Rare

WASHINGTON — King Charles III will address a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, becoming the second British monarch in history to do so as the United States commemorates the 250th anniversary of its independence from England.

The king’s address, the centerpiece of a four-day state visit, comes at a moment of unusual strain between Washington and London. President Trump has repeatedly clashed with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer over the United States’ war with Iran, derided the British government’s refusal to commit forces to the conflict and even mocked the Royal Navy’s battleships as “toys.”

At a welcome ceremony for the king and Queen Camilla at the White House, Trump struck a more appreciative tone, describing the relationship between the two nations as a centuries-old “cherished bond.”

“Long before Americans had a nation or a Constitution, we first had a culture, a character and a creed,” the president said. “Before we ever proclaimed our independence, Americans carried within us the rarest of gifts — moral courage — and it came from a small but mighty kingdom from across the sea.”

Trump said that some may think it is “ironic” to honor the British king during celebrations of America’s independence, but argued the tribute “could not be more appropriate.”

“Americans have had no closer friends than the British,” Trump said. “We share the same root. We speak the same language. We hold the same values. And together, our warriors have defended the same extraordinary civilization under twin banners of red, white and blue.”

Trump said he will not be attending the king’s remarks at the Capitol due to security protocols, but said he planned to watch from afar. He did not elaborate on any security concerns, but the decision comes in the aftermath of a shooting at the White House correspondents’ dinner in which authorities said Trump was a likely target.

Following the welcome ceremony, the king joined Trump in the Oval Office for a closed-door bilateral meeting.

The president appeared to be enjoying the visit. He told the crowd at the White House that his late mother “loved” the royal family and watched their events on television. The president even joked his mother had a “crush” on the king when he was younger.

“I wonder what’s she’s thinking right now,” he said.

Earlier in the day, Trump posted on Truth Social that he planned to raise with the king and queen a media report suggesting his family roots may be tied to the royal family, a prospect he appeared to find amusing.

“I’ve always wanted to live in Buckingham Palace!!!” the president said in the post.

The king is scheduled to address Congress at 3 p.m. EDT. He is expected to delivered prepared remarks about the two nations’ shared history and their enduring diplomatic ties, while offering measured acknowledgment to the tensions defining the current moment.

The only precedent for an address by a British monarch was 35 years ago, when Queen Elizabeth II addressed a joint session of Congress in 1991. The timing of her address came after the end of the Gulf War.

How the king will address the current geopolitical tensions, including the Iran war and Trump’s threats to leave the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, remains to be seen.

But hanging over the king’s visit is the shadow of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.

Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Fremont), one of the most vocal lawmakers pushing for the release of the Epstein files, last month requested that the king privately meet with some of the women who were sexually abused by the late financier.

The request was made in a letter to Buckingham Palace. In it, Khanna noted that the Epstein scandal extended to Britain, where the king’s brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was tied to the alleged misconduct.

In February, the former Prince Andrew was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office related to his links to Epstein, marking the first time in nearly four centuries that a senior British royal was criminally apprehended.

But the king declined to meet directly with the survivors, Khanna said in an MS NOW interview on Tuesday morning. The California Democrat said he expects the king to address the issue during his remarks to Congress.

Chinguetti, Mauritania – Bookkeeper Muhammad Gholam el-Habot gently pulled a pair of white gloves onto his slender hands and set about his routine in his high-ceilinged, cool library lined with steel bookshelves.

He opened a thick manuscript printed in Arabic. After leafing through its brown and frail pages, looking for damage, el-Habot closed the book with a satisfied thud, rubbed his fingers over the wrinkled leather cover, and carefully placed it in a white cardboard box.

“These books are very important to my family and me,” the librarian said, as the midday sunlight spilled in through open wooden doors. He spoke in Hassaniya Arabic, the dialect spoken in Mauritania, his voice low, his sentences halting and poetic. Fat flies buzzed around his long oval face as he worked.

“My relationship with them is like that of a father and his son,” he continued. “We must protect them until God takes the land and all the people who are on the land.”

The el-Habot family library is only one of a handful of its kind still operating in Chinguetti, a medieval fortress town or ksar in Mauritania’s northern Adrar region. Once a centre of commerce and Islamic learning between the 13th and 17th centuries, it is now largely abandoned as, over the decades, locals have sought opportunities in bigger cities.

Chinguetti is also at the mercy of a changing climate.

Mauritania, in northwest Africa, is 90 percent Sahara desert and has faced desertification for centuries. Now, human-induced climate change is an accelerant. Sand and flash storms occur more frequently, while extreme hot or cold seasons last longer than usual.

Those pressures are a “big deal” for precious books, said Andrew Bishop, a researcher at the University of Wyoming studying climate impacts on Saharan cultures.

“Extreme heat and less predictable rainfall patterns means that texts are increasingly damaged by water or heat, making many manuscripts beyond repair. More than that, the mud libraries themselves are not built for sudden rain and longer summer of over 40 degrees (Celsius, or 104 degrees Fahrenheit),” he told Al Jazeera.

Many of Chinguetti’s 4,500 residents now live in cement buildings outside the original confines of the abandoned ksar, built out of dry stone and red mudbrick. There are fears that the entire area, which is about 500 square kilometres (200 square miles) – about the size of Prague – is at risk of being buried by surrounding sand dunes in the long run, although there is not a clear timeline yet.

Islam’s ‘seventh holiest city’

El-Habot did not always want to be a bookkeeper.

But when his father grew sick in 2002, he took over the approximately 1,400 manuscripts out of obligation. It was an honour in his culture to be selected, he said.

