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Court bans Spanish PM’s wife from leaving country amid corruption probe | Corruption News

Begona Gomez is accused of using her position as the prime minister’s wife ⁠to secure work contracts.

The wife of Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has been barred from travelling abroad as she prepares to face trial on corruption charges.

Investigating judge Juan Carlos Peinado issued the ruling on Saturday, ordering Sanchez’s wife, Begona Gomez, to hand in her passport and appear in front of court twice per month until a verdict is issued. She is charged with embezzlement, influence peddling, corruption in business dealings and misappropriation of funds.

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Gomez has consistently denied any wrongdoing in the case, which stems from a complaint filed by an anticorruption group with far-right ties. It focuses on the creation and management of a chair at Madrid’s Complutense University that was co-directed by Gomez, as well as the alleged use of public resources and personal connections to advance private interests.

Sanchez has dismissed the allegations against his wife as an attempt by the right wing to undermine his government. Sanchez’s Socialist Party has said Gomez is innocent and subject to a years-long campaign of political persecution

No date has yet been set for the politically explosive trial.

The case is one of several corruption investigations involving Sanchez’s allies that are approaching trial or already before the courts, increasing pressure on the prime minister.

Several close allies, including the Socialist Party’s number three ⁠and Sanchez’s former transport minister, are under investigation in cases involving alleged ⁠kickbacks linked to public works, oil ⁠and gas contracts, and the procurement of masks during the pandemic. They deny wrongdoing.

Separately, Spain’s High Court said it was investigating former ‌Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero over allegations he led a network that profited from lobbying public authorities ‌on ‌behalf of third parties, including airline Plus Ultra. He denies the claims.

Sanchez, who has not been named in any of the cases, has rejected opposition calls to step down and call early elections.

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Who is Jon Snow’s wife? Meet Channel 4 icon’s partner ahead of new doc

Jon Snow went into a “deep depression” after retiring from Channel 4.

Jon Snow’s wife has revealed they felt he was “struck off” following his dementia diagnosis.

The veteran broadcaster will feature in the one-off 90-minute documentary Jon Snow: A Last Big Story, as he exposes injustice while fighting for a Zambian community whose homes have been demolished by mining operations.

The Channel 4 News presenter will also speak candidly about his Alzheimer’s diagnosis in 2023, two years after stepping down from his long-running career.

Audiences will also be introduced to Snow’s wife, who joins the renowned journalist on his journey to Zambia as he “rediscovers his purpose”.

Who is Jon Snow’s wife?

Former Channel 4 presenter Jon Snow is married to Dr Precious Lunga, a Zimbabwean epidemiologist and neuroscientist.

Born in Rhodesia, she pursued her studies in the UK, obtaining a PhD from the University of Cambridge.

Currently, she serves as CEO and co-founder of Baobab Circle, an award-winning health technology firm utilising AI to tackle the rising challenge of chronic diseases such as diabetes throughout Africa.

Jon, 78, and Precious, 51, first crossed paths on the Caribbean island of Mustique in 2001, tying the knot nine years later in 2010.

The couple went on to welcome a son via surrogacy in March 2021, marking the third time Jon has become a father, having previously had two daughters with his former partner of 35 years, human rights lawyer Madeleine Colvin.

Prior to Jon Snow: A Last Big Story, Precious described how her husband fell into a “deep depression” for six months following his retirement.

Speaking candidly with Anita Rai on Woman’s House, she revealed why Jon has chosen to go public about his condition.

“He said ‘if I don’t speak out who will?'”, Precious began.

“It is something that affected his own mother and affects so many people.

“He felt that when someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s they are written off, but it’s not like you fall off a cliff.

“It’s a gradual degradation of the brain. It doesn’t mean you still can’t contribute to the world and he felt he still had so much to give, which is why he decided to make this documentary.”

Precious also revealed that she was initially hesitant about appearing in the Channel 4 documentary, but quickly had a change of heart.

She said: “What helped me overcome it was the fact I am one of over one million people affected by dementia.

“That helped me get over the nervousness of telling our story. It is not the end and we are looking for opportunities to enjoy our life.”

Jon Snow: A Last Big Story airs tonight, Sunday, June 21, at 8pm, on Channel 4.

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Bill to limit prison off-ramp for California’s mentally ill advancing

A bill to tighten California’s rules on mental health diversion — a process that allows certain criminal defendants to avoid prison for arrests linked to mental illness — is now on the verge of being signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Assembly Bill 46, authored by Stephanie Nguyen (D-Elk Grove), gives judges much wider discretion to decide whether a defendant should be eligible for diversion. Under the current law, judges must presume mental illness was a factor if a defendant with a legitimate diagnosis seeks diversion. In order to defeat a diversion request, the burden is on prosecutors to prove mental health issues were not a factor in the alleged crime.

The new measure — which moved through the state Senate with no opposition last month and is expected to clear the reconciliation process in the Assembly this week — also gives judges more latitude to block diversion if a defendant poses “a risk of danger to public safety,” as opposed to the higher “unreasonable risk” standard that was passed in 2018. Defendants charged with attempted murder will no longer be eligible for diversion under the new bill.

Proponents of more inclusive diversion policies argue that many people with mental health issues are locked up in California prisons and jails, where they are unable to receive the help they need.

The pending bill’s supporters say its changes are designed to address cases like that of Gilberto Guttierrez, a Los Angeles County man who has been accused of attacking his wife four times over the last 12 years.

In 2014, a misdemeanor domestic violence allegation landed Guttierrez on probation. Three years later, Guttierrez was ordered to take anger management classes after prosecutors brought felony domestic violence charges against him. Last February, prosecutors allege, he carried out a “brutal attack” on his wife with a glass bottle, leaving her with “extensive injuries,” according to a motion filed in his current criminal case. That time, the court filings show, Guttierrez threatened to kill her.

Despite objections from prosecutors and L.A. County probation officials, a judge granted a request to give Guttierrez mental health diversion last July.

A month later, prosecutors allege, he beat his wife until she fell into a coma.

When it passed in 2018, the original mental health diversion law was heralded as a needed off-ramp for defendants suffering from serious psychological issues — offering treatment to those who need it rather than a prison cell. But with voters statewide souring on progressive criminal justice reforms, lawmakers have sought to make it harder for defendants to qualify.

“AB 46 preserves diversion as an important pathway to care while ensuring judges have a clearer and more workable standard when serious public safety concerns are present,” Nguyen said in a statement last month.

Under the existing rules, defendants who successfully argue for pretrial mental health diversion spend two years undergoing a court-appointed treatment plan instead of facing a conviction. Prosecutors must prove the defendant is likely to commit a serious violent crime, a so-called “super strike,” again in order to block diversion.

Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman, one of many prosecutors statewide who supported Nguyen’s bill, said that has been a nearly impossible standard to overcome.

“Guttierrez being your example: Judge, if you release him, he’s going to probably beat his wife up again, and if he does this time, he could kill her. But for the grace of God, he hasn’t killed her up until now,” Hochman said.

He added that due to the judge’s decision to grant diversion in Guttierrez’s case, “you have three little kids who likely won’t have their mom for the rest of their life.”

A spokesperson for Newsom did not respond to a request for comment about his plans for the legislation.

A 2020 Rand Corporation study found 61% of the nearly 5,500 mentally ill inmates housed in Los Angeles County at that time were “likely appropriate candidates” for diversion.

But a number of troubling incidents have led to pushback against the existing diversion law.

In a letter supporting Nguyen’s bill, the California District Attorneys Assn. rattled off a list of cases in which prosecutors say the law’s shortcomings had deadly consequences. They pointed to a case in Sacramento where a defendant stabbed a 40-year-old man to death after he was granted diversion in a robbery case. In Santa Clara, the letter said, a woman on mental health diversion for carjacking proceeded to steal another car and slam it into an outside table at a restaurant, leaving one person dead and others injured.

Nikhil Ramnaney, a former federal prosecutor who now works as a defense attorney in Southern California, said thousands of people benefit from mental health diversion every year without reoffending and chastised the bill’s supporters for cherry-picking horrible — but rare — cases to muster support for their proposal.

“This is their most effective strategy because it works. Pick up the most visceral, outrageous anecdotes and then repeat them and amplify them as much as possible,” he said. “That’s how we get bad policy.”

Defense attorney Alexandra Kazarian said California politicians are repeating age-old mistakes of trying to arrest their way out of a mental health crisis.

