BUSTED’S Matt Willis today gave a health update on James Bourne after the star revealed he was having “life extending” surgery.

The singer, 42, was forced to pull out of the band’s tour last year with just hours to go after falling seriously ill.

Last week, after months of silence, James revealed he was having “major surgery” in a bid to “extend his life”.

Today, his best pal Matt, who he has known for over two decades, gave an update on his good friend’s health battle.

Asked on Good Morning Britain about how James’ condition and how he was doing, the star replied: “Ah, I mean, it happened quite quickly.

“He got ill just before the tour started, so he had to pull out of the tour, so we kind of put something up there.

HEALTH UPDATE

Busted star James Bourne reveals he is having major surgery to ‘extend life’

health battle

Busted could ‘never perform again’ says Matt Willis 

“But he put something out recently, kind of an update of how he’s getting on.

“And, you know, he’s not very well, but he’s going to be… he’s getting better.

“You know, he’s on the mend.”

Matt also added that he was “seeing James later”.

It comes just days after James issued a worrying update to his fans last Saturday.

“I realised it’s been about six months since I posted last,” he wrote on an Instagram story.

“I have a plan in place to have major surgery that should extend my life and hopefully make me well enough to come back to what I love the most which is touring and making music.

“It really sucks to be out of the game.

“But there is hope!”

James and Matt shot to fame alongside Charlie Simpson when Busted arrived on the pop scene in 2002 with What I Go To School For.

The band split a few years later, and then reformed in 2015, much to the delight of fans, and have been together ever since.

However, in September James pulled out of the band’s tour with McFly with just hours to spare.

In his statement, the singer cited health problems and said he “hoped to come back further down the line”.

He wrote: “The VS tour kicks off tomorrow night in Birmingham and as excited as I’ve been all year for this tour to begin, I’m really sorry to say that over the last 8 days it has become clear that I am not in good enough health to play these shows,”

Although he didn’t disclose what the health issue is, James said at the time: “There’s a lot of information I still don’t have about my condition but my bandmates, management and I are unanimous in deciding that I should focus on medical stuff for now.

“I really hope I can be in a position to come back further down the line.

“It’s still going to be an amazing show and I will miss being there!”

Amid all the alarming and unhinged comments of the president of the United States in recent days threatening Iran with genocide — remarks beyond even the usual cray-cray blather from Donald Trump — it was a statement from his spokesperson on Tuesday that really put the madness in the White House in perspective.

“Only the President knows where things stand and what he will do,” Karoline Leavitt said.

She issued those words just hours before Trump’s 8 p.m. Tuesday deadline for Iran to either reopen the Strait of Hormuz to international shipping or face Armageddon — that is, war crimes by the United States. The statement from the White House press secretary was as clear a description as Americans could get of governance under Trump these days: A mad king reigns, virtually unchecked.

And as a practical matter, there is nothing under the Constitution, neither impeachment nor removal under the 25th Amendment, that can be done about him. There’s only voters’ opportunity to eject the complicit Republican majorities in the House and Senate in November’s midterm elections, to install a Democratic — and democratic — check on Trump for the remaining two years of his term.

By now we know that, just before Trump’s deadline to Iran warning “a whole civilization will die tonight,” he announced a fragile two-week ceasefire for negotiations. The commander in chief declared victory, natch. But so did Iran. And it had the better of the argument: Iran continued to control and monetize passage through the strait, unlike before Trump’s war began Feb. 28, and already on Wednesday it flexed that power by closing the route in retaliation for Israeli strikes. The ceasefire also lets Iran retain possession of its enriched, nearly bomb-grade uranium, and the nation won Trump’s offer of possible tariff and sanctions relief.

So much for the “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!” he demanded in a post a month ago.

I’m writing these words on Wednesday. Who knows where things will stand by the time you’re reading this? “Only the president knows.”

Trump has fluctuated, reversed and contradicted himself repeatedly — even within a single social-media screed or chest-thumping performance for the press — since he ordered war against Iran nearly six weeks ago, without notice to Congress, let alone its authorization. Since Sunday, he’s variously called Iran’s leaders “crazy bastards” and “animals” and taken credit for “Total Regime Change, where different, smarter, and less radicalized minds prevail.”

Presidential rule by fiat and whim would be wrong in any case under the Constitution’s checks and balances of power, and specifically of war power. But in Trump’s case, America has a president who lately has piled on the evidence that he is mentally unstable, unfit for the office.

And spare us the cheerleaders’ claims on Fox News about how he’s playing multidimensional chess. When even Alex Jones likens Trump to “crazy King Lear” and calls for invoking the 25th Amendment to remove him from power — echoing former Trump promoters including Marjorie Taylor Greene and Candace Owens, among others — you know he’s crossed a line by his unilateral war-making and profane threats (on Easter Sunday!) of genocidal apocalypse.

The evidence of Trump’s dangerous instability has been there from his political genesis. In his first term, he warned he’d unleash “fire and fury like the world has never seen” against nuclear-armed North Korea then declared that he “fell in love” with dictator Kim Jong-un (without achieving any diminution in Kim’s arsenal). He celebrates the deaths of political enemies and prosecutes those still living. He repeatedly interrupts himself on some policy question to bloviate about his ballroom plans.

He’s ordered armed agents into American neighborhoods on immigration raids, then expressed neither responsibility nor remorse when citizens died and legal residents got deported. The national security leaders of his first term let it be known that they’d prevented him from acting on his worst impulses, but there’s no chance of that from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Retired Gen. Mark Milley, former chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in 2021 described first-term Trump as being in mental decline and “fascist to the core.”

You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who thinks Trump has gotten better in the intervening five years.

The country “can’t be a therapy session for … a troubled man like this,” Trump’s first-term attorney general, William P. Barr, told CBS in 2023 as Trump campaigned to return to office.

If only the presidency were therapy for Trump. Instead he’s like a power addict in the world’s most powerful job, mainlining its intoxicants, and no one will stop him. Only people with extraordinary egos seek the White House in the first place, but when an actual egomaniac inhabits that warping bubble of butter-uppers, there’s danger. I remain haunted by the words of retired Gen. John F. Kelly, Trump’s first-term Homeland Security secretary and then White House chief of staff, who in 2023 said of Trump’s potential reelection: “God help us.”

Having failed twice to convict and remove Trump in his first term, Democrats have shied from a third attempt, until now. Scores in Congress have called for impeachment or invocation of the 25th Amendment to oust him. There’s some value in sending a message. But Democrats are offering supporters false hope. A Republican-led Congress and a Cabinet of clownish sycophants will not exercise the powers they have, even against a mad king.

The authors of the Constitution, having thrown off a king, debated at length how to guard against a power-crazed president. But they didn’t anticipate political parties that put tribal loyalty over the country. That partisanship has rendered the high bars to a president’s removal — a vote of two-thirds of the Senate for conviction after impeachment, or, under the 25th Amendment, action by the vice president and a Cabinet majority — all but insurmountable.

