Activist Erika Kirk skipped a planned appearance on Tuesday at a Turning Point USA event in Georgia alongside Vice President JD Vance after receiving “very serious threats” to her safety, according to event organizers.

“It’s a terrible reflection on the state of reality and the state of the country,” Turning Point USA spokesman Andrew Kolvet said onstage at the Akins Ford Arena in Athens, sitting beside Vance.

Kirk’s husband, the activist Charlie Kirk, was fatally shot in September during an appearance at a campus event in Utah.

Vice President Vance is close with the Kirk family.

During a December speech, Kirk said the organization was going to back Vance’s long-rumored 2028 presidential campaign and get the Republican elected “in the most resounding way possible.”

In September, shortly after Kirk was killed, Vance hosted a memorial episode of Kirk’s podcast from the White House. Vance, joined by the second lady and Erika Kirk, flew on Air Force Two as it carried Kirk’s remains to the activist’s home state of Arizona.

Erika Kirk and Vance provoked speculation when they shared an affectionate hug during an October appearance together at a Turning Point USA event in Mississippi, where Kirk said she saw “similarities” between the vice president and her late husband.

Second Lady Usha Vance has dismissed insinuations of a relationship between the two as an ungrounded “fever dream” created by the media and has said the Vances consider such talk a family joke.

“I’d rather just sort of live in my marriage and in the real world and less in kind of the fever dreams that surround it,” she told USA Today in December. “So I mean, it is kind of a family joke, but also not something that I spend very much time thinking about.”

Erika Kirk has also downplayed the speculation, describing the hug as a benign expression of her “love language.”

“Whoever is hating on a hug needs a hug themselves,” Kirk told podcaster Megyn Kelly. “My love language is touch, if you will,” she told Kelly and explained that placing a hand on the back of someone’s head is usually how she hugs people.

Vance’s appearance in Georgia comes after a string of controversies and setbacks on the world stage, including abortive negotiations in Pakistan to end the Iran war, the ongoing White House feud with the Pope, and Vance’s unsuccessful bid to boost GOP ally Viktor Orban’s reelection campaign in Hungary.

Utah resident Tyler Robinson has been charged with Charlie Kirk’s murder. He has pleaded not guilty.

The I’m A Celebrity jungle has been split into two camps as the stars go head-to-head in trials and challenges

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I’m A Celebrity South Africa viewers are convinced there is a feud brewing between two campmates after spotting a major clue.

Fans of the hit ITV reality show think Mo Farah was “gunning” for fellow campmate Sinitta after he continued to target her during the latest trail.

Last night the celebs were joined by two fresh famous faces as Harry Redknapp and Jimmy Bullard finally entered the jungle. Since their arrival, the camp has been split into two kingdoms as Harry becomes leader of The Lions and Jimmy looks after The Rhinos.

Over the next few days they will compete head-to-head in trials and challenges and only the winning kingdom will eat dinner. The losers will survive on rice and beans.

During Tuesday’s (April 14) episode, it was time for each camp to nominate two team members each to take on the Cut Throat Cliff trail.

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Seann Walsh and Mo from team Lion went up against Beverley Callard and Sinitta as they attempted to win food for their camp.

The four celebs were left lost for words when they arrived at the Bushtucker Trial and presenters Ant and Dec are standing above a high cliff.

The celebrities were then told that to successfully complete the challenge, they have to lean over the cliff edge with only a rope holding them up.

Not only that but they had to answer general knowledge questions while being in the air. They have to buzz in to answer the question and if they are correct, they get to pick one of their opponents to cut one of their ropes.

If they get it wrong, they have to cut one of their own ropes and they play until there is just one celeb remaining.

However as they got stuck into the trial viewers watching at home were quick to call out Mo as they noticed that each time he could get his question wrong he would always choose Sinitta to cut one of her ropes.

Sharing their reaction on social media, one viewer wrote: “Mo is gunning for sinitta #ImACeleb.” Another echoed: “Mo got it in for Sinitta #ImACeleb.” A third commented: “Mo is determined for Sinitta to drop! #imaceleb.”

