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Angelina Jolie’s reaction to ex Brad Pitt falling off the wagon ‘revealed’… 10 years after star’s alleged drunken plane attack

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Angelina Jolie was 'not surprised' that Brad Pitt has broken his sobriety, after the actor stunned fans worldwide by revealing he was off the wagon after seven years. Above in 2015

Angelina Jolie was ‘not surprised’ that Brad Pitt has broken his sobriety, per an insider, after the actor stunned fans worldwide by revealing he was off the wagon after seven years.

The actor, 62, first went sober after splitting from Jolie, 51, amid accusations that he poured booze on her and their children during a volatile flight on board a private jet in 2016.  He denied the claims.

The winery owner subsequently announced he had turned his back on drink and had been working through inner demons at Alcoholics Anonymous meetings – but revealed in an Esquire UK interview on Monday that he had ‘gotten back off the wagon.’

The former Hollywood power couple, whose acrimonious divorce took eight years to settle, have been besieged by drama ever since, with many of Pitt’s children publicly siding with Jolie and choosing to drop his last name.

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A source close to Jolie claimed to Rob Shuter’s Naughty But Nice column after Pitt’s booze revelation: ‘Angelina is not surprised. She tried to warn people. She knew this was always a possibility.’

They claimed that Jolie had ‘long believed that sobriety did not necessarily mean the underlying problems [Brad had] had disappeared.

Angelina Jolie was ‘not surprised’ that Brad Pitt has broken his sobriety, after the actor stunned fans worldwide by revealing he was off the wagon after seven years. Above in 2015

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The actor first went sober after splitting from Jolie amid accusations that he poured booze on her and their children during a volatile flight on board a private jet in 2016. Above, at the Cannes Film Festival in 2009

The actor first went sober after splitting from Jolie amid accusations that he poured booze on her and their children during a volatile flight on board a private jet in 2016. Above, at the Cannes Film Festival in 2009

‘She doesn’t believe Brad has fundamentally changed. She believes Brad is who Brad is, and no amount of sobriety or reinvention changes that,’ the insider added.

The Daily Mail has contacted representatives for Jolie and Pitt for comment and has yet to hear back.

In the wide-ranging interview with Esquire, the actor admitted he had gotten ‘back off the wagon’ after the interviewer noticed the star had offered him a glass of wine. 

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When asked if the beverage was for guests, Pitt responded: ‘No, I got – I was sober for seven years. And then I got back off the wagon,’ he said, offering a little laugh.

‘In a more restrained manner. I got overconfident a couple times, went, “Yep, nope, not good for me.” Not in big quantities.’

Pitt clarified he was now able to ‘have a few’ glasses of wine but is unable to indulge any further.  

‘Yeah. Well… I can have a few. But I can’t have a lot. I have to be professional about it,’ Pitt said. 

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‘He likes mornings now anyway, and you can miss a lovely morning when you drink too much the night before, and it’s just not as interesting,’ the profile noted of Pitt. ‘Mornings are interesting, and he doesn’t want any more of them to go by unseen.’

The revelation that Pitt has started drinking again comes amid his painful family drama. 

The actor, who is now dating jewelry executive Ines de Ramon, has been embroiled in a bitter legal battle with his ex, Angelina Jolie, for years, and the split has seemingly exposed his fractured relationship with their children.

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Pitt is drinking again but at a reduced rate. Pictured at the SAG Awards in 2009

Pitt is drinking again but at a reduced rate. Pictured at the SAG Awards in 2009

Pitt has had a complicated relationship with alcohol that is alleged to have been the source of issues he has suffered with his family

Pitt has had a complicated relationship with alcohol that is alleged to have been the source of issues he has suffered with his family

Last month, their daughter Vivienne, 18, followed in the footsteps of her three older siblings and filed a petition in Los Angeles County Superior Court to drop Pitt from her name.

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The reason behind the teenager’s name change is listed as ‘personal,’ according to court documents obtained by the Daily Mail. An official court hearing is scheduled for November 2.

Their daughter Zahara and son Maddox also published notices revealing their intentions to drop Pitt from their last names.

