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Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Edinburgh's rental market has become pretty unhinged in recent years, with prices soaring to an unbelievable extent. According to Home.co.uk , the average monthly rent in Edinburgh is currently around £1,481, with one-bedroom properties averaging £1,035 and three-bedroom properties averaging £1,896. Given the staggering cost of keeping a roof over your head in the capital, it's unsurprising that people have become more willing to overlook strange property quirks as they hunt for something relatively affordable . The latest unusual flat layout to raise eyebrows on social media is a two-bedroom property in Glen Street, near Fountainbridge, which is being marketed for £1050 per month. On the surface, it looks pretty standard (albeit less than luxurious), with potentially draughty sash windows, high ceilings and beige carpets that look like they've seen better days, and which possibly weren't beige originally. But it's the bathroom that really stands out. It appears to be situated in a very (very) narrow converted hallway, and to get into it you have to actually walk through the shower. No, we're not kidding. A Reddit user shared a photo of the weird setup on the Edinburgh subreddit, with the caption: "For £1050pm you too can walk through your shower to get to the bathroom!" The post sparked a lot of amusement online, with people leaping into the comment section to share how they felt about the concept of showering in a doorway. One of the top replies was: "Believe it or not, nuclear shelters are built exactly like this. Come through the blast door, down the long damp corridor, then if you get through the second blast door, you must shower before you're allowed any further into the facility." While someone else, a bit less intellectually, said: "Good for decontaminating after a particularly egregious s***e." Another person quipped: "Better than walking through your toilet to shower, I suppose." Interestingly, someone who claimed to have genuine insider knowledge also popped up, saying: " I lived here and it was actually not as bad as you'd think. I added clips to the wall so the shower curtain made it like a proper little shower, I also added a wooden duck board in after I showered to use as a dry step." The price sparked a lot of conversation too, with some people said that they'd happily put up with the world's narrowest bathroom if it meant 'only' paying £1050 for a two bedroom flat that close to the city centre. One person wrote, quite dejectedly: "Literally the worst part about all of this is that it’s quite a good deal at the end of the day." The flat's still available for rent at the time of writing - you can check out the listing and the rest of the photographs here . Join the Daily Record's WhatsApp community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.
Columbus Blue Jackets (10-9-3, in the Metropolitan Division) vs. Chicago Blackhawks (8-13-2, in the Central Division) Chicago; Sunday, 3 p.m. EST BOTTOM LINE: The Chicago Blackhawks host the Columbus Blue Jackets after Ryan Donato's two-goal game against the Minnesota Wild in the Blackhawks' 3-2 loss. Chicago has an 8-13-2 record overall and a 4-5-0 record on its home ice. The Blackhawks have a -11 scoring differential, with 57 total goals scored and 68 conceded. Columbus has gone 2-6-2 on the road and 10-9-3 overall. The Blue Jackets have a 1-2-3 record in games decided by a goal. Sunday's game is the first meeting between these teams this season. TOP PERFORMERS: Connor Bedard has scored four goals with 13 assists for the Blackhawks. Tyler Bertuzzi has one goal and five assists over the past 10 games. Kirill Marchenko has nine goals and 14 assists for the Blue Jackets. Zachary Werenski has scored five goals and added 10 assists over the last 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Blackhawks: 3-6-1, averaging 2.1 goals, 3.1 assists, 2.7 penalties and 5.4 penalty minutes while giving up 2.2 goals per game. Blue Jackets: 5-4-1, averaging 3.7 goals, 6.1 assists, 4.3 penalties and 10.7 penalty minutes while giving up 3.5 goals per game. INJURIES: Blackhawks: None listed. Blue Jackets: None listed. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar . The Associated PressRevived talk of tensions between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland prompted new questions Tuesday, about how big the federal deficit will be in next week's economic update. "She wants a large deficit of $40 billion. He on the other hand, wants an even larger deficit on steroids, bigger than $40 billion. We know that Canadians are going to lose from all this inflation, but which one of those two is going to win?" asked Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre during question period. Poilievre's prodding came amid a new report from The Globe and Mail, citing unnamed sources that suggested the two are at odds over the economics of measures such as the two-month GST/HST pause and the in-limbo $250 workers' benefit cheques. The holiday affordability package, if fully enacted, is slated to cost an estimated $6.3 billion. One senior government source CTV News spoke to Tuesday said that there is tension and some frustration, but not to a degree that makes the working