June 29 (UPI) — The Archdiocese of San Francisco has reached a $395 million settlement with hundreds of survivors of childhood sexual abuse allegedly committed by members of the clergy, lawyers for the victims and the archbishop announced Monday.
The agreement in principle, which follows three years of bankruptcy proceedings and extensive negotiations between the archdiocese and lawyers representing the victims, affects some 530 survivors, according to lawyer Jeff Anderson, who is among the claimants’ litigation team.
During a press conference streamed live online Monday afternoon, Anderson described the agreement as “a real settlement that provides for a significant measure of accountability, required transparency and an authentic reckoning by those that allowed these indelible horrors to be inflicted upon so many for so long.”
The archdiocese filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in August 2023, after hundreds of clergy sexual abuse civil cases were filed against it, which put a stop to all litigation and forced the survivors to reorganize into a committee that was represented by nine claimants.
Those nine claimants then negotiated the settlement on behalf of all of the survivors, according to Anderson, who said the agreement reached also includes a 14-point plan to protect future children from similar abuses and empower survivors.
“This is unprecedented, and this gives me hope and it is the courage of these survivors that has caused it to happen,” he said.
In a letter addressed to members of the Archdiocese of San Francisco, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone said that they believe “this proposal offers a path toward fair compensation for survivors who have carried the burden of this abuse for a lifetime.”
“We accept the responsibility for the failures that allowed this harm to occur,” he said.
“I sincerely apologize to all those who have suffered because of those failures.”
The lawsuits that prompted the archdiocese to file for bankruptcy were filed after California enacted legislation that opened a three-year window from Jan. 1, 2020, to Dec. 31, 2022, lifting the statute of limitations on allegations of childhood sexual assault so victims of crimes even decades old could seek a civil, monetary resolution from their perpetrators.
Margie O’Driscoll, a survivor of clergy sexual assault and one of the nine committee members, said during the press conference that she was abused as a teenager by a priest at Marin Catholic High School nearly five decades ago.
She spoke directly to those who were similarly abused.
“I, like every survivor, have carried this pain and shame along like a ball and chain for a very, very long time — I see you and I know what you carry,” she said.
“So, while I want to say that today is a significant victory for everyone in the case … it’s really come at a significant cost to the 500 people sexually abused by priests and religious leaders.”
O’Driscoll said some of the victims had been abused more than 70 years ago, during which they carried the shame associated with the crime, while being scorned by the archdiocese and sometimes their accusations not believed by family and friends.
“And I think, today, shame is going to change sides,” she said.
Hundreds, if not thousands, of claims were filed after the passage of Assembly Bill 218, resulting in billions of dollars in settlements for survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
In October 2024, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles reached an $880 million settlement with 1,353 survivors. In April 2025, Los Angeles County reached a $4 billion settlement resolving more than 6,800 claims of sexual abuse allegedly committed at probation department facilities and MacLaren Children’s Center.
Search and rescue operations continue in Caracas, Venezuela nearly five days after the devastating double earthquakes. Al Jazeera’s Noris Soto speaks with a family member who remains hopeful their loved one is still alive beneath the rubble.
BBC viewers paid tribute to Dame Penelope Keith, following her death aged 86, as the broadcaster aired a special episode of The Good Life.
The BBC aired an episode of The Good Life in tribute to the iconic actress(Image: BBC)
BBC viewers have been left “heartbroken” as they paid tribute to an iconic actress.
In a change to scheduled programming, the broadcaster made the decision to honour Dame Penelope Keith with a classic episode of The Good Life on Monday, June 29.
They said she “died peacefully whilst living with cancer at her home in Surrey”.
As fans mourned the To the Manor Born actress and friends paid tribute, the BBC confirmed the Margo Leadbetter actress would be remembered with the episode airing on BBC Two.
From the third series of The Good Life, it followed war breaking out between the Goods and the Leadbetters, “proving there is nothing like a good fight over the fence to cement relationships”.
Jon Petrie, Director of BBC Comedy said: “All of us at BBC Comedy are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Dame Penelope Keith. She was one of the defining figures of British television comedy.
“Her iconic performance as Margo in The Good Life remains one of the nation’s most beloved sitcom roles and continues to delight audiences today.
“We send our heartfelt condolences to her family, friends and all of those who had the privilege of working with her.”
Watching the repeat episode, one person wrote on X: “Just watched #TheGoodLife on bbc as a tribute to Penelope Keith. Still very good!”
Another said: “Lovely to watch #thegoodlife. it brings back memories of when I was a kid. RIP Penelope Keith.”
A third wrote: “Genuinely had something in my eye as soon as the theme tune came on #TheGoodLife #DamePenelopeKeith Thank you BBC2.”
