Manchester United co-owner says UK has been 'colonized by immigrants'

British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe said on Thursday he was sorry he had offended some people by saying the country had been "colonized by immigrants", after Prime Minister Keir Starmer joined a chorus of criticism over the remarks.

Ratcliffe, one of Britain's most successful businessmen, responded to the outcry with a statement saying it was important to raise the issue of immigration, but that he regretted his "choice of language" had caused concern.

The founder of chemicals giant INEOS, and owner of nearly a third of Manchester United, had told Sky News that high migration and people living on benefits were damaging the economy.

"You can't have an economy with nine million people on benefits and huge levels of immigrants coming in. I mean, the UK has been colonized - it's costing too much money," Ratcliffe said in the interview aired on Wednesday.

"The UK has been colonized by immigrants, really, hasn't it?" he added.

Liverpool's Ryan Gravenberch celebrates scoring his team's second goal in a 2-0 win over Aston Villa at Anfield on Nov. 1. The victory ended a four-game losing streak in Premier League games for the defending champions.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Arsenal's Ethan Nwaneri (right) and Burnley's Florentino Luis battle for possession of the ball at Turf Moor. Arsenal won the Nov. 1 match, 2-0, to stay six points above Manchester City atop the Premier League table.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Erling Haaland of Manchester City competes for a header whilst under pressure from Sepp van den Berg and Kristoffer Ajer of Brentford at Gtech Community Stadium on Oct. 5, 2025. Man City won the match, 1-0.

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Starmer said the remarks were wrong and would play into the hands of those who wanted to divide the country. Finance minister Rachel Reeves said the comments were "unacceptable" and "disgusting".

On Thursday, INEOS issued a statement from Ratcliffe in response to "reporting of his comments".

"I am sorry that my choice of language has offended some people in the UK and Europe and caused concern but it is important to raise the issue of controlled and well-managed immigration that supports economic growth," he said.

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He said he wanted to stress that governments must manage migration alongside investment in skills, industry and jobs to ensure long-term prosperity is shared by everyone, and that it was "critical that we maintain an open debate on the challenges facing the UK".

Starmer's spokesperson said it was right for him to apologize. Asked if an apology about offence caused rather than the comments themselves were enough, the spokesperson said questions on the detail of the apology were for Ratcliffe.

Manchester United fans furious

His comments were condemned by politicians, campaigners and by fan groups at Manchester United, including its Muslim Supporters Club who said the term "colonized" was frequently used by far-right activists to frame migrants as invaders.

"Public discourse shapes public behaviour," the group said. "When influential figures adopt language that mirrors extremist talking points, it risks legitimizing prejudice and deepening division."

Others noted that the Manchester United first team was largely made up of international players and staff, and questioned whether Ratcliffe should be commenting on British politics when he had moved to the tax haven Monaco.

Manchester United said it prided itself on being an inclusive and welcoming club.

"Our diverse group of players, staff and global community of supporters, reflect the history and heritage of Manchester; a city that anyone can call home," the club said in a statement.

Before Ratcliffe's response, The Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said Ratcliffe's comments were inflammatory and should be withdrawn.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Jim Ratcliffe, Man U co-owner, says UK is 'colonized by immigrants'

byDonna Devi

in

February 12, 2026

Manchester United co-owner says UK has been 'colonized by immigrants'

British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe said on Thursday he was sorry he had offended some people by saying the country had ...

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BYU football star Parker Kingston arrested and charged with rape

A Brigham Young University star football player was arrested in connection with an alleged assault that happened last year in Utah, the Washington County Attorney's Office announced.

Parker Trent Kingston, 21, was charged with first-degree felony rape, anews releasestated on Wednesday. He is being held without bail in Washington County, in southwest Utah, and is scheduled to make his first appearance in court on Friday.

The county attorney's office said a 20-year-old woman reported to police at St. George's Regional Hospital that she was sexually assaulted on Feb. 23, 2025, according to the news release.

Attorney information was not listed for Kingston, and his family did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

"The Washington County Attorney's Office takes allegations of sexual assault seriously," the news release states. "We thank the medical professionals and law enforcement officers who assisted with this investigation for their partnership and professionalism."

The woman told a forensic interviewer with the county attorney's office that she had met up with Kingston, but set clear boundaries with him and told him that she did not want to have sex, court documents state.

The woman said they watched a movie together at her home and engaged "in some sexual activity, however that did not include intercourse," the documents state. The woman said she left the room to get ready for bed and when she returned, Kingston "initiated sexual activity again" despite her telling him to stop and attempting to push him off of her, it says. The court filing alleges that Kingston raped the woman.

