Mental Health

BOSTON — Joan B. Kennedy, the former wife of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy who endured a long and troubled marriage marked by family tragedies, her husband’s infidelities and her own struggles with alcoholism and mental health, died on Wednesday. She was 89.

The former Joan Bennett was a model and classically-trained pianist when she married Ted Kennedy in 1958. Their lives would change unimaginably over the next decade and a half. Brother-in-law John F. Kennedy was elected president in 1960 and assassinated three years later. Brother-in-law Robert F. Kennedy served as attorney general under JFK, was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1964 and assassinated while seeking the presidency.

Her husband was elected to the U.S. Senate and became among the country’s most respected legislators despite initial misgivings that he was capitalizing on his family connections. But Ted Kennedy also lived through scandals of his own making. In 1969, the car he was driving plunged off a bridge on Chappaquiddick Island, killing his young female passenger, Mary Jo Kopechne.

Kennedy, who swam to safety and waited hours before alerting police, later pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an accident. Chappaquiddick shadowed him for the rest of his life, weighing against his own chances for the presidency.

Joan Kennedy had three children with her husband, but also had miscarriages, including one shortly after the Chappaquiddick accident. She stood by her husband through the scandal, but their estrangement was nearly impossible to hide by the time of his unsuccessful effort to defeat President Jimmy Carter in the 1980 Democratic primaries. They had been separated by then, and would later divorce. One bumper sticker from the campaign read “Vote for Jimmy Carter, Free Joan Kennedy.”

Her love of piano would be a trademark for much of her life. She was known for opening her husband’s campaign rallies with a piano serenade and, after they divorced, touring with orchestras around the world. Her family said she would combine her masterful playing with a message about the transformational potential of the arts and the need for equitable arts education.

In a 1992 Associated Press interview, she recalled playing piano for brother-in-law Bobby when he ran for president in 1968. “He took me with him and encouraged me,” she said. “He had a theme, ‘This Land Is Your Land,’ the Woody Guthrie song. I’d play that on the piano and everybody would come in, feeling really great about everything.”

“It seems like a long time ago, but it’s part of my memories,” she said softly.

In a statement, former Rep. Patrick Kennedy of Rhode Island praised his mother for her courage and talent.

“Besides being a loving mother, talented musician, and instrumental partner to my father as he launched his successful political career, Mom was a power of example to millions of people with mental health conditions,” his statement said. “She will be missed not just by the entire Kennedy Family, but by the arts community in the City of Boston and the many people whose lives that she touched.”

She also became one of the first women to publicly acknowledge her struggles with alcoholism and depression.

“I will always admire my mother for the way that she faced up to her challenges with grace, courage, humility, and honesty,” Ted Kennedy Jr. said in a statement. “She taught me how to be more truthful with myself and how careful listening is a more powerful communication skill than public speaking.”

Casey writes for the Associated Press.

The former England and British and Irish Lions rugby star, who is taking part in The Celebrity Traitors, has spoken openly about his mental health struggles in recent years

Few players in world rugby have relished the physicality of the sport quite like Joe Marler, with the former England prop using his formidable size and strength to his advantage throughout his career.

On the outside, he was in fine shape and appeared to be thriving, earning 95 caps for England, finishing on the podium at two Rugby World Cups and touring with the British and Irish Lions, as well as making nearly 300 appearances for his club side Harlequins.

Known as one of rugby’s most colourful characters, with a renowned sense of humour and mastery of ‘s***housery’, all seemed well in Marler’s world. However, beneath the surface, he was struggling with his mental health.

The former loosehead – who is among the 19 celebrities participating in the first series of The Celebrity Traitors – has been open about his battles with depression and anxiety, and in recent years, has become a prominent mental health advocate.

Marler is an ambassador for CALM and fronted the Sky Sports documentary Big Boys Don’t Cry, while he has also spoken about his own mental health journey in interviews and podcast appearances, as well as in his memoir Loose Head, in which he discusses his struggles and the lessons he learnt during his rugby career, which came to an end in November last year.

In discussing his mental health, Marler has previously opened up about his “lowest point”, in which a minor row with his wife Daisy – who was seven months pregnant at the time – caused him to suddenly lose control as he “completely lost the plot”.

