“WE’D known each other for 60 bloody years. It was a hell of a shock.”
Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi is still coming to terms with the loss of his brother in arms, Ozzy Osbourne.
Guitarist Tony in a shoot for his new album From The DarkCredit: ROSS HALFINSabbath’s Tony, Ozzy, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward before Back To The BeginningCredit: ROSS HALFIN
“The night before he passed, I was talking to him — and the next day he was gone,” says the affable guitarist in his soft Brummie tones. “God, that was strange.”
As members of the hard-rocking trailblazers, Iommi became “The Godfather Of Heavy Metal” and Ozzy “The Prince Of Darkness”.
Sign up for the Showbiz newsletter
Thank you!
They came from humble backgrounds with precious little cash but a combination of inspiration and perspiration carried them to phenomenal global success.
Recalling their first gigs together in the late Sixties, Iommi says: “We could just about afford enough petrol to get us home in the van — and to share a bag of chips.
“It’s mad when you think about it, but I’m so proud of what we did because we stuck to what we believed in.”
It was Iommi, the only ever-present member, who laid the foundation on which Sabbath — and a whole new genre of music — was built.
His immense, doom-laden riffs adorned songs like Iron Man and Paranoid, providing a platform for Ozzy’s manic vocals and wild stage antics. The best part of six decades later, Sabbath are no more but Iommi is still creating vibrant new variations on his signature sound.
He is releasing an album under his own name filled with some of those immense riffs, called From The Dark.
Recalling Black Sabbath’s first gigs together in the late Sixties, Iommi says: ‘We could just about afford enough petrol to get us home in the van — and to share a bag of chips’Credit: ROSS HALFINIommi and his band for the new albumCredit: Tina Korhonen
He has done it by assembling an ace band including Norwegian singer Jorn Lande, who, with his flowing locks and beard, looks every inch a Viking marauder.
In the words of the guitarist himself, “It rocks!”
I find myself speaking to Iommi a few days after he had visited Windsor Castle to receive his MBE from Princess Anne.
“I don’t know how she does it,” he says of the redoubtable royal. “She was really nice, professional and relaxed.”
For Tony, it was official recognition of not only his guitar and songwriting heroics but also of his unstinting support for hospital charities in Birmingham.
Having been treated for lymphoma in 2012, he says “it’s been lovely to give something back” to the health sector “because they work hard and were so good to me”.
As our chat moves back to music matters, it’s clear that the events of last summer are still very much on his mind.
On July 5, 2025, he and fellow Sabbath founders Geezer Butler (lyrics, bass) and Bill Ward (drums) joined ailing Ozzy for one last hurrah at Villa Park in their hometown.
Black Sabbath in 1970: Bill, Geezer, Ozzy and TonyCredit: GettyIommi recalls the moment he, Butler and Ward set eyes on Ozzy again: ‘We were all shocked — and it went very quiet in the room’Credit: Richard Young
The momentous Back To The Beginning shindig featured a who’s who of hard rock royalty paying their respects — Metallica, Guns N’ Roses and Alice In Chains among them.
Next Tuesday, a concert film opens in Birmingham cinemas, and the next day, it goes nationwide.
A mere 16 days after that momentous show, Iommi phoned Ozzy for what turned out to be the last time. The next evening, on July 22, came the sad news that his bandmate had passed away aged 76.
Describing the call, he says: “Ozzy was going, ‘I’m really tired. I just can’t seem to pull myself together’.
“I said, ‘You’re bound to feel like that — it’s been a tough few weeks’.” Iommi adds that when Sabbath convened for the Back To The Beginning rehearsals, he wasn’t prepared for his bandmate’s declining health..
Poor Ozzy had been battling Parkinson’s as well as the effects of injuries caused by his quad bike accident in the UK and a fall at his LA mansion.
Iommi says: “The last time I saw him was when we did the Commonwealth Games together (in 2022). I didn’t fully realise quite what he was going through.
“When he was back in LA, we’d talk on the phone every other week but I didn’t get to physically see him.
“He’d be telling me he had this pain here and that pain there — and I sort of took it with a pinch of salt.
“I’d be saying to him, ‘Well, I’ve got a pain in my neck. I’m suffering, too’. That would be the extent of our bloody conversation!”
Iommi recalls the moment he, Butler and Ward set eyes on Ozzy again: “We were all shocked — and it went very quiet in the room.”
But thankfully their time rehearsing in an Oxfordshire studio proved to be a life-affirming chance to catch up and indulge in a trip down memory lane.
Iommi says: “We sat down on the couch, the four of us, and we were having a laugh and taking the piss out of each other.
“It felt like the old times, but then Ozzy would get tired and lose concentration.” By that stage, however, Black Sabbath were on course to perform four of their best-loved, bone-shaking numbers, War Pigs, N.I.B., Iron Man and Paranoid.
It’s important to note that Iommi needed persuading to take part. He says: “When I was first asked to do the show, I said I didn’t want to do it.
“We’d done a tour called The End in 2017 — and to me it was the end.
“But then Bill (Ward) wasn’t on that tour and we hadn’t played with him for 20 years. Then they said the show was for charity, so I said, ‘Of course I’ll do it’.”
When it came to finally appearing on stage, Iommi, Butler and Ward had to deal with a new dynamic — Ozzy stuck on a big black throne adorned with skulls and a huge bat.
Iommi says: “It was really strange for myself, Geezer and Bill because we had Ozzy in front of us in that chair.
“We couldn’t see him! In the past, we would watch him running around.”
Despite that, the band played their socks off and gave their final bow after Paranoid had ended with a spectacular pyrotechnic display.
Iommi continues: “When we came off, there was a big, chaotic backstage and I went to my dressing room and Ozzy to his.
“But as Ozzy was leaving, they wheeled him into mine. He said he was so pleased we did it, that he’d even been able to do it and that he’d enjoyed it.
“I thought he did an incredible job, given the state of his health.”
If that night truly marked the end of Sabbath, Iommi had already been keeping his hand in by working on new music that is eventually appearing on From The Dark.
There is also the not-so-small matter of the barnstorming first track on Robbie Williams’ latest album Britpop called Rocket, which Iommi co-wrote and played on.
“That was something I never expected but really enjoyed,” he affirms. “It was so different for me to do that.
“Robbie was great, asked a lot of questions — but he was always honourable and polite.
“He actually asked me if I’d join him on stage when he played Birmingham but I was away at that time.”
Iommi has another connection with Robbie in the shape of Karl Brazil, the singer’s studio and touring drummer.
He plays on From The Dark along with bassist Becky Baldwin and the aforementioned singer Lande, who reminds Iommi of Sabbath’s other great vocalist aside from Ozzy, the late Ronnie James Dio.
Recommended by Mike Exeter, co-producer of the album, Brazil turns in a powerhouse performance.
“Karl’s a good player and he loves doing what he does,” says Iommi. “That’s the thing with this album — I wanted people who enjoy playing.”
As for Lande, he worked with Iommi on sessions as far back as 2005, as well as a Ronnie James Dio tribute concert in 2010.
“I liked Jorn’s voice and he is a nice person to get on with,” he says.
“I had him in mind for a while so he was the obvious choice when I decided not to make an instrumental album but use a vocalist.”
