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Married At First Sight Australia’s Bec Zacharia has broken her silence after finding herself at the centre of a bridal dress hire dispute

A Married At First Sight bride has spoken out following a social media storm that left her facing a torrent of “abuse”.

Married At First Sight Australia has wrapped up its dramatic finale, with fans now switching their attention to the USA edition, airing weekdays on E4 at 8pm.

The fresh American series has been branded “more toxic” than the Australian original, though audiences won’t soon forget the explosive Aussie season packed with bitter rows and numerous departures.

Now, Bec Zacharia finds herself caught up in fresh controversy after a social media incident which she claims has taken a serious toll on her wellbeing, leaving her subjected to “abuse”.

Bec’s time on the programme attracted widespread criticism for her on-screen conduct during what proved to be a chaotic series, reports OK!.

The bride was left heartbroken at Final Vows, admitting she felt blindsided by her on-screen husband Danny, having previously declared her love for him.

Since leaving MAFS behind, Bec has been piecing her life back together, dealing with the fallout from her behaviour and enduring online backlash. However, she’s now become entangled in further controversy, even after the show’s conclusion.

According to the Tab, the recent drama erupted when Bec revealed she’d splashed out nearly $20k on MAFS, explaining she did not rent outfits.

Shortly after the podcast went live, her remarks sparked backlash from the owner of bridal gown hire firm RESRVD, who alleged Bec had utilised their services for a Final Vows outfit in return for publicity.

Rather than the promised repeated promotion, Bec allegedly tagged the brand only on her burner account. RESRVD’s owner Savannah vented online: “There’s small businesses behind these television shows and the brides that are wearing them and it is incredibly disappointing when a small business is not given the recognition that they are promised.”

Following the allegations circulating online, Bec revealed she’s been inundated with abuse, telling Daily Mail Australia her business Instagram account has been removed. She explained: “This is my only form of income, and that has now been taken away from me.

“I am a small business now. All of the deals that I’ve got going on rely on me having my Instagram, and the hate that I’m getting every five minutes, I’m getting abuse.”

She subsequently confessed: “I wish there had been communication where she could have told me her grievances… I would have done everything to fix that for her.

“I’m not an influencer. I’m just a normal girl. I thought what I had done was satisfactory.”

Bec revealed Final Vows and the gown were “triggering” for her, considering the heartache she endured after being dumped by Danny.

Chatting to news.com.au, Bec described it as an “honest mistake”, saying: “My life is crumbled, and I can’t get away from abuse.”

Married At First Sight can be streamed on Channel 4 online.

SAN DIEGO — Andrew Friedman got the last laugh last year, and another ring. At the trade deadline, you screamed he had to do SOMETHING BIG to get a left fielder and a closer. He did neither. The Dodgers rode a parade of starters to win Game 7 in Toronto, before they rode in a parade in L.A.

There are few things Friedman despises more than a deadline trade. The price in prospects is too high, the guarantees are too few.

Friedman might well face that same dilemma this year. We are two months from the trade deadline, and he just might need to trade for a starting pitcher by then.

Blake Snell undergoes elbow surgery Tuesday. Tyler Glasnow is back to square one in his recovery from back spasms. The Dodgers believe both will be back by the trade deadline, but you never really know for sure when an injured pitcher will return, and whether he will need some time thereafter to regain his sharpness.

There is something else Friedman despises: finishing second. It is not just about getting into the playoffs. It is about winning the National League West, with one of the two best records in the league, thus ensuring a first-round bye.

However, in a division race that was projected to be a runaway, the Dodgers find themselves in second place. With a 1-0 loss in San Diego Monday, the Padres leapfrogged the Dodgers for the lead in the NL West.

The Dodgers also figure to have a short time frame to determine whether they might need bullpen help at the trade deadline. The Dodgers have said closer Edwin Díaz is expected to return from elbow surgery sometime after the All-Star break, which would confine that time frame to two weeks, if that.

On Monday, Friedman said he was confident that the three key pitching injuries would not push him toward the July trade market.

“It’s more that the timing of the injuries would be way easier if they were spaced out,” Friedman said in a text message. “Obviously, injuries are part of the game and we can’t be shocked when it happens.

“It’s the overlapping nature that is tough in the moment, but that doesn’t really change July thoughts (at this point) or October outlook.”

In the third week of May, nothing is urgent.

The Dodgers are supplementing where they can, picking up three pitchers cut by their former clubs. The only one with name recognition: Eric Lauer, who posted a 6.69 earned-run average for the Toronto Blue Jays and complained about the team using an opener ahead of him.

The Dodgers can mix and match for awhile, but a team that prides itself on positioning its starters best for October success finds itself in an awkward position.

With Snell and Glasnow out, the Dodgers have little choice but to ask Shohei Ohtani, Justin Wrobleski, Emmet Sheehan and Roki Sasaki to take regular turns. No one but Yoshinobu Yamamoto has done that recently.

“You have to deal with the circumstances that are presented to you,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “We’re not pushing any of these guys right now. It could be a different conversation in September.

“Right now, they’ve got to take the baseball. In May, I don’t think it’s much cause for concern.”

Before the season, Fangraphs projected the Dodgers to win the NL West by 15 games, and to finish 17 games ahead of the fourth-place Padres. However, if what we see in the NL West right now is close to what we get all summer, that “different conversation in September” could involve not how to put a starter on a glide path toward October but whether that starter has exhausted himself to the point where he could not be counted on in an unexpected pennant race.

Ohtani is on pace to pitch 149 innings, a figure he last reached in 2022. He pitched 47 last year, none the year before.

Wrobleski is on pace to pitch 171 innings, 39 more than the professional high he set last season. He pitched 117 innings last year.

Sheehan is on pace to pitch 141 innings, 18 more than his professional high. He pitched 93 innings last season, none the year before.

Sasaki is on pace to pitch 137 innings, eight more than his professional high. He pitched 57 innings last season.

Maybe Lauer turns from a Dodger killer into a Dodger asset. Perhaps prospect River Ryan gets promoted into the starting rotation next month and sticks.

But July trades for starting pitchers need not be such a scary proposition. Friedman acquired Yu Darvish at the trade deadline in 2017 and Jack Flaherty at the trade deadline in 2024, and no one in Dodger Land is bemoaning the loss of Willie Calhoun, Trey Sweeney and Thayron Liranzo.

United States President Donald Trump says he has decided to pause an attack on Iran at the behest of Gulf leaders after Tehran sent a new peace proposal to Washington through Pakistan.

On Monday, Trump said there is now a “very good chance” the US could reach an agreement with Iran to prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

An initial, temporary ceasefire commenced on April 8, six weeks into the war. Since then, armed hostilities have largely subsided, but a durable peace agreement remains elusive, with both the US and Iran dissatisfied with each other’s proposed terms.

Also on Monday, Saudi Arabia said it had intercepted three drones, one day after a drone attack hit the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant in the United Arab Emirates. This has raised more concerns about the potential for renewed military escalation in the Gulf as peace negotiations drag on.

What has Trump said about a new attack on Iran?

Following the reported drone attacks on the UAE and Saudi Arabia on Sunday and Monday, Trump wrote in a Truth Social post: “For Iran, the Clock is Ticking, and they better get moving, FAST, or there won’t be anything left of them. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!”

Then, later on Monday, Trump wrote another post, saying he had been asked by the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE to hold off on a planned attack on Iran scheduled for Tuesday since “serious negotiations are now taking place.”

He added that he had instructed Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Chairman of The Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine and the US military not to carry out the scheduled attack. However, he said, he “further instructed them to be prepared to go forward with a full, large scale assault of Iran, on a moment’s notice, in the event that an acceptable Deal is not reached”.

What do we know about the latest peace plan Iran has submitted?

Iran has submitted a revised 14-point peace plan to end the war, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Monday.

Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei told a news briefing on Monday that Tehran’s response to the previous US proposal had been “conveyed to the American side through mediator Pakistan”, according to Tasnim.

Washington and Tehran have exchanged multiple proposals in recent weeks amid a ceasefire that has mostly halted six weeks of fighting. However, the initial direct talks mediated by Pakistan in Islamabad in April stalled, and Trump said last week the ceasefire is “on life support”.

While the specific proposals in the latest plan from Iran have not been made public, Baghaei said demands include the release of its assets frozen abroad and the lifting of sanctions.

“The points raised are Iranian demands that have been firmly defended by the Iranian negotiating team in every round of negotiations,” he said.

Iran has also previously demanded compensation for damage inflicted by US-Israeli attacks, an end to the ongoing US naval blockade of Iranian ports and a halt to fighting on all fronts, including in Lebanon, where Israeli forces continue daily attacks and have mounted a ground invasion in the south of the country.

Washington has urged Tehran to dismantle its nuclear programme and lift a blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, which, before the war, carried one-fifth of the world’s crude oil and liquefied natural gas ‌(LNG) supply.

What are the main sticking points between Iran and the US?

A major point of contention is Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium. During negotiations, Washington has urged Tehran to give away its enriched uranium, a demand Tehran has resisted.

Iran is believed to have about 440kg (970lb) of uranium enriched to 60 percent. A 90 percent threshold of enriched uranium is needed to produce a nuclear weapon. Iran has never officially declared an intention to build nuclear weapons. The US wants this stock to be handed over to it, but Iran is reportedly only willing to consider handing it to a third party – if at all.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told reporters on the sidelines of a meeting of foreign ministers from BRICS nations in New Delhi last week that Iran and the US have reached a “deadlock” on the question of Iran’s “enriched material”.

As a result, he said, the topic is being “postponed” until later stages in the talks. “For the time being, it is not under discussion, it’s not under negotiation, but we will come to that subject in later stages.”

Araghchi confirmed he had spoken to Russian officials about an offer from Moscow to store Iran’s enriched uranium. He said Iran may consider Russia’s proposal at an “appropriate time” and that he appreciates Moscow’s efforts.

“When we come to that stage, obviously we will have more consultations with Russia and see if the Russian offer can help or not,” he said.

The US and Iran are also arguing about whether Iran should be allowed to enrich uranium at all. Under the Obama-era Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, signed with several countries in 2015, Iran was able to continue enriching to 3.87 percent – enough for the development of a nuclear power programme. Trump withdrew the US from that agreement in 2018, despite consistent reports from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that Iran had stuck to its terms. Now, the US wants a moratorium on all uranium enrichment for a period of up to 20 years, it says.

Another sticking point between the two countries is the Strait of Hormuz in the Gulf.

Since early March, Iran has restricted shipping through the strait, a narrow waterway linking Gulf oil producers to the open ocean and through which 20 percent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies are shipped during peacetime. Iran has allowed passage by vessels from select countries, but they are required to negotiate transit with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

In its previous proposals to end the war, Iran has mentioned charging fees or tolls for vessels seeking to pass through the state. Washington has repeatedly rejected the prospect. In April, the US announced a naval blockade on ships entering or leaving Iranian ports, further adding to the disruption of global oil and gas supplies.

Iran’s state media reported, citing the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, that technical teams from Iran and Oman met in Oman to negotiate a mechanism for safe transit in the Strait of Hormuz.

A third likely major point of friction – although one which may also be kicked into later discussions – is Iran’s support for a network of “proxy” armed groups around the Middle East which it calls its “axis of resistance”. These include the Houthis in Yemen, who have also caused disruption by launching attacks on Israel-linked ships in the Red Sea in the past, Hezbollah in Lebanon and multiple groups based in Iraq and Syria.

It’s a global health crisis – not a pandemic.

But the World Health Organization is warning that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighbouring Uganda could be much larger than what has been detected so far.

The global health body is advising countries to activate national disaster mechanisms and introduce cross-border and internal screening.

Presenter: James Bays

Guests:

Ariel Kestens – Head of the Kinshasa delegation, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Dr Margaret Harris – Lecturer at the United Nations Institute for Training and Research

Dr Ahmed Ogwell Ouma – Former deputy director-general of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention

Multiple burials have been reported by locals

At least 80 deaths have been reported as a country battles an outbreak of a highly contagious disease.

The deaths were confirmed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s new Ebola disease outbreak in the eastern Ituri province, authorities said, as health workers raced to intensify screening and contact tracing to contain the disease. Officials first announced the outbreak on Friday, with 65 deaths and 246 suspected cases. Meanwhile, journalists in Ituri’s capital, Bunia, interviewed local people who recounted their fears and constant burials.

“Every day, people are dying … and this has been going on for about a week. In a single day, we bury two, three, or even more people,” said Jean Marc Asimwe, a resident of Bunia. “At this point, we don’t really know what kind of disease it is.”

Congolese health minister Samuel-Roger Kamba said late on Friday that there have been eight laboratory-confirmed cases, among them four deaths. Test results confirmed the Bundibugyo virus, a variant of the disease that has been less prominent in Congo’s past outbreaks.

This is the country’s 17th outbreak since Ebola first emerged in the country in 1976, the Associated Press reproted. Ebola is highly contagious and can be contracted through bodily fluids such as vomit, blood, or semen. The disease it causes is rare, but severe and often fatal.

The suspected index case in the latest outbreak is a nurse who died at a hospital in Bunia, Mr Kamba said, with the case dating back three weeks to April 24. He did not say whether samples from the nurse were tested, but said the person presented symptoms suggestive of Ebola.

DR Congo has experience in managing Ebola outbreaks, but often faces logistical challenges in getting expertise and supplies to affected regions. As Africa’s second-largest country by land area, Congo’s provinces are far from one another and mostly battling conflict. Ituri, for instance, is around 620 miles from the nation’s capital, Kinshasa, and is ravaged by violence from Islamic State-backed militants.

The disease is so far confirmed in three health zones in the Ituri province, including the capital city, Bunia, as well as in Rwampara and Mongwalu where the outbreak is concentrated.

Foreign Office advice for Democratic Republic of the Congo

As of Saturday afternoon, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office had not given specific advice about travel to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in regards to the Ebola outbreak.

Its current advice, which it said remained valid on May 16, was that UK citizens should avoid travel to muliple parts of the country due to political instability.

It said: “If you are in North or South Kivu and judge it safe to do so, and if routes are available, you should leave. M23 rebels and Rwanda Defence Forces (RDF) have captured the cities of Goma and Bukavu and the surrounding areas in North and South Kivu. M23 rebels and RDF captured the city of Uvira in December 2025, and then withdrew from the city in January 2026, though clashes continue in the surrounding areas. The situation remains highly unstable and unpredictable. Routes to depart Uvira, Goma and Bukavu are limited and may change at short notice.

“The border crossings between Rwanda and the DRC at Gisenyi-Goma and Ruzizi-Bukavu could close at short notice. Goma and Bukavu airports have been attacked and commercial flights are no longer operating from the airports.

“Support from the UK government is severely limited outside Kinshasa. You should not assume that FCDO will be able to provide assistance to leave the country in the event of serious unrest or crisis.”

The FCDO advises against all but essential travel to:

• The districts of N’djili and Kimbanseke in Kinshasa city south of the main access road to N’djili airport, in Nsele commune
• The N1 road in Kinshasa Province, between and including Menkao to the west, Kenge to the east, the border of Mai-Ndombe province to the north, and 10km to the south

The FCDO advises against all travel to within 50km of the border with the Central African Republic and to the provinces of:

• Haut-Uélé and Ituri, including the entire DRC-South Sudan border
• North Kivu
• South Kivu
• Maniema
• Tanganyika
• Haut-Lomami

It also advises against all travel to the Kwamouth territory of Mai-Ndombe Province. This is between, and including, the towns of Kwamouth, Bandundu and the southern border of Mai-Ndombe province. Further, it advises against all travel to the province of Kasaï Oriental and against all but essential travel to the provinces of Kasaï and Kasaï Central and to Bangoka International Airport in Kisangani.