Someone else said: “I’m indulging in some pre-dinner #TheGoodLife on #BBCTwo in honour of #PenelopeKeith RIP.”
Paying their respects, one person said: “I am shocked and now, heartbroken. … Absolutely love this lady. I’ve watched #TheGoodLife so many times, over the years and it just becomes even more funny each time I watch it – seeing/hearing something that I’ve missed previously… I think another “binge-watch” of “The Good Life” is now due. In honour of the beloved #DamePenelopeKeith.”
Someone else wrote: “Pleasing to see BBC 2 scheduling an episode of The Good Life at 7 this evening, by way of tribute to the wonderfully talented Penelope Keith. Hopefully there will be more in the coming weeks. A Penelope Keith night on BBC 4?”
The statement from Dame Penelope’s family read: “We are deeply saddened to announce that Dame Penelope Keith died peacefully whilst living with cancer at her home in Surrey where she had lived for more than 50 years.
“The family is grateful for the care and support she received throughout her treatments, and ask that their privacy be respected at this time.”
The Good Life is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
The erector is lowered from the Korea Space Launch Vehicle-II (KSLV-II), also called Nuri, on the launch pad at Naro Space Center in Goheung, South Jeolla Province, southwestern South Korea. Photo by YONHAP / EPA
June 29 (Asia Today) — South Korea’s space agency released guidelines Monday for private companies seeking to use the Naro Space Center, beginning preparations for the country’s first dedicated commercial launch facilities.
The Korea AeroSpace Administration said the guidelines outline a four-stage consultation and approval process, methods for calculating fees and safety and security requirements.
They also establish procedures and fee standards for private companies seeking to use testing facilities at the space center in Goheung, South Jeolla Province.
The government plans to open the commercial launch site in two stages, beginning in the third quarter of 2027 and expanding it in the first quarter of 2031.
The first stage will include a mobile launch platform, propellant supply systems and launch control equipment.
The second stage will add an assembly and testing facility where companies can prepare launch vehicles and test payloads.
The expanded infrastructure is expected to accommodate commercial launch vehicles and eventually support reusable launch systems.
Companies seeking to conduct a launch at Naro must apply at least four months before their proposed launch date.
They will then undergo four stages: preliminary consultation, review and authorization, launch operations and post-launch procedures.
The guidelines also establish a system for calculating usage fees based on each company’s launch requirements and the facilities and services it uses.
An agency official said the guidelines were prepared to help private companies use the center systematically before the commercial launch site opens and South Korea continues launches of its domestically developed Nuri rocket.
The official said the government will seek to simplify procedures based on companies’ needs and establish reasonable usage fees.
South Korean launch companies have relied on overseas spaceports and sea-based platforms because the country has lacked a land-based commercial launch site available to private operators.
Opening the Naro facilities could allow companies to conduct more of the development process in South Korea, from ground testing to commercial launches.
“Opening the Naro Space Center to private use goes beyond simply granting access to a government facility,” said Taeseog Oh, administrator of the Korea AeroSpace Administration.
“It is meaningful because it strengthens the support system for private companies in the space industry,” Oh said. “We will continue providing support so a private-sector-led commercial space ecosystem can take root in a stable manner.”
The Naro Space Center has primarily supported government launch programs, including the Naro rocket and Nuri, South Korea’s first domestically developed space launch vehicle.
Nuri’s fourth launch took place in November 2025, with private company Hanwha Aerospace assuming a larger role in rocket production and assembly under a government technology-transfer program.
The opening of the commercial facilities is expected to further shift South Korea’s space industry from a government-led model toward one in which private companies develop and operate launch services.
The guidelines released Monday are scheduled to be submitted to the Korea Aerospace Research Institute’s board for approval on July 8 before being registered as internal operating rules.
Daughter of former President Alberto Fujimori says country is closer to ‘order and hope’ after prolonged vote count.
Published On 30 Jun 202630 Jun 2026
Right-wing candidate Keiko Fujimori is ahead in Peru’s presidential race as the country’s electoral authorities concluded their tally of the vote count after a contentious run-off, which her leftist rival has refused to recognise.
Fujimori said on Monday that she would continue to wait for an official announcement from Peru’s National Jury of Elections (JNE) after the ONPE electoral authority finished a review of contested ballots.
Recommended Stories
list of 3 itemsend of list
“We are getting closer and closer to embarking on a path of order and hope for all Peruvians,” Fujimori said in a social media post.
Fujimori, the daughter of the late former President Alberto Fujimori – who was jailed for human rights abuses – has pledged to “unite the country” after the final tally showed her beating leftist rival Roberto Sanchez by 50.13 percent to his 49.86 percent, with 100 percent of the votes counted.
The JNE is scheduled to officially announce a winner on July 3, following a drawn-out vote count that has lasted for weeks.
