Latest news with #Blackstock
The Guardian
03-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Guardian
‘The most fun I've had while driving': three MINI lovers on the new electric Aceman
'Growing up, MINIs always felt iconically British to me,' says Dean Blackstock from his home in East Peckham, Kent. 'As well as seeing them in films like The Italian Job, my mum owned a little black MINI, so I just knew I'd eventually own one myself.' Three years ago, Blackstock's MINI ambitions came to fruition when he bought a sleek silver MINI Clubman Cooper S. 'It's fun and nippy, but also big enough to ferry my three children to school and to do the family shop,' says Blackstock, 44. 'It's nice to be part of the MINI community – whenever I see another Clubman I always give the driver a little nod of recognition.' Like most MINI fans, chiropractor Blackstock keeps an eye on upcoming iterations of his beloved car, and he's had his interest piqued by the new, all-electric MINI Aceman. 'As a father who cares about his kids' future, the electric element really appeals to me,' he says. 'The design of the Aceman is very striking, and having five doors and plenty of room is also a bonus, especially if you have a family.' With the MINI Aceman already on his radar, Blackstock jumped at the chance to take delivery of a model for a week, so he could see what it could do. 'I was looking forward to seeing how it would handle and fit into family life, and it definitely delivered,' he says. 'It was super-comfortable, super-quiet, and the most fun I've ever had while driving. 'The Aceman has a lovely minimalistic design, and we all loved the panoramic sunroof. There's an almost sci-fi-type sound when you accelerate, so every time I put my foot down I couldn't help smiling. I also noticed some heads turning when I did the school run – it has that element of quirky uniqueness you want from a MINI.' 'We all loved the panoramic sunroof,' says Blackstock As well as enjoying the Aceman's design features – including a statement steering wheel, octagonal grill and angular contours – Blackstock experimented with some of the optional features, including music and video streaming, in-car gaming and Spike, the MINI's new digital assistant. 'Spike is a cute dog animation that functions as your personal assistant and appears on the OLED display,' he says. 'You can connect your phone to the car, say, 'Hey, MINI,' and ask Spike to do things like play music, turn on the radio or send a message, all hands-free. 'The kids particularly liked the games you can play when the car is parked up. As well as being all-electric, the Aceman has really embraced technology to make it a better drive.' Blackstock was equally impressed by the MINI Aceman's charging capacity. 'I put it on charge before popping into the supermarket, and when I came out it was borderline fully charged,' he says. 'With places like supermarkets jumping on board with EV charging, it's very convenient when you're out and about.' Having spent a week with the Aceman, Blackstock is now a firm fan of its charms – and he's not the only MINI owner excited about this new way to MINI. 'I'd always envisioned eventually upgrading to a MINI Countryman, but now the new Aceman is here, I'm reassessing,' says Jesse Edwards, 27. Having owned a MINI One for seven years, he recently traded it for a new orange MINI Cooper Sport. 'I drove my first MINI over 60 miles a day, five to six times a week, and it never let me down,' says Edwards, who is from Ebbw Vale in south Wales. 'I've always found MINIs to be incredibly reliable, but their iconic design is a huge part of the appeal, too. 'I believe everyone goes through a MINI obsession at some point in their life, and I fully intend to keep driving one until the day I hang up my keys, so the Aceman is definitely one to consider. Being all-electric, it aligns with my aim to be more environmentally conscious, and I'm particularly drawn to the use of recycled materials in the interior. It feels like a step towards responsible indulgence.' Jesse Edwards The Aceman certainly ticks all the boxes for young, eco-conscious drivers such as Edwards. Hitting the balance between drivability and sustainability, the Aceman is not just all-electric: it also offers leather-free interiors, using partly recycled materials (without compromising on comfort), and new-gen wheels made from up to 30% secondary aluminium. This nippy drive also merges its commitment to sustainability with the practicality that MINI owners, such as Dipti Tait, 51, have come to rely on. 'Although I love everything about my black MINI One, I like what I see with the Aceman,' says Tait, from Stroud in Gloucestershire. 'The fact that it's all-electric is very exciting, and I'd really appreciate the increased boot space. 'I call my current MINI a 'maxi,' because it fits so much into the boot, but the Aceman takes things even further. We managed to move my son to university in a single trip, but we could probably move a whole house with the Aceman.' Dipti Tait Tait is right about the impressive amount of space available – the cleverly designed boot can be configured to give up to 1,005 litres of room. And, with roof rails as standard, a MINI roof rack or box will give you even more room to play with. While Edwards and Tait explore what the MINI Aceman has to offer, a week behind the (sporty, two-spoke) wheel has shown Blackstock what his future as part of the all-electric MINI community might look like. 'Of all the EVs out there, I'd say it's right up there with the best,' he says. 'Now I've driven it, when I'm ready to hang up my MINI Cooper keys, the Aceman is definitely on my wishlist.' Find out more about the all-electric MINI Aceman
