East Riding of Yorkshire Council approved an application from housebuilder Crest Nicholson for the proposed development for 2.45 Hectares of agricultural land north of Main Street in Wilberfoss, on January 30 – the village is eight miles east of York just off the A1079.
The developer said “the proposed layout will create a distinctive high quality residential development which is sympathetically designed to respect the surrounding built and natural environment.”
However, Wilberfoss Parish Council said it could not support plans for the development at the western end of the village, raising concerns in its role as consultees over plans to add a new junction on Main Street and its impact on the safety of access for traffic flows to the busy A1079 York to Hull Road.
The development would feature a new access road close to one corner of Main Street in the village (Image: Kevin Glenton)
In planning documents, the council also said developers should contribute to the cost of a new roundabout at the western junction of Wilberfoss.
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Neighbouring Newton upon Derwent Parish Council said the development represented further “creep” in the expansion of Wilberfoss and the impact of traffic at the A1079 junction which is almost opposite one of its main access roads.
Seventeen objections were received from the public, the majority from residents expressing concern over the expected increase in housing, pressure on local schools and healthcare amenities, in addition to increased flooding concerns in nearby Moorfield Way.
The plans include a total of two one-bedroom houses, 18 two-bedroom houses, 33 three-bedroom houses, three four-bedroom houses and 14 five-bedroom houses.
Within this, Crest Nicholson’s plans include a provision of 20 per cent affordable housing in one, two and three bed units.
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Three units are reserved for self-builds and an open space and play area is included in the proposal.
On June 19 last year, East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s director of planning and development management recommended to defer and delegate approval of the scheme subject to matters including the securing of developer financial contributions to off-site sports facilities and primary school places, as well as the provision of the self-build plots.
Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali has emerged as one of Manchester United’s midfield transfer targets and the chances of signing him could drastically improve
Sandro Tonali is considering leaving Newcastle United this summer to play Champions League football next season. The midfielder has been linked with Manchester United in recent days as the club plans to bolster its midfield.
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United are understood to be prioritising a new central midfielder for the 2026/27 season after opting not to invest in the previous two windows. Elliot Anderson, Carlos Baleba and Adam Wharton have all been linked, but Tonali is the latest name on their radar.
The Telegraph has reported that the 25-year-old is expected to be at the heart of a transfer saga in the summer. United are already confirmed to lose one midfielder when Casemiro departs and are expected to spend big on his replacement.
Newcastle paid £55million for Tonali in 2023 and with the likes of Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo and Declan Rice moving more than £100m, the Magpies are in a comfortable place to negotiate a hard price.
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On deadline day, some reports suggested that the Italian midfielder had been offered to Arsenal. The Gunners decided not to make a move, but that has cast doubt on his future on Tyneside.
According to Tonali’s agent, Giuseppe Riso, his exit out of Eddie Howe’s squad is a possibility at the end of the season. “Newcastle are having a hard time of letting go of Sandro, and he wants to lead the club to the Champions League,” he told Sky Italy.
“We’ll evaluate and decide what to do in the summer. These transfer discussions will take place later. We’ll see how the season ends and then we’ll decide what to do. There’s no preference at the moment.
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“It’s still early. What we’re saying today won’t apply tomorrow. Newcastle couldn’t let him go now, and there’s no point in moving, especially since Sandro is very attached to the club.”
United’s chances of luring Tonali to Old Trafford will be significantly increased if Newcastle fails to turn their season around. Howe’s men are currently 12th in the Premier League table after inconsistency, meaning their best chance of returning to the competition may require them to win the tournament this term.
“I don’t think so, but lots of things happen without my knowledge,” Howe said when asked if the speculation around Tonali’s future would unsettle the midfielder. “As far as I’m aware, we’ve got player who is an outstanding footballer, an outstanding person.