That leaves the voters, who in special and off-year elections as recently as Tuesday have shown their zeal to punish Trump’s party. We can hope that a new Congress will check him come January.

And we can pray.

Bluesky: @jackiecalmes
Threads: @jkcalmes
X: @jackiekcalmes

Erin King will make her first international appearance in a year as she captains Ireland in Saturday’s Six Nations opener in England.

King missed the World Cup last year after she sustained a knee injury in the defeat by the Red Roses in the 2025 Six Nations.

The 22-year-old has been named Ireland’s captain for the 2026 edition and will start at flanker against an England side who are looking to win an eighth Six Nations in a row.

She is joined in the back row by Brittany Hogan and Aoife Wafer, who was the Six Nations player of the championship in 2025 but had an injury-hit year.

Former England prop Ellena Perry will make her Irish Six Nations debut after switching allegiances ahead of the Rugby World Cup.

More to follow.

Ireland: Stacey Flood; Beibhinn Parsons; Aoife Dalton, Eve Higgins; Vicky Elmes Kinlan; Dannah O’Brien, Emily Lane; Ellena Perry, Cliodhna Moloney-Macdonald, Linda Djougang; Dorothy Wall, Fiona Tuite; Brittany Hogan, Erin King (capt), Aoife Wafer.

Replacements: Neve Jones, Niamh O’Dowd, Eilis Cahill, Ruth Campbell, Grace Moore, Katie Whelan, Nancy McGillivray, Anna McGann.

A EUROPEAN theme park less than two hours from the UK has been named the best in the world.

Liseberg in Gothenburg, Sweden is home to Europe‘s longest dive coaster and highest free-fall ride – and will soon be getting a new waterpark.

Follow The Sun’s award-winning travel team on Instagram and Tiktok for top holiday tips and inspiration.

Named the top theme park by Blooloop, Liseberg has over 40 rides and attractions which include the new £87million Oceana waterpark.

Following a fire in 2024, plans for the waterpark were revised and now the attraction is expected to open either this year or next year.

The Oceana waterpark will feature 6,000-square-metre of indoor pools and 4,000-square-metres of outdoor water attractions.

Read more on travel inspo

GO ON

All the little-known websites for cheap or FREE tickets to gigs, theatre & festivals

SANDS GREAT

Our favourite seaside towns to visit as temps hit 25C – with breaks from £13pp

There will be 19 water slides, a 244-metre “dynamic river” and water go-karts.

There will also be an indoor and outdoor bathing area.

The new attraction will be able to host up to 1,750 guests at any one time, across both the indoor and outdoor areas.

A café, a shop and a restaurant will be on-site as well.

Last year, the theme park revealed a new family attraction called Stormvåg (Storm Wave) which will open this summer.

The new Stormvåg (Storm Wave) ride will be a family swing ride, with a boatyard theme.

Liseberg can be found on a forested hillside and has a number of different areas including Rabbit Land which is dedicated to the park’s green rabbit mascots and features gentle rides for little kids.

The park has a number of different areas including Luna Park which is a retro space themed area and another area is themed around Nordic mythology.

Thrill rides include a wooden rollercoaster called Balder and a launch rollercoaster called Helix.

Unlike other theme parks in Europe, visitors have to navigate around the theme park using escalators due to its hillside location.

Tickets to the park cost £29.30 per person, and that includes unlimited goes on the rides.

For those wanting to extend their time at the park, there is a hotel as well – The Grand Curiosa Hotel.

The hotel can be found at the park’s entrance and boasts 457 rooms.

Inside, there is an 18th century whimsical and ‘curiosity’ theme with a slide in the lobby and even a carousel in the restaurant.

Each floor has its own theme ranging from the ocean to mythical creatures and is meant to reflect the curiosity of explorers from the 18th century.

There is also a cinema room in the hotel, as well as playrooms.

Rooms at the hotel cost from £107.97 per night.

The easiest way to get to Liseberg is by flying to Gothenburg, which takes just under two hours and costs as little as £13 per way for a one-way flight in April from either London or Edinburgh.

Then from the airport it is about 20 minutes on public transport to the park, or if you are travelling to the park from central Gothenburg it takes only 10 minutes via public transport.

You can even stay at The Grand Curiosa Hotel without going to the theme park, so it makes the ideal base for exploring the city of Gothenburg as well.

In other attraction news, the UK’s best theme park’s £12million Viking-themed land to open next month.

Plus, a popular seaside amusement park that’s FREE to visit is getting new rides.

Today, to borrow a phrase, we are all Iranians.

We are Iranians, witnessing the failure of a thuggish logic practised by the United States and Israel, which operates on a single, crude premise: that enough pain can bend any nation to their imperial designs.

The US-Israel axis has long believed that force and coercion would eventually compel Iranians to abandon their sovereignty and accept the leash. It has failed. By refusing to surrender, Iranians have turned a lonely struggle for survival into a universal symbol of resistance — a testament to the endurance of the human spirit.

For weeks, we have watched the predictable mechanics of an empire trying to drain a people’s will. We have seen the familiar script of demonisation followed by the machinery of industrial slaughter. Then, we saw America’s “commander-in-chief” issue a threat that defied decency and defiled statecraft.

US President Donald Trump did not just threaten a government or a military. He threatened to end “civilisation” in Iran.

It was a monstrous decree. It was also a transparent one. This was the desperate act of a desperate man. It was the foul howl of a leader who knew he had lost a war.

So, Trump resorted to the “madman theory” of diplomacy, hoping that by appearing unhinged and capable of infinite destruction, he could scare a proud country into capitulation.

He failed. The prospect of annihilation was meant to trigger a collapse. It was meant to prompt the surviving leadership in Tehran to flee and panicked Iranians to yield.

The American-Israeli axis has made a fatal miscalculation. It remains wedded to the discredited conceit that resolve is a commodity to be bought or broken.

Instead, Iran and Iranians stood fast. The “madman” in the White House was obliged to negotiate with an adversary he claimed had already been defeated.

The moving measure of Iran’s success is found in that defiance. The Iranian people could have wilted, succumbed under the burden of such military, economic and psychological terror.

But Iranians fought back. They proved that you cannot bomb a civilisation into oblivion, nor can you erase a history that spans five millennia with a venomous post on social media.

Iran is prevailing. It is winning a war of attrition militarily, strategically, politically and diplomatically. Iran is winning because it understood its enemies’ limits better than they understood themselves.

Iran is winning strategically since it refuses to fight the war its enemies prepared for. It does not try to match the axis ship for ship or jet for jet. Rather, it stretches the battlefield across borders, allies and time.

It absorbs blows and keeps moving. Its doctrine is simple: survive, retaliate, prolong. In doing so, it raises the price of every strike against it. The axis is now trapped in a reactive crouch — bogged down, bleeding money and credibility, while Iran moves its pieces with precision.

