He is expected to say: “We are not the Britain of the Brexit years anymore”

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Europe must relinquish its overdependence on the United States, Sir Keir Starmer is to tell a major defence summit grappling with antagonism from President Donald Trump.

The Prime Minister will also argue for the UK to move closer to the European Union, saying turning inwards such as in the Brexit years would amount to a “surrender” of control in a perilous era for geopolitics.

Sir Keir is rubbing shoulders with around 50 world leaders at the Munich Security Conference, where he has already met with Germany’s Friedrich Merz and France’s Emmanuel Macron.

The leaders have also met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss efforts to end the conflict between Ukraine and Russia as the four-year anniversary of Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion nears.

European defence and the future of the transatlantic relationship are on the agenda at the conference, at a time when America’s commitment to Nato has been called into question.

Tensions flared over Mr Trump’s recent threat to take over Greenland from Nato partner Denmark, and insults directed at various leaders.

In his speech to the summit on Saturday, the Prime Minister will call for a more European defence alliance and greater autonomy for the continent.

Sir Keir will say that this should be underpinned by stronger ties between Britain and the EU.

He is expected to say: “We are not the Britain of the Brexit years anymore.

“Because we know that, in dangerous times, we would not take control by turning inward – we would surrender it. And I won’t let that happen.

“There is no British security without Europe, and no European security without Britain. That is the lesson of history – and it is today’s reality too.”

The Prime Minister will praise the US’s contribution to European security and say it remains a key ally.

But as Mr Trump’s administration has upended the international order and denigrated traditional allies in Europe, the bloc must reduce its dependence on the US and take more responsibility for its own defence, Sir Keir will suggest.

All eyes will be on whether US secretary of state Marco Rubio will take a similar approach to vice president JD Vance, who at last year’s gathering made waves by criticising European countries, including the UK, over free speech and immigration.

Mr Rubio pointed to a “new era in geopolitics” before his arrival.

The Prime Minister was allocated a seat next to the US secretary of state at the Ukraine meeting, although Mr Rubio had not arrived by the time the press left the room for the private talks to commence.

In his speech, Sir Keir will say: “I’m talking about a vision of European security and greater European autonomy, that does not herald US withdrawal but answers the call for more burden sharing in full, and remakes the ties that have served us so well.”

He will highlight Europe’s failure to make the most of its defence capabilities and call for closer UK-EU defence co-operation “to multiply our strengths and build a shared industrial base across Europe which can turbocharge our defence production”.

It comes after talks on Britain joining the EU’s new 150 billion euro (£130 billion) Security Action for Europe (Safe) rearmament fund were reported to have broken down at the end of last year, as the price for entry was thought to be too high.

“Europe is a sleeping giant. Our economies dwarf Russia’s, 10 times over,” Sir Keir will say.

“We have huge defence capabilities. Yet, too often, all of this has added up to less than the sum of its parts.

“Across Europe, fragmented industrial planning and long, drawn out procurement mechanisms have led to gaps in some areas – and massive duplication in others.”

The Labour leader will also hit out at Reform UK and the Green Party – “the peddlers of easy answers on the extreme left and the extreme right”.

He will add: “It’s striking that the different ends of the spectrum share so much. Soft on Russia and weak on Nato – if not outright opposed.

“And determined to sacrifice the longstanding relationships that we want and need to build, on the altar of their ideology.

“The future they offer is one of division and then capitulation. The lamps would go out across Europe once again. But we will not let that happen.”

Sir Keir’s trip to Germany comes after a tumultuous few weeks domestically, with his premiership rocked by controversy surrounding the appointment of Lord Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the US despite his ties to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since Walford lost one of its most iconic residents.

Next week, EastEnders will be marking the anniversary of Martin Fowler’s devastating death, a moment that still feels raw for both the Square and viewers at home.

Martin was killed off during the show’s explosive 40th anniversary live episode in February 2025. And it wasn’t a quiet exit.

During a dramatic explosion at The Queen Vic, Martin became trapped under a fallen beam while trying to save his ex-wife, Stacey Slater. In heartbreaking scenes broadcast live, he was crushed beneath the debris as chaos unfolded around him.

In his final moments, Martin confessed that he still loved Stacey and asked her to marry him again. It was classic EastEnders, romantic, tragic and completely gut-wrenching.