The England international admitted that he began destroying his kitchen and “turned the house over” in a violent outburst before storming off in his car, “not wanting to be here anymore”, leaving Daisy in tears.

Detailing the distressing 2018 incident in an interview with The Guardian, Marler revealed how he and Daisy had clashed after she became upset that he hadn’t swerved to avoid a squirrel on the road while driving back from the school drop-off.

Though it was a minor disagreement, the former prop admitted he suddenly “snapped,” explaining: “We got home and I just spiralled and lost control.

“I turned over the kitchen, punched in one of the doors. Then I got in the truck and drove off. I had no idea where I was going or what I was doing. But it was a massive turning point because it was the most ashamed I’ve ever been. I didn’t recognise who I was anymore.

“After 30 minutes I came back because I was running out on everything good in my life,” Marler continued. “Daisy was crying and I was worried she was scared, but we’ve spoken about it often since then. She says, ‘I was never scared of you. I was just upset and wondering who you were and what you were doing.’

“She had no idea even during those times when she’d said, ‘Any danger of you actually being here, when you’re here?’ I wasn’t engaging because I was stuck in this fog. I didn’t feel like I could tell her or anyone because I was in complete denial there was anything wrong with me. We didn’t speak that night.”

Following the frightening episode, Marler recognised he needed to get support for his mental health and received help from the Harlequins team doctor, who spotted the damage to the prop’s hand the following day, causing him to break down in floods of tears.

Recalling seeing his wife crying in the wake of the argument, he said: “That was the moment I was just like I need help. So I went and got help. I went and saw a psychologist called Humphrey and I was not comfortable doing it, even with someone called Humphrey, and I got there and what an incredibly lovely bloke he was.”

After going to therapy and taking antidepressants, Marler is now looking after his mental health and has developed techniques to recognise warning signs. Using his experiences and platform as one of rugby’s biggest personalities, he has also worked tirelessly to break down the stigma around mental health in sport, encouraging men to have open and honest conversations and seek professional help.

In an interview with Men’s Health, the 35-year-old opened up about how he looks after his mental health now, explaining: “There are techniques I use when I feel my red mist; sometimes they work, and other times they don’t. The biggest thing was learning to recognise when I was going to start feeling that way: knowing what triggers it and finding ways to deal with it early. And to know that there’ll always be these moments.

“My mental health is the same as my physical health. In both, you can put on weight or lose weight; you can put on muscle the same way as you can control how you want to attack the day. You can’t control what might be thrown at you. But you can control how you react to it.”

He added: “We know we have to be mentally strong and physically fit, and yet we’re still rubbing up against the fact that people don’t want to talk about their mind, even though we need to be mentally sharp to compete at the top level. There’s a disconnect.

“Work and sport and the other parts of your life are not separate: your psychology is your psychology. It’s all one thing. How can I possibly focus on using those specific psychological skills for sport if I’m suffering from depression and anxiety away from rugby?’.”

United States President Donald Trump has urged pregnant women to avoid Tylenol, the brand name for paracetamol, over the painkiller’s unproven links to autism, prompting a swift backlash from doctors and scientists.

Trump issued the warning on Monday as the US drug regulator announced plans to add a label to paracetamol warning of an increased risk of autism and ADHD in children.

“Don’t take Tylenol. Don’t take it,” Trump said during a news conference at the White House while flanked by top public health officials.

“Fight like hell not to take it,” Trump said.

“There may be a point where you have to, and that you’ll have to work out with yourself.”

Trump also cast doubt on the medical consensus on childhood vaccines, suggesting that inoculations for measles, mumps and rubella should be administered separately instead of in the combined MMR shot.

“This is based on what I feel. The mumps, measles – the three should be taken separately,” Trump said.

“And it seems to be that when you mix them, there could be a problem.”

Trump’s comments drew condemnation from medical bodies, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG), which have long recommended paracetamol as one of the few painkillers that is safe for women during pregnancy.

About half of pregnant women worldwide are estimated to take paracetamol – which is sold in different countries under brand names including Dyman, Panadol and Panamax – for pain relief and to reduce fevers, which can be potentially dangerous to both the foetus and the expectant mother.

