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Holly Willoughby’s Fall From Grace: How She Lost Her TV Crown

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Holly Willoughby’s Fall From Grace: How She Lost Her TV Crown

Monday April 17 2023

Phillip Schofield and his This Morning co-host Holly Willoughby had been expected to return to the sofa together after Schofield took time away from the programme to give evidence as a witness in the trial of his brother, Timothy, who was convicted of child sex offences.

Addressing the case, Schofield says he “no longer has a brother” in response to the charges against Timothy.

Although Schofield returns to This Morning as planned, Willoughby is missing from the ITV daytime show after contracting shingles, keeping her off air for a week.

Wednesday May 10 2023

The Sun reports Schofield and Willoughby are ‘barely speaking’, as ‘insiders’ claim their relationship had ‘cooled’ and issues had ‘rumbled for some time’. 

Thursday May 11 2023

Schofield hails Willoughby as his ‘rock’ while admitting ‘the last few weeks haven’t been easy for either of us’.

Monday May 15 2023 

Schofield and Willoughby continue to present This Morning together, but viewers are worried by an apparent loss in chemistry between the pair, who continue  discussing headlines, with neither making statements regarding an apparent ‘feud’. 

Saturday May 20 2023 

Schofield confirms his departure from This Morning with immediate effect, having hosted the show for more than 20 years. 

Sunday May 21 2023 

Following Schofield’s departure, ITV confirms that Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond will take over presenting duties for the next instalment of This Morning on Monday May 22. 

Meanwhile, Holly Willoughby takes early half-term leave. She is expected to return to the show on Monday June 5. 

In his departing statement, Schofield said that This Morning had 'become the story'

Holly Willoughby thanked Schofield for his 'knowledge, his experience and his humour' in her reaction to his exit

The pair both commented on Schofield’s departure from the show, with Holly Willoughby saying: ‘The sofa won’t be the same without him’

Monday May 22 2023

In the first This Morning show since Schofield’s departure, his former colleagues Hammond and O’Leary praise him for being ‘one of the best live television broadcasters this country has ever had’. 

Friday May 26 2023

Schofield admits to having a relationship with a much younger man who worked with him on This Morning, and later lying about it.

In a bombshell statement to the Daily Mail, the veteran TV presenter admitted that he and the man began a relationship that was more than a friendship. The ex-TV presenter describes this as ‘unwise but not illegal’.

He also admitted lying to The Mail on Sunday, the Daily Mail’s sister paper, which first exclusively described his relationship with the younger man earlier this month.

In his grovelling apology, Schofield said: ‘I am making this statement via the Daily Mail, to whom I have already apologised personally for misleading, through my lawyer who I also misled, about a story [sic] which they wanted to write about me a few days ago. 

The Mail is aware of the younger man’s identity, but has chosen not to name him. 

Saturday May 27 2023 

Responding to Schofield’s statement regarding his affair, an ITV spokesperson said: ‘Further to our statement last night, ITV can confirm that when rumours of a relationship between Phillip Schofield and an employee of ITV first began to circulate in early 2020 ITV investigated.

Willoughby takes to Instagram to vent her anger about the situation, saying Phillip lied to her about the affair. ‘When reports of this relationship first surfaced, I asked Phil directly if this was true and was told it was not,’ she wrote on Instagram. ‘It’s been very hurtful to now find out that this was a lie.’

Sunday May 28 2023

Former This Morning resident doctor Ranj Singh says ‘the issues with This Morning go far beyond’ Schofield and describes it as ‘toxic’. 

He states he ‘took his concerns right to the top of ITV’, with a spokesperson responding that, although the broadcaster was ‘sorry’ to hear his comments, an investigation found there was no evidence of bullying.

Willoughby replaced Fern Britton as This Morning host in 2009, and had worked alongside Schofield until his departure from the show in May 2023 

Monday May 29 2023

Elaborating on his claims regarding the antics of Schofield, Mr Holmes said: ‘Thursday was playtime when he and Phillip would hit the town and then he obviously stayed overnight. There are records to show that he was brought in the next day separately in cars paid for by ITV.’ 

Schofield subsequently took to social media to defend himself and the show he presented for more than 20 years

Posting on Instagram, Schofield stated: ‘Now I no longer work on This Morning I am free to say this. I hope you have noticed that it is the same handful of people with a grudge against me or the show who seem to have the loudest voice. This Morning is the best show to work on, with the best people. In all the years I worked there, there was no toxicity’. 

Tuesday May 30 2023 

Claims emerged that Schofield’s younger lover received a financial settlement from ITV. 

The Daily Mail is told that he was given a payment following the end of the on-off relationship, which Schofield described as ‘unwise but not illegal’.

ITV insiders said bosses at some level must have known about any payment. One added: ‘There have been numerous pay-offs at ITV and they have always had to be arranged and sanctioned by people of some seniority.’ 

Wednesday May 31 2023

A clip of Schofield downing whisky with his younger lover on the set of This Morning reemerges. 