It was up to Lande to provide lyrics to songs such as the searing opener, Over The Violent Sun, and next track, Black Times, both informed by the dangerous times we live in.
Iommi says: “When Jorn first sent me the lyrics, I was, like, ‘Blimey! This is what’s happening in the world, isn’t it?’
“It reminded me of old Sabbath stuff like War Pigs, which was about the Vietnam War but could be about today.
“I was happy for Jorn to do his own thing — and he came out with real power and feel.”
This brings us to bassist Baldwin, who, like Iommi and Brazil, is from Birmingham.
“Apart from Jorn, I wanted to keep things as local as I could. First, I asked Geezer if he wanted to play on the album but he was away so Mike (Exeter) suggested Becky.
“The good thing is she’s a fan of Geezer. She’s got his playing style.”
Iommi reports that Sabbath bassist and chief lyricist Butler has given his new album his seal of approval.
“We always keep in touch and as soon as the single (World Alone) came out, Geezer emailed to say he really liked it.”
The cinematic video for the song includes black-clad Iommi playing guitar against a backdrop of menacing black clouds.
“To be honest, I don’t like being in videos,” he says.
“I’m a guitar player, not an actor, and I always feel uncomfortable.”
But he adds that the video makers were a “good bunch” and “great to work with”.
“And all they wanted me to do was ‘just stand there and play’.” It’s fair to say that of all From The Dark’s ten tracks, World Alone has the most upbeat guitar passages.
Iommi smiles and says: “When I started writing this album, the immediate thing for me to do was come up with a doomy riff.
“Then I’d come up with another doomy riff, and another one — so I had to do something up-tempo to give it a break.”
Rather than call on several of his high-profile musician mates from down the years, there’s just one special guest on From The Dark.
He is Iommi’s close friend — Queen’s legendary guitarist, Sir Brian May, who applies an epic solo to standout track Death Wake.
“Brian comes up to see me when he’s got time and we sit and play,” Iommi says.
“When I told him about the album, he brought his guitar and played on Death Wake, which was really great.
“After that, I said, ‘Play on another one’. Brian went, ‘Oh no, it’s your album and your solos are good!’”
Iommi says he first met May more than 50 years ago “and we hit it off from day one”.
“He’d be in a studio. When Freddie (Mercury) and everyone left and he was on his own, I’d go round to keep him company.
“Then when I’d be doing some Sabbath stuff, Brian would come and sit with me.
“It became a really good friendship.”
So would they ever make an album together? I venture.
“Do you know how many years we’ve spoken about that?” laughs Iommi.
“Then, of course, he gets busy and I get busy. We’ve gone on and on about it for so long that it’s become a joke.”
For now, metal fans the world over will have to make do with Iommi’s From The Dark, guest starring Brian May.
It’s got plenty of those epic “doomy riffs” we’ve come to expect from The Godfather Of Heavy Metal.
Hundreds of Ethiopians have crossed into Kenya, fleeing fighting in the border town of Moyale, which was reportedly prompted by loyalists publicly raising the flag of a neighbouring majority-Somali state.
Kenyan police said on Thursday that hundreds of Ethiopians, mostly women and children, crossed into Kenya through several entry points in Moyale, including the Sessi, Kore, Biashara, Foundation and Miti areas.
Recommended Stories
list of 3 itemsend of list
The people who crossed the border were fleeing tensions between leaders of Ethiopia’s Oromia and Somali regional states, according to Kenyan police.
The police reported gunfire and chaotic scenes in Moyale.
Ethiopian media reported that the fighting in Moyale started as a dispute over raising the flag of the Somali Regional State, a regional state in eastern Ethiopia, on Sunday.
Tensions escalated into fighting between forces from the Oromia and Somali regions.
Gunfire, chaos
The Kenya Red Cross said it was setting up temporary shelter and distributing essential items including cereal and porridge flour.
“The response will initially reach 1,000 households,” the Kenya Red Cross said in a statement on Thursday.
It added that experts were conducting an assessment to work out how many people were affected and what their needs were.
The regional clash is hundreds of kilometres away from a larger conflict in the northern Tigray region between government forces and a rebel alliance led by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front.
Centre-back Liam Scales had by far the most touches of any Celtic player with 121, well ahead of left-back Kieran Tierney (79) and goalkeeper Sam Johnstone (69).
Goalscorer Baur admitted they did not do enough to win and was at a loss when asked what needs to change. “How we played second half, last 30 minutes, we deserved it in the end,” Baur said.
When asked if he knew why his team collapsed in such a manner, he responded: “I cannot tell you, sorry.
“It can happen that you get a goal, they can score too, good team – you should then get control back, hold the ball a bit longer to take the momentum away from them. You should break that.”
Celtic did not get control back, did not break Celta’s momentum and ultimately paid the price.
“I don’t think Celtic are good enough, individually and collectively, to take on a team that’s eighth in La Liga,” former Celtic goalkeeper Pat Bonner said on Sportsound.
“They moved the ball really well and Celtic couldn’t get close to them.
“They are not good enough at this level. Celtic are paying big money for some players because the fans are demanding it and then they come in and aren’t good enough.”
Their next European outing comes on 5 November as they host Besiktas, trying to reverse their continental woes. Whether they can or not is another matter.
REVIEW: After one big yawn in the castle, the most disastrous mission ever was followed by the least productive Round Table. What’s going on?
21:05, 22 Oct 2026Updated 21:19, 22 Oct 2026
James Acaster knew he’d get a roasting in the turret – and he did
A disastrous Mission – in which the Traitors failed to bank any money at all – was tonight followed by a terrible Round Table, in which the Faithful simply clammed up. The producers must have been tearing their hair out.
It all started to go wrong when James Acaster decided he simply wasn’t going to do anything asked of him in the Mission, because he was “too scared”. And outraged Maya Jama and King Kenny could do nothing about it – because he did’t even raise his blindfold to look them in the eye.
Freaked out by his refusal, the pair of them crept about a bit but never looked close to building their shield, and – spooked by the creaking floorboards – in the end just aborted the mission entirely.
What is staggering is they didn’t even bother to sabotage the shields that had been built, leaving three of the Faithful fully protected from murder that night. So marks for effort to all three – zero.
Emboldened after winning the shields, some of the Faithful realised that the Traitors were on the ropes. “They’ve been absolutely rubbish,” James Blunt said, as Michael Sheen agreed: “They’ve got scared.”
They were absolutely right. But as though their inertia was catching, the Faithful then decided they’d respond by giving up speaking at the Round Table. Theories? Nah, they decided, collectively. Miranda Hart had one, but then withdrew it.
Jerry was asked for her thoughts directly, but having banged on repeatedly about James Blunt since the start, refused to say his name. And that’s after she’d earlier made the astonishing claim that he must be a Traitor because: “His face is redder than a fox’s ass at gooseberry time.” Well, if you say so Jerry.
In the end it was the former model who got her marching orders, not because the others really thought she was a Traitor, but because Michael suggested the next best thing was to get rid of any unhelpful Faithful.
Hang on though, hadn’t they noticed that Jerry and Sharon Rooney were the last ones in to breakfast that morning? Which means – as EVERY self-respecting fan of the show knows – that they must have been the other two Faithful in contention for murder, along with Ross Kemp. Duh. Never even mentioned.
