List of All Articles with Tag 'ties'

The husband of iconic adult star Sophie Anderson has announced that she’s alive days after starting rumours about her “death”. Fans of the 35-year-old actress were left grief-stricken by reports on social media that she had passed away following a drug overdose. The devastating claim was made by Anderson’s partner and fellow OnlyFans performer Damian Oliver, who doubled down when he was accused of fabricating the whole thing. Screenshots and messages shared online show Oliver telling friends and admirers of the adult entertainer that she had “died unfortunately”, and even providing details of her funeral. In one X/Twitter reply, he insisted that he “hadn’t lied” about the “bad news”, adding that people could pay their respects at a crematorium in Bromley, southeast London, last Tuesday. However, on the evening of Sunday 10 September, Anderson’s one-time 'C**k Destroyers' collaborator Rebecca More reassured the concerned community that the 35-year-old was alive and well. Writing on X/Twitter, More said that the Metropolitan Police “have spoken to Sophie and she is [OK]”. The update was met with a collective sigh of relief from hordes of loyal supporters, while many shared their confusion and revulsion at the rumours. Meanwhile, Oliver responded to More’s claim, writing: “Not the case so cringe. More is out for herself. [It’s] funny to see sheep still believe her lies.” However, on Wednesday, the former Crystal Palace Youth footballer tweeted a lengthy statement, revealing that he had “20 hours in a cell because of the stupid hoax”. He continued: “I cannot say anything more as part of my bail conditions but it was just a silly drunken joke.” Oliver then lashed out at More, insisting she was “not a friend” of Anderson. “Sophie hates her. Sophie loves me.” He then dropped two bombshells, writing: “We are having a baby. We are also now married. We are unbreakable.” His message was swiftly followed up by a photo showing him standing beside Anderson, apparently during their wedding, which he claimed took place at the Little White Chapel in Las Vegas. Oliver also ominously insisted that he had “saved Sophie many times” and that he had had to do “nasty s**t” to cover her surgery.” It comes just weeks after one of Anderson’s 32JJ-sized breast implants exploded while she was in the shower, days after she’d suffered sepsis for the fourth time in a year. The blue movie legend has undergone major breast reconstruction surgery and told M.E.N back in July that the ongoing issues had seriously impacted her work. In the interview with the local news outlet, she credited Oliver with helping her get through her “darkest days”, saying that she and her beau had been “inseparable” since they met on set together two-and-a-half years ago. “I honestly couldn’t have asked for anyone better to be by my side during all of this,” Sophie said. “He’s been my total support when I've not felt good.” At the time of writing, there had been no word from Anderson herself about her wellbeing, with her last X/Twitter posts shared last month. On 12 August, the 35-year-old uploaded a video of herself in a nightclub in Clapham, followed by a series of emotional tweets. In them, she wrote: “Wish my [Damian Oliver] was here. “I miss him so much.” Indy100 has contacted Damian Oliver, Sophie Anderson and Rebecca More for comment. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Russell Brand has always prided himself on ruffling feathers. Indeed, the ruffle-haired, one-time-winklepicker-championing anti-establishment icon even uses a crow (farting), as the logo for his website and podcast. And yet, his preferred platforms have changed over the years: from London’s stand-up circuit to prime spots on British radio and terrestrial TV, to the Hollywood red carpet, and now to the favourite of every cash-hungry rebel – social media. Yes, the 48-year-old has become a darling of the self-styled “free-speakers” of the internet, with the likes of Andrew Tate, Alex Jones and Tucker Carlson name-checking him as a mainstream-fighting compadre. But really, it seems as though his great talent lies not in speaking truth to power, but in speaking so much and at such speed that you no longer remember what the truth was in the first place. Oh, and he also knows how to write a headline that will whet even a great sceptic’s appetite. With this in mind, indy100 has taken a look at some of the most attention-grabbing titles on his YouTube channel, to see what exactly he’s been peddling: 'Covid Tsar Admits Lockdowns Were NEVER About Science'; 'So, Trump Just Said THIS about Vaccines And it Changes EVERYTHING'; 'The Queen’s Funeral – the HIDDEN Truth THAT NOBODY’s TALKING ABOUT'; 'Bill Gates Has Been HIDING This And It's ALL About To Come Out'. Brand is, evidently, a master of clickbait and adoring followers or, as he likes to call them, his “awakening wonders” – who have helped contribute to him having