A stunned fan posted: “Are you joking??? Omg!!!!! You look so young and beautiful! Happy Birthday beautiful Sally!!”
Another said: “50 looking 30! Have a gorgeous day. Happy Birthday.”
A third wrote: “Wait what!!!!!!!! 50?! You literally look 30. Happiest of Birthdays to you lovely. Enjoy xxx.”
Sally is married to co-star Joe Duttine, who plays taxi boss Tim Metcalfe, and recently revealed working together is a nightmare.
“I’d be very happy never to have a scene with him ever again,” she joked in an interview with Ok!.
“I love Joe to bits, but I don’t like working with him – I’m never going to like working with him.”
Watch heartbreaking moment Coronation Street favourite returns four years after being brutally murdered
Sally added: “Bless him, we’ve got very different work processes – let’s just put it like that. I like to come fully prepared, and he likes to flesh it out on the floor.”
“Also, he’s very funny. I’m such a giggler and once I’ve gone, I’m gone. It’s terrible and even if people get annoyed about it, it doesn’t help.”
She continued: “He absolutely makes me howl with laughter and he does it on purpose. I get cross with him because he knows the situation, but he can’t help himself.”
Her mechanic character can’t resist the new arrival on the cobbles, even though husband Kevin is currently battling cancer.
“It’s complete lust at first sight,” Sally told Ok!.
“There’s that undeniable chemistry – it’s palpable. They just click. It was an instant attraction – they bounced off each other and it reignites something in Abi that’s been dormant for ages.
“She’s an addict and this gives her a thrill. It’s a different kind of thrill, but it’s exhilarating for her.”
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Sally and husband Joe Duttine celebrate New Year at Prestonfield House Hotel in EdinburghCredit: instagram
Teenager Braxton Sorensen-McGee scored two tries on her Test debut as New Zealand opened their Pacific Four Series campaign with a 38-12 win over Australia.
The Black Ferns took charge with Ayesha Leti-I’iga scoring two tries in Newcastle before 18-year-old full-back Sorensen-McGee claimed her opening score.
That gave the visitors a 19-0 lead at half-time, which they soon extended with a try from Chryss Viliko right after the break.
The Wallaroos gave themselves hope of a fightback with Eva Karpani and Ashley Marsters both getting over to cut the score to 26-12.
But late tries from Sylvia Brunt and Sorensen-McGee ensured that the six-time world champions claimed a 28th straight Test win over their trans-Tasman rivals.
Reigning champions Canada kicked off this year’s Pacific Four Series with a 26-14 win over the United States last week and will visit Christchurch to face New Zealand next Saturday.
Sorensen-McGee graduated to Auckland’s Super Rugby Aupiki squad this year and helped the Blues retain their title.
She will hope to be selected for this year’s World Cup in England from 22 August-27 September, when New Zealand will aim to claim a third straight title.
“Last night, I received an email stating that the President wanted to fire me as Commissioner of the Consumer Product Safety Commission,” Trumka, who was appointed in 2021 to a seven-year term, said in the social media post.
“Of course, he did not give any reason why. However, it immediately follows me doing two things that this administration is against: advancing solutions to protect the American people from harm, and stopping the legal firing of scores of public servants who do lifesaving work.”
Trumka in the letter said the trio’s removal came on the heels of a visit by members of the Department Of Government Efficiency, which had attempted to coerce the commissioners to “bring aboard” two DOGE officials.
“With no regard for the safety and well-being of the American public, the Trump Administration is seeking to dismantle the Consumer Product Safety Commission,” Boyle said in a statement.
“I was fired illegally last night from my Senate-confirmed position as a CPSC Commissioner after I refused to be complicit with the efforts of DOGE to destroy the agency dedicated to protecting our nation’s consumers.”
Boyle, who has worked in some capacity for the agency for 15 years, also took aim at acting chairman Peter Feldman.
“Like the administration he seeks to impress, the Acting Chair – who has neither been nominated nor confirmed as chair — demonstrates contempt for the very workforce he purports to lead, highlighting his unfitness for the position. He has publicly disparaged CPSC staff as ‘bloated’ and ‘inefficient,’ baseless claims that contradict his own past words as commissioner since 2018,” she wrote.
Hoehn-Saric was also confirmed in 2021, while Boyle was appointed a commissioner with the consumer protection watchdog in 2022.
The agency has governance over more than 15,000 household products, including items for babies. It was founded by Congress in 1972 and had a budget in 2024 of $170 million.
“The President’s action is unlawful and is part of this Administration’s efforts to eliminate federal agencies, personnel, and policies that have made Americans safer,” Hoehn-Saric said in a statement on X.
“The Federal Law establishing the CPSC, which has stood for 50 years and is valid under Supreme Court precedent, states that Commissioners can only be removed for malfeasance or neglect of duty. The President cannot credibly accuse me of such behavior,” Hoehn-Saric continued.
Both men have said they intend to go to court over their dismissal from the agency.
“The President would like to end this nation’s long history of independent agencies, so he’s chosen to ignore the law and pretend independence doesn’t exist. I’ll see him in court,” Trumka said in a video statement on Facebook.
Pakistan postpones its Twenty20 league indefinitely, scrapping UAE relocation plan, as tension with India escalates.
The Pakistan Cricket Board has postponed its Pakistan Super League T20 cricket tournament following rising military tensions between India and Pakistan.
The PCB said it acted on advice from Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
“Cricket, while being a unifying force and a source of joy, must take a respectful pause,” the PCB said in a statement on Friday evening.
The PCB had earlier confirmed that it would relocate the eight remaining PSL matches to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, citing growing concerns among overseas players and the need to prioritise their safety.
The latest announcement, however, said the PSL was being postponed and gave no indication of whether this year’s edition would resume.
The cities of Rawalpindi, Multan and Lahore had been scheduled to host the remaining PSL games.
On Thursday, an Indian drone fell inside the complex of the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium hours before the start of a PSL game in which several cricketers from New Zealand, Australia, the West Indies, South Africa and England were due to compete.
Residents gather outside the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium after a drone strike, allegedly by India, on Thursday [Sohail Shahzad/EPA]
PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the interior minister in the Pakistan government, held meetings with foreign cricketers and six franchise owners of the PSL before initially saying the tournament was being moved to Dubai.
England cricketer Sam Billings, New Zealand’s Colin Munro, South African Rilee Rossouw and Jason Holder of the West Indies were among 43 foreign cricketers competing in the PSL.
“We have sincere regard for the mental well-being of participating players and the sentiments of our foreign players, and we respect the concerns of their families who want to see them back home,” the PCB statement said.
The PSL, in its 10th edition, started in the UAE in 2016. The UAE hosted the first two editions of the PSL, except for the final in 2017, and also some of the games in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Munro’s Islamabad United are the defending champions in the six-team league. Rossouw’s Quetta Gladiators lead the points table and have already qualified for the playoff stage while Multan Sultans, led by Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan, were eliminated after losing eight of their nine league games.
The three other teams are Peshawar Zalmi, captained by Babar Azam; Karachi Kings, skippered by Australian David Warner and Lahore Qalandars.
Pontins Blackpool, which was in Lytham St Anne in Lancashire was closed down after a lack in visitors – but it managed to outlive many of the other holiday sites
Blackpool’s Pontins sight was booming in the 60’s and 70’s(Image: Getty Images)
What was once a booming family holiday site is now completely unrecognisable in the present day. Pontins holiday camp in Blackpool welcomed generations of families for decades between the 60’s and the millennium.
