Connect with us

NewsBeat

‘Soaking in the last of the summer’: Meghan tends to vegetable garden in new As Ever photo days after she and Harry returned to UK – as sources reveal how they spent last weekend in US

Published

on

Meghan's As Ever brand shared this shot of the Duchess picking fruit in what appears to be her Montecito garden

‘Soaking in the last of summer in the garden’ is, as Instagram captions go, pretty standard fare – but for the Duchess of Sussex it may well carry an extra degree of poignancy.

The image posted on the account of her lifestyle brand As Ever – showing Meghan in a white T-shirt, matching skirt and oversized sunhat – appears to have been taken at the Montecito mansion she and Harry have called home for the last six years.

It could well be the last time we see it for some time. 

The Sussexes – Harry, Meghan, seven-year-old Archie and five-year-old Lilibet – are now staying in the UK for an ‘extended period’ after flying in on August 26.

Advertisement

Archie and Lilibet have been enrolled at a school in Britain and the family are said to be preparing to settle down in the Cotswolds, an area proving increasingly attractive to tech bros and liberal Hollywood celebrities fleeing Donald Trump‘s presidency.

Reports suggest the Duke and Duchess spent time with friends and Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland during their last weekend in California before their surprise return to Britain last week.

Sources told People magazine – a publication sympathetic to the Sussexes – that the final Stateside gatherings were not ‘a goodbye forever’.

‘It was much more, “We’ll be back, but this is what we’re doing right now”,’ the source added, noting that Archie and Lilibet had been given time to see their own friends too.

Advertisement

‘They’ve been planning this for some time, and they feel it’s the right thing for their family, but that doesn’t mean leaving was easy.

‘Meghan really loves their life in Montecito and their home there. They know it’s going to take a little bit of time for everyone to settle in and adjust.’

Meghan’s As Ever brand shared this shot of the Duchess picking fruit in what appears to be her Montecito garden

Advertisement
The image was shared on Saturday, three days after the Sussexes touched down in Birmingham on a private jet

The image was shared on Saturday, three days after the Sussexes touched down in Birmingham on a private jet

Harry, Meghan, Archie and Lilibet are thought to have moved to the Cotswolds, and the children enrolled in a UK school

Harry, Meghan, Archie and Lilibet are thought to have moved to the Cotswolds, and the children enrolled in a UK school

The As Ever shot was posted on Saturday, three days after the Sussexes touched down at Birmingham Airport.

It shows Meghan in what fans have identified as a £100 Anine Bing cashmere T-shirt, a £292 Heidi Merrick skirt and a £130 Sarah Bray Bermuda sunhat.

Advertisement

And while the location was unspecified, there are hints that the snap represents Meghan’s temporary farewell to the Californian lifestyle that the brand represents.

She can be seen appearing to forage from the garden, with a large basket in her hand to collect her finds.

The basket of multicoloured eggs positioned in the foreground is unlikely to be an accident, coming after reports that her prized flock of chickens is staying in Montecito.

Meghan had posted an image of a novelty tea towel last week that read: ‘People who take care of chickens are literally chicken tenders.’

Advertisement

While the birds are staying behind, the Sussexes’ pet dogs, black labrador retriever Pula and beagle Mia, are joining the family in Britain.

Their arrival comes amid fervent speculation over Meghan’s rumoured return to acting several years after she stepped away to focus on royal life.

Conflicting reports say she may or may not have a role lined up for the third series of Netflix’s The Gentlemen, the high-octane gangster drama spin-off of Guy Ritchie’s 2019 film. 

Asked about the rumours at the Edinburgh TV Festival last week, Netflix’s UK head of scripted series Manda Levin would only say: ‘All bets are off’.

Advertisement

The Sussexes have also returned to Britain despite Harry’s vow that he would not bring his family to the UK without the same royal-level security that he enjoyed as a working royal, which was removed following ‘Megxit’ in 2020.

He lost a legal challenge to the downgrade last year against the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (Ravec), which makes decisions on the level of protection afforded to key public figures

The committee is made up of representatives of the Home Office, the Metropolitan Police and the Royal Household, including the monarch’s private secretary. 

Following the conclusion of the case, Harry had told the BBC: ‘I can’t see a world in which I would bring my wife and children back to the UK at this point.’