The Christmas-themed segment, which aired in 2016, saw Schofield and Willoughby trying out alternative advent calendars while Schofield’s lover – w as a runner on ITV – was in the background dressed as an elf.

With Schofield delighted by the ‘smooth’ drink, he turned to his festively dressed lover and asked, ‘Do you want some?!’

After the younger man took a sip, he joked: ‘Let’s get the elf smashed!’

On May 31, ITV were forced to call in investigators to get to the heart of the Phillip Schofield scandal.

In a humiliating climbdown after a crisis staff meeting, the broadcaster said it was bringing in a barrister to ‘carry out an external review to establish the facts’, plunging the future of This Morning into doubt.

Thursday June 1 2023 

Jane McDonald is announced as Schofield’s replacement to present the British Soap Opera Awards at The Lowry in Salford. 

Meanwhile, it is revealed that Schofield is selling the flat where he used to spend ‘Playtime Thursdays’ with his younger lover, it has been claimed.

Schofield would take his junior colleague for secret trysts at the property before the studio runner left the next morning in a taxi paid for by ITV, Eamonn Holmes has claimed

Schofield would take his junior colleague for secret trysts at the property before the studio runner left the next morning in a taxi paid for by ITV, Eamonn Holmes has claimed

The former This Morning presenter, 61, and his wife Stephanie, 59, are said to have put the ‘immaculate’ two-bedroom penthouse in south London on the market for £1.2million – the same price they paid in 2012 when it had just been built. 

A listing appears to show the asking price has now been reduced by £100,000.

It is also revealed that the former This Morning star’s eldest daughter Molly only found out about her father’s statement to the Daily Mail in which he admitted lying over the relationship with the man just minutes before the story broke. 

Friday June 2 2023 

Phillip Schofield says he is too frightened to go out as he fears he will be spat on in the street following his departure from the show, in a lengthy sit-down BBC interview. 

He also reveals that he will not use social media again following the fallout from the affair. 

Monday June 5 2023 

Holly Willoughby returns to This Morning for the first time since the affair, saying she felt ‘shaken, troubled, let down and worried’ about the events that led to Phillip Schofield’s departure from the ITV programme.

Eamonn Holmes launches a fresh attack on Phillip Schofield, insisting he doesn’t believe the former ITV star’s claim that he has made ‘one mistake’ in his 40-year career.

Speaking on his GB News programme, Phillip’s former colleague Eamonn called for ‘anyone watching today who has kissed Phillip Schofield, let us know’.

Holly returned to This Morning on Monday June , marking the first time she presented on the show since Phillip Schofield's admission of an affair with a 'much younger man'

Holly returned to This Morning on Monday June , marking the first time she presented on the show since Phillip Schofield’s admission of an affair with a ‘much younger man’

Tuesday June 13 2023

Willoughby appears to snub her former This Morning co-host in a string of social media posts.

The presenter, 42, uses her Instagram Stories to post a beaming selfie with temporary co-host Dermot O’Leary.

Wednesday June 14 2023 

ITV boss Dame Carolyn McCall admits she failed to launch a formal investigation into Schofield’s affair when rumours emerged within the network. The chief executive is among three broadcast bosses grilled by the Culture, Media and Sport Committee in the wake of the presenter’s departure. 

Saturday August 26 2023

Reports say Holly has spoken to the barrister in charge of the independent inquiry into the Schofield scandal.

Saturday September 2 2023

A trailer for the channel’s new daytime schedule, which starts on Monday, shows Ms Willoughby smiling for the cameras as she prepares to take to the famous This Morning sofa. 

Monday September 4 2023

Holly returns to This Morning following her long break, with viewers calling the moment ‘cringeable’.   

Coast Guard Seizes 47 Bales of Suspected Marijuana Worth $2.4M From Go-Fast Vessel

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Coast Guard Seizes 47 Bales of Suspected Marijuana Worth $2.4M From Go-Fast Vessel

The U.S. Coast Guard seized more than a ton of suspected marijuana valued at over $2.4 million after crews stopped a suspicious high-speed vessel during a patrol, military officials said.

According to Joint Interagency Task Force South, crews later recovered 47 bales along the boat’s suspected route. The packages weighed a combined 2,082 pounds.

Four people were detained following the interdiction, JIATF-S said.

Officials said the operation began as a routine patrol when the crew of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Escanaba spotted what they described as “a suspicious go-fast vessel” and deployed a boat crew to take a closer look.

Coast Guard crews recovered 47 bales of suspected marijuana

Coast Guard crews recovered 47 bales of suspected marijuana weighing a combined 2,082 pounds and valued at more than $2.4 million, according to Joint Interagency Task Force South. (Joint Interagency Task Force South)

“The vessel stopped without further incident,” JIATF-S said.

During follow-on operations, Coast Guard crews discovered what officials described as a “bale field” along the vessel’s prior track and recovered the suspected marijuana, valued at more than $2.4 million.

“This mission required vigilance, professionalism, and seamless coordination from detection and pursuit to evidence recovery and search-and-rescue support,” JIATF-S said.

