aztec treasure free slot game MASTERCHEF staff concerned about Gregg Wallace's behaviour were told to call a whistleblowing hotline three years ago, it is claimed. The TV chef, 60, stepped away from the BBC show while historical misconduct allegations against him are investigated. A probe has been launched into complaints against him spanning 17 years. He is alleged to have made sexual remarks to 13 colleagues , including ex Newsnight presenter Kirsty Wark. One witness claimed the former green grocer walked into the studio naked apart from a "sock over his penis" then did a dance. They also said he mimed a sex act as a worker knelt to clean his trousers. READ MORE ABOUT WALLACE A source has now said production crew were directed to a freephone number and website to report issues, including harassment and bullying . It was at a time when Wallace was allegedly behaving inappropriately. They told The Mirror : “Workers were told about a hotline which had been put in place by the production company to report problems. “It was never explicitly said it was because of Gregg but people were guided to it when raising concerns about him. Most read in TV "That came in three series ago... There’s a sense of relief from some of the staff on MasterChef now Gregg has gone.” The Film and TV Charity launched the bullying hotline in 2021 and it was mentioned on call sheets of shows owned by Banijay UK - which is behind MasterChef. The production company also then set up its own service called Speak Up! described as offering "safe arena for individuals to confidentially have their voice heard". It comes as The Sun revealed today BBC bosses let Wallace carry on working on MasterChef despite being warned by Nestlé about his behaviour while filming another programme. He is said to have infuriated staff there by joking about their weight while filming a segment on how chocolate bar Aero is made for BBC’s Inside The Factory. A source said: “He upset some of the female workers by joking along the lines of ‘working in a chocolate factory is the reason you’re fat’. It really upset them.” His comments early last year caused such upset that Nestlé told staff Inside the Factory would no longer be welcome on its premises. The company contacted the BBC and the series’ production company. Wallace quit the show in the wake of the controversy but still worked on ­ MasterChef . Banijay UK yesterday said law firm Lewis Silkin would lead the investigation into Wallace’s alleged misconduct . The BBC said it would be inappropriate to comment on anything that could form part of Banijay’s investigation . READ MORE SUN STORIES The Sun previously revealed one former contestant even alleged the MasterChef judge groped her while she was cooking on the set of the show as the cameras rolled. Wallace thanked people for “showing their support” on a video posted to his Instagram on Thursday evening, and today shared a bizarre image of a gingerbread man dunked into whipped cream. Gregg Wallace has been a familiar face on TV for years now thanks to his role as a judge on MasterChef - but let's take a closer look at his career so far... Gregg Wallace left school at 15 and started his career working on a fruit and veg stall in London. In 1989, he started George Allan's Greengrocers, a company that grew to a turnover of £7.5 million. Gregg's experience in the world of fruit and veg lead to him co-hosting Veg Talk on BBC Radio 4 with Charlie Hicks for seven years. He then became the first host of Saturday Kitchen in 2002, a role he held for a year before being replaced by Antony Worrall Thompson in 2003. At the same time, Gregg presented a number of food-related TV specials, including Veg Out for the Discovery Channel. Gregg landed his most notable TV role as a co-presenter and judge on BBC's competitive cooking show MasterChef in 2005. He stars alongside John Torode . In 2010 Gregg pursued another life-long dream of opening a restaurant. He opened the establishment Wallace & Co. in Putney. Then, in 2012, he opened Gregg's Bar & Grill in a joint venture with the Bermondsey Square Hotel. Gregg then scored a hosting gig with the BBC, presenting the documentary Supermarket Secrets in August 2013. Unfortunately, times were tough for Gregg, and in the same month, it was reported that one of his companies, West Veg Limited, had folded, owing more than £500,000. In 2014, both of his restaurants folded, with Wallace & Co owing suppliers £150,000. However, his TV career continued to thrive, and in 2015 became the regularly host of the award-winning documentary food series Eat Well for Less? Gregg helmed the show for eight years before stepping away. He also competed on Strictly Come Dancing . Gregg then made Telly history again when he revived the BBC's historical game show Time Commanders. More recently, the celebrity chef has presented a number of travel programmes such as Big Weekends with Gregg Wallace, South Africa with Gregg Wallace, and the food mockumentary, Gregg Wallace: The British Miracle Meat .