WASHINGTON — The head of U.S. Border Patrol, the agency tasked with securing the nation’s frontiers and increasingly tapped by the Trump administration for immigration operations in American cities, announced his resignation Thursday.

Michael Banks’ decision, announced in a Fox News interview and later confirmed by the Department of Homeland Security, is the latest leadership shake-up of officials implementing President Trump’s immigration crackdown and comes as the Republican administration appears to be recalibrating its approach.

“It’s just time,” Banks was quoted as saying in a report on the Fox News website. “I feel like I got the ship back on course from the least secure disastrous chaotic border to the most secure border this country has ever seen,” he said.

In a statement, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection commissioner, Rodney Scott, thanked Banks for his service “during one of the most challenging periods for border security.”

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

It was not immediately clear who will replace Banks. He led an agency at the forefront of Trump’s high-profile immigration enforcement efforts but kept a lower profile than some other officials such as Gregory Bovino, a now-retired commander who became a public face of the city operations.

CBP is one of the federal agencies that participated since last year in a series of immigration enforcement operations, carried out primarily in cities governed by Democrats —an effort that triggered a spike in arrests and led to the fatal shooting of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis this year at the hands of federal immigration officers.

Banks’ resignation takes place two months after Markwayne Mullin, a former Republican senator from Oklahoma, became homeland security secretary. DHS oversees CBP and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, also known as ICE.

Banks is stepping down at the same time that ICE is also going through a leadership transition. Todd Lyons, the acting ICE director, is leaving later this month and will be replaced by David Venturella, who worked for years for private contractors before returning to government service.

CBP was established in 2003 and handles customs, immigration, and agricultural regulations to secure U.S. borders.

Banks returned to the Border Patrol last year after a long agency career that had never landed him in its senior ranks. His star had risen as border czar to Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, during a period when illegal crossings reached record highs and the state launched a multibillion-dollar enforcement surge that led to turf battles with the Biden administration.

Banks kept a relatively low public profile as arrests for illegal crossings that have plunged to their lowest levels since the mid-1960s, a trend that began toward the end of that Democratic administration.

Banks did not appear publicly at the Border Security Expo this month in Phoenix, an annual conference at which government officials update contractors on the state of the border. Scott, who was Banks’ supervisor, is a close ally of Trump border czar Tom Homan and has acted more as the agency’s public face.

In the interview with Fox News, Banks said that after 37 years, “it’s time to enjoy the family and life.”

Protests were held after three church leaders were killed and three others injured in a deadly ambush in India’s Manipur state, the latest incident of ethnic violence that has killed more than 260 people since 2023.

Without these you may be refused entry to Spain, the Foreign Office has warned

Millions of Brits flock to Spain each year, with the European country remaining a firm favourite among UK holidaymakers.

Spain’s appeal is undeniable – from its warmer weather, breathtaking coastlines and mouth-watering cuisine to its charming cities and verdant landscapes. With another hectic summer of international travel expected for 2026, we’ve looked at the entry requirements for Spain for anyone holding a UK passport. And travellers may not know they could be asked to present certain extra documents upon arrival – or face being refused entry.

According to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), alongside a valid passport, UK visitors may also be required to produce a return or onward ticket and/or proof of valid travel insurance. You may additionally need to demonstrate that you have sufficient funds for your stay, with the required amount varying depending on your accommodation arrangements.

Border officials may also request proof of accommodation, which could take the form of a hotel reservation or proof of address if you’re staying at a property you own. Alternatively, this might be an invitation or proof of address if staying with friends, family or a third party, such as a ‘carta de invitation’ completed by your hosts, the FCDO adds.

As well as this, new rules introduced post-Brexit mean that Brits travelling to the Schengen Area – which includes Spain – on a UK passport may need to check their travel documents now. This is because your passport must display a ‘date of issue’ that falls within 10 years of your arrival date, and if you renewed your passport prior to October 1, 2018, it could carry a date of issue exceeding 10 years, rendering it invalid for entering the Schengen zone.

Additionally, your passport must show an ‘expiry date’ of at least 3 months beyond the day you intend to depart the Schengen Area (the expiry date need not fall within 10 years of the issue date).

NEW YORK — President Trump’s 10% global tariffs were declared unlawful by a federal trade court in a fresh blow to the administration’s economic agenda, several months after the U.S. Supreme Court vacated earlier levies he’d imposed.

A divided three-judge panel at the U.S. Court of International Trade in Manhattan on Thursday granted a request by a group of small businesses and two dozen mostly Democrat-led states to vacate the tariffs. Trump imposed the 10% duties in February under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, which had never previously been invoked.

The court for now only immediately blocked the administration from enforcing the tariffs against the two companies that sued and Washington state, making clear that it was not issuing a so-called universal injunction. The panel found that the other states that sued lacked standing because they aren’t direct importers, instead arguing that they were harmed by having to pay higher prices for goods when businesses passed on tariff costs.

It wasn’t immediately clear what the ruling would mean for now for other importers that had been paying the contested levies.

The majority of the panel rejected the administration’s stance that “balance-of-payments deficits” — a key criterion for imposing the Section 122 tariffs — was “a malleable phrase.” They concluded that Trump’s proclamation imposing the levies failed to identify that such deficits existed within the meaning of the 1974 law, instead using “trade and current account deficits to stand in the place.”

The decision is the latest setback for the president’s effort to levy tariffs without input from Congress. Earlier duties — overturned by the Supreme Court on Feb. 20 — were issued under a different law, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or IEEPA. In that case, the justices ruled Trump had exceeded his authority, kicking off a legal scramble by importers for almost $170 billion in refunds.

The U.S. Justice Department could challenge the trade court’s latest ruling by taking the case to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which ruled against the Trump administration during the last tariff fight.

Section 122 allows presidents to impose duties in situations where the U.S. faces what the law defines as “fundamental international payments problems.” Even before Trump issued the tariffs, economists and policy experts debated whether the president would be able to build a solid legal framework using the statute.

In a proclamation declaring the use of Section 122, Trump said that tariffs were justified because the U.S. runs a “large and serious” trade deficit. He also pointed to the negative net flows of income from investments Americans have overseas and other things that showed the U.S. balance-of-payments relationship with the rest of the world was deteriorating.

Under the law, presidents have the ability to impose tariffs on goods imported into the U.S. on a short-term basis to address concerns about how money is flowing in and out of the country. Those concerns include “large and serious United States balance-of-payments deficits” and an “imminent and significant depreciation of the dollar.”

Unlike other legal options Trump might pursue to impose tariffs, Section 122 can be invoked without waiting for a federal agency to conduct an investigation to determine whether the levies are justifiable. But they can still be challenged in court.

The small businesses and states that sued argued that Section 122 became outdated when the U.S. ditched the gold standard decades ago. They say Trump improperly conflated “balance-of-payments deficits” with U.S. trade deficits in order to justify using the law.

They also allege that Trump’s order announcing the Section 122 tariffs was “riddled with omissions and mischaracterizations” around the meaning of a balance-of-payments deficit. The trade deficit cited by Trump is just one part of calculating the country’s balance of payments position, the states say.

Under Section 122, the president can order import duties of as much as 15%. The executive action can last 150 days, at which point Congress would have to extend it. Trump has said he would aim to increase the rate to 15% from 10%.

The states argue that Trump’s new tariffs violate other requirements in Section 122, including that such duties not be discriminatory in their application. The states argue that Trump’s new tariffs improperly exempt some goods from Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.