Advertisement
Harry and Meghan's plane was met on the tarmac by a private security convoy - after the Duke failed in a legal challenge over his security arrangements

Harry and Meghan’s plane was met on the tarmac by a private security convoy – after the Duke failed in a legal challenge over his security arrangements

Harry and Meghan are thought to be in the back of this Mercedes minivan leaving Birmingham Airport -

Harry and Meghan are thought to be in the back of this Mercedes minivan leaving Birmingham Airport – with Harry’s close confidante David Langdown riding shotgun

Join the discussion

Should the Sussexes receive royal-level security in the UK despite stepping back from royal duties?

Advertisement

Despite this, the Sussexes were met by a private security convoy at Birmingham Airport last week, among them Harry’s close friend and security adviser David Langdown.

The move will have arguably carried some risk in the Duke’s eyes. Unlike taxpayer-funded royal protection officers, Harry’s private security team in the UK is not permitted to carry firearms.

A source close to him told the Sunday Times: ‘His security team cannot even carry a cricket bat as a means of defence – all they’d have is angry rhetoric and their physical strength if someone attacked him or his family. 

‘With his return home, the game has changed: the first duty of a government is to protect its citizens and that includes Harry, his wife and his children. 

Advertisement

‘It’s not about the role he has here – it’s about the risk he and his family face, and he cannot simply stop being the son of the King.’

Harry reportedly gave Ravec less than half the standard amount of notice for his family’s return to Britain amid fears the news would leak.

Since 2020 – when his entitlement to automatic, taxpayer-funded UK police protection ended – Harry has been expected to give Ravec 28 days’ notice of any plans to visit home so arrangements can be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

But the Telegraph reported that Harry’s father King Charles was said to have learned of the Sussexes’ return just ten days prior to the plane landing.

Advertisement

A source told the paper: ‘An obvious off-ramp exists for the committee to do the sensible thing: protect the King’s son and grandchildren.’

Ravec has reportedly prepared a fresh risk assessment on the Sussexes, the results of which are yet to be disclosed to Harry. 

He is said to have written to the Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood seeking a personal intervention in his family’s case, after learning that Ravec allegedly failed to inform him of an Al-Qaeda assassination plot in 2023.

Asked last week about the Duke’s security measures, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said it was a ‘private matter’. A YouGov poll found that 71 per cent of British adults believe the Sussexes should foot the bill themselves.

Advertisement

A Government spokesman told the Mail today: ‘The UK Government’s protective security system is rigorous and proportionate. 

‘It is our long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on those arrangements, as doing so could compromise their integrity and affect individuals’ security.’

Representatives for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been contacted for comment. 

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

NewsBeat

Recap after three injured following fire at terraced houses in New Lodge Road North Belfast

Published

on

Belfast Live

The fire service has said the incident involved an upper floor fire that spread to neighbouring properties.

Four appliances were sent to the scene with firefirghters working to stop the blaze spreading further. Two people suffered minor injuries as a result of the fire.

A NIFRS spokesperson said they were winding down at the incident and a couple of appliances had already left the scene.

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

BBC airs footage of hip hop star Loyle Carner rapping ‘f*** Nigel Farage’ and ‘free Palestine’ during Reading Festival set

Published

on

Loyle Carner – one of Sunday's most anticipated acts – rapped the line 'f*** Nigel Farage and free Palestine', which was met with cheers from the crowd

The BBC has sparked fury after airing footage of rapper Loyle Carner saying ‘f*** Nigel Farage‘ during a performance at Reading Festival.

A recording of the set was then uploaded to BBC iPlayer where it was dubbed ‘poignant’ and ‘uplifting’ by the corporation.

Carner – one of Sunday’s most anticipated acts – rapped the line ‘f*** Nigel Farage and free Palestine‘, which was met with cheers from the crowd.

It comes after a forced apology from the BBC last year after it livestreamed a set by punk duo Bob Vylan at Glastonbury in which the band chanted: ‘Death to the IDF (Israel Defence Forces)’.

Advertisement

In footage from Sunday, Carner dons casual clothing as he passionately raps the line before laughing and covering his mouth.

The BBC gives two warnings on the video for ‘strong’ and ‘discriminatory’ language but offers no specific comment on the reference made to Mr Farage.

It captions the clip: ‘A poignant, uplifting set from the twice-Mercury-nominated British rapper.’ 

Commenting on yesterday’s performance, one viewer said on X: ‘We shouldn’t be forced to pay money to this biased corporation simply because we want to watch live television. They must be forced to become an independent subscription broadcaster.’

