Momentum continues to skyrocket for the up-and-coming Detroit Pistons. With the NBA All-Star break behind them, the Pistons resumed their season with a 125-110 victory over the San Antonio Spurs. This was Detroit’s 30th regular-season win and fifth in a row. The Pistons have been motivated all season by correcting the historic struggles of last season. […]
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The Houston Texans continued to make strides in 2024, solidifying themselves as a team on the rise. With quarterback CJ Stroud leading the way and head coach DeMeco Ryans fostering a culture of toughness and accountability, Houston posted a 10-7 record and clinched a playoff berth again. The Texans even secured another postseason victory before […]
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The Dallas Mavericks were one of the busiest teams at the trade deadline, but none of the trades were bigger than the Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis swap. The exchange certainly changed the playoff landscape in the NBA, particularly in the stacked Western Conference, given that both players were initially dubbed as “untouchable” in trades. As a […]
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The Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has another feather in his cap. Jackson is the only QB in PFF history with a 90+ passing grade and rushing grade in the same season, per PFF. Jackson’s performance this year helped lead his Ravens to the NFL Playoffs. Baltimore defeated Pittsburgh before falling to the Buffalo Bills […]
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DANIEL DUBOIS is no longer able to put his IBF heavyweight title on the line against Joseph Parker this weekend.
DDD defended the belt for the first time after demolishing Anthony Joshua last September, but will not be up against Parker any more on the Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol 2 card.
Daniel Dubois withdrew from his IBF heavyweight world title defence against Joseph Parker due to illness.
DDD was forced to pull out on Thursday – just two days before his hotly anticipated mega-fight in Saudi Arabia.
The 27-year-old was examined by doctors in Riyadh and has was ruled out with sickness.
Parker will now fight Congolese boxer Martin Bakole, as the co-feature before Artur Beterbiev‘s rematch with Dmitry Bivol.
Dubois was deemed medically unfit to compete by doctors and so fast-rising star Bakole will take his place in the chief support slot.
Parker is still scheduled to face IBF champion Dubois next when DDD is feeling better, barring any major catastrophe against Bakole.
A SMALL French town has been compared to the village of St Ives, being in a region dubbed the ‘Cornwall of France’.
Pont-Aven in northwestern France is found in Cornouaille, in Brittany.
Both Cornouaille and Cornwall take their names from a Celtic tribe called the Cornovii, who lived in the southwestern tip of the UK before migrating to Brittany.
Both areas have a strong maritime history and towns and villages filled with quaint harbours and fishing boats – and Pont-Aven is no exception.
The French town is home to narrow, winding, streets and traditional quaint stone cottages that wouldn’t go amiss in the English countryside.
It is perhaps best known for its ties to famous American artists such as Henry Bacon and Paul Gauguin, who visited Pont-Aven in the late 19th century.
There are several other art galleries in the town, including Galerie Izart and Galerie Kle – Lalou Kraffe.
In an article in the Spectator, author Sean Thomas compared Pont-Aven to St Ives.
He wrote: “Pont-Aven, which, if it has a Cornish equivalent, is surely St Ives – because Pont-Aven is delicate, pretty, arty, stone-built, with burbling and twining rivers rushing past sweetly renovated watermills-cum-art galleries.
“The town is also full of quaint, handsome villas, built for rich Parisians in the 19th century.
“It is likewise replete with artistic history – you can visit the room where Paul Gauguin painted famous still lifes and portraits (and see the mantel in the room in the paintings).”
Holidaymakers are also encouraged to walk along the Aven River where the water flows over a wooden wheel or two, harking back to the town’s former watermills.
Other activities include boat rides along the Aven River and weekend markets selling local produce and handmade crafts.
And because of the rolling hills and forest landscapes in Pont-Aven, hiking and cycling excursions are a must for holidaymakers.
Accommodation options in the French town are highly affordable, with rooms from £25 per person per night.
Brest is the nearest airport to Pont-Aven, with journeys taking 70 minutes in the car.
Volotea operate direct flights from London Gatwick to Brest, with return fares from £54 per person.
And low-cost carrier easyJet is also launching flights to Brest from London Gatwick Airport, with services set to launch in June.
Meanwhile, a tiny car-free French village that’s home to medieval houses has been named one of the most beautiful in the country.
There is also a little-known French island with 60 beaches, a Mediterranean-style climate & turquoise waters that’s just a short hop from the UK.