ACOG president Steven J Fleischman called the suggestions of a link between paracetamol and autism “irresponsible”.

“When considering the use of medication in pregnancy, it’s important to consider all potential risks along with any benefits,” Fleischman said in a statement.

“The data from numerous studies have shown that acetaminophen plays an important – and safe – role in the well-being of pregnant women,” Fleischman said, using the name for paracetamol in the US.

While some research has found evidence of an association between paracetamol and neurological conditions such as autism, medical experts have cautioned that more robust studies have found no link, and that causation remains unproven.

One of the biggest population-based studies, published by Swedish researchers last year in The Journal of the American Medical Association, found no link when comparing children who had been exposed to the painkiller with siblings who had not.

Arthur Caplan, a bioethicist at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, described the Trump administration’s moves as “hugely negative” for public health.

“The big reveal about autism was a total bust full of misinformation, a lack of evidence, bad advice and a bogus answer about the cause,” Caplan told Al Jazeera.

“I think mainstream medicine will ignore what he said today,” Caplan said.

“I think patients can’t trust federal science in the USA and must turn to other reputable sources.”

Catherine Lord, a professor of psychiatry at UCLA who specialises in autism, said studies showing a link between paracetamol use and autism were limited by the presence of confounding factors that are difficult to control for.

“I think the medical community will be firm that Tylenol in pregnancy does not cause autism, but will probably tell pregnant women they should always be careful about medication,” Lord told Al Jazeera.

“But they also need to realise that having a high fever or being in pain is not good for a growing baby either, so they should consult their doctor.”

In its updated guidelines announced on Monday, the US Food and Drug Administration cited evidence of a “correlation” between paracetamol use and autism, and noted studies suggesting a heightened risk when the drug is taken “chronically” throughout pregnancy.

Still, the drug regulator was notably less emphatic than Trump, noting that a causal relationship had yet to be established, and the existence of “contrary studies in the scientific literature”.

“It is also noted that acetaminophen is the only over-the-counter drug approved for use to treat fevers during pregnancy, and high fevers in pregnant women can pose a risk to their children,” the regulator said, using the other generic name for paracetamol.

Autism has no known single cause, but is believed to be related to an interplay of genetic and environmental factors, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

HE was the golden boy of Hollywood.

Men envied his obvious friendship with Paul Newman in Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid, and almost all his female co-stars adored him.

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In fact, Jane Fonda admitted she couldn’t keep her hands off him on set, while Meryl Streep said he was the “best kisser ever”.

Robert Redford, who yesterday died in his sleep aged 89 at his ranch in Utah, was rejected for 1967 movie The Graduate because no one would ever believe he was a loser with women.

But the handsome star was haunted by nerves and self-doubt that caused him to be endlessly late on set.

As the greatest names in showbiz paid tribute to the blond-haired icon, his representative revealed Redford was “surrounded by those he loved” when he passed away. She added: “He will be missed greatly.”

‘Love of pranks’

In blockbusters such as Barefoot In The Park, The Sting, All The President’s Men, The Great Gatsby, The Horse Whisperer, Indecent Proposal and Up Close And Personal, Redford was box office dynamite.

But the Oscar-winning actor was terrified stardom might turn him into a product for Hollywood studios to sell. He moaned: “Films to them are just like vacuum cleaners or refrigerators. The approach sickens me.”

The megastar even refused to make sequels to his biggest hits, Butch ­Cassidy and The Way We Were with Barbra Streisand.

He hated franchises, but appeared in Captain America: The Winter ­Soldier to please his grandkids.

And he became a champion of independent film-makers, founding the annual Sundance Film Festival to showcase their work.

Born Charles Robert Redford Jr in Santa Monica, California, on August 18, 1936, the actor’s mum was Martha and his dad Charles, a milkman.

His first taste of Hollywood was breaking into a studio as a teenager and trashing the place. He once said: “There was a strong dividing line with a railroad which ran near our house.

“Those who lived on the south side of the tracks, like us, helped to service the big houses on the north side as gardeners, cleaners, whatever.

