Philippines Senator Ronald Dela Rosa has taken refuge in the country’s parliament, as police sought to detain him on Monday in accordance with an ICC arrest warrant.
This is what we know of his role in former President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war, which prosecutors say killed tens of thousands.
Published On 12 May 202612 May 2026
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It is seeking to open three bases in the south of the Arctic territory, according to multiple officials familiar with the talks.
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KATIE Price has issued husband Lee Andrews a new ultimatum after he failed to fly to the UK AGAIN – ditching their first joint TV interview in the process.
The former glamour model, 47, spoke out about the latest debacle surrounding the self-styled businessman in a chat on Good Morning Britain.
The couple, who tied the knot in January, were due to appear on the ITV daytime series together on Tuesday.
In the chat, Katie defended her man and his absence, and said he had been delayed by business duties – and he has since taken to his Instagram page to double down on her claims.
She refuted claims he had been detained in the United Arab Emirates though the mum of five – whose kids haven’t yet met her hubby – did lay down an ultimatum.
Katie said that although Lee “pays for” her flights to Dubai, she needs him to be more present in the UK.
She told GMB: “I’ve been in Dubai, I came back on Friday.
“But because I can’t keep going to Dubai, because obviously I’ve got work and my kids here,” before host Susanna Reid quipped: “And it’s expensive”.
Katie replied: “Well, he pays for it anyway.
“But I can’t keep going to Dubai”.
KATIE Price tied the knot with Lee Andrews in January 2026. Yet who is he?
Laying down her ultimatum she added: “So he is now shifting to here, so he is going to spend a lot of time here now.
“Because I said ‘look I keep flying to you, you’ve got to come to England now’.
“So that’s what he is going to do”.
There is ongoing speculation that her husband Lee, 43, is unable to leave the United Arab Emirates city after allegedly forging his ex-girlfriend Dina Taji’s signature to secure a £200,000 loan – something he’s strongly denied.
On today’s GMB, presenters Susanna and her co-host Ed Balls told how they had approached the Foreign Office to see if Lee had a travel ban.
They said they had been informed they had “supported a British man detained in the United Arab Emirates”.
When the pair quizzed Katie as to whether this was Lee, she said he had denied it in a voice note and added laughing Emoji icons to his message.
Explaining the reason for his no-show Katie, who wore a pink shirt and gold hoop earrings for her chat, said: “He just didn’t make the flight.
“He’s coming here to spend quite a few months now.
He’s been sorting out my visa, my international driving licence.
“He’s flying from Muscat and he had things to do, he didn’t make the flight but he’s at the airport now”.
She then clarified: “Because of his business he had some things he had to do last minute.
“He is at airport now he is on his way”.
Lee reinforced her words as he took to his social media page from the departures lounge.
He praised Katie’s appearance on GMB and said: “Hello everyone.
“Yes I am at the airport and flying to my wife, who did very well on GMB today.
“And I am on my way to her.
“I had a couple of things that I had to do last minute, I couldn’t make the show, I was hoping to get on there with the ZOOM link but they carried on with Kate, and she did really really well”.
Mum of three Susanna mused: “I wonder if he’s telling you everything, do you trust him?” to which Katie said yes.
Ed then quizzed if “the Foreign Office were right and Lee was arrested ayt the airport?”
He then asked if Lee was normally unreliable, and she replied: “Not with me”.
It isn’t the first time Lee has reneged on his vow to travel to Katie’s home turf.
Back in March he vowed to visit – yet again pulled out of the trip.
Initially, The Sun exclusively reported how he made a wild claim he had visited Katie in the UK secretly – but Katie’s rep said the suggestions were not true.
Presidential chief of staff for policy Kim Yong-beom, seen here at Cheong Wa Dae on April 27, on Tuesday proposed introducing public dividends to share in an AI-driven economic boom. File Photo by Yonhap
The presidential chief of staff for policy on Tuesday proposed introducing public dividends to distribute the “fruits” from an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven economic boom.
Kim Yong-beom made the suggestion in a Facebook post, as the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI), the country’s main stock index, was heading toward the record-high 8,000-point mark, driven by gains in chipmakers, including Samsung Electronics Co. and SK hynix Inc.
The companies posted record-high profits in the first quarter, highlighting their leadership in the global chip market amid the AI boom.
“The fruits of the AI infrastructure era are not the results generated by certain companies alone … they were produced on a foundation that all the people have built together over half a century,” the presidential policy chief wrote.
He argued that deliberating on how to use the proceeds would “not be optional but necessary if (the companies’) strategic advantage in the distribution network for AI infrastructure creates a structural upcycle and that, in turn, leads to record-breaking tax revenues.”
“Part of these fruits should be structurally returned to the people,” he said.
Kim referred to cases of foreign countries “socially institutionalizing structural excess profits,” such as Norway’s oil-generated profits in the 1990s, and suggested “public dividends” as the name for the program should South Korea introduce such a system.
The policy chief also listed a fund for young entrepreneurs launching startups, a pension program for the elderly and a fund for retraining in the AI era as possible areas that could benefit from the initiative, while stressing the need for social consensus in making such a decision.
“There’s a possibility that South Korea could become the first country to return excess profits from the AI era into people’s lives,” he noted.