But the results of the June 7 run-off are unlikely to bring an end to Peru’s years of political crisis, which have seen nine presidents take office in just 10 years before being voted out or removed from their post.
Sanchez has refused to recognise the results of the election, which he has said was marred by irregularities and fraud. He has not provided evidence for those claims, but has called for protests to “defend the vote” and said he will file a legal challenge to appeal the official proclamation.
Such claims have become common in Peru, whose political system has become increasingly chaotic amid declining voter trust in elections and government institutions in recent years.
Many voters expressed frustration after the first round of voting in April, when logistical issues delayed voting in parts of the capital, Lima.
Election monitors have cautioned that there was no evidence of widespread fraud but acknowledged voter frustrations.
Al Jazeera’s Mariana Sanchez, reporting from Peru’s capital Lima, said Fujimori has reacted to the result, saying she was very happy that the vote count has finished and would wait with “humility and prudence” until the official declaration of her victory.
“Keiko Fujimori is aware that she has just won by only 49,000 votes. She is not very popular in the country. She has lost three election bids,” Sanchez said.
Members of Fujimori’s party have said they now hope that her opponent, Roberto Sanchez, will recognise the results, she added.
CARA Delevingne has confirmed she dated actress Amber Heard in the midst of her messy divorce from Johnny Depp.
Supermodel Cara was linked to Amber back in 2016, the same year the latter filed for divorce from Pirates Of The Caribbean actor Johnny.
Sign up for the Showbiz newsletter
Thank you!
Cara Delevingne has finally confirmed she dated Amber Heard a decade laterCredit: GettyThe romance was highly speculated but never confirmed by Cara nor AmberCredit: Getty
The rumours circulated amid Amber’s very public divorce from Johnny DeppCredit: GettyCara said that during their romance, Amber was also in ‘other entanglements’, including with former flame Elon Musk (pictured)Credit: Refer to CaptionAmber later went on to have a public court showdown with her ex Johnny after what was dubbed showbiz’s most toxic splitCara divulged the insight during a new episode of Louis Theroux’s podcastCredit: Spotify
As she agreed, he then expanded: “He was driven crazy by the idea that Amber might be sleeping with you.”
“Am I meant to comment?” replied Cara.
She continued: “It’s because we did a movie together, and it was called London Fields. He was also doing the movie.
“I think he was pretty driven crazy by jealousy. Nothing was happening at that point. Later, after they divorced, it had, I suppose.
“You suppose?” quizzed Louis.
Cara confirmed: “No, I don’t suppose. I know. Yeah.”
As Louis questioned whether the relationship was “an entanglement?”, Cara struggled to find the right words to describe the historic romance.
Louis expanded on the phrase entanglement as he said: “I think it means a relatively short-lived liaison or series of physical encounters.”
Cara confirmed: “We were close for a long time, and then when they were going through the divorce, yeah, we were entangled, I suppose.
“But she was also entangled with other people.”
“Well, with Elon,” interjected Louis as he referenced Amber’s on/off romance with Elon Musk, which is thought to have taken place from 2016 until 2018.
Cara confirmed: “There you go.”
Following her highly publicised legal disputes with ex-husband Johnny in 2022, Amber relocated to Spain for a more quiet life with her daughter, Oonagh Paige.
Two people were killed and several others were injured after an Israeli strike hit the Mawasi area of Khan Younis, a zone previously designated by Israel as a humanitarian area in the southern Gaza Strip. A total of five people were killed across Gaza on Monday.
The Inside Soap Awards are back and they have announced a major change to this years’ event to mark the 30th anniversary
The Inside Soap Awards are back!(Image: PA)
The Inside Soap Awards are back – and are making the move up North for the first time ever.
This year’s event will take place in Manchester and will be the only soap awards ceremony held this year.
Coronation Street, EastEnders, Emmerdale and Hollyoaks will all go head to head whilst Australian soap Home and Away has also been nominated as well as dramas like Casualty and Waterloo Road.
Up for nomination this year is the epic Coronation Street and Emmerdale crossover episode – Corriedale – as well as Nigel’s sad death in EastEnders, amongst other dramatic and heartbreaking scenes.
“The Inside Soap Awards are still going strong after 30 years, and we’re proud to be championing all the wonderful work the soaps produce day in, day out. Our readers are just as passionate and loyal now as they were back in 1996, with over 90,000 of them voting each year – and the Inside Soap Awards remain the only accolades of their kind to be voted for entirely by the true experts, the soap fans themselves,” Inside Soap magazine editor Sarah Ellis said.
To mark the awards’ 30th anniversary, there will be their very own Hall of Fame and the first inductee will be announced during the ceremony. She added: “The soap star who receives this prestigious accolade will be someone who’s been closely associated with the Inside Soap Awards since they began in 1996.
