A Baloch separatist group has claimed responsibility for an attack on a train carrying soldiers in Quetta, Pakistan. The suicide car bombing killed at least 24 people and injured dozens more, including women and children.
Homicides in Los Angeles are down to levels not seen since the 1960s. Neighborhoods once awash in gang violence now sometimes go weeks, even months, without a shooting. And the follow-home robberies and street takeovers that captured the public’s attention in recent years have largely subsided.
By many measures, the city is safer than it has been in generations — and yet voters following L.A.’s hotly contested mayoral race might think the opposite.
The challengers to Mayor Karen Bass have zeroed in on homelessness and public drug use to argue she hasn’t delivered on public safety, while also criticizing how the Police Department has operated and been funded during her tenure.
Mike Bonin, a former L.A. City Council member, said the fact that Spencer Pratt — the former reality TV star who has been attacking Bass from the right — has gained so much traction in the race is proof of how Bass and other candidates to the left have failed to change “prevailing narratives that the city is unsafe.”
Mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt hosts a campaign block party on 10th Avenue in Los Angeles on May 20, 2026.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Pratt has been particularly active on social media, where he has shared artificial-intelligence videos created by fans depicting him as various superheroes coming to the rescue of a city that, under Democratic rule, has turned into a dystopian hellscape.
In a March 26 post on Substack, Pratt railed against the thousands of drug-related calls that emergency officials respond to every month. He has said that if elected mayor, he would order the police and fire chiefs and the county health director to “treat every encampment as a grave-disability zone.”
“No new laws needed,” he wrote. “No endless task forces.”
Flanking Bass on the left is Nithya Raman, a progressive City Council member who was once the mayor’s political ally.
Raman has argued that Bass has thrown too much money at the LAPD, with raises for police officers coming at the expense of other basic services such as park maintenance and street paving. Raman said the LAPD pay increases have “bankrupted” the city, depriving other services of much-needed funding. In campaign ads, Raman has cast herself as a more sensible alternative to Bass. Raman has said she would work to reduce traffic deaths and prioritize safety on the city’s buses and trains.
When she first ran for office in 2020, Raman called for defunding the police, saying the Los Angeles Police Department should be a “much smaller, specialized armed force.” Since then, however, she has voted for some budgets that increased spending on law enforcement.
In response to questions from The Times, Raman said she would work to find ways to overhaul public safety.
“I’ll propose budgets that expand unarmed response, work with LAPD to improve 911 response to more quickly answer calls for help that don’t require armed officers, and will appoint leadership at the Police Commission who will actively partner with the City Council to work on reform,” she said.
Representatives for Pratt and Bass didn’t respond to requests for interviews with the candidates.
Bonin said Bass — who supported various police reform measures while Congress — has shocked some of her supporters with how “aggressively pro-police she has been.”
When she ran for mayor in 2022, Bass vowed to retool the recruitment and hiring process in order to restore LAPD staffing to 9,500 officers. That hasn’t happened. The number of sworn officers recently fell below 8,600, despite Bass striking a deal with the police union to offer higher starting salaries and new retention bonuses.
Mayor Karen Bass takes part in a candidate forum on May 5, 2026, in Sherman Oaks.
(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
On Thursday, the City Council approved a $15-billion budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which included funds to hire 510 new officers — just enough to offset turnover and maintain current staffing levels.
Raman has said the LAPD should not shrink any further because there aren’t enough officers to respond to 911 calls “in a timely fashion.”
Samantha Stevens, a Los Angeles political consultant and former legislative staffer, said people seem willing to back Pratt because he acknowledges that their sense of safety has been shaken — even if he has offered few concrete details about how to tackle crime beyond cracking down on homelessness.
Pratt’s critics say that his plan relies on funneling homeless people into a shelter system that doesn’t have the capacity to handle them all. Others have noted that the aggressive tactics he has proposed would probably face legal challenges.
L.A. City Councilmember Nithya Raman, who is running for mayor, makes a campaign stop at the site of a home burned in the Palisades fire.
(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
“He’s kind of a case study in somebody who has a lot of opinions but has no idea of how the city is run,” Stevens said.
Fernando Guerra, a political science professor at Loyola Marymount University, said Pratt seems to have tapped into a deep well of discontent among Angelenos who believe that crime and homeless have spiraled out of control. The challenge for Bass, he added, is that although the numbers suggest that crime has decreased, many people associate the sight of encampments spilling onto public sidewalks as “a breakdown” that indicates the city is becoming less safe.
“You want to go back to the days of Daryl Gates, you’ve got Pratt,” he said, referencing the former LAPD chief whose controversial police sweeps in the late 1980s yielded thousands of arrests while alienating large segments of South L.A.
“If you want more of the same from the past 20 years, you’ve got Bass,” Guerra added. “And if you want something new, then you’ve got Raman, but she has to explain what exactly she wants to do.”
Although Pratt and Raman appear to be the strongest challengers to Bass, several long-shot candidates have also made public safety a key issue in their campaigns. Some have gone after Bass for her support of LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell. Hired by Bass in 2024, McDonnell has touted the impressive drop in crime under his leadership, but also faced criticism over an uptick in shootings by police and aggressive crowd control tactics during protests against the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
Police Chief Jim McDonnell attends a news conference at LAPD headquarters on May 21, 2026.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Rae Huang, a minister and housing rights advocate, said if elected mayor she would immediately replace McDonnell with someone who has the “ability to really reimagine what public safety really looks like.”
“I’m the only one with the guts to say that out loud,” Huang told The Times during a recent campaign stop at a bookstore in the West Adams neighborhood.
In social media posts and interviews, Huang has frequently referred to the LAPD as “one of the biggest legal gangs in the world,” and said she would work on diverting money from the police budget to scale up programs that have shown promise in sending unarmed specialists to deal with emergencies that involve people experiencing mental health crises.
The city is already running two such pilot programs, but under Bass they have remained underfunded, Huang said. Last week, the City Council signed off on expanding one of the programs.
Huang said she would also invest more heavily in addressing the city’s lack of affordable housing, which she said is an underlying cause of crime and homelessness.
The Los Angeles Police Protective League has poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into attack ads against Huang and Raman.
Adam Miller, a tech entrepreneur, has tried to strike a balance in his mayoral campaign, advocating for changes while acknowledging that many people still feel unsafe despite the historic drop in violent crime.
He criticized a recent vote by the L.A. City Council to limit so-called pretextual stops, in which officers pull people over for minor traffic infractions in order to investigate more serious offenses. The stops have been blamed for enabling racial discrimination.
Miller said that “constraining the Police Department is the opposite of what we should be doing.” He called for “leveraging” AI and modernizing the department’s archaic computer systems, which he said could allow the LAPD to catch up to other agencies that have embraced new technology.
Miller told The Times that he recently went on a ride-along with officers from the Rampart Division, which he said was eye-opening.
“At the highest level I think Angelenos don’t feel safe anymore,” he said. “They don’t feel safe in their neighborhoods, but more recently they don’t feel safe even in their own homes.”
Statistically speaking, the city might be safer than it’s been in decades, he said — but that doesn’t necessarily matter to voters.
“I don’t think it’s just perception,” he said. “I think it’s reality that crime has spread.”
A former MAFS UK bride has alleged she was left traumatised after her on-screen husband performed a lewd act and controlled her behaviour as she criticises welfare team
10:40, 23 May 2026Updated 10:42, 23 May 2026
A bride (not pictured) has revealed the moment her on-screen husband allegedly committed a ‘lewd’ act
A former Married At First Sight UK bride says she was traumatised for years after appearing on the show and alleges her co-star restricted her movements, leaving her isolated.
Speaking to the Mirror following Panorama: The Dark Side of Married At First Sight, which aired on BBC One on Monday night, the bride alleged: “He performed a lewd act and then touched my face without consent. He banned me from drinking or speaking to production staff without him.”