According to the complaint, the Trump administration conceded during the previous litigation over his IEEPA tariffs that trade deficits “are conceptually distinct from balance-of-payments deficits.”

The clash over Section 122 emerged just as the legal fight over refunds from Trump’s IEEPA tariffs began to heat up. A different judge in the Court of International Trade, U.S. Judge Richard Eaton, is overseeing the massive refund effort and ordered Customs and Border Protection to give him regular updates on a largely automated process the government will use to issue most refunds.

Larson and Tillman write for Bloomberg.

SIMON Cowell has revealed he is thinking of bringing back The X Factor, nearly eight years after the ITV talent contest was axed.

Over its 14-year run the show discovered huge acts including One Direction, Little Mix, Leona Lewis and Olly Murs.

And now the music mogul is considering a revival for the Gen Z years, following the success of his Netflix show The Next Act, which spawned rising pop stars December 10.

Simon told TV presenter Jamie East on his new podcast Tales From The Celebrity Trenches: “Do you bring it back as X Factor or do you bring it back as the Z Factor? We talk about it a lot.

“There’s still no question — the power of TV in terms of getting people to know an artist.

“It is so important if you are not writing your own material.

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“There is something about being on a big screen.

“You do hear about these artists who break online, but so rarely.

“We could have made [The Next Act] online.

“I just don’t think it would have had the same effect.

“The truth is, thank God, people like being on TV.”

Running such a huge talent show is not always plain sailing, but Simon had a distinctly New Age solution when the stresses got just too much while filming The Next Act.

He turned to crystals.

Simon recalled: “We were running out of money so I did have a little mini meltdown.

“And then I just sat with my crystals and they just comforted me.

“I can feel the energy.

“I thought it was kind of comforting having the crystals rather than everyone in my ear driving me crazy.”

He added: “I definitely believe in the powers of the universe.

“I feel that if you can harness the power of the universe to try and make your mind just calm down for a moment . . . ”

I don’t think I’ll be swapping a medicinal glass of rosé for rose quartz any time soon, but each to their own . . . 

Kylie in Michael tribute

Kylie Minogue will pay tribute to late boyfriend Michael Hutchence in her new self-titled Netflix documentary.

She confirmed yesterday that the Inxs frontman will be included.

In a first-look trailer, Kylie shared photographs of them together while they dated between 1989 and 1991.

Despite splitting, Kylie stayed close to fellow Aussie Michael until his death aged 37 in 1997,

She said previously: “He was a dark bad boy and I was the pure good girl.

“He opened up a whole new world for me.”

The three-parter will also feature Kylie’s friends and family talking about highs and lows she has faced, including her breast cancer diagnosis in 2005.

Kylie is heard saying off camera: “I felt removed from my body.

“I was so scared of what was ahead.”

Her sister Dannii can then be seen welling up as she says: “We didn’t know if she was ever going to well again.

“I just wanted to be with my sister.

“Music kept us going.”

Fans will have to wait until May 20 to watch the series in full.

Hol lotta Caity

Caity Baser was hostess with the mostess as she opened a beach club in the back garden of her seaside home.

She squeezed into a tight blue dress and posed with bunting and flowers at the party to mark the release of new single Holiday Song this Friday.

The singer’s pal Joel Corry was drafted in as DJ for the bash in Brighton.

She ordered a tonne of sand to turn her garden into a beach – but revealed to TikTok followers that she ordered builders’ sand by mistake.

She referred to her makeshift club as Ibiza Crops – a reference to Ibiza Rocks on the White Isle – but was dreading the prospect of clearing it all up afterwards.

If the release of the single goes as well as her party, she’ll have a very fun summer.

Jack Cullen began his first headline European solo tour in Bristol last night, and has a long slog in front of him.

The musician, who released single Face To Face on Friday, will play across the UK in the next few days then head to Brussels, Cologne, Amsterdam and Berlin.

He’ll then Run 22 marathons in 22 days – back from the German capital to London for the tour’s final night, headlining Oslo in Hackney on June 12.

Live gigs in Dolldrums

Pussycat Dolls, Post Malone and Zayn Malik have all cancelled North American tours in the past week – and it’s the clearest sign yet the live music economy is about to turn.

Last summer was one of the best-ever for gigs, with Oasis, Dua Lipa and Coldplay selling out stadiums, while Radiohead, Lewis Capaldi and Tate McRae played to packed arenas.

But ticket prices have only continued to rise since live shows returned after Covid, and now it’s clear punters have had enough of greedy artists taking advantage.

Shows are already hugely expensive in the UK, but over in the US, the prices are even higher.

Suki Waterhouse, Ella Mai and Logic and G-Eazy’s tours there later this year are also struggling to shift tickets, with fears they could be axed too. It’s only a matter of time before we see a similar knock-on effect in the UK.

Even some major tours here this summer are yet to sell out, after insatiable promoters added strings of dates and pushed artists into bigger and bigger venues.

As you know from this column, I love a good concert.

But at a time when everyone is strapped for cash, paying through the nose for a couple of hours of singing is just not an option for many.

So if the music industry keeps moving like it is at the moment, it’s only going to turn people off altogether.

It’s a three-horse race to the No1 album spot this Friday, with Mel C, Michael Jackson and Kneecap all battling it out for the prime position.

Just under 3,000 chart units separate third place from the top spot, so it’s all to play for.

Kneecap are currently at No1 with Fenian, closely followed by Mel’s Sweat and MJ’s 2005 compilation album The Essential, which is back in demand after the Michael biopic.

Pete aims for Kyle collab

Pete Doherty is recruiting The View’s frontman Kyle Falconer to collaborate on songs for his next solo album.

They previously worked together on Pete’s track Midas Touch, on Kyle’s recent LP Lovely Night Of Terror.

Now Kyle has revealed he visited Pete’s home in the South of France and will return soon to work with the Libertines rocker, right, again.

He said: “I was just over in France to see him, we’re talking about loads of stuff.

“It was all very arty. We were painting together, and talking about films.”

Pete’s last solo effort was 2025 album Felt Better Alive, while the last Libertines record was 2024’s All Quiet On The Eastern Esplanade.

Two years ago Kyle moved to Alicante in Spain with his wife Laura and their four kids.

He now runs songwriting camps from his La Sierra Casa studio, and said: “The camp is getting bigger and better every year, and we’ve just moved to a new place.”

Celebrity treasures on sale

War Child is back with its Spring Clean auction – packed with some of the most random and brilliant celebrity treasures going.

Fans can get their hands on Alan Carr’s Isabell Kristensen blazer from RuPaul’s Drag Race, and even a signed Devil Wears Prada 2 script donated by Stanley Tucci.

There’s a Fantastic Four script signed by Vanessa Kirby, plus one of the strangest items on offer – the infamous radish prop from Netflix’s Beef, signed by the cast.

You can also win a private film screening and lunch with Simon Pegg.

Meanwhile, sci-fi lovers can snap up a personalised photo signed by X-Files co-stars Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny.

Music lovers are also in for a treat, with signed setlists and memorabilia from Robbie Williams, The 1975 and Coldplay all among items up for grabs.

It runs until May 27, and will raise money to support children in war zones. See springclean.charitystars.com to get involved. Prize draw entries start at £10.

Liz up to sun-thing

Lizzo is lapping up as much sun as she can before she kicks off the promo for her new album, Bitch.

The Truth Hurts singer shared this snap with her 11million Instagram followers with the caption: “Best Birthday Ever”.

Lizzo turned 38 last week and used her special day to announce the record, which is the follow-up to her 2022 album, Special.

Teasing what Bitch has in store, Lizzo said: “I think it’s always going to be the Lizzo sound.

“I posted a snippet of one of my new songs that’s coming out very, very soon and somebody was like, ‘The Nineties are back’.

