Home Blog Page 47

Exclusive: FBI Extraditions Surge as Patel Expands Global Push to Deny Fugitives Sanctuary

0

FBI Director Kash Patel has significantly increased direct communication with law enforcement counterparts abroad as part of a broader push to return international fugitives to U.S. soil.

According to FBI figures obtained exclusively by News Media, Patel placed 100 calls to foreign partners during his first 18 months in the role. By comparison, his predecessor made nine such calls during the final 18 months of the Biden administration.

The bureau said the stepped-up outreach coincided with a sharp rise in international returns. Extraditions increased 65% compared with the final 18 months of the Biden administration, while foreign transfers of custody, known as FTOCs, climbed 54%. FTOCs occur when a fugitive or suspect is detained overseas and handed over to U.S. authorities.

During that period, the FBI said it completed 157 extraditions and 86 foreign transfers of custody.

FBI BRINGS BACK FUGITIVE ACCUSED IN $3.7B MEDICARE FRAUD SCHEME AFTER CAPTURE IN TURKEY

Kash Patel speaking at a witness table during a Senate committee hearing.

FBI Director Kash Patel touted the agency’s facilitation of foreign transfers of custody and the uptick in extraditions of high-profile targets seeking to evade U.S. justice abroad. (Win McNamee/Getty Images/File)

“When I became FBI director, I made clear that we would relentlessly manhunt high‑value targets from overseas, and we’ve delivered,” FBI Director Kash Patel told News Media. 

“It’s a direct result of President [Donald] Trump’s relationships with foreign governments, which allow us to work in spaces where we were never permitted to before and Attorney General Todd Blanche’s leadership giving us the legal tools we need to return these subjects back to America to face charges.

“These targets are literally the worst of the worst, and we will give them no sanctuary.”

Split with a mugshot in an inset and the Philadelphia FBI building

Alexis Flores was previously a top 10 FBI fugitive, according to officials. He was arrested Wednesday in Honduras in the 2000 murder of a young girl in Philadelphia. (FBI and Google Maps)

On Monday, a Honduran citizen on the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted Fugitives list was extradited to Philadelphia after 25 years on the run for the alleged rape and murder of a 5-year-old girl, Fox News exclusively reported.

Alexis Flores was arrested in February, and Honduran authorities agreed to extradite him to the U.S. The FBI said Flores had been removed from the fugitives list in March 2025 due to the prior Honduran government’s refusal to extradite him for his offenses, citing local laws limiting extradition.

EXCLUSIVE: ALLEGED $32M COVID-19 FRAUD FUGITIVE CAPTURED IN JAMAICA AND RETURNED TO US, FBI SAYS

FBI agents escorting a man across an airport tarmac toward a private jet during extradition.

FBI agents escort Zobaidul Amin after his transfer from Malaysia to the United States to face charges in an alleged international sextortion and child exploitation scheme. (Department of Justice)

Since June, the FBI has conducted more than 70 extraditions, Patel said at the time of Flores’ extradition to the U.S.

In March, Zobaidul Amin, a Bangladeshi national, was extradited from Malaysia to the U.S. to face charges related to one of the most prolific online child exploitation schemes.

Prosecutors allege Amin posed as a teenager on Instagram and Snapchat and coerced hundreds of minor victims — some as young as 11 — into producing sexually explicit images and videos. Authorities said he then threatened to share those images with friends, family and classmates unless the victims sent more.

Another recent example is the case of Abdullah Anwar, 28, a Texas resident who was brought back from Qatar to face fraud charges. Anwar fled the U.S. for Pakistan but was arrested in Qatar before authorities there agreed to extradite him to Texas.

The FBI has prioritized the extradition of suspects and fugitives abroad. From 2022 to 2025, former FBI Director Christopher Wray made 20 calls to foreign partners, including nine in his last 18 months during the Biden administration, the agency said.

Patel has made 100 calls in his first 18 months, a 400% increase over those made during Wray’s four years and a 1,011% call increase over Wray’s final 18 months with the Biden administration.

FBI agents stand on the tarmac as a plane arrives carrying Zobaidul Amin following his extradition from Malaysia to face federal charges in Alaska.