She claims to have reported it to welfare staff and that production staff were aware of incidents but she was encouraged to continue with the show. She alleged: “They [production] would say, ‘It’s going to be OK’. Staff bought me a drink to help smooth things over after I complained.”
Describing the welfare team, she alleged: “They present as your best friend. I thought they were somebody you could talk to about anything. But if I look back on it now, I would say it’s more like grooming.”
The bride alleged she felt pressured into intimacy by her partner and does not believe enough safeguarding existed once couples returned to their apartments off camera.
She said: “I had sex with my partner and whilst I wasn’t forced, I felt pressured.” She added: “The couch ceremonies are supposed to be a safe space where you can speak honestly. But you go back to your apartment afterwards and there are no cameras there and nobody to protect you.”
She told how much of the alleged behaviour took place away from cameras and claimed she repeatedly raised concerns with welfare and production teams throughout filming.
She had months of psychological assessments, interviews and background checks, which she believed were designed to protect participants.
But she said: “I told them everything about myself – that I’d been in controlling relationships before, that I struggled speaking up for myself and that I fall in love very quickly. But now I feel like I gave them the blueprint on how to expose me and use me.
“They knew I had a history of abusive, controlling relationships and paired me with someone who controlled my every move.”
She believes the intense filming conditions heightened emotions. She said: “I’ve never cried more in my life. “You aren’t sleeping enough, you’re filming 14, 15, sometimes 20-hour days and when you’re not filming, you’re isolated in an apartment.
“At the dinner parties you’d be picked up at 8am in full hair and make-up then left sitting in a shipping container for six or seven hours before filming. The worse your situation was with your partner, the longer they seemed to leave you in the room.”
She questioned how much information relationship experts Paul C. Brunson, Charlene Douglas and the late Mel Schilling had received. The contestant said: “The experts had zero idea what was going on. They gave good advice based on the information they had.”
After watching the Panorama episode, the bride believes the worst is yet to come. She added: “They need to properly safeguard people instead of just creating drama. This Panorama story is only the beginning of hearing the nightmares people have had.”
The bombshell claims come as Channel 4 removed all ten series from its platforms and scrapped the series due to air in September following a BBC Panorama investigation that revealed two women claim they were raped by their on-screen “husbands” during filming, while another made allegations of sexual assault against her partner.
The Metropolitan Police has now urged potential victims to come forward, stating they will be “making approaches to the relevant production teams” to ensure anyone affected knows how to report criminal allegations.
The scandal has blown open the production practices used in dating reality shows which have been growing in popularity over recent years.
Monday’s documentary sparked a political row, with Channel 4 CEO Priya Dogra telling MPs the broadcaster was “not an adjudicator” on the serious allegations. But it is feared this is just the tip of the iceberg for dating reality shows and these new claims put pressure on producers and broadcasters to clean up their act.
Channel 4 has commissioned an external review while insisting their welfare protocols are “some of the most comprehensive and robust in the industry”. Industry sources say the show is unlikely to ever air in the UK again.
The Mirror put these allegations to CPL and to Channel 4 who directed us to their statement in full. Part of this includes: “MAFS UK is produced under some of the most comprehensive and robust welfare protocols in the industry. These include the most thorough background checks available, a Code of Conduct which clearly sets out behavioural standards, daily contributor check-ins with a specialist welfare team and access to additional support before, during and after filming. The physical and psychological wellbeing of all contributors is of paramount importance throughout the process. All duty of care processes are regularly reviewed and, where appropriate, strengthened.”
Another section of the statement reads: “Channel 4 believes that when concerns related to contributor welfare were raised through existing welfare and production protocols, prompt and appropriate action was taken, based on the information available at the time. Channel 4 strongly refutes any claim to the contrary.”
The indictment of former Cuban President Raul Castro over a 1996 plane shootdown revives a decades-old case at a moment of heightened US pressure on Havana. Al Jazeera’s Kimberly Halkett explains why the timing matters.
Two gunmen have killed three people at the Islamic Center of San Diego in what police are treating as a hate crime. Police say the attackers, aged 17 and 19, died from self-inflicted gunshots. A security guard was among those killed.
The woman whose harrowing story is the basis for ITV’s John Worboys drama Believe Me has said the show should be shown to the police so that they will treat women better – but it shouldn’t take TV for change to happen
Believe Me first look trailer for ITV drama
Anyone who wants to know what many women’s worst nightmare looks like should watch ITV’s latest true crime drama Believe Me. It follows the true story of three women who were raped by a London taxi driver and how many people, including the police, refused to believe them. Ahead of the show’s final episode, one of those women has said she thinks all police should be shown the TV show so that they can learn from it. It’s a brilliant idea that could lead to real change, but it poses a question – why can a TV show change everything, whilst the very real, very harrowing story behind it changes nothing?
There are certain things women are told to do to avoid being the victims of sexual assault and rape. Don’t go out late at night and if you are out late, get a cab home – it’s safer. Except in 2009, it very much wasn’t. John Worboys has been convicted of attacking 16 women who got into his taxi and is thought to have committed more than 100 rapes and sexual assault. They got into his cab thinking that they would be safe there and learnt in the worst way possible that ‘safe’ doesn’t really exist.
And what do you do when you’re entire sense of safety has been ripped away from you? You turn to the police. Those whose job it is to make wrongs right, to investigate reports of crime and bring the perpetrator to justice. The three women at the heart of this story – ‘Sarah’, ‘Laila’ and Carrie Symonds (the only one whose real name was used) – do just that. Only they don’t get justice. They get belittled. They get interrogated. They learn that their red nail polish is enough to make those who are supposed to listen to them decide they are promiscuous and ‘asking for it’. Red nail polish. The same colour I painted my nails when I was 12 and Kate Middleton wears to church at Easter.
When I watched the show, I was caught, as I so often am, between rage and resignation. I was shaking with fury at how the police refused to listen and in the same moment, utterly exhausted. Exhausted by being angry, exhausted by being scared, exhausted by knowing that less than 3% of reported rape cases result in charges and the constant realisation that this hasn’t changed much before and isn’t likely to change in the future.
And yet, even before the final episode of Believe was released on 18 May, I was seeing a call for the police to do better all over social media. The woman who was in the inspiration behind Sarah went on Good Morning Britain to tell Susanna Reid about why the show should be shown to police officers. She argued that if they had the effects of police ineptitude laid before them – in this case, the many, many women Worboys raped in the months between Sarah’s report and his arrest – they might be better going forward.
We know from past TV shows that well told dramas that capture the public attention can lead to change. Just look at Mr Bates vs the Post Office. After that show, a petition to have Paula Vennells CBE stripped was signed by more than 1.2million people and the whole case became such a huge news story that the then Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, announced new legislation to exonerate the convicted subpostmasters. A TV show led to a change in the law.
Similarly, though it was not based on a true story, Adolescence was immediately met with calls from the now Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, for it to be screened in schools so that young boys can learn about the dangers of the manosphere.
There is a trend here where real life stories about traditionally marginalised groups – such as women and the working class – being treated badly by those more powerful than them are given little attention until TV shines a light on them. The systemic problems that are highlighted by these true stories are swept under the rug until television sweeps them back out again.
Here’s the message that sends: if you are from a marginalised group and something awful happens to you, don’t expect anything to change unless millions get to watch it happen to a fictional version of you on the country’s biggest TV networks. If you can’t get a BAFTA winning show out of your experiences, then, I’m sorry, but those with the power to change things aren’t listening.
It’s very Black Mirror, isn’t it? We’ve come to a place where people don’t matter unless there’s an element of entertainment thrown in. That being said, how many avenues for change do we really have?
