Giannis Antetokounmpo notched another legacy moment on Wednesday night with a lefty layup that put him at 20,000 points in his NBA career. Milwaukee Bucks fans serenaded him with chants of “M-V-P” as a tribute video showed footage tracing his incredible journey from the streets of Athens, Greece, to the NBA mountaintop. The moment filled his coach, Doc […]
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The Nashville Predators are having a disastrous 2024-25 season. After making big splashes in free agency, they are way out of the playoffs and getting poor results from their new additions. While Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei won’t be on the move, the NHL trade deadline is a chance for Barry Trotz to […]
The post Nashville Predators’ dream, nightmare scenarios for 2025 NHL trade deadline appeared first on ClutchPoints.
DARTS legend Phil Taylor is putting his Power into politics with his latest initiative.
The 16-time world champion retired from the PDC circuit in 2018.
He still pops up at seniors events, but has also turned his gaze towards other projects.
Taylor recently visited the House of Commons to discuss heat-saving thermal window-blinds.
The Power joined Blind Screen co-founders Lenny Reynolds and Paul Cheetham for a presentation.
Taylor spoke to Labour MP and Under-Secretary of State for Energy Miatta Fahnbulleh.
Chatting about the experience with the Mirror, the darts icon joked: “After all these years of trying to turn up the ‘Power’ on the oche, now I’m trying to get the country to turn the power down.
“Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d find myself at the Houses of Parliament, rubbing shoulders with MPs and asking them for help with bringing down the cost of heating our homes.
“I was a bit cross when the winter fuel allowance was scrapped. I can get by without it, but I know people back home in Stoke who have struggled to keep warm this winter.”
Taylor recently offered darts prodigy Luke Littler an important piece of advice.
He told Sport Bible: “Make sure you look after your money.
“Two bank accounts – one in one, and half in another. So that’s your tax. That’s what I always used to do.
“Try to start investing your money, so if anything happens, if you fall down and break your arm or something, you’ve got something to fall back on.”
Taylor also sent Littler a warning about how other players will approach matches against him this season.
He said: “Everybody plays well against you because you’re a big name.
“I said it last week – you get the Manchester United syndrome. And Liverpool.
“You have to perform every week, you don’t get an easy game now. As long as you can take the pressure, people putting pressure on you.
“Because as soon as he loses, like he lost in the Players Championship, bang – they’re on you. They’re on your back.”
Need help picking your travel essentials? Sun Travel has you covered.
As a team that loves to explore new places and are regular travellers so here are our best-kept secrets, from budget accessories to the more expensive buys that we believe are worth the extra cost.
Sophie Swietochowski, Assistant Travel Editor
It may be pricey, but in my opinion a decent, sturdy travel bag is well worth investing in. I take this Away bag everywhere with me, which is apt considering its name.
Small enough to fit under the seat and comply with most budget airlines hand luggage restrictions, the Everywhere bag’s star-quality is its zipped passport pocket. Conveniently, but very discreetly, located on the outside of the bag means accessing your important travel docs is less of a faff.
There’s a pocket for everything else too, including your laptop, your tablet and smaller bits of makeup and jewellery.
The zip extends over both sides of the bag so you can open it much wider than a bog-standard bag — great for when you’re trying to cram bits in.
The flap at the back allows you to slide it over a suitcase handle to sit on top of the case, making waltzing through the airport a breeze.
Lisa Minot, Head of Travel
When you’re travelling as often as we are lucky to, having a sturdy clear bag to store all my toiletries is a must.
While you can pick up a clear plastic bag at any airport, I prefer to be able to pack mine in advance and have it handy to simply pick up for each trip.
This is an approved size and the sturdy material and zip mean I don’t find everything falling out in my hand luggage.
Alice Penwill, Travel Reporter
You can never go wrong with a trusty tote bag, and while they may not be the most glamorous, they are incredibly handy.
I recently bought this quilted tote from Nobody’s Child, because who doesn’t love a bit of leopard print? And it has been everywhere with me.
You name it, flights, weekend trips away in the UK, a recent seaside hen do – this tote is big enough for all my essentials and more.