The advertisements were both published in the Los Angeles Daily Journal throughout June and July.

Last year, Shiloh, who was born Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt, legally changed her name to Shiloh Jolie. Aside from Pax, Vivienne’s twin brother Knox is the only other sibling who has yet to formally drop the actor’s surname.

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Pitt has had a complicated relationship with alcohol that is alleged to have been the source of issues he has suffered with his family. 

His marriage with Jolie ended after a volatile plane incident in 2016 in which the actor was accused of being physically abusive towards both his wife and two of their children. 

In a 2022 court filing, Jolie alleged Pitt had been drinking during the flight and poured alcohol on herself and the children, according to CNN.

‘At one point, he poured beer on Jolie; at another, he poured beer and red wine on the children.’

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Pitt denied the allegations and he was never charged in connection with the alleged incident following an FBI investigation.  

A source close to Pitt told CNN at the time the court filing was released: ‘All parties have had this information for nearly six years and was used in previous legal proceedings. There is nothing new here and serves no purpose other than being a media stunt meant to inflict pain.’ 

A year after his split from Jolie, self-proclaimed ‘professional’ drinker Pitt was sober.

Pitt and Jolie's family drama has come to light since their split. Pitt is pictured with Maddox in 2010

Pitt and Jolie’s family drama has come to light since their split. Pitt is pictured with Maddox in 2010

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Zahara and Maddox have both taken steps to legally drop 'Pitt' from their name; Pax, Jolie, Zahara and Maddox pictured in 2024

Zahara and Maddox have both taken steps to legally drop ‘Pitt’ from their name; Pax, Jolie, Zahara and Maddox pictured in 2024

Pitt said he was now drinking in a more 'restrained manner' during his interview with Esquire

Pitt said he was now drinking in a more ‘restrained manner’ during his interview with Esquire

‘I enjoy wine very, very much, but I just ran it to the ground,’ he told GQ in 2017. ‘I had to step away for a minute. And truthfully I could drink a Russian under the table with his own vodka. I was a professional. I was good.’ 

For a year and a half, Pitt was in Alcoholics Anonymous, confiding in other men about the ‘ugly sides’ of himself. 

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‘You had all these men sitting around being open and honest in a way I have never heard,’ he told The New York Times. ‘It was this safe space where there was little judgment, and therefore little judgment of yourself.’

‘It was actually really freeing just to expose the ugly sides of yourself,’ he said. ‘There’s great value in that.’

Pitt’s relationship with alcohol went beyond personal and into business.

During their marriage, Pitt and Jolie bought the French winery Chateau Miraval, a property that is now at the center of their legal ordeal.

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Jolie sold her stake in it in part because of Pitt’s ‘acknowledged problem of alcohol abuse on their family.’

Pitt has been dating jewelry executive Ines de Ramon since 2022. They're seen together  in July

Pitt has been dating jewelry executive Ines de Ramon since 2022. They’re seen together  in July

During their marriage, Pitt and Jolie bought the French winery Chateau Miraval, pictured in 2023. The exes are now locked in a bitter legal battle over it

During their marriage, Pitt and Jolie bought the French winery Chateau Miraval, pictured in 2023. The exes are now locked in a bitter legal battle over it  

Jolie was motivated to sell her stake in the winery in part because of Pitt's 'acknowledged problem of alcohol abuse on their family'

Jolie was motivated to sell her stake in the winery in part because of Pitt’s ‘acknowledged problem of alcohol abuse on their family’

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For a year and a half, Pitt was in Alcoholics Anonymous, confiding in other men about the 'ugly sides' of himself. He's pictured in a 2020 promo photo for his wine

For a year and a half, Pitt was in Alcoholics Anonymous, confiding in other men about the ‘ugly sides’ of himself. He’s pictured in a 2020 promo photo for his wine

Pitt addressed the ‘family stuff’ during his Esquire interview, admitting he battled suicidal thoughts amid his estrangement from his children with his ex-wife.