Protests haven’t yet worked for ending violence against women. The protests after Sarah Everard was murdered sparked an inquiry, which in turn led to to James Cleverly announcing vaguely that police officers charged with “certain offences” would be automatically suspended from duty. Many women I know felt at the time that this was the equivalent to a pat on the shoulder and a ‘there, there, it’ll be alright’. Similarly, politicians are being hindered by internal party conflicts. Jess Philips, one of the biggest advocates for ending violence against women, resigned from her post in the cabinet amid calls for Keir Starmer to step down.
The people who are supposed to fight for us can’t. The routes we’re supposed to take to fight for ourselves don’t work. At least ITV dramas get our stories out there and into the spotlight. At least, when there are cameras, lights and someone calling action, somebody finally hears what we’ve been screaming all along.
Claire, from Canada, was 24 years old when she was killed on 11 February 2024.
She was found with a number of serious injuries in a hot tub at a property in the Sandness area, and though emergency services arrived at the scene, she was pronounced dead a short while later.
A new documentary is now revealing the murder trial that followed, as well as sharing the perspective of her grieving family.
The Channel 5 synopsis teases: “Inside the courtroom as a grieving family and an accused partner collide in a murder trial.”
Sharing a clip on social media, Channel 5 warned viewers: “Warning: Some viewers may find the following video distressing.”
They added: “Claire Leveque’s final months reveal a harrowing story of control and abuse. Now, her family cross continents in search of answers, and justice.”
The trailer heard clippings from the trial, with Claire’s family and friends in tears in court.
It also sees testimonies from experts brought in to prove the case, as a person warns: “This is a horror story from the beginning.”
“This was horrific,” one viewer commented to the clip.
Another said: “Horrendous case – can’t imagine how her family & friends coped with that trial.”
Someone else called it “very chilling”, and said “it wasn’t an easy watch”.
“A hard watch,” another agreed, while someone else said: “#MurderinShetland is remarkable television. Do watch it if you can, although it is quite harrowing.”
Ahead of the documentary airing, Gary Davies, consultant editor for commissioning at 5, said: “This thoughtful series gives a deeply human account of an unimaginable tragedy. It shines a light on the justice process and honours the courage of Claire’s family as they seek truth and remembrance.”
Mark Procter, executive producer for Big Little Fish, echoed the sentiment, saying: “We are profoundly grateful to the Judicial Office for Scotland and to everyone who enabled our access to the trial.
“Above all, we are honoured that the Leveque family have entrusted us to document what happened to Claire. We hope this series serves as a respectful tribute – giving her the voice that was so cruelly taken from her.”
Murder in Shetland: Trial by Jury is available to watch on Channel 5.
BBC One’s crime comedy Death Valley is back for a hotly anticipated second series, and a whole lot of new ‘whodunnits’ that need to be solved
Angie Quinn Screen Time Reporter
22:39, 17 May 2026
Death Valley: Official trailer
Death Valley has made its eagerly awaited return for a second series.
BAFTA-winning performer Timothy Spall stars alongside Gwyneth Keyworth in the comedic murder-mystery programme, portraying the improbable pairing of actor John Chapel, formerly her hero as TV detective Caesar, and determined detective Janie Mallowan.
The series maintained a robust average of 4.6 million viewers over 28 days, and amongst Welsh audiences, Death Valley claimed the top comedy spot across all channels and platforms throughout 2025.
Given the programme’s triumph, it came as little shock when plans for a second series were swiftly revealed, with Death Valley series two now scheduled to debut on Sunday, 17 May at 8:15pm on BBC One. Audiences can also stream the complete box set on iPlayer from the same date, reports the Express.
The second series resumes several months following the conclusion of series one. Janie has secured promotion to Detective Inspector and finds herself more overwhelmed than ever, with administrative duties mounting faster than she can manage them.
Complicating matters further, she’s been avoiding John since discovering he’s been romantically involved with her mum, Yvonne (Melanie Walters), and the pair are compelled to make amends when DCI Barry Clarke (Steffan Rhodri) enlists John’s assistance to crack a murder investigation.
They must set aside their complicated personal relationships when tasked with examining a suspicious death within a community service group, following the fatal plunge of one of its members from atop a crumbling castle.
The latest series of Death Valley also sees John hesitantly return to the acting world, appearing on the set of a grand Welsh fantasy television production, though another killing soon demands attention.
Additional murders occur in a seaside fishing community, at an eco-friendly commune, and within a rugby club, as John and Janie persist in delivering justice throughout the mid-Wales area.
Throughout the series, there’s also an impressive roster of guest appearances, featuring Outlander’s Mark Lewis Jones, Game of Thrones legend Owen Teale, and Killing Eve’s Alexandra Roach.
Jane Horrocks (Here We Go, Chicken Run) also appears in the programme alongside Hammed Animashaun (Black Ops, SNL UK), Alexandra Roach (Killing Eve, Bodies), Roisin Conaty (After Life, Last one Laughing), Jim Howick (Ghosts, Here we Go), Asim Chaudhry (People Just Do Nothing), Lynn Hunter (Pushers & End of the Fxx World), Rhiannon Clements (Small Prophets, Pushers), Mike Bubbins (Mammoth) and Liz Carr (Silent Witness, Good Omens).
Death Valley series 2 launches on Sunday, 17 May at 8:15pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
Coronation Street boss Kate Brooks has revealed when viewers will find out the identity of Theo Silverton’s killer after the scaffolder was killed off in the soap’s latest whodunnit
Theo Silverton was killed off earlier this month
Coronation Street boss Kate Brooks has revealed when viewers will find out the identity of Theo Silverton’s killer.
The scaffolder, who was played by former Tracy Beaker star James Cartwright, was killed off at the end of the soap’s much-hyped Murder Week after almost a year of abusing partner Todd Grimshaw, and along with Todd himself, George Shuttleworth, Gary Windass, Summer Spellman, Christina Boyd and Danielle Silverton were named as official suspects.
It all came about following a flashforward, which aired earlier this year, and five potential victims were named in the incredibly dramatic storyline. In the end, it was Theo who was revealed as the victim after viewers had to sit through the same day played out over and over again, all played out from various points of view.
Now Kate, who took over as producer of the ITV soap in November 2024 and previously held the top job on Emmerdale, has told viewers that they will have to wait just a bit longer to find out who was responsible for the murder.
She said: “It’s later in the summer. We reveal to the audience who it is during late June, July. There’s lots of people you definitely think it could be. It’s a massive story, there’s so many different twists, and there’s so many different offshoots to the story as well. You think you’re watching one thing, and then it diverts into a completely new kind of story territory. It’ll definitely keep people guessing. “
In the coming weeks the investigation shifts, and pulled in for questioning are Summer, Christina and Danielle. As lies are exposed, and arrests are made, it’s yet to be revealed if any of the six are actually the murderer.
They all have motives, and upcoming scenes will reveal why they are a suspect. Todd was being abused by Theo, and the night Theo died he was trying to hunt Todd down – so did he find him?
For Summer, the last time we saw Theo alive was when he trapped her in the flat alone. So did Summer kill Theo? Gary has also been seen acting weirdly – even though wife Maria Connor has givne him an alibi.
We know Gary had threatened him and the pair had clashed, and he’s also killed before. Did Gary take revenge? George also stood up to Theo, and on the night of the murder he was alone at home.
Finally there’s Theo’s ex-wife Danielle. She was also acting suspiciously on Monday and upcoming scenes tease her marriage faced it’s troubles. So might she have killed her violent ex?
South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has refused to resign over a “cash-in-sofa scandal” that continues to haunt his presidency.
Ramaphosa, who addressed the nation on Monday to declare his intention to remain in his post, is set to face a multi-party impeachment committee, which will investigate allegations that he covered up a 2020 break-in at his private ranch and the theft of more than $500,000, concealing the incident from police and tax authorities.
The committee’s findings could spell his impeachment; however, parliament has not provided a timeframe for the investigation, which has yet to commence.