more than 6 million followers on YouTube alone. His articulately spun monologues, which prance along with rhetorical acrobatics and comic asides at the expense of “big business, big media and big government”. And yet, while he’s railing against world powers’ alleged propensity to mislead and deceive the public, he’s showing off his own skills at influencing others. He boasts that he wouldn’t dare tell his viewers what to think, yet in the same breath – or in the same headline – declares that he’s discussing the “truth” – which, by traditional definitions, should refer to objective, irrefutable fact. In one episode, titled, ‘Joe Rogan UNMASKS CNN’s True Agenda’, which is about the US broadcaster’s relationship with Pfizer, he says: “You can decide for yourself whether you think there's a connection between the stance of particular media organisations and the kind of financial partnerships that they have.” However, after playing a reel showing programmes on the network which are “sponsored by Pfizer”, he stresses: “But once you've seen that bloody montage, it's like the scales fall from your eyes surely, don't they?” Oh, but then he quickly adds: “But that's just what I think. What do you think?” Most recently, Brand proved he’d secured the unfaltering loyalty of his fanbase by openly addressing the allegations of rape and sexual assault made against him. In a video titled ‘So, This Is Happening’ and delivered in his usual no-pause-for-breath style, the presenter announced: “This isn't the usual type of video we make on this channel where we critique, attack and undermine the news in all its corruption because in this story, I am the news. “I've received two extremely disturbing letters or a letter and an email, one from a mainstream media TV company, one from a newspaper listing a litany of extremely egregious and aggressive attacks, as well as some pretty stupid stuff like my community festival should be stopped, that I shouldn't be able to attack mainstream media narratives on this channel. “But amidst this litany of astonishing rather baroque attacks are some very serious allegations that I absolutely refute. These allegations pertain to the time when I was working in the mainstream, when I was in the newspapers all the time when I was in the movies, and as I've written about extensively in my books, I was very, very promiscuous. “Now, during that time of promiscuity, the relationships I had were absolutely always consensual. I was always transparent about that. Then almost too transparent, and I'm being transparent about it now as well, and to see that transparency metastasized into something criminal that I absolutely deny makes me question, is there another agenda at play?” He then went on to describe previous “coordinated media attacks” targeted at the likes of Joe Rogan. Then, channeling Andrew Tate’s “Matrix” narrative, he continued: “I'm aware that you guys have been saying in the comments for a while, ‘Watch out, Russell, they're coming for you. You're getting too close to the truth.” Finally, after suggesting that a “serious and concerted agenda” had been launched to “control” voices and platforms such as his, he urged his followers to “stay close, stay awake” and, most importantly, “stay free”. His statement was met with an instant flood of support, with one writing: “We support you, [it's] obvious this was going to happen, in fact inevitable.” The only real inevitability here is that his legions of admirers would respond in this way. Birds of a feather flock together, as they say. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Travis Kelce was asked about the dating rumours swirling around him and Taylor Swift, but the Kansas City Chiefs star didn't give much away when asked by a reporter. The American football player first spoke about Swift after going to her Eras Tour concert and expressed his disappointment at not being able to give a friendship bracelet with his phone number on it to the pop star. "I was disappointed that she doesn’t talk before or after her shows because she has to save her voice for the 44 songs that she sings,” Kelce said on his podcast, New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce. "So I was a little butthurt I didn’t get to hand her one of the bracelets I made for her.” The Chiefs tight end added: “If you’re up on Taylor Swift concerts, there are friendship bracelets and I received a bunch of them being there, but I wanted to give Taylor Swift one with my number on it." @profootballfocus Travis Kelce shot his shot 😅 #traviskelce #taylorswift #swifties #friendshipbracelets #newheightshow #fyp #foryoupage (via @New Heights) Since then, there have been reports that Kelce and Swift spent time together in New York City - "Taylor and Travis have been quietly hanging out,” the source said, as per The Messenger. “She saw him when she was in NYC a few weeks ago.” However, a source told Entertainment Tonight that the two