FBI agents stand on the tarmac as a plane arrives carrying Zobaidul Amin after his extradition from Malaysia to face federal charges in Alaska. (Department of Justice)

Typically, the FBI works with foreign authorities and governments to track and arrest suspects hiding in other countries. Once someone is arrested, the Justice Department will formally request that person be handed over to U.S. custody using existing international treaties.

Once the foreign government approves the handover, FBI agents travel abroad, take physical custody of the fugitive and fly them back to the U.S. for trial.

Spencer Pratt Blasts Ryan Reynolds Over Woke 1980s Comments

0

Spencer Pratt is taking aim at Ryan Reynolds after the Hollywood star offered a less-than-glowing take on 1980s nostalgia.

Reynolds, the Canadian actor starring as a U.S. Navy pilot in Apple TV’s Mayday, recently described the era as both “tumultuous” and emotionally complicated — comments that led Pratt to dismiss him as a “tool.”

“What’s interesting is when you get far enough away from a time period that’s distinct, there’s always a lovely feeling associated with it,” Reynolds, 49, told Variety.

He added that people tend to soften difficult memories over time, saying it can feel “almost like you pave over all the trauma with puppy dogs and ice cream.”

In Mayday, Reynolds’ character forms an unexpected bond with a quirky former KGB operative, played by Kenneth Branagh, whose fascination with 1980s American pop culture helps drive the story.

Speaking on the red carpet at the AMC Lincoln Square in New York City on Tuesday night, Reynolds, born in 1976, listed what he thought we often gloss over.

Spencer Pratt is lashing out at Ryan Reynolds after the actor shared a controversial stance on ¿80s nostalgia

Spencer Pratt is lashing out at Ryan Reynolds after the actor shared a controversial stance on ¿80s nostalgia

Spencer Pratt is lashing out at Ryan Reynolds after the actor shared a controversial stance on ’80s nostalgia

Pratt took to X on Thursday to complain about Reynolds' comments in an interview with Variety

Pratt took to X on Thursday to complain about Reynolds’ comments in an interview with Variety

 ‘The 80s was a brutal, brutal time for people. It was a fucking mess and people forget that. It was a tremendous strife,’ he explained. ‘Socio political tensions everywhere. We were still pretty fresh off a Cuban missile crisis, which was only 15-20 years before.

‘It’s a tumultuous period, but you look back at it now and you’re like, ‘Oh, yeah. Top Gun. Cocaine!’ Like, ‘No!’ It was really scary.’

With that in mind, the Deadpool star suggested that when we look back on 2026 and this era we’ll pick on the ‘big ticket items that didn’t really leave the footprint, culturally, that we thought it would’ve.’

Explaining that much of the oughts felt like a mix of decades previous, while the decade previous were their ‘own thing,’ he predicted the ‘COVID era’ would be looked at with rose-colored glasses.

‘We’re living in the frickin’ salad days. We just don’t know it.’ he exclaimed.

The comments were enough to rub up reality star Pratt the wrong way.

Despite endorsements from some of Hollywood’s biggest stars this year, it wasn’t enough to secure Pratt a win in the LA Mayor’s race in June. But his social media comments on Thursday showed he still has plans for the city. 

‘Here I am trying to bring back American film jobs, and then these tools keep saying stupid crap like this and making every normal American hate them,’ Pratt posted on X. 

'Just stick to the Cricket wireless ads,' Pratt wrote about Reynolds, who holds a 25 percent stake in Mint Mobile

‘Just stick to the Cricket wireless ads,’ Pratt wrote about Reynolds, who holds a 25 percent stake in Mint Mobile

  ‘Hollywood is seriously its own worst enemy. Just stick to the Cricket wireless ads, dude.’

Reynolds holds a 25 percent stake in Mint Mobile and appears in their commercials.

When Pratt lost, President Trump renewed his criticisms of Los Angeles’ mayoral primary election in a Truth Social post.

‘Not possible for Spencer Pratt to have lost the L.A. runoffs after the big lead he had. 3rd World Nation. Rigged Elections!’ Trump wrote.

Last year, Pratt and wife Heidi Montag’s family were dealt a devastating blow when their home was one of the thousands destroyed by Los Angeles’ most destructive fire in history.

Enraged by the government’s response to the natural disaster, Pratt announced his plan to run for mayor on the one-year anniversary of the fires.