Suspected marijuana seized during drug bust

Coast Guard crews discovered what officials described as a “bale field” along the vessel’s prior route before recovering 47 bales of suspected marijuana. (Joint Interagency Task Force South)

JIATF-S did not specify where the incident took place, but thanked the Coast Guard Cutter Escanaba and Joint Rescue Coordination Center Haiti for their “timely support, search assistance, and coordination throughout the operation.”

The drug seizure comes amid the Trump administration’s ongoing campaign targeting narcotics trafficking networks in the Western Hemisphere.

U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) touted the operation, saying the “bust is another demonstration of the United States’ resolve to stop the flow of dangerous drugs into the homeland.”

This week, SOUTHCOM said it conducted two operations in which U.S. forces intercepted and sank vessels in the Eastern Pacific that the military said were tied to Los Choneros, which it described as a violent narco-terrorist organization.

More than $2.4 million worth of suspected marijuana

More than $2.4 million worth of suspected marijuana was recovered during a Coast Guard operation involving a suspicious go-fast vessel, according to military officials. (Joint Interagency Task Force South)

The U.S. military has also been involved in a monthslong campaign launched by the Trump administration aimed at dismantling cartel-linked trafficking networks, including dozens of strikes in the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean targeting vessels it says are connected to “narco-terrorists.”

U.S. officials said the Coast Guard operation disrupted another suspected maritime drug-trafficking effort

U.S. officials said the Coast Guard operation disrupted another suspected maritime drug-trafficking effort as authorities target narcotics networks across the Western Hemisphere. (Joint Interagency Task Force South)

The latest seizure follows another major Coast Guard drug bust off the coast of Puerto Rico last month.

The Coast Guard intercepted a suspected smuggling boat nearly 50 miles off the coast of the U.S. territory and discovered more than 7,000 pounds of cocaine worth about $54.5 million.

Five people aboard the suspected smuggling vessel were detained and taken into custody as part of that investigation.

Germany on Alert Amid Fears Putin Linked to Two New Suspected Attacks

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Germany on Alert Amid Fears Putin Linked to Two New Suspected Attacks

Germany faced two further suspected attempts to disrupt its electricity network overnight, with the country already on heightened alert after an attempted drone attack that Berlin has attributed to Russia.

In Dormagen, North Rhine-Westphalia, local police said someone had tried to trigger a short circuit at a power grid facility, according to German newspaper Bild. Authorities have also received a letter claiming responsibility.

In a separate incident, police in the northern town of Ganderkesee, Lower Saxony, sealed off a transformer station on Friday after citing suspicious circumstances.

A police spokesman said officers made a discovery overnight that required intervention, though he did not provide further details. He added that there was no threat to the public.

The fresh alerts come after Germany had already been dealing earlier this week with two suspected cases of sabotage.

In the first, authorities were investigating vandalism at a substation in Bergheim in North Rhine-Westphalia that prompted lignite power plant units with 4,200 megawatts (MW) in combined capacity to temporarily go off the grid.

In the other, devices carrying conductive material damaged power lines at one of the most critical high-voltage nodes in the eastern state of Brandenburg. 

Nato member Germany, which supports Ukraine in its fight against Russia, has long accused Moscow of targeting it with a campaign of hybrid attacks involving espionage and sabotage – charges denied by Russia.

Germany has for months reported suspicious drone sightings over military and industrial sites, but the Leipzig incident on the night of August 4 raised the alarm as a drone found there carried explosives.

German police said an attempt had been made to short-circuit a power grid installation in Dormagen (pictured)

German police said an attempt had been made to short-circuit a power grid installation in Dormagen (pictured)

Germany has long accused Vladimir Putin (pictured) and Russia of targeting it with a campaign of hybrid attacks involving espionage and sabotage

Germany has long accused Vladimir Putin (pictured) and Russia of targeting it with a campaign of hybrid attacks involving espionage and sabotage

Police used a robot to defuse the device found near a Ukrainian cargo plane, and another drone was reportedly found weeks later near the airport, also with traces of an explosive substance.

The airport in eastern Germany plays a key role in the transport of military goods, including by the German military and Nato allies, and also serves as a base for Ukraine’s Antonov Airlines.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz later said Germany had increasingly ‘found itself in the crosshairs of hybrid attackers’.

But Berlin has so far refrained from blaming Russia, speaking only of the possible involvement of ‘foreign powers’, until Tuesday, when it said Moscow was responsible for last month’s drone attack. 

Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said the Leipzig airport attack followed the ‘well-established pattern of Russian hybrid operations in Europe’, and the assumption was that Germany would be targeted again. 

Other EU members are also warning of Russia’s increasingly aggressive moves. On Thursday, Denmark’s national security and intelligence service warned that Russia is recruiting Danish citizens to help plan sabotage against Danish defence firms with ties to Ukraine.  

‘Russia is both planning and carrying out acts ⁠of sabotage against defence companies and the defence industry in Europe,’ PET’s head of counter-espionage, Emil Gresholm, said in a statement.

