THOUSANDS of Microsoft users have been hit with an outage to its website this morning.
According to Downdetector, the issues started about 9am this morning.
Follow our blog below for all the latest updates …
FORTNITE has been forced to pay $100 to hundreds of thousands of players, and you may be eligible for a payout.
The US Federal Trade Commission ordered Fortnite developer Epic Games on Monday to pay more than $72million dollars in refunds to 629,344 players.
Fortnite is compensating players in the US who were charged for unwanted purchases made over a five-year period.
The payout comes after Epic Games settled with the FTC in 2022 when the agency ruled that the Battle Royale game tricked players into making accidental purchases.
Then, the US consumer watchdog found that Epic was unlawfully charging players for unwanted items and letting children make purchases without their parents’ permission.
Fortnite’s deal with the FTC now requires the game to explicitly ask for player consent before charging users for in-game purchases.
It also bans Epic Games from locking a player’s account when they try to dispute unauthorized charges.
The FTC is now starting to send payments to everyone who filed a claim October 8, 2024, and is reviewing claims filed after that date.
You might be eligible for the $100 compensation, and there is still time to apply for a refund with the FTC.
If you think you might have made an accidental purchase in the game, read on to see if you’re eligible and how to claim.
To apply for this payout, you must meet one of the following conditions:
Only people aged 18 and above are allowed to file a claim, so if you’re not 18 yet, you should ask a parent or guardian to do this for you.
The FTC has set up a special Fortnite Refunds webpage, giving all the necessary details for players who want to claim their compensation, with a link to the application form.
Eligible players have until January 10, 2025, to claim their refunds, so make sure you apply before that date.
For more on the game, check out the latest price changes to Fortnite’s Battle Pass and the revamped Crew subscription.
TOM Felton has shocked fans with a sweet reunion snap from a recent meeting with some of his former costars.
The original Draco Malfoy star, 37, could be seen posing with some of his pals from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter franchise.
Posing on November 23, but sharing the image on December 9, the snap was taken at the Deam It Conventions in Paris, France.
At the event, some of the actors and actresses reunited from the original Harry Potter movie as well as the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them spinoff prequel.
“Wizarding world selfie,” Tom penned in the caption alongside the sweet snap, which sent fans wild.
Fans of the Harry Potter franchise then commented on the snap, with many completely stunned and overjoyed.
“I love how much Tom loves Harry Potter lol,” said one.
“Simply iconic!! Also Jamie!? I love everything about this,” added another.
“OH MY GOD I LOVE THIS,” penned a third.
A fourth then said: “I love love love this picture. Looks like you all had a blast. Thank you for sharing it with us. Made my Monday brighter.”
While a fifth added: “Tom and Jamie together?! Ugh, I love it.”
And a sixth said: “Love the Slythrtin trio.”
In the reunion snap, Tom was joined by two fellow Slytherins – Scarlett Byrne who played Pansy Parkinson, and Louis Cordice who played Blaise Zabini.
Also in the snap was Devon Murray who played Seamus Finnegan, and Stranger Things star Jamie Campbell Bower who played Gellert Grindelwald in the HP franchise.
Stanislav Yanevski, who played Victor Krum, was also in the snap, as was Predrag Bjelac who played Igor Karkaroff.
Dan Fogler, who played Jacob Kowalski in Fantastic Beasts, was also beaming in the snap.
AS JK Rowling’s popularity has rocketed, so has the value of the first edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.
If you think you might have one, then first look to see if Bloomsbury is listed as the publisher on the title page at the bottom.
The copy should be a first edition – which will be noted within the first few pages.
The latest date listed in the copyright information must by 1997.
It should be credited to “Joanne Rowling” and not “J.K Rowling” and carry a print line that reads ” 1 0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1″ on the copyright page.
There is a mistake on page 53 where “1 wand” appears twice in the list of school supplies Harry receives from Hogwarts, which was corrected in later print runs.
For the other titles in the Harry Potter series, it is only the first hardback editions with the dust jacket that have any collectable value.
Back in May, Tom revealed how close he really is to Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe, with the Draco star getting candid in an interview.
Speaking to Reader’s Digest, Tom was asked if he and Daniel get along in real life.
“The obvious question I get asked a lot by youngsters is: Are you and Harry actually friends in real life?” he said, adding, “Like, me and Daniel [Radcliffe, who played Harry].