They’re both no strangers to Hollywood. They both appeared on MTV’s The Hills, Celebrity Big Brother among other shows.

CPS Board Hopefuls Question Jessica Biggs’ Do-Not-Hire Appeal

0

CHICAGO (WLS) — As the contest for president of the Chicago Board of Education heats up, a supporter of one candidate is urging officials to investigate how a do-not-hire designation connected to Jessica Biggs was reversed.

That reversal occurred while Macquline King was serving as Chicago Public Schools CEO and superintendent.

Before she was elected to the Chicago Board of Education, Biggs worked as interim principal at Burke Elementary School on the South Side. She was later dismissed over issues she has characterized as minor administrative violations.

“We were marking students tardy in cases when they may have arrived to school so late that they were absent for a half a day,” Biggs said.

Findings from the CPS Office of Inspector General also said Biggs violated district rules by not keeping driver’s license and insurance documentation for staff members who transported students.

“When a parent made a request and wanted help with a ride to school, there were cases where a staff member would go and pick students up,” Biggs said.

Biggs said she was fired in 2018 and, under CPS policy at the time, was automatically placed on the district’s do-not-hire list. She contends she was targeted because she was an outspoken principal on other issues.

Biggs appealed the designation in 2023 and was denied. She said a second appeal was also denied a year later. After being elected to the school board, she appealed again and was successful under King’s leadership.

Andre Smith, a former school board candidate who lost to Biggs and now supports her opponent, Victor Henderson, has questioned the circumstances surrounding the successful appeal.

“The question is was it done with integrity or was it a back room deal? I’m calling for an investigation,” Smith said.

Smith alleges Biggs’ appeal was granted after she led the search process that selected King as CPS CEO and superintendent, despite not initially supporting her candidacy.

Biggs rejected the accusation.

“This is a false political attack. My appeal was sent to be reviewed by an outside counsel to avoid even an appearance of a conflict of interest. No one within the CEO’s office was able to even touch that appeal,” she said.

Other candidates in the race for school board president have also raised questions about the appeal process but said they are more concerned about the circumstances that led to Biggs’ firing.

In a written statement, Chicago Teachers Union-endorsed candidate Hilario Dominguez said, “The revelations are damning. It’s hard to imagine someone who got fired for how she ran her school being put in charge of running the whole district. It makes you ask why Ms. Biggs couldn’t follow the rules herself. And then worse, she may have used her power on the board for her personal benefit when she had the chance.”

While Smith has called for an investigation, Biggs has received endorsements from several current school board members who are not aligned with the Chicago Teachers Union, as well as from Service Employees International Union.

Copyright © 2026 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.

Northern California Freshman Arrested Twice in First Week on Campus Over Sexual Assault Allegations

0

A 43-year-old California college freshman who previously served 14 years in state prison was arrested twice during his first week in a university dormitory — first on suspicion of sexual assault, and then for allegedly returning to campus despite a court order prohibiting him from doing so.

Delos Anthony Charles Moore was taken into custody on August 31 following the alleged assault at Cal Poly Humboldt, where he had recently enrolled as a forestry student and was living in the Hinarr Hu Moulik residence halls, according to the Lost Coast Outpost.

Authorities arrested Moore a second time after he allegedly went back to the dorms in violation of a court order barring him from campus. He was later released after posting $35,000 bond.

Recipients and donors gather at Lake Tahoe Community College’s annual Scholarship Awards Luncheon on Thursday, May 28, 2026. More than $359,000 in scholarships was awarded to 133 students at the event. ltcc.edu/Angelene Hall

Before beginning his studies at Cal Poly Humboldt, Moore had spent years incarcerated for a 2007 robbery in Gardena, California.

In a 2024 podcast interview, Moore said he and two other men robbed a cigarette store and a water store. During the robbery, the owner was tied up and punched after trying to get away.

Moore was initially sentenced to two years but received an additional 10 years for gang-related enhancements.

He later served time at several California prisons, including High Desert State Prison, Kern Valley State Prison and the California Institute for Men.

He also received another five-year sentence after prison officials discovered narcotics concealed inside a condom that his girlfriend had brought during a visit, according to the Lost Coast Outpost.

While incarcerated, Moore earned an associate degree in sociology from Lake Tahoe Community College.

He was released in 2021 after receiving credits for good behavior, according to the report, and moved into the entertainment industry, working as a production assistant on commercials and television projects.