Cheong Wa Dae later clarified that Kim’s proposal has nothing to do with any internal discussion or review at the presidential office, describing it as a “personal opinion.”
Copyright (c) Yonhap News Agency prohibits its content from being redistributed or reprinted without consent, and forbids the content from being learned and used by artificial intelligence systems.
Published On 12 May 202612 May 2026
Fake online advertisements and social media groups are luring people in Jordan with promises of “quick profits” from cheap gold with sellers disappearing once funds have been transferred or customers defrauded with counterfeit and substandard metals, Jordanians tell Al Jazeera.
Mohammed Nassar said he was quoted a price for gold lower than local market rates due to an “online store” claiming it was exempt from manufacturing fees, government licensing costs or shop rents.
The Jordanian shopper transferred the money to secure what he thought was a bargain before the website disappeared and Nassar realised he had become the victim of a scam.
In another case, a young woman named Tala Al-Habashneh told Al Jazeera that she bought gold through a social media platform after agreeing with the seller and transferring the promised amount.
On closer examination of the product, she found that her gold was counterfeit, mixed with other metals and lacking any official stamps or invoices to prove its origin or carat.
Tala immediately filed a complaint with the Cybercrime Directorate of Jordan’s Public Security Directorate. The case is pending.
Wafaa Al-Momani, assistant director general for Regulatory Affairs and director of the Jewelry Directorate at the Jordan Standards and Metrology Organisation (JSMO), told Al Jazeera that the institution is the only entity in the kingdom responsible for monitoring precious metal jewellery – such as gold, silver and platinum – and overseeing jewellery trading.
All imported jewellery is examined and stamped by the JSMO before being released onto the market, she said, while local workshops are also required to submit jewellery for inspection and verification before it can be sold.
Al-Momani said her organisation has received some complaints about companies, websites and social media groups engaged in fraud by “promoting the buying and selling of gold, especially broken gold [used or damaged], through unlicensed individuals”.
The JSMO is monitoring sellers engaged in fraud in coordination with security authorities to prevent jewellery from being sold outside licensed shops.
Al-Momani said the JSMO is tightening oversight of gold shops and sellers in the kingdom and said any store found selling unstamped jewellery or violating legal standards will face legal penalties but also warned Jordanians that buying gold through unofficial channels “does not guarantee that the jewellery conforms to legal standards or carats”.
Rabhi Allan, the head of the Jordanian Association of Jewelry and Goldsmiths, explained that gold remains a traditional means of saving and investment for Jordanians as well as an accessory, quoting the popular saying: “Gold is an adornment and a treasure.”
However, he described the sale of gold through social media as “alien to Jordanian society” and stressed that transactions of this “cash commodity” should only take place via official shops with invoices clearly stating the weight, carat and labour costs of the product.
He said the association had filed complaints with the Cybercrime Directorate against unlicensed and anonymous sites, noting that these pages “appear and disappear without warning”, a situation that leaves victims without the ability to secure their consumer rights.
The association has documented numerous complaints and court cases resulting from gold sales conducted through social media platforms that often use edited or fabricated images and fake offers to attract buyers.
Others offer gold at prices significantly below market value to lure buyers, but the product sold is often counterfeit, nonexistent or contains far less of the precious metal than advertised.
He urged citizens to buy gold only via licensed and accredited shops that display official prices and issue proper invoices to protect buyers’ rights.
While questions have been raised about whether some gold sales conducted through social media could be linked to illegal activities, Allan said the cases monitored so far appear to be “individual incidents that do not amount to money laundering”.
The Cybercrime Unit of the Public Security Directorate also warned citizens against buying gold through social media advertisements and confirmed that the body has received multiple complaints of fraud linked to the trade.
Colonel Amer Al-Sartawi, Public Security Directorate spokesperson, told Al Jazeera that the grievances ranged from cases where money was wired to fraudsters who subsequently disappeared without delivering the promised gold to incidents in which buyers received counterfeit pieces made from other less valuable metals, such as copper or iron.
Al-Sartawi urged citizens not to deal with such pages and to buy gold exclusively from licensed and accredited shops.
MOLLY-MAE Hague fans think they’ve worked out the gender of her unborn baby after spotting a ‘clue’ in the background of her latest YouTube vlog.
The 26-year-old and boyfriend Tommy Fury are getting ready to welcome their second child next month.
Former Love Island star Molly recently revealed she’d decided not to share the gender with fans – despite filming a reveal video with daughter Bambi, three.
But in her most recent vlog, some eagle-eyed fans noticed a book called ‘Peppa’s new baby sister’ – leaving them convinced she’s having another girl.
One wrote: “Ooh I never noticed this!!”
Someone else said: “The BOOK.”
And a third added: “Peppa’s little SISTER.”
Opening up recently about deciding not to share the gender, Molly confessed she’d been enjoying seeing her fans guess what she is having.
She said: “A baby is coming in a few weeks, so I really need to sort out my hospital bag…
“I thought I would just show you a couple of bits that I’ve started packing for me.
“Because everything for baby is quite gender obvious and we’ve kind of kept it to ourselves up till I’m basically giving birth so we might as well keep it until the end now.”
Molly continued: “It happened so accidentally. We’ve actually got a full-blown gender reveal video. We did a balloon with Bambi.