Alice Penwill, Travel Reporter
When it comes to what to wear on a plane, my only rule is, the comfier the better. So usually I opt for a tracksuit, or loose fitting clothes, and of course layers because who knows when the person next to you will decide to turn on the air conditioning.
There’s also no need to splash out either, these dark pink joggers from Primark come in at just £6 and so does the matching sweatshirt, so you really don’t have to break the bank.
Caroline McGuire, Head of Travel (Digital)
My child and I both get travel sick easily – whether that’s on a
coach, ferry or simply in the car on windy Cornish roads. So I never travel without K-Brands sick bags these days – at 24 for £14.99, they work out at about 55p each.
They sit inside each other until you need one, and have a sturdy
plastic ring around the top that gives you something decent to hold
onto while puking. It removes easily when you’re done, so you can tie a knot in it – and the heavy duty plastic bag would take a serious battering before it started to leak.
Kara Godfrey, Deputy Travel Editor
Part of my job being Deputy Travel Editor means working on most of my trips, and a gamechanger item was my phone suction holder.
Sticking to my phone case, the 12 little suction pads let you stick it to any glass surface for taking selfies or making hands-free video calls.
I’m always asked about it, only to show off how I stick my phone to the nearby window, where it holds tight. And you can find them for as little as 99p on Amazon, it’s an absolute bargain.
Sophie Swietochowski, Assistant Travel Editor
When I was 19, I discovered a product that would become my never-travel-without item – and it cost just pennies.
Hopping between crowded trains through Europe and conking out in hostel dorm-rooms on my first Inter-rail adventure, this foam pair of Amazon earplugs saved me from disastrous nights.
I’m a light sleeper and these really help to muffle noise, be that on an airplane, in a busy hotel or from a crying baby next door (it happens!). I’ve tried many earplugs and these are by far the best.
The foam design means that once inserted into the ear, they will mould to your ear shape, making it more comfortable when lying on your side – I buy them in bulk as they only last a few wears. You can get them on Amazon for 34p per pair, or £3.39 for 10.
Caroline McGuire, Head of Travel (Digital)
As a travel editor, I’m regularly exploring the globe with my child
and always on the lookout for pocket-sized items that make holidaying with kids easier.
One of my favourites so far this year is Matador’s Pocket Blanket
Mini, a water resistant mat that you can lay down in airports, on the
beach, in the woods, anywhere your kid might suddenly feel the need for a break.
I’ve had mini blankets like this before, but never this tiny – it fits in the palm of my hand and in the back pocket of my jeans. Plus it packs away very easily.
Kara Godfrey, Deputy Travel Editor
Squeezing into economy is the least favourite part of a long-haul flight, so the one item I’m always urging my friends to take is flight socks.
An unsexy travel item, I learned my lesson after a 12-hour flight to Bali saw my ankles swell to double the size for three days.
Cheap options can be found for less than a tenner, and they not only make flights more comfortable but are also advised by most health professionals to avoid DVT. Even better you can get them from £5.99 from Amazon or £7.95 from Asda.
Alice Penwill, Travel Reporter
I’m a reader, and on holiday is where I take the opportunity to catch up on new titles. While I do love a physical book, they just aren’t practical.
Depending on how many books you can get through, my record is five in three days, they can take up a lot of space. So something I love to take on holiday is my trusty Amazon Kindle which can store hundreds of books.
I have the Amazon Fire which also doubles as a tablet so when I go abroad, I also download Netflix shows for offline viewing so I can watch my favourite shows on short-haul flights. You can buy the Amazon Fire HD 8 for £69.99 – mine is still going strong six years on despite all the sand and sun cream
Sophie Swietochowski, Assistant Travel Editor
Packing cubes can be life-savers when you’re short for space AND if you’re travelling around a lot. You’ll find that by cramming as much as you can into the cubes, you’ll be able to compress your clothes, giving you more space – very handy with all those tight hand luggage restrictions these days.
I mainly use them for organising though, one for trousers and shorts, another for tops and dresses and a third for swimwear and underwear. It makes it much easier to find things if you don’t want to unpack when reaching your holiday destination or if you’re moving around a lot. These ones from Primark cost £8 for a pack of three.