Delos Moore being interviewed on "Voices of the Prisons Ep.1 'True Prison Stories'."

Delos Moore is interviewed on “Voices Of The Prisons Ep.1 ‘True Prison Stories’.” KickinSauce with Zy

Moore had also received support from an organization that helps formerly incarcerated people find employment and was recently awarded a scholarship to attend Cal Poly Humboldt, according to the Lost Coast Outpost.

The scholarship came less than three months before his arrest.

Moore had previously spoken publicly about his time in prison, including fights and his struggles with drugs, according to the outlet.


Alachua Police Department Says ALPR Technology Is Valuable When Used Responsibly

0

ALACHUA, Fla. – Alachua Police Chief Jesse Sandusky issued a statement today addressing the department’s use of automated license plate readers and the broader debate surrounding the technology.

The Alachua Police Department said it is following the local and national conversation over License Plate Recognition, or LPR, technology and recognizes the concerns being raised by residents and civil liberties advocates. Questions about privacy, access to collected information, proper law enforcement use, and possible Fourth Amendment issues are serious matters, the department said, and are being treated as such.

According to the department, it recently received notice from the Florida Department of Transportation revoking active permits for Automated License Plate Recognition Systems placed within FDOT rights of way. The state agency is requiring impacted equipment to be removed within 30 days. Nine LPR cameras inside Alachua’s jurisdiction fall under the criteria outlined in the FDOT notice. The vendor has been informed, and police said the vendor has indicated it plans to comply with the 30-day removal order. For now, other LPR cameras that are still operating and do not fall under the FDOT permit criteria will remain in service as the department continues tracking court cases, legislative action, and guidance from state and federal authorities on the use of the technology and any Fourth Amendment implications. Police noted that, at this time, courts have held that LPR use does not violate Fourth Amendment protections. If legal standards change, the department said it will review its practices and make any needed adjustments to remain in compliance with the law while protecting the rights of the community.

While complying with FDOT’s directive, the department said it also wants residents to understand why police agencies have increasingly turned to LPR systems. In Alachua and across the country, officials say the technology has become an important investigative and public-safety tool. The department said LPR cameras have helped officers and investigators identify and arrest suspects in serious criminal cases, find missing and endangered people and juveniles, recover stolen vehicles, and get stolen firearms off the streets.

Still, the department emphasized that the usefulness of any law enforcement technology does not reduce its obligation to use that tool responsibly, legally, and with respect for constitutional protections. Officers regularly have access to sensitive databases and investigative resources that are not available to the public, police said, and that access comes with a duty to use those systems only for legitimate law enforcement purposes and in line with applicable laws, policies, and procedures.

The Alachua Police Department has policies and safeguards governing access to and use of sensitive law enforcement information, including LPR data. As with other restricted law enforcement databases, allegations that an employee has improperly accessed or misused information are taken seriously and are subject to review and investigation. Appropriate action can and will be taken when violations of law, policy, or procedure are identified. That being said, a thorough review of our current policies will be completed to determine if even more stringent internal processes need to be implemented.

We do not believe that public safety and individual privacy have to be competing principles. Our responsibility is to pursue both. We will continue to seek an appropriate balance that allows law enforcement to use effective technology to identify offenders, solve crimes, locate vulnerable people, and protect our community while ensuring that those tools are used responsibly and with appropriate safeguards for the privacy and constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens.

Pregnant Soldier Who Met Husband at War Is Widowed at Just 21

0

A 21-year-old pregnant Ukrainian servicewoman has been widowed after the husband she met while fighting Russia was killed on the front line.

Junior Sergeant Danyil Smyrnov was among four Ukrainian soldiers who died on August 28 on the Sumy front in northeastern Ukraine.

His wife, Yeva Smyrnova, who is eight months pregnant with their son, grieved at his funeral at St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery in Kyiv on September 3.

‘He wanted all of us to be able to live in peace,’ she said. ‘And in the end, he paid for that with his life.’

Hundreds of mourners gathered for the service at the monastery, a site often used for military funerals, as fellow soldiers laid bouquets of roses at his grave.

The couple first met when they joined the army, aged 18 in 2023. They then married two years later in July 2025. 

