Petro, however, has highlighted his interdiction efforts as a means of refuting Trump’s claims that he has allowed cocaine to flow unchecked.
The subject reportedly came up during a call between the two heads of state in January. Petro suggested that Trump had been unfamiliar with the amounts of cocaine Colombia has seized.
“The United States doesn’t know anything about that,” he told CBS News after the call.
At other times, Petro has leaned on his interdiction record to push back on Trump’s hardline anti-narcotics policy.
In September, Trump and his allies announced a campaign to bomb boats suspected of carrying drugs, arguing the strategy was more efficient than interdiction.
“Interdiction doesn’t work,” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said. “What will stop them is when you blow them up, when you get rid of them.”
Since then, the US military has bombed 47 boats, killing at least 163 people. Petro has condemned the strikes as “murders”, arguing they violate due process and international law.
He has also held up his own interdiction strategy as a more effective model.
When Colombia and the US led a joint maritime operation in February that resulted in nearly 10 tonnes of cocaine seized, Petro touted the outcome as proof that anti-narcotics efforts need not be lethal.
“The Colombian Navy seized the submarine without killing anyone,” Petro said during a cabinet meeting.
Still, experts have pointed out that Petro has bent to US demands in other areas.
While Petro had pledged not to target coca farmers, he announced in December that security forces would deploy drones to spray crops with glyphosate, an herbicide.
That plan — to forcibly eradicate coca crops by air — faced strong local opposition due to concerns over the herbicide’s health and environmental impacts.
Rueda said the move, which has yet to be implemented, signalled that Petro, like many presidents before him, had yielded to US pressure.
“The US government always wins,” said Rueda. “It always has more power over us, and we end up having to give in — and so does Petro.”
Whether Petro’s decision holds weight with his electoral base is less certain. While protests initially erupted in coca-growing regions, they subsided after meetings with his administration.
Rueda suspects officials reassured protesters they wouldn’t carry out the fumigations, which could have cost Petro in the upcoming elections.
“Petro’s decision highlights his inconsistencies when it comes to the policy he put forward,” Rueda said. “But in the end, the fumigations never happened, so the political impact likely wasn’t as significant as it could have been.”
April 14 (UPI) — Authorities in the Bahamas have released the 58-year-old American man detained last week in the investigation into missing American Lynette Hooker.
The man, Lynette Hooker’s husband, Brian Hooker, was released Monday, the Royal Bahamas Police Force said in a statement that only identified the individual by his age and nationality.
“The decision to release the individual was made following consultation with the Department of Public Prosecutions, which recommended that no charges be filed at this time pending the outcome of further investigation,” the police force said, without identifying the suspect.
Brian Hooker’s lawyer, Terrel Butler, had said the authorities had until 7:20 p.m. EDT Monday to decide whether to charge his client, who has been in police custody since he was detained shortly after 7 p.m. Wednesday.
According to police, Brian Hooker reported his wife missing early on April 5. He told investigators that he and his wife had departed Hope Town at around 7:30 p.m. the evening before for Elbow Cay aboard an 8-foot hard-bottom dinghy.
During the journey, his wife fell overboard with the boat keys in her possession, causing the vessel’s engine to cut off. Strong currents carried the woman away, he allegedly said, according to police.
Brian Hooker reported her missing after paddling the dinghy back to shore.
When he was taken into police custody last week, police incorrectly stated the suspect’s age as 59.
FORMER child star Brandon “Bug” Hall has reportedly been arrested after allegedly skipping a court date tied to a traffic dispute.
The 41-year-old actor – best known for playing Alfalfa in the 1994 hit The Little Rascals – was picked up in Ohio.
Sign up for the Showbiz newsletter
Thank you!
Bug Hall was arrested in Ohio for failing to appear at a court hearingCredit: Bull Shoals Police DepartmentThe actor, now 41, is best known for playing Alfalfa in the 1994 hit The Little RascalsCredit: Alamy
According to documents obtained by TMZ, he was charged with failure to appear after he allegedly missed a court hearing on December 31, 2024.
The case stems from a prior incident on October 29, 2024, when he was reportedly hit with a traffic citation for not having liability insurance.
The former Hollywood child favourite shot to fame as the lovable cowlick-haired Alfalfa in The Little Rascals, a role that made him a household name in the 90s.
He later appeared in films including Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves, The Stupids, and American Pie Presents: The Book of Love.
In more recent years, Hall has popped up in TV shows such as Castle, Masters of Sex, and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.
It comes after Bug Hall was arrested after allegedly inhaling air duster back in 2020.
A police report seen by The Sun states the then-35-year-old was taken into custody in Weatherford, Texas, after he was allegedly spotted near a hotel dumpster “huffing”.
He was later booked at Parker County Jail on suspicion of “possession use inhale/ingest volatile chemical”.
Most read in Entertainment
According to People magazine, the substance involved was reportedly “air duster”.
Huffing is a form of substance abuse where household chemicals are inhaled to produce a high.
Hall posted a $1,500 bond the next day and was later released.
The actor was charged but never sentenced for the 2020 air duster incident.
While he was initially arrested and booked on a misdemeanor charge, he later stated that he faced no formal charges in the end.
