A Los Angeles jury on Wednesday ordered California socialite Rebecca Grossman to pay $21 million in punitive damages to the parents of two young brothers who died when her car struck them in a hit-and-run collision in 2020.

Former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Scott Erickson must also pay $1.17 million in punitive damages.

That is in addition to the $176 million in damages for wrongful death and emotional distress that jurors ordered Grossman and Erickson to pay parents Nancy and Karim Iskander last week, after finding them negligent in the deaths of Mark, 11, and Jacob, 8.

“This verdict sends a clear message that everyone must be held accountable when their selfish actions put innocent lives at risk,” Brian Panish, the Iskander family’s attorney, said in a statement Wednesday.

Erickson’s attorney, Jeff Braun, said they respected the verdict.

“In the coming days, we will review the verdict with our client and discuss the appropriate path forward,” Braun said in a statement. “Today, however, our focus is on acknowledging the extraordinary loss the Iskander family has endured. We extend our sincere condolences to them and continue to keep them in our thoughts.”

Grossman’s attorney, Esther Holm, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Grossman was sentenced in 2024 to serve 15 years to life in prison after being convicted of second-degree murder, gross vehicular manslaughter and hit-and-run driving in a separate criminal trial. She is a co-founder of the Grossman Burn Foundation and the wife of a prominent burn doctor.

The boys’ parents also filed lawsuits in civil court against both Grossman and Erickson, who was driving ahead of her when the Iskander brothers were killed. That trial began in April.

The deadly crash occurred on the evening of Sept. 29, 2020, in Westlake Village, a city on the western edge of Los Angeles County.

Panish, the Iskander family’s attorney, argued that Grossman and Erickson were both driving recklessly after drinking margaritas together. The two were dating at a time when Grossman and her husband were separated.

Panish said Grossman was driving 73 mph (117 kph) when her car struck the boys in a crosswalk on a road where the posted speed limit was 45 mph (72 kph).

He said Grossman was following Erickson, who was also speeding and narrowly missed the family.

Holm, Grossman’s attorney, denied that her client was intoxicated. She said Grossman was distracted when she saw the boys’ mother dive out of the way of Erickson’s vehicle.

Braun, Erickson’s attorney, called the boys’ deaths a tragedy but emphasized that the vehicle he was driving “made no contact with the children.”

Rail passengers face ‘major disruption’ until 5pm (June 10)

A person has died after being hit by a train between Stevenage and Peterborough on Wednesday, June 10. The British Transport Police confirmed officers were called to the line near Sandy at 10.08am following reports of a casualty on the tracks.

The force said: “Paramedics also attended, however sadly a person was pronounced dead at the scene. The incident is not being treated as suspicious, and file will be prepared for the coroner.”

All lines between Stevenage and Peterborough were closed while emergency services attended the scene. Rail passengers face “major disruption” until 5pm (June 10). National Rail has confirmed that lines have since reopened but trains may still be delayed by up to two-hours, revised or cancelled whilst service recovers.

Operators such as Grand Central, Hull Trains, LNER and Thameslink have been affected. Passengers have been advised to allow extra time for their journeys.

A spokesperson for National Rail said: “The emergency services are dealing with an incident where a person has been hit by a train between Stevenage and Peterborough.

“To allow them to complete their work safely, all lines are closed. This is expected to cause major disruption until early this afternoon.”

The series starring Alfred Molina has been hailed ‘one of the best’ detective dramas around.

Enthusiasts of detective dramas and mystery series are being encouraged to watch what’s being called “one of the best” detective programmes available.

Launching on Prime Video in 2022 with four murder mysteries, the miniseries features Alfred Molina as Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Sûreté du Québec police force.

While investigating a series of murders in an apparently idyllic Canadian village, he uncovers deeply buried secrets and confronts ghosts from his own past.

The series is ‘Three Pines’, adapted from an 18-book novel collection, with viewers praising Molina for his portrayal of the fictional detective.

‘Three Pines’ received two Directors Guild of Canada award nominations, and fans have flocked to IMDb reviews to express their opinions.

One viewer described it as “magnificent”, stating: “Oh my goodness, what a treat! After five minutes, I was totally enthralled and in love with the adorable Gamache.

“Beautifully filmed and performed. How lovely to have characters with real, believable depth. Having come to the end of the series, I feel desolate that it has finished.”

Another viewer drew comparisons to the popular detective series Midsomer Murders, noting: “Very well done, not overdone. One of those great shows like Midsomer Murders.

