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Rock legend Jon Bon Jovi has been captured on camera helping to persuade a “distraught” woman to step away from the ledge of a bridge in Nashville.

The US singer was reportedly filming a video for his band’s track “The People’s House” on the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge when the woman was spotted on the other side of the railings.

CCTV footage, shared by local police, shows the Bon Jovi frontman and woman walking down the middle of the bridge on Tuesday evening.

They then slowly approach the distressed woman before the Livin’ on a Prayer singer leans on the railings and appears to begin talking to her.

Pic: Metropolitan Nashville Police Department
Image:
Pic: Metropolitan Nashville Police Department

Pic: Metropolitan Nashville Police Department
Image:
Pic: Metropolitan Nashville Police Department

The woman Bon Jovi was walking with is seen stroking the person’s back as they encourage her to come back to safety.

They are then seen helping the woman to climb back over the railings.

Bon Jovi then embraces her as they stand together for around a minute before walking back down the bridge together.

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Pic: Metropolitan Nashville Police Department
Image:
Pic: Metropolitan Nashville Police Department

Jon Bon Jovi in Texas earlier this year. Pic: AP
Image:
Jon Bon Jovi in Texas earlier this year. Pic: AP

The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department shared the video on its YouTube channel and said the singer had helped a “distraught woman”.

In a post on the X social media platform, the force wrote: “A shout out to @jonbonjovi and his team for helping a woman on the Seigenthaler Ped Bridge Tue night.

“Bon Jovi helped persuade her to come off the ledge over the Cumberland River to safety.”

The singer’s JBJ Soul Foundation offers support to people struggling with homelessness and hunger, with the 62-year music icon reported to have extensive training in speaking to people in crisis.

Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK.

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US government avoids shutdown after funding bill clears Congress

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US says it has killed Islamic State leader Abu Yusif in Syria airstrike

The US government has narrowly avoided a crippling shutdown after politicians agreed on a last-minute spending deal.

Failure to reach an agreement would have meant federal employees would have missed pay ahead of the festive season, impacting various public services.

Plans to approve the government’s budget were thrown into disarray this week after billionaire Elon Musk hit out at a bill put forward by Republicans and Democrats.

His opposition was backed by president-elect Donald Trump who wanted to increase the debt ceiling, which caps the amount the government can borrow.

But his revamped plan to suspend the cap for two years lost in a vote on Thursday, putting Congress in a race against time to agree a deal before midnight local time.

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In an 85-11 vote, the Democratic-controlled Senate passed the funding bill 38 minutes after it expired at midnight.

Even though the midnight deadline was missed, the government did not invoke shutdown procedures.

The bill will now be sent it to White House where President Joe Biden is expected to sign it into law.

The package had earlier cleared the Republican-controlled House of Representatives with bipartisan support, passing overwhelmingly by 336-3 votes.

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Trump campaign co-manager calls Lord Peter Mandelson an ‘absolute moron’ as peer is confirmed as Starmer’s new US ambassador

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Trump campaign co-manager calls Lord Peter Mandelson an 'absolute moron' as peer is confirmed as Starmer's new US ambassador

The co-manager for Donald Trump’s presidential election campaign has called Lord Mandelson an “absolute moron” – as the peer was officially announced as the next UK ambassador to the US.

The Labour grandee, who served in Sir Tony Blair and Gordon Brown’s cabinets, will become the UK’s top diplomat in Washington as president-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House in January.

In a post on X, Chris LaCivita linked to an article in The Daily Telegraph which reported on Lord Mandelson describing Mr Trump as “a danger to the world”.

The peer also described Mr Trump as “little short of a white nationalist and racist” during an interview with an Italian journalist in 2019, according to the newspaper.

In the post on X, Mr LaCivita said: “This UK govt is special replace a professional universally respected Ambo with an absolute moron – he should stay home! SAD!”

He added: “Mandelson described Trump as a danger to the world and ‘little short of a white nationalist’.”

It comes as Sir Keir Starmer confirmed the appointment of Lord Mandelson to the post.

The 71-year-old said: “We face challenges in Britain but also big opportunities and it will be a privilege to work with the government to land those opportunities, both for our economy and our nation’s security, and to advance our historic alliance with the United States.”

The prime minister said: “The United States is one of our most important allies and as we move into a new chapter in our friendship, Peter will bring unrivalled experience to the role and take our partnership from strength to strength.”

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Chris LaCivita, co-manager of Donald Trump's election campaign. Pic: Reuters
Image:
Chris LaCivita, co-manager of Donald Trump’s election campaign. Pic: Reuters

Sir Keir also thanked outgoing US ambassador Dame Karen Pierce, who will leave the post at the beginning of next year.

“I would also like to thank Dame Karen Pierce for her invaluable service for the last four years, and in particular the wisdom and steadfast support she has given me personally since July,” he said.

“She made history as the first woman to serve as UK ambassador to the US and she has been an outstanding representative of our country abroad. I wish her all the very best in future.”

Lord Mandelson was one of the key architects of New Labour and helped the party return to power in the 1990s.

He served as Sir Tony’s trade secretary and Northern Ireland secretary before standing down as an MP in 2004 to become a European Commissioner.

After Mr Brown awarded him a peerage in 2008 Lord Mandelson returned to government as business secretary.

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US says it has killed Islamic State leader Abu Yusif in Syria airstrike

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US says it has killed Islamic State leader Abu Yusif in Syria airstrike

The US says it has killed Islamic State (IS) leader Abu Yusif in Syria.

US Central Command Forces (Centcom) said it carried out an airstrike targeting Yusif – who also goes by Mahmud – in the east of the country.

Another IS operative was also killed in the strike, according to US officials.

This strike was conducted in an area formerly controlled by the Syrian regime and Russian forces.

Centcom commander, general Michael Erik Kurilla, said: “As stated before, the United States – working with allies and partners in the region – will not allow ISIS to take advantage of the current situation in Syria and reconstitute.

“IS has the intent to break out of detention the over 8,000 ISIS operatives currently being held in facilities in Syria.

“We will aggressively target these leaders and operatives, including those trying to conduct operations external to Syria.”

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