death

TOM Parker’s pregnant widow Kelsey has revealed her emotional struggle ahead of the first anniversary of her stillborn baby’s death.

Kelsey, 36, tragically lost her son Phoenix in June 2025 after he was born sleeping.

Kelsey has two children with The Wanted singer Tom, who died in 2022 aged 33, – Aurelia, six, and Bodhi, four – but had been expecting her third child with new partner Will Lindsay.

In May, she announced she is pregnant with her rainbow baby but she explained she is now set to tackle a bittersweet weekend.

Amid her pregnancy joy, it will be the one-year anniversary of Phoenix’s passing and in a candid Instagram upload, she admitted she “deeply misses my little boy and wish things had been different”.

Kelsey uploaded a selfie showing her in the sunshine, wearing a white vest top and sunglasses with a gold chain.

bump’s day out

Kelsey Parker shows off growing baby bump in first public appearance

MUM’S PAIN

Kelsey Parker opens up about the moment ‘she knew’ son would be stillborn

In a frank message posted alongside it she put: “I’ve been really quiet on here the last couple of days.

“Truthfully, I’ve been working a lot, trying to keep busy and just processing the fact that Sunday is a big day.

“It’s Phoenix’s first anniversary and it’s Father’s Day too.

“Grief is a strange thing. Some days you can keep going and stay busy, and other days it all catches up with you.

“I’m learning that both things can exist at once. I can feel excited about this next chapter of life, be grateful for everything I have, and still deeply miss my little boy and wish things had been different”.

Giving advice to her followers, Kelsey added: “If you’re navigating grief, anniversaries or simply carrying something heavy right now, please know you’re not alone.

“As always… stop waiting, start living. But also, give yourself permission to feel it all”.

Recently, the brave mum appeared on ITV daytime series Good Morning Britain to reveal her home was “treated like a crime scene” after Phoenix arrived into the world.

Kelsey’s spouse Tom died in 2022, aged 33, following a brain tumour battle.

She previously admitted that that grieving Phoenix was “harder than grieving Tom” as she spoke on the Mum’s The Word podcast.

She shared: “It was so hard. I think with Phoenix, it was harder than it was with Tom.

“I think because they [her kids] were so much younger, it’s like I could just be like, ‘daddy wasn’t coming back.’ 

“And you know, when I said about the angels taking daddy, ‘we won’t see daddy again’, it was like they accepted that and we sort of moved on. 

“And now as time’s gone on, they asked me more questions about their dad and stuff, but that initial I suppose with Bod as well. He was 18 months old. It wasn’t a question that he even thought.”

At the time of Tom’s death, Aurelia was around three, and Kelsey’s co-host Georgia pointed out: “They were almost ages where they didn’t understand. 

“So you almost didn’t have to explain it too much. You obviously have to explain it, but it’s very different to having a child that completely understands, knows what death is”.

A federal judge on Friday rejected former President Biden’s attempt to block the Trump administration from releasing to a conservative group the recordings that Biden made with a ghostwriter.

U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich found that the public interest in the material outweighed whatever privacy rights Biden had.

The recordings were obtained by special counsel Robert Hur in the course of his investigation into whether Biden improperly retained classified documents while a senator and vice president. Republicans in Congress demanded them after Hur declined to file charges against the then-president.

Biden’s Democratic administration refused to turn over the 2017 recordings and transcripts, leading congressional Republicans to hold his attorney general, Merrick Garland, in contempt.

President Trump’s Department of Justice authorized the release of the materials. That led Biden last month to sue to seek to block the release to a staffer at the conservative Heritage Foundation who had formally requested the records.

Biden objected to the release as an invasion of privacy, saying the recordings included him discussing sensitive personal matters such as the death of his older son, Beau Biden. But Friedrich found that the administration redacted that material.

The judge wrote that the materials “contain no mention of highly sensitive topics like illness or death, nor do they mention any non-public persons, including members of Biden’s family.”

Representatives for Biden did not immediately comment but asked Friedrich to bar release of the material while they appeal her decision. The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Friedrich was nominated by Trump, a Republican, in 2017.

Riccardi writes for the Associated Press.

What is the angriest acting performance you’ve ever seen?

Maybe it’s Joe Pesci in “Goodfellas.” (“Funny how? Do I amuse you?”) Perhaps it’s James Caan kicking the stuffing out of his ne’er-do-well brother-in-law Carlo in “The Godfather.” John Goodman enforcing the rules of bowling in “The Big Lebowski”? It’s in the conversation.

Did Ben Kingsley in “Gandhi” cross your mind? Probably not.

The 82-year-old Oscar winner thinks it should.

I’m Glenn Whipp, columnist for the Los Angeles Times and host of The Envelope newsletter. Don Logan or Mahatma Gandhi? The answer isn’t as plain as you might think.

Not long ago, I spoke with Kingsley just before an Emmy FYC event for “Wonder Man,” the enjoyable new Marvel TV series that finds him revisiting Trevor Slattery, the washed-up, drug-addled actor he first played in 2013’s “Iron Man 3.”

“Wonder Man” follows struggling actor Simon Williams (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), trying to land a big break in Hollywood while keeping his superpowers hidden. Trevor befriends Simon. Initially he has ulterior motives, but soon becomes Simon’s mentor, turning the series into a look at the indignities that actors face while pursuing their profession.

Taking notes while watching the show’s eight episodes, I wrote, “Ben Kingsley’s seething anger is everything.”

You may remember Kingsley’s bullying and badgering and swaggering menace playing the underworld sociopath in Jonathan Glazer’s 2000 crime-thriller “Sexy Beast,” still my favorite Kingsley performance, one that earned him a supporting actor Oscar nomination. (He lost to Jim Broadbent in “Iris.”)

Is that kind of boiling rage as fun to play as it is to watch?

“If the expression of rage or indignation is completely dramatically justified and that expression of indignation is of enormous benefit to the tribe, yes,” Kingsley answers.

(Larsen&Talbert / For The Times)

Kingsley says Itzhak Stern, Oskar Schindler’s loyal aide and factory manager in “Schindler’s List,” was, “bless him,” all about “contained rage.”

“And a colleague of mine who saw ‘Gandhi’ said, ‘That’s the angriest performance I’ve ever seen on screen,’” Kingsley continues. “That righteous indignation propelled him, and it can be expressed in many ways. Sometimes the safety valve is efficient enough to allow it to come through language and gesture, and sometimes the safety valve can’t hold it.

“That was Don Logan in ‘Sexy Beast.’ No safety valve.”

Let’s circle back to that thought of how rage can help the “tribe.” In “Wonder Man,” Trevor proclaims that “acting is not a job. It’s a calling, the single most consequential thing anyone could ever do with their life.”

“I would broaden the definition and refine it back to its origins,” Kingsley says when I ask if he shares Trevor’s view on acting. “There are images, thoughts and threads that I find nourishing and sustaining, and I treasure them. The tribal storyteller is a very consequential figure in the tribe, and if the mantle of the tribal storyteller falls upon that person’s shoulders, that is the single most consequential thing that person can do in their lives.”

“Trevor expresses it quite differently, and that’s fine,” Kingsley says. “That’s in the script. I honor the lines. But for me personally, as a rather convoluted answer, the tribal storyteller is the hand I hold and the baton I want passed on to me. Maybe it has. I hope I’m worthy, but it’s …” Kingsley widens his eyes and whispers, “Wow.”

“It is the single most consequential thing I can do with my life.”

The “Love Island USA” production team is mourning the loss of executive producer James Barker, who died last week while on set in Fiji.

“Love Island USA” producers ITV America and Peacock confirmed Barker’s death in a media release shared with The Times on Monday. The announcement said that Barker died after “an unexpected medical emergency” but did not provide additional details, including the day of his death and a cause of death. Barker was 40.

“James’ unimaginable loss has been deeply felt across not just the entire Love Island USA production, but throughout all of ITV and Peacock,” the television companies said in a joint statement. “He was a beloved and greatly valued member of our collective family whose kindness, talent and dedication left an indelible mark on all of us and everyone who had the privilege of knowing and working with him. We extend our heartfelt condolences to James’ family, friends and colleagues.”

