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We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
The stark weather contrast between New York and Los Angeles was evident as the world premiere of “Project Hail Mary” took place at Lincoln Center on Manhattan’s Upper West Side on Wednesday. While New York shivered at 30 degrees, Los Angeles enjoyed a balmy 85, making the New York venue choice somewhat surprising.
Despite the chilly conditions, insiders at the New York premiere reported that the film successfully captured the audience’s attention throughout its 156-minute duration. However, the event itself appeared somewhat disorganized, with the red carpet event held at Josie Robertson Plaza, a considerable distance from the theater.
This logistical hiccup caused a delay, as sources noted that the journey from the red carpet to the theater added an hour to the event’s schedule.
Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, a more understated press screening was conducted at IMAX’s Playa Vista headquarters on the same evening. The film, anticipated to be a success, is projected to open with a box office take between $70 and $78 million and boasts a 95% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Although the timing of the release doesn’t suggest an Oscar bid, Ryan Gosling’s acclaimed performance and the film’s technical prowess might still make it a contender. Insiders reveal that Amazon/MGM is looking at the success of “Sinners,” which opened in April and went on to win four Oscars, as a potential model for “Project Hail Mary.”
Perched atop a distant mountain, Abbas Ayoub watches in despair as his neighborhood crumbles beneath a barrage of destruction. The 33-year-old is no stranger to the turmoil of displacement, having twice before been forced to abandon his lifelong home in Beirut.
Ayoub resided in the southern district of Dahiyeh, a region often characterized as a Hezbollah stronghold, when Israeli airstrikes began to intensify across the city in early March 2026. This surge in violence followed Hezbollah’s rocket attacks on northern Israel, a retaliatory move in response to the assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on February 28.
Awoken by the thunderous sound of nearby explosions, Ayoub was jarred from sleep in the dead of night.
“We left around 3 a.m. and headed for the mountains that very night. It all happened so suddenly,” Ayoub recounts to SBS News, reflecting on the abrupt upheaval.
“We left around 3am … and we went up to the mountains that night. It happened suddenly,” he tells SBS News.
Abbas Ayoub is no stranger to displacement, having fled his lifelong home in Beirut now for the third time. Source: Supplied
“The sound [of the bombs] was very loud, so the people and the kids and the families, they got scared and most of them left immediately.”
It’s not the first time he’s been forced to abandon his home.
He first fled Dahiyeh as a teenager during the 2006 Lebanon war — a 34-day conflict between Israel and Hezbollah that displaced up to one million people at its peak. He left again in 2024, when Israel launched a massive aerial campaign and subsequent ground invasion of southern Lebanon, the biggest escalation since 2006.
At least 1.3 million people have been displaced in Lebanon since mid-March 2026. Source: SBS News
Now, with hostilities escalating again, Ayoub is fleeing for a third time — joining an estimated 1.3 million people who have been displaced from their homes since 2 March.
“I think now most of the Lebanese people, they are adapted now to get displaced. It’s a normal thing now. We just pack our important things and we leave,” he says.
It’s the same tragedy again and again.
“We are adapted to the situation. All the people; they know what to do in crisis time.”
‘Normal people live in Dahiyeh’
The neighbourhood Ayoub fled is one of the most misunderstood places in Lebanon, he says.
Dahiyeh is routinely described as a Hezbollah stronghold, shorthand for the area where the group — designated a terrorist organisation by Australia and other Western governments — has a substantial presence.
For the estimated one million people who call Dahiyeh home, that framing oversimplifies a far more complicated reality.
“Normal people live in Dahiyeh,” Ayoub says.
“There are doctors, there are engineers, there are a lot of educated people. It’s not as the media sometimes shows.
“Of course, there are lots of supporters of Hezbollah because they are the resistance to the Israeli occupation from 1982 until the liberation date in May 2000. So they have a lot of supporters in Dahiyeh, but not all the people of Dahiyeh are members of Hezbollah.”
Hajje Zaynab, 80, from Yater in the far south of Lebanon, spent hours on the road seeking safety in Anout and now lives in a single school classroom with 23 people — trying to sleep despite a shortage of pillows, mattresses, and blankets. Source: Supplied / Emin Özmen/Magnum Photos, Médecins Sans Frontières
Lebanon was pulled into the conflict on 2 March after Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, opened fire at Israel in response to the killing of Iran’s former leader.
Israel’s retaliation has since killed at least 886 people in Lebanon, driven more than one million from their homes, and left more than 130,000 sheltering in collective facilities, according to Lebanese authorities.
The United Nations (UN) human rights office has said Israeli airstrikes on residential buildings, displaced people and healthcare workers in Lebanon may amount to war crimes — with spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan confirming strikes had “destroyed entire residential buildings in dense urban environments with multiple members of the same family, including women and children, often killed together”.
Israel’s military says it is targeting Hezbollah infrastructure and describes its ground operation in Lebanon as a defensive measure to protect northern Israel from Hezbollah attacks.
About 14 per cent of Lebanon’s territory is now designated for evacuation, the Norwegian Refugee Council estimates. Source: SBS News
On 5 March, an evacuation order was issued for all residents of Dahiyeh. That same day, far-right Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich warned in a video on X that the area would soon “look like Khan Younis”, a city in southern Gaza largely decimated by Israeli attacks.
Ayoub recalls the chaos that followed.
“The traffic jam was horrible, horrible, horrible,” he says.
“Some people were stuck in traffic for five or six hours.
“It’s not a good feeling to know that my home is in Dahiyeh. There’s a huge risk because Israel [is] destroying buildings and businesses.”
He is now staying at his uncle’s place tucked in the mountains beyond Beirut with his immediate family, his uncle’s family, and his sister’s family — a total of 15 people in one house.
