The Duchess of Sussex’s estranged father has firmly denied child sex allegations, vowing to clear his name. Thomas Markle, 82, addressed the recent claims that have sparked international police inquiries, telling the Mail on Sunday: “I have never had sex with anyone under the age of 18.” But the retired Hollywood lighting director acknowledged travelling to the Philippines at least twice while single and paying for sex. He added: “I like Asian women but that is not a crime.” Speaking from a Florida nursing facility where he is recovering from a leg amputation, Mr Markle protested his innocence and pledged to co-operate fully with investigators. During the extensive interview, Mr Markle outlined his defence, stating that he is willing to take a lie detector test and speak directly to investigators, that he suspects his son, Thomas Markle Jnr—who reported him to the police—could be behind an original letter sent to Scotland Yard containing a number of claims about alleged offending, and that any illicit images found on his computer were “planted”. He also claimed that …

NAPLES, Italy, Oct 24 : Lazio climbed to the top of the Serie A table with a 2-1 home win over Parma on Saturday as AS Roma twice came from behind to secure a 3-3 draw with Napoli in a pulsating Serie A clash in Naples. Lazio have 22 points from their eight matches this season and are three points clear of champions Inter Milan, who have played a game fewer and host Fiorentina on Sunday. Lazio opened the scoring in the 50th minute as Kenneth Taylor netted his first goal of the season, before Parma’s Diego Carlos put the ball into his own net trying to cut out a cross. The visitors scored a late consolation through Simone Lontani. Third-placed Roma trailed 2-0 and then 3-2 late on, so will be pleased with a point in Naples as they preserved their 15-game unbeaten run in Serie A that dates back to April. Frank Anguissa’s spectacular overhead kick gave Napoli the lead and Scott McTominay doubled the advantage. At that stage they were cruising, but …

Authored by Troy Myers via The Epoch Times, The Trump administration has petitioned the Supreme Court to allow border wall construction to resume in the Big Bend area of Texas. In an emergency application filed with the high court on Oct. 21, lawyers for the federal government asked the justices to lift a lower court order halting construction of President Donald Trump’s key project that began during his first term in office. In the Oct. 3 order, U.S. District Judge Kathleen Cardone sided with environmental groups who claimed the work was unconstitutional, breached the separation of powers, and took land from residents. “This case involves a baseless injunction that halts a major portion of the construction of the border wall,” U.S. Solicitor General D. John Sauer wrote in the emergency application. “Leaving a 300-plus-mile gap in border defenses would act as a dangerous magnet for cartels and other bad actors to exploit as other routes close off.” The Trump administration argued that continuing construction was crucial because the Big Bend region encompasses nearly one-quarter of …

To free up more time in your life, writer Caroline Sylge proposes a creative idea: Give yourself a “say no” retreat. It’s a day to look at your calendar and thoughtfully decline obligations in the next few weeks and months. Juan Moyano/ Moment RF/ Getty Images hide caption toggle caption i Juan Moyano/ Moment RF/ Getty Images This story is adapted from Life Kit’s weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get expert advice on lifestyle topics like health, money, relationships and more.  How is your to-do list looking for the next few weeks? If it’s already full of obligations and tasks you’ve been dreading, and ramping up toward the holidays, you might need a “say no” retreat. That’s one of dozens of creative ideas in Caroline Sylge’s book, How to Retreat: A Guide to Stepping Away from the Everyday to Find Space for Yourself, published this spring. A “say no” retreat is a day to brainstorm all the things you want to say no to in your life in the coming weeks and months, she …

The state pension triple lock is great but works better for some than others (Image: Getty) The triple lock is expected to deliver a 3.9% increase in April 2027, based on earnings growth in the three months to July. The September inflation figure came in lower at 3.5%, so the earnings element holds sway. That should lift the full new state pension by £489.36 a year to £13,036.96. Sadly, it’s not quite that simple. It never is, with the state pension. There are two state pensions, and the other one pays considerably less. People who reached state pension age before April 6, 2016, receive the old basic state pension. Its full rate is currently £9,614.80 a year. A 3.9% increase will add just £374.98, taking it to £9,989.78. That’s £114.38 less than the increase enjoyed by someone receiving the full new state pension. The gap between the two full rates will widen from £2,932.80 to £3,047.18 a year. It’s a longstanding source of frustration and I highlight it every year, because readers ask me to. …