Advertisement

Another added: ‘BBC captioned this performance from Reading Festival as ‘a poignant, uplifting set’ Defund the BBC.’

Loyle Carner – one of Sunday’s most anticipated acts – rapped the line ‘f*** Nigel Farage and free Palestine’, which was met with cheers from the crowd

The BBC gives two warnings on the video for 'strong' and 'discriminatory' language but offers no specific comment on the reference made to Mr Farage

The BBC gives two warnings on the video for ‘strong’ and ‘discriminatory’ language but offers no specific comment on the reference made to Mr Farage

Advertisement
In footage from Sunday, Carner dons casual clothing as he passionately raps the line before laughing and covering his mouth

In footage from Sunday, Carner dons casual clothing as he passionately raps the line before laughing and covering his mouth

Carner previously criticised the Reform UK leader on stage at Glastonbury last year.

During his performance, he said ‘Ff** Nigel Farage, man, I’m sorry’.

Carner, 31, also used his set at the festival to comment on vocal gender critical campaigner and Harry Potter author JK Rowling.

Advertisement

As he introduced his song Horcrux, named after a magical object in the Harry Potter books, he said: ‘This song is called Horcrux ’cause I love Harry Potter. But I don’t really like JK Rowling, do you know what I mean?’.’

Carner, whose full name is Benjamin Gerard Coyle-Larner, was born in Lambeth in south London and has released four studio albums – two of which have been nominated for the Mercury Prize.

He has raised awareness of issues such as male suicide and previously ran a cooking school for children with ADHD.

Carner has been a particularly vocal critic of Reform, suggesting he ‘hates Nigel Farage’ at the Brit Awards in February.

Advertisement

He added: ‘But for me, what feels more powerful instead of being negative all the time, which is so easy because there’s a lot of negativity around me, is to try and find ways to express some sort of hope and generosity to the people who exist like me who maybe feel marginalised or oppressed or left behind. Because there’s enough s*** – on the news that’s making me feel sad.’

Kneecap are pictured during their 2025 performance at Glastonbury. Over the weekend they used their headline slot at Reading to call Prime Minister Andy Burnham 'a w*****' after he ruled out a referendum on a United Ireland

Kneecap are pictured during their 2025 performance at Glastonbury. Over the weekend they used their headline slot at Reading to call Prime Minister Andy Burnham ‘a w*****’ after he ruled out a referendum on a United Ireland

In 2019 he wore a t-shirt which said ‘I Hate Boris’ during his set at Glastonbury where he told the crowd: ‘F*** that guy.’

Four years later at Glastonbury, Carner used his platform to give a speech about knife crime in the UK.

Advertisement

Also over the weekend, Northern Irish rappers Kneecap closed the festival – using their headline slot to call Prime Minister Andy Burnham ‘a w*****’ after he ruled out a referendum on a United Ireland.

The musicians also said ‘f*** Benjamin Netanyahu’ as a Palestinian flag was draped over their DJ deck.

Band member Mo Chara said: ‘It’s important to us that we use this platform for what we believe to be right, and some people aren’t as f***ing lucky right now, and that’s our brothers and sisters in Palestine.

‘So I just need to take some time to show some solidarity as Irish people; we understand displacement, colonialism and forced starvation of a population that we see right now in Palestine.

Advertisement

‘So just remember how lucky we all are to be in a field with all our best f***ing mates listening to tunes, and let’s be thinking at the same time about our Palestinian brothers and sisters, so f*** Benjamin Netanyahu, and free, free Palestine!’

The BBC said it provided ‘extensive coverage of Reading Festival across the weekend, featuring performances from a wide range of artists’.

A source added the content is in line with editorial guidelines and audience expectations. 

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Aston Villa vs Arsenal – Premier League LIVE: Emi Buendia hits the crossbar for the hosts, but Gunners on top in early stages

Published

on

Aston Villa vs Arsenal - Premier League LIVE: Emi Buendia hits the crossbar for the hosts, but Gunners on top in early stages

Advertisement

Follow Daily Mail Sport’s live coverage for the latest updates of Aston Villa’s Premier League clash with Arsenal at Villa Park.

