In opening arguments, the prosecution portrayed Davis as the ringleader of the group responsible for the shooting – and point to a memoir he co-authored where he wrote in detail about the night of the shooting.

“Let’s be clear, Duane Davis did not pull the trigger. But he did plan the shooting in retaliation of the beating of his nephew,” Chief Deputy District Attorney Binu Palal told the jury. “Remarkably, you will learn that from Duane Davis himself.”

Davis’ attorneys called the narrative “fiction”, dubbing the case a product of a flawed-decades-long investigation. Davis has distanced himself from the memoir, saying he didn’t write all of it and parts were fictionalised to sell more copies.

Davis, wearing a navy suit and blue tie, sat with his defence team as they questioned why no one had been arrested for nearly three decades and asked why “no one corroborates any of this”.

“What facts do they have after 30 years?” his attorney Michael Sanft questioned.

The prosecution’s first witness was Garry Dale, who was working for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department at the time of the shooting in September 1996.

The officer detailed riding in an ambulance with Shakur after he’d been shot. He said the rapper refused to offer any information on what happened and who had shot him. “We’ll take care of it,” Shakur said, according to the officer’s testimony.

At the core of the case is East Coast vs West Coast rap rivalries and turf wars between the Bloods and the Crips street gangs that were immortalised in rap lyrics and news reports in the 1990s.

Police have long said said a lack of cooperation in the case led to dead ends in their investigation. Members of the rapper’s entourage, though, have accused authorities of initially treating them like suspects and failing to follow important leads.

Throughout the day on Monday, prosecutors painted that picture for the jury, explaining that there were no formal criminal charges in the shooting because in the world of guns and gangs “silence means survival”.

But “one person” who had a hard time staying silent was the defendant, prosecutors said, noting that Davis gave a “number” of statements on the case between 1998 and 2003.

Prosecutors allege Davis planned the shooting after his nephew Orlando Anderson was involved in a fight with Shakur in Las Vegas hours earlier. They argued Davis believed the attack on his nephew could not “go unanswered”.

The iconic rapper was just 25 years old when he was gunned down after a Mike Tyson boxing match on 7 September 1996. He died six days after the shooting.

Prosecutors contend that Davis – a former leader of the South Side Compton Crips street gang – was the “on-ground, on-site commander” who “ordered the death” of Shakur.

The murder case had largely gone cold until public statements made by Davis himself, who published a memoir in 2019. In it, and in various interviews, Davis has claimed he was a passenger in the vehicle that fired into Shakur’s car that night.

He said in the book that he gave the gun used in the murder to his nephew, Anderson, who shot the rapper.

His attorneys have argued the book is fiction and shouldn’t be used as evidence in a criminal trial relating to a case from three decades ago, but a judge ruled it could be used in court.

His defence team has pointed to missing police reports, disputed evidence and “biased, sloppy and incomplete” detective work.

They alleged prosecutors relied on “unreliable people with criminal records, financial motivations and inconsistent statements”.

The defence also argued witnesses changed their stories over time and were influenced by money, media attention or information supplied by investigators.

The university’s chancellor Lord Chris Smith of Finsbury told the BBC: “I do believe it is possible to hold to two principles at the same time: to believe in the importance of academic integrity, and where criticisms of plagiarism arise, about any academic, whoever they are, ensure that they are rigorously investigated.

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Jonathan Ross‘ rarely seen son Harvey Ross is preparing to marry his girlfriend Muna Silver as the bride-to-be celebrated her hen do in Portugal at the weekend.

Muna was joined by Harvey’s younger sister Honey Ross, 29, who shared a series of fun pictures and videos from the trip on Instagram.

The London-based photographer, who got engaged to Harvey, 32, last year, wore a floor-length black dress with a white bridal veil as she celebrated with friends.

In one selfie, Muna posed alongside Honey, who had swapped her usual blonde hair for a short black bob wig as the pair wore matching black outfits.

A video, soundtracked to Taylor Swift‘s But Daddy I Love Him, showed Muna singing and dancing happily in her veil on a public cobbled street.

The couple have not confirmed the date of their wedding, but a source close to the pair says it is due to take place later this year.

On Monday, Honey revealed she had been heavily involved in organising her future sister-in-law’s hen party – and it wasn’t without drama.

The London-based photographer, who got engaged to Harvey, 32, last year, wore a floor-length black dress with a white bridal veil as she celebrated with friends

Speaking on the Reel Talk podcast she co-hosts with her TV presenter dad Jonathan, 65, on Monday – recorded just a few days before the hen do – Honey said: ‘The planning has been through the roof. 

‘I’m currently packing a suitcase full of bride decorations and all of that kind of memorabilia.’