“My dad would get up to go to work at 2.30 in the morning, come home late afternoon and go to sleep.

“It wasn’t his fault, but it was an inspiration [for me] to do something else with my life.”

Redford’s first plan was to be a baseball star, and he won a sports scholarship to Colorado University.

But he told showbiz writer Garth Pearce: “I was asked to leave because I was drinking too much.”

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His mother Martha had recently died and he turned to alcohol.

After being thrown out of college, he ­travelled to Europe. Redford recalled: “I became a pavement artist in ­Montmartre, Paris, and felt my life had begun at last. I had found my calling.

“Then I moved to Italy, where they openly laughed at my art. Eventually, I was told flatly that I would never make it or sell any paintings.”

So he moved back to New York and tried his hand at acting classes, enrolling at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

He said: “Suddenly, I was getting A-grade reports for the first time. I had failed at school, failed at university, failed as an artist. I thought, ‘There could be something in acting for me’. It was as simple as that, with no great calling.”

He couldn’t play a loser because of the way he looked

Director Mike Nichols

He began to get work, first on stage in New York and then in a succession of small-screen shows, such as ­Maverick, Perry Mason and Dr Kildare as TV boomed across America.

His movie breakthrough came opposite Jane Fonda in 1967’s Barefoot In The Park. She remembers: “I couldn’t keep my hands off him. I was ­constantly forcing myself on him.”

Redford auditioned for The ­Graduate, alongside Anne Bancroft as middle-aged Mrs Robinson.

But director Mike Nichols turned him down, recalling: “He couldn’t play a loser because of the way he looked.

“I told him so and he was dispirited. I said, ‘Look at it this way, ‘Have you ever been turned down by a woman?’. He replied, ‘What do you mean?’. I said, ‘My point precisely’.”

But his next part, The Sundance Kid, alongside Paul Newman as Butch Cassidy, would change Redford’s life forever. As they filmed the 1969 hit movie, he and Newman became best mates — bonding over Mexican beers and a love of pranks.

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Redford was a terrible time-keeper and, at the end of filming — during which he did his own stunts — ­Newman presented him with a tapestry cushion that read, “Punctuality is the courtesy of kings”.

For Newman’s 50th birthday, Redford sent him a wrecked Porsche wrapped in a bow. Newman had it crushed and sent back to his pal. Redford then had it turned into a garden sculpture and returned it.

Despite their 40-year friendship, Newman admitted he never really came to know Redford.

Even though Butch Cassidy was a huge success, Redford, a keen environmental campaigner, was still gripped with doubts about his ability.

He admitted: “I actually quit in the late Sixties, after appearing in some big films. It was not reported at the time but I took my family to a remote part of Spain. I attempted once again to make my living as an artist. But I was not good enough.”

By 1973, The Sting, in which he was reunited with Newman, gave him his only Best Actor Oscar nomination.

‘Not good enough’

His blond hair became his ­signature and he refused to have it cut in a 1940s style for 1977 war film A Bridge Too Far.

Director Sir Richard Attenborough asked him personally to get a short back and sides, but was forced to admit: “It’s no use. He just won’t have it touched.”

Redford once asked angrily: “What is it about my hair? I played Jay Gatsby in The Great Gatsby in 1974 and the director Jack Clayton wanted to dye my hair black.

“Even the studio wanted my hair black. I said, ‘Find me the part of the original book where it says that Gatsby’s hair is black. It’s not there’.”

Irritated by filmmakers, he decided to direct a movie of his own.

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Ordinary People, which came out in 1980, became one of the most acclaimed films of the decade and won him the only Oscar in his glittering career, for Best Director.

His hits dominated the Eighties and Nineties, with Out Of Africa alongside Meryl Streep winning seven Oscars, including Best Picture.

He directed A River Runs Through It starring a young Brad Pitt, Quiz Show and The Horse Whisperer, in which he also played the lead.

It was really hard . . . as a parent, you blame yourself. It creates a scar that never completely heals

Robert Redford

In between, he starred in Indecent Proposal as a millionaire who offered a married couple $1million if wife Demi Moore slept with him.