“In addition, fans will also be able to nominate their Soap Superstar of 2026, a person they feel has gone above and beyond the call of duty when it comes to providing entertainment.”
Voting opens midday on Tuesday 30 June, and the winners will be revealed in Manchester in September.
The full list of nominations are as follows:
Best Actress
Sue Devaney (Debbie Webster, Coronation Street )
Vicky Myers (Lisa Connor-Swain, Coronation Street )
June 29 (UPI) — As Speaker of the House Mike Johnson prepared to send a bipartisan, landmark housing affordability bill to President Donald Trump‘s desk on Monday, the president told reporters that he remains undecided on whether to sign it.
“When I look at the (housing) bill, it’s a bill,” Trump said to reporters Monday, The Hill reported. “When I look at the SAVE America Act, it’s about saving America.”
The housing bill is “a yawn,” the president said. “To me, compared to the SAVE America Act, everything is a big yawn.”
The housing bill’s provisions include measures that encourage renovating older homes, encourage communities to build more housing through funding and grant programs, cut some red-tape issues around building housing and effectively ban private equity from buying up single-family homes.
When canceling the original signing of the bill, Trump said he wouldn’t sign it until Congress passed the SAVE America Act, which would require voters to prove their citizenship before they register to vote
Critics say the controversial act could disenfranchise millions of Americans, and Republicans have said that they don’t have the votes to pass it.
Trump acknowledged this Monday, The Hill reported, saying the SAVE America Act is “probably not going to happen because we have four Republican senators, maybe five, that just won’t vote for it. It’s crazy.”
The president said that the housing bill’s bipartisan backing was part of his issue with it.
“It’s very bipartisan — that means the Democrats like it,”he said. “They’re getting things that I wouldn’t necessarily agree to.”
Speaker Johnson, a Republican, said Sunday that he believed Trump would sign the housing bill after it was sent to him, “because we’re delivering for the people, and that’s what he wants to do.”
If Trump does not sign the bill, it could still go into effect. The U.S. Constitution stipulates that a bill will become law automatically if a president does not take action for 10 days, as long as Congress is in session.
Trump could also veto the bill. If that happens, Congress has the power to override the veto by passing the act by a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate.
Men’s defending champion Jannik Sinner and women’s top seed Aryna Sabalenka both arrived at Wimbledon with question marks hanging over them but answered the doubters with contrasting first-round victories.
Italy’s Sinner – playing his first match since his shock collapse and defeat in the second round of the French Open on a scorching day in Paris – was stretched to the limit by Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic but survived, winning 4-6, 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-2, 6-3 on Monday.
Recommended Stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
Sabalenka, who left Paris in a “deep, dark place” after losing the last 10 games of her quarterfinal against Diana Shnaider, followed Sinner onto Centre Court and breezed past Serbian qualifier Teodora Kostovic 6-2, 6-3.
While world number one Sinner, the overwhelming favourite in the absence of Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz, lived to fight another day, there were some early seeded casualties.
Norway’s 11th seed Casper Ruud was handed a tough draw in the shape of big-serving Pole Hubert Hurkacz and duly lost 6-4, 6-2, 7-6(7), while 12th seed Andrey Rublev was edged out in a five-set battle against fellow Russian Roman Safiullin, losing a deciding set tiebreaker 14-12 after missing two match points.
There was heartbreak too for surprise French Open runner-up Maja Chwalinska as she lost 2-6, 7-5, 6-2 to Thai qualifier Mananchaya Sawangkaew on Monday after the Pole fell and hurt herself while on match point.
Several women’s seeds moved through on a day mercifully cooler than the heatwave that gripped London last week.
Japan’s Naomi Osaka once again dressed to impress, walking on court in a Kill Bill-inspired white kimono and tennis shoes that shone as the 14th seed beat Elsa Jacquemot 6-1, 7-5.
American fourth seed Jessica Pegula beat Darja Vidmanova 7-5, 6-3, while newly crowned French Open champion Mirra Andreeva, seeded fifth, beat Magda Linette 7-5, 6-4.
Swiss 11th seed Belinda Bencic had far too much experience for young wildcard Mika Stojsavljevic, whose defeat was one of many on a miserable day for home players.
Home hopes ebb away
It was a grim day for the home nation, who failed to celebrate a single victory.
Twenty-one players, including 12 wildcards, were in the first-round draw, but after Emma Raducanu withdrew with an injury on the eve of the tournament, she was followed on Monday by Jack Draper, who announced he was also pulling out with an arm injury.
Ten British players lost, including British number one Cameron Norrie, seeded 26, beaten in five sets by inspired American qualifier Michael Zheng.
