The son of former Manchester United footballer Mark Hughes died from sudden adult death syndrome, a coroner has found.
Alex Hughes was found collapsed at his home in Macclesfield, Cheshire, on 19 June by his two sons.
The 38-year-old, who followed his ex-Wales international father into football and held roles in recruitment at Grimsby Town, Manchester City and other clubs, could not be revived by paramedics, his inquest heard.
Following his death, Mark Hughes and his wife Jill said they were “totally heartbroken by the sudden and unexpected loss of our beloved son”.
Sudden adult death syndrome (SADS) – also known as sudden arrhythmic syndrome – is diagnosed when the cause of death cannot be explained in a post-mortem examination because the structure of the heart appears normal.
It affects about 500 people in the UK every year.
The British Heart Foundation said SADS “usually happens when a dangerously abnormal heart rhythm goes untreated and leads to a cardiac arrest”.
The foundation added that inherited heart conditions are “often the cause of SADS if the person who has it doesn’t know they do”.
KATIE Price will watch her son Junior Andre performing later this month after he banned her from attending his gigs.
The star is gearing up to re-launch his music career after two years of professional setbacks with an epic comeback performance.
Katie Price will watch her son perform later this month – after he banned her from his gigsCredit: Louis WoodJunior Andre will be taking to the stage at the Hair and Beauty AwardsCredit: Getty
Now, The Sun can reveal that Katie will be front and centre to see her son belt out his comeback track.
Junior will be taking to the stage in Manchester at the AO Arena to perform at the Hair and Beauty Awards later this month.
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And mum Katie has been signed up to hand out one of the event’s top prizes.
An insider told The Sun: “Junior is super excited about getting back on the stage after a few years.
Katie will be presenting at the same event that he is booked to perform atCredit: PA:Press AssociationIt marks a huge return to music for JuniorCredit: Getty
“Katie had previously not had a chance to see him sing but this is a fantastic opportunity to finally see her son in action.
“Princess is also going to be at the event so it will be a real family affair.
“They are all super looking forward too it and cannot wait for the big night!”
Junior had previously admitted on The Princess Diaries that he had had to forego having his mum watch his gigs in order to avoid run-ins with his dad Peter.
Junior’s comeback performance is marking a huge turning point for the star after he faced a string of musical setbacks following the release of his debut single, Slide.
At the event, he is on the bill alongside a series of noughties music legends – joining the company of Professor Green, Tinchy Stryder and Dappy.
Organisers say the bookings are designed to give the 2026 awards a more ‘live entertainment’ feel, blending industry recognition with a full-scale show.
Sophie Lux, founder and CEO of the UK Hair and Beauty Awards, said: “We wanted to bring back that feeling of songs everyone knows every word to. These are artists who were on the radio constantly, who soundtracked people’s lives, and it just felt like the right energy for Manchester.
“The HBAs has always been about celebration, but this year we’re really turning it into a full night out. It’s about entertainment, performance, and creating moments people remember.”
Returning once again as host of the main ceremony is I’m A Celebrity star Jake Quickenden, who fronted last year’s event and will lead the night’s awards and performances.
Maurice Jones-Drew will forever be etched into the memories of the Bruin faithful.
Whether it was his 322 rushing yard and five-touchdown performance against Washington in 2004.
Or his electrifying punt returns — boasting a career average of 23.2 yards per return which ranks second in NCAA history.
Or his unanimous All-American selection as an all-purpose back and returner in 2005.
The tailback captured the hearts and eyes of everyone who watched.
And while the current generation of Bruins never saw the three-time Pro Bowler play in the blue and gold, they will see the same surname stitched on the back of a UCLA jersey in 2027 with three-star recruit Duece Jones-Drew, who committed to his father’s alma mater on May 3.
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Despite Maurice’s affinity for the place he once called home, he hoped that his son would not follow his footsteps to Southern California.
“I wanted to push him away from UCLA as much as possible because I wanted him to go there because he wanted to go there,” Maurice said. “I wasn’t really involved in the recruitment as much because I wanted him to enjoy and go through this process like I did. I wanted him to go to a school that he wanted to go to because it’s his football career. It’s his life. It’s going to be his journey, and I wanted him to feel comfortable wherever he went.”
So the 2017 UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame inductee stuck to his word.
Duece talked to all the coaches. The 5-foot-8 De La Salle running back visited other schools without his father to eliminate any bias or influence. He even drove down by himself from the Bay Area to Los Angeles for UCLA’s Junior Day.
And initially, it looked like Duece was going to stay away from his father’s alma mater after the firing of head coach DeShaun Foster and the potential exit of running backs coach AJ Steward.
But new head coach Bob Chesney retained Steward and the running backs coach encouraged Duece to attend Junior Day.
And shortly after Duece visited UCLA, he knew where he wanted to play — so much so that his parents had to stop him from committing too early.
“Coach Chesney came in and he really changed my mind on what UCLA was, and coach Steward really was on me about getting to campus and experiencing what the new coaching staff was like,” Duece said. “I went there for the Junior Day in January and I fell in love. I love what they believe in and how they compete every day to be the best version of themselves.”
Despite the urge to commit on the spot, the three-star prospect heeded his parents’ advice and took his final visits to the other schools on his list, which included California, Arizona and Utah.
And after juxtaposing his experiences on all his other visits to his experience in Westwood, he had a clear decision.
“My parents always taught me to be myself, and I knew that UCLA was the best school for me, education-wise, and having my dad be there and be such a great player there as well,” Duece said. “I wanted to commit when I went down there in January, but I listened and waited, and I feel like that was the best decision for me. To go visit other schools and see where UCLA stood on my board, and they stood leaps and bounds above Cal and Arizona.”
Throughout the recruitment process, Maurice worried that it would be easy for people to assume that his son only got offered by UCLA because of his legacy there or that he pushed him to commit to the Bruins.
But despite all of the encouragement he gave his son to not hastily pick UCLA, when Duece made his commitment official, there was no one more ecstatic.
“When he picked UCLA, I was excited. I don’t know what the word would be. It’s probably more than that,” Maurice said. “But I was happy that he felt comfortable going somewhere because these next three, four years are where you’re going to make the most leaps and bounds going from a young man to a man, and to be able to pick a school and feel the same way that I felt when I picked UCLA, it was everything I thought it would be.”
Maurice also noted that his son has the same opportunity he had when he committed to former UCLA head coach Karl Dorrell in 2002 — to turn around a struggling program and create a long-lasting legacy.
But that would only be possible with the right people at the top.
And for Maurice, it felt right with Chesney.
