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French authorities have detained several men in connection to the recent theft of precious jewellery from the world-renowned Louvre museum in Paris, the Paris prosecutor has said.

French media reported that one of the suspects was apprehended around 10 pm (20:00 GMT) on Saturday at Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport as he was about to board a plane abroad, French media Le Parisien and Paris Match reported on Sunday, and the second was arrested not long after in the Paris region, according to Le Parisien.

The Louvre Museum in the French capital closed one week ago after a group of intruders successfully stole eight pieces of priceless jewellery in a quick-hit four-minute heist in broad daylight that rocked the world’s most-visited museum and was followed raptly around the globe.

The robbers had climbed the extendable ladder of a movers’ truck and cut into a first-floor gallery.

They dropped a crown as they fled down the ladder and onto scooters, but managed to steal eight other pieces, include an emerald-and-diamond necklace that Napoleon Bonaparte gave his wife, Empress Marie-Louise.

Officials said the jewels were worth an estimated $102 million but held incalculable cultural value.

An intensive manhunt for the thieves has been ongoing, involving dozens of investigators.

The brazen theft has made headlines across the world and sparked a debate in France about the security of cultural institutions.

Police initially cordoned off the museum – famously home to Leonardo da Vinci’s painting Mona Lisa – with tape and as armed soldiers patrolled its iconic glass pyramid entrance.

More to come…

Shots were fired outside Serbia’s parliament in Belgrade, injuring a supporter of President Aleksandar Vucic, who called the incident as a “terrorist attack”. Police say the 70-year-old suspect acted alone after setting a tent ablaze near a pro-government encampment amid year-long anti-Vucic protests.

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Hundreds of anti-immigrant protesters clashed with Irish police outside a hotel housing asylum seekers in Dublin on Tuesday, setting a police vehicle on fire and launching fireworks at officers.

Tuesday’s protest comes nearly two years after violent anti-immigration riots broke out in central Dublin.

At least 1,000 protesters have clashed with police in southwest Dublin, throwing bottles and launching fireworks at authorities during anti-immigration demonstrations sparked by allegations of an attack on a young girl.

Protesters came out in droves after a report that a 26-year-old man had sexually assaulted a 10-year-old girl on the grounds of the Citywest Hotel, which houses asylum applicants in Saggart, southwest of the Irish capital.

The unnamed man, who appeared in court on Tuesday, was charged in connection with the sexual assault.

Local media reported that the man, who asked for a Romanian interpreter in court, was an asylum seeker. Police have not confirmed his ethnicity.

The young girl was reportedly under the care of the state at the time of the incident. Tusla, Ireland’s child and family agency, said the girl “absconded” during a trip to the city centre and was reported missing.

The protests, held near the grounds of the hotel on Tuesday, turned violent, with anti-immigrant protesters launching fireworks at police, carrying signs that read “Irish lives matter”, and chanting, “Get them out!”

A police van was set on fire as officers charged at protesters, using pepper spray to push them away from the hotel complex, the news agency AFP reported.

“The weaponising of a crime by people who wish to sow dissent in our society is not unexpected,” Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan said in response to the protests. “This is unacceptable and will result in a forceful response.”

Earlier in the day, Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin said the events were “extremely serious and very, very grave”.

Tuesday’s protests come nearly two years after riots broke out in central Dublin in November 2023, after three children were injured in a knife attack outside a school. At the time, police identified the suspect as a man in his 50s from Algeria.

A far-right mob, comprised of at least 100 people, took to the streets of Dublin in the aftermath of the stabbing, torching vehicles and attacking riot police. Some were armed with metal bars and had their faces covered.

Police said that more than 400 officers, including many in riot gear, were deployed to contain the unrest, which they said was “caused by a small group of thugs”. At least thirty-four people were arrested following the rampage.

While Ireland is unique in that it has no far-right members of Parliament, Ireland and the United Kingdom have seen rising anti-immigration sentiment in recent years. Anti-immigration protests across Northern Ireland in June escalated into clashes with police.

Those protests began in Ballymena, a town of about 31,000 people, located 40km (25 miles) northwest of the city of Belfast, when two Romanian 14-year-old boys were arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a teenage girl.

During that unrest, hundreds of masked rioters attacked police and set buildings and cars on fire.

KATIE Price’s ex-husband Kieran Hayler has been charged with three counts of rape and one sexual assault against a 13-year-old girl.

Here, we took a look into who Katie’s third husband is, his marriage to the former glamour model, and why he is currently under police investigation.

Who is Kieran Hayler?

Kieran Hayler, 38, is the third husband of Katie Price following her marriages to Peter Andre and cage fighter Alex Reid.

The pair went on to share two children, Jett, 12, and Bunny, 11.

Hayler, of Northchapel in West Sussex, has also worked as a stripper and an actor.

While together, he appeared alongside Katie in reality shows.

RAPE CHARGES

Katie Price’s ex-husband Kieran Hayler charged with raping 13-year-old girl

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After six years of marriage the pair split up, with the divorce being finalised in 2021 after pandemic delays.

Following his split from Katie, Hayler started a relationship with Michelle Penticost.