Meanwhile another fumed: “Are Mo and Seann not wanting Beverley to cut her rope because she’s the oldest? Are they forgetting Sinnita is in her 60s as well? #ImACeleb.”

In the end it was The Rhinos who came out on top as Beverley was the last celeb standing, meaning her camp would get the better meal.

I’m A Celebrity… South Africa airs weeknights at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.

The comedian struggled through the bushtucker trial

I’m a Celebrity South Africa viewers found it hilarious after Seann Walsh made a mistake during a terrifying challenge.

As the ITV spin-off series kicks into full swing of its second week, the first elimination looms for the 12 celebrities after facing various challenges.

Unlike the Australian main series which is broadcast live each night with an 11-hour time difference, the South African series was pre-recorded last year, thought to be in September.

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Instead of the public voting to eliminate the celebrities, the campmates themselves will choose who to bid farewell to after various tough challenges are completed.

On Tuesday (April 14), a sneak peek at the end of the episode showed that the first star is set to be eliminated from the camp. It’s been an intense couple of weeks so far, with potential feuds bubbling throughout.

However, it’s former boxer David Haye who viewers think should leave South Africa first following his behaviour in the competition. He caused upset amongst viewers as he made comments about “ugly” women, adding that his partner Sian Osbourne has the personality of an “ugly bird”.

It caused an outrage on social media, with only Beverley Callard in the camp calling him out for his deemed “sexist” comments. However, with the drama upcoming on the ITV series, there was a light-hearted moment that left viewers in tears during a challenge.

Seann Walsh, Mo Farah, Sinitta and Beverley arrived to meet Ant and Dec as they were chosen for the pending challenge. With Seann and Mo hoping to win against the reigning champions.

The four stars were attached to a harness as they leant backwards over the edge of a cliff drop. As they were asked general knowledge questions, if they got one wrong they had to cut one of the ropes from their harness, or if another star guessed correctly they could choose whose rope should snap.

Mo went first over the edge, followed by Sinitta, which left Seann and Beverley suspended. However, after the last question on Giraffe’s, it was Beverley who avoided the harsh drop.

Seann was a bag of nerves throughout the challenge, but his answer to him finishing the lyrics of Toto’s 1982 hit Africa left Ant and Dec in stitches. They asked the group to finish the lyrics to the song and gave the prompt: “I bless the rain down in…”

Seann responded after buzzing to suggest that he knew the answer, and incorrectly guessed: “Spain.” Ant and Dec were seen hiding their faces behind their cue cards as they laughed at his answer, while he exclaimed: “I don’t know, it rhymes!”

Viewers couldn’t get enough of the moment and on X (formerly known as Twitter), @itscloemoe wrote: “I just spat my drink out lmao ‘I bless the rains down in Spain’” and @christine6257 added: “Blessed the rain down in Spain (crying emojis) oh that’s got me !!”

I’m a Celebrity South Africa airs on weeknights at 9pm on ITV1 and is available to stream on ITVX.

The 16-year-old was hit by a car in Co Down last year

A bench in memory of a 16-year-old girl who tragically lost her life in a road accident in the borough has been approved by Ards and North Down councillors.

Jaidyn Rice died after being struck by a car on the West Circular Road close to her home in Bangor last July. The PSNI is continuing to investigate the fatal collision and have recently revisited the scene as part of the ongoing probe.

Jamie McCartney, 30, was charged with causing death by dangerous driving, causing death whilst driving without a license and causing death whilst driving without insurance.

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Jaidyn’s family are honouring her legacy by raising awareness on victims of road traffic accidents, and are campaigning for improved road safety, including a review and change of speed limits and mandatory dash-cams.

A total of 56 lives were lost on Northern Ireland’s roads in 2025. Seven lives were lost on roads in Ards and North Down during 2025, the highest of any council area.