“We preach certain things in our household, and coach Chesney preaches and practices those things,” Maurice said. “Hearing coach Chesney talk, hearing all the coaches talk, their strength staff, their training staff — everybody’s on the same page. It’s constant communication. They have a plan of how they operate, how they raise young men on and off the field. It’s a great opportunity to go to a place that needs to be put back where it needs to be.”
Above all, Maurice is looking forward to being a fan.
“I know he’s a terrific player, he’s a great student and I’m excited to see what he can do,” Maurice said of his son. “I don’t know if I still have any records, but if I do, I’m sure they’ll be broken by the time he’s out of there. I can’t wait to watch him and cheer for him and love him up and hug him and do all the stuff that dads get to do when they watch their boys.”
Time for the Bruins to go camping
UCLA preseason camp kicks off on Thursday on the UCLA campus. Chesney and his staff will lead the Bruins through workouts at Great Park Sports Complex in Irvine from Aug. 10-14. Many coaches opt to spend at least a few days away from campus during preseason workouts to promote more team bonding. UCLA will kick off Chesney’s debut season at Cal on Sept. 5.
Betts wins prestigious Honda Cup
UCLA center Lauren Betts shoots over Duke’s Toby Fournier during an Elite Eight game in Sacramento on March 29.
(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
Former UCLA All-American Lauren Betts earned one more award to cap her successful run as a Bruin.
Betts was named 2026 Honda Cup winner at the Collegiate Women Sports awards last week, becoming the seventh Bruin and 20th basketball player to win the top award in college women’s sports. Honda awards are presented to top performers in 12 NCAA sports and they compete for the top overall prize — the Honda Cup.
Betts helped UCLA win its first women’s basketball NCAA national championship, earning the tournament’s most outstanding player award. She led UCLA in scoring (17.1) and rebounding (8.8) while averaging 27.7 minutes per game.
Do you have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future UCLA newsletter? Email newsletters editor Houston Mitchell at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
A dad whose son has been missing since 1988 told his story on ITV’s This Morning
Peter Boxell appeared on ITV’s This Morning(Image: ITV screengrab)
A father has told how his life became “a living nightmare” after his 15-year-old son vanished without a trace.
Lee Boxell was last seen on September 10, 1988 after he left his home in Sutton, south west London, to meet a friend. He was seen on the High Street in the town that day, but there have been no confirmed sightings since.
Police have theorised that Lee could have been killed after stepping in to stop or threatening to report an assault in the grounds of a church where an unofficial youth club took place.
Appearing on ITV‘s This Morning, his dad Peter Boxell shared how the family were “panic-stricken” and went through their “worst nightmare” after Lee didn’t come home that day.
“It was just like a living nightmare from then on,” he said. “I think it’s every person’s, every family member, every parent’s worst nightmare. And for us, it was a living nightmare.”
He told hosts Josie Gibson and Paddy McGuinness: “We couldn’t sleep for weeks after that. We thought, we didn’t want to miss a phone call or a knock on the door if Lee could come home.”
Paddy asked how Peter had carried on through the years, and he replied: “Well, we’ve been essentially living in limbo, not knowing what’s happened to our son, Lee. And we desperately want to know what happened to him. I mean, I’m old now. I’m 80. His mother’s a few years older than me.
“Most of Lee’s relatives have passed on. And he has a sister who desperately wants to know what happened to him. And she has her own children. So Lee’s now got a niece and a nephew. They know all about Lee. And they want to know what happened to Lee.”
Asked what he thought had happened, Peter said: “I think that the police’s theory is correct, that Lee went to the unofficial youth club at the back of the church in the graveyard at St Dunstan’s in Cheam. And I think he went there, maybe only once.
“And I think he may have seen something, some criminal activity going on. Maybe he saw somebody assaulting a child there. And he would either have gone to the aid of that child or he would have gone for help.
“And I’m only guessing. I just think that the adults who were carrying out that crime may have tried to silence Lee. They may have unintentionally killed him. I don’t know, but I think they may have killed him. That’s what I think has happened.”
Josie also read out a comment from the Met, saying: “They have said, ‘We’ve never stopped our investigation into what happened to Lee. And it remains ongoing within the Met’s cold case team.
“We would urge anyone who did not feel able to speak to police in the past to come forward and tell us what they know. If you can help, whether anonymously or otherwise, please, please, please get in touch’.”
AS the mum of a seven-year- old boy, I think the two most-used words in my household are Pokemon and Lego.
So excitement was off the scale on a trip to Legoland Windsor’s second annual Lego Festival, featuring their new Pokemon Trainer attraction.
Legoland Windsor’s second annual Lego Festival showcases live performances, including headline act Battle Of The BandsCredit: SuppliedCaroline’s son enjoys character meetsCredit: Supplied
The festival, billed as the “ultimate celebration of play’’ — has five zones across the park, where you complete activities to earn stamps on a card.
Get three of the five stamps and earn a prize at the end of the day.
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We created our own race car in the new F1 Brick Stop Challenge and added our own flower to the new garden in the Chill Zone.
But our favourite task was the Pokemon Play Zone — a 15-minute attraction where kids get their own interactive Lego Pokemon character to feed and take into battle.
At the end, you can also make your own Poke Ball out of Lego to take home.
The festival showcases live performances, including headline act Battle Of The Bands, featuring rock and pop stars.
I’m a big fan of the seasonal offerings that Legoland puts on throughout the year and the Brick Or Treat Halloween attraction is unmissable in October.
We always fit so much in that we are too knackered to fully appreciate Miniland on the way out to the car, so I’ve resolved to make the miniature towns and cities our first stop during our next visit.
The theme park’s rides are also awesome. Flying theatre ride Flight Of The Sky Lion is my favourite, and Driving School is still a must for kids, despite dating from 1996.
But what makes Legoland stand out is the attention to detail in every corner of the park.
From the moment you start up Legoland Drive, where the Lego figurines spell out a scrambled version of “Welcome’’, to the excellent Miniland countries (which a team of five maintain full-time), there is something everywhere to marvel at.
I also love the permanent creative zones around the park, designed to let kids build when they need a break from rollercoasters.
While most theme parks focus on the biggest and best rides, Legoland manages to prioritise both entertaining kids and encouraging them to entertain themselves.
That said, these are my favourite five rides for ages five to ten . . .
As I’ve said, Flight Of The Sky Lion is mindblowingly good.
If you are going to use a fast pass on anything, make it this. It is also not scary — any child aged four and over should be fine.
Caroline McGuire and her son enjoy the ridesCredit: SuppliedBecome a Pokemon Trainer at the festivalCredit: Supplied
Minifigure Speedway is a duelling rollercoaster — with two separate tracks where cars race forward and backward past each other — that is one of the park’s newest rides and aimed at pleasing tweens.