It would be out of the question now, the 50-year-old librarian said. He imagines that his two sons would reject the duty, as many of their peers have left to explore economic opportunities in the capital city, Nouakchott, or elsewhere.

“This is something that we have to do; it is a family obligation,” el-Habot said, with a bewildered expression. “This is not even a question to be asked.”

The family manuscripts are sacred because they are rare. The bookkeeper’s ancestor, Sidi Mohamed Ould Habot, was one of about two dozen Chinguetti scholars who travelled around the Muslim world between the 18th and 19th centuries, from Egypt to Andalusia, in search of knowledge.

Between them, the scholars amassed a vast fortune of about 6,000 scripts. They covered almost every topic: Islamic jurisprudence, the hadith or teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, mathematics, medicine, and poetry. Some of the works came from the scholars themselves, including the older el-Habot, who wrote about the science of poems.

The books were stored in about 30 libraries in Chinguetti, open to people from all over the world.

At the time, the town was famous because of its location at the crossroads of trans-Saharan trade routes linking the Sahel and the Maghreb. Camel caravans guided by nomadic Berber traders transporting goods – mostly salt and gold – between northern Africa and the southern empires used the city as a way station, transforming it into a commercial hub.

Muslim pilgrims on their way to Mecca on foot or camel would gather in Chinguetti and prepare themselves spiritually and mentally for their long, difficult journey before heading on to Cairo. Islamic and scientific texts were exchanged, bought and sold in the town.

In West African lore, Chinguetti was referred to as Islam’s seventh holiest city. Others nicknamed it the “Sorbonne of the Sahara”, according to UNESCO.

Generation after generation managed the libraries. Over time, as the caravan trade declined due to new European sea routes, the old town emptied and several libraries closed.

“Chinguetti was the mother of all people,” el-Habot said, referring to the town’s old status as the main capital of the region. Indeed, the area now known as Mauritania was called “Bilad Shinqit” or Land of Chinguetti. In the local Soninke language, it translates to “spring of horses”.

“People had to go because they wanted to feed themselves, get education for their kids, and get better opportunities for themselves too,” el-Habot said, adding that there were no universities close by, and only a handful of primary and middle schools.

Some within his family have moved on, as well, the bookkeeper said. Those, like him, who stayed back, wanted to respect their ancestor’s three wishes.

“His wishes were that the library stay in Chinguetti, that it should be open to all seekers of knowledge, and that a male descendant of his who is religious and morally upright be the bookkeeper,” el-Habot explained. Not following those instructions, he said, could invite God’s anger.

Chinguetti’s decline is largely due to the lack of support for its traditional lifestyle, Bishop said. Annual rainfall in Mauritania has decreased by 35 percent since 1970, making it harder for herders to graze or for date palms to produce fruit.

In 1996, UNESCO granted Chinguetti and three other Mauritanian ksour World Heritage Status, cementing their rich legacy. The few people still living in the old town are allowed to renovate but only minimally, to keep its original stone architecture and the typical Moorish structuring where houses are lined up along narrow alleys that lead to a mosque with a square minaret.

Just outside Chinguetti are the excavated ruins of Abweir, a town of 25,000 believed to have been founded in 777 AD, and believed to be the “original” Chinguetti. Its residents moved from the settlement, locals believe, in 1264 – likely after a conflict. Over time, the area was completely swallowed by sand.

Saving the manuscripts

El-Habot’s job, while enjoyable much of the time, is also taxing, he admitted.

Preserving old books by reprinting or digitising the most worn-out manuscripts before they become unreadable is a costly process. He often needs chemicals to keep away book-eating insects and has to fund more suitable storage.

Then, there is the weather, which is out of his control. Mauritania swelters in the dry season between April and December, and is bitingly cold in the winter months that follow. Old pages are sensitive to both extremes and can become brittle, el-Habot said. Sometimes, when it is really hot, he places buckets of water around the library hall to spur humidity.

Flash floods, meanwhile, threaten water damage.

Visitors to the library usually pay a small fee, but tourist numbers dropped drastically across Mauritania in the mid-2000s, when armed groups attacked foreigners. The COVID-19 pandemic also reduced the flow of travellers.

Mauritania has since clamped down on violence. Tourists are slowly coming back, el-Habot said, and some of the locals who left have also returned.

In 2024, a $100,000 UNESCO restoration project provided air-conditioning units, computers and printers, as well as shelving units and storage boxes to 13 family libraries to stimulate the sector. But most libraries remain closed, their texts scattered among members. The lack of capacity of young people who are not as interested in preserving Chinguetti’s culture will continue to pose a challenge, Bishop said.

Back in the library, el-Habot continued working, his thin frame bent over his manuscripts. He opened one book and pointed excitedly at its pages: They depicted the moon in its luteal phases, and an eclipse. A third page showed the holy cities of Mecca and Madina.

“I have to protect this heritage,” el-Habot said in his low voice. “As mine, and also for all of humanity.”

Videos and other imagery bearing witness to the awesome destructive power of nuclear detonations remain some of the most enduring legacies of the Cold War. But of the more than 2,000 nuclear weapons tests that have been carried out since 1945, only very, very few have involved a live weapon dropped from a fighter-bomber.

A nuclear strike performed by the Su-7

At least one such test took place in the Soviet Union, however. On his X account, Sam Wise, an aviation analyst at Janes, brought our attention to footage that purportedly shows that test, or at least portions of it.

The test in question was especially notable in that it involved a free-fall tactical nuclear bomb that was delivered by a crewed fighter-bomber, specifically a Su-7 Fitter attack jet, in an end-to-end test.