She later gave birth to their son Apollo.

The couple proceeded to get engaged in 2020, but went their separate ways in February this year.

His representative told The Sun: “They separated on good terms and remain close, with their focus on Apollo.”

He was last photographed out in public on Friday, October 3 when he visited Tulleys Farm Shocktober event near Crawley.

His selfie from the celebrity bash was captioned: “My favourite event of the year.”

When did Katie Price and Kieran Hayler get married?

Katie and Kieran tied the knot in 2013 after first meeting in 2012.

Hayler proposed on Christmas Day and not long after they got married at a luxury resort in the Bahamas.

In May 2014, while pregnant with Bunny, Katie discovered Hayler had been cheating on her with her best friend Jane Pountney, when she caught them kissing on a beach in Cape Verde.

He later confessed to a long and intimate relationship with Jane.

Speaking with The Sun on Sunday in 2017, he said: “I would get into the passenger seat of Jane’s car, she would jump on top of me.”

Katie later discovered he also had an affair with another of her friends, Chrissy Thomas.

Despite this, Katie forgave him, only for him to cheat again in with their nanny, Nikki Brown, in 2017.

Katie said: “I was crying, asking, ‘How could you do this to me again?’ When I begged him to tell the truth he finally said, ‘Yeah, we have’.”

The marriage eventually broke down in 2018, with the divorce finalised in 2021.

Why has he been charged?

Hayler has been charged with three counts of rape and one sexual assault against a 13-year-old girl.

The allegations date to June-October 2016, the midway point of his marriage to Katie, 47.

The alleged victim is not a member of his or Katie’s extended family.

In a statement made last night Sussex Police said:

“We can confirm Kieran Hayler, 38, of Northchapel in West Sussex, has been charged with three counts of rape and one count of sexual assault against a 13-year-old girl.

“The offences are alleged to have occurred at an address in West Sussex between June 1 and October 13, 2016.

“Hayler remains released under investigation and is due to appear before Crawley magistrates’ court on November 19.

“The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has received ­support from specially trained officers as our enquiries continue.”

Hayler is currently denying these allegations made against him.

His legal representative added: “Kieran Hayler strongly denies the allegations made against him in its entirety.

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“Mr Hayler is fully engaged and has been co-operating with the police throughout the investigation and will continue to do so.

“He looks forward to his name being cleared believing in the judicial system to do so.”

The winners moved celebrities, politicians and stars to tears with their stories of courage, bravery and brilliance at the Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards

It has been celebrating the very best of everything British for more than quarter of a century. And once again it was the children of courage and incredible stories of bravery in adversity which moved a host of celebrities, actors and sport stars to tears at the 26th Daily Mirror Pride of Britain awards, with P&O Cruises.

The Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was there with his wife Victoria to pay tribute to the long line of unsung heroes as they received the recognition they so richly deserve. At just 12 years old, Luke Mortimer typified what the night is all about when he received his Child of Courage trophy.

Luke had all his limbs amputated after contracting meningococcal meningitis septicaemia in 2019. Yet still he thought of others. The audience at the Grosvenor House Hotel gave him a huge round of applause as they heard how he had donated thousands for children with disabilities, through his extraordinary fundraising activities.

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In 2024, he climbed Pen-y-ghent with his mum Christine and brother Harry, 15, meeting his dad Adam and a team of 19 who were climbing the National Three Peaks and Yorkshire Three Peaks. They raised almost £20,000 to help fund prosthetics for Luke and help other child amputees. He told his loved ones that we should all “concentrate on the future” as he set about helping others.

His favourite TV stars Ant and Dec sent a special message to Luke, who told host Carol Vorderman of his motto when life was tough: “Hope for a good time and try and make it happen.”

His dad Adam added: “We are massively proud of him, he takes everything in his slightly smaller stride.”

Marcus Skeet, 17, became the first person in the UK to run from Land’s End to John O’Groats as he fought back from a suicide attempt at the age of 15. He had obsessive compulsive disorder, and became a carer for his dad, who was diagnosed with early onset dementia.

Marcus admitted: “It shattered my heart.” After his suicide attempt, it was a ‘miracle’ that he had survived. Known as ‘the Hull Man’, with 350,000 followers on social media, he watched cars go by as he got caught in a rainstorm, with 790 miles to go in his epic run.

Marooned in a layby, soaked through, he still became a record breaker, raising £164,560 for mental health charity Mind, with his dad there to see him at the end. “I will remember that for the rest of my life,” said Marcus.

His incredible feat took a combination of supreme dedication and endurance and he joked: “I hate running.” Dr. Sarah Hughes, CEO at Mind paid tribute, saying: “His story reads like a film script, courage, loss, hope, and relentless determination.

“But Marcus isn’t a character; he’s a real-life hero.” Pub landlord comedian Al Murray revealed he had been inspired by Marcus to raise money for Mind. Looking for donors in the audience, he said: “Whether you are an actor or a rock star, you cannot fail to be moved by this night.”

Personal trainer Javeno McLean, 40, met his heroes as his work for the disabled, ill and elderly was recognised with the P&O Cruises Inspiration award.