Analysts say the scandal, which has been dubbed “Farmgate”, has been particularly damaging for a president who rode to power in 2018 on an anticorruption mandate, after the much-criticised presidency of Jacob Zuma. Now, eight years later, the case of the cash found stuffed in a sofa at his game ranch could be what takes Ramaphosa down.
Can the South African president survive? Here is what we know.
Supporters of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) carry placards outside South Africa’s Constitutional Court, after the court ruled on whether the parliament failed to hold President Cyril Ramaphosa to account over the ‘Farmgate’ scandal, involving allegations that foreign currency was hidden at his Phala Phala game farm, in Johannesburg, South Africa, on May 8, 2026 [Siphiwe Sibeko/Reuters]
What’s the scandal all about?
In February 2020, burglars allegedly broke into Ramaphosa’s luxury private ranch, Phala Phala, in Limpopo province, South Africa, and stole $580,000. The cash was said to have been hidden inside furniture at the farm – hence the “Farmgate” label.
Ramaphosa has been accused of covering up the theft and keeping private efforts to trace the burglars a secret to avoid an investigation into where the money had come from – and why it was hidden in a sofa.
Corruption allegations surfaced when a former head of South Africa’s state security agency walked into a police station in 2022 and accused the president of money laundering in relation to the stolen cash.
Later that year, an independent parliamentary committee found that Ramaphosa “may have committed” serious violations and misconduct. In particular, the panel found he had failed to properly report a theft to police as required under anticorruption laws and “acted in a manner inconsistent with his office”.
At the time, the African National Congress (ANC) had a strong majority in parliament – with 230 seats out of 400. It was therefore able to reject the report and refused to open impeachment proceedings.
But the left-wing Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) challenged this at the Constitutional Court in Cape Town, which, last week, overturned the government’s rejection of the 2022 parliamentary report and referred it to a multi-party impeachment committee for a full investigation.
South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa addresses the nation, after a court last week revived proceedings against him over a scandal in which thieves stole bundles of foreign cash from a sofa on his ranch, in Johannesburg, South Africa, May 11, 2026 [Siphiwe Sibeko/Reuters]
What has Ramaphosa said?
Ramaphosa has always denied allegations of corruption and maintains that the stolen cash came from selling buffalo.
Since the constitutional court’s ruling last week, Ramaphosa has been facing renewed calls for his resignation, mostly from opposition leaders. In a televised address on Monday, the president refused to step down.
“While there have been calls in some circles that I should resign, nothing in the Constitutional Court judgement compels me to resign my office,” he said.
“Since a criminal complaint was laid against me in June 2022, I have consistently maintained that I have not stolen public money, committed any crime, nor violated my oath of office,” Ramaphosa said in his address, adding that he has cooperated in all investigations.
The president rejected the 2022 report from the independent panel again, saying: “The complaints against me are based on hearsay allegations. No evidence, let alone sufficient evidence, has been presented to prove that I committed any violation, let alone a serious violation of the Constitution or law, or serious misconduct as set out in the Constitution.”
If the committee does find enough evidence against him, it could direct him to be impeached.
It is unclear how long this will take, however. Ramaphosa has pledged to seek a judicial review of the report’s contents, which, in turn, could delay the investigation of the impeachment committee.
Judges take their seats at South Africa’s Constitutional Court before the ruling on whether the parliament failed to hold President Cyril Ramaphosa to account over the ‘Farmgate’ scandal, involving allegations that foreign currency was hidden at his Phala Phala game farm, in Johannesburg, South Africa, May 8, 2026 [Siphiwe Sibeko/Reuters]
What is the process for impeachment?
If a president is found to have violated the constitution or the law, or is unable to perform the duties of office, South Africa’s National Assembly has the constitutional authority to remove him or her.
Beyond the parliamentary investigation that will now begin into the Farmgate scandal, and which can trigger a vote on impeachment, as well, any member of parliament may introduce a motion seeking the president’s removal. The speaker of the National Assembly would then refer the motion to an independent panel of legal experts to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to proceed.
If this panel decides there is a case against the president, lawmakers must vote on whether to begin impeachment proceedings. After this, a specially constituted impeachment committee is established to carry out a detailed investigation into the allegations. This is separate from the investigation beginning now and could take several months.
Once that committee recommends the removal of the president, parliament holds a final vote to impeach the president. Under Section 89 of the constitution, a two-thirds majority is required – meaning at least 267 lawmakers must vote in favour of removal in the 400-seat National Assembly.
Supporters of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) carry placards outside South Africa’s Constitutional Court, on the day the court ruled that parliament failed to hold President Cyril Ramaphosa to account over the ‘Farmgate’ scandal, in Johannesburg, South Africa, May 8, 2026 [Siphiwe Sibeko/Reuters]
Are there other ways to remove Ramaphosa?
Yes, the South African president can be removed from his job via a no-confidence vote in parliament.
Any member of the assembly can propose the no-confidence motion, and it only requires a simple majority of more than 50 percent.
Ramaphosa would need support from coalition partners to survive a no-confidence vote, however. This has already been proposed by at least two opposition parties in parliament.
Another way could be if his ANC party turns against him, as it did with the last president, Zuma, who came in for years of corruption allegations and was finally forced to resign in 2018.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa raises his hand as he is sworn in as a member of parliament before an expected vote by lawmakers to decide if he is re-elected as leader of the country, in Cape Town, South Africa, June 14, 2024 [Jerome Delay/AP]
How strong is Ramaphosa’s position?
Ramaphosa is not only the president of South Africa, but also the leader of its most popular party, the ANC. Nelson Mandela was the ANC’s first Black president after apartheid ended in 1994.
In 2024, the ANC stunningly lost its majority in parliament for the first time following more than three decades in power. Today, the ANC holds 159 of 400 seats in the national assembly, or about 40 percent of seats – and Ramaphosa is governing in a coalition with the Democratic Alliance, which has 87 seats, along with other smaller parties.
But Chris Ogunmodede, an independent analyst of African politics, security, and international affairs, based in Lagos, Nigeria, said Ramaphosa would likely survive any impeachment attempts, “simply because of the arithmetic”.
“His numbers in the parliament virtually guarantee that impeachment will not happen,” Ogunmodede told Al Jazeera.
“It hasn’t been easy, but there is a government that seems to be functional and is showing some signs of reinvigoration,” Ogunmodede added. “There’s a lot of uncertainty on the part of the other coalition parties that suggests that they would much rather be on the side of caution and go with the devil they know, and preserve the government by keeping Ramaphosa in power.”
Despite this, the cash-in-sofa scandal has been damaging, he said.
And, under Ramaphosa, the ANC’s popularity has continued to slide. The party’s national vote share fell from 57.5 percent in the 2019 election to 40.2 percent in the 2024 election, marking its worst performance since the end of apartheid.
The South African economy has shown some signs of improvement, however, and given the Ramaphosa government “something to show for the time that it’s been in power”, said Ogunmodede.
Yet the South African government still faces long-term structural concerns about the economy, the country’s institutions, corruption, crime and other issues, the analyst added.
On the back of underlying anti-incumbency, Ogunmodede said the top court’s ruling on the cash-in-sofa scandal “has resurrected many concerns that South Africans have had about the president and his party, and the political institutions of the country more broadly”.
Philippines Senator Ronald Dela Rosa has taken refuge in the country’s parliament, as police sought to detain him on Monday in accordance with an ICC arrest warrant.
This is what we know of his role in former President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war, which prosecutors say killed tens of thousands.
Fake online advertisements and social media groups are luring people in Jordan with promises of “quick profits” from cheap gold with sellers disappearing once funds have been transferred or customers defrauded with counterfeit and substandard metals, Jordanians tell Al Jazeera.
Mohammed Nassar said he was quoted a price for gold lower than local market rates due to an “online store” claiming it was exempt from manufacturing fees, government licensing costs or shop rents.