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“You can’t stop watching, addictive for the binge watcher. The cast is greatly talented and the characters are just perfectly written. This is a great show and beautifully filmed and just keeps the viewers interested.

“I hope the show will continue as long as Midsomer Murders has.” Unfortunately, the programme was not commissioned for a second series, prompting numerous devotees to turn to the original novels to satisfy their Gamache cravings.

A final viewer remarked: “Amazing on all fronts. This show is truly one of the best I have ever seen.

“From the moment I first started Three Pines, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it, and I’ve already begun my first of several rewatches to come. I cannot recommend this show enough.”

Molina previously discussed with RadioTimes.com what distinguished his character, explaining: “I know it sounds a bit cheesy, but his superpower is empathy. Not just his willingness to empathise, but his desire to empathise, his need to understand and see a point of view that may not be his own.

“I think that’s what makes him kind of special as a detective, he has a moral standard about [how] he won’t carry a gun, even though it’s standard issue for Canadian police.”

Variety praised the television adaptation for doing “justice to the best-selling novels on which they’re based”.

Three Pines is available to stream on Prime Video

U.S. prosecutors said Wednesday they will not seek the death penalty as part of a plea agreement with the man charged in the political assassinations of the top Democrat in the Minnesota House along with her husband, as well as the attempted murders of a state senator and his wife.

The defendant, Vance Boelter, was scheduled for a change-of-plea hearing Thursday morning in federal court in Minneapolis.

“The Attorney General has authorized and directed the government not to seek the death penalty against Defendant Vance Luther Boelter in accordance with the terms delineated in a proposed plea agreement,” assistant U.S. attorneys Bradley M. Endicott and Matthew D. Forbes wrote in a letter to the court Wednesday.

Boelter’s attorneys did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. The court filing did not detail the terms of the plea agreement.

Former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, and state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette Hoffman, were shot by a man who came to their doors in the early hours of June 14, 2025, disguised as a police officer and driving a fake squad car. The Hortmans’ golden retriever was so gravely injured that he had to be euthanized.

Boelter, 58, was captured near his home in rural Green Isle late the next day after what prosecutors have called the largest search for a suspect in Minnesota history. He faces federal and state murder, attempted murder and other charges. His state case has been on hold pending the resolution of his federal charges.

Minnesota abolished capital punishment in 1911 and has never had a federal death penalty case. While the Trump administration has pushed for greater use of capital punishment, there were questions about whether Boelter’s case would qualify for the death penalty under federal law.

Prosecutors have called the attacks political. When they announced the federal indictment in July, they released a rambling handwritten letter they say Boelter wrote to FBI Director Kash Patel in which he confessed to the shootings. However, the letter didn’t make clear why he targeted the Hortmans or the Hoffmans.

In some messages to media, Boelter referenced a vague and cryptic “investigation” he had been carrying out, sometimes suggesting it was about the COVID-19 vaccine.

Friends described Boelter as an evangelical Christian and occasional preacher and missionary, who held politically conservative views and had been struggling to find work.

When Minnesota’s legislative session convened in February, Hoffman got a warm welcome as he walked up the stairs into the Senate chamber. He said in a lawsuit filed against Boelter in April that his left arm and hand likely would never fully recover, and that he also had permanent injuries to his digestive and urinary systems.

Yvette Hoffman was left with permanent physical weakness, the lawsuit said, while their adult daughter, Hope Hoffman, who was there and called 911 but was not shot, suffered severe psychological trauma.

___

Johnson reported from Seattle. Former AP reporter Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis contributed.

Kieran McKenna has resigned as Ipswich Town manager, just weeks after clinching a return to the Premier League.

The 40-year-old took charge of the Tractor Boys in 2021 and guided them to three promotions in the past four seasons, two of which have taken the club into the top flight.

They will play among the elite in 2026-27 after finishing runners-up in the Championship in May.

Former Wolves head coach Gary O’Neil – currently boss of Strasbourg after being appointed in January – is one manager in the frame to replace McKenna.

The 43-year-old, who spent two years as a player with Ipswich’s big rivals Norwich City, has admirers at Portman Road. The club are open-minded about a successor, but O’Neil is a contender.

McKenna was recently linked with the Fulham job, after Marco Silva’s departure, but said his departure from Portman Road is because of his desire to take a break from the game and spend more time with his family.

“I feel this is the right time for me to step aside,” McKenna said.

“I do so with great pride at the incredible progress we have made and with huge hope and optimism for the future of the club.

“After giving so much to the role over the previous five seasons, I now look forward to taking a break from management and dedicating some time to my family, who have been with me every step of my career so far.”