The actor explained how the pain he felt was so ‘oppressive’ and, while he would never act on it, he struggled to see a way out.

He told Esquire UK: ‘I was never suicidal in any way. It just was not my makeup. In fact, if I have any afflictions, it’s probably being a congenital optimist. Which has helped many times, and it’s also gotten me – I’ve walked foolishly head-on into a Mack truck because of my optimism.

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‘Or, as my forever-funny friend David Fincher will say, “Yeah, you see the glass as half full, but it’s half full of urine.”

‘Anyway, I’ve never been suicidal except for one little period. And in that one little period, I just thought – I just couldn’t – just didn’t see a way out. The pain was so oppressive that – I wasn’t going to act on this, but I could feel – I could feel the cold steel of the bullet in my head, and it felt like relief.

‘And I thought, “Oh, okay, now I understand” – I understand suicide, in the sense that it’s just relief. It’s just looking for relief from the pain.

‘But I also think we have incredible survival instincts. And for me, that immediately kicked in, but it was just…Yeah. Like, listen: This s**t ain’t easy…And you’re talking to a guy who won the lottery.’

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When quizzed by the interviewer, Pitt confirmed he was talking about ‘family stuff.’

Now in his sixties, Pitt shows no signs of slowing down. His next film, Heart of the Beast, a man-and-his-dog story, will be coming out this fall, followed by Quentin Tarantino’s The Adventures of Cliff Booth, in which he stars as a Hollywood stuntman.

He just wrapped up the thriller The Riders a few weeks ago.

But Pitt says he longs to be in his fifties again.

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He told Esquire: ‘God, I want my fifties back…I would do more. Your fifties are just – man, anything that’s on your mind, go. Go attack it. Go attack it now.’

If you or someone you know needs help, please call or text the confidential 24/7 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the US on 988. There is also an online chat available at 988lifeline.org. 

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Selena Gomez surprised with suite at swanky London hotel by ‘sweet hubby’ Benny Blanco

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Selena Gomez surprised with suite at swanky London hotel by 'sweet hubby' Benny Blanco

Gomez co-stars in the series alongside Steve Martin and Martin Short, with the upcoming Britain-set sixth season set to star a plethora of British talent, including Jennifer Saunders, Martin Freeman, Simone Ashley, Jane Horrocks, Geri Halliwell, Jamie Demetriou, David Tennant, Richard Ayoade and Olivia Colman.

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EastEnders welcomes two new arrivals to the Fox-Trueman family

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EastEnders welcomes two new arrivals to the Fox-Trueman family

Frempong, who previously appeared in Too Much and Essex Girls, added: “I am extremely excited to be joining EastEnders! I have watched the show for as long as I can remember and have such vivid memories of gathering around the TV with my family, especially at Christmas, to watch all the drama unfolding on the Square, so it feels pretty surreal to now be a part of the action!

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Burnham plans to free up prison spaces to keep Pc Harper’s killers behind bars

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Burnham plans to free up prison spaces to keep Pc Harper’s killers behind bars

Earlier, Mr Burnham wrote on Facebook that he was “increasingly confident that a more focused approach” to creating more headroom in the prison system would “allow us to reduce the number of people released early and, in the case of the most serious offenders like those convicted of the killing of Pc Harper, prevent their early release altogether”.

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Alex Jones returns to Wales for emotional reunion with Caerphilly sub-postmaster

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Wales Online

Alex Jones made an emotional return to Wales to reunite with a former sub-postmaster who was wrongly caught up in the Post Office Horizon scandal

Alex Jones has returned to Wales to reunite with a sub-postmaster whose life was turned upside down by the Post Office Horizon scandal.

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The One Show presenter met Steve, who runs a post office in Nelson, Caerphilly, more than a decade after he first appeared on the BBC programme to speak about the financial discrepancies he was experiencing at his branch.

Steve was among hundreds of sub-postmasters caught up in the Horizon scandal, in which faulty accounting data made it appear that money was missing from post office branches. Many were wrongly accused of theft and false accounting, with some prosecuted as a result.