“He’s very happy here, he’s got a great relationship with me, his teammates, and seems really happy within himself. That would surprise me [if Tonali became unsettled], but our best players will always attract glances from other clubs – that’s just the reality of football.
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“We want to keep our group together, we want to be progressive and Sandro plays a part in that. All encompassed, I don’t see an issue but I don’t control everything. There was certainly no intention from our side to lose Sandro at all. He’s such an integral player to what we’re doing. He’s very happy here.
“He is absolutely fine. I had discussions with him yesterday [Monday] and he is absolutely focused on playing for us.”
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Galentine’s Day, inspired by Parks and Recreation, has become a popular celebration for women honouring female friendships with spa days, parties, and creative activities as an alternative to Valentine’s Day
Christie O’Sullivan from Trinity, Florida, has celebrated 21 Valentine’s Days with her husband, but her most memorable one was actually spent with a girlfriend before tying the knot.
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The pair took a day off from work, treated themselves to massages, then headed out for cocktails and a slap-up dinner.
“For me, it was 10 out of 10. That whole day was intentional,” said O’Sullivan. She recalls it as empowering “on a day that’s usually filled with pressure to be in a relationship, or sadness because I wasn’t currently in one.”
Amy Poehler’s character, Leslie Knope, brought her mates together on 13 February. “What’s Galentine’s Day? Oh, it’s only the best day of the year,” said Knope.
Chela Pappaccioli from Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, has been throwing a Galentine’s Day party at her house for the past three years. She’s got a bartender and a DJ booked, and this year has invited 45 of her closest friends.
So far, 34 have confirmed they’re coming, and she’s putting together goodie bags for her guests to take away. No blokes are allowed “unless the bartender happens to be male.”
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The bash may be lavish, but Pappaccioli insists it’s money well spent. “It’s an escape to just be with your girls, be silly, do something fun and just focus on the friendships you’ve created and enjoying each other’s company,” she says.
Liz Momblanco from Berkley, Michigan, who calls herself a “serial hobbyist,” brings her mates along to workshops including cookie and cake decorating, calligraphy and stained glass.
“I enjoy learning something new and having a shared experience,” said Momblanco, who has been to day retreats for women offering activities like floral arranging, yoga or a cold plunge.
Marney Wolf, who operates the retreat company Luna Wolf, says creating space for art and creativity helps build community.
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“It bonds you, whether it’s the smallest thing or really deep. You watch these grown women turn into almost like a childlike kindergarten response like, ‘Oh my gosh! Good job! You’re so talented!’ That little lift is the easiest thing to do,” she said.
Wolf makes sure to organise Galentine’s-themed retreats around Valentine’s Day because some women don’t have anyone to spend 14 February with.
“I know it can be a really lonely time for people and I think some take it for granted,” she says.
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Pappaccioli said a couple of divorced friends attend her party, and “even if you’re married it can be depressing because your husband may not be doing what you want or your boyfriend may not support you in the way you want,” she says. “It’s nice to know that you don’t need that. You can still celebrate the holiday, but turn it around a little bit and celebrate the relationships you want to.”
Galentine’s Day gatherings can spark new friendships. And dedicating proper time with a mate offers a chance to put the mobile away, dodge distractions and create lasting memories.
O’Sullivan works as a social media strategist for businesses but values that her bestie Valentine’s Day was phone-free.
“We could be fully present – no photos, no texts, no nothing,” she says. “So while that means there’s no actual record of that day occurring, it also means the details became a core memory without it.”
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Some mark Galentine’s Day by simply popping out for coffee or playing cards. You might head with a group of female mates to a theatre performance or museum, or enjoy a ramble or a fitness session.
Further suggestions include charity shop browsing, country line dancing, roller skating, karaoke, junk journaling, and treating yourselves to manicures and pedicures.
With the start of the tour just a few hours away, there was a real sense from Kensington Palace that they wanted the position of the prince and princess to be known, so William could focus on the trip – likely to be the biggest diplomatic test to date of his overseas visits in support of the UK.