Honey said she had also been tasked with buying matching robes for the bridal party, but admitted navigating the group chat had left her overthinking every interaction.

She said: ‘I wouldn’t wish a bridal group chat on my worst enemy. The girls I’m going away with are so sweet – I want to preface it with that – but the level of politeness, borderline passive aggression, and gentle back-and-forth of being like, “That sounds great to me, happy to go along with whatever you want!” is like at the absolute fever pitch in this group chat.’

Honey added: ‘There have been so many times I’ve posted in that group chat and it’s taken them a day to, like, heart it, and I’m like, these girls want me dead.’

The hen weekend comes as preparations gather pace for Harvey and Muna’s wedding, more than a year after Jonathan first revealed that his only son was engaged.

The presenter disclosed the news while appearing with Honey on the Table Manners podcast in April 2025, when he also revealed that Harvey and his partner were thinking about starting a family.

Harvey and Muna, who largely keep out of the spotlight, have been together since 2018, when Jonathan first shared a photograph of them together.

Muna also made a rare television appearance alongside Harvey and his family on Celebrity Gogglebox in 2021.

Muna works as a producer and photographer and has shared her work under the name Fadu Photos. Her photography has also been credited by London’s Whitechapel Gallery.

A video, soundtracked to Taylor Swift’s But Daddy I Love Him, showed Muna singing and dancing happily in her veil on a public cobbled street

Jonathan first revealed last year that his only son was engaged (Harvey pictured with dad Jonathan, fiancée Muna and his mother Jane Goldman last week)

Jonathan and Jane also share daughters Honey, 29, and Betty, 35 (pictured together)

Harvey, meanwhile, has worked as a video-game programmer and was among the programmers credited on the 2019 adventure game The Bradwell Conspiracy.

Jonathan also appeared in the game as a voice actor and recorded a promotional video with his son to mark its release.

Harvey is the middle child of Jonathan and screenwriter Jane Goldman, 56, who have three children together. He has made only occasional public appearances over the years, unlike his famous father and more public-facing sisters Honey and Betty, 35.

But in recent weeks, the family have begun sharing details about preparations for his wedding.

Jonathan revealed on his Reel Talk podcast he had recently taken Harvey for his wedding suit fitting – and said the groom-to-be had shown little interest in the process.

Jonathan said: ‘You can imagine that taking Harvey for suit fitting isn’t like the movies because he’s so disinterested in clothes.

‘I think he’s excited about the wedding, but he just doesn’t really want to have to do anything about it until the day.

‘And so taking him for a suit fitting, it wasn’t someone saying, “Oh my god, I’m getting a suit made, wow, this was great. Oh no, I’d rather have this or that.” There was zero input.’

Jonathan said Harvey even arrived for the appointment wearing odd socks and was happy to leave decisions about his wedding outfit to everybody else.

He recalled: ‘It’s like, “Do you like that?” He went, “Yep, sure.” I said, “Well, do you think you’d rather have it like this?” “Yeah, yeah, if you think so.”

‘I said, “What do you think? Do you want it more here, less there?” He went, “Yeah, yeah, whatever looks good.” I said, “What do you think looks good?”‘

Many elevated pieces are reminiscent of Doen, Dissh and Reformation, but cost a fraction of the price, while its basics and jeans lines are reliable favourites for everyday essentials. The only downside to M&S’s new fashion acclaim is how quickly pieces sell out. So, read on to get a head start on the fashion about to go viral – these are the pieces that caught my eye in store and online for autumn.

But the Anglo-Swedish group, which is headquartered in Cambridge, also revealed some oncology drug success on Monday with the announcement that its Enhertu treatment showed “a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in progression-free survival” for non-small cell lung cancer patients.

“In areas like Melton in Leicestershire, homes are taking noticeably longer to sell than a year ago, while markets just a short drive away are speeding up. If you’re selling in a slower market, don’t take a wait-and-see approach – talk to a local agent who knows what’s happening street by street, and make sure your home is priced right from day one.

See the Scottish areas where properties sell the quickest.

A new list of the areas in the UK where homes sell the fastest has been revealed, with Scotland occupying the majority of the top 10. Topping the list is a large town that is popular thanks to its convenient location, with the country’s two biggest cities being within easy reach.

On Tuesday, August 18, Zoopla shared a roundup of the destinations across the UK where homes tend to sell the fastest and slowest. Coming in at number one on the list of the areas where properties sell the quickest is the town of Falkirk in the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

The average selling time in Falkirk in July 2026 was just 11 days according to Zoopla, which is one day less for the area than the year prior according to the property experts. Situated approximately halfway between Edinburgh and Glasgow, it is a popular commuter town amongst those living in Scotland’s two largest cities.