When Steve first spoke to The One Show in December 2014, he had been confronted with an alleged shortfall of around £44,000. More than ten years later, the problems have not completely disappeared.

During Alex’s return visit to the branch, Steve showed her his latest figures, revealing that he is still seeing discrepancies in the accounts.

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“I’m still getting ups and downs,” he told Alex, pointing to the figures recorded by the system.

He explained that one day’s figures showed the branch £1.44 down, while another showed a £276 shortfall – money he said the Post Office was still asking him to repay.

Despite his experiences, Steve has continued running the branch because of the people who rely on it.

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Asked by Alex where he finds the strength to continue, he said: “For the community, basically.”

He added that the support he has received locally has helped him carry on, saying he had not received a single negative comment from people in the area.

Steve’s story is particularly significant as the Horizon scandal continues to have an impact on communities across Wales and the rest of the UK.

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He has now received £75,000 in compensation and plans to retire from the post office after years of serving the local community. While retirement will bring relief after everything he has endured, Steve admitted that leaving will also be emotional.

He expects to feel “a bit of sadness” after spending so many years behind the counter.

Alex’s reunion with Steve formed part of a special The One Show feature marking the programme’s 20th anniversary.

The One Show’s Post Office feature aired on Tuesday, August 11 on BBC One as part of the week of celebrations of 20 Years of The One Show

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Moment motorist collapses building after ploughing into takeaway while on his phone

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Footage showed Mohammed approaching Rose Fast takeaway at speed before ploughing into it

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A 21-year-old driver caused the front of a building to collapse after he ploughed into it driving whilst on his phone. 

Daniel Mohammed crashed into the takeaway shop in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, at around 6am on the morning of July 20 last year. 

Footage captured the moment part of the building was demolished upon impact, after Mohammed lost control of the Ford Focus he was driving and drove straight into the shop. 

A cloud of debris went up after the devastating crash, which left the entire front of the building open and the car being written off. 

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Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard how a woman who had been travelling with Mohammed in the front passenger seat had been asking Mohammed to slow down as he was driving with his phone in his hand. 

The young driver ignored the warning, smashing into the building and leaving the female passenger, who knew him through mutual friends, with a fractured left collarbone and a fracture to two bones in her forearm after the incident. 

Both the passenger and Mohammed were taken to Royal Stoke University Hospital. As well as a broken collarbone and wrist fractures, the woman experienced tingling and reduced sensation in her fingers after the crash. 

Mohammed, of Cobridge, pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving, using a vehicle without third party insurance, and using a handheld mobile phone while driving a vehicle. 

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Footage showed Mohammed approaching Rose Fast takeaway at speed before ploughing into it 

The front of the building immediately collapsed after the collision and the front of the car was destroyed

The front of the building immediately collapsed after the collision and the front of the car was destroyed 

The crash left a female passenger, who had asked Mohammed to slow down, with a broken collarbone and wrist fractures

The crash left a female passenger, who had asked Mohammed to slow down, with a broken collarbone and wrist fractures 

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Daniel Mohammed (pictured), 21, was sentenced to 26 months' imprisonment

Daniel Mohammed (pictured), 21, was sentenced to 26 months’ imprisonment

The court heard he also had a previous conviction for drug-driving.

Judge Graeme Smith sentenced him to 26 months’ imprisonment and told the defendant: ‘There was a deliberate decision to ignore the rules of the road. You drove at speeds in excess of the speed limit. 

‘You overtook a vehicle on the approach to a zebra crossing where the zigzag lines indicate you should not overtake and also on a bend where you could not see whether anything was coming in the opposite direction.

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‘You were using a mobile phone at the time. You had been warned by your passenger to slow down but disregarded that warning. 

‘Having watched the video, it is astonishing that both of you were not more seriously injured. She was the more seriously injured. 

‘You were using the mobile phone and had no insurance. You accept responsibility for what happened. What happened appears to be out of character. 

‘However, there was a previous driving-related offence committed earlier last year. I cannot suspend the sentence because of its length.’

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In addition to the jail term, Mohammed was banned from driving for three years and 10 months and must also pass an extended test. 