England have described the arrangement for the second Test as “interim”, and its impermanence seems important.

On Monday, when it first emerged that Stokes and Gus Atkinson were in hot water, there was an immediate feeling it would spell the end of Stokes’ captaincy.

It still may. There is an ongoing investigation. Stokes could decide to walk.

But, with every passing hour, the temperature is cooling. Stokes could return for the third Test at Trent Bridge or, more likely, the series against Pakistan later in the summer.

Still, Stokes has given a window into what England’s life might be without him. For the first time in his career, Stokes the cricketer is not indispensable. Earlier this week, head coach Brendon McCullum had to defend his batting, and back Stokes to return to form.

If Brook had been put in charge, England may have seen something they like. Brook and McCullum seemed more aligned during the T20 World Cup than Stokes and McCullum did during the Ashes.

Brook would have been captaining his peers, whereas Stokes leads a group of younger men, many of whom grew up idolising him. Maybe England would have found a Stokesless formation that makes them stronger: the leg-spin of Rehan Ahmed as the all-rounder, followed by four specialist seamers.

None of this becomes an issue with Root in charge. He will be all too happy to hand over the reins when the time comes.

These roles were once reversed. In the Covid summer of 2021, Stokes stepped in for one Test while Root was on paternity leave. Root left a note on Stokes’ peg in the dressing room which said: “Do it your way”.

Now, Root will do it his way. Clapping his hands from first slip, long sprints to talk to his bowlers. A smile on his face, maybe a classic Rootian century. Not the puffed-out chest of an alpha like Stokes, just the calm reassurance of English cricket’s most dependable presence.

Once again, it is Joe Root riding to England’s rescue.

Footage circulating online shows a rioter set himself on fire when trying to throw a petrol bomb

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A rioter set himself alight while trying to throw a petrol bomb in Wednesday evening’s disorder.

The protestor’s jacket set on fire as he attempted to throw the device in Portadown.

Footage shared on social media shows three masked protestors gathering before trying to chuck the petrol bomb and then running away after one sets himself alight.

He continues to run closer to the camera patting his back in an attempt to control the flames.

Wednesday night saw another evening of disorder in Belfast and across Northern Ireland following the horrific knife attack on Monday evening.

In Belfast, police deployed water cannons on protesters in Co Antrim after they were pelted with bricks and footage showed dozens of men dressed all in black and wearing face coverings taking wheelie bins from outside homes and lighting fires in them.

In the Portadown area police deployed dogs to tackle the violence expected to erupt.

A house in the area has also been petrol bombed, according to reports.

Following from the chaos that hit the streets on Tuesday evening, the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland stated disorder on the streets of Northern Ireland is an “act of self-harm” to communities.

Chief Constable Jon Boutcher said: “This disorder is an insult to the victim of this assault, an insult to the members of the public who bravely stepped forward to save his life and the officers who rushed to the scene.

“The criminal justice system needs to take its course. Let that follow due process. A man has appeared in court today charged with this attempted murder and, separately, another man has been charged with riot following the scenes in Newtownabbey. I’d appeal to everyone in Northern Ireland to take control. “If you have a niece, nephew, brother, sister or a member of your local sports club, if you’ve seen them at the disorder, stop them from coming out today. This has got to stop. We cannot have a society that allows this to happen.”

Wednesday’s night action has been condemned by leaders, after fires were ignited at the Sandyknowles roundabout.

Northern Ireland’s Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins said a second night of destruction and disruption “needs to be condemned in the strongest possible way”.

“It is racism, it is intimidation and absolute thuggery,” she said.

“These acts serve no one and only cause harm and fear within communities. It is disgraceful and disgusting.

“I utterly condemn the incident at my department’s depot in Sandyknowes and the further disruption we have seen with transport services suspended and businesses closing early.

“I thank the police for their response and I reiterate the calls for this violence to stop.”

A search expanded on Wednesday for a teenage girl swept into the ocean by a large wave off Southern California‘s coast, as dangerous high surf conditions persist.

The incident occurred Tuesday evening at Treasure Island Beach in Laguna Beach, where the girl, her mother, and brother were walking along the sand. All three were pulled into the water, Laguna Beach Marine Safety Chief Kai Bond said Wednesday.

Two people managed to rescue the mother and son, who are now in stable condition. One man who aided the family subsequently required rescue himself from powerful 10-foot (3-meter) waves by a city lifeguard.

“We’re expanding our search to include adjacent beaches, and we’re using divers, rescue vessels and air resources to search the area. But at this point we haven’t found her,” Bond said.

