The political drama unfolding in a storied California oil town took another captivating twist on Friday. County leaders made the pivotal decision to put four contested City Council seats back on the ballot, a sharp pivot only a day after the sole councilmember who survived a recall proclaimed himself as the mayor.

The Kings County Board of Supervisors reached a unanimous decision to pass a resolution that places the four Avenal City Council seats up for election this November. Their aim is to restore proper representation after months of unrest following the city’s tumultuous recall conflict.

This resolution comes in the wake of an extraordinary deadlock in Avenal, a Central California city home to around 13,000 people, located some 60 miles southwest of Fresno. As recently as April, four council members, whom the voters had decisively chosen to recall, have persisted in staying in their positions.

Avenal is renowned for its rapid expansion in the 1930s, sparked by the discovery of oil in the region. By 1940, the city boasted some of the finest schools and public services in California, marking its place in the state’s rich history.

Supervisor Richard Valle, who introduced the measure, expressed confidence that the special election would fulfill the electorate’s desire for representation. His comments, reported by ABC30, underline the importance of this electoral rerun in resolving the city’s political deadlock.

‘It is my great honor and my privilege to make this motion today to put the four seats on the ballot and bring back and restore justice, freedom, and democracy to the city of Avenal,’ Valle said.

Under California Elections Code Section 11381, recalled officials are barred from running in the special election, according to Kings County Counsel Laurie Buelna, who said the county confirmed the interpretation with the California Secretary of State’s office.

The vote came just one day after Councilmember Ricardo Verdugo, the only member of the council who survived the recall election, appointed himself mayor – further deepening the city’s leadership crisis.

For now, Verdugo will continue serving in the self-appointed role until the November election, although city attorneys are expected to challenge the move.

Residents have pleaded with supervisors to end the months of political fighting that have consumed the city.

Board Chairman Doug Verboon said supervisors were acting on behalf of residents frustrated by the ongoing dispute.

‘We do not work for the government; we work for the people, and I believe the four individuals forgot who they work for,’ Verboon said.

The latest showdown comes after a months-long legal and political battle that erupted when voters overwhelmingly approved the recall of Mayor Alvaro Preciado and councilmembers Leticia Gamez, Pablo Hernandez and David Reynosa, with each measure receiving more than 76% of the vote.

Instead of stepping down after the results were certified, the recalled officials voted to reject the election results and remain in office, arguing Kings County lacked the authority to administer the recall because the city never formally authorized it.

The dispute has since triggered courtroom battles, heated public meetings and sweeping law-enforcement raids targeting City Hall, a community center and several homes linked to the city’s leadership as investigators continue their probe.

Sacha Baron Cohen made a surprise appearance as his famous alter ego, Ali G, at Wimbledon on Sunday, sparking speculation about an upcoming film project.

The 54-year-old Hollywood star donned a Wimbledon-themed tracksuit in white and green, decorated with the words ‘Da Championshipz’ and a leaf emblem, as he settled into his seat on Centre Court.

On the back of his tracksuit was the phrase ‘Official Ganja Dealer.’ His ensemble was completed with a hat, a chunky gold chain, and his signature tinted glasses.

Reprising the character not seen since 2014, Sacha kept Ali G’s distinct facial hair and persona during BBC’s broadcast of the men’s singles final, where Jannik Sinner triumphed over Alexander Zverev.

Addressing the crowd in an Instagram video, Ali G quipped: ‘I am at the men’s singles at Wimbledon. It’s like the World Cup for something called tennis, which is basically a c**p version of ping pong.’

‘Them say that tennis is better played on grass, which is why I intend to sell as much of it while I was here,’ Ali said, before he jokingly went on to plug a variety of recreational drugs he was ‘selling’ at the tournament. 

He captioned the post: ‘I iz BACK! And if u iz at dis borin wimbledore final lookin 2 get grand slammed, I iz here wif de hookup. dm me, especially if u iz fit’ (sic). 