Kingston said in an interview that it was consensual, the document states. Investigators said that based on communications from his cell phone after the incident, "it can be inferred that he went to her apartment with the intention of having sexual intercourse," the filing states.

Kingston is a star wide receiver for Brigham Young University, NBC affiliateKSLof Salt Lake City reported.

A university spokesperson told NBC News that it learned of the incident on Wednesday.

"The university takes any allegation very seriously, and will cooperate with law enforcement. Due to federal and university privacy laws and practices for students, the university will not be able to provide additional comment," the spokesperson said.

byDonna Devi

in

February 12, 2026

BYU football star Parker Kingston arrested and charged with rape

A Brigham Young University star football player was arrested in connection with an alleged assault that happened last year in Utah, the Was...

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Jazz big man Jaren Jackson Jr. to miss rest of season after undergoing knee surgery just three games after trade

The Utah Jazz traded for Jaren Jackson Jr. on Feb. 3. Fewer than 10 days later, reports emerged suggesting Jackson would miss the rest of the season after undergoing knee surgery. Jackson, 26, played in just three games with the Jazz before being shut down for the rest of the season.

The team reportedly discovered a PVNS growth on Jackson's left knee after the trade, per NBA insider Chris Haynes.

A PVNS growth is a benign, but aggressive, tumor. It isn't capable of spreading, but can cause more damage the longer it remains in the body.

Jackson was in the midst of yet another strong season with the Memphis Grizzlies beforebeing traded to the Jazzprior to the deadline. Jackson is averaging 19.4 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. He's even more valuable than those numbers, as Jackson is also considered a strong defender as a former Defensive Player of the Year winner.

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The Jazz's decision to trade for Jackson came as a surprise, considering the team's record. At 18-37, the Jazz are among the worst teams in the NBA. Utah had one major incentive for trying to get worse at the deadline, as itwould keep its 2026 first-round pickif the Jazz land in the top eight of the draft. The decision to trade for Jackson, who would help the team win more games, seemed at odds with Utah's strategy of trying to keep its 2026 pick. That's less of an issue now that Jackson will miss the rest of the season.

The convenient timing of Jackson's surgery could lead to some scrutiny from the NBA, whichfined the team $100,000last March for holding Lauri Markkanen out of a game. However, the fact that Jackson is reportedly dealing with a growth on his knee should clear the Jazz in this instance. That's not an issue Jackson should try to play through the rest of the way.

With Jackson down, the Jazz will now focus on how the team can improve ahead of next season. The Jackson trade potentially gives Utah plenty of size. Jackson, Markkanen and Walker Kessler — if he re-signs — would give the team a formidable trio in the frontcourt.

While that's a solid trio, expecting the Jazz to suddenly springboard back into contention could be a lot to ask. The Jazz have finished no higher than 12th in the Western Conference over the last three seasons. Following Jackson's injury, the team is once again in line to finish near the bottom in the West for the fourth straight year.

byDonna Devi

in

February 12, 2026

Jazz big man Jaren Jackson Jr. to miss rest of season after undergoing knee surgery just three games after trade

The Utah Jazz traded for Jaren Jackson Jr. on Feb. 3. Fewer than 10 days later, reports emerged suggesting Jackson would ...

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Jennifer Aniston and Jim Curtis Pack on the PDA in Never-Before-Seen Photos Shared for Her 57th Birthday

Jennifer Aniston turned 57 years old on February 11, and her boyfriend of nearly a year, Jim Curtis, paid tribute to the occasion on Instagram.

The Gist

• Curtis shared two new photos of the couple, including a PDA-packed black-and-white shot.

• Aniston and Curtis went Instagram official back in November when the actress celebrated Curtis's milestone 50th birthday.

Jennifer Anistonand her boyfriendJim Curtiswent Instagram official onhis50th birthday last November, so there was no question that Curtis would return the favor when Aniston rang in her 57th birthday on February 11.

And that he did in the form ofa sweet Instagram tributeshared on Wednesday, writing, "HBD MY ❤️" alongside two new photos of them. In one, the two laugh on a boat, and in another—a black-and-white shot—the two share a romantic kiss.

Curtis spoke about his relationship with Aniston recently onToday, telling host Craig Melvin on January 26 that they had been together for about a year and had been introduced by friends. "We found out that we had mutual friends, and we started to just chat," Curtis said.