Advertisement

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

We can’t quit smartphones, but we can manage digital junk food better

Published

on

We can’t quit smartphones, but we can manage digital junk food better

Amy, a 27-year-old software developer, has struggled with disordered eating since she was a teenager. “But after learning to code, I got much better,” she said in a research interview. “I often code for ten or more hours without stopping.” Her psychiatrist, however, worried that Amy has replaced one compulsive behaviour with another.

“Digital addiction” is often used to describe our relationship with smartphones, social media and other digital technologies. This way of thinking suggests that people get “hooked” on digital activity because their body becomes “addicted” to dopamine. It borrows from models of substance addiction: the focus is on the physical need to keep using a substance because the body has adapted to it, despite harmful consequences. The implied solution is straightforward: abstinence, which translates into practices like digital detox.

But Amy’s story, which forms part of our ongoing research, points to a more complicated reality of our relationship with digital technology. Coding consumed much of her time and attention, yet it also helped her earn an income and build a professional identity. Like many forms of digital engagement, it was not just a distraction but a way of navigating life.

As research shows, for many people digital technologies are not only a source of entertainment but key components of their education, work and social mobility. Unlike in the case of addictive substances, opting out of digital life is easier said than done when schools, banks and public services increasingly require it.

Advertisement

How people relate to digital technology isn’t just about them as individuals. It’s shaped by their personal vulnerabilities, but also by digital environments intentionally built to hook us, and by the wider social conditions people live in.

So comparing smartphones to substances like alcohol, tobacco or drugs can be misleading. It overlooks the fact that digital devices have become a kind of essential infrastructure for daily life. Given how we have built our lives around them, these technologies are now very difficult to live without.

How, then, do we develop a sustainable relationship with technologies such as smartphones that are both indispensable and potentially harmful?

The sugar model

Amy’s story with disordered eating may be useful here. Recovery from an eating disorder isn’t about eliminating food altogether, but about learning to live with it.

Advertisement

In the same way that we cannot remove food from our lives, it is also difficult to remove digital technologies from our everyday. So the challenge becomes developing ways of living with them.

Take, for example, sugar. In many countries, foods high in sugar are subject to a wide range of public health measures. Think national food safety standards, public health interventions, school nutrition policies, limits on advertising. So it’s not about focusing on one thing only. Rather, it’s the interaction between all of these interventions that shapes patterns of consumption and impacts wellbeing.

When using a smartphone, it can be easy for hours of time to seemingly disappear.
SWEETLOUISE/PIXABAY, CC BY

A similar approach is needed for digital technologies. At the level of state and industry governance, this includes regulation of platform and design – particularly when it is aimed at capturing and holding users’ attention.

Just as food labels describe ingredients, nutrition and additives, digital products could disclose what data they collect, what algorithms they run on and what psychological techniques keep their users engaged.

Advertisement

The UK’s decision to ban social media for under 16s while continuing to expand digital literacy and coding education reflects an important point: not all digital technologies are the same.

“Digital use” cannot be treated as a single category to be either embraced or banned. Like sugar, the question is not whether children should have it at all, but what kinds, in what quantities, and in what conditions.

Beyond counting calories and screen hours

Just as sharing a meal with family affects people differently from eating alone, playing games with friends is not the same as scrolling endlessly through social media. Both count as screen time, but they create very different social and emotional experiences.

Reflecting on our own digital habits remains important. But tracking screen time is like counting calories: it tells us how much, but not necessarily why. We have to ask ourselves what role digital technologies play in our lives.

Advertisement

Are they helping us work, connect, rest, escape, cope, feel less or more alone? Without this kind of reflection, self-tracking risks turning a complex social issue into a matter of individual self-control.

Understanding digital technologies through the lens of food rather than addiction shifts the emphasis in important ways. Both are domains where necessity, pleasure, risk and social obligation are intertwined, which is why abstinence may not be an adequate, long-term response.

Instead of treating excessive technology use as a matter of personal discipline, approaching them like some foods locates it within broader systems of design, industry governance, state policy and social practices. The challenge then is to integrate these different levels to make life with digital technologies sustainable.

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Expert reveals one product you should avoid when cleaning

Published

on

Expert reveals one product you should avoid when cleaning

Cleaning products for different parts of your home can start to add up in cost, so you might be looking for something that can do everything.

Whether you love trying out TikTok cleaning trends or the latest products, you might want to be careful to avoid making huge mistakes when cleaning your home.

A cleaning expert has revealed one common product people should avoid when trying to get rid of marks and dirt around the house.

