A British influencer who is now at risk of being executed by firing squad was enjoying an opulent lifestyle in Dubai and reportedly received good treatment from the man she allegedly killed, according to a friend.

Twenty-three-year-old Brooke George alleges that William Treeby enticed her to the Gulf region with enticing offers of luxury accommodations and a modeling career, only to confiscate her passport upon her arrival.

Originally from Gravesend and previously employed at John Lewis, George states that she had arranged a return flight home when Treeby turned aggressive, leading her to defend herself with a kitchen knife that was nearby.

Her arrest occurred as she attempted to board a flight to London on Monday, resulting in her being charged with murder and potentially facing capital punishment.

The human rights organization Detained in Dubai is advocating on her behalf, asserting the fatal incident in his upscale apartment was preceded by an alleged attack, and that George was merely acting in self-defense in her bid to ‘escape’ from him.

But a friend of Mr Treeby, speaking anonymously, dismissed her account and described the 26-year-old as ‘a good guy with a big heart’.

He accused George and her team of trying to ‘make him out to be some scumbag’.

‘I don’t believe he had her passport. He was treating her well – she was living the life,’ he said.

George claims Mr Treeby initially swept her off her feet before becoming controlling. She alleges he confiscated her passport and punched her in the face when she asked for it back.

But his friend questioned her version of events, saying: ‘If he was controlling and bad, why did she fly out for the second time four days before the incident?’

George claims Mr Treeby assaulted her in a car after a night out at Caffreys Bar in Jumeirah Village before continuing the attack at his flat.

Fearing for her life, she says she grabbed a kitchen knife and stabbed him.

His friend finds it hard to accept this account, claiming the pair had a ‘petty argument’ in a pub and were ‘both guilty’ of being violent.

‘He left her and went home,’ he said, adding he believes she followed shortly afterwards and stabbed him to death in his flat.

William’s death is yet another tragedy for his devastated family – after his father was murdered by his own brother and two nephews.

Jack Treeby, 43, was killed by relatives in a deliberate hit-and-run attack following a property dispute within the family in 2009, it emerged today.

Jack’s older brother Bill and his sons, Billy and George, were convicted of murder after he was mowed down by their Range Rover near Maidstone shortly after Christmas.

Bill later took his own life in prison. 

Almost 17 years on, Jack’s widow Karen – who described him as a ‘wonderful’ husband and father – has now lost her son William, from Rainham, in similarly violent circumstances.

She wrote on Facebook: ‘My darling son, I’m broken. Rest in forever peace, my Bill. You will be so missed and loved by us all. We will never forget you and will keep your memory alive always.’

William’s sister Esther added: ‘He was not only my brother but my best friend. I love you, my Bill. Forever 26.’ 

George’s family say she met Mr Treeby during a trip to Dubai in May after connecting on Facebook. Mr Treeby, who appeared to drive a Rolls-Royce, was ‘very nice’ to her and arranged a professional beach photoshoot.

But on George’s return to the UAE in June, she said he took her passport and attacked her when she asked for it back.

Her mother said her ‘terrified’ daughter called her in a ‘state of panic’ and was ‘desperate to get home and away from whatever had happened to her’.

Thereza George said she spoke to her daughter before and after the stabbing. She added: ‘The day before the incident, she wasn’t herself. She was quieter than usual but wouldn’t tell me why. That evening they went to a bar in Dubai. When I spoke to Brooke right after the incident, she was absolutely terrified.

‘I have never seen my daughter so frightened. She was crying uncontrollably. I could see one of her eyes was badly swollen and beginning to close.

‘As Brooke’s mother, I am deeply concerned for her welfare. The daughter I spoke to that night was utterly terrified. I firmly believe she was trying desperately to get home and away from whatever had happened to her.’

George claims Mr Treeby assaulted her in a car after a night out at Caffreys Bar in Jumeirah Village before continuing the attack at his flat.

Fearing for her life, she says she grabbed a kitchen knife and stabbed him.

Radha Stirling, chief executive of Detained in Dubai, is supporting George and says she could face a firing squad if convicted.