When night fell, James Acaster was fully braced for the backlash he knew he deserved in the turret, saying: “I know I’m going to get a dressing down, I’m aware of that.”
Sure enough Maya and Kenny were fuming that he’d hung them out to dry. “I was scared,” he argued, deflecting their anger by insisting he was getting better at being a Traitor, not worse.
“When I killed Ross Kemp in plain sight, I loved it,” he declared. “And I have enjoyed today more.” Maya said she was proud of him but loyalty-wise, he must be skating on thin ice.
Now Romesh Ranganathan is convinced he’s about to be bumped off and if it’s not him it will be Miranda or Sebastian Croft. (The other two will walk in last to breakfast, you mark my words.)
James picked Romesh saying that his popularity and authority with the other Faithful would make his exit a huge blow. Calling him the “deputy head” of the round table, James said: “Morale-wise, everybody loves having Rom around.”
His words were kind but was this his way of trying to get rid of the fellow comedian, who is said to have made his life tricky in the castle? As Romesh headed to bed, he was muttering: “I’m going to die tonight.” And he could be right.
But whoever goes might find they’ve have a lucky escape if tonight’s effort was anything to go by. If this was a school report it would contain just three words: Must. Try. Harder.
Less than two weeks before the midterm elections, some Michigan voters are still deciding between Republican Mike Rogers and Democrat Abdul El-Sayed in the race for a US Senate seat. At an event in Detroit this week, one voter questioned why El-Sayed won’t say his ‘real name.’
Homeland Security targets nine states in a push to identify voting fraud, a move critics denounce as tantamount to voter intimidation.
Published On 22 Oct 202622 Oct 2026
A United States federal judge has ordered the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to halt operations aimed at finding non-citizen voters in nine states ahead of the midterm elections.
The ruling by US District Court Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguin said the investigations likely violate a provision of the Voting Rights Act that prohibits voter intimidation. She further said the DHS may have relied on flawed data in its investigations.
Recommended Stories
list of 3 itemsend of list
That leads to “an objectively reasonable fear of law enforcement entanglements that intimidates citizens from urging or aiding others in exercising their right to vote”, she wrote.
The order applies to federal efforts targeting California, Connecticut, Georgia, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington and Wisconsin.
The DHS has publicised what it has described as a push to identify individuals who have committed voter fraud, with some local offices posting photos of agents knocking on the doors of suspects.
The operations come as the administration of US President Donald Trump has sought to highlight instances of voter fraud ahead of the November 3 midterm vote.
While there are recorded instances of fraud in every election cycle, such isolated cases remain exceedingly rare.
There has been no evidence to indicate that non-citizen voters have influenced the outcome of any election at any level in the country.
In a statement following Thursday’s ruling, the DHS maintained that its investigations were aimed at “removing aliens who vote and dilute the votes of US citizens”.
“We have no plans to question or investigate people we believe to be US citizens,” it said.
In their lawsuit challenging the DHS’s efforts, the California Nurses Association and National Nurses United, along with the Voto Latino Foundation, San Francisco and Santa Clara County, said that some US citizens felt they were wrongly identified and questioned as part of the investigations.
A lawyer representing the groups said it was “clear from the start that DHS built its lists on bad data, never checked how often it was wrong, and recklessly sent agents to people’s homes weeks before an election”.
Benjamin Farley, the supervisory counsel for democracy defense at the National Immigration Law Center, said the ruling sent a strong message about voter intimidation ahead of the midterm vote.
“Yesterday’s decision is a clear rebuke of the government’s efforts to scare voters away from the polls this November and a reminder that all US citizens – regardless of color, place of birth, or the nationality of their family members – have the right to participate in American elections free of intimidation,” he said.
“No armed federal agent is going to stop us from casting our vote.”
Ross Kemp has feared being killed in plain sight since the very first day – but when it finally happened, he didn’t have a clue
Gotcha! Ross Kemp finally succumbs to the yawn murder
Ross Kemp has admitted that “fear of failure” was what drove his intense paranoia in the Celebrity Traitors castle, which proved highly entertaining for viewers.
The actor and presenter was killed by the Traitors in plain sight last night, after he was the first to yawn in the library, breathing in a deadly perfume sprayed by King Kenny under orders.
But having been fearful of being bumped off in public since the very first day – after Bella Ramsey put a hat on his head and Leigh-Anne Pinnock touched his arm – when it actually happened he was none the wiser. Speaking just after he left the castle Ross, 62, said: “I lived every day thinking I was going to get killed, and now it’s actually happened.
“The fear of failure on this is not comparable to anything. Whether you’re an actor, or in a hostile environment where you could get killed, you don’t let people down. Yes, no one’s going to get killed here, but the wish of not wanting to let yourself down or the people around you, was quite the drive.
“I was under a considerable amount of pressure by my children to do this, and you can’t really say no to it. It’s so popular. I think it’s the cleverest show on British television.”
Ross bowed out on TV with some sinister words for those who had killed him. “Well played Traitors,” he said. “But you’re always going to bee Traitors. And I know where you live…”
Stressing that he had “enjoyed it immensely”, Ross explained: “The whole environment just makes you paranoid. If you’re a fan of the show, you know that murder in plain sight happens. So when someone puts a hat on you, or touches your arm, however innocently it might be, I don’t think I’m wrong in suspecting it.”
Tipping “very clever” Maya as a potential winner, along with fellow Traitor James Acaster, Ross insisted: “I don’t feel that bad that I’ve gone when I’ve gone.”
And having put his absolute all into the Missions, in which money is raised for the prize fund, he’s hoping that he’ll now be missed. “I think it’s just in my nature to take on a physical challenge and want to succeed at it. I hope the next three or four Missions involve really heavy lifting across water, hopefully with some poo involved. I’ll watch it with great glee,” he laughed.
Jerry Hall said that being banished because she was “an icon” had come as a surprise, with Miranda Hart wrongly suspecting that the producers and host Claudia Winkleman wouldn’t have been able to resist putting Jerry and Richard E Grant into the turret together.
But Jerry – who recognised that she’d “made mistakes” in her exit speech – said she hadn’t laughed so much in years. Insisting she’d given it her all, she said: “Oh, it’s so much harder than the catwalk – it’s a very competitive world, and there’s some ruthless people, I should have been better prepared. Apparently the reason I got voted off was because I was an icon, which didn’t sound like it was a very factual reason. I think they saw me as a threat.”
But the 70-year-old said she’d even enjoyed her banishment, declaring: “It was kind of fun, and they were all so sweet. It was a lovely ending.”
The model, originally from Texas but now living in London, has no idea who the real Traitors are. “I’ve suspected James Blunt for quite a while, and Joanne, and even Leigh-Anne, and Miranda too. And Romesh, so there you go.”
Nevertheless, she was proud of what they’d achieved. “We caught two Traitors and we’d made quite a bit of prize money, I thought we were on a roll.”
When the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony gets under way at the London Palladium this Monday, much of England will hope it serves as a good omen.
After all, the English haven’t seen one of their own lift the golden ball – football’s most prestigious individual award – in 25 years.
Recommended Stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
Michael Owen was the embodiment of English pride when he won the accolade in 2001. Now, it is Harry Kane who could bring his nation an honour every footballer dreams of.