Sinner’s meltdown in the Roland Garros furnace against Juan Manuel Cerundolo had raised questions about his durability in long matches, but he answered those, albeit in relatively cool conditions, against Kecmanovic.
Sinner racked up his 94th Grand Slam match win, equalling the Italian record of Nicola Pietrangeli, but shed plenty of sweat and a little blood in reaching that mark, his white shoe stained red after injuring a nail in a fall.
“It was a little tight in the beginning; I didn’t play at my best, but I tried to get into it,” he said. “I’m happy I turned it around because the third set was very tough to swallow.”
Sinner had a point to go two sets to one ahead but lost it, and Kecmanovic pounced. Sinner was in danger of becoming only the third defending Wimbledon men’s champion to lose in the first round, but dominated from then on and later said his foot injury was not serious despite the pounding it took during his third-longest match at Wimbledon at three hours and 30 minutes.
“I’m actually surprised that they let me keep playing, because my all-white outfit turned into a little red,” he added.
New generation triumph
Court One fans expecting to see Raducanu in action were left disappointed as the replacement match saw home hope Harriet Dart beaten by Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko.
Next up was a duel between two more former US Open champions, Daniil Medvedev and Marin Cilic, but that fell flat as Cilic was made to look all of his 37 years as eighth-seed Medvedev romped to a 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 win.
Two of the new men’s generation lit up the opening day.
Brazil’s Joao Fonseca, cheered on by a large contingent of fans in yellow football shirts, beat Spanish veteran Roberto Bautista Agut 7-6(4), 6-4, 6-3, before heading off to watch Brazil beat Japan to reach the last 16 at the World Cup.
Rising Spanish teenager Rafael Jodar, also aged 19, made an impressive debut, beating British wildcard Felix Gill 6-3, 6-3, 7-5.
Cara Delevingne has revealed she snorted rhino ketamine at the peak of her drug addictionCredit: BackGridCara admits she was doing ‘big lines’ because she ‘just wanted to disappear’Credit: Getty
Cara told a podcast she regularly took a scary amount of drugs and never came down in her 20s because she was always high.
She explained: “I remember being sold, like, rhino ketamine but it wasn’t really rhino ketamine.
“When I first started doing it, if anyone who takes ketamine or has taken drugs knows, you do a tiny bit of ketamine, and that’s enough.
“But I’d be doing really long, big lines because I just wanted to disappear, not have a bit and feel weird. I wanted to completely lose consciousness, tranquilise myself, I suppose.
“My tolerance was so high with that stuff to the point where I’d go to a party and I’d give some to a 6ft 5in man, and he’d be floored by doing a tiny amount compared to what I was doing, which is scary.”
Class B drug ketamine is a dissociative general anaesthetic and known as a horse tranquilliser.
Rhino ket is the term for a powerful synthetic version or a mix of ketamine and amphetamine.
Cara said she and Amber Heard became romantic after her toxic split from Johnny Depp in 2016Credit: Getty – ContributorSupermodel Cara got sober in 2022Credit: AFP
On The Louis Theroux Podcast, out today, she said of the illegal substances: “They were my best friend, my support. They were the thing that I could control my emotions with, you know? They kept me going.
“For a long period I only did drugs. I didn’t drink at all. I don’t know why. I just didn’t like it. I think in my 20s, I never came down, I was just working and partying, and it was fine.”
Cara said she and Amber, 40, formed a friendship on the film London Fields and became romantic only after Amber’s toxic split from Johnny Depp in 2016.
Cara said: “We were close for a long time, then when they were going through the divorce. Yeah, we were entangled, I suppose. But she was also entangled with others.”
When Louis suggested that could be a reference to her dating Elon Musk, she replied: “There you go.”
Heard and Musk dated on and off from 2016 to 2018.
Kerr signs with the NWSL champions until 2030, returning to the US league after six years spent with Chelsea in England.
Published On 29 Jun 202629 Jun 2026
Australian striker Sam Kerr has signed with Gotham FC, the reigning champions of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in the United States, the club announced after the iconic player ended her dazzling career with Chelsea, which saw her win five Women’s Super League titles.
Kerr, who was a free agent, signed the contract on Monday that will see her play in New York through the 2030 season. She previously played in the city between 2015 and 2017.
The all-time leading regular-season goal-scorer for the North American league recorded 116 goals across all competitions with Chelsea and was the 2023 Ballon d’Or runner-up.
“This club was an important part of my journey, and to come back at this moment, with everything Gotham has built, is really special. The ambition here is clear, and I’m looking forward to helping this team compete for trophies and create more history,” Kerr said in a statement.
The signing is a fine coup for the NWSL, which saw several players exit for opportunities in Europe last year, and brings one of the game’s brightest talents to the biggest sports market in the US.