Bilawal, Chinese envoy discuss bilateral relations

LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Thomas Brown insists he's focused on the job at hand and not the one he might have down the line. His immediate task as the interim coach of the Chicago Bears is helping the team finish strong over the final five games, starting this weekend at San Francisco. The rest of his life can wait. “I think about just the moment. ... I obviously understand the role that I'm in, understand what might come with it," he said Wednesday. "But I also understand that we make most situations bigger than what it has to be because of the outside noise, what everybody else puts a value on it.” The Bears are in a moment unlike any other in the history of the founding NFL franchise. They fired a head coach for the first time during a season when they let Matt Eberflus go on Friday with a 4-8 record and the team in a six-game losing streak marked by head-scratching decisions. They promoted Brown, who in a span of three weeks went from passing game coordinator to offensive coordinator and now the person in charge. The tipping point was a 23-20 loss at Detroit on Thanksgiving, when the Bears let the clock run down rather than call a timeout following a sack. It led to Caleb Williams throwing an incomplete pass from the Lions 41 as time expired when Chicago should have been able to run more than one play. Star cornerback Jaylon Johnson interrupted Eberflus' postgame speech and made his feelings clear. Other players had gone public in recent weeks with their frustrations over the coaching decisions, and they didn't exactly hide their emotions following the Detroit game. On Wednesday, defensive end DeMarcus Walker said he sensed a change was coming after the loss to the Lions. “You guys just look at the whole turnaround, how everything had been going, we just knew some changes were going to be made,” he said. The 38-year-old Brown now has a huge opportunity. He spent last season as Carolina's offensive coordinator and the previous three on Sean McVay's staff with the Los Angeles Rams — the final two as assistant head coach. Prior to that, he spent nine years as a college assistant, including stops at Wisconsin, Georgia, Miami and South Carolina. It's his job to help right a team that came into the season thinking a playoff spot was in reach. Williams' development obviously will be front and center. To that end, the No. 1 overall draft pick has looked more comfortable in the three games since Brown took over for the fired Shane Waldron as offensive coordinator, completing 75 of 117 passes for 827 yards with five touchdowns, no interceptions and a rating of 99.2. Though Brown will continue to call plays, the Bears have another new offensive coordinator in wide receivers coach Chris Beatty. “I think it is a stepping stone actually with my development because I think down the line I’ll have different OCs or different head coaches or whatever the case may be,” Williams said. “And so being able to handle it my first year, handle a new playbook, handle all these different changes, handle all of this I think it definitely will help the development instead of hurting it or anything like that.” Beyond the development of the prized quarterback, Brown also will be judged during his audition for the regular job on his preparation, decisions during games and command of the locker room. He said he reached out to each player individually on Friday and Saturday and tried to set a tone when the team met on Monday. “I want them to be excellent,” Brown said. “I can nitpick at every single play and tell a guy how he wasn’t perfect. And, so, perfection’s not the goal. It’s to excel at your craft.” Notes: The Bears had a lengthy injury report on Wednesday. WRs Keenan Allen (ankle) and DJ Moore (quad), RBs D'Andre Swift (quad) and Roschon Johnson (concussion), DB Elijah Hicks (ankle) and OL Ryan Bates (concussion) all missed practice. S Kevin Byard (shoulder) and OLs Darnnell Wright (knee) and Coleman Shelton (knee) were limited.