MORE than half a million households claiming Universal Credit had their payments stopped last year.
The latest figures from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) show that 602,000 people were hit with sanctions between November 2023 and October 2024.
What’s more, the sanction rate soared to its highest level on record in October last year, leaving 61,527 claimants with their payments slashed or stopped altogether.
The Universal Credit sanction rate fell to 5.6% in October 2024, down by 1.6 percentage points compared to November 2023.
Despite this, 551,790 of the sanctioned households had their payments cut or stopped because they failed to attend a mandatory interview with a work coach in Jobcentres.
Over 24,870 were penalised for choosing not to work and another 15,340 claimants had their payments changed because they failed to go on employment programmes.
Meanwhile, 8,400 were sanctioned for failing to disclose a valid reason for quitting a job.
When you claim Universal Credit or any benefit, you sign yourself up for commitments that you have to meet to get the financial support.
This may be from showing you’re actively looking for a job to being on time for appointments.
But if you fail to do what you promised in that agreement, you could see the benefit money taken away from you.
Exactly how much you’ll have taken off your claim depends on what you’ve done – or not done.
Any penalties you might face will only apply to the standard element of your claim – so extra cash you get through the housing or childcare elements will still be paid.
There are several major reasons why you could be sanctioned if you claim Universal Credit.
Here are five mistakes that could see your payments stopped:
Part of the Claimant Commitment includes spending 35 hours a week looking for work, which you will need to keep a record of to show your work coach.
But if you don’t, you may have your benefits cut.
The same goes if you’re not putting the hours in to look.
If your Jobcentre work coach doesn’t feel you’re doing enough to get back into work, you can be sanctioned.
If you’ve been offered a job, you’re expected to take it – so long as it’s within reason.
This is because the benefits system supports you while you’re out of work but with the goal of helping you find a job again.
Refusing a job offer just because you don’t want it will see you sanctioned at the highest level.
Quitting your job without a good reason could see you sanctioned too.
There’s no set definition of what a good reason is, but it might include unaffordable childcare costs.
You might have your benefit payments reduced.
Often, people on Universal Credit are required to attend interviews and appointments with the Jobcentre in order to update them on their search for work, for example.
These are held face to face or can be over the phone or via video chat.
If you’re late for these appointments and interviews, you could see your payments cut.
If you have a good reason why you can’t attend a meeting, then you should let the Jobcentre know immediately.
But if you fail to turn up to a meeting you’ll likely be sanctioned until you visit your next review.
If you’ve repeatedly missed meetings, the sanctions may be stricter and last longer.
The amount of Universal Credit you are entitled to depends on many factors surrounding your individual circumstances.
That might be how many hours you work or how many children you have.
But failing to report a change in circumstances, like moving house or getting a new job, could see you sanctioned.
In the worst cases, you may be committing benefit fraud and could even face legal action.
If you think you’ve been sanctioned unfairly, you can contact the DWP and ask for a “mandatory reconsideration”.
You have one month from when you were notified about the sanction to do so.
If you’ve been sanctioned unfairly, the first thing you must do is check the level of sanction and for how long your money has been reduced.
You’ll then need to contact the DWP for a mandatory reconsideration if you think they’ve made the wrong decision.
Citizens Advice says you should have been told:
It is still worth applying for a mandatory reconsideration if you have missed the one-month deadline for a good reason, such as being in hospital.
You can apply for a mandatory reconsideration in several ways – just remember to include as much supporting evidence as possible.
If you have an online Universal Credit account, you can write a message to the DWP explaining why you disagree with the decision.
You can also print off and fill out the CRMR1 mandatory reconsideration request form on gov.uk, but remember to allow time for your letter to get to the DWP before your deadline window.
You can also call the Universal Credit helpline on 0800 328 5644.
Letters should be sent to DWP Complaints, Post Handling Site B, Wolverhampton, WV99 2GY.
If you disagree with the decision of your mandatory reconsideration, you can appeal to a First-Tier tribunal.
Claimants have one month to do this, although this is extended to 13 months for exceptional circumstances.
You’ll need to download and fill in the SSCS1 form from the HM Courts and Tribunals Service website.
The form will ask for you:
Send this, along with the outcome of your mandatory reconsideration of which you should have received two copies, to:
HMCTS Appeals Centre, PO Box 1203, Bradford, BD1 9WP.
The DWP will be asked to respond to your appeal within 28 days.