Meanwhile, Rock appeared to mime his way through his performance of 1999 hit “Bawitdaba”, clips of which are being mocked on social media. A pre-recorded version of the song could be heard playing as the musician lowered his microphone away from his mouth. In other moments of the song, his mouth does not match the audio.
“Kid Rock is blatantly lip syncing, it’s all prerecorded & he wasn’t even trying,” one person wrote on X-Twitter, with another adding: “Kid Rock forgets his lyrics during his song showing all the MAGA Far Right that he wasn’t even singing. What a complete and utter embarrassment.”
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An additional person wrote: “Kid Rock couldn’t even be bothered to sing live. Instead, some truly awful lip-syncing.”
The Independent has contacted Kid Rock for comment.
Turning Point USA, founded by late far-right commentator Charlie Kirk, announced its alternative halftime show last October amid mounting conservative criticism over the selection of Bad Bunny, a Puerto Rican rapper, as the Super Bowl halftime performer.
Kid Rock, an outspoken supporter of Donald Trump, went on to say that the show was engineered for conservative Americans to celebrate their patriotism, adding that right-wing views are not represented in mainstream media.
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He said: “There’s a big portion of this country, like it or not, that’s underserved entertainment-wise. We’re just [going to] go play for our base. You know, people who love America, love football, love Jesus.”
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Kid Rock appeared to mime his way through 1999 hit ‘Bawitdaba’ (YouTube/Turning Point USA)
At the time of writing, the concert has been viewed 18 million times, with many viewers noting on social media that they clicked on the video out of curiosity.
The White House expressed support for TPUSA’s show, reposting a video of it on social media. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth wrote on X that his family had tuned in.
President Trump also bashed the official Super Bowl mid-game show in a post on Truth Social, labelling it “absolutely terrible” and “one of the worst, EVER!”
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But, despite harsh criticism from Trump and his allies, more Americans were interested in watching Bad Bunny perform in Sunday’s Super Bowl halftime show than Turning Point USA’s MAGA fest.
A YouGov America survey released Friday found that 35 percent of respondents prefer Bad Bunny’s show compared to 28 percent who said they were more interested in the Kid Rock-headlined event.
Bad Bunny performing Super Bowl half-time show (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
This year’s Super Bowl saw the Seattle Seahawks triumph over the New England Patriots by 29 points to 13 to claim their second-ever victory.
One resident said the high street has a ‘lot of nail bars and barbers’
Residents are “sad” to see more nail bars and barbers in a city high street – with some saying it is “missing” a variety of other shops. UK high streets have changed over the years, with many recognisable brands leaving cities and towns.
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With rising costs, some independent shops have sadly been forced to close their doors. In Ely, there are several independent shops, cafes, and restaurants that fill the high street, which brings joy to residents. However, some residents feel there are still certain shops “missing” from the high street.
A woman who has lived in Ely for 35 years, and wished to remain anonymous, said Ely is a “beautiful” place to live, but she is “sad” about the high street. She said: “We have a lot of nail bars and barbers.
“We do have some independent cafes and some lovely independent shops, but it could be a lot better. It’s sad to see places boarded up and closed.
“I know that is true of high streets up and down the country. I am happy for people to have thriving businesses, but there needs to be a balance.”
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James Smith said: “We do have a good mix of stuff like cafes and restaurants, but we are starting to see more barbers and things like that pop up. It’s not a bad thing as everyone needs a haircut, but we need more of other shops.”
Emma Lebedyeva, who works at Topping and Company Books in the high street, thinks there are a “lot of charity shops” in Ely. She added: “It’s great, as I love charity shop shopping.
“However, I think we’re missing a lot of high street shops that we used to have. I used to live here when I was a teenager and recently moved back. There used to be various high street shops that you could go to and they were sort of better.”
As well as improving the high street, Jack Sanford, who works alongside Emma, thinks Ely could offer more to younger people.