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Grade II Listed building to be turned into flats and new bungalow

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Cambridgeshire Live

The existing building will be made into flats and a bungalow and two masinettes will be built on the grounds

A Grade II listed building is set to undergo a major transformation after conversion plans were approved by Peterborough City Council. The historic property at 63 Church Street in Stanground, which is currently used for both commercial and residential purposes, was purchased by Simon Dann and Edel Lynch in 2014.

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According to planning documents, despite not being responsible for the destruction of the historic features prior to their ownership, Mr Dann and Mrs Lynch have spent more than £400,000 restoring the building so far. They have now been given the go-ahead to convert the building into flats, as well as build two new maisonettes and a three-bedroom bungalow on the property grounds.

“As demonstrated over the years by trying to bring back lost features, the applicants are dedicated to further enhancing the building to its potential as a Grade II listed building,” the design and access statement reads.

It was argued in the application that the proposal would create a range of different property types which would provide essential accommodation to contribute to the housing need within the area.

In 1969 the Grade II listed building became a Polish gentlemen’s club and in 1970 extensive building works were carried out which resulted in the loss of some original features.

Planning permission and listed building consent was later granted in 2014 to demolish the extension and carry out restoration works in order to change the building into a chiropractic clinic and residential accommodation.

“The site is a unique opportunity to bring back historic features and allow them to be further enhanced and appreciated whilst promoting a community feel within the site area,” planning documents stated.

Peterborough City Council’s highways team raised concerns around a shortfall of two parking spaces, but planning officers determined this would not result in an adverse highway safety issue.

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The development must begin within three years, with a number of conditions listed in the officer’s report.

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European Athletics Championships: Criticism as thousands of empty seats in Birmingham

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A photo of six women in a race. The floor is blue and the stands are behind which are not full. The signs are pink.

One athletics fan urged organisers on social media to “fill the place” with “cheap door tickets”.

Another said they decided against buying tickets as it would cost his family “more than a holiday” when travel and accommodation for one night was factored in.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said she expected attendances to increase as the championships continued.

“It is true that over the past few days we haven’t sold out the stadiums but we are seeing those numbers rising steadily,” she said.

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“We have some amazing events coming up, the men’s 100m final, people like Keely Hodgkinson competing and I think you will see that really rise in the next few days.”

She added she thought organisers have “pretty good job here” over ticket prices with “half of all the tickets for the events here in Birmingham are under £30”.

A Birmingham 2026 spokesperson expressed delight at the ticket sales which “have far surpassed our targets”.

“Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening sessions are approaching sell-out, with several other sessions close to capacity,” they added.

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“There are still opportunities to be part of the championships at incredibly good value.

“After a fantastic opening day of competition, we’re looking forward to welcoming many more spectators to Alexander Stadium throughout the week and sharing more memorable moments of world-class athletics.”

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American Airlines banned woman, 52, with Down syndrome from flying… here’s why staff say they made correct decision

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Jennifer Jaspers, 52, who has Down syndrome, said American Airlines denied her a boarding pass on July 23 before her yearly trip from Omaha to North Carolina

A woman with Down syndrome said American Airlines had denied her from getting on a plane to visit her family, but the company has insisted that it had a logical reason.

Jennifer Jaspers was dropped off by her mother at Eppley Airfield in Omaha, Nebraska, on July 23.

The 52-year-old had planned to take her yearly solo trip to North Carolina to see her father and cousins, as well as celebrate her birthday.

But during the check-in process, she was apparently asked a question that took her by complete surprise, according to WOWT.

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Jaspers’s mother, Cindy Garrett, said a staff member queried ‘whether she could get herself out of a building by herself’ and her daughter had responded, ‘I don’t know.’

After that, American Airlines determined that Jaspers required a safety assistant to get on the plane in order to adhere to their procedures.

Jaspers recalled that she began crying after being denied a boarding pass, with Garrett adding that her daughter had traveled alone dozens of times before.

‘I can fly by myself,’ Jaspers told the outlet.