Analysts now warn that the war meant to weaken Tehran may leave it stronger. Iran is winning because it adapts. It uses drones, proxies and patience. It does not need air superiority to impose pressure. It needs endurance. Its “mosaic” strategy — layers of command and decentralised power — means leaders can be killed, but the system survives. It turns vulnerability into resilience. It turns time into a weapon.

Of course, Iran’s control over the Strait of Hormuz serves as a masterclass in “asymmetric leverage”. By sitting atop a chokepoint through which approximately one-fifth of the world’s liquid petroleum passes, Iran effectively holds a “kill switch” for the global economy.

This geographic reality transforms a narrow waterway into a powerful diplomatic shield. For Iran, “winning” isn’t necessarily about permanently closing the strait — which would hurt its own fragile economy — but about maintaining the credible capability to do so.

This creates a permanent state of strategic caution among Western powers and energy-dependent Asian economies, ensuring that Tehran continues to be an indispensable architect of Middle Eastern security.

Politically, the win is even more stark. The axis has not achieved its paramount goal: “regime change.” The war was launched to fracture the Iranian state. It did the opposite. It appears to have fused the people and the state together against an external existential threat. The American-Israeli axis is not viewed as a force of liberation. It is seen as a collection of would-be occupiers. That perception matters more than any missile.

While Washington is paralysed by chaos and tribalism and Israel is consumed by a descent into blatant, corrosive authoritarianism, Iran — although damaged — is sturdy and intact.

Diplomatically, the United States has never been more isolated. Trump’s ignorance, incoherence, bluster and erratic behaviour have alienated America’s closest allies. Europe, once a reliable partner in so-called “containment,” looks at the bizarre cacophony on display day after dizzying day in Washington and turns away.

Iran, meanwhile, has deepened its ties with the East. It secured its flank with China and Russia. It played the long game while Trump played for the next news cycle.

The world is moving towards Beijing and Brussels, while Washington shouts into the void of its own fading relevance. Iran has turned the “maximum pressure” campaign into a “maximum cost” reality for the West.

The axis can no longer move in the Middle East without accounting for Iranian influence. The hunter has become the hunted.

Still, we must be clear. Iran’s success is not a sterile “win” on a geopolitical scoreboard.  It is not a triumph of flags and parades. Its survival is born of fire and bone. It is draped in black and soaked in grief.

The halting human costs and trauma of this war of choice will last for generations. We must remember the thousands who have been killed and maimed. We must remember the schoolchildren whose lives were extinguished by “precision” munitions. The axis failed to break Iran’s back, but it has broken Iranian hearts. That is the nature of war: the winners are merely those who inherit the ruins.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance.

Walt Disney Co. is planning an extensive round of layoffs in the coming weeks, according to a source familiar with the matter but unauthorized to comment.

The move comes nearly three months after Disney unveiled a more streamlined management structure that sought to centralize its sprawling marketing operations.

Disney declined to comment.

The total number of layoffs could be as many as 1,000, according to the Wall Street Journal, which first reported news of the planned cuts.

Many of the layoffs are expected to come from the recent consolidation of Disney’s marketing department.

After officially taking the reins of the company last month, Chief Executive Josh D’Amaro told employees he wants the Burbank media and entertainment giant — which includes film and TV studios, a tourism division, streaming services and live sports programming — to operate as “one Disney,” saying the global businesses all play a role in deepening consumers’ relationship with Disney and its characters.

Like many studios in Hollywood, Disney has faced decreased theatrical revenues, the continued decline of linear television and the smaller profits it makes from its streaming services. Though the company’s theme parks division has served as its economic engine for years, Disney recently indicated it expects to see “headwinds” in international tourism to its U.S. parks.

News of the planned Disney job cuts add to the ongoing drumbeat Hollywood has endured for the last few years.

On Tuesday, Sony Pictures Entertainment said it planned to cut hundreds of its employees worldwide as it looked to restructure its business.

Disney recently laid off thousands of workers in the years after former Chief Executive Bob Iger returned to the company. At the time, Iger said Disney had been pumping out too many shows and movies to compete with Netflix and needed to retrench.

NEW travel rules for Brits visiting Europe are being rolled out tomorrow, and it includes everything from airports to ferry ports.

The new rules require all non-EU nationals to register their details like fingerprints and facial images before going abroad – but it’s set to cause chaos as some countries aren’t ready.

The EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) started a phased rollout on October 12, 2025 in 29 European countries and will be fully operational as of tomorrow – April 10, 2026.

EES is replacing the need for a passport stamp by automatically checking when a person enters and exits an EU country.

Non-EU nationals – which includes Brits – will be required to register their details on their first visit to a Schengen area country.

This is done by using the EES machines at airports, ferry terminals and the Eurostar to log fingerprints, facial images and scan passports.

TRIP UP

The Sun’s travel experts reveal their best EVER holidays & how you can do them too

DIG IN

We found 20 of the cheapest all-inclusive hotels for summer… with breaks from £349pp

Up until now, not every traveller has had to register with EES, but from tomorrow, that will change.

Even through the phased process, it hasn’t been smooth, and there have been reports of long queues across Europe with travellers at airports waiting for hours to register with EES.

Travel Reporter Alice Penwill spent three hours getting through the arrivals hall at Lanzarote Airport last month.

And delays have been reported at other airports like Brussels, Lisbon and Prague.

With summer holidays on the horizon and lots more Brits going abroad than off-peak season, officials have even called for the EES to be delayed until later in the year.

Airports Council International, Airlines for Europe and Iata, the airline trade body, have warned about further delays of “four hours or more” during the summer.

Advantage Travel Partnership chief executive Julia Lo Bue-Said told Travel Weekly just two days ago that there are still “significant issues” with EES.

She added: “While we understand the importance of modernising border processes, a smooth rollout must be prioritised in order to avoid major travel chaos at peak periods.

“With very high demand for travel over the upcoming summer holiday period, we are deeply concerned about the impact delays could have at a time when it is vital we maintain high consumer confidence within a travel sector facing global uncertainty and rising costs.”

Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary called EES “a shambles” and called for EES to be delayed “for five months” until the end of September to ease congestion.

To avoid the predicted travel chaos, some airports are preparing to open Brit-only border control queues in the hope of easing wait times.

The Spanish operator, Aena, said it would adapt security and border control for Brits at Ibiza, Menorca, Malaga and Palma, Majorca airports.

It’s not just airports, ferry terminals and the Eurostar using EES – but reports state that these will actually miss tomorrow’s deadline.

Visa HQ reported that France’s Ministry of the Interior has postponed full EES checks at border points like the Eurostar terminal in St Pancras and the ports of Dover and Calais.

French authorities said that travellers on Eurostar, Eurotunnel Le Shuttle and cross-Channel ferries will not be asked to provide fingerprints or facial images as the technology is not yet in place.

At the Port of Dover, only lorry drivers, coach and foot passengers are registering with EES.

The EES system has been “paused for several weeks” because reportedly, ‘software integration tests failed and physical booth space is still inadequate’.

For more on EES and what to expect – hear from our travel expert who will guide you through the registering process.