Barker began his tenure on “Love Island USA” in 2020, first working as a story producer. He has worked as an executive producer on the series for the last three seasons and was also a member of the producing team on “Love Island” companion series “Love Island Games” and “Love Island: Beyond the Villa.”

Barker, according to Monday’s statement, also oversaw the hit series’ pop soundtrack. For an interview with Rolling Stone in 2025, Barker recalled watching the original British “Love Island” series and how pop music supplemented the on-screen romances and heartbreak: “I think that is where my brain immediately said, ‘One, this is amazing, and more shows should be like this.’ And two, ‘How do I work on “Love Island”?’”

Barker also noted in the interview that he drew inspiration for the “Love Island USA” villa sound from his pre-TV career as a nightlife DJ and spoke about the process of hand-selecting music from established pop acts and up-and-coming artists.

“In the past, there was such a stigma about reality shows that a lot of artists didn’t want their music associated with reality shows. And that’s starting to turn around now,” Barker told the outlet. “[Artists are] more and more seeing, well, one, the financial aspect of having your music synced in these kind of shows, and also just the wide reach of viewers.”

Before “Love Island USA,” Barker was a producer on reality series “Pawn Stars,” “Counting Cars” and “Forged in Fire.” He later served as a story producer on “Queer Eye,” “Cosmic Love” and “Are You My First?” Outside of his TV work, Barker often performed as DJ Chaotic at gay bar C’mon Everybody in Brooklyn.

“Love Island USA,” which began its eighth season earlier this month, will pay tribute to Barker in Tuesday’s episode.

He is survived by his mother Malinda.

A weekend BASE jumping accident in a Utah canyon killed two people, one of them a daredevil athlete best known for performing onstage with Madonna at the 2012 Super Bowl, authorities said.

The Sheriff’s Office in Grand County, Utah, confirmed one of the dead was Andy Lewis, an extreme athlete known for feats in BASE jumping, a dangerous sport that involves parachuting to the ground after jumping from a tall fixed object such as a building, a bridge or a desert cliff overlooking a deep canyon.

In BASE jumping circles, Lewis had a huge following and a reputation for pushing the envelope — leaping into tighter spaces or deploying his parachute later than his peers would dare, said John McEvoy, a BASE jumping instructor in Twin Falls, Idaho, who has jumped with Lewis.

“He had an incredible level of athleticism and skill that was developed over years of practice,” McEvoy said. “But then he would take an incredible amount of risk.”

Lewis’ other sport made him an overnight celebrity, thanks to Madonna

Lewis was also a prominent figure in the niche sports of slacklining and tricklining, which combine elements of high-wire walking with aerial acrobatics — sometimes at perilous heights.

Lewis went from obscure athlete to overnight celebrity when he appeared onstage in Madonna’s 2012 Super Bowl halftime show. Dressed in a Roman toga, Lewis bounced and executed tricks on his inch-wide line as though it was a trampoline while Madonna sang behind him.

“My phone actually rang itself to death three days in a row,” Lewis said soon afterward in an appearance on Conan O’Brien’s late-night show.

Emergency responders were dispatched Sunday to a report of people injured in a BASE jumping attempt at Mineral Bottom, a remote desert area near the Utah-Colorado line, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Lewis and an unidentified 50-year-old man died at the scene, the office said in a news release.

Sheriff’s Lt. Al Cymbaluk confirmed to the Associated Press that it was Lewis the extreme athlete who died. He said he had no further details on the fatal accident.

BASE jumping is far more dangerous than skydiving

Though there’s no official tally of BASE jumping deaths, a list compiled by the website BASEaddict.com shows 540 total fatalities worldwide since 1981 — including 30 people killed last year. Prominent deaths include BASE jumper Dean Potter and his climbing partner, Graham Hunt, who were killed in 2015 while attempting a wingsuit flight in Yosemite National Park.

A study focused on BASE jumping in Norway, published in a medical journal in 2007, estimated that BASE jumping carried risks of injury or death five to eight times greater than skydiving.

Lewis openly acknowledged the sport’s inherent danger.

“It’s weird to think about how many people are dead, because it’s like a normal thing,” Lewis told documentary filmmaker Ella Warnick in an interview published last year.

Lewis owned BASE Jump Moab, a business that offered excursions to inexperienced customers using tandem jumps, in which the customer was harnessed to a guide wearing the parachute.

Sheriff’s spokesperson Cymbaluk said he didn’t know whether Lewis and the other man killed were performing a tandem jump.

Tandem BASE jumping carries additional risk because it straps together two people, one of whom generally lacks experience, under a single parachute, McEvoy said. But because they involve novices, they also tend to be the most low-risk, basic types of jumps.

“Within BASE, it’s a very controversial topic,” McEvoy said. “There’s a lot of people who say it’s the stupidest thing in the world and others arguing, `No, we’re giving people the experience of their lives.’”

No one immediately returned phone, text and Facebook messages left Monday for BASE Jump Moab.

Lewis won four straight world championships in competitive slacklining from 2008 through 2011. Lewis set a Guinness World Record for slackline surfing, swaying his feet side to side in a rocking motion that mimics surfing, while keeping his balance above China’s Diaoshuilou waterfall in 2011.

In 2014, he walked a slackline suspended between two hot air balloons more than 4,000 feet above the Nevada desert.

Bynum writes for the Associated Press.

The outbreak caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus strain has reached 782 confirmed cases.

The number of confirmed cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)’s Ebola outbreak has surged to 782, with 178 deaths, marking one of the largest daily jumps so far as regional conflict, patient escapes, and limited contact tracing undermine containment efforts.

The Ministry of Public Health confirmed 72 new cases on Sunday over the previous 24 hours, a record single-day increase, with 29 additional deaths.

The Bundibugyo virus strain has a 22.8 percent death rate so far, with 40 patients recovering, officials said.

“We remain committed to supporting affected countries until transmission is stopped. We call on partners and donors to urgently mobilise resources to strengthen the response and save lives,” Jean Kaseya, director general of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, said on Sunday.

The outbreak stems from the rare Bundibugyo strain, which has no approved vaccine or treatment, unlike the Zaire virus responsible for the DRC’s previous 16 Ebola outbreaks.

Contact tracing coverage has plummeted to 56.5 percent, a sharp decline from the 95% target, Health Ministry officials said.

Doctors Without Borders, known by its French initials MSF, warned that “no one knows the true scale” of the outbreak due to dangerous gaps in surveillance and testing.

Eastern Ituri province remains the outbreak’s epicentre, harbouring nearly 95 percent of all confirmed cases. The virus has since breached into North Kivu and South Kivu provinces and spread across the border to Uganda.

Ituri’s humanitarian crisis exacerbates the medical emergency. Nearly one million residents have fled overlapping armed conflicts involving multiple groups, including the M23 rebel movement that controls Goma, the capital of North Kivu province. The area has endured decades of instability, with United Nations reports documenting massacres of more than 100 civilians in gold-rich Ituri villages as various factions vie for control of the region’s mineral wealth.

Thousands of artisanal miners routinely shuttle between clandestine mining sites scattered across the mineral-dense region, creating transmission hotspots that evade health monitoring. The outbreak is believed to have originated in the mining-intensive Mongbwalu Health Zone in Ituri province.

The World Health Organization announced it is ramping up diagnostic testing and contact surveillance operations. However, MSF reports a critical funding gap of $21.5m hampering response efforts.

There are more than 100 Emmy categories, and if you scroll through each and every one of them on the Television Academy’s website, you’re probably one of those people who read the terms and conditions on a document before signing your name.

This hasn’t been the greatest year for television, which has had the converse effect of prompting me to sample more shows than ever in a quest to unearth that one hidden gem that merits a place on my mock Emmy ballot. Truth be told, I’m still looking. I’m sure I’ve missed something. And I’m sure you’ll let me know.

In the meantime, here are my picks for the top 15 categories — five each for comedy, drama and limited series — along with a brief line of reasoning for each. And if it’s predictions you’re after, you can find our full BuzzMeter panel’s choices here. Emmy nominations will be announced July 8.