Of those 2,000-plus nuclear tests, only a small fraction involved bombs dropped from aircraft of any kind — roughly 200 to 250 according to records compiled by the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization. Those tests almost always involved bombers, aircraft with multiple engines, several crew members, and, often, dedicated to delivering nuclear weapons.

The vast majority of nuclear tests were conducted underground, at sea, or on land. In the latter case, the devices were typically detonated from an elevated position, either atop a tower or suspended from a balloon. This better replicated the conditions of a typical nuclear detonation, with the weapon engineered to explode in an air burst above the ground, for maximum effect.

One reason for the relative scarcity of air-dropped nuclear bomb tests was the Partial Test Ban Treaty of 1963, which pushed testing underground.

At the same time, dropping a live nuclear weapon from a crewed aircraft brings additional risks for relatively little benefit.

At the beginning of the nuclear age, air-dropped tests were useful to prove that bombs could be delivered, but they were inefficient in terms of scientific measurement and riskier to conduct from a safety point of view. Dropping a nuclear device from an aircraft adds variables (altitude, speed, trajectory) that complicate measurements. If something goes wrong, you risk losing a plane, or worse, an accidental detonation or contamination spread.

Based on the available information, it appears that the U.S. military never tested a live tactical nuclear bomb dropped by a tactical combat jet, despite the very many platforms, both Air Force and Navy, that were cleared to carry them operationally.

It should be noted that the U.S. Air Force did detonate one tactical nuclear weapon after launch from a fighter. However, this involved an air-to-air rocket, the nuclear-tipped Genie, which was fired on this occasion from an F-89 interceptor, in 1957’s Operation Plumbbob John.

Project Genie : Air-to-air rocket nuclear testing

France does appear to have conducted a live test of an air-dropped tactical nuclear bomb, with an AN52 dropped from a Jaguar attack jet in August 1972, to help prove that weapon for service.

Returning to the Soviet Union, on August 27, 1962, pilot Lt. Col. A. I. Shein took off in a single-seat Su-7B, with a live 244N nuclear bomb carried on the centerline station below the fuselage. He then headed for the Semipalatinsk test site on the Soviet steppe. Also known as “The Polygon,” the Semipalatinsk range was the main test site for Soviet nuclear weapons. It is in the Abai region, in what is now Kazakhstan.

Shein put the jet into a climb at an angle of around 45 degrees. This was an ‘over-the-shoulder’ toss maneuver, typical for fighter-bombers of this era. This involved the attacking aircraft pulling upward before releasing its bomb to compensate for the weapon’s gravity drop in flight. The result would put the weapon on the target, without the aircraft having to pass over it. Instead, the jet would complete a half roll and (hopefully) avoid the blast effects so it could escape. The launch maneuver sequence, as shown in the video, is apparently simulated, or at the least, heavily edited.

Shein later recalled:

“I take off, the excitement subsides, I enter the combat course, and make an approach. Everything is normal, I make an approach for a combat release, bring the aircraft into a nose-up attitude, and monitor the G-forces. After four seconds, I hear a signal, then a second, a short third, and I press the ‘release’ trigger. The green light goes out, indicating the release has been completed. The bomb’s release is felt by the shaking of the aircraft. I continue the nose-up attitude. For control, I note the release angle; it is almost constant and equal to 44–50 degrees. After passing the top point, I then descend at a 50-60 degree angle, perform a half-roll, increase engine speed and, consequently, aircraft speed, descend to the lowest possible altitude, and try to get as far and as quickly as possible from the target.”

This method required a bomb computer to calculate the release point. For the U.S. Air Force, this was the Low Altitude Bombing System, or LABS, while the Su-7 was fitted with the equivalent PBK-1 device, a separate box that was added to the left side of the instrument panel. In this context, PBK denoted Pritsel dliya Bombometaniya s Kabrirovaniya, or toss-bombing sight.

A video shows a U.S. Air Force B-47 bomber flying the LABS maneuver:

Boeing B-47 Stratojet (Low Altitude Bombing System) LABS Maneuver

After release from the Su-7, the bomb exploded at an altitude of around 800 feet, at the coordinates of 50.4°N and 77.8°E. The detonation had a yield of 11 kilotons.

As for the Su-7, this was the Soviet Union’s first-generation supersonic attack jet. It was rapidly equipping fighter-bomber regiments, and nuclear strike would become one of its most important duties.

The streamlined 244N was the first mass-produced Soviet tactical nuclear bomb specifically intended for carriage by supersonic jets.

A photo showing the earlier, non-streamlined RDS-4 tactical free-fall bomb:

RDS-4 “Tatyana” was a Soviet atomic bomb that was first tested with a yield of 27 kilotons at Semipalatinsk Test Site, on August 23, 1953. The Soviet Union’s first mass-produced tactical nuclear weapon. pic.twitter.com/c7xdODw0tZ

— NUKES (@atomicarchive) August 24, 2023

At this point, it should be noted that there is a possibility that the video shows not the 244N, but an IAB-500, a so-called ‘imitation bomb’ that replicated the shape, dimensions, weight and flight characteristics of the nuclear device. Filled with a mixture of liquid petroleum and white phosphorus, it also produced a large fireball that subsequently turned into a mushroom cloud.

With that in mind, the video could at least show portions of an IAB-500 test, although the location and the original voiceover point squarely to the 1962 Semipalatinsk test. The apparent installation of a camera pod below the Su-7’s wing, to record the detonation, also suggests a nuclear test rather than training.