There was also romance in Up Close & Personal with Michelle Pfeiffer. But alongside great career success he suffered family tragedy.

His son Scott, who he had with first wife Lola, was a victim of cot death in 1959 at just two months.

The actor said: “It was really hard . . . as a parent, you blame yourself. It creates a scar that never completely heals.”

His second son, Jamie, who ­suffered constant ill health and underwent two liver transplants, died from cancer aged 58 in 2020.

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And eldest daughter Shauna ­witnessed the murder of her long-term boyfriend at university.

Redford told Garth Pearce: “All that personal stuff with my children meant some tough times. When you’re going through it, you lose part of yourself. I confess that I used work to prop me up.”

The Hollywood legend produced and directed films right into his 80s.

His final performance was an uncredited cameo earlier this year as a chess player in Dark Winds, a TV show he executive-produced. Redford officially retired from ­acting in 2018.

Redford is survived by second wife Sibylle, some 21 years his ­junior, who he married in 2009, and daughters Shauna, 64, and Amy, 54, from first wife Lola, who he divorced in 1985.

He said of his success: “The key to sanity in Hollywood is to have a life separate from movies and to never repeat yourself on film by doing a sequel.

“I lost my way and my focus ­several times. Having to deal with life, death, illness and catastrophe puts anyone to the test. Movies and acting was never my first love, but it was an enduring one.”

British boxing icon Ricky Hatton has died at 46, sparking tributes from across sport.

Former boxing world champion Ricky Hatton has died aged 46, Greater Manchester Police in the United Kingdom have confirmed.

Hatton, who was known to fans as “the Hitman”, was discovered at his home in Hyde, near Manchester, early on Sunday morning. Police said: “Officers were called by a member of the public to attend Bowlacre Road, Hyde, Tameside, at 6:45am [05:45 GMT] today where they found the body of a 46-year-old man. There are not currently believed to be any suspicious circumstances.”

The Manchester-born fighter became one of Britain’s most celebrated boxers, winning world titles at light-welterweight and welterweight. During a 15-year professional career, he secured 45 wins from 48 bouts before retiring in 2012.

Hatton’s death prompted an outpouring of tributes from the sporting world.

Former England and Manchester United midfielder David Beckham posted on Instagram: “Ricky was one of a kind. Just heartbreaking.” Heavyweight champion Tyson Fury wrote: “RIP to the legend Ricky Hatton. There will only ever be one Ricky Hatton. Can’t believe this – so young.”

Football figures also paid respect to the lifelong Manchester City supporter. Before City’s Premier League match against Manchester United on Sunday, the Etihad Stadium held a minute’s applause, with fans chanting his name.

City manager Pep Guardiola described him as “a true champion” and “part of the Man City family”. Wayne Rooney, who once carried Hatton’s belts into the ring, said on X that he was “devastated”, calling him “a legend, a warrior and a great person”.

Hatton’s career featured memorable victories over Kostya Tszyu and Jose Luis Castillo, while his only defeats came against boxing greats Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.

In recent years, Hatton remained close to the sport. He attempted a comeback in 2012, fought in an exhibition with Marco Antonio Barrera in 2022, and earlier this year announced plans to face Eisa Al Dah in Dubai. He also spoke openly about his battles with depression and featured in the 2023 documentary Hatton, which explored his personal struggles and mental health.

She was one of the most successful comics of her time in Britain and was once dubbed the “funniest woman in the world”

Hylda Baker, a beloved BBC actress and comedian, sadly passed away penniless despite her decades of fame and a successful stint on the hit ITV sitcom Nearest and Dearest.

The talented Hylda first graced the stage at the tender age of 10 and was already producing her own shows by the time she turned 14.

She became a household name after appearing on the BBC show Good Old Days in 1955, which paved the way for her own television series, Be Soon, in 1957. This was followed by her own sitcom, The Best of Friends, in 1963.

Hylda stood out as one of the most successful female comics in Britain during an era dominated by male comedians. However, she is perhaps best remembered for her portrayal of Nellie Pledge in Nearest and Dearest from 1968 until 1973.