“I was planning to post it but we just never did. And then I don’t know, seeing everyone guess has just kind of been funny.”
One killed and four others wounded in attacks on Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, local administration chief says.
Published On 12 May 202612 May 2026
Russia and Ukraine have resumed air attacks after a United States-brokered three-day truce expired, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying more than 200 drones were used to attack Ukraine overnight.
Russian aerial attacks across Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region on Tuesday morning killed at least one person and injured four others, according to regional administration chief Oleksandr Ganzha.
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Russian drones also hit energy infrastructure in Ukraine’s Mykolaiv region, causing outages, and struck residential buildings and a kindergarten in the Kyiv region, according to local authorities. Russia also carried out attacks on the regions of Kharkiv, Zhytomyr, Sumy and Chernihiv, according to authorities.
More than 200 long-range drones were used in the wave of attacks, Zelenskyy said. “Russia itself chose to end the partial silence that had lasted for several days,” he said in a post on X.
Russia’s military, meanwhile, said its defences downed 27 Ukrainian drones over the regions of Belgorod, Voronezh and Rostov.
The exchange of aerial attacks came after the expiry of a 72-hour truce announced by US President Donald Trump on Friday, which he said he hoped would mark “the beginning of the end” of Russia’s four-year war on Ukraine.
The May 9-11 truce overlapped with Russia’s Victory Day, which celebrates the defeat of Nazi Germany in the second world war.
But even before it expired, both sides accused each other of violating the truce by attacking civilians.
Zelenskyy said Russia was neither observing the truce nor “even particularly trying to”, adding there had been no calm in front-line areas despite a lull in large-scale attacks.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Ministry of Defence accused Ukraine of committing more than 1,000 ceasefire violations. It said Ukrainian forces attacked civilian targets in several Russian regions and carried out strikes against Russian military positions on the front line.
Russia’s military had “responded in kind” to the ceasefire violations, according to the Defence Ministry.
US-backed negotiations on ending the Russia-Ukraine war have made little headway and have been largely sidelined by the crisis in the Middle East amid the US-Israel war on Iran. Trump’s ceasefire announcement had raised some hope that US-led talks to end Russia’s invasion could be resumed.
On Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested for the first time that the Ukraine war may be “coming to an end” and expressed a willingness to meet Zelenskyy in Moscow or a neutral country once an agreement to end the war is finalised. He also accused the “arrogant” West of risking a global conflict, warning that Russia’s “strategic forces” are combat-ready.
China has intensified its diplomatic rhetoric against Santiago Peña following his recent visit to Taiwan, reflecting Beijing’s growing efforts to isolate Taipei internationally and weaken the remaining countries that maintain formal diplomatic ties with the island.
Paraguay is one of only 12 states that officially recognize Taiwan instead of the People’s Republic of China. During his visit, Peña reaffirmed support for Taiwan and described relations with Taipei as rooted in shared democratic values and political freedom.
Beijing responded sharply, accusing Paraguayan politicians of serving as “pawns” of Taiwanese separatist forces and suggesting that leaders supporting Taiwan may have “ulterior motives.” The unusually aggressive language highlights how sensitive the Taiwan issue has become within China’s broader foreign policy strategy.
Although Paraguay is not a major global power, its diplomatic recognition carries significant symbolic and strategic importance for both China and Taiwan.
For Taiwan, maintaining formal diplomatic allies is essential to preserving international legitimacy and resisting Beijing’s efforts to diplomatically isolate the island. Each country that continues to recognize Taiwan represents political resistance against China’s One China principle.
For China, reducing Taiwan’s remaining diplomatic partnerships is part of a long term strategy aimed at reinforcing Beijing’s claim that Taiwan lacks the status of an independent state. Over the past decade, several countries have switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing after economic and political engagement with China.
Paraguay therefore represents one of Taiwan’s most important remaining diplomatic footholds in South America.
The controversy surrounding Paraguay’s Taiwan relationship is increasingly driven by economic considerations. Some Paraguayan politicians, agricultural exporters, and business groups argue that maintaining ties with Taiwan limits access to Chinese markets and investment opportunities.
China is the world’s second largest economy and a major importer of agricultural products, making diplomatic recognition economically attractive for many developing states.
Supporters of relations with Beijing argue that Paraguay could gain greater trade access, infrastructure investment, and financial opportunities if it abandoned Taiwan.
However, Peña and supporters of Taiwan emphasize ideological and political considerations, framing the relationship as a partnership based on democratic governance and political sovereignty rather than purely economic interests.
This reflects a broader global trend where smaller states increasingly face pressure to balance economic incentives against political alignment and strategic values.
The sharp rhetoric from China’s foreign ministry demonstrates Beijing’s increasingly confrontational diplomatic approach on issues related to Taiwan.
By describing Paraguayan leaders as “pawns” and questioning their motivations, China is signaling that support for Taiwan will be treated not merely as a diplomatic disagreement but as active opposition to Chinese national interests.
This language also serves multiple audiences simultaneously.
Internationally, Beijing seeks to discourage other governments from strengthening ties with Taiwan.
Domestically, strong rhetoric reinforces nationalist narratives surrounding territorial sovereignty and reunification.