She said the case reflected a disturbing pattern of young British women being lured to Dubai with promises of romance and luxury, only to be exploited – sometimes sexually.

Ms Stirling said: ‘Authorities must treat her as a domestic violence survivor while they investigate. Brooke maintains she acted in genuine fear for her safety after a violent assault.

‘We will ensure her rights are protected and that she receives a fair trial.’

George is thought to be at the Bur Dubai police station and should be granted bail by authorities in the emirate.

Her family claim she was forced to strip naked in front of male officers, denied legal representation and left unable to understand proceedings due to a language barrier. Mr Treeby’s family said they were ‘heartbroken’.

His sister Esther wrote on social media: ‘He was not only my brother but my best friend. I love you, my Bill. Forever 26.’

His mother Karen said: ‘My darling son, I’m broken. Rest in forever peace, my Bill. You will be so missed and loved by us all. We will never forget you and will keep your memory alive always.’

The Foreign Office said: ‘We are in touch with a British woman detained in the UAE. We are supporting her family and are in contact with the local authorities.’

While taking her dog for a walk in the woods of Canada, a woman was unexpectedly pursued by a large bear in a heart-stopping incident she captured on her phone.

Despite her attempts to deter the bear by repeatedly shouting “No! Go away” and making loud noises, the determined animal continued to trail her along the path.

Initially approaching at a slow pace, the bear suddenly charged, encircling her as she desperately retreated, pleading for it to leave her and her dog in peace.

In a nerve-wracking two-minute confrontation, the bear alternated between charges and retreats, at times rising on its hind legs, displaying its formidable size.

She was finally able to distract the bear by throwing what appeared to be her water bottle behind a gate. The video ends as she races away after the bear went to investigate what she had thrown.

The woman had just grabbed her morning coffee and was only planning to go for a short walk with her dog near where she was camping with others when the encounter happened, according to Wilderness Escape Adventures in Alberta, which said on TikTok they interviewed the woman.

She had just picked up her dog’s leash and began to head back to camp when the bear appeared.

The woman stayed calm during the encounter and didn’t run from the bear until it had moved away from her.

Experts say to never run from a bear because it can trigger their predatory instincts and bears can outrun humans at up to 35 mph.

Madonna has revealed that collaborating with her daughter Lourdes Leon on their latest song was challenging, describing Lourdes as initially ‘very standoffish’. This admission sheds light on their long-standing rift.

The Queen of Pop, now 67, shared insights during a conversation with Graham Norton on the BBC show, Madonna & Graham. She stated that over the years, Lourdes has harbored ‘a lot of resentment’ towards her.

Madonna, who co-parents Lourdes with her former partner Carlos Leon, teamed up with her daughter to co-write a track for her upcoming album, Confessions II.

Despite the initial discord between them, Madonna believes that the creative process of writing a song together played a crucial role in mending their relationship.

In the episode that aired on Friday night, Madonna elaborated, “She approached me timidly. She’s been quite hesitant to work with me, fearing she’d be seen merely as my daughter and not wanting to benefit from her privilege.”

Graham asked: ‘How does that feel? Was it like working with a professional or a proud mother?’

‘It was kind of neither’, she said. ‘She’s been very standoffish and working at her own pace, and I respect that deeply. She’s a great songwriter and has a much better voice than I do.

‘But then one day she came to me and said “You know what, I realise I’ve been holding onto something” and maybe it’s a kind of I want to say anger, what’s another word, maybe resentment? 

‘At the end of the day, she didn’t ask for this. She had been through her adolescence struggling with those feelings for a long time.

‘So she came to me and said “Let’s write a song together, I think it will be a very healing experience. You say exactly what you want to say and I will say exactly what I want to say”.

‘And I was like “Okay, you’re on, let’s do it, I was so happy”. Her lyrics are beautiful.’

While Madonna and Lourdes are now close and often collaborate together, the pair have touched on their issues in past interviews.

In 2021, Lourdes called her mother a ‘control freak’ and admitted that she paid for her own college tuition and first apartment to escape her. 