The arrest stems from a December 31, 2024, court hearing that Hall reportedly failed to attendCredit: GettyHall pictured in Little RascalsCredit: Alamy
BRITNEY Spears has checked herself into rehab after gentle encouragement from her sons.
The Sun understands she resisted going to an inpatient facility for a month following her arrest for driving under the influence at the beginning of March.
Sign up for the Showbiz newsletter
Thank you!
Britney Spears has checked herself into rehab after gentle encouragement from her sonsCredit: APThe singer was arrested last month for driving under the influenceCredit: InstagramBritney has finally sought help after a series of heart to hearts with her sons Preston (left) and Jayden, who have rallied around her following the incidentCredit: Instagram
But Britney has finally sought help after a series of heart to hearts with her sons Preston and Jayden, who have rallied around her following the incident.
The news broke early this morning that she had agreed to receive treatment.
Insiders said Britney decided to attend a placement only if it was away from Los Angeles, as she is so suspicious of medical experts there.
A US source explained: “Britney has had some seriously bad experiences in the past when she’s been at her lowest ebb, and is terrified of anyone taking advantage of her.
“Over the last five weeks, her management team and friends have been trying to persuade her to seek professional help but she expressed deep fears that all facilities in LA were ‘against me’.
“Her deep suspicions about LA’s medical community still stems from her time in the conservatorship controlled by her dad. She always felt that they acted against her will and made her ill.
“However her sons have had several heart to hearts with her in recent days and persuaded her to try somewhere different, out of town, with new experts to assist her.
“Britney has gone to the facility, but has not made any promises about how long her stay will be. Her stay is voluntary so she can check out or walk away whenever she wants.
“Jayden especially has become extremely close to Britney recently and has moved in with her.
“He wants to make sure she is in a good place and mentally strong enough for her court appearance next month.”
Britney was arrested on March 4 after driving erratically and was found to have drugs and alcohol in her system.
The Toxic singer will be told about the extent of charges in court on May 4.
That agreement was terminated in 2021 but it’s not been smooth sailing since then, with erratic social media posts leading many to question her wellbeing.
Britney is said to have checked herself into rehab for substance abuseCredit: InstagramA US source said: ‘Britney has gone to the facility, but has not made any promises about how long her stay will be’Credit: WireImage
The Korean National Police Agency headquarters in Seoul. Photo by Asia Today
April 13 (Asia Today) — South Korean police have referred nearly 2,000 suspects to prosecutors following a nine-month crackdown on corruption involving public officials, illegal kickbacks and safety violations.
The National Investigation Headquarters of the Korean National Police Agency said Monday that 1,997 people were referred for prosecution between July 1 and March 31, including 56 who were detained.
The probe targeted three main areas: corruption by public officials, unfair business practices and safety-related violations.
Among those referred, 548 were public officials, with 17 taken into custody.
Bribery accounted for the largest share, with 322 suspects referred and 31 detained. Authorities also referred 410 suspects in kickback cases, 507 for financial irregularities, 513 for substandard construction and 52 for hiring-related corruption.
Police said the investigation focused on systemic corruption across government offices and industrial sectors and will expand to include locally entrenched corruption networks.
In one case, police referred nine people, including the head of a Seoul branch of a postal workers’ union, on charges of misusing union funds for an election campaign and overseas travel expenses. The union leader was detained.
In another case, three local council members in Gangwon Province were referred for allegedly offering or receiving money and gifts during an internal vote to elect a council chair. One was detained.
Authorities also uncovered corruption in the medical sector. Police in Busan referred 31 individuals, including a doctor and medical device company officials, for allegedly receiving about 165 million won (about $123,000) in exchange for supply contracts. Two were detained.
Police said they will continue investigating 1,699 suspects tied to unresolved cases and have launched a separate crackdown on local corruption since early last month.
An official from the national investigation body said strong enforcement efforts must be accompanied by public reporting to effectively root out corruption.
Police said the suspect targeted Altman’s San Francisco residence before dawn and fled the scene on foot.
Published On 10 Apr 202610 Apr 2026
A 20-year-old man has been arrested by San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) after a Molotov cocktail was thrown at the home of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman early on Friday morning.
Police in the United States said the suspect targeted the property at about 4am local time (11:00 GMT), allegedly throwing an improvised incendiary device that ignited part of an exterior gate before fleeing the scene on foot.
Recommended Stories
list of 3 itemsend of list
Authorities did not publicly identify the suspect or confirm the address where the attack took place.
Instead, in a post on the social media platform X, the police department said that a residence in the North Beach neighbourhood was affected.
However, a spokesperson for OpenAI confirmed the incident took place at Altman’s residence.
“Thankfully, no one was hurt. We deeply appreciate how quickly SFPD responded and the support from the city in helping keep our employees safe,” an OpenAI spokesperson said.
Police have not indicated a possible motive behind the attack. The suspect was ultimately located about an hour later near OpenAI’s headquarters, roughly 4.8 kilometres (three miles) away, where he was allegedly threatening to set the building on fire.
OpenAI said it is cooperating with law enforcement as the investigation continues.
Security concerns around OpenAI
The incident comes amid heightened security concerns around OpenAI’s offices, which have faced threats and protests in recent months.
Just last November, a man making violent threats to its San Francisco headquarters briefly prompted an office lockdown.