So, what are Kane’s odds of winning the Ballon d’Or? Al Jazeera takes a look:
The best season of Kane’s career bodes well for Ballon d’Or
Remember the time when Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo scored 50-plus goals for fun? When a football forward’s goal tally looked more like a batsman’s cricket score?
Kane’s 2025-26 goal-scoring exploit is the closest we have experienced to that in recent years.
The England captain’s 73-goal performance last season was the finest display the world has seen since Argentinian legend Messi’s 82-goal tally in 2011-12.
“I’ve never liked to talk about myself too much,” Kane said in an interview last month.
“The only thing I would say is that last season was incredible, on a personal level and as a team.
“It was, by far, the best season of my life.”
Age is no problem for England and Bayern Munich’s Kane
He scored an incredible 36 goals last season, making Kane the Bundesliga’s top scorer for the third year running and earning him a second European Golden Shoe, while finishing nine goals clear of Manchester City’s Erling Haaland in the continental race.
The Bayern Munich forward’s statistics look even more impressive given he is seemingly peaking at 33, an age when most forwards are far beyond their prime.
Kane is bidding to join the ranks of Messi, Luka Modric and Karim Benzema, some of the recipients of the last 10 editions who won the Ballon d’Or in their 30s.
Standing in his way, however, are two very talented juniors – Spain’s superstar-in-the-making, Lamine Yamal, who won the 2026 FIFA World Cup shortly after his 19th birthday, and France’s 2018 world champion, Kylian Mbappe, who is 27.
When Kane made his Premier League debut for Tottenham Hotspur in 2014, Yamal was still in primary school, and Mbappe was in high school.
Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane lifts the trophy as he celebrates with teammates after winning the Bundesliga [File: Angelika Warmuth/Reuters]
Could Champions League and World Cup woes hurt Kane’s bid?
Since Kane moved from London to Munich, the forward has taken German club football by storm, and 2025-26 was no different. He finished the campaign with three trophies: the Bundesliga title, DFB-Pokal (the German Cup) and Franz Beckenbauer Supercup (the German Supercup).
But his failure to make an impact in the Champions League semifinal cost Bayern Europe’s most coveted club trophy, and the same was the case at the recent World Cup, where he finished third with England.
While World Cup success is not a strict requirement to win the Ballon d’Or, having a world title on your CV definitely helps. Furthermore, being pitted against 2026 World Cup winners Yamal and Rodri – also the 2024 Ballon d’Or recipient – could hurt Kane’s odds.
Recent history suggests that winning a title in one of the major tournaments has become almost a prerequisite.
Only four of the previous 19 Ballon d’Or winners failed to lift either the Champions League, World Cup, European Championship or Copa America during the year they won the honour.
Those exceptions include record eight-time Ballon d’Or recipient Messi and five-time winner Ronaldo.
England’s Harry Kane settled for bronze at the 2026 World Cup [File: Carlos Barria/Reuters]
Kane is the bookmakers’ favourite to win the Ballon d’Or
Only time will tell whether falling short in major competitions’ crucial knockout rounds will decide Kane’s fate, but for now, he is the bookmakers’ leading candidate for the trophy.
As of Tuesday, Kane holds about 65-70 percent market share to become the successor to Ousmane Dembele, the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner.
Unlike other Ballon d’Or contenders, especially the outspoken Yamal and Mbappe, who are campaigning hard for the award, Kane has been relatively quiet.
Bayern are speaking up for their leader, having put together a video in which teammates said Kane should win.
“He deserves to win it, 100 percent, without a doubt,” said Colombian Luis Diaz, who is also on the shortlist.
If Kane wins the award, he would become only the fifth English player to do so after Stanley Matthews, Bobby Charlton, Kevin Keegan and Michael Owen.
US actor Tom Skerritt, who starred in the TV series Picket Fences, and the films Alien and Top Gun, has died aged 93, his family says.
Skerritt died on Wednesday of natural causes, his family said: “While the world knew Tom through his remarkable acting career, we knew him for his humor, curiosity, wisdom, generosity, and the love he brought into our lives.”
In a six-decade career, he took on film and television roles, appearing in the film Mash, A River Runs Through It and Ted. He also co-founded TheFilmSchool in Seattle to support next-generation filmmakers and storytellers.
His family said he will be remembered “for his belief that stories can help people heal, find purpose, and create change.”
The mustachioed star of several 20th century hit films was born on 25 August 1933 in Detroit, Michigan, and served in the US Air Force before pursuing an acting career that boasted several military roles.
He made his film debut in 1962 alongside a young Robert Redford in War Hunt and years later re-teamed with Redford in the 1992 period drama A River Runs Through It, which starred Brad Pitt.
Skerritt’s breakthrough role came when he played US army surgeon Duke Forrest in the 1970 Korean War comedy Mash, which also starred Donald Sutherland, Elliott Gould and Sally Kellerman.
The hit film, which was released amid unrest over the Vietnam War, was nominated for five Academy Awards and was adapted for television two years later.
He also starred alongside Sigourney Weaver in the 1979 sci-fi film Alien, which earned two Oscar nominations, and led to three sequels and several crossover projects.
“It is spontaneity and impulse that make the difference, and that is what I felt we had with ‘Alien,'” Skerritt said in a 2019 interview, according to Reuters news agency.
“Every one of us had that immediate rapport with each other.”
Skerritt said that one of the things he liked most when he first read the script was that “the woman becomes a hero”, referring to Weaver’s character, Ripley.
During his career, he starred opposite several strong female leads.
He appeared with Shirley MacLaine in the 1977 film Turning Point and played Sally Field’s husband in 1989’s Steel Magnolias.
As Commander Mike “Viper” Metcalf in the 1986 classic Top Gun, the versatile actor appeared alongside a young Tom Cruise in the blockbuster.
On television, he won an Emmy Award in 1993 for his role as Sheriff Jimmy Brock in David E Kelley’s drama Picket Fences.
The procedural’s ensemble cast was nominated for SAG Awards in 1995 and 1996, and he received a nod for male actor in a drama series in 1995.
Skerritt also had guest roles on the small screen in The West Wing, Madam Secretary, Law & Order: SVU and Huff. He reteamed with Field as the family patriarch, William Walker, in the drama Brothers & Sisters from 2007-09.
He had a six-episode stint on Cheers playing Rebecca Howe’s crush-worthy boss Evan Drake.
In a statement, Skerritt’s family said that he leaves behind a “legacy that reaches far beyond the screen”
A deep believer in the power of storytelling, Skerritt helped found the TheFilmSchool in Seattle and co-founded the Red Badge Project, which helps veterans work through PTSD, anxiety and depression by writing and sharing their experiences.
Inspired in part by his experience filming A River Runs Through It, he also believed in protecting the natural world.
He created the documentary series Reflections of the River about America’s rivers and supported river conservation.
KATIE PRICE has been left furious after she was snubbed by the Pride of Britain Awards as she admitted she “didn’t get an invite.”
The former glamour model’s kids, Princess, 19, and Junior Andre, attended the Awards on Monday and were seen posing up on the red carpet.
Katie has revealed she wasn’t invited to the Pride of Britain Awards despite her kids making the cutCredit: GettyPrincess and Junior Andre attended the Pride of Britain Awards on Monday nightCredit: Getty
But, Katie didn’t quite make the cut.