When paramedics finally lifted the beam, the release of toxins from his crushed legs triggered cardiac arrest. Despite desperate attempts to save him, Martin died in front of Stacey.

It was a shocking end for a character who had literally grown up on the Square.

Born on-screen in 1985 to original EastEnders legends Pauline and Arthur Fowler, Martin’s death marked the end of a 40-year chapter for one of Walford’s most historic families. 

Actor James Bye, who had played Martin since 2014, chose to leave the show after 10 years to pursue new projects, including the stage production Death Comes to Pemberley. His final performance in the live episode was widely praised, with viewers and critics calling it one of the most powerful exits the show has ever delivered.

Next week’s emotional episode sees Lily struggling as the anniversary brings everything flooding back. Martin’s death left a huge hole in her life, having grown up with Martin as her father figure.

Sam steps up to support her. Sam is preparing to leave Walford and head back to Spain. But before she goes, she makes sure Lily isn’t facing such a painful day alone, as Stacey is still in Brazil.

Sam and Lily share a heartfelt conversation about Martin, loss and how life looks after someone you love is suddenly gone. And it has a big impact on Sam.

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As she comforts Lily, Sam begins to reflect on her own situation. She’s been battling breast cancer and planning to return to Spain, but the heart-to-heart makes her realise something important: she needs her family more than she’s been willing to admit.

Watching Lily navigate grief reminds Sam how fragile everything is. Life can change in a second, just like it did the night of the Vic explosion.

By the end of the episode, Sam is left questioning whether walking away is really what she wants. Is Spain the fresh start she needs, or is the support system she’s been overlooking right here in Walford?

As the Square remembers Martin Fowler, it’s clear his loss still echoes through Albert Square.

And for Sam, the anniversary might just change the course of her future too.

MORE: Sam EastEnders exit ‘confirmed’ as she confronts her illness amid decision

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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Trump administration’s drawdown of its immigration enforcement surge in the Twin Cities area has been met with relief, but state and city officials say small businesses and immigrant communities are still reeling.

Thousands of officers were sent to the Minneapolis and St. Paul area for Operation Metro Surge. The Department of Homeland Security said it was its largest immigration enforcement operation ever and dubbed it a success, but the crackdown came under increasing criticism as the situation grew more volatile.

The shooting deaths of U.S. citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal officers drew condemnation and raised questions over officers’ conduct, prompting changes to the operation.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, both Democrats, said the damage would be lasting and called on the federal government to help pay the costs.

“This unprecedented federal escalation has upended daily life, it has eroded trust and inflicted a whole lot of harm on the operation that we need to provide as a city,” Frey said Friday. “Minneapolis taxpayers should not be left to foot the bill of this situation that has been created by the federal government.”

The mayor and other Minneapolis officials outlined the ways the crackdown has strained the finances of residents, businesses and the city itself. Expenses such as staff overtime and street cleanups cost the city an extra $6 million in January, they said.

The city estimates that small businesses have lost tens of millions of dollars in revenue, and thousands of hotel room were cancelled, Frey said. Furthermore, an estimated tens of thousands of people, including school-age children, are in need of support services such as rent and food assistance.

It’s the federal government’s responsibility in any emergency to assist in the recovery, Frey said, noting it was “all the more important” when federal agencies caused the damage.

The operation leaves a mark

Following Thursday’s announcement, some residents held a vigil at a makeshift shrine that went up where Good was shot in Minneapolis.

Mark Foresman, an attendee from the suburb of St. Louis Park, said he is skeptical that the agents will leave.

“The Trump administration has created an atmosphere of distrust for government in general,” he said, suggesting the Trump administration’s tactics seemed designed to sow fear. “They’ve repeatedly been caught in lies.”.

John Schnickel, a local who attended the vigil, disputed Trump officials’ claims that Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers or the operation had made Minnesota safer.

“I don’t even want one ICE person here, if they act the way they’ve been acting,” said Schnickel. “They talk about how the murder rate is down, and yet they’ve added two people to it,” he said.

Most U.S. adults say they think Trump’s immigration policies have gone too far, according to a recent AP-NORC poll.