‘We don’t get any handouts in my family. Obviously, I grew up with extreme privilege. There’s no denying that,’ she explained to Interview magazine.

‘But I think my mom saw all these other kids of famous people, and she was like, “My kids are not going to be like this.”

‘Also, I feel like if your parents pay for things, then it gives them leverage over you. My mom is such a control freak, and she has controlled me my whole life. I needed to be completely independent from her as soon as I graduated high school.’

In a 2019 interview with Vogue, Madonna praised her ‘insanely talented’ eldest child but said that she lacked the same drive that had made her a household name.

Since branching out on her own, Lourdes has found work as a model, a celebrity socialite, and as an indie musician.

She recently appeared in her mother’s Confessions II short film, in addition to co-writing a track from the album. 

Madonna also had a tumultuous relationship with her late brother Christopher, who passed away in 2024 at age 63 following a battle with cancer.

‘My brother Christopher is gone. He was the closest human to me for so long,’ she wrote on Instagram following his death.

‘It’s hard to explain our bond. But it grew out of an understanding that we were different and society was going to give us a hard time for not following the status quo.

‘We took each other’s hands and we danced through the madness of our childhood. In fact dance was a kind of superglue that held us together.’

Christopher worked as his sister’s backup dancer, personal dresser and art director until their very public feud erupted in 2000.

He described himself as being the ‘one person’ who could take it when the singer screamed at him backstage and how he was the only one in her circle who knew the truth about her past, which she frequently ‘mythologised’.

However, the sibling’s relationship began to fracture in the late 1990s – as Christopher began to grow increasingly resentful over having given up his artistic dreams to support his sister’s career.

In 2000, Christopher famously labelled Madonna an ‘evil queen’ in a leaked email, where he lamented ‘giving up [his] f***ing life’ for his sister’s ‘mediocre talent’.

‘I guess I always thought that one day you’d see my worth and behave accordingly… but you never did… a little f***ing respect was all I ever wanted from you and you couldn’t even manage that,’ he raged.

Eight years later, he reportedly earned ‘seven figures’ to team up with author Wendy Leigh to co-write the tell-all book Life with My Sister Madonna.

In the 352-page book, Christopher made a cruel jibe about his sister’s ‘fat’ midriff during The Virgin Tour back in 1985 and said Madonna would become a ‘basket case’ when being interviewed on TV.

On Friday, President Trump revealed the latest design of the United States passport, featuring his own likeness on a page set against the backdrop of the Declaration of Independence. Alongside the unveiling, he issued a cautionary note to those entering the country, emphasizing the importance of appropriate conduct.

“America’s New Passport welcomes visitors with a note that says, ‘Welcome, but be good!’” Trump shared in a Truth Social post, highlighting the passport’s imagery.

One highlighted page of this special edition passport showcases a serious-looking Trump complete with his signature, while another page depicts a symbolic illustration of the Founding Fathers endorsing the Declaration of Independence, beneath which the phrase “United States of America 250” is inscribed.

Fox News Digital had earlier reported on the State Department’s plan to issue these special-edition passports as part of the celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary. President Trump features prominently in this commemorative release.

Scheduled for release this summer, these passports form a key component of the broader “America 250” celebratory initiative launched by the Trump administration. The campaign also includes grand spectacles such as a Grand Prix race staged on the National Mall in August and a UFC event on the White House South Lawn, which took place earlier this month.

A State Department official previously told Fox News Digital that the new designs will be available to “any American citizen” who applies for a passport during the rollout and will continue for as long as there is availability.

Trump’s social media post comes as the US has enacted stricter vetting policies for foreign visitors, explicitly demanding that tourists and non-immigrants respect and follow US laws and institutions.

The tighter rules coincide with the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where hundreds of thousands of foreigners have come to the US to watch the games, which end in July.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have shown their support for the U.S.-facilitated framework agreement between Jerusalem and Lebanon. Announced on Friday, this agreement is seen as a positive initial step towards peace and a clear stance against Iranian influence in the region.

