three-run homer in the seventh.

Andrés Giménez drove in the first run with a single for Toronto in the sixth. Giménez advanced to third on George Springer’s single before leaving with an ankle injury.

Giménez tweaked his left ankle covering second base on a steal Wednesday and did not play Thursday. He was scheduled for an MRI.

Blue Jays left-hander Eric Lauer set down his first 12 batters before Adell doubled to begin the fifth. Adell was initially called out trying to advance but the Angels challenged and the call was overturned following a replay review.

Giménez hit Adell in the face trying to tag him out at second. Adell was treated on the field and remained in the game.

Toronto’s Will Wagner doubled to open the sixth and advanced on a sacrifice before scoring on Giménez’s hit.

José Fermin replaced Angels starter Kyle Hendricks after Springer’s single. Bo Bichette hit an RBI single and another run scored when shortstop Zach Neto bobbled Addison Barger’s grounder for an error.

Mike Trout and Taylor Ward chased Lauer with back-to-back singles to begin the seventh, and the Angels tied it when Adell greeted reliever Nick Sandlin with his 19th homer.

Key moment

Bachman’s high throw sparked a celebration at home plate as Toronto improved to 30-16 at home.

Key stat

The Angels faced the Blue Jays on Independence Day for the eighth time, going 4-4 in those meetings.

Up next

Blue Jays RHP Max Scherzer (0-0, 4.85 ERA) is scheduled to start Saturday against Angels RHP Jack Kochanowicz (3-8, 5.44).

The Made in Chelsea star discovered the truth about his real name in the latest episode of ITV’s DNA Journey, which saw him team up with pal Marvin Humes

Sam Thompson has been left gobsmacked after a family history exploration on ITV’s ‘DNA Journey’ presented him with a surprising revelation about his name, only to discover it wasn’t quite true.

Joining Marvin Humes on the popular ancestry show ‘DNA Journey’, the presenter and reality TV favourite set out to trace his lineage, uncovering some unexpected tales along the way.

Starting off in sunny Jamaica, Marvin uncovered moving stories about his ancestors’ migration to Britain, while he was stunned to learn that his mate Sam had no clue about his own family’s past.

Feeling rather sheepish, the ex-‘Made In Chelsea’ star confessed: “I really don’t know why I haven’t asked,” as he mused over the potential awkwardness brought by the show’s posh image. “When you grow up with – I was on a show called Made in Chelsea, it’s the posh thing. You almost don’t want to know because you almost feel a bit bad.”

He also revealed that Thompson isn’t his full surname. The family name is actually De Courcy Thompson and the former Made in Chelsea star explained the decision to drop part of it, reports the Manchester Evening News.

Sam, 32, candidly expressed his views on having a hard-to-spell name and feeling pretentious, cheekily remarking: “We have a signet ring!”.

Upon uncovering family history, Marvin flipped the script, cautioning Sam with a mixture of jest and solemnity: “It can’t be as nice and fluffy and unicorns and rainbows as it’s been in Jamaica, and I’m sorry to say it, but it’s looking like it’s going to be you.”

Alarm flickered across Sam’s face when learning about his ancestor Charles Thompson’s stint in Jamaica in 1815, while Marvin played up the tension, saying: “This is going to get deep.”

As historical connections were drawn, Sam anxiously responded: “That doesn’t sound good. That sounds really bad.”

But, to Sam’s delight, the true legacy of Charles Thompson unfolded; he was not what Sam feared but rather a notable figure in defeating Napoleon at Waterloo. An elated Sam exclaimed: “Oh my god, I’m so happy! Oh, you really scared me! You were all thinking it…”

The revelation continued that it was Charles’ son Lesley who crafted the De Courcy surname for his own son Sydney, giving the family a veneer of distinction.

Sam laughed as he said: “We faked it and I’m over the moon. I’ve got a signet ring and it doesn’t mean anything. We just gave it to ourselves. It’s like those people who buy a knighthood just to call themselves sir or lady. That’s us!”

You can catch up on DNA Journey on ITVX

In the final episode of ITV’s DNA Journey, best friends Marvin Humes and Sam Thompson make some revealing discoveries…

Marvin Humes discovers his ancestor had a secret second family while his best mate Sam Thompson finds out that his ‘posh’ background is completely fake, in a revelatory episode of DNA Journey.

Close friends since meeting in the jungle on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! two years ago, the loveable pair of presenters are shocked by the discoveries on the ITV hit ancestry show, airing on Thursday. They begin in Jamaica, where Marvin also finds out that he owes his life to a strong woman who made a massive sacrifice. Marvin says: “I’ve got a rich heritage of culture from Jamaica in my family. My grandparents were both born here. My Grandma Ruby and Grandpa Randall moved to the UK when they had just got married. We would eat fish and dumplings and Saturday soup.”