are not dating. “Travis has been into Taylor for a while and definitely has a crush on her. He is a simple guy that is very funny, charismatic, chill, and loves playing football," the source said. Meanwhile, Kelce was asked if the dating rumours were true in an interview with NFL+ on September 15, to which he decided not to comment on. “I know what you writers wanna hear, and you wanna hear more about that. And I’m not gonna give you anything,” he said. @andrew.siciliano New romantics for Taylor Swift? #taylorswift #traviskelce #swifties #newromantics The 33-year-old was then asked about the bracelet he wanted to give to Swift with his phone number on it but remained reserved in his response. “I said what I said. And I meant what I said when I said it,” Kelce said. “You know what, it is what it is. I’m not gonna talk about my personal life.” Elsewhere, Kelce's brother Jason - who plays for the Philadelphia Eagles - was asked about his younger brother's rumoured romance with Swift during an appearance on Prime’s Thursday Night Football. “I’ve seen these rumors. I cannot comment,” he told co-host Tony Gonzalez. “I don’t really know what’s going on there,” Jason added. “I know Travis is having fun, we’ll see what happens with whoever he ends up with." Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Donald Trump’s Twitter timeline was a mixture of ridiculous and unhinged before being banned in 2021, most of it not worth revisiting. However, people are now returning to one tweet about Russell Brand from way back in 2014 following allegations against the comedian. Trump tweeted Katy Perry before he announced his run for president, asking what she saw in “loser” Brand. "Katy, what the hell were you thinking when you married loser Russell Brand," he wrote. “There is a guy who has got nothing going, a waste!" Brand and Perry were married for 14 months after tying the knot in 2010. Things ended when Brand sent Perry a text message just moments before she went on stage via text message. Discussing their relationship in 2013, Perry said: "He’s a very smart man, and I was in love with him when I married him. Let’s just say I haven’t heard from him since he texted me saying he was divorcing me December 31, 2011." Brand, 48, has been accused of rape, sexual assault, and abuse by four women. In a video uploaded to the comedian's social media platforms on Friday night (September 15) before the allegations were made public, Brand said he "absolutely refute[s]" the claims made towards him. He told viewers that all relationships he had were "absolutely always consensual." Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings

A new study suggests the treatment of A-levels makes it harder for NI students to get in.

The government's surprise announcement of the session had sparked criticism from opposition leaders.

A New Yorker piece has gained a lot of attention after revealing that American comedian Hasan Minhaj made-up a lot of the stories at the centre of his comedy, and fans are outraged. Minjah, an Asian American and Muslim American, based a lot of his comedy around those experiences, and his Netflix series Patriot Act won an Emmy. Speaking to writer Clare Malone, Minjah told her "every story in my style is built around a seed of truth". In a Patriot Act segment Minhaj tells the disturbing story of a letter sent to him filled with a white powder that spilled onto his young daughter, who was subsequently rushed to hospital. It turned out not to be anthrax, but served as a reminder of the consequences of Minhaj's comedy. But Malone did some digging and found at there is no record of such an incident. Not from the NYPD, local hospitals, or front-desk and mailroom employees at Minaj's former residence. During her conversation with Minhaj, he admitted that "his daughter had never been exposed to a white power, and that she hadn't been hospitalised". He told Malone that he didn't think he was manipulating his audience when she asked, "It's grounded in truth," he said. Another well known story of Minhaj is from his 2017 Netflix special Homecoming King, where he talks of a white girl he had a crush on, kissed, and invited to prom, only to show up the night of the dance to the girl going to prom with another guy. Onstage, Minhaj said that the girl's parents didn't want their daughter to take pictures with a brown boy because they were concerned what relatives may think. "I didn't know that people could be bigoted even as they were smiling at you," Minhaj says during the show. But the woman in the story disputes it, saying that she had turned down Minhaj, then a close friend, days before prom. Minhaj admitted this was correct, but said he had a different understanding go her rejection and there was an "emotional truth" to the story. The woman also shared that she had faced online threats and doxing for years after Minhaj failed to successfully disguise her identity. According to some former Patriot Act employees, members of the research team felt he could be dismissive of the fact-checking process. Malone reported that, "in one instance, Minhaj grew frustrated that fact-checking was stymying the creative flow during a final rewrite, and a pic of female researchers were asked to leave the writers' room." In a written statement, Minhaj insisted that "fact-checking at Patriot Act was extremely rigorous". When fans and viewers of Minhaj's content read Malone's piece, they were shocked and appalled. Some called his ego "terrifying", whilst others said it is "not okay to make up instances of threat over journalism". Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Miriam Margolyes has left people in stitches after footage resurfaced calling Leonardo DiCaprio a "bit smelly." The British-Australian actress featured alongside the star in Baz Luhrmann's Romeo and Juliet in 1996 when DiCaprio was just 21 years old. On an episode of This Morning, Margolyes candidly discussed her relationship with DiCaprio, saying the pair got along well. However, attention soon turned to his hygiene, with Margolyes sharing: "Because it was very hot in Mexico and I think young boys, he was very young at the time, they don't make themselves fragrant, they don't wash all the bits." "I don't think he'd be delighted you said that on the telly," host Holly Willoughby responded. It comes after the news that Margolyes will be joining the cast of Doctor Who for its 60th anniversary which will air this November. Speaking about Doctor Who, Margolyes said: "I’m relieved I got to work on Doctor Who before I died. With sci-fi you never know. Thank you for making an old woman very happy." To mark the milestone, three episodes will feature David Tennant, before Ncuti Gatwa debuts as the fifteenth doctor in December. Tennant previously shed light on his decision on rejoining the popular show, telling EW: "The real answer is that I still love it,” he explained to EW. “You do spend your years away from Doctor Who, always watching it. Always thinking of ideas. Thinking about how I would expand it, thinking of stories... It never goes away "I have been inventing stories in my head ever since I was about six. So when I left the show, that doesn’t stop." Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Sophie Turner has been inundated with Instagram followers following the announcement of her divorce from Joe Jonas after four years of marriage. Earlier this month, news broke that Jonas filed for divorce in Florida's Miami-Dad County Court citing their marriage being "irretrievably broken," according to papers obtained by the Associated Press. Now, research from Amazon Slots has revealed that the Game of Thrones star has gained a staggering 156,266 followers since 3rd September. Meanwhile, Jonas experienced significantly less with 54,243 new Instagram followers, with the couple later posting a joint statement on their mutual decision. "After four years of wonderful marriage we have mutually decided to amicably end our marriage," the pair wrote. "There are many speculative narratives as to why but, truly this is a united decision and we sincerely hope that everyone can respect our wishes for privacy for us and our children." Fans have since rushed to support Turner after some claims online suggest there's a "smear campaign" against the actress by framing her as a bad, inattentive mother and wife. One fan wrote, "I love Joe Jonas as much as the next girlie [...] this is just a bad attempt at framing Sophie to be some careless mother and that's not it for me!!" Speaking about the social media findings, a spokesperson for Amazon Slots said: "News of celebrity divorces is always disheartening, and the separation of Jonas and Turner, two beloved pop culture fixtures, is no less so. "In such situations, the public often tends to take sides, but it is fascinating to note that public opinion remains relatively split between these two adored stars, as evident from the fluctuations in their followers." Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Kanye 'Ye' West has gone viral across social media timelines in recent weeks following his random outings, outfits and outbursts. West and his rumoured wife Bianca Censori, have travelled across Italy during summer – and certainly weren't short of controversy. Throughout the trip, the rapper who legally changed his name to Ye in 2021, donned an all-black attire complete with a hood wrapped around his head. He also ditched shoes and was often spotted simply wearing socks. From boat bans to crashing random weddings, here are West's most random public sightings: Venice boat ban A handful of moments from the well-documented trip caused backlash online – especially from locals who shunned some outfits as "offensive". One in particular stood out for all of the wrong reasons. The rapper was spotted on a water taxi with his bare bottom exposed to onlookers. Censori seemingly