My seven-year-old still won’t go near it.
Driving School is an oldie but a goodie — kids love being given the freedom to drive themselves solo around their own road circuit.
Coastguard HQ is right next to Driving School and perfect if your child is too young to handle their own car, as this lets them drive a boat around a lake while you accompany them.
The Dragon is an excellent starter rollercoaster for kids, with some decent drops and a few twists and turns, but it is easy enough not to terrify anyone while scary enough to make young ’uns feel they have braved something big.
Of course, most of these rides also have the biggest queues.
Fortunately, on our visit we were staying at the on-site Legoland Resort Hotel, which gave us early access to the park.
Guests can go on a number of rides, including Flight Of The Sky Lion and Coastguard HQ, from 9.30am — 30 minutes before the public opening.
The hotel lays on plenty of added extras for guests, from the Lego in the lobby to character meet-and-greets at breakfast, and evening dance parties.
Our room got full marks for fun, too, with a treasure hunt and Lego prize, along with a Lego build zone.
In fact, it is a miracle I got my son out in time for our 9.30am start.
But the lure of becoming a Pokemon Trainer was too strong.
If only I could use that trick every morning once school restarts.
GO: LEGOLAND WINDSOR
TICKETS: Lego Festival is at Legoland Windsor until August 31, tickets from £29.75 at legoland.co.uk.
STAYING THERE: One night’s B&B at the Legoland Resort Hotel is from £340, based on a family of four sharing in September.
Includes breakfast, early access to the park and day tickets.
Billy Ray Smith Jr. became embedded in the San Diego sports community as an exceptional linebacker who lived up to his billing as a first-round draft pick and played all of his 126 NFL games with the Chargers from 1983 to 1992, long before the franchise moved to Los Angeles.
Despite being Texas-raised and Arkansas-educated, Smith Jr. became synonymous with San Diego by spending the rest of his life in the sunny SoCal city as a sportscaster, radio host and big-hearted, larger-than-life personality.
Smith Jr. died Wednesday at age 64, his family saying in a statement that he “faced his long journey with dementia caused by CTE with unmatched bravery, dignity, and strength.”
“It is with profound sadness that we share the loss of our beloved Billy Ray Smith Jr., who passed away peacefully surrounded by family,” the statement said. “Billy Ray brought so much joy, light, and laughter to the world as a devoted father, husband, son, and loyal friend.”
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a progressive brain disease characterized by mood disturbances and cognitive decline. It is linked to repeated head impacts and traumatic brain injuries, and has been found posthumously in numerous athletes in contact sports.
According to the Mayo Clinic, CTE cannot be diagnosed definitively during life. However, clinical criteria has been developed for traumatic encephalopathy syndrome (TES), symptoms that occur together and are associated with CTE.
A diagnosis of CTE requires evidence of degeneration of brain tissue that can only be seen during an autopsy. Through 2022, the Boston University CTE Center studied the brains of 376 former NFL players and diagnosed 345 with CTE, a rate of 91.7%.
The list of former NFL players diagnosed with CTE includes another legendary Chargers linebacker, Junior Seau, who died in 2012 of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at 43. Smith played alongside Seau from 1990-1992.
Their friendship endured after Smith Jr. retired and moved into broadcasting. He was a speaker at Seau’s public memorial service.
Smith Jr. was born Aug. 10, 1961, in Fayetteville, Ark., the son of longtime NFL defensive lineman Billy Ray Smith, and grew up in Plano, Texas. The year he was born, his father registered a career-high 13.5 sacks for the Baltimore Colts.
Smith Jr. followed his father’s footsteps to the University of Arkansas, and was twice named a unanimous All-American and voted into the College Football Hall of Fame. The Chargers drafted Smith Jr. with the fifth overall pick in 1983.
He moved from defensive end to linebacker in San Diego and by 1987 was named the team’s most valuable player. Smith Jr. finished his career with 26.5 sacks, 15 interceptions and 14 fumble recoveries.
He soon moved behind a microphone, teaming with Scott Kaplan on a popular radio show on the Mighty 1090, a station that went off the air in 2019.
“He loved being part of San Diego,” Kaplan told the San Diego Union-Tribune. “Yeah, he was the fifth overall pick and he played 10 years and, yeah, was the face of the defense before he handed it off to Junior Seau. But he was the guy who never left San Diego.
“He was loved because people knew Billy Ray. It wasn’t like other star athletes; they knew him because they had seen his whole life, from the time he was in his early 20s, play out on local television. And he never left.”
Smith Jr. worked on TV as a sportscaster and sports director for KGTV while also making appearances on Fox Sports and local Chargers broadcasts.
He met his wife, broadcaster Kimberly Hunt, during a United Cerebral Palsy telethon while still a Chargers player. They married in 1990, had a daughter, Savannah, two years later and celebrated their 36th anniversary in June. Hunt, an Emmy Award winner, is currently in her 18th year as the KGTV news evening anchor.
“Through decades of volunteer service and charitable leadership, Billy Ray has generously supported youth programs, veterans, healthcare initiatives, and numerous nonprofit organizations, helping strengthen the fabric of the San Diego community,” the San Diego Nice Guys said earlier this year.
“Together, Kimberly Hunt and Billy Ray Smith represent the very best of San Diego —individuals whose professional excellence is matched only by their kindness, humility, and dedication to improving the lives of others.”
Smith Jr. came to San Diego as a fearsome linebacker who made two Pro Bowls, yet he transcended football through his infectious personality and devotion to his adopted city.
“He had that big smile, that huge laugh, that rip-your-arm-off handshake,” Kaplan said. “B.R. did everything right. There was not one part of him that was a lie, a secret, not one skeleton in the closet. He really, really lived a life that he could be very proud of.”
Katie Price left her son Junior mortified with a shocking revelationCredit: ITVJunior Andre was left with his head in his hands after Katie admitted she had a ‘hairy muff’Credit: ITV
Katie replied: “That’s what I mean you’re following in my footsteps.”
Speaking candidly on her mum‘s cheeky venture, Princess said in her confessional: “It’s actually really interesting to hear mum talk about starting to build her career.
“Because like if a girl did that now at 18, it would be classed as very wrong so, it’s two different lives really.”
Podcast host Katie then went on to leave her kids – specifically Junior – gobsmacked by a surprise revelation.
She announced: “I had bit of a hairy muff back then though.”
Katie didn’t stop there, she added: “It was because I had red bikini on and the ironing board cover would take it off and I had like a little triangle.”