At the recent meeting of the Ards and North Down Borough Council Environment Committee, councillors unanimously agreed to work with the Rice family to create a bench honouring Jaidyn’s contribution to her community. The decision will go to the full meeting of the council later this month for ratification, wher it is expected to pass.

The agreed motion, by Ards and North Down Lord Mayor, Alliance Councillor Gillian McCollum, and seconded by UUP Councillor Pete Wray, says the bench will be “a place of reflection, connection and outreach.” The motion states the bench will be in an agreed location and will incorporate council’s “Here to Help” app, which signposts vital support services around the borough.

It states: “This council notes the profound impact on the Clandeboye Community of the tragic death of 16 year old DICE leader and Army Cadet Jaidyn Rice on the 8th July 2025 and further notes the terrible loss of the other lives on roads in our Borough during 2025.”

The Lord Mayor said at the committee meeting: “With her passing, the community lost not only a young life, but a role model and a leader, and a shining source of light for so many young people in that area. At just 16 Jaidyn had already made an extraordinary impact, she had forged a reputation locally as a dynamic youth leader with the DICE project, where her empathy, leadership and natural compassion stood out.”

She added: “The Rice family have engaged with me and with council officers in the hope of creating something lasting, that would honour her commitment to safety, to wellbeing and connection, but which would also serve the community in a very practical way.

“Their vision is to create a bench in an agreed and appropriate location which will serve as a place that is recognised as one of reflection, connection and support. It is not about providing somewhere simply to sit, it is about creating a space where people can pause and can reflect, and crucially, where they can access help.”

She said: “This bench would have a QR code which would link directly to the council Here to Help app, a simple but very powerful bridge between a physical space and digital support. It provides very fast, accessible signposting to a huge range of servicing across this borough.

“It covers issues such as mental health, addiction, domestic abuse, and housing. It also contains an emergency “need help now” pathway for those who need urgent intervention, directing them to services such as the Samaritans, as well as a wider network of community and voluntary organisations for longer term support.”

She said: “The proposal is not for a memorial bench in the customary sense, the council does have a prescribed policy for memorial benches. The Rice family is not seeking to bypass or to undermine that policy, because this proposal is something very different in nature and purpose.

“Jaidyn’s bench is not intended to be a static memorial, it is intended to be a living symbol of connection, safety and hope. A place of refuge, and a place that reflects the way she lived her life, which was outward looking and compassionate, and always focused on helping others.”

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The source said: “We fully understand and appreciate the survivors’ position, but can only reiterate that our position is clear that anything that could potentially impact on ongoing police inquiries and assessments, and any potential legal action that could result from that, would be to the detriment of the survivors themselves in their pursuit of justice.”

A US-sanctioned tanker with links to China, the Rich Starry, has transited the Strait of Hormuz, despite the US blockade of the waterway. According to the respected maritime news and intelligence agency Lloydslist, the Rich Starry is falsely registered in Malawi, but is Chinese owned and carrying a Chinese crew. It is subject to US sanctions for carrying Iranian goods. It is not known what the vessel is currently transporting.

Having been anchored off the UAE, the Rich Starry is not technically in breach of the blockade, but the incident has raised fears of a potential confrontation between the US and China in the region. Other vessels are reported to be waiting to transit the Strait, despite the US blockade.

The decision to impose a blockade on Iranian ports in the vicinity of the Strait was announced by the US president, Donald Trump, following the breakdown of US-Iran peace talks in Islamabad on April 11. Trump’s announcement was clarified by a statement on April 12 from US Central Command, which stipulated that the operation would prevent ships entering and exiting Iranian ports and coastal areas while not impeding vessels transiting the Strait to and from non‑Iranian ports.

Trump also announced that: “I have also instructed our Navy to seek and interdict every vessel in International Waters that has paid a toll to Iran. No one who pays an illegal toll will have safe passage on the high seas.” It remains unclear as to whether this will be implemented.