This cleaning expert says you should think before using bleach on household items. (Image: Getty)

Common cleaning product you should avoid

Krasi Delcheva, a cleaning expert from Cleaners of London, recently revealed one of the products she never uses when cleaning homes.

Advertisement

Krasi says she never uses bleach because it can often do more harm than good.

She said: “I never use bleach.

“There’s a product designed for every surface that does the job better.

“One of my clients once dropped a bottle of bleach down the stairs.

Advertisement

“It ruined the whole runner.

“Over £2,500 of carpet gone in one splash.”

She also mentioned how many people make the mistake of using bleach on things like sweat stains.

Doing this not only damages the fabric, but it can also react with proteins in sweat and make the discolouration worse.

Advertisement

Bleach should be avoided when you are cleaning the house because it can corrode common household surfaces and does not remove physical dirt.

Using bleach can permanently damage items in your home and will cause stainless steel, copper, and aluminium to rust.

It can also strip natural oils in things like wood and leather.

Other cleaning hacks you should avoid

Krasi also highlighted some other viral cleaning hacks that you should avoid.

Advertisement

Many people have been using WD-40 to get rid of dirt on their shower screens, with Krasi saying: “Not only does the oil leave behind a greasy residue, it can be downright dangerous, turning bathtubs into a slip hazard waiting to happen.”

If you need to get rid of dust on TVs, computers, and phones, simply wiping them with a soft microfibre cloth will work.

She said: “Wipe them down with a soft microfibre cloth.

“Most of the time, that’s all they need. If the dirt is a little tougher, use a gentle screen-safe cleaner.”

Advertisement

Will you be avoiding using bleach around your home? Let us know in the comments.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

London rollout of robotaxis delayed amid lack of guidance

Published

on

London rollout of robotaxis delayed amid lack of guidance

A TfL spokesperson said: “Any rollout of autonomous vehicles must be carefully managed and support the aims of the Mayor’s Transport Strategy. This includes the management of congestion and alignment with Vision Zero, supporting the goal of eliminating all deaths and serious injuries from collisions on London’s streets by 2041. We are developing guidance, which will be issued shortly, that will support applicants looking to operate future services. To ensure the guidance is as rigorous as it can be and doesn’t conflict with advice from other authorities, we are taking into account the DfT’s recently published advice and the findings of the London Assembly’s scrutiny that took place over the summer, and continue to engage with operators expressing an interest in operating in London.

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

5 things you need to do in your garden in September

Published

on

5 things you need to do in your garden in September

With leaves turning orange and starting to fall, now is the time to get gardens ready for the colder months ahead.

September is a transitional month, acting as a bridge between summer and winter and giving gardeners a chance to carry out essential maintenance and planting.

Simon Parry, a gardening expert at Trex, and Craig Wilson, co-founder, director and gardening expert at Gardeners Dream, have shared their top tips for September garden tasks.

What do you need to do in your garden in September?

Prepare your lawn for winter

Wilson said that as we begin to see an increased level of rainfall in September, the threat of lawns becoming waterlogged increases.

Advertisement

He advised aerating the lawn using a garden fork or scarifier to prevent waterlogging and soil compaction.

Meanwhile, Parry said that cutting the lawn regularly is helpful, but make sure to do it in dry weather as cutting wet grass can damage roots.

He explained: “At the beginning of the month, cutting every 1-2 weeks with high mower blades will help the grass absorb the rain it didn’t get in summer.

“Towards the end of September when growth slows down, fortnightly cuts will suffice.”

Advertisement

Aerating the lawn using a garden fork or scarifier can prevent waterlogging in the lattter months of the year (Image: Canva)

He also recommended applying an autumn lawn feed high in potassium and phosphorus to strengthen roots if growth is poor.

For any summer damage, Mr Parry suggested raking out dead moss and spiking the lawn before feeding to boost growth.

Plant spring bulbs, shrubs and trees

Both experts agree that September is also a good time to begin planting for next season.

Wilson said that once autumn comes along, he’d recommend planting spring bulbs like daffodils and bluebells.

Advertisement

He shared: “Whilst the hottest days are past us, planting shrubs and trees now will allow the roots to establish and grow before the first frosts and, ultimately, will result in an amazing display come spring.”

Various plants, shrubs and trees can be planted in September in preparation for the spring (Image: Getty Images)

Parry echoed this advice, encouraging gardeners to sow hardy annuals and spring-flowering bulbs while the soil remains warm.