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He said: “There’s not much for younger people here. There is some stuff for children, but not young adults or teenagers.
“Other than walking around the countryside, but when you have done that it’s just flat land. So there could be more for younger people to do.”
Just like most places, long-term resident Hayley Armitage also believes facilities such as doctors need to be “better” in Ely. She added: “Ely has a good history and good facilities, except the doctors”.
A driver has been arrested after they crashed their car into a tree. On Saturday February 7, a driver, who had been drinking the previous night, crashed into a tree in March.
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Police were called on Saturday just before 1pm to the scene of the crash. The car had crashed into a tree, blocking Knights End Road, which remained closed while the car was recovered.
A breath test conducted at the scene showed that the driver was almost three times over the legal limit. At the time, the driver admitted to having been drinking the night before.
A Cambridgeshire Constabulary spokesperson said: “A vehicle had left the road, collided with a tree, and then landed back on the carriageway.
“On arrival, officers conducted a roadside breath test on the driver, who blew 100µg – almost three times the legal limit of 35µg. The driver admitted to drinking the night before.
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“They were arrested at the scene and taken to Peterborough City Hospital by Ambulance with serious but not life‑threatening injuries.” Police have warned that drinking the night before can still leave you over the legal limit the next day. If you’re unsure, don’t drive.
Inquiries into the case remain ongoing. If you have any information about this incident, please contact 101 using reference number CAD-236 of 07/02/26.
Among the locations set for closure this year are 19 UK bank branches that are shutting down in February.
The Lloyds Banking Group, which runs Lloyds, Halifax and the Bank of Scotland, will shut 71 branches across 2026.
Among those planned closures are 40 Lloyds bank branches, 14 Halifax location and 17 Bank of Scotland sites.
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All of the businesses have cited the increase in the number of people banking online rather than in person as one of the reasons behind the planned branch closures.
These are the branches closing in February.
Halifax bank closures
Thetford – February 4
Belfast (Castle Court) – February 4
Kendal – February 10
Belfast (Connswater Shopping Centre) – February 10
Gillingham – February 11
Lloyds bank closures
Swindon – February 3
Kendal – February 10
Brecon – February 11
Cranbrook – February 11
Wadebridge – February 17
Stow-on-the-Wold – February 17
Brynmawr – February 17
St Ives – February 24
Chesham – February 24
Liskeard – February 24
Kenilworth – February 24
Bank of Scotland bank closures
Thetford – February 4
Belfast (Castle Court) – February 4
Kendal – February 10
Belfast (Connswater Shopping Centre) – February 10
Gillingham – February 11
Santander is also closing a host of bank branches this year.
The Spain-based banking giant announced the closure of 44 of its sites in a move putting 291 jobs at risk.
It comes less than a year after the business announced the closure of 95 branches last March, in a round of cuts which hit 750 workers.
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Santander said closing branches will be replaced with “community bankers”, who will operate from Santander Local stores or banking hubs to keep a presence in local communities.
Santander bank closures
This is the full list of Santander bank branch closures scheduled for this year.
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Laura Woods and Eni Aluko disagree on the make-up of women’s football coverage (Pictures: Getty)
Laura Woods has hit out at Eni Aluko after her ‘damaging’ comments on who should and shouldn’t cover women’s football on television.
The presenter also suggested there are many reasons why pundits are selected for big games, including how ‘likeable’ a person is.
Former England forward Aluko slammed the BBC and ITV for including male pundits in the coverage of the Lionesses’ Euro 2025 final with Spain.
The 38-year-old had previously made a similar point, hitting out at Ian Wright for ‘blocking’ opportunities for female broadcasters by appearing regularly on women’s football.
Speaking on the 90s Baby Show podcast, she said: ‘In the women’s game the opportunities are even more limited, so the main characters of the show should be the women.