Comedy series

“Abbott Elementary”
“The Bear”
“The Comeback”
“Hacks”
“The Lowdown”
“Margo’s Got Money Troubles”
“The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins”
“Shrinking”

Sterlin Harjo’s “The Lowdown” feels like it’s on the same trajectory as his last series, “Reservation Dogs,” an under-the-radar charmer that grows in estimation as its audience builds. Noir crime stories don’t come more delightful.

Comedy actress

Quinta Brunson, “Abbott Elementary”
Rose Byrne, “Platonic”
Ayo Edebiri, “The Bear”
Elle Fanning, “Margo’s Got Money Troubles”
Lisa Kudrow, “The Comeback”
Jean Smart, “Hacks”

“Platonic” heightened the chaos and conflict in its second season, affording the gifted Byrne additional room to flex her comic chops. How do you sleep on a show starring a newly minted Oscar nominee?

Comedy actor

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, “Wonder Man”
Ethan Hawke, “The Lowdown”
Tracy Morgan, “The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins”
Jason Segel, “Shrinking”
Martin Short, “Only Murders in the Building”
Jeremy Allen White, “The Bear”

Morgan acting oblivious is one of the funniest things ever.

Comedy supporting actress

Hannah Einbinder, “Hacks”
Janelle James, “Abbott Elementary”
Ashley Padilla, “Saturday Night Live”
Michelle Pfeiffer, “Margo’s Got Money Troubles”
Sheryl Lee Ralph, “Abbott Elementary”
Jeanne Tripplehorn, “The Lowdown”
Jessica Williams, “Shrinking”

The Padilla Pause is one reason I’m watching “Saturday Night Live” again.

Comedy supporting actor

Harrison Ford, “Shrinking”
Marcello Hernández, “Saturday Night Live”
Ben Kingsley, “Wonder Man”
Ebon Moss-Bachrach, “The Bear”
Nick Offerman, “Margo’s Got Money Troubles”
Stephen Root, “Widow’s Bay”
Tyler James Williams, “Abbott Elementary”

Hernández’s charisma and physical comedy is another.

Drama series

“Industry”
“A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms”
“The Night Manager”
“Paradise”
“The Pitt”
“Pluribus”
“Slow Horses”
“Task”

How many Emmy voters finally caught up on “Industry,” the fast-paced drama about a group of cutthroat Gen Zers? Four seasons in, it’s more addictive than ever.

Drama actress

Caitriona Balfe, “Outlander”
Myha’la, “Industry”
Chase Infiniti, “The Testaments”
Michelle Pfeiffer, “The Madison”
Rhea Seehorn, “Pluribus”
Zendaya, “Euphoria”

Now that “Outlander” is over, it’s time to pour one out for Balfe. Over the course of eight seasons, she hopscotched through time, enduring and overcoming numerous assaults and kidnappings, dealing with grief and trauma and enjoying lots of emotionally grounded sex. Balfe has earned a final reward.

Drama actor

Sterling K. Brown, “Paradise”
Peter Claffey, “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms”
Tom Hiddleston, “The Night Manager”
Gary Oldman, “Slow Horses”
Mark Ruffalo, “Task”
Noah Wyle, “The Pitt”

Claffey turned bumbling into art.

Drama supporting actress

Isa Briones, “The Pitt”
Taylor Dearden, “The Pitt”
Fiona Dourif, “The Pitt”
Supriya Ganesh, “The Pitt”
Katherine LaNasa, “The Pitt”
Sepideh Moafi, “The Pitt”
Karolina Wydra, “Pluribus”

LaNasa should have bumped herself up to lead. As Whitaker explains to Langdon in Season 2’s penultimate episode, Robby’s the Professor of the ER and LaNasa’s Dana is the Skipper. And the Skipper should be lead.

Drama supporting actor

Patrick Ball, “The Pitt”
Diego Calva, “The Night Manager”
Shawn Hatosy, “The Pitt”
Gerran Howell, “The Pitt”
Ken Leung, “Industry”
Tom Pelphrey, “Task”
Carlos-Manuel Vesga, “Pluribus”

Pelphrey has called his desperate single dad on “Task” the role of a lifetime. No argument here.

Limited series

“Bait”
“Beef”
“DTF St. Louis”
“Death by Lightning”
“Half Man”

I put off watching the finale of the punishing “Half Man” for weeks. Does that mean the show worked?

Limited series/TV movie actress

Sally Field, “Remarkably Bright Creatures”
Camila Morrone, “Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen”
Carey Mulligan, “Beef”
Sarah Pidgeon, “Love Story”
Robin Wright, “The Girlfriend”

I like her! Right now (and always), I like her!

Limited series/TV movie actor

Riz Ahmed, “Bait”
Charlie Hunnam, “Monster: The Ed Gein Story”
Matthew Macfadyen, “Death by Lightning”
Mitchell Robertson, “Half Man”
Michael Shannon, “Death by Lightning”

The young actors on “Half Man” — Robertson and Stuart Campbell — outshone their well-known counterparts.

Limited series/TV movie supporting actress

Linda Cardellini, “DTF St. Louis”
Grace Gummer, “Love Story”
Laurie Metcalf, “Monster: The Ed Gein Story”
Cailee Spaeny, “Beef”
Joy Sunday, “DTF St. Louis”
Constance Zimmer, “Love Story”

Both Cardellini and Sunday for “DTF St. Louis”? No way, José, you say? Yes way, I say. All the way!

Limited series/TV movie supporting actor

(Larry Horricks / Netflix)

Jason Bateman, “DTF St. Louis”
Stuart Campbell, “Half Man”
Richard Gadd, “Half Man”
David Harbour, “DTF St. Louis”
Charles Melton, “Beef”
Nick Offerman, “Death by Lightning”

The mutton-chopped Chester A. Arthur joins Ron Swanson’s ’stache in television’s facial hair hall of fame.

EXCLUSIVE: The Death in Paradise spin-off star opens up about cast changes in Beyond Paradise

Barbara Flynn thought she had lost her job after one week of filming the Death in Paradise spin-off.

The beloved actress, who portrays Anne Lloyd and has also appeared in Death in Paradise, has offered a glowing tribute to a guest star following their departure from the BBC drama.

The fourth series of Beyond Paradise concluded earlier this year, featuring Anne Lloyd stepping in to prevent Humphrey Goodman (Kris Marshall) from being dismissed from his position. The episode additionally saw Zoe Williams bidding farewell to Shipton Abbott for travels abroad.

New arrival Mr. James Smith (Vincent Franklin) was also exposed by Anne for conducting an affair with a DI from Heston Morley station. Anne, who featured on a repeat broadcast of Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh today, previously discussed filming alongside Vincent, describing the performer as “funny”.

She told Reach PLC: “We got on incredibly well. He’s a funny man, and we had enormous fun off-screen as well as on. He was a lovely addition and a bit of a mystery, and it’s going to all end in… not tears, but chaos or something.

“And, of course, because Anne decides to get much more involved than that, then there’s a real, there’s a real kind of shift,” reports the Express.

Reflecting on increased collaboration with Kris Marshall’s character, Barbara continued: “Well, they all find it difficult having Anne in the station.

“I mean, Humphrey is as polite as he could be. He was never rude, but he’s so in his head, and so Anne is constantly bemused by him, but at the same time, very fond.”

Kris similarly expressed his appreciation for working with Vincent, who portrayed his adversary, calling him a “genius actor”. During the repeat episode of Love Your Weekend, Anne chatted with Alan about the series and how she finds it “a joy” to go to work.

“It is lovely,” Barbara said, going on to heap praise on the show’s writers, “Tony Jordan and Tim Key are an amazing pair. Death in Paradise has such a huge following around the world, and I think it is just something pleasant.

“I said to Sally (Bretton) once, because most of my scenes are with her, who I absolutely adore, I said, ‘Look, Sal, here we are sitting on a bench on a beach’.

“We are at work, and we were doing yoga on a beach, and it was a complete delight.”