“And obviously I say no at first, and of course I’m joking!
“It took a long time to make those films, so we only spent maybe 10% of the day in our characters, but we spent a lot of time together as Daniel, Rupert, Emma and Tom.
“People, for some reason, seem to ask that quite a bit, and they’re quite surprised that Dan’s one of my best friends, and Emma’s very close to me—well, everyone is.
“It sounds cheesy, but we’re actually a bit of a Potter family. It’s quite fun.”
He then added something sad about their bond, noting how it’s “unfortunate” that they’re never really in the same part of the world at the same time.
Tom noted how they “rarely get a chance to get together”.
JAY-Z’s mother-in-law has claimed that her account was hacked after she was seen liking a post about the rapper’s shock rape allegation.
Amazed social media users quickly came to the implication that this could mean Tina Knowles supported the accusation facing her son-in-law.
Tina, mother of Beyoncé, was thought to have added fuel to the fire by offering her opinion on social media, which she has since denied doing.
In an Instagram post Monday, Knowles denied she liked the ABC News post, claiming her family connection was being used as a “weapon”.
“As you all know, I do not play about my family,” Knowles wrote. “So if you see something uncharacteristic of me. Just know that it is not me!”
She added: “Please stop playing with me!!!! ‘No weapon formed against my family shall prosper.'”
The post that Tina allegedly liked read: “Shawn ‘Jay-Z’ Carter and Sean ‘Diddy‘ Combs are accused of raping a then-13-year-old girl at an afterparty following the 2000 Video Music Awards, according to an amended civil lawsuit filed Sunday.”
On Sunday, a lawsuit was filed accusing Shawn ‘Jay-Z’ Carter, 55, of raping a then-13-year-old girl at an afterparty following the 2000 Video Music Awards with Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs.
“Not ms Tina Knowles liking the post!” one Instagram user commented.
“Oooweee…Ms. Tina Knowles must know a little sump’tin???” another wrote.
The claims made by an unnamed Jane Doe form part of a federal lawsuit filed against Sean ‘Diddy‘ Combs, 55, in New York in October – refiled on Sunday to include Jay-Z.
It claims that Combs has “abused, molested, raped, assaulted, threatened and coerced women, minors and others” for decades.
And it describes his “close friend Shawn Carter [Jay-Z]” as being witness to “many” of his alleged crimes over the years.
In Jane Doe’s lawsuit, the woman alleged another unnamed celebrity “stood by and watched as Combs and (Jay-Z) took turns assaulting” her after the award show in 2000.
The lawsuit details that as she approached the limo drivers outside of the event, one of them claimed to be working for Diddy and invited the victim to an afterparty.
He reportedly said she “fit what Diddy was looking for”.
The alleged victim reported being taken to a house where she reported seeing “widespread drug use” including “marijuana and cocaine.”
She was later driven to a house where the party was being held, and was made to sign a form she now believes may have been a non-disclosure agreement.
The lawsuit claims she drank something that made her feel “woozy and lightheaded, making her need to lie down,” leading her to go into a bedroom alone.
JAY-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, released the following statement after a bombshell lawsuit filed by attorney Tony Buzbee revealed rape allegations against him.
“My lawyer received a blackmail attempt, called a demand letter, from a ‘lawyer’ named Tony Buzbee.
“What he had calculated was the nature of these allegations and the public scrutiny would make me want to settle.
“No sir, it had the opposite effect! It made me want to expose you for the fraud you are in a VERY public fashion. So no, I will not give you ONE RED PENNY!!
“These allegations are so heinous in nature that I implore you to file a criminal complaint, not a civil one!! Whomever would commit such a crime against a minor should be locked away, would you not agree?
“These alleged victims would deserve real justice if that were the case.
“This lawyer, who I have done a bit of research on, seems to have a pattern of these type of theatrics!
“I have no idea how you have come to be such a deplorable human Mr. Buzbee, but I promise you I have seen your kind many times over. I’m more than prepared to deal with your type. You claim to be a marine?! Marines are known for their valor, you have neither honor nor dignity.
“My only heartbreak is for my family. My wife and I will have to sit our children down, one of whom is at the age where her friends will surely see the press and ask questions about the nature of these claims, and explain the cruelty and greed of people. I mourn yet another loss of innocence. Children should not have to endure such at their young age. It is unfair to have to try to understand inexplicable degrees of malice meant to destroy families and human spirit.