The Strait of Hormuz has been as good as closed since shortly after the US and Israel launched their attacks on Iran at the end of February. Most ship owners, charterers and insurers are unwilling to accept the financial risk – and risk to human life – that transiting the Strait under threat of Iranian attack would entail.

Blockades are used to convert naval dominance into advantage on land by preventing imports and exports of goods, in Iran’s case oil, to put pressure on an adversary’s population and government by hurting their economy. Likewise, Iran’s strategy of closing down the Strait after it was attacked intended to disrupt the global economy in order to put international pressure on the Trump administration.

Iran has long threatened to use its geographical proximity to the Strait of Hormuz to close it down. Having demonstrated how effective this can be in disrupting oil and liquid natural gas prices, Tehran has been flexing its muscles by demanding that ships wanting to transit the waterway pay a tariff of up to US$2 million (£1.5 million). Lloydslist reported on March 25 that “a total of 26 vessel transits through the strait have followed a route pre-approved under an IRGC [Islamic Republican Guard Corps] ‘toll booth’ system that requires the ship operators to submit to a vetting scheme”.

This was reportedly a sticking point in negotiations between the US and Iran in Pakistan on April 11. Tehran wants to retain control of the Strait and the ability to levy tolls from transiting ships. The US is demanding that the maritime right of free passage must be enforced. It was when the first round of talks ended in deadlock that the US president decided to impose the naval blockade.

Former US diplomat to the Middle East, David Satterfield, told the BBC on April 13 that it was now about which country could absorb more pain, adding: “The Iranians believe … that they can absorb more pain for a longer period than their opponents can.”

Expensive – and risky – gambit

The cost calculus is asymmetric. It will be more expensive for the US to maintain its blockade than it was for Iran to close the Strait. The question will be whether Washington can sustain interdiction long enough to effectively undermine the regime – always remembering that the Islamic Republic has potentially had decades to prepare for this sort of scenario.

If the blockade can be implemented effectively, it could – in time – have an effect on an economy wrecked by years of sanctions and further weakened by the recent war and nationwide protests in January. The question is how long that might take.

To be effective, the blockade will require considerable naval resources. The US is reported to have as many as 21 warships in the Middle East, including the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and the USS Tripoli, an amphibious assault ship with a complement of marines who are trained to board ships using helicopters and small boarding craft.

This introduces another layer of risk as assets operating near to the Iranian coasts will need to be protected against Iranian missiles, drones and fast attack craft. So, this would be resource‑intensive, operationally demanding and thus politically exposed for the US.

How the US will go about enforcement remains to be seen. In December and January, US naval and coastguard ships boarded and seized several vessels linked to Venezuela’s shadow fleet that had broken America’s blockade. Whether it would pursue the same action with a vessel linked to China is another matter though. And while another option would be to fire warning shots, these can be dangerous around tankers because of the risk of oil spillage, as well as the obvious political risk attached to Chinese-linked vessels.

It’s not clear at present that imposing a blockade on the Strait of Hormuz will restore free navigation of the waterway any time soon. But it now appears that, in the absence of free navigation, some countries have decided to call America’s bluff and attempt to transit the waterway in defiance of the US blockade. And the big concern must be the serious risk of escalation if the US attempts to enforce the blockade on a Chinese-owned vessel.

None of this will be welcomed by the US president and his national security team.

“The motion is excellent, but we have to hold the British Government’s feet to the fire as much as possible.”

A heated row over letting the British government “off the hook” on increasing household oil payments has flared in a Co Down chamber amid an Irish unity call.

Newry, Mourne and Down District Counci this week agreed a Sinn Fein motion on a majority vote to urge the release of £17m UK funding from the Department for Communities ahead of a heating oil paper to the Executive on Thursday.

However, unionist support for the motion was “lost” over a constitutional matter.

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Bringing forward the motion, Deputy chairperson Geraldine Kearns said: “This council recognises the immense pressure being placed on workers, families and businesses as a result of huge price hikes on energy costs, especially home heating oil as a result of the US-Israeli war on Iran.