Lisa Minot, Head of Travel
I’m never a huge fan of the cheap headphones they hand out in economy on long haul flights – often scratchy on the ears with terrible sound and always a dodgy connection.
With this nifty device that’s £16.99 from Amazon, you can connect your own headphones to the onboard inflight entertainment.
It’s a must when I am on a busy flight and can simply connect to my noise-cancelling headphones. With 18 hours of battery life, you can keep watching on even the longest flight.
Caroline McGuire, Head of Travel (Digital)
There are several kids cameras on the market, but my favourite has to be the Hoppstar Artist.
It takes excellent pictures and has a decent screen to view the images
on. But even better, it can print black and white versions in about
three seconds.
I’ve bought the Hoppstar sticky print roll, which allows my son to
print out his pics on holiday and stick them in a scrapbook. It’s a
great, non-messy arts and crafts activity to do in airports, at
restaurants or when we have time to kill in the hotel room.
This is the pricier end of the travel accessory spectrum, but I gave
the camera to my son as his main present for Christmas which made it feel like an acceptable expense.
Take a look at where we'd recommend for a holiday in March, from Europe breaks to beach getaways...
“While weather in Berlin can still be fairly chilly in March, trading warm temperatures for space at the city’s top attractions is a welcome compromise. It also has a great mixture of indoor and outdoor attractions, so if the weather is a little gloomy you can pop inside a museum to shelter from the grey.” – Hope Brotherton, Travel Reporter
“One place where the weather doesn’t matter is Copenhagen. The Danish city is beautiful throughout winter and spring, where you can admire the very well-dressed locals who are wrapped up warm. The coffee culture means you can hop between stylish cafes to stay warm while enjoying a Smørrebrød – an open rye-bread sandwich.” – Kara Godfrey, Deputy Travel Editor
“Easily reachable in two and a half hours, Lisbon in Portugal is one of the best places to explore this spring with flights as cheap as £35. Still out of peak season, you can enjoy the city without the crowds, and temperatures in March can be as high as 18 degrees. Head down to the recognisable Pink Street, actually called Rua Nova do Carvalho, to see the Instagrammable umbrella installation.” – Alice Penwill, Travel Reporter
“Thanks to their location off the coast of Africa, the Canary Islands are easily the most reliable European destination for March sunshine. I’ve spent weeks in Fuertaventura in March where my jumper never even made it out of my suitcase – just what I needed after a long English winter.” – Caroline McGuire, Head of Travel (Digital)
SKINT Emmerdale bosses are selling off iconic soap props for as little as 99p amid a cash crisis and widespread cast cuts.
ITV is selling show props on eBay, giving fans the chance to own a piece of the soap’s history – including a piece of Kim Tate’s infamous doomed wedding.
The auction has already sparked interest, with items ranging from a real leather wallet used by recently axed character Will Taylor (Dean Andrews) to a wedding invitation box from the tragic wedding of Kim Tate (Claire King) and Will.
Among the listings is the wallet, which is currently priced at £12, offering a piece of memorabilia from Will, whose departure from the soap left fans shocked.
Meanwhile, a stainless steel hipflask once carried by Rose Taylor (Christine Tremarco) is already attracting attention, with six bidders fighting over it as the price climbs to £12.50.
And a mask of Marlon Dingle’s face goes for 99p.
However, it’s Kim Tate’s doomed wedding invitation box that has garnered the most attention, with bidding having already reached £23.
The tragic wedding between Kim and Will, marked by turmoil and emotional devastation, remains one of the show’s most dramatic moments, and now fans can hold onto a piece of that storyline for a small price.
Other costumes up for grabs include a jumper worn by regular character Mary Goskirk (Louise Jameson), which is currently priced at £16.
But not all items are commanding a high price – some props are being sold off for as little as 99p as part of a desperate effort to clear out the studio’s surplus stock.
The decision to auction these items comes at a time of significant upheaval at Emmerdale.
In recent months, ITV bosses have been under increasing financial pressure, leading to a number of high-profile cast cuts.