He also shared a shot of a DVD of his TV series and wrote: ‘dm me if u want to buy one of these DVD box sets.

‘Me iz got like 10,000 of dem. Dey iz very rare. Free pickup in the northwest surrey area.’ (sic). 

Sacha attended day 13 of Wimbledon on Saturday as himself dressed in a smart white suit and green shirt. 

Fans took to X to say they couldn’t believe their eyes when they spotted Ali G in the star-studded crowd held at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. 

They wrote: ‘Ali G randomly showing up at Wimbledon wasn’t on anyone’s 2026 bingo card’;

‘Bro is a creative genius, Ali G has always been my favorite character of them all tho. booyakasha’;

‘That was never Sacha Baron Cohen at Wimbledon dressed as Ali G was it. If so, we need clips!; I think it’s safe to say we all miss Ali G’.

Last year, Sacha was reported to be ‘bringing back his iconic comic creation Ali G’, more than two decades after the character first appeared on screens.

The actor was spotted filming new material while in full Ali G mode at a wildlife park in the Cotswolds.

Dressed in a bold new look featuring a colourful crocheted rastacap, gold bling and trademark tinted shades, the actor was unmistakably back as the Staines-born MC.

Fans in Chipping Norton were left stunned to see the cult character back in action, as Sacha was surrounded by a full production crew while shooting scenes on location.

A source told The Sun: ‘He was with a whole film crew and was in full character.

‘He seemed very comfortable in the role. I was amazed, I thought to myself “that’s Ali G”. He clearly updated Ali G’s wardrobe.

‘He’s replaced his tracksuit and skull cap, but he still had gold jewellery and tinted shades.’

Ali G, known for his infamous line ‘Is it coz I is black?’, first appeared in 1998 on Channel 4’s The 11 O’Clock Show.

The streetwise satirical figure quickly gained popularity, going on to star in Da Ali G Show and hit 2002 movie Ali G Indahouse.

The new wardrobe hints at a modern twist for the classic character, but the essence of Ali G remains intact – complete with the same swagger, shades, and gold jewellery fans remember.

Sacha’s return as Ali G comes after years of focusing on other projects, including his award-winning turn in Borat and more recent political satire work.

It’s not yet confirmed whether the footage will form part of a TV special, online release or a brand-new series and details of the new project remain under wraps, but the sighting has sparked major excitement among longtime fans.

The Daily Mail has contacted Sacha Baron Cohen’s representatives for comment.

Elsewhere at Wimbledon it was a very star-studded affair for the men’s singles final on Sunday afternoon.

Hollywood stars and British A-listers descended on south-west London as the two-week tournament came to a close with Sinner’s clash against Zverev.

Sinner fought off a full-blooded challenge from Zverev to successfully defend his Wimbledon title.

Pop sensation Jennifer Lopez, 56, looked the epitome of glamour as she arrived in a tight nude midi dress which she paired with a stylish hat and towering heels.

Elsewhere actress Nicole Kidman, 59, looked chic in a white suit as she joined Dame Anna Wintour in the Royal Box – where the Vogue icon enjoyed a rare laugh as she chatted to the Australian star.

Departing Strictly host Tess Daly, 57, and her daughter Phoebe, 21, Daisy Edgar-Jones, 28, Twiggy, 76, and Nicki Hilton, 42, also made their arrivals earlier in the afternoon and sported glamorous dresses.

Meanwhile Ben Stiller and Rami Malek looked delighted to see each other and hugged as they took their seats early in the Royal Box ahead of the doubles final match.

Also in the prestigious area – alongside the Prince and Princess of Wales and two of their three children George and Charlotte – was Sienna Miller, 44, who wore a pretty frilly mini dress.

A disturbing incident unfolded on Sunday in Illinois, where seven individuals within the same family were targeted in a mass shooting. Tragically, five of them succumbed to their injuries.

The Illinois State Police reported at a press conference that two 16-year-old teenagers have been apprehended in relation to the shootings.