relationship untenable. Another senior Liberal disagreed with the characterization of the two being "at odds" and said that in their view, Trudeau and Freeland's offices have a healthy working relationship and that tough conversations are a natural part of building a policy document such as a fall economic statement. After being accused in question period by Poilievre of losing control of his cabinet, Trudeau responded by saying that Canadians lose when Poilievre's party votes against support measures such as dental care and the school food program. "Every single time the Leader of the Opposition gets up in this House, he stands against supports for Canadians, against growing the economy, against supporting a better future for all Canadians, because he's only in it for himself," Trudeau said. "It's not clear that the finance minister is actually in it with him," Poilievre shot back. Leader of the Conservative Party Pierre Poilievre rises during Question Period, Tuesday, Dec 10, 2024 in Ottawa. (Adrian Wyld / The Canadian Press) This is not the first time there's been rumblings about friction between the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and Freeland's Office. This summer, senior officials in the PMO were reportedly concerned about Freeland's economic communications chops. At the time, Trudeau asserted he still had "full confidence" in Freeland, but noted he'd been in talks with Mark Carney about entering federal politics. A few months later, the Liberal Party announced that the former Bank of Canada governor was joining as a special adviser to serve the chair of a leader’s task force on economic growth. On Tuesday, Freeland sought to downplay the suggestions that her and Trudeau are butting heads over spending. She said, in French, that her job is a "great privilege” and she was not focused on "political chicanery," when asked about the reporting, and whether it affected the content or timing of the fall economic update. The renewed look at the federal books is slated to be tabled Monday , just a day before MPs are scheduled to break for the year. Asked about the tension and whether Canadians should be concerned, Government House Leader Karina Gould said her focus was on passing the supplementary estimates and ensuring the Liberals "deliver effectively for Canadians over the holidays and into the new year." Freeland won't commit to meeting deficit target Earlier in the day, Freeland faced questions from reporters about whether she would meet one of her key fiscal guardrails as set out in the spring budget – maintaining the 2023-24 deficit at or below $40.1 billion – in next week's economic update. "I am not going to comment on anonymous rumours out in the town right now," Freeland said. "The debt to GDP ratio is our fiscal anchor." In repeated follow-ups, Freeland said the fiscal anchor that will be maintained in the fall economic statement will be reducing the federal debt as the share of the economy. "I chose my words with care, because it is important to be clear with Canadians. It is important to be clear with capital markets," Freeland said. "If your debt is declining as a share of the economy, by definition your fiscal position is sustainable and that is really important." Signalling the Liberals may be blowing through her deficit target in exchange for offering up additional affordability measures, and potentially putting up big spending for new border measures, has sparked some concern among economic observers. Robert Asselin, a senior vice-president at the Business Council of Canada and a former budget director to former finance minister Bill Morneau, called it a sign the current government is "making it up as they go." "This is the third time in four years that the finance minister will miss her own fiscal target," Asselin said. "They keep changing their own fiscal target. It sends a terrible message to Canadians, to investors, and to debt markets who are looking for stability in a time of instability, frankly." He said that not keeping within targets at a time where the economy could be weakening, and U.S. president-elect Donald Trump is threatening major tariffs suggests "the rainy days are here, and we're not prepared for it." As for whether Trudeau's latest affordability package could be seen as the kind of spending that could justify a bigger deficit, Asselin said the measures aren't the kind to have "structural effects on the economy." "It's like sugar pops. You know it's good when you have it. It feels good, but then an hour after, you're still hungry. It's the same with our economy. We need more productivity, more innovation, and this spending will do nothing to achieve that." With files from CTV News' Vassy Kapelos and Spencer Van Dyk