She went on to reveal that she broke her ankle after just one week of filming, which made shooting certain scenes particularly challenging. She added, “The rest of it was filmed of me from wheelchairs and crutches. I thought I’d lost a job after the first week, but they said, ‘No, no Barbara, we will wheel you up and down’.”

Beyond Paradise is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

For two weeks, the fate of Major General Rabe Abubakar (rtd) had become a barometer for testing whether Nigerian authorities could secure the release of a high-ranking military officer from the hands of terrorists operating in the northwestern region.

The answer came on Saturday, June 13, in a press statement by Nasiru Muazu, Katsina’s Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs. The retired general could not be rescued, the Katsina government itself said. Rabe, who served as the Director of Defence Information at Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters between 2015 and 2017, died while in detention at the hands of the terrorists who abducted him. 

Rabe was abducted alongside his wife, Hajia Amina, on May 30. A native of Batsari from Katsina State, he was kidnapped on the Matazu–Sayaya road, a road that has now become one of the most volatile in the North West. 

“It is with profound sadness that we confirm the General’s death while in bandits’ captivity. Despite the relentless and concerted efforts of the State Government and various Security Agencies to secure his safe release, the situation ended in this tragedy. The deceased Retired General died a natural death from complications of diabetes and hypertension,” Nasiru said in the statement.

The abduction of the general had exposed how deeply terrorism has eaten into the fabric of Nigeria, especially the North West, where criminals have turned into full-time armed gangs that engage in kidnapping, pillaging, and other forms of terrorism. 

For over a decade, Katsina and other states in the region have faced incessant attacks from these terrorists, forcing local authorities to consider a “reconciliation” with the armed groups to restore peace. Some local government areas in Katsina, such as Jibia, Batsari, Kurfi, Safana, Danmusa, Matazu, Musawa, Kankara, Faskari, Malumfashi, and Bakori, have agreed to establish peace accords with terrorists in their areas. 

However, while some of these areas have seen relative calm, the situation in Matazu, Bakori, Musawa, Kankia, and Malumfashi has only deteriorated. The Marabar Musawa – Musawa – Matazu – Kafin Soli road (where the General was abducted) became volatile after the peace deal broke. 

Even before May 30, there were several cases of abduction on the road as well as attacks on communities and towns in the area. HumAngle reports that Muhammadu Fulani, the terrorists’ leader in the Matazu – Musawa area, is accusing the state government of arresting three of his men and seizing his livestock. 

Ambush on a wedding road 

Rabe was travelling with his driver and wife to Katsina for a wedding ceremony when the terrorists emerged near a village called Zakin Baure, blocked the road, and opened fire on his vehicle, a red coloured Peugeot 406 car, according to media reports. That forced the vehicle to a halt, enabling the terrorists to abduct him and his wife and push them into a nearby forest. His driver, however, escaped with gunshot injuries and was later admitted to a hospital. 

They were heading toward Katsina city for a family wedding through the perilous corridor, Marabar Musawa–Musawa–Matazu–Kafin Soli, which sits at the fault line of a regional peace architecture that has become increasingly fragile.

Abduction timeline 

June 6: The terrorists released a video clip of the couple begging for the government to rescue them. The wife, who spoke, asked the government to facilitate the release of some three terrorists arrested by security agents in exchange for the couple’s freedom. 

June 8: The terror group leader, Muhammadu Fulani, said he would not release the wife of the General, Amina, as promised, after the government dispatched security agents to the area to fight him. 

June 11: A video clip of the General, his wife and four others went viral on social media. HumAngle checks revealed that the other four persons in the video were members of the All Progressive Congress (APC) from Danja Local Government Area of the state who were abducted last month on the same road. 

June 12: A special prayer session was organised at the Sa’ad Bin Abi Waqqas Mosque in Barhim Estate, Katsina city, at 5 p.m.. Several relatives and friends of the Major General attended the prayer session, where the Imam called on the government to ensure the safe return of Rabe, his wife, and all abducted victims.

June 13 (morning): A WhatsApp message began circulating, especially in Katsina. The message said the General had died Friday night, June 12. “Innalillaihi wa ina ilaihil rajiun. This is to announce on a sad note. The death of General Rabe Abubakar last night at the hands of the bandits.” A HumAngle reporter also received a message from a retired civil servant asking for confirmation. 

June 13 (afternoon): The Katsina State government, through the Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, confirmed the General’s death, saying that he died “a natural death from complications of diabetes and hypertension”. 

A symbol, and a warning

General Rabe’s death has reverberated through Nigeria’s security establishment and social media platforms precisely because of who he was: a man who had once stood before cameras explaining the state’s fight against terrorism. It also brings renewed attention to Nigeria’s growing terrorism and persistent security challenges facing several northern states despite ongoing military operations against the armed groups. 

Dikko Umaru Radda, the Katsina State governor, called the episode a “dark moment,” saying it highlighted the urgent need for a stronger, more coordinated security response, while pledging that those responsible would be pursued.

For residents of Katsina’s volatile corridors, Rabe’s death is a confirmation of what many have long understood: on the state’s insecure roads, rank, fame, and a lifetime of service offer no immunity at all.

His wife’s status was not addressed in Saturday’s statement, and her deceased husband was buried according to Islamic rites, but sources told HumAngle she was released alongside her husband’s remains.

Glenn Close is not going to be ignored this time around, as the eight-time Oscar nominee will finally receive recognition from the academy this fall.

I’m Glenn Whipp, columnist for the Los Angeles Times and host of The Envelope newsletter, working up a healthy World Cup fever even if it’s just an excuse to head to Lucky Baldwin’s for a pint or two and watch Cristiano Ronaldo one last time.

But let’s circle back to American football and my digital cover story with “Beef” stars Cailee Spaeny and Charles Melton, who watched a Super Bowl together, though they were cheering for different teams.

That Super Bowl in question was Super Bowl LIX, pitting the Philadelphia Eagles against the Kansas City Chiefs. Melton hosted a watch party, and since he considers Kansas home and played football for Kansas State University, you might think he’d be rooting for the Chiefs.

Nope.

“When I was living in Germany, I fell in love with Donovan McNabb,” Melton, an army brat, tells me, name-checking the longtime Eagles quarterback.

Spaeny, it turns out, was the only Chiefs fan at the party. To enter Melton’s home, she had to step on a doormat that was fitted with a red-and-white Chiefs jersey. (“It got real dirty,” Melton says with pride.)

Melton and Spaeny enjoy a relaxed and playful give-and-take, borne from the months they spent preparing to play Austin and Ashley, a Gen-Z couple working at a Montecito country club, dreaming and scheming toward upward mobility in “Beef.”

(Erik Carter / For The Times)

The most memorable episode they shared found the couple in an overcrowded, ninth-circle-of-hell emergency room with Ashley, uninsured, experiencing severe ovarian torsion. Her concerns are dismissed and she begs for someone to save her.

“Unfortunately, it’s an all-too-common experience,” Spaeny says. “I probably have a conversation once a month with female friends who go to the doctor’s office and are gaslit by the system, just being made to feel like what they’re experiencing isn’t really happening or they’re making it up. It’s scary.”

Still, being “Beef,” the episode has its share of mordant humor, like the scene where a nurse asks Ashley to rate her pain, zero being pain-free and 10 being excruciating.

“Oh, I thought it was like Letterboxd,” Ashley replies, referring to the movie review social platform. “Two-and-a-half stars out of five is average.”

“My whole life I’ve been a six or seven,” Melton says, noting his own personal pain scale. “I’ll have a cold and I’ll be like, ‘Six or seven.’”

“That sounds like you,” Spaeny says.

“I can get pretty dramatic,” Melton says. “It’s really like the end of the world when I’m sick.”

Spaeny deleted her Letterboxd account because she gets anxious about anything online containing reviews.

“It takes two buttons to click on a movie that I’ve been in and see what people say about me,” Spaeny says. “So I forgot my password and left it that way.”

Melton is an enthusiastic adopter and says he has twice shared his four favorite films, a feature where actors, usually on the red carpet, list a quartet of beloved movies. (Here’s one at the “May December” premiere where Melton enthuses over “The Matrix,” “In the Mood for Love,” “Brokeback Mountain” and “Persona.”)