The site was purchased by Fred Pontin in 1961 and was turned into a huge pocket-friendly family destination in Lytham St Anne, close to Blackpool. However, it quickly took to the spotlight after a plane tragically crashed into the site – but the park managed to keep going.
It featured many amenities such as swimming pools, a ballroom, a theatre and a fish and chips shop. That was until it sadly closed its doors 50 years later due to a lack of visitors.
Unfortunately, the popular seaside destinations around the country became famed for ‘unhygienic’ chalets and rundown facilities, and some of their sites across the country were sold off or abandoned.
As is the case with many British resorts, the rise in attractive package holidays abroad, paired with the global pandemic and the staggering cost of living crisis, caused local tourism to take a hit with a steep economic decline.
The park welcomed families for decades (Image: Reach Content Archive | Trinity Mirror)
Late in the 1960s, the original outdoor pool at the site was enclosed beneath an arched glass roof before Pontin carried out a series of refurbishments at the park.
A brochure for the site from 1972 lists its amenities, including a ballroom and theatre, three bars, a heated indoor swimming and paddling pool, TV lounges, two cafes, an amusement arcade and even a betting and fish and chip shop.
Outdoor entertainment included a boating lake, sports courts, an adventure playground, as well as on-site talent shows, comedy nights, and fancy dress competitions. The blurb inside the brochure reads: “When evening falls on Blackpool, and illuminations switched on, the camp swings into high powered entertainment.
“Most people find there’s so much going on at Pontins that they are not bother about going out. And of course here it’s all free!”
Young children spent much of their time in the creche, while older kids could hang out with Captain Croc, Pontins’ mascot and leader of the Croc Crew, who led parties and games.
The decaying interior of the entertainment centre(Image: Getty Images)
The holiday park was thrust into the spotlight in 1972 for the most tragic of reasons when a plane crashed into the site, destroying ten chalets as it exploded into the ground. The twin-engine executive jet had skidded off a nearby runway, smashing through a fence, twisting a railway line and throwing concrete blocks into the air. Two staff from the holiday camp had a lucky escape when a burning fuel tank crashed past them.
The members of the seven-air crew sadly died, with one member of the jet surviving after being pulled out of the wreckage by the camp chef. There were no other deaths.
Despite the tragedy, the camp survived and business boomed there for years to come, making it a go-to place for holidaymakers all over the north west. Sadly, after 50 years under the Pontins banner, the park closed.
The firm’s former owner, Ocean Parcs, blamed the closure on falling visitor numbers. Ian Smith, the company’s chief executive, said the decision had been taken by the company board “with deep regret”.
He said: “It was not an easy decision for the board to make. We looked at it long and hard but bookings have deteriorated and the level of investment required for a short lease meant it was not commercially viable to continue.”
Pontins holiday camps were initially the brainchild of Fred Pontin, who opened his first Pontins in a former US army base in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset in 1946.
The Pontins was previously Squire’s Gate Holiday Camp(Image: Getty Images)
Over the years, the holiday camp magnate bought more camps, expanding his empire to 30 sites at its peak. Smaller and less expensive than Butlin’s holiday camps, Pontins had Bluecoats to entertain guests as opposed to the Redcoats of its major rival.
TV stars who learned their comedy trade as former Bluecoats include Bradley Walsh, Shane Richie, Bobby Davro and Lee Mack. To this day, the remaining parks in Southport, Prestatyn, Morecambe and the ever-popular resort in Blackpool attract tens of thousands of punters a year.
By the time the park in Lytham St Anne closed in 2009, only five Pontins holiday camps remained in the UK. A few years after it closed, the derelict chalets and last remnants of the abandoned holiday camp were cleared and the site demolished.
An earlier version of this story was published in May 2023.
Angel City defender Savy King collapsed on the field and medical staff appeared to do chest compressions on her before she was carted off during a 2-0 win over Utah at BMO Stadium on Friday night.
Angel City assistant coach Eleri Earnshaw told reporters after the match that King was transported to a Los Angeles hospital, evaluated and is responsive.
“Her family is with her, as is our medical staff, so she’s in good hands,” Earnshaw said.
Players were visibly shaken as trainers rushed to King’s side after she went down in the 74th minute. She was attended to for roughly 10 minutes before she was taken off the field.
Utah’s Alex Loera prays with players after Angel City defender Savy King collapsed on the field during Friday’s game at BMO Stadium.
(Luiza Moraes / NWSL via Getty Images)
Both teams gathered in a circle on the field after the match to pray for King, and teams throughout the National Women’s Soccer League, along with the league office, offered support for King via their social media channels.
King, 20, was the second overall pick in the 2024 NWSL draft by expansion Bay FC and played 18 games for the club. She was traded to Angel City in February and has started in all eight games this season.
Christen Press came off the bench in place of Claire Emslie in the 65th minute. Twenty-five seconds after stepping onto the field, Press outfoxed Madison Pogarch then curled the ball into the top left corner of the goal. Alyssa Thompson scored in second-half stoppage time.
It was the first shutout of the season for Angel City (4-2-2).
Utah (1-6-1) has lost six of its last seven matches.
Jamal Murray scored 27 points, and the host Denver Nuggets dominated in overtime to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 113-104 in Game 3 of their Western Conference second-round playoff series.
Nikola Jokic missed all 10 of his 3-point attempts in Friday’s matchup and finished 8-for-25 from the field but ended the night with 20 points and 16 rebounds for the Nuggets, who lead the best-of-seven series 2-1.
Game 4 is on Sunday afternoon in Denver.
Aaron Gordon scored 22 points, including a tying bucket in the final minute of regulation, and Michael Porter Jr went 5-for-6 from deep and finished with 21 points for the Nuggets, who finished 39-for-85 from the field (45.9 percent).
“We’ve been in this situation before, we stayed poised,” Porter said about Denver’s ability to win close games. “[Aaron Gordon] hit that big 3 to send it to overtime, like he’s done all playoffs. Huge win.”
Jalen Williams scored 32 points for Oklahoma City, who were 1-for-7 from the field in overtime with two turnovers. Chet Holmgren had 18 points and 16 rebounds, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 18 points and 13 rebounds, and Isaiah Hartenstein had 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Thunder, who were 40-for-104 (38.5 percent) from the field.
“One thing that it takes to be a great team is you get taken to the limit in the playoffs, and you’ve got to rise to the challenges that you’re confronted with,” Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said. “This team’s made a habit of doing that repeatedly. I have full confidence we’ll continue to do that, but we have to embrace what this is.”
Jokic opened overtime with a layup, and Porter drained a 3-pointer to make it 107-102. Williams missed a floater and had a turnover, which led to Murray’s layup with 3:02 left.
Holmgren’s dunk with 1:56 left was Oklahoma City’s only basket in overtime, and the Nuggets closed it out.
“I think, late in the games, you can rely on what you’ve seen and felt and done,” Nuggets head coach David Adelman said about the team’s playoff experience. “You can feel a game that maybe you played a couple of years ago.”
Gilgeous-Alexander went 7-for-22 from the field but put the Thunder ahead 93-92 with his first 3-pointer of the night with 7:33 left in the fourth.
Oklahoma City led 95-93 after Murray split a pair of free throws with 5:58 left, and both teams went cold from the field. Gilgeous-Alexander missed three straight shots, and Denver tied it on Gordon’s two free throws with 4:26 remaining.