He said: “Sowing spring flowering bulbs, such as daffodils and hyacinths, will also allow them to establish strong roots before winter.”

Plant vegetables and herbs

Wilson advised planting some varieties of vegetables and herbs that will then be ready in the winter.

Advertisement

He said: “If you want to be able to harvest greens throughout the winter, then now is the right time to start planting hardy varieties such as kale, pak-choi and mustard, ready for those winter salads.”

Wilson continued: “Before the temperatures drop and the frosts begin, September is the perfect time to pot up some herbs such as parsley, chives and coriander, ready for cosy winter recipes.

“Once potted, place them on a sunny window ledge for fresh herbs all winter long.”

Advertisement

Start harvesting

The autumn period is also a good time to start harvesting seeds from existing flowers and plants to go again in the spring.

Wilson explained: “This month is a good time to get out in the garden to harvest ripe seeds from all of your favourite flowers, ready to plant them in spring.

“All you need to do is store them in envelopes and keep them in a cool dry place.

“Don’t forget to label them, too.”

Advertisement

Meanwhile, Parry discussed some fruit and vegetables reaching their growing peak around this period.

Gardeners can harvest seeds to plant in the near future (Image: Getty Images)

He said: “Fruits such as apples, pears and plums should be ready now along with vegetables like, tomatoes, courgettes, beans, onions and potatoes, too.

“Make sure to pick off any rotting fruits.

“Any spent, healthy plants can be composted and finished summer crops should be removed.”

Advertisement

Make leaf mould for future use

Parry also recommended making leaf mould from fallen leaves as a long-term soil conditioner.

He said: “All you need to do is gather fallen leaves and stuff them into sturdy black plastic bags.

“Poke holes into the bag and leave it to decompose over 1-2 years, resulting in organic matter.”

While it will take a while to form, it will pay dividends in the future.

Advertisement

What are you planning to do in your garden in September? Let us know in the comments.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Lionel Messi retires: How Argentina legend’s decade of dominance almost never happened

Published

on

Lionel Messi poses in a photoshoot, with the index fingers of both hands pointing upwards

Edgardo Bauza became Argentina coach in August 2016, replacing Gerardo Martino after the Copa America failure. He lasted just eight months – but maybe his first few days were his most important.

The first thing he did was travel to Barcelona to persuade Messi to change his mind. The huge clamour for Messi to return proved irresistible.

“I love this country and this shirt too much,” Messi said as he returned to the international fold.

“I’m grateful to all the people who wanted me to continue playing with Argentina. Hopefully we can give them something to cheer about soon.”

Advertisement

Still, success didn’t come instantly. In 2018, Argentina fell to France in the last 16 of the World Cup and many wrote off Messi’s chances of ever lifting the trophy.

Quite incredibly, Messi did not win a senior international tournament until the age of 34 – and then he went on to win four in barely three years, including the 2022 Finalissima.

Questions about his international future were raised after each of those triumphs, but he played on to his sixth World Cup in 2026 where he scored eight goals and registered four assists en route to Argentina’s defeat by Spain in the final.

He was strolling through games, lacking the speed of years gone by, but somehow proving every bit as effective.

Advertisement

The final took place in the same stadium where Messi ‘retired’ a decade earlier.

“When Messi retired [10 years ago] it reminded us all how much we loved him,” said Argentina fan Benjamin who was in the Metlife for the 2016 showpiece final.

“When I heard him retire, I cried, the country cried. He did get criticism but only because everyone cared so much. Without Lionel Messi, Argentina would still be waiting for their next World Cup since 1986.”

Messi’s footballing future became a matter of fresh doubt after the death of his father Jorge just three weeks after this year’s World Cup final.

Advertisement

This decision seems final and, at 39, another return to international football looks unlikely.

But South American football writer Tim Vickery said an official farewell in Argentina could be on the cards.

“Remember that, as a result of their behaviour at the World Cup, the next game Argentina play on home soil will only be in front of a crowd at 50% capacity,” Vickery told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“But once those punishments are out of the way, I’m sure it will be in the mind of the Argentina FA: ‘Why don’t we hold a game back in Buenos Aires? River Plate, they have the biggest capacity in South America. Why don’t we do an official farewell there? What do you think about it, Lionel? One last time?’.”