Former world champion heavyweight David Haye joined legends of the ring Frank Bruno and Barry McGuigan to hand over the coveted trophy. They heard how Javeno has been offering free fitness sessions to the needy at his J7 Gym in Manchester.

At 16, he offered to train a boy in a wheelchair who was struggling in the gym. Since then, Javeno has been devoted to creating a friendly and inclusive gym space for all. He told the judges: “When you include people you empower them.”

Haye said it was an ‘honour’ to be chosen to give him the award. On a night of awe-inspiring stories, PCs Yasmin Whitfield, Cameron King and Inspector Moloy Campbell were recognised for their extraordinary bravery.

They answered an emergency call on an ‘ordinary’ working day which almost turned out to be their last. By the time they confronted sword attacker Marcus Arduini Monzo in Hainault, East London on April 20,2024, he had already killed Daniel Anjorin, 14.

Despite having no Taser or pepper spray, Pc King drew his baton and stood between the killer and Yasmin, who suffered horrific slash injuries.

Insp Campbell also suffered a slash wound to his hand after he confronted Monzo in a car park and ran at him, baton drawn. Other officers were able to deploy their Tasers and subdue the killer. PC King ‘stood between Yas and Monzo’, who ran off, before being cornered by cops. He said: “I remember just thinking, I can’t let him finish her off’. I put myself between Yas and him. I thought ‘we’re going to die in this alleyway.'” Insp Campbell admitted: “When I challenged Mr Monzo, I knew it may be the last decision I would ever make.” Monzo was later jailed for life with a minimum term of 40 years. In 2016, footy coach Asha Ali Rage 46, set up her community club, determined to use sport to protect youngsters from gangs. The aptly named Dream Chasers FC in Small Heath, Birmingham has since become a vital hub for her local community.

Asha received her award from England’s ‘Golden Gloves’ World Cup keeper Mary Earps who has done so much to raise the profile of sport for women; Asha’s Special Recognition Award was for “changing the lives” of the young stars of the future. Leanne Pero MBE, 30, won another recognition award for The Movement Factory community dance company which she founded when she was just 15. Londoner Leanne, who survived breast cancer, also started Black Women Rising, a cancer support group that has raised more than £1m to fund support and advice. She said of surviving cancer: “The worst part was finishing treatment.” Teenager of Courage winner Eagling Zach, 14, who has cerebral palsy and epilepsy, also donated to the Epilepsy Society by walking laps of his garden in the 2020 lockdown. After trolls bombarded him with flashing images to try to trigger a seizure, he campaigned for legislation to protect people with epilepsy online. Zach’s Law was introduced across England, Wales and Northern Ireland in Sept., 2023, making it a criminal offence, with a maximum five-year jail term, to troll anyone with epilepsy to deliberately cause a seizure. Zach has now launched a petition to ‘make a difference’ and try to ensure public transport is more accessible for disabled people. For Sally Becker, 63, helping those most in need in society has been her life’s work.

She first went to Bosnia in 1993 to help the victims of war. Tasked with taking aid to a hospital, she found herself evacuating sick and injured children in an old Bedford van.

She has now spent more than three decades helping children in besieged areas, such as Gaza, Syria, Afghanistan and Ukraine.

In 2016, she founded Save a Child, providing medical treatment for kids in conflict areas. And she launched a mobile tele-medicine programme connecting local doctors with paediatric specialists. She said: “We have saved thousands of children.”

Georgie Hyslop, 15, was thrilled to be made the Good Morning Britain Fundraiser of the year. In 2023, when Georgie, then 15, was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, a rare cancer in the bones, she donated her tissue to Cancer Research. She raised more than £55,000 for hospitals and charities.

Through 14 rounds of chemo and 33 of radiation, Georgie gave cards with encouraging messages, known as “pocket hugs”, to fellow patients, and dressed up as Spider-Man to cheer up a four-year-old patient having radiotherapy.

Georgie, 17, from Ardrossan, Ayrshire, went into remission in July 2024, but the cancer returned earlier this year. She said: “I have lots of fundraising planned and lots to look forward to.”

Set up by three music teachers at an additional needs school in 1995, the Ups & Downs theatre group in Hamilton, Lanarkshire, is for young people with Down’s syndrome as well as their families.

Now led by Lorna Leggatt, whose son Ellis, 26, has been a member since he was five, Ups & Downs offers inclusive activities, including music, dance and drama, to around 70 members, who have Down’s syndrome or a sibling with the condition. Audiences leave their shows ‘deeply moved’.

Fellow PoB winner Harry Byrne lost his mother on Christmas Day; her death caused Harry, then 11, to descend into mental health problems, addiction and homelessness. Harry, 24, was helped by local homelessness charity St Basil’s and discovered The King’s Trust Get Started in Outdoor Leadership programme, landing a job in Coventry.

Now supporting young people facing difficulties, through outdoor activities, he hopes to run his own therapy-based coaching service. Harry said: “I didn’t have many role models or access to the support I needed when I was younger. I’m passionate about getting up every morning and providing just that for the next generation.”