Mohammad, 11, from Ghazieh, a town near Lebanon’s coast, has been sheltering with his family in a damp mountain monastery, struggling with cold and allergies after fleeing airstrikes without any medication. Source: Supplied / Emin Özmen/Magnum Photos, Médecins Sans Frontières
Ayoub says those without relatives to fall back on are in a far worse position.
“There are a lot of poor families who can’t afford to rent an apartment or a hotel … They can’t afford their own meal.”
The war has also gutted the economy. Ayoub, an IT technician who also works sporadically as a tour guide, says he is still earning income — but only a fraction of what he normally would.
“The economic cycle in the country right now has crashed. You can get a quarter of your salary or income due to the war. Some people, they are not getting any income.”
“When the economic cycle stops suddenly, a lot of people are going to spend from their savings. It will put a lot of families into poverty again.”
‘Watching the same tragic movie’
Ayoub’s experience is just one of many.
Between 3 and 6 March, the Israeli military issued sweeping orders instructing residents of entire towns and villages in southern Lebanon, Beirut’s southern suburbs and parts of the Bekaa Valley to evacuate — including an order on 5 March for the entire population living south of the Litani River to leave “immediately” for their “safety”.
That order has since been extended to areas further north, below the Zahrani River.
Collectively, about 14 per cent of Lebanon’s territory is now designated for evacuation, the Norwegian Refugee Council estimates.
The Israel Defense Forces has issued mass evacuation notices to more than 200 villages and towns in Lebanon — including the entire population living south of the Zahrani River. Source: SBS News
On 8 March, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) posted on X: “Hezbollah’s terrorist activity is forcing the IDF to operate against the organisation in the area. The IDF does not intend to harm you … Remaining south of the Litani River may endanger your lives and the lives of your families.”
On 16 March, the IDF said it had started “limited and targeted ground operations against key Hezbollah strongholds in southern Lebanon” as part of “broader defensive efforts”, including the “dismantling of terrorist infrastructure and the elimination of terrorists operating in the area”.
But Amnesty International has raised serious concerns about the scope of those orders.
The organisation argues that mass evacuation notices — covering the entirety of Beirut’s southern suburbs and more than 200 villages and towns— may themselves constitute a violation of international humanitarian law.
Amnesty’s Middle East and North Africa regional director Kristine Beckerle said on 7 March: “Issuing mass evacuation orders does not grant the Israeli military the right to treat these areas as open-fire zones, nor does it absolve Israel of its obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians.”
A doctor listens to the chest sounds of a displaced man with a stethoscope as a nurse records his vital signs. Thousands have fled their homes under threat of fire — often with nothing and without their medications. Source: Supplied / Emin Özmen/Magnum Photos, Médecins Sans Frontières
The repeated use of “overly broad warnings”, she added, raised serious concerns that some orders were intended to forcibly displace civilians, which is prohibited under international law.
“The absolute impunity that Israel has enjoyed after previous rounds of fighting has paved the way for these same violations of international law to recur, once again placing civilians at grave risk.”
‘Large-scale’ humanitarian crisis in Lebanon
Sabine Abiaad, who is based in Beirut and works for ActionAid Arab Region, a women’s rights organisation, says the scale of what she is seeing is catastrophic.
“What we are seeing right now in Lebanon is a rapidly deteriorating and large-scale humanitarian crisis,” she tells SBS News.
Abiaad says families are fleeing with only a few belongings, often taking only their children.
“Some are staying in shelters. A lot of people are staying in unfinished buildings with their relatives. A lot of people are sleeping on the streets in their cars because they have no place to go.
“The toll on civilians is huge. We are talking about 20 per cent of the population in Lebanon being displaced, which is really an alarming number. This number is continuing to rise, not only because of the forced displacement orders, but also because of the ongoing strikes.”
Khadija fled Ebba, in the district of Nabatiyeh, with her husband, daughter Sanaa (8) and her son Ali (12). They are living in a shed inside a plant nursery, using buckets of water to wash and clean and relying on candles at night. Source: Supplied / Emin Özmen/Magnum Photos, Médecins Sans Frontières
Many of those currently sheltering have been displaced previously.
“People are fleeing over and over again,” Abiaad says.
“In less than two years, people have been forced to leave their homes more than one time.
“It’s like watching the same tragic movie repeating itself again and again.”
‘We are not to blame for what strong people do’
Among the most vulnerable caught in this cycle are Lebanon’s children.
According to Lebanese health ministry figures, at least 111 children have been killed and 334 wounded in Israeli strikes since 2 March — the equivalent of a classroom of children killed or injured per day, UNICEF deputy executive director Ted Chaiban told the Reuters news agency.
Of the more than one million people displaced, around 350,000 are children.
Israel says it does not deliberately target civilians and that its warnings give civilians enough time to leave before strikes take place.
According to Lebanese health ministry figures, at least 111 children have been killed and 334 wounded in Israeli strikes since 2 March. Source: Supplied / Emin Özmen/Magnum Photos, Médecins Sans Frontières
Three children, whose testimonies were gathered by ActionAid and shared exclusively with SBS News, described the emotional weight of the conflict and the pain of approaching Eid al-Fitr, the Islamic holiday marking the end of Ramadan, under these conditions.
“Even our friends have gone underground and become angels with God,” one child said.
Who will we play [with] and be happy with? We want to celebrate Eid; we are still young.
Another said: “This year we will not buy new clothes for Eid, nor will we visit relatives, because we were displaced from our home due to the bombing around us. We will not go to play, we will not go to amusement parks, and we will not go out [or do anything] because of the war.”
A third said: “War is extremely difficult and harsh, especially for those under fire. We are not to blame for what strong people [adults] do, nor are we to blame for wars.”
Ayoub worries the war is having a “huge impact” on