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Person taken to hospital after incident in Dormanstown

Published

on

Person taken to hospital after incident in Dormanstown

Police, paramedics and the air ambulance were called to Britannia Place around 5pm today (Monday, August 31).

Picture shared on social media show a cordon in place with several police vehicles at the scene.

One person was taken to hospital. The nature and extent of their injuries are not known.

Advertisement

Cleveland Police has been contacted for comment.

A North East Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We were called to an incident at a private address in Dormanstown, Redcar shortly before 5pm on Monday, August 31.

“We dispatched one ambulance crew, one clinical team leader and were supported by Great North Air Ambulance Service.

“One patient was taken to hospital by road for further treatment.”

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

D4vd’s attorneys QUIT as a public defender takes over in murder trial amid concerns over finances

Published

on

On Monday, attorneys for D4vd announced in court that they would no longer represent him ¿ at his request ¿ while a public defender will take over his case; pictured in March 2025 in Paris

D4vd is now without his all-star legal team as a public defender takes over his defense in his trial over the murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas.

On Monday, the 21-year-old singer’s attorneys Blair Berk, Marilyn Bednarski and Regina Peter told the judge overseeing the trial that they could no longer represent D4vd (real name: David Anthony Burke).

‘This morning the court granted our request to withdraw as counsel and appointed the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office, after it was determined David qualified for appointed counsel,’ the trio said in a statement to TMZ.

‘We continue to support David and his defense against these serious charges,’ the lawyers continued. ‘We are grateful that the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office has taken over the representation and that David has a highly capable and committed team of attorneys and investigators behind him.’

Advertisement

At the same hearing, Burke pleaded not guilty to Rivas’s murder, as well as to charges of child sex abuse and mutilation in connection with her death.

The Daily Mail has reached out to D4vd’s representatives for comment but has not yet received a response.

On Monday, attorneys for D4vd announced in court that they would no longer represent him – at his request – while a public defender will take over his case; pictured in March 2025 in Paris

Advertisement
At the same hearing, Burke pleaded not guilty to the murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas, as well as to charges of child sex abuse and mutilation in connection with her death

At the same hearing, Burke pleaded not guilty to the murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas, as well as to charges of child sex abuse and mutilation in connection with her death

In taking over D4vd’s case, the public defender reportedly said the singer was indigent, raising questions about his finances. 

According to the Los Angeles Times, Berk said in court that D4vd had asked the public defender’s office to replace his counsel.

Berk and the other attorneys didn’t share a reason for why their client was no longer requesting their services, and Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo quickly agreed to the change in representation.

Advertisement

According to the LA Times, a spokesperson for the LA County Public Defender’s Office said they were not able to share D4vd’s ‘financial information,’ but they confirmed that a look at his finances indicated that he was eligible to be represented by a public defender.

It’s unclear how the performer is now unable to pay for his high-powered defense team, as it was previously shown in court that he had already earned millions from a lucrative recording contract prior to going on trial.

In a statement to the LA Times, LA County Deputy Public Defender Walid Kandeel said: ‘We recognize the loss of life underlying the allegations and extend our sympathies to those who are grieving. At the same time, David Burke is entitled to a defense that takes his circumstances seriously and carefully examines the evidence. We are committed to providing him with that defense.’

The latest shakeup in D4vd’s case comes after prosecutors revealed that Rivas was not pregnant at the time of her death in April 2025. 

Advertisement

Sources close to the Los Angeles County District Attorney told the Daily Mail in late July that prosecutors ‘don’t believe she was pregnant at the time she was killed,’ adding that ‘her body’ had been in ‘a state of decomposition.’ 

The public defender taking over D4vd's case said in court that he was eligible for their defense, and the LA County Public Defender's Office said a revue of his finances indicated that D4vd was eligible; pictured in court in April in LA

The public defender taking over D4vd’s case said in court that he was eligible for their defense, and the LA County Public Defender’s Office said a revue of his finances indicated that D4vd was eligible; pictured in court in April in LA

The latest shakeup in D4vd's case comes after prosecutors revealed that Rivas was not pregnant at the time of her death in April 2025; D4vd is pictured in June 2025 in Paris
Prosecutors said in a news release in late July that the singer had murdered Rivas on April 23, 2025, 'because he feared their illicit sexual relationship would ruin his aspiring career'

The latest shakeup in D4vd’s case comes after prosecutors revealed that Rivas was not pregnant at the time of her death in April 2025. Prosecutors said in a news release in late July that the singer had murdered Rivas on April 23, 2025, ‘because he feared their illicit sexual relationship would ruin his aspiring career’

The reveal came after an April 2026 addendum in the death certificate stated it had been ‘unknown’ whether Rivas had been expecting a child in the year before she was killed, People reported. The area of the death certificate had previously said ‘no’ prior to the adjustment.