The Swans stunned Pride Park into silence with less than two minutes on the clock when Zan Vipotnik sent a bullet past Jacob Widell Zetterstrom before Ronald slotted home his first of the season in the 14th minute. Cyrus Christie brought Tom Barkhuizen down inside the box and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing dispatched the resulting penalty to cut the deficit in half and, despite piling on the pressure, Derby succumbed to a second home defeat of the season. Williams told a press conference: “We started the game very well, we were good up until we scored the second goal then we lost the grip on the game and I thought Derby were the better team. “The next thing for us we have to be able to maintain that level throughout the game and we weren’t able to do that to be quite honest today. “They made it difficult, reacted very well after the second goal and didn’t go under, far from it.” Swansea leapfrogged their opponents into the top half of the table with their sixth win of the season and took three points back to south Wales following two last-minute defeats by Burnley and Leeds heading into the match. Williams added: “We’ve recently conceded late goals but they’re a very resilient group and we saw it out in the end. “We’ve dominated games a lot but probably failed to score when we’ve been that dominant and tonight we managed to score the goals when we were dominant. “We scored the goals at the right time today.” Derby had been unbeaten in their last three matches coming into this one but Paul Warne put defeat down to a poor start. He said: “We conceded two and didn’t get close enough, weren’t aggressive enough, not enough body contact and looked soft, that’s my fault. “Maybe I didn’t message it properly. Sometimes it doesn’t come down to shape and tactics but I thought that was what the difference was. “Credit Swansea for the win but after the 25 mins it looked like we would score. I really enjoyed it, that’s the truth. I had 70 minutes of a team giving everything, I don’t think we’ve had that many attempts in the Championship this season. “It’s a rude awakening, last year we would’ve won that 4-2.”Inside the wild YOLO nights at the drug-fuelled bars of the exotic 'new Bali' - where every traveller's worst nightmare is now unfolding as six people die after drinking 'contaminated' alcohol.. and the death toll is expected to soar Two Aussie mates died after drinking 'contaminated alcohol' Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones were travelling together Region is a known party hotspot and a 'step back in time' READ: Two Aussie teens who drank poisoned cocktails in Laos are identified By WAYNE FLOWER, MELBOURNE CORRESPONDENT Published: 21:54, 24 November 2024 | Updated: 22:02, 24 November 2024 e-mail View comments Young travellers visiting the Vientiane Province of Laos do so with danger at the front of their minds. Now those risks have proved deadly. It's the new must-go destination for those in the know - but also where two Melbourne teens died after being poisoned by methanol-laced drinks. Two other young Danes, a UK lawyer and a US man have also been killed in the tragic mass poisoning, with another eight still believed to be in hospital. While the town of Vang Vieng has been a go-to spot for adventurers keen on tubing and kayaking on the Nam Song River, it has also become the place to be for those who like to party. Until 2012, the river itself was lined with bars selling Beer Lao and Lao-Lao, and equipped with rope swings, zip lines, and large decks for socialising. Other activities in the region include trekking and rock climbing in the limestone mountains. There are also numerous caves, such as Tham Phu Kham or the Tham Non and Tham Jang. But in recent years, it has become a haven for young backpackers keen on getting high on life - and often Class A drugs - as quickly and as cheaply as possible. Veteran travellers ominously warn others to steer clear of the local alcohol, and stick to imported booze: 'Either you want to live - or you don't mind dying early.' International travellers party hard at one of Vang Vieng's more popular bars Bianca Jones, 19, from Melbourne, (left) was the fourth person to die following the horrific incident. Her schoolfriend Holly Bowles, also 19, (right) remains on life support Vang Vieng is beloved by kayakers who paddle down the Nam Song River While Bali has long been the destination of choice for young Aussies, a recent spate of highly public incidents involving wayward partying there helped Laos cement its position as a party capital. The main street of Vang Vieng is lined with guest houses, bars, restaurants, internet cafes and tour agencies. Melbourne teenagers Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones, both aged 19, had been enjoying the trip of their young lives there when tragedy struck them down. Ms Jones died surrounded by loved ones on Thursday. Her best friend remains in critical condition on life support. The pair had been staying at Nana Backpackers Hostel in Vang Vieng where they drank mixed spirits at the bar the night before. WhatsApp messages have since revealed that the pair then left the hostel and travelled 950m to the beachfront Jaidee Bar. The infamous party bar, which offers free spirits, also has a hard copy 'drug menu', offering patrons opium, ecstasy and ketamine. Situated within the 'Golden Triangle', the area is very hard for the Laotian government to police due to its remoteness, terrain, and a lack of international cooperation. Corruption in Laos and neighbouring countries also serves to make enforcement of anti-drug production and trafficking laws difficult. Though Laos hasn't executed anyone since 1989, it still retains the death penalty in its laws and has about 315 people on death row. The high supply of drugs in the region sees methamphetamine pills sold for less than 25 cents, which is cheaper