Explosions have been seen in the sky over Qatar’s capital, Doha. Iran’s state media said it launched a missile attack on US forces at Qatar’s Al Udeid Air Base. Qatar earlier had closed its airspace amid Iranian threats to retaliate for the US strikes on its nuclear facilities.
She was once known as Violet Harmon in the first season of American Horror Story. Now, Taissa Farmiga has traded Violet’s whimsical streak for Gladys Russell’s socialite status.
George and Bertha Russell’s marriage is hanging by a fragile thread in the third season of The Gilded Age – but one of the show’s stars originally shot to fame with several appearances in American Horror Story.
Taissa Farmiga portrays socialite Gladys Russell in The Gilded Age, originally aired on HBO. In its third series, due on Sky, Gladys has to face the aftermath of her parents’ choice to promise her hand in marriage to the Duke of Buckingham. But will she go through with the nuptials?
This remains to be seen. But, back in 2011, shortly after debuting her acting career in High Ground, Taissa starred in the first season of American Horror Story as Violet Harmon, the daughter of Vivien (Connie Britton) and Ben Harmon (Dylan McDermott).
Violet’s story ended in tragedy as she committed suicide, joining her killer boyfriend Tate Langdon (Evan Peters) in the afterlife – but Taissa still reprised the role in the eighth season of American Horror Story. She even appeared in the anthology series as two different characters – Sophie Green and Zoe Benson.
Now starring in The Gilded Age, Taissa admitted that she had to delve deep into the Downton Abbey universe to nail Gladys’ role. “I started watching Downton Abbey because I thought ‘I have to brush up,'” she told producer Joshua Horowitz in 2023 on his podcast Happy Sad Confused.
But when she first auditioned for Gladys, Taissa was honest – she wasn’t a fan of period dramas. “During my audition, they asked me if I was passionate about period pieces,” she remembered, joking later: “I told them, ‘I don’t know. I’m a stoner, I watch Rick and Morty.'”
Growing up, Taissa was the youngest in a family of six children and watched her older sister Vera Farmiga rise to fame through her roles in The Conjuring franchise, Orphan and even Bates Motel. But she had no intentions of following in her footsteps.
Instead, Taissa dreamed of being an accountant – until Vera convinced her to appear in her directorial debut drama, Higher Ground. “I was thrown into this world,” Taissa once told Yahoo Movies in 2015.
But Taissa initially shot to fame in American Horror Story as Violet Harmon – though she’s had multiple roles in the anthology series(Image: FX)
The experience was enough for her to change trajectory completely. “After Higher Ground about six months went by and I went back to my normal life,” Taissa said.
“I was looking at community college classes for accounting. I wasn’t jumping right into it, thinking, ‘I have to be an actress.'” And the rest was history.
Since then, Taissa has bagged a multitude of roles in feature films and series alike. She was notably seen in The Bling Ring with Emma Watson, The Nun franchise as Sister Irene Palmer and even in The Twilight Zone.
Taissa is also very active on social media, particularly on Instagram, where she’s followed diligently by 1.9 million admirers. The 30-year-old shares everything – from snaps on set and on the red carpet, to her trips with producer husband Hadley Klein.
Kuwait City is one of the hottest places on Earth and the scorching heat is causing chaos for both humans and wildlife as our planet continues to face the realities of climate change
Kuwait City, once known as a blissful “Marseilles of the Gulf”, is now witnessing heat so extreme that animals are being cooked alive.
The Middle Eastern metropolis has become a clear indicator of the harrowing effects of climate change, with birds dropping dead from the scorching heavens and fish boiling in the water.
Back in the halcyon days, Kuwait City thrived as a bustling hub with a flourishing fishing industry and idyllic beaches that lured in basking holidaymakers. But now, it’s gripped by an overwhelming problem of potentially uninhabitable temperatures.
A staggering 54C (129F) was recorded on 21 July 2016 at Mitribah weather station, placing Kuwait third in the solar frying stakes with one of the globe’s most torrid temperatures. Even Europe’s former Cerberus Heatwave pales in comparison, trailing behind Kuwait’s zenith by a whole 10 degrees Celsius.