‘We see that Danish ​companies are also targets of concrete Russian sabotage planning, and that Russian intelligence services are actively preparing acts of sabotage directed at the defence industry in Denmark,’ he said. 

Russia’s ambassador to Denmark, Vladimir Barbin, said in an emailed statement on Thursday that Mr Gresholm had failed to ⁠provide any concrete evidence to support the allegations.

‘Gresholm’s statements should also be seen as an acknowledgement that Copenhagen’s reckless involvement in the conflict in Ukraine and the transformation of Danish territory into a production and logistics ​rear base for ​the Ukrainian armed ⁠forces poses security risks to Denmark and its citizens,’ Mr Barbin said.

Mr Gresholm said PET has uncovered concrete examples of Russia attempting to recruit Danes on social media and gaming ⁠platforms for tasks such as taking photos of companies or infrastructure, which could be used in the planning of acts of sabotage.

‘It is extremely ⁠serious if ​ordinary Danes help Russian intelligence services – either ​deliberately or unwittingly,’ he said.

Andrea Yates’ Ex Says Lindsay Clancy Case Is More Complex

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Andrea Yates’ Ex Says Lindsay Clancy Case Is More Complex

Rusty Yates, the former husband of Andrea Yates, says people should not draw a straight line between Andrea’s case and that of Lindsay Clancy.

“I think this case is a little murkier, you know?” Rusty told NewsNation in a new interview about the mothers’ high-profile murder trials. “It’s not quite as clear as Andrea’s was. I mean, Andrea had hundreds of pages of medical records, you know, a pretty well-documented history.” 

“The state went far and wide to find anyone who would say anything negative about Andrea and they couldn’t,” Rusty said. “They couldn’t find anyone because she’s just such a sweet person.”

The two cases have often been discussed together. Andrea Yates and Lindsay Clancy were both nurses, both killed their children in incidents their defense teams linked to postpartum psychosis and other diagnoses, and both entered pleas of not guilty by reason of insanity. Their trials have also forced a broader and deeply difficult question into public view: when, if ever, should severe mental illness affect criminal responsibility?

Clancy strangled her three children — Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, 8 months — before jumping from a second-story window at her home in Duxbury, Massachusetts, in January 2023. Yates drowned her five children, who ranged in age from 6 months to 7 years old, in the bathtub of her Texas home in June 2001.

As the jury weighs Clancy’s verdict, the outcome could determine whether she is sent to prison or committed to a psychiatric institution. Andrea Yates, meanwhile, has been living in a state hospital since 2006.

Andrea was tried twice: Her 2002 trial resulted in a guilty verdict and a life sentence. Her case was later overturned and at her retrial, she was found not guilty by reason of insanity. Andrea now resides at Kerrville State Hospital, where Rusty has said he visits once a year.  

Andrea and Lindsay’s husbands have also faced public scrutiny over whether they could have prevented the killings or contributed to their wives’ mental decline. 

“I think people just want to be able to explain things in terms they understand,” Rusty said during an Aug. 21 interview with Cuomo Crime Time, pointing to an email he once received from a stranger accusing him of beating Andrea.

Rusty denied the claim, telling Chris Cuomo the allegation was “completely false.”

“I think people can’t appreciate that they don’t have the same breadth of experience that everyone else does,” Rusty said. “So they have a desire to explain things and do so based on limited experience.” 

Rusty said he sees Lindsay’s husband, Patrick Clancy, “going through the same thing,” adding in that interview, “It’s like, ‘Wait, she was mentally ill so the next closest target, husband, let’s blame him’…how far do you have to go to get to the drug companies?”

The women’s cases have also emphasized postpartum mental health and about whether they were properly medicated before the killings.

Lindsay herself had weighed in on the Yates case, years before she killed her own children.

Coworker Margaret Hamp recalled Lindsay becoming emotional when first hearing about Andrea’s case. 

“She cried,” Hamp testified Aug. 17, “and she said, ‘How could a mother hurt her children?’” 

Lindsay is waiting to learn her fate as the jury is in day six of deliberations. 

Why Meghan Markle Reportedly Rejected Living on the Spencer Family Estate as ‘Too Remote’

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Why Meghan Markle Reportedly Rejected Living on the Spencer Family Estate as ‘Too Remote’

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle pose in 2025

John Nacion/Getty Images

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, are said to be easing into a new chapter in the U.K. following their move in late August, but the search for the right family home is still ongoing. Not because suitable properties are scarce. According to reports, Charles Spencer, Princess Diana’s brother, offered the couple use of The Falconry, a 17th-century lodge on the Spencer family estate. The idea, however, reportedly exposed a difference of opinion between Harry and Meghan: he was emotionally drawn to the property, while she felt it did not match the life they had imagined for their family.

The Falconry sits on the Althorp Estate in Northamptonshire, the Spencer family’s ancestral seat, roughly 76 miles from London. “Harry was genuinely moved because Althorp will always be sacred ground to him,” sources told Rob Shuter. “But Meghan took one look at the reality and knew it wouldn’t work. Too remote, too far from London and, frankly, not nearly grand enough.” Insiders claim Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are hoping to recreate elements of the high-end California lifestyle their children became accustomed to in the United States.