This pivotal development has the potential to pave the way for diplomatic relations between Lebanon and Israel, two nations technically still at war. Experts suggest the agreement could weaken Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group, which has considerable influence in the Lebanese state.

Since Hezbollah joined forces with Hamas in the invasion of Israel on October 7, 2023, and after subsequent U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran in February, Hezbollah and Israel have engaged in two major conflicts.

Rubio stated, “Today marks a significant stride as we are pleased to announce a framework agreement between the sovereign government of Lebanon and the government of Israel, mediated and supported by the United States. This lays the foundation for enduring peace and security.”

He added, “And that’s what these two nations deserve.”

According to the Press Service of Israel (TPS-IL), Netanyahu termed the deal “a severe blow to Iran.” He added that the Islamic Republic seeks to force an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon, and “essentially Israel, Lebanon and the United States are telling them: This is none of your business. You have no role in southern Lebanon — neither you, nor Hezbollah nor any other terrorist organization.”

U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, wrote on X:” Was there all week but had to fly back to Israel Thursday night. Historic opportunity but key is disarming Hezbollah, evil terrorists who have killed Americans. Israel, Lebanon sign framework peace agreement following US-backed negotiations.”

Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun, in an Arabic-language X Post, thanked the U.S. administration, led by President Donald Trump, “for its efforts in hosting and facilitating the negotiations and for supporting Lebanon’s position.”

Rubio’s optimistic announcement encouraged some veteran Lebanon experts about a historic opportunity for peace, while others warned about the necessity to proceed with caution.

Guila Fakhoury, whose father, Amer, was kidnapped by Hezbollah in 2019, told Fox News Digital that “Today marks a historic achievement. For the first time since 1983, Lebanon and Israel have reached an agreement through direct negotiations. It also represents a fundamental shift in regional dynamics, demonstrating that Lebanon’s future need not be contingent upon broader regional negotiations or arrangements negotiated through proxy influence. In that sense, this agreement supersedes previous efforts to tie Lebanon’s stability and sovereignty to external agendas.”

Fakhoury, added, “If these commitments are fulfilled, this agreement could become the foundation for long-term cooperation, security, economic opportunity and shared stability that benefits both the Lebanese and Israeli people.”

She continued, “However, whether this agreement brings lasting peace and stability will depend entirely on its implementation. The Lebanese state and its legitimate institutions must be the ones to create stability, not external actors or armed organizations operating outside government authority.”

Walid Phares, a leading U.S. expert on Lebanon and the Mideast, told News Media, “This agreement is just a ceasefire not a conduit to a larger peace deal. Hezbollah take orders from Iran. It’s clear Tehran will complain about such a deal and pressure the negotiators to get some statement from Washington asserting the Islamic Republic’s say over Lebanon. Hezbollah will attack the deal but will pray Israel won’t strike. The Trump administration will have to calibrate between the Rubio-sponsored agreement on Lebanon and the fragility of the situation in the Gulf.”

He added, “The regime is telling Hezbollah ‘keep the narrative up and radical but let us get the money first.’ Israel is giving its public something and mindful of Trump’s concerns about the deal with Iran. The Lebanese government is hoping their army does not have to engage. The only unknown is the ability of the Lebanese opposition to rise and resist Hezbollah. We are still inside the Lebanese status quo.”

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., posted on X following the news that, “Hezbollah savages have American blood on their hands. I applaud President Trump and @SecRubio for forging this important agreement that will restrain Iran’s terrorist proxy. Let me be clear: Tehran has no future in Lebanon.”

Hanin Ghaddar, a senior fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, wrote on X: “Absolutely a breakthrough,” This is the first agreement between Israel and Lebanon since 1983. A clear and loud ‘NO’ to Iran as it challenges its efforts to control Lebanon ‘s file.”

She added, “But as the 1983 agreement was toppled by the bad guys then (Assad regime), Iran will try everything to make sure this one fails as well. Lebanon and Israel have a responsibility in making sure this agreement is protected, and its implementation is successful. We will probably not have another chance.”