And one of the world’s best airlines becomes latest to introduce strict new rules on travel item.

Around 3,000 worshippers entered Al-Aqsa for the morning prayer on Thursday, after Israel lifted restrictions.

The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem has reopened to Palestinian worshippers after a 40-day closure by Israel.

Video verified by Al Jazeera showed Palestinians streaming through its gates early on Thursday morning. Around 3,000 worshippers attended  morning prayers.

Access had been completely prohibited, or restricted to a few dozen faithful at Christian, Jewish and Muslim sites following the outbreak of the US-Israeli war on Iran on February 28. Israel often imposes restrictions, especially on Palestinian worshippers.

The Islamic Waqf Department in occupied Jerusalem confirmed that the doors of Al-Aqsa would be reopened to all worshippers from dawn. The Jordanian-affiliated religious authority responsible for managing the mosque did not provide further details.

Video from earlier showed volunteers and caretakers in courtyards and prayer areas preparing to receive worshippers and holding religious rites.

Israeli authorities announced the opening of the mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in occupied Jerusalem on Wednesday evening.

Israeli police attributed the opening of holy sites to what it called “updated instructions from the Israeli Home Front Command”.

The statement noted intensive security reinforcements, including hundreds of police officers and border guards in the alleys of the Old City of Jerusalem and roads leading to the holy sites, aimed at “securing visitors”.

Jerusalem and its holy sites have been subjected to strict security measures and frequent closures during the regional war of the past six weeks.

The restrictions subdued Lent, Passover and Ramadan celebrations for many in some of the holiest sites for Christianity, Islam and Judaism.

Authorities also prevented Eid al-Fitr prayers at Al-Aqsa this year – the first such restriction since Israel’s occupation of East Jerusalem in 1967.

But the bans have been lifted just in time for Orthodox Christians, who celebrate Easter on Sunday, a week after Catholic and Protestants.

No let up in raids in occupied West Bank

Israeli raids have continued across the occupied West Bank.

Israeli forces detained a woman and assaulted a man during an early Thursday raid in Nablus, the Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.

The Ramallah-based Palestinian health ministry separately said Israeli forces fatally shot a Palestinian man near the village of Tayasir in the northern West Bank on Wednesday night.

The ministry said 28-year-old Alaa Khaled Mohammed Sbeih “was shot and killed” by Israeli forces, while the Israeli military said an off-duty soldier fired at a stone-thrower.

Wafa said six young men were detained in a raid on the village of Tayasir, while in Ya’bad, south of Jenin, Israeli troops stormed several homes at dawn, destroying the contents of three houses. Forces also raided the villages of Qusra and Awarta, but no arrests were reported there.

Attacks by Israeli forces across Gaza and the occupied West Bank have continued, along with Israel’s wars on Iran and Lebanon.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says more than 1,100 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the occupied West Bank since 2023, with at least 10,000 forcibly displaced.

Mérida, April 8, 2026 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Energy multinational Shell is reportedly in advanced negotiations with the Venezuelan government to expand its operations in the country’s offshore natural gas fields

According to Reuters, the London-based oil and gas giant is seeking rights to exploit four major fields in Venezuelan waters near the maritime border with Trinidad and Tobago.

Shell wants to move beyond the 4.2 trillion cubic feet (tcf) Dragon field project, which it is set to develop alongside Trinidad’s National Gas Company (NGC) after receiving a 30-year license from the Venezuelan government in December 2023.

The company is currently targeting three additional fields that, together with Dragon, comprise the Mariscal Sucre project: Río Caribe, Patao, and Mejillones. The four fields represent approximately 12 tcf of reserves combined.

Shell likewise aims to accelerate operations in the 7.3 tcf Loran field, which forms part of the Loran-Manatee cross-border reservoir with Trinidad. The firm is already developing the Manatee side in Trinidadian waters, and spokespeople referred to Loran, which remains largely untapped, as an “attractive investment opportunity.” 

If the deals are finalized, Shell would gain access to a combined resource base of approximately 20 tcf of Venezuelan natural gas, with plans to process it into liquefied natural gas (LNG) in Trinidadian facilities.

Shell CEO Wael Sawan stated during the late March CERAWeek conference in Houston that the company could reach a final investment decision (FID) on at least two Venezuelan projects “before the end of this year, if afforded the right fiscal and legal frameworks.” Sawan added that there is “a long way to go” before the projects launch but that he was “encouraged” by recent progress.

A primary hurdle in the current negotiations is the status of the Río Caribe and Mejillones fields, which had partial ownership stakes previously assigned to Rosneft and then transferred to Russian state-owned Roszarubezhneft in 2020. Both fields have remained largely untouched.

In a statement to Reuters, a Shell spokesperson confirmed that the Russian part-ownership is “a problem” but expressed confidence in overcoming it.

For its part, the government of Trinidad and Tobago has maintained a supportive stance toward the integration of Venezuelan gas into its domestic infrastructure. Port of Spain possesses significant idle capacity at its Atlantic LNG facility, partly owned by Shell, due to declining domestic production in recent years.

The Trinidadian Energy Chamber recently expressed optimism that the expanded Shell projects in Venezuelan waters would “boost [Trinidadian] exports and generate much-needed foreign currency.”

However, the recent negotiations have drawn internal scrutiny. Former Energy Minister Kevin Ramnarine noted that while the deals will benefit Trinidad’s LNG exports, it effectively transitions the country into a gas importer.

The acceleration of talks for natural gas concession projects in Venezuelan waters follows the January 2026 reform of the Caribbean nation’s Organic Hydrocarbon Law. The pro-business overhaul granted private corporations significant benefits in terms of reduced fiscal responsibilities and increased control over operations and sales.

In addition to offshore natural gas ventures, Shell additionally signed agreements to take over light and medium-crude projects in the Punta de Mata Division in eastern Venezuela.

For the Dragon Project, the proposed development plan involves drilling subsea wells in Venezuelan waters and tying them to the Hibiscus platform off the north coast of Trinidad. The Loran field is expected to be linked to the Manatee platform.

Alongside Shell, BP had also previously progressed in talks to exploit the Cocuina-Manakin joint field. Both energy corporations recently received US Treasury licenses to negotiate contracts with Caracas under restricted conditions.

The Nicolás Maduro government had suspended all joint natural gas projects with Trinidad in late 2025 after the Kamla Persad-Bissessar government openly supported the Trump administration’s Caribbean military build-up ahead of the January 3 military strikes against Venezuela. Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores were kidnapped by US special forces.

Edited by Ricardo Vaz in Caracas.

The series first aired a decade ago and gained a loyal fan following.

A “gritty” crime drama that fans have hailed as “underrated” is free to binge on ITVX.

StartUp is an American TV series that first aired back in 2016, with an A-list cast including Adam Brody, Martin Freeman, Edi Gathegi, Otmara Marrero, Ron Perlman and Mira Sorvino.

The series ran for three seasons before coming to an end in 2018, but all three are available to watch on the free streaming service.