The Falconry, connected so closely to Princess Diana’s childhood and final resting place at Althorp, reportedly did not fit that vision. “Meghan isn’t moving back to Britain to hide away in an old lodge in Northamptonshire,” a source said. “She wants privacy, history and security — but she also expects serious luxury, substantial space and easy access to London. This wasn’t even close.” For the time being, the Sussexes are reportedly staying in a friend’s vacant property on the edge of the Cotswolds, an affluent countryside area not far from King Charles III and Queen Camilla’s Highgrove House. Their hunt for a permanent U.K. home continues.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reportedly want a 9-bedroom home

King Charles and Princess Diana hold William and Harry at Highgrove House in the '80s

Tim Graham/Getty Images

The reason Prince Harry and Meghan Markle left the U.S. remains unclear, but reports suggest they want to maintain a comparable standard of living in Britain. The couple are said to be focusing their property search on the Cotswolds, where they have reportedly viewed multimillion-dollar homes. “The houses that they are looking at are so huge that you need to go in person and it’s also a really big commitment. I know that they have a number of requirements,” a source told the Daily Mail.

On Meghan’s list, those requirements reportedly include nine bedrooms and a film studio. On Harry’s part, they include a vast amount of land with no footpaths at all, given his concern for his family’s safety. “They have an English countryside dream. This will be the first time that Harry has lived in the U.K. as a private citizen where no one can demand any access to him,” another insider said. Besides, Harry is no stranger to the area, being so close to his father’s private country residence (seen above). “Obviously, that’s where he grew up, living with his father and brother there, and has happy memories,” royal commentator Tom Sykes told Page Six in August.

Harry already has ties to the Cotswolds. After marrying Meghan in 2018, the couple rented a secluded farmhouse there, suggesting the Duke of Sussex may feel a lasting pull toward the area. For now, the pair are also reportedly holding on to their $15 million Montecito residence in California, along with their $8.5 million holiday home in Portugal, according to the Daily Mail report.

New Specialty License Plates Set to Launch in Florida Next Month

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New Specialty License Plates Set to Launch in Florida Next Month

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida drivers will soon have more options to personalize their vehicles after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation earlier this year authorizing five new specialty license plates across the state.

The measure, SB 246, gives the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, or FLHSMV, the authority to develop several new specialty plates, including the following:

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)

Money collected through annual use fees from the UFC specialty license plate will be directed to the UFC Foundation. Under the law, those funds must be used to assist charities and nonprofit organizations, including children’s hospitals, programs supporting first responders and military members, and youth mentorship initiatives.

The legislation also specifies the plate’s required wording: “UFC Lives Here” must be displayed along the bottom.

Miami Northwestern Alumni Association

Annual use fees from the sale of this plate will go to the Miami Northwestern Alumni Association, which must use the proceeds to fund academic programs, athletic programs and need-based scholarship programs.

This funding would be to the benefit of Miami Northwestern Senior High School students and the school’s Performing and Visual Arts Center.

According to the legislation, the words “Miami Northwestern Alumni Association” must appear at the bottom of the plate.

Annual use fees from the sale of this plate will go to the Hoober Brothers Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to enhancing public spaces throughout the state.

According to the legislation, the word “OUTSIDER” must appear at the bottom of the plate.

Annual use fees from the sale of this plate will go to the St. Petersburg College Foundation to help fund student scholarships and initiatives that embolden student success.

According to the legislation, the words “St. Petersburg College” must appear at the bottom of the plate.

First Responders Resiliency

Annual use fees from the sale of this plate will be given to the First Responders Resiliency Foundation Corp. to fund mental health services for first responders.

According to the legislation, the words “First Responders Resiliency” must appear at the bottom of the plate.

WHEN WILL THESE NEW SPECIALTY PLATES BE AVAILABLE?

In short: drivers are expected to be able to begin buying any new plates starting next month, though it might take a while before drivers will actually receive one.

According to state officials, each plate’s respective organization is supposed to begin offering pre-sale vouchers after the law takes effect on Oct. 1.

Within 60 days, each organization must submit an art design for the plate.

  • Within 120 days, the DHSMV must establish a method to issue presale vouchers for the specialty plate.

  • Within 2 years after presale vouchers are established, the organization will have two years to sell 3,000 vouchers before the license plate will be manufactured.

    If the pre-sale period ends without an organization hitting that target, their respective specialty plate will instead be deauthorized, meaning it won’t actually be produced.

    In that case, anyone who bought a pre-sale voucher for the plate can apply for a refund.

    WHAT WILL THEY ALL LOOK LIKE?

    Each respective organization is responsible for submitting a proposed art design to the Division of Motorist Services (DMS) within 60 days of Oct. 1, when any new laws officially take effect.