rested her head on his lap. Boat company, Venezia Turismo Motoscafi, has since revealed the couple will "no longer be welcome" on any of their boats. In a statement, the company said staff were "completely unaware" West had dropped his pants, as they were focusing on water traffic. "The driver had to keep a lookout for traffic and did not see these obscenities," they said. "If this had happened, he would have immediately disembarked and reported the transgressors to those in authority." They also went on to call out a "third person on board the taxi" who "obstructed the captain’s view" towards the back of the boat. A source for the Venice Police told the Daily Mail : "There are standards of public decorum that have to be followed by tourists and locals alike and any breaches are severely punished. The images of West with his trousers down while in a taxi as he and his partner crossed the lagoon were seen all over the globe." Trip to local Odeon cinema in Ireland Back in 2014, West and his then-wife Kim Kardashian shocked locals when they were spotted leaving an Odeon cinema in Portlaoise, Co Laois. The pair had just tied the knot in a lavish Italian wedding before heading over to Ireland where they watched X-Men: Days of Future Past. Pillowgate Another moment that turned heads on West's Italian getaway was Censori's purple pillow, which doubled up as an accessory. The shots shared online show Censori in a sheer, nude bra and leggings with a purple pillow covering her chest. West sported an all-black outfit with no shoes. The photos shared to X/Twitter were soon met with confusion from fellow users, with one writing: "How completely ridiculous these people are. Put on some clothes and then you won’t have to take a hotel room cushion out sightseeing with you - and you even get your arms free! Novel concept." Wedding crasher In a bizarre turn of events, the rapper reportedly crashed a random wedding. Viral footage shows the man believed to be the rapper at a church in Italy as he posed for photos with the newlyweds. The groom is heard telling 'West' that he lives in Atlanta. It is unclear when the video was taken, though West and Censori have spent several weeks travelling the country. @rap What would y’all do if #KanyeWest randomly pulled up to your wedding⁉️💀 Via: @Dean #RapTV #Kanye #yeezy #ye #yeezus #kanyewestlover911 Marilyn Manson hosting West's Sunday Service One of West's famed Sunday Services baffled fans after he invited Marilyn Manson to join his Sunday Service on Halloween – despite his affiliation with Satanism and once being made a minister in the Church of Satan. Images from the 2021 event show attendants dressed in head-to-toe white, some of whom wearing masks. The heavy metal artist bowed his head during the prayer and was seen touching foreheads with West. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Famous actors and writers have come together to raise funds for the Union Solidarity Coalition's new eBay auction to held crew members who have lost their healthcare due to SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes. Actos and writers such as Adam Scott, Sarah Silverman, Bob Odenkirk, Lena Dunham, Liz Feldman, Natasha Lyonne and John Lithgow, are offering unique experiences to the highest bidder in order to raise money for the Coalition. Some of the offers up for grabs include: Adam Scott walking your (LA-based) dog, dinner with Bob Odenkirk and David Cross, a mural in your home painted by Lena Dunham, a watercolour portrait of your dog by John Lithgow, and Natasha Lyone will help you solve The New York Times Crossword. Currently, the highest bid is a watercolour dog portrait by John Lithgow, which has 28 bids with the highest being $3,550. Other high bids include The Bear apron signed by the cast of the series for $1,525, Natasha Lyonne's crossword help for $2,132, and a Zoom with the cast of New Girl for $3,050. Over on social media, many couldn't believe what celebrities were offering and wished they had the funds to donate. Film and TV journalist Hannah Strong tweeted "never been sadder to be a poor person": Others shared what they would bid on if they had the money: Others praised those taking part to raise money for the crew that need it: The movie and television industry has been at a standstills since May when the WGA went on strike after the union failed to agree on a new contract with streamers and studios. In July, the SAG-AFTRA union joined writers on the picket line after it failed to negotiate a contract with streamers and studios. The Union Solidarity Coalition was founded by Hollywood writers/directors to help crew members who have lost their healthcare as a result of the strikes. Proceeds from the auction will benefit these crew members. The auctions will close on September 22. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Presidential bet Terry Gou, the Foxconn founder, has selected Tammy Lai as his running mate.