“Without this option, you throw them into prison for a couple of years, they get out, and nothing changes. I’ve seen real change in my clients who have been granted these and who have just been on horrific mental health breaks and who, two years later, fully have their lives together,” she said. “You’re always going to be able to find an outlier. You’re always going to be able to find somebody who ruins what is a great project or program.”

Hochman said the modified mental health diversion law is a “rebalancing” of the scales in California after years of attempts to lower the state’s overcrowded jail populations affected public safety.

“In the end, I’m not looking for pendulum swings,” he said. “I think we did have a pendulum swing when these laws were being passed and people weren’t really discussing, or at least understanding, the public safety impact of laws that seem on their surface to be very — I wouldn’t even use the word ‘progressive,’ but very helpful to people who are suffering.”

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Walter Parazaider, saxophonist and Chicago co-founder, dead at 81

Walter Parazaider, the saxophonist and co-founder of the rock group Chicago, has died. He was 81.

Parazaider died June 17 of complications from Alzheimers disease. In a statement posted to social media on Wednesday, the band said that “Chicago is heartbroken at the sad news of Walter Parazaider’s passing this morning. We extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends and countless Chicago fans who are all grieving his loss today.”

His daughter, Felicia Helen Parazaider, also posted on Facebook that “I love you poppy, my Pal…You coloured our world.”

Born in Maywood, Ill., Parazaider began his music career as a clarinetist, before founding Chicago with childhood friends in the group’s namesake city. The band’s pop hits like “25 or 6 to 4” and “Saturday in the Park” were staples of the ‘70s and remain beloved fixtures of classic rock. His diverse woodwind skills helped give the band its regal sound, adding saxophone riffs to hits like “Just You ‘n’ Me” and a poignant flute solo on “Colour My World.”

While Chicago’s lineup changed often, Parazaider remained with the group until retiring in 2018. In April of 2021, Parazaider wrote in a statement on Chicago’s website that “I was diagnosed with Alzheimers disease. Needless to say, my wife, daughters and myself were shocked and devastated. It has taken awhile to process this news and the fact is, we still are. The good news is we have a wonderful medical facility here and I have a very good doctor. I am working hard and not going to give up.”

Chicago gave credit to Parazaider for conceiving of the band’s distinct instrumentation, and the work ethic that made them stars. “A Rock & Roll band with horns was Walt’s idea,” Chicago’s statement continued. “He put the band together and they rehearsed in the basement of his mother’s home. He is also the one who did the hard work to book shows for the young, unknown band, performing top 40 covers at local bars in and around Chicago.

“We are forever grateful for his contribution,” they continued. “Perhaps his greatest gift was bringing people together. This amazing music may have never been heard had it not been for Walt’s vision.”

Parazaider is survived by wife JacLynn and daughters Laura and Felicia.



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Sensing opportunity, Newsom touts investigation he says is Trump’s doing

Gov. Gavin Newsom did something this week that most politicians would only in a nightmare: He announced that the federal government is investigating him and his wife.

The revelation, delivered in a direct-to-camera 4½-minute video set against a backdrop of U.S. and California flags, became a top headline across the country.

In the upside-down politics of the Trump era, that was exactly as intended.

“He seems to be wearing this as a badge of honor because his brand is being the strongest opponent of Donald Trump,” said Thad Kousser, a professor of political science at UC San Diego. “The ability to show that you’re going on offense and that you know how to effectively fight back against this president is part of making your case for office.”

As he eyes a run for president in 2028, an antagonistic relationship with President Trump is Newsom’s political currency.

So when friends and former employees said the FBI and Internal Revenue Service had knocked on their doors and asked about him and his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, last Wednesday, the governor took advantage of the situation to boost his political profile.

“Mr. President, come after me,” Newsom said in the video he posted online. “I’m not going anywhere, and the country is watching.”

Newsom, who is in his final year as California’s governor, has not declared his intent to run for president, though his claim that Trump is targeting him because he’s considering a bid for the White House was an open acknowledgment of his thoughts about the future. Announcing the probe himself — before federal authorities had a chance to describe it on their terms — allowed him to get ahead of and try to discredit any findings as a “personal vendetta” long before potential charges are brought.

Celinda Lake, a Democratic strategist and national pollster, said Newsom publicly defending his wife could also play well with voters.

“He’s positioned himself as the front-runner because he’s the one who’s under attack,” Lake said. “Primary voters love it when he engages Trump, and I think the combination of engaging Trump and then also the sexism of going after your wife is just a real home run for a primary electorate that’s 59% female.”

The video released Monday seemed similar to a speech Newsom delivered after Trump sent federal troops to Los Angeles last summer.

That address, in which he countered Trump’s version of events and challenged the president to come after him instead of women and child immigrants, made Newsom the captain of the Democratic response to the unprecedented deployment and ended his attempt to play the part of respectful statesman and ease political tensions following the 2024 election.

Liberals have since seemed to relish Newsom’s near-constant derision of the president on social media.

But David McCuan, a professor of political science at Sonoma State University, said casting the case as another instance of Trump’s political weaponization ignores questions about the murky timeline and origin of the investigation.

Newsom’s aides point to Trump saying that the governor should be arrested during last summer’s anti-ICE protests as evidence that he personally called for the inquiry. The claim has gained oxygen — and been echoed by other Democratic leaders in the state — while going largely unchallenged by federal officials. The Justice Department has declined to comment, as has the White House.

A source familiar with the matter, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss it publicly, said two federal probes have been going on for about a year, and that they originated not from Washington, D.C. but from conversations between whistleblowers and federal prosecutors based in Sacramento. The probes are linked to Newsom’s former chief-of-staff, Dana Williamson, and Siebel Newsom’s taxes, the source said.

Newsom’s critics have also noted that federal prosecutors under the Biden administration had pursued questions about his involvement in a state lawsuit against Activision Blizzard Inc., a major video game distributor, before Trump retook office.

“This is something that could lead to other elements that blow up, so there’s a risk,” McCuan said.

Newsom’s aides described the investigation as a fishing expedition, with federal authorities searching for anything they can use against the governor.

They said federal authorities appeared to initially investigate allegations that turned up nothing about the Activision case before refocusing their questions on nonprofits and other entities tied to the couple. Investigators also asked about personal information related to the family’s household, Newsom’s office said.

McCuan said three nonprofits that surround the couple have received millions of dollars from donors and political interests and are not subject to campaign finance limits.

The California Partners Project is a nonprofit that promotes gender equity. The Representation Project is an avenue for Siebel Newsom’s documentary films. The California State Protocol Foundation uses private donations to pay for gubernatorial expenses and was founded under former Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

“It’s a long-running game,” McCuan said. “It’s just the Newsom first couple has perfected it and moved it forward.”

Newsom getting out ahead of prosecutors and framing their probes as nothing but a “witch hunt” — borrowing a phrase often used by Trump during his own previous prosecutions — carries risk.

If prosecutors do turn up evidence of wrongdoing, Newsom’s decision to parade his indignation could backfire.

Publicly challenging Trump also runs the risk that the president could instruct the Justice Department to dig in deeper on an investigation that might have otherwise petered out.

But Lake and others said there’s no placating Trump, who has targeted Newsom and other Democrats.

While traditional politics suggest facing federal charges could sink Newsom’s political ambitions, the rules have been thrown out under Trump.

“You know the last person who got tied up in courts on the campaign trail?” Kousser asked. “That was Donald Trump, and nothing elevated Donald Trump more than doing courthouse press appearances and being seen as the target of an unfair political prosecution.”

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Jelly Roll files for divorce after nearly 10 years with Bunnie XO

Jelly Roll has filed for divorce from Bunnie XO.

The country music star filed for divorce from his wife in Tennessee’s Williamson County on May 18, according to court documents obtained by PeopleTMZ broke the news. The announcement may come as a shock for country fans who have followed the couple through their sappy podcast appearances and gushy acceptance speeches.

Bunnie XO, who hosts the “Dumb Blonde” podcast, met Jelly Roll at one of his Las Vegas Country Saloon concerts in 2015. Then, a year later on a Las Vegas stage, the “Save Me” hitmaker popped the question.

The pair said their “I do’s” at a local courthouse later than night in a secret ceremony.

Jelly Roll and Bunnie XO have been candid on the podcast circuit about the ups and downs of their relationship. In Bunnie’s 2026 memoir, “Stripped Down: Unfiltered and Unapologetic,” she wrote about Jelly Roll’s 10-month affair in 2018 and her subsequent emotional unraveling.

The couple also has been open about their struggle with IVF in recent years.