Regionally, China is attempting to increase pressure on Paraguay by suggesting that continued support for Taiwan contradicts public opinion and economic interests.
The emphasis on opinion polls claiming support for relations with Beijing also reflects China’s strategy of portraying diplomatic recognition of Taiwan as politically unsustainable.
The dispute illustrates Taiwan’s increasingly difficult international position as China expands its diplomatic, military, and economic influence globally.
Under President Lai Ching-te, Taiwan has continued emphasizing democracy, sovereignty, and international partnerships. However, Beijing views Lai as supporting separatist policies and has intensified political and military pressure against Taipei.
Taiwan’s formal diplomatic allies have steadily declined over recent decades as China has used economic incentives and geopolitical influence to persuade states to switch recognition.
As a result, every remaining ally now carries outsized symbolic importance for Taipei’s international visibility and diplomatic legitimacy.
China’s reaction to Peña’s Taiwan visit demonstrates how the Taiwan issue has evolved into one of the most emotionally and strategically sensitive dimensions of Chinese foreign policy.
Beijing no longer views diplomatic recognition of Taiwan as a minor symbolic issue. Instead, it increasingly interprets international engagement with Taipei as a challenge to China’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and geopolitical authority.
The pressure on Paraguay also reflects the broader transformation of global diplomacy under growing United States China rivalry. Smaller countries are increasingly caught between competing geopolitical and economic pressures, particularly when balancing relations with democratic partners against the economic power of China.
For Paraguay, the debate is ultimately about strategic identity as much as economics. Maintaining relations with Taiwan offers political alignment with democratic values and preserves diplomatic independence from Beijing’s influence. Switching recognition to China could deliver economic benefits but may also reduce Paraguay’s foreign policy autonomy.
For Taiwan, retaining Paraguay is important not only diplomatically but psychologically. Every diplomatic loss strengthens Beijing’s narrative that international recognition of Taiwan is disappearing and that eventual reunification is inevitable.
The dispute therefore reflects a much larger geopolitical contest over legitimacy, influence, and the future international status of Taiwan. As competition between China and Taiwan intensifies, diplomatic battles involving even relatively small states are likely to become increasingly significant within global geopolitics.
With information from Reuters.
Secret Handshake, the anonymous arts and activism group behind an ongoing series of satirical public sculptures — mostly about President Trump’s alleged ties to convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein — has channeled its black comedy into a new video game about the Iran war called “Operation Epic Furious: Strait to Hell.”
“The game features furious tweet battles against Iranian schoolgirls, low-flow shower heads and other threats to American freedom like DEI and the Pope. And just to save you time, the only way you can lose is by trying to hold Melania’s hand. But it’s the Middle East, so you also can’t win either,” Secret Handshake wrote in an email to The Times.
The group placed three old-school arcade-style games inside the Neoclassical DC War Memorial, which is located near the Reflecting Pool in Ash Woods and resembles a domed, open-air bandstand. The pivot from sculpture to video games was necessitated by current events, said a member of the group.
A plaque beside three video games placed in the DC War Memorial by the satirical arts and activism group Secret Handshake.
(Secret Handshake)
“We didn’t sit down and say, let’s make a video game. The video game was the answer because that’s what was happening to us. It was about watching the actions take place in Iran and some truly, truly horrible things, and how that was being spun into something cool and hip and edgy through the actual administration, through the use of video games,” the man said. “They were literally cutting in ‘Call of Duty’ and ‘Grand Theft Auto’ and others as well into these hype videos for the war, almost as if it was before a concert or a wrestling match.”
The game, which is also available to play online, begins with a shot of the White House. “Another big, beautiful day as the best President ever,” a caption reads. The game moves into the Oval Office where Trump sits at the Resolute Desk under the words, “Uh-oh another one of your executive orders was halted by the courts.” Players can then choose whether to order a Diet Coke or bomb Iran — if you choose to do the latter, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth enters the room and says, “Hey boss! Just saw on Truth Social you declared war on Iran. Hell yeah!”
“Some call it a war, I call it renovating my Middle East ballroom,” Trump says.
“My delts are ready, let’s liberate some oil,” Hegseth yells.
FBI Director Kash Patel is featured in the satirical video game made by Secret Handshake.
(Secret Handshake)
A representative for Secret Handshake says if you choose to order six Diet Cokes something special happens. I tried. You unlock an achievement and are told your health is perfect.
Secret Handshake has been erecting satirical Trump sculptures on the National Mall for more than a year, making headlines in September when the park service toppled one of its pieces, titled “Best Friends Forever,” featuring Trump and Epstein gleefully holding hands. The statue, bruised and battered by its fall, ultimately went back up.
Secret Handshake is meticulous about getting the necessary permits to display its protest art, which is why the pieces have lately remained in their designated spots for up to a week. The “Operation Epic Furious” video games are scheduled to stay up for at least the next few days, the rep said.
The goal is to get people to think, not to mock or glorify violence in any way, the Secret Handshake rep said.
The video game “Operation Epic Furious” by Secret Handshake begins with a choice: Order a Diet Coke or bomb Iran.
(Secret Handshake)
“There is no violence in the game,” the rep said. “The damage that is done is political damage and the weapons are things like gas prices and Catholic guilt.”
It’s also important to the group to be mindful of various political viewpoints.