"It took a long time," he added. "We chatted for a long time, and we became close."

Jim Curtis/Instagram

A source toldPeoplerecently that Aniston "feels really good about where things are with Jim," adding, "Jen's always been fine on her own and comfortable being single, but her relationship with Jim is just different. She's very happy and comfortable."

Adding that Curtis is "so sweet and supportive" of Aniston, the insider said, "He makes her everyday life better."

Curtis, a source told the outlet, is "very laid-back, but also focused and driven" and is someone who "does things in a very calm way."

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"He brings good energy, and this is something Jen loves," the insider said. "Jen can be very Type A and takes on a lot. He's very steady and grounded. He's not a stressed out, high-intensity guy, and that balance works well for her."

"There's no drama, no emotional games, or whiplash," the source continued. "In many ways, it's the most mature relationship she's ever been in."

Back in November, as Curtis celebrated his milestone 50th birthday, Aniston wrote in her own birthday tribute, "Happy birthday my love. Cherished❤️." Though Curtis pinpointed their relationship's beginnings as right around now one year ago, Aniston and Curtis first sparked rumors of a relationship over the summer, when they were spotted in Mallorca, Spain in July alongsideJason Bateman, his wife Amanda Anka, andAmy Schumer.

"She took her time getting to know him," a source toldPeople. "She already knew she liked so many things about him before it turned romantic. She was actually a bit hesitant, because she really appreciated him as a friend and wanted to keep him around. But life is short, and her friends encouraged her to date him."

"She feels so grateful to share her life with him," the insider said. "She's enjoying every moment. And at this stage, that's enough for her. She's happy with where things are. She isn't really making big plans for the future. She's not chasing anything. She's just incredibly happy, comfortable, and proud to be dating him. And they're truly adorable together."

Aniston herself called Curtis "extraordinary" in an interview withEllelast year, adding, "He's very special, very normal, and very kind, and wants to help people heal, move through their trauma and stagnation into clarity. It's a beautiful thing to commit your life to."

Read the original article onInStyle

byDonna Devi

in

February 12, 2026

Jennifer Aniston and Jim Curtis Pack on the PDA in Never-Before-Seen Photos Shared for Her 57th Birthday

Jennifer Aniston turned 57 years old on February 11, and her boyfriend of nearly a year, Jim Curtis, paid tribute to the ...

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Justin Baldoni Arrives Back in Court with Wife Emily After Failing to Reach Settlement with Blake Lively

Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty

NEED TO KNOW

• Justin Baldoni appeared in court for a separate lawsuit against former publicist Stephanie Jones

• Blake Lively is not involved in that case

• Baldoni and Lively failed to reach a settlement in her sexual harassment lawsuit against her It Ends With Us costar after a six-hour mediation session on Wednesday

Justin Baldoniis back in court — but not for the case involvingBlake Lively.

Baldoni, 42, appeared in New York federal court on Thursday alongside hiswife, Emily, for a court-mandatory settlement conference tied to his ongoing litigation against his former publicist, Stephanie Jones.

Lively, 38, is not a party to this lawsuit and did not attend the hearing.

Jones first sued Baldoni and his crisis communications team in December 2024,alleging breach of contract and other claims, marking the start of what has since grown into a wide-ranging legal dispute involving multiple parties.

Then, in March 2025, Baldoni and his publicist Jennifer Abel filed their own lawsuit against Jones, alleging she violated client confidentiality by sharing private communications.

According to the filing, those communications later became central evidence in a separate lawsuit brought by Lively.

Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty

Baldoni's latest court appearance comes a day afterhe and Lively failed to reach a settlement in their own ongoing legal battle.

The former costars attended a mandated mediation session in federal court in connection with Lively's sexual harassment lawsuit against Baldoni.

Kevin Mazur/WireImage; Araya Doheny/Variety via Getty

The conference lasted approximately six hours before Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave, but the parties did not reach a resolution, a source confirmed to PEOPLE.

Settlement conferences are a standard part of federal civil litigation and are designed to determine whether a case can be resolved without going to trial.

The judge presiding over the case, Lewis J. Liman, has not yet ruled onBaldoni's pending motion for summary judgment.

Baldoni's attorney,Bryan Freedman, confirmed that no deal had been reached. When asked whether he expects the case — Lively v. Wayfarer Studios et al. — to go to trial, he said, "I do. We're looking forward to it," according toVariety.