“I saw them at another event and they were like, ‘Charles, so good to see you.’ And I was like, ‘Do you want my four favorite films?’ And they said, ‘No, you’ve already done it enough,’” Melton laughs. “What can I say? I love movies!”

Elizabeth Olsen has been a regular on our screens for the past 15 years with plenty more to come.

Elizabeth Olsen fans may be surprised to see an unexpected hit ranked as number one.

Actress Elizabeth is no stranger to some of the biggest shows and films around, including none other than the iconic Avengers franchise.

She initially found fame as the older sister of twin actresses Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, known for appearing in Two of a Kind, before creating her own path in the entertainment industry.

As it’s now been revealed that Olsen is pregnant with her first child with husband and musician Robbie Arnett, here’s a breakdown of how Elizabeth Olsen’s work is ranked.

Elizabeth Olsen shows and films ranked

10. In Secret

Coming in last place for Elizabeth Olsen’s work is 2013 film In Secret, also referred to as Therese with just 41% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Also starring Oscar Isaac, Jessica Lange and Tom Felton, the official synopsis reads: “Therese is stuck in a loveless marriage to her sickly cousin, Camille.

“Her life changes when she meets Camille’s childhood friend, Laurent.

“They have an affair, but things end rather tragically.”

9. Love & Death

Scoring a more respectable 63%, Love & Death is a 2023 biographical crime drama that aired on HBO Max in the US and ITV in the UK.

The description reads: “Two couples lead peaceful and happy lives in a small Texas Town.

“However, an extramarital affair tragically alters the course of their lives.”

Olsen stars alongside Jesse Plemons, Lily Rabe, Tom Pelphrey and Krysten Ritter.

8. Eternity

Supernatural romantic-comedy Eternity came out last year and earned an impressive 76%.

Starring opposite Olsen in the Apple TV film is Whiplash actor Miles Teller and Masters of the Air actor Callum Turner.

The synopsis reads: “In an afterlife where souls have one week to decide where to spend eternity, Joan is faced with the impossible choice between the man she spent her life with and her first love, who died young and has waited decades for her to arrive.”

7. Doctor Strange

One of the numerous films in the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) to score big for Olsen is Doctor Strange with 73%.

The description reads: “In an accident, Stephen Strange, a famous neurosurgeon, loses the ability to use his hands.

“He goes to visit the mysterious Ancient One to heal himself and becomes a great sorcerer under her tutelage.”

Olsen is joined by the likes of Benedict Cumberbatch, Rachel McAdams and Chiwetel Ejiofor.

6. Kill Your Darlings

Released 12 years ago, the 37-year-old stars in thriller romance Kill Your Darlings with Harry Potter icon Daniel Radcliffe and The Amazing Spider-Man 2 star Dane DeHaan.

The synopsis for Kill Your Darlings, which earned 78% on Rotten Tomatoes, reads: “A literary revolution ensues when Ginsberg meets Carr at college.

“However, an unresolved murder invites trouble for Carr and sets Ginsberg on a path to reveal the truth through controversial poetry.”

5. Avengers: Infinity War

2018’s Avengers: Infinity War is the third Avengers film and the 19th film overall in the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe).

Starring as Wanda Maximoff, also known as the Scarlet Witch, Olsen features in all of the Avengers movies with this one ranking 85%.

In this chapter of the Avengers story, the team joins forces with their allies to stop Thanos from finding the infinity stones.

4. WandaVision

Olsen has her own time centre stage in the MCU sitcom WandaVision where “Vision and Wanda live a normal life in Westview and conceal their superpowers. “However, as decades pass by, they start doubting that everything is not what it seems.”

Joining her in the hit series are recognisable stars like Kat Jennings, Kathryn Hahn and Paul Bettany.

WandaVision scores a near-perfect 92% with fans on Rotten Tomatoes.

3. Avengers: Endgame

Of course, it’s no surprise that Avengers: Endgame is among Elizabeth’s most popular films with a whopping 94%.

Once again joined by the MCU’s usual suspects including Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr and Chris Hemsworth, Endgame became the highest-grossing film of all time, making more than $2.79 billion.

The synopsis reads: “After Thanos, an intergalactic warlord, disintegrates half of the universe, the Avengers must reunite and assemble again to reinvigorate their trounced allies and restore balance.”

However, Avengers: End Game not only isn’t Olsen fans’ favourite but also comes in second place with two other projects scoring higher.

1. Sorry For Your Loss

One of those taking the top spot with a staggering 97% is the two-seasoned drama Sorry For Your Loss.

Originally debuting in 2018, the description for the drama states: “The sudden death of her husband upends and transforms every relationship in Leigh Shaw’s life, also forcing her to realize there was a lot about her husband that she didn’t know.”

Archive 81 and Uncorked actor Mamoudou Athie, Star Wars ’ Kelly Marie Tran and Ozark’s Janet McTeer join Olsen in this Prime Video series.

1. His Three Daughters

Also declared as Elizabeth Olsen’s top project is the 2023 comedy-drama film His Three Daughters with 97% from Rotten Tomatoes.

The description reads: “Three distant sisters reunite in NYC to care for their sick father.

“Tensions rise as they confront past issues, aiming to heal family bonds amid laughter and tears.”

Gilded Age star Carrie Coon and Poker Face’s Natasha Lyonne Rachel both lead the cast with Olsen.

CELEBRITIES are turning up in droves for Jake Hall‘s funeral this afternoon.

Boxer Derek Chisora is among the celebrities arriving at Grade-I church St Mary the Virgin, in Wanstead, London, for the service.

Cops found the 35-year-old former reality show star in a pool of blood after he ran through a single-glazed glass door.

He was found dead at a Spanish holiday villa with head injuries after a night out partying on May 6.

Officers were called to the rented house in Santa Margalida in the north of the holiday island at around 7.30am.

Police quizzed four men and two women staying at the house.

They reportedly told officers that they had been out in the evening and continued partying after returning to the property in the early hours.

Authorities have not released the nationalities of the others who were at the property.

The Guardia Civil confirmed there was no “criminal activity”.

Hours before he died, he shared a last post on Instagram vowing to “remember the good things”.

Set to the Rolling Stones’ classic Beast of Burden, it showed him enjoying painting, Spanish scenery and fashion.

It was captioned: “Life is bollocks sometimes but I’m gonna try remember the good things – ️ looking through things – I’m just making art – in many forms.”

Footballer and model Jake leaves behind the mother of his child, Misse Beqiri, who he had an on-off relationship with since 2016.

The couple share a daughter, River, who was born in November 2017.

Misse posted an emotional tribute, writing: “There was no way you were ever supposed to go. My heart is shattered, and so is our daughter’s.

“You lit up every room you walked into – your smile, your charm, your energy filled the air.”

She then paid tribute to his love of music and creativity, as well as how many people really loved him.

Chloe Lewis also posted a tribute to her “first love” at the time of his death,

Chloe, who began a 10 year relationship with Jake when she was 16, shared a collection of photos on Instagram from their time together and wrote heartbreaking words that moved celeb pals including Michelle Keegan and Ferne McCann.

“My first love, my childhood sweetheart,” began Chloe. “A love that taught me so much about life and myself, and even more so now your presence is no longer here.”

In their early 20s Towie turned them into stars, but fame had a detrimental impact on their relationship.

Chloe said neither of them wanted to be in the public eye and the pressures of the show put a strain on their romance.

Leading tributes to the star at the time of his death was legendary DJ Fat Tony, who shared an image of the star and captioned it: “Devastating news we Love you such an awful loss to the world you beautiful man x.”

Blue’s Antony Costa wrote: “So sad, what a lovely bloke you were mate R.I.P.”

Love Island’s Jack Fincham wrote on a picture of the pair posted on Instagram: “Cannot believe what I have just read. Condolences to Jake’s family a very sad day. Rest in perfect peace mate.”

Jake first shot to fame on The Only Way Is Essex in 2015, where he famously dated Chloe Lewis before quitting the show in 2024.

Emmerdale’s Dr Todd, played by Caroline Harker, has been causing chaos in the village but the actress comes from a famous acting family

Dr Todd has caused nothing but chaos since her arrival on Emmerdale.

