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Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Taylor Swift And Travis Kelce Cozy Up At Members-Only Club For Fourth Of July
and celebrated the in romantic, off-grid style, far away from the glitz of fireworks and celebrity-studded parties. It marks the second consecutive year that Swift has opted out of hosting her once-famous Independence Day bash at her Rhode Island mansion, a tradition fans still associate with iconic photos of red, white, and blue swimsuits and star-studded guest lists. But this year, the vibe was far more relaxed for Taylor Swift. According to DeuxMoi, the power couple spent the holiday weekend at the ultra-exclusive Yellowstone Club in Big Sky, Montana, a private resort known for its luxury, seclusion, and A-list guest list. Yellowstone Club membership requires purchasing property within the club's community, with home prices starting at several million dollars. In addition to the property cost, there is an initial membership deposit of $300,000-$400,000 and annual dues of $36,000 - $78,000, per the official website. The laid-back getaway comes as no surprise, as The Blast previously reported that the pop star has been stepping away from her usual tradition of throwing lavish holiday celebrations. 'Taylor is eager to celebrate and unwind, but she is not looking to broadcast that she is having a big get-together or party,' a source told Daily Mail ahead of the holiday. 'Taylor has had quite the year, and it's important for her to keep things low-key.' That 'year' included both career highs and personal hurdles. After wrapping the first international legs of her record-breaking "Eras Tour," the 14-time Grammy winner was hoping 2025 would bring a much-needed break, what insiders described as a 'gap year' to focus on herself, her relationship with Kelce, and her music. But Swift's plans were unexpectedly derailed when she became entangled in a legal controversy surrounding longtime friend , leading to the quiet but emotional end of their decade-long friendship. The fallout took a toll on the pop star, prompting her to retreat from the spotlight whenever possible. Despite the challenges, Swift hasn't abandoned the spirit of celebration, she's simply redefining it. And what better place than the Yellowstone Club, a place she and Kelce are already quite familiar with? In fact, the couple previously visited the exclusive retreat back in March, when they were spotted dining alongside sports broadcaster , who is said to have an impact on the start of Swift and Kelce's relationship. During a candid conversation on "Today with Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb," the veteran sportscaster opened up about the viral moment that may have helped spark Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's now-famous relationship. While originally on the show to discuss her emotional journey to motherhood via surrogacy following a cervical cancer diagnosis, Andrews couldn't help but laugh when Kotb brought up 'the other wonderful headline in your life.' 'I'm the new Bumble,' Andrews joked in August 2024, before producers rolled a clip from an August 3 episode of "Calm Down With Erin and Charissa," her podcast with fellow broadcaster Charissa Thompson. In the clip, Andrews and Thompson made a direct pitch to Swift, encouraging her to give Kelce a shot. 'Please try our friend Travis. He's fantastic!' Andrews had said. The moment came shortly after Kelce shared on his own podcast with brother Jason Kelce that he'd attended Swift's "Eras Tour" and made her a friendship bracelet with his phone number on it, but never got the chance to hand it to her. Andrews now admits she hasn't kept tabs on the couple's every move but noted that Kelce seems to be glowing lately. 'He has a glow to him,' she said, while clarifying that Kelce never actually asked her to get involved. Still, when Swift showed up to a Chiefs game on September 24, seemingly confirming the rumors, Andrews and Thompson resurfaced their podcast moment on Instagram. Kelce himself commented on the post, writing, 'I owe you big time.' To seal the deal, or at least contribute to the fashion moment, Andrews sent Swift a custom Kansas City Chiefs jacket from her WEAR line, which the singer famously wore to a Chiefs game.
RTÉ News
09-07-2025
- Automotive
- RTÉ News
Could emergency response systems save lives on gridlocked Irish roads?