Laguna Beach Marine Safety is getting help from the Orange County Sheriff’s Harbor Patrol and the U.S. Coast Guard, Bond said.

Many of Southern California’s beaches are expected to see 5-to 8-foot (1.5-2.5 meter) waves through at least Thursday night, the National Weather Service said in Wednesday surf reports, and still higher in some places. The beach city of Malibu could see waves of up to 10 feet (3 meters), the service said.

In Orange County, where the city of Laguna Beach is located, the surf height is normally below 6 feet (about 2 meters), said Philip Gonsalves, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. He said the surf in Orange County had already peaked at 10 feet and was expected to start trending lower within the next 24 hours.

The surf has been particularly high along beaches facing south or southwest as large swells from the Southern Hemisphere’s winter storms reach the area, he said.

A 15-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and 43-year-old William Lunnon have been charged with murder following the death of 12-year-old Bobby Bloomfield in a collision in Brentwood, Essex

A man and a teenage boy have been charged with murder following the death of a 12 year old boy in a collision in Brentwood.

Bobby Bloomfield suffered serious injuries in the crash on Ashwells Road at just before 5:40pm on Sunday. Sadly, the young schoolboy passed away shortly afterwards in hospital.

A 15 year old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and William Lunnon, 43, of Ashwells Road in Pilgrims Hatch, have been charged with murder and remanded in custody, police say. Both are due to appear in court on Thursday, reports the Mirror.

Two men aged 65 and 54, and two women aged 65 and 45, all from the Pilgrims Hatch area, were additionally arrested on Tuesday and remain in custody on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.

Essex Police have confirmed they are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident and have urged anyone with relevant information to get in touch.

Detective Chief Inspector Greg Wood said: “This remains a complex investigation, and we have made significant progress, including bringing charges and making further arrests.

“Our focus remains on establishing the full circumstances and supporting Bobby’s family, who have suffered an unimaginable loss.

“I continue to urge anyone with information to come forward. Even the smallest detail could help us build a clear and accurate picture of events.”

It has been reported that Bobby was a pupil at Shenfield High School. A spokesperson for the school said: “We are extremely saddened to learn about the death of one of our pupils. This has come as a shock to us all, and we send our deepest condolences to the pupil’s family.

“We are supporting our pupils, staff and wider school community. As there is an ongoing police investigation, we are unable to comment further at this time.”

If your air fryer is in need of a good clean, this air fryer cleaning spray could help to remove even the most stubborn grease and grime

Air fryers have become sought-after kitchen gadgets, used to prepare a wide variety of dishes. However, this also makes them susceptible to grease accumulation, particularly when they’re not consistently maintained. Numerous approaches exist for cleaning household equipment, with many people favouring natural techniques.

On the Mrs Hinch Cleaning Tips Facebook page, one housework devotee shared her remarkable air fryer cleaning method. The cleaning enthusiast disclosed the product she used and recommended that others clean their air fryers after each use.

Joan Stewart wrote: “I thought I’d share this product. I’m really impressed with it. If anyone like me lives off using air fryers instead of an oven, this cleaning spray is liquid gold. Here’s the before and after. It gave it such a good clean. It’s very impressive, and I’d definitely recommend it.”

The housework enthusiast posted an image of the cleaning bottle she utilised, which came from the brand Scrubology.

Accompanying the spray was an image of her air fryer before and after cleaning. Initially, the persistent grease and grime deposits were visible, while the subsequent photographs made the appliance appear virtually new.

The manufacturer behind the Crispy Clean spray claims it delivers “instant” visual results, eliminates burnt-on residue, grime, and grease deposits, and requires no scrubbing whatsoever.

To apply the spray, begin by turning off and disconnecting the air fryer, permitting it to cool completely.

Next, where possible, remove the basket and tray before applying the spray to greasy sections, and allow it to sit for up to 10 minutes.

Just wipe down and rinse detachable components completely before drying to reveal a brilliantly clean device.

Cleaning enthusiasts also flocked to the comments section to share their views on the spray. Lynne Kitching remarked: “The full range is a game-changer.”

The spray comes in at a fairly steep £5.99, but customer reviews on the website all maintain it is absolutely worth the investment.

Moreover, you receive 750ml of cleaning spray, and you’ll only require a few squirts per cleaning session, meaning it should last quite some time.

There are also numerous alternative methods for cleaning air fryers, including using Elbow Grease’s Air Fryer Cleaner. This can be purchased from Home Bargains for approximately £1.

Washing-up liquid is equally a favoured approach, as it helps break down grease and grime.