Altman and the company have increasingly become targets for activists who warn about the risks artificial intelligence could pose to society.
Critics have also raised alarm over OpenAI’s decision to collaborate with the US Department of Defense, a move that has intensified scrutiny of the company’s role in military technology.
Public sentiment towards AI remains mixed. A recent NBC News poll found that the technology is viewed even less favourably than US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a federal agency responsible for violent immigration raids under President Donald Trump.
Despite the criticism, OpenAI’s growth has accelerated rapidly. The company said last month it was valued at $852bn, following a major funding round that raised $122bn.
Companies like OpenAI, however, face lingering questions about whether they can generate sufficient revenue to cover their high expenses.
One of OpenAI’s signature products, ChatGPT, continues to dominate the consumer AI market, with more than 900 million weekly active users and about 50 million subscribers.
The company also said usage of its search features has tripled over the past year.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) said a Sudanese man was detained on suspicion of ‘endangering another during a journey by sea to the UK’.
Published On 10 Apr 202610 Apr 2026
British police have arrested a Sudanese man on suspicion of “endangering another” person after four people died while trying to cross the English Channel from France.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) said on Friday that a 27-year-old man, who remains unnamed, was detained at a migrant processing centre in Manston, southern England.
Recommended Stories
list of 3 itemsend of list
According to an NCA statement, the suspect was arrested on suspicion of “endangering another during a journey by sea to the UK” under the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act.
The arrest comes a day after two men and two women were swept away by the current after trying to board a small boat with dozens of others off the coast of Saint-Etienne-au-Mont, near Calais in northern France, on Thursday.
So-called water-taxis are inflatable boats that cruise along the coastline picking up migrants and refugees who wade into shallow waters to climb on board, in a method to avoid security forces from stopping the boats from launching.
Last week, two men, one Sudanese and the other Afghan, died trying to make a similar crossing in the first reported deaths in the Channel this year.
The NCA said the suspect was being held and interviewed by officers who are also speaking to those who made the journey, which included 74 people, of whom 38 were returned to France.
The statement added that there was an ongoing investigation into the circumstances of the deaths of the four people and the launch of the boat, led by French prosecutors.
NCA Deputy Director Craig Turner said the agency would work with “colleagues at home and abroad” to do “all we can to identify and bring to justice those responsible for these four tragic deaths”.
The minister for migration and citizenship, Mike Tapp, said law enforcement teams would continue to prevent these “perilous journeys and bring those responsible to justice”, adding that every death in the Channel was a “tragedy”.
“Through our Border Security Act, officers now have stronger powers to act earlier and disrupt, intercept and take down the operations of criminal smuggling gangs who bring illegal migrants to our shores,” he said.
Police pushed back protesters in Venezuela’s capital as they demanded an increase to the minimum wage of 130 bolivars ($0.27) per month. Earlier this week, Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, promised ‘a responsible increase’ in salaries by May 1, but didn’t disclose the amount.
KATIE Price has been banned from driving for the seventh time – meaning she’s spent six years since 2010 barred from getting behind the wheel.
The ex-glamour model and mum-of-five’s latest run-in with the law comes after a Ford Capri registered to her was caught at 80mph on the A64 near Strutton in North Yorkshire.
Sign up for the Showbiz newsletter
Thank you!
Katie Price has now been banned from driving seven timesCredit: InstagramCCTV issued by North Yorkshire Police of Price seen driving a Ford Capri at 80 mphCredit: PAPrice overturned her BMW in September 2021Credit: PA
CCTV released by police shows the 47-year-old behind the wheel during the incident on October 15, 2025, the same day Price appeared on stage with celeb pal Kerry Katona for An Evening with Katie Price & Kerry Katona at Scarborough Spa.
She has now been prosecuted and convicted of failing to respond to police, landing her with a six-month driving ban and a legal bill topping £1,000.
Speaking previously toThe Sun, Price also said she was suresomeone she knows had left anonymous complaintsto the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), accusing her of being “not fit to drive” to stop her getting her licence back.
Katie Price’s seven driving bans
Ban 1 – December 2010: Price was given 12 points between June 2008 and December 2010, resulting in a six month ban
Ban 2 – August 2012: She was slapped with a 12-month ban after failing to respond to two speeding tickets
Ban 3 – February 2018: The star was banned for another six months for failing to give details about the person driving her speeding car
Ban 4 – January 2019: Price was banned for a further three months for driving while banned
Ban 5 – November 2019 she was issued with another ban, this time for two years – which was eventually cut to 18 months on appeal
Ban 6 – December 2021: Price was arrested for turning over her BMW and as a result was banned for a sixth time for two years
Ban 7 – April 2026: Court papers show Price was charged with speeding and failing to give information relating to the identification of the driver of a vehicle after being caught driving at 80mph
Ban 1 – December 2010
In June 2008 she was given three points for talking on her phone while behind the wheel.
In July 2010 she was given another four points for speeding at 99mph, and a further three that September for veering from her lane in her 7½-ton pink horsebox.
Price’s first ban, for six months, came that December after she was given three more points for doing 83mph.
Ban 2 – August 2012
In August 2012, she was slapped with a 12-month ban after failing to respond to two speeding tickets.
