World Leaks

CHRISTIAN HORNER has snapped back at Jos Verstappen’s criticism of Red Bull’s high–profile departures.

The Red Bull chief’s arch-nemesis and dad of Max Verstappen recently said he had warned the team about staff exits.

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Christian Horner says the departures are just a few people ‘out of 2000’[/caption]

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Jos Verstappen delivered a fierce blast at Horner earlier in the year[/caption]

At the start of the season Jos said that the team would “explode” if Horner remained in charge after news broke of his sexting scandal with a colleague.

He was cleared by Red Bull and always denied the claims.

Since then design guru Adrian Newey, sporting director Jonathan Wheatley and strategy chief Will Courtenay have all departed.

Horner said: “Adrian has been on the brink of retiring for 10 years so we had to be prepared for that and I believe we’ve got strength and depth.

“He’s chosen to continue and continue elsewhere. And of course, Jonathan, likewise, a long-term member, but they’re two more higher-profile names.

“The reality is that’s just two people out of 2000 people that we have within the group.”

Red Bull toasted the most dominant F1 season ever last year with a record 21 out of 22 races won.

But they are currently on a eight-race winless streak, their worst run of form since 2020.

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McLaren have now overtaken Red Bull at the top of the constructors’ standings while Lando Norris trails Verstappen – who is winless in eight races – by 52 points with six races left.

Horner is feeling the heat from the team’s mass exodus, and has also aimed a dig at Mercedes boss Toto Wolff.

The Red Bull chief said his team had poached “over 200 staff” from Mercedes.

He added: “We’ve recruited, I think, close to 250 people during the last 12 months, across the project, into powertrains, into the brand new engine shop that we’re building.

“We don’t talk about the over 200 people we’ve bought from Mercedes.

“There’s a lot of focus on the two people that are leaving, because they’re slightly more public facing.”

Back in May Horner also clapped back at McLaren chief Zak Brown who told the media he had seen a stream of CV’s from Red Bull landing on his desk after the news of Newey’s departure.

He said: “I don’t know how many people we or RB have employed from McLaren this year,

“We have taken 220 people out of [Mercedes] HPP into Red Bull Powertrains. So, when we are talking about losing people, I would be a bit more worried about the 220 than maybe one or two CVs.”

 Complete F1 2024 race calendar – details on every Grand Prix and start time this year

The Leader of the Senate, Sen. Opeyemi Bamidele has faulted claims that he was working against the interests of the Yoruba in the National Assembly. He made the clarification in a statement by his Directorate of Media and Public Affairs on Wednesday in Abuja while refuting claims in some media platforms. Some media …

The Federal Government has set up a working group tasked with reviewing the Laws of the Federation, with the aim of updating and proposing new legislation to support the nation’s development across various sectors. The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), made the announcement during the ceremony marking the …

The Abia State chapter of the Labour Party LP led by Hon. Emmanuel Nweze Otti has disowned a list of committee members allegedly constituted by the Julius Abure-led National Working Committee to oversee the exercise. Recall the Abure-led NWC ceased to exist after the expiration of their tenure following the decision of the party stakeholders …

The military high command has announced the dismissal of a naval rating, Seaman Haruna Abbas, who was reportedly detained for about six years. Haruna’s dismissal came on the heels of his wife, Hussaina Iliya, claim on a popular radio station in Abuja that her husband was detained unjustly by the military, since 2018, …

Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, has disclosed he has been receiving half of his salary since resuming office on May 29, 2023. Naija News reports that Sani made this known in a video obtained by Daily Trust in Kaduna on Wednesday. The Governor said N4.7 billion is being deducted monthly from the state government’s federal …

THE FUGEES’ UK and Ireland reunion tour hangs in the balance as warring members trade legal threats.

The legendary 90s group, which consists of Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean and Michél Pras – is scheduled to play Dublin, London, Manchester and Cardiff later this month.

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The Fugees UK and Ireland tour will take place without a founding member[/caption]

An ongoing feud between Hill and Pras over allegations of fraud and contract breaches has threatened to derail the gigs, with Pras no longer taking part.

Group co-founder Pras has called his bandmate “narcissistic and arrogant”, and claims “fictitious expenses” from the band’s 2023 tour had a serious impacted on profit margins.

Hill insisted postponed tour dates last year were due to “serious vocal strain”, however, just months later further shows were axed due to “gross mismanagement”.

Tickets for upcoming shows remain on sale on Ticketmaster, with multiple seating blocks available.

Standing tickets are priced at an eye-watering £285 for the O2 Arena gig.

Meanwhile, Pras and Hill have also clashed over a lucrative offer made to the group earlier in the year.

It is alleged Coachella Festival organisers offered The Fugees $5million to perform, but Hill declined without consulting her bandmates after learning they wouldn’t be headlining.

A statement filed by Pras’ legal team states: “The reason was that her ego was bruised since the group No Doubt would be receiving top billing over The Fugees the night of their show.