Dust storms are a regular occurrence in Kuwait City(Image: (Image: GETTY))
An ominous forecast looms as climate experts project that this desert country may blaze ahead with a temperature increase of up to 5.5C (10F) by century’s end relative to figures from the early 2000s. In 2023, the mercury spiked past 50C (122F) on nineteen occasions, a tally that’s feared might just be a starting point.
Urban development has transformed Kuwait City into a sweltering expanse of relentless concrete and asphalt, regions that are fast turning too fiery for safe habitation come summertime.
In further alarm, scientific records trace a downturn in annual precipitation, amplifying fierce dust storms that whip through the increasingly arid nation. The scorching heatwave has led to harrowing scenes with birds dropping dead from the sky and seahorses cooked alive in the bay, as even robust pigeons seek respite from the sun’s relentless blaze.
With temperatures soaring to a life-threatening 50C, which is a staggering 13C above human body temperature, the risks of heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion and cardiac complications escalate dramatically.
In an unprecedented move, Kuwait has permitted nocturnal funerals due to the unbearable heat, while the wealthy retreat into their air-conditioned sanctuaries, be it homes, offices, or malls.
This extreme weather has spurred the creation of futuristic structures like an indoor shopping avenue, complete with palm trees and European-style boutiques, offering shoppers an escape from the brutal climate.
While the locals take refuge indoors, the pigeons have to settle for the shade(Image: (Image: GETTY))
A 2020 study revealed that a massive two-thirds of domestic electricity consumption is attributed to the relentless use of air conditioning.
Writing for ExpatsExchange, Joshua Wood praised Kuwait for its “high quality of life” in a “modern, luxurious and safe” environment but cautioned about the intense heat, describing it as “very hot from May through September” and reaching “insanely hot” levels during the peak summer months of June to August.
Despite the sweltering heat, the streets are far from deserted. Migrant workers, predominantly from Arab, South and South East Asian nations, constitute about 70% of the country’s population.
Many people are enticed to move to Kuwait and work in sectors like construction or household services. These workers populate the steaming public buses of the capital city and crowd the streets.
Research conducted in 2023 by the Institute of Physics indicated that migrant workers can be particularly vulnerable to adverse health effects due to exposure to severe temperatures. The study suggests that by the end of the century, climate change could lead to a rise in heat-related deaths by 5.1% to 11.7% across the entire population, and even up to 15% among non-Kuwaiti individuals.
Kuwait City has become quite startlingly hot(Image: (Image: GETTY))
Warnings about the planet are often overlooked, yet in Kuwait where the devastating effects of climate change are already evident – the carbon footprint is enormous – only Bahrain and Qatar’s is higher.
While neighbouring countries have committed to significant reductions in emissions, Kuwait’s pledges seem insignificant in comparison. At COP26, the country announced it would only reduce emissions slightly (7.4%) by 2035.
Kuwaiti government officials predict that energy demand will triple by 2030. This is largely due to the anticipated increase in the use of indoor cooling systems.
The government footing a large portion of the electricity bill has led to a lack of incentive for people to curb their usage. Water consumption follows a similar pattern due to energy-intensive processes.
Environmental expert Salman Zafar highlighted the potential consequences of global warming for Kuwait, stating: “Kuwait could be potentially facing serious impacts of global warming in the form of floods, droughts, depletion of aquifers, inundation of coastal areas, frequent sandstorms, loss of biodiversity, significant damage to ecosystem, threat to agricultural production and outbreak of diseases.”
SINCE Sky’s Soccer AM left our screens two years ago, its celebrity penalty shootout has been much missed.
But I can reveal the fan-favourite format has now inspired a copycat segment from Graham Norton‘s So Television.
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A copycat segment from Graham Norton’s So Television is set for our screensCredit: The Mega Agency
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Soccer AM’s celebrity penalty shootout has been much missedCredit: YouTube
Just like Sky’s original version, the new series will see a line-up of big names stepping up to the penalty spot to try to score.