“I would say that everything we’ve done, we’ve tried to do with respect to the other side and to not make it cruel,” the rep said. “And also we’ve done it with permission.”
Protest art, yes. But the kind that is, hopefully, built to last.
Al Jazeera’s Obaida Hitto reports from southern Lebanon, where displaced residents say they will not leave again despite a sharp rise in deaths and intensifying Israeli strikes.
Published On 12 May 202612 May 2026
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US Department of Energy moves to transfer 53.3 million barrels amid rising oil prices.
Published On 12 May 202612 May 2026
The United States has announced its latest release of emergency oil stockpiles in coordination with the International Energy Agency (IEA).
The US Department of Energy said on Monday that it had begun transferring 53.3 million barrels from the strategic petroleum reserve after awarding contracts to nine companies under its emergency exchange programme.
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Trafigura Trading LLC, a Texas-based commodities trading company, was granted the biggest haul of nearly 13 million barrels, with Marathon Petroleum Corporation and ExxonMobil set to receive 12.4 million barrels and 11.4 million barrels, respectively.
Macquarie Commodities Trading US, Atlantic Trading & Marketing, BP Products North America, Energy Transfer Crude Marketing, Mercuria Energy America and Phillips 66 will receive between 1.05 million and 6.55 million barrels each, according to the Energy Department.
Under the department’s exchange scheme, participating firms are required to replenish the stockpile with new barrels at a later date.
“These actions continue to move oil swiftly into the market, address near-term supply needs, and ensure that the Strategic Petroleum Reserve remains strong through the return of premium barrels,” Kyle Haustveit, the head of the department’s Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Office, said in a statement.
The transfer comes after US President Donald Trump’s administration agreed in March to release 172 million barrels of crude as part of the IEA’s coordination of the largest unloading of global stockpiles in history.
Oil prices have surged since the US and Israel launched their war on Iran in late February, with Tehran’s retaliatory blockade of the Strait of Hormuz paralysing one of the world’s most important trade routes.
Maritime traffic in the strait has ground to a halt amid Iranian threats against commercial shipping, disrupting about one-fifth of the global oil trade.
Oil prices continued to edge higher on Monday after Trump dismissed Iran’s latest peace proposal and warned that the ceasefire between the sides was “on life support”, dampening hopes for a quick resolution to the conflict.
Facing growing public discontent over rising fuel prices, Trump on Monday also pledged to waive the 18.4 cents-per-gallon federal tax on petrol, though taxation is the purview of the US Congress.
Futures for Brent crude, the international benchmark, were up about 1 percent in Asia on Tuesday morning, topping $105 a barrel.
KATIE Price and Lee Andrews have scrapped their first joint TV interview on Good Morning Britain.
The couple, who tied the knot in January, were due to appear on the ITV daytime series together on Tuesday.
Though after the self-styled businessman failed to travel to the UK, GMB media posts advertising the segment were hurriedly removed from the programme’s social media accounts after ITV staffers were told Lee would be unable to reach the UK.
GMB anchor Susanna Reid then confirmed Katie would appear on-screen solo.
She told viewers during the live show: “Katie Price is back with us in the studio.
“We invited them both [Katie and Lee] into the studio and initially yes, we though that would happen.
“But Lee didn’t make his flight from Dubai, we are going to find out why when Katie joins us alone after 8”.
There is ongoing speculation that her husband Lee, 43, is unable to leave the United Arab Emirates city after allegedly forging his ex-girlfriend Dina Taji’s signature to secure a £200,000 loan – something he’s strongly denied.
Katie, 47, then posted on her social media – in a video which has now been deleted – to confirm the switch up.
She said on social media: “Where The Hell Is My Husband? Lee will not be on Good Morning Britain with me!!”
She added: “Well he is not coming, gutting really as he said he was coming, so I’m getting the house ready for me”.
A source mocked the cancellation and told The Sun: “Lee has a travel ban so he was never going to make GMB for a sit down interview with Katie.
“He assured them he was flying over, even Katie believed him – then it was all cancelled.
“Lee is still in Dubai because he has a travel ban that stops him from leaving.
KATIE Price tied the knot with Lee Andrews in January 2026. Yet who is he?
“The sooner people stop falling for his claims he can leave Dubai the better.
“It’s a waste of time and energy.”
Katie returned to the UK from Dubai without Lee – who she married within just weeks of meeting him in at the start of the year – last week.
Despite the change, he has continued to re-post GMB uploads about their interview.
Back in April, Katie appeared to confirm he is subject to a travel ban
As such, she is the one doing the graft with the long haul flights.
May 11 (UPI) — A gunman armed with an assault-style rifle fired dozens of rounds at vehicles as he walked Cambridge’s iconic Memorial Drive, seriously wounding two people before being shot by state police and an armed bystander, authorities said.
The suspect, identified as 46-year-old Tyler Brown of Boston, suffered multiple gunshot wounds to his extremities and was taken for treatment to a Boston hospital, where he remains under police custody in the intensive care unit.
The shooting began around 1 p.m. EDET, authorities said.
Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan told reporters during a Monday evening press conference the suspect was firing erratically at vehicles as he walked east down the center of the famous drive that banks Charles River near Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Two males in separate cars driving the street, one a ride-share driver, were shot, suffering life-threatening injuries, she said, adding: “That does not begin to address the trauma experienced by everybody who was out there: Those individuals on the river walking, pushing baby carriages, riding by.”
“We know that that weapon had the capacity to have struck people on the other side of that river,” she said.
The suspect fired upwards of 60 rounds, striking “at least a dozen” vehicles, Ryan said, adding that people were jumping from their cars and scattering in all directions, unsure of where to find safety. Some hid under their vehicles, she said.
A Massachusetts State Police trooper responding to the shooting and a civilian, a former Marine in legal possession of a firearm, confronted the suspect, who is accused of continuing to fire, striking the cruiser the trooper had exited.
The shooting ended when the trooper and civilian opened fire on the suspect.
“Clearly people’s lives were at risk,” Ryan said.
Ryan said they expect to charge Brown with two counts of armed assault with intent to murder, firearms offenses and potentially other offenses to be determined by the ongoing investigation.
Brown was moving to Cambridge and was under the supervision of either the Massachusetts Probation Department or the Department of Parole, Ryan said, adding that his criminal record, if there is one, will be addressed at his arraignment.
Boston Police had initially notified Cambridge Police at 1:06 p.m. of a person observed acting erratically while of a rifle, according to Ryan, who told reporters that they are still investigating how he came to be on the drive.
Cambridge Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui said she is “deeply grateful” to the first responders who acted, stating their “swift action protected our community during a dangerous and rapidly evolving situation.”
“My thoughts are with the individuals who were injured, those affected by today’s violence and victims of gun violence everywhere,” she said in a statement.
“I recognize how frightening this incident was for community members, and your safety is my first concern.”
Rights groups warn that the bill makes the death penalty easier to impose and strips fair trial protections.
Israeli legislators have approved a bill to establish a special tribunal with the power to impose the death penalty on Palestinians accused of involvement in the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023.
The bill passed 93-0 in Israel’s 120-seat parliament, the Knesset, late on Monday.
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The remaining 27 legislators were absent or abstained from voting.
Israeli and Palestinian rights groups warn that the bill will make the death penalty too easy to impose while also doing away with procedures safeguarding the right to a fair trial.
Muna Haddad, a lawyer with Adalah – The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, told Al Jazeera that the bill intentionally lowers the legal protections to a fair trial to secure the mass conviction of Palestinians.
“The bill explicitly permits mass trials that deviate from standard rules of evidence, including broad judicial discretion to admit evidence obtained under coercive conditions that may amount to torture or ill-treatment,” Haddad said.
“This constitutes a severe violation of fair trial guarantees that falls well short of international law requirements.”
In a departure from standard Israeli judicial practice, which typically prohibits courtroom cameras, the bill mandates the filming and public broadcasting of key moments in the trials on a dedicated website.
This includes opening hearings, verdicts and sentencing.
Haddad warned that this provision effectively “transforms proceedings into show trials at the expense of the accused’s rights”.
“The provisions governing public hearings… violate the presumption of innocence, the right to a fair trial, and the right to dignity,” Haddad explained. “The framework effectively treats indictment as a finding of guilt, before any judicial examination has begun.”
Israel has been holding an estimated 200-300 Palestinians, including those captured in the country during the October 7 attacks, who have not yet been charged.
The Hamas-led assault on Israeli communities along Israel’s southern fence with Gaza killed at least 1,139 people, mostly civilians, according to an Al Jazeera tally based on official Israeli statistics. About 240 others were seized as captives.
Israel’s subsequent genocidal war on Gaza has killed at least 72,628 Palestinians, including at least 846 since a United States-brokered “ceasefire” came into effect last October.
The war, which United Nations experts say could amount to genocide, has left the Palestinian territory in ruins.
Several Israeli rights groups – including Hamoked, Adalah and the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel – said on Monday that while “justice for the victims of October 7 is a legitimate and urgent imperative”, any accountability for the crimes “must be pursued through a process which includes rather than abandons the principles of justice”.
The bill is separate from a law passed in March that approved the death penalty for Palestinians convicted of murdering Israelis, a measure harshly condemned by the international community and rights groups as discriminatory and inhumane.
That law applies to future cases and is not retroactive, so it could not apply to the October 2023 suspects.
Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said the new law “serves as a cover for the war crimes committed by Israel in Gaza”.
The International Criminal Court is probing Israel’s conduct of the Gaza war and has issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Minister of Defence Yoav Gallant, as well as three Hamas leaders who have all since been killed by Israel.
Israel is also fighting a genocide case at the International Court of Justice.
It rejects the allegations.
A NOUGHTIES pop star has hinted he’s quitting fame after 25 years in the spotlight as furiously ranted online.
The 42-year-old took to his Instagram to share some hard truths about the industry and told how he’d rather live a simpler live.
Lee Ryan, a star of the 90s boyband Blue, explained that he’s “been through hell and back” and said he now “hates the public eye.”
The singer found fame in the early 2000s after the band achieved massive success with their debut album All Rise in 2001.
Blue, who have three UK Number 1 Platinum-selling albums, are still going strong, with tours lined up for the rest of this year and next.
Alongside Antony Costa, Duncan James and Simon Webbe, Lee has been taking to the stage but it seems he’s not entirely happy.