As recently as February, while accepting his win for contemporary country album for “Beautifully Broken,” Jelly Roll thanked Bunnie XO in his acceptance speech, saying that he wanted to thank his “beautiful wife” and that he’d be dead or in jail without her.

And during a 2023 appearance on “Bussin’ With the Boys” podcast, Jelly Roll was overcome with emotion recounting his early days with Bunnie XO. “When Bunnie comes into my life, I have to sit Bunnie down and go, ‘Look, I have a kid that you know about that I’m fixing to have to get full custody of.’”

According to the Grammy winner, Bunnie had his back from the beginning.

“I don’t have a house, I’m homeless. So she’s like, ‘Well, the first thing we have to do is get you somewhere to live in Nashville.’ I was like, ‘Well, I can’t put it in my name, I’m a felon, I don’t have enough proof of income to get the kind of place we need to get her in the right school district.’

“Bunnie’s like, ‘Let’s just go get a condo, so you have a bedroom for her.’ … So Bunnie comes down, and we’re getting a condo. I’ll never forget, Bunnie looked at me, and, man, it makes me emotional. She said, ‘No matter what happens with us. I’m gonna help you get this little girl.’

“And I was like, man, what character this woman has,” he continued.

Hours before news of the couple’s split broke, Bunnie XO posted a video on Instagram dancing to Nickelback’s “How You Remind Me,” and mouthing the lyrics “I said I love you and I swear I still do.”



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Authoritarians target wives and children because it works. Trump is no different

The Trump Department of Justice going after people who make the president mad or even sad is nothing new, in this dangerous age when the presidency is increasingly about placating the desires of the old man in the Oval Office.

Leticia James, James Comey, Adam Schiff. Most recently, E. Jean Carroll, who sued President Trump personally and won a huge settlement on her claim that he sexually assaulted her. Now, the Department of Justice is investigating her for potential perjury.

It would be easy to think of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s announcement Monday that the U.S. Department of Justice is now targeting his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, as just another addition to that list.

But this attack on Siebel Newsom (alleged attack, anyway — the Department of Justice has not confirmed she is a target) is something much darker in our slide into authoritarianism. While the details of what is being investigated are murky and the president hasn’t chimed in yet, it has all the appearances of the Trump administration seeking to stop a political rival who has a real shot at knocking MAGA out of the top office.

“It’s not just random or accidental that the wife of a major presidential candidate is being investigated,” Steven Levitsky, a professor of politics at Harvard University, told me Monday. “That’s the nature of selective prosecution and that is a pillar of authoritarian rule.”

Levitsky is an expert on authoritarian regimes, and how they take and keep power. His point that Newsom is a viable challenger may seem obvious — Newsom himself is already fundraising off of it. But this particular alleged investigation bears a moment of pause because it is not the regular decline of justice we have been witnessing to this moment.

“This is different,” he said. “This is forward-looking persecution.”

Until now, Levistky points out, Trump has screamed and hollered for the prosecution of those who have wronged him in the past, sometimes even the distant past. Yes, he’s disgraced the Department of Justice with the demand it function as his own personal hammer of retribution, even putting his own personal attorney, Todd Blanche, in charge when Pam Bondi wasn’t accommodating or successful enough at stomping perceived enemies and quashing the Epstein files.

But those prosecutions have largely been grievance-based, not aimed at keeping power.

Going after Siebel Newsom seems more like a forward-looking, preemptive strike targeting Newsom ahead of the 2028 election through every decent man’s Achilles’ heel, his family.

In fact, the right-wing media — which is closely tied to the whims of the White House — has been targeting Siebel Newsom for months.

In particular, Siebel Newsom has been attacked for her work as a documentary filmmaker who focuses on female empowerment and parsing how and why we have the gender norms that we do when it comes to masculinity and femininity. I’ll let you figure out how popular that is in MAGA world, where real women make sandwiches.

Conservative commentator Sean Hannity has gone after Siebel Newsom for saying she sometimes changes the gender of a book’s character from “he” to “she” when she’s reading to her children. Fox News has attacked her for daring to give her boys dolls to play with, leading some MAGA influencers to label her “psychotic” or “abusive.” Right-wing icon Megyn Kelly called her a “nutcase” for sharing the tragic story of her sister’s death when Siebel Newsom was 6.

And other media have focused on the fact that some of the films she has been involved with have been approved for use in California schools, leading to conspiracies that Newsom used his influence to force his wife’s “woke” agenda on kids, by which we are apparently talking about the liberal plagues of decency and inclusion.

Newsom’s office said that in recent weeks, relatives, friends and business associates of the family have been contacted by investigators from the FBI and IRS. Siebel Newsom also does work around online safety for children, but it seems likely that any attention would focus on these films, and related nonprofits, and the perennially popular MAGA boogeyman of schools forcing ideologies on kids. Throw in Siebel Newsom’s company making even a dollar, and the way the IRS can find problems with any tax return, and you’ve got about 10,000 hours of right-wing propaganda.

So whether the pressure to target Siebel Newsom came from the White House or not, Newsom’s announcement raises the troubling specter that this administration is getting more serious about remaining in control by kneecapping potential replacements before they grow too strong.

In his Monday video, Newsom urged Trump with mano a mano bravado to come after him as much as he wanted, but to leave his wife and family out of it. But I would not underestimate Siebel Newsom, who showed her strength when she testified against disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein, laying out publicly a private, painful tale.

Siebel Newsom’s office told me she’s fine being part of any fight against Trump.

“There are clearly no boundaries to what Donald Trump will do to get his way or to challenge those who get in his way,” Siebel Newsom said in a statement.

The “governor and I will continue to speak truth to power because the American people deserve so much more.”

By coming out in advance of any official announcement of an investigation by the Department of Justice, Siebel Newsom and her husband may be able to take control of the narrative, something Trump detests.

That pushback, Levitsky said, is critical, not just for them, but more importantly for all of us. After last year, when so many institutions and individuals crumbled in the face of Trump’s power, the strength of our democracy increasingly depends on those with political capital standing up to him.

Coming out punching first does just that.

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Newsom says DOJ conducting baseless investigation of him and his wife at Trump’s direction

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday accused the Justice Department of launching — at President Trump’s request — a baseless and politically-motivated investigation into him and his wife, First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom.

“After calling for my arrest last year, Donald Trump directed his Department of Justice to investigate me,” Newsom said. “And just in the last week, I’ve learned his campaign has reached my own home: to get me, he’s coming after my wife, Jen.”

Newsom adamantly denied any wrongdoing by him or his wife. The White House referred questions to the Justice Department, which declined to comment.

A source familiar with the matter who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss it publicly told The Times that there are two probes underway, one related to Newsom’s former chief of staff, Dana Williamson, and one related to Siebel Newsom’s taxes.

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The source said both investigations have been ongoing for about a year; were launched by prosecutors in Sacramento based on information provided by whistleblowers and other local sources in California; and were not the result of directives out of Washington or the White House.

Newsom said that in recent days, “federal agents have knocked on the doors of family friends and former employees,” and have been “demanding records,” “digging through years and years of random documents” and “abusing the grand jury process” in a quest to find any kind of wrongdoing by him or his wife.

“Not because they found a crime. Because they are simply trying to find one,” he said.

Newsom did not describe the specific nature of the alleged probe, the line of questioning faced by friends and employees or the types of records taken or reviewed by federal investigators. But he alleged that Trump instigated the probe because Newsom is considering running for president in 2028, and because Trump “hates that I’ve consistently called him out — over and over again — for his lies and deceit.”

“He has turned the levers of government into his own personal power ministries to reward cronies and to try to jail his opponents,” Newsom said.

Newsom cited Justice Department investigations of several other of the president’s political opponents, including Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), New York Atty. Gen. Letitia James, former FBI director James Comey, former Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and former vice presidential candidate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

“One by one, anyone who has challenged Donald Trump has ended up on his hit list,” he said. “And today, I proudly join that list.”

This article will be updated.

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Twilight’s Taylor Lautner reveals gender of his unborn baby in sweet video with wife Taylor

TWILIGHT star Taylor Lautner has revealed the gender of his unborn baby in a sweet video with his wife Taylor.

The couple, who are expecting their first child together, took to Instagram to share the exciting news with their fans.

Taylor Lautner and his wife have revealed the gender of their unborn child Credit: instagram/@taylautner
The pair found out they’re having a girl Credit: instagram/@taylautner

In the video, the pair are seen covering their eyes while finding out the gender on a laptop in front of them.

They scream in excitement as the word ‘Girl’ flashes on screen in pink.

She begins crying as he puts his arms around her to console her.