(BPT) - The holidays bring a whirlwind of excitement, sales, and unfortunately also scams. Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Week mean increased online transactions, e-commerce traffic, and a heightened focus on fulfilling customer orders — all of which make small businesses, especially micro-businesses, prime targets for cybercriminals. According to Bank of America's Small Business Owner's Report , more than half of small business owners said cybersecurity threats have impacted their business. Unlike larger corporations with dedicated IT departments, many small and micro businesses lack proper security infrastructure, leaving them more vulnerable to and harmed by threats. A single scam or breach can be costly and can put a business behind during the busy holiday season. Scammers know how to exploit the season's hustle and bustle. But don't let the Grinch steal your seasonal success — arm yourself with these tips from the pros at Norton Small Business to stay protected and keep the holiday cheer intact. The Naughty List: Common Holiday Cyber Scams In today's digital-first world, cybersecurity is no longer optional — it's a necessity. With cyber threats evolving constantly, safeguarding your business requires vigilance, informed employees, and robust practices. Investing in cybersecurity tools is a simple way to address these concerns. The Nice List: 7 Cyber Safety Tips for the Holidays In a world where scams are harder to detect it is good to have extra help. Owners and employees can check in real time if something might be a scam with the free Norton Genie app . With a simple screen shot, this AI-powered scam detection tool can tell you if a text message, social media post, email or website message is likely to be a scam, what makes the content suspicious, and what to do next. Beyond just protecting your systems, it's essential to build trust with your customers by showing them that your business takes cybersecurity seriously. Displaying security badges on your website, being transparent about how customer data is protected, and offering secure payment options can go a long way in fostering customer confidence and retention. The holidays are a time of opportunity for both small businesses and scammers. By adopting these best practices, you can protect your business, your customers, and your peace of mind this season. Think of Norton Small Business as your holiday helper, protecting your devices and data while you focus on operating your business. With easy setup and robust features, it's your always-on IT department working 24/7 to protect your business and employees. Visit https://us.norton.com/products/small-business for more information.

Latitude Margaritaville Watersound Sells 2000th HomeBy TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post SALINA -- On the heels of an injury-riddled 3-17 campaign, the Salina South boys basketball team will look to dust itself off and press forward in 2024-25, with a young core looking to take the next step as juniors and seniors. The Cougars open their 2024-25 campaign when they travel to Great Bend Dec. 6. Salina South Coach Jason Hooper returns to the helm for his 12th season leading the boys program, with an overall record of 191-192 at Salina South. The Cougars return four starters Jace Humphrey (Sr), Jaxon Myers (Jr), Sawyer Walker (Jr), and Gavin Devoe (Jr). Myers, who suffered a broken arm during the football season, is not expected back until after the Christmas break. Stepping up in lieu of Myers and Harris are seniors Lawson Rassette and Camden Augustine, juniors Easton Wilcox, Dakaree Small, Kyler Webb, and Jalen Cheeks, and sophomores Kobie Henley and Ja’Brien Curtis. Q: What lessons do you feel like last year’s team learned that you can carry with you into this year? A: “Last year a lot of our kids were sophomores, and they were thrust into the limelight due to some injuries. It wasn’t the initial plan that they would play huge minutes, but they grew up fast from a physical standpoint. There were times last year when we got bullied a little bit, but our kid's resolve was so good. They were competitive, and they never put their heads down; they just battled. I feel good about our mental makeup this season.” Q: What feels like the biggest strength of Salina South basketball going into this new season? A: “We have some really good shooters on this team and I think our ability to stretch the floor will be solid. We finally have some length, which is something we haven’t had for a few years, but we’ve got good size in our lineup and good size coming off the bench. I don’t feel like we’ll be on the wrong side of a lot of mismatches this year, and hopefully we can flip the script on some of these teams.” Q: What still feel like the biggest question marks you have going into these first few games? A: “We still need to maintain our composure in games. Last year we got sped up a little and when teams would pressure us we didn’t handle that well. You have to go through those growing pains and hopefully we’ve learned from those opportunities. Every moment of adversity can be a positive if you use it the right way and I think our kids have grown up a lot over the summer.” Q: What is the teams mindset and goals for the 2024-25 season? A: “We haven’t really talked big picture yet, we want to be where our feet are at and take things one rep at a time. We talk on a daily basis about how all five days of the week need to look the same from a mental standpoint and we need to win our reps and stack good days on good days. We can’t get out ahead of ourselves and we know we haven’t earned the right to talk about playoffs yet.”