Junior said: “Mate that I…I don’t like…”
“It’s part of your mum’s journey and after that I bought out cups with me topless on them,” added Katie.
Mortified Junior decided to remain silent as his mum opened up on her sexy merch.
The son of Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy has been arrested and charged under suspicion of shooting a woman who is reportedly his mother in Virginia on Sunday night.
The victim was not identified by name in a Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office news release but has been reported by multiple media outlets to be Mia Bieniemy, wife of the Chiefs’ coordinator and mother of their two adult sons. She suffered multiple gunshot wounds and has been hospitalized for treatment of serious injuries but is said to be in stable condition.
Elijah Zion Bieniemy, 27, was arrested and charged under suspicion of malicious wounding, use of a firearm in commission of a felony and discharge of a firearm inside of a dwelling, the sheriff’s office said Monday. He is being held without bond at the county’s adult detention center.
This booking photo of Elijah Zion Bieniemy was released July 27 by the Loudoun County, Va., Sheriff’s Office.
(Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office Via Associated Press)
According to the sheriff’s office, deputies responded to a report of a shooting at around 7:32 p.m. on Sunday. Public records show that Eric, Mia and Elijah Bieniemy currently reside at a house with an address on the block where the incident allegedly occurred.
Eric Bieniemy, who was the associate head coach and offensive coordinator at UCLA in 2024, was with the Chiefs for the second day of training camp in St. Joseph, Mo., earlier Sunday but was not present for Monday’s practice.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid addressed the matter on Monday.
“Our hearts go out to Eric Bieniemy and his family. Thoughts and prayers are with them,” Reid told reporters. “I can’t get into details on it, but things happen sometimes, and Eric will work through it. He’s got a great support group here, as does his family as needed, and then we’ll just let time take care of it from there. Mia is stable, which is a plus.”
Reid said he has known Mia Bieniemy for a long time, as her husband served on his staff from 2013 to 2022, first as the running backs coach and then as offensive coordinator, before returning this offseason.
“She’s a saint. We all know that, the people that know her,” Reid said. “One of God’s good blessings, really a special person.”
Denis Bouanga scored two goals, Son Heung-min scored in his third consecutive match since the World Cup break, and LAFC thrashed Sporting Kansas City 4-0 on Saturday night for its fourth consecutive victory.
David Martínez also scored in a 3-0 first half for LAFC, which hasn’t lost since May 17. Bouanga added his second goal in the 85th minute, giving him 10 in 17 matches this season.
With an inspired Son and a top-form Bouanga both scoring in every game since the break, LAFC has outscored its last three opponents by a combined 10-1. They’ve pulled even with Vancouver and San José atop the Western Conference standings with 33 points and 10 victories, although the Whitecaps and Quakes both have games in hand.
Hugo Lloris had to make just one save while keeping his MLS-leading 10th clean sheet for LAFC.
Sporting Kansas City didn’t get a shot on target until the 77th minute of a loss that kept them at the bottom of the Western Conference standings.
Son struck in the fifth minute when he chased down a lead pass from Mark Delgado, shook off defender Wyatt Meyer and fired home his third goal of the season. The former Tottenham star played his first 13 matches without a goal for LAFC despite leading MLS in assists, but the South Korea captain has looked rejuvenated with the World Cup pressure off his shoulders.
Bouanga doubled LAFC’s lead in the 37th minute with the type of counterattacking goal that his team scored relentlessly last season. The French forward controlled Mathieu Choinière’s long pass, shrugged off a defender and finished.
Bouanga’s pass then set Martínez loose on a counterattack with Son in injury time, and Martínez buried his sixth goal.
LAFC added yet another transition goal late when Ryan Porteous’ long pass found Tyler Boyd, who fed Bouanga for the brace.
Right-wing candidate Flavio Bolsonaro attracts foreign support, but struggles in polls ahead of matchup with President Lula.
Published On 26 Jul 202626 Jul 2026
Flavio Bolsonaro has inaugurated the official beginning of his Brazilian presidential campaign, touting support from right-wing figures such as Argentinian President Javier Milei and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Bolsonaro, son of former president Jair Bolsonaro and long considered the presumptive candidate of Brazil’s political right, launched his formal bid challenging President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Saturday.
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“This is more than a party convention,” Bolsonaro said in remarks to his father’s Liberal Party.
“This is the beginning of the toughest battles of our life. A fight between good and evil.”
Recent polls have shown Bolsonaro trailing the left-wing Lula, as his bid for the presidency struggles to right itself after a number of setbacks and scandals.
While Saturday’s event included endorsement remarks from right-wing heavyweights such as Milei and Netanyahu, few prominent Brazilian politicians were in attendance.
Centre-right parties have largely kept their distance, and Flavio’s father – currently serving a 27-year prison sentence for a coup attempt following his loss to Lula in 2022 – was present at the convention only in the form of a video made with AI.
Milei delivered a fiery speech criticising Lula and declaring that Bolsonaro can “save” Brazil from socialism.
The Argentinian president flew to Brazil the night before the event and met on Saturday with Sao Paulo Governor Tarcisio de Freitas.
“We will continue offering our testimony everywhere against the lies of socialism,” Milei said.
Netanyahu offered support via a short video message.
“Flavio, my friend, I want to congratulate you on the official launching of your campaign,” Netanyahu said in the recording, according to the Brazilian outlet Metropoles. “You’re a great champion of Brazil, you’re a great champion of the friendship between our peoples.”
Lula’s Workers Party is set to hold its own convention on August 2, confirming the 80-year-old president’s re-election bid.
Bolsonaro and his allies have also suffered from criticisms that they have tried to use their ties to the administration of US President Donald Trump to boost his campaign, inviting US intervention in a variety of issues that many Brazilians see as a form of foreign meddling.
Like his father, Flavio has also raised alarm by repeating false claims about the reliability of Brazil’s election infrastructure, seen as a pretext for possible efforts to deny the legitimacy of the voting process in the event of a loss to Lula.
The AFP news agency reported on Saturday that Brazil had denied visas to a pair of Trump administration officials who sought to meet with the country’s election authorities to discuss “freedom of expression related to the elections”.
DENISE Welch shares unseen pics of son Matty Healy’s wedding as she parties with Coronation Street star and Charli XCX
1975 singer Matty, 37, and musician Gabbriette Bechtel, 28, tied the knot at Castillo del Lago in Los Angeles on Saturday July 18 2026.
Denise Welch has shared unseen pics of her son Matty Healy’s wedding as she parties with Coronation Street star Sally Dynevor (pictured right)Credit: denise_welch/InstagramThe Loose Women favourite was also seen smiling next to Charlie XCXCredit: denise_welch/Instagram
The loved-up couple said ‘I do’ in front of a string of celebrity pals including Charli XCX, Nick Grimshaw and Matty’s The 1975 bandmates – as well as his iconic Loose Women panellist mother Denise.
