turns

LOVE Island star Lucie Donlan is shockin’ around the Christmas tree in a saucy low-cut Ann Summers dress.

The model, 27, helped the raunchy retail chain launch its Styles range, including this red All Wrapped Up festive number with a giant bow.

She has also been seen sleighing it in the company’s Sexy Santa Basque set.

In July Lucie enjoyed a spectacular break in Abu Dhabi which she received free of charge in exchange for an advert to her 1.5m Instagram followers.

In her caption, Lucie wrote: “This week I’ve had the pleasure of staying at @erth.uae.

“A breathtaking and unique Hotel located 15 minutes from downtown Abu Dhabi.

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“When I first arrived it felt like stepping into nature as the whole hotel has been beautifully designed with sandy warm colours inspired by our planet and aspects of rich cultural Emirati heritage.

Lucie has been in a relationship with her former co-star, Luke Mabbott, 29, with the pair going on to become engaged in 2021.

Back in December the loved-up pair got accused of ‘getting engaged for likes on Instagram’ when they celebrated their proposal on holiday.

Luke shared a snap from their special moment with the caption: “2 year’s engaged…”

Some took to the comments section to share how confused they were by their engagement.

One user commented: “I’ve always said that an engagement isn’t real unless they’ve set a date for a wedding.

They continued: “Otherwise, it’s just like my plan to be a millionaire: it’s it’s vague goal without any realistic “when” or “how”.”

The couple shot to fame on different series of Love Island.

A low-key, media-only weigh-in took place on Thursday morning at the Fontainebleau hotel, before a ceremonial weigh-in later in the day at the Fillmore Miami Beach.

Heavyweights do not usually have to make weight, but Joshua was required to come in under 17st 7lb (111kg) – reflecting the gulf in experience between the fighters.

He tipped the scales at 17st 5lb (110kg), with Paul weighing 15st 7lb (98kg).

At the official weigh-in earlier, Paul stepped on the scales calmly before breaking into a brief, animated and somewhat confusing tirade.

“Do you know who I am? I am him,” he shouted, eyes wide, as he gestured towards the assembled media.

Paul was the heaviest he has weighed in at – 3lb more than for his fight against Mike Tyson last year.

The weight discrepancy has been a major talking point.

Paul has operated largely at cruiserweight for much of his boxing career.

Joshua was never expected to miss the limit, having posted a video on social media two weeks ago showing himself already on target.

He has comfortably made similar weights before, including for both fights against generational great Oleksandr Usyk. At his heaviest, he was 18st 3lb (118kg) during his professional career.

Morning light glints off the water as children in crisp uniforms, polished sandals, and neatly packed schoolbags paddle across the same waters where fights once broke out among young boys. They are heading to Part of Solution Nursery and Primary School, Makoko, in South West Nigeria, a free, floating school that is turning the tide against crime and violence in one of Lagos’s most marginalised communities.

For five years, Segun Opeyemi made this journey every morning.

But before school days and uniforms, mornings like this did not exist for him. Segun spent his days roaming the streets of Makoko, and he slept wherever night met him—beneath market stalls, beside rickety shacks, or along the water’s edge. Hunger dictated his choices, and survival came at a cost.

“When I was on the street, I indulged in all kinds of bad activities just to put food on my table and survive,” he recalled. 

By 2018, when Taiwo Shemede, the school’s headteacher, first met him, Segun was about ten years old and already hardened by life on the streets. Taiwo took him and enrolled him at the school. “Thank God for education,” Segun said.

‘Part of the Solution’

The story of the school that changed Segun’s life began eight years earlier.

In 2010, members of the Yacht Club of Nigeria, who often visited Makoko, asked the community’s chief, Emmanuel Shemede, what the area needed most. He told them it was “a school building”. The club raised funds and built Whanyinna Nursery and Primary School, the community’s first floating school, which was handed over to the community and run by the Shemede family. 

Soon, Whanyinna became overcrowded. The school’s success drew hundreds of children, and before long, there was no space to accommodate them. Determined not to turn any child away, Sunday Shemede, son of the community chief, and his siblings, including Taiwo, decided to act.

In 2015, they started another school.

“My brothers and I began with just 50 children in our father’s house,” Sunday recalled. “We went to 50 parents and asked each to give us one child we would teach for free.”

That humble beginning marked the birth of Part of Solution Nursery and Primary School, the second free school on the Makoko waterfront, according to Sunday.

As more parents saw how their children were learning to read and write, enrolment grew beyond 400 within months, outgrowing the small family space once again.

A few years later, the Shemedes met Cameron Mofid, an American tourist, who, moved by the lack of uniforms he saw during his visit, started a GoFundMe campaign through his non-profit, Humanity Effect, to raise $5000 for the school. Within a week, over 200 people had donated, contributing more than $100,000.