“Sam is one of the defining players of her generation and a game-changing talent who has consistently delivered at the highest levels of world football,” Yael Averbuch West, the president of football operations for Gotham, said.
“Bringing Sam back to Gotham is a landmark moment for our club, and we couldn’t be more excited.”
Kerr played 119 career regular-season games (113 starts) across her seven seasons with three teams in the NWSL, including three years with Sky Blue FC (now Gotham FC) from 2015 to 2017.
After playing the 2018 season with the Chicago Red Stars, Kerr played a season for the Perth Glory in her native Australia (2018-19) before returning to Chicago in 2019. She joined Chelsea in the Women’s Super League in late 2019.
Despite her six-and-a-half-year absence, her 77 regular-season goals are still an NWSL record. In 2017, she won the Golden Boot and MVP awards with Sky Blue FC after a season in which she scored 17 goals in 22 games.
Kerr will debut for Gotham after the NWSL’s transfer window opens on July 14. Gotham host the Washington Spirit on July 15 in the Queens Classic in New York.
LILY Allen has defended herself against complaints that the setlist of her West End Girl Tour is “too short”.
The singer, 41, released the album in October of last year and it features 14 songs.
Sign up for the Showbiz newsletter
Thank you!
Lily Allen has clapped back against fans who aren’t happy with the length of her tour showsCredit: Henry RedcliffeThe singer is currently on her West End Girl tourCredit: Henry Redcliffe
The album in its entirety is only 45 minutes, which has led some to question if the £86 ticket fee is value for money.
Complaining about the show, one X user said: “Lily Allen at the O2. No support act. Arrived on stage at 9:10pm. All wrapped up by 10pm. Not one word to the audience.”
Addressing the backlash over the length of the gigs, Lily responded to the comment directly with a statement.
Lily’s latest album came out at the end of last yearCredit: GettyFans praised the star for backing up her artistic vision for the shorter length of the albumCredit: Getty
“The show has always been advertised as “Lily Allen performs West End Girl.”
“I was a few mins late as my tights were laddered and i had to change them.
“The show is just over an hour as it’s just the album in its entirety. It’s my artistic choice not to talk to the audience, the fourth wall helps with the storytelling.
“Most people find it to be effective. I don’t want anyone to feel ripped off,
“Everyone on this tour is really working very hard to give people the best show we possibly can, and i’m extremely proud of it.”
Fans responding to the post praised Lily for speaking up and supporting her artistic vision with the shorter album.
One user said: “I was there last night and it was incredible, you are incredible!”
A second shared: “You tell them, the girls that get it get it.”
A third added: “The concept of buying tickets to a show called “Lily Allen Performs West End Girl” and being mad that you didn’t hear Not Fair [another track of hers], like let’s use our brains for a moment.”
West End Girl is Lily’s fifth studio album to date.
June 29 (UPI) — Police and other authorities in Mississippi have started an extensive manhunt for those responsible for a “horrifying” crime scene involving two women and a toddler in Jackson, Miss.
“Detectives are working diligently to identify and locate those responsible for this horrific crime,” police said in a social media post.
Police responding to a 911 call for aggravated assault Saturday night found the bodies of two women, 26 and 30, and a 2-year-old child, all of whom had been shot multiple times, CNN reported. One of the women was the toddler’s mother.
“This is a heinous crime,” Jackson Police Chief RaShall Brackney said, calling the killer “the vilest of human beings.”
One lead is a red 2020 Mitsubishi Mirage that someone drove from the crime scene, police said. Police found the vehicle abandoned in Manhattan Park in North Jackson and are processing it for evidence. Anyone with information is asked to call the Jackson Police Department.
Jackson Mayor John Hohrn said in a social media post that he’s been coordinating with the police chief and public safety team to “deploy additional resources to address immediate concerns.” He said law enforcement, community leaders, violence prevention experts, mental health professionals and others will be involved in an upcoming plan to help communities.
“This behavior is a bad stain on all the good that is going on in our communities,” Hohrn wrote. “We will not accept violence as a way of life in Jackson. We are going to confront this head on and do the work necessary to make our city safer.”
Gabriel Martinelli scored the winner late in injury time to give five-time champions Brazil a 2-1 win over Japan in the World Cup round of 32 in Houston.
Martinelli, who had come on as a second-half substitute, scored in the sixth minute of stoppage time as the match on Monday appeared to be heading to extra time.
Brazil will next face either the Ivory Coast or Norway on Sunday in East Rutherford, New Jersey, in the round of 16.
Casemiro had earlier equalised with a header in the 56th minute off an assist from Gabriel Magalhaes after just missing another chance two minutes earlier. The shot sailed just out of reach of the outstretched hand of Japan goalkeeper Zion Suzuki and into the net.