He looks at her and says: “We did it,” as they both wipe away tears from their faces.

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They captioned it: “Our little secret is now yours,” with pink and blue heart emojis.

Their fans flocked to the comments section to share their well-wishes for the soon-to-be-parents.

One person gushed: “I will forever be watching this on repeat. It’s a girl! I guessed right! I’m so excited for you guys!”

Another social media user commented: “I love how intimate this moment was for you both.”

Somebody else enthused: “Congratulations to a beautiful couple that will be the best parents in the world.”

Yet another wrote: “It’s so nice and wholesome to see a man so excited to have a girl!

The couple announced they were expecting in March Credit: Instagram/taydome
He’s best known for starring in the Twilight movie series Credit: Handout

“Congratulations guys, this beautiful angel is lucky to have such wonderful humans as her parents.”

While a fifth added: “My kids are obsessed with Shark Boy and Lava Girl and watch it about five times a week and now shark boy is having a baby?! Congratulations!”

The couple revealed they were expecting their first child in March.

The actor, 34, shared a sweet snap of him planting a kiss on his wife’s blossoming baby bump.

The glowing couple also posted a baby scan in an adorable family photo.

Taylor cheekily captioned the post: “What’s better than two Taylor Lautners?” – a nod to the fact his wife shares his first name and surname.

The image was the first in a series shot by snapper Chanelle Sekas-Whitacre showing the couple dressed in white in a countryside setting.

The husband and wife revealed last year on their podcast The Squeeze that they had been exploring their fertility as they planned to start a family.

Taylor’s wife bravely opened up about her fertility concerns, recalling a chat with her doctor about whether she’d have enough eggs.

“My doctor was a little concerned for me because I’ve been on birth control for 10 years and never taken a break.

“And she was like, you could, like, not have any eggs right now,” she said, adding: “We’re in the clear. I got a lot of eggs.”

The two tied the knot in a lavish November 2022 wedding.



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Matt Baker says ‘we found our way’ as he addresses being ‘apart’ from wife

Countryfile presenter Matt Baker and his wife Nicola have opened up about how they manage time apart due to his filming commitments

Matt Baker shared a rare insight into his marriage.

In a previous interview on ITV’s Lorraine, broadcast last year, Matt Baker and his wife offered candid insight into how they keep their relationship thriving despite lengthy stretches apart owing to Matt’s filming schedule.

As the conversation turned to Matt’s TV series and Nicola’s book, host Lorraine Kelly quizzed the couple on how they first met.

With a cheeky grin, she asked: “Now, you two met when you were babies, right? Teenagers. Nicola, were you into farming? Were you a farm girl?”

“No, I wasn’t a farm girl,” Nicola replied warmly. “I loved being outdoors. I loved just the outdoor life. But farming was something that came to me when we met.”

Lorraine then turned her attention to how the couple copes with prolonged time apart, particularly when Matt heads off to film Countryfile and other projects. She probed: “Obviously, you know, you go off and do your own thing writing the books, and you go off and do your own thing around Britain,” reports the Express.

She continued thoughtfully: “So there are times when you’re apart, but you don’t think sometimes that works. It just does. You know, you’ve always got something to talk about.”

“We are such do-ers, really,” Matt chipped in, adding: “We are so supportive of what each other wants to do.”

He concluded: “But yeah, we’ve just sort of found our way through because we sort of focus on what we’re passionate about.” Nicola offered her take on their situation: “And then we make the most of the time when we have together, you sort of prioritise that and make the most of that.”

When Matt isn’t busy filming, he often keeps his Instagram followers updated with his day-to-day life. In one of his most recent posts, the Countryfile presenter shared the heartbreaking news that his dog had died.

In an emotional social media post, Matt confirmed the loss of his cherished companion, writing: “R.I.P Bob”.

He wrote alongside the post: “It’s with a very heavy heart that I’m letting you know our wonderful Bob is no longer with us.

“He’s been gone a while, but I haven’t been able to talk about it as I’ve been finding it so incredibly sad. Bob was a brilliant dog. He was there for me with his gentle soul as the ultimate companion through some of the greatest chapters of my life, from raising our kids to all the changes we made on our family farm.”

He continued, “It’s broken my heart, but I feel hugely grateful to have had him in our lives, and I thank him from the bottom of my heart for everything he’s taught me and brought to our family.

“I’m sure all you dog lovers will agree the reason we love our dogs so much is because the only time they break our hearts is when they leave us. RIP Bob X.”

Lorraine airs weekdays at 9.30am on ITV and Countryfile airs on Sunday on BBC One.

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Ann Patchett’s luminous ‘Whistler’ is the must-read novel of the season

Book Review

Whistler

By Ann Patchett
Harper: 304 pages, $30

If you buy books linked on our site, The Times may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookstores.

At the recent glitzy PEN America Literary Gala at the Natural History Museum in New York City the evening’s MC, B.J. Novak, declared that the crowd was there to celebrate more than just freedom of speech — they were there for “literary glamour.”

“Writing is glamorous,” he declared. “Reading is glamorous.”

For Novak, bestselling novelist Ann Patchett — who has also worked tirelessly on behalf of independent booksellers and in support of her fellow writers, and was one of the event’s honored guests — epitomizes that allure. “I think it’s great that Ann Patchett is a smoke show. She doesn’t have to be,” he quipped. “It’s just cool that she is.”

With “Whistler,” Patchett’s 10th novel, she definitively proves that the “smoke show” moniker, if at all relevant, is icing on the cake. This exquisite writer has once again delivered an incandescent work of fiction — sweet, but never sentimental, infinitely wise and suffused with love. It’s also an ode to New York City itself.

“Whistler” is narrated by protagonist Daphne Fuller, a 54-year-old English teacher married to Jonathan, a restlessly retired doctor and hospital administrator who dotes on his wife and whom he regards as “extraordinary.” When we first encounter the couple, they’re roaming the Metropolitan Museum of Art — which, one gets the sense, they know by heart. As Daphne ponders the sculpture “Two Horses,” by Charles Ray, Jonathan spots an elderly stranger eyeing his wife, casting glances in her direction. The stranger follows them from room to room fixated on Daphne. Jonathan’s curiosity is piqued, and he slips away from his wife’s side to get to the bottom of why they’re being followed — which is revealed to be the novel’s inciting incident.

Turns out that stranger is no stranger at all. He is Eddie Triplett, a long-lost stepfather whose divorce from Daphne’s mother, Abigail, remains an unhealed wound. Running into Eddie now for the first time in more than four decades, Daphne is startled by the rush of emotion she feels: “I hadn’t known there was something in me to break,” she reflects, “but there it was and break it did. I stepped into an open crack in time and fell backwards.”

Eddie, as it happens, is but one of Daphne and her sister, Leda’s, three dads. By the time Abigail marries her third husband, mild-mannered Lucas, and the couple go on to have three sons, Daphne has grown a protective shell. These facts are narrated with detachment by the protagonist herself. As she and Eddie gently unspool their memories and together fill in the blanks, their bond deepens. The “falling backwards” Daphne experiences in Eddie’s company — traversing time — soothes, softens and delights her.

As the novel unfolds, what becomes ever clearer is that Daphne and her author are undeniably similar, though Patchett has observed: “I am normally careful to make sure there is a big wall between my life and my fiction.” In “Whistler,” she throws that caution to the wind. Easter eggs are scattered throughout. Like Daphne, Patchett is married to an older man — also a doctor — whom she adores. She too had three dads, as she chronicled in a 2020 New Yorker piece aptly titled “My Three Fathers.” Patchett and her heroine also appear to share this enviable trait: They navigate life with grace, generosity and utter competence. IRL, Patchett returns emails on the day she receives them, is an outspoken advocate for free expression, is generally renowned for her good deeds. She’s also widely known for her many devoted friendships, though she doesn’t suffer fools. You’d want to be her ride or die. As you would … Daphne’s.

In an interview 10 years ago, Patchett observed that it wasn’t until she read a piece by Jonathan Franzen, “in which he insisted that the novelist had to do what scares him most, and for him, that had been writing about his family,” that she considered following that path in her fiction. “I thought ‘oh nothing would scare me more. I would happily ride down the Amazon in a canoe and deal with snakes’ ” (as she did for “State of Wonder”) “ ‘than face my family.’ ” In 2016 she wrote “Commonwealth,” which drew on her personal experience of divorce and dysfunction, themes she revisits in “Whistler.” But in “Whistler,” it’s as if Patchett herself is in the reader’s ear. (And, by the way, should you pick up the audio version of the book, she narrates and is literally in your ear.)