But with comedian Chloe Petts in charge of proceedings, it will feature fellow comics only.
So far stars including Nish Kumar and Harriet Kemsley are on the team sheet.
A source said: “Penalties frequently provide some of the funniest moments in football, so adding comedians to that mix will bring about endless laughs.
“Soccer AM had big names like Stormzy, Ed Westwick and Louis Tomlinson desperate to be involved so everyone is very excited that this new spin-off could run and run.
“Chloe Petts is a genuine football fan and brings a wealth of knowledge, as well as humour. Filming begins this week in London and everyone can’t wait to see how it turns out.”
In an increasingly common move, the series is first heading to YouTube.
The source added: “This kind of content lends itself brilliantly to a short-form media and so will live online for now.”
Soccer AM ran for 29 years on Sky until it was shelved in May 2023 due to falling ratings.
As well as the penalty spot, other segments included the Nutmeg Files, Unbelievable Tekkers and the Crossbar Challenge.
Plenty of comedic inspiration there too, I’d say.
‘I cringe about that’ says Soccer AM legend as he admits regret over much-loved segment that ‘pushed the boundaries’
Spencer joined Bath in 2020 after nine years with Saracens where he won seven major trophies – including four Premiership titles – through the London club’s era of dominance.
The 32-year-old was made captain in 2022-23 as head of rugby Johann van Graan’s tenure at Bath began, just months after the club had finished bottom of the league the season before.
“The amount of hard work this has taken to turn the ship around… we were bottom three years ago,” added Spencer.
“I can’t credit [Van Graan] enough, he’s been absolutely brilliant. If we [understand] there’s always an opportunity to get better then I’m really excited for the next couple of years.”
Bath narrowly lost to Northampton in the Twickenham showpiece last June but were overwhelming favourites this time around.
They ended the regular league campaign 11 points clear at the top of the table and wrapped up top spot and a home semi-final in the play-offs with three rounds of games still to play.
Scrum-half Spencer said he mainly felt “relief” at the final whistle because of the prolonged build-up.
“To get the mindset right when you qualify early as we did is quite tough,” he said.
“I played that semi-final in my head hundreds of times. Day in, day out it was, ‘who are we going to get?’ It’s a hard place to be mentally.
“It’s relief for me, the players, staff and fans.”
Fans of Talking Heads and David Byrne can rejoice, as the 73-year-old singer announced his first new album in seven years and tour.
The album “Who Is the Sky?” will hit streaming services and shelves on Sept. 5. Soon after, Byrne will kick off the North American leg of his tour, which features two shows in November at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. In 2026, he’ll touch down in New Zealand before moving on to Australia and Europe.
The 12-song album is led by the single “Everybody Laughs,” released Tuesday alongside a music video directed by multimedia artist Gabriel Barcia-Colombo.
“Someone I know said, ‘David, you use the word “everybody” a lot.’ I suppose I do that to give an anthropological view of life in New York as we know it,” Byrne said in a press release.
“Everybody lives, dies, laughs, cries, sleeps and stares at the ceiling. Everybody’s wearing everybody else’s shoes, which not everybody does, but I have done. I tried to sing about these things that could be seen as negative in a way balanced by an uplifting feeling from the groove and the melody, especially at the end, when St. Vincent and I are doing a lot of hollering and singing together,” he added. “Music can do that — hold opposites simultaneously.”
New York-based ensemble Ghost Train Orchestra arranged the album. It also includes collaborations with the aforementioned St. Vincent, Hayley Williams, and the Smile drummer Tom Skinner. Byrne’s last album was 2018’s “American Utopia,” which eventually took the Broadway stage and in 2020 became a concert film directed by Spike Lee.
But it wasn’t a Byrne tour that fans were expecting.
Talking Heads, for which Byrne served as lead singer between 1975 and 1991, released a teaser on June 2, including their song “Psycho Killer.” Some even noticed that the date included in the short clip, June 5, is an important one in the band’s history.
“The band played their first gig as Talking Heads — opening for the Ramones at the CBGB club — on June 5, 1975,” one fan commented.