The Jordanian shopper transferred the money to secure what he thought was a bargain before the website disappeared and Nassar realised he had become the victim of a scam.
In another case, a young woman named Tala Al-Habashneh told Al Jazeera that she bought gold through a social media platform after agreeing with the seller and transferring the promised amount.
On closer examination of the product, she found that her gold was counterfeit, mixed with other metals and lacking any official stamps or invoices to prove its origin or carat.
Tala immediately filed a complaint with the Cybercrime Directorate of Jordan’s Public Security Directorate. The case is pending.
Government monitoring
Wafaa Al-Momani, assistant director general for Regulatory Affairs and director of the Jewelry Directorate at the Jordan Standards and Metrology Organisation (JSMO), told Al Jazeera that the institution is the only entity in the kingdom responsible for monitoring precious metal jewellery – such as gold, silver and platinum – and overseeing jewellery trading.
All imported jewellery is examined and stamped by the JSMO before being released onto the market, she said, while local workshops are also required to submit jewellery for inspection and verification before it can be sold.
Gold is an important commodity for savings and investment in many parts of Asia [File: Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters]
Al-Momani said her organisation has received some complaints about companies, websites and social media groups engaged in fraud by “promoting the buying and selling of gold, especially broken gold [used or damaged], through unlicensed individuals”.
The JSMO is monitoring sellers engaged in fraud in coordination with security authorities to prevent jewellery from being sold outside licensed shops.
Al-Momani said the JSMO is tightening oversight of gold shops and sellers in the kingdom and said any store found selling unstamped jewellery or violating legal standards will face legal penalties but also warned Jordanians that buying gold through unofficial channels “does not guarantee that the jewellery conforms to legal standards or carats”.
Adornment and treasure
Rabhi Allan, the head of the Jordanian Association of Jewelry and Goldsmiths, explained that gold remains a traditional means of saving and investment for Jordanians as well as an accessory, quoting the popular saying: “Gold is an adornment and a treasure.”
However, he described the sale of gold through social media as “alien to Jordanian society” and stressed that transactions of this “cash commodity” should only take place via official shops with invoices clearly stating the weight, carat and labour costs of the product.
He said the association had filed complaints with the Cybercrime Directorate against unlicensed and anonymous sites, noting that these pages “appear and disappear without warning”, a situation that leaves victims without the ability to secure their consumer rights.
The association has documented numerous complaints and court cases resulting from gold sales conducted through social media platforms that often use edited or fabricated images and fake offers to attract buyers.
Others offer gold at prices significantly below market value to lure buyers, but the product sold is often counterfeit, nonexistent or contains far less of the precious metal than advertised.
He urged citizens to buy gold only via licensed and accredited shops that display official prices and issue proper invoices to protect buyers’ rights.
While questions have been raised about whether some gold sales conducted through social media could be linked to illegal activities, Allan said the cases monitored so far appear to be “individual incidents that do not amount to money laundering”.
Security warning
The Cybercrime Unit of the Public Security Directorate also warned citizens against buying gold through social media advertisements and confirmed that the body has received multiple complaints of fraud linked to the trade.
Colonel Amer Al-Sartawi, Public Security Directorate spokesperson, told Al Jazeera that the grievances ranged from cases where money was wired to fraudsters who subsequently disappeared without delivering the promised gold to incidents in which buyers received counterfeit pieces made from other less valuable metals, such as copper or iron.
Al-Sartawi urged citizens not to deal with such pages and to buy gold exclusively from licensed and accredited shops.
Renewed clashes between rival gangs in Port-au-Prince have forced hundreds to flee their homes, forcing some families to the streets. Gang violence has now displaced more than 1.4 million people across Haiti. Gangs control an estimated 90% of the capital after the former president was assassinated in his home in 2021.
Mexican lawmakers have long struggled to balance the country’s ongoing fight against narco-trafficking with the international popularity of corridos tumbados — which they say promote violence and crime.
On Monday, the famed corrido singer Junior H joined President Claudia Sheinbaum during her daily news conference to promote México Canta: a binational music competition for artists from both Mexico and the United States, organized by México’s Ministry of Culture.
During his speech, the 25-year-old supported the contest, now in its second iteration, which was designed to help amplify the musical potency of México while moving away from its violent reputation.
He also reflected on his own ascent to fame, which came through popular songs like 2023’s “El Azul” (alongside Peso Pluma), a narcocorrido believed to be about a Sinaloan drug lord Juan Jose Esparragoza Moreno; as well as his 2022 banda-fused track, “El Hijo Mayor,” which some speculate to be about the son of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.
“In my initial [career], some of the stories that I shared in my music didn’t add to the positive message that reflect my current compositions,” said Junior H, whose real name is Antonio Herrera Pérez. “I kept growing and I learned that music, besides being a form of expression, also implies a responsibility when millions of people hear you worldwide.”
Junior H — who grew up in Guanajuato before immigrating to Utah — continued to speak on his evolution as an artist and human, acknowledging the role he plays in shaping how his listeners, which amount to over 30 million on Spotify, visualize their futures.
“A culture of peace does not mean we cease to stop talking about our reality. It means finding new ways to express them,” said Junior H. “I invite all young generations to participate, to believe in your talent and to never stop believing in your dreams.”
Two months ago, the singer struck a different chord when he performed “El Azul” at the South by Southwest music festival on March 14 as part of the Billboard showcase. “It’s the government against us, or us against the government,” said Junior H to the audience, in resistance to censorship.
As of now, 10 out of 32 Mexican states have implemented bans or limitations on corridos in public spaces; lawmakers assert that the lyrics promote organized crime. The penalty for singing such ballads can range between a monetary fine to prison time.
In October, Junior H was reportedly fined 400,000 pesos (more than $23,000) after performing “El Azul” during a festival in Zapopan, Jalisco, per Billboard. The Zapopan municipal president, Juan José Frangie Saade, allegedly banned the artist from performing in the city during his term, which ends in September 2027.
As of now, the singer is slated to perform at the Baja Beach Fest in Rosarito, Baja California, on Aug. 8.
Contrary to her predecessor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, a staunch critic of corridos tumbados, President Sheinbaum is keeping an open mind to the power of the trap-infused subgenre. As a result, this year’s edition of México Canta will place its focus on regional Mexican music acts.
“We are not censoring [regional music], because I don’t believe in censorship,” said Sheinbaum during the news conference. “I don’t think prohibiting music or its contents will solve anything. More than anything, we need to promote nonviolent music. That’s the objective of this contest.”
Open calls for México Canta are now open through June 10. The semifinals will take place at the Million Dollar Theatre in Los Angeles on Aug. 23 and at the Angela Peralta Theater in Mazatlán on Aug. 30. The grand finale will take place Sept. 13.
Ex-mayor of wealthy Los Angeles suburb promoted pro-China propaganda at behest of Chinese officials, prosecutors say.
Published On 12 May 202612 May 2026
The former mayor of a wealthy suburb in the United States city of Los Angeles has admitted to acting as an illegal agent of China, according to authorities.
Eileen Wang, the former mayor of Arcadia, agreed to plead guilty to one count of acting as an illegal agent of a foreign government from late 2020 until 2022, the US Department of Justice said on Monday.
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Wang admitted that she did not notify the US government that she was acting on behalf of China while promoting pro-Beijing propaganda, the Justice Department said.
Wang, 58, operated a website, called the US News Center, that published content supportive of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) while purporting to provide news for Chinese Americans, the department said.
Wang ran the site with Yaoning Sun, a Californian man who was sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to acting as an illegal agent of a foreign government in October 2025, according to US prosecutors.
Wang’s activities included republishing a “PRC official-written essay” that denied allegations that the Chinese government was committing genocide against ethnic-minority Uighurs in its far-western region of Xinjiang, according to prosecutors.