YOU can use a benefits calculator to help check that you are not missing out on money you are entitled to
Charity Turn2Us’ benefits calculator works out what you could get.
Entitledto’s free calculator determines whether you qualify for various benefits, tax credit and Universal Credit.
MoneySavingExpert.com and charity StepChange both have benefits tools powered by Entitledto’s data.
You can use Policy in Practice’s calculator to determine which benefits you could receive and how much cash you’ll have left over each month after paying for housing costs.
Your exact entitlement will only be clear when you make a claim, but calculators can indicate what you might be eligible for.
SHOPPERS are raving about a tiny suitcase that is perfected for cabin luggage for your next holiday.
So if you’ve already got a holiday booked and don’t want to fork out for pricey luggage, keep reading.
These affordable underseat suitcases will make sure you can fit everything you need for your trip.
We often stand in the airplane queue filled with dread – hoping the flight attendant doesn’t pull us out to inspect our bag size.
But you won’t have to worry with this mini suitcase that has been approved for EasyJet and Ryanair flights.
The suitcase comes in over 19 colours and three sizes – but the 15inch variety is the one you want to look for.
The LUGG 15 Inch Jetset Lightweight Travel Cabin Bag Carry On Approved Suitcase has a hard shell casing to keep it protected and waterproof.
Inside the suitcase, it has different compartments to make packing easier as well.
The suitcase also comes with a built-in lock to keep your belongings secure.
For easy transportation to and from the airport, the suitcase has four swivel wheels to make it glide effortlessly no matter the weather or road conditions.
LUGG bosses say: “This cabin bag is approved for all major airlines including easyJet, British Airways, RyanAir, Virgin Atlantic, Emirates, and many more ensuring stress-free travel at all times!”
The best part is that the suitcase is currently on sale with 29% off at the time this article has gone live.
Instead of it being the usual price of £34.99 it is currently down to £24.99.
Customers who have already purchased the suitcase for their travels have consistently raved about the luggage.
One person wrote: “This is the perfect size to buy if you are taking a wheely case into the cabin of one of the so-called ‘budget’ airlines.
“They seem to be getting more strict about the sizes that can be taken onto the plane without paying the extra charge, so it’s worth being totally aware of that, rather than paying an extra charge as you go to board the plane.”
Jemma Solomon, aka The Label Lady has got 5 packing tips to help you get organised for your next holiday.
1. Write a list
Think about all the essentials you need to take with you; suncream, medicine, a few games for the kids, beach towels, and write everything in one list, which you can tick off as you add it to your suitcase.
Or for complete ease, try Google’s AI app – Gemini – which will create a list for you and help you not over pack.
2. Involve your kids
Jemma said: “My girls are getting older, they’re 11 and nine, and they enjoy helping to pack. So I send them a list, and say ‘this is what you need’ and they follow the list.
“And then I give them a rucksack each – and say to them ‘you can have whatever you want in there as long as it’s not liquid’, and they can take that on the plane. And that’s their ‘home away from home’ items.”
3. Try a hack or two
She said: “I think they all work, but for different reasons – and you’ve just got to pick the right one for your trip.
“Rolling your clothes is really good to stop your clothes from getting creases. And if you’re trying to get a lot of items into your case, it’s a space saver.
“Packing cubes are great – for example, I’m going on holiday with my three kids and we’re all using the same suitcase for our clothes.
“These handy compartments let you separate your clothes, toiletries and tech into designated cubes, maximising luggage space by keeping your items compressed and neatly stacked.
“I love taking them abroad with the family and it means my kids can easily take charge of their own items once we’ve arrived.”
4. Decant beauty products
Do you really need to take full-size bottles of shampoo and conditioner with you? The beauty industry has evolved so much, you can now buy shampoo bars or sheets – which are much lighter and smaller.
Or, if you’ll be popping to the shops when you’re abroad, consider buying some items when you arrive.
5. Get organised before you come home
Jemma said: “When you repack on holiday [before coming home], the trick is to separate clean from dirty clothes.
“Also pack it in some form of order – so lights, darks, colours for items that need washing, or if you wash your clothes by person in the household, piles for each person.
“Then you can put it straight into the washing machine. Do it straight away, don’t leave it.”
Another commented: “This little suitcase (which is perfect for an EasyJet “add-on” cabin bag) has amazing packing capacity.”
“I bought this little suitcase for a 3 day trip as one of my flights was via easyJet and I had to take something that would fit under the seat. I don’t like carrying heavy bags or wearing backpacks so I found this wheeled suitcase extremely useful,” penned a third.