He posted a picture of himself singing at a concert on Instagram and captioned it with the statement: “As much as I love my career I’ve had for 25 years singing in Blue, sometimes I just want to go home to be a husband and father to my baby’s.
“There’s no place I feel more at peace than with them. This industry sucks you in and spits you out the other end… I’ve been through hell and back in the public eye and I actually hate it now.”
Lee continued: “I don’t like the fame part of this job anymore, it’s fake and quite toxic. People use you and abuse you and use your success as a weapon.”
“Don’t get me wrong I love singing and being creative making music and seeing the fans at shows,” said Lee.
“The rest I could leave behind and never step foot into that space again happily… I have no interest in the industry bs anymore…. Rather be home being a dad and a husband x”
Fans took to the comments to support Lee while some felt annoyed that they had brought tickets and could see he “didn’t want to do it anymore.”
One fan wrote: “I love blue, I still do. But at the concert I feel like I could see that you don’t really want it anymore. It‘s sad because people pay money to see the absolute best of you…”
Another fan said: “Thank you for carrying on and bless us with your beautiful voice. There is no place like home and I am sure your family is forever proud of you.”
A third fan added: “You would be missed, your voice, stage presence and banter is truly in a small minority BUT you have to do what’s best for you.”
Lee’s wife Verity also rushed to support her man. She said: “You get to do both!!! Be a pop star and come back to reality and live on the farm in the sunshine!!! We love you Mr, keep going nearly home time xxx”
The couple, who married in Gibraltar in 2022, share four children together.
Blue took a hiatus in 2004 but later reformed with the original bandmembers in 2011.
Brazilian activist Thiago Ávila returned to São Paulo after being detained and deported from Israel, where he alleged he was tortured and witnessed abuse of Palestinian prisoners during his 10 days in custody.
Published On 12 May 202612 May 2026
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Renewed clashes between rival gangs in Port-au-Prince have forced hundreds to flee their homes, forcing some families to the streets. Gang violence has now displaced more than 1.4 million people across Haiti. Gangs control an estimated 90% of the capital after the former president was assassinated in his home in 2021.
Published On 12 May 202612 May 2026
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Mexican lawmakers have long struggled to balance the country’s ongoing fight against narco-trafficking with the international popularity of corridos tumbados — which they say promote violence and crime.
On Monday, the famed corrido singer Junior H joined President Claudia Sheinbaum during her daily news conference to promote México Canta: a binational music competition for artists from both Mexico and the United States, organized by México’s Ministry of Culture.
During his speech, the 25-year-old supported the contest, now in its second iteration, which was designed to help amplify the musical potency of México while moving away from its violent reputation.
He also reflected on his own ascent to fame, which came through popular songs like 2023’s “El Azul” (alongside Peso Pluma), a narcocorrido believed to be about a Sinaloan drug lord Juan Jose Esparragoza Moreno; as well as his 2022 banda-fused track, “El Hijo Mayor,” which some speculate to be about the son of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.
“In my initial [career], some of the stories that I shared in my music didn’t add to the positive message that reflect my current compositions,” said Junior H, whose real name is Antonio Herrera Pérez. “I kept growing and I learned that music, besides being a form of expression, also implies a responsibility when millions of people hear you worldwide.”
Junior H — who grew up in Guanajuato before immigrating to Utah — continued to speak on his evolution as an artist and human, acknowledging the role he plays in shaping how his listeners, which amount to over 30 million on Spotify, visualize their futures.
“A culture of peace does not mean we cease to stop talking about our reality. It means finding new ways to express them,” said Junior H. “I invite all young generations to participate, to believe in your talent and to never stop believing in your dreams.”
Two months ago, the singer struck a different chord when he performed “El Azul” at the South by Southwest music festival on March 14 as part of the Billboard showcase. “It’s the government against us, or us against the government,” said Junior H to the audience, in resistance to censorship.
As of now, 10 out of 32 Mexican states have implemented bans or limitations on corridos in public spaces; lawmakers assert that the lyrics promote organized crime. The penalty for singing such ballads can range between a monetary fine to prison time.
In October, Junior H was reportedly fined 400,000 pesos (more than $23,000) after performing “El Azul” during a festival in Zapopan, Jalisco, per Billboard. The Zapopan municipal president, Juan José Frangie Saade, allegedly banned the artist from performing in the city during his term, which ends in September 2027.
As of now, the singer is slated to perform at the Baja Beach Fest in Rosarito, Baja California, on Aug. 8.
Contrary to her predecessor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, a staunch critic of corridos tumbados, President Sheinbaum is keeping an open mind to the power of the trap-infused subgenre. As a result, this year’s edition of México Canta will place its focus on regional Mexican music acts.
“We are not censoring [regional music], because I don’t believe in censorship,” said Sheinbaum during the news conference. “I don’t think prohibiting music or its contents will solve anything. More than anything, we need to promote nonviolent music. That’s the objective of this contest.”
Open calls for México Canta are now open through June 10. The semifinals will take place at the Million Dollar Theatre in Los Angeles on Aug. 23 and at the Angela Peralta Theater in Mazatlán on Aug. 30. The grand finale will take place Sept. 13.