Homan credits improved coordination

Border czar Tom Homan told reporters Thursday that “extensive engagement” with state and local officials allowed for a formal end to the operation. The White House had long accused Minnesota of protecting criminals from deportation with so-called sanctuary laws.

President Donald Trump softened his tone and dispatched Homan to reduce tensions after the Jan. 24 killing of Pretti, saying that he and Walz were on a “similar wavelength” after weeks of barbs between the two leaders.

Homan on Thursday highlighted examples of newfound cooperation with state and local entities, including law enforcement being increasingly responsive to requests for assistance and agreements on how jails handle deportable inmates.

Minnesota’s state prison system and many of its county jails have long shared information with federal immigration authorities so they can take custody of arrested immigrants.

The major exception is the Hennepin County Jail, which serves Minneapolis and doesn’t work with immigration authorities unless an arrest warrant has been signed by a judge. Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt, who oversees the jail, insisted Friday that no policies had changed.

Frey, meanwhile, emphasized Friday that his position hasn’t changed despite Homan’s indication that agreements with state and city leaders had been made.

“We do not enforce federal immigration law, period. We do not cooperate with ICE or any agency around enforcement of federal immigration law, period,” Frey said.

Immigration enforcement will continue on a smaller scale

Homan announced last week that 700 federal officers would leave Minnesota immediately, but that still left more than 2,000 in the state. He said Thursday that a “significant drawdown” was already underway and would continue through next week.

He didn’t specify how many officers would remain, but he said enforcement would continue in the Twin Cities. Todd Lyons, ICE’s acting director, said during a congressional hearing Thursday that the agency was still searching for about 16,840 people in Minnesota who have final orders of removal.

Homan also said mass deportations will continue across the country, and that officers leaving Minnesota will report back to their stations or be assigned elsewhere.

The focus on the Twin Cities, which Trump had pushed for partly because of fraud allegations involving Somali residents, followed increased deployments in big cities and small towns run by Democrats, including Los Angeles, Chicago, Charlotte and New Orleans.

Fallout in Congress and the courts

Even though the Twin Cities operation is ending, the fallout will continue.

The Trump administration is trying to secure votes in Congress to prevent Department of Homeland Security funding from expiring at the end of the week, with Democratic lawmakers demanding restraints on immigration officers following Good and Pretti’s killings.

And there are ongoing federal investigations into the shooting of Pretti.

The effects of the Minnesota crackdown are also still playing out in court, as federal prosecutors pursue high-profile cases against protesters and deportation cases slowly proceed.

A federal judge issued a temporary emergency order Thursday, finding that immigrants detained at a federal building in Minnesota have too many barriers to legal counsel.

Former CNN host turned independent journalist Don Lemon pleaded not guilty to federal civil rights charges Friday, accused in a protest at a Minnesota church where an ICE official is a pastor.

____

Fingerhut reported from Des Moines, Iowa. Associated Press reporters Tim Sullivan in Minneapolis and Sarah Raza in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, contributed to this report.

The billionaire founder’s wife had confessed she wasn’t a fan of chocolate before the pair wed

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Maria Franca Ferrero, the wife of the late Michele Ferrero, has died age 87, it has been announced.

The billionaire heiress to the Ferrero fortune, famously wasn’t a fan of chocolate and told her then partner Michele before they tied the knot. Despite not having a taste for it, she went on to earn the nickname as the “Nutella empress”.

It has been revealed she died at her home in Alba, Italy, in the early hours of Thursday morning, reports The Express.

The town is also home to the Ferrero factory and nicknamed the birthplace of the chocolate spread. The company, of which Maria was president, is known for iconic brands such as Nutella, Kinder, Ferrero Rocher, and Tic Tac. Italian Prime Minister Geogria Meloni paid tribute to Maria, calling her “a model of enterprise”.

She wrote on X: “Today, Maria Franca Fissolo Ferrero leaves us, a discreet and determined woman who accompanied, with intelligence and vision, one of the most extraordinary entrepreneurial stories in Italy, alongside Michele Ferrero.

“I had the pleasure of meeting her in 2018 and of getting to know up close her humanity, her sobriety, and the concrete commitment she carried forward through the Ferrero Foundation, which over the years has supported thousands of people and families.

“With her passing, Italy loses a figure who represented, with elegance and reserve, a model of enterprise that creates value without ever forgetting the community.