Regardless, the 244N was successfully tested and was put into operational service in several variants, including with different yields up to a maximum of 30 kilotons. Most of these bombs were deployed by Soviet units stationed close to what would have been the front line in the event of a confrontation with NATO: in East Germany, Hungary, and Poland.

Starting in 1967, Western intelligence began to note training activities involving nuclear weapons at Soviet airbases in East Germany, including Su-7s taking part in LABS-type maneuvers.

In one of its reports from 1967, the U.S. Military Liaison Mission (USMLM) noted that its staff identified Su-7s from Grossenhain Air Base performing at least four LABS practice delivery runs on October 7 of that year.

“The aircraft passed over the airfield at approximately 2,000 feet, pulled up into vertical climb to 3,500 feet, pitched over, flew inverted for several seconds, then rolled over again departing to the west.”

Two days later, the USMLM reported “A very active program of local navigational, touch-and-go landings, LABS maneuvers, and possible range activity flown by Grossenhain-based Fitter and [two-seat Su-7] Moujik” aircraft.

Air-dropped tactical nuclear weapons still play a significant role in Russia’s military strategy, as evidenced by recent moves to station tactical devices in Belarus. Many Russian combat aircraft have variants capable of carrying nuclear bombs, and most Russian air-launched missiles weighing over around 1,000 pounds have the option of a nuclear warhead.

Russia really wants West to see they’re doing a tac nuke exercise. After several exercise videos they put the head of the 12 GUMO in front of a Belarusian Su-25 (possibly at Lida air base) loaded with what is said to be “training nuclear ammunition.” https://t.co/h9rHp2qvGv pic.twitter.com/sTzAqSNd9f

— Hans Kristensen (also on Bluesky) (@nukestrat) June 13, 2024

Starting in the 1960s, the 244N was superseded by a modernized development of the same weapon, the 10-kiloton RN-24, as well as the one-kiloton RN-28. These were carried, among others, by the MiG-21 and Su-7.

These bombs were followed in the 1980s followed by the RN-40 and RN-41, carried by the MiG-23, MiG-27, MiG-29, Su-17, Su-24, and Su-27.

To this day, the IAB-500 also remains in use to train combat jet pilots in nuclear bomb delivery. Alongside it, although much less known, and barely ever seen, are tactical nuclear bombs, the descendants of the 244N that was proven in a unique test back in 1962.

Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com

Kobe Bryant rookie trading cards aren’t particularly rare. And because rarity equates to value, standard issue 1997 cards featuring the late Lakers great retail for a pedestrian $100 to $300.

Then there are 1997 Kobe Bryant Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems Green cards, which just by typing that highfalutin name can give even the most savvy collector goose bumps.

The key word is green. Most Bryant rookie Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems cards have a red background and fetch around $300,000. Only 10 were made with a metallic green background and only three have been graded by respected grading firm Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA).

So green translates to greenbacks. Alt, a company that enables users to sell, buy and securely store collectible cards, announced Thursday it purchased one of those — take a breath first — 1997 Kobe Bryant Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems Green cards in a private transaction for $3.15 million.

The company said on Instagram that the purchase makes it the most expensive Bryant card ever sold, eclipsing the previous record of $2.4 million set in September. Another copy of the same card sold for $2 million in 2022.

“It was on every collector’s wall, in every price guide, at the top of every wish list,” Alt CEO Leore Avidar Avidar said on Alt’s Instagram page. “Acquiring it for our fund is personal, but it’s also a reflection of where this market has gone.”

The image of Bryant in midair passing — not shooting! — highlights the card, which earned a PSA 5 grade.

The card adds to Alt’s impressive collection. The fund set price records at time of purchase for LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Giannis Antetokounmpo cards in addition to the one of Bryant.

The most paid for a sports trading card was $12.932 million for a 2007-08 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Dual Logoman Autographs signed card featuring Bryant and Michael Jordan last fall. The purchase was made by investor and “Shark Tank” personality Kevin O’Leary along with veteran collectors Matt Allen and Paul Warshaw and surpassed the previous record of $12.6 million held by a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card.

The Bryant/Jordan card is the second-most expensive sports collectible of all time behind Babe Ruth’s 1932 World Series “called shot” jersey, which sold for $24.12 million in 2024.

High-end Bryant cards remain coveted by collectors. Allen, well known in the industry as Shyne150, privately spent $4 million on two Bryant 1-of-1 signed Panini Flawless Logoman cards.

A 10-year-old girl who found an endangered Mexican axolotl while on holiday in Wales has told the BBC about the moment she found and caught the amphibian.

It is the first documented discovery of an axolotl in the wild in the UK, with only 50 to 1,000 left globally, according to experts.

Evie was playing in the shallows of the River Ogmore in Bridgend when she spotted the axolotl nestled in the rocks.

The family decided to cut their trip short to take the animal back to their home in Leicester, naming it Dippy as a tribute to where Evie found it.

“I think it’s a really nice change to the family,” Evie said about having Dippy.

Chris Newman, the National Centre for Reptile Welfare (NCRW) director, said the manner in which Dippy was found suggested its previous owner had released it due to a “change in circumstances”.

JOE Lycett has revealed he had to rush his 16-month-old son to hospital in a rare parenthood admission.

The comedian keeps his personal life notoriously private and shocked fans in 2024 when he revealed he had become a father, welcoming the little one with his long-term girlfriend.

Joe’s girlfriend, whom he refers to as ‘Denise’ to keep her real name private, remains out of the limelight, with their relationship very under the radar.

But appearing on Katherine Ryan’s What’s My Age Again Podcast, Joe spoke about his experience with fatherhood and detailed a recent health scare with the youngster.