Analysis: Conventional traffic management systems are often unable to adopt quickly if an ambulance, fire engine or garda car needs to get through It's a familiar scene: sirens blaring, lights flashing, but the emergency vehicle barely inches forward in traffic. Every second matters when an ambulance or fire truck is trying to navigate traffic. Yet even the fastest emergency vehicles often find themselves stuck in gridlock. Conventional traffic management systems are reactive at best and often incapable of adapting quickly when an ambulance, fire engine, or police car needs to get through. The delays aren't just frustrating—they can be deadly. But what if city traffic could think for itself? From RTÉ Radio 1 Liveline, listeners share stories of how traffic snarl-ups and bad drivers cause ambulance delays We may be familiar with the Internet of Things, which includes vehicles, but the Internet of Vehicles takes the same principle of connecting items to the broader internet to allow them to exchange data and information. This network represents an ecosystem where every participating vehicle communicates with other vehicles and roadside units, such as sensors and communication towers that detect when an emergency vehicle is coming. Within this framework, emerging technologies like connected autonomous vehicles, public key infrastructure for security and real-time vehicle-to-infrastructure communication could enable dynamic traffic responses when emergencies strike . How would this system work? When an emergency vehicle is on the move, its digital identity would be authenticated using public key infrastructure-based certificates, which operate like digital IDs for emergency vehicles to prevent other vehicles abusing the system. This ensures only verified emergency vehicle receive priority, protecting the system from spoofing or cyberattacks. From RTÉ Radio 1's Today with Sean O'Rourke Show in 2019, reporter Brian O'Connell goes out on call with the Dublin Fire Brigade Once verified, nearby roadside units instantly alert surrounding connected and autonomous vehicles to make way. But rather than just pulling over randomly, these vehicles respond in a coordinated way. They shift lanes, form platoons and create a clear, structured path for the emergency responder. The beating heart of this system would be an algorithm that quickly identifies which vehicle should lead the pack. The selection isn't random and is based on three key factors: (i) Proximity to the emergency vehicle (ii) Communication reliability (iii) Current lane alignment The system would be able to decipher which vehicle would be best 'leader' for the platoon. The chosen vehicle would guide others, ensuring a seamless and safe formation that clears the road and maintains flow. From RTÉ Radio 1's Today With Claire Byrne, the hugh cost of traffic congestion in our cities This algorithm is what would allow for the wide range of considerations and manoeuvres: having received the signal from the emergency vehicles, other cars would calculate the best way to move out of its path based on far they are from other cars and which lane would be least disrupted. Could such a system work with human drivers on the road? Our research proposes an Enhanced Traffic Management System powered by data, connectivity, and collaboration. While this current model focuses on connected and autonomous vehicles, future iterations of this system will support hybrid environments where human-driven cars share space with connected vehicles. Roadside infrastructure will play a larger coordinating role in these mixed-traffic scenarios, acting as traffic conductors to guide all vehicles and not just the smart ones. Security and scalability remain paramount. Embedding public key infrastructure certificates into ambulances and fire engines ensures that only authorised entities get traffic priority. The system performs robustly even with multiple emergency vehicles navigating through four and six lane setups. From RTÉ News, National Ambulance Service figures show average response time has increased across the country What we found in our study We built high-fidelity simulations, integrated with 5G-enabled V2X communication models, to test our approach. We're not talking about virtual toy cars here: we recreated realistic traffic scenarios, from steady morning commutes to high-density rush hour chaos. The results were promising. In heavy traffic conditions (up to 100 vehicles per kilometre), the system increased the mean speed of traffic by nearly 28% compared to traditional Controllable Path Planning systems and by over 16% compared to existing Emergency Vehicle Priority systems Fuel usage dropped significantly as vehicles avoided unnecessary braking and idling. Most notably, travel times stayed stable, even during peak congestion. While traditional systems showed erratic delays, our system maintained consistency, thanks to its real-time adaptability. With connected and autonomous vehicles adoption accelerating and smart city infrastructure gaining momentum, systems like this could become vital tools in the urban planner's toolkit. From reducing emergency response times to easing congestion and eliminating emissions, our system shows how intelligent machines can work together to protect lives in the moments when every second counts.