Despite her incredible fame, which included roles in films like Saturday Night and Sunday Morning and the musical Oliver!, Hylda tragically didn’t have a penny to her name when she passed away. Known for bringing joy to others through her performances, her personal life was unfortunately filled with hardship, reports the Daily Record.

Hylda married Ben Pearson in 1929, but their marriage fell apart after Hylda suffered two ectopic pregnancies. The couple legally separated four years later in 1933, according to the Express.

Tragedy struck again for the actress when she was hit by a passing car in 1961, leaving her injured. After suing the driver for damages, she was awarded just over £4,000 in 1965.

In 1971, six years later, her chauffeur nicked £2,500 of her money and legged it, only to be nabbed three months later with a mere £45 left of the stolen cash.

At the age of 67, Hylda began showing signs of cognitive decline.

She had to rely on cue cards to remember her lines for the later series of Nearest and Dearest, and her acting career came to a halt when she broke her leg after a fall on set and decided to take legal action against production company LWT following the injury.

Hylda was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and moved into Brinsworth House retirement home in 1981 when she was 76.

She died in 1986 at Horton Psychiatric Hospital in Surrey from bronchial pneumonia.

Despite all her fame and success, she tragically spent her final years penniless and “lonely and forgotten”, according to Pride of Manchester, with fewer than 10 people reported to have attended her funeral.

Jack James Ryan has opened up about his role in the upcoming ITV drama I Fought The Law, which sees him starring alongside Sheridan Smith in the four-part series

Coronation Street and Passenger star Jack James Ryan was left starstruck after working alongside Sheridan Smith on the ITV series, I Fought The Law. The 29-year-old actor, who has become a familiar face in British households, landed a role in the drama, which tells the real-life story of Ann Ming’s fight to change the Double Jeopardy Law and bring her daughter Julie Hogg’s murderer to justice.

Despite spending four months on set, Manchester-born Jack still found himself “geeking out” over his co-star Sheridan, 44. Speaking exclusively to the Mirror, he said: “People say ‘Oh I’ve always loved this actor’ but when I knew that I was going to be playing alongside Sheridan, I couldn’t believe it.”

He continued: “It was just amazing, I have followed her career as a young actor and been totally inspired by the work that she’s done, so getting to spend the last four months watching her work and stealing everything was the best, so much better than drama school.”

Jack also revealed that Sheridan has an incredible ability to instantly “switch on” and get into character at a moment’s notice following a break in filming.

“She is absolutely breathtaking,” he enthused. “To be surrounded by these actors, it has an absolutely great supporting cast throughout the series, so to be surrounded by them felt like I’d won the lottery – this is the type of work that I’ve always dreamed of doing.”

Discussing the show, Jack revealed: “I’ve never been in anything that was based on a true case, or any of the characters have been real, it’s always been fictional stuff. Straight away you feel the pressure to do it justice. Sheridan plays the trailblazer, Ann Ming, who has done so much for raising awareness in the work that she’s done.

“I know that we all felt the pressure, Sheridan and everyone, to do this story justice and deliver it in a sensitive way that was going to be impactful and honouring the people that we’ve lost. And also the people that are still fighting for justice, it wasn’t easy but it was also incredibly exciting to be a part of something which felt like it has the opportunity to really help and change people and have a real impact for the better.

“I’m really, really excited for this to come out, and I think it’s going to be, it’s going to be a really different side to me that people haven’t seen before,” he stated, adding there was a “quite a visual transformation.”

I Fought The Law will explore how Ann and Julie’s relatives coped with her baffling vanishing in Cleveland back in November 1989 after completing her shift at a neighbourhood pizza restaurant. Julie had maintained an extremely strong bond with her parents, Ann and Charlie. She was just 22 when she was killed.

Julie’s remains were found by her mother 80 days after they were concealed behind the panel of her bath by her killer. Nevertheless, her terraced property had been meticulously examined by forensics teams in the days following her disappearance.

The series, adapted from Ann’s memoir, For The Love of Julie, also features Daniel York Lou as Charlie Ming and Enzo Cilenti as DS Mark Brathwaite.