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Jennifer Jaspers, 52, who has Down syndrome, said American Airlines denied her a boarding pass on July 23 before her yearly trip from Omaha to North Carolina

Cindy Garrett (left), Jaspers's mother, said her daughter was thrown off and did not know how to answer a question about 'whether she could get herself out of a building by herself'

Cindy Garrett (left), Jaspers’s mother, said her daughter was thrown off and did not know how to answer a question about ‘whether she could get herself out of a building by herself’

Her mom offered an explanation for her daughter’s response at the check-in gate.

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‘Because it threw her [off],’ Garrett told WOWT. ‘She didn’t know how to answer that.’

Garrett said her family had previously used a different procedure during Jaspers’s travels to ensure everything went smoothly.

‘To transfer airplanes, we have it set up that they walk her to the next gate,’ Garrett said.

She claimed that she told American Airlines that ‘there’s never been a problem’ with her daughter’s travel plans.

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‘She has a phone in her purse all the time,’ Garrett said. ‘She knows how to use it.’

Garrett added that a supervisor got involved in the situation before her daughter’s boarding pass was denied.

American Airlines said that passengers who are unable to follow safety instructions must travel with a safety assistant

Jaspers's mom said her daughter had been scheduled to travel in first class (stock image)

Jaspers’s mom said her daughter had been scheduled to travel in first class (stock image)

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In response to the incident, American Airlines said that passengers who cannot follow safety instructions need to travel with a safety assistant, per the outlet.

Jaspers was offered that option for free but turned it down, the airline said in a statement.

‘To support those who need ​special assistance, customers who ​are unable to ​follow safety instructions ​during their journey ​are required to travel with ​a ​safety assistant,’ American Airlines told the outlet.

‘Upon review, our team followed established procedures to determine that a safety assistant would be required to travel with the customer – and that option was offered at no cost,’ the statement continued.

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Jaspers’s ticket was subsequently refunded, according to the company.

Garrett said that Jaspers is still planning to fly to North Carolina, albeit with a couple of twists.

‘She had a first-class ticket, so she won’t be able to go first class anymore,’ Garrett said.

The incident happened at Eppley Airfield in Omaha, Nebraska (file photo)

The incident happened at Eppley Airfield in Omaha, Nebraska (file photo)

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Instead, Jaspers’s father has spent about two weeks planning a round trip flight that costs about $1,800.

He would come to Omaha and serve as her travel assistant.

Garrett said the family would ask American Airlines if the offer for the safety assistant to be cost-free still applied.

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‘If they’re the ones demanding that there needs [to be] a second person there, [then] at least half of it, they should pay,’ she told the outlet.

The Air Carrier Access Act states that airlines cannot refuse transportation to people on the basis of disability and that airlines may not require a person with a disability to travel with another person. 

However, there are exceptions for ‘certain limited circumstances’ where the airline can require a safety assistant.

‘If a passenger with a disability and the airline disagree about the need for a safety assistant, the airline can require the assistant, but cannot charge for the transportation of the assistant,’ the rule continues.

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The Daily Mail has reached out to American Airlines for further comment.

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Japan’s earthquake shows extreme heat can turn one disaster into two

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Japan’s earthquake shows extreme heat can turn one disaster into two

Emergency workers attempting to rescue survivors after a recent earthquake in Kyushu, Japan, also had to cope with extreme summer heat.

After the earthquake killed at least 38 people and left thousands homeless in late July, daytime temperatures climbed into the high 30°Cs and in some places hit 40°C for the first time ever, with high humidity.

Extreme heat affects almost every aspect of an emergency response. For the close to 7,000 people in 130 evacuation shelters and in temporary accommodation across the Kumamoto region, on the southernmost of Japan’s four main islands, hot and humid conditions increase the risk of dehydration, heat exhaustion and heatstroke.

Older adults, infants and people with chronic illnesses are particularly susceptible. It is suspected that one older woman has already died of heatstroke while sheltering in her car.

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Heat also makes it harder for people to sleep, especially when air conditioning is unavailable or electricity supplies have been interrupted. Poor sleep can worsen stress, impair decision-making and slow recovery following traumatic events. Emergency responders are similarly affected.