In Jamaica, Marvin finds out that his Great Grandma Blanche was not actually married to his Great Grandfather David James. They had four children, but immediately after the fourth, Marvin’s Grandma Ruby, was born in 1930, David James left. Historian Diane tells Marvin: “A soon as Ruby was born, David James left for a family he had concurrently along with Blanche.” Marvin says: “I know that on my Grandfather Randall’s side, his father did the same thing. His mum ended up in a mental hospital in Jamaica, called Bellevue, where she died.”

Blanche, however, was not broken. She went into domestic service and worked hard, then stood at the pier at Kingston Harbour in 1958 and waved off Ruby and her husband Randall so they could find a new life in the UK as part of the Windrush generation. Ruby and Randall couldn’t afford the fare for their three children, so Blanche stepped up to care for them, and went back to work to save up the money to send them to Britain. She knew when she waved goodbye to her daughter in 1958, as she set sail to join Randall who left first, that she’d never see her again.

Overwhelmed with emotion, Marvin says: “I can only think of myself as a parent, it’s heartbreaking to think she’d never see her again. Without this happening in 1958, I wouldn’t be standing here today. She’s the reason. All my family back home in England, we all owe everything to her, for that sacrifice she made on this pier.”

Meanwhile, Sam flies into a panic when he is told he has an ancestor who spent time in Jamaica. “It doesn’t sounds good, don’t say it..” he says. However, he is relieved to learn there is no slavery connection. Charles Thompson, his four times Great Grandfather, a Lieutenant Colonel, was posted in Jamaica before being called to Europe where he played a vital role in the downfall of Napoleon in the Battle of Waterloo. “Oh my God, I’m so happy, you really scared me, we were all thinking it,” says Sam.

Sam is told that Charles, who was in the 27th (Inniskilling) Foot Regiment, an Irish regiment in the British Army, also took a collection from his regiment of soldiers, donating the equivalent of £5,000 to help starving people. “He was a philanthropist, I’m so proud,” says Sam. “He was a total hero.” Sam also discovers a cousin match in Limavady, Northern Ireland, who happens to live in a massive stately home. “This is mental,” says Marvin. “I feel like we’ve turned up at Buckingham Palace, the Irish version.”

Sam’s long lost cousin, Connolly Patrick McCausland, explains their common ancestor was land agent Robert McCausland, who owned the stately home and also once owned 110 acres of Woolwich, London, where Marvin grew up. “We’re so connected!” says the Made In Chelsea star, adding: “If I ever get married, I’m getting married here.”

Meanwhile, with a castle up the road in Northern Ireland built by a John De Courcy, Sam is wondering if this is also his ancestor – since his surname is actually De Courcy Thompson. Sam explains: “I dropped ‘De Courcy’. One, hard to spell. And two, you sound like a bit of a douche.” But it turns out that Sam is not remotely connected to the famous John De Courcy.

Charles’s son Lesley made up the name De Courcy, giving it to his third son Sydney to improve their social standing. Sam laughs: “We faked it and I’m over the moon. I’ve got a signet ring and it doesn’t mean anything. We just gave it to ourselves. It’s like those people who buy a knighthood just to call themselves sir or lady. That’s us!”

*DNA Journey concludes on Thursday 26 June, ITV at 9pm.

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Sexton, who explained his rivalry with O’Gara during the formative stages of his Test career was “tough”, said he is not sure if Prendergast or Crowley have been affected by the online discourse.

“Sometimes you can get a sense, but I’m not sure. All you can do is try to advise in terms of what worked for me,” added the five-time Six Nations winner.

“I was exposed to it a little bit at the very start and it’s tough, because as a kid all you want to do is play for Ireland and then you do it and suddenly you’re getting criticised – not all the time, but sometimes – and you’re like, ‘wow, this is tougher than I thought it’d be’, but it builds a resilience.

“You find out who are your mates, who you can trust and those you can lean on. Going forward, they’ll be stronger for it.”

While Sexton feels Prendergast and Crowley deserve time to prove their worth, he believes they are already ahead of where he was at the same stage of his career.

“The work ethic they have, they’re humble guys,” said Sexton, who will continue to work with Ireland’s fly-halves in a full-time capacity after he completes his British and Irish Lions coaching duties this summer.

“They want to learn and practise hard and that’s the thing you look at the most as a coach; the attitude and how humble they are because ultimately that’s what will stand to them going forward.”