‘Men should be part of that. I’m not saying anybody should be excluded, I believe in diversity wholeheartedly, but the same way we’ve played a role in the men’s game that’s a supporting role, you’re part of the ensemble, you’re never going to get the premium final games, it should be the same way for women’s football.
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Ian Wright, Eni Aluko and Karen Carney working on ITV in 2023 (Picture: Getty Images)
‘I think we need to gatekeep the women’s game in a way that the men’s game is gatekept. What I mean by that is, and you’ve heard me talk about the journey of women’s football, it’s taken a while, it’s taken a lot of blood, sweat and tears to get the women’s game to where it is now. There’s a lot of people, including me, who have planted a lot of seeds to be reaping what we’re reaping now… TV, money coming into the game, investment, and it’s still growing.
‘From my perspective, we didn’t go through all of that – blood, sweat and tears – for women to be second place in our own sport. What are we doing?
‘That’s my point, the women’s game should be by women for women. Male allies should absolutely support that but when it gets to the point where you’re the main character of the show, we’re just repeating the patriarchal stuff that we’ve been fighting against.
Eni Aluko sparked controversy with her comments on a podcast (90s Baby Show)
‘Now whoever that upsets, that upsets, but that’s the reality. I’ve always been protective about women’s football because I’ve done a lot, I’ve invested a lot, I was doing women’s football when it didn’t pay to do women’s football. Now we’re reaping the rewards I’m like women should be winning right now.
‘My point is, I’ve never done a major final in men’s football for eleven years, I’ve done three World Cups, men’s Euros, Champions League, I’ve never had that opportunity, and maybe rightly so, I’d probably say rightly so because again, I think the guys should always be ahead of me, the main guys.
‘Last year, at the Women’s Lionesses final, I’m sat in the stands, I wasn’t on ITV for the final, Fara Williams was sat next to me, Fara Williams has 170 caps [172 caps] for England, something ridiculous, I think she’s the most-capped player, she’s sat in the stands.
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Eni Aluko questioned the BBC’s decision to have Nedum Onuoha as part of their punditry team for England’s Euro 2025 final against Spain (BBC)
‘The two broadcasters that had the rights for the game – ITV and BBC – on BBC you’ve got Ellen White, Steph Houghton and Nedum Onuoha, no offence to Nedum Onuoha, nothing against him, I don’t know whether he played for England or not, but you’re on the main panel for the final for England Women.
‘Let’s go over to ITV, I’m in the stands with 105 caps, so you’ve got two women, between us we’ve got 290 caps, something ridiculous, you turn over to ITV and it’s Ian Wright, Emma Hayes and Kaz Carney.
‘So out of six punditry spots, two have gone to men. Meanwhile you’ve got 290 caps, whatever it is, sitting in the stands.
Woods and Aluko have worked together numerous times (Picture: Getty Images)
‘I’ve just told you I’ve never done a final. I’m probably going to struggle to think of any women, a female pundit, who has done a men’s major final as a pundit. I’m not talking about presenters, people like to conflate the two, it’s a different role, it’s like comparing a forward and a defender, it’s different jobs, I’m talking about as a pundit, it doesn’t happen, so something is not right there because I’m saying this is still quite new where you’re watching women’s finals on TV, why are people like me and Fara not there?
‘It’s nothing against Ian, it’s nothing against them, I’m just saying broadly speaking we need to be aware of that because if we’re building a game where the limited opportunities are now being taken by men, where we can’t go into the men’s game and get the same opportunities, we’re stuck.’
Laura Woods slams ‘damaging’ comments
Woods, who has worked alongside Aluko in covering women’s football is not on board with her claims at all and made pointed comments on who has been given the roles of working on the biggest Lionesses matches.
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‘Caps don’t win automatic work and they don’t make a brilliant pundit either,’ Woods wrote on X. ‘The way you communicate, articulate yourself, do your research, inform your audience, how likeable you are and the chemistry you have with your panel are what makes a brilliant pundit.