Williams hit a layup, and Murray tied it at 97 with two free throws and put Denver ahead with a 17-footer with 2:17 left.
Luguentz Dort gave Oklahoma City back in front with a 3-pointer – his only points of the night – Murray was called for a travel with 1:31 remaining, and Williams made a pair of free throws to make it 102-99.
Gordon’s 3-pointer tied it with 27.5 seconds left, Gilgeous-Alexander missed a floater, and Jokic’s 20-footer at the buzzer was off, sending it to overtime.
Jamal Murray (#27) led the Denver Nuggets with 27 points in Game 3 against the Thunder [Garrett Ellwood/Getty Images via AFP]
Banged-up Cavs blow out Pacers in Game 3
In an earlier playoff matchup on Friday, Donovan Mitchell scored 43 points to lift the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 126-104 victory over the Indiana Pacers in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series in Indianapolis.
The top-seeded Cavaliers outscored Indiana by a 34-13 margin in the second quarter en route to cutting their deficit to 2-1 in the best-of-seven series. Game 4 is on Sunday in Indianapolis.
Mitchell, who added nine rebounds, made 14 of 29 shots from the floor and 10 of 14 from the free throw line. The six-time All-Star drained five 3-pointers on 13 attempts after entering the contest just 2-for-18 from beyond the arc.
Cleveland’s Max Strus collected 20 points and seven rebounds, Jarrett Allen had 19 and 12, and reigning Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley added 18 and 13, respectively, in his return from a one-game absence caused by a sprained left ankle.
Darius Garland finished with just 10 points while being plagued by foul trouble. He was playing his first game since April 23, having recovered from a toe injury.
“[We were] down 2-0,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said. “It’s kind of now or never. You’re banged up and you’re hurting … They had to test it today. They showed a lot of fortitude. We have one day of recovery here, so it’s a quick turnaround, and they can turn it around and be ready to go.”
Cleveland held a decisive 56-37 edge in rebounds, including an 18-4 advantage on the offensive end.
Indiana’s Bennedict Mathurin scored 23 points off the bench, and Pascal Siakam added 18.
Star Tyrese Haliburton was limited to just four points on 2-of-8 shooting for the fourth-seeded Pacers.
Cleveland will try to level the series when the Pacers host Game 4 on Sunday.
Donovan Mitchell (#45) of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives to the basket during Game 3 against the Indiana Pacers on May 9, 2025, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, US [Ron Hoskins/Getty Images via AFP]
The episode preview shows the Doctor, played by Ncuti Gatwa, navigating a Lagos marketplace
“Whatever I was doing – maybe cleaning up or doing homework – when I heard the ‘oooh-oooh-oooooh’,” Adesoji Kukoyi says, mimicking the iconic Doctor Who theme tune, “I dropped everything and ran straight to the television.”
As a child growing up in 1980s Nigeria, Mr Kukoyi was infatuated with sci-fi sensation Doctor Who. British shows like Allo Allo and Fawlty Towers aired regularly as a cultural hangover from the colonial era, but none captured Mr Kukoyi’s imagination like the time-travelling Doctor did.
“He always spoke to me,” 44-year-old Mr Kukoyi, who currently has a vintage Doctor Who theme as the ringtone on his phone, tells the BBC.
“Like there’s somebody watching out for us… yes, we make mistakes, but we do our best, especially if we have a teacher that will lead us on the right path.”
Mr Kukoyi has been watching Doctor Who for decades, so when he heard that on Saturday an episode will, for the very first time, be set in Nigeria, he was elated.
“I was watching last week’s episode with my wife and the preview [for the following week] said: ‘Welcome to Lagos, Nigeria’. I screamed like a little girl!” Mr Kukoyi says.
The setting is momentous not just for Mr Kukoyi – a native of Nigeria’s biggest and liveliest city Lagos – but for the show too. Saturday’s adventure will be the first primarily set in Africa.
Adesoji Kukoyi has been watching Doctor Who since he was a child
Ariyon Bakare, who in the upcoming episode plays the mysterious Barber, says fans can expect “a time-bending cultural ancestral collision” and “hair, lots of hair”.
The preview also teases a vibrant barber shop, a brimming Lagos market and a towering, monstrous-looking spider.
Fans speculate that this creature is Anansi, a legendary character in West African and Caribbean folktales, but scriptwriter Inua Ellams is keeping specifics under wraps.
As for why the show has enjoyed such popularity in Nigeria, he says: “There’s something Nigerian about the Doctor. Nigerians are sort of loud, gregarious people… the Doctor is mysterious, boisterous, sort of over-confident but somehow manages to save the day.”
Ellams, who moved from Nigeria to the UK as a child, also considers why in 62 years, a character known to traverse the universe has barely spent any time in Africa.
It could be that no writer has felt confident enough to produce an authentic African story, he says, or it might be down to the Doctor’s need to “blend into his environment and be inconspicuous”.
“Ncuti Gatwa [who plays the Doctor] being an actor of African descent means that we can tell new stories with the Doctor and negotiate in different spaces because of his appearance.
“And this is the brilliance of the show – every Doctor creates new opportunities to tell new stories in different ways,” Ellams tells the BBC.
BBC Studios/Bad Wolf/James Pardon
Ariyon Bakare (left) plays the Barber in what he calls a “cultural ancestral collision”
But these fresh Doctor Who stories have a smaller reach than the old ones did, as the show is no longer broadcast on Nigerian public TV. If you are in the country and want to catch up on the Doctor’s exploits, you would have to subscribe to streaming service Disney Plus.
Regardless, Mr Kukoyi insists that a dedicated troop of Nigerian Doctor Who lovers will be sitting transfixed on their sofas on Saturday evening, bearing witness to the Tardis materialising in Lagos.
“I’m waiting with baited breath,” he says. “Finally, he is coming!”
Mr Kukoyi – whose first experience of the Doctor was one played by a stripy scarf-wearing Tom Baker – says his young daughters are not so taken with his beloved show.
He is “trying to get them onboard”, he says.
Perhaps seeing the Doctor wearing traditional Nigerian clothing, squeezing his way through a quintessential Lagos market and getting caught up in local folklorewill help them fall in love with the show the way their father once did.
Less than a week ago, President Trump called for 100% tariffs on movies made outside the U.S., a move meant to bring productions home that most people in the industry believe would have devastating consequences for the entertainment business.
Then industry trade publication Deadline published the “Make Hollywood Great” proposal from actor Jon Voight, one of Trump’s so-called Hollywood ambassadors, that he recently presented to the president.
It has all led to confusion and disagreement from those in the industry about how to make the most of the current spotlight on a crucial issue — maintaining production and jobs in the U.S. — but in a way that will actually benefit the entertainment business.
“Any financial help we can give to filmmakers is going to keep filmmakers at home,” said George Huang, professor of screenwriting at the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television. “Ideally, legislators will try to be creative and try to support what I think is one of our most highly sought-after industries here in the United States.”
On Friday, the Motion Picture Assn. trade group convened a meeting with movie studio chiefs to discuss how to respond to the Trump administration’s plan and how to advocate for measures they think would actually help boost domestic filming.
As other Hollywood unions and organization put out statements about the federal issues, the MPA was conspicuously silent publicly.
Representatives from the MPA and the studios declined to comment Friday.
The MPA — the Washington, D.C.-based lobbying organization for the major studios — has historically faced a difficult task getting its members to agree to anything, and that has only increased since the group expanded to include streaming services Netflix and Amazon, according to people familiar with the organization. The companies all have different priorities and, in some cases, completely different business models.