Warehouse robot usage expanded

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Biden administration plans on reducing part of Intel’s $8.5 billion in federal funding for computer chip plants around the country, according to three people familiar with the grant who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations. The reduction is largely a byproduct of the $3 billion that Intel is also receiving to provide computer chips to the military. President announced the agreement to provide with up to $8.5 billion in direct funding and $11 billion in loans in March. The changes to Intel’s funding are not related to the company’s financial record or milestones, the people familiar with the grant told The Associated Press. In August, the chipmaker announced that it would cut 15% of its workforce — about 15,000 jobs — in an attempt to turn its business around to compete with more successful rivals like Nvidia and AMD. Unlike some of its rivals, Intel manufactures chips in addition to designing them. Two years ago, President Biden hailed Intel as a job creator with its plans to open a new plant near Columbus, Ohio. The president praised the company for plans to “build a workforce of the future” for the $20 billion project, which he said would generate 7,000 construction jobs and 3,000 full-time jobs set to pay an average of $135,000 a year. The California-based tech giant’s funding is tied to that President has celebrated and which is designed to revive U.S. semiconductor manufacturing. Known as the , the $280 billion package is aimed at sharpening the U.S. edge in military technology and manufacturing while minimizing the kinds of supply disruptions that occurred in 2021, after the start of the coronavirus pandemic, when stalled factory assembly lines and . The Biden administration helped shepherd the legislation following pandemic-era concerns that the loss of access to chips made in Asia could plunge the U.S. economy into recession. When pushing for the investment, lawmakers expressed concern about efforts by China to control Taiwan, which accounts for of advanced computer chip production. In August, the administration pledged to provide up to $6.6 billion so that a Taiwanese semiconductor giant could expand the facilities it is and better ensure that the most advanced microchips are produced domestically for the first time. The Commerce Department said the funding for meant the company could expand on its existing plans for two facilities in Phoenix and add a third, newly announced production hub. The administration has promised to support foundries and reduce reliance on Asian suppliers, which Washington sees as a security weakness. _____ Boak reported from Washington. Josh Boak And Sarah Parvini, The Associated Press

(BPT) - The holidays bring a whirlwind of excitement, sales, and unfortunately also scams. Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Week mean increased online transactions, e-commerce traffic, and a heightened focus on fulfilling customer orders — all of which make small businesses, especially micro-businesses, prime targets for cybercriminals. According to Bank of America's Small Business Owner's Report , more than half of small business owners said cybersecurity threats have impacted their business. Unlike larger corporations with dedicated IT departments, many small and micro businesses lack proper security infrastructure, leaving them more vulnerable to and harmed by threats. A single scam or breach can be costly and can put a business behind during the busy holiday season. Scammers know how to exploit the season's hustle and bustle. But don't let the Grinch steal your seasonal success — arm yourself with these tips from the pros at Norton Small Business to stay protected and keep the holiday cheer intact. The Naughty List: Common Holiday Cyber Scams In today's digital-first world, cybersecurity is no longer optional — it's a necessity. With cyber threats evolving constantly, safeguarding your business requires vigilance, informed employees, and robust practices. Investing in cybersecurity tools is a simple way to address these concerns. The Nice List: 7 Cyber Safety Tips for the Holidays In a world where scams are harder to detect it is good to have extra help. Owners and employees can check in real time if something might be a scam with the free Norton Genie app . With a simple screen shot, this AI-powered scam detection tool can tell you if a text message, social media post, email or website message is likely to be a scam, what makes the content suspicious, and what to do next. Beyond just protecting your systems, it's essential to build trust with your customers by showing them that your business takes cybersecurity seriously. Displaying security badges on your website, being transparent about how customer data is protected, and offering secure payment options can go a long way in fostering customer confidence and retention. The holidays are a time of opportunity for both small businesses and scammers. By adopting