READ MORE: Amazing Scottish home with balconies overlooking river for sale at bargain price

READ MORE: Retro Scottish cottage with boating pond and island hits market

Following behind in second place on Zoopla’s list of the fastest-selling hotspots in July 2026 are Renfrewshire and North Lanarkshire, with homes in both selling in 13 days on average. South Lanarkshire, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, and West Dunbartonshire all follow behind with 14 days.

Stirling and Glasgow both place at number eight on the property experts’ roundup of the UK’s fastest-selling hotspots, with homes typically selling in 15 days on average in both cities. Rounding out the top 10 is Clackmannanshire, where the average property is sold in 16 days.

Zoopla state that all of the fastest markets being situated in Scotland is due to the Scottish sales market working differently to the rest of Britain and homes generally being more affordable. Properties in the country are typically marketed as ‘offers over’ a price, with homes having a valuation and home survey available.

On the other hand, Zoopla states that it took 76 days on average to sell a home in Melton in the East Midlands. This marks a 21-day increase compared with July 2025. Overall, around half of the local authorities that were analysed saw an increase in the average number of days taken to sell a property in the past year.

Executive director at Zoopla Richard Donnell commented: “While the national time to sell has barely moved, that stability is masking a real divide opening up between local markets. In areas like Melton in Leicestershire, homes are taking noticeably longer to sell than a year ago, while markets just a short drive away are speeding up.”

Donnell added: “If you’re selling in a slower market, don’t take a ‘wait and see’ approach—talk to a local agent who knows what’s happening street by street, and make sure your home is priced right from day one.”

Zoopla’s “time to sell” research tracked the period from homes being first listed on the market to estate agents reporting sales agreed. Some local authorities were excluded from the research due to small sample sizes.

See below for the full lists of the fastest and slowest-selling hotspots in the UK according to Zoopla.

The fastest-selling hotspot in July 2026 according to Zoopla

1. Falkirk

2. Renfrewshire

2. North Lanarkshire

4. South Lanarkshire

4. East Ayrshire

4. East Renfrewshire

4. West Dunbartonshire

8. Stirling

8. Glasgow City

10. Clackmannanshire

The slowing-selling hotspot in July 2026 according to Zoopla

1. Melton

2. Westminister

2. Teignbridge

4. Torridge

5. Tower Hamlets

5. Isle of Wight

5. Thanet

5. North Devon

9. South Norfolk

9. Elmbridge

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By CHARLIE SPIERING, US POLITICAL REPORTER

Published: 22:05 BST, 17 August 2026 | Updated: 01:46 BST, 18 August 2026

President Trump welcomed teenage lifeguard Ryder Williams and a 10-year-old boy that he saved to the White House on Monday to honor the dramatic rescue on a California beach.

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‘He’s a real hero,’ Trump said to 16-year-old Williams who sat next to the president in the Oval Office.

‘What you did was incredible and everybody saw it,’ he added. ‘It’s unbelievable.’

Williams was filmed by a bystander last month rescuing Nathaniel Rai from the raging surf at Seabright Beach in Santa Cruz, California.

Rai, who was vacationing with his family from Dallas, was in ankle deep water when he lost his footing and was swept by the waves out into the ocean.

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Footage from the scene showed Williams struggling mightily with the waves, his arms wrapped around the boy as waves crashed on both of them and he pulled them to safety.

Trump said he was amazed by the video of the rescue and wanted to honor the young man for his heroism.

President Donald Trump welcomed lifeguard Ryder Williams to the Oval Office to honor him for his daring rescue of a 10-year-old boy

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Nathaniel Rai listens as President Donald Trump talks to lifeguard Ryder Williams about the man who saved his life 

President Trump speaks to Ryder Williams as members from his lifeguard training team and his mother looks on

‘It’s not my world but I respect that world, I always have, but never maybe as much as I do now,’ Trump said.

The president also gave a special shoutout to Williams’ mother, Shannon, who was standing off to the side.

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‘You did a good job, it’s good genetics, when you look at him, you can see,’ he said. 

Trump also praised Rai for remaining calm during the rescue, allowing William to rescue him.

‘You were very cool,’ he said to the boy who sat with his father and his sister.

‘Your father is the happiest man in the world,’ Trump added to Rai’s father, Sumit.

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The father agreed.

‘It’s incredible what Ryder did, I’m just beyond grateful to him, and Aaron and the rest of the team and even the good Samaritans that were there,’ he said.