Some studio executives are hoping Voight’s list of ideas to rebuild Hollywood becomes a rough blueprint for a more realistic alternative to tariffs.
Studio chiefs say it’s often too expensive to make movies and TV shows in the U.S., even with the generous incentives offered by various states. Movies are a low-margin business, and shooting abroad can offset production costs by as much as 30%.
On Wednesday, studio executives from Sony, HBO and Amazon discussed the issue at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills. They highlighted the limits of incentives — even if the U.S. offered tax credits, sometimes projects have to be shot overseas because of the story.
“We’re going overseas because we have a show set in London,” said “The Diplomat” creator Debora Cahn. “We want castles and palaces, and we don’t have enough of them here.”
What’s clear is that most of Hollywood — as well as current and former civic leaders — do not favor the use of tariffs to bring production back to the U.S.
“It’s going to kill us,” former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa told The Times. “That’s not going to help us. It’s going to hurt us.”
Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Los Angeles), too, was skeptical of Trump’s tariff announcement.
“This is the absolute worst way to go about supporting an industry so critical to not just L.A. and the state but the country,” she said. “Filmed entertainment is one of the best products we are able to produce.”
It’s why Voight’s plan is being looked at with interest.
The centerpiece is a “new federal American Production incentive,” which would allow a 20% tax credit — or an added 10% on top of a state’s film incentive.
Projects that qualify would have to meet a minimum threshold American “cultural test,” similar to what Britain requires for film incentives. The incentive would apply to traditional broadcasters and streaming services, including Netflix, Disney+, Hulu and digital platforms, including YouTube and Facebook.
The plan also calls for Section 181 of the federal tax code to be renewed for another five years. It recommends raising the caps on film production to $20 million (or $40 million if the project was shot in a rural area). The proposal recognizes film budgets have increased since 2004.
The group also suggested extending Section 181 to cover movie theater owners for facility improvements and equipment updates to their movie houses.
“Families going to the movies is one of the great American past times that must be preserved,” the draft plan noted.
The plan did raise the specter of tariffs, saying that if a U.S.-based production “could have been produced in the U.S.” but moved to a foreign country to take advantage of a tax incentive, then “a tariff will be placed on that production equal to 120% of the value of the foreign incentive received.”
“This is not meant as a penalty, but a necessary step to ‘level the playing field,’ while not creating a never-ending cycle of chasing the highest incentive,” according to the draft.
After publication, Voight’s manager, Steven Paul, one of the authors, said the document was “crafted solely for the purpose of discussion.”
A group of Hollywood unions and industry trade groups — including the Motion Picture Assn. and guilds representing screenwriters, directors and actors, as well as the Producers United coalition — recently backed the idea of a domestic production incentive.
“We are really advocating right now to make sure that, yes, we bring back American jobs, but we do it in a way that is actually going to provide the lifeblood into this system that will actually sustain it,” said Jonathan Wang, a producer on the Oscar-winning film “Everything Everywhere All At Once” and a member of Producers United. “So we are asking that we are in the room when these decisions are being made, and that we can provide our voice.”
For Producers United, a federal tax incentive would make the U.S. more competitive with other countries, though the group does not support the “cultural test” suggested in Voight’s plan, which they worry could essentially become a form of censorship.
“It’s important that we work hard to not get put into a position where we finally are tempted with the carrot of an incentive and then faced with censorship,” said Cathy Schulman, a producer on the best picture Oscar winner “Crash” and the Amazon Anne Hathaway drama “The Idea of You,” who is part of the Producers United group. “It’s really important that the two conversations go hand-in-hand that we need this financial support for uncensored art.”
Times staff writers Wendy Lee, Meg James, Ryan Faughnder and Seema Mehta contributed to this report.
Bill Esterson, the MP for Sefton Central, which includes Ainsdale, the location of the now-closed Pontins site, told the Mirror that the villagers are clamoring for change
The site has been empty for over a year(Image: Liverpool Echo)
A year on from the closure of Merseyside’s sole Pontins resort, local holiday-goers have been left disheartened by the state of the former park, prompting their MP to make a demand of the firm behind it.
The Liverpool Echo recently took a trip down to Ainsdale Village to take the community’s pulse after Britannia Hotels’ abrupt decision shuttered the Pontins park a year ago. Shopkeeper Lorraine Griffin, a 30-year-plus resident and worker at The Chocolate Box newsagent, reflected on her experience of seeing the once-thriving holiday park shuttered.
“I work and live in the village and have done for more than 30 years. It’s a shame really because it did bring people into the town and into the village. It helped the shop too because we sell buckets and spades, sweets for the kids, so it did bring people into the shop, but having said that the shop is doing well without it.”
Bill Esterson, the MP for Sefton Central, which includes Ainsdale, the location of the now-closed Pontins site, told the Mirror that the villagers are clamoring for change.
“There’s an appetite for change, but Britannia must release the lease and allow someone to develop the Pontins site. I’m working with the Council, residents, and MPs facing similar issues with Pontins around the country to find a way forward. Many local people want to see Ainsdale’s beach gateway revived. Leisure trends may have shifted, but Ainsdale’s village centre is thriving, and the beach remains one of the region’s real beauty spots,” he said.
He previously added: “We now have an eyesore in Ainsdale and people are fed up with the situation. I ran a consultation and it was the biggest response I have ever had. There is a real desire for investment in what is known as the beach gateway. People want it to be an attraction for people locally and those coming from out of the area.”
The deserted Pontins site, known locally as the beach gateway, is just a ten-minute stroll from the bustling village centre. It sits next to the vacant, mural-adorned Toad Hall and across from the derelict The Sands pub.
The site of Pontins in Southport, two months after its closure(Image: Exploring with Matt)
However, there are signs of life returning to this part of Ainsdale, with the recent arrival of The Beach House, a pop-up food and drink stall. The Sands, which has been boarded up since 2017, is currently under offer from an unknown bidder, sparking hopes that its reopening could trigger further rejuvenation of the beachfront.
Ainsdale Village has become a hub for the vibrant and evolving hospitality industry, with the Golden Monkey shining as a prime example. Joining the ranks of the village’s popular spots is The Mallard, a traditional pub serving an array of drinks and food, and now, In Den Engel, a recent addition to Liverpool Road that boasts an impressive selection of over 130 beers since it opened its doors just last month.
Golden Monkey’s bar manager Lorraine Cross said: “I’ve only worked here for a year but I don’t think we’ve lost out since it’s [Pontins] shut. It’s just been normal.” Customers, according to Cross, are not venturing far for their leisure time, opting to support local businesses instead.
She continued: “Even though we’re quite close to Pontins, being next to the train station, we’ve not lost out at all. We have a strong customer base here with people who live in the village. Once upon a time it used to be Formby and Birkdale that were the places to be but the number of people that now rave about Ainsdale village, I think it’s great. It’s good to have all these thriving businesses in the area.”
However, despite the positive vibes emanating from Ainsdale, one question lingers – what will become of Pontins?
Inside one of the holiday flats(Image: Exploring with Matt)
Last September, it was disclosed that Britannia Hotels holds a 150-year lease agreement with Sefton Council, who owns the land on which the holiday park is situated. Britannia Hotels, a budget hotel group boasting 64 establishments across the UK – including Liverpool city centre’s Adelphi – has owned the Sefton holiday park since 2011. Some Ainsdale locals said that if the site isn’t repurposed immediately, it should be “knocked down”.