“Hill never told Pras about the offer or that she had rejected it. Pras only learned about it when it was too late, after Hill, in an astonishing display of hubris, asked Pras if he would agree to perform a few Fugees songs for free as the opening act for her son, YG Marley, who was slated to perform at the same Coachella festival.”

Pras also claimed Hill only agreed to the full scale reunion to make up for poor solo show sales, something she vehemently denies.

Hill has hit back at the claims, labelling them “baseless” and “full of unwarranted attacks”.

She suggested Pra’s decision to sue her stemmed from his own legal troubles last year when he was found guilty of illegal lobbying in the States.

Hill also claims she allowed Pras an advance of £2.3m from tour sales to help with his legal fees.

“I was not in Pras’s life when he decided to make the unfortunate decision that led to his current legal troubles,” she said.

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Lauryn Hill is feuding with Michél Pras[/caption]

“I did not advise that he make that decision and therefore am in no way responsible for his decision and its consequences though I have taken it upon myself to help. Despite his attacks, I am still compassionate and hope things work out for him.”

The group only have two studio albums, though second LP, The Score, has cemented them as R&B pioneers thanks to hit singles Killing Me Softly and Ready or Not.

It has sold an estimated 22million copies worldwide since its release in 1996.

Hill would release her one and only solo record two years later, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, landing another number one and a Grammy for Album of the Year.

Married At First Sight star Polly has broken her silence after fans slammed her for branding Charlie a “bully” on last night’s episode.

In last night’s episode, the couples reunited for the second dinner party, with Eve and Charlie arriving together.

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Polly pulled Charlie for a chat and told her that she was a “bully” for some of her behaviour towards wife Eve.

Many fans hit out at Polly for interfering and for backing the wrong person.

Now Polly has addressed the criticism she has received since the episode aired and said she was “blindsided by Eve.

In a statement, she wrote: “Hey guys – Just a message about tonight’s episode…Please remember to keep an open mind with things on TV.

“We saw a lot of Eve most days and nights as she was always with one of us, and Charlie hardly ever while we were in the apartments.

“Naturally being closer with one party you do believe what someone’s saying to you about their partner if they’re nowhere to be seen and you haven’t spoke to them about anything:

“It’s really upsetting to see how blindsided we all were with this situation but please know I (and the other girls) did apologise profusely to Charlie and we are all good and speak daily.”

She later told trolls to back off and admitted she was doing what she thought was right in the moment.

Polly shared: “Everyone else coming at me for sticking my nose in is actually hilarious and insane to me, because if you’re telling me you’ve never got involved in your friends relationship and put your advice in sometimes when it’s not needed.

“I took accountability for what I said to Charlie and apologised which is probably more than anyone’s ever done when they’ve done something they shouldn’t have.”

Last night, Polly aired her concerns calling Eve and Charlie’s marriage was “toxic”.

During a conversation with fellow co-star Holly, Polly said: “Eve and Charlie, I don’t have high hopes for them at all. It’s giving toxic.”

Holly replied: “It actually upsets me because Eve has such a big heart and she genuinely just wants to be loved off someone.”

Polly went on: “Some of the stuff Eve said about Charlie was awful.

“They’re not seeing each other enough because Charlie’s mean – now I can understand what Eve was saying on the sofa, when she said ‘don’t be mean to me’.

“She is f****** mean, if anything she is bit of a bully.”

The experts were gobsmacked by her remark, with Paul C Brunson saying: “Strong word.”

While Charlene Douglas said: “That’s such a strong statement when actually Polly doesn’t know both sides of the story.”

Polly then demanded to know from Eve why she walked into the dinner party with wife Charlie.

Expert Mel Schilling shared: “That’s really confronting isn’t it. What’s it got to do with you Polly? At this point she’s really inserting herself into someone else’s relationship.”

Polly then pulled Charlie for a chat and told her that she was a “bully” – leaving Charlie mortified.

Fans have slammed Holly and Polly for getting involved.

One wrote: “Polly has got a f****** nerve coming for Charlie when her husband doesn’t even find her attractive and she’s draping herself over him at every opportunity.”

A second posted: “Hopefully H-Polly feel like absolute idiots tonight re-watching this! If I was Charlie I wouldn’t talk to them ever again.”

A third said: “Eve is giving something, and I can’t put my finger on the word, but it’s nothing good. She’s actually demonised Charlie to everyone. And all this yelling that Eve keeps talking about…when and where?”

“Polly your man isn’t into you yet you’re focusing on Eve & Charlie,” a fourth said.

This viewer said: “Polly & Holly.. You’re giving mean girl energy. They’ve ganged up on Charlie.”

Charlie was left in floods of tears after Eve confessed to her that she felt she had been “mentally” abused.

After some time away, Charlie returned to the table and Polly offered her an apology.

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As Election Day approaches, Democratic hopefuls are doing all they can to tie Republican opponents in contested congressional districts to their anti-abortion records.

These soldiers are part of an Infantry Battalion Task Force, based out of Fort Liberty, who will be available for deployment starting Wednesday.