Meanwhile a fourth said: “Perfect size for EasyJet and spacious enough for a four night break away!”
“Perfect for a cabin case,” claimed a fifth.
Someone else added: “Lovely hand luggage case and so easy to manoeuvre!”
Fabulous will pay for your exclusive stories. Just email: fabulousdigital@the-sun.co.uk and pop EXCLUSIVE in the subject line.
THEY may live 4,000 miles away from one another, but Meghan Markle and Princess Kate’s “rivalry” is still strong, according to a royal expert.
Newsweek’s royal editor Jack Royston claims tensions were evident between the couple when they shared an office at Kensington Palace.
Speaking on The Sun’s Royal Exclusive show, Jack shared: “There was 100 per cent definitely a massive rivalry between the Sussexes and the Waleses dating back to when they were sharing a private office at Kensington Palace.
“And this sort of thing, you would absolutely cut and dry say, was a 100 per cent massive rivalry.”
This comes as both Meghan and Kate have proudly shared photos of their kids artwork on social media in the same week.
On Monday, Kate shared an adorable set of portraits drawn by her and her three children online, saying “had lots of fun together.”
Meanwhile, on Thursday Meghan posted a photo of her moodboard, with a green star bearing son Archie‘s name taking centre stage.
Fans were quick to comment, with one person writing: “Don’t forget, the real reason she posted that was to show ‘Archie’s artwork’ since Catherine put out her kids’ artwork the other day.
“She’s so predictable..as ever, a copycat!”
Jack continued: “They would want to be competing and outdoing each other, so there probably is a bit of that.
“I mean, it’s hard to move past that.
“I’m sure that there is an instinct to want to outdo the other couple, whether it’s the Waleses or the Sussexes.”
Prince William and Prince Harry first established the Royal Foundation in 2009 before Kate joined two years later, followed by Meghan after marrying into the royal family.
However, the once-dubbed ‘Fab Four’ went their separate ways in 2019 – a year after the Sussexes’ royal wedding – to focus on their own separate charitable endeavours.
It came as both couples were plagued by rumours of a royal rift after Meghan and Harry moved away from Kate and Wills to Frogmore Cottage, Windsor.
There was 100 per cent definitely a massive rivalry between the Sussexes and the Waleses dating back to when they were sharing a private office at Kensington Palace
Jack Royston
According to a Royal insider: “Meghan seemed uncomfortable having to so publicly play ‘second fiddle’ to William and Kate as the superior royals in the palace hierarchy.”
They claim that Meghan could have found “it difficult that the Royal Foundation was already a well-oiled machine by the time she got there.”
The Sussexes explosively quit the Royal Family in 2020 and have since gone on to make a string of deals worth millions with Spotify and Netflix.
But there have frequently been claims of an “Insta war” between the couples, with many big social media posts clashing or overshadowing each other’s pages.
Some claimed that Harry and Meghan’s damaging ITV documentary in 2019 – where Meghan claimed she and Harry were “existing, not living” – was terrible timing for Kate and William who had just returned from a royal tour of Pakistan.
According to the Evening Standard, the decision to release teaser clips while Kate and Wills are on a four-day tour in Pakistan has “baffled and infuriated” aides.
In an explosive tell-all chat with Oprah Winfrey, Meghan later claimed it was Kate that made her cry just days before her wedding.
Previously, it was claimed Meghan left Kate in tears over her demands for Princess Charlotte’s dress.
The Duchess claimed the confrontation had “really hurt my feelings” and was a “turning point” in their relationship, adding: “I don’t think it’s fair to her to get into the details of that because she apologised, and I’ve forgiven her.”
Speaking to Oprah, Meghan said: “What was hard to get over was being blamed for something not only I did not do, but that happened to me.”
The last time Meghan visited the UK was for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022.
The first hints of friction reportedly came after William was introduced to Meghan when she was staying at Kensington Palace.
Once she’d returned home to Canada, William and Harry sat down for a brother-to-brother chat.
He knew Harry was already head-over-heels for her but it has been claimed he advised him to take it slowly.
The younger prince reportedly didn’t take too kindly to the advice, with one royal source saying he “went mental”.
Then in June 2019 Harry and Meghan officially split off from the charity they shared with William and Kate.
The Royal Foundation will be divided between the Sussexes and Cambridges as the couples focus on their own separate charitable endeavours.