While discussing their booming careers on her podcast, The Katie Price Show, she confessed they were invited to the prestigious event – but she wasn’t.
United States President Donald Trump has long touted himself as a political outsider, someone who would expose the elites’ abuse of power and shift government focus from far-off conflicts to problems at home. Phrases like “drain the swamp” and “America first” have proved to be powerful rallying cries, sparking a whole cadre of “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) Republicans.
Halfway through his final term as president, though, Trump has backpedalled on many of those ideas, cosying up to the ultra-wealthy, sidelining investigations into convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, and launching an ongoing war with Iran.
Recommended Stories
list of 3 itemsend of list
That about-face appears to be having a real impact on Republicans running in the US midterm elections in November, said Rina Shah, a geopolitical adviser and strategist and a former senior GOP congressional aide.
“In competitive races, some are quietly distancing,” Shah said, adding that they are “talking about gas prices, local issues, or [saying] ‘I’m focused on my district’ – because the Iran war and the Epstein drip are already showing up in attack ads and soft polling.”
Here’s what you need to know about whether the Republican Party has softened its stance on these issues.
Which Republicans have broken with Trump over the Epstein files?
During his 2024 presidential campaign, Trump said he would declassify troves of files kept by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) about Epstein and his global network of contacts. Trump’s future cabinet members, too, were enthusiastic about this, with Kash Patel, now head of the FBI, saying it was time to “put on your big boy pants and let us know who the pedophiles are”.
Yet a few months after taking office, Trump began dragging his feet, sparking a backlash from influential MAGA figures. Trump began calling the entire issue a “hoax” and saying Republicans were being duped by Democrats into calling for an investigation into Epstein’s network.
US Congressional Representatives Ro Khanna, Thomas Massie, and Marjorie Taylor Greene speak during a news conference as the US House of Representatives prepares to vote on the Epstein Files Transparency Act, at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, the United States on November 18, 2025 [File: J Scott Applewhite/AP]
Congress did eventually force the release of the files, with help from a handful of Republicans who broke with Trump. The Trump administration has released batches of the heavily redacted files, but has continued to withhold some. Meanwhile, all the Republican lawmakers who voted to mandate releases have paid a price for their insubordination, with three even losing their offices.
US Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene left her Georgia seat in January 2026, after publicly clashing with Trump over Epstein. Nancy Mace, a Republican from South Carolina, lost her bid to become the party’s candidate in her home state after Trump refused to endorse her. Colorado’s Lauren Boebert barely won the primary in her own contest after angering Trump by supporting calls for transparency from Thomas Massie, another Republican bent on exposing what the files held. Massie, of Kentucky, also drew Trump’s ire, which likely cost him the primary.
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump participates in a fireside chat with media host Tucker Carlson at the Desert Diamond Arena, in Glendale, Arizona, the US, October 31, 2024 [File: Brendan McDermid/Reuters]
No more foreign wars?
Trump had long said he would be reducing foreign military involvement, breaking with the interventionist tendencies of other recent Republican presidents. Now he and his party face tough questions about the US-Israel war on Iran, which influential figures in the MAGA movement like political commentator Tucker Carlson have called a mistake, saying, “This is Israel’s war. This is not the United States’ war.”
Amongst disgruntled MAGA supporters, a narrative has emerged of Trump using the war to also distract from the Epstein issue. Massie, the former congressman, summed up the sentiment by saying, “Bombing a country on the other side of the globe won’t make the Epstein files go away.”
Trump has tried to downplay the war’s impact, but voters, even in the Republican Party, think he broke his own promise, driving the overall approval rating for the ratings-obsessed president down to record lows. “Seven months into an open-ended campaign with shifting goals,” said Shah, “that promise looks different to a lot of his voters.”
Few Republicans, however, have responded to that public sentiment with their votes in Congress, where Democrats have tried repeatedly to curtail Trump’s war on Iran by passing resolutions pointing out he failed to get the body’s approval.
In September, just seven Republican House members joined Democrats to pass an anti-war bill. In the Senate, similar efforts have been supported by just a handful of Republicans. Trump called the Republican lawmakers supporting the anti-war bills “unpatriotic,” and said, “They should be ashamed of themselves.”
As with the Epstein files, Trump took action against rebellious Republicans over the Iran war, for instance backing a rival of Senator Bill Cassidy, who voted in favour of the anti-war bill, in a primary in Louisiana that the Republican senator ended up losing.
What happened to Trump’s promise to “drain the swamp”?
One of Trump’s most appealing promises had been to purge the government of a “deep state” establishment he says is running the country without being accountable to the public on social issues, and fiscal and foreign policy.
Priscilla Chan, Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg, Lauren Sanchez, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Tesla CEO Elon Musk attend Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremony on January 20, 2025 [Chip Somodevilla/POOL/AFP]
In a way, Trump did keep that promise. An entire federal government division – the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) – forced tens of thousands of federal workers out of their jobs and dismantled institutions like the US Agency for International Development (USAID). The military threw out notions of racial, gender, and economic diversity. Everything from universities to the Smithsonian Institution was subjected to a campaign against an unqualified, diversity-obsessed elitist class.
But lobbying groups, including some supporting foreign governments, have been given a free hand, and ethics rules and watchdogs who would tackle political corruption have been weakened, said Shah, the Republican strategist.
At his presidential inauguration, Trump literally surrounded himself with the wealthiest people in the world, some of whom have gone on to play some part in his administration.
Some countries in the region say it infringes on their rights.
Libya’s eastern parliament has walked back its objection to an agreement with Turkiye, demarcating boundaries in the Mediterranean Sea.
Its rival administration, the internationally recognised Government of National Unity, signed the deal seven years ago.
The ratification has revived a simmering dispute over exploring a potentially gas-rich region. Greece, Cyprus and Egypt were quick to object, with Athens referring the issue to the UN Security Council.
They say Libya and Turkiye are ignoring their sovereign rights.
So what are the geopolitical implications of this deal in the eastern Mediterranean?
Presenter: Mohammed Jamjoom
Guests:
Sinan Ulgen – Chairman of the Centre for Economic and Foreign Policy Studies
Maria Gavouneli – Professor of international law at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
Tarek Megerisi – Director of Informmi, a geopolitical research and advisory firm
HOLLYWOOD legend Tom Skerritt has died at the age of 93 after a six-decade career.
Tom is best known for his roles in Top Gun, Alien, and Picket Fences.
Legendary actor Tom Skerritt has died at 93Credit: AlamyTom is best known for playing Tom Cruise’s instructor, Viper, in the 1986 film Top GunCredit: Alamy
The veteran actor died on Wednesday from natural causes, his family confirmed to TMZ.
“We are heartbroken by his loss,” Tom’s family told the outlet.
Sign up for the Showbiz newsletter
Thank you!
The Detroit native’s acting credits span six decades, starting with his breakout role in the 1970 war series, M*A*S*H.
He later played Captain Dallas in the 1979 sci-fi Alien, before landing the part of Tom Cruise’s instructor, Viper, in the 1986 film Top Gun.
Tom is also remembered as Sheriff Jimmy Brock in Picket Fences, which earned him an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 1993.