Mr Smyrnov served as a reconnaissance operator and helped train recruits, while his widow was a drone pilot operating under the call sign ‘Yunha.’ 

Given the increasing danger the couple faced in the fight against Putin’s Russia, they decided to start a family. 

Junior sergeant, Danyil Smyrnov, pictured with his wife, Yeva Smyrnova met when they joined the Ukrainian army in 2023

Junior sergeant, Danyil Smyrnov, pictured with his wife, Yeva Smyrnova met when they joined the Ukrainian army in 2023

Mr Smyrnov was one of four soldiers killed on the Sumy front in northeastern Ukraine on August 28

Mr Smyrnov was one of four soldiers killed on the Sumy front in northeastern Ukraine on August 28

The couple, pictured wearing army fatigues, were due to welcome a child together before Mr Smyrnov was killed

The couple, pictured wearing army fatigues, were due to welcome a child together before Mr Smyrnov was killed

Speaking about the decision to have a child, Ms Smyrnova said: ‘We dreamed of this child, but because we were both always at war, it was very difficult.’

Five days after her husband’s death, she said on social media: ‘In a few weeks, his legacy is due to be born, our son, little Smirnov.’

Mr Smyrnov was just 16 and finishing school when the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.

He started studying psychology at a Lithuanian university but dropped out after fighting intensified around Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine, where his uncle was serving.

The day Mr Smyrnov, who was known as ‘Surfer’ – due to the time he spent surfing in Bali while visiting his mother – turned 18, he signed a military contract.

His father, Oleksandr recalled the day his son told him that he was going to war.

‘He – called me that evening, very happy, and said, “Sorry, Dad, I signed the contract. I forged your signature. Forgive me,”‘ he said.

The bereaved father added that despite the difficulty of losing his son he found comfort in the thought of having a grandson. 

Mr Smyrnov commanded an assault group in the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade before he was wounded by shrapnel in both legs, underwent rehabilitation and then transferred to Ukrainian military intelligence.

During his time in the military, he frequently posted about the war to more than 40,000 followers on Instagram.

In one post, written around his birthday, Mr Smyrnov wrote: ‘In my 20 years, I’ve understood one thing: people don’t value life until they feel its edge. 

‘War is not romance. It’s an experience that strips you down to what’s real.’

The post continued: ‘The choice is simple: who will you be – a victim, or someone who takes responsibility?’ 

Get your news delivered straight to you by 7am – sign up to our new Morning Mail newsletter for FREE

Do YOU have a story? Email joshua.haining@dailymail.co.uk 

70-Year-Old Florida Woman Opens Fire Inside Port Orange Police Department Lobby, Chief Says

0

A 70-year-old Florida woman was confronted by police Thursday after she allegedly fired a gun inside the lobby of the Port Orange Police Department, according to the agency’s chief.

Officials said the situation, which began around 8:30 a.m. local time, did not pose an ongoing danger to the public. The department added that “all officers and employees are safe and accounted for.”

“Shortly after 8 o’clock this morning, we had an individual enter the main lobby of the police department. That person was a 70, roughly 70-year-old White female, holding a firearm, a handgun,” Port Orange Police Chief Manuel Marino told reporters at the scene.

Marino said the woman interacted with civilian employees near the department’s front records area before displaying the weapon. “She remains in the lobby for a bit of time, a few minutes, when ultimately she does fire a round inside the lobby in the direction where some of our civilian staff were working,” he said.

Police stand near Port Orange Police Department building

Police are seen outside the Port Orange Police Department headquarters on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026, after an officer-involved shooting. (WOFL)

“A call went out over the radio, referenced an active shooter or shooting in progress. Our officers responded. She exits the front lobby and is confronted by the officers that are responding to the scene,” Marino added.

“At that point, there is an officer-involved shooting. The individual was transported to the hospital, but we’re not releasing her name actually pending next to kin notification at this point. We had the three officers were involved. Fortunately, none were injured. And none of our civilian staff suffered any injuries,” Marino also said.

Port Orange Police Chief Manuel Marino speaks to media

Port Orange Police Chief Manuel Marino said the person who opened fire was a “roughly 70-year-old white female.” (WOFL)

The police chief said the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the shooting.

The suspect, according to Marino, was still holding her firearm when confronted by the officers.