Prince William and Prince Harry first established the Royal Foundation in 2009 before Kate joined two years later shortly after their engagement was announced.
The trio would often appear together at events and the Foundation had huge successes with projects like the Invictus Games for injured veterans and the mental health Heads Together campaign.
The Royal Foundation said the decision was made following the conclusion of a review into its structure – but added both couples will continue to work together in the future.
Harry and Meg were living in close proximity to Kate and Wills within the Kensington Palace estate, but they switched to Frogmore Cottage in Windsor before baby Archie was born.
The move further increased rumours of a fallout.
Harry also hinted in his ITV documentary “Harry and Meghan, An African Journey” that he and his brother had grown apart.
In 2021, Harry and Meghan give their bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey where Harry accused his dad of cutting him off financially.
Harry then jetted back to UK to join William in unveiling a statue to their mother Princess Diana in the grounds of Kensington Palace. But sources claimed William didn’t want to attend the memorial amid their ongoing rift.
In 2022, just before their grandmother the Queen died, sources claimed Kate acts as a “peacemaker” between the brothers.
Harry claimed his brother “knocked him to the floor” during an argument about Meghan, in his memoir.
In Spare, Harry said William branded Meghan “rude” and “difficult” during a row.
Harry alleged William “grabbed me by the collar, ripping my necklace, and … knocked me to the floor”.
He said he was left with a visible injury to his back following the argument in 2019 at Nottingham Cottage on the grounds of Kensington Palace, where he was living at the time.
In January this year, Harry flew in to be with Charles after the monarch’s shock cancer diagnosis.
Harry flew back to the US the following day – without seeing Wills.
In May he visited the UK for a three-day visit without seeing King Charles or Prince William.
JACQUELINE Jossa has been forced to defend a bizarre moment where her EastEnders character appeared to “smell Sonia’s knickers”.
The Lauren Branning actress, 32, was part of the cast who took part in the soap’s 40th anniversary live episode, and fans were left shocked by a weird moment.
The knicker incident happened when Lauren appeared to lift up Sonia’s pants and “sniff them”, before tossing them to the side.
Bianca had thrown the pants to Lauren as Sonia prepared to give birth during the live episode.
However, Jacqueline has now defended the moment and made it clear to fans what exactly happened.
Taking to social media, she said: “Just to clarify I didn’t sniff them, I was checking what they were and lifting them in shot, no sniffing.
“They hit me in the face so I think I just lifted them up to make sure it was in the shot, this is amazing.”
The star finished her response with lots of laughing face emojis.
After the knicker incident aired on Thursday, fans immediately took to social media in shock.
One person wrote: “Did Sonia just sniff Sonia’s knickers?!”
Another echoed: “Lauren definitely just sniffed Sonia’s pants.”
But luckily Jac has now put the incident to bed.
The EastEnders live episode came after Jac recently addressed split rumours surrounding her marriage with Dan Osborne.
She told The Sun how a traumatic burglary last summer was the catalyst for changing her whole attitude and making her reassess what is important in her life – her family.
It also helped her decide that she’d had enough of explaining what is going on in her marriage to husband of nearly eight years, Dan.
They’ve been together for more than a decade and have been dogged by split rumours since before they got married.
Recently, the whispers were over news the couple were selling their forever home in Essex, with the former TOWIE star buying a separate property in his name.
But the pair insist they’re still together and are just reassessing their assets.
“People seem to think they know more about my life than I do,” she sighs.
THE beloved British soap has been captivating audiences for decades.
EastEnders follows the lives of the residents of Walford as they navigate love, loss, family drama, and community struggles.
Here’s the latest on:
“They were saying: ‘Jacqueline didn’t spend Christmas with Daniel.’ But all I have to do is post pictures of us together with Christmas hats on.
“We lie in bed next to each other, laughing and reading stuff online about us.
“The speculation is ridiculous, but at the same time, I know it comes with the job, so I do understand it. I read things about Mark Wright and Michelle Keegan and go: ‘Really? Is that true?’ But I’m sure they are happy. It’s not my business what other people think or want to read.
“But apart from me being back on EastEnders, I haven’t put myself out there in that space. I haven’t done any reality shows recently and neither has Dan.
“I’m constantly working, and so is he [Dan runs an online competition website and a tattoo studio]. We just crack on with our day jobs and looking after our kids. He is a fantastic dad. I’m done going on to social media trying to explain it.”