“Newry, Mourne and Down,calls on the Communities Minister who has the responsibility for tackling fuel poverty to set up a scheme to get this money (£17m) into the pockets of those who are struggling with heating costs.”

She added:”This council further calls on the British government to end its inadequate and delayed response to the fuel crisis, and to act with the urgency that it demands to protect households, sustain local businesses, and safeguard our rural economy.

“And to write to the British Secretary of State for the North and the Minister of State for Energy to clearly convey this council’s deep frustration at their failure to act, and to demand the immediate delivery of real, effective support for those struggling with rising energy crisis.”

Slieve Gullion Sinn Fein councillor Aine Quinn who seconded the motion added:”This exposes something that we already know, partition does not work…this is why the case for Irish unity has never been more relevant not as an abstract idea, but as a common sense solution.”

The huge hike in heating costs from the Middle East conflict is now said to be impacting the budgets of 500,000 homes in NI.

The UK Government has stepped in with an offer of £17 million in support to NI, which economists calculated as £35 per household. The money is due to be delivered by the DfC.

Mournes DUP councillor Glyn Hanna said:”Gordon Lyons (DfC Minister) has demonstrated previously that he will step in and deliver support when it falls within his remit including administrating a winter fuel payment, he stands ready to do so again.

“The DUP position is clear funding must be increased by a meaningful level, delivery mechanisms must be urgently put in place and both the Executive and the UK Government must act in a coordinated way to provide real relief.”

A further amendment by Downpatrick SDLP councillor Conor Galbraith saying:”Last month we witnessed an 80% rise in heating oil in just one week.

“The SDLP supports the motion, but also recognise a huge gap in it as it stands.

“The motion focuses primarily on the Communities Minister, but an energy crisis of this scale cannot be addressed by one department alone.

“We propose to write to the First and Deputy First Minister, the Executive and the UK Government to urgently establish a joint energy task force…to roll out practical steps that reflect the reality that people are facing.”

The amendment was not accepted by Sinn Fein with a majority voting against the proposal (11 for, 20 against and 6 abstaining).

SDLP Slieve Gullion councillor Pete Byrne said:”We want more money from the British Government.

“So, if we’re not taking the amendment, don’t try and blame it on the British Government getting off the hook, this sticks them on a hook.

“The motion is excellent, but we have to hold the British Government’s feet to the fire as much as possible.”

Slieve Gullion UUP councillor David Taylor added:”It has been reported that the Communities Minister is due to bring a paper to the Executive this Thursday, which will hopefully bring some welcome news.

“This issue effects everyone in the community irrespective of political background.

“I want to express my disappointment that in seconding the motion, Councillor Quinn really took that cross community support aspect away by making a political point on constitutional position of Northern Ireland, there was no need for that.

“And what you have done is actually lost support from the unionist side.”

The Sinn Fein motion was then approved with unionists voting against (31 for and 6 against).

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The debate came as fuel protests took place across Northern Ireland

DUP deputy leader Michelle McIlveen has hit out at other MLAs after they opposed a motion from the party calling for a full cost-benefit analysis of net zero policies in all of Stormont’s departments.

The motion expressed “deep concern” that aspirational climate targets are impeding the delivery of high-quality public services and infrastructure across Northern Ireland after the High Court quashed the A5 Western Transport Corridor due to it conflicting with the yet-to-be-finalised Climate Action Plan. This has had major implications for other infrastructure projects, including the A4 Enniskillen bypass.

Among other concerns raised by the party were the current legal requirement for minimum spend on active travel which thet said “perversely acts as a barrier to vital investment in roads maintenance and repairs” and also aspects of the draft Climate Action Plan which they added “contains a range of proposals that are not quantified and would place additional burdens on farmers and households during a cost-of-living crisis.”

Speaking following the debate, Ms McIlveen said: “Today the Assembly had an opportunity to take a sensible and responsible step to calculate the cost of net zero for our budget. Instead of looking at affordability or grasping transparency, every other major party chose to turn a blind eye to the real costs being imposed on households, businesses and public services.