Choosing not to share his name, Joe jokingly nicknamed his little one “the punisher”.

He explained: “The punisher was poorly recently, we had to go into hospital and whatever.”

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” I got a real sense of, ‘I would take any pain that you have, a thousand times over. I would bulldozer through a nursery to save you. I would do whatever it takes,” explained Joe of the unwavering love he has for the baby boy.

He later referenced the hospital incident again, confirming that the youngster had to be assessed in A&E.

Talking about how the family had a parking debacle during the hospital trip, he explained: “So, the punisher was ill. I drove to A&E, Birmingham children’s hospital.

“Parked up, took a picture of the Ringo number but didn’t do it straight away, like, ‘Oh, I’ll just wait while my son was unwell’, I thought, ‘I’ll do it in there’.

“So, he was being assessed and I was paying for parking whilst he was being assessed, so I had one eye on him and one eye on this,” said Joe, who continued to explain that he ended up getting a parking ticket for not doing so in time.

Joe also gave an insight into family life and his decision to become a parent as he said: “I always said I didn’t think I’d have kids but if one happened then I’d have a really good go at it.

“But then, I think, being in a stable, loving relationship, suddenly I was like, ‘Oh it would be fun to have a go at this’.

“Once we started talking about it, it became an inevitability.”

The comedian then touched on his decision to keep his family life, including his relationship, out of the public eye.

There are no family snaps on his social media, with his son and partner not featured anywhere online in connection to Joe.

Explaining the reason behind this, Joe said: “For the punisher, it’s up to him if he wants to do that later and be in the public eye.

“Because there is an inherit risk in being in the public eye, being known, having your face known and all of that.

“And if I end up doing something appalling he can change his surname and no one knows who he is, essentially.

“And then with Denise she just has a job where she works with vulnerable people.

“So if people know that I’m with her then it might affect her work. And also she has no desire to be in it – it’s weird to do what we do. “

In an unusual move, Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly have spoken out about an I’m A Celeb camp-mate after criticism of David Haye amid his Adam Thomas ‘bulling’ row

Ant and Dec have piled into David Haye saying the incident that sparked bullying complaints was “not nice” to watch. The boxer was already at the centre of controversy thanks to sexist comments he made about his girlfriend and other women before he scolded Adam Thomas after he said he wasn’t feeling well enough to take part in Termite Terror.

It was the latest comments to shock the South Africa camp, with Gemma Collins since saying she had to “protect” the actor. Now the hosts have spoken, and in a rare move criticised the behaviour of a I’m A Celebrity contestant. The Geordie duo says David doesn’t know when to stop after his remarks last week continue to spark outrage as the show’s fans turn on the sports star.

Ant was talking on ITV1 show’s podcast I’m A Celebrity . . . Unpacked and seemed unimpressed with his choice of words. He said. “It’s not a nice watch. He just kind of picks and picks at them. Adam has had a bit of a tough time and he’s not coping well. Clearly the banter has got too much. But David won’t stop.”

Agreeing with his co-star, Dec said. “It’s kind of crossed the line from banter. I don’t find it comfortable to watch.” Adam suffers with autoimmune illness psoriatic arthritis and requested to sit out the Bushtucker Trial on Friday because he felt unwell and dehydrated.

David said he was being “useless” and stated that he “doesn’t like men like that”. Gemma Collins was one of the stars to appear uneasy at David’s comments and she spilled on I’m A Celebrity: Unpacked. Gemma said: “I think David Haye might have seen a weakness in Adam, there were times where I had to protect Adam in there.

“If I was going full GC mode on David Haye, and a lot of them, then it would’ve been a disaster in there but I had to remain calm and composed and just remember that I’m not here to be performative. I am here as me. I think the fact that I stretched my arms out, I’m sort of saying to ’em all, without biting their heads off, ‘enough’”.

She went on: “I knew if it was ever gonna get too bad I would be taking David on. You know, bring on the next heavyweight champion fighting the world….. because if I feel that something’s too much, I’m not afraid to step up.”

Explaining how his health issues impacts his life, Adam said previously: “It is an autoimmune disease. Basically means my immune system is attacking my own body. It causes a s**t-load of pain.”

Today, he spoke out and alongside an image from the show, which was filmed towards the end of last year, Adam wrote on Instagram: “Not going to lie,this picture breaks my heart, as I know on the inside what I was dealing with and truth be told I thought it was all my fault. I now know that’s not the reality… My time in I’m a Celebrity South Africa was one of the toughest things I’ve ever been through, physically, mentally, and emotionally.

“Watching it back hasn’t been easy at all. There were moments I felt pushed to my absolute limit, and if I’m honest, times I didn’t even recognise myself. Living with arthritis is something I don’t really talk about, as much as I should do…but in there it really took its toll. My biggest fight was pretending to put on a brave face and trying to hide the pain! that can be exhausting within itself.

“There were days my body just didn’t want to keep going, but I did. “I won’t sit here and say I handled everything perfectly, because I didn’t. I wish I spoke up for myself sooner. I wish I stood my ground instead of trying to keep the peace, but I’ve learned that being kind doesn’t mean being weak, and sometimes it takes going through tough moments to find your voice.

* I’m A Celebrity…South Africa airs weekdays at 9pm on ITV and ITVX.

BACK in the 80s and early 90s, this movie star was known for huge blockbuster films, and was one of the biggest names in Hollywood.

Sadly, in 1991, the actor’s beloved wife died and he started to take a step back from the limelight and eventually quit fame – but now the 72-year-old star is making his big comeback.