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The heartbreaking reason Kelly Clarkson missed her show tapings
(NewsNation) — When Kelly Clarkson mysteriously missed 10 consecutive tapings of her show last month, fans were baffled. I reported she was 'overwhelmed,' and rumors circulated she wanted to quit her show. MrBeast fans seek refunds after Las Vegas event The mystery deepened even more after Clarkson returned to taping the show, citing 'personal reasons' as to why she was out, but refused to address said reasons publicly. But I can now reveal what insiders are saying happened. Welcome to 'The Scoop' — the ultimate back-to-the-office water cooler cheat sheet, your go-to source for all things everyone really wants to know! Get the latest on everything from the political swamp maneuvering in D.C. and Hollywood drama to jaw-dropping small-town shenanigans from Paula Froelich. 'Her ex-husband is sick and she took the kids to see him,' one person in the know told me. Clarkson's ex, Brandon Blackstock, was a music manager (including hers) until recent years when he stopped working for Starstruck Entertainment, the company his father, Norvill Blackstock, founded. While Clarkson and Blackstock had a protracted divorce battle, which turned into a nasty business battle (he was Clarkson's manager and an executive producer of her eponymous show for some years), 'He is still the children's father,' my source said. The former couple share a daughter, River Rose, 10, and son, Remington Alexander, 9. But things have not always been so copasetic between the two. After Clarkson filed for divorce on June 4, 2020, there was a protracted, two-year custody and spousal support battle that ended in 2022. Clarkson, according to Entertainment Tonight, 'retained the couple's highly contested Montana ranch in the settlement, as well as ownership of the family pets, several cars, including a Ford Bronco, a Ford F-250, and a Porsche Cayenne. She was also ordered to pay Blackstock $1.3 million and contribute $45,000 per month in child support for their two children. Additionally, Blackstock was granted $115,000 per month in spousal support, set to conclude in January 2024.' Michelle Trachtenberg's cause of death revealed But while the divorce was over, one year later, Clarkson sued Blackstock for violating California labor laws. Clarkson stressed that he and Starstruck Entertainment broke the Talent Agencies Act by acting as an 'unlicensed talent agency', and in 2023, a California labor commissioner found Blackstock guilty of improper management and ordered him to reimburse his ex-wife $2,641,374 for past commissions. Since then Clarkson has taken several shots at Blackstock, including, according to Entertainment Tonight, revising the lyrics of Gayle's 'ABCDEFU,' in July 2023, and singing, 'F**k you and your dad and the fact that you got half / And my broken heart, turn that s**t into art / F**k you, and your view from the valley I bought too / Everybody but your dogs, you can all f**k off!' More Gene Hackman investigation bodycam footage released When I called Starstruck, a woman answering the phones screamed, 'We are not commenting on that!' And hung up on me. A call to Norvill Blackstock and Brandon's lawyer Bryan Freedman were not returned and multiple emails and calls to Clarkson's rep Melissa Kates or NBC reps, Kelly Kimball or Jen Geisser were not returned. Our best goes out to Brandon and Kelly. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBC
22-03-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Jordan's Principle funding for First Nations children being extended through 2026: Indigenous Services
Social Sharing Ottawa says it will continue to fund Jordan's Principle to support First Nations children through 2026, as some First Nations chiefs decry what they call cutbacks in services. Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu announced the extension in a press release Saturday, about 24 hours before a federal election campaign is expected to kick off. The principle is intended to assure that First Nations children can access government-funded health, social or educational services regardless of where they live and without seeing their cases bogged down in jurisdictional disputes. No specific spending amounts were provided in the latest announcement, but Hajdu said the government has poured $8.8 billion into the principle since it was established in 2016. "More than 8.9 million products, services, and supports have been approved since 2016 under Jordan's Principle," Hajdu said in her statement. Jordan's Principle stems from a human rights complaint filed by the Assembly of First Nations and the First Nations Family and Caring Society in 2007, and is named after Jordan River Anderson, a five-year-old boy from Norway House Cree Nation in northern Manitoba who died in 2005 in the midst of a two-year battle between the province and Ottawa over who would pay for his care. Backlog of requests First Nations leaders have complained for months that the federal government has failed to provide communities with vital funding and resources through Jordan's Principle. Cindy Blackstock, head of First Nations Family and Caring Society, launched a non-compliance motion against Canada early last year, and