Additionally, Marlowe Chan-Reeves, Olivia Ng, Jake Davies, Victoria Wyant, Kent Riley and Rufus Jones all feature in the programme. Previously, Jack joined forces as a Movember ambassador – championing awareness of men’s mental health and urging blokes to open up.

Looking back on his involvement with the Movember campaign, he explained: “I was already well aware of the amazing work that Movember has done and does for raising awareness and funds for male mental health, just to be a small part of history moving forward is very exciting. It’s such an exciting project and a really meaningful project to get behind, male mental health is so under-reported and so unspoken about.”

I Fought The Law airs tonoght at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.

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THERE are fears for a Thai princess after the royal palace shared a concerning health update following her three-year-long coma battle.

Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol, the eldest daughter of King Vajiralongkorn, is said to have developed a severe infection.

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The 46-year-old, affectionately known as Princess Bha, collapsed in December, 2022, while training her dogs in Nakhon Ratchasima, northeast of Bangkok.

She has been in a coma ever since.

The Bureau of the Royal Household gave the first update on her condition in more than two years on Friday, saying she had suffered a “severe” blood infection.

The palace said in a following update that a team of doctors were closely monitoring her situation.

It read: “The medical team said that she remains in a state of low blood pressure, requiring continuous treatment.

“Doctors are administering medication to stabilise her blood pressure, along with medical equipment and antibiotics to support kidney function and breathing.”

Over the years, some reports have suggested her health condition is far more serious than the palace is letting on.

Princess Bajrakitiyabha was training her dogs at a working dog championship organised by the Thaiarmy when she collapsed.

Paramedics rushed her to a nearby hospital before a helicopter took her to Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn health facility.

Bajrakitiyabha is the daughter of the king’s first wife, Princess Soamsawali.

She has been part of her father’s inner circle since he came to the throne in 2016 and is a senior officer in the king’s personal guard.

The fitness enthusiast is widely viewed as the most suitable successor for her father, who turned 70 this year.

She has post-graduate law degrees from two US universities and has long called for prison reforms in Thailand.

She was also the Thai ambassador to Austria between 2012 and 2014.

The 73-year-old king, who has seven children from four marriages, has not announced his chosen heir.

Though succession rules in Thailand favour men.

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Marvel fans say this blockbuster was their best movie of 2025 and you’ll soon be able to stream it at no extra cost

Disney+ will soon be streaming one of the best comic book movies of the year at no extra charge.

The film is currently available to rent or buy at home, though you’ll still have to pay up to £13.99 on platforms such as Apple TV, Prime Video and Sky Store.

Thankfully, there’s not long to wait until Disney+ users will be able to stream the film whenever they want without paying anything on top of their monthly subscription.

Comic book fans have called it one of Marvel Studios’ best blockbusters in years – and, no, it’s not the recently released The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

Instead, we’re talking about Thunderbolts*, which is set to debut exclusively on Disney+ on Wednesday, 27th August.

Starring Florence Pugh, David Harbour and Sebastian Stan, the film follows an unlikely team of heroes and villains from across the Marvel universe who reluctantly team up to protect the Earth from a dangerous and unpredictable new threat.

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Pugh returns as Yelena Belova, the new Black Widow, an elite mercenary who is struggling to find her place in the world when the enigmatic Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus) entrusts her with an important but suspicious new mission.

Following a period of disappointment for the superhero franchise, both box office and critical, Marvel fans were pleasantly surprised when Thunderbolts* burst onto the big screen back in April.

One five-star Google review described the film as an “absolute gem of the superhero genre”.

“If you’re looking for a fresh, high-octane adventure with a unique twist, Thunderbolts is exactly what you’ve been waiting for,” they went on to promise.

“This story is a masterclass in reimagining the traditional superhero team-up, featuring a lineup of antiheroes, former villains, and morally ambiguous characters who are forced to work together for a common cause.”

Someone else gushed: “Thunderbolts* was an incredible surprise. This movie fixes so many of the problems that recent MCU projects have suffered from.

“It actually feels like one director was in charge of this, not a committee of executives. The humor also feels natural, not forced.

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“Which makes everything better. It doesn’t feel like this movie was reworked and reshot a thousand times. The characters are also great. Every actor is doing their absolute best and their chemistry is great.”