Lively and Baldoni's legal dispute began in December 2024,when Lively filed a suit against the actor-director, alleging sexual harassment and retaliation. Baldoni has denied the allegations and later filed a $400 million countersuit, which has since been dismissed.Lively has alleged she lost $161 millionas a result of what she describes as a retaliatory smear campaign.

A trial is currently scheduled for May 18.

Read the original article onPeople

byDonna Devi

in

February 12, 2026

Justin Baldoni Arrives Back in Court with Wife Emily After Failing to Reach Settlement with Blake Lively

Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty NEED TO KNOW Justin Baldoni appeared in court for a separate lawsuit against former publicist Stephanie Jo...

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Who is Nicole Curtis? Fired HGTV star apologizes for 'offensive racial comment'

Nicole Curtis'more than 15-year run on HGTV came to an abrupt end on Feb. 11 after the"Rehab Addict" hostallegedly made an"offensive racial comment,"according to the network.

HGTV said in a statement toThe Detroit Free Press,part of the USA TODAY Network, that it has removed Curtis and her show from the network after it learned of "an offensive racial comment made during the filming of Rehab Addict."

"Not only is language like this hurtful and disappointing to our viewers, partners, and employees — it does not align with the values of HGTV," the statement said.

Here's what to know about Curtis and her removal from the network.

Nicole Curtis apologizes for 'offensive racial comment'

A video released by Radar Online on Feb. 11 showed Curtis using a racial epithet, reportedly while filming "Rehab Addict" two years ago. HGTV did not specify whether this was the incident in question.

Curtis issued an apology on herInstagram storyon Feb. 11, writing that she is "grateful for the 15-year journey" on HGTV.

"My focus, at this moment is rightfully on my relationships, and my community — the people who truly know my character and where my heart is. I want to be clear: the word in question is wrong and not part of my vocabulary and never has been, and l apologize to everyone," she wrote in part.

The 49-year-old rose to fame with her show,"Rehab Addict,"which first aired on the DIY Network in 2010 before moving to HGTV. The show focused on Curtisrenovating historic homesfrom the 19th and 20th centuries across Minnesota and Michigan.

More:Nicole Curtis' 'Rehab Addict' removed from HGTV after 'racial comment'

Who is Nicole Curtis? A look at former 'Rehab Addict' host's career

Curtis is known for her HGTV show "Rehab Addict," which first premiered in October 2010. Itsninth season was set to returnon Feb. 11 after a hiatus last year, but will not return after being removed from the network.

The first four seasons of the show were filmed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, before moving to Detroit, Michigan. Over the course of each season, Curtis and her team tackled the renovation of several historic homes.

According to herwebsite, Curtis was "working on old houses long before the show came calling."

When the show first premiered, Curtis says on her website, she "was hustling, as a young mother, burning both ends of the candle. Juggling, real estate, design, home restoration and selling garbage finds on Craigslist."

Curtis toldThe Arizona Republic, part of the USA TODAY Network, in 2014 that before her home renovation career, she went to school in Georgia, Florida and Michigan and originally intended to study law before switching to education. Afterward, she started a cleaning business to help pay for college, she told the Republic.

Later, Curtis said she turned to renovating homes — which she earnestly calls "rehabbing" them — because she was poor.

"Nothing motivates you to learn how to do something like not having the money to pay to have it done. I've never bought anything turnkey and never will. I've never 'flipped' a house in my life. I really don't feel that I fit in that category. I rehab houses out of necessity," she told the Republic.

However, Curtis' decades of renovating homes have not been without woes.The Detroit Free Press reported in 2015that some of the homes renovated on Curtis' shows hit snags with city policies like home inspections and work permits.

Nicole Curtis family: Former HGTV host has two sons

Curtis has two sons, 28-year-old Ethan and 10-year-old Harper.

She gave birth toher son Ethanon Dec. 24, 1997, when she was 21. Her second son, Harper, was born in May 2015.

In 2015, Curtis and former partner Shane Maguire began a custody battle over their son Harper, per theFree Press.

A look at Elfreth's Alley, one of America's oldest streets

Last year,Curtis addressed the tumultin an interview with People,

"Our family went through a lot over the years, and so that's definitely something that I have done my best to keep my family out of the public eye and focus on the houses," she told People. "That's always where we wanted that focus to be."

She also told the outlet that she wasn't planning to show much of her family in the new episodes of "Rehab Addict," though her older son appeared on the show in its early days.

"I think there's one gift we can give our children, and I give them privacy. They're out in public with me a lot, and I shield them," she said. "But I won't do that again. My boys are my most precious, precious things in the entire world to me."

Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached atmelina.khan@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Who is Nicole Curtis? Fired 'Rehab Addict' host had long HGTV run

byDonna Devi

in

February 12, 2026

Who is Nicole Curtis? Fired HGTV star apologizes for 'offensive racial comment'

Nicole Curtis'more than 15-year run on HGTV came to an abrupt end on Feb. 11 after the"Rehab Addict" hostal...

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Astronomers observe a star that quietly transformed into a black hole

WASHINGTON, Feb 12 (Reuters) - The formation of a black hole can be quite a violent event, with a massive dying star blowing up and some of its remnants collapsing to form an exceptionally dense object with gravity so strong not even light can escape. But, as new observations indicate, the process sometimes ‌can be a rather quiet affair.

Researchers have tracked a big and bright star that in its death throes virtually vanished from view as it apparently morphed into ‌a black hole without exploding as a supernova. It is now detectable only because of a subtle glow caused by leftover gas and dust heating up while being sucked inward by the newborn black hole's irresistible gravitational pull.

The star, ​named M31-2014-DS1, resided in the Andromeda Galaxy, a Milky Way neighbor, about 2.5 million light-years from Earth. A light-year is the distance light travels in a year, 5.9 trillion miles (9.5 trillion km).

M31-2014-DS1 may offer the best evidence yet of black hole formation without a supernova, the researchers said. They tracked how the star was luminous in four decades of observations before 2014, then brightened in 2015 before almost disappearing from view, consistent with transforming into a black hole.

"This provides observational evidence of black hole formation in real time, suggests that many black holes may form without supernova explosions and ‌shows that stars with masses as low as about 13 times ⁠that of the sun can form black holes," said astrophysicist Kishalay De of the Flatiron Institute and Columbia University in New York, lead author of the research published on Thursday in the journal Science.

Scientists have known for more than 50 years that black holes exist, but still have "very, very limited ⁠observational evidence for how stars turn into black holes," De said. "So this discovery provides an important insight into that process."

The star began its existence at least 13 times more massive than our sun. Over its relatively brief lifetime of 15 million years its powerful stellar winds expelled about 60% of its mass.

The explosion of a large star typically leaves behind an object called a neutron star that is highly ​compact, ​but not as much as a black hole. Such a supernova can produce a black hole depending upon ​the star's mass and other factors, though it is tough to confirm ‌through observations that this has occurred.

"In the supernova pathway, a massive star exhausts its nuclear fuel and its core collapses, briefly forming a neutron star. This collapse generates a shockwave," De said.

"If the shock succeeds, it completely expels the outer layers of the star as a bright supernova. However, in some cases we think that the remaining core is not pushed out and eventually falls back into the neutron star, making it collapse into a black hole," De added.

In a process called thermonuclear fusion, stars fuse hydrogen into helium in their cores, generating outward pressure that balances the incessant inward pull of gravity. When the nuclear fuel dissipates, the balance between inward and outward forces is upset and gravity causes the core to collapse.

For M31-2014-DS1, the shockwave ‌generated by the core collapse failed to muster enough energy to detonate the star.

"We call this a ​failed supernova," Flatiron Institute astrophysicist and study co-author Andrea Antoni said.

"Gravity therefore dominated, leading to the formation of a ​black hole," De said. "The star's outer envelope was gently ejected rather than explosively expelled. ​As this material expanded and cooled, it produced a transient infrared brightening. Afterward, the star lost its central power source and faded from view ‌across wavelengths."

The expulsion of the star's outer layers is about a thousand ​times less energetic than a supernova, Antoni said.

"For a ​star to vanish and implode as 'quietly' as this one did, we think that the key is that it's not spinning too fast before collapse so the majority of its mass falls straight in and only the outermost layers are sloughed off in the process," Harvard University astronomer and study co-author Morgan MacLeod said.

The newborn black hole has ​a mass roughly five times greater than the sun.

The researchers are ‌eager to learn how common it is for black holes to form in the quiet way. They already have identified another star that seems to have ​transformed into a black hole without an explosion.

"Presently, there are too many uncertainties on the theoretical side to know what percentage of core collapse deaths of ​massive stars lead to black hole formation," Antoni said.

(Reporting by Will Dunham, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)

byDonna Devi

in

February 12, 2026

Astronomers observe a star that quietly transformed into a black hole

WASHINGTON, Feb 12 (Reuters) - The formation of a black hole can be quite a violent event, with a massive dying star blow...

Read More