The funds built an additional wooden school on stilts and provided uniforms, school boats, and other essentials. Another soon followed. Today, the Shemede family runs three free schools across Makoko’s waterside — Whanyinna, Part of Solution 1, and Part of Solution 2 — the only completely free schools in the entire community. Together, they educate more than 750 pupils and operate an orphanage that shelters 31 children, all registered with the Lagos State Ministry of Education.

Segun has lived at the orphanage since he enrolled in the school.

“It was free education with the provision of books and uniforms,” he added. He graduated from the school in 2022 and is now enrolled at nearby Ade Comprehensive Government Junior Secondary School. “The homeless 10-year-old boy of yesterday is now in JSS2 with a dream to become a lawyer,” he told HumAngle.

Welcome to Makoko

Makoko sits on the Lagos Lagoon, just beside the Third Mainland Bridge. The fishing settlement was founded more than a century ago by migrants from the Egun ethnic group of neighbouring West African countries, including the Benin Republic and Togo. It is home to an estimated 100,000 to 200,000 people, though exact figures remain uncertain because the community is considered informal and largely absent from government records. 

For generations, life revolved around the waters, with men casting nets, women smoking fish, and children learning the trade as soon as they could paddle a canoe. 

Before the rise of community schools, Makoko’s youth often grew up without structure, falling into cycles of crime, violence, and hopelessness. But the efforts of the Shemede family and other humanitarian organisations are changing that through community schools where children can learn, dream, and stay safe. 

Building peace through education

Each morning, they paddle to class in small canoes, keeping their books dry in their bags. The atmosphere at the school is lively and disciplined. Pupils recite the alphabet in unison, clap to the rhythm, and eagerly raise their hands to answer questions.

For the founders, literacy was only part of the goal. Education, they believed, was a tool that could prevent the community’s younger generation from drifting into violence.

Before the schools were built, many children like Segun wandered the narrow alleys in canoes or idled at the waterfront. Petty thefts, street quarrels, and fights were part of daily life. Parents expected their children to fish or trade, but without guidance, many drifted into mischief. Teachers say this pattern is shifting.

“For me, keeping them in school keeps them off the streets and away from trouble,” said Juliet Okundere, who has taught at the school for four years. “When we started, most pupils couldn’t read, speak, or write English. Gradually, they began to read and write. That gives them confidence and purpose.”

Twelve-year-old Abutu Lazarus said the school has helped him dream bigger. “Now I can read and write well,” he said with a smile. “I want to be a pilot.”

Across Makoko, others are noticing it too.

“Until recently, young boys fought over little things, and it created bitterness,” recalled Segun Adekunle, a 50-year-old youth leader. “But the coming of education has reduced all that. Even the old ones now go to evening school. So, there’s no time to fight like before. At my age, I am learning how to read, and it gives me joy.”

Jacob Ikeki, an older resident who never had the chance to attend school, has witnessed a transformation in his own family. “When children are not going to school, they just play around and cause trouble,” he said, recalling how he once joined street fights as a child after long fishing trips. “I’m proud to see my son reading and writing perfectly. I know he will not repeat my mistakes.”

Another parent, Mary Rofik, whose son attends the school, said education has brought discipline to her home. “Since he started schooling, he has communicated well in English. When I call him, he responds with ‘Ma’ and calls his father ‘Sir.’ Before, you would see children as young as two or three stealing from their mothers’ pots and talking back to elders. Now, my son has respect, and I know education is shaping him.”

Teachers say fewer children skip class for mischief, traders no longer have to chase them from stalls, and elders notice that quarrels have given way to learning. 

Inside the classrooms

On low benches, children lean over their books as volunteer teachers guide them through lessons in English, maths, and basic science. The space hums with energy — the scrape of chalk, the shuffle of feet, the soft rise and fall of young voices eager to learn.

Among the teachers is Samuel Shemede, who grew up fishing but decided to go to school after seeing how education transformed his siblings. He has completed his secondary school education and is now a teacher at the Part of Solution School. 

Samuel teaches a kindergarten class. “I make learning fun,” Samuel said. “We sing, we play, and through that, they learn. Class time is not just lessons; it is a moment of joy. I want them to love school as much as I’ve learned to love it.”

Keeping the vision afloat 

Part of Solution School and its sister schools remain free, ensuring even the poorest families can send their children. Sunday says this has been key to maintaining high attendance and low street crime in the area.

Still, the school is not without challenges. Classrooms are overcrowded, stipends for the ten volunteer teachers, including Juliet and Samuel, are inconsistent, and learning materials are limited. There are only a few canoes to transport pupils, leaving some to paddle long distances themselves. 

Yet the resilience of the community keeps the project afloat. “What we need the most is increased support for our teachers, technological equipment and facilities, and enough canoes for the children,” said Sunday, who still fishes part-time to sustain the project.