After bullying young trainee doctor Jacob Sugden (Joe-Warren Plant) at the hospital, Dr Todd, played by Caroline Harker, turned her attentions to Charity Dingle (Emma Atkins).

On Sunday night, Dr Todd sexually assaulted Charity after weeks of blackmailing her over the true parentage of baby Leyla.

Charity served as a surrogate for granddaughter Sarah Sugden and Sarah’s husband Jacob, giving birth to baby Leyla. However, Charity has failed to tell the new parents that she and Ross Barton are actually Leyla’s biological parents following a short fling together.

After Dr Todd discovered this secret, she demanded £100,000 from Charity, and things took a horrifying turn when Dr Todd sexually assaulted Charity on Sunday’s episode.

With Dr Todd currently dominating storylines on the ITV soap viewers may be interested to learn that actress Caroline, 60, hails from quite a distinguished acting family.

Who is Dr Todd star Caroline Harker’s family?

Away from the soap, it transpires that Dr Todd actress Caroline comes from quite a celebrated family. Her mother, Polly Adams, is an accomplished actress who has worked extensively across both the UK and the US.

She is perhaps best known for playing Mrs Brown in the 1990s television series Just William, with further TV credits including Kingdom and The Cinder Path.

In 1975, Polly made her Broadway debut in the award-nominated role of Grace Harkaway in a revival of London Assurance. However, Polly isn’t the only celebrated family member Caroline has.

Her sister is Susannah Harker, who has featured in hit BBC 1995 series Pride and Prejudice as Jane Bennet, alongside Jennifer Ehle, who played Elizabeth Bennet, and Colin Firth, who played Mr Darcy.

Other roles include Midsomer Murders and Grantchester. She also received a BAFTA TV Award nomination in 1990 for her portrayal of Mattie Storin in House of Cards.

Who is Dr Todd star Caroline Harker’s husband?

Caroline is wed to actor Anthony Calf, and together the couple have three daughters: Louise Emma Calf, Cecilia Ann L Calf, and Anemone Georgiana Calf.

The 66-year-old boasts an extensive acting career and is best known for his roles in The Madness of King George, Beau Geste, and I Came By, alongside his appearances in Lewis.

Between 2023 and 2025, Anthony portrayed Lord Brightlingsea in the costume drama The Buccaneers, and has also featured in the film A Teacher’s Gift (2025) and the series Insomnia (2024).

From 2005, Anthony spent a decade playing DAC Robert Strickland in New Tricks, having previously taken on the role of Michael Beauchamp in Holby City (2005 – 2006).

In 2019, Anthony stepped into the role of William Wickham in the hugely popular series Poldark, and also appeared in Doctor Who as Godsacre (2017) as well as Death in Paradise in 2021 as Phillip Carlton. His former brother-in-law is Game of Thrones star Iain Glen.

What else has Dr Todd star Caroline Harker been in?

Away from her work in the Dales, Caroline has cropped up in a host of productions, including Harry Enfield and Chums, Holding On, The Man Who Lost His Head with Martin Clunes, Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, Midsomer Murders, and Doctors.

In 2012, Caroline took on the role of Alicia Davenport for a brief stint in Coronation Street. She is also widely recognised for her portrayal of PC Hazel Wallace in A Touch of Frost, starring opposite Sir David Jason.

Her most recent roles include Julia in the Apple TV series Hijack, Bethany Hastings in The Stolen Girl, and Mrs. Taylor-Brown. Back in 2011, she made a one-off appearance in New Tricks, sharing the screen with her husband, portraying the character Tabitha Hall-Chalmers.

Emmerdale airs Monday to Friday at 8:00pm on ITV1 and ITVX

WASHINGTON — President Trump signed a bill into law on Wednesday that gives his immigration and deportation agenda a nearly $70 billion boost for the rest of his time in the White House.

The bill provides $38 billion for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and $26 billion for the Border Patrol. An additional $5 billion would cover unforeseen costs, according to the White House.

Trump signed the legislation in the Oval Office a day after House Republicans pushed the measure through by a 214-212 vote over the objections of Democrats. His signature ended a nearly six-month fight over Department of Homeland Security funding that began with shooting deaths of deaths of two U.S. citizens, Alex Pretti and Renee Good, in January during federal immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis.

Democrats began demanding changes to immigration enforcement after the shootings, creating an impasse — and resulting in the longest agency in history — that ultimately led Republicans to go it alone on the funding.

The agencies will be funded through the next three years. The new law front-loads routine annual funding, ensuring a virtually uninterrupted flow of money as the Trump administration seeks to deport some 1 million people per year.

The legislation had become sidetracked over $1 billion for White House security, including for Trump’s new ballroom, and a $1.8 billion fund to compensate his allies who claim to be victims of political prosecution. Both proposals became politically toxic and were scrapped.

The bill as passed focused exclusively on immigration enforcement, a topic that Republicans have treated as a defining issue between the two major political parties and one the GOP hopes will carry it to victory in November’s midterm elections.

Superville and Binkley write for the Associated Press.

Actor Anthony Head died last week at the age of 72 after complications due to pneumonia.

Last week, the world was shocked and saddened to hear the news that actor Anthony Head had died.

The star was best known for his roles as Giles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Rupert Mannion in the comedy series Ted Lasso.

On Wednesday’s episode of The One Show (June 10), BBC presenters Angellica Bell and JB Gill spoke about his death to actor Colin Morgan.

The 40-year-old starred alongside Anthony during his time on the children’s fantasy show Merlin, which ran from 2008 to 2012.

Anthony played King Uther Pendragon in the series, while Colin played the title character in the beloved show

Addressing the news of his death last week, host Angellica said to Colin: “Your big break was in the BBC series Merlin alongside the late Anthony Head, and you must have some fond memories of working with him?”

He said: “Yeah, I was so shocked and heartbroken to hear about his loss last week. He was such a pinnacle of a role model to me and all the young cast of Merlin.

“I have such incredible memories of working with him. Right now, my thoughts go out to his daughters, Daisy and Emily.”

JB added: “Yeah, condolences to his family as well.”

The news of his death was confirmed by his daughter in a statement which was released on Friday, June 5.

The said: “It is with heavy hearts that we announce the death of our extraordinary father, Anthony Head.

“He passed away peacefully of complications due to pneumonia, surrounded by his family. It has been, and forever will be, an honour and a privilege to be his daughters, and to have witnessed first-hand the impact both he and his work have had on so many.”

Since the announcement of his death, tributes have been flooding in from his former co-stars, including Matt Lucas, Charisma Carpenter and Sarah Michelle Gellar.

Alongside a photo of them all years ago, the actress wrote on Instagram: “Tell Giles I figured it out and I’m ok” Well I don’t have it figured out and I’m not ok. But I know I’m the lucky one because I knew you. Thank you to Daisy and Emily who not only shared their dad with me, but with the world.

The One Show is available to watch weeknights on BBC One from 7pm

Channel 5’s The Fortune is set to come to an end this week, but viewers have been blasting the latest episode.

*This article contains spoilers for the latest episode of The Fortune*

Further turmoil appears imminent for Amanda Blakefield (portrayed by Eleanor Tomlinson) following a sinister development in the most recent instalment of Channel 5’s new series, The Fortune.

During Tuesday evening’s broadcast (June 9), audiences witnessed the consequences of Boots’ (Stephen Tompkinson) sudden demise as Amanda escaped to her spouse, revealing she’d concealed from authorities that he’d been shot, worried she’d face accusations.

Yet when she returned to his residence the following day accompanied by her closest friend, Sandy (Danielle Walters), Amanda was stunned to discover his corpse had vanished, and the entire property had been thoroughly cleaned.

Fleeing the location, the camera revealed Anthony Worrall (Callum Woodhouse) concealed nearby, watching from the darkness. Subsequently in the episode, Anthony received a shocking revelation from his mother, reports Wales Online.

During their exchange, she disclosed that Amanda couldn’t possibly be his father’s secret daughter, as he was incapable of fathering children himself. She informed him that Boots was his biological father, explaining they’d adopted him as a youngster.