the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ruled in December Canada needed to address the backlog of requests, along with creating an independent complaints mechanism. Blackstock was not immediately available for comment Saturday. However, she has accused the government of shirking legal obligations and failing to provide evidence of misuse or how widespread the alleged problem is. Blackstock has also argued that the government takes too long to process requests, leaving children without access to services, and said the backlog issue is a problem of the government's own making. Last week, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs accused the government of failing to live up to its duties by denying requests and cutting back on funds. The chiefs accused the Trudeau government of neglect and called on newly sworn in Prime Minister Mark Carney to rectify what the chiefs called a broken system. The federal government confirmed in December there were 140,000 backlogged requests across Canada, but said the legal order requiring swift action on it would be "challenging" to implement. The government also argued before the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal that requests were being made for a swath of non-urgent matters, saying the scope of Jordan's Principle had become too broad and contributed to the backlog of requests. Last month, the federal government announced it would bar funding approvals for home renovations, sporting events, international travel, and non-medical supports or school-related requests unless required to ensure equality with kids who are not First Nations. Hajdu said in her Saturday statement she has asked Indigenous Services Canada to review the contribution agreements of First Nations recipients to make sure expenses incurred under the principle in 2024-25 will be considered for funding. "This review is intended to support partners who are providing critical services to First Nations children through the transition to the new operating procedures related to processing requests under Jordan's Principle," she said.
Fox News
21-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Kelly Clarkson confesses she's ‘lost' a lot as she returns to talk show after mysterious absence
Kelly Clarkson returned to her talk show with a cryptic message after an unexplained absence. While the "Since U Been Gone" singer marked a major milestone Thursday with her 1,000th episode of "The Kelly Clarkson Show," she admitted to her fans that she has "lost" a lot of things thorughout the duration of the program. "I cannot believe today marks the 1,000th. It's crazy," she greeted a roaring crowd. "We have met some hugely talented people, tons of big stars and inspiring everyday heroes." "For 1,000 episodes, we have laughed together, we have cried together with beautiful stories, sang together with some people, danced together, celebrated and competed together," Clarkson shared. "I've lost, alone, a lot," she said, but didn't explain what she was referring to. Her fans were heard sympathizing with her, saying, "Aww" in the background, as Clarkson replied, "It's OK." She appeared to shrug off her vulnerable comment. The "Miss Independent" crooner reflected on how, during the five-year journey of her show, she and her crew and audience have "created a community and supported each other through a lot of ups and downs." "A lot of ups and downs personally as well," she emphasized, as she appeared to reference her own life. "And along the way, we found comfort in one another. . . ." Clarkson remarked. "I am grateful to everyone who has been a part of this journey. It has been such a cool time." The former "The Voice" coach debuted her talk show on Sept. 9, 2019. The exact cause of her extended absence from her show this month remains unclear. She was absent for nearly two weeks while a variety of celebrities acted as guest hosts, and she returned March 18 only to have another guest host take her place the following day. For the March 20 episode, her 1,000th, she returned, and is set to host on March 21 as well. Reps for Clarkson did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. Clarkson's 1,000th episode comes after she's endured a tumultuous few years, as she navigated a highly publicized divorce from her ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock. The aftermath of their messy split included a bitter battle over finances and custody of their children. In 2020, Clarkson filed for divorce from Blackstock, who also served as her manager. Clarkson earned a legal victory in 2023 when a California labor commissioner ruled that Blackstock must pay the "Breakaway" singer $2,641,374 for overstepping in his managerial role and "unlawfully" procuring deals, according to court docs obtained by Fox News Digital. During the time Blackstock was her manager, he made deals that her agent should have handled instead. The former "American Idol" winner's ex was ordered to pay Clarkson more than $2.6 million for the fees he collected from contracted deals with "The Voice," Billboard Music Awards, "The Kelly Clarkson Show," Norwegian Cruise Line and more. The two were married in 2013, but they had known each other previously as Blackstock's father, Narvel Blackstock, owns the music management company that represented Clarkson beginning in 2007. The divorce was settled in 2022, with Clarkson receiving primary physical custody of their two children, River and Remington, while still paying their father $45,000 a month in child support.