Daily Mirror
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Sky News hit with 1200 Ofcom complaints over presenter's controversial remark
Sky News has been hit with a whopping 1,270 Ofcom complaints over a presenter's comments about a vessel delivering aid to Gaza. On Today with Samantha Washington on June 7th, there was coverage of the Madleen vessel. The Madleen vessel was stopped before landing in Israel, with activist Greta Thunberg claiming she was "kidnapped" and calling on the Swedish government to help. The news of the vessel delivering aid was covered on Sky News over the weekend. Ofcom have now revealed that they received 1,270 complainants from viewers who alleged that a comment by the presenter misrepresented the peaceful nature of the mission. The comments were made on Today with Samantha Washington, which aired on Sky News on Saturday June 7th from 10.30am. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), the organisation which was responsible for the yacht, said it was carrying humanitarian aid and said the vessel was "prepared for the possibility of an Israeli attack" and they claimed that it was "forcibly intercepted" by Israeli officials. The vessel was stopped at approximately 160 nautical miles from the Gaza coast. Defence minister Israel Katz had said that the state would "act against any attempt to break the blockade or assist terrorist organisations". It had been intercepted at 5.30am local time near the Egyptian coast. Greta Thunberg said that the team was "intercepted and kidnapped in international waters" by "forces that support Israel" and urged her loved ones to "put pressure on the Swedish government" for a response. She said: "I urge all my friends, family and comrades to put pressure on the Swedish government to release me and the others as soon as possible." Israel Katz, Israel's Minister of Defence, said on social media that it was a "hate flotilla". He said: "I have instructed the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] to act to prevent the 'Madeleine' hate flotilla from reaching the shores of Gaza - and to take whatever measures are necessary to that end." He sensationally then claimed that members of the crew were "anti-Semitic". He wrote: "To the anti-Semitic Greta and her fellow Hamas propaganda spokespeople, I say clearly: You should turn back - because you will not reach Gaza. Israel will act against any attempt to break the blockade or assist terrorist organisations – at sea, in the air, and on land." The Palestinian defence ministry said that the activists' actions were "noble" and said it "salutes the international solidarity activists aboard the ship attempting to break the siege on the Gaza Strip".
RTÉ News
04-06-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
Are you being ripped off by the 'loyalty penalty'?
Analysis: From banks to insurance, companies punish loyal consumers with higher prices, while new customers are rewarded with better deals There's growing concern that many of us are being quietly overcharged by service providers. Consumers are urged to check their contracts and avoid overpaying, especially when better deals may be just a click away. In a market economy, we benefit from competition. We enjoy choice, innovation and, most of all, paying less. Price matters. But competition doesn't work unless we, as consumers, play our part. It takes two to tango. Without active engagement from consumers, the benefits of competition stall. We're used to shopping around when buying goods, but the economy has shifted. Many services now run on a subscription model. You sign up once and continue paying indefinitely. That's where the so-called 'loyalty penalty' creeps in. Companies quietly raise prices or reduce service quality - or, in the case of goods, shrink product sizes (have you heard of shrinkflation?) - relying on the assumption that we're not reviewing our contracts or comparing alternatives. It's easier than ever to be taken for granted—or taken for a ride. From RTÉ Radio 1's Today With Claire Byrne, just how worthwhile are loyalty cards? The loyalty penalty is both costly and unfair. Those who stay loyal are often punished with higher prices, while new customers are rewarded with better deals. That's upside-down logic. In other walks of life, loyalty is valued. In many markets, it's penalised. A well-known example is car insurance. Letting a policy auto-renew without shopping around usually means overpaying. The same applies to mobile phone plans. If your contract includes paying off a handset, but you don't renegotiate once the term ends, you'll keep paying the same high price—even though your phone is already paid off. Another important example is health insurance. Recent research shows that consumers in Ireland have been facing very steep price increases. Effectively, if they stayed with their providers— they were paying a loyalty penalty. From RTÉ Radio 1's Today with Claire Byrne, there are significant savings to be made on mortgage switching but is it worthwhile? In a cost-of-living crisis, every euro counts. Yet many of us still pay hundreds more each year than we need to. Making time to review your recurring bills might be one of the simplest ways to ease household pressure. Market regulators like the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) can do their bit by removing barriers and making switching easier, but they can't force us to act. If we accept poor deals or bad service, competition loses its power. Fortunately, tools for switching are improving. In the UK, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA)'s Open Banking reforms means switching current accounts can now be done swiftly without any hassle. All your payments and standing orders move automatically. Even