‘”The women’s game should be by women for women,” is one of the most damaging phrases I’ve heard. It will not only drag women’s sport backwards, it will drag women’s punditry in all forms of the game backwards.
Woods, Jill Scott and Aluko on ITV’s coverage of England men’s World Cup quarter-final with France in Qatar 2022 (Picture: Getty Images)
‘If you want to grow something, you don’t gate keep it. We want to encourage little boys and men to watch women’s football too, not just little girls and women. And when they see someone like Ian Wright taking it as seriously as he does – they follow suit. That’s how you grow a sport.
‘Here’s a picture of our team at ITV. We won best production at the Broadcast Sport Awards 2025 for our coverage of the women’s euros. Seb Hutchinson won best commentator too. So I think ITV got it just right.’
Here’s a picture of our team at ITV. We won best production at the Broadcast Sport Awards 2025 for our coverage of the women’s euros. Seb Hutchinson won best commentator too. So I think ITV got it just right. pic.twitter.com/w2KiIswJAG
Aluko was asked if the solution is to bring in more female pundits for high-profile matches in the men’s game, she replied: ‘I think that would make it more fair.
‘If I’m not doing the women’s final but I’m getting a job doing the men’s final then it is what it is, but I can never do the men’s final so the only way I have an opportunity is to do the women’s final but now I can’t do the women’s final, and I can’t bring all of that experience and insight.
‘And let’s be honest, what I represent for young girls who want to be footballers, who want to be broadcasters, is way more than what Ian Wright represents.
‘Again, I’m not knocking Ian Wright, it’s not even about him, it could be any man, it’s really important we keep an eye on the premium opportunities. It’s hard, I don’t want to go into it because people might write headlines, but the issue I have with Ian is that I think in his position he needs to clock what I’m saying.’
As more than 127,000,000 people tuned in from around the world to watch the Super Bowl last night, they were greeted with a sobering message during advertisements.
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An emotional advertisement released by World Without Exploitation featured various survivors of paedophile sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, pleading with Americans to stand with them.
‘3 million files still have not been released,’ the advert read, as faces of victims flashed behind it.
Fittingly, the words were then blacked out – a nod to the heavy redactions seen in the millions of files already released by the US Department of Justice.
The black redaction bar was then placed on the mouths of Epstein’s survivors in the commercial, before finishing with a desperate plea to Americans.
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‘We all deserve the truth. Stand with us. Tell Attorney General Pam Bondi: it’s time for the truth.’
The survivors had their mouths redacted in a powerful statement (Picture: World Without Exploitation)
Photos of the survivors when they were younger were held (Picture: World Without Exploitation)
The sobering message came during one of the most-well-viewed television events of the year.
Pressure is still mounting for Bondi to release more of the files – the current release is just around half of what the DOJ has in its possession.
‘While the commitment of Department personnel to this effort has been substantial in breadth and impressive in effort, substantial work remains to be done,’ the department said.
If that timeline proves to be true, the final files won’t be released until well after Donald Trump’s second term in office is over.
The recent batch of files contained shocking evidence of sex trafficking of underage girls and other crimes.
Survivors have been rallying for a full, unredacted release of the files (Picture: Getty)
The statement from the Manhattan US Attorney’s office is dated August 9 2019, while the standard account says the paedophile was found hanged in his cell at 6.30am on August 10.
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Two versions of the US Attorney’s statement dated August 9 appear in the files, both with subtle differences from the one dated August 10.
Instead, both say he was ‘found unresponsive in his cell and pronounced dead shortly thereafter’.
Like the publicly released statement, both versions with the earlier date pay tribute to the ‘brave young women’ who either have or have not yet previously come forward, though the wording differs slightly.
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According to the official account of Epstein’s death, a corrections officer found him unresponsive on the morning of Saturday, August 10. Medical personnel tried to revive him, but he was later pronounced dead.