“I love constructing and producing and creating just well-crafted music and songs.

“I hope everyone likes it.”

As a massive Lizzo fan myself, I am sure I’m going to love it.

They are one of the most in-demand couples in ­Hollywood, so what do Gen Z heartthrobs ­Zendaya and Tom Holland do in their spare time?

The British actor, above with his other half, said: “So we have been ­crocheting at home. I absolutely love it.”

“I just find it turns my brain off. I can’t do anything else and do it. I have to be lasered in.”

I’m sure he still has Zendaya in stitches . . . 

LOUSVILLE, Ky. — Trainer Brad Cox will have to get by with two starters in his bid to win his second Kentucky Derby after Fulleffort was scratched Thursday morning.

The Daily Racing Form, which first reported the news, said Fulleffort has a chip in his left hind ankle.

“We’ll get that cleaned up and hopefully have a fresh horse for the fall,” Cox told FanDuel TV.

Cox still has two strong contenders in the race, Further Ado and Commandment, who are both 6-1 on the morning line. The trainer won the Derby in 2021 with Mandaloun but he didn’t know it until several months after the fact when Medina Spirit was disqualified after testing positive for a prohibited drug.

Fulleffort was coming off a strong victory in the Jeff Ruby Steaks on Turfway Park’s synthetic track. The colt has never run a race on dirt, but he’s bred to do so (sire Liam’s Map won the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile in 2015), and Cox had said he looked better training on it than he did earlier in his career.

Fulleffort’s withdrawal means Ocelli is now in the field in the No. 20 post position. Ocelli is winless in six starts, with his best showing a second in a maiden race last year. In his most recent race, the son of Connect finished third in the Wood Memorial. He will be ridden by Joe Ramos for trainer Whit Beckman.

Great White, who moved into the field Wednesday with the scratch of Silent Tactic, will now break from the No. 19 post.

There are two horses left on the also-eligible list, Robusta and Corona de Oro. If there are any other scratches before 9 a.m. EDT Friday, one or both will get into the field.

ONE of the longest piers in the UK has taken the next steps to reopen.

Southport Pier was forced to close back in 2022 due to safety concerns over the stability of it.

However it was announced last year that £20million was being put into its reopening, and works have now started.

Local website Stand Up for Southport confirmed that contractors are now doing pre-construction work, with the full restoration expected to take up to 16 months.

This includes replacing the decking, as well as adding new gates and CCTV, while fixing the steelworks as well.

Sefton Council said: “The first task contractors will have is to assess the current condition of the existing paintwork on the structure’s columns. We want to ascertain if there has been any deterioration since previous assessments were undertaken.

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“If the condition is good it can be left as is, however if not we will also need to repaint the whole structure as part of the repair works.

“This pre-construction work will take at least five days to complete. Following this we’ll shortly be moving onto the ground investigation stage within the coming weeks, which checks the stability of the ground underneath and around the Pier for materials like scaffolding.”

Southport Pier is the oldest iron pier in the UK, dating back to 1860, and is the second longest (only behind Southend Pier).

However, the original pavilion was destroyed in 1897 by a fire, with another fire in 1959 damaging the decking.

It was later given Grade II listing in 1975. with a new £7million tram in 2002.

Councillor Marion Atkinson, leader of Sefton Council, previously said: “The Pier is a symbol of Southport’s identity, history, and now, thanks to the Council and Central Government, secured for the town’s future too.”

And it’s not just the pier that was at risk, but Southport’s beach as well.

New studies have found that the increase in sand will lead to increased vegetation – essentially turning the coastline into mud.

People planning holidays should check that their destionation has no new alerts or warnings

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has significantly expanded its ‘red list’ in recent months due to regional escalations, particularly in the Middle East and Eastern Europe. It is important to be aware of which parts of the world pose a greater risk to tourists than others.

While it is not advisable to ignore the Foreign Office’s advice, doing so is likely to invalidate any insurance that travellers have obtained. In most cases, insurers will not cover people who knowingly go against FCDO advice and take risks. If you absolutely must travel to a high-risk area, you may need to look for specialised travel insurance companies that provide specific cover for such scenarios, according to ABTA.

As of April 28, 2026, the following list summarises the countries for which the Foreign Office has specific safety advice for travelling. In some cases, it issues a blanket alert urging people to reconsider visiting countries that are unsafe across all areas. Some areas have partial warnings in place. If people are visiting the area, check the Foreign Office website for the latest updates and warnings.

Countries where the Foreign Office currently advises against all travel:

• Afghanistan
• Belarus
• Burkina Faso
• Central African Republic (CAR)
• Eritrea
• Haiti
• Iran
• Iraq
• Israel
• Lebanon
• Mali
• Niger
• Palestine (Occupied Palestinian Territories)
• Russia
• South Sudan
• Sudan (most of the country)
• Syria
• Ukraine (most of the country)
• Yemen

Countries where the Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel:

• Bahrain
• Cuba (entire island)
• Ecuador (coastal provinces)
• Egypt (significant parts: Western Desert, North South Sinai)
• India (significant parts: Manipur, Pakistan border)
• Jordan (entire country)
• Kuwait
• Mexico (significant parts: Baja California, Chihuahua, Sinaloa, etc.)
• North Korea
• Pakistan (most of the country)
• Philippines (significant parts: Mindanao, Sulu Archipelago)
• Qatar
• Thailand (Cambodian border)
• United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Areas where people are advised against travel in all or specific parts

• Algeria (borders with Tunisia, Libya, Niger, Mali, Mauritania)
• Armenia (border with Azerbaijan)
• Azerbaijan (Armenian border and former Nagorno-Karabakh areas)
• Benin (Northern border regions)
• Burundi (Cibitoke and Kayanza provinces)
• Cameroon (Far North, Bakassi Peninsula, NW and SW regions)
• Chad (borders with Libya, Sudan, CAR, Niger, and Lake Chad)
• Congo (Brazzaville) (Likouala region)
• Côte d’Ivoire (Northern borders with Mali and Burkina Faso)
• Democratic Republic of the Congo (Eastern provinces and Kasaï)
• Djibouti (border with Eritrea)
• Ethiopia (Tigray, Amhara, and the border with Somalia/Sudan)
• Georgia (Abkhazia and South Ossetia)
• Indonesia (Central Papua and Highland Papua)
• Kenya (border with Somalia and parts of the coast)
• Libya (all areas except strictly essential business in Tripoli)
• Mauritania (Tiris Zemmour and Adrar regions)
• Moldova (Transnistria)
• Mozambique (Cabo Delgado province)
• Myanmar (Burma) (most of the country due to conflict)
• Nigeria (Northern and Riverine states)
• Somalia (all areas except parts of Puntland and Somaliland)
• Togo (Northern border region)
• Turkey (within 10km of the Syrian border and Sirnak/Hakkari provinces)
• Western Sahara (all areas east of the Berm and border with Algeria)

The United States is considering a new proposal from Iran to end the ongoing war amid a fragile ceasefire between the longtime adversaries.

The offer focuses on reopening the strategic Strait of Hormuz while postponing a deal on Iran’s nuclear programme, arguably the most contentious issue between Tehran and Washington.

According to US media outlets, the proposal has drawn scrutiny in Washington, and officials there have expressed scepticism.

Early indications from the Trump administration suggest the plan is unlikely to be accepted in its current form, potentially further delaying any prospect of permanently ending the currently paused US-Israel war on Iran, which has killed thousands and sent global energy prices soaring.

Here is what we know so far:

What’s in Iran’s latest proposal?

Iran’s latest proposal aims for de-escalation in the Gulf without immediately placing restraints on its nuclear programme, as the US has demanded. Tehran has offered to reopen the Strait of Hormuz on the condition that the US lifts its naval blockade on Iranian ports and agrees to end the war.