than food, water, or beer. Foreign tourists float on tubes in a river in Vang Vieng Holly Bowles (left) and best mate Bianca Jones (right) were on the trip of a lifetime when they consumed something that left them critically ill. Ms Jones sadly died on Thursday UK lawyer Simone White, 28, also died in the mass poisoning. She specialised in technology and intellectual property at the London office of an American law firm Danish victims Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, 20, (left) and Freja Vennervald Sorensen, 21, (right) Its lawless nature provides certain appeal to young Aussies raised on endless rules and regulations. Locals described Jaidee Bar as a 'dangerous' place with links to organised crime and the Asian mafia. The hard copy menu reportedly offered there offers tourists hardcore drugs for the equivalent of about $28 a gram. Daily Mail Australia does not suggest that either Ms Bowles or Ms Jones were involved in any drug taking activity of any kind. Testing revealed their ill health was caused by methanol poisoning. While Laos once appealed to travellers for its peace and quiet, much has changed over the past decade with an influx of young party goers from across the globe. But all that could be about to change with the tragic deaths of six people, including two Danish women Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, 20, and Freja Vennervald Sorensen, 21, American man James Louis Hutson, 57, and British woman Simone White, 28. Nana Backpackers Hostel where two Australian girls stayed before becoming critically ill Jaidee Bar has come under scrutiny after several tourists died after partying there Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said drink spiking and methanol poisoning were far too common in many parts of the world and implored parents and young travellers to discuss the risks. 'Please inform yourselves, please let's work together to ensure this tragedy doesn't happen again,' she said. On Thursday evening, Pearl Jam singer Eddie Vedder paid tribute to the teenagers at his show in Sydney, describing the situation as 'senseless'. 'The one young woman, Bianca Jones, she's passed. Her friend Holly Bowles is hanging in and wish her the best and we're thinking about her parents,' he said. Methanol is an odourless, colourless liquid used in products such as paint stripper, insecticide and dyes. The Australians were found unresponsive by staff at the Nana Backpacker Hostel where they were staying with a group of mates. Australian Embassy officials arrived at the hostel on Monday, with management quick to deflect any of the blame from its premises. The hostel’s manager reportedly claimed police came to inspect their bar after the incident but found the alcohol it served was 'very normal'. An investigation into where those impacted by the poisoning partied that night remains in full swing. Initial reports suggested 'vodka' served up at a local establishment may have been the cause. But many claim it is usually the local jungle hooch 'moonshine' that is consumed with caution. The local rice alcohol is described as 'rocket fuel' which is notorious for getting people drunk quickly and on the cheap. Anyone who has spent time in the region says going there on a bargain basement budget is a recipe for disaster. 'Doesn't matter what the price is. You purchase imported or you don't engage at all,' one person warned on a social media page focused on backpacking in the region. 'Either you want to live - or you don't mind dying early.' Many bars in the area jostling for punters offer free drinks in an effort to get tourists inside. The free drinks often flow for hours at a time, with many suspicious about how it can afford to be done. The Jaidee Bar in Van Vieng has been a must visit location for backpackers since 2002 Drugs are freely available on the streets of Vang Vieng Some bars are known to serve up buckets of cheap booze to those game enough to chug it down. Unscrupulous bar owners are believed to sell their own concoctions disguised in Jagermeister or Absolut Vodka bottles. 'It's insane. I've been here running bars clubs and parties since 2011 and this nonsense of giving out free drinks has been an ongoing battle,' one bar owner wrote. 'Then when something like this happens, it ruins everyone's reputation but we all know the root cause of the problem.' Another bar owner committed to contacting every alcohol supplier in the region in hope of weeding out whatever, or whoever, sparked the incident. Some familiar with the region doubt local police will ever get to the bottom of the cause. 'The police work hand-in-hand with the bars in Vang Vieng that serve a wide range of dangerous drugs,' one claimed. 'Methanol is in all the drugs too. 'It’s a big problem in Laos, [but] authorities have been known to arrest people when they’re leaving because of "defamation" to these businesses.' A woman who claimed to have stayed at the hostel where the two Australians were found warned the entire region was swimming in dodgy booze. 'I can confirm it’s the entire city, not just that hostel,' she said. 'I drank the free drinks (they don’t give shots). 'T he people went to another bar after leaving the hostel which if you know anything about that place ... It’s more than drinking.' Thailand Crime Melbourne Share or comment on this article: Inside the wild YOLO nights at the drug-fuelled bars of the exotic 'new Bali' - where every traveller's worst nightmare is now unfolding as six people die after drinking 'contaminated' alcohol.. and the death toll is expected to soar e-mail Add comment