Instead of a tour announcement, fans received a music video for the song, highlighted by the appearance of Irish actor Saoirse Ronan.
“They waited until Saoirse Ronan was born to make the video,” another fan joked. “Very professional.”
FREEVIEW’S successor will appear on even more screens after landing a deal with one of the world’s biggest TV brands.
Freely, made from the same company as Freeview, is encouraging viewers away from the humble TV aerial to using Wi-Fi instead.
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Now Roku TVs will come with Freely on themCredit: Freely
This means you don’t need to worry about pesky signal issues – nor having to place your telly near the aerial port in the wall.
For the moment, the service is hybrid so it can take Freeview channels the traditional way as well as via broadband.
Just recently, more than a dozen channels you can’t get with an aerial were added.
This includes a channel for game show favourite The Chase, all Channel 4’s best property shows on 4Homes, plus 5 Cops for all ofmi 5‘s real crime hits.
Freely – which is run by BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and 5’s Everyone TV – has been adding a number of device partners since bursting onto the scene over a year ago.
Fire TV was a big newcomer but now Roku is getting on board too.
Freely will be available on the next generation of smart TVs powered by the Roku operating system.
Roku can be found on a number of major TV models, such as Sharp, Polaroid, and METZ.
“Offering Freely on the Roku operating system is a major milestone for us, as we continue to expand reach for the free streaming platform,” said Jonathan Thompson, CEO of Everyone TV.
Just last month, Freely announced some new features to rival premium services like Sky’s own streamed TV alternative Sky Glass.
A new backward TV guide was introduced, allowing people to scroll back on the screen and instantly see what’s been on recently, with a quick link directly to a catch up stream if one is available.
You can scroll back a full seven days.
A Never Miss feature was also added, which highlight programmes coming up, on now, and those you just missed, alongside the biggest and best shows available on demand.
And My List will let you save up to 50 of your favourite shows from the UK’s biggest free-to-air broadcasters all in one place so you can keep track of them.
RECENT CHANNEL ADDITIONS ON FREELY
The Chase
Saturday Night Every Night
4Reality
4Homes
4Life
5 GPs Behind Closed Doors
5 Bargain
5 The Yorkshire Vet
5 History
5 Crime
Milkshake!
5 Police Interceptors
5 Cops
5 Trucking Hell
5 A&E
5 Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly
Image credit: Everyone TV
FREELY ON A STICK?
So far, Freely has only been made available on new smart TVs for sale.
“We have been working hard to build digital platforms and content to meet changing audience needs, enriching our offer and welcoming the possibilities of a post broadcast world,” he said during a speech at Salford’s Lowry Theatre.
“We want to double down on Freely as a universal free service to deliver live TV over broadband.
“And we are considering a streaming media device with Freely capabilities built in, with a radically simplified user interface specifically designed to help those yet to benefit from IP services.”
WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE BEFORE WE REPLACE FREEVIEW
Analysis by Jamie Harris, Assistant Technology and Science Editor at The Sun
DTT – digital terrestrial television – is the system used for Freeview broadcasts today.
About 18million homes still use it as their main way of watching TV.
Before we even begin to think about switching it off, we have to make sure no one is left behind.
So any internet-based alternative – Freely or otherwise – needs to be just as easy to install and use.
DONALD Trump’s luxury “sky Palace” gifted to him by Qatar will cost a few billion dollars, says the President of Emirates airline.
The US government now faces a “Herculean task” to transform the huge Boeing 747-8 into a new Air Force One fit for a president, warns Sir Tim Clark.
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President Trump boards Air Force One earlier this monthCredit: Reuters
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President of Emirates airline Sir Tim Clark believes it will cost a few billion dollars to properly transform it into a replacement Air Force OneCredit: Emirates
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A look inside the lavish $400million plane shows the Boeing kitted out in goldCredit: YouTube/Spotti Flight
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President Trump, 78, sparked concerns earlier this month with his willingness to accept the plush flying mansion from the Qatari royal family.