Patchett has said she had an ulterior motive for writing “Whistler.” She’d been in the midst of writing a different book, a novel about a Wyoming rancher and her horse, Whistler, but it wasn’t clicking. As she pressed on over the better part of a year, a second idea came to her “like a fever dream.” She immediately filed away the messy work-in-progress and began writing a fictional ode to a cherished friend, former publishing executive Jim Fox, to whom “Whistler” is dedicated. Fox had died two years before, on his 85th birthday, and Patchett was still grieving. Her aim, with “Whistler,” she has said, is to put down on paper how much they loved each other. Fox is reborn as Eddie Triplett in the book, a charming and erudite book editor who radiates joie de vivre and is among the loves of his stepdaughter Daphne’s life.

Patchett’s literary style isn’t of the show-offy variety packed with dazzling sentences and edge-of-your-seat cliffhangers. The drama is quiet. Her words accrue and gain power through their spareness and clarity, and a level of character development that forges an easy intimacy with the reader. There’s also a sly wit and sagacity that have become Patchett signatures, honed to perfection in “Whistler,” whether wrestling with the legacy of family trauma, or the human struggle to accept the transitory nature of it all. Or, as Patchett’s mother once admonished after the failure of her daughter’s first marriage: “Stop trying to make everything permanent. It doesn’t work.”

While Patchett has clearly drawn on actual events and individuals to produce this luminous work, she exhibits the expert novelist’s knack for following a plot where the imagination takes it. I don’t recommend consuming “Whistler” in one enormous gulp. I dipped in and out, savoring scenes, reflecting on them, occasionally shedding a tear. In other words, I didn’t want it to end.

Haber is a writer, editor and publishing strategist and co-founder of the Ink Book Club on Substack. She was director of Oprah’s Book Club and books editor for O, the Oprah Magazine.

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The Sidemen’s Josh Bradley reveals he’s set to become a dad for the first time as wife is expecting baby boy

THE SIDEMEN’S Josh Bradley has revealed he’s set to become a dad for the first time as his wife is expecting a baby boy.

The streamer took to Instagram to share a series of sweet snaps and captioned them: “Mum and Dad for real this time.”

The Sidemen’s Josh Bradley has revealed he’s set to become a dad for the first time as his wife is expecting baby boy Credit: Instagram
The streamer took to Instagram to share a series of sweet snaps and captioned them: “Mum and Dad for real this time” Credit: Instagram

In the snaps, Josh and his wife Freya Nightingale brimmed with happiness as they shared their joyous news with their followers.

After smashing a pink and blue gender reveal cake, the delighted couple shared they were having a baby boy.

The happy pair also posted a sweet image of their baby scan to their family and fans.

Fans flocked to comment and one wrote: “Announcement & gender reveal in one. YUPPPPP love you both so muuuuchhhh. Coolest parents.”

main man

Truth behind KSI’s exit from The Sidemen as ‘blindsided’ crew’s next step revealed


KS-BYE

Why has KSI left The Sidemen? What the YouTube star said about leaving the group

The loved up couple also shared an image of their baby’s scan Credit: Instagram
The excited parents shared their gender reveal with their family and fans Credit: Instagram
Josh and his wife were overjoyed with the news that they were having a baby boy Credit: Instagram
In bombshell news the Britain’s Got Talent judge revealed he had recorded his last video with his mates Credit: The Sidemen/Instagram

Another said: “Yes!!! Congrats!!!”

A third added: “Amazing news.”

A fourth wrote: “Oh my god!!! Huge congratulations to you both. This is the most amazing news.”

While a fifth said: “KSI left and now Josh and Freya are having a baby, the good news can’t stop coming.”

The Sidemen appeared to take a sideswipe at KSI after he announced he was splitting from the YouTubers last week.

In bombshell news the Britain’s Got Talent judge revealed he had recorded his last video with his mates and was flying solo.

The Sidemen put up a long post on their social media which seemed to criticise the way in which KSI did it.

They wrote: “Ideally, we would have loved the opportunity to give JJ the send off he deserved, a proper farewell video, time for everyone to process it, and a chance to celebrate everything we’ve built together.

“Unfortunately JJ released the news before we had agreed on a mutual way of letting our audience know.”

In the video KSI posted he said: “This is honestly the hardest video I’ve ever had to make in my life.

“I’ve gone back and forth on this decision for a very long time. I’ve spent months trying to figure out what the right thing to do is.

“But after a lot of thought, I’ve decided that I’m no longer be doing sidemen videos. Today, 31st of May, will be my final Sidemen video.”

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Kyle Busch’s wife releases statement weeks after NASCAR legend’s death

Kyle Busch‘s family has dealt with a lot since the NASCAR legend’s sudden death at age 41 last month.

On Friday, however, his wife Samantha and their two children — son Brexton, 11, and daughter Lennix, 4 — “wanted to take a moment to say thank you” for all the support they have received.

“The prayers, messages, flowers, meals, hugs, and countless acts of kindness have carried us through the most heartbreaking days of our lives,” they said in a note posted Friday on Samantha’s Instagram page. “While our hearts are absolutely shattered, we have felt God’s presence and arms wrapped tightly around us through each and every one of you.”

Busch, a two-time champion of the NASCAR Cup Series and the winningest driver in the association’s history, became unresponsive while in a racing simulator on May 20 in Concord, N.C., and was transported to a Charlotte hospital. He died the next day.

According to his death certificate, Busch died from hemorrhagic shock and disseminated intravascular coagulation after complications from bacterial pneumonia led to sepsis. He had been experiencing symptoms of bacterial pneumonia for “days to weeks” before sepsis set in, the certificate states.

The Busch family released a joint statement with NASCAR and his team, Richard Childress Racing, honoring Busch on the day he died. Friday’s social media post marks the first public comment directly from Samantha and her children since then.

“The love that has surrounded our family during this unimaginable time has brought comfort in the middle of so much pain,” they said in the post.

“Knowing the impact Kyle had on others and seeing how they are honoring him through each unique act of generosity is a true testament to how special Kyle is to so many people. There are moments when the weight of this loss feels impossible to carry, yet time and time again God, through you all, has shown us we are not alone.”

Kyle and Samantha Busch were married on Dec. 31, 2010. She and their children were among those who appeared at the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 24 to honor Busch’s memory.

“From family and friends to fans and complete strangers, thank you for showing up for us. Thank you for loving our family so well,” their post concluded. “Thank you for loving Kyle. Thank you for honoring him. We may never find the words to fully express what your support has meant to us, but please know that we are deeply grateful.

“❤️ Samantha, Brexton & Lennix”



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‘Cape Fear’ review: Javier Bardem is chilling, charming in this remake

Cape Fear,” premiering Friday on Apple TV, is a 10-episode limited series remake of a 1991 Martin Scorsese remake of a 1962 film adapted from John D. MacDonald’s 1957 novel “The Executioners,” and as in a game of telephone each subsequent version adds new material and moves a little farther from the original. (The credits to the series, created by Nick Antosca, note all previous sources and screenwriters.) Thirty-four years having passed since the last go-round, we are treated to such modern advances as catfishing, drones, deep fakes, social media and pushy true-crime podcasters.

In each iteration, a family is menaced by a recently released ex-con who blames one or more of them for his incarceration. Antosca fills his extra-long take on the material with complications and inventions; though the series is also chock full of borrowings from and allusions to its predecessors — you can hardly call them Easter eggs, lying there as they do in plain sight. (And sound: Bernard Herrmann and Elmer Bernstein‘s earlier scores share space with Jeff Russo’s new one.)

In every version, the antagonist is a now-charming, now-menacing psychopath named Max Cady (Javier Bardem), memorably played by Robert Mitchum in 1962 and Robert De Niro in 1991. In the novel and movies, Cady was serving time for rape; here it’s for the murder of his wife and unborn child, when new evidence suddenly springs him from prison after 17 years. We are invited to suspect this evidence from the very beginning, though this suspicion will itself become suspect. “Or is it?” is a question you’ll be prompted to ask through the series.

The objects of Cady’s slow-boiling vengeance — seemingly — are married lawyers Tom (Patrick Wilson) and Anna Bowden (Amy Adams), sharing the position previously represented solely by Gregory Peck and Nick Nolte in turn. Anna, who had unsuccessfully represented Cady, ironically works for an Innocence Project-type nonprofit, whose chief, Noa Toussaint (CCH Pounder), is only too delighted to fundraise on the back of Cady’s celebrity. Cady, claiming no hard feelings, insinuates himself into their world, apparently friendly, apparently helpful, so that it’s not always clear what’s sincere and what’s strategy. Is he a wolf in sheep’s clothing, or just a creepy, sometimes violent sheep? (“Killed his wife, didn’t kill his wife,” a minor character will volunteer, “he’s an arrogant bastard either way.”)