The former glamour model was described by a judge as having ‘one of the worst driving records’Credit: News Group Newspapers LtdPrice crashed her £63,000 Range Rover while allegedly on her mobile phoneCredit: Splash NewsPrice going to her car after previously appearing at Guildford MagistratesCredit: Kevin Dunnett – The Sun
Ban 3 – February 2018
In February 2018, the star was banned for another six months for failing to give details about the person driving her speeding car.
Ban 4 – January 2019
The following January saw Price banned for a further three months for driving while banned, and then a month later was slapped with another three months.
Ban 5 – November 2019
Later that November she was issued with another ban, this time for two years – which was eventually cut to 18 months on appeal.
Ban 6 – December 2021
In September 2021 Price was arrested for turning over her BMW in a drink driving smash in Horsham, West Sussex, and as a result was banned for a sixth time for two years and given a suspended sentence that December.
Repeat offenders would usually face a minimum of 12 weeks behind bars but her sentence was reduced below the custody threshold after she entered rehab while on holiday in Las Vegas.
At Crawley magistrates’ court on December 14 2021, District Judge Amanda Kelly admitted the public would be “appalled” — and that Price deserved to be spending Christmas behind bars.
She added: “Your actions on that night were incredibly selfish.
“When you chose to get behind the wheel of the car that night, you showed no consideration for others.
“You could have killed someone’s child, partner, parent or friend.
“You appear to think, it seems, that you are above the law.”
Speaking about the incident to The Sun, Price said: “I could have killed myself.
“I could have killed someone else. I deserved to be punished, enough was enough.
“Getting in the car was a terrible mistake I’m so sorry for.
“That was a prime example of me having been triggered and not knowing how to handle it, an example of me spiralling out of control because I needed help.”
Ban 7 – April 2026
Price’s latest conviction and driving disqualification was dealt with last week in the Single Justice Procedure, a secretive court process where magistrates deal with criminal cases behind closed doors.
Court papers show Price was charged with speeding and failing to give information relating to the identification of the driver of a vehicle.
The Ford Capri was caught on a speed camera on a 70mph stretch of the A64 at 3.03pm on October 15 last year.
Price outside Bexley Magistrates’ Court following her drink driving trial where she was banned from driving for three months in 2019Credit: PA:Press Association
She was sent a police letter about the incident on October 20, and a reminder on November 10, warning her of looming criminal proceedings.
However, the police force said no response was received to either letter.
Magistrate Claire Sagar, sitting at Harrogate Magistrates’ Court last Tuesday, found Price guilty of the failure to respond to police charge, ordering her to pay a £660 fine, £120 in costs, and a £264 victim surcharge.
Due to the secretive nature of the court process, it is not known if Price was given the chance to argue against another driving ban, it is unclear whether the court knew of her previous driving record, and the records do not reveal if she already had penalty points on her licence.
The speeding charge was withdrawn by the police.
The Sun has approached Price’s reps for comment.
Katie’s previous driving convictions
KATIE Price has now been banned from driving seven times in the last 15 years after a series of infringements.
OCTOBER 2003: Escapes a speeding charge on a technicality.
JUNE 2008: Given three points for talking on mobile.
JULY 2010: Four points for speeding at 99mph.
SEPTEMBER: Three points for veering from her lane in her 7½-ton pink horsebox.
DECEMBER: Six-month ban after three more points for doing 83mph in a 70mph zone takes her total to 13.
AUGUST 2012: 12-month ban after failing to respond to two speeding tickets.
FEBRUARY 2018: Banned for six months for failing to give details about the person driving her speeding car.
JULY: Quizzed by police for getting behind the wheel while still banned. Says she thought ban was over.
SEPTEMBER: Crashes her £63,000 Ranger Rover while allegedly on her mobile.
OCTOBER: Held for suspected drink-driving. Spent a night in the cells.
DECEMBER: Charged over the drink-drive allegation.
JANUARY 2019: Three month ban for driving while banned.
FEBRUARY: Further three months after another driving conviction.
AUTUMN: Issued with sixth ban, this time for two years. Cut to 18 months on appeal.
MARCH 2021: Drives boyfriend’s Range Rover. An admin error meant an extra six months under totting up rules had not been added. Questioned by police.
SEPTEMBER: Arrested after turning over car
DECEMBER: Price banned from driving and given 16-week suspended sentence
JULY 2023: Model caught speeding on A417 near Gloucestershire. Her Range Rover is also seized by officers.
NOVEMBER: Price is convicted of driving without a licence by JPs at Cheltenham.
JANUARY 2024: The mum is slapped with a fine for the speeding offence on the A417.
MARCH: Price is ordered to pay another fine and handed more points on her licence after being caught driving without licence or insurance.
APRIL 2026: Her latest run-in with the law comes after a Ford Capri registered in her name was caught at 80mph on the A64 near to the North Yorkshire village of Stutton.
April 8 (UPI) — Authorities in the Bahamas detained a 59-year-old American man in connection with last weekend’s disappearance of an American woman while out at sea.
According to the Royal Bahamas Police Force, an unidentified man, reportedly her husband, Brian Hooker, 58, reported his wife missing at about 4 a.m. Sunday after arriving at the Marsh Harbor Boatyard by boat.
Police said the man informed officers that he and his wife had departed Hope Town at around 7:30 p.m. EDT Saturday for Elbow Cay aboard an 8-foot, hard-bottom dinghy.