The giant gift, worth an estimated $400m (£300m), has raised several ethical questions about if the US leader should be allowed to accept such expensive goods from other states.
But despite the controversy, Trump gladly took the 13-year-old mega jet back to Washington with him.
He now plans to make it part of his Air Force One fleet alongside two other Boeing 747-200 jumbo jets.
read more in Donald Trump
They have been operational since 1990 but are now said to be not up to scratch compared to modern planes such as Qatar‘s 747-8.
In order for it to become a fully fledged member of the president’s aviation arsenal however, it will need to go through some serious work.
It would have to be kitted out with top-tier communications and security tech before ever ferrying around Trump.
And significant retrofitting and clearance from security officials would be required.
Sir Tim, president of Emirates, told Piers Morgan Uncensored that President Trump’s flashy plans may cost a “couple of billion dollars”.
He explained to Piers: “I think you’re talking a couple of billion dollars to start with.
Trump’s new $400m Qatari Air Force One jet from Qatar is ‘hackers dream’
“Just roll back a little bit and look at what it takes for us to convert our 777s – from the old to the new – because we haven’t got the Boeing’s coming in at the pace we want them so we’re having to reconfigure all of them.”
The top aviation boss said trying to fix up all the jets as an airline has been an extremely tough task.
Tim admitted to “pulling his hair out” over the regulators and the tiny tweaks that have to be made to modernise a plane of that size and stature.
And he believes the US government will face an even trickier – and much more expensive – battle to get the gifted plane ready for presidential trips.
He said: “It’s a Herculean task, make no mistake about it.
“Whether President Trump will adapt fully, this present from Qatar, to an Air Force One I doubt it, but he’ll certainly get a lot of it done.”
Aviation specialist Jeff Wise also told The Sun that he expects the Air Force One replacement to take years and need billions of dollars pumped into the project to make the jet viable.
Trump’s Air Force One jets currently in use come with dozens of specialised security features.
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Donald Trump’s new ‘sky Palace’ which he has been gifted from the Qatari governmentCredit: YouTube/Spotti Flight
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The jet would need to be kitted out with top-tier communications and security tech before being used as Air Force OneCredit: YouTube/Spotti Flight
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The plane marks the most expensive gift ever given to a US presidentCredit: YouTube/Spotti Flight
These include armoured glass and plating, on board flares to confuse enemy missiles, mirror-ball defences and even an electric jamming system.
Another unique yet needed element is an electromagnetic shield for nuclear explosions.
This has to be on a presidential plane as the leader of Washington can actually launch a nuke from the aircraft.
But the new Qatari jet lacks most of these security features.
It also has glittering gold-coloured furnishings and hallways that echo Trump’s well-know interior design preferences.
The president is believed to have spent an hour inspecting the plan when when it was parked at West Palm Beach International Airport back in February.
The luxury Boeing was once even listed for a whopping $400 million, according to the Business Jet Traveler.
During his first stint in office, Trump had ordered two new Air Force One jumbo jets from Boeing to replace the pair that have been in service since George H. W. Bush’s presidency.
But the Boeing contract has faced delays, and reports suggest the new plans would not be ready until after Trump leaves the Oval Office.
Fears Trump’s new Air Force One replacement is vulnerable to devastating HACKS – or worse
By Chief Foreign Reporter, Katie Davis
A LAVISH jumbo jet Donald Trump plans to receive from Qatar will be vulnerable to hacking, an expert has warned.
The Boeing 747 – dubbed a “palace in the sky” – could even be blasted out the sky, aviation specialist Jeff Wise believes.
He fears Trump may bypass necessary measures to save time and money – which could therefore invite hacking or a devastating assassination attempt.
Wise told The Sun: “This Air Force One would be a major intelligence target for any adversary nation or even our allies, because allies love to spy on each other.
“The United States is being given this albatross that they are going to have to spend billions of dollars on to fix up for the personal use of Trump.
“If your job is to protect the President of the United States or if your job is to protect the secrets of the United States, then this is a massive headache for you.
“This is a plane that does not have secure communications and the anti-missiles defence systems that a normal Air Force One has. It’s just wide open.