Kaishu Sano stole a misplaced pass in midfield before his right-footed shot from above the half-circle put Japan ahead after 29 minutes.
Kaishu Sano celebrates scoring the first goal [Annegret Hilse/Reuters]
Vinicius Junior, who has scored four goals so far in the tournament, had a chance to put Brazil on top in the 58th minute, but his shot from the left was deflected by goalkeeper Suzuki and went past the far post.
Brazil had two chances to even the score early in the second half before breaking through late on. First, Suzuki blocked a header from Bruno Guimaraes in the 52nd minute. Soon after, Casemiro’s header bounced off a defender’s head and Suzuki’s face.
Japan have never won a World Cup knockout match.
The win was Brazil’s 12th in 15 games against Japan. The teams have also played to two draws, while Japan got their first win in the series in a friendly in Tokyo in October.
This was a match-up between two countries with deep ties, Brazil being home to about 2.7 million Japanese descendants, which is the largest Japanese population outside of Japan.
Those ties extend to football, where Brazil superstar Zico moved to Japan in 1991 to play for Kashima Antlers and help build Japan’s professional football network. He coached the Japan national team from 2002–06, leading the team to the World Cup in 2006.
That team lost to Brazil 4-1 in the only previous meeting between the teams at the World Cup.
Brazil won Group C after a draw with Morocco and victories over Haiti and Scotland.
Monday’s victory came on the anniversary of their first World Cup championship in Sweden in 1958, when a 17-year-old Pele scored two goals in the final against the host country.
Japan reached the round of 32 as runner-up in Group F after draws with the Netherlands and Sweden and a win over Tunisia. The loss snaps a 10-game unbeaten streak dating back to a 2-0 defeat to the United States in September.
Brazil players celebrate after the match [Annegret Hilse/Reuters]
Riverside-based radio station, 99.1 KGGI, has lost its last local on-air host.
Longtime radio personalities Evelyn Erives, Nick Nack and Garrison King were all cut from the Inland Empire station last week as part of iHeartMedia’s latest round of national layoffs. In an internal memo, the media giant said it would restructure its radio programming to better “leverage” the company’s technology.
iHeartMedia declined to comment on how many people lost their jobs, but dozens of on-air and other staff positions have reportedly been cut across the country.
The memo — attributed to Chief Programming Officer Tom Poleman and Ann Marie Licata, the chief executive of the company’s multiplatform group — framed the changes as a way to “move faster and operate with greater precision across markets,” and to “position us not just to adapt to the future, but to lead it.”
The cuts are part of a broader push to reduce costs. In May, iHeartMedia launched a new savings program, set to begin in the second half of 2026, aimed at trimming an additional $50 million on top of the $100 million in savings the company had already announced.
iHeartMedia is the nation’s largest radio operator, with more than 850 stations across 160 markets and a sizable presence in Burbank. Its Los Angeles–area stations include KFI-AM 640, KLAC-AM 570, KOST-FM 103.5 and KIIS-FM 102.7.
As the media landscape continues to evolve, the company has leaned harder into podcasting, home to hallmark shows like “Stuff You Should Know,” “Questlove Supreme” and “Las Culturistas.”
Last year, iHeartMedia introduced its “Guaranteed Human” campaign, an ongoing pledge that no iHeartMedia station or podcast will feature an AI-generated personality or AI-generated music.
How that promise squares with the layoffs is unclear. With stations like Riverside’s 99.1 now stripped of their local hosts, the company has said nothing about who — or what — will replace them.
A number of senior politicians have been detained in a wave of arrests.
For more than two decades, corruption has been a serious issue in Iraq.
The oil-rich nation has consistently been ranked as one of the most corrupt in the world.
Recommended Stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
But this week, its new government has embarked on an unprecedented anti-corruption crackdown.
It’s targeting many high-profile politicians and other senior figures accused of making illicit wealth and abuse of office.
Iraqis have repeatedly protested against what they say is rampant corruption in their nation.
Now, they hope the new government keeps this promise to eradicate what they call a ‘pandemic of fraudulent activities’ at the highest echelons of power.
But what are the challenges ahead in this battle?
Presenter: Imran Khan
Guests:
Ahmed Rushdi – President of the think-tank, House of Iraqi Expertise Foundation.
Renad Mansour – Deputy Director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House.
Manuel Pirino – Regional Advisor for Middle East and North Africa at Transparency International.
Gabriel Martinelli scores a dramatic 95th-minute winner with Brazil coming from behind to beat Japan, set up a World Cup last-16 tie against Norway or Ivory Coast.
The presenter has returned to leading Wimbledon coverage alongside Clare Balding on the BBC
Isa Guha is a former cricketer and BBC Sport presenter (Image: Popperfoto via Getty Images)
Wimbledon has returned to BBC screens, with a whole host of familiar faces fronting the BBC ’s coverage.