During the journey, his wife fell overboard with the boat keys in her possession, causing the vessel’s engine to cut off, the man told officers, the Royal Bahamas Police Force said in an earlier statement.
Strong currents then allegedly carried the woman away. The man lost sight of her and then paddled the dinghy to shore, according to police, which said a search-and-rescue mission was launched for the missing woman.
The Royal Bahamas Police Force said in a statement that an American man, age 59, was taken into custody at about 7 p.m. Wednesday in Marsh Harbor, Abaco Island.
The suspect “is currently being questioned in connection with this matter,” the Royal Bahamas Police Force said.
The Royal Bahamas Defense Force announced Wednesday that the rescue effort has become a recovery operation.
Lynette Hooker’s daughter, Karli Aylesworth, told CBS News on Wednesday that she is urging police to thoroughly investigate the incident as she does not believe the reported sequence of events.
“I don’t understand how she got the key,” she said. “Brian’s always driving. So, he basically is in charge of the key. So, the fact that my mom had it doesn’t make any sense.”
Offset was shot near the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla., on Monday evening and is currently listed as stable, a spokesperson for the rapper told The Times.
“We can confirm Offset was shot and is currently at the hospital receiving medical care,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “He is stable and being closely monitored.”
The Seminole Police Department said in a statement that officers responded to an incident in the valet area of the hotel and casino shortly after 7 p.m. One person was transported to Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood with non-life-threatening injuries.
Police detained two people in connection with the incident, and an investigation remains ongoing. The scene has been secured and operations at the Hard Rock are continuing as normal, police said.
The circumstances around the shooting remain unclear.
The 34-year-old rapper, whose real name is Kiari Cephus, gained prominence as a member of the Atlanta rap trio Migos, which was founded in 2008 and rose to hip-hop fame in 2013 with the breakout hit “Versace.” The group, whose members included rappers Quavo, Takeoff and Offset, achieved major mainstream stardom in 2016 through “Bad and Boujee,” which shot to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The three members grew up together in the Atlanta area. Takeoff was Quavo’s nephew, while Offset is a close family friend.
In 2022, the group split up due to differences between Offset and Quavo. In November of that year, Takeoff, whose real name is Kirsnick Khari Ball, was fatally shot outside of a bowling alley in Houston. He was 28 years old.
Patrick Xavier Clark was indicted by a grand jury in the murder of Takeoff in May 2023. He has pleaded not guilty and the case is awaiting trial.
Since the breakup of Migos, Offset has focused on his solo career, releasing his album “Set It Off” in 2023, which features artists including Travis Scott, Don Toliver, Future and Cardi B. He released his latest album, “Kiari,” in August.
Times staff writer Emily St. Martin contributed to this report.
Grammy winner Lil Nas X is another step closer to potentially resolving his felony police battery case.
A Los Angeles judge on Monday granted the “Industry Baby” and “Old Town Road” singer’s motion for diversion, ordering the 26-year-old musician to enter a two-year mental health program, according to multiple outlets. TMZ reported that Lil Nas X — birth name Montero Hill — will be cleared of his four felony counts if he complies with treatment and commits no other crimes.
A legal representative for the rapper-singer, who was naked when he was arrested in Studio City last August, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday. Lil Nas X, who returned to Van Nuys Courthouse for a hearing, told media he was feeling “thankful” and echoed a previous comment that he misses his fans.
“I’m just going through the flow of life,” he said outside the courthouse, according to video published by Rolling Stone reporter Nancy Dillon.
The singer received treatment at a nearby hospital for a possible overdose but was accused of assaulting police officers. He was charged with four felony counts: three counts of battery with injury on a police officer and one count of resisting an executive officer. Police allege the singer assaulted the officers who were trying to take him into custody. Lil Nas X had pleaded not guilty to all those counts.
Days after his Studio City episode, Lil Nas X reassured fans on social media he would be all right. “That was terrifying,” he recalled of his arrest,”that was a terrifying four days but ya girl’s gonna be all right.”
Rolling Stone reported that during Monday’s hearing Judge Alan Schneider said the singer’s behavior in August was “aberrant from his normal conduct” and related to his bipolar diagnosis. Schneider also observed that the artist “appears to be doing very well” and “when treated, he is much better off, and society is much better off,” the outlet said.
A five-year grassroots campaign to spur the reopening of one of the crown jewels of moviegoing in Los Angeles is on indefinite pause following an incident at the theater Friday night.
Ben Steinberg, a 26-year-old film student at Cal State Northridge, has long been a vocal and active proponent of reopening Hollywood’s Cinerama Dome, which has been closed since the onset of the pandemic in March 2020. A Change.org petition started by Steinberg has more than 31,000 signatures asking the Decurion Corp., longtime owners of the venue, to reopen or lease the property to someone else who would. Across social media platforms, Steinberg has nearly 12,000 followers.
From across Sunset Boulevard on Friday night, Steinberg — along with a projectionist and a privately-hired security guard — had been projecting images of two members of the Forman family, who own Decurion, onto the front of the Dome along with the slogan “Mr. Forman REOPEN THE DOME!” After about two-and-a-half hours, LAPD officers arrived in response to a radio call received around 9 p.m.