RAF hero John Nichol, 61, the navigator from North Shields, North Tyneside who was shot down and captured in Iraq during the first gulf war of 1990, has attended every single one of the Pride of Britain’s 26 award nights. A good friend of the late awards founder Peter Willis, he said: “I was next to Gary Barlow on that first night and had to give him my hankie. I think there is only me and Carol Vorderman who have been to every one.

“Nobody knew what to expect, but it has become the best of the lot.”

Pictures: Rowan Griffiths, Adam Gerrard, Andy Stenning.

* Watch the Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards with P&O Cruises on Thursday October 23 at 8pm on ITV1.

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Former National Football League (NFL) running back Doug Martin has died aged 36 while in police custody in California.

The Oakland Police Department said the former American football star – who played for teams including the Tampa Bay Buccaneers – died after being involved in an alleged home break-in and a struggle with officers on Saturday.

“While attempting to detain the individual, a brief struggle ensued,” the department said, adding Martin became unresponsive and was taken to a hospital, where he later died.

His family announced his passing and said his cause of death was “unconfirmed”.

“It is with great sadness to inform you all that Doug Martin passed away Saturday morning,” his family told US media. The family asked for “privacy at this time”.

In a statement, Martin’s former team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, said they were “deeply saddened to learn of the sudden and unexpected passing of Doug Martin”.

“From his record-setting rookie season in 2012 to his multiple Pro Bowl selections during his six seasons as a Buccaneer, Doug made a lasting impact on our franchise,” the team added.

Born in Oakland, California, Martin was Tampa Bay’s first-round pick in the 2012 NFL draft. During his first season, Martin rushed for 1,454 yards and made 11 touchdowns.

Martin spent six of his seven NFL seasons playing for the Buccaneers, and was nicknamed the “Muscle Hamster” because of his high strength despite being relatively short for a professional player at 5ft 9in (1.75m) tall.

But he struggled with injuries and was also suspended in 2016 for four games for violating the NFL’s drug policy, after testing positive for a banned substance. He apologised and went to a drug treatment facility.

Martin also played for the Oakland Raiders, which is now in Las Vegas, at the end of his career in 2018.

Oct. 20 (UPI) — Police in Nigeria broke up several protests calling for a separatist leader who has been detained for more than four years to be freed and cleared of terrorism-related charges on which he has been held.

Protesters demanding the release of Nnamdi Kanu, who is the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) separatist party, had tear gas fired at them by police in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, according to reports.

Witnesses said they saw police officers block major roads in Abuja and fire multiple rounds of tear gas at protesters who had gathered near the Transcorps Hilton Hotel in order to break up the protest.

Ahead of Monday’s protest, Nigeria Police Force spokesperson Benjamin Hundeyin announced a nationwide security alert urging the protesters to avoid inciting violence, carrying weapons or engaging in other illegal acts.

“The Nigeria Police Force reaffirms its commitment to upholding the rule of law and maintaining public peace in accordance with constitutional provisions,” Hundeyin said in a statement.

“All groups, whether in support of or opposed to the ongoing agitation for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, are expected to comply strictly with the provisions of the court order” authorizing the protest, he said.

Kanu has been held since 2021 on charges of terrorism, which followed Nigeria outlawing the IPOB, whose goal is to establish a separate state of Biafra for the Igbo people.

In 2022, Kanu was discharged and acquitted but the ruling was overturned in 2022 and he has remained jailed ever since.

Monday’s protest was organized by Omoyele Sowore, who publishes the Saraha Reporters news website and has long sought Kanu’s release.

Sowore reported on X that at least 13 people had been arrested and detained during the initial protest, which was relocated to the nearby federal capital territory police command “where the police responded by attacking us right in front of the command.”

Among those arrested during the protest were members of Kanu’s family and his lawyers, Sowore said.

The in-custody death of former All-Pro running back Doug Martin during a reported home break-in early Saturday morning will be investigated by various agencies in compliance with state laws, the Oakland Police Department said.

Martin, 36, died in a hospital after he became unresponsive following his arrest by Oakland police officers responding to the reports of a break-in at a residence about two blocks from the Oakland zoo.

A statement released by the police department said the case will be investigated by the department’s homicide section and internal affairs bureau in addition to the Oakland City Police Commission, the Community Police Review Agency and the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office.

“The Oakland Police Department remains committed to transparency. However, to ensure the integrity of the investigation, the release of information must be limited at this time,” the statement read. “Additional details will be shared as soon as the investigative process allows and in compliance with the law.”

State law requires law enforcement agencies to report any case in which a person dies in their custody to the Attorney General within 10 days.

The police department received nearly simultaneous reports of the break-in and a person “experiencing a medical emergency” at the same location, Oakland police told KTVU-TV.

“Upon arrival, officers located the individual inside the residence,” the department said. “While attempting to detain the individual, a brief struggle ensued. After being taken into custody, the individual became unresponsive.”

The officers involved have been placed on administrative leave.

Oakland Raiders running back Doug Martin (28) carries the ball during a game against the Denver Broncos in Oakland on Dec. 24, 2018.