Denise has since taken to Instagram to give fans a sneak peek of her son’s incredible day on Instagram – and the celebrations that took place looked out of this world.
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The soap star was all smiles as she smiled at poolside with Corrie star Sally Dynevor, 63, who she met while on set of the ITV soap in the 90s.
She also posed for a selfie with celebrity stylist Ryan Kay and radio presenter Nick, 41.
Matty and Gabbriette tied the knot on July 18 in a stunning ceremony in Los AngelesCredit: BackGridProud mum Denise posed for a picture with her son and daughter-in-lawCredit: denise_welch/InstagramDenise and husband Lincoln smiled alongside bride GabbrietteCredit: denise_welch/InstagramDenise wowed in a tight black dress as she smiled for a picture with MattyCredit: denise_welch/Instagram
Her husband Lincoln Townley, 53, who she married in 2013, looked dapper standing next to Denise, who was in a stunning black dress.
The proud mum had a huge smile on her face as she took a snap with her son Matty and her new daughter-in-law.
Denise captioned the post: “To see my eldest son marry the most beautiful, funny, crazy girl under the Hollywood sign was a night I’ll never forget.
“They are made for each other.
Denise and Lincoln posed for another picture with the happy coupleCredit: denise_welch/InstagramThe group got up to a lot of fun during their time in the USCredit: denise_welch/InstagramShe shared all their antics on her Instagram reelCredit: denise_welch/Instagram
“I kept looking around and couldn’t believe so many of our friends and family were all together in Los Angeles celebrating this most magical, beautiful few days watching the love between Matthew and@gabbriette.
“We love our daughter in law and our new family@chayobechtel@gary.bechteland@marsalsa_.
“I’ll need to do a million reels to capture the fun we all had.”
Many rushed to the comments section to share kind words of Matty and Gabbriette’s big day.
Ruth Langsford wrote: “Now that looked like a LOT of fun!! Your boy is MARRIED!!”
Andrea McClean added: “What wonderful photos Denz, what a time! What memories!”
Winning streaks bring a life of their own to a clubhouse, each day presenting another opportunity to extend the joy and methodically build a feeling of invincibility.
Inevitably the streak ends and everyone sighs, reflects and returns to work. The Boston Red Sox lost the second game of a doubleheader Wednesday to end a win streak that tied an 80-year-old club record when it reached 15 in the opener.
Boston interim manager Chad Tracy stepped into the clubhouse to say a few words afterward but saw veteran players Willson Contreras and Sonny Gray speaking to the team and allowed them the moment.
“We just won 15 games in a row, and I think all of us knew it was going to end at some point,” Tracy said.
Call it the “Tracy Turnaround” redux.
Tracy had never managed, coached or played at the major league level before replacing Alex Cora on April 25, but he was well-versed in experiencing the glorious ride of a winning streak and its abrupt end. His father, Jim Tracy, managed the Dodgers, Pittsburgh Pirates and Colorado Rockies from 2001-2012.
Like his son, Jim Tracy was given an interim manager title when he replaced Clint Hurdle in May 2009 after Colorado’s poor start. It took only a few weeks before the Rockies won 11 games in a row, 17 of 18 and finished 74-42 to make the playoffs.
This year’s Red Sox can only hope their U-turn under Chad Tracy mirrors his dad’s. Boston was 32-46 before winning 20 of 23, including the 15-game win streak.
No surprise that father and son discussed the similarities. Chad was a double-A first baseman with the Texas Rangers in 2009 and closely followed his dad’s fortunes.
“I remember the [Rockies’] run,” Chad said. “You know, we talk very basically about just, he’s excited [about the Red Sox]. He’s a baseball fan. He’s watching constantly, and he’s fired up for it. So, like, we haven’t done a whole lot of comparing to that, but he’s just — he’s a Boston Red Sox fan.”
Jim was rewarded by becoming the second interim manager in MLB history to win the Manager of the Year award. Chad could be in the running to be the third, especially if the Red Sox make the playoffs.
They already are only the sixth father-son combo to manage in the major leagues, following Bob and Aaron Boone, George and Dick Sisler, Bob and Joel Skinner, Buddy and David Bell, and Felipe Alou and Luis Rojas.
The achievement isn’t lost on Jim Tracy, who became so emotional upon learning his son was named interim Red Sox manager he pulled his car to the side of the road. He attended Chad’s first game, a victory over the Baltimore Orioles, on the top step of the dugout.
“One thing that jumped out at me,” Jim Tracy said, “was that when he was presented to the media, his body language in the dugout…. he was not overwhelmed or fazed with anything that was going on. He was ready to do whatever was asked of him.”
That Chad replaced Cora, who led the Red Sox to the 2018 World Series title in his first season, elicited mixed feelings. Cora played with the Dodgers from 1998-2004, including four seasons under Jim.
“It’s a wonderful day, but in some respects, it’s bittersweet,” Jim said the day of Chad’s managerial debut. “I’m proud of [Chad], but the Tracy family loves and respects Alex Cora.
“You have to go back with some special years I had in Los Angeles and Alex was very much a part of that. Bittersweet is the right word because Alex was so good to my son and took such good care of him. But it was reciprocated.”
Son Heung-min scored a goal for the second consecutive game, Denis Bouanga added a goal, and LAFC beat Real Salt Lake 3-1 on Wednesday night.
Hugo Lloris, who leads MLS with nine shutouts this season, had six saves for LAFC (9-5-3).
Son, who scored his first goal this season Friday in a 3-0 win over the Galaxy, opened the scoring in the 11th minute. The 34-year-old forward pushed the ball wide to his left to create space from a defender and then blasted his next touch inside the near post from the end of the penalty arc.
Mathieu Choiniere played a ball ahead, the last of four consecutive first-touch passes by LAFC, to Bouanga, who raced to the center of the area, cut back to evade a defender and fired a shot into the net to make it 2-0 in the 40th.
DeAndre Yedlin’s own goal capped the scoring in the 68th minute.
Lukas Engel, a 30-year-old defender in his second MLS season, scored his first career goal in the 86th minute for RSL (8-5-2). Rafael Cabral had one save.
July 21 (UPI) — A father and son have been arraigned on charges for kidnapping two federal biologists at gunpoint in California.
Joseph Charles Henrichsen, 49, and his son Phoenix Henrichsen, 23, were in federal court in Sacramento, Calif., on Monday when they were charged with kidnapping a federal employee and aiding and abetting.