There are now two Bowden children in the picture, doubling earlier versions. Natalie (Lily Collias), Anna’s daughter from a previous relationship, is a good girl looking to go just a little bad, who feels unseen by her busy parents. Sad, sullen younger half-brother Zach (Joe Anders), unrecovered from a social media misstep, is acting more strangely than teenage boys usually do.

This is a cat and mouse — or cats and mice — melodrama, with customized stock characters given dark secrets and backstory traumas less as explanation than complication. (Good, bad, whatever, everyone’s got issues.) Cady, who has a prison-acquired brain injury — cue flashback, in black and white, naturally — suffers from headaches and hallucinations, reacting painfully to flashbulbs (a Chekov gun, I wondered?), seeing visions of his dead wife and son, whom he pictures grown. (He is sad about it, whether or not it’s his fault.) And is that masked woman in green he keeps seeing real or imagined?

On a nuts and bolts level, it’s all screwed together tight, even the pieces that stick out at weird angles. (Is there a reason to make Cady an apparently talented chef, other than to demonstrate his knife skills?) The actors fill their parts with feeling. Bardem gets the most, and most extreme attitudes, to play, whether cozying up individually to the Bowdens, threatening a groupie, undergoing a religious conversion, acting normal or being weird. Adams is low-key forceful as his primary opponent. (Tom’s comparatively weak character is underscored by his secret habit of microdosing LSD and a nothingburger flirtation with a colleague.) Collias is impressively real. The dialogue is well-crafted, the Southern atmosphere (Atlanta doubling Savannah, with Savannah here and there standing for itself) suitably oppressive.

Nevertheless, it’s fair to ask whether this story, even with its yards of extra material, could be told in under nine hours? The answer, most assuredly, is yes. And might it be better shorter? It might.

Not that I’ve ever been a fly on the walls of the executive conference or dining or washrooms where such deals are made, but I suspect the length has less to do with artistic necessity than A) the obscure economics of streaming and B) the not unrelated habits of viewers, who, to judge by questions I get asked, abhor a vacuum. A 10-episode series will put off the moment when they have “nothing to watch,” while the streamer gets to keep them in the ecosystem longer. “Cape Fear” is hardly the only series to which this applies. As I imagine the series will do well — mystery with a smattering of horror seems very much what the people want — more may be just the ticket for some people. Still, there’s a sense that the story has expanded to fill the space, with plotlines for all and crazy side trips (snakes! drugs!) in escalating levels of nuttiness.

That might be more feature than bug, but I can’t say I felt much of anything for the characters, or was concerned whether the Bowdens would emerge from their ordeals a stronger family. (Whatever the outcome, I’d say they have work to do.) Having been given only eight of 10 episodes to review, I’m interested, in a disinterested way, how this all will shake out, when the story finally moves to the Cape Fear River, and whatever final twists — that there will be twists, I am certain — an inevitably Action Packed Finale has in store.

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How Myles Garrett’s arrival has the Rams talking Aaron Donald return

The Rams’ trade for Myles Garrett and subsequent intrigue about whether Aaron Donald would unretire to place two future first-ballot Hall of Famers on the same defensive line has served as an unmistakable reminder that some folks don’t change.

Rams castaway Cooper Kupp still boasts an unexpected wry sense of humor.

Donald’s wife, Erica, can still toss a wet blanket on fiery hearsay by posting a few well-chosen words on social media.

Rams architects Les Snead and Sean McVay can still adroitly motivate a player without pressing too hard.

As for Donald himself, it seems he still harbors a desire to play 26 months after he retired at age 32 at the top of his mayhem-creating game.

The acquisition of Garrett was the tipping point that Donald fueled by telling NFL insider Jordan Schultz in a text: “I’m for sure flirting with the idea. Helluva an opportunity with the Super Bowl in SoFi this year. If I can find the fire, it’s a possibility.”

Kupp, a receiver now with the Seattle Seahawks, was Donald’s fellow All-Pro teammate when the Rams won the Super Bowl in 2022. They remain friendly enough for Kupp to reach out to Donald a few days ago with tongue-in-cheek advice to stay retired.

“I already texted him and told him he’s not allowed. So we’re good,” Kupp told sportscaster Rich Eisen while laughing. “I texted Aaron and said, ‘Don’t even think about it.’ I left it at that, so we’re good. I’m not worried about it. I already nipped it in the bud. No one has to worry.”

Erica Donald’s three-word rebuttal on X to speculation about her husband playing football again was also light-hearted. But it carried the weight of coming from the mother of two of Donald’s four children.

“Y’all are hilarious,” Erica posted.

Enough said?

Responses were respectful but hoped she was kidding.

One fan asked, “MRS.Donald can Aaron come out and play pretty please.”

Another took a similar courteous tone: “Erica, queen of them all… please let the mister give it one more go!”

Ardent Donald fans recall his wife’s response when he retired in 2024, and followers were incredulous that he would do so with seemingly plenty of outstanding football ahead of him.

Erica put the kibosh on the notion that he might change his mind in a 16-second video where she sits next to her husband, who appears to be sleeping while a television in the background is tuned to football.

Looking at her phone camera but speaking to her husband, she says, “Aaron, the people are still asking if you are coming back,” at which point she breaks into laughter because he doesn’t budge. She continues, “All right, guys, I hope that answers your question, ’cuz he is not.”

Less certain now are McVay, the Rams coach since 2017, and Snead, the team’s general manager since 2012. The mere thought of the eight-time All-Pro Donald lining up alongside the five-time All-Pro Garrett is too delicious to ignore.

“If Aaron decides he wants to dust them off at the age of 35, I bet you he could still do it at a pretty high clip,” McVay said during the news conference introducing Garrett.

Snead sounded even more hopeful.

“I do think for the first time since he retired, he’s maybe tempted,” he said. “‘Oh, let’s maybe do one last stand.’ I don’t know if he’s been tempted since he has been retired and I think if you know Aaron at his core, he’s one of those humans that if he doesn’t think he can really, really help, he probably doesn’t want to try.

“But for the first time, I’m betting that he’s tempted. I can sense that. That’s cool that Aaron’s excited, like a lot of our fans, Aaron’s excited about [acquiring Garrett] and he’s probably tempted for the first time.”

For his part, Garrett told Rams broadcaster J.B. Long that he plans to speak to Donald soon.

“I don’t know what his plans are, and I’m not gonna pretend to know,” Garrett said. “I know a lot of people are excited and thrilled about the idea of him coming back, but just being able to talk to him, learn from him, and know that I’ll take all the advice I can.”

Donald’s longtime former teammates are speaking the loudest. Former Rams defensive lineman Michael Brockers, perhaps Donald’s closest friend on the team for seven years, said on a podcast that he has “knowledge that others might not have…. My guy is staying ready so he doesn’t have to get ready.”

And even while kidding, Kupp couldn’t help but say out loud what many Rams followers are thinking.

“I love Aaron, he’s such a good football player, great dude,” he said. “I loved taking the field with him in L.A. I don’t know what’s going to happen. That would be crazy. He’s a very, very good football player.”

Kupp laughed again.

“I don’t care how old he is, how long he’s not played, Aaron Donald is Aaron Donald. But it doesn’t matter because I told him he can’t.”

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Shameless sex offender Stephen Bear seen selling £2 Nutríbullet SMOOTHIES on street market with pregnant teen wife

DISGRACED reality TV star Stephen Bear has set up a market stall selling £2 smoothies with his pregnant teenage wife.

Bear, 36, was spotted on Sunday flogging fruit juice in Walthamstow, north-east London, with his Brazilian missus Miami, 19.

Disgraced reality TV star Stephen Bear was spotted flogging £2 fruit juice in Walthamstow with his pregnant teenage wife
Bear, who is expecting his first child with Miami, previously revealed his intention to set up a stall in the market Credit: Instagram

The former Ex on the Beach cast member was sentenced in March 2023 to 21 months in prison for uploading CCTV footage of himself having sex with ex-girlfriend Georgia Harrison, 31, to his OnlyFans account without consent.  

An eyewitness who saw the Walthamstow-born sex offender, who won the 18th series of Celebrity Big Brother in 2016, said: “I was walking past the market at about 1pm on Sunday and spotted him and recognised him from Ex on the Beach.