“This is an administration that is completely irresponsible in the way they use their personal devices. They’re using these off-brand apps to communicate. It’s just a hacker’s dream.”
Wise continued: “I would say an increasing number of people would like to target Air Force One.
“America’s list of enemies is growing longer and longer as we become an increasingly horrible nation, from the Houthis to the Iranians to the Russians.”
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Trump sparked concern after he willingly accepted the plush plane from the Qatari royal family, headed by Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tanim bin-Hamad Al ThaniCredit: AP
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Air Force One is one of the most guarded and secure jets in the worldCredit: AP
However, the change strangely didn’t include an option to upgrade for those wanting to avoid the ads.
But thanks to a new update, Sky customers can now choose an ad-free option instead.
What’s more, customers get money off compared to subscribing directly to Paramount+.
“Finally no ads so I can get back to watching South Park and Nobland with no interuptions!” one viewer wrote on Sky’s forum.
“This is good news,” another commented.
Sky customers can subscribe to Paramount+ standard – which has no ads – for £3 extra per month.
Usually, the standard plan costs £7.99 per month.
For those who want 4K quality as well as a screen allowance boost and no ads, it’s £6 extra.
You’re throwing away money on Netflix – I found three common mistakes sending your bill soaring but the fixes are easy
That’s instead of the £10.99 you would have to pay for it directly.
Sky Cinema costs £10 per month and comes with two free cinema tickets for Vue Cinemas each month.
PARAMOUNT+ PRICES AND PERKS
In November, Paramount+ announced a new pricing structure.
Before then, there was just one standard plan costing £7.99.
Since November, there have been three.
The cheapest is £4.99 with ads, the ability to watch on one device at a time and only full HD quality – you also don’t have the privilege to download shows offline.
Paramount+’s new standard plan is £6.99 per month, allowing up to two concurrent streams in full HD and you can download content to watch on the go.
The premium plan is £10.99 per month, with up to four devices allowed to watch at the same time, as well as 4K UHD, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos on selected titles.
INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark will be out at least two weeks with a left quad strain, the team announced Monday.
The Fever did not say when Clark suffered the injury. The team said further updates will be provided after she gets another evaluation.
Clark played 37:52 and had 18 points and 10 assists in a 90-88 loss to the New York Liberty on Saturday.
The Fever are 2-2 this season and could be without Clark for at least the next four games against the Mystics (twice), Sun and Sky. All the opponents sit below the Fever in the Eastern Conference.
Clark is averaging 19.0 points, 9.3 assists and 6.0 rebounds this season.
Against the Chicago Sky, the Sparks found themselves in a must-win situation, not in the grand scheme of the standings, but for peace of mind. A win to help with confidence and morale.
After a week riddled with injuries and a three-game skid, Sunday’s matchup carried weight beyond the court — it mattered in the locker room. The pressure was starting to show, with visible signs of frustration from head coach Lynne Roberts down to the end of the bench.
The Sparks were a team searching for anything to swing the momentum back in their favor.
That shift came in the form of their superstar, Kelsey Plum, who took it upon herself to ignite the turnaround with a shooting clinic in the third quarter. Her flurry helped lift L.A. to a much-needed 91-78 win over the Sky at Crypto.com Arena.
Despite a back-and-forth start and a 43-39 halftime lead, the question remained: Which version of the Sparks would emerge after the break — the lethargic, disconnected squad or a group finally ready to deliver the full 40-minute effort Roberts has pleaded for?
Out of the locker room, the Sparks found a renewed energy. What followed was a shooting barrage from beyond the arc.
Plum sparked the run, and fittingly, she helped seal it too.
As she let her first left-handed three fly, the confidence in her stroke started to build. The second, from the top of the key, came with a signature gesture — Plum pointing to her veins, signaling the ice running through them. Then came the heat check: back-to-back threes that only added to her fire. A final three dropped cleanly through the net, punctuating the outburst.
Plum went five for six in the quarter, scoring 15 of her 28 total points, helping L.A. stretch the lead to 76-64 by the end of the third. The Sparks finished eight of 11 from the field in the quarter as a team.