Rick Moranis, famed for 80s films like Ghostbusters, thrilled fans when he made a rare appearance at CinemaCon 2026.

The much-loved actor was spotted at the big event with the cast of the Spaceballs sequel as he prepares for his return to the big screen.

It was announced last year that the Canadian actor would be reprising his role as Dark Helmet.

The original movie, which is a spoof of Star Wars, came out in 1987 and starred many notable names, including Mel Brooks, Daphne Zuniga, Bill Pullman, the late John Candy, and Joan Rivers, among others.

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Many of Rick’s former co-stars have returned for the sequel, such as Mel, Daphne, Bill, and George Wyner.

There are also several new faces among the cast, including Josh Gad and Keke Palmer.

The cast joined Rick at a panel event to promote the movie at CinemaCon.

Despite the star rarely being seen in the last three decades, the actor hasn’t changed much in appearance.

The Flintstones star wore his trademark round-framed glasses, which he was famed for in his iconic movies.

Other than Spaceballs, Rick starred in many successful films in the 1980s and 1990s, including Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and its sequels, and playing Barney in The Flintstones.

Sadly, Rick started to take a step back from Hollywood when his wife, Anne Belsky, passed away from breast cancer in 1991.

During the 90s, he slowly started to quit fame to focus on parenting his two children.

Although Rick hasn’t been seen on screen, he hasn’t entirely distanced himself from acting.

He lent his voice to several animated projects over the years, including Disney‘s Brother Bear in 2003, and its sequel, Brother Bear 2, in 2006.

Rick’s voice also appeared in a 2018 episode of The Goldbergs and a 2020 episode of the Disney+ docuseries Prop Culture.

However, he hasn’t appeared in a live-action film since Disney’s Honey, I Shrunk Ourselves, which was released directly to video in 1997.

But Rick is now set to be back on the big screen, with production for Spaceballs 2 underway.

The hotly-anticipated sequel is set to hit cinemas in 2027.

80’S ICON Sinitta has shared rare pictures of her two children on social media to celebrate her son Zac’s 20th birthday.

The 62-year-old, who is currently on screens in I’m A Celebrity… South Africa, shared a sweet photo montage on Instagram of her eldest to mark the milestone.

Looking all grown-up, the proud mum uploaded snaps of Zac attending a variety of fancy black-tie evenings, red-carpets, and luxury dinners over the years.

Alongside it, the singer wrote; “Happy Birthday My Beautiful Boy @zac_willner. 20 years old does not seem real. You are the gentle giant, affectionate, kind, smart and funny and so so big now!!!”

‘I Love being your Mom, you are everything I wanted and I love you so much I want you to have everything good that this world has to offer and that you want”

Sinitta married Andy Wilner in 2002, and in 2007, the couple adopted two children – Zac and Magdalena Wilner.

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The couple decided to adopt following several miscarriages and failed IVF attempts during their marriage. 

Her post comes after she recently opened up on her struggle with mental health and how her adopted children gave her ‘a reason to live’ through some of the darkest moments she’s ever had. 

Talking to The Mirror, Sinitta explained how she “wanted to curl up in a ball and shut the world out”.

She recalled the day she took her two children home as ‘surreal’ and ‘scary’. 

Sinitta and Andy Wilner later divorced in 2010 after eight years of marriage/

The singer has since opened up on their early relationship together – calling it a ‘revenge move’ at her previous romance with TV personality Simon Cowell. 

In a recent I’m A Celeb episode, Sinitta revealed that she met Simon in a London nightclub when she was a teenager, and their on-off romance continued to last for 40 years. 

When speaking to fellow campmates, Sinitta explained that Simon “wasn’t a faithful boyfriend” but that she believed they would get married one day. 

Simon isn’t the only high-profile romance the star has enjoyed with Sinitta also dishing in the camp about her relationship with actor and producer Brad Pitt.

The singer, 62, dated A-lister Brad, also 62, back in the late 80s for around two years, long before he went on to marry Jennifer Aniston and, later, Angelina Jolie.

Talking about Brad, Scarlett asked Sinitta during the episode: “You were with Brad Pitt, weren’t you?”

“Yeah, years ago. Before he was actually famous,” replies Sinitta.

Scarlett continued: “That’s unbelievable that. Did you, like, kiss and tha?” with Sinitta confirming: “Yeah, everything”.

In a solo piece to camera in the Bush Telegraph, Sinitta confessed: “Even I do think, wow, it was nice while it lasted.”

The pop star originally burst on to the music scene back in 1986, with her hit single So Macho reaching number two in the UK charts and spending several weeks in the top 10.

After a series of successful songs for Simon Cowell’s record label, she appeared as a judge on The X Factor alongside him for it’s 2004 season during the Judges’ Houses stage.

When a visibly drained looking Alvaro Arbeloa stepped into the press room in Munich, questions about his future felt unavoidable. His expression echoed the same sense of disappointment he showed after his very first match in charge, the defeat by Albacete.

The 43-year-old has been in the role for only four months, having replaced Alonso in January. Yet the pressure has been relentless, the results have been inconsistent, and the season now looks set to end without major silverware – a repeat of 2024-25, when only the Uefa Super Cup was secured.

This would be the first time in 16 years Real Madrid have gone two consecutive seasons without winning a major trophy. Under president Florentino Perez, managers’ contracts have typically ended the moment those trophies disappear.

Throughout it all, Arbeloa has consistently taken responsibility, deflecting the blame away from his players. By his own admission, he is ‘a man of the badge’, fully committed to fighting for the club at all costs.