Wang resigned as mayor on Monday, according to a statement published on the City of Arcadia’s website.
She faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
Her lawyers, Brian A Sun and Jason Liang, said Wang wished to apologise for “mistakes she has made in her personal life”.
“It is important to note, however, that the conduct underlying the information and the agreement with the government relates solely to Ms. Wang’s personal life – i.e., a media platform that she once operated with someone whom she believed to be her fiancé – and not to her conduct as an elected public official,” Sun and Liang said in a statement.
“Her love and devotion for the Arcadia community have not changed and did not waver,” they added.
“She asks for the community’s understanding and continued support.”
US Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A Eisenberg issued a statement expressing deep concern over Wang’s activities.
“Individuals elected to public office in the United States should act only for the people of the United States that they represent,” he said.
“It is deeply concerning that someone who previously received and executed directives from PRC government officials is now in a position of public trust at all, but particularly so because that relationship with that foreign government had never been disclosed.”
China’s embassy in Washington, DC, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Wang’s prosecution comes as US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to meet in Beijing on Wednesday for a summit expected to focus on the US-Israel war on Iran, trade, and the status of Taiwan, among other issues.
The summit comes after the two leaders agreed to a yearlong pause in their trade war during a meeting in South Korea last October.
Netflix has added one of the biggest British crime dramas of the 21st Century that Dr Foster fans shouldn’t miss
Suranne Jones as Dr Gemma Foster in the hit BBC thriller(Image: BBC)
Netflix has finally added the fourth and final season of hit BBC thriller Killing Eve and subscribers will be ecstatic.
The wildly popular crime drama starring Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer first premiered in 2018 and became an instant success thanks to its sharp writing and addictive narrative.
It follows Grey’s Anatomy star Oh as Eve Polastri, an MI5 analyst who is tasked with surveying and capturing an unhinged assassin known as Villanelle (played by Comer).
Over the course of their electrifying cat-and-mouse chase across the globe, the hunter and the hunted develop an obsession with each other, leading to disastrous consequences.
Also starring a roster of top British and Irish screen talent, including Fiona Shaw (Andor), Edward Bluemel (Sex Education), and Gemma Whelan (Game of Thrones), as well as Danish star Kim Bodnia (F1) as Villanelle’s Russian handler Konstantin, Killing Eve is considered one of the best British shows of the 21st Century so far.
Fans of the equally beloved psychological thriller Dr Foster, starring Suranne Jones, are urged to check out the series if they haven’t already.
While both shows deal with similar themes of obsession and scandal, Dr Foster also stars Comer as Kate Parks, the young university student whom Jones’s Dr Gemma Foster suspects of having an affair with her husband, Simon (Bertie Carvel).
Killing Eve has already amassed a gigantic following over the years, so make sure you take the opportunity to catch up on the show’s gripping finale. Furthermore, Dr Foster was recently confirmed to be returning for a long-awaited third season, making this the perfect time to dive in to another thriller while fans await its return.
One Rotten Tomatoes user raved: “Totally addictive. It looks like a story line about cat and mouse. But it’s much more than that.”
Someone else exclaimed: “Chefs kiss! This show is spectacular and I still rewatch it all the time! I even showed it to my cat so she knows what good tv looks like.”
“Loved this entire series,” another said, before lamenting: “Really wish it was renewed for a 5th season.”
Watch Unchosen on Sky for free
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Sky is giving away a free Netflix subscription with its new Sky Stream TV bundles, including the £15 Essential TV plan.
This lets members watch live and on-demand TV content without a satellite dish or aerial and includes hit shows.
This includes the brand new UK drama Unchosen, starring Asa Butterfield and Christopher Eccleston.
The enthusiastic reviews continue on IMDb, where one viewer says in a 10/10 write-up: “This show had me hooked after two minutes. What sounds like a typical agent hunting serial killer, surprises with great characters, surprising turning points and amazing cast. I absolutely love every part of it.”
Another fan called it “one of the best shows you’ll ever watch”, before going on to praise the cast for giving an “out-of-this-world masterclass” in acting.
And a final viewer exclaimed: “Warning: highly addictive! Jodie Comer is so charismatic as an assassin that I would hire her to kill me! The best from TV shows that I’ve seen in ages.”
Fancy revisiting an iconic British thriller or diving into Eve and Villanelle’s twisted rivalry for the very first time? Netflix has you covered this week with all four jaw-dropping seasons.
Flight FR9251 was forced to land in Toulouse with almost 200 people on board
The London Stansted to Ibiza flight was forced to land in France (stock image)
Ryanair has issued a ‘no fly’ warning following an incident in which a plane carrying nearly 200 passengers was forced to make an emergency diversion. The disruption took place aboard a flight from London Stansted to Ibiza.
Flight FR9251 was diverted to Toulouse after two passengers turned ‘abusive towards fellow passengers’. The incident unfolded on 17 May 2025, with the case only recently being settled in court.
In an online statement headed ‘Bad behaviour won’t fly’, the budget carrier said: “On May 17 2025, two passengers became abusive towards fellow passengers on a flight from London Stansted to Ibiza and failed to comply with crew instructions, forcing over 84 passengers and six crew to divert to Toulouse.
“These two disruptive passengers were found guilty, and both received suspended sentences of up to 10 months, and received a combined penalty of over 10,000 Euros.
“On May 7, 2026, Ryanair welcomed the decision by the Toulouse Criminal Court to convict these two unruly passengers. Ryanair has a strict zero-tolerance policy towards passenger misconduct and will continue to take action to combat unruly passenger behavior on aircraft for the benefit of the vast majority of passengers who do not disrupt flights.”
Under the Air Navigation Order 2016, a person ‘must not enter any aircraft when drunk, or be drunk in any aircraft’. It goes on to state: “A person must not, when acting as a member of the crew of any aircraft or being carried in any aircraft for the purpose of acting as a member of the crew, be under the influence of drink or a drug to such an extent as to impair their capacity so to act.”, reports Glasgow Live.
Addressing the incident on board, Ryanair’s Jade Kirwan said: “We welcome this decision by the Toulouse Criminal Court to convict these two disruptive passengers and sentence them with up to 10 months jail time and to pay a penalty of over €10,000.
“It is unacceptable that passengers – many of whom are heading away with family or friends to enjoy a relaxing summer holiday – suffer unnecessary disruption and reduced holiday time as a result of unruly passenger behaviour.
“Yet this was regrettably the case for passengers on this flight from Stansted to Ibiza in May last year, which was forced to divert to Toulouse as a result of two passenger’s disruptive behaviour.
“This conviction demonstrates just one of the many consequences that passengers who disrupt flights will face as part of Ryanair’s zero tolerance policy, and we hope this action will deter further disruptive behaviour on flights so that passengers and crew can travel in a comfortable and respectful environment.”
A crime drama that has had fans gripped for decades is apparently going to be back
Mariska Hargitay starred in the series(Image: (Image: NBC))
The future of an “addictive” long-running series has apparently been confirmed.
Law & Order – which started in 1990 and is now in its 25th season – is set to be renewed for a 26th run, Deadline has reported. While final details are apparently being worked out, it is thought that official word on the future of the police procedural is expected soon.
The news will thrill fans of the series, which has become hugely popular with viewers. Set and filmed in New York, the programme follows detectives of New York City Police Department’s fictional 27th precinct as they investigate crimes.
Its cast has included several huge stars over the years, with Sam Waterston, Jerry Orbach and Mariska Hargitay all being part of the show, while famous guest stars have included Viola Davis, Bradley Cooper and Ellen Pompeo. The current cast of the programme includes Maura Tierney, who starred as Abby Lockhart on the medical drama ER, and Tony Goldwyn from Scandal.
Law & Order originally aired from 1990 to 2010, then in 2021 it was announced that it was being brought back after an 11 year break.