“They came to us and they informed us that the property owner considers it harassment and that it’s an escalation and that we have to shut down,” said Steinberg in an interview with The Times on Sunday afternoon. “So we just shut down immediately. We didn’t contest anything.”
There was no immediate response to a request for comment from Decurion on Monday. The LAPD confirmed details of the incident.
The Cinerama Dome originally opened in 1963 with its white tiled design and distinctive marquee. In April 2021 it was announced by Pacific Theatres that the venue would not be reopening. That brief statement regarding the closure of Pacific Theatres and ArcLight Cinemas, which operated the Dome and were also owned by Decurion, said in part, “This was not the outcome anyone wanted, but despite a huge effort that exhausted all potential options, the company does not have a viable way forward.”
Since then there have been sporadic signs of life regarding the venue, mostly to do with liquor licensing and permit requests, such as last October when a company called Dome Center LLC filed an application for a conditional-use permit.
Particularly since it became part of the larger ArcLight Hollywood multiplex in 2002, the Dome had been a vital part of the community of moviegoers in Los Angeles, home to many notable premieres and events. The front of the theater made a memorable appearance in Quentin Tarantino’s Oscar-winning 2019 film “Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood.”
For now Steinberg considers his Save the Cinerama Dome campaign, which began in April 2021, paused but he hopes to resume it as soon as possible. The complaint made to the police Friday was the first reaction of any kind Steinberg has received from Decurion.
“I think it definitely tells what their intentions are,” said Steinberg. “This is the only sign that they’ve given us that they don’t want us to continue and it’s definitely a threat.”
For Steinberg, the campaign has grown beyond just wanting to see movies again in a favorite venue and into something about who truly owns the cultural capital of the city.
“I think it’s extremely important to the community of Los Angeles and it represents the city,” said Steinberg of the Cinerama Dome. “And just personally, I have so many good memories of the theater. I would hope that I’d be able to go back in again and watch movies. I think the whole city deserves the movie theater. I don’t think it would be fair for them to keep it abandoned.”
While Decurion may be operating within its rights as owner of the property, its secretive and mysterious business practices have increasingly angered film fans concerned about the future of moviegoing in the city.
“When I first posted about it, I thought people wouldn’t care,” said Steinberg. “But it seems like the whole world cares about the Cinerama Dome. And I think too it’s more than the Cinerama Dome at this point. I think it just kind of represents the overall landscape of L.A. and America and how these large corporations can own historic buildings and keep them abandoned and then sort of push away people who want [them] to reopen.”
A driver in the US state of Louisiana was charged with impaired driving after plowing into a crowd and injuring at least 15 people celebrating Lao New Year on Saturday. Footage from the scene showed injured people on the ground and at least one trapped under a vehicle.
The activists were protesting the alleged use of the RAF base as a departure point for US aircraft involved in the US-Israel war on Iran.
Published On 5 Apr 20265 Apr 2026
British police have arrested seven people on suspicion of supporting the banned group Palestine Action at a protest near a Royal Air Force (RAF) air base in eastern England used by United States forces.
The five men and two women arrested at a peace encampment just outside the Lakenheath airbase had gathered with other activists on Sunday to protest the alleged use of the base as a departure point for US aircraft involved in the US-Israeli war on Iran.
Recommended Stories
list of 3 itemsend of list
The Lakenheath Alliance for Peace, which organised the protest, said the seven had been arrested wearing clothing with the message: “We oppose genocide, we support Palestine Action.”
Police said the protesters had been arrested “on suspicion of supporting a proscribed organisation”.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour government banned Palestine Action as a “terrorist” organisation last year, making it a criminal offence to belong to or support the group.
In February, a court ruled the ban was “disproportionate” and interfered with the right to free speech. But the government has appealed, and the ban remains in effect in the meantime.
More than 2,700 people have been arrested and hundreds charged over rallies in support of the group, according to protest organisers Defend Our Juries.
Police said in a statement on the latest arrests that they had a duty to enforce the law “as it currently stands, not as it might be in the future”.
Two protesters were also arrested on Saturday at Lakenheath and charged with obstructing public thoroughfares, police said.
US President Donald Trump has railed against Starmer for what he calls insufficient support in the US-Israel war on Iran, straining the countries’ longtime alliance.
The United Kingdom has authorised the US to use British military bases to carry out “defensive” operations against Iran and protect the vital Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20 percent of the world’s oil passes in peacetime.
The L.A. man who was filmed punching and kicking the Mercedes-Benz of “Gown and Out in Beverly Hills” stars Patrik Simpson and Pol’ Atteu in Hollywood was arrested this week and booked on felony vandalism.
The reality stars shared the dramatic video of the incident on social media with the caption, “Emergency! We need your help! We were just attacked at an intersection.”
“This man just blocked the intersection of our car at Melrose and Vine and then kicked our door in attacking us. Police were called and the license plate is on the video. If you know who this is, call the police immediately and send me a DM. He is dangerous and the police are looking for him!”
In the video, a man wearing a Cheech & Chong tee that reads “Don’t Panic, It’s Organic” blocked the Melrose Avenue and Vine Street intersection Sunday around 9:20 a.m. and hopped out of his Toyota 4Runner.