(John Hefti / Associated Press)

The last of Martin’s seven NFL seasons was with the Oakland Raiders in 2018. The 5-foot-9, 220-pound running back nicknamed the Muscle Hamster for his short, powerful build played six years for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who acquired him in the first round of the 2012 NFL draft out of Boise State.

Martin rushed for 1,454 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2012, the third-highest rushing total by a rookie in NFL history. He also rushed for more than 1,400 yards in 2015 when he was named an All-Pro, and the Buccaneers signed him to a five-year, $35.75 million contract extension.

However, he was suspended four games in December 2016 for violation of the NFL substance abuse policy. He entered a treatment facility after testing positive for Adderall and did not receive $15 million in guaranteed money.

Martin left a game in 2017 — his last season in Tampa Bay — because of a concussion sustained during the Buccaneers’ opening drive against the Atlanta Falcons. He returned, however, carrying the ball seven times before being replaced late in the first half. Martin sat out the next game and played sparingly the rest of the season.

Martin, who was born in Oakland and attended high school in Stockton, signed a one-year deal in 2018 with the Raiders and rushed for 723 yards before retiring because of injuries.

Martin’s family released a statement Sunday addressing his death.

“It is with great sadness to inform you all that Doug Martin passed away Saturday morning,” his family said. “Cause of death is currently unconfirmed. Please respect our privacy at this time.”

The Buccaneers posted a tribute to Martin on social media: “We are deeply saddened to learn of the sudden and unexpected passing of Doug Martin. From his record-setting rookie season to his multiple Pro Bowl selections during his six seasons as a Buccaneer, Doug made a lasting impact on our franchise.”

Ajike “AJ” Owens was a dedicated 35-year-old mother of four when she was shot and killed by her 58-year-old neighbor, Susan Lorincz, in June 2023. The tragedy, which rocked the otherwise peaceful, tight-knit community of Ocala, Fla., followed years of Lorincz making habitual calls to the police to report neighborhood kids, including Owens’, for playing in a vacant lot next to her home. Lorincz, who is white, claimed that the children — most of whom are Black and were under 12 — were a threat, citing one of the nation’s many “stand your ground” laws, which allow individuals to use deadly force to protect themselves if they feel their life is in danger.

Now award-winning filmmaker Geeta Gandbhir, with the support of producer-husband Nikon Kwantu and such nonfiction luminaries as Sam Pollard and Soledad O’Brien, has chronicled the two years leading up to Owens’ death in “The Perfect Neighbor,” premiering Friday on Netflix after an Oscar-qualifying theatrical run. Composed almost entirely of police body camera footage, the moving and powerful verité documentary uses the case to depict the perils of such laws, which are all too easily misused or abused in a society where not every claim of self-defense is treated equally.

A jury convicted Lorincz of manslaughter in August 2024, but the repercussions of her erratic and violent behavior continue to impact the Owens family and their neighbors. Gandbhir, whose sister-in-law was a close friend of Owens, hopes “The Perfect Neighbor” will honor Owens’ memory while showing how our nation’s growing fear of “the other” and the proliferation of “stand your ground” laws are a deadly combination.

Initially, you weren’t planning on making a film about this tragic killing, but you were documenting the aftermath of the crime. Why?

We got a call the night Ajike was killed, and we immediately jumped into action to try to help the family. We stepped in to be the media liaisons. They looked to us to try to keep the story alive in the media, just because they were worried [it would be overlooked]. This is Ocala, Fla., the heart of where “stand your ground” was born. Susan wasn’t arrested for four days because they were doing a “stand your ground” investigation. We were not thinking about making a doc, really. We were just terrified that there would be no justice.

That’s happened before …

Yes, Trayvon Martin’s case being the most notorious.

But in Ajike’s case, there’s reams of footage and audio recordings that captured what happened. How were you able to obtain so much of that material from the police department?

Anthony Thomas, who works with [civil rights attorney] Benjamin Crump, had sued the police department through the Freedom of Information Act and got them to release all of the material that they had pertaining to the case. That’s how we got the footage. What came to us was the police body camera footage, detective interviews, Ring camera footage and cellphone footage. There was also all the audio calls that Susan had made to the police, and then after the night of the [killing], the calls the community had made. There was basically a plethora of stuff that we were handed, in a jumble, and Anthony was like, “Sort this out. See if you can find anything that makes sense for the news, like snippets we can share.”

I was surprised at how much material there was, and I’m just talking about what made it into the film.

It speaks to how much Susan called the police. Basically, the body cam footage [was a result of those calls]. What’s interesting is the reaction when we screened the film for the community. They agreed to be part of this so we wanted to show them before it came out. We’re very concerned with participant care and the ethics of this. They said that they didn’t think that we had everything, because Susan [allegedly] called the police sometimes, like, 10 times a day. They [said they] think the police gave us maybe what they could organize, where they don’t look terrible. But they don’t think that that’s everything.

Ajike “AJ” Owens, pictured on the poster, was shot and killed by her neighbor in 2023. The crime is at the center of Geeta Gandbhir’s new documentary “The Perfect Neighbor.”