Port Orange Police Department building door

The entrance to the Port Orange Police Department building in central Florida. (WOFL)

Her condition is not immediately clear.

Mark Sanchez Files Guilty Plea as Former NFL QB Awaits Sentencing in Brawl Case

0

Mark Sanchez has moved to enter a guilty plea in connection with a violent downtown Indianapolis altercation that nearly turned deadly.

The former NFL quarterback was arrested last October after he was stabbed during a fight that also left 69-year-old truck driver Perry Tole injured.

Following his arrest, Sanchez was dismissed from his role at Fox Sports. He has since faced multiple charges, including battery causing serious injury, unauthorized entry of a motor vehicle and public intoxication.

According to FOX59, Sanchez filed a motion Thursday in Marion County Superior Court 21 requesting a guilty plea and sentencing hearing. The plea must still be approved by a judge, and it remains unclear which charge or charges Sanchez intends to admit to.

Sanchez’s jury trial, initially scheduled for March 12, has been postponed five times, with the latest date set for September 8. His attorneys are now asking the court to accept the plea agreement and sentence him on either November 9 or November 16.

The filing was called a ‘positive development’ by Sanchez’s legal advisor Nick Sanchez Jr.  

Mark Sanchez has filed a guilty plea in connection with a near-fatal brawl in Indianapolis

Mark Sanchez has filed a guilty plea in connection with a near-fatal brawl in Indianapolis

Sanchez was arrested last October after he was stabbed in the incident in Indianapolis

Sanchez was arrested last October after he was stabbed in the incident in Indianapolis

‘We are finalizing an agreement with the prosecutor’s office that provides a path toward resolving the state’s case,’ he told FOX59. 

‘We’re also encouraged by the constructive conversations taking place regarding the related civil matter. There is real momentum toward bringing this entire chapter to a close.’

An attorney representing Tole, Matt Goltiko, said: ‘We are pleased with the constructive and professional conversations we’ve had with Mr. Sanchez’s team. 

‘Our discussions have been productive and we’re on a positive path toward an agreement that will allow the parties to move forward. Mr. Tole appreciates the progress we have achieved and looks forward to an amicable resolution.’

During an alleged near-fatal brawl with Tole, Sanchez, 39, suffered multiple stab wounds to his upper right torso.

The ex-New York Jets star may have been under the influence of cocaine, fentanyl, marijuana and alcohol, according to a document filed by Tole’s attorneys in a related federal lawsuit.

Sanchez, who has been married to wife Perry Mattfeld since 2023, was in Indianapolis to cover the Colts’ game against the Las Vegas Raiders for Fox the following day when the altercation with Tole occurred.

After briefly being booked into jail upon his release from hospital, he was fired by the network in early November.

Sanchez twice led the New York Jets to the AFC Championship game in his early career

Sanchez twice led the New York Jets to the AFC Championship game in his early career

Sanchez married his wife, actress Perry Mattfeld, in May 2023 in a lavish Mexico ceremony

Sanchez married his wife, actress Perry Mattfeld, in May 2023 in a lavish Mexico ceremony

A police affidavit alleged that Sanchez, smelling of alcohol, accosted Tole, who had backed his truck into a hotel’s loading docks in downtown Indianapolis on October 4.

Tole claimed in a lawsuit that Sanchez entered the truck without permission, then physically blocked him. The driver responded by dousing him with pepper spray, he told police. 

When Sanchez advanced after being sprayed, Tole pulled a knife to defend himself, authorities said.

A picture of Tole that circulated online following the incident showed him in a neck brace on a hospital bed, covered in blood with a deep slash to the side of his face.

Tole, who has claimed self-defense and has not been charged, is suing Sanchez, Fox Sports and local restaurateur Huse Culinary in federal court.

Among the allegations against Sanchez are that he may have been under the influence of cocaine, fentanyl, marijuana and alcohol.

‘[Tole] has cause to believe that one or more of these substances may have been consumed in one of [the restaurant company’s] establishments which caused or contributed to Sanchez’s impairment and his subsequent negligent and/or knowing conduct,’ read the filing, obtained by the Daily Mail. 

Tole’s attorneys did not provide any evidence to support these claims and are instead calling for a further investigation to confirm the extent of Sanchez’s intoxication and whether any defendants had knowledge of him using additional intoxicants.