    The DMS will then be responsible for developing the specialty plate based on state requirements. While designs haven’t been released yet, they can be printed in one of two ways: center and left-hand.

    The state specifications for specialty plate designs are as follows:

    Layout specifications for a Florida specialty license plate (Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles)

    The characters on the plate will be roll-coated in black, blue, green, red, or white ink.

  • Contrast between the plate’s background colors and the characters must be defined enough for law enforcement officers to be able to clearly read the characters during both nighttime and daytime.

  • The word “FLORIDA” must be printed at the top of the plate in “Arial” font and size 75 point. Meanwhile, the bottom words must be in “Arial Bold.”

    Tampa Bay Buccaneers Specialty License Plate (Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles)

    IS IT A CENTER DESIGN?

    The center graphic must be no larger than 2.5 inches wide by 3 inches high.

  • The license plate number must have three characters to the left and three to the right of the centered graphic design.

    “Save the Manatee” Specialty License Plate (Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles)

    IS IT A LEFT-SIDE DESIGN?

    The graphic must instead be on the left side of the license plate and be no larger than 3.5 inches wide by 3 inches high.

  • The license plate is limited to five characters printed on the right side of the graphic.

    “Save Our Seas” Specialty License Plate (Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles)

    Wheel of Fortune Announcer Jim Thornton Reportedly Visited Site Linked to Pedophilia Allegations

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    Wheel of Fortune Announcer Jim Thornton Reportedly Visited Site Linked to Pedophilia Allegations

    Newly surfaced photos appear to show Wheel of Fortune announcer Jim Thornton viewing an alleged “pedophilia” chatroom during a flight, a development that reportedly led to his suspension from the long-running game show.

    Thornton, 61, was photographed looking at a laptop screen aboard an American Airlines flight in May, according to images taken by another passenger and obtained by TMZ.

    A zoomed-in image of the screen shows disturbing chat messages, including one participant referring to a restaurant as “a nice hangout for kids” and mentioning a “couple of cute boys and a hot little girl.”

    Another troubling message reads, “All-you-can-eat Boyffet.” A separate message also references “CP,” which the passenger who captured the photos believed was shorthand for “child pornography.”

    Based on the timestamps visible in the photos — which show Thornton wearing a Wheel of Fortune jacket — he appears to have remained in the chatroom for at least 57 minutes.

    Thornton’s lawyer, Allison Hart, told TMZ that the voice actor clicked on the site by mistake. 

    The Daily Mail has reached out to Thornton and Sony Pictures Television Studios for comment but has yet to hear back. 

    Photos have emerged showing Wheel of Fortune announcer Jim Thornton, 61, looking at an alleged 'pedophilia' chatroom while on an airplane, leading to his suspension from the show

    Photos have emerged showing Wheel of Fortune announcer Jim Thornton, 61, looking at an alleged ‘pedophilia’ chatroom while on an airplane, leading to his suspension from the show 

    Thornton was seen looking at a laptop screen during an American Airlines flight in May, in images taken by a fellow passenger and obtained by TMZ; Seen in a still from Wheel of Fortune

    Thornton was seen looking at a laptop screen during an American Airlines flight in May, in images taken by a fellow passenger and obtained by TMZ; Seen in a still from Wheel of Fortune

    Hart said that Thornton had ‘become active in suicide-prevention advocacy since losing a close family member to suicide two years ago, and he has spent time visiting chat rooms offering support to individuals suffering from suicidal ideation.’ 

    Hart said that Thornton often visited a suicide prevention website named 988lifeline.org and its chat forum, chat.988lifeline.org. 

    Thornton claims he was sent a link to a different chatroom, lifeline.chat, by an acquaintance from the suicide prevention group. The site is intended for people experiencing pedophilic thoughts. 

    Thornton claims he left the chatroom after realizing what it was. 

    His lawyer added that the website he visited is ‘not unlawful, there is no unlawful child pornography or other pedophilic content, and my client never viewed, downloaded or consumed any child pornography whether on that commercial flight in May or at any other time.’ 

    Hart said that the announcer ‘did not engage in any illegal conduct, was not arrested, and has not been charged with any crime.’ 

    The attorney claimed: ‘When questioned about the complaint made by a fellow passenger on the flight, law enforcement spoke to him for five minutes or less, immediately determined that no wrongdoing had occurred and told my client he was free to go.’ 

    On Wednesday, it was reported by TMZ that Thornton is being cut out of the Wheel of Fortune’s new season amid an investigation by Sony Pictures Television Studios. 

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    In a statement to the Daily Mail earlier this week, Sony said: ‘We have recently been made aware of allegations concerning Jim Thornton. He has been suspended from Wheel of Fortune and we are recasting while we conduct a thorough investigation.’ 