Ajike’s mother, Pamela Dias, has been a major force in keeping her daughter’s memory alive — and seeking justice. How did she feel about you making this film?

I went to Pamela and said I could make a movie and maybe we could make a change. It’s quite an endeavor to try to change gun laws or the “stand your ground” law, but maybe we can reach people. She said yes. This is a woman who by her own admission was blinded by grief [when Ajike was killed], who said she couldn’t see two feet in front of her. But she knew even then that her daughter’s story had to be told. She said her daughter died standing up for her kids, and she felt it was her turn to stand up.

I told her the material was graphic. But Pam was inspired by Emmett Till and how his mother had an open-casket funeral and told the photographers to take pictures because she wanted the world to know what had happened to her baby. Plus, we thought about George Floyd and [how footage of his killing] sparked a movement. It is a terrible thing to bear witness, but if we let these things continue to happen in the shadows, then they will happen forever. It’s only by bearing witness that things might change.

What about your own emotional well-being while making this film?

See all my gray hair? [Laughs.] I realized later it was grief work for me, because I needed to know what happened. I had to know what happened. I couldn’t understand how someone could pick up a gun and kill their neighbor over children playing nearby. How did we get here? So many questions were just eating me, so the work was in some ways cathartic. Then once we had it all strung out and I thought it was a film, I brought on Viridiana Lieberman, who’s our editor. We had a similar sensibility about what we wanted this to be and we really committed to living in the body camera footage.

“Body camera footage is a violent tool of the state,” Gandbhir says. “It’s often used to criminalize us, particularly people of color. It’s used to dehumanize us, to surveil us, to protect the police. What I wanted to do with this material was flip that narrative and use it to humanize this community.”

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

Why not use narration?

I worked for 12 years in narratives and scripted before I segued into documentary. I learned that the best vérité documentaries are show and not tell. If you tell people what they’re seeing, there’s some room for doubt or for your bias or some questioning around it. But to me, this footage plays like vérité. There’s no reporter on the ground. There’s no one influencing what’s happening in the neighborhood, other than the police who are coming in and asking questions. I felt that made the footage and the story undeniable. No one could say that we were down there asking provocative questions. And the body camera footage is so incredibly immersive, I wanted people to have the experience of what the community experienced.

How would you describe what they went through?

Their experience felt a bit like a horror film. You have this beautiful, diverse community living together with a strong social network, taking care of each other and each other’s kids. What was so powerful to me in the body camera footage is you really got to see this community as they were before [the tragedy], and you never get that. There’s horrible shootings all the time, and we see the aftermath, right? We see the grieving family, we see the funeral. We have to re-create what their lives were like before. And in this, you see this beautiful community thriving and living together, and that was so profound. I wanted to rebuild their world so everyone could see the damage done by one outlier with a gun. How she was the only one who was repeatedly calling the police and seeing threats where there were none.

We’re used to seeing police body cam footage used as evidence following a police brutality incident, or as entertainment in true crime shows. It’s used to tell a very different story in your film.

I wanted to subvert the use of body cam footage. Body camera footage is a violent tool of the state. It’s often used to criminalize us, particularly people of color. It’s used to dehumanize us, to surveil us, to protect the police. What I wanted to do with this material was flip that narrative and use it to humanize this community.

Why do you think that Susan was not seen as a threat by the police?

She’s a middle-aged white lady. She weaponized her race, her status, and she kept trying to weaponize the police against the community. The fact that she was using hate speech against children [she allegedly called them the N-word]. She was filming them. She was throwing things at them. She was cursing at them. But the police didn’t flag her as more than just a nuisance…. After the third time she called and it was unfounded and not about an actual crime, there should have been some measure taken to reprimand her. They didn’t tell the community that they could file charges against her: “She’s harassing you all. She’s harassing your children.” It was systemic neglect. And honestly, should the police be a catch-all for everything? Probably not. But they were not equipped. They didn’t take the necessary steps and the worst outcomes happened, which is that we lost Ajike, and Susan is in prison for the rest of her life. I’m sure that’s not the outcome she wanted.

There’s a moment in the film where a policeman knocks on Susan’s sliding glass door. She doesn’t know it’s a cop. She opens the curtain and screams at him in a terrifying, almost demonic voice. It’s quite a switch from her nervous, genial 911 calls.

Yeah, the jump scare. That was one of the moments where I was like, “Oh, there she is.” And the 911 call, after she shot Ajike. She was hysterical. Then her voice changes when she says, “They keep bothering me and bothering me, and they won’t f— stop.” I felt my heart clench, because it’s like, “Oh, there she really is.” She has this way of going between victim and aggressor. A little Jekyll and Hyde. It’s frightening.

The victim/aggressor dynamic is part of what makes “stand your ground” laws so dangerous. They can be weaponized.

“Stand your ground” policy was born in Ocala and now it’s in around 38 states, in different forms. It’s a law that emboldens people to pick up a gun to solve a dispute. If you can other-ize your neighbor to the extent of [killing] them, the question is, what else will you do? What else will we tolerate? As human beings, how we show up in our communities is a reflection of how we show up in the world. This film takes place on this tiny street, but it is a microcosm of what is happening today. Susan represented the dangers, and that little community represented the best of what’s under threat.