“To the Ferrero family, on behalf of myself and the Government, I extend our most heartfelt condolences.”

Omra Wali Jan was abused by her parents in the weeks before her tragic death.

A tot who suffered horrific abuse at the hands of her twisted parents, and later died after she was forcefully shaken by her mum, has been pictured.

Omra Wali Jan was just two-years-old when she tragically passed away with severe brain injuries caused by “extremely forceful shaking”. The little girl was beaten, burnt and bitten over a number of weeks in 2023, before a final attack in November left her fighting for her life in hospital, reports the Mirror.

The two-year-old died on February 9, 2024, when her life support was removed with the permission of the High Court. Her parents finally faced justice when they were today jailed for years for their cruelty.

The court heard that it is not clear exactly what each parent did, with the full extent of the abuse unknown, but Morsal Mohammed Naim, 32, and husband Firooz Wali Jan, 32, both admitted to child cruelty. Naim was accused of murdering Omra, but pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the third day of a trial.

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“Neither parent was kept in the dark,” John Elvidge KC said. “Both enabled and acquiesced in the forcible and deliberate infliction of severe injuries on Omra by one or both, over a period of time. With each extra attack, this complicity inevitably increased, permitting less and less differentiation of roles.”

Following a two-day sentencing hearing at Manchester Crown Court, Naim, of no fixed address, was jailed for nine years, while Wali Jan, of Seymour Grove, Old Trafford, was caged for six years and nine months. The judge made mention of the pair’s “sadistic behaviour” and “multiple incidents of serious cruelty” against the toddler.

While the couple did not detail exactly what they did to Omra, images and videos from Naim’s phone revealed burn injuries to Omra’s right hand, bruising to her cheek and an injury to her lip, the court was told.

On November 30, 2023, Nail was left with the child while Wali Jan went to work and phone records show the mum deleted a number of calls she made to her husband’s family in Afghanistan. Naim sent an audio message to another number at 5.44pm, which was later deleted. She then made a number of unsuccessful calls to other family members before calling a distant relative, reports Manchester Evening News.

The mum carried Omra, who was unconscious and not breathing, upstairs to a neighbour, falsely telling the woman that her child had choked on a biscuit, the court heard. An ambulance was then called. Paramedics banged on the window, but there was no response. They initially thought it was a hoax call.

Eventually, a neighbour answered and medics were able to revive the child but Omra had bruises and marks on her head and body, and was rushed to Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, where a CT scan revealed she had suffered a severe brain injury involving multifocal subdural haemorrhage; extensive hypoxic brain injury; and multiple retinal haemorrhages in the right eye.

The tragic tot was intubated and ventilated, but her life support was removed with the permission of the High Court on February 9, 2024. A post mortem report concluded she died as a result of head injuries.

Mr Elvidge KC, prosecuting, asked for the court to sentence the parents on the basis that ‘all of these injuries were inflicted deliberately in the family home’, adding: “The injuries were caused with an implement used as a weapon or by biting.

“These injuries were not caused by a fleeting contact and they would have caused Omra to flinch or move away, if she could. When inflicted each injury would have caused extreme pain to Omra.” He added: “Neither parent reported these injuries to anyone or sought medical attention for them. Both parents lied about how and when injuries were inflicted and they have lied to protect each other.”

Jailing the pair for their ‘sadistic behaviour’, Mr Justice Turner said of Naim: “Although you pleaded guilty to manslaughter very late in the day, you have never admitted anything about the following – why you attacked your daughter; what form the attack took, when and in what circumstances you did so; and what you did and for how long in the aftermath.”

The judge cited multiple incidents of serious cruelty; sadistic behaviour; use of a weapon; deliberate disregard for the welfare of the victim; and failing to take steps to protect the victim.

Philip Reade, GMP’s senior investigating officer for this case, said: “Everyone who has been involved in this case has been deeply moved by the tragic circumstances of Omra’s death. The last few months of her life must have been truly miserable, being hurt by those who were meant to care for and protect her.

“This has been a challenging investigation spanning more than two years, involving countless medical and forensic experts. I would like to thank everyone for their efforts which have led to justice for Omra.

“Omra was so young, her parents should have been nurturing her, allowing her to grow into the child she would become. Instead, they completely neglected their moral duty to protect her. Their behaviour and attempts to mislead our investigation throughout have made this case even more horrifying, so we welcome the custodial sentences handed down today.