The crime drama follows the emergence of a new tech idea that sparks controversy, GenCoin, a digital currency.

When three unlikely people come together for the new business, but find themselves plunged into the dark underworld of organised crime, they must avoid a crooked FBI agent working to take them down.

The synopsis on ITVX teases: “Martin Freeman and Adam Brody shine in this gritty drama. A banker, hacker and gang lord unite in a plan to launder millions, as a crooked agent goes to extremes to take them down.”

Fans have been left begging for a fourth season for a decade, as one wrote: “This series is just something unlike any other other show… I’ve never felt so immersed into a show before. Went through all 3 seasons in about 2 days, it was that good.”

Someone else said: “Couldn’t turn it off, Binge watched the series in a few days,” while another called it an “excellent hidden gem”.

Yet another fan wrote that they were “yearning for more”, adding: “This is a cracker of a series. So full of twists and turns. Great characters, script, direction and cinematography. I can’t believe that it ended. OMG. This was one of the more bingeworthy series I have seen. Relentless drama. I loved the characters and their interrelationships. Powerful stuff.”

One devoted viewer said it was “a crazy underrated show that’s totally binge-worthy,” while someone else said: “This got me hooked from the first episode.”

Another called it “a true diamond in the rough,” while someone else wrote: “This is probably the most underrated TV show I’ve ever seen in my life.”

One fan echoed: “This masterpiece deserves at least a 9. It is so well done and leaves you held in aesthetic arrest. The build up to the various climaxes induces full on catharsis.”

Fans were left gutted when the show came to an end, with no plans for season four, as Spanish film director Luis Prieto, who worked on four episodes of the original season, told Express.co.uk : “This, I really don’t know. It was a Crackle show and from the story, it was working very well.

“I think people were aware it was connecting with the audience but I’m not sure what happened.

“Sometimes things just stop and sometimes it’s for the best. I’m sure Ben Ketai would be extremely excited to continue the adventure.”

Meanwhile, Olly Blackburn, another director who worked on the programme, said he “never guessed” the show would be as big as it was, saying: “If you make something big that connects with people, the audience will find it eventually, and all around the world too.”

StartUp is available to watch on ITVX

The Masters is one of the most prestigious events in sport. But the story behind The Masters Tournament is also tied to the history of segregation in golf. From the PGA’s “Caucasian-only clause” to the Black caddies who knew Augusta better than anyone. And why Tiger Woods’s victory in 1997 changed the image of the game forever. Al Jazeera’s Samantha Johnson looks at the tournament’s complicated past.

KATIE Price has been banned from driving for the seventh time – meaning she’s spent six years since 2010 barred from getting behind the wheel.

The ex-glamour model and mum-of-five’s latest run-in with the law comes after a Ford Capri registered to her was caught at 80mph on the A64 near Strutton in North Yorkshire.

CCTV released by police shows the 47-year-old behind the wheel during the incident on October 15, 2025, the same day Price appeared on stage with celeb pal Kerry Katona for An Evening with Katie Price & Kerry Katona at Scarborough Spa.

She has now been prosecuted and convicted of failing to respond to police, landing her with a six-month driving ban and a legal bill topping £1,000.

A judge previously described her as having “one of the worst driving records” they had ever seen.

The TV personality has also admitted it had been very hard to get the insurance she needs because of her history with driving.

PAY THE PRICE

Katie Price banned from driving for SEVENTH time over 80mph speeding ticket

duck and weave

Kerry Katona swerves punch row question about Katie Price’s husband

Speaking previously to The Sun, Price also said she was sure someone she knows had left anonymous complaints to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), accusing her of being “not fit to drive” to stop her getting her licence back.

Katie Price’s seven driving bans

• Ban 1 – December 2010: Price was given 12 points between June 2008 and December 2010, resulting in a six month ban
• Ban 2 – August 2012: She was slapped with a 12-month ban after failing to respond to two speeding tickets
• Ban 3 – February 2018: The star was banned for another six months for failing to give details about the person driving her speeding car
• Ban 4 – January 2019: Price was banned for a further three months for driving while banned
• Ban 5 – November 2019 she was issued with another ban, this time for two years – which was eventually cut to 18 months on appeal
• Ban 6 – December 2021: Price was arrested for turning over her BMW and as a result was banned for a sixth time for two years
• Ban 7 – April 2026: Court papers show Price was charged with speeding and failing to give information relating to the identification of the driver of a vehicle after being caught driving at 80mph

Ban 1 – December 2010

In June 2008 she was given three points for talking on her phone while behind the wheel.

In July 2010 she was given another four points for speeding at 99mph, and a further three that September for veering from her lane in her 7½-ton pink horsebox.

Price’s first ban, for six months, came that December after she was given three more points for doing 83mph.

Ban 2 – August 2012

In August 2012, she was slapped with a 12-month ban after failing to respond to two speeding tickets.

Ban 3 – February 2018

In February 2018, the star was banned for another six months for failing to give details about the person driving her speeding car.

Ban 4 – January 2019

The following January saw Price banned for a further three months for driving while banned, and then a month later was slapped with another three months.

Ban 5 – November 2019

Later that November she was issued with another ban, this time for two years – which was eventually cut to 18 months on appeal.

Ban 6 – December 2021

In September 2021 Price was arrested for turning over her BMW in a drink driving smash in Horsham, West Sussex, and as a result was banned for a sixth time for two years and given a suspended sentence that December.

Repeat offenders would usually face a minimum of 12 weeks behind bars but her sentence was reduced below the custody threshold after she entered rehab while on holiday in Las Vegas.

At Crawley magistrates’ court on December 14 2021, District Judge Amanda Kelly admitted the public would be “appalled” — and that Price deserved to be spending Christmas behind bars.

She added: “Your actions on that night were incredibly selfish.

“When you chose to get behind the wheel of the car that night, you showed no consideration for others.

“You could have killed someone’s child, partner, parent or friend.

“You appear to think, it seems, that you are above the law.”

Speaking about the incident to The Sun, Price said: “I could have killed myself.

“I could have killed someone else. I deserved to be punished, enough was enough.

“Getting in the car was a terrible mistake I’m so sorry for.

“That was a prime example of me having been triggered and not knowing how to handle it, an example of me spiralling out of control because I needed help.”

Ban 7 – April 2026

Price’s latest conviction and driving disqualification was dealt with last week in the Single Justice Procedure, a secretive court process where magistrates deal with criminal cases behind closed doors.

Court papers show Price was charged with speeding and failing to give information relating to the identification of the driver of a vehicle.

The Ford Capri was caught on a speed camera on a 70mph stretch of the A64 at 3.03pm on October 15 last year.

She was sent a police letter about the incident on October 20, and a reminder on November 10, warning her of looming criminal proceedings.

However, the police force said no response was received to either letter.

Magistrate Claire Sagar, sitting at Harrogate Magistrates’ Court last Tuesday, found Price guilty of the failure to respond to police charge, ordering her to pay a £660 fine, £120 in costs, and a £264 victim surcharge.