Hapoel Tel Aviv criticised the derby cancellation, accusing Israeli police of “preparing for a war, not a sporting event”, including during discussions in the lead-up to the highly-anticipated match.

“The shocking events outside the stadium and following the reckless and scandalous decision not to hold the match only demonstrate that the Israel Police has taken control of the sport,” Hapoel Tel Aviv said in a statement on X, external.

Maccabi Tel Aviv has not yet commented, except to confirm the match was cancelled.

The decision by Birmingham’s Safety Advisory Group (SAG) to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from the Aston Villa match on 6 November has sparked widespread criticism.

The UK government has since said it is working to overturn the ban and exploring what additional resources might be required to ensure the fixture can be hosted safely.

Villa told their matchday stewards that they did not have to work at the game, saying they understood that some “may have concerns”.

On Thursday, West Midlands Police said it supported the ban and classified the fixture as “high risk” based on intelligence and previous incidents.

That included “violent clashes and hate-crime offences” between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv fans before a match in Amsterdam in November 2024, when more than 60 people were arrested.

There have been protests at various sporting events over the war in Gaza, including when Israel played Norway and Italy in recent football World Cup qualifiers.

The Metropolitan Police said it is “actively” looking into media reports that Prince Andrew tried to obtain personal information about his accuser Virginia Giuffre through his police protection.

“We are aware of media reporting and are actively looking into the claims made,” the force said on Sunday.

It comes after Ms Giuffre’s brother called on King Charles III to strip Andrew of his “prince” title, following the announcement he would stop using his other titles.

Prince Andrew has not commented on the reports, but consistently denies all allegations against him. Buckingham Palace has been contacted for comment.

Ms Giuffre, who took her own life earlier this year, said she was among the girls and young women sexually exploited by convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his wealthy circle.

She also claimed that she was forced to have sex with Andrew on three occasions, including when she was 17.

According to the Mail on Sunday, Andrew asked his police protection officer to investigate her just before the newspaper published a photo of Ms Giuffre’s first meeting with the prince in February 2011.

The paper alleged that he gave the officer her date of birth and confidential social security number.

On Friday, Andrew announced that he was voluntarily handing back his titles and giving up membership of the Order of the Garter – the oldest and most senior order of chivalry in Britain.

He will also cease to be the Duke of York, a title received from his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II.

ACTOR Kevin Spacey sexually assaulted a man despite being told, “No, this is not right”, court documents allege.

The star is being sued at the High Court by the man known only as LNP, who says he suffered pain, anxiety and distress.

Elizabeth-Anne Gumbel, for LNP, says in papers filed at the court that the alleged assaults happened on about 12 occasions from 2000 to 2005.

She says: “Mr Spacey would place his own hand on the claimant’s leg without consent.

“The claimant would attempt to remove the hand and say, ‘No, this is not right’.”

She called it a “breach of trust and exploitation by a powerful man in a position of responsibility on a much younger man”.

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Ms Gumbel said that LNP had suffered “pain and suffering at the time of the abuse itself, which was exacerbated by feelings of embarrassment, shame, dirtiness and confusion”.

He also suffered “anxiety and distress and mild post-traumatic symptoms from the abuse”.

She said: “The assaults were committed in circumstances of breach of trust and exploitation by a powerful man in a position of responsibility on a much younger man.

“The claimant seeks to claim aggravated damages.”

Oscar-winner Spacey, 66, has previously denied allegations of inappropriate behaviour and wrongdoing.

He has yet to file a defence to the claim.

ACTOR Rudy Youngblood has been arrested in Texas after allegedly “choking” a family member.

Belton police took the 43-year-old into custody early Tuesday morning after responding to an incident involving a family or household member.

According to authorities, Youngblood allegedly assaulted the victim by impeding their breathing or circulation.

He was booked into Bell County Jail, where he remains held on a $20,000 bond.

Cops say more trouble could be on the way for Apocalypto star Rudy Youngblood – after a shocking discovery during his arrest.

According to police, the actor and former Belton student had an active warrant out of Travis County when he was taken into custody – and officers allegedly found a white crystalline substance on him at the scene.

The 43-year-old is currently locked up in Bell County Jail, and authorities warn that lab results could lead to even more charges piling up against him.

TMZ has contacted the Belton Police Department for further details, but no additional information has been released so far.

Youngblood shot to fame in 2006 playing Jaguar Paw in Apocalypto, and has since appeared in The Haunting of Hell Hole Mine (2023) and Dandelion Season (2021).

He is set to star in the upcoming period drama La Matadora, currently in pre-production, and has several other projects in the pipeline.

The actor was only recently released from jail in Athens, Greece, after spending a week behind bars following a confrontation with police officers late last year.

The 42-year-old Apocalypto star spent New Year’s Eve in custody after allegedly being intoxicated and threatening officers with a knife during a routine police check in the early hours of December 27.

Youngblood claimed the officers were not wearing identifying insignia and failed to explain his rights during the altercation outside an Athens-area precinct.