Recently, the ECHO debunked a persistent rumour that the park would be transformed into a golf course.
Alistair Urry, an Ainsdale resident who lives just a short distance from the Shore Road site, has lived in the village intermittently for the past 30 years. He believes that the village hasn’t felt the absence of the visitors usually attracted by the park.
He commented: “People are coming into the village from around the town, it’s good to see businesses busy and making money.”
The star was previously diagnosed with twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS), a rare but serious condition in which blood flows unevenly between identical twins sharing a placenta – putting both babies at risk.
The TTTS diagnosis took Jesy and Zion by surprise and they revealed they had no idea what the condition was beforehand.
Jesy has already had a successful operation, although she hasn’t specified the type of procedure she had.
She said: “We wanted to let you in on our journey of what we’ve been going through.
“So we are having identical twins which is so exciting – we cannot believe it.
“But, unfortunately, there are complications that come with having identical twins.”
Sitting close to partner Zion for comfort, the popstar continued: “The type of twins we are having are called mono/di twins and so normally most twins will have two placentas that they feed off of.
“But when you have mono/di twins, that means your twins live off one placenta which can lead to lots of complications – one of them being one baby might take all the nutrients which, and it’s really awful to say, but could lead to both babies dying.”
Jesy then said she would be having two scans a week so that her babies were monitored closely.
The Lisbon derby is one of the fiercest in Europe and before the game fans of the away team will march the couple of miles through the city to the opposition ground.
It is a rivalry that dates back more than a century, with the sides who would become officially known as Sporting Clube de Portugal and Sport Lisboa e Benfica first meeting in 1907 at a time when there was a huge class divide between them.
Sporting, bankrolled by the Viscount of Alvalade, had already riled their rivals by taking eight of their players on the promise of better facilities and won 2-1.
Benfica’s image as the people’s club was, meanwhile, encapsulated in 1954 by their fans helping to build the original Estadio da Luz, a stadium that boasted its record attendance of 135,000 for a game against Porto in 1987 and was their home until the new ground was built before Euro 2004.
Then there was the legendary Eusebio, who played for Sporting’s feeder club Sporting Clube de Lourenço Marques in Mozambique but ended up signing for Benfica and helping them to 11 league titles and a European Cup in 15 seasons, while also winning the Ballon d’Or.
This will be their third meeting this season, with Benfica beating Sporting on penalties in the League Cup final in January, and they will meet again at the Jamor National Stadium in the Portuguese Cup final on 25 May.
“Of course, the entire country is very excited for this,” Ingles said.
“Around 90% of Portuguese people support Benfica, Porto or Sporting, so this is not only a Lisbon derby, but a national derby.
“Two thirds of our population support Benfica and Sporting so the country will literally stop to see this.
“Imagine Manchester and Liverpool, or Arsenal and Tottenham meeting at game 37 and whoever wins the game, wins the league,
“It’s massive and the atmosphere in the stadium and in the country will be electrifying.”
To prioritise the release of the captives in Gaza, or to continue fighting what critics are calling Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “forever war” – that is the question increasingly dividing Israel.
Israel’s government, laser-focused on the idea of a total victory against Hamas in Gaza, appears to be opting for the latter.
And that is only increasing the criticism Netanyahu has received since October 2023, firstly for his government’s failure to stop the October 7 attack, and then for failing to end a now 19-month war, or provide a clear vision for what the “day after” in Gaza will look like.
Netanyahu’s decision in March to unilaterally end a ceasefire instead of continuing with an agreement that would have brought home the remaining captives has widened the cracks within Israeli society, as opponents realised that the likelihood of the captives leaving Gaza alive was becoming more remote.
In recent weeks, a wave of open letter writing from within military units has emerged protesting the government’s priorities.
The discontent has also gained traction with the public. Earlier this month, thousands of Israelis gathered outside the Ministry of Defence in Tel Aviv to protest against Netanyahu’s decision to call up a further 60,000 reservists as part of his escalation against the bombed out and besieged Palestinian enclave of Gaza, where his forces have already killed more than 52,000 Palestinians, many of them women and children.
In mid-April, current and former members of the air force, considered one of Israel’s elite units, also released a letter, claiming the war served the “political and personal interests” of Netanyahu, “and not security ones”.
Prompted by the air force, similar protests came from members of the navy, elite units within the military and Israel’s foreign security agency, Mossad.
Political and personal interests
Accusations that Netanyahu is manipulating the war for his own personal ends predate the breaking of the ceasefire.
In the minds of his critics, the longer the war continues, the longer Netanyahu feels he can defend himself against the numerous threats to his position and even his freedom.
In addition to facing trial on numerous counts of corruption dating back to 2019, he also faces calls to hold an inquiry into the government’s political failings before the October 7 attack.
Netanyahu also faces accusations that members of his office have allegedly been taking payment from Qatar – the Gulf state has previously dismissed the allegations as a “smear campaign” intended to hinder efforts to mediate an end to the conflict.
The continuation of the war allows Netanyahu to distract from those issues, while maintaining a coalition with far-right parties who have made it clear that any end to the war without total victory – which increasingly appears to include the ethnic cleansing of Gaza – would result in their departure from government, and Netanyahu’s likely fall.
And so there are questions about whether Netanyahu’s announcement of a further escalation in Gaza, including the occupation of territory and displacement of its population, will mark an end to the conflict, or simply bog Israel down in the kind of forever war that has so far been to Netanyahu’s benefit.
‘I don’t know if they’re capable of occupying the territory,” former US Special Forces commander, Colonel Seth Krummrich of international security firm Global Guardian told Al Jazeera, “Gaza is just going to soak up people, and that’s before you even think about guarding northern Israel, confronting Iran or guarding the Israeli street,” he said, warning of the potential shortfall in reservists.
“It’s also competing with a tide of growing [domestic] toxicity. When soldiers don’t return home, or don’t go, that’s going to tear at the fabric of Israeli society. It plays out at every dinner table.”
Staying at home
Israeli media reports suggest that part of that toxicity is playing out in the number of reservists simply not showing up for duty.
The majority of those refusing service are thought to be “grey refusers”. That is, reservists with no ideological objection to the mass killings in Gaza, but rather ones exhausted by repeated tours, away from their families and jobs to support a war with no clear end.
Official numbers of reservists refusing duty are unknown. However, in mid-March, the Israeli national broadcaster, Kan, ran a report disputing official numbers, which claimed that more than 80 percent of those called up for duty had attended, suggesting that the actual figure was closer to 60 percent.
“There has been a steady increase in refusal among reservists,” a spokesperson for the organisation New Profile, which supports people refusing enlistment, said. “However, we often see sharp spikes in response to specific shifts in Israeli government policy, such as the violation of the most recent ceasefire or public statements by officials indicating that the primary objective of the military campaign is no longer the return of hostages and ‘destruction of Hamas’, as initially claimed, but rather the occupation of Gaza, and its ethnic cleansing.”
Also unaddressed is growing public discontent over the ultra-religious Haredi community, whose eight-decade exemption from military service was deemed illegal by the Supreme Court in June of last year.
Despite the shortfall in reservists reporting for duty and others having experienced repeated deployments, in April, the Supreme Court requested an explanation from Netanyahu – who relies upon Haredi support to maintain his coalition – as to why its ruling had not been fully implemented or enforced.