Actress Roxy Shahidi, who played Leyla Harding for 17 years, was reportedly devastated after being told her character would be killed off.
Likewise, Lesley Dunlop, known for her portrayal of Brenda Walker, was also let go after 16 years on the show.
Other stars, including Paula Lane, Dean Andrews, and Susan Cookson, were similarly axed, leaving fans in shock over the unexpected departures.
The Sun also revealed last month that 75 additional cast and crew members from Emmerdale and Coronation Street will lose their jobs amid ITV’s ongoing cash crisis.
The channel will make an hour less soap content a week and air the much-loved programmes as two back-to-back, 30 minute episodes amid a budget crisis.
The teams were told last month that they needed to be on site for a formal meeting, with the news reducing most to tears.
Around 600 people work across Corrie and Emmerdale.
The brunt of the job losses are likely to be felt in production.
Currently, Emmerdale airs six episodes per week, Monday to Friday with a double episode on Thursdays.
Coronation Street also airs six episodes per week, spread across Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, with two episodes each night.
Now just five 30-minute episodes of each soap will air.
Under the new changes, which will begin in January 2026, Emmerdale will air for half an hour every day at 8pm, followed by a half-hour episode of Coronation Street straight after at 8:30pm.
Everything you need to know about Emmerdale
It is being dubbed a soap “power hour”.
ITV boss Kevin Lygo said: “This new commissioning pattern will mean five hours of soaps a week, rather than the current six.
“We are conscious this will have an impact for the people who work on the soaps team.
“We will support our colleagues in ITV Studios as they work through these changes, and will do what we can to mitigate the impact on our people.”
He went on: “These changes are motivated by doing what we believe is best for the continuing success of these important programmes in the long term.
“They also create headroom in the overall programme budget for investment in programming that can help ITV grow reach in a very very competitive market.”
Insiders at the channel said it will help make both Emmerdale and Coronation Street more “streaming-friendly”.
The new structure will launch with a huge stunt on both soaps.
A source added: “Soaps are incredibly important to ITV and this is about preserving their longevity for the future.
“There has been a super squeeze in production costs and it was necessary to make changes but Corrie and Emmerdale both remain integral to ITV.”
THE crazy life of a footballer’s wife doesn’t stop after a divorce or a cheating scandal – and many former WAGs go on to bigger and better things.
Ellie Penfold is the latest to join the ex-WAGS club after splitting from former footballer Jermaine Jenas.
The couple were together for 16 years before heartbroken Ellie posted a separation statement on Instagram yesterday.
Jenas previously publicly apologised to his wife for lying and sending “inappropriate texts” to female colleagues, which led to him being sacked from Match Of The Day in August.
But cheating scandals, messy divorces and large pay outs are part and parcel of many football stars’ relationships.
We take a look at how infamous ex-WAGS moved on after messy betrayals and bitter break-ups – with some taking brutal revenge.
Stacy Giggs, 44, took to the WAG life when she married ex-Manchester United player Ryan Giggs in 2007.
The pair were together for ten years and had two children, Zachery and Liberty, before the relationship took a shocking turn.
Ryan’s eight year affair with his younger brother’s Rhodri’s wife, Natasha Lever, was uncovered in 2011.
The cheating footballer went to High Court for a £40 million divorce battle which was settled in 2017.
Lawyers said a “confidential” agreement was reached but it was rumoured Stacy received £24 million – half her ex-partner’s fortune.
Now Stacy is said to ‘approve’ of Ryan’s new lingerie model partner, Zara, and has previously dated The Wanted star Max George in 2022.
Danielle Lloyd, 41, is one of Britain’s most famous WAGS and was previously married to Premier League footballer, Jamie O’Hara, after a whirlwind eight month romance.
The pair tied the knot in 2012 but after three children, Danielle found out about Jamie’s multiple flings and filed for a divorce in 2017.
However, the couple proceeded to have public spats, with Jamie begging for access to his kids on Celebrity Big Brother in 2017.
He also admitted that his cheating was a “big mistake” and “cost me £1m.”
Danielle revealed she needed sleeping pills and antidepressants to cope with the divorce.