But taking consistent ownership for poor defeats won’t be enough to convince Perez he’s the right man to lead Madrid into next season.

The club never publicly clarified the length of Arbeloa’s contract although sources suggest it runs until the end of the 2026-27 campaign. For now, dismissing Arbeloa before the season concludes would serve little purpose, with relatively little left at stake.

Real sit nine points behind Barcelona is La Liga with a Clasico at Camp Nou still to play in May. Players have also spoken openly about how Arbeloa improved morale in the dressing room. Vinicius Junior, speaking ahead of the first leg against Bayern, said that he had ‘a wonderful connection’ with Arbeloa and that he ‘hoped he could continue’ working with him.

For now, Arbeloa said he isn’t worried about his future.

“Since I’ve been in this position, it hasn’t been the slightest worry. I feel I’ve done everything I can to help my players win every day.”

But if anyone understands the unforgiving nature of Real Madrid’s managerial turnover, it is Arbeloa.

JASON Statham has shared some very rare family snaps from his holiday to Turkey with fiancee Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and their two young children. 

The actor, 58, took to social media to post photos from their time at five star hotel Regnum at The Crown in Antalya, where rooms cost up to £3,000-a-night. 

Jason and model Rosie, 38, are parents to Jack, eight, and four-year-old Isabella. 

Fast & Furious star Jason showed off his close bond with the kids while they relaxed at the hotel’s stunning crystal cove pool. 

He and Jack were seen taking in the view with their arms around each other, while another snap showed the young lad standing on his dad’s shoulders in the pool. 

Meanwhile Isabella was seen taking a dip in the water and one photo showed proud dad Jason lifting her into the air. 

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Jason didn’t include any photos of Rosie in his upload, which he captioned: “The cave.”

The couple have been together since 2010 and got engaged in 2016.

But Rosie previously confessed they’re in no rush to walk down the aisle.

She told Entertainment Tonight: “We’re looking forward to that time. It’s also not a huge priority for us, we’re so happy.

“I think it will be fun to do it when the baby’s [Jack] grown up a bit and he can be involved in the wedding.”

Rosie and Jack live in a Georgian townhouse in London and have spent two years renovating it together.

Revealing how the process has been, she told Vogue Australia: “Jason has the most impeccable taste.

“He taught me so much about architecture and furniture.”

Rosie added that being in a relationship with Jason for 16 years has been “very grounding”.

GLADIATORS star Jodie Ounsley has shared rare loved-up snaps with her rugby player girlfriend Ellen Ramsbottom.

The pair went public with their romance in July last year and now Jodie has called her other half “my calm in all the chaos” in a gushing birthday tribute.

The BBC One star, known as Fury on the show, took to her Instagram feed to share a series of snaps of the two of them together as well as solo pictures of Ellen.

In one photo, the ladies are glammed up in stunning dresses as they hold hands while walking down a hotel hallway.

In another picture, the two are seen enjoying a beach day as Ellen plants a kiss on Jodie’s face.

She captioned the post: “The person who holds everything together behind the scenes, my calm in all the chaos and the one who makes me cackle like no one else.

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“Happy Birthday, ya special human,” Jodie concluded.

Their fans flocked to the comments section to send the couple some love as one said: “Eugh the beautiful eyes in this relationship is unreal!”

Another person gushed: “You two seem like a ‘forever’ kinda couple. I love it xxxx.”

While a third added: “Happy birthday to your special person.”

Jodie and Ellen first met when they were 16, playing together at Loughborough Rugby.

They went public with their romance last Summer in a YouTube vlog and their relationship appears to be going from strength to strength.

The post comes after Jodie’s dad Phil Ounsley, 56, tragically died after collapsing on one of Yorkshire’s three peaks in December.

She shared the heartbreaking news on Instagram as she penned: “Heartbroken. Yesterday, my dad suddenly passed away while doing one of his favourite things—walking Pen-y-Ghent.

“He had hiked that peak countless times throughout his life, but none of us knew he wouldn’t walk back down that day.

“I don’t have the words. All I can say is that he was, and always will be, my absolute hero.

“He encouraged me to dream big and loved me wholeheartedly, and for that I will be forever grateful. Until we meet again, Dad.”

The Brazilian dystopian thriller has been hailed a ‘rare gem’ and ‘masterpiece’ by fans

The concluding series of the universally loved dystopian thriller, The Handmaid’s Tale, has been over for some time, leaving devotees hunting for their next television fixation.

Fans of thrillers are similarly captivated by a relatively obscure dystopian series titled 3%, showcasing a young ensemble and situated within an intriguing offshore community.

This Netflix offering from 2020 has accumulated numerous glowing reviews since its debut, with audiences declaring it “Tremendously Underrated”.

One IMDb critique states: “I was really surprised by the fact that this show is really unknown. It is a great TV series that definitely deserves more recognition.”

Another subscriber commented: “Cinematically and visually stunning, a political, Hunger Games-esque storyline with believable acting, and I thought very interesting, lifelike characters. The script is intelligent, the characters are strong, and the interaction is elegant in its simplicity and natural air”, reports the Express.

The narrative of this Brazilian thriller revolves around merely 3% of the population inhabiting luxury on an island, while the remaining citizens endure poverty on the mainland. Upon turning 20, ordinary people are given a single opportunity to join the elite 3% through a brutal competition dubbed ‘the process’.

Deliberately ruthless and potentially lethal to contestants, the competition concludes with most candidates returning to deprived circumstances – sometimes too incapacitated to even carry on.

While the series hails from Portugal, numerous English-speaking audiences have been captivated by the programme, eagerly watching every episode through subtitles or dubbed versions.