But beyond these daily struggles lies a deeper worry — what happens after?

After primary school, many pupils face another barrier: there are no secondary schools within Makoko. Graduates must cross to Lagos Mainland to continue their studies, where most schools charge at least ₦42,000 per term, far beyond what many families can afford.

To prevent them from dropping out, the Shemede family has created a follow-up system.

“We register our graduating pupils at schools in Sabo, on the Mainland, and pay for their textbooks and supplies,” Sunday explained. “We also check on them every three weeks and stay in touch with their teachers.”

So far, more than 200 pupils have graduated from Part of Solution School.  

Still, he fears that without broader government support, their efforts may not be enough. “If our children can’t continue beyond primary school, we risk returning to the days of idleness and violence. Everything we’ve built could be undone,” he said. 

Despite being Nigeria’s economic hub, Lagos State has a rising number of out-of-school children. While the government has invested in the establishment of schools and the enrolment of students, gaps remain, especially in underserved communities like Makoko.

Grassroots efforts like Part of Solution School have shown how education can calm unrest and open new paths for children. But to secure that progress, they need systemic support — better funding, accessible secondary schools, and consistent policy attention.

Until then, the sight of children paddling to class each morning will remain both a symbol of Makoko’s hope and a reminder of how fragile that hope still is.

This story was produced under the HumAngle Foundation’s Advancing Peace and Security through Journalism project, supported by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED).

MODEL Emily Ratajkowski looks fab-yule-ous as she poses in a red dress for a festive event.

The 34-year-old wore the minidress, tights and heels at the event for hair brand Kérastase in New York on Thursday evening.

Emily was recently seen on a date with singer Dua Lipa’s ex, Romain Gavras.

They were spotted last month kissing during a romantic winter stroll through New York City.

Emily was recently linked to Elvis star Austin Butler after the pair enjoyed an evening of cocktails together.

She has a four-year-old son Sylvester Apollo Bear, who she shares with her ex-husband Sebastian Bear-McClard. 

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Emily finalized her divorce with the film producer, who faced a slew of sexual misconduct allegations, in July, after filing for divorce in September 2022.

Emily recently bared her soul about how she suffered from self-doubt. 

She revealed how writing her 2021 memoir My Body had sparked feelings of inadequacy.

The model explained: “I had imposter syndrome.” 

MOUNT POCONO, Pa. — On the road in Pennsylvania on Tuesday, President Trump tried to emphasize his focus on combating inflation, yet the issue that has damaged his popularity couldn’t quite command his full attention.

The president told the crowd gathered at a casino and resort in Mount Pocono that inflation was no longer a problem and that Democrats had used the term “affordability” as a “hoax” to hurt his reputation. But his remarks weaved wildly to include grievances he first raised behind closed doors in his first term in 2018 — and later denied saying — asking why the U.S. doesn’t have more immigrants from Scandinavia.

“Why is it we only take people from s—hole countries, right?” Trump said onstage. “Why can’t we have some people from Norway, Sweden, just a few?”

Trump said he objected to taking immigrants from “hellholes like Afghanistan, Haiti, Somalia and many other countries.” He added for emphasis that those places “are a disaster, right? Filthy, dirty, disgusting, ridden with crime.”

Tuesday’s gathering in the swing state — and in a competitive House district — was an official White House event, yet it seemed more like one of his signature campaign rallies that his chief of staff said he would hold regularly ahead of next year’s midterms. But instead of being in an arena that could draw several thousand attendees, it was held in a conference center ballroom at the Mount Airy Casino Resort in Mount Pocono, a small town of about 3,000 residents.

Voters starting to pin inflation on GOP

Following dismal results for Republicans in last month’s off-cycle elections, the White House has sought to convince voters that the economy will emerge stronger next year and that any anxieties over inflation have nothing to do with Trump.

He displayed a chart comparing price increases under his predecessor, Joe Biden, to prices under his own watch to argue his case. But the overall inflation rate has climbed since he announced broad tariffs in April and left many Americans worried about their grocery, utility and housing bills.

“I have no higher priority than making America affordable again,” Trump said. “They caused the high prices and we’re bringing them down.”

As the president spoke, his party’s political vulnerabilities were further seen as Miami voters chose Eileen Higgins to be their first Democratic mayor in nearly 30 years. Higgins defeated the Trump-endorsed Republican Emilio Gonzalez.

The president’s reception in the county hosting his Tuesday rally showed he could still appeal to the base, but it was unable to settle questions of whether he could hold together his 2024 coalition. Monroe County flipped to Trump last year after having backed Biden in 2020, helping the Republican win the swing state of Pennsylvania and return to the White House after a four-year hiatus.

As home to the Pocono Mountains, the county has largely relied on tourism for skiing, hiking, hunting and other activities as a source of jobs. Its proximity to New York City — under two hours by car — has also attracted people seeking more affordable housing.