The charges stem from the Henrichsens allegedly confronting two female U.S. Forest Service staff biologists last week at Gumboot Lake Campground in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest in California. Joseph was armed with a rifle when he approached the biologists in a remote area of the forest. He zip-tied their hands behind their backs and ordered them to a trailer nearby where they were held.
When they arrived at the trailer, Phoenix joined them, court documents say.
At one point, Joseph took one of the biologists in the Forest Service Nissan that they were using before the kidnapping and drove her several miles away where he used her phone to call a federal forest ranger. He left a message for the ranger informing them that he had taken two hostages and was armed.
“I’ve taken two fed biologists hostage from the Forest Service,” Joseph said, the affidavit reads. “I’m driving in the ranger vehicle right now. Her hands are behind her [expletive] back, and I’ve got live rounds ready.”
Law enforcement officials responded after the message was received, beginning an hourslong standoff on Friday. The Henrichsens surrendered and were arrested that day after hostage negotiations.
The victims were released safely.
The affidavit accuses Phoenix of aiding and abetting for keeping “watch” of the trailer when his father was not around.
The Henrichsens face a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted. A preliminary examination is scheduled for Aug. 3.
President Donald Trump delivers a prime-time address to the nation from the East Room of the White House on Thursday. Pool photo by Saul Loeb/UPI | License Photo
WASHINGTON — Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Second Lady Usha Vance, announced the birth of their fourth child, the first born to a sitting vice president in more than 150 years.
Born Sunday, Alec Neel Vance joins older siblings Ewan, 9; Vivek, 6; and Mirabel, 4.
Vance announced the birth Sunday on social media with a statement signed by him and his wife.
“We are excited to announce that our baby boy, Alec Neel Vance, was born this morning. Usha and the baby are happy and healthy, and our kids are overjoyed to meet their little brother,” the statement said.
They thanked doctors and staff at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and with the White House medical team.
The Republican vice president’s growing family is in keeping with his passionate advocacy for Americans to have more children. He has also suggested that the 2025 killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was his friend, factored into the decision to have another child.
Vance, a former U.S. Marine, repeatedly expressed alarm about declining birth rates in America as he launched his political career in 2021 with a bid for a U.S. Senate seat from Ohio. As vice president, he said in Washington at the 2025 March for Life anti-abortion rally, “I want more babies in the United States of America.”
The vice president, who’s 41, has been accompanied on overseas trips by Usha Vance, 40, and their children, with the kids often pajama-clad as they board Air Force Two for the overnight flights.
Usha Vance, the daughter of immigrants from India, had already been the subject of some public fascination because of her husband. Her pregnancy, which was announced in January, amplified that spotlight since it is rare for occupants of the United States’ highest public offices to add to their families while serving.
The last time a sitting vice president became a new father was in the 1800s.
Schuyler Colfax and his second wife, Ellen Wade, had a son, Schuyler Colfax III, in 1870 when Colfax was serving as vice president, according to the White House Historical Assn. Decades before that, John C. Calhoun and his wife, Floride Bonneau, had a son, William, in 1829 when Calhoun was vice president, the association said.
Usha Vance recently came under scrutiny after The New York Times’ fashion critic called attention to the stomach-hugging, coral maternity dress she wore for a Father’s Day episode of “Storytime with the Second Lady,” a video podcast she launched during the pregnancy.
The Times wrote that the attention that Vance, Miller and Leavitt had put on their pregnancies offered “an image of idealized womanhood that gives literal shape to the pronatalist movement,” which encourages couples to have as many children as possible to counter declining birth rates.
The second lady responded on social media, writing, “Now that we know the political significance of my $8.75 coral maternity dress from Old Navy, can’t wait to hear what the New York Times has to say about my elastic-waistband pants and compression socks! In the meantime, enjoy my pregnancy fashion (or lack thereof) and a good story with your kids on Storytime with the Second Lady.” She later shared the receipt for the dress, and her husband applauded her frugality.
“She bought a $50 dress for $8.75. America: meet your next director of the federal budget!” the vice president wrote on social media.
The shy 9-year-old Nathan Negrete doesn’t naturally gravitate toward the spotlight, but as Negrete stood with Weston McKennie in front of the roaring 74,904 fans at SoFi Stadium, he smiled.
Looking back nearly a month later, the Pico Rivera resident doesn’t remember much of the U.S. men’s national team win over Paraguay, getting overwhelmed by the experience. But he remembers what McKennie told him — something Negrete decided should be kept secret despite a large smile on his face.
“The best day ever,” he said of the experience. “Because I went to the World Cup.”
Quaker and Common Goal partnered with FIFA to select children and young adults to escort teams out onto the pitch before kickoff. Negrete, who attends Rio Vista Elementary, was one of the lucky few who joined the U.S. team before its 4-1 win over Paraguay. It was a joyous start to a tournament run that would eventually end in the Round of 16.
A fan of both the U.S. and Mexico, Negrete started playing soccer at 4. His mother, Monica Ocampo, and his father, Jonathan Negrete, were both soccer fans, and they encouraged him to play as a striker. After his practices, though, Negrete would step into the goal and block his teammates’ shots. And once he strapped on the gloves officially, his parents couldn’t convince him to leave the net.
But there wasn’t anything quite like the experience of stepping out in front of the roaring crowd. Even as the city prepared to host the World Cup, as nearby restaurants hung banners to attract pedestrians and watch party notifications flooded social media, Ocampo said she wasn’t prepared for the impact of watching her child take the field with the national team.
The family held a 15-person watch party, just not for the actual game — for her son. The Telemundo broadcast zoomed in on Negrete and McKennie. For a couple of moments, Negrete scanned the stadium seriously, but then he looked up to see himself and McKennie on the SoFi Stadium video boards. So, he smiled.
“I cried,” Ocampo said. “His dad looked like he wanted to cry when he saw him.”
Messages from friends and family flooded her phone as the rest of the people who knew Negrete realized he was on the broadcast. Was that Nathan? Was that your son? Negrete took on a new nickname after his appearance: “Famous Nathan.”
As Nathan drove home with his mom, he still couldn’t believe what had happened. It took a few days for him to take it all in, and once he started talking about it, not a lot could stop him. The one priceless memory he kept with him was simple:
“‘I really want to be a professional soccer player now,’” Ocampo remembers her son saying in the car ride home. “Actually being there, seeing the field, actually living it, that’s one thing he told me that night: I really want to be a professional.”
He wouldn’t be the first. Graham Zusi, who played for the U.S. men’s national team between 2012 and 2017, participated in the 1994 World Cup opening ceremony as a 7-year-old. And even now, Negrete is using his experience to fuel his dreams of playing professionally, revisiting the YouTube video of the experience again and again.