“He had set up one of those folding tables and someone stopped and asked him for a selfie.

“By the time I went back that way around an hour later they had gone.

“They were doing different flavours like strawberry and mango, putting the fruit in a nutribullet blender and selling them for just £2 in those plastic cups with the round lid on the top.

“It’s hard to think he’s even making a profit at that price, fruit is so expensive at the moment.”  

Bear announced his intention to set up a stall in the market in a social media video posted three weeks ago.

But he said it would likely be after he makes his boxing debut on July 25.
He is due to fight Andy “The Silencer” Lee at York Hall in Bethnal Green, east London.

In the clip posted to his TikTok on May 10, in which he can be seen being driven by his brother Rob, Bear said: “We’ve got some breaking news guys.

“Me and Rob’s decided we’re going to inquire and get a market stall down Walthamstow market.

“We’re thinking you don’t want to travel far to sell your bits and pieces, and if you never need to store anything, the house is, like, five minutes away from Walthamstow market.

“So send me a DM, what you think we should sell on our stall and then we’re going to inquire.

Bear was sentenced in 2023 to 21 months in prison for uploading CCTV footage of himself having sex with ex-girlfriend Georgia Harrison online without consent Credit: ITV
Bear and Miami post X-rated content together Credit: Instagram

“Probably going to be after my boxing match, July 25, I’m going to get that out of the way first.”

After Rob suggested selling T-shirts or fruit and veg, Bear said: “I think if you’re holding fruit and veg, it’s going to go off, so we’re not going to do that.

“But we’re going sell something out of the ordinary.

“Send us a DM, what you think we should sell on our market stall.”

He married then 18-year-old Miami in her native Brazil in July 2025, 18 months after he was released from HMP Brixton Credit: Instagram / bearzy1_
Bear served 10 and a half months of his sentence Credit: PA

Bear married then 18-year-old Miami in her native Brazil in July 2025, around 18 months after he was released from HMP Brixton.  

The couple – who post X-rated content together – announced in March that they are expecting their first child.

Bear, who served 10 and a half months of his sentence, was ordered to pay his former Love Island and The Only Way is Essex star ex Georgia £207,900 in civil damages.

In March 2024, Georgia later said that she had received “not one penny” of it or the £212,515 she was owed for lawyers’ fees.

Bear was then ordered to pay HM Treasury the £22,305 he made in profits from subscribers after uploading the video and £5,000 in compensation to Georgia.

The Sun asked Bear for comment.

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Dodger Tanner Scott’s wife reveals death threats she got about child

The Tanner Scott redemption story took a dark, twisted turn Saturday night.

Not because the Dodgers reliever gave up three runs in the eighth inning to the Philadelphia Phillies, blowing a save opportunity and getting tagged with his first loss of the season. Getting knocked around happens.

But comments directed toward Scott’s wife on social media afterward were beyond alarming. Maddie Scott reposted vile comments from one user in particular that threatened not only her and her husband, but also their newborn son.

“When did it stop being a game?” Maddie Scott wrote on an Instagram story that has expired but was captured by the New York Post. “I don’t speak out often. Ever actually. I promise you, you don’t know what it’s like unless you’re living it.”

The answer to her rhetorical question is layered. Maybe baseball stopped being a game when her husband signed a four-year, $72 million contract with the Dodgers before the 2025 season, elevating expectations.

Maybe the end came seven years ago when a Supreme Court ruling led to sports gambling becoming legal. Or maybe fun and games ceased some 20 years ago when Facebook, Twitter and Instagram launched and anonymous threats could be dispatched by anyone with an account.

Death threats directed toward athletes have become disturbingly frequent. Without giving oxygen to the threats by repeating them, Scott is hardly the first pitcher whose family has been targeted after a loss.

Liam Hendriks of the Boston Red Sox, Lance McCullers Jr. of the Houston Astros, Tayler Saucedo of the Seattle Mariners and Cam Schlittler of the New York Yankees are among those who have endured online attacks in the past year.

Scott took heat last year when he pitched poorly in his first season with the Dodgers. Expected to become the team’s closer, the left-hander had an MLB-high 10 blown saves and did not pitch in the postseason.

This year, however, Scott has bounced back admirably. Even after the loss Saturday, he has a sparkling 2.19 earned-run average and five saves.

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How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Cary Elwes

Cary Elwes may not have been born in Los Angeles, but it’s probably fair to consider the native Brit an honorary Angeleno. The “Princess Bride” star was born in and spent his formative years kicking around London; he moved to L.A. in 1990, on his brother’s recommendation. He met his wife, photographer Lisa Marie Kurbikoff, at a cookoff in Malibu about a year later and the two married in 2000. A daughter, Dominique, arrived in 2007.

In Sunday Funday, L.A. people give us a play-by-play of their ideal Sunday around town. Find ideas and inspiration on where to go, what to eat and how to enjoy life on the weekends.

Elwes has spent his years in California not just establishing his family life, but also further enmeshing himself in Hollywood. He’s appeared in everything from “Saw” to “Ella Enchanted,” and played a corrupt government agent in a couple of “Mission Impossible” movies. His latest role is as a former cop turned private detective in Peacock’s new crime thriller, “M.I.A.,” streaming now.

“I’ve been out here for quite a bit now and while [2025’s] fires were pretty devastating — changing a lot of the landscape and people’s lives in ways that none of us could have imagined — I’m hopeful,” Elwes says. “I feel like we’re going to build back stronger and better. Things can seem dark sometimes, but I still have a spark of hope in my heart.”

Here’s how Elwes would spend his perfect, hopeful Sunday in Los Angeles.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

10 a.m.: Coffee and a chat

We wake up around 10 a.m., which is kind of late for me. Then we’ll have our coffee. I tend to lean toward Gelson’s beans, which I find have a particular flavor I tend to like. I do like my coffee. It’s probably the only addiction I really have.

Anyway, after I finish up my coffee, I’ll typically ask my wife and daughter what they’d like to do for the day. My daughter is 19, and she’s terrific. I always tell my wife she’s the best production we’ll ever do together.

Noon: Leisurely lunch

My wife is very fond of this Italian restaurant in Woodland Hills called Casaléna. It’s right off Ventura Boulevard and it’s terrific. Even their salads are extraordinary. It’s fairly new, too, but it’s always booked out solid so you really have to make a reservation in advance. Luckily, my wife and daughter are organized, so if they want to go there, they’ll have planned ahead.

2 p.m.: Head to the movies

We like to go see movies at the Imax at Universal CityWalk. The quality of that theater is very, very good and seeing films on the biggest screen possible is important to us.

My wife and I went on a date to see “Michael” in Imax, which was sold out and it was phenomenal. Antoine Fuqua did a great job and our friend Colman [Domingo] was honestly transformative as Joe Jackson. And Jaafar Jackson, who’s Michael’s nephew, is remarkable. It’s an extraordinary film, but sold out with people cheering and dancing? That made it a phenomenon. People were interacting with the movie as it played and it was remarkable.

If we’re not interested in whatever’s playing at the time, we might go for a hike in Tapia Park. I grew up watching “MASH” as a kid and when I realized they filmed there, I thought “How blessed am I to be living just a few miles from where such an iconic series was made?”

It’s a really beautiful park too. If you take a long hike, you’ll see waterfalls and lots of wildlife. On a nice afternoon, taking the dog out there for a walk? You can’t beat it.

There’s so much rich history here. I remember going on the Universal Studio Tour for the first time when I visited L.A. as a kid. They had a thing where they’d pick a couple of tour guests and the guide would put you on camera in front of a blue screen and you’d reenact a scene from a movie. The tour also took you by the “Jaws” shark coming out of the water and through an old western town, and I found out years later that a director friend of mine had been making westerns there when I was a kid and I didn’t even know it.

That tour was fantastic. With parting the sea for “The Ten Commandments” and then the boulders coming down the hill during the rockslide? Absolutely magnificent.

5 p.m.: Pick a Getty, any Getty

Depending on what time our movie ends or if we just end up going for a walk instead, we might go over to the Getty Center. We love it there. Usually we’ll go in the afternoon — maybe we’ll have a late lunch up there — and sometimes we’ll go to the Getty Villa instead, which luckily survived the Palisades fire.

We just love being around art. We’ll walk through the entire collection, plus whatever exhibit they have on at the time. We’ll go to LACMA sometimes, too, or even the Academy Museum to see whatever new exhibits they have.