Due to the secretive nature of the court process, it is not known if Price was given the chance to argue against another driving ban, it is unclear whether the court knew of her previous driving record, and the records do not reveal if she already had penalty points on her licence.

The speeding charge was withdrawn by the police.

The Sun has approached Price’s reps for comment.

At the start of a new World Cup cycle and with a new coaching team in place, there’s a sense of a new page being turned in this Scotland set-up.

Bryan Easson departed after five years following that quarter-final exit to England, with former United States head coach Sione Fukofuka taking over.

Captain Rachel Malcolm says Scotland want to get to the stage of “fighting in that top four, top five in the world”, but warns with a new coach and a host of new players, the team may have to endure a step back to take a few forward.

Thankfully the build-up to this Six Nations has been less stressful than prior to the World Cup, when the squad were angered by a perceived lack of respect over contracts that left several players facing unemployment after the tournament.

Malcolm was in the thick of it as captain and spokesman, in negotiations with the Scottish Rugby hierarchy and in outlining the players’ position to the media.

Clearly not all the scars have healed – especially for those players left without a contract – but the mood music sounds a lot better than it did a few months ago.

“There is no-one in a position right now as stressful as those girls were put in, which is exactly what I want as a captain. I really want our focus and our energy to be going into the rugby,” Malcolm told the BBC’s Scotland Rugby Podcast.

A tourist in Tenerife bought a meal abroad for a family of seven, but people were left floored by the bill. Gemma Loveden was taken aback when she saw the cost

Lots of people visit Tenerife to soak up the sun and enjoy a much needed break abroad, but the cost of food has left some a little floored. Mum Gemma Loveden previously took her family of seven for a meal out in the Canary Islands hotspot, and the cost was quite unexpected.

When visiting Tenerife, the family opted to sample treats from steak to pizza, and they washed their food down with drinks when they soaked up the holiday atmosphere. Despite the prices likely being on the menu, the family were left gobsmacked by how reasonable the bill was when it was presented to them at the restaurant.

Gemma was so taken aback that she decided to share the story on TikTok. Sometimes when you travel abroad, the price of things can take you by surprise.

She shared a clip, stating: “Evening meal this evening cost €54.84 (around £45)”. She wasn’t the only person who was impressed by the value either.

After the clip was shared, several people commented to share their thoughts. People were stunned by how cheap it was.

One user admitted: “That would be £150 easy in Turkey.” Another wrote: “How? That’s amazing!”

A third commenter added: “Good price. We normally pay roughly €50 to €60 for three people.” Meanwhile, a fourth exclaimed: “Amazing value, and your kids seem very well behaved too. That’s amazing.”

Others were also impressed with her children’s table manners. One noted: “Love their table etiquette. Great parenting.”

Someone else also replied: “That’s amazing. I live in Cyprus. It would be much more than that.”

While it’s no secret that the cost of a lot of things has increased lately, food is generally considered reasonably priced in Tenerife. When compared to the rest of Europe, it’s believed to be one of the most affordable places to eat.

Obviously, holidays can be as cheap or expensive as you choose to make them though. Despite this, you can bag some budget meals when you’re out and about.

Dining out is popular with tourists, with budget meals reported to range from €6 to €15 and mid-range meals averaging €20 to €40 per person. This is considered to be excellent value when compared to other major European cities.

If you’ve never been to Tenerife, it’s a popular destination due to its “eternal spring” climate. The island offers year-round sunshine and warmth and it’s just a few hours’ flight from mainland Europe.

Many people love it as it homes a diverse mix of affordable beach resorts, volcanic landscapes (including Mount Teide), vibrant nightlife and family-friendly attractions. It’s popular with those who enjoy a spot of winter sun too.

April 8 (UPI) — Authorities in the Bahamas detained a 59-year-old American man in connection with last weekend’s disappearance of an American woman while out at sea.

The woman has been identified by Hope Town Volunteer Fire and Rescue as 55-year-old Lynette Hooker.

According to the Royal Bahamas Police Force, an unidentified man, reportedly her husband, Brian Hooker, 58, reported his wife missing at about 4 a.m. Sunday after arriving at the Marsh Harbor Boatyard by boat.

Police said the man informed officers that he and his wife had departed Hope Town at around 7:30 p.m. EDT Saturday for Elbow Cay aboard an 8-foot, hard-bottom dinghy.

During the journey, his wife fell overboard with the boat keys in her possession, causing the vessel’s engine to cut off, the man told officers, the Royal Bahamas Police Force said in an earlier statement.

Strong currents then allegedly carried the woman away. The man lost sight of her and then paddled the dinghy to shore, according to police, which said a search-and-rescue mission was launched for the missing woman.

The Royal Bahamas Police Force said in a statement that an American man, age 59, was taken into custody at about 7 p.m. Wednesday in Marsh Harbor, Abaco Island.

The suspect “is currently being questioned in connection with this matter,” the Royal Bahamas Police Force said.

The Royal Bahamas Defense Force announced Wednesday that the rescue effort has become a recovery operation.

Lynette Hooker’s daughter, Karli Aylesworth, told CBS News on Wednesday that she is urging police to thoroughly investigate the incident as she does not believe the reported sequence of events.

“I don’t understand how she got the key,” she said. “Brian’s always driving. So, he basically is in charge of the key. So, the fact that my mom had it doesn’t make any sense.”

In another step toward what would be a major boost to the drone-killing capabilities of Royal Air Force (RAF) Eurofighter Typhoons, BAE Systems test fired its air-to-air optimized variant of the laser-guided 70mm Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) rockets from one of the jets. The move comes as the RAF seeks a lower-cost option to counter drones at a time when its Typhoons and those from Gulf nations have been tasked with fighting off Iranian one-way attack munitions during the war with Iran. This is all on the heels of continued successful use of these rockets by U.S. fighters that The War Zone was the first to document.

BAE Systems, which makes the weapon and is the British partner in the Eurofighter consortium, said it conducted the trial on an unspecified date at its flight test development center in Warton, Lancashire. The sortie involved a RAF Typhoon test and evaluation aircraft launching “a successful strike on a ground-based target at a UK military testing range,” the company said in a statement.

After hitting a ground target with the APKWS, the next step for the Typhoon will be testing them on air-to-air targets, BAE noted. A special proximity fuzed FALCO version APKWS is used for engaging aerial drones, but it an also be used against ground targets. Typhoons are already equipped with targeting pods that can laser designate aerial and ground targets for APKWS.

APKWS, The Innovation Continues

“This trial with the APKWS laser-guidance kit on Typhoon demonstrates a game-changing capability and a cost-effective solution that would enhance Typhoon’s already impressive range of weapons capabilities,” Richard Hamilton, Managing Director – Air Operations at BAE Systems’ Air sector, said in a statement.

The announcement of the test firing comes after BAE confirmed last September that feasibility studies for the integration of APKWS on the Typhoon were underway. At the time, BAE was investigating how it could improve the Typhoon’s counter-drone role and what it would take to make the APKWS system work on the fighters.