It has also sparked several spin-offs, including Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Law & Order: Criminal Intent and Law & Order: Trial by Jury.
It has been a hit with viewers, with one posting on reviews website Rotten Tomatoes: “The best ever, realistic, true to life portraits seen in any movie or TV series.”
“Excellent,” said someone else, calling the show “completely addictive”.
“It’s like watching two shows, a police investigation series for the first half hour, and a legal series for the next half an hour,” another fan remarked.
“Great performances, lots of mystery and drama, very realistic.” Someone else praised the show’s “pitch perfect pacing”.
Another said: “Law & Order is one of my go-to shows to watch while sitting on the couch and vegging out. I’ve seen every episode multiple times, but I find the show comforting. That’s what Law & Order is – comfort food.”
Chad Bianco’s campaign for California governor leans heavily on his years as Riverside County sheriff, a record that has drawn praise from voters yearning to return to a tough-on-crime era and harsh criticism from others who consider him a far-right affront to the rule of law.
The stout, mustached Republican is running an unapologetic campaign against the “Democrat policies that have destroyed this state,” launching into angry diatribes about, as he sees it, the left’s failed record in California in debate after debate, on social media and in news interviews, during which where he often accuses the media of being complicit.
In an interview with The Times, Bianco said he is sick of what he calls soft-on-crime Democrats in Sacramento undermining him and other law enforcement leaders across the state, whom he wants to unleash if given the power.
Part of Bianco’s prescription for turning California around: cracking down on theft and drug offenses, stiffening sentences for both petty and violent crime, building more detention facilities, collaborating with federal immigration forces to deport immigrant offenders, and demanding greater personal accountability from homeless people suffering from mental illness and drug addiction.
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, a GOP candidate for governor, and Kate Monroe, CEO of VETCOMM, speak with people in the Skid Row area of Los Angeles. .
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
“It is impossible for me to keep my county safe because of politics. It is impossible for me to run my jails correctly because of politics. It is impossible for me to prosecute someone to the fullest extent of the law because of politics,” Bianco said. “Politics is destroying the state of California — and unfortunately for the Democrat Party, they are 100% to blame.”
It’s a message that has clearly resonated with a slice of the California electorate. Bianco has consistently polled above 10% among likely voters, putting the MAGA-aligned sheriff among the top tier of gubernatorial candidates in deep blue California thanks to a slew of Democratic candidates still splitting their party’s much bigger base.
It’s also a message receiving increased scrutiny as the June 2 primary nears, from rival candidates on both sides of the political aisle.
A spokesman for Democrat Xavier Becerra, who served as California attorney general during part of Bianco’s time as sheriff, called Bianco a “tyrant” and said he has run his department “like a man who answers to no one — not the president, not the courts, not the people he was elected to serve.”
Republican Steve Hilton, a former Fox News commentator endorsed by President Trump, has attacked Bianco for essentially the opposite reason — suggesting Bianco has literally and figuratively bent the knee to liberal forces in the state.
Despite Hilton’s attacks, Bianco’s political record is far right and fully in line with the MAGA base, including on sanctuary policies, election integrity and other issues favored by Trump.
LAPD officers and DEA agents converge along Alvarado Avenue near MacArthur Park targeting an open-air drug market on Wednesday.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
On crime
Crime has been a top issue for California voters for years, and Bianco will no doubt benefit among a portion of the electorate from having the title of sheriff attached to his name on the ballot.
According to a Times analysis of state-collected data through 2024, Bianco’s record on crime has been mixed. The data show violent crime rising for years under his leadership and being solved at lower rates than in surrounding counties. The data also show a more recent turnaround, with declines in such crime and improved clearance rates.
Bianco challenged the accuracy of the state data and offered his own snapshot of crime figures that painted a different picture — of much higher clearance rates, but also a much larger volume of violent crime in his jurisdiction.
Bianco, 58, joined the Sheriff’s Department in 1993 and was a lieutenant when he defeated the incumbent sheriff in 2018, taking over policing and jail oversight in 2019 for a vast swath of one of California’s largest counties. He won reelection in 2022.
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco takes a knee with demonstrators after thousands marched to the Robert Presley Detention Center and were met with a roadblock of law enforcement during a protest against the death of George Floyd in 2020.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
According to the state data, overall violent crime in that county jumped in 2019, fell slightly in 2020, then increased each year from 2021 to 2023 before falling again in 2024. Homicides increased in 2019 and again in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic raged and cities across the country saw similar spikes, but declined each of the next four years, the data show.
Vehicle thefts have fluctuated during Bianco’s tenure but have been on the decline since 2021, according to the state data. Other forms of theft, as well as drug offenses — something Bianco said is crucial to address while backing Proposition 36, a ballot measure state voters passed in 2024 to increase penalties for such crimes — have also fluctuated in the county for years.
Meanwhile, Bianco’s deputies have struggled to reduce violent crime — like their counterparts in other counties — though they have made improvements under Bianco, according to state statistics.
The department cleared about 38% of violent crimes in 2018 and about 47% in 2024, with several fluctuations within that range in the years between, according to state data.
Law enforcement from surrounding communities, including San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputies and CHP officers, close off streets and lock down the perimeter at Loma Linda University Medical Center after a report of a gunman in the emergency department of Children’s Hospital on March 12, 2025.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
By comparison, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department during the same time period saw violent crime clearance rates between about 50% and nearly 64%, while the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department saw rates between about 55% and 63%, the data show.
The Sheriff’s Department is responsible for law enforcement in the county’s unincorporated areas, which include deserts and mountains, as well as cities that contract with the agency — including Temecula, Moreno Valley, Lake Elsinore, Rancho Mirage and others. The Times analyzed state crime and clearance data from all those areas.
In 2021, the ACLU of Southern California wrote a letter to the California attorney general’s office demanding that it investigate Bianco’s department for “racist policing practices, rampant patrol and jail deaths” and noncompliance with past court orders requiring improvements.
In 2022, 19 people died in Riverside County jails, making them among the deadliest in the nation. An investigation by the Desert Sun later blamed “neglect by jail employees, access to illicit drugs, and cell assignments that put detainees at increased risk of violence or did not allow for close oversight.”
In 2023, California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta launched a sweeping civil rights investigation to determine whether the Sheriff’s Department had “engaged in a pattern or practice of unconstitutional policing amid deeply concerning allegations relating to conditions of confinement in its jail facilities, excessive force, and other misconduct.”
Bonta’s office declined to comment on the ongoing investigation, which has yet to produce any public findings. Bianco pointed to the lack of results to date as proof there is nothing to uncover in his jails, which he claimed are the best-run in the state.
“If there was all of these bad things that I were doing, are you telling me that he was going to allow me to continue to do them for three years?” Bianco said. “There is not going to be anything because our attorney general is an absolute lying fraud and an embarrassment to law enforcement.”
Gubernatorial candidate Chad Bianco greets supporters during a break at the California Republican Convention at the Sheraton San Diego Resort on April 11.
(John Gastaldo / For The Times)
Bianco argued that crime data put out by the state has been cherry-picked by liberals to make law enforcement look bad.
He said crime was underreported in Riverside County before he took office because residents and business owners didn’t believe anything would be done about it, and that he actually “wanted our crime stats to go up” when he took over because it would mean trust had improved.
He said his agency had been struggling to retain deputies amid poor morale when he took over, but has since rebounded and become “one of the most proactive law enforcement agencies in the country” thanks to his focus on addressing crime “hot spots” and “broken windows” policing — a much-criticized theory that says addressing urban blight and enforcing laws against petty offenses also drives down violent crime.
Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Corona), who has endorsed Bianco, called him a “real law enforcement champion” for Riverside who despite challenges has “consistently made it harder for criminals to succeed in our communities.” Calvert said drug cartels operating in rural stretches of the Inland Empire make solving crime in the region difficult, but Bianco has “done a good job of trying to face up to it and move it in the right direction,” including as an outspoken critic of “soft-on-crime laws” in Sacramento.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.,) center, listens to Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco speak at a news conference in the U.S. Capitol as part of Police Week on May 15, 2024.
Speaking with The Times, Bianco defended the Oath Keepers — which he did again during a recent debate — and said it wasn’t right to judge the entire organization based on the actions of some members. He also said Trump was right to pardon many of the people charged in connection with Jan. 6 — who he said “did absolutely nothing” wrong and were “politically prosecuted with lies” — but that he disagreed with the president’s pardoning of others who were caught on video attacking U.S. Capitol police.
Bianco has claimed expansive powers as sheriff, including to buck state directives, as with COVID; has said his Christian faith is a driving force in his life; and has described his comment about a felon in the White House as a tongue-in-cheek criticism of bogus attacks on Trump.
He joined Huntington Beach in a lawsuit challenging California’s sanctuary policies, which generally bar localities and their law enforcement agencies from participating in federal immigration raids or initiatives, and has sent mixed messages on whether his deputies would work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents despite California’s laws.
In November 2024, he told Fox 11 L.A. that if keeping Riverside County residents safe meant “working somehow around” state laws and “with ICE so we can deport these people victimizing us and our residents, you can be 100% sure I’m going to do that.” In February 2025, he said Riverside County deputies “have not, are not and will not engage” in immigration enforcement, which he said is a federal responsibility.
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco kicks off his campaign to run for governor at the city’s Avila’s Historic 1929 event center on Feb. 17, 2025.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Also this year, Bianco caused an uproar when he seized more than 650,000 ballots from last November’s election as part of what he said was an investigation into whether they were fraudulently counted — a claim he is entertaining from a fringe group of election deniers, despite assurances from county and state officials that the allegations are baseless.
Bonta sued to stop the investigation, arguing there is no basis for it and that Bianco has no such authority without buy-in from him and oversight from state elections officials. He accused Bianco of having gone “rogue” and creating “a constitutional emergency in the process.”
The California Supreme Court halted the investigation as it weighs arguments in the case.
Bianco slammed Bonta for trying to halt his investigation, which he said was “probably one of the most easy criminal investigations you could ever, ever imagine” and normal work for a sheriff.
Bob Shrum, a longtime Democratic strategist and director of the Dornsife Center for the Political Future at USC, said much of what Bianco does, including his seizure of ballots, is “performative Trumpism” — and “out of step with California.”
Chad Bianco, left, answers a question as Tom Steyer watches during a gubernatorial debate at Pomona College on Tuesday, April 28, 2026 in Claremont, CA.
(Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times)
Joy Silver, chair of the Riverside County Democratic Party, said Bianco has been cultivating an image as a tough-on-crime candidate for years, but in recent debates has shown his true colors as an angry ideologue with few policy ideas and little willingness to work across the aisle.
Silver said Bianco’s simplistic “own the libs” approach to governing has already harmed Riverside, and would serve no one were he governor.
“There’s no policy or solutions or anything that are packed into that,” she said. “It’s just a hateful message.”
Coronation street fans think they have worked out who killed Theo Silverton after telling scenes aired on Friday night’s episode of the world’s long-running TV soap
Could Theo have been killed by his ex-wife?
Coronation street fans think they have worked out who killed Theo Silverton. The scaffolder, who was played by former Tracy Beaker star James Cartwright, was found dead at the end of the ITV soap’s much-hyped murder week.
When Theo was introduced, he was married to Danielle Silverton (Natalie Anderson) but he began an affair with Todd Grimshaw and, once he had split from his wife, they began an official relationship but it quickly turned sour.
For almost a year, Theo terrorised Todd with bizarre forms of abuse, both mental and physical, and caused the death of his best friend Billy (Daniel Brocklebank) in the crossover with Emmerdale.
Still coming to terms with the loss of Theo, on Friday’s episode of the world’s longest-running TV soap, Todd was surprised to see Danielle turn up at his flat amid the murder investigations, where she revealed more about her past with Theo. He said: “The police have already interviewed me. I had nothing to do with Theo’s death.”
But Danielle wasn’t convinced, and she shot back: “If he hadn’t met you, he’d still be alive. My kids would still have a dad! Maybe you got cold feet, thought it was easier if he was dead.”
It was then that Danielle started to say more about what she had been through. She said: “Since he’s been gone, I’ve been thinking back over our relationship. What kind of man he was. It’s what made me wonder if you’d snapped. Killed him.
“He was a good dad… especially when the kids were little. I knew he had a short fuse. God, sometimes we’d go at it like hammer and tongs.” When Todd claimed he “gave Theo power,” Danielle pushed back as she said: “No. Theo took power. He had all the power in our relationship, too. He just… didn’t abuse it.
“Though, actually, he did make all the decisions about everything. Where we lived, how we lived, how we parented. Every time we argued, I gave in. Because, secretly, I was afraid of him. I mean, he never hurt me or the kids, and I didn’t want to believe he was a bad man. But I knew how controlling he was.”
Danielle is an official suspect along with Todd, his father figure George Shuttleworth, his daughter Summer Spellman, and Theo’s former colleague Gary Windass, as revealed by bosses of the soap earlier this week. But fans think that they might have sussed it after Danielle’s sudden appearance.
One fan wrote on X: “Oh wow, I wasn’t expecting Danielle to say that. Was it Danielle?” whilst another said: “Go on, admit it Danielle.” A third suspected that the way in which Danielle had instantly accused Todd meant that she was the guilty one.
They wrote: “That scene where she turned up to the flat was very interesting because she instantly interrogated Todd, almost like she was deflecting or bluffing. That’s what made me think she killed him.”
Coronation Streetairs Monday to Friday at 8:30pm on ITV1 and is available to stream from 7am onITVX.
Prosecutors charge Florida served as central hub in 2021 assassination of Moise, which sparked ongoing political crisis.
Published On 8 May 20268 May 2026
Four people have been convicted in the United States in connection with the 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise.
Arcangel Pretel Ortiz, Antonio Intriago, Walter Veintemilla and James Solages were found guilty on Friday of conspiring to kill or kidnap Moise, whose assassination left a political vacuum in the Caribbean nation that has compounded overlapping security and humanitarian crises.
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They were also convicted of providing material support for the plot in violation of US law. All four face possible life sentences.
US prosecutors have said that the south of Florida, the closest US state to Haiti, served as a central hub for planning and funding Moise’s assassination.
During the trial, which began nearly two months ago, the defence argued that the defendants were scapegoats.
They claimed they had instead been involved in a plan to serve Moise an arrest warrant, amid a dispute about whether the president had overstayed his term.
They further maintained that Colombian mercenaries involved in the assassination were meant to accompany Haitian police to execute the warrant, but that Moise was killed by his own security forces before they arrived.
“This is a Haitian plot, and it is a Haitian conspiracy,” defence lawyer Emmanuel Perez said, as reported by the Miami Herald.
US prosecutors, in turn, charged that the men initially sought to remove and replace Moise, but the plan eventually escalated to assassination.
A fifth defendant, Christian Emmanuel Sanon, a Haitian-born doctor who allegedly wanted to be named president after Moise was killed, was set to be tried at a later date due to health issues.
Eight other individuals accepted plea deals as part of the US investigation.
No national elections have been held in Haiti since Moise’s assassination, although a provisional council was appointed in September 2024 to organise new polls.
The council has since been replaced by US-backed Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime, who has said elections will be held by the end of the year.
The UN has said a stable government is essential to restoring order in Haiti, which has been beset by a series of natural disasters and rising violence, with criminal gangs controlling large swaths of territory.
At least 8,100 gang killings were documented in 2025, with insecurity displacing about 1.5 million people, according to the UN.