    Thornton's lawyer, Allison Hart, told TMZ that the voice actor clicked on the site by mistake and 'did not engage in any illegal conduct'; Pictured in January

    Thornton’s lawyer, Allison Hart, told TMZ that the voice actor clicked on the site by mistake and ‘did not engage in any illegal conduct’; Pictured in January 

    On Wednesday, it was reported by TMZ that Thornton is being cut out of the Wheel of Fortune's new season amid an investigation by Sony Pictures Television Studios

    On Wednesday, it was reported by TMZ that Thornton is being cut out of the Wheel of Fortune’s new season amid an investigation by Sony Pictures Television Studios

    Thornton is rarely seen on the show, which is currently hosted by Vanna White and Ryan Seacrest

    Thornton is rarely seen on the show, which is currently hosted by Vanna White and Ryan Seacrest

    According to TMZ, the Sony investigation stems from a commercial American Airlines flight Thornton took in May, during which another passenger allegedly complained about him to a flight attendant.

    The plane’s pilot arranged to have law enforcement waiting for Thornton once he reached the gate.

    Thornton was questioned by the officers before he was allowed to go on his way. 

    In a statement to the Daily Mail, American Airlines said: ‘On May 14, American Airlines Flight 1276 was met by law enforcement upon arrival at Los Angeles International Airport following concerns reported by a customer onboard.’

    Amid his suspension, Thornton appeared on Tuesday’s pre-taped episode of Wheel of Fortune.

    His tenure with the show began in 2011, when he replaced former announcer Charlie O’Donnell after his death in November 2010 at 78. 

    Thornton is rarely seen on the show, which is currently hosted by Vanna White and Ryan Seacrest.

    In addition to being the announcer for Wheel of Fortune, Thornton is also a voice actor who has recorded small roles on high-profile Disney–Pixar films including Monsters, Inc. (above) and Wall-E

    Thornton's most significant work was voicing announcer Johnny Gomez (L) on MTV's animated comedy series Celebrity Deathmatch (pictured)

    Thornton’s most significant work was voicing announcer Johnny Gomez (L) on MTV’s animated comedy series Celebrity Deathmatch (pictured)

    However, TMZ noted that in 2023 he filled in for then-host Pat Sajak to host a round of the competition because a contestant was hoping to meet him.

    Thornton had a brief stint as an announcer on The Price Is Right in 2004. 

    He’s also done voice work in Disney-Pixar’s film Monsters, Inc. and the video game adaptation of Wall-E. 

    The live-action announcer is best known for appearing on the animated comedy The Cleveland Show and MTV’s Celebrity Deathmatch. 

    Andrew Tate Indicted in Romania on Trafficking Minors and Money Laundering Charges

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    Andrew Tate Indicted in Romania on Trafficking Minors and Money Laundering Charges

    Romanian prosecutors on Friday formally charged social media influencer Andrew Tate with trafficking minors, money laundering, having sex with a minor and witness tampering, while his brother, Tristan Tate, was indicted on complicity charges, years after authorities first opened their investigation.

    The Tate brothers, former kickboxers who hold dual US and British citizenship, were taken into custody in Miami in late July following an extradition request from the United Kingdom.

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    Khanna Touts Democrats’ Smarter National Security Strategy

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    Khanna Touts Democrats’ Smarter National Security Strategy

    Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) argued Thursday on MS NOW’s “The Weeknight” that Democrats are offering “a much smarter strategy on national security” as he criticized President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance over escalating tensions in the Middle East.

    Khanna said, “I thought J.D. Vance and Donald Trump wanted to end these endless wars, and it saddens me. It actually saddens me that they have stumbled and bumbled into another endless war in the Middle East, and this with a ferocious adversary. There were people in the administration and people like Ted Cruz who didn’t know the population of Iran. They, through bluster, have gotten us into a mess. Our service members are at risk. We don’t have ammunition, food prices are high, gas prices are high, and probably the best case scenario out of this is Iran is going to have some control over the Strait of Hormuz. And that’s what I want people to understand. It’s not just Democrats standing up for human rights or diplomacy. Democrats have a much smarter strategy on national security, and this president and vice president have made America less safe.”

    He went on to suggest that political pressure may not be enough to change Trump’s course. “I mean, partly Donald Trump, I don’t think he really cares about the midterm elections, because if he did, he would be ending this war,” Khanna said. “And that’s what’s so scary, because if he does not care about the politics, the only thing that’s going to force him is the Democrats in charge stopping the funding for this war.”

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    Russia Strikes Near Moldova Fuel Fears Over Putin’s Next Move

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    Russia Strikes Near Moldova Fuel Fears Over Putin’s Next Move

    As Russia’s war in Ukraine presses ever nearer to Moldova’s frontier, the former Soviet republic — which recently marked 35 years of independence — is confronting intensifying pressure from Moscow.

    Stanislav Secrieru, national security adviser to Moldovan President Maia Sandu, told News Media in exclusive remarks that Russia’s latest attacks on infrastructure near the Ukrainian-Moldovan border represent a serious threat to Ukraine’s economy and its ability to reach European markets.

    “In August, Russia began striking Ukraine’s border infrastructure along the Moldovan frontier,” Secrieru said. “With Ukrainian grain exports through the Black Sea ports under sustained attack, Moldova has become a transit route for that grain towards Romania’s ports — and the Moldovan government cut rail transit tariffs by half to keep it moving.”