CBC
12-02-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Canada won't go back to the table, so a First Nations child advocate goes back to court
Canada has told a First Nations child advocate it will not negotiate in line with Assembly of First Nations (AFN) resolutions rejecting a $47.8-billion proposal to reform the on-reserve child welfare system, according to a recently released letter. So if the government won't go back to the table, Cindy Blackstock is going back to court. In October and December last year, chiefs voted to renegotiate a federal offer to partially settle an 18-year-old complaint at the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal over the chronic underfunding of child and family services in their communities. But according to a letter written by Paul Vickery, legal agent and counsel for the Department of Justice, those resolutions would expand the program in question to off-reserve funding and maintain the tribunal's jurisdiction over the program indefinitely. And it seems that's something the government won't consider. "Canada is not prepared to negotiate in line with resolutions that exceed both the [agreement-in-principle's] framework and the complaint on which the Tribunal made its findings of discrimination," Vickery wrote in a Jan. 14 letter to the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society. In 2016 the tribunal ordered Canada to reform the First Nations child and family services program, which it found to be racially discriminatory. The parties signed an agreement-in-principle worth $19.8 billion over five years in 2022. It was upped in a final agreement to $47.8 billion over 10 years. The letter is the clearest indication from the government yet that it has no intention to abide by the AFN's demands. In a Jan. 6 letter, Vickery informed the national organization that Canada would be seeking a standalone deal with chiefs in Ontario, with no mandate to negotiate nationally. On the same day she received Canada's latest correspondence, Caring Society executive director Blackstock filed a motion to compel Canada to restart consultations nationally. She says the society has serious concerns that the government is breaching the Crown's duty to act honourably toward First Nations and retaliating against chiefs. "It feels a lot like Canada is saying, 'You either agree with us or we take our toys and go home.' That kind of response to this kind of serious matter is really concerning," Blackstock said Wednesday. "And that's why we are following the chiefs' direction and pursuing a legal remedy to force Canada to talk to First Nations across the country. It's astounding to me that we even have to bring such a motion." But Derek Nepinak, chief of Minegoziibe Anishinabe in Manitoba and a supporter of the original agreement, says Canada's position is unsurprising. "That was the risk of rejecting the negotiations: that we may not be able to crack it open again," he said, calling it "short-sighted" to think otherwise. Canada doesn't want to be involved in these systems forever, Nepinak added, and would rather see communities take back responsibility and self-determination. That's something he feels the original agreement would have done. Outcome delayed amid political questions Because the negotiations were legally mandated, there was never any guarantee chiefs could force Canada to reopen them, he said. While the Caring Society may or may not succeed, a legal fight could prolong the outcome by months and even years. "Even if there is a good outcome at the human rights tribunal, to what extent is the government, a new government, going to be compelled to fund an agreement?" he said. "They may decide to appeal. They may decide to drag this thing out for a very long time and continue the process of having our children and families put at risk." In its rulings, the tribunal slammed the government for capping funding for prevention services while offering unlimited money to maintain kids in care. This created what's been called a perverse financial incentive for the state to scoop children from their homes and tear families apart. Without a reform plan, the risk is that more kids will fall through the cracks, said Nepinak. "I think that we had an opportunity, back in 2024, back in October, to put a stopgap measure in place." In a statement, a spokesperson for Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu said the agreement would have ensured the long-term sustainability of key investments already being made to prevent children from being taken into care. "Canada has made every effort to reach a fair, equitable, and comprehensive resolution," wrote press secretary Jennifer Kozelj. The Chiefs of Ontario and Nishnawbe Aski Nation, two of the four tribunal parties, have asked to work with Canada on the original deal, and that's what the government has done, she continued. Hajdu recently suggested the First Nations negotiating side is still organizing itself, which Blackstock disputed. The newly established national Children's Chiefs Commission is up and operating, Blackstock said. "I believe strongly that this decision will land in our favour, and frankly, I think it's a real breach of good faith negotiations" by Canada, she said. Nepinak said "the AFN is in a bit of an identity crisis" right now but he expressed hope the new commission can create a tangible way forward.