“Hopefully one day he gets there, but wherever his life takes him, just for him to see that experience, it’s something he’s never going to forget,” Ocampo said. “Even now, sometimes we talk about him like I can’t believe he actually did that.”
Bet your bottom dollar that Son Heung-min, LAFC’s $26 million man — the record MLS fee for an incoming player — would peel himself off the mat and clear away the cobwebs and sorrows of the past few weeks and months.
He did it with a sizzling, right-footed goal in the 57th minute of LAFC’s 3-0 victory Friday over the Galaxy in the 27th rendition of El Tráfico and the first this year. Also, the first crosstown showdown of Son’s so-far, so-so tenure in L.A.
His arrival last August from Tottenham Hotspur in England’s Premier League was met with uncommon fanfare. Here came another global soccer icon to Major League Soccer — and to L.A., where the South Korean sensation was welcomed enthusiastically by a Korean diaspora that’s about 250,000 strong.
LAFC forward Son Heung-Min celebrates after scoring a goal against the Galaxy at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson on Friday.
(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)
The first Asian player to win the Premier League Golden Boot, Mayor Karen Bass spoke at Son’s introductory news conference. The Dodgers invited him to throw out the first pitch on Shohei Ohtani’s bobblehead night (and turned around this season and produced a bobblehead of Son throwing that pitch).
His first LAFC goal — a free kick over the wall in a 1-1 draw with FC Dallas — was named the MLS’s goal of the year. After notching 173 goals across all competitions with Tottenham Hotspur, he finished with nine goals in his first 10 regular-season appearances for LAFC.
Then the scoring stopped. As if someone turned off the spigot.
Before Friday, Son recorded nine assists but no goals over 13 unlucky matches this season. He went 44 shots without striking a goal. And 237 days between goals, according to The Chosun Daily’s tally.
Yeah, just a bit of what his LAFC teammate Mark Delgado described as “a drought.”
Most painfully, Son also was shut out in South Korea’s disastrously short World Cup stay.
South Korea entered the tournament with the expectation that its “golden generation” – led by Son – would reach the knockout stage. But after it opened Group A with a 2-1 win over Czechia, the Koreans lost 1-0 to Mexico and 1-0 to South Africa and failed to qualify for the round of 32 as one of the eight best third-placed teams.
The uproar in South Korea that followed included the country’s president demanding an investigation.
Mexico’s Julián Quiñones and South Korea’s Son Heung-min vie for the ball during a World Cup match on June 18 in Guadalajara, Mexico.
(Ricardo Mazalan / Ap Photo/ricardo Mazalan)
For his part, a heartbroken Son shared a statement on Instagram: “I don’t dare to convey the disappointment and hurt of the fans with a single word ‘sorry.’ So even saying those words feels insufficient.”
It was impossible not to wonder: What the heck?
Where was the version of Son that everyone was celebrating a year ago?
How did the 34-year-old’s game decline so suddenly?
Was this a classic case of overpromising and underdelivering?
It still might be. LAFC — now 8-5-3 and third in MLS’s Western Conference — is going to face tougher competition in the days ahead than the work-in-progress Galaxy.
But on Friday, the center-forward was aggressive and in control. He took two shots in the first seven minutes, both blocked by defenders. He toyed with the Galaxy just before halftime, lining up to take a penalty before turning it over to Denis Bouanga, who scored to make it 2-0.
Then he and Delgado exchanged passes in the second half to set up Son’s first goal in darn near forever.
LAFC coach Marc Dos Santos gave Son 10 days off after the World Cup, but Son said he was eager to return to L.A., because he so enjoys the camaraderie of this club.
Those good vibes were on display when Son’s shot whizzed between two defenders and the outstretched arms of Galaxy goalkeeper Novak Micovic.
Son put his finger to his lips in the universal “shhh” sign and then did his patented camera celebration — click! — miming a snapshot. Because every goal is precious, and let’s be real, you never know when another will come.
LAFC’s Son Heung-Min celebrates after scoring what could be a breakthough goal against the rival Galaxy at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson on Friday.
(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)
Around him, the crowd and his colleagues went wild.
Dos Santos did some vein-popping flexing on the sideline. Mathieu Choinière pumped his fists as though he were operating a handcrank. Jacob Shaffelburg and Ryan Hollingshead flanked him on either side as though posing for a family photo. Son’s hair got tousled and nobody wearing black and gold could stop smiling.
“He deserves it, coming back from an emotional World Cup, and joining us right away,” Dos Santos said.
“He’s a great guy,” Delgado said. “He’s been in a bit of a goal drought, and, you know, we all want him to score. We all, he’s always smiling, and in training, he’s always scoring.
“And we’re like, ‘yeah, we need that, we need that!’ Trying to give him confidence,” Delgado continued. “And in games, he finally is getting that confidence back. So to see him score and put the ball in the net and just see his face light up with a smile is awesome. We all want to see him succeed here. We all want him to lead this club like we know he can.”
Now the goal is to keep the goals coming.
“Scoring the first goal of this season, I think it [will] help me,” Son said. “I think, definitely, going forward through the second part of the season. So, let’s keep going, and hope Wednesday [against Salt Lake] I can score another goal.”
Son Heung-min scored his first goal of the season, Denis Bouanga continued his scoring streak in El Tráfico, and LAFC beat the Galaxy 3-0 on Friday night at Dignity Health Sports Park following an international break for the World Cup.
LAFC (8-5-3) evened the all-time series with the Galaxy at 10-10-7. The Galaxy (5-6-5) entered unbeaten in their last three meetings with LAFC.
Mark Delgado, who played for the Galaxy from 2022-24, opened the scoring in the 26th minute. Delgado’s initial header was blocked but it came right back to him for a shot past goalkeeper Novak Micovic.
Bouanga made it 2-0 in first-half stoppage time on a penalty kick that Micovic got a hand on. Bouanga has scored 11 goals in 10 matches against the Galaxy across all competitions and has scored in the last seven meetings, the longest streak in the rivalry’s history.
LAFC forward Denis Bouanga does a flip after scoring on a penalty kick against the Galaxy in the first half Friday.
(Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times)
Son scored in the 57th after getting a pass back from Delgado.
Up next for LAFC: Hosts Real Salt Lake on Wednesday.
Up next for the Galaxy: Host St. Louis on Wednesday.
Hal Williams, a veteran actor known for his roles as a friendly neighborhood police officer on “Sanford and Son” and a hard-working patriarch on “227,” has died. He was 91.