“Our motion simply asked that departments properly assess the costs and benefits of net zero policies. That is the minimum standard of good government, yet it was rejected.“The reality is that many of the proposals being advanced under the current Climate Action Plan are not fully quantified. Families and businesses are being asked to shoulder additional burdens without clarity on what those costs will be or what the return will be.“At a time when people are already facing a cost-of-living crisis, that is simply unacceptable.“We have already seen how rigid climate targets are impacting major infrastructure projects, including the A5 and A1. There is a growing risk that vital investment in roads and economic development will be delayed or deprioritised because of policies that have not been properly stress-tested.“Other parties may be content to pursue aspirational targets without asking hard questions, but the DUP will not. We will continue to stand up for a fair and balanced approach. One that protects our environment while also safeguarding public services and household finances.“The refusal of others to even examine the cost of their policies raises serious questions about whether their approach is driven by evidence or ideology.”

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NFL reporter Dianna Russini has resigned from The Athletic less than a week after published photos of her and New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel at an Arizona resort prompted an internal investigation at The New York Times-owned sports outlet.

The New York Post last week published the photos of Vrabel and Russini at the Sedona hotel and said they were taken before the NFL owners meetings that began in Phoenix on March 29.

Vrabel didn’t attend New England’s pre-draft news conference on Monday.

The New York Times reported Saturday that the digital outlet was investigating Russini’s conduct.

That decision came after Ginsberg previously told the Post that the photos “lacked essential context” and lauded her work with The Athletic.

Vrabel, who won three Super Bowls as a player with New England, is preparing for his second season as coach of the Patriots. He was the AP NFL Coach of the Year after leading the team to a 14-3 finish last season, which ended with a Super Bowl loss to Seattle. Vrabel previously won the AP NFL Coach of the Year award with Tennessee in 2021.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL

Dr Ann Burgess is at the heart of BBC Two’s true crime docu-series Mastermind: To Think Like A Killer.

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Dr Ann Burgess worked on cases involving some of America’s most notorious serial killers, including Ted Bundy, Ed Kemper, and Dennis Rader.BBC Two is broadcasting the first episode of Mastermind: To Think Like A Killer tonight, Tuesday, April 14, a three-part documentary series examining the life of Dr Ann Burgess.

Having initially trained as a psychiatric mental health nurse, Burgess became one of the FBI’s most valuable assets as she transformed criminal profiling, aiding in the capture of killers throughout the 1970s and 1980s, with her contributions remaining vital to this day.So much so that she helped inspire Netflix‘s hugely popular crime thriller Mindhunter, with psychologist Dr Wendy Carr from the FBI’s Behaviour Science Unit (BSU) being modelled on Burgess.

Where is Dr Ann Burgess now?

Dr Ann Burgess may be 89-years-old, but she shows no signs of slowing down as she continues to work on profiling.Rather than focusing on serial killers, however, Burgess has turned her attention to profiling school shooters, collaborating alongside her granddaughter Alex, according to CBS.

Together, they gather data based on what school shooters have written in their manifestos, hoping to develop a profiling technique to assist teachers and others in identifying students who may be displaying worrying signs.Burgess told CBS that the motivation “always includes a grievance”, as she continued: “And then they start researching and developing their plan.

“Law enforcement is onto this, and I think that they are making great strides on the cases that don’t turn out to be lethal.”This isn’t the only area in which Burgess operates, as she also trains nurses in Boston to identify signs that women with dementia have been sexually assaulted in care homes.

Very little is known about her private life, as Burgess prefers to remain out of the public eye.

Her husband, Allen, was a computer engineer and a staunch supporter of her work with the FBI.

As a qualified pilot, Allen was able to fly her to and from Quantico, Virginia, enabling her to conduct her research before Burgess obtained her own licence.

Together, they have four children, two sons and two daughters, and she is currently collaborating closely with her granddaughter Alex on her latest project.

Mastermind: To Think Like A Killer is available to watch on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.