Plum left it all on the floor for the Sparks. At one point, she took a shot to the nose and stayed down for a couple of minutes. But after brushing off the injury, Plum returned to the lineup and finished the game, embodying the grit the Sparks desperately needed.
But even against the league’s worst scoring offense (66.0 points per game) and defense (96.0), in what seemed like the perfect opportunity to exploit a team with even worse early-season woes, the game unfolded as two physical squads refusing to back down.
Coming in, there was no doubt that low-post anchors Dearica Hamby and Azurá Stevens would face a tough challenge, tasked with matching up against Chicago’s frontcourt duo of Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese — both boasting a clear advantage in size and length.
In the first half, however, Hamby and Stevens limited Cardoso and Reese to a combined 12 points and nine rebounds — a small but important victory against a Sky team ranked third in the WNBA in rebounding (39.0 per game).
Reese finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds — her third double-double of the season — while Cardoso added 12 points but was limited to just six boards. The Sparks’ frontcourt tandem managed to keep the damage manageable, preventing the kind of interior dominance Chicago has leaned on throughout the early season.
A TV presenter has surprisingly announced he’s leaving Sky News next week.
The former LBC and BBC Newsnight broadcaster announced he’s quit the job after a 12-year career in journalism.
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Sky News journalist Matthew Thompson has quit
Matthew Thompson said he’s leaving London for family reasons and is moving into a different industry entirely.
He wrote on X: “Some personal news. In a couple of weeks, I am leaving Sky News. And indeed, leaving London, and journalism altogether.
“It’s not a decision I’ve taken lightly, but it’s one that’s best for me and my family. I’ll be moving to Edinburgh, and into the world of finance.
“I won’t subject you all to a self-indulgent run through of my career highlights. But suffice to say it has been the privilege of my life to spend these last 12 years or so as a journalist.
“To work with some of the best in the business, and to talk to all of you.
“Thank you to all the people who made it possible, and to all the people who let me tell their stories along the way. I’ve always tried to make it about you, rather than me.
“I hope I managed that, and that I did the privilege justice. As for next steps… I can say more soon.”
Most recently, Matthew worked as Sky News‘ Home & Political Correspondent.
He continued: “I hope this isn’t goodbye. It may be possible to keep some level of engagement on here in my new gig.
“For now, thank you. I’ve learned so much from reading and speaking with you all over the years.
“It’s made me a better journalist, and a better person. I’ll miss it terribly.”
THE best and worst broadband and mobile providers for customer service have been revealed by the regulator.
All major providers were ranked on how pleased customers were with the service.
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Ofcom has ranked the best and worst telecoms providers
O2, which has millions of customers was rated below average when it came to customer satisfaction for mobile providers.
The telecoms giant fell below the sector average when it comes to customer satisfaction as it scored 85% and the average is 88%
Last year, the firm also generated the most complaints, when it had 21 complaints per 100,000 customers.
The second worst ranked mobile provider was Vodafone who had a score of 84% when it came to how pleased users were with it’s service.
The pair were trumped by Tesco Mobile and giffgaff, which both 94% for overall satisfaction.
Tesco Mobile also led in satisfaction with complaints handling and generated the fewest complaints to Ofcom, when it had just four complaints per 100,000 customers.
However, Ofcom said that the average number of complaints reduced in 2024 across all providers.
Elsewhere, the average call waiting time for mobile customers decreased in 2024, from 2mins 24s in 2023 to 1min 52s in 2024.
Ofcom said Lebara had the shortest average call waiting time in 2024 at 15s while O2’s was the longest, at 3min 27s.
Moving on to broadband and TalkTalk had a lower-than-average overall satisfaction score of 77% and also ranked poorly for complaints handling.
However, NOW Broadband, which is owned by Sky, generated the most broadband complaints to Ofcom at 65 per 100,000 customer.
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Virgin Media generated the second highest number of fixed broadband complaints per 100,000 customers, at 56.
While EE was the third most complained-about broadband provider last year with 52 complaints per 100,000.