Once again joining Clare Balding in leading commentary, Isa Guha will be presenting, having made her Wimbledon debut on the BBC in 2022.
The following year, it was confirmed The Celebrity Traitors star Clare would be replacing Sue Barker as the BBC’s face of Wimbledon, with Isa praising Sue, saying: “She’s got an incredible warmth. When you watch her on television she feels like a friend.
“She was someone I certainly watched when I was younger, never imagined that I’d even be in her company so to be sat there with her and see how she goes about her business, her offering me advice and so forth, it was a little bit surreal but at the same time we’re just watching her in awe because she’s been the face of the BBC for such a long time and we absolutely respect and admire everything she’s done for sports broadcasting as a female.
“It was just an incredible time last year. The ability to be there with Sue, see how she operates, the doyenne of sports broadcasting, and to be in Clare Balding’s company and all these legends. It was a pretty amazing experience.”
Inside Isa Guha’s career
Born in Buckinghamshire in 1985 to parents who emigrated from Calcutta, India, to the UK in the 1970s, Isa is a former England cricketer.
She fit her sporting career around her academics, graduating with a degree in biochemistry and molecular biology from UCL, and later gaining an MPhil in neuroscience.
At the same time, Isa played world class cricket, later recalling to The Telegraph that “a phase” led her to studying.
“I went through a phase after we won the World Cup of ‘what am I going to do with my life?’” she said.
“I would spend three or four days a week training in the morning and then going to university. It took seven years [attempting to do a PhD] and I wanted to quit after the second year because it was just too much.”
She played in the 2005 South Africa World Cup and the 2009 Australia World Cup, and made history as the first South Asian woman to represent England after making her international cricketing debut at the age of 17.
In 2009, Isa was named the ICC number one ranked bowler in the world.
She announced her retirement from international cricket in 2012, and has since moved onto presenting and commentary.
Isa joined ITV Sport in 2012, co-presenting cricket coverage, and later moved on to work for Sky Sports and Fox.
In 2020, she became the lead presenter of the BBC’s test match and ODI highlights show.
Who is Isa Guha’s husband?
Isa married her long-term partner, musician Richard Thomas, in 2018.
Hailing from Cornwall, the singer was a member of acoustic-led, alternative rock band Brothers and Bones.
After ten years together, the band broke up at the end of 2020, having opened tours for the likes of Ben Howard and Bastille.
In September 2018, Isa took to X to share pictures from her gorgeous wedding in Cornwall, writing: “It’s been a challenging year but with this incredible human by my side I know I can get through anything. So lucky to have him in my life – these two pics pretty much sum up our amazing day, with so many of our best friends and family.”
She also previously spoke about the difficult time it had been for her family, after her mother received a cancer diagnosis not long before the wedding.
Speaking of her wedding, she told The Telegraph in a 2019 interview: “We got her out of hospital and did a small, intimate ceremony, then the following week in Cornwall, Ebony [Rainford-Brent – Guha’s former teammate] was on FaceTime to her throughout the whole wedding. She did get to see us get married.”
Praising her husband for his support, particularly after her mother’s death in January 2019, she added to the publication: “He was just incredible. I am super lucky to have him in my life. He was just amazing, the last six months or so.”
Voters cast their ballots in the 2024 Presidential Election on Election Day at the Walter Reed Recreation Center in Arlington, Va., on Nov. 5, 2024. The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed Monday to hear a case over Arizona’s election law requiring documentary proof of citizenship in voting. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo
June 29 (UPI) — The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed Monday to hear a case over Arizona’s election law requiring documentary proof of citizenship in voting.
The high court will hear arguments over whether federal law prohibits such a law when voting in state elections. The court will hear the case during its next term which starts in October.
It is already illegal for non-U.S. citizens to vote in federal and state elections. Some municipalities allow noncitizen voting in local elections.
President Donald Trump has called for a national proof-of-citizenship requirement in elections while continuing to repeat unfounded claims of election fraud. The SAVE Act, a bill being mulled by Congress that Trump is in support of, includes a proof-of-citizenship requirement which Trump is in support of.
In 2022, the Arizona legislature adopted a law requiring voters to provide proof of citizenship when registering to vote on a state form. Documentary proof of citizenship that is allowable under Arizona’s law includes but is not limited to a birth certificate and a passport.
Nonprofit advocacy organizations Mi Familia Vota and Voto Latino filed the lawsuit challenging the proof-of-citizenship requirement.
The Republican National Committee appealed a lower court decision that struck down the proof-of-citizenship law.
The legislature also passed a law outlining how state election officials review voter rolls, putting in place a procedure to cancel the voter registrations of noncitizens.