One enthusiast even labelled the show a “rare gem”.

They remarked: “3% is one of those rare shows that only gets better and better as it goes. Season 3, so far, is shaping up to be the most enthralling season yet, which, let me tell you, is absolutely saying something!”

“The world continues to be fleshed out, and the already quite complex characters are only getting more interesting. Do yourself a favour; watch at least to episode three before you pass judgement. You won’t regret it!”

Another viewer commented: “This is truly an outstanding dystopian/post-apocalyptic series. The acting, the shots, the pace, the character development, the storyline… Everything is on point! Seasons 1, 2 and 4 were, for me, all riveting.”

Boasting a Brazilian ensemble, the performers in this production are relatively unfamiliar but deliver an “outstanding” showing, according to audiences.

João Miguel portrays Ezequiel in the series, the Process’s leader, alongside Bianca Comparato, who appears as Michele Santana, and Michel Gomes as Fernando Carvalho. Reflecting on the performances in 3%, one viewer commented: “I watched this out of boredom, but boy, was I glad that I did. It totally caught me off guard by how wonderful this show was. It is intelligent, futuristic, and well acted; all in all, absolutely amazing.”

Whether you’re eager to discover what all the fuss is about, or simply on the lookout for something to watch after completing The Handmaid’s Tale, 3% is currently available to stream on Netflix.

With just over five minutes left in UCLA’s first-round win over California Baptist on Saturday, freshman Sienna Betts took a shot. She missed. She grabbed the rebound. She missed again. Then, she put it in the basket.

On the bench, her older sister, Lauren Betts, was laughing. No. 1 seed UCLA was up big late, the Bruins were going to advance and Lauren was getting joy from seeing her sister succeed — and fail.

“I’m like, Sienna, just make the shot, and she’s laughing; she’s not serious,” Lauren said.

The sisters recorded double-doubles during the 96-43 win that secured the Bruins a second-round date with Oklahoma State. Sienna had 10 points and 12 rebounds, six of them offensive, and Lauren had 22 points and 10 rebounds.

UCLA freshman forward Sienna Betts plays tight defense on California Baptist guard Sofia Alonso during the Bruins’ first round NCAA tournament win Sunday at Pauley Pavilion.

(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

“She is so hard on herself and she’s so driven, I think her humor is actually a saving grace for her,” UCLA coach Cori Close said of Sienna. “It’s sort of a light moment. It’s laughter. Because when she’s not smiling and bringing joy, she’s usually beating herself up for a mistake. As she continues to grow in that, I hope it doesn’t have to be her escape, but I just have absolutely enjoyed Sienna so much.”

The sisters have only this season to play together before Lauren, a senior, graduates. They played just one season together in high school in Colorado, and this season might be the last time they are ever on the same team.

“It’s this weird thing, on the one hand, I want them to enjoy this connection they have,” Close said. “I want them to enjoy this year. They will look back on this year and just really treasure it.

“Simultaneously, I want to especially treat Sienna on her own journey, and to not make her feel like she’s in the shadows of anything that Lauren is doing.”

Sisters have posted double-doubles in the NCAA tournament before. At Stanford, Nneka and Chiney Ogwumike did it multiple times in the early 2010s. In the 1980s, USC twins Pamela and Paula McGee averaged double-double their senior years.

But it’s a rarity, and one that could only happen this season for the UCLA sisters.

Sienna, though, didn’t want to make a big deal of it. Sitting to the side in the locker room after the win over California Baptist, she was critical of her own game, just the way Close expected.

“I’m trying to focus more on just that game and just taking what we can learn from our mistakes in the first half, especially, and trying to move on,” Sienna said. “But, I mean, I think in an hour, I’ll take that in and be more excited about that.”

Lauren said she thought Sienna played one of her better games of the season.

“Honestly, besides her scoring, I thought her defense was a lot better today and I know that’s something she wanted to get better at,” Lauren said Saturday. “She was just really proud of her slides. Like she didn’t say anything about her points. She was like, I’m so glad that I can guard them. I worked so hard on that.”

Sienna has had back-to-back strong efforts, with 14 points against Iowa in the Big Ten tournament championship game two weeks ago. She has done so without being hounded by her big sister.

“I think [Lauren] respects my boundary to figure it out on my own,” she said.

Lauren, meanwhile, has averaged 16.5 points and 8.7 rebounds per contest this season. The projected WNBA lottery pick is considered one of the best centers in the nation.

UCLA center Lauren Betts drives to the basket under pressure from California Baptist forward Grace Schmidt during the NCAA tournament on Saturday at Pauley Pavilion.

(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

“I love the moments you catch when they have a connection and an eye contact or a smile that is different than everybody else because they are sharing it as sisters and I just think how special that is,” Close said. “That’s so wonderful.”

Charlisse Leger-Walker played with her sister, Krystal Leger-Walker, at Washington State for two seasons. There, the duo shared time in the backcourt for an up-and-coming Cougars squad.

“It’s just a different connection,” Charlisse Leger-Walker said. “Out there, you have someone who is your blood and unconditional love and support. And it’s just awesome to be able to see [Lauren and Sienna] in their journey, and have so much success early.”

Sienna will carry the torch for the Bruins beyond this season when the majority of the veteran roster graduates and many go pro.

That’s when she could be the face of the program on her own. But first, she is working to extend an NCAA tournament run alongside her sister.

“I want Sienna to feel like she’s Sienna,” Close said. “She’s not Lauren’s sister. She can enjoy that, but for our team, she’s Sienna Betts.”