Throughout the war, Netanyahu’s escalations, while often resisted by the captives’ families and their allies, have been cheered on and encouraged by his allies among the far-right, many of whom claim a biblical right to the homes and land of Palestinians.
The apparent conflict between the welfare of the captives and the “total victory” promised by Netanyahu has run almost as long as the conflict itself, with each moment of division seemingly strengthening the prime minister’s position through the critical support of the ultranationalist elements of his cabinet.
Netanyahu’s position has led to conflict with politicians, including his own former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. While Gallant wasn’t opposed to the war in principle – his active support for Netanyahu eventually led to him joining Netanyahu in facing an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court for war crimes – his prioritisation of the captives put him at odds with the prime minister.
The divide over priorities has meant that civility between the government and the captives’ families has increasingly gone out the window, with Netanyahu generally avoiding meeting families with loved ones still captive in Gaza, and far-right politicians engaging in shouting matches with them during meetings in parliament.
Division within Israeli society was not new, Professor Yossi Mekelberg of Chatham House told Al Jazeera, “but wars and conflicts deepen them”.
“Now we have a situation where some people have served anywhere up to 400 days in the army [as reservists], while others are refusing to serve at all and exploiting their political power within the coalition to do so,” Mekelberg added.
“Elsewhere, there are ministers on the extreme right talking about ‘sacrificing’ the hostages for military gain,” something Mekelberg said many regarded as running counter to much of the founding principles of the country and the Jewish faith.
“There’s such toxicity in public discourse,” Mekelberg continued, “We see toxicity against anyone who criticises the war or the prime minister, division between the secular and the religious, and then even divisions within the religious movements.”
In the world of politics, there is always that seductive lie: “Security comes from the barrel of a gun.” It’s a lie that Benjamin Netanyahu has peddled for years under the guise of “defending Israel’s existence.” But perhaps the turning point in this game is today—when Netanyahu, Israel’s ever-hawkish prime minister, has not only failed to drag the weak and indecisive Joe Biden into a war with Iran but is now trying to pull Donald Trump—who turned “America First” into the banner of his foreign policy—into the same trap. Will Trump fall for it? And if he does, what will remain of his image as an independent and patriotic leader?
Even Biden Says “No”
Biden’s foreign policy has often been cold, cautious, and at times indecisive. In response to the Gaza war, attacks on U.S. facilities, and Iran’s regional maneuvers, Biden has shown half-hearted and sometimes nervous—but ultimately neutral—reactions. From Netanyahu’s perspective, Biden seemed like an “easy target”: an old and hesitant president who could perhaps be pushed with minimal effort into a military confrontation with Iran. But even Biden resisted Netanyahu’s war-driven agenda. He stood against Israel’s demand for a direct and extensive U.S. response to Iran’s proxy attacks and tried to prevent the conflict from spiraling into full-scale war. As a result, Netanyahu repeatedly had to declare on his own that if necessary, Israel would fight Iran alone. And now, in this new chapter, Netanyahu is eyeing an old option: Donald Trump.
Trump has repeatedly shown his unwillingness to drag America into endless Middle Eastern wars. While he withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal and applied maximum pressure, he refrained from military retaliation during critical moments—like when an American drone was shot down over the Persian Gulf in 2019. The reason was clear: Trump genuinely believes that wars in the Middle East are costly for the American people and bring no tangible benefits to the citizens of Indiana, Pennsylvania, or Ohio. This view is especially popular among the white middle class—the heart of Trump’s voter base. For these voters, Trump was not a “war hero” but a leader of “internal rebuilding”—someone who was supposed to build walls on the Mexican border, not in the Persian Gulf.
Netanyahu’s Grand Trap: A War in Trump’s Name, A Defeat for Trump
Under these circumstances, Netanyahu’s push to entangle Trump in a conflict with Iran is not only a repetition of a dangerous pattern but also a direct threat to the image Trump has cultivated: an independent, anti-militarist leader serving the American people’s interests. If Trump gets pulled into such a war, how would he be any different from the neoconservatives of the 2000s who dragged Americans into the quagmires of Iraq and Afghanistan? Imagine images of dead U.S. soldiers, skyrocketing military costs, severe oil price fluctuations, rising inflation, and, most importantly, the collapse of the “America First” doctrine. This is exactly the scenario that Democrats—and some traditional Republicans—are waiting for to derail Trump’s momentum.
What Netanyahu Wants: Power Without Cost, War With Someone Else’s Signature
What Netanyahu wants is clear: he wants the U.S. to bear the political, military, and human costs of a war with Iran, while Israel plays the role of the “victimized observer.” Time and again, Netanyahu has shown he has no problem with war—as long as others fight it for him. From George W. Bush to Biden, from Obama to Trump, Netanyahu has always tried to align Washington with Tel Aviv’s objectives. But here’s the issue: if Trump accepts this game, he will no longer be the leader who sets his own rules. He’ll be just another pawn in the regional chessboard designed by Israel.
Conclusion: Netanyahu’s War, Trump’s Downfall?
Netanyahu fears even a symbolic agreement between Trump and Iran—an agreement that could eliminate the constant threat of war from the Middle East equation and diminish Israel’s role as the “frontline in the battle against evil.” But the real danger is not for Netanyahu—it’s for Trump himself. If Trump yields to Netanyahu’s pressure and enters into conflict, his political legacy will suffer a devastating blow. In fact, a war with Iran is precisely what Trump’s opponents need to destroy his image as an independent, America-centered, and rational leader. If even a passive Biden didn’t fall for this trap, perhaps Trump’s greatest leadership test is this: saying no to a temptation that appears powerful—but in reality, destroys his very identity.
EXCLUSIVE: Casualty star Olly Rix has revealed that conversations surrounding him taking on the role of James Bond are ‘exciting’ after an unexpected encounter with Al Pacino
Casualty star Olly Rix has opened up about his character Flynn Byron – as well as an exciting James Bond conversation(Image: bbc)
A Casualty star has revealed there are “exciting” conversations surrounding the upcoming casting of the next James Bond. Olly Rix, who stars in the BBC One medical drama as Flynn Byron, has certainly made a name for himself since he burst into the medical drama earlier this year.
But the no-nonsense clinical lead of Wyvern’s emergency department has caught the eye of Hollywood icon, Al Pacino and his daughter Julie. Currently, speculation is rife as to who will take over the role of James Bond following Daniel Craig’s decision to step down in 2021 after the movie No Time To Die.
Currently, Godfather legend Al and his daughter Julie are working together on a project, commissioning portraits of who they think the next British actor could be to take on the 007 role. One of the stars is Olly, 40. “Al Pacino and Julie Pacino are set to come to the UK,” Olly exclusively told the Mirror.
He went on to add: “She’s asked me to be part of a portrait portfolio of British actors that she feels could assume the role, assume the mantle. I mean, it’s amazing. It’s such an extraordinary thing to be thought of and to think they are discussing you. Al Pacino is one of the reasons I wanted to be an actor.
Al Pacino and his daughter Julie are working with Olly on their portrait of who she believes could be the next Bond(Image: Julie Pacino)
“She’s an amazing photographer and a director as well. What an amazing thing to be asked to be part of. Daniel Craig was the definitive Bond for me, he was my favourite.” Olly revealed that when the film came out, he watched No Time To Die three times at the cinema in the space of around 36 hours.
“I love the role and to see what Amy Pascal and David Heyman might be planning next is so exciting,” he said. He added: “I’m here with held breath like everybody else. It’s a really exciting moment and such a great conversation – let’s see what happens.” But while Olly acts for a living, he was almost a real-life James Bond.