Plusnet achieved the highest overall satisfaction score at 91%, when it came to broadband.
When it came to landline, Plusnet also had the highest overall satisfaction score at 83%.
Meanwhile, Virgin Media customers were less pleased with the service giving the provider a rating of 67%.
Ian Macrae, Ofcom’s director of market intelligence, said: “Call waiting times have come down for many providers and satisfaction with complaint handling is on the up.
“And we’re seeing competition in action, with smaller players challenging some of the bigger, well-established providers.”
He added: “But there’s further to go. Not all companies have made the same progress and it’s still taking the industry too long to fix things when they go wrong.”
A Virgin Media O2 spokesperson said: “Ofcom’s report shows that the vast majority of our customers were satisfied with their services in 2024, and highlights some improvements that have been made – including on complaints handling.
“While today’s data relates to the whole of 2024, we know from the regulator’s most recent statistics that the turnaround strategy we implemented in the middle of last year has led to significant improvements, with complaints about Virgin Media and O2 now at their lowest levels for several years.”
They added: “We’re continuing to make real progress through this strategy and we’re committed to giving our customers the best possible experience.”
How to complain about your service
If you’re unhappy with the service you’ve received, you’ll first need to contact your provider’s customer services department and explain the problem.
If this doesn’t resolve the issue, you can make a formal complaint to the company.
You can find details on how to do this on the back of your bill or on the company’s website.
Depending on your complaint type, you’ll be able to contact the customer service team by web chat, telephone or by post.
You’ll need to let the company know what has happened and what you want it to do to put things right.
If a formal complaint gets you nowhere, after eight weeks you can ask for a “deadlock letter” and take your dispute to the appropriate Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) scheme.
These are free to use and will act as an independent middle man between yourself and the service provider when an initial complaint cannot be resolved.
There are two ADR schemes in the UK – the Communications Ombudsman and CISAS.
Your provider is required to be a member of one of these and you can find out which one your provider is covered by visiting ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/service-quality/adr-schemes.
Before you can submit your complaint to it, you must have logged a formal complaint with your provider and worked with the firm to resolve it.
You must also have received a so-called deadlock letter, where the provider refers your complaint to the appropriate ADR.
You can also complain if you haven’t had a satisfactory solution to your problem within eight weeks.
To make a complaint fill in the ADR scheme claims form on its website – or write a letter if you’d prefer.
The ADR scheme then bases its decision on the evidence you and the company submit.
If you choose to accept its decision, your supplier will then have 28 days to comply.
But if an individual chooses not to accept the ADR’s final decision, they lose the right to the resolution offer.
But don’t just switch contracts because the price is cheaper than what you’re currently paying.
Take a look at your minutes and texts, as well as your data usage, to find out which deal is best for you.
For example, if you’re a heavy internet user, it’s worth finding a deal that accommodates this so you don’t have to spend extra on bundles or add-ons each month.
In the weeks before your contract is up, use comparison sites to familiarise yourself with what deals are available.
It’s a known fact that new customers always get the best deals.
Sites like MoneySuperMarket and Uswitch all help you customise your search based on price, allowances and provider.
This should make it easier to decide whether to renew your contract or move to another provider.
However, if you don’t want to switch and are happy with the service you’re getting under your current provider – haggle for a better deal.
You can still make significant savings by renewing your contract rather than rolling on to the tariff you’re given after your deal.
If you need to speak to a company on the phone, be sure to catch them at the right time.
Make some time to negotiate with your provider in the morning.
This way, you have a better chance of being the first customer through on the phone, and the rep won’t have worked tirelessly through previous calls which may have affected their stress levels.
It pays to be polite when getting through to someone on the phone, as representatives are less inclined to help rude or aggressive customers.
Knowing what other offers are on the market can help you to make a case for yourself to your provider.
If your provider won’t haggle, you can always threaten to leave.
Companies don’t want to lose customers and may come up with a last-minute offer to keep you.
It’s also worth investigating social tariffs. These deals have been created for people who are receiving certain benefits.