Williams died Wednesday morning at his home in Rancho Mirage, his representative Zna Portlock Houston told The Times in an email on Thursday.
“Hal Williams is legendary for his acting skills, his compassion and his community engagement,” Houston wrote, describing the actor as “an icon and a true professional.” “He never turned away a fan. He was always embraced so warmly, like he was truly their own family, because he was a cultural touchstone who represented an image of Black fatherhood that was loving and steadfast. Offscreen he was a sound advisor, lively debater and devoted friend.”
His death follows a recent trip to Ohio celebrating his work on the NBC sitcom “Sanford and Son,” on which he portrayed Officer “Smitty” Smith from 1972 to 1977.
In one of his final television interviews just days prior to his death, Williams spoke about one of the show’s recurring bits, which saw his character translate his partner Officer “Hoppy” Hopkins’ (Howard Platt) police talk into a vernacular that Fred (Redd Foxx) and Lamont Sanford (Demond Wilson) could understand.
“A lot of the stuff we created ourselves off camera and put it in the script,” Williams said when he appeared with Platt on a morning news show on Cleveland’s Fox 8. “A lot of the times, they didn’t have jokes in the script … because they didn’t know the jargon from the Black community.”
Born Halroy Candis Williams on Dec. 14, 1938, in Columbus, Ohio, Williams was working as a juvenile corrections officer when he decided to pursue his dreams of becoming an actor. He took the plunge and headed to Hollywood in 1968.
“I gave myself three years in California to see what I could do,” Williams told Fox 8. “And at the end of the three years I was on ‘Sanford and Son,’ ‘The Waltons’ and ‘Harry O.’ ”
Williams became a regular television presence, appearing on shows such as “Kung Fu,” “Good Times,” “Roots: The Next Generation,” “The Jeffersons,” “Magnum P.I.” and “The Sinbad Show” over the years.
Besides his breakout role of Officer Smitty in “Sanford and Son,” which he reprised in its follow-up, “Sanford,” Williams is perhaps best known for starring as Lester Jenkins, the husband of Marla Gibbs’ Mary Jenkins, in the NBC sitcom “227.” The show, which aired from 1985 to 1990, was notable for the portrayal of its middle-class Black family.
“ ‘227’ kind of set the bar a little higher because it was a totally intact family,” Williams told the “Today” show in 2020. “It was a mother, father, daughter and they were very positive. There were very few negatives. It addressed all kinds of social issues and it gave oncoming shows the opportunity to explore new avenues and new issues comfortably because the networks and production companies were open to that kind of a pitch idea.”
Gibbs took to social media Thursday to share a tribute to her “TV husband,” who she described as “a generous man who freely gave his time, his talent and his heart to the community.”
“Our journey together began long before 227 came to television,” Gibbs wrote on Instagram. “Hal was part of the original stage production at our Crossroads Theater. … Hal was always there to help. He even secured donated theater seats and helped organize the seating chart because he believed in supporting young artists.”
“When 227 became a television series, I fought to make sure my character had a husband. I’m so glad I did,” she added. “Hal, Regina King and I became a television family that showed the love, strength and stability of a Black family for five wonderful seasons. … Even after the show ended, Hal never stopped checking on me.”
Actor Jackée Harry, who portrayed the Jenkins’ young neighbor Sandra Clark in “227,” was also among those who shared tributes to Williams on social media.
“What a gentleman. Hal always carried himself with grace, and he always had me laughing,” Harry wrote Wednesday on Instagram. “He was also a stand-up guy who believed Black fathers on TV should be loving, present and compassionate. He helped show America what that looked like.”
“For as long as I can remember, Hal has been a steady, comforting presence on our television screens,” Holly Robinson Peete wrote in her Instagram tribute Thursday. “His warm smile, sharp comedic timing, kind spirit and gentle energy made him feel like family to so many of us. … Rest in peace, Hal. … You were one of the greats … a true television legend, but an even greater human being.”
Williams most recently appeared as Autry in a couple episodes of CBS’ “Matlock” reboot.
His survivors include his two children, three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Williams was predeceased by one son.
“The Real Housewives of Orange County” star Jennifer Pedranti says that her son was involved in starting a brush fire that burned in Ladera Ranch.
Pedranti posted the admission on her Instagram stories on Thursday, saying that there will be consequences for her son.
“I would like to clear up the rumblings of my son having involvement in the Ladera Ranch fire,” her statement began.
“He and others were involved. My ex husband and myself take this very serious. This behavior is unacceptable and we are deeply sorry to our community. This is a tough learning moment for our son and our family.”
Pedranti continued that she was thankful that there was no property damage and nobody was injured. “The fire and police were absolutely amazing and gave these boys a lesson they will never forget,” she said. “There were no arrests made, but consequences for actions are being put into place.”
According to Pedranti, her son will be taking a fire safety course to “make sure a mistake like this never happens again.”
“There are consequences within our family and we will make sure our son learns from this accident.”
The brush fire originated near Ladera Ranch’s Narrow Canyon Road and Acaster Way on Tuesday afternoon and spread across seven acres before firefighters were able to get it under control.
Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Augie Romo confirmed to The Times that three minors were interviewed in connection with the Ladera Ranch brush fire and that no arrests were made. A full report will be made available in 10 days, but for now, most details of the incident remain under investigation.
The Bravo reality star shares five children with her ex-husband, biotech entrepreneur William Pedranti: sons Harrison, 22; Dawson, 19; Greyson, 16; and Dominic, 12; and daughter Everleigh, 14. She is engaged to “Real Housewives” cast member Ryan Boyajian, who reportedly was formerly involved in real estate and mortgage lending.
A Palestinian family in the northern Gaza town of Jabalia has been reunited with their son after believing for a year that he had been killed by Israeli army fire, only to discover he had been held in an Israeli prison throughout that time.
Inside the family’s home, which was damaged by Israeli bombardment, relatives broke down in tears of joy as 23-year-old Hamada Al-Banna returned unexpectedly after they had lost hope of ever seeing him again.
His family had believed that Hamada and his brother, Adham, were shot dead by Israeli forces while on their way to collect food aid during the peak of the famine that hit the Gaza Strip in the summer of 2025.
On Monday, Israeli authorities released Hamada along with 16 other Palestinian detainees. The International Committee of the Red Cross transferred them to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza before he returned to his family in the north of the territory.
His mother, Widad, fainted after hearing her son’s voice for the first time in a phone call following his release. Hours later, she collapsed again as she embraced him when he arrived home.
An Anadolu correspondent witnessed the family’s emotional reunion, in a story reflecting the suffering of hundreds of Palestinian families who remain unaware of the fate of their relatives since the start of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza on 8 October 2023.