Iran has effectively closed the strait to shipping, creating global economic pressure by driving up energy prices and disrupting supply chains. In peacetime, one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies are shipped through the narrow passage, which links Gulf oil producers to the open ocean.

Days after the ceasefire began on April 8, Trump announced a blockade on Iranian ports and ships, restricting Tehran’s ability to export oil and cutting off a crucial source of its revenue.

However, a central feature of Iran’s offer to reopen the Strait to all traffic is that discussions over Iran’s nuclear activities would be postponed until after the war ends.

The proposal was conveyed to Washington through Pakistan, which has been acting as a mediator.

“These messages concern some of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s red lines, including nuclear issues and the Strait of Hormuz,” Iranian state media Fars News Agency reported.

“Informed sources emphasise Mr Araghchi is acting entirely within the framework of the specified red lines and the diplomatic duties of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”

The news agency said the messages relayed were “unrelated to negotiations” and are “considered an initiative by Iran to clarify the regional situation”.

Iranian analyst Abas Aslani said Iran’s latest proposal is based on an “altered” approach.

Aslani, a senior research fellow at the Centre for Middle East Strategic Studies, told Al Jazeera that Tehran believes its previous model – which was based on making compromises on its nuclear programme in exchange for economic sanctions relief – is no longer a “viable path towards a potential accord”.

“Iran believes this can also function as a trust-building measure to compensate for the trust-deficit issue,” he added.

On Monday, Tehran’s envoy to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, said “lasting stability and security” in the Gulf and the wider region can only be achieved through a durable and permanent cessation of aggression against Iran.

How has the US responded so far?

US President Donald Trump met with top security advisers on Monday to discuss the Iranian proposal, the White House confirmed.

However, according to media reports, the US response has been largely dismissive. According to Reuters, an unnamed US official said President Trump was unhappy with the proposal because it did not include provisions for Iran’s nuclear programme. The official noted that “he doesn’t love the proposal”.

Citing two people familiar with the matter, US media outlet CNN reported that Trump was unlikely to accept the proposal. It said Washington lifting its blockade of Iranian ports without resolving questions over Tehran’s nuclear programme “could remove a key piece of American leverage in the talks”.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Fox News on Monday that the proposal was “better than what we thought they were going to submit”, but questioned Tehran’s intentions.

“They’re very good negotiators,” he said. “We have to ensure that any deal that is made, any agreement that is made, is one that definitively prevents them from sprinting towards a nuclear weapon at any point.”

Al Jazeera’s Mike Hanna, reporting from Washington, said, “There’s been a complete lid over what was discussed” during the meeting between Trump and his national security team.

“It was so tight that we do not know exactly who in his national security team was present at that meeting,” Hanna added.

“Normally, there is some form of readout or some form of more information giving, fleshing out the details of a meeting like this.”

What has been the response from other countries?

While the “US and Iran feel that time is on their side, the longer this goes on, the more difficult it’s going to be,” Mohamed Elmasry, an analyst for the Doha Institute of Graduate Studies, said.

“I really don’t think time is on anyone’s side. I really do think the Europeans are losing patience,” he told Al Jazeera.

On Monday, German Chancellor Merz stated that the “Iranians are negotiating very skilfully”, Elmasry noted. He said this shows that Trump is coming under increasing pressure from his allies, “who believe he [Trump] got them into this big mess and isn’t able to clean it up”.

“Trump isn’t going to be happy hearing that and the chancellor is hitting Trump where it hurts.”

Everything travellers need to know about online check-in rules and bag drop deadlines for Ryanair, EasyJet and Jet2 in 2026

With the two May bank holidays fast approaching, numerous travellers will be plotting to make the most of the long weekends by jetting off on getaways. Among the most popular airlines operating at UK airports are Ryanair, Jet2 and EasyJet, and passengers flying with these carriers are being urged to familiarise themselves with the latest check-in regulations.

There are specific policies and rules that holidaymakers need to be aware of, including various timing requirements to avoid missing their flights. Due to longer queues at passport control following the rollout of EES (Entry/Exit System) for passengers travelling to non-Schengen destinations, travellers are advised to factor in additional time when arriving at and departing from overseas airports.

Check-in desks have designated closing times for passengers to drop off their luggage before shutting. For anyone heading abroad with bags to check in, here are the current rules for Ryanair, Jet2 and EasyJet you’ll want to get to grips with to avoid last-minute panic.

Ryanair’s latest check-in rules

Ryanair has overhauled how check-in and boarding passes operate in a bid to streamline airport procedures. The most significant upcoming change is that check-in and bag drop desks will close earlier, coming into effect from November 10, 2026. The current deadline means desks typically open two hours before and close 40 minutes before your scheduled departure.

In November, desks will close 60 minutes before departure across all airports. The airline is introducing this change to allow passengers more time to clear security and passport control, particularly owing to potential delays from the new EU Entry/Exit System (EES), reports the Liverpool Echo.

Should you fail to check in online up to two hours before your scheduled departure time, you may still check in at the airport up to 40 minutes before departure, however you will be charged an airport check-in fee. See Ryanair’s table of fees. “We urge all passengers to check in online before arriving at the airport to avoid these fees,” the airline says.

Towards the end of last year, Ryanair switched to 100% digital boarding passes via the Ryanair App, with exceptions for certain destinations such as Morocco and Turkey, which still require printed passes. If you have checked in but are unable to access your digital pass, staff can provide a free replacement.

You can check in via the Ryanair.com website or through the mobile App. Once logged in, select check-in and input your travel document details. For your safety and security, and for the safety and security of your fellow passengers and crew, the check-in process must be completed by you personally, by a passenger on your booking, or by someone with personal knowledge of you and your luggage.

If you have pre-reserved a seat, online check-in is available up to 60 days before your scheduled departure. Bear in mind that both your outbound and return flights must fall within that 60-day window. If you haven’t reserved a seat and one is being randomly allocated to you, check-in opens 24 hours before your flight and closes two hours before departure.

Airport check-in is also an option, though you’ll be charged a fee per passenger for the additional service – refer to Ryanair’s table of fees for full details. Should you have already checked in but are unable to display your boarding pass on the app upon arriving at the airport, you will be issued a replacement boarding pass free of charge.

Jet2’s latest check-in rules

Online check-in through Manage My Booking is available from 28 days up to six hours before departure via Jet2’s website or app. You’ll need to either print your boarding passes, download them to your device, or check in at the airport no later than three hours before your scheduled departure.

At the airport, Jet2 check-in desks typically open at least two hours and 30 minutes before your scheduled departure, and potentially up to three hours beforehand. Jet2 says: “Please arrive at the airport in good time, as our check-in desks will close 40 minutes before your scheduled departure time. By this point, you must have completed the check-in process.” If you have checked luggage, you must arrive at the check-in desk by the time stated on your itinerary, or at least two hours before your flight departs. You are also required to be at the boarding gate no later than 30 minutes before the scheduled take-off time.

Jet2 is unable to provide online check-in for flights departing from Turkey. It says: “You can still complete the process and get your pre-allocated seats, but you’ll need to visit our airport check-in desks to collect your boarding pass before you go to security.”

In line with European Regulations, passengers are prohibited from carrying certain items into security-restricted areas or aboard an aircraft. To view the complete list of banned items, visit the Jet2 website. At select UK airports, Jet2 provides a Twilight Check-in service, allowing passengers to drop off their luggage at the airport the evening prior to departure, provided their flight is scheduled before noon.

Due to the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) which launched on April 10, 2026, travellers should allow additional time at the airport for the mandatory biometric registration process. Once you have checked in online, amendments to your booking, such as adding extra baggage or changing names, cannot be made without contacting customer services directly.