“The investigation team never knew Omra, but we have seen countless images of her when being cared for by others which show a happy, smiling, beautiful child and she is in our thoughts today and always.”

Alan Richardson of the Crown Prosecution Service said: “Morsal Mohammed Naim not only shook her daughter to death, but then lied about what she had done.

“As her mum, Naim should have cared for two-year old Omra Wali Jan, and kept her safe. Instead, she inflicted the catastrophic injuries that caused Omra’s death. It is a killing almost impossible to comprehend in its cruelty and sheer senselessness […] Our thoughts are of Omra – whose young life was cut mercilessly short – and all those affected by her untimely death.”

The chilling videos of a masked man outside Nancy Guthrie’s home in Arizona before she vanished show just glimpses of the suspect, but for investigators they hold a mountain of clues.

And those images — from the suspect’s gloves to his flashlight — could be what’s needed to break the case.

“There’s a tremendous amount of information that this guy left,” said former FBI profiler Clint Van Zandt.

The FBI already has analyzed the videos from Guthrie’s doorbell camera to identify the suspect’s backpack, posting an alert on Thursday with a photo of the brand and model in hopes of narrowing down tips flooding the agency.

It has been nearly two weeks since the mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie was believed to have been abducted.

Former criminal investigators say it’s almost certain that authorities are building a physical and psychological profile of the suspect, using the footage released publicly on Tuesday that totals less than a minute.

Whether authorities recovered more footage isn’t known, but technology will allow them to see more than meets the eye.

“Every single thing that is in the video is being digitally enhanced. Everything from the mask to backpack to the jacket,” said Ed Davis, the former Boston police commissioner during the marathon bombing and manhunt in 2013.

Here’s what was captured in the footage and what clues each might yield:

The backpack

It probably didn’t take long to pinpoint the type of backpack the suspect was wearing, Davis said.

Technology available today allows investigators to break down photos and videos to the pixel, he said, giving them images of the stitching and maybe the manufacturer or brand name.

The FBI described the backpack as a black, 25-liter “Ozark Trail Hiker Pack.”

The holster

The FBI says the man on Nancy Guthrie’s porch was armed.

But the video shows he had an unusual holster setup, hanging over the middle of his waist and not on the side. It might be an indication that whoever it was has little experience with firearms.

“I’ve never seen anything like that,” Davis said.

The gloves

The footage gives a close-up view of the suspect trying to cover Guthrie’s doorbell camera, first with a gloved hand and then with part of a plant ripped from the yard.

The black gloves appear to be thicker than most and shimmered in the light.

“I spend a lot of time in Home Depot, and I’ve never seen those gloves,” Davis said. “They’re not very common.”

The clothes

The suspect’s zip-up jacket, pants, shoes and mask don’t immediately stand out. But identifying one or more of those items could be a key.

Because once that happens, investigators can start looking at where those items are sold and combing through receipts and store surveillance cameras, starting with stores in the Tucson area closest to Guthrie’s home, said Van Zandt, who spent 25 years with the FBI.

Going through mounds of receipts and footage will take time and isn’t something that would be done on most cases, but there’s no shortage of people assigned to this one, he said. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department earlier this week said several hundred detective and agents have been assigned to the case.

“If all of the stars line up properly — and they rarely do — I find someone who was in there two weeks prior who bought the jacket, the shoes, the backpack all at the same time,” Van Zandt said.

The flashlight

In one of the videos, the suspect appeared to be holding a small flashlight in his mouth while in front of Guthrie’s door.

Figuring out the type of flashlight might be difficult, but there’s something else to look at there, said David Lyons, a former homicide detective and police commander in Lexington, Kentucky.

Not many people instinctively hold a flashlight in their mouth, but those who work in the trades might — such as an electrician or a plumber, he said.

“That’s a small thing,” he said. “But at the same time, down the road, it could be something.”

The movements

Every step and movement the suspect made on the porch is worth a close look — from the way he walked, to how he seemed unhurried and how he grabbed the plant from the yard, Lyons said.

All of that will likely be used by behavioral analysts to create a profile of the suspect, he said.