Ex-mayor of wealthy Los Angeles suburb promoted pro-China propaganda at behest of Chinese officials, prosecutors say.
Published On 12 May 202612 May 2026
The former mayor of a wealthy suburb in the United States city of Los Angeles has admitted to acting as an illegal agent of China, according to authorities.
Eileen Wang, the former mayor of Arcadia, agreed to plead guilty to one count of acting as an illegal agent of a foreign government from late 2020 until 2022, the US Department of Justice said on Monday.
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Wang admitted that she did not notify the US government that she was acting on behalf of China while promoting pro-Beijing propaganda, the Justice Department said.
Wang, 58, operated a website, called the US News Center, that published content supportive of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) while purporting to provide news for Chinese Americans, the department said.
Wang ran the site with Yaoning Sun, a Californian man who was sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to acting as an illegal agent of a foreign government in October 2025, according to US prosecutors.
Wang’s activities included republishing a “PRC official-written essay” that denied allegations that the Chinese government was committing genocide against ethnic-minority Uighurs in its far-western region of Xinjiang, according to prosecutors.
Wang resigned as mayor on Monday, according to a statement published on the City of Arcadia’s website.
She faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
Her lawyers, Brian A Sun and Jason Liang, said Wang wished to apologise for “mistakes she has made in her personal life”.
“It is important to note, however, that the conduct underlying the information and the agreement with the government relates solely to Ms. Wang’s personal life – i.e., a media platform that she once operated with someone whom she believed to be her fiancé – and not to her conduct as an elected public official,” Sun and Liang said in a statement.
“Her love and devotion for the Arcadia community have not changed and did not waver,” they added.
“She asks for the community’s understanding and continued support.”
US Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A Eisenberg issued a statement expressing deep concern over Wang’s activities.
“Individuals elected to public office in the United States should act only for the people of the United States that they represent,” he said.
“It is deeply concerning that someone who previously received and executed directives from PRC government officials is now in a position of public trust at all, but particularly so because that relationship with that foreign government had never been disclosed.”
China’s embassy in Washington, DC, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Wang’s prosecution comes as US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to meet in Beijing on Wednesday for a summit expected to focus on the US-Israel war on Iran, trade, and the status of Taiwan, among other issues.
The summit comes after the two leaders agreed to a yearlong pause in their trade war during a meeting in South Korea last October.
David Malpass also said that Beijing’s claim to be a developing nation is no longer credible.
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MAURA Higgins turned heads at Cannes film festival as she was seen for the first time since quitting Love Island USA.
The brunette beauty looked as flawless as ever as she put on a leggy display in France.
Reality TV star Maura has confirmed she’s walked away from her Love Island USA: Aftersun hosting job after three years.
As she continues to make big moves cracking America, Maura has revealed she’s ready for a fresh start.
The 35-year-old stepped out today at the festival wearing an incredible structured white shirt dress.
She flaunted her sizzling figure as the dress, with pops of aqua and hot pink, cinched her waist and flashed her legs.
Read more on Maura Higgins
Maura kept the rest of her ensemble simple, donning a pair of matching white heels, some silver studded earrings and opted for no bag.
The Celebrity Traitors US star had her locks scrapped back into a sleek bun, leaving one piece to frame her face.
She gave the cameras a sultry pout as she posed for snaps.
Maura looked very glamourous, opting to have her makeup glowy and bronzed and finished with a nude pink lipstick.
The Irish star – who is heading for the Dancing With The Stars ballroom – told Vulture that she won’t be returning to Fiji for the upcoming eighth season.
She said: “You won’t. I’ve done it for three years, and they’ll always be family to me, but I think it’s time to try something different.
“I’ve got amazing opportunities coming in the door.
“I think it’s time to say good-bye. But you know what? I won’t say forever.
“I’ll still be watching from afar and I love them and miss them. It’s just time to move on.”
Maura has been dominating the US since her successful stint on Celebrity Traitors US.
She has certainly been busy, appearing on US chat shows, red carpets and has even been seen rubbing shoulders with Sex and the City star Sarah Jessica Parker and model Emily Ratajkowski at industry events.
Irish beauty Maura skyrocketed to fame after debuting on season five of Love Island in 2019 – she’s among the show’s most successful participants.
May 11 (UPI) — President Donald Trump‘s annual dental and medical evaluations are scheduled for May 26, the White House announced on Monday evening.
At 79, Trump is the second-oldest person to serve as president and was the oldest to be sworn into a new term. Questions about his health and mental fitness that surfaced during his first administration have intensified since he returned to the White House last year amid reports and images that appear to show him falling asleep during public events, as well as makeup covering apparent bruises on his hands.
The evaluations are to be conducted at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland, the White House said, stating it is part of Trump’s “regular preventive healthcare.”
Trump frequently boasts about his physical health and mental acuity amid questions about whether his age could affect his ability to carry out the duties of his office.
In October, Trump underwent what administration officials initially described as “a routine yearly check-up,” which would have been his second in six months.
After the examination, Navy Capt. Sean Barbabella, physician to the president, said Trump “remains in exceptional health” following what he called “a scheduled follow-up evaluation.”
The White House said that while in Maryland for the annual evaluations, Trump will “spend time with service members and staff at Walter Reed in recognition of their service, professionalism and dedication to the nation.”