The Texas-born actor – who has a previous arrest for being drunk and disorderly in 2017 – was charged with resisting arrest, making threats, and carrying a weapon after police found a pocketknife on him.

He received a 10-month suspended prison sentence but was initially held due to an expired visa, which triggered a deportation order.

He later successfully appealed the deportation and was granted permission to leave Greece voluntarily. Upon his release, Youngblood appeared to be in good spirits and was photographed smiling.

Riot police used tear gas and water cannons to break up pro-Palestinian protests at Israel’s World Cup qualifier against Italy. Defeat for Israel in the match effectively ended the team’s hopes of automatic qualification.

FAR-RIGHT activist Tommy Robinson was discriminated against by police owing to his political beliefs when he was nabbed driving a Bentley, a court has been told.

He was stopped at the Channel Tunnel in a Bentayga with £13,000 in cash, his trial heard.

Police were suspicious of his claim he was delivering the car to a pal in Benidorm so detained him under counter-terror laws in July last year.

Alisdair Williamson KC, defending, told Westminster magistrates’ court police had taken a “discriminatory stance”.

Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, denies refusing to hand over his mobile PIN — an offence under the Terrorism Act.

Prosecutor Jo Morris said officers had legitimate reasons to detain him owing to his “associating with far-right activists”.

The trial continues.

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A POLISH woman has been discovered in a shocking state after allegedly being locked in a tiny room by her parents for nearly three decades.

Mirella, now 42, was just 15-years-old when she vanished from public life in 1998.

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She lived in the city of Świętochłowice, in southern Poland.

Her parents reportedly told neighbours at the time that their teenage daughter had gone missing. For years, no one questioned it.

But this summer, police stumbled upon the horrifying truth.

Officers were called to an apartment block in July after residents heard a disturbance coming from inside.

When they knocked on the door, the elderly landlady, 82, denied anything unusual was going on.

Cops then spoke to Mirella directly. She reassured them that “everything was fine”.

But officers quickly noticed severe injuries on her legs and decided to call and ambulance.

She was rushed to hospital – and doctors determined she was just “days away from death” from infection.

Although Mirella’s discovery took place in July, the shocking case has only now come to light after locals launched a fundraiser to help her recover.

One of the organisers posted online: “Doctors determined that she was only days away from death due to infection.

“She has been in hospital for two months now due to her critical condition.

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“People who knew Mirella thought she left her ‘family’ home almost 30 years ago.

“Unfortunately, the truth turned out to be different.

“Much remains unknown, and several facts cannot be revealed at this stage. One thing is certain: the truth must come to light as to why this young, healthy 15-year-old stopped leaving her home and disappeared without a trace.

“It is unimaginable to spend so much time in one room.

“She herself says that she has never even seen her city develop, that it is behind in everything, that she has missed out on so many things, she has never been to a doctor, never obtained an ID card, never gone for a simple walk or even to the balcony…

“She’s never been to a dentist or a hairdresser.

“Her hair and teeth are in critical condition, even threatening her health, so visits to a private clinic are now necessary.”

Mirella’s nightmare began when she was just a teenager. Her parents allegedly confined her to a small room in their flat and cut her off from the outside world completely.

For 27 years, neighbours believed the couple’s story that their daughter was missing.

Residents assumed only two people lived in the flat: the elderly couple.

Her ordeal only came to an end at the end of July when neighbours heard noises and alerted the emergency services.

When police and paramedics entered the second-floor apartment, they were met with a devastating scene.

Witnesses said Mirella looked “extremely neglected,” and her legs “appeared to be necrotic.”

One neighbour said: “It’s unbelievable. I remember Mirella as a teenager. We used to play in front of the building when I visited my grandmother for the holidays.

“Then she suddenly disappeared under mysterious circumstances.”

After she was rescued, Mirella spent two months in hospital fighting for her life.

Authorities have now launched a criminal investigation.

Prosecutor Agnieszka Kwatera confirmed that the case is being formally investigated.

Junior Asp. Anna Hryniak from the Municipal Police Headquarters in Świętochłowice told Fakt: “After our intervention and transporting the woman to the hospital, the district police officer contacted the Social Welfare Center.

“We are awaiting feedback on this woman’s situation from the Social Welfare Center so we can take further action.”

It is not yet clear what legal consequences Mirella’s parents will face.

The shocking discovery comes just days after a separate case made headlines in Brazil.

A six-year-old girl who had spent her entire life locked inside a room was rescued by police in Sorocaba, São Paulo state.

Authorities were tipped off anonymously and found the child in a state of neglect. She had never been to school, received no vaccinations, and could not speak.

Child protection counsellor Ligia Guerra said: “The girl was very apathetic and dazzled by everything.”

She added that the child’s hair was “tangled” and looked “as if it had never been washed.”

The girl had reportedly eaten nothing that day and survived only on liquids.

She communicated with police and counsellors through sounds rather than words.

The child was immediately taken to hospital for medical checks before being moved to a children’s home.

Both cases have horrified the public and raised questions about how such extreme abuse can go unnoticed for so long.

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