World Leaks

Add a sweet twist to your usual barbecue fare with these easy Pomegranate Glazed Ribs.

A 51-year-old former church pastor suspected of sexually abusing two brothers between 2009 and 2015 while their family was living with the cleric at his Riverside home was taken into custody.

Six candidates are facing off to fill two open positions.

Investigators asked that question for weeks after January’s storm. The answer involved San Diego’s biggest crises.

Laverne Cox asked Jackson about his glow at the Emmys, saying, "A lot of people who start out very young, by the time they get to your age, they're … weathered."

FREDDY Brazier fought back the tears as he opened up about grief with his dad Jeff on Race Against The World.

The scene was played out during today’s instalment of Loose Women.

Getty - Contributor

Freddy and his brother Bobby lost their mum Jade Goody in 2009[/caption]

Jeff, 45, appeared on the ITV show this afternoon to chat about his time on the BBC programme.

Ruth Langsford explained: “The BBC have kindly given us a preview clip because this is the final on Wednesday, obviously we can’t talk about who won, but this is you talking about grief.”

Jeff and Freddy, 19, are enjoying a meal together when things become serious during their conversation.

Dad Jeff tells his son: “What you teach me is what I always need to be reminded and that is to be less serious.”

Freddy then talks to camera and says: “When me and Bobby lost our mum he had a big responsibility two very young boys who were grieving an that’s not very fun.”

It then pans back to their conversation and Freddie replies: “I feel like I haven’t given myself the time to grow up because I’ve been holding on to a lot of things that happened to me as a kid.

“I guess that’s why I’ve still got a playful side.”

Jeff says: “You have a wonderful nature, instantly forgiving, wonderfully care free.

“I often describe you as a better person than me.”

Freddy was only four years old when Jade Goody tragically died of cervical cancer in 2009.

Last month fans sobbed as Freddy opened up about his mum Jade’s tragic death.

One of the previous episodes saw the cast mark Mother’s Day.

He told the cameras: “I don’t really like showing my emotions.

“I don’t even speak to my dad much about my mum either. I just avoid it.

“I prefer to bottle it up. I don’t want to feel like I’m a burden to them.”

It’s not the first time that the teen has opened up on the show.

Freddy recently spoke out about growing up with ADHD.

He said: “I was that kid in class that wasn’t really the same.

“I struggled. My concentration wasn’t the best. At ten I got diagnosed with ADHD.

“I didn’t mean to misbehave. I didn’t really know how to cope with everything that was going on.

“I don’t think I was bad, but I wasn’t good.”

BBC

The father son duo are on Race Against The World[/caption]

jeffbrazier/instagram

Freddy and Bobby with their dad Jeff[/caption]

HUNDREDS more banking hubs are poised to replace lost bank branch services following years of widespread closures.

Since January 2015, banks and building societies have shuttered 6,128 branches, according to consumer group Which?. 

The ATM network LINK reports that an additional 215 branches will close between now and August 2025.

These closures show no sign of abating as banks increasingly shift their services online.

However, many people, particularly the elderly, still rely on in-person services, making it more challenging for this demographic to access essential banking facilities.

Banking hubs offer a solution by allowing staff from multiple banks to share the same space, filling the gaps that branch closures left.

Following a meeting with city minister Tulip Siddiq last week, Britain’s banks have agreed to establish 350 more hubs over the next five years. 

Under the deal reached between the Treasury and the banks, approximately 230 hubs will be opened by the end of 2025, with the remaining 120 to be rolled out by the end of the parliamentary term, around 2029.

Banking hubs feature a counter service operated by the Post Office as standard, enabling customers to conduct routine banking transactions conveniently.

Each hub also has a private area where customers can consult with staff representing their respective banks for more complex matters.

Cat Farrow, customer and strategy director at Cash Access UK, commented on the commitment to 350 additional banking hubs: “We’re delighted to see this commitment to bringing more Banking Hubs to communities across the UK.

“Access to cash and face-to-face banking services remain vital for millions of people in the UK, and these hubs play an important role in protecting these services.

“To date, we have opened 76 banking hubs across the UK and aim to open the hundredth by the end of this year.”

How are banking hub locations determined?

The location of banking hubs is determined by ATM network LINK and Cash Access UK, which review communities based on various criteria, including the number of shops, transport links, and levels of deprivation.

Cash Access UK is a not-for-profit organisation owned and funded by major banks.

There are 76 operational banking hubs, with another 73 in the pipeline.

The organisation has previously stated its aim to reach 100 banking hubs by the end of the year.

From the day a hub is recommended, it typically takes around 12 months to open.

In areas where finding a suitable property proves challenging, Cash Access UK can establish temporary hubs, providing the same services with the same team.

What are the alternatives to banking hubs?

There are still a number of ways in which affected customers can access basic banking services without having to venture to the next town.

You can use one of the Post Office’s 11,684 branches to perform basic banking tasks — but not open new bank accounts or take personal loans and mortgages.

You can find your nearest Post Office branch by visiting postoffice.co.uk/branch-finder.

Meanwhile, many banks offer a mobile banking service – where they bring a bus to your area offering services you can usually get at a physical branch.

Other banks use buildings such as village halls or libraries to offer mobile banking services.

It’s worth contacting your bank to see what services they have available, and when they might next be in your area.

In June, it was announced that new super ATMs would be launched in 17 UK locations where branch closures have left residents without access to essential banking services.

The ATMs will allow customers to withdraw funds, access their balance, change PIN numbers and deposit cash.

Bank of Scotland, Barclays, Halifax, Lloyds, NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland and Ulster Bank are already signed up to allow deposits, at the super ATMs, with more banks set to sign up soon.

A BODY hair activist admits she’s never felt sexier after finding the courage to stop shaving.

Artist Esther Calixte-Bea, 27, has a hairy chest and refuses to get rid of it because society says so.

Instagram/@artist_esie

She never wants to see anyone conform to beauty standards that make them miserable.[/caption]

Esther Calixte-Bea

She thinks her body hair is beautiful and should be admired.[/caption]

The social media personality, from Montreal, Canada, is better known as Queen Esie and her followers love her no-nonsense attitude towards beauty standards.

She told us: “Embracing my body hair made me feel sexier and more confident.

“For years I was removing my hair in various painful ways and hating myself and the fact that I was hairy.

“I had understood in society that women have to shave their body hair so didn’t understand why I was removing it and it kept coming back.

“The idea of being hairy made me feel I was ugly because that’s what society says, and once I embraced it was part of me I felt more beautiful.

My hairiness is part of my physical traits just like every aspect of my face, it’s not something I think should be changed.”

She added: “It’s also understanding removing body hair has nothing to do with hygiene.

“It’s just a marketing tool they use so we can feel insecure about something natural.

“Women can be happier if they stopped conforming to beauty standards because, as a girl,  from young age we are taught beauty is the ultimate goal.

“So many generations of women have been told what’s beautiful or not.

“It makes you more happy when you’re free from these very toxic expectations.

“Women have messaged me telling me they realised they have a choice and didn’t have to painfully remove their body hair and be stressed out every time they see a few hairs.

“Now they don’t feel this anxiety when their hair is growing out.

“It brings a sense of peace and happiness.”

A rash of violence in Inwood, Manhattan left a man shot and another injured from a separate stabbing attack.

Home Depot will pay nearly $2 million to settle a civil enforcement claim from California district attorneys that the home improvement company was engaging in false advertising and unfair competition.