AP News Summary at 11:27 a.m. ESTThe Swans stunned Pride Park into silence with less than two minutes on the clock when Zan Vipotnik sent a bullet past Jacob Widell Zetterstrom before Ronald slotted home his first of the season in the 14th minute. Cyrus Christie brought Tom Barkhuizen down inside the box and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing dispatched the resulting penalty to cut the deficit in half and, despite piling on the pressure, Derby succumbed to a second home defeat of the season. Williams told a press conference: “We started the game very well, we were good up until we scored the second goal then we lost the grip on the game and I thought Derby were the better team. “The next thing for us we have to be able to maintain that level throughout the game and we weren’t able to do that to be quite honest today. “They made it difficult, reacted very well after the second goal and didn’t go under, far from it.” Swansea leapfrogged their opponents into the top half of the table with their sixth win of the season and took three points back to south Wales following two last-minute defeats by Burnley and Leeds heading into the match. Williams added: “We’ve recently conceded late goals but they’re a very resilient group and we saw it out in the end. “We’ve dominated games a lot but probably failed to score when we’ve been that dominant and tonight we managed to score the goals when we were dominant. “We scored the goals at the right time today.” Derby had been unbeaten in their last three matches coming into this one but Paul Warne put defeat down to a poor start. He said: “We conceded two and didn’t get close enough, weren’t aggressive enough, not enough body contact and looked soft, that’s my fault. “Maybe I didn’t message it properly. Sometimes it doesn’t come down to shape and tactics but I thought that was what the difference was. “Credit Swansea for the win but after the 25 mins it looked like we would score. I really enjoyed it, that’s the truth. I had 70 minutes of a team giving everything, I don’t think we’ve had that many attempts in the Championship this season. “It’s a rude awakening, last year we would’ve won that 4-2.”
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Edinburgh's rental market has become pretty unhinged in recent years, with prices soaring to an unbelievable extent. According to Home.co.uk , the average monthly rent in Edinburgh is currently around £1,481, with one-bedroom properties averaging £1,035 and three-bedroom properties averaging £1,896. Given the staggering cost of keeping a roof over your head in the capital, it's unsurprising that people have become more willing to overlook strange property quirks as they hunt for something relatively affordable . The latest unusual flat layout to raise eyebrows on social media is a two-bedroom property in Glen Street, near Fountainbridge, which is being marketed for £1050 per month. On the surface, it looks pretty standard (albeit less than luxurious), with potentially draughty sash windows, high ceilings and beige carpets that look like they've seen better days, and which possibly weren't beige originally. But it's the bathroom that really stands out. It appears to be situated in a very (very) narrow converted hallway, and to get into it you have to actually walk through the shower. No, we're not kidding. A Reddit user shared a photo of the weird setup on the Edinburgh subreddit, with the caption: "For £1050pm you too can walk through your shower to get to the bathroom!" The post sparked a lot of amusement online, with people leaping into the comment section to share how they felt about the concept of showering in a doorway. One of the top replies was: "Believe it or not, nuclear shelters are built exactly like this. Come through the blast door, down the long damp corridor, then if you get through the second blast door, you must shower before you're allowed any further into the facility." While someone else, a bit less intellectually, said: "Good for decontaminating after a particularly egregious s***e." Another person quipped: "Better than walking through your toilet to shower, I suppose." Interestingly, someone who claimed to have genuine insider knowledge also popped up, saying: " I lived here and it was actually not as bad as you'd think. I added clips to the wall so the shower curtain made it like a proper little shower, I also added a wooden duck board in after I showered to use as a dry step." The price sparked a lot of conversation too, with some people said that they'd happily put up with the world's narrowest bathroom if it meant 'only' paying £1050 for a two bedroom flat that close to the city centre. One person wrote, quite dejectedly: "Literally the worst part about all of this is that it’s quite a good deal at the end of the day." The flat's still available for rent at the time of writing - you can check out the listing and the rest of the photographs here . Join the Daily Record's WhatsApp community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.