Another die-hard fan raved on X: “Had the time of my life with #thunderbolts! One of the best mcu projects in recent years.

“The movie does an outstanding job of exploring its themes surrounding mental health. I absolutely love [the] team and their dynamic, I cared so much about all of them. Easy 10/10.”

And a final viewer admitted: “Shocked how good THUNDERBOLTS* is. Putting emphasis on the character work and practical action makes this feel like the old Marvel that had us for a decade plus.

“Wish we’d gotten this sooner. Helps that this dysfunctional team has chemistry too.”

Will you be checking out Thunderbolts* for the first time or giving the film a much-deserved rewatch next week?

Thunderbolts* will be available to stream on Disney+ from Wednesday, 27th August.

As part of a new challenge to push himself, the Marvel actor decided to learn to play the drums – but when he played in a stadium with pop star Ed Sheeran, he was terrified…

Terrified, sweating and short of breath, Thor actor Chris Hemsworth said playing drums for Ed Sheeran in front of 70,000 people was “the stupidest thing I could have done”. The Australian star, best known for playing a hammer-wielding Norse God, was wielding drum sticks instead as he took to the stage – and he was way out of his comfort zone. He says: “All the fans are going to be watching me destroy an Ed Sheeran classic.”

The scary challenge was part of a bold new mission for Chris, and this time, not in the Marvel world, in the real world. In a thrilling three-part series Limitless: Live Better Now, streaming today (Aug 15) on Disney+, Chris pushes himself further than ever – physically, mentally and emotionally – as he confronts some of life’s most universal challenges: pain, fear and cognitive decline. Determined to discover how we can all live better, Chris dives into three high-stakes challenges that promise real, immediate ways to sharpen our minds and strengthen our bodies.

In the first series, the 42-year-old discovered while filming that he is, biologically, eight to ten times more likely than the average person to develop Alzheimer’s disease because he carries two copies of a certain gene. “That warning sign was further motivation to take care of myself,” he says.

In this second series, filmed across six countries over two years, he climbs a 600-foot Alpine dam, learn the drums to perform live with Ed Sheeran, and endure South Korean Special Forces training. He adds: “I’ve always worked very hard on my physical fitness but I’m realising that I need to put as much work in for my brain as I do for my body. I’m diving head first into cutting edge science to uncover three secrets to living better.”

We see Chris struggling as he first starts to learn the drums, with Ed Sheeran telling him: “I think this might actually be the most difficult thing you do.” Just two months later we see Chris preparing to go on stage in the massive arena in Bucharest, Romania. Chris says: “Of all the stupid things I could have done, this feels like the stupidest. The moment I walk out and see how big that arena is, I’m starting to think ‘I’ve got to get out of here’.”

He adds: “Nervous energy, heart rate, sweaty palms, short of breath, all of that. The reality is kicking in and I’m feeling really terrified. All the fans are going to be watching me destroy an Ed Sheeran classic. It’s one take, one shot. I basically have no musical talent so how did I end up playing drums for one of the biggest pop stars in the world in front of 70,000 people?”

He adds: “This is the first challenge in a journey that will take me all over the world – discovering three powerful secrets to living better right now. Can we supercharge our brains by learning something new? Can we beat pain by reframing? And what benefits are there if we face the things that scare us most? It’s a life-changing mission that will push my mind and my body to the limits.”

Starting in London, where he has some cognitive tests, Chris says: “There are some days when I think my memory is pretty good but there are other days when I think ‘Something’s not firing properly’. I put it down to being overwhelmed by certain things and having too many things on my plate.” He is told that one of the best ways to boost his brain is to learn a new skill, especially a musical instrument, which activates visual, auditory and motor skills all at once.

Of course he decides to play the drums – he’s Thor. And of course he’s mates with Ed Sheeran. There’s a lot of stress but his surprise performance, to the hit Thinking Out Loud, is met with rapturous applause in the stadium. Chris says: “I haven’t ever had 70,000 people staring at me like this. Ed told me to take my headphones out and listen (to the applause). I’ll never forget that moment.”

*Limitless: Live Better Now is now streaming on Disney+

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