As of now, formal charges have not been brought against the detained suspects.

Police said there were shootings at multiple locations in East St. Louis, Illinois, including at 39th and Summit, the Gompers public housing project and Jones Park.

Five people were killed while two others were transported to a hospital with serious injuries.

“I just want to say these alleged acts of horrific violence, taking this number of lives here in this community — it’s terrible, it’s evil, but it will not keep this city down,” police said.

Officials further called the incident a “terrible, terrible act of violence.”

Police said there was no known threat to the public.

(NEXSTAR) — In the wake of the passing of Senator Lindsey Graham, President Donald Trump has called for U.S. flags to be flown at half-staff, honoring the late senator, a trusted ally and personal friend.

According to a statement from Graham’s office, the 71-year-old senator passed away on Saturday night. Preliminary medical reports attribute his death to a rupture in his aorta.

In his heartfelt remarks on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Trump shared his profound loss, referring to Graham as “like a member of the family.” The former president recalled speaking with Graham on Saturday night after Graham had returned from Ukraine. Despite sounding “a little bit tired,” Trump noted that Graham otherwise seemed in good health.

As a tribute to Graham’s extraordinary life and contributions, Trump announced on Sunday that he instructed that “all American Flags throughout the United States” be lowered to half-mast. This gesture will remain in place until 6 p.m. on Saturday, July 18, as a mark of respect.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs articulates that flying flags at half-staff is a solemn tradition reserved for moments when the nation collectively mourns.

A politician’s level of seniority impacts how long the flag typically flies at half staff. The longest possible period is 30 days, reserved for the death of a sitting or former president. We last saw this following the death of President Jimmy Carter in 2024.

For the sitting vice president, chief justice (current or retired) of the Supreme Court, or the sitting speaker of the house die, flags would be ordered to half-staff for 10 days from the day of death. For other officials – associate justices of the Supreme Court; a Cabinet member; a former vice president; the president pro tempore of the Senate; and majority and minority leaders of the House and Senate – flags are to fly at half-staff from the day of death until interment.

In April 2025, flags flew at half-staff for several days following the death of Pope Francis.

Per U.S. Code, when U.S. flags are to fly at half-staff, you should first hoist it “to the peak for an instant and then [lower it] to the half-staff position.” Before it is lowered for the day, it “should be again raised to the peak before it is lowered for the day.”

Sara Gore has shared an encouraging update about her health a few months after disclosing her cancer diagnosis during a live broadcast in April.

The NBC host of “Open House” and “New York Live” took to Instagram over the weekend to provide what she termed a “little update” with her audience.

“I am doing incredibly well. Let’s get that clear: cancer-free!” she announced with relief. “Hallelujah. 🙌”

She elaborated, “I’m in the reconstruction phase now, which will last for months. It’s truly a journey.” She added, “Recovery has been gradual, but each week I feel more like myself.”

Gore extended her gratitude to her supporters who sent her many encouraging items like books, flowers, food, puzzles, and prayers, as well as heartfelt cards, texts, and calls.

“Every thoughtful gesture that came my way. I felt EVERY bit of it,” she noted. “You carried me through some really hard days, and I’ll never forget your kindness.”

Gore wrote that she’ll be “back on” her shows soon, and added that she “honestly can’t wait.”

“Until then, I’m soaking up these last few slow mornings appreciating all the moments that usually move by too fast to notice,” she wrote before signing off, “it’s good to be here. I love you all. 🤍”

Gore shared in April, on the air, that she’d been diagnosed with breast cancer and would be taking a leave of absence from her hosting duties at “Open House” and “New York Live” as she sought treatment.

“It just felt right to tell you myself, I was recently diagnosed with breast cancer, and I’m going to be stepping away for treatment and surgery,” Gore, 49, said during an episode of “New York Live.”

“If I didn’t say that I was a little bit scared, I’d be lying,” she confessed, at the time.