EasyJet’s latest check-in rules

Passengers can check in online from 30 days up until two hours before departure, downloading or printing boarding passes for all their flights. A passport or identity card may be required, and EasyJet might ask travellers to verify their contact information.

The airline doesn’t accept PDF scans of boarding passes on mobile devices, as airport security personnel cannot scan them. Passengers must use either the official app version or a clearly printed paper copy. Lost boarding passes can be reprinted, and when printing, the entire pass must be legible.

Should any booking amendments be made – such as adding hold luggage or altering flight times – passengers must check in again and obtain a fresh boarding pass. EasyJet says: “If you have any technical problems whilst checking in, please don’t give up and do try again later. If you continue to have difficulty, please ask our ground crew for help when checking in at the airport: this must be done before the bag drop closing time.”

The airline emphasises there are crucial timings for travel. Passengers need to have all documentation prepared and allow sufficient time to navigate the airport to arrive punctually for their flight. Those running late may be refused travel by EasyJet, resulting in a missed flight. All timings are calculated from your flight’s scheduled departure time. Unless EasyJet informs you otherwise, these timings remain valid even if your flight is delayed, as the airline states it always endeavours to recover any lost time. You can view the complete list of crucial timings on the EasyJet website.

A statement on the website reads: “Please note – airport times may change after you’ve booked. For example, if there’s major disruption or new airport procedures such as increased security. We’ll send any updates using the contact details we have for your booking, so please check with the booker that we have the correct details. Please also check our Flight Tracker for the latest updates about your flight.”

Arrival times differ by airport, but general deadlines are calculated from your scheduled departure:

• Bag drop opens: Usually two to three hours before departure.
• Bag drop closes: Strictly 40 to 60 minutes before departure, depending on the airport.
• Gate closes: Promptly 30 minutes before departure.

April 27 (UPI) — The U.S. military has killed another three men in its latest attack targeting suspected drug-trafficking boats in the eastern Pacific, U.S. Southern Command announced late Sunday.

It was the 54th strike in the Trump administration’s violent anti-drug smuggling campaign that has killed at least 185 people since early September, according to UPI’s tally of publicly released data. At least 57 boats have been destroyed in the attacks in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean.

SOUTHCOM has announced each strike on social media, accompanied by a short black-and-white aerial video of the attack, showing the boat erupting in flames.

As with the previous strikes, SOUTHCOM said in a statement that the boat it attacked Sunday “was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations.”

The Trump administration claims the vessels are operated by 10 drug cartels and gangs that President Donald Trump has designated as terrorist organizations since returning to office, but has yet to provide evidence.

Trump argues the use of deadly force is warranted as the United States is in “armed conflict” with those organizations, but his administration has come under mounting accusations of conducting extrajudicial killings.

The strikes have been repeatedly condemned and their legality questioned by Democrats and human rights organizations, who accuse the Trump administration of violating international and maritime law by using the military to conduct law enforcement drug operations.

Ben Saul, the United Nations’ special rapporteur on counterterrorism and human rights, chastised the Trump administration last month for “responding with lawless violence that flagrantly violates human rights, in its phony war on so-called narco-terrorism.”

The attacks are not permissible law enforcement action in self-defense, authorized under the law of the sea, in national self-defense or under international humanitarian law, he said.

On Thursday, 125 humanitarian, human rights, peacebuilding and other related organizations from around the world called on all states to “immediately cease or refrain from supporting U.S. extrajudicial killings.”

The letter warned that states could be held legally responsible for aiding or assisting the United States by sharing intelligence as well as providing access to military bases and logistical support with the U.S. military.

The groups argue that the consequences of these killings are being felt throughout the hemisphere.

“Families awaiting the return of their loved ones may never know what happened to them and have no access to recourse,” the organizations said in their open letter.

“Coastal communities have witnessed human remains washing up on shore and fear for their lives when they trade and fish, sowing psychological trauma and undermining livelihoods.”

Prey has finally landed on Netflix with the hit two-season ITV drama now ready to stream.

Prey season two is filled with recognisable faces from the worlds of The Witcher, Unforgotten and Emmerdale.

Eleven years have gone by since British crime thriller Prey was last airing on ITV and now fans can re-live both epic seasons which sees DS Susan Reinhart (played by Rosie Cavaliero) investigate criminal cases around Manchester.

While the first outing revolved around a police officer trying to clear his name after the murder of his family, series two sees a prison officer forced to help an inmate escape after his pregnant daughter is kidnapped.

As fans start binge-watching Prey, here’s everything there is to know about the cast of Prey season two.

Inside Prey season 2 cast

DS Susan Reinhardt – Rosie Cavaliero

DS Susan Reinhardt connects both seasons of Prey as she struggles to deal with her inner demons while investigating officers at the heart of each series.

She is brought to life by actress Rosie Cavaliero who was Marion Kelsey in ITV’s Unforgotten season two, Elizabeth Cordingley in Gentleman Jack and Edwina, Countess of Dunvale in Channel 5’s A Woman of Substance.

David Murdoch – Philip Glenister

David is a widowed prison officer whose life is turned upside down when his pregnant daughter is kidnapped and he is blackmailed into helping an inmate escape.

He is brought to life by actor Philip Glenister who is famed for starring in Life on Mars, its spin-off Ashes to Ashes, Belgravia, After the Flood and, most recently, ITV’s The Lady.

Jules Hope – MyAnna Buring

Actress MyAnna Buring will be best remembered for playing Tissaia in Netflix ’s The Witcher, but also starred in The Twilight Saga as Tanya and Unforgotten season six as Melinda Ricci.

She is behind Jules Hope, the prisoner that David is forced to help escape.

DC Richard Iddon – Nathan Stewart-Jarrett

Quick-witted rookie police officer DC Richard Iddon is partnered up with DS Reinhardt to try and track down David Murdoch.

He is played by actor Nathan Stewart-Jarrett who was Curtis Donovan in E4’s Misfits and Ian in the Channel 4 series Utopia.

Lucy Murdoch – Sammy Winward

Taking on the role of David’s kidnapped pregnant daughter Lucy Murdoch is actress Sammy Winward.

She is by far best known for starring as Katie Sugden, a role she took on as a teenager, in ITV’s iconic soap Emmerdale.

She has also had smaller roles in shows such as Fearless, The Long Shadow and Brassic.

DCI Mike Ward – Ralph Ineson

Rounding off the main cast of Prey season two is actor Ralph Ineson who plays Amycus Carrow in the Harry Potter franchise, Professor Krempe in Netflix’s Frankenstein and General Tarakanov in Chernobyl.

Ineson portrays DCI Mike Ward who is DS Susan Reindhardt’s superior officer.

Prey is available to watch on Netflix.

United States President Donald Trump has cancelled a planned visit to Pakistan by his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who had been expected to explore indirect talks, which remain deadlocked over issues that include the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

“If they want to talk, all they have to do is call!!!” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social on Saturday, signalling that Washington for now would not send negotiators to Pakistan, the country that is mediating between the longtime adversaries.

With neither Washington nor Tehran showing much willingness to soften their positions, prospects for a diplomatic breakthrough in the US-Israeli war on Iran and securing a lasting ceasefire remain stalled.

The conflict spilled into the larger Middle East region, including Lebanon, causing the worst global energy crisis since the 1970s and risking a global recession.

So what do we know about the talks and where they stand as of now?

What has the US said?

The US president on Saturday told reporters in Florida that he scrapped his envoys’ visit because the talks involved too much travel and expense to consider an inadequate offer from the Iranians.

After the diplomatic trip was called off, Iran “offered a lot, but not enough”, Trump said.

On Truth Social, he wrote that there was “tremendous infighting and confusion” within Iran’s leadership.

“Nobody knows who is in charge, including them,” he posted. “Also, we have all the cards, they have none! If they want to talk, all they have to do is call!”