Advertisement

Prosecutors alleged in a news release that the musical artist had murdered Rivas on April 23, 2025 ‘because he feared their illicit sexual relationship would ruin his aspiring career.’

D4vd is accused of fatally stabbing Rivas, then using a chainsaw to dismember her remains in an inflatable pool he had in a garage of a home in the Hollywood Hills he had been living at, according to prosecutors. 

The remains of Rivas had been found in a Tesla that had been registered to Burke on September 8, 2025, prosecutors said, adding that ‘small, blue plastic fragments’ from the inflatable pool had been found embedded in the victim’s remains.

The latest in the case comes after D4vd had been ordered to stand trial in Rivas’ murder following a preliminary hearing in which prosecutors presented text messages that alluded to Rivas being pregnant and getting an abortion a year prior to her killing.

Advertisement

Los Angeles Police Department Detective Corey Farell said that records from D4vd’s phone alluded to a 2023 pregnancy and January 2024 abortion, with Rivas telling him, ‘Of course it’s yours David.’

Farell told the court that D4vd subsequently inquired with Rivas about her medical appointment and commented that he felt as if he’d been ‘waiting for test results.’

The detective said that the phone also contained images of child sexual abuse material involving Rivas that prosecutors did not present in the hearing, due to their graphic nature.

D4vd is accused of fatally stabbing Rivas, then using a chainsaw to dismember her remains in an inflatable pool he had in a garage of a home in the Hollywood Hills he had been living at, according to prosecutors; he's seen in his mugshot from the LA County District Attorney's Office

D4vd is accused of fatally stabbing Rivas, then using a chainsaw to dismember her remains in an inflatable pool he had in a garage of a home in the Hollywood Hills he had been living at, according to prosecutors; he’s seen in his mugshot from the LA County District Attorney’s Office 

Advertisement
The remains of Rivas had been found in a Tesla that had been registered to Burke on September 8, 2025, prosecutors said, adding that 'small, blue plastic fragments' from the inflatable pool had been found embedded in the victim's remains; he's pictured in Japan in May 2025

The remains of Rivas had been found in a Tesla that had been registered to Burke on September 8, 2025, prosecutors said, adding that ‘small, blue plastic fragments’ from the inflatable pool had been found embedded in the victim’s remains; he’s pictured in Japan in May 2025 

Amid testimony from Farell, Rivas’ mother Mercedes Martinez wept as she walked out of the courtroom with the slain teen’s father Jesus Rivas.

Deputy District Attorney Beth Silverman said: ‘This is too much, I know how hard this is.’ 

Testimony presented from Farell in the preliminary hearing Monday indicated that Rivas’ parents had signed a form on September 23, 2024 granting consent for Rivas to go to London with D4vd from September 24 to October 5, 2024, People reported.

Advertisement

D4vd had bought plane tickets via United Airlines for a trip to London, followed by a trip to Texas, where members of his family reside, Farell said.

Farell said that Rivas’ family knew about her link to the musician, and that in 2024, they had traveled to Las Vegas as well as Houston.

Patrick Steinfeld, an attorney for Rivas Hernandez’s family, said after the hearing that they were ‘horrified that the defense attorneys brought up evidence to put the blame on a 14-year-old girl,’ according to the AP

Los Angeles Judge Charlaine Olmedo subsequently said that enough evidence had been presented to proceed to trial. The judge ordered that D4vd remain in custody with no bail, with an arraignment slated for August 31.

Advertisement

Prosecutors argued that the evidence to proceed to a trial was overwhelming.

‘Based on the mountains of evidence presented,’ Silverman said, ‘all of the allegations have been proved way beyond the standard required.’

Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman said outside court that prosecutors presented only a ‘small fraction’ of the evidence they have. 

They are still weighing whether to seek the death penalty. D4vd is eligible for it after Judge Olmedo also found probable cause for lying in wait, killing for financial gain and killing a potential witness. These are special circumstances in a crime that would allow prosecutors to pursue the death sentence, if D4vd is found guilty.

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2025