“That’s what this will come down to,” Lyons said. “Those small aspects added all together.”

Almost three years after the climactic end to Good Omens season two, Amazon Prime Video has confirmed when it will return for its final outing.

The fantasy series, based on Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett’s 1990s novel of the same name, follows unlikely allies: angel turned reclusive rare bookseller Aziraphale (Michael Sheen) and grouchy demon Crowley (David Tennant), as they face down the apocalypse.

The last episode ended on a dramatic cliffhanger after the chalk-and-cheese duo finally shared a kiss before parting ways once more.

Fans are keen to see the pair reconcile and have their happy ending – and defeat some universe-ending foes at the same time, of course. Now we know the 90-minute finale special will come out on May 13, 2026.

The short teaser shows the lights switching on along the street. We then zoom in on Aziraphale’s bookstore, A.Z. Fell & Co, where the closed sign is flipped around to show ‘open’.

However, since the second season came out, the show has become embroiled in controversy after author Gaiman (who was also an executive producer on the series) had several sexual assault allegations levelled against him – all of which he has denied.

As such, the British author’s career has come to a halt with all his ongoing projects, including The Sandman and Dead Boy Detectives, coming to an end.

After pre-production was initially paused, it was eventually confirmed that the third Good Omens season would be the last and consist of a 90-minute special to conclude the story for fans.

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In October 2024, Deadline also confirmed that Gaiman had reportedly agreed to roll back his involvement from the finale.

During an episode of The Assembly, Doctor Who star Tennant was asked ’someone you’ve worked with, a friend, has been cancelled for some quite serious allegations. How has that affected you?’, further clarifying he was referring to Good Omens.

The 54-year-old Scottish actor responded: ‘We’re doing Good Omens again. We’re going back to do the final. We’re doing a final. There’s been a slight rejig with the personnel.

‘But we still get to tell that story – I think it would have been very difficult to leave it on a cliffhanger. So I’m glad that’s been worked out.’

Meanwhile, talking to The Times in June, Sheen said: ‘I really don’t know what’s going to happen with it.

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‘We were both relieved we finished the story, but that’s within this really difficult, complicated, disturbing context. I hope people get to see it, but that, to a large extent, is out of our hands.’

Filming for the finale took place in Scotland in early-2025 and it seems that a cast and crew screening took place in December.

Sheen took to social media to confirm the screening news, adding: ‘I laughed and I cried. There’ll be bits you absolutely love, and there’ll be things you argue about, of course.

‘It should have been six episodes, but it’s not. Thank God for what it is. Brilliantly directed, beautiful performances, fantastic new looks, incredible work all around.’

Earlier this month, Gaiman returned to social media after a lengthy silence.

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In 2024,  Gaiman was accused of sexual assault and abuse by five women, including the former nanny of his young son with his now estranged wife, musician Amanda Palmer.

At the time, he said he’d ‘never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity with anyone’.

Two years on from the initial statements, he returned to Facebook earlier this month to hit out at the ‘smear campaign’ against him.

He then doubled down on his denial, adding: ‘ The allegations against me are completely and simply untrue. There are emails, text messages and video evidence that flatly contradict them.’

He then claimed his latest project is ‘the biggest thing I’ve done since American Gods’.

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After the allegations first came out, production on the Disney feature adaptation of his YA novel The Graveyard Book also came to a halt.

Good Omens season three arrives on Amazon Prime Video on May 13, 2026.

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The Bangladesh Nationalist party (BNP) has won a landslide majority in the country’s first election since an uprising ended the 15-year rule of Sheikh Hasina in 2024. Results from the election commission confirmed that the BNP alliance had secured 220 seats in the 350-member parliament. The Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami, which was banned by Hasina’s government, came second with 77 seats.

Tarique Rahman, the BNP leader who has spent 17 years living in self-exile in London, is set to assume leadership of the government. Rahman is the son of the former Bangladeshi president and BNP leader, Ziaur Rahman, and his wife Khaleda Zia, who previously served two terms as the country’s prime minister.

In its manifesto, the BNP pledged to build what it calls a “welfare-oriented and prosperous” nation. Commitments include expanded financial assistance for low-income families, strengthening the healthcare workforce, reforming education and boosting climate resilience.