“I always knew I was high-risk. I always assumed this day would come. But let me tell you, you are never ready,” she explained, adding that she felt “caught off guard” by the news even though her mother and sister had also been diagnosed with the disease.

“You’re just never ready for some reason because, even when you catch it early because you’re doing everything right, it is an emotional blow.”

Gore went on to tell her audience that her work “family” was helping her to feel “loved” and “very supported” through the diagnosis.

“I’m going to come back better than ever, and I’m going to see you on the other side of this,” Gore noted. “Thank you for all you’ve done.”

From humble beginnings in a small South Carolina town, Lindsey Graham charted an extraordinary path to become a leading figure in the United States Senate, renowned for his fervent advocacy of American influence on the world stage.

Tragically, at 71, Graham passed away Saturday night. The Washington DC medical examiner’s office reported that the preliminary cause of death was an aortic dissection stemming from arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Graham, who was first elected to represent South Carolina in 2002, left a legacy as a tireless public servant. Announced early Sunday by his office, the news of his passing was attributed to a “brief and sudden illness.”

Despite his eventual rise to prominence, the roots of Graham’s story were modestly planted in Central, South Carolina.

Raised by Millie and Florence James Graham, who operated a quaint establishment known as the Sanitary Cafe—a combination restaurant, bar, and pool hall—young Graham learned the intricacies of diplomacy amidst the clinking of pool balls.

‘It was a good life,’ Graham told the Post and Courier in 2015. ‘I could go grab a Coke any time I wanted to. In my world, I was as rich as I could be.’

Graham won a South Carolina statehouse seat in 1992 and then a US House seat in 1994 before being elected to the Senate in 2002, where he became known for his hawkish foreign policy views.

Graham, who was one of President Trump’s closest allies, had just returned to Washington from a trip to Ukraine to announce an agreement on a new package of sanctions against Russia before his death.

Growing up in Central, Graham lived with his parents and younger sister, Darline Graham Nordone, in a single room behind his family’s pool hall, Politico reported.

He would occasionally have a drink of customers’ beers or a smoke, as patrons nicknamed him ‘Stinkball.’

Graham, who was only a C student in high school, became the first member of his family to attend college when he enrolled at the University of South Carolina.

But while in school, his mom died of Hodgkin lymphoma. Within a 15 month period, his dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer and died of a heart attack.

Graham said he went from the ‘best of times to completely absolutely devastated in about 18 months,’ recalling a trip he took with his family in 1975.

‘We went on a vacation to Disney World, which was just like going to the moon for us: a plane ride, going to Disney World,’ Graham told CNN in 2015. ‘And a few months after that, my mom was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Disease, and she passed by June.’

He added: ‘If it wasn’t for my family, friends … and faith, I would not be sitting here today.’

After that, Graham was instrumental in raising his sister, 13 at the time. He later became her legal guardian.

‘He’s kind of like a brother, a father and a mother rolled into one,’ Nordone told The New York Times in 2015. ‘I’ve always looked up to Lindsey.’

After earning his law degree from the University of South Carolina’s School of Law in 1981, Graham served as a judge advocate general in the Air Force.

He started as a defense attorney for accused troops and later rose to the Air Force’s chief prosecutor in Europe, based in Germany.

He returned to South Carolina in 1989 but was a reserve or National Guard member for decades afterwards.

It was upon coming back home that Graham entered politics, challenging Democratic incumbent Lowell W. Ross for South Carolina’s House District 2 in 1992.

Graham won with 6,389 votes to Ross’ 4,177 votes, per South Carolina Election Commission records. This began the GOP lawmaker’s remarkably fast ascent.

Two years later, Graham ran for South Carolina’s 3rd Congressional District after the incumbent Democrat, Butler Derrick, decided to retire, and won.

The seat had been occupied by a Democrat since 1877, according to The New York Times.

Graham became known for being one of a group of young Republicans who pushed to oust then–House Speaker Newt Gingrich for cutting too many deals with then–president, Bill Clinton, a Democrat.