these best practices, you can protect your business, your customers, and your peace of mind this season. Think of Norton Small Business as your holiday helper, protecting your devices and data while you focus on operating your business. With easy setup and robust features, it's your always-on IT department working 24/7 to protect your business and employees. Visit https://us.norton.com/products/small-business for more information.Euro plunges to its lowest for two years Purchasing managers' index at 48.1 in November, down from 50 in September Data sent euro plunging to just above $1.03 versus the dollar This is its lowest since November 2022 By JOHN-PAUL FORD ROJAS Updated: 21:50 GMT, 22 November 2024 e-mail 6 View comments The euro sank to a two-year low against the dollar yesterday as political turmoil in Germany and France dragged the single currency zone's economy into reverse. A closely-watched monthly survey of business activity fell unexpectedly to 48.1 in November, down from 50 in September – on an index where the 50 mark separates growth from contraction. The purchasing managers' index (PMI) data sent the euro plunging to just above $1.03 versus the US currency, its lowest since November 2022. Yields on eurozone government bonds also fell as investors bet on faster interest rate cuts. The European Central Bank has cut rates three times this year to 3.25 per cent amid deepening concerns about lacklustre growth. Markets expect another quarter-point cut next month followed by further reductions taking the rate to 1.75 per cent by the end of 2025. Jane Foley, senior FX strategist at Rabobank, said the euro had taken 'a step closer to parity' with the dollar. Struggle: The purchasing managers' index data sent the euro plunging to just above $1.03 versus the US currency, its lowest since November 2022 However, it was little changed versus the pound, after PMI data for the UK also proved dismal as Labour's tax raid on employers in the Budget took its toll. Sterling was trading at just over €1.20. The eurozone PMI figures showed the services sector going into reverse for the first time in ten months and the decline in the manufacturing sector deepening. Germany, Europe's biggest economy, is in limbo after its coalition government collapsed this month – and elections are not due until February. Meanwhile, revised figures yesterday downgraded third-quarter growth from 0.2 per cent to 0.1 per cent. The country, once a manufacturing powerhouse, is in crisis as demand from China slumps and its vast car industry grapples with the transition to electric vehicles. RELATED ARTICLES Previous 1 Next Brussels warning to White House over 'harmful' tariffs Artificial intelligence to replace workers after Budget,... Share this article Share HOW THIS IS MONEY CAN HELP How to choose the best (and cheapest) stocks and shares Isa and the right DIY investing account Bosch became the latest industrial giant to be hit yesterday, announcing 3,500 job cuts, affecting the part of the company that develops technology for vehicles. US car maker Ford is also cutting thousands of jobs in Germany while Volkswagen, Europe's biggest car maker, is expected to close as many as three factories. In France, hard-Right legislators are threatening to topple prime minister Michel Barnier's fragile coalition in a dispute about the 2025 budget. Adding to the gloom is the fear that Donald Trump's threatened trade tariffs will hurt the European economy. Cyrus de la Rubia, chief economist at Hamburg Commercial Bank, which compiled the PMI figures, said: 'Things could hardly have turned out much worse. The manufacturing sector is sinking deeper into recession, and now the services sector is starting to struggle after two months of marginal growth. 'It is no surprise, given the political mess in the biggest eurozone economies lately. 'France's government is on shaky ground and Germany's heading for early elections. Throw in the election of Donald Trump and it is no wonder the economy is facing challenges.' Bert Colijn, chief economist at ING Bank, said 'The November PMI is another wake-up call for eurozone policymakers that the economy continues to show signs of weakness. 'New business is weakening again for manufacturing and services with export orders in particular being down sharply as the eurozone economy battles weak demand from abroad.' DIY INVESTING PLATFORMS AJ Bell AJ Bell Easy investing and ready-made portfolios Learn More Learn More Hargreaves Lansdown Hargreaves Lansdown Free fund dealing and investment ideas Learn More Learn More interactive investor interactive investor Flat-fee investing from £4.99 per month Learn More Learn More Saxo Saxo Get £200 back in trading fees Learn More Learn More Trading 212 Trading 212 Free dealing and no account fee Learn More Learn More Affiliate links: If you take out a product This is Money may earn a commission. These deals are chosen by our editorial team, as we think they are worth highlighting. 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