Some of his other notable credits include A River Runs Through It (1992), Steel Magnolias (1989), and a six-episode stint on Cheers (1987-1988).
Tom’s final on-screen role was playing Cliff in the 2025 contemporary Western drama Broke, with Dennis Quad and Wyatt Russell.
Tom also had prominent roles in Aliens and Picket FencesCredit: GettySome of his other notable credits include A River Runs Through It (1992), Steel Magnolias (1989), and a six-episode stint on Cheers (1987-1988)Credit: Reuters
Years before his Hollywood fame took off, Tom served in the U.S. Air Force.
He later became an advocate for veterans as co-founder of The Red Badge Project.
Tom maintained close friendships with many of the people he met in the industry over the years.
He shared photos from a reunion with Academy Award winner Jeff Bridges in one of his final Instagram posts in April.
The TV star shared his support for Jeff, who is opening an art gallery in Santa Barbara, as the pair hugged and linked arms.
“Got to see my talented friend Jeff Bridges’ photography while in Santa Barbara. Truly inspiring work, and even better catching up with the best people,” Tom wrote in his caption.
Tom also posted a heartfelt tribute last September to his “dear friend” Robert Redford following the actor’s passing.
“We grew up in this industry together – his art and friendship over these many years has profoundly changed my life. The world simply won’t be the same without him,” his post read.
The duo worked together as co-stars of the Korean War drama, War Hunt in 1962, and when Robert directed Tom in A River Runs Through It.
Israeli court releases nine settler suspects over West Bank attacks as investigations into recent assaults continue.
Published On 22 Oct 202622 Oct 2026
Israel has released nine of the 10 Israeli settler suspects arrested over attacks on a US journalist and European diplomats in the occupied West Bank, placing them under house arrest.
An Israeli court in Jerusalem ordered the release late on Wednesday, according to Honenu, a law firm that represents Israeli settlers.
Recommended Stories
list of 3 itemsend of list
Israeli police said one suspect remained in custody and that the investigation into the violent incidents was continuing.
Masked settlers were filmed last week assaulting Heidi Levine, a Washington Post photojournalist covering a Palestinian olive harvest who was taken to hospital and underwent surgery on a finger.
In a separate attack earlier this week, masked settlers assaulted French, Belgian and Polish diplomats and a French mayor in another part of the West Bank.
The suspects had been detained after the United States called for a crackdown on settler violence. France, Belgium and Poland also urged Israel to act.
“In the vast majority of attacks against Palestinians, no arrests are made at all,” said Yonatan Kanonich, head of research at the Israeli rights group Yesh Din. “In cases that receive media coverage … the police arrest several settlers and release most of them shortly afterward.”
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a post on X Thursday that the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory was “out of control”, with Palestinians continuing “to suffer daily attacks by Israeli settlers” and journalists and diplomats also being attacked.
Guterres called for “a credible political path towards lasting peace”.
Separately, the Palestinian Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission on Thursday said it documented 17 West Bank pogroms by Israeli forces and settlers against Palestinian farmers and their land during the olive harvest.
The commission recorded 409 attacks in October, 317 of which were by settlers and 92 by Israeli forces.
Nablus recorded the most attacks, 166, followed by Salfit with 91.
The commission said the attacks included assaults on farmers, preventing them from reaching their land, theft of crops and agricultural equipment, damage and burning of olive trees, as well as arrests, threats at gunpoint and live fire.
Ali Hassan Bazzari from Burqa died of wounds from settler gunfire while picking olives on October 7, the commission reported.
On Thursday, settlers set fire to olive trees near Imatin, east of Qalqilya, while Israeli forces forced farmers to leave and detained a farmer and several of his workers, the Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.
Near Yabad, west of Jenin, settlers stole 17 bags of harvested olives and equipment, local sources said.
Citing a local Palestinian official, Wafa reported that around Jenin, Israeli forces closed transport roads and most village gates, preventing farmers from reaching land in Barta’a.
For more than 50 years, a group of timekeepers has been quietly sneaking extra seconds onto the world’s clocks. Now they’ve voted to stop, and the moon is getting its own clock. Al Jazeera’s Basel Ghazoghli breaks it down.
EastEnders fans are pretty sure they know the real reason Jack Branning isn’t on speaking terms with brother Max at New Year, after a shocking twist concerning his daughter Amy
20:02, 22 Oct 2026Updated 20:03, 22 Oct 2026
EastEnders fans are pretty sure they know the real reason Jack Branning isn’t on speaking terms with brother Max at New Year(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)
No one seems to fight more than the Branning brothers, but EastEnders have set Jack and Max Branning up for a major clash by New Year’s Day.
The flashforward that aired at the start of the year showed that Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) no longer talks to his brother Max (Jake Wood) and fans think they know why after a shocking twist in tonight’s episode. Over the past few weeks, Jack’s daughter Amy (Ellie Dadd) has been groomed by Craig Ingram (Matthew James-Bailey).
Craig has been pushing Amy for money and she was determined to empty her trust fund, which held £100,000 in it. Needing the signature of one of the trustees, she turned to Uncle Max.
To see more of the stories you love from The Mirror and to find them easily in Google then make us your preferred source. Free and easy-to-do, just click on the link here to find more from The Mirror at the top of your feed.
Max, who has money troubles of his own, seemed keen to help Amy – for a cut. Though he didn’t know why Amy wanted the money, he later saw her getting into Craig’s car. Max clearly sensed something was up and rushed to tell Jack… only to change his mind.
The slimy businessman chose not to say anything about his niece getting into the car of an older man because he still wanted money. He told Amy that he would help her get the money, but it had to be a secret.
Fans are now sure this is the reason Jack hates Max at New Year – if something happens to Amy and Jack finds out what Max did, he will blame his brother, who could have said something and didn’t.
One fan said: “So Jack and Max aren’t on speaking terms on NYD because he’s gonna help Amy get the money to run off with Craig, isn’t he?”
Another said: “I could also see max and jack not being on speaking terms due to the fact max uses her trust fund money. Either or is possible.”
A third slammed Max for his actions saying they weren’t surprised no one seemed to like Max on New Year’s Day: “It’s never about anyone else it’s always me me me with that guy then he makes himself look good by helping Jack break into Craig’s flat . No wonder everyone is gunning for him at New Years .”
On 1 January 2027, it isn’t just Jack who seems to hate Max. Peter Beale (Thomas Law) also isn’t speaking to his father-in-law and refuses to attend his wedding.
Likewise, Max is arrested for soliciting a murder and claims he’s being set up, implying someone else hates him enough to want him in prison. Finally, a mystery gunman takes Max’s children Lauren (Jacqueline Jossa) and Oscar (Pierre Counihan-Moullier) hostage and forces him to pick one to save.
NBA superstar LeBron James criticised by US President Donald Trump for disrespectful behaviour during national anthem.
Published On 22 Oct 202622 Oct 2026
US President Donald Trump criticised National Basketball Association (NBA) superstar LeBron James on Thursday for what he called disrespectful behaviour during the singing of the US national anthem at a recent NBA game.
“While listening to our National Anthem, LeBron James disrespects our Country,” Trump said in a Truth Social post accompanied by a video showing James moving his body during the anthem.