transfers to your old account get redirected. I know, I've used it! In effect, UK banks are now offering over £150 to new customers, yet fewer than 3% of UK adults make the switch each year. From RTÉ Radio 1's Today with Claire Byrne, what's the best current account for you? In Ireland, bank switching is not that straightforward, but it can be done. However, new research shows that over 60% of Irish customers have stayed with their main bank for over seven years. Inertia still wins. Of course, not everyone finds it easy to switch. Some people feel overwhelmed by digital tools or are unsure where to start. That's why making comparison websites more user-friendly and support more accessible matters. Ensuring all consumers can benefit from competition should be part of the policy agenda. We need to change that. We need to vote with our wallets. Think about your recurring expenses such as health, car and travel insurance; mobile and broadband contracts; bank services (both current account and mortgages; energy suppliers; streaming services (Netflix, Amazon Prime, Spotify) and gym subscriptions. Now ask: are you getting a good deal? From RTÉ Radio 1's Today with Claire Byrne, are more Irish consumers looking to switch banks? What to do? Take action. Use free comparison tools to check your current deals and see what else is out there. Start with visiting the Money Tools pages of the CCPC. There, you'll find pages dedicated to comparisons of different service, from bank accounts to credit cards. Consider a website like Power to Switch for energy comparison. Both and offer useful comparisons across broadband, mobile services, insurance products and more. (I have no connection with these sites and this isn't an endorsement, just a suggestion.) For competition to work, consumers must take an active role. We cannot afford to be passive. If we fail to challenge rising prices or deteriorating service, we weaken the very forces that should be working in our favour. Markets respond to signals, and consumer behaviour is one of the most powerful signals there is. The rewards for engaging are real: better prices, improved quality, and fairer treatment. In short, when we act, competition delivers. Final tip: Get empowered, go shopping and shop around. If consumers start switching more often, businesses will need to treat their customers better to keep them. So next time your policy auto-renews or your bill creeps up, pause and take control. A better deal might be just a few clicks away.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Hoda Kotb wants to put herself out there for love: 'You live once'
Hoda Kotb hopes her new chapter of life includes a love story. The journalist exited "Today" and "Today with Hoda & Jenna" in January to spend more time with daughters Haley Joy, 8, and Hope Catherine, 6, and pursue her dream of starting a wellness company. And she's still looking for "the real thing" when it comes to a relationship. "I was insatiable in trying to find things that would help or enhance me and make me feel better and make my friends feel better, make everyone feel better," she says. "And I was thinking I couldn't find it in one spot, and no matter where I looked, I was only puzzle piecing it together." So Kotb, 60, launched Joy 101 on May 28. Curated by Kotb, the app offers subscribers programs tailored to their interests and research-backed classes and wellness sessions focused on topics like brain health, breathwork, mindfulness, personal growth and sleep. In her own life, Kotb is looking to improve her ability to show up as her authentic self in a romantic relationship. Kotb previously wed Burzis Kanga in 2005 but filed for divorce in 2007. She shares her daughters with former fiancé Joel Schiffman. Kotb announced they'd called off their engagement in 2022. Hoda Kotb reveals daughter's health condition was a factor in decision to leave 'Today' "I've had wonderful relationships in my life," she says, careful not to dimmish past experiences. "They've been very loving relationships, but I don't think the real thing yet. "I think it's really funny to think at this stage in life, to still be cautious and to try to figure out why trust is so hard,' she says. "If I were advising myself, I would say, 'What the hell do you have to lose? You live once. Go, do it, do it.' And then when it's me, I realize that I've always been cautious there." "If I'm really honest with myself, I think that's another thing that I am really, really, really looking forward to and can clearly visualize," she says of finding love again. "And I hope one day that I actually get to really feel it for real instead of imagining what it would feel like." When making the leap from "Today," Kotb imagined how her life would look, living in the suburbs and being able to me more present with her daughters. The reality is so much better than she anticipated. "I don't think I was really seeing my kids grow," Kotb says. Instead of heading into the studio in the wee hours of the morning, she heads to her office to tend to a few tasks before working out, returning home and showering before her children wake up for school. Hoda Kotb's favorite question is 'tell me more.' Now she shares what's next. "So I get to," she says, emphasizing how much she likes the phrase "get to," "I get to be with them in the morning, I get to be with them at breakfast, I get to walk them to school and like all the good stuff comes out then. "I was playing a game with my daughter last night and in the middle of it she just started, like spilling all of her secrets," Kotb says. "I had all the time in the world, and that's when magic happens." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hoda Kotb 'Today' show exit opens the door to finding love