Culturally, we really try to keep busy. Sometimes we’ll want to sit at home and play Spite and Malice or watch a show on TV, but mostly I try to go out and encourage my family to do the same, especially because we live in such a wonderfully diverse, cultural city.

7 p.m.: Taco time

I always leave meal decisions up to the girls, and sometimes they like to go out and get tacos. We like the fish tacos at Escuela. It’s pretty close to Quentin Tarantino’s movie theater, the New Beverly Cinema, which we like to go to as well. I took my daughter to see “Jaws” there, in fact, which she loved.

9 p.m.: More movies

I’m trying to educate my daughter in the films and TV shows that I watched growing up. She’s taking a film history class in school. She wants to be an actor as well, so I want her to have an understanding of the history of film and history of performance, so I show her the great performances that inspired me as a kid and encourage her in that way.

When I grew up in England, we literally had two channels, both in black and white. Young people can’t quite wrap their heads around that now, but it really did make you pay attention because you had to be sitting in front of the television to catch a show or movie you wanted to watch.

I remember that the BBC, particularly on weekends, would have matinee screenings of movies. We actually had pretty good quality TV in England growing up, but they’d also heavily focus on British films from the ‘40s all the way through to the ‘60s so I got my education from that particular style of films, like the postwar films, ‘50s films, and the Ealing comedies. David Lean and Laurence Olivier, Ralph Richardson … a lot of the films they were in or directed really helped shape who I am today.

Alec Guinness and Peter Sellers had a very strong influence on me as a kid, too, so I really want to try to share with my daughter why these films meant so much to me.

10:30 p.m.: Books in bed

I’m not really a late-night person anymore. I used to be when I was a kid, but now, unless we’re out on a date, my wife and I are homebodies.



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Tyson Fury gushes over ‘stunning’ wife Paris as they enjoy luxury Thailand holiday with their five kids

TYSON Fury was clearly feeling loved-up with wife Paris as they holiday in Thailand with their five youngest children.

The couple may have been together for 20 years, but they are still firmly in the honeymoon phase if Tyson’s gushing post is anything to go by.

Tyson Fury called wife Paris “stunning” as she dressed up for holiday date night Credit: Instagram
Paris and her daughters smiled for a family photo during the sunshine break Credit: Instagram

The boxing legend, 37, shared a glamorous photo of Paris, 36, in full holiday mode wearing a sparkling dress in various pink shades.

He wrote: “Mrs Paris Fury looking stunning tonight! Love ❤️ her so much @parisfury1 #still #wondermother #superwifeandmom.”

Paris replied in the comments: “That’s very nice of you babe.”

The couple tied the knot in 2008 in a lavish ceremony in Doncaster and have since welcomed seven children together.

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The couple’s youngest children joined them for the long-haul family trip Credit: TikTok
The Fury family travelled in style on the long-haul flight to Thailand Credit: TikTok
The loved-up couple arrived in Thailand after their marathon journey Credit: TikTok
The mum-of-seven shared a sweet message after arriving in Thailand Credit: TikTok

But their marriage hasn’t always been plain sailing.

The pair have faced heartbreak over the years, including suffering miscarriages, which Tyson has spoken about publicly in emotional interviews.

Despite the ups and downs, Tyson and Paris are still going strong and even renewed their wedding vows in a romantic ceremony in France last year.

The pair are currently enjoying a lavish Thailand getaway after flying five of their children on £5,000-a-seat business class flights.

Prince Tyson II, nine, Valencia, eight, Adonis, seven, Athena, four, and two-year-old Prince Rico all travelled in private pods on the Etihad flight.

Paris shared: “A serious long travel I think it took us 36 hours in total but well worth it.”

The couple have also just paid for their 16-year-old daughter Venezuela’s £30,000 honeymoon to Marbella following her recent wedding to Noah Price.

They are also believed to have gifted the newlyweds £5million and a traditional gypsy caravan as a wedding present.

Tyson and Paris Fury are estimated to have a combined net worth of around £162million.

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Jake Quickenden enjoys family day out with kids after shock split from wife Sophie Church

I’M A Celebrity star Jake Quickenden has enjoyed a family day out at the fair with his kids following his shock split from his “soulmate” wife Sophie Church.

Sources confirmed to The Sun last week that Jake and Sophie, who share two children together, have formerly separated.

Jake Quickenden has enjoyed a family day out with his kids Credit: Instagram
The dad-of-two was spotted at a splash park over the bank holiday weekend Credit: Instagram
The kids looked as though they were having the best time amid their parents’ split Credit: Instagram
TV star Jake and influencer Sophie split earlier this month after ‘growing apart’ Credit: Instagram

The pair married in 2022 but called it quits earlier this month, telling their friends and family.

The source told us they “remain incredibly amicable” and their “main priority is the kids.”

Jake has been spotted in dad mode this bank holiday weekend as he took his sons Leo, 5, 16-month-old Kit and Freddie, 10 – Sophie’s son from a previous relationship – on a fun day out.

The family were spotted grinning from ear-to-ear as they posed in front of a handful of stalls at the fair.

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In one snap, Jake was seen sitting on a carousel clutching his youngest son as they soaked up the weekend vibes.

The kids enjoyed playing games at the fair and even came away from the trip with a few teddy bears to their name.

Jake and his little one enjoyed a ride on the carousel Credit: Instagram
Toddler Kit was spotted playing with the ducks in the hook-a-duck pond Credit: Instagram

Toddler Kit looked over-the-moon in another picture as he played with the ducks in the hook-a-duck pond.

Elsewhere, Jake, 36, was seen taking a dip with his kids in a splash pool – the family certainly had a jam-packed day.

Underneath his Instagram post, one fan wrote: “It looks like you had a lovely day with your boys @jakequickenden making memories.

Another fan penned: “You’re a great dad Jake, so glad you all had fun x”

Former X Factor star Jake and his ex Sophie are fully committed to being the best parents possible during this tough time.

They called time on their romance after growing apart.

A source said: “Over time, they started to grow apart and Jake and Sophie have had some long and honest conversations about this.

“While they might not be together any more, they are still on great terms and are looking to the future, co-parenting together. Maintaining a happy and supportive family unit together is their focus now.”

Singer Jake recently broke his silence on the split after he replied to a fan who said: “Whatever is happening the kids have the best parents ever…dad and mum who love them so much!

“I hope things work out for the best! Positively you way!”

Jake replied: “Appreciate that, they are all that matter.”

Influencer Sophie and Jake first began dating in 2018 and proposed three years later in Rhodes, Greece.

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Vernon Kay seen with his wedding ring ON weeks after ‘friendly’ split from wife Tess Daly

VERNON Kay has proved there’s no bad blood between him and his ex Tess Daly as he was spotted with his wedding ring ON weeks after their “friendly” split.

The former Strictly star and Radio 2 DJ announced the shock separation with a joint Instagram post earlier this month.

Vernon Kay was spotted wearing his wedding ring earlier today after his ‘friendly’ split from Tess Daly Credit: Sky Sports
The Radio 2 DJ appears to have remained close pals with Tess following the end of their romance as they were spotted having drinks at Pub in the Park last week Credit: Sky Sports

After 22 years of marriage, the pair have certainly remained close pals as they were seen at Pub in the Park last week, taking snaps with fans.

Following their friendly drinks with pals, Vernon, 52, was spotted wearing his wedding ring at Wembley Stadium today.

He had travelled down to watch the Bolton Wanderers batter Stockport in the League One play-off final.

Vernon’s wedding band was immediately noticeable as it flashed up on screen when he was chatting on Sky Sports News ahead of the match.

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Tess & Vernon show they’re friendly exes as they party together after split

Meanwhile, Tess has also posed up after the split with her wedding ring still on.

She took to Instagram to share some stunning snaps of herself with fans.

Former Strictly host Tess and Vernon split earlier this month after 22 years together Credit: Instagram / tessdaly
Tess Daly stunned in a bikini as she posed in the swimming pool on holiday Credit: Not known, clear with picture desk

And fans couldn’t help but notice the star’s ring as she held onto some scripts.

She captioned the post: “The glam before the go,” as she tagged her hair and make-up artists.

Vernon shared his appreciation for Tess as he hit the like button on her selfies.

Tess, 57, and Vernon tied the knot in 2003 and share two daughters, Phoebe, 21, and Amber, 16.

The former couple met while working as up-and-coming TV presenters for rival channels in 2001, crossing paths at a BBC Christmas party.

They married a year later, and Tess got her big break on Strictly Come Dancing, which she hosted for 21 years alongside Bruce Forsyth and later Claudia Winkleman.

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