Contrary to instructions on the man’s shirt, the married co-stars of the Amazon Prime reality series did begin to panic as the man, who has been identified as Los Angeles resident Kevin Antonio Hernandez, approached their vehicle and punched the driver’s side window and kicked the driver’s side door. “Lock the door!” Simpson is heard saying in the video. “Call the police!”
Hernandez continued to yell at the fashionistas as he returned to his vehicle, but it’s unclear what he was saying because the techno music playing on the radio in Simpson and Atteu’s Benz drowned out any outside noise. Hernandez climbed into the driver’s side of his Toyota and pointed at the couple, yelling one last time, before speeding off.
“Go get him!” Simpson is heard yelling as they continue to film, while chasing the Toyota through the streets of Hollywood and calling 911. The reality stars’ exchange with the emergency dispatcher played out in the video, with the dispatcher urging the couple to stop following the car.
According to Simpson and Atteu, Hernandez had a baby in the car during the heated exchange and ran stop signs and ignored traffic lights as he sped away.
“This is it, I’m going to die here,” Atteu told KTLA of his headspace during the ordeal. “I’ve never been faced with that kind of fear in my life on the streets of L.A.”
The Los Angeles Police Department told The Times that Hernandez was arrested Wednesday. He has since been released.
The ex-guitarist of Turnstile has been arrested for allegedly intentionally hitting the lead singer’s father with a car.
Brady Ebert, a founding member of the Baltimore hardcore punk band, was arrested Tuesday in Silver Spring, Md., on charges of attempted murder in the second degree and first-degree assault.
Montgomery County Police responded to a call Sunday saying a pedestrian had been struck by a car. Upon arrival at the front yard of a home, officers discovered William Yates, the 79-year-old father of Turnstile frontman Brendan Yates, with “trauma to his lower extremities,” the Baltimore Banner reported.
William Yates and his family told police that Ebert first drove up to their house “honking his horn and yelling obscenities,” per Fox 5 in Washington, D.C. Ebert then allegedly returned and hit the elder Yates with his car.
According to the Banner, police obtained surveillance video of the incident that shows Yates moving out of the way and throwing a rock at Ebert’s vehicle and Ebert then accelerating up the driveway before swerving and striking Yates with his car. Yates told police that before first responders arrived, Ebert returned once again to yell that he “deserved it.”
Turnstile told Pitchfork in a statement that Yates underwent surgery for the “severe physical trauma” he sustained during the altercation and that the band’s members are “hoping for the best possible outcome in his recovery.”
“Turnstile cut ties with Brady Ebert in 2022 in response to a consistent pattern of harmful behavior affecting himself, the band, and the community,” the “Never Enough” band said in the statement. “After exhausting every available resource to support his access to help and recovery, a boundary ultimately had to be set when healthy communication was no longer possible and he began threatening violence.”
“We have no language left for Brady,” the band added.
Formed in 2010, Turnstile broke into the mainstream with the 2021 album “Glow On,” which earned the band its first Grammy nominations. The band’s first Grammys came in February 2026 for metal performance (“Birds”) and rock album (“Never Enough”). Turnstile is scheduled to perform at both weekends of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival later this month.
Police inspect a strike site in Tel Aviv after a missile hit the city, causing injuries as the US-Israeli war on Iran enters its fifth week. Meanwhile, Washington signals the conflict could soon wind down, even as timelines remain unclear.
BBC bosses were tonight urged to say why they kept Scott Mills on air while he was probed for sex offences with a boy under 16, only to fire him seven years later.
The Beeb also remain tight-lipped over what changed since their original decision not to act — knowing the star, 53, had been quizzed under caution between 2018 and 2019.
Sign up for the Showbiz newsletter
Thank you!
BBC bosses have been urged to explain why they kept Scott Mills on air while he was probed for sex offencesCredit: Darren FletcherAllegations are reported to relate to events between 1997 and 2000, when Mills was in his 20sCredit: BBC
The allegations are reported to relate to events between 1997 and 2000, when Mills was in his 20s.
Broadcasters and MPs demanded answers over the latest of multiple scandals to rock the corporation in recent years.
TV presenter Piers Morgan said: “I don’t understand. He was investigated by police 10yrs ago over alleged offences 25+ years ago, but no action was taken and case was closed.
“Now he gets instantly fired over same thing? The BBC needs to explain why, surely?”
Insiders have claimed the BBC moved swiftly over Mills following criticism they were slow to act over shamed newsreader Huw Edwards.
Discussing the cases yesterday Radio 2 host Jeremy Vine said: “There is a thought here they decided to treat Scott how they wish they’d treated Huw. Which would be a bit unfair would it not?
“Regarding the inconsistency here, we were told Huw Edwards couldn’t be sacked because he was in a fragile mental state, everything I have read about Scott’s history today goes back to his own anxiety and depression and everything else but there doesn’t seem to be the same break cut for him.”
Tory Shadow Crime Minister Matt Vickers told The Sun: “This pattern of failure by the BBC is letting the public down whilst the institution continues to protect its own reputation over addressing serious internal concerns.
“Time and again, the public are asked to place their trust in an institution that too often seems unwilling to come clean when it matters most.