Yet the party’s record is mixed. The BNP boycotted previous elections, including one in 2024, arguing they were neither free nor fair. And during earlier periods in office, the party faced criticism over corruption and governance standards. Regardless, the February 12 vote marks a political reset following one of the most turbulent periods in Bangladesh’s recent history.

The uprising in 2024 began with student protests demanding reforms to the government’s job quota system. But these protests quickly expanded into a broader movement challenging the concentration of executive power in the country. Reports from organisations such as Human Rights Watch during Hasina’s rule raised concerns about media restrictions, opposition arrests and alleged enforced disappearances.

Bangladesh’s security forces responded to the unrest violently, killing as many as 1,400 protesters in a crackdown that Hasina’s critics accuse her of ordering directly – an allegation she denies. The protests continued to swell and Hasina was forced to flee the country, entering exile in India.

An interim administration led by Nobel peace prize laureate Muhammad Yunus was formed to oversee efforts to stabilise state institutions and organise the election. The election, which also saw citizens vote on constitutional reforms aimed at preventing politicians from wielding excessive executive power again, was widely seen as a return to constitutional governance after months of provisional rule.

Banned from contesting

A defining feature of the election was that the interim administration banned Hasina’s party, the Awami League, from contesting. For decades, Bangladeshi politics has centred around rivalry between the Awami League and the BNP. So, removing the Awami League from the ballot fundamentally altered the competitive landscape.

With its principal rival excluded, the BNP became the only party with organisational capacity extensive enough to form a government. Smaller parties lacked comparable reach across constituencies, a structural absence that seems to have encouraged consolidation behind the BNP.

Voter turnout also appears to have been lower than many had anticipated for such a consequential election, with unofficial figures putting participation at 61%. In previous Bangladeshi national elections where all major political parties have participated fully, turnout has typically ranged from 75% to 80%.

Competitive democracy depends on there being a viable opposition. And excluding a major political party from contesting has complicated the interim administration’s claims of full democratic normalisation. Whether the Awami League’s absence is temporary or prolonged will shape Bangladesh’s future political stability.

The referendum on constitutional reforms, which supporters argue are necessary to prevent a return to the centralised authority seen under Hasina, passed comfortably. Eight out of ten voters backed the reforms. However, critics question whether constitutional change in the absence of the largest former governing party can fully reflect broad national consensus.

Regional recalibration

India will have watched Bangladesh’s election closely. In recent years, ties between the two countries have sunk to one of their lowest points in decades. India is widely perceived in Bangladesh as having enabled democratic backsliding by supporting Hasina during her years in power.

That perception led to widespread anti-Indian sentiment during the 2024 protests. And reports since then of military standoffs along the border, disputes over water-sharing agreements and concerns over trade imbalances have only added to public frustration. How the new government manages its relationship with India will shape regional stability and Bangladesh’s economic trajectory.

In its manifesto, the BNP steered clear of adopting positions that might unsettle voters or concern regional players such as India. But, at the same time, it has expressed willingness to engage constructively with India on contentious issues such as border killings, insurgent activity and water sharing.

The BNP holds a powerful parliamentary mandate. But the scale of its victory should not be mistaken for unconditional endorsement. Many votes were shaped by the absence of the Awami League and by a desire for reform after a period of violence and uncertainty.

Whether this moment sets in motion a durable democratic recovery for Bangladesh or another cycle of concentrated authority will depend on how power is exercised in the years ahead.

The text has appeared overnight

A huge billboard appearing to criticise Manchester United owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has gone up outside Old Trafford. The poster, seemingly put up overnight, can be seen outside the stadium close to the Alex Ferguson stand.

It reads ‘Immigrants have done more for this city than billionaire tax dodgers ever will.’

As of yet, it is unclear who is behind the billboard, which follows several controversial comments made by the billionaire businessman, who owns a stake in Manchester United.

Ratcliffe made headlines following an interview with Sky News on Wednesday (February 11), in which he claimed the UK was being ‘colonised’ by immigrants. He later apologised for his ‘choice of language‘, which was widely criticised, and said it was important to ‘raise the issue of controlled and well-managed immigration that supports economic growth’.

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The club also said in a statement that they ‘pride themselves’ on being ‘an inclusive and welcoming club’.

“Our diverse group of players, staff and global community of supporters, reflect the history and heritage of Manchester; a city that anyone can call home,” it read.