In a statement provided to Daily Mail, Sanchez’s attorney Andrew M. McNeil said: ‘These are allegations in a civil filing, nothing more, and they should be treated accordingly. Allegations are not evidence. The truth will be determined by facts and evidence presented at trial, and we look forward to presenting them at the appropriate time.’

Fall 2: Deadpoint Review: Is It Worth the Theater Trip?

0

The vertigo-inducing shots of sheer mountain faces look tailor-made for IMAX — those giant screens currently dominated, for the most part, by Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey. The people clinging to those cliffs, however, are hardly the sort of marquee names who would rank among that film’s 20 most identifiable stars. That contrast is the strange appeal of Fall 2: Deadpoint: a big-screen survival thriller built from streaming-era scraps, a green-screened sequel to a movie that found much of its audience at home. It may be the year’s most effective collision of old-fashioned cinematic spectacle and unapologetic trash.

The first Fall became a hit in a way few low-budget thrillers do anymore. The indie film, centered on two women stranded atop a remote radio tower as they desperately try to call for help and stay alive, played like an open-air, shark-free cousin to the sleeper success 47 Meters Down. Lionsgate picked it up and gave it a theatrical release in 2022 after test audiences responded well. With little in the way of marketing muscle and no major stars to sell it, Fall still managed to become a modest global box office success, even though it never landed the IMAX screens its filmmakers had once hoped for. Variety described the movie as having been shot with “large-format cameras,” though what that meant in practice remains somewhat unclear, since it was not filmed with IMAX equipment. Then Netflix gave it a second life, pushing it up the streamer’s charts and introducing it to a wider audience. By then, Fall 2 had already been approved, and it arrives in theaters over Labor Day weekend — a fitting slot for another compact, modestly cast thriller that nevertheless aims for a surprisingly massive sense of scale.

It would have been simple enough for Fall 2: Deadpoint to recycle the original movie’s premise without tying itself too closely to what came before. Instead, the sequel leans into continuity and character mythology. That choice may come from creative ambition, or it may be a shrewd bit of franchise-building. As a Lionsgate release that sits close to horror without fully committing to gore, the film almost feels positioned as a lighter substitute for the studio’s signature Saw series, which has been stalled by creative disputes since the success of Saw X. The connection is strengthened by the hiring of the Spierig Brothers, genre veterans who directed the unsuccessful 2017 Saw semi-reboot Jigsaw. They take over from original director Scott Mann, who remains involved as a co-writer — a handoff that recalls the early Saw years, when writer Leigh Whannell and producer James Wan stayed with the franchise for several installments after Wan directed and Whannell wrote the first film.

Fall 2 centers on Jax (Harriet Slater), the grieving sister of Shiloh (Virginia Gardner), one of the women trapped in the original Fall. Still reeling from Shiloh’s sudden death, Jax crosses paths with Luce (Arsema Thomas), an old friend of her sister’s, who proposes a wildly risky tribute: complete one of the adventures Shiloh dreamed about but never got to attempt. That plan sends Jax to Thailand with someone she barely knows, bound for an illegal and dangerously fragile mountainside trail that requires an artificial walkway, a guide, and precisely placed anchors to navigate. Naturally, she agrees. As the trip escalates from reckless memorial to full-blown survival nightmare, Jax responds to far-flung, life-or-death crises with a reluctance that often feels less like terror on the edge of a jagged cliff and more like someone being asked to get out of bed at 6 a.m. — even after the rickety plank path beneath her has been destroyed.

That is indeed what happens in Fall 2. Jax and Luce go up the mountain with their guide, rocks fall, and the two women get stuck in a situation that arguably (and in proper sequel fashion) seems even worse than the one from the previous film.

This means that Fall 2: Deadpoint works largely the same way as Fall, which is to say it credibly evokes the stomach-dropping feeling of apprehension anyone might feel in the situation at hand. It’s a little faker-looking; though there are location shots throughout, imitating straight-down mountainside is not as straightforward a task as the first movie, which really did shoot far above the ground (just not as far, or as unsafe, as the characters looked). Still, the Spierigs use some inventive visual techniques, like repeated POV shots that capture the experience of looking straight down in the last place you’d ever want to do that, and the movie’s old standbys – trying to snare a stranded backpack; attempting to hang on to wobbly infrastructure that itself is just barely hanging on – work wonders.