    Russian drones Moldova

    Moldovan police recovered a Russian drone on November 25, 2025, after several drones entered the airspace of the Republic of Moldova. One drone crashed in the Floresti district on Nov. 25, 2025. (Elena Covalenco / AFP via Getty Images)

    Secrieru described those transport links as essential arteries for Ukrainian exports and the country’s broader economy. “Russia’s strikes are meant to sever them. Russia has also stepped-up violations of Moldova’s airspace in August, to intimidate us into withdrawing our support. Moldova stays the course. We will continue to provide civilian support to Ukraine and to keep the corridors that sustain its economy open,” he told News Media.

    President Sandu reported five Russian drones violated its airspace just hours before the country celebrated its independence, in what the president called an attempt at “intimidation.”

    “We have repeatedly warned about the unacceptable risks posed by Russia’s war against Ukraine. Yet another Russian attack on Ukraine has once again resulted in violations of Moldova’s airspace,” the foreign ministry posted on X. 

    Moldova-Ukraine border

    This photograph, taken on Jan. 5, 2026, shows a partial view of the village of Cuhurestii de Jos, Northern Moldova, close to the Ukrainian border. Since the start of the conflict in February 2022, Moldova has recorded dozens of violations of its airspace, and several Russian missiles and drones have crashed on its territory. (Daniel Mihailescu / AFP via Getty Images)

    Secrieru told News Media that Russia violated Moldovan airspace on 17 occasions in August, the highest number of violations in a month since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently visited his Moldovan counterpart in Chișinău, taking part in Independence Day celebrations and emphasizing the shared struggle of Ukrainians and Moldovans in the face of the threat posed by neighboring Russia.

    Stanislav Secrieru

    Stanislav Secrieru, national security and defense advisor to Moldovan President Maia Sandu, poses for a portrait in Chisinau, Moldova, September 3, 2025. (Reuters/Marton Monus )

    “Russia is doing a lot to ruin our lives in Ukraine, to ruin your lives in Moldova, and to make it as difficult as possible for Romania. This is the ‘Russian world.’ It spoils. It destroys. But we will win. I am sure,” Zelenskyy told a large Independence Day gathering.

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    Russia's President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, September 26, 2025

    Putin is testing the boundaries of NATO with aircraft incursions, allied states say. (Ramil Sitdikov/Pool/Reuters)

    Both Moldova and Ukraine applied for EU membership on the same day, shortly after Russia’s invasion in 2022. Russia’s invasion and its destabilization efforts in Moldova complicate both countries’ path forward to EU membership, a central goal of Putin’s Russia as Moscow has tried to stymie the countries of the former Soviet republic from moving closer to the West and EU institutions.

    Russia’s new threats against its neighbors come on the heels of CIA Director John Ratcliffe’s surprise visit to Moscow, fueling speculation Russia intends to escalate conflict with NATO members, particularly the Baltic nations of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

    Moldovan President Maia Sandu speaks during a joint press conference with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen in Chisinau, Moldova, on October 10, 2024.

    Moldovan President Maia Sandu speaks during a joint press conference with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen in Chisinau, Moldova, on October 10, 2024. (REUTERS/Vladislav Culiomza/File Photo)

    Along with its kinetic actions in Ukraine and incursions into Moldova’s airspace, Moscow uses influence operations in the former Soviet space to aid pro-Russian actors and push pro-Russian points of view.

    “Russia has been interfering in Moldova for years, and these latest reports fit the broader pattern of Moscow using hybrid warfare to test how far it can push Europe without triggering a serious response,” Ivana Stradner, research fellow with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told News Media.

    Moldova remains a prime target for Russian influence operations over 30 years after declaring independence from the Soviet Union. Russia maintains around 1,500 troops in the breakaway territory of Transnistria, which split away from Moldova after the declaration of independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

    Women hold a Moldovan flag during a rally to support a European path for the country, in Chisinau, Moldova, May 21, 2023.

    Women hold a Moldovan flag during a rally to support a European path for the country, in Chisinau, Moldova, May 21, 2023. (REUTERS/Vladislav Culiomza)

    Stradner, who focuses on Russian disinformation campaigns, said Putin is counting on Western risk aversion and betting that if a country isn’t under the NATO umbrella, the West will decide it’s safer to look away.

    “That’s exactly why Moldova matters. This could be a rehearsal for how Moscow tests the Baltics,” Stradner warned.

    The Baltic countries are taking notice of what’s happening in Moldova and there are growing fears that Russia may escalate the conflict beyond Ukraine.

    Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna stated on X that while Estonia’s threat assessment has not changed, “Russia’s threat and possible provocations against NATO must be taken seriously.” Other Baltic leaders including Latvia’s Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs reiterated that the threat of a Russian invasion remains low but warned of an increased risk of Russian actions.

    Since independence, Moldova has set its sights on moving closer to the West, with recent elections and a referendum on becoming a member of the European Union gaining significant support.
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