“My heart and support goes out to true victims in the world, who have to watch how their life story is dressed in costume for profitability by this ambulance chaser in a cheap suit.
“You have made a terrible error in judgement thinking that all ‘celebrities’ are the same. I’m not from your world. I’m a young man who made it out of the project of Brooklyn. We don’t play these types of games. We have very strict codes and honor. We protect children, you seem to exploit people for personal gain. Only your network of conspiracy theorists, fake physics, will believe the idiotic claims you have levied against me that, if not for the seriousness surrounding harm to kids, would be laughable.
“I look forward to showing you just how different I am.”
Combs, Carter, and an unnamed female celebrity referred to as “Celebrity B” in the lawsuit then allegedly entered the room.
The lawsuit then alleges that Combs grabbed the teen and threw her onto the bed.
Carter allegedly then removed her clothes, held her down, and raped her, the lawsuit claims.
He allegedly then stepped back, allowing Combs to do the same thing while the mystery celebrity woman watched.
The rapper, who has been married to Beyoncé Knowles for over 16 years, hit back at the lawsuit with a statement on Sunday night saying the “heinous” allegations were false and “blackmail.”
“My only heartbreak is for my family,” he said in his statement, which was addressed to Doe’s lawyer Tony Buzbee.
“My wife and I will have to sit our children down, one of whom is at the age where her friends will surely see the press and ask questions about the nature of these claims, and explain the cruelty and greed of people.”
This is just one in a number of lawsuits Diddy is facing following a slew of rape allegations and assault claims in recent months.
He is currently being held in jail in New York ahead of a trial next May for racketeering and sex trafficking, and has had his bail requests denied.
SEAN Combs was hit with a wave of lawsuits in late 2023 and 2024 with allegations of sex trafficking and sexual assault. He has denied all claims against him.
MASTERCHEF: The Professionals was hit by two major disasters within seconds as chef is axed just days before the winner is crowned.
The most recent episode of the cooking show saw the finals get underway with just four outstanding chefs in with a fighting chance at the winner’s crown.
In the tense episode, the final four Gaston, Dan, George and Chiara were tasked with creating a special dish that could be sweet or savoury.
It was explained by the judges that the choice was entirely up to them but that they had to ensure it was flawless and outstanding.
The stakes didn’t get much higher for the contestants but two major disasters were looming for the pressurised chefs.
Gaston said he wasn’t hiding behind any kind of creativity and was going to put his emotion onto a plate.
The judges loved the idea of his poached scallop mousse on a bed of braised leeks and Gregg added: “This is not easy to pull off.”
George on the other hand, decided to go with a combination of his favourite flavours of rich chocolate caramel and judge Monica said: “It sounds delicious.”
But in the last three minutes as Gaston rushed to get his dish completed he knocked the pan containing his sauce off the stove.
“Oh Gaston!” exclaimed judge Marcus Wareing as it splashed all over the floor.
“Is that all your sauce?” he asked as Gaston threw his hands over his face and admitted it was.
Then disaster struck again and George’s pudding cracked as he took them from the moulds.
As all four contestants served their meals to the judges, Gaston told them he had been clumsy.
Monica said: “I think the sauce would really bring everything together but you know that.”
The judges also felt that his dish was grainy and not as smooth as it needed to be.
Gaston was extremely disappointed and said: “I am drawn into desperation and frustration.”
When George presented his desert the judges said it might look a mess but the flavours were very good.
MASTERCHEF has been a staple BBC series for years - but what are the key details?
The judges then declared that all the chefs were extremely talented and that their food had been exceptional.
But they said they had to make a decision and the show saw Gaston being eliminated.
Leaving the competition, Gaston said: “I will be forever grateful. It was the best adventure in my life.”
“You haven’t seen the last of me” he added.
MasterChef: The Professionals airs on BBC1 and BBCIplayer.
JUVENTUS welcome Manchester City on Wednesday in a crunch Champions League clash for both sides.
And bookmakers Tote are celebrating by offering brand new customers a whopping £40 in free bets and bonuses to spend on the Euro showdown when you sign up and stake £10!
Find The Sun’s betting publishing principles here
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