What has Iran said?

In Tehran, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reiterated that his government will not enter negotiations while the US maintains a blockade on Iranian ports.

In a phone call with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday night, Pezeshkian said Washington “should first remove operational obstacles, including the blockade,” before any new talks can begin, according to the ISNA and Tasnim news agencies.

Meanwhile, during his visit to Islamabad on Friday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held separate meetings with Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Sharif.

In a post on Telegram, Araghchi said their discussions covered regional dynamics and Iran’s non-negotiable positions without disclosing specifics. He added that Tehran intends to engage with Pakistan’s mediation efforts “until a result is achieved”.

After departing Islamabad on Saturday, Araghchi travelled to Oman, where he discussed ways to end the conflict with Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said, according to state media.

He was then scheduled to continue on to Russia. Iran’s IRNA news agency said Araghchi is expected to return to Islamabad on Sunday for additional talks.

What has Pakistan said?

Despite hardening public positions from Washington and Tehran, Pakistan’s political and military leadership is continuing to mediate, two Pakistani officials said on Sunday, according to The Associated Press news agency. They were quoted as describing the indirect ceasefire contacts as still alive but fragile.

There were no immediate plans for US envoys to return for talks, according to the Pakistani officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media, AP added.

Al Jazeera’s Kimberly Halkett, reporting from Islamabad, said Pakistani officials are underscoring that the expected return of Araghchi to Islamabad is seen as a “hopeful sign”.

“What they hope is that this will in fact be something that can be incremental in the process and will advance forward,” she reported.

What is happening with the ceasefire?

The US-Iran ceasefire began on April 8 after nearly six weeks of US and Israeli strikes on Iran and retaliatory Iranian attacks against Israel and across the Gulf region.

The two sides held talks in Islamabad on April 11 aimed at securing a permanent deal, but they ended after 21 hours with no breakthrough.

After repeated threats of restarting the war if Iran did not heed Washington’s demands, Trump extended the ceasefire on Tuesday without a set deadline, saying he was in no rush to conclude a peace deal with Iran.

While the truce has held for the most part, the two sides continue to accuse each other of violations.

Iranian forces, which have essentially blocked the Strait of Hormuz, have captured commercial vessels, and the US has intercepted or detained ships suspected of violating its naval blockade of Iranian ports just one week after the ceasefire went into effect.

The naval blockade is seen by Iran as a breach of the ceasefire. Tehran has warned that reopening the Strait of Hormuz is impossible as long as the blockade remains in place.

The critical waterway has become a central dispute in the conflict. One-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supplies were shipped through the strait, which links the Gulf to the Arabian Sea, before the war began.

Iran insists on sovereignty over the waterway, which lies within the territorial waters of Iran and Oman. It has also floated the idea of levying tolls while Washington demands full freedom of navigation. The Gulf nations, which export most of their petroleum through the strait, have opposed the Iranian plan to impose tolls.

Another key issue is the debate over Iran’s stock of enriched uranium.

The US and Israel are pushing for zero uranium enrichment and have accused Iran of working towards building a nuclear weapon while providing no evidence for their claims.

Iran has insisted its enrichment effort is for civilian purposes only. It is a signatory to the 1970 Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, and Tehran says it has the right to pursue a civilian nuclear programme. But according to the International Atomic Energy Agency, the global nuclear watchdog, Iran has enriched uranium to 60 percent, a level that is far higher than what is needed for civilian use.

Scarlett Moffatt is reaping the benefits of her popularity during her latest I’m A Celeb stint with her already being offered huge deals thanks to her on-screen success

Gogglebox star Scarlett Moffatt has landed a huge new deal with ITV following her I’m A Celeb success.

The popular TV personality missed out on being part of the I’m a Celebrity South Africa final after she was given the boot from the camp following a Bushtucker Trial that saw her have to count coloured balls. Fans were disappointed to see Scarlett, 35, axed before reaching the finale which ended up being an all-male line-up.

However, the exit has done her no harm with ITV bosses among an array of channels and brands who are keen to work with her following her latest stint. Scarlett said: “I have got something coming up with ITV and I’ve just done a photoshoot in Barcelona.”

She continued to The Sun: “It’s been a whirlwind recently. It feels like the first time I came out of the jungle ten years ago — the same thing is happening again.”

Scarlett was just 25 years old when she was crowned the Queen of the Jungle in 2016, two years after she found fame on Gogglebox. She went on to become a TV presenter in joining Ant and Dec on their hit show Saturday Night Takeaway, before diverting to Channel 4 to reboot Davina McCall ’s dating show Streetmate.

Scarlett also served as a host of I’m a Celeb spin-off Extra Camp. She welcomed her son Jude in June 2023 and took some time away from the world of entertainment, however her fresh stint on the I’m a Celebrity all-stars series has placed her firmly back in the spotlight cementing her popularity with the public.

A source said: “Scarlett might not have reached the final of I’m a Celebrity but she’s shone this series and it’s reminded everyone how funny, kind and brilliant she is. Her diary is packed with offers but she’s thrilled to have a big new project with ITV booked.”

Meanwhile, Scarlett revealed earlier this week that she and fiancé Scott Dobson are now expecting their second child. Speaking at ITV’s Showcase event on Thursday night, she said: “I’m so excited to be pregnant again.

“I didn’t know if it would happen again so I’m so grateful that I get to be a mammy for two. When I first had my little boy Jude, I decided to take two years off. Then I’ve come back into it head first and I’m pregnant again.

“But I don’t know if I’d want to take another two-year break — I love this job. I feel so grateful that I get to call this my career. I hope I’ll do lots of new things.”

The baby news came after viewers saw Scarlett talking about her fertility struggles in heart-wrenching scenes shown on I’m a Celebrity last week.

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Chinese startup says DeepSeek-V4-Pro beats all rival open models for maths and coding.

China’s DeepSeek has unveiled the latest versions of its signature artificial intelligence-powered chatbot, a year after its flagship model sent shockwaves through the global tech scene.

The Chinese startup launched preview versions of DeepSeek-V4-Pro and DeepSeek-V4-Flash on Friday as it touted its ability to go toe-to-toe with US rivals such as OpenAI and Google.

Like DeepSeek’s previous chatbots, V4-Pro and V4-Flash follow an open-source model, meaning developers are free to use and modify the source code at will.

DeepSeek-V4-Pro beats all rival open models for maths and coding, and trails only Google’s Gemini 3.1-Pro, a closed model, for world knowledge, DeepSeek said in an announcement on social media.

The “pro” version’s performance falls only “marginally short” of OpenAI’s GPT‑5.4 and Gemini 3.1-Pro, “suggesting a developmental trajectory that trails state-of-the-art frontier models by approximately 3 to 6 months,” the Hangzhou-based startup said.

The “flash” model has similar reasoning abilities to the “pro” version, while offering faster response times and “highly cost-effective” usage pricing, the firm said.

The release comes after DeepSeek-R1 stunned the tech sector upon its launch in January last year with capabilities broadly comparable with those of ChatGPT and Gemini.

Marc Andreessen, a prominent Silicon Valley venture capitalist with close ties to United States President Donald Trump, hailed the model’s release at the time as “AI’s Sputnik moment”.

The performance of the Chinese-developed model attracted particular attention as its developers claimed to have spent less than $6m on computing costs – a fraction of the multibillion-dollar budgets that are usual in Silicon Valley.

Some tech analysts challenged DeepSeek’s account of working with such scant resources, arguing that the startup most likely had access to greater funding and more advanced chips than acknowledged.

DeepSeek’s arrival on the scene prompted blowback in some countries amid concerns about data protection and Chinese government censorship.

Multiple US states, Australia, Taiwan, South Korea, Denmark and Italy introduced bans or other restrictions on DeepSeek-R1 shortly after its release, citing privacy and national security concerns.