Danielle started a new life on OnlyFans and paid her mortgage with her alleged whopping ‘£90k-a-month’ account before quitting in 2022.
She also moved on with electrician Michael O’Neill, and the pair share baby Ronnie, born in 2017.
Earlier this month, Danielle revealed she has been diagnosed with skin cancer and is set to have an op.
Actress Claire Merry, 45, married Barcelona football star Thierry Henry in 2001 and the pair had a tumultuous marriage.
The model launched a messy divorce after finding raunchy texts and links to make-up artist Sadie Hewlett on Henry’s phone.
Claire demanded £10 million of his football fortune and settled the divorce for £8 million in 2008, she was then pictured in Spain shortly after with a new boob job.
However, Claire also got scammed by football fraudster Medi Abalimba who famously conned numerous individuals out of £170,000.
The fraudster used a fake American accent and pretended to be a Navy Seal throughout their relationship. He was jailed in 2021.
Riyad Mahrez and ex-wife Rita Johal were married in 2015 and have two children together.
Rita spoke out and said she converted to Islam for Riyad before he dumped her for another woman and she claimed his move to Man City ruined their relationship.
The Manchester City star left Rita in 2020 for the influencer Taylor Ward and the pair are now married.
Rita may now get the ultimate revenge on her ex after allegedly signing up to star in an explosive docuseries about ‘wannabe WAGs’ as she has ‘stories to tell’.
The series will also feature Lauryn Goodman who looks to set the records straight after her relationship with married dad Kyle Walker, the father of her two kids.
Former Corrie star Helen Flanagan, 43, is ex-WAG to footballer Scott Sinclair.
The pair met at 19 and were together for 13 years before splitting in 2022. They have three children together – Matilda, nine, Delilah, six, and Charlie, three.
Helen has since moved on with former footballer Robbie Talbot who she met two years after the split. She caused controversy on E4 dating show Celebs Go Dating when she told producers she had met a new love, after signing up as a single.
It was reported Scott blocked Helen after she revealed the story of how she met her new man on the Life of Bryony podcast and said her previous relationship was unhealthy.
Helen said: “I don’t need a man to make me happy, but it really f*****g helps when you’re in a healthy relationship to a toxic one.”
Caroline Lijnen got the ultimate revenge on Kevin de Bruyne when she cheated with his Belgium teammate and Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois in 2014 – as retaliation for his own fling with her best friend.
She revealed Courtois wined and dined her, saying: “Thibaut offered me what I had not received during a three-year relationship with Kevin.
“With Thibaut, I could talk about anything and everything and he had even prepared me a delicious meal. Kevin never did it for me.”
She spoke out about de Bruyne’s affair after he accused her of cheating in his book.
“Kevin cheated on me,” she says. “I did not say anything for months because I couldn’t say anything, as Kevin’s parents said they would take legal action if I gave my story. I was under pressure and I could not have contact with Kevin.
“‘I respected everything. But in his book Keep it Simple Kevin wrote a passage about my affair with Thibaut. So, I decided to remain silent no longer.”
Lizzie Cundy, 56, was previously married to ex-Chelsea player Jason Cundy, 55, and recently revealed to the Best magazine podcast that she would leave ‘little naughty traps’ to catch him cheating.
Speaking on the Best magazine podcast, she said: ”What I’d do is some of my really nice creams and perfume, making sure I knew how the lid was on.
“I knew that girl would want to use some, or touch the perfume and I’d make sure if she was at his place that she opened the cupboard she’d know there was a girl there.
“‘Or I’d leave a bra under the pillow, little naughty traps, which sounds silly because I should have just walked away.”
Lizzie split from Jason in 2010 after over cheating allegations and she has since successfully launched into showbiz and regularly appears on ITV.
The former WAG now hosts a new show called Red Carpet Uncut, which features many of the world’s biggest stars.
Jermaine Jenas & wife have split just months after he was sacked by BBC for ‘inappropriate texts’. Here's what happened:
Ex- Coronation Street favourite, Suzi Walker has opened up about the dark side of being a WAG and even said she ‘didn’t want to live’ after a cheating scandal.