Speaking at the 2025 Defense and Security Equipment International (DSEI) exhibition in London, Paul Smith, BAE Systems head of Typhoon Strategy Delivery, said the company was trying to ascertain the level of risk and integration maturity Typhoon customers want when adapting the jets for the counter drone role.

The proliferation of one-way attack drones, especially in the Ukraine war and in the Middle East, has sparked a mad dash to find cheaper ways for fighters to shoot them down. As we have frequently noted, there is a huge mismatch between the cost of the drones and the interceptors used to defeat them.

For example, the latest variants of the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM), which also arm the Typhoon, cost around $1 million each, while current-generation AIM-9X Sidewinders each have a price tag around $450,000. The standard short-range missiles on the Typhoon — IRIS-T and ASRAAM — are similarly expensive.

In comparison, the unit cost for the standard APKWS II guidance section has typically been between $15,000 and $20,000. The 70mm rocket motors run in the $1,000 to $2,000 range. The price point for warheads fluctuates more widely, given the breadth of options available, as you can read about more here.

In addition to offering Eurofighters a cheaper option for countering drones, APKWS rockets would significantly increase each fighter’s magazine depth. The standard pod holds seven rockets. It would take the place of a weapons pylon that would otherwise normally be loaded with just one air-to-air missile.

An image shared by BAE shows two APKWS pods, one under each wing for a total of. 14 rockets. The jet would still be able to carry six additional air-to-air missiles.

Air-to-air APKWS capability is being rapidly added to an increasing number of U.S. military aircraft. U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle, F-16C Viper, and A-10 Warthog combat jets are known to be cleared to employ the weapon. USMC’s F/A-18C/D Legacy Hornets will receive it too. As we have pointed out in the past, certain individual pylons on U.S. fighters, like the F-16C, F-15E, and A-10 can accommodate multiple pods at once. Meanwhile, Strike Eagle can notably carry up to 42 rockets in six pods on just two stations, and can still carry eight more air-to-air missiles, as can be seen below.

For the U.S., the rockets have been so successful that they are “our primary weapon against a drone,” Air Force Lt. Gen. Derek France, head of Air Forces Central (AFCENT), the service’s top command in the Middle East, told TWZ on the sidelines of the Air & Space Forces Association’s 2025 Air, Space, and Cyber Conference yesterday. “We’ve had multiple shoot-downs with it.”

The U.S. experience has played a key role in stoking RAF’s interest in the rockets, according to BAE. The Typhoon test firing will give the RAF more information about how these rockets could perform on its own fighters.

“This activity, supported by RAF, will provide valuable insights into how a low-cost precision weapon could be integrated in the aircraft, particularly counter UAS weapons, where affordable interception options are needed,” the company explained. “It also forms part of a range of capability enhancements planned for Typhoon to increase the aircraft’s potency in current and future combat air operations.”

Ukraine is also using APKWS with its F-16s in the air-to-air role as they grapple with the constant threat of long-range one-way attack munitions.

Typhoons have swatted down Iranian drones during the war with Iran. In addition to a joint RAF-Qatari unit, they are operated by Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait, as well. Royal Air Force Typhoon and F-35 fighter fighters, supported by military helicopters, shot down several Iranian drones targeting Middle Eastern countries, the United Kingdom‘s Defense Ministry (MoD) stated on X. 

“UK Typhoons and F-35 jets, supported by Voyager and Royal Navy Merlin and Wildcat helicopters, have continued their defensive missions over the Eastern Mediterranean, Jordan, Bahrain, and the UAE,” the MoD added. The RAF also deployed fighters to Cyprus to protect it from drone attacks.

As they have with the U.S., APKWS rockets could give all these Typhoon operators a cheaper option for countering drones compared to their current loadouts and greater magazine depth, allowing more engagements per sortie.

It is unclear how Germany, Italy and Spain – the other three Eurofighter partner nations that are responsible for developing, building, and sustaining the aircraft – view adding APKWS to its fighters. However, those discussions are apparently underway.

At the Paris Air Show last June, Eurofighter CEO Jorge Tamarit Degenhardt confirmed that the counter-drone mission was one of growing importance for Typhoon customers.

Since then, as we have seen in Ukraine and especially in the Middle East where Iran launched hundreds of drones prior to a ceasefire enacted yesterday, the need for affordable counter-drone systems is only going to increase.

Other air arms in Europe are following a similar path, including testing similar, locally produced laser-guided counter-drone rockets systems on their fighters.

With all this in mind, there is little doubt that laser-guided rockets adapted for the air-to-air role are quickly becoming the counter-drone weapon of choice for fighter inventories, a tactical shift that is likely to spread around the globe.

Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com

THE drug dealer known as the Ketamine Queen has been sentenced to 15 years behind bars – the maximum term – for her role in Matthew Perry’s tragic death.

Jasveen Sangha, 42, pleaded guilty to five federal charges in September, including distributing ketamine that resulted in the fatal overdose of the Friends star in 2023.

Sangha, a US-British dual national, appeared at the Edward R. Roybal Federal Courthouse in Los Angeles and was slammed by the actor’s stepmom, Debbie Perry, as a “heartless woman”.

In a victim impact statement obtained by The U.S. Sun ahead of the sentencing, Debbie urged a judge to impose the maximum sentence on Sangha.

“The pain you’ve caused to hundreds, maybe thousands, is irreversible,” Debbie wrote in court docs submitted late Tuesday.

“There is no joy… to be found. No light in the window. They won’t be back. That thought comes through our day. Everyday. No escape. You caused this.

NEW ADMISSION

‘Ketamine Queen’ pleads guilty to selling fatal drug dose to Matthew Perry

“You who has talent for business. Enough to make money. Chose the one way that hurts people. How sad for you.

“How will you ever find joy. Have you ever found joy? How sad for you. How sad for you. How sad for us all. We miss him.”

She then begged the court, “Please give this heartless woman the maximum prison sentence so she won’t be able to hurt other families like ours.”

Perry’s mom, Suzanne, and stepdad, Keith Morrison, were seen arriving at court on Wednesday.

During the sentencing hearing, Morrison addressed the court and Sangha.

According to the New York Post, he called Perry a “brilliant and talented man,” and said he should have “had another act.”

“I feel bad for you, Miss Sangha,” he told her. “I don’t hate you. You are a drug dealer.”

Sangha was reportedly dressed in a white jump suit with one ankle shackled.

During an emotional moment, she wiped tears away with tissues from a box placed nearby, according to the outlet.

She also addressed the court, saying she takes full responsibility, adding she had the “rug of life ripped out” from under her.

Sangha had been in custody since August 2024 and was the last of five defendants charged in the investigation to plead guilty.

According to prosecutors, Sangha and a middleman named Erik Fleming sold Perry 25 vials of ketamine, including the fatal dose, for $6,000 in cash just four days before his death.

On the day Perry died, Sangha reportedly messaged Fleming and instructed him to delete their text history, an effort authorities say was meant to cover their tracks.