While studying at Oxford University, the actor was approached by the secret intelligence services and encouraged to apply for a job. “I began the vetting process and at the same time I’d applied to drama school,” he said, before revealing he’d won a scholarship to study acting.
Olly’s character, Flynn, has certainly ruffled feathers since he first appeared on Casualty earlier this year(Image: BBC STUDIOS)
Ultimately, Olly withdrew from the vetting process but, to his amazement, received a letter from the secret services wishing him well in his career. He added: “They were hoping one day I’d assume that role and would be watching and waiting. I thought that was the best. In the grand scheme of the business, it’s meaningless, but on a personal level, it’s lovely, and it’s something that I’ve always carried with me.
“It’s always felt like the role has been there somewhere; it felt like it’s crossed paths a few times.” Earlier this year, it was announced by Amazon MGM Studios that Amy Pascal and David Heyman would be producing the next Bond film after Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson handed over the creative rights, but they will remain co-directors.
Although speculation over who will take over as Bond is rife, Olly certainly has a busy few months in the emergency department. After joining Casualty, he admitted it was a “collaborative process” between himself, series producer Liza Mellody for Olly to step into the role of Flynn.
“The character himself, we had such an exciting conversation about him,” he revealed, admitting he “threw suggestions in” for his character. Olly’s research for the character saw him take inspiration from the special forces, given Flynn’s background in the forces. His first episode saw the camera focus from Flynn’s point of view, after being admitted as a patient following a car incident.
Speaking of his role, Olly said: “Flynn doesn’t come in like any good character, he doesn’t come in static or fully formed, unevolving entity. If the audience sticks with him and goes with him, they’re going to go on a journey. That’s why we did the research and the character we began to wrench him out of that context and put him in an NHSworld and people that he has to treat very differently, and watching him discover himself in a new environment. It becomes a bit of a redemption arc for Flynn.”
Flynn’s character will be tested in coming weeks following his father-in-law, Russell’s behaviour towards Rida(Image: BBC STUDIOS)
In the weeks to come, Flynn’s character will be tested more than ever when Rida Amaan exposes wrongdoing by his father-in-law, consultant Russell Whitelaw. Viewers have seen Russell’s behaviour continue to worsen at the workplace, with allegations of misconduct against female members of staff.
“That becomes really the sort of centrepiece of the box set, and that and that moral dilemma,” said Olly. He added: “I think what you’re seeing being set up and something that we really explore is ‘Who is this man? When the chips are down, what does he do? Is he brave? Despite personal consequences, does he tugtail and run?’
“We’ve introduced this high-functioning, very competent alpha-male personality who’s come from that world, and we’re saying no,w ‘Can you do it when it counts?'” Russell will later give Flynn an ultimatum – if he exposes his wrongdoing, he’ll make sure Flynn won’t see his wife Claire and their children.
“That’s really the kicker – Russell can potentially leverage Flynn’s silence,” he revealed, before adding: “They’re not actively at war, they’re not fighting. He’s saying, providing you don’t do anything, I won’t do anything. Flynn has to choose to step into that fire and say ‘I’m going to risk it all, or he won’t.”
One thing that is important to Rix is the reality and sensitivity surrounding certain topics of the show – including death in the emergency department. “I don’t think any of us are exempt from these issues,” he said. Last weekend, fans saw the death of Cara, who was being treated for cancer. Cara had initially been planning to go home before suffering a seizure and later dying.
Olly revealed that Casaulty is one of the rare shows which speaks to every viewer on certain levels(Image: BBC STUDIOS)
Olly said: “To use that story as an example, most of us know somebody who has been affected by cancer and their lives have been touched by that, and they’ve had to deal with that. The cast and the actors are no different, the same with the crew and writers.
“I think it’s one of the things that makes Casualty such an enduring piece, it speaks to everybody on some level. When you’re in an ED, you can run the entire spectrum of human emotion because you’re going to be faced with it all, from birth to death, from cradle to grave.”
One of Olly’s favourite dynamics is that of Flynn and Dr Rash Masum – who he has recently butted heads with. “I enjoyed it from the off,” Olly grinned. He added: “I liked that I sort of put his nose out of joint initially, as an actor, it was an interesting thing to do. I was hoping that we would get the payoff that I think we’re going to get. Ultimately, there’s no lack of professional respect or courtesy, yes, he quite brutally fired somebody and that upset Rash.
“But I think all Flynn is ever asking of Rash is that he steps up and gives his best because he’s such an outstanding doctor. I think Flynn, from the off, sees something worth nurturing in Rash and tries to bring out some self-belief and self-confidence as the ranking elder.” One thing Olly is sure about – Flynn can hold his own. “He can own his failings, he can own his blind spots and face them,” he said, adding: “He does have a sort of energy that means he can attack things pretty aggressively and pretty quickly, often pretty effectively.
The actor recently visited Battersea Cats and Dogs Home after David Gandy and his team arranged a visit to look at a potential ambassador position(Image: Akash Maru Photography)
“But he’s not afraid to confront his failings. Of course, it’s gathering pace in the background but that becomes a central question of the entire box set. Is his biggest failing and biggest issue – is he going to face those? We’re seeing good signs so far, but we’ll see.” He also teased an “interesting story” about Flynn and councillor Anna Mills, whom he has been seen getting close to in recent weeks.
Away from his work on Casualty, Olly recently headed to Battersea Cats and Dogs Home – a visit that was supported by the charity’s very first ambassador, David Gandy. Olly is keen to work with the charity. “It’s phenomenal, I can’t speak highly enough of that organisation,” he smiled before saying: “Like anybody else who’s ever sat and watched Paul O’Grady, and for good reason.
“They’ve got this incredible list of ambassadors, David Gandy, Tom Hardy and the late Paul O’Grady. I’ve always admired what they’ve done and how they’ve used their position to campaign for the organisation. So the most wonderful surprise, David’s team organised a visit for me to the institution and I went and spent three or four hours with all the dogs and the staff.”
Olly met with the staff who showed him around the centre and explained how Battersea is run and how they function. He said: “Doing anything with them is just the easiest proposition. I love animals, and more than that, I adore dogs. I really do. I have a dog who came into my life at a time when I needed it. I’m another of those people who’s had a dog save them. Couldn’t think of anything more fulfilling and beautiful to be involved with. I really hope that continues, so it was wonderful to have the support of David Gandy on my visit.”
Casualty airs tonight at 9.20pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Sole mates – how to get moving into healthy self-guided hiking holidays in National Walking Month, including the essential kit you need to buy and how best to set off on the right foot
Rumeysa Ozturk, the Tufts University doctoral student grabbed by ICE in Massachusetts and imprisoned in Louisiana, was granted bail from ICE detention Friday. Protesters supporting Ozturk protested at Harvard Square in Cambridge, Mass., in March. File Photo by Taylor Coester/EPA-EFE
May 9 (UPI) — Rumeysa Ozturk, the Tufts University doctoral student grabbed by ICE in Massachusetts and imprisoned in Louisiana, was granted bail from ICE detention Friday.
U.S. District Judge William Sessions said at the end of the hearing that Ozturk raised “very substantial” and “very significant” claims of First Amendment and due process rights violations in her case.
He said her detention cannot stand.