Beyond the high-wobbling basics of its survival story, Fall 2 is pure B-movie: Awkwardly phrased expositional dialogue, weirdly elaborate backstories, and signposted but still ridiculous revelations. It doesn’t dare attempt to replicate the first movie’s twist (itself knocked off from another film), but throws in some wild turns of its own that should fail to distinguish it from any number of chintzy straight-to-streaming thrillers. By most contemporary standards, especially in a summer where the biggest success stories are movies as lavish as The Odyssey, or featuring characters as beloved as Spider-Man: Brand New Day, or as bespoke in their smallness as Obsession, Fall 2 shouldn’t seem like a theatrical event. Indeed, its eye is not on grosses measured in terms of a billion. The first one was a success when it crossed the $10 million mark worldwide. On the moviegoer side of things, if you’re planning on seeing one movie for the whole month of September, you probably don’t want to make it Fall 2.

But for more frequent moviegoers, it’s really a classic case of a shlocky film elevated by the circumstances of cinema: See it at the right size, and it transforms from a guilty borderline pleasure to a stupidly satisfying night out. The trick is finding an open screen big enough.

Lily Allen Hits Back at Trolls, Says First Husband ‘Had No Money’

Lily Allen responded to critics online on Thursday after one social media user questioned whether she would have married a man with “no money.”

The 38-year-old singer had been marking a happy milestone, sharing a loving tribute to her husband David Harbour in celebration of their third wedding anniversary, when the harsh remark appeared.

Lily, who has been married twice, is reported to be worth around £3.2 million, while David has reportedly earned £4.8 million through his successful acting career.

Posting on Instagram, the hitmaker shared a photo of the couple looking delighted shortly after tying the knot at the famous Graceland Wedding Chapel in 2020.

“3 years with this guy, 2nd best decision I ever made. 1st was that dress,” she wrote alongside the anniversary snap.

Anniversary: Lily Allen, 38, hit back at online trolls on Thursday, who asked her if she would have married a man with 'no money' (pictured on her wedding day to David Harbour in 2020)

Anniversary: Lily Allen, 38, hit back at online trolls on Thursday, who asked her if she would have married a man with ‘no money’ (pictured on her wedding day to David Harbour in 2020)

Lily could seen in a white 1960s-inspired Dior dress with a matching bridal veil that fell down to her back in two layers and black suede heels. 

However, one follower questioned: ‘Would you have married a guy with no money?’

To which Lily replied: ‘Sure. I did in 2011, sadly it didn’t work out though.’

The actress married builder Sam Cooper, 45, in 2011 at St. James Church in Gloucestershire, after two years of dating. 

However, their seven year marriage ended in 2018, with the singer later admitting she had cheated on her husband. 

She shares daughters Ethel, nine, and Marnie, seven, with Sam. He went on to marry his aristocratic designer partner India Windsor-Clive in 2021. 

His new wife, daughter of the Earl of Plymouth, is a descendant of the 18th Century’s Clive of India, who was a controversial military officer and an official of the East India Trading Company.

India and Sam, who apparently first got together a month after he had officially finalised his divorce with Lily, became engaged in January 2021, with the builder announcing the news on social media as he branded himself ‘an extraordinarily lucky man’.

Response: The singer shared a sweet post to celebrate her third wedding anniversary with husband David Harbour when she was met by the cruel comment

Response: The singer shared a sweet post to celebrate her third wedding anniversary with husband David Harbour when she was met by the cruel comment

Ex: The actress married builder Sam Cooper, 45, in 2011, after two years of dating. However, their seven year marriage ended in 2018

Ex: The actress married builder Sam Cooper, 45, in 2011, after two years of dating. However, their seven year marriage ended in 2018

Lily previously admitted she cheated on Sam after struggles with fame led her to lose her identity.

In her tell-all book, My Thoughts Exactly, she exposed how a showdown with Sam almost resulted in her being sectioned.

However, in a June 2018 interview on Loose Women, the Smile songstress said she shares a ‘very friendly’ relationship with Sam, and the pair have an unconventional custody agreement, where they take their daughters for alternative weeks at a time.

‘Me and my ex-husband share custody, a week on and a week off, which is useful for my work, when he’s got them, I can do that,’ she added.