Mills was sacked as the £360,000-a-year host of Radio 2’s Breakfast ShowCredit: BBCAllegations about Mills were first reported to police in 2012Credit: PAMills is understood not to have spoken to colleagues or pals since being axedCredit: PA:Press Association
“For a broadcaster funded by the public and serving audiences of all ages, any failure to act on safeguarding concerns is unacceptable.”
Mills joined Radio 1 in 1998. Allegations about him were first reported to Hampshire Police by a third party in 2012.
The force logged the details and later passed on information to the Met’s Operation Winter Key.
In December 2016 Winter Key cops launched an investigation.
At that time, Mills was the Drivetime DJ for Radio 1 and hosted the Official Chart Show, which has a target age range of 15-plus.
Mills was interviewed under caution in July 2018 and denied the claims against him.
In March that year The Sun on Sunday revealed how an investigation was being carried out into an unnamed radio presenter.
A file was submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service, which ruled there was insufficient evidence to charge. The investigation was then closed in May 2019.
BBC bosses, including Ben Cooper, the then-controller of Radio 1 and 1Xtra, chose not to take Mills off air despite the investigation.
“Scott said he denied the allegations that had been made against him. Ben stood by Scott and allowed him to continue working while the police investigated.
“Given how serious the complaint was, it raises questions about why the BBC decided to keep him on air on Radio 1 — whose target audience is teenagers — rather than removing him while the police continued the investigation.”
The BBC have now removed Mills from a Race Across The World podcast and pulled scenes he filmed for EastEndersCredit: PAScott Mills joined Radio 1 in 1998Credit: PA
Mr Cooper left his position as the controller of Radio 1 in 2020 after nine years.
Yesterday the Met issued a new statement and confirmed: “In December 2016, the Met began an investigation following a referral from another police force.
“The investigation related to allegations of serious sexual offences against a teenage boy. These were reported to have taken place between 1997 and 2000.
“As part of these enquiries, a man who was in his 40s at the time of the interview, was questioned by police under caution in July 2018.
“A full file of evidence was submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service, who determined the evidential threshold had not been met to bring charges.
“Following this advice, the investigation was closed in May 2019.”
A source said: “The BBC’s second probe into this saw them speaking to Scott, as well as individuals with knowledge of Scott’s dealings with the police in 2018.
“Whatever they discovered this time around clearly was treated more seriously, or given more credence than when it was first discussed with Scott in 2018, as this time they decided to sack him.”
The Sun revealed Huw Edwards paid a teenager thousands of pounds for explicit imagesCredit: PA
KEY MOMENTS IN COPS’ INVESTIGATION
1997-2000:
The alleged incidents take place, with Mills joining BBC Radio 1 in 1998.
DECEMBER 2016:
The Metropolitan Police start looking into claims regarding Mills.
JULY 2018:
Mills is questioned under caution by police about historical serious sexual offences against a teenage boy.
He tells the BBC about the investigation and denies the allegation.
MAY 2019:
The investigation ends as the CPS decide there is not enough evidence to charge.
OCTOBER 2022:
He joins BBC Radio 2, taking over the afternoon slot from Steve Wright.
JANUARY 2025:
Mills takes over as new Radio 2 Breakfast Show host after Zoe Ball stepped down — calling the role his “dream job”.
MARCH 24 2026:
He signs off “See you tomorrow,” in his slot only to be taken off air the following day.
MARCH 25 2026:
An investigation begins at BBC into the 2016 complaint.
MARCH 30 2026:
The BBC announce Mills is sacked and no longer works for the BBC.
MARCH 31 2026:
Metropolitan Police confirm the boy at the centre of the investigation was under 16 at time of the alleged offences.
APRIL 1 2026:
Insiders tell The Sun the BBC was aware of the investigation in 2018 after Mills told them about it and denied the allegations.
Insiders at the BBC also pointed to Channel 5’s documentary, Power: The Downfall of Huw Edwards, as a possible reason for the complainant to contact the BBC.
It came after The Sun revealed Edwards paid a teenager thousands of pounds for explicit images.
The source added: “With the timing of the Huw film it makes sense why the person at the centre of the original (Mills) complaint may have decided to speak to the BBC again.
“Many in the BBC are saying the timing doesn’t feel like a coincidence.
“The drama showed actions do have consequences.” Separately, The Telegraph reported former BBC presenter Anna Brees contacted the Beeb in May 2025 to say she had received information about alleged “inappropriate communications” involving Mills.
She also asked whether the BBC had ever received any “formal or informal complaints” about Mills “relating to safeguarding, inappropriate conduct or harassment” and whether it had ever conducted an internal investigation into him.
She did not receive a response. The BBC admitted her information “should have been followed up and we should have asked further questions”.
There is no suggestion the inquiries by Ms Brees related to the same alleged victim whose complaint to the police led to Mills being questioned in 2018.
BBC bosses were left with “no choice” but to sack Mills after being passed compelling new information, it was claimed last night.
The Mirror reported the fresh details are different to the claims probed by police in 2016 but relate to the same complainant.
Yesterday charity Neuroblastoma UK dropped him as a patron. Dermot O’Leary who hosts the Saturday morning Breakfast Show, said yesterday: “This was a shock to everyone. It came from nowhere.”
Insiders said the BBC were now discussing who would take over the Breakfast Show – which in the latest round of Rajar figures in February revealed Mills had 6.5million listeners.