Rescue work, debris removal and infrastructure repairs are physically demanding activities. High temperatures reduce physical performance, increase fatigue and require more frequent rest breaks, potentially slowing recovery operations.

Temperatures in Kumamoto during and after the earthquake

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Temperatures peaked in the high 30s a few days after the earthquake, but throughout July both maximum and minimum temperatures were well above the long-term average.
Glenn McGregor

The effects extend beyond health. Damaged water infrastructure increases demand for drinking water precisely when supplies may be constrained. Electricity demand for cooling rises at the same time as power outages. Some medicines require refrigeration. Businesses face longer interruptions. Schools and community facilities may remain closed for longer. This creates a complex web of interacting risks.

Water supplies have been disrupted in some areas and electricity outages have limited access to cooling equipment, leaving evacuation centres very hot. These conditions create a second emergency that receives far less attention than the earthquake itself but can have profound consequences for public health and recovery. This is an example of what hazard scientists call a compound event.

Emergency workers are still battling to cope with the recovery.

The second emergency

Often natural hazards are thought of as isolated events, but they frequently interact with one another, so that their combined impacts are greater than the sum of each individually. Sometimes the interaction is between different weather extremes, such as heatwaves followed by drought or wildfire. In other cases, climate hazards combine with other geophysical hazards such as earthquakes.

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The conditions in 2026 are very different to those when Kumamoto last experienced large earthquakes, in April 2016.

Comparison of temperatures: 2016 and 2026 earthquakes

Two bar charts showing max and min temps in the two earthquake periods

Temperatures in 2016 (left) vs 2026 (right). Days in 2016 were warm, about 25°C, but in 2026 temperatures rarely fell that low, even at night.
Glenn McGregor; data: Japan Meteorological Agency data

The 2016 Kumamoto earthquake caused widespread destruction. However, the April temperatures were relatively mild. The recent earthquake occurred during one of the hottest parts of the Japanese summer. Although rescue priorities remain the same, the environmental conditions are fundamentally different.

As the climate changes, the impact of any disaster will increasingly depend not only on the primary event but also on the climatic conditions in which it unfolds. The Kumamoto earthquake shows how extreme heat can become a powerful disaster risk multiplier. A similar lesson emerged after the catastrophic western Japan floods of 2018, when a record-breaking heatwave, subsequently shown by research to have been virtually impossible without human-induced climate change, compounded the disaster, increasing health risks and hampering recovery efforts.

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Together, these events demonstrate how heatwaves following other disasters can amplify the consequences.

Planning ahead

The Kumamoto earthquake shows that disaster resilience is no longer just about building stronger infrastructure or improving earthquake-resistant design. It also means preparing communities for multiple interacting hazards.

As climate change increases the frequency and intensity of extreme heat, those planning for emergencies will have to factor this in.

The question is no longer simply how societies respond to earthquakes or heatwaves separately, but how they prepare for all of these circumstances.

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As the world experiences more heatwaves, extreme temperatures will pose new challenges for disaster recovery during the hottest parts of the year.

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Vikings pick Kyler Murray as their starting quarterback over J.J. McCarthy, AP source says

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Vikings pick Kyler Murray as their starting quarterback over J.J. McCarthy, AP source says

EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings have chosen Kyler Murray as their starting quarterback over J.J. McCarthy, according to a person with knowledge of the decision.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity on Tuesday because the team had not yet made the announcement.

Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell pledged to supervise a true competition for the job between the newcomer Murray and the incumbent McCarthy. While Murray had the majority of the turns with the first team, McCarthy had plenty of opportunities in open-to-the-public practices as well.

With Murray learning a new system and staff after spending his first seven NFL seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, an earlier decision on the starter was always going to be ideal for him to maximize his time in training camp running the offense.

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McCarthy was the 10th overall pick in the 2024 draft. He mostly struggled in his debut last year, when a variety of injuries limited him to 10 starts. Carson Wentz was also re-signed for veteran depth.

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

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