Devastated by this revelation and refusing to accept what he’d learned, Anthony fled the property. Later, he was shown placing stones into a bag containing Boots’ lifeless body before submerging him in the lake.

Did he murder Boots, or is he protecting somebody else?

Anthony wasn’t alone in facing family turmoil, as Amanda was left shocked when her mum’s care home telephoned, reporting she’d fled the premises. However, Amanda instinctively suspected she’d been abducted by someone.

As the programme concluded, it showed her mum conversing with Amanda’s husband Jimmy (Matthew Lewis) in the rear of a taxi while his hands were tied together. Surprisingly, they were both talking to the taxi driver who had previously transported Amanda on several occasions throughout the series.

Despite the episode’s unexpected developments, some viewers appeared disappointed by the show’s pacing, with one person commenting: “#TheFortune #Channel5 Why is it so s-l-o-w!”

Another wrote: “I really, really wanted to like this … Waste of a good cast #thefortune channel 5.” While a third person questioned: “Can anyone remember Episode 2 of #thefortune? It’s been so long since it was on. Why didn’t C5 just put this on across four days, like they normally do? And if not, just stick it all online from day one.”

Though one viewer championed the programme, stating: “Episode three of #TheFortune tonight. Should be good.”

It appears viewers won’t have much longer to discover what awaits Amanda as the series reaches its conclusion this week.

The Fortune continues Wednesday June 10 on Channel 5 from 9pm

WASHINGTON — Mismanagement at a massive Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Texas created unsafe conditions that contributed to detainee deaths and suffering even as millions of wasted tax dollars enriched contractors, according to a federal report released Tuesday.

The Government Accountability Office report documents serious problems at Camp East Montana, a sprawling tent facility at Ft. Bliss in El Paso where three detainees have died in a little more than six months. Evidence in one of those deaths, of a 55-year-old Cuban migrant who died in January after being held down by guards, was “missing or destroyed,” the report found.

ICE rushed to open the camp in August before construction was complete and failed to conduct required oversight to ensure detainees were held in sanitary conditions and receiving adequate medical care, according to the report.

The Department of Homeland Security noted that ICE has replaced the contractor running the facility. “This new contractor will allow Camp East Montana to continue abiding by the highest detention standards with the ability to provide more medical care on-site,” said Homeland Security spokesperson Lauren Bis.

The GAO’s findings echo past reporting by the Associated Press and other news outlets about dangerous conditions at Camp East Montana, which quickly became the nation’s largest immigration detention facility.

But the government report also details previously undisclosed incidents, including a detainee escape in October due to what ICE called the contractor’s oversight failure. In January, a security guard lost a loaded firearm inside the facility that was never recovered.

The contractor failed to administer skin tests to screen detainees for tuberculosis, relying on a questionnaire instead, the report said. The inadequate screening allowed a detainee with tuberculosis to be housed with the general population, which later suffered an outbreak.

GAO is an independent, nonpartisan agency in Congress that investigates how federal funds are spent and evaluates whether programs and policies are operating effectively. The office opened its review into Camp East Montana at the request of Democrats in the House and Senate.

Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois called the report’s findings “damning.”

“We now know even more details of how dangerous and irresponsible the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign truly is,” said Durbin, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, adding that “those detained are experiencing conditions that shock the conscience.”

A rush to build led to an inexperienced contractor

Facing pressure to increase its detention capacity, the Trump administration routed the contract to build Camp East Montana through the Army to speed construction after ICE twice failed to successfully award one. That resulted in the selection of a small, little-known contractor, Acquisition Logistics, for the $1.3-billion deal despite it having no prior experience operating detention facilities and facing what ICE called a “significant learning curve.”

The Army — and later ICE after the camp was transferred to the agency — wasted millions of dollars paying for services it did not need because the contract did not account for fluctuations in the detainee population, the report said.

The Army blew as much as $11.5 million paying for guards, medical services, transportation and meals in the weeks before the camp held detainees. Millions more were wasted because the government was contracted to pay the cost of meals for the camp’s maximum population of 5,000, even when the number of detainees there dropped to around 1,600, the report said.

Facility didn’t initially meet detention standards

The facility did not meet ICE detention standards or the contract’s requirements in several ways when it opened, in part because it had not been inspected as required by ICE policy, the report said. The camp lacked security cameras on the perimeter and had other surveillance blind spots that raised the risk of sexual assaults or escapes.

The camp could not accommodate detainees using wheelchairs and had no showers compliant with the Americans With Disabilities Act, resulting in the disabled being held in medical care rooms.

The recreation area wasn’t available for several days, and after one yard was opened, it wasn’t enough space to provide required time for detainees. The law library, space to meet with attorneys and a visitation area did not open for weeks, resulting in detainees being deprived of legal resources and contact with family and friends, the report found.

The problems persisted as ICE began transporting more detainees there from across the country, the GAO found. While built to house up to 5,000 immigrants for short-term stays, its population has averaged about half of that from October until April, according to ICE’s most recent data.

Missing evidence and other problems

Detainees held at the facility didn’t receive comprehensive health assessments, which meant that those with chronic conditions received substandard care, the report said.

The contractor cleaned the dormitories weekly rather than daily as required, resulting in unsanitary conditions. Some guards offered detainees cookies if they would clean their own rooms. Acquisition Logistics didn’t reply to messages seeking comment.

The GAO report says investigations into the January death of Geraldo Lunas Campos were undermined after “evidence associated with the incident was missing or destroyed.” It did not elaborate. Campos died after he was restrained by guards and an outside autopsy report ruled the death a homicide due to asphyxia. The contractor at the facility did not provide use-of-force and death reports to ICE as required, according to the new report.

An investigation by ICE’s Office of Professional Responsibility into the death is on hold pending a criminal investigation by the FBI.

On Jan. 14, Nicaraguan detainee Victor Manuel Diaz, 36, died of suicide after staff put him in a medical holding room instead of suicide-resistant cell and left him unattended for intervals longer than 15 minutes, the report said. Staff could not see into the room because the contractor had failed to install vision panels that had been requested months earlier, it found.

“These are huge discrepancies in their failure to prevent suicides,” said Diaz family attorney Randall Kallinen, noting that the report strengthens a potential wrongful death claim he’s considering. “They are part of an entire laundry list of problems at Camp East Montana.”

Biesecker and Foley write for the Associated Press. Foley reported from Iowa City, Iowa.

OSCAR-nominated actor Terence Stamp left ­£1million in his will, ­documents show.

The star, who died last August aged 87, played villain General Zod in the original Superman movie and its sequel Superman II.

High Court records seen by The Sun show Stamp — who was divorced and had no children — left £1,015,564 to his wider family.

Stamp was born in London’s East End in 1938 and worked in advertising before ­winning a drama school scholarship in the 1950s.

His movie debut, Billy Budd in 1962, won him an Oscar nomination.

He dated actress Julie Christie and became a Sixties cultural figure.

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In 1994, he shocked fans by playing trans woman Bernadette in The Adventures Of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.

The role won him a Golden Globe nomination.

Stamp went on to appear in a string of other films, including Valkyrie with Tom Cruise and Yes Man with Jim Carrey.

He continued to act well into his 80s with parts in various films and in TV’s adaptation of His Dark Materials.

But despite appearing in dozens of productions, he said he was annoyed he had not done more. He revealed: “My only regrets are the films that I passed on because I was fearful.”

Stamp died on August 17 last year, with tributes flooding in from acting royalty.

Judge Emily Marks had previously allowed the execution to proceed, arguing that no execution is entirely without pain.

A federal judge in the United States has permanently blocked Alabama from executing an inmate with nitrogen gas, after declaring that the method violates the ban on cruel and unusual punishment.

On Tuesday, US District Judge Emily C Marks permanently enjoined the state from executing Jeffery Lee by nitrogen gas. Lee was scheduled to be executed Thursday at an Alabama prison.

Her decision came a day after an appeals court reversed her earlier ruling that the method is constitutional.

The case centres on how to interpret the US Constitution’s Eighth Amendment, which bars the government from inflicting “cruel and unusual punishments”.