Suzi Walker, 52, is the ex-wife of England goalkeeper Ian Walker. The pair were married for 12 years before splitting in 2007, after he slept with a lap dancer in Las Vegas.
Suzi later faced £500,000 worth of debt and revealed she had to pawn her jewellery after an expensive court case and high healthcare fees.
The former model admitted she used to blow money with her fellow wags like they were “getting through toilet paper”.
Suzi got married again in 2018 to businessman Mark Pitman.
HEALTH chiefs have warned winter “is certainly not over” with norovirus hospitalisations still close to record highs – and people should isolate for two days if they feel unwell.
Hospitals in England have been hit by a storm of norovirus infections in recent weeks, with cases reaching record highs.
While there’s been a glimpse of cases beginning to slow, experts have warned a second wave could be on the way.
The main symptoms of norovirus are feeling sick, vomiting, and diarrhoea.
While most people get better on their own, the virus can prove more serious for some people, especially young children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems.
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS England national medical director, who today announced he is stepping down, said despite the sunnier weather this week showing some early signs of spring, the latest figures by NHS England show winter is “certainly not over” for NHS staff.
He added: “To help stop the spread the norovirus it is important to remember to wash your hands frequently with soap and water, and it you’re unwell to avoid mixing with other people until you have no had symptoms for two days.”
According to the latest stats, an average of 1,094 hospital beds were filled each day last week by patients with diarrhoea and vomiting or norovirus-like symptoms.
While this is down slightly by 4 per cent from 1,134 the previous week and is just 6 per cent below the record high of 1,160 a fortnight earlier, the NHS remains under immense pressure.
Norovirus levels continue to be sharply higher than at this point 12 months ago, when an average of 470 beds were filled with patients with symptoms, and in 2023 (568 patients).
While flu levels in hospitals are continuing to fall, they also remain higher than at this point in previous years.
An average of 1,546 flu patients were in beds each day last week, including 74 in critical care.
This is down 7 per cent from 1,656 the previous week, when 80 were in critical care.
The total is higher than at this stage in 2024 (1,333) and two years ago (430).
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting added: “While the latest figures point to slight easing in certain areas, the health service remains under considerable strain.
“To ease the burden of seasonal pressures this year, we have delivered more than 29 million vaccinations and ended the damaging strikes, keeping doctors on the front line, rather than the picket line.”
People with norovirus may also experience a high temperature, a headache, tummy pain, and body aches and pains.
But they can expect to feel better in about two days.
Complications from norovirus primarily occur due to the potential for severe dehydration caused by the intense vomiting and diarrhoea.
Vulnerable people like young children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems may not be able to adequately replace lost fluids, leading to serious health consequences if left untreated.
You should call 999 or go to A&E if you experience the following symptoms below…
Other tips for stopping the spread of norovirus include:
THERE are currently no licensed norovirus vaccines in use anywhere in the world.
But a global trial is underway, with 25,000 volunteers taking part.
After a surge in hospitalisations this winter, doctors hope a vaccine could lead to fewer hospital admissions and fewer wards being closed.
The Nova 301 trial will see a vaccine developed by pharmaceutical firm Moderna and 2,500 volunteers in the UK taking part.
Like Moderna’s vaccine used in the COVID-19 vaccination campaign, the study involves messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA).
When used in vaccines, mRNA shows the body’s cells some genetic code from the bacteria or virus.
This doesn’t cause infection but can teach the body how to defend itself.
The body reads and translates the code and its own natural immune cells take over.
If the trial is successful, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) will decide whether it can be licensed.
It has been only months since it started, and yet, the Justin Baldoni-Blake Lively drama is already one of the most talked-about feuds in Hollywood. As new evidence pops up every now and then to make this already confusing enough clash even more perplexing, the former seems to be gaining a lot more empathy from […]
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Elizabeth Olsen had no time for Fifty Shades of Grey, even with Henry Cavill in the mix. Back when Hollywood was buzzing about the steamy adaptation, she shut down any talk of joining the franchise in the quirkiest way possible. While some actresses saw it as a career move, Olsen saw it as, well, unnecessary. […]
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