The party is getting started
Keep your photos and stories coming in using this form
Keep those pics and stories about your experience of the parade coming in hereAnd follow rolling coverage here
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
22 minutes ago
- Reuters
Sean 'Diddy' Combs' ex-girlfriend testifies he rebuffed pleas that escorts wear condoms
NEW YORK, June 6 (Reuters) - Sean "Diddy" Combs twice rebuffed a former girlfriend's requests that male entertainers wear condoms when having sex with her as Combs watched, the woman said on Friday during often tearful testimony at the hip-hop mogul's sex trafficking trial. The woman, testifying under the pseudonym Jane to protect her privacy, said Combs would "guilt trip" her when she asked that the entertainers wear condoms during their frequent, lengthy sexual encounters. The sexual interactions resembled what another one of Combs' exes, Casandra Ventura, referred to as "Freak Offs" during her testimony last month. Jurors in the Manhattan federal court trial heard an audio recording in which Combs intervened after Jane asked a male entertainer named Don if he had a condom. As the recording was played, Combs rapidly tapped his fingers against his leg while seated at the defense table. "Why didn't you just insist that Don wear a condom?" prosecutor Maurene Comey asked. "Because I just didn't want to disappoint my lover," Jane responded, referring to Combs. Jane said she and Combs dated from 2021 through 2024. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to five felony counts including racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. Prosecutors say he coerced women over two decades to take part in elaborate, drug-fueled sexual performances during Freak Offs over two decades. The Bad Boy Records founder's defense lawyers have acknowledged that Combs was occasionally abusive in domestic relationships, but say the women who took part in Freak Offs did so consensually. During the first day of her testimony on Thursday, Jane said she was "head over heels" for Combs and wanted to have a one-on-one relationship with him, but that starting five months into their relationship most of their time together involved sexual interactions with male escorts in hotels. Jane said that when she told Combs she wanted those encounters to stop, he threatened to stop paying her rent. On Friday, Jane frequently sobbed and dabbed her eyes with a tissue as she told jurors how Combs would encourage her to keep going even after she grew tired during the encounters, which she said often lasted 24 hours or more. She recounted one instance in which she broke down crying after Combs said he had to leave following an encounter with an entertainer, despite having promised Jane a one-on-one date night and that the entertainer would be there for "just a little bit." "I hung onto those words, just a little bit," Jane said. "I was feeling terrible that he was going to leave me alone." Combs' defense lawyers are expected to cross-examine Jane next week. They may focus on sexually explicit text messages that she sent Combs in between their encounters to show she was a willing participant in their relationship. Combs has been in federal lockup in Brooklyn since his September 2024 arrest. He could face life in prison if convicted on all counts.
The Sun
24 minutes ago
- The Sun
Billy Joel admits he attempted suicide twice and ended up in a coma after falling in love with bandmate's wife
BILLY Joel has admitted that he attempted suicide twice and was left in a coma after having an illicit affair with his close friend's wife. Billy, 76, opened up about his mental health struggles in the upcoming documentary Billy Joel: And So It Goes. 3 3 The Uptown Girl singer had previously discussed attempting to take his own life in his early 20s, but has just now revealed what led to the dark point. In the doc, which was partially screened at Tribeca Festival in New York City on Wednesday, Joel spoke about busting up his best friend's marriage with Elizabeth Weber. The singer didn't make it to the screening as he continues to battle a debilitating health condition. The affair brewed after Billy moved in with Elizabeth, her husband Jon Small, and their child, while the two close friends played in their band Attila. Elizabeth, who went on to marry Joel from 1973 to 1982, looked back at their burgeoning relationship in the documentary for the first time in years. "Bill and I spent a lot of time together," she said, and described their extramarital affair as a "slow build." When Jon finally confronted the two over their relationship, Billy admitted, "I am in love with your wife," Elizabeth said. "I felt very, very guilty about it. They had a child. I felt like a homewrecker," Billy said in the documentary, according to People. "I was just in love with a woman and I got punched in the nose which I deserved. "Jon was very upset. I was very upset." Billy Joel's daughter Alexa breaks silence after his brain disorder diagnosis Attila broke up for good after Billy's shocking admission, and Elizabeth separated herself to get some space. Meanwhile, the Piano Man singer spiraled into a pit of depression over what he had done. "I had no place to live. I was sleeping in laundromats and I was depressed I think to the point of almost being psychotic," Billy said. The singer described being in "a lot of pain" as he suffered from suicidal ideation. He took a handful of pills and fell into a coma for days. Later on, the singer tried to end his life again by drinking furniture polish, and this time Jon rushed him to the hospital. "Even though our friendship was blowing up, Jon saved my life," Billy said. Jon said that they never discussed the affair at the time, but that he managed to forgive his friend anyway. "He never really said anything to me," Jon said. "The only practical answer I can give as to why Billy took it so hard was because he loved me that much and that it killed him to hurt me that much." Elizabeth went on to be Billy's first wife and manager, but they split up by 1982. In 1985, Billy tied the knot with model Christie Brinkley, and they welcomed daughter Alexa Ray Joel later that year. On August 26, 1994, Billy and Christie divorced. Billy found his third wife, chef Katie Lee, in 2004, and they were married for five years. Now, he's married to former Morgan Stanley executive Alexis Roderick, and they've been together since 2015. Billy was forced to cancel all of his upcoming tour dates after he was diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus, which affects his hearing, vision, and balance. What is normal pressure hydrocephalus? NORMAL pressure hydrocephalus occurs when spinal fluid builds up in the skull and starts pressing on the brain. The condition can affect brain function, which can lead to a loss of memory, concentration, and motor skills. Medical experts say that NPH often presents like degenerative brain diseases like Alzheimer's and is usually noticed by loved ones. And around 30 percent of those suffering from the condition do also have one of those diseases, according to Cleveland Clinic. However, those who only have NPH can get relief if they have a major surgery. The surgery involves getting a shunt, which is a device that can drain fluid from the skull affecting the brain.
Daily Mail
26 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Our TV experts have picked the 20 hottest TV shows and films available to stream right now, from the return of a Netflix favourite to a Hollywood action sequel fresh from cinemas
Running out of shows to binge? Never fear! US family drama Ginny & Georgia is back for season three, while the finale of Guy Ritchie 's new gangster drama series MobLand, starring Tom Hardy, and , is out now. More of a film buff? We've got you covered, with Succession creator Jesse Armstrong 's movie directing debut and the action-packed sequel to The Accountant, featuring Ben Affleck.