Recommended Stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
“LeBron James should apologize to all of those Great American Warriors and Heroes who died for the American Flag, and all that our Country stands for!”
The clip Trump shared showed James standing in line with the members of the Philadelphia 76ers, swinging his arms in a warm-up-type stretch and performing basketball shooting movements.
A representative for the 76ers did not immediately respond to a request from Al Jazeera for comment.
Trump has repeatedly criticised athletes for their behaviour during pre-game renditions of the US national anthem, notably beginning with NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s kneeling protest in support of racial justice.
Trump cancelled the planned White House visit of the Super Bowl champions Philadelphia Eagles in 2018 after the team disagreed with his call for players to stand during the anthem.
James became a leading voice in the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020 and has frequently supported progressive issues as he ascended to the top of the NBA’s all-time scoring list.
New footage of Australia’s Ghost Shark extra-large autonomous underwater vehicle (XL-AUV) provides the first look at how the vehicle launches aerial drones, while also revealing a pair of deployable masts not previously seen on the platform. The video comes soon after we got a glimpse of some of the payloads that the Royal Australian Navy plans to integrate on the new uncrewed submarine, as you can read more about in our coverage here.
Published by manufacturer Anduril, the footage shows a Ghost Shark surfacing before doors on the top of its hull slide open. A launcher consisting of 12 angled tubes then emerges from a drone sub. Another launcher is seen in the other upper payload bay, but is not raised in the video. While it appears to be of the same type, the second launcher could also have a different arrangement of tubes.
While the 12-tube ALTIUS aerial drone launcher on the left is seen elevating, the launcher on the right remains lowered. Anduril/screencap
The footage subsequently cuts to an ALTIUS-type drone being launched from one of the tubes, with Ghost Shark itself remaining surfaced.
A Ghost Shark launches an ALTIUS aerial drone from a raised 12-tube launcher. Anduril/screencap
The sequence provides a much more concrete look at the aerial-drone deployment concept — or one of them — than the photographs released previously, which offered the first public view inside Ghost Shark’s side payload bay.
The Australian government has said the vehicle is being developed for missions including persistent intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR) and strike, but the precise configuration and operational capabilities of its weapons and how they are launched had not previously been disclosed.
The video does not identify which ALTIUS variant is being launched. However, Ghost Shark has previously been displayed at the Altus factory in Australia alongside derivatives of the ALTIUS-600 family. This includes the ALTIUS-600 for ISR, as well as the ALTIUS-600M, which is designed for strike missions. You can read more about this family of drones here. As we noted before, unarmed variants of the ALTIUS-600 are designed to be optionally expendable, and can be reused, although in many scenarios that isn’t possible. In terms of capabilities, the ALTIUS-600 has a maximum range of around 275 miles and can remain airborne for at least four hours, according to Anduril.
Examples of the Anduril ALTIUS-600 displayed during a press conference at the Anduril Australia factory in Sydney, New South Wales. Australian Department of Defense
ALTIUS-600M Loitering Munition
Ghost Shark can clearly deploy a substantial number of aerial drones — two dozen in this case – in a single sortie, enabling swarms to be launched far from an adversary’s coastline. Depending on the drones carried and how they are employed, such a swarm could provide broad-area surveillance, wreak havoc on enemy air defenses via electronic warfare, or attack targets.
The concept could also have value below the threshold of open conflict. A mass launch of relatively inexpensive drones could be used to probe or stimulate an adversary’s air defenses, prompting them to reveal their locations, signatures and operating procedures for collection by other intelligence assets or even some of the drones themselves. There is a precedent for exactly this going back to the early Cold War years, which you can read all about here.
Ghost Shark could carry these capabilities deep into contested waters clandestinely without putting a crew at risk, unleashing their payload even at standoff distances or right next to the shore to give the drones maximum penetration and loitering time over target, depend on the risk profile.
At the same time, while the 12-tube launchers fit neatly into Ghost Shark’s hull architecture, the modular nature of the design means that the same space can accommodate many other payloads, which might include alternative types of aerial drones. This could be fewer larger, more capable types, or far more plentiful smaller, less capable ones.
The other notable development in the video is the appearance of two deployable masts. Their presence is particularly interesting given Anduril’s emphasis on designing uncrewed underwater vehicles without the kinds of protruding mast arrangements associated with traditional submarine designs. On UUVs, masts like these are generally used to support sensors, communications, and propulsion systems.
Looking aft, with the two masts raised. Anduril/screencap
“We don’t have big masts running down the backbone of our vehicle that a lot of other designs do that then preclude the ability for the payloads to come out in different directions… of the payload module itself,” Dr. Shane Arnott, Senior Vice President for Engineering at Anduril and the company’s maritime lead, told TWZ back in 2024.
“So we have… in effect, unlimited flexibility in this design, just the way that we’ve configured the vehicle and the payload bay itself could be almost anything within a size configuration that you can dream up,” Arnott added. “We haven’t encountered a crazy idea yet from a customer that … we can’t fit.”
The first Ghost Shark for the Royal Australian Navy. In this earlier view, the retractable masts are not visible. Australian Department of Defense
The larger mast that lies flat is actually a fairly traditional one for large UUVs. It lies along the centerline of the hull when stowed, between the upper payload bays. It then deploys upward in an arm-like motion and carries an antenna. The smaller mast is located farther aft and rises vertically from its own housing. Potentially, the tall mast supports a line-of-sight datalink to the drones, while the other being a satcom array, such as one connected to Starlink/Starshield, sends drone feed to controllers anywhere in the world. It’s also worth noting that Ghost Shark could just launch the drones and send them on their missions autonomously, without needing to stay surfaced at all. Other arrangements could exist, as well, such as Ghost Shark launching a dozen drones and one larger one capable of carrying its own satcom terminal. This would allow direct control of the drones by operators anywhere in the world without Ghost Shark remaining present near the surface.
Ghost Shark also has a lower-profile swept-back sail on top of its nose section, not visible in the video. Overall, the vessel would retain a very small signature above the waterline while connected to the drones, making it hard to detect by radar and electro-optical imaging systems.
Ghost Shark submerged, with its reflection seen on the surface. This provides a good view of the retracted masts and how they fit neatly with the closed upper payload doors. Anduril/screencap
The new video follows the recent disclosure of three payload concepts for the Royal Australian Navy’s Ghost Shark: the deployment of up to 12 sea mines in a mission, the placement of supply caches on the seabed, and the launch of aerial drones. Those capabilities expand the vehicle beyond conventional underwater surveillance into a broader range of undersea warfare missions.
The mine-delivery option could support operations in strategically important maritime areas, while seabed caches could provide a means of positioning equipment and supplies for later retrieval. The aerial-drone capability, as seen in the new video, would allow Ghost Shark to extend surveillance beyond the reach of its own sensors or potentially deliver strike effects without exposing crewed platforms to the same risks. Having 12 ALTIUS drones ready to launch (and potentially the same number in the adjacent upper payload bay) would allow multiple missions to be undertaken.
The modular design is central to Ghost Shark. As we have discussed, the payload section can be configured using different hull sections and mission-specific systems, allowing the same underlying vehicle design to accommodate different requirements. The newly revealed launcher provides a first look at how at least one of those payload concepts may be implemented in practice.