Sessions said, “Ozturk is free to return to her home in Massachusetts. She’s also free to travel to Massachusetts and Vermont as she sees fit, and I am not going to put a travel restriction on her, because, frankly, I don’t find that she poses any risk of flight.”
The judge ordered the government to immediately release her.
Ozturk began coughing at one point during the hearing and she rushed out of the room to get her inhaler. She attended the hearing virtually.
A defense lawyer had urged the judge to grant immediate bail, telling him Ozturk faces “significant health risks” if she stays in ICE custody.
The 2nd Circuit’s U.S. Court of Appeals had ordered Wednesday that she be transferred back to Vermont.
Her student visa was revoked immediately and she was taken into custody by armed masked agents without warning March 25 in Somerset, Mass., after she co-wrote an op-ed in the campus newspaper.
She was imprisoned in a Louisiana detention center afterward. Tufts University demanded her release “without delay.”
Ozturk is a Turkish national and was legally studying in the United States until the Trump administration’s State Department abruptly revoked her visa without prior notification.
Ozturk attorney Mahsa Khanbani said she was targeted for her pro-Palestinian views expressed in the student newspaper op-ed.
Trump administration prosecutors charge without evidence that Ozturk supported Hamas.
Before Ozturk’s release was ordered, her defense lawyers said she has not been charged with any crime and maintained that her detention violated constitutional free speech and due process rights.
President Donald Trump said May 4 during an NBC News interview he was not sure immigrants are entitled to due process rights.
Asked to respond to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio‘s comment that every person in the United States is entitled to due process, Trump replied, “I don’t know. I’m not, I’m not a lawyer. I don’t know.”
Tensions are higher between India and Pakistan than they have been in decades as the two countries trade blame for drone attacks on each other’s territory over the past few days. At the heart of the dispute is what India claims is Pakistan’s support for armed separatist groups operating in Kashmir, a region disputed between the two countries.
An armed group called The Resistance Front (TRF) claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack in Indian-administered Kashmir last month in which 26 people were killed. India alleges that TRF is an offshoot of another Pakistan-based armed group, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and has blamed Pakistan for supporting such groups.
Pakistan has denied this. It condemned the attack in April and called for an independent investigation.
Here is more about who the armed groups are and the major attacks they’ve claimed or been blamed for.
However, the group was not widely known before the Pahalgam attack, which it took responsibility for in April via the Telegram messaging app, on which it said it was opposed to the granting of residency permits to “outsiders”.
Since the repeal of Article 370, non-Kashmiris have been granted residency permits to settle in Indian-administered Kashmir. This has stoked fears that the Indian government is trying to change the demographics of Kashmir, whose population is nearly all Muslim.
Unlike other armed rebel groups in Kashmir, the TRF does not have an Islamic name.
However, the Indian government maintains that it is an offshoot of, or a front for, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a Pakistan-based armed group whose name means “Army of the Pure”.
In 2020, TRF started claiming responsibility for minor attacks, including some targeted killings. TRF recruits included rebels from different splinter rebel groups. Indian security agents say they have arrested multiple TRF members since then.
According to Indian government records, most armed fighters killed in gunfights in Kashmir were affiliated with the TRF in 2022.
The LeT, which calls for the “liberation” of Indian-administered Kashmir, was founded around 1990 by Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, who is also known as Hafiz Saeed.
In 2008, armed gunmen opened fire on civilians at several sites in Mumbai, India, killing 166 people. Ajmal Kasab, the only attacker captured alive, said the attackers were members of LeT. Saeed denied any involvement in that attack, however. Kasab was executed by India in 2012.
India also blamed Pakistani intelligence agencies for the attack. While Pakistan conceded that the attack may have been partly planned on Pakistani soil, it maintained that its government and intelligence agencies were not involved.
According to the United Nations, LeT was also involved in a 2001 attack on India’s parliament and a 2006 attack on Mumbai commuter trains that killed 189 people.
On May 7, India launched missile attacks on several cities in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. One of these cities was Muridke in the Punjab province. India claims that Muridke was the location of the headquarters of the Jamat-ud-Dawa, a charity organisation that New Delhi insists is a front for the LeT.
Last week, the Indian army claimed it had struck LeT’s Markaz Taiba camp in Muridke. The army also claimed Kasab had been trained at this camp.
Pakistan says LeT has been banned, however. Following an attack on Indian-administered Kashmir’s Pulwama in 2019, Pakistan also reimposed a lapsed ban on Jamat-ud-Dawa. Saeed was arrested in 2019 and is in the custody of the Pakistani government, serving a 31-year prison sentence after being convicted in two “terror financing” cases.
Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM), or “The Army of Muhammad”, was formed around 2000 by Masood Azhar, who had been released from Indian prison in 1999.
Azhar, who had been arrested on “terrorism” charges, was released in exchange for 155 hostages being held by hijackers of an Indian Airlines plane.
Azhar previously fought under the banner of a group called Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, which calls for Kashmir to be united with Pakistan, and has been linked to al-Qaeda.
According to the UN Security Council, JeM has also had links with al-Qaeda, Osama bin Laden and the Taliban.
Pakistan banned JeM in 2002 after the group, alongside LeT, was blamed for an attack on the Indian parliament in 2001.
The British-born Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, who was convicted of killing US journalist Daniel Pearl in 2002, was also a member of JeM. Pearl was the Wall Street Journal’s South Asia bureau chief. However, a 2011 report released by the Pearl Project at Georgetown University following its own investigation claimed that Pearl had not been murdered by Sheikh. The report instead alleged that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind behind the September 11, 2001 attacks, was responsible. In 2021, a panel of three judges at Pakistan’s Supreme Court ordered Sheikh’s release.
Despite the ban, Indian authorities claim the group continues to operate in Bahawalpur, in Pakistan’s Punjab province. On May 7, the Indian army claimed its strikes had also targeted the headquarters of JeM there.
In 2019, JeM claimed a suicide bomb attack that killed 40 Indian paramilitary soldiers in Pulwama in Indian-administered Kashmir.
Azhar has been arrested by Pakistani authorities twice, but was released and has never been charged. He has since disappeared from the public eye and his current whereabouts are not known.
Hizbul-ul-Mujahideen
Hizbul-ul-Mujahideen (HuM), or “Party of Holy Fighters” was formed in 1989 by Kashmiri separatist leader Muhammad Ahsan Dar.
The group emerged out of the 1988 protests in Kashmir against the Indian government. The group, also called Hizb, has become the largest Indigenous rebel group based in Indian-administered Kashmir.
Rather than calling for independence, HuM calls for the whole of Kashmir to be allowed to accede to Pakistan.
The group has a huge network of fighters in Shopian, Kulgam and Pulwama districts in the south of Indian-administered Kashmir.
In 2016, the killing of popular HuM commander Burhan Wani triggered widespread protests in Indian-administered Kashmir, resulting in a crackdown by Indian security forces.
The following year, the US designated HuM as a “foreign terrorist organisation” and placed sanctions on the group.
HuM leader Riyaz Naikoo spoke to Al Jazeera in 2018. “It is the nature of the occupying Indian state that has compelled us to resort to violent methods of resistance,” he said.
When asked what the group’s demands were, Naikoo said: “Our demand is very simple – freedom. Freedom, for us, means the complete dismantling of India’s illegal occupation of Kashmir and all the structures that support it, be they military or economic.”
He added that the group considers Pakistan an “ideological and moral friend” because “Pakistan is the only country which has consistently supported our cause and raised the concerns of Kashmiri freedom struggle at international forums”.