In Monroe County, prices are a problem

But what seems undeniable — even to Trump supporters in Monroe County — is that inflation seems to be here to stay.

Lou Heddy, a retired maintenance mechanic who voted for Trump last year, said he’s noticed in the past month alone that his and his wife’s grocery bills have risen from $175 to $200, and he’s not sure Trump can bring food prices down.

“Once the prices get up for food, they don’t ever come back down. That’s just the way I feel. I don’t know how the hell he would do it,” said Heddy, 72.

But Suzanne Vena, a Democratic voter, blames Trump’s tariffs for making life more expensive, as she struggles with rising bills for food, rent and electricity on a fixed income. She remembers Trump saying that he would stop inflation.

“That’s what we were originally told,” said Vena, 66. “Did I believe it? That’s another question. I did not.”

The area Trump visited could help decide control of the House in next year’s midterm elections.

Trump held his rally in a congressional district held by first-term Republican Rep. Rob Bresnahan, who is a top target of Democrats. Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti, a Democrat, is running for the nomination to challenge him.

Speaking to the crowd before Trump, Bresnahan said the administration was working to lower costs, but voters “aren’t asking for partisan arguments — they’re asking for results.”

It’s not clear if Trump can motivate voters in Monroe County to show up in next year’s election if they’re worried about inflation.

Nick Riley, 38, said he’s cutting back on luxuries, like going out to eat, as he absorbs higher bills for food and electricity and is having a hard time finding a good deal on a used car. Riley voted for Trump in 2020, but he sat out the 2024 election and plans to do so again next year.

“We’re all broke. It doesn’t matter whether you support Republicans or support Democrats,” Riley said. “We’re all broke, and we’re all feeling it.”

Trump to start holding more rallies

White House chief of staff Susie Wiles said on the online conservative talk show “The Mom View” that Trump would be on the campaign trail next year to engage supporters who otherwise might sit out a congressional race.

Wiles, who helped manage Trump’s 2024 campaign, said most administrations try to localize midterm elections and keep the president out of the race, but she intends to do the opposite of that.

“We’re actually going to turn that on its head,” Wiles said, “and put him on the ballot because so many of those low-propensity voters are Trump voters.”

The challenge for Trump is how to address the concerns of voters about the economy while simultaneously claiming that the economy is enjoying a historic boom.

Asked on a Politico podcast how he’d rate the economy, Trump leaned into grade inflation by answering “A-plus,” only to then amend his answer to “A-plus-plus-plus-plus-plus.”

The U.S. economy has shown signs of resilience with the stock market up this year and overall growth looking solid for the third quarter. But many Americans see the prices of housing, groceries, education, electricity and other basic needs as swallowing up their incomes, a dynamic that the Trump administration has said it expects to fade next year with more investments in artificial intelligence and manufacturing.

So far, the public has been skeptical about Trump’s economic performance. Just 33% of U.S. adults approve of Trump’s handling of the economy, according to a November survey by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

But Trump indicated that his tariffs and other policies were helping industries such as the steel sector. He said those industries mattered for the country as he then specifically told Americans that they should buy fewer pencils and dolls from overseas.

“You don’t need 37 dolls for your daughter,” he told the crowd. “Two or three is nice.”

Levy and Boak write for the Associated Press. Boak reported from Washington.

SINGER Sabrina Carpenter is so Espress-ive as she steps out in New York City.

The Taste star wore an oversized sweatshirt and tights as she left filming of US chat show Late Night with Seth Meyers.

During the recording 26-year-old Sabrina wore a retro black-and-white ­layered dress.

The outfit appeared in designer Chantal Thomass’ 1994 Fall collection during Paris Fashion Week and was modelled on the runway by Claudia Schiffer.

Sabrina enjoys the sweet smell of success as one of the most streamed artists in the UK this year.

But no British stars made the annual Spotify Top Ten as fans turned their backs on homegrown music.

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US singer Sabrina was the third most played artist among millions of UK Spotify users — while her 2024 album Short n’ Sweet, featuring hit Espresso, was the most streamed.

Sabrina, who has just launched her new Sweet Tooth range of perfumes, was beaten by US pop superstar Taylor Swift and the Canadian rapper Drake.

Oasis were a surprise omission after 1.5 million fans saw their reunion gigs this summer.

South London’s Lola Young, 24, was the only Brit with a song in the UK Top Ten.

Messy, which hit No1 in November 2024, was the third most streamed track.

Tunes from American singer-songwriters took the first and second spots: the emotional track Ordinary by Alex Warren and the break-up song That’s So True by Gracie Abrams.

Globally, Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny topped the streaming chart with 19.8 billion, followed by Taylor Swift.

The most streamed song of the year worldwide was Die With a Smile by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars, with 1.7 billion streams.