Nathaniel Rai, a child saved by 16-year-old lifeguard Ryder Williams off the coast of Santa Cruz, California, last month, sits with his father and sister at the Oval Office

Williams is seen holding on to ten-year-old Nathaniel Rai amid the strong waves

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Fellow lifeguard Aaron Bohnen helped with the rescue after the boys move closer to the shore

‘He’s a real hero,’ Trump agreed, and joked. ‘I don’t know if I’d do it, I wouldn’t, probably, you’re lucky I wasn’t on service that day.’

Williams said he wanted to pursue a career as a firefighter, thanking everyone on his team for training him to act quickly in times of danger.

‘He’s off to a good start, we’ll give him recommendations,’ Trump grinned.

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Reform UK today vowed to make long-term welfare claimants do 20 hours a week of community work – such as cleaning up high streets – in order to keep their benefits.

Robert Jenrick, the party’s Treasury spokesman, unveiled plans to make benefit recipients part of ‘alarm clock Britain’ under a ‘welfare to work’ scheme.

Under the proposals, those who have been out of work for more than 12 months but are deemed fit to work will be made to undertake tasks organised by their local council.

This will include work to clean up high streets and parks, to staff libraries and community centres, and work with local charities, Mr Jenrick said.

‘If claimants refuse to participate or fail to show up, they will face penalties,’ he added. ‘Let me speak plainly, if people who are capable of working refuse to, they’ll get nothing. That’s fair.’

It is part of a package of benefits changes that Reform claims will save taxpayers almost £50billion in welfare spending.

The party also plans to block foreign nationals – including EU citizens with settled status in the UK – from claiming almost all kinds of benefits in the UK.

Mr Jenrick insisted that a Reform government could successfully renegotiate the Brexit deal in order to introduce such a ban for EU nationals.

Mr Jenrick vowed to make long-term welfare claimants do 20 hours a week of community work – such as cleaning up high streets – in order to keep their benefits

Speaking at a press conference in central London on Monday, Mr Jenrick said of the proposed scheme: ‘They will work to clean up high streets and parks, to beautify areas neglected, to carry out minor repairs, to staff libraries and community centres, and to perform many other tasks from an indicative list we have published today. We’ll also let local charities take part.

‘If claimants refuse to participate or fail to show up, they will face penalties. Let me speak plainly, if people who are capable of working refuse to, they’ll get nothing. That’s fair.

‘How can it be that one family on a street, with working parents, strive and work hard, only to help fund the lifestyle of another who chooses to not bother with work at all?

‘This isn’t just an aberration, a small number of isolated cases to be dismissed as a triviality. It is an epidemic that has been allowed to take hold across the country, and spread into a full blown national crisis.

‘My message today to those taking everyone else for mugs: under a Reform government it’s going to stop.

‘Instead, if they are asking their neighbours to fund their lifestyle while they choose to stay out of work, they can give back something in return.

‘If they want to do something else, they can find a job. No more “something for nothing”, but security for contribution. They will become part of “alarm clock Britain”.’

Reform pointed to Department for Work and Pensions figures that showed, at the last count, there were more than 300,000 work-capable adults who were claiming Universal Credit on ‘seeking work’ conditions and had been doing so for more than 12 months.

Mr Jenrick also expressed confidence that a Reform government would be able to  successfully renegotiate Britain’s divorce agreement with Brussels in order to stop EU citizens with settled status in the UK from claiming benefits.

He added: ‘There’s clearly going to be a renegotiation. The deal that was done I don’t believe was a good deal – I think many people would support that.

‘There are a number of points on which Reform has already made clear that we will need to return to our neighbours in the EU and renegotiate upon and this will be one of them.

‘Let’s see, I’m confident that we can do that and we can restore fairness in the process.’

Reform’s deputy leader Richard Tice said: ‘That deal was now seven years ago – by the time of the next general election it might be a decade after the original deal.

‘And that’s what you do with deals, you see which bits are working and which bits are not working. This is one of those bits that’s not working.’

Reform has acknowledged that Britons living in the EU could lose their rights to benefits as a result and they have estimated a cost of £500million for expatriates returning to the UK and claiming welfare after losing their entitlement to support. 

Mel Stride, the Tory shadow chancellor and former work and pensions secretary, said: ‘I introduced reforms to cut the sprawling welfare budget after the pandemic by reducing the numbers on long term benefits and radically overhauling PIP.

‘Labour called them “divisive” and scrapped all of them, allowing the benefits bill to continue spiralling. Robert Jenrick hailed my reforms for making the system fairer and enabling us to cut taxes responsibly.

‘Reform continue to flip flop like they did on the two-child benefit cap, and their fantasy numbers are simply not plausible.

‘Meanwhile, Labour are totally failing to tackle the scale of our welfare problem. Only the Conservatives have a radical and credible plan to cut the welfare bill and get Britain working again.’