Manchester United would have been left with just three players on its starting line-up, and two on its bench without its immigrant players, the Mirror found.

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The Sunday Times Rich List previously estimated that Ratcliffe, who is founder of petrochemicals firm INEOS, is worth £17 billion and was one of the UK’s richest men, the Mirror reported. In 2020, two years after he was knighted for “services to business and investment”, he officially changed his tax residence, switching from Hampshire to Monaco.

He was previously one of the UK’s biggest taxpayers, having contributed an estimated £110 million to the public purse between 2017 and 2018, placing him atop the Sunday Times Rich lists and fifth on the publication’s Tax List.

Monaco is a sovereign city state tax haven outside France, where authorities do not levy taxes on income, wealth or property, and the decision, at the time, was believed to have allowed Ratcliffe up to save up to £4 billion if he stayed there more than 183 days a year.

Manchester United was approached for comment. INEOS declined to comment.

The new series is set to be a ‘horrific’ romance thriller and fans say has the same vibes as Smile

Fans of the popular series Stranger Things have been given a sneak peek at the next big project from its creators.

The upcoming Netflix show, already being hailed by fans as a ‘horrific’ romance thriller, has just unveiled a spine-chilling first look. The new series, titled Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen, is set to premiere on the streaming platform next month.

The brainchild of creator and showrunner Haley Z. Boston, who previously contributed to Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities and scripted episodes for the Al Pacino-led series Hunters, this latest venture promises to be an intriguing addition to her portfolio.

The Duffer brothers, renowned for their work on the 80s-inspired Stranger Things, are on board as executive producers for this atmospheric horror series. The plot revolves around a couple in the week leading up to their doomed wedding ceremony.

Netflix assures viewers that the title isn’t a spoiler but rather a hint of what’s to come. The synopsis provides further insight into the storyline, drawing comparisons with iconic horror films, reports the Mirror.

READ MORE: Prime Video fans already praising ‘masterpiece’ adaptation with Nicolas CageREAD MORE: First look at ‘best show on TV’ after more than 15 years since last episode

It reads: “If Carrie is horror’s version of a girl becoming a woman, and Rosemary’s Baby is the horrific version of a woman becoming a mother, Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen is horror’s take on a woman becoming a wife. Rachel is getting married in five days. Together with her fiancé, Nicky , she embarks on a road trip to his family’s vacation home, secluded in a snowy forest, for the intimate wedding ceremony of their dreams.

“Which really would be so lovely, except, prone to superstition and paranoia, Rachel can’t shake the relentless feeling that something bad is going to happen. Her foreboding doubts, coupled with a series of eerie coincidences and dreadful surprises, force her to ask the question: What makes two people soulmates? And worse, what could be scarier than lifelong commitment to the wrong person?”.

Ahead of the release of the first footage, fans were treated to a tantalising teaser on social media. The sneak peek offers a chilling glimpse of ‘The Night Manager’ star Camila Morrone as Rachel, donned in her wedding dress, proceeding down the aisle at an ominously sinister wedding.

A perplexing sequence of enigmatic images follows, with various characters seemingly whispering apologies to our lead character: “I’m sorry”. A cake mirrors this sentiment, bearing the same message, whilst a handwritten note ominously warns ‘Don’t marry him’.

Viewers won’t have to wait long for the eight-part series, which is slated to stream on Netflix from 26 March. Boston has already hinted at what audiences can anticipate and the mood they aim to evoke with the series.

In conversation with Tudum, she revealed: “(It’s) unsettling, getting-under-your-skin dread. I love to explore characters. I think sometimes that’s lacking in the horror genre. My natural approach is from a place of character and dialogue and humour and then infusing that with unsettling horror … I’m like, ‘I want to be unsettled. I want to be freaked out.’”.

Plenty of viewers have already decided this will be their next horror obsession after watching the preview material. One fan commented beneath the trailer on YouTube: “Trailer gives the same suspense vibes as the movie Smile.”

Another enthusiast declared: “I’m very excited for this. Not a clue what’s going on, but I’m excited. This teaser was enough to get my attention, I won’t be watching the official trailer. Don’t want to know anymore!”

Something Very Bad Is About To Happen is streaming on Netflix from March 26.

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