A rendering of a Ghost Shark in Royal Australian Navy service. Australian Department of Defense
Australia has committed substantial resources to autonomous and uncrewed undersea warfare capabilities, with a planned fleet of Australian-designed and built Ghost Shark vehicles serving alongside the Speartooth large uncrewed underwater vehicle (LUUV) and the BlueBottle uncrewed surface vessel (USV). The Ghost Shark program is also part of the broader AUKUS effort to develop advanced maritime technologies alongside the United Kingdom and the United States.
The new footage provides a clearer picture of the practical design choices behind that effort. Most notably, how the underwater vehicle can operationalize its aerial drone launching capability and the quantity of those systems it could potentially deploy very quickly before slipping back below the waves.
Christmas has come early for me because two of my favourite artists, Aitch and Tom Grennan, have teamed up for a telly collab.
I can exclusively reveal that the good pals secretly recorded scenes together for next year’s series of The Voice.
We can exclusively reveal that the good pals Tom Grennan, above, and new judge Aitch have secretly recorded scenes together for next year’s series of The VoiceCredit: GettyAitch invited his long-time pal Tom Grennan to guest judge on The Voice, with the pair’s friendship making the collaboration a no-brainer, according to our sourceCredit: Getty
New judge Aitch, who has been shooting the 2027 show in Salford in recent weeks, invited Tom down to ITV studios to film the Battle stages of the popular competition.
And Tom’s guest role went down so well with producers, they are now eyeing him up as a full-time coach in the future.
Sign up for the Showbiz newsletter
Thank you!
My source said: “They have been friends for years, so it was a no-brainer for Aitch to give Tom a call and invite him to be a guest judge.
“While he has never appeared on reality TV, Tom has worked his way up from the bottom, so knows how contestants are feeling.
“Sometimes, guests are quite wooden, but Tom really impressed bosses with his time on the show. They are now talking about him possibly becoming a regular coach.”
In 2023, Aitch revealed on Instagram that he had recorded a “banger” with Tom, although the song is yet to be released.
Earlier this month, fans watched as will.i.am brought Cheryl out of her self-imposed retirement to help him pick his final threeCredit: ITVMeanwhile, in pre-recorded scenes which aired last weekend, fellow coach Kelly Rowland drafted in Delta GoodremCredit: Shutterstock Editorial
But, back in February, Aitch gave fans a taste of the track, called Home, after streaming it live on social media.
A source added: “Tom and Aitch actually have a couple of songs together.
“But they are still working out when best to release one.”
Tom was due to return last night with the release of his comeback single, Wrapped In Gold, from his upcoming fifth album, which is due out next year.
I’ll keep my fingers crossed that one of their collaborations ends up on there.
Albanian lawmakers have scuffled in parliament, throwing objects at one another and ripping microphones from desks. The chaos follows months of daily street protests, first over corruption, and now over schooling conditions.
A US judge has ordered President Donald Trump to answer questions under oath in his defamation lawsuit against the BBC by 11 December.
Trump is suing the BBC over an episode of Panorama that edited together two different sections of a speech he gave before the riot at the US Capitol in 2021.
Charles Tobin, a lawyer representing the BBC, said in court that “we still haven’t been able to depose the plaintiff” with two months left in the discovery period.
Trump cancelled a previous deposition on 16 October, citing “matters of national importance” while he was campaigning in Georgia.
In US law, a deposition is an out-of-court statement made under oath in response to questions, which is recorded for use in later proceedings.
The judge in the case, US Magistrate Judge Enjoliqué Lett, said that Trump must sit for the deposition by 11 December, unless the discovery period is extended.
Last week, attorneys asked that Lett compel Trump to face deposition after the last scheduled meeting did not take place.
On that day, Trump attended a midterms campaign rally in Dalton, Georgia and a fundraiser at his property in Mar-a-Lago in Florida.
In a separate filing on Wednesday, Trump’s lawyers said that the president could appear for the interview between 11 and 22 January next year, and claimed that the BBC was “wrong to claim that President Trump is avoiding his deposition in this action.”
Trump’s lawsuit – filed in Florida – accuses the BBC of “intentionally, maliciously, and deceptively doctoring” the speech he gave outside the Capitol on 6 January 2021.
The BBC apologised for the error and said that the broadcast gave “the mistaken impression that President Trump made a direct call for violent action”.
The broadcaster has since asked that the court dismiss the lawsuit, arguing that the programme does not meet the legal criteria for defamation and was not available in the US.
In July, Trump’s lawyers conceded that they had no evidence that the documentary was available in the US on the BBC’s BritBox subscription service – as they originally claimed – or on the BBC’s website, BBC select or through US broadcasters.
Trump ultimately agreed to drop the lawsuit against BBC Studios, its commercial arm, after the BBC argued that it had “no role in creating or producing the documentary.
Typically, depositions take place in a lawyer’s office – rather than a courtroom – without a judge physically present.
Depositions, however, carry legal weight and take place under oath. They are recorded verbatim by a court reporter, and the transcripts can later be used as evidence during trials.
Sydney Sweeney has thrilled fans with her latest lingerie offeringCredit: Instagram/sydney_sweeneyShe wore a barely-there lingerie set with some lace stockingsCredit: Instagram/sydney_sweeney
The actress is gearing up for the holiday season with several fresh pieces from her lingerie brand, SYRN, and she has modeled them all in her new campaign video.
Sign up for the Showbiz newsletter
Thank you!
As well as the nod to Jack Skellington, Sydney also wore a Cindy Lou Who inspired look, an all-white lingerie set, and a deep wine-hued set.
Commenting on Sydney’s latest offering, one person said: “She’s literally becoming the modern day Marilyn Monroe in real time.”
Sydney also channelled Cindy Lou WhoCredit: Instagram/sydney_sweeneyAnother shot from the video saw her in a wine-colored lingerie setCredit: Instagram/sydney_sweeneyLooking festive, Sydney also rocked all whiteCredit: Instagram/sydney_sweeneyThe actress even gave fans a cheeky glimpse of her buttCredit: Instagram/sydney_sweeney
“I love her,” declared a second.
“She is perfect from head to toes,” penned a third.
“Oh my god! What a woman,” said a fourth.
“I’m female & i loved it. WOW. flaunt that sexy body babe,” added a fifth.
Most read in Entertainment
While a sixth wrote: “Is the most amazing Christmas ad I’ve seen, Syd and her references were awesome.”
Though a seventh critiqued: “The rest are so cute! But I think the Cindy Lou is in poor taste…”
The Euphoria star sparked controversy once again last month when she posed completely naked in an ad for the sports betting app, Novig.
Photos showed Sydney wearing no clothes and concealing her breasts and private parts with various sports equipment.
The pics ignited massive discourse online, especially from female athletes, who accused Sydney of sexualizing women’s sports.
However, Sydney was unbothered by the backlash and is focused on leveling up in her career, a source told The U.S. Sun exclusively.
“Sydney’s goal is to become a billionaire mogul and ‘boss lady’ as soon as possible.
“She wants to do things entirely on her own terms, confident that her unique talent and beauty give her an edge, and she doesn’t care if people dislike her,” the insider said.
“Sydney is on the fast track to becoming an icon and an elite businesswoman, like Madonna, who she sees as the benchmark for combining sex appeal with massive entrepreneurial success.”