Prosecutors said in court docs, “She didn’t care and kept selling.

“Defendant’s actions show a cold callousness and disregard for life. She chose profits over people, and her actions have caused immense pain to the victims’ families and loved ones.”

Sangha admitted to one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, three counts of ketamine distribution, and one count of ketamine distribution resulting in death.

Prosecutors dropped other charges as part of the plea agreement.

Fleming, who obtained the ketamine from Sangha and passed it to Perry’s personal assistant, later pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine resulting in death and faces years in prison.

Sangha operated out of her North Hollywood home, which authorities dubbed the “Sangha Stash House” after federal agents uncovered a large cache of drugs during a raid.

The haul included scores of ketamine vials, crystal meth, cocaine, counterfeit Xanax tablets, and a handgun.

An autopsy confirmed Perry died from acute effects of ketamine and drowning, with toxicology reports indicating multiple doses in the period leading up to his death.

Sangha flaunted her jet-set lifestyle on social media, posting pictures from parties with celebrities, lavish vacations, and designer clothing.

Just days after Perry’s death, she flew to Tokyo, staying at the luxury $1,400-a-night Mandarin Oriental hotel.

Sangha was first arrested in March 2024 on federal drug charges related to her long-running narcotics operation.

Five months later, new federal charges specifically tied to Perry’s overdose were filed; she was taken back into custody and her previous bail was revoked.

Her lawyer, Mark Geragos, announced last year that she would plead guilty, saying she was “taking responsibility for her actions.”

He later told reporters she “feels horrible about all of this” and “has felt horrible since day one.”

In an exclusive jail interview with The Sun before her sentencing, she also said, “I take full responsibility for my actions and the role I played in the events that led to this tragedy. 

“There are no excuses for what I did. I am deeply sorry for the pain I caused, especially to Matthew’s family. 

“Their loss is unimaginable and permanent. 

“I understand that my conduct — operating a drug business and continuing down that path — was reckless, dangerous, and wrong.”

She added, “I can’t undo the past but I can now respect the law. I am determined that my future now reflects accountability and growth.”

Sangha said she is now clean and sober after previous issues with drugs and alcohol and has been undergoing treatment behind bars.

Court documents filed this week show she has also been doing yoga and meditation while locked up at the Los Angeles Metropolitan Detention Center.

Sangha is the third of five people sentenced over Perry’s fatal overdose.

Dr. Salvador Plasencia, one of the doctors who supplied ketamine to Perry in the months before his death, was sentenced to 30 months in prison in December, followed by supervised release.

He shamefully sobbed in court, telling Perry’s mother, Suzanne, and relatives, “I’m just so sorry.”

Dr. Mark Chavez, the second physician involved, received eight months of home confinement and community service.

Two other defendants are still awaiting trial: Kenneth Iwamasa, Perry’s live-in personal assistant, who admitted to helping obtain and administer the ketamine and faces up to 15 years in prison, and Fleming, the middleman.

The five responsible for Matthew Perry’s death

Here are the five individuals allegedly behind Perry’s ketamine overdose.

• “Ketamine Queen of Los Angeles” Jasveen Sangha – Sangha, 42, pleaded guilty in September 2025 to federal charges for supplying the ketamine that caused Matthew Perry’s fatal overdose. Prosecutors say that after Perry’s death, she reportedly searched online, “can ketamine be listed as a cause of death.” She has now been jailed.
• “Dr. P” Dr. Salvador Plasencia – Plasencia, 42, was one of the physicians who illegally supplied ketamine to Perry before his death. He pleaded guilty in mid‑2025 to several federal counts of ketamine distribution. In December 2025, he was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison and fined; he was remanded immediately to begin serving his term.
• Dr. Mark Chavez – Chavez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine in connection with Perry’s death. In December 2025, he was sentenced to eight months of home confinement, ordered to complete community service, and placed on supervised release.
• Kenneth Iwamasa – Iwamasa, 59, Perry’s live‑in assistant, admitted he obtained and administered ketamine to Perry as part of the scheme. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine causing death and is set to be sentenced in April.
• Eric Fleming – Fleming, 54, an intermediary dealer who helped coordinate the flow of ketamine from suppliers to Perry’s assistant, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and distribution charges. He is also set to be sentenced in April.

Court filings show Perry texted Iwamasa, “shoot me up with a big one,” shortly before his death.

Perry, who rose to fame as Chandler Bing on the hit 90s sitcom Friends, was found unconscious in his hot tub in Los Angeles in October 2023 at age 54.

US Attorney Martin Estrada said Perry had relapsed in the fall of 2023, and that “these defendants took advantage to profit for themselves.”

Perry had struggled with decades-long drug and alcohol addiction and became dependent on ketamine during infusion therapy aimed at treating his depression.

If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) at 1-800-662-HELP (4357)

Howe cannot afford to think that far ahead, given the games to come.

A late push for Europe would put a different complexion on a bruising domestic campaign.

But Newcastle must go on a run to do so, which they have failed to do all season.

When Anthony Elanga openly asked whether the dressing room could show they were fighting for the head coach “again, again and again”, in a previous interview with BBC Sport, the forward was alluding to his side’s inconsistency.

“We want to keep on fighting for him because he’s helped us so much,” he said.

“I’d even go as far to say he is one of the best managers I’ve worked for. I’m really grateful to have him as a manager and I try to take everything he says to me on board because I know it’s for my benefit.

“I know he will help me so much. All the players feel the same.”

Yet you never quite know what you are going to get from Howe’s team this term.

Just as Newcastle can beat Manchester United with 10 men and record a rare win at Chelsea, this leaky side can also capitulate and concede seven goals in the Nou Camp or throw away a half-time lead against Sunderland.

All in the same month.

Is there a degree of mitigation for the ups and downs of a campaign where Newcastle reached the last 16 of the Champions League and a third EFL Cup semi-final in four years, but also suffered 13 Premier League defeats?

Even as far back as the autumn, there was a belief internally there would be choppy waters to navigate following a turbulent summer.

Newcastle missed out on a host of top-choice targets, buckled and eventually sold star striker Alexander Isak to Liverpool on deadline day and tackled a crucial window without a chief executive and sporting director in place.

Also, whereas the so-called ‘big six’ are used to fighting on multiple fronts, with deeper squads, this has been relatively uncharted territory for Newcastle, who have played more games (51) than any other side in Europe’s top five leagues this season.

Such has been the relentless nature of the schedule, there has been a feeling within the camp that they “can’t breathe” at times.

But the squad will soon be lifted by the return of talisman Guimaraes, who is understood to have been “working hard every single day” after being sidelined with a hamstring issue, as well as midfielder Lewis Miley and defender Fabian Schar.

Howe will also have clear weeks to prepare for the final seven matches of the season – and a rare extended period to intensively work with record signing Nick Woltemade following the German forward’s curious recent stint in midfield.

The head coach and his staff will need no reminding they need to make that time count in what feels like a defining few months on Tyneside.