The rising Republican star also became known for his role in Clinton’s impeachment proceedings for his sex scandal with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

‘Is this Watergate or Peyton Place?’ Graham memorably asked at one impeachment hearing in 1998, referring to the 60s soap opera.

Graham would win reelection to the House three times, serving for a total of four terms from January 1995 to January 2003.

But when South Carolina Sen. Strom Thurmond retired in 2003, Graham turned his attention to the Senate and ran to succeed the GOP stalwart.

He disposed of Democratic candidate Alex Sanders and won the race with 54.4 percent of the vote.

Graham quickly emerged as one of the Senate’s biggest hawks and became known for his friendship with senators John McCain and Joe Lieberman, a Democrat who later became an Independent.

The group of lawmakers was known as the Three Amigos, as they traveled the globe and pushed for US intervention, notably in the Middle East.

While in Senate, Graham briefly switched back to active status to help advise the Air Force during the Iraq War.

He was awarded the Bronze Star medal for service in 2014 before formally retiring as a colonel in 2015.

When McCain died from glioblastoma in 2018, an emotional Graham broke down in tears on the Senate floor.

‘He failed a lot, but he never quit,’ Graham said. ‘The reason we’re talking about him today and the reason I’m crying is because he was successful in spite of his failures.’

McCain’s daughter, Meghan, paid tribute to Graham as ‘always the person you hoped you sat next to at a dinner party’ Sunday on X.

‘Lindsey brought humor and loyalty to my Dad’s political defeats and was a constant source of support for my mother after my Dad’s passing,’ she wrote. ‘As a politician his skills were unmatched which is why he won so many elections and was well on his way to winning another.’

In his later years, Graham was initially a firm opponent of President Trump, even running for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016.

But Graham later became one of Trump’s closest allies, frequently golfing with him and endorsing his MAGA policies.

On Monday, Graham had called Trump ‘the GOAT of Presidents’ on his X account.

After Graham’s death, Trump remembered him as ‘one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known.’

‘He was always working, and was a true American Patriot,’ Trump wrote on Truth Social. ‘Lindsey will be greatly missed!!!’

Graham was also known for his support of Ukraine and Israel, being one of the leading voices in the US’ support of both countries amid separate ongoing wars.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was among the world figures who remembered Graham after his death.

‘Lindsey understood that the security of Israel and America are inseparable. He devoted his life to defending America, strengthening our alliance and standing up for the free world,’ Netanyahu wrote on X.

He added: ‘Israel has lost one of its greatest friends. America has lost a great patriot. I have lost a beloved friend.’

In a tragic turn of events early Monday, a fierce fire engulfed a nightclub in Bangkok, claiming the lives of at least 27 individuals and leaving many others injured. As the chaos unfolded, patrons desperately sought to escape the smoke-filled establishment, authorities reported.

The Na Ladprao pub, situated in the northern part of Thailand’s bustling capital, became the site of the deadly blaze around midnight. According to information from The Associated Press, rescuers were quick to respond.

Courageous first responders captured the dramatic scene on video, revealing flames consuming the building’s front while thick, black smoke filled the air, forcing people to flee for their lives.

Thankfully, firefighters were able to bring the devastating inferno under control within approximately 30 minutes, allowing the remaining patrons to evacuate safely, as reported by The Associated Press.

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said at the scene that 27 people were killed and that several injured victims were taken to a hospital.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

A musician performing at the pub told Anutin he saw smoke coming from a circuit breaker near the stage shortly before the power went out, the prime minister said. 

Moments later, an explosion was heard, and thick smoke spread through the venue, The Associated Press reported.

Many of the victims were located in restrooms at the back of the pub, Anutin said.

Photos from the aftermath showed heavy damage inside the building.

Deadly nightlife fires have struck Thailand in the past. In 2022, a fire at a music pub in eastern Thailand killed 14 people.