A spokesman for Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said the state is reviewing the decision and considering next steps, including an appeal. The case will likely end up before the US Supreme Court, which has previously let nitrogen executions proceed.

A spokeswoman for Lee’s legal team said they did not have an immediate comment.

In her 26-page ruling, Marks said litigation is a constant in death penalty cases.

“Were Alabama to adopt firing squad as a method of execution, that method would likely be challenged as well. Indeed, there is likely no method — no matter how humane — that would be immune to constitutional challenge,” Marks wrote.

“But the Constitution does not guarantee a painless death, and human life cannot be purposefully extinguished without some risk of pain. The Court, the condemned, and the State must all confront that sobering reality.”

Marks noted that the state has two other authorised execution methods: lethal injection and the electric chair. She said Lee is “not entitled to an injunction barring the State from executing him using one of those methods”.

Marks also ruled that the state could switch to Lee’s preferred method, a firing squad. Inmates challenging execution methods are required to suggest an alternative method.

“The State can readily obtain rifles, ammunition, and other materials necessary to carry out a firing squad execution,” Marks wrote.

“Additionally, the State would be able to modify space at Holman to carry out executions by firing squad. The State is also able to source and train volunteers willing to carry out such an execution.”

Lee is currently housed at Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore.

Netflix’s new hit drama which is climbing the charts stars the late Song Young Kyu as Ryu Gwang-pil.

K-drama Teach You A Lesson was Song Young Kyu’s final job before his tragic death in 2025.

Netflix has just unveiled a new South Korean drama which is already climbing the UK Top 10 chart alongside shows like The Witness, and viewers have been talking about one star in particular.

The series, which is just one of many Netflix K-dramas, is about a school notorious for violence and the decline of faculty authority, which is turned around by an inspector from the Educational Rights Protection Bureau who uses physical intervention and unconventional methods to discipline delinquent students.

The show, based on the Naver webtoon Get Schooled, stars Song Young-gyu as Ryu Gwang-pil – a member of the National Assembly and the father of student Ryu Jun-hyeong (played by Lee Seung-gyu).

Song Young-kyu, also referred to as Song Young-gyu, was a 55-year-old South Korean actor who was best known for his theatre roles, and he made his film debut in the 2002 movie Turn It Up.

He was best known to international audiences for his roles in Netflix’s Narco-Saints and Disney+’s Big Bet, both released in 2022.

In August 2025, the actor was found dead inside a parked car in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. There was no signs of foul play according to authorities.

Teach You a Lesson was the show he completed filming on before his death and his posthumous appearance in the series is drawing worldwide attention.

The first episode of the series revolves around school violence and it sees Education Authority Protection Bureau supervisor Na Hwa-jin (Kim Moo-yeol) visit Daehan High School, where student Park Dae-seok (Jung Soo-hyun) died.

The ringleader of the violence, Ryu Jun-hyeong, is the son of Congressman Ryu Kwang-pil, a prominent potential presidential candidate.

Relying on his father’s position of power, Ryu Jun-hyeong looked down on students and staff, committing all kinds of atrocities.

Na Hwa-jin even visited Ryu Kwang-pil directly. However, instead of correcting his son’s wrongdoing, Ryu Kwang-pil tried to block Na Hwa-jin using his position and influence and even attempted to dismantle the Education Authority Protection Bureau altogether.

Song Young Kyu, who is survived by his wife and two daughters, appeared in more than 40 TV dramas and numerous films across three decades.

His role as Chief Choi in the 2019 film Extreme Job, which became one of South Korea’s highest grossing films ever, gained him international attention.

One fan took to X, formerly Twitter, to pay tribute to the star after watching Teach You A Lesson, saying: “I was so focused on the plot of Teach You a Lesson that I didn’t even realise the actor playing the bully’s father in episode one was Song Young-gyu.

“The crazy thing is, I’ve seen him in so many dramas over the years, but while watching this one, all my attention was on the story, the tension, and everything happening on screen.

“It wasn’t until now that it clicked. It’s a strange feeling when you recognise an actor after the fact and remember that they’re no longer here. It makes you look at their scenes differently.

“Supporting actors rarely get the same attention as lead stars, but they’re often the ones who make these dramas feel real. Continue to Rest in Peace, Song Young-gyu.”

Teach You A Lesson is on Netflix now

Death in Paradise fans shouldn’t miss out on this “beautiful” series while the BBC hit takes a break.

Death in Paradise fans need to watch this “wonderful” show that’s just made its eagerly anticipated comeback.

Death in Paradise is currently on its yearly break from BBC One, leaving dedicated fans desperately searching for something to fill the void left by the beloved cosy crime drama until it returns.

While they wait, viewers could instead tune into the real-life equivalent of Death in Paradise, documentary series Policing Paradise, which returned for its second series today, Monday, June 8.

The programme follows the day-to-day workings of the Bermuda Police Service, capturing both local and British officers patrolling the tropical islands as they juggle police duties with ensuring thousands of tourists remain safe.

What makes Policing Paradise particularly thrilling for Death in Paradise enthusiasts, however, is its connection to two of the beloved drama’s prominent cast members.

The debut series of Policing Paradise, which aired in March 2025, was narrated by none other than Officer Ruby Patterson actress Shyko Amos.

Yet for this fresh second series, it is the Commissioner himself, actor Don Warrington, who has assumed narrating responsibilities.

Policing Paradise season two continues to broadcast Monday to Thursday at 2pm on BBC One, with the opening four episodes now available on BBC iPlayer.

Series one of the documentary is already accessible to stream, with the remainder of the second series anticipated to follow at a later date.

Beyond the day-to-day hurdles of tackling petty crime and managing summer festivals, Policing Paradise also shines a light on various specialist units, including marine patrols, dog handlers and drug-enforcement officers.

Ahead of its return, one enthusiastic fan praised the first series on IMDb, writing: “This show has it all; insightful access to the full range of Bermuda police duties from dog handling to diving, beautifully photographed with great skill, and narrated with tact, wit and affection by Shyko Amos (Ruby, Commissioner Pattersons’ niece from Death In Paradise).”

They continued: “This show is an informative documentary with the bonus of that lovely camerawork with Shykos’ voice-over work deftly remaining appropriate and informed across the wide-ranging situations. More of this please!”

A second viewer agreed: “Great to see all the places we love and very interesting to see how Bermuda is policed.

“Hoping there will be another series to get a bit more about it and see more on wonderful Bermuda. Island paradise in the Atlantic.”

Policing Paradise is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

The 79th Tony Awards telecast kicked off with a bang by giving out two major awards in the first 30 minutes — and before viewers could blink both John Lithgow and Laurie Metcalf had each won the third Tony Award of their careers.

Lithgow won best performance by an actor in a leading role in a play for his portrayal of the controversial, beloved British author Roald Dahl in Mark Rosenblatt’s poignant drama “Giant,” directed by Nicholas Hytner. Times theater critic Charles McNulty called Lithgow’s performance “at once terrifying and never anything less than human,” and “one of the bravest” of the Broadway season.

Lithogow’s win, however, was far from assured. He was in the running against Nathan Lane in the season’s most talk-about show’s “Death of a Salesman,” and many bets were surely placed on the latter to sweep.

Lithogow is among a cadre of accomplished film and television actors who have a deep love of the stage. His first Tony win came for best featured actor in a play for his 1972 Broadway debut in “The Changing Room.” His second came 30 years later in 2002 when he he won for best actor in a musical for “Sweet Smell of Success.”

Metcalf won best featured actress for her portrayal of Willie Loman’s protective wife, Linda Loman, in “Death of a Salesman.” This is Metcalf’s third win in less than a decade, and was not a surprise as she has inherited “Helen Hayes’ mantle of First Lady of the American Theater,” according to McNulty.

Perhaps that explains her perfunctory, somewhat rote speech — which still didn’t detract from the joy of her win. Viewers know a towering talent when they see one.

Lithgow, to the contrary, was clearly stunned — and deeply honored.

“I’ve had dozens and dozens of static, ecstatic moments on stage, but I have to tell you right now, this moment has got to be one of the best,” he said as he held his award.