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PEMBROKE – Michael Robinson was exposed to the world of entrepreneurship from a young age. Robinson’s parents own a Crown Trophy franchise, and his brother operates a wine and beer lounge in Winston-Salem. He knew he wanted to own his own business. Still, it wasn’t until he became a student at The University of North Carolina at Pembroke that he discovered his self-assurance. “(UNCP) is where my confidence was born as an entrepreneur,” said Robinson ’12, who opened Bingo-Bango Fresh Fruit Soda Company in 2017. “The interactions, the relationships I built––it all began here at UNCP.” Robinson vividly recalls a conversation with his business law professor, Dr. Joseph Lakatos, which awakened his entrepreneurial spirit. “He told me about my potential, my analytical skills and how creative I could be as an entrepreneur. That’s what ignited the spark for me,” he said. Robinson returned to his alma mater to share his inspiring story with future entrepreneurs and business students as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week, sponsored by the Thomas College of Business and Economics. Robinson later joined a group of entrepreneurs for a panel discussion. Other featured events included a youth entrepreneurship summit, a women entrepreneurs’ networking session and an induction ceremony for the newly-charter Sigma Nu Tau Entrepreneurship Honor Society. Dr. Caroline Glackin, the Thomas Family Distinguished Professor of Entrepreneurship, said the weeklong activities provide students with opportunities to engage with successful entrepreneurs through networking and workshops. “Events like the Pop-up Shop and Brave Hawk Pitch Competition give students opportunities to build and grow their student businesses and to receive feedback and advice to move forward,” Glackin said. “The new Sigma Nu Tau Entrepreneurship Honor Society highlights strong students and helps them to uplift principled entrepreneurship, and the Youth Entrepreneurship Summit brought entrepreneurs to campus to get a taste of the UNCP student experience and to support their growth and development.” Nelysa Rosario, a junior business student and budding entrepreneur, hopes to follow in Robinson’s shoes and achieve the same level of success with her digital platform, Genesis 7. Her seed-stage company connects customers to local lawncare providers. Rosario’s spirited elevator pitch impressed the judges, earning her a $1,500 prize at the annual BraveHawk Pitch Competition. “It feels beyond amazing!” Rosario said. “I am very grateful to have been given this opportunity and to immerse myself around like-minded individuals with great ideas.” Kennedy Hamlin finished second and took home $1,000. Santiago Pimienta placed third, which came with a $500 cash prize. While Hamlin, a former preschool teacher, was competing in her first pitch event, Rosario is a seasoned vet. She competed in a recent event on campus and then placed in the Top 24 at the CEO Global Pitch competition in Tampa, Fla., in October. The experience has boosted her confidence, resulting in powerful deliveries for the Raleigh native. “The most vital business skills are communication skills,” she said. “These competitions not only help my public speaking skills, but they help me communicate my ideas in a way that people understand, allowing them to see the vision.” About UNC Pembroke Established in 1887 as a normal school to train American Indian teachers, UNC Pembroke today has an enrollment of 7,676 in 41 undergraduate and 18 graduate programs. UNCP is a constituent institution of The University of North Carolina System. For more information, contact Mark Locklear, Public Communications Specialist with University Communications and Marketing, via email (mark.locklear@uncp.edu) or by phone (910.521.6351). Connect with UNC Pembroke on social media or online at uncp.edu to learn how the university is changing lives through education. Mark Locklear is a public Communications Specialist with University Communications & Marketing. Reach him by email at mark.locklear@uncp.edu.THE creators of The Apprentice will make a celebrity version of the show next year as it celebrates its 20th birthday. It's the first time the spin off from the BBC one business contest, hosted by Lord Sugar, has been staged in 16 years. Producers will be hoping to sign up from big names who've appeared on the celeb version before including Cheryl Tweedy and Piers Morgan. A TV insider said: "Execs want to get a-list stars involved for this very special version of The Apprentice, and signing up Piers in particular would be TV gold as there's a long-running stand off between him and Lord Sugar. "Few celebrities have been approached yet as the show is still at the early stages and they want to take their time carefully selecting the right mix for the programme." The new version is likely to go out towards the end of 2025, and will air just before the release of the 20th series. The show had to miss a season in 2021 due to the Covid pandemic . The first episode of the UK's Apprentice, which was hosted by the then Sir Alan Sugar, was on February 15, 2005, and it was almost an instant hit with viewers. Then came the celeb spin offs in 2007, first for Comic Relief, featuring Piers, Cheryl, Maureen Lipman and Karren Brady, who went on to star in the "civilian" version of the show alongside Lord Sugar. The second was in 2008 for Sport Relief with a line up that included Alan Carr, Jonathan Ross, Michelle Mone and Patsy Palmer . A spokeswoman for the creators declined to comment.
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Calgary Flames (12-8-4, in the Pacific Division) vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (9-12-4, in the Metropolitan Division) Pittsburgh; Saturday, 7 p.m. EST BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Penguins -122, Flames +101; over/under is 6 BOTTOM LINE: The Calgary Flames enter the matchup against the Pittsburgh Penguins after losing three in a row. Pittsburgh is 9-12-4 overall and 5-6-2 at home. The Penguins have conceded 96 goals while scoring 65 for a -31 scoring differential. Calgary is 12-8-4 overall and 3-5-4 in road games. The Flames have a 4-7-1 record in games they serve more penalty minutes than their opponents. The matchup Saturday is the second time these teams meet this season. The Flames won 4-3 in a shootout in the previous meeting. TOP PERFORMERS: Sidney Crosby has eight goals and 16 assists for the Penguins. Bryan Rust has four goals and three assists over the last 10 games. Rasmus Andersson has five goals and nine assists for the Flames. Mikael Backlund has scored three goals and added one assist over the last 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Penguins: 4-4-2, averaging 2.3 goals, four assists, 3.4 penalties and 7.1 penalty minutes while giving up 3.7 goals per game. Flames: 5-3-2, averaging 2.1 goals, 3.4 assists, 3.9 penalties and 9.5 penalty minutes while giving up 2.2 goals per game. INJURIES: Penguins: None listed. Flames: None listed. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar . The Associated PressRavens running back Derrick Henry responded to Chargers linebacker Khalil Mack's comment that it's "not hard" to play Henry.
The Reform UK leader pushed back against reports suggesting that legal action would be the next step, saying he would make a decision in the next couple of days about his response if there is no apology for the “crazy conspiracy theory”. Mr Farage also said the party has “opened up our systems” to media outlets, including The Daily Telegraph and The Financial Times, in the interests of “full transparency to verify that our numbers are correct”. His remarks came after Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch accused Mr Farage of “fakery” in response to Reform claiming they had surpassed the Tories in signed-up members. Mrs Badenoch said Reform’s counter was “coded to tick up automatically”. A digital counter on the Reform website showed a membership tally before lunchtime on Boxing Day ticking past the 131,680 figure declared by the Conservative Party during its leadership election earlier this year. Mr Farage, on whether he was threatening legal action or not, told the PA news agency: “I haven’t threatened anything. I’ve just said that unless I get an apology, I will take some action. “I haven’t said whether it’s legal or anything.” He added: “All I’ve said is I want an apology. If I don’t get an apology, I will take action. “I will decide in the next couple of days what that is. So I’ve not specified what it is.” Mr Farage, on the move to make membership data available to media organisations, said: “We feel our arguments are fully validated. “She (Mrs Badenoch) has put out this crazy conspiracy theory and she needs to apologise.” On why Mrs Badenoch had reacted as she did, Mr Farage said: “I would imagine she was at home without anybody advising her and was just angry.” Mr Farage, in a statement issued on social media site X, also said: “The accusations of fraud and dishonesty made against me yesterday were disgraceful. “Today we opened up our systems to The Telegraph, Spectator, Sky News and FT in the interests of full transparency to verify that our data is correct. “I am now demanding Kemi Badenoch apologises.” A Conservative Party source claimed Mr Farage was “rattled” that his Boxing Day “publicity stunt is facing serious questions”. They added: “Like most normal people around the UK, Kemi is enjoying Christmas with her family and looking forward to taking on the challenges of renewing the Conservative Party in the New Year.” Mrs Badenoch, in a series of messages posted on X on Thursday, said: “Farage doesn’t understand the digital age. This kind of fakery gets found out pretty quickly, although not before many are fooled.” There were 131,680 Conservative members eligible to vote during the party’s leadership election to replace Rishi Sunak in the autumn. Mrs Badenoch claimed in her thread that “the Conservative Party has gained thousands of new members since the leadership election”. Elsewhere, Mr Farage described Elon Musk as a “bloody hero” and said he believes the US billionaire can help attract younger voters to Reform. Tech entrepreneur Mr Musk met Mr Farage earlier this month at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, amid rumours of a possible donation to either Mr Farage or Reform. Mr Farage told The Daily Telegraph newspaper: “The shades, the bomber jacket, the whole vibe. Elon makes us cool – Elon is a huge help to us with the young generation, and that will be the case going on and, frankly, that’s only just starting. “Reform only wins the next election if it gets the youth vote. The youth vote is the key. Of course, you need voters of all ages, but if you get a wave of youth enthusiasm you can change everything. “And I think we’re beginning to get into that zone – we were anyway, but Elon makes the whole task much, much easier. And the idea that politics can be cool, politics can be fun, politics can be real – Elon helps us with that mission enormously.”For the second straight Major League Baseball offseason, a norm-shattering contract has been the talk of the winter, with Juan Soto agreeing with the New York Mets on a $765 million, 15-year deal that's the richest in baseball history. It comes almost exactly one year after the Los Angeles Dodgers forked out a princely sum of $700 million on a 10-year, heavily deferred deal for two-way Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani. They are believed to be the two richest contracts in pro sports history. The way it's going, a contract approaching $1 billion doesn't seem out of the question. But several factors are working against it — at least in the near future. There's reason to believe the megadeals for Ohtani and Soto are unicorns in the baseball world. Both players are uniquely talented, surely, but both also had unusual circumstances propelling their value into the stratosphere. Ohtani is the greatest two-way player in baseball history, capable of improving any team on both sides of the ball. He's also the rare baseball player who has true international appeal. His every move ( like his unexpected marriage announcement ) is followed closely in his native Japan, adding another 125 million potential fans who buy merchandise, watch him play and help fill the Dodgers' coffers. Then there's Soto — a four-time All-Star and on-base machine who won a World Series with the Washington Nationals in 2019. The X-factor for him is he became a free agent at the prime age of 26, which is extremely hard to do under current MLB rules. Players have to be in the big leagues for six years before testing free agency. The precocious Soto debuted at 19 with the Nats, making him part of a rare group of players who reached the highest level of professional baseball as a teenager. That accelerated his free agency timeline. It's rare for players to debut that young, and rarer still for them to develop into stars and test the open market the first chance they get. Two recent examples are Manny Machado and Bryce Harper, who both reached free agency in 2019. Machado signed a free-agent record $300 million contract with San Diego, and Harper overtook him days later with a $330 million contract to join the Phillies. Most players debut in the big leagues from ages 22 to 26, which means free agency comes in their late 20s or early 30s. A typical example is Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, who is one of this generation's great players but didn't hit the market until he was 30. Judge played three seasons of college baseball for Fresno State before getting drafted by the Yankees in 2013 at age 21 — already two years older than Soto was when he made his MLB debut. It took a few years for the budding superstar to reach the majors, and he was 25 when he had his breakout season in 2018, smashing 52 homers to earn AL Rookie of the Year honors. By the time he reached free agency after the 2022 season, he had already passed age 30. It's a major factor that led to him signing a $360 million, nine-year deal with the Yankees, which seems downright reasonable these days after the Ohtani and Soto deals. Two major trends are colliding that will make it harder for guys like Soto to hit free agency in their mid 20s. First, MLB teams have been more likely in recent years to take college players early in the draft, betting on more experienced talents. Just 10 high school players were drafted among the top 30 picks in the 2024 draft. Second, teams are more eager to lock up young, premium talent on long-term deals very early in their careers, well before they hit free agency. Sometimes before they even reach the majors. Since Soto, just two players have debuted in MLB before their 20th birthday — Elvis Luciano and Junior Caminero. Luciano hasn't been back to the majors since his 2019 cup of coffee. Caminero is now 21 and has only played in 50 big league games. Among those that debuted at 20: Fernando Tatis Jr. signed a $340 million, 14-year deal with San Diego in 2021, years before reaching the open market. Milwaukee's Jackson Chourio got an $82 million, eight-year deal before even reaching the big leagues. Young stars Corbin Carroll ($111 million, eight years with Arizona), Bobby Witt Jr. ($288 million, 11 years with Kansas City) and Julio Rodriguez ($209.3 million, 12 years with Seattle) also got massive guarantees early in their 20s to forgo an early free agency. The exception and wild card: Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will be a 26-year-old free agent next offseason. Guerrero hasn't been as consistent in his young career as Soto, but a standout 2025 season could position him to threaten Soto's deal. More likely is that the player to pass Soto isn't in the majors yet — and might not even be in pro baseball. When 25-year-old Alex Rodriguez signed his record $252 million, 10-year deal with Texas in 2001, it took over a decade for another player to match that total, when Albert Pujols got $240 million over 10 years from the Angels in 2012. For many players, passing up life-changing money in their early or mid 20s is too enticing, even if it means that they might not maximize their value on the free agent market later in their careers. Soto was determined to test the market. He famously turned down a $440 million, 15-year offer to stay with the Washington Nationals in 2022, betting that he could make even more as a free agent. Not many players would turn down that kind of cash. Then again, that's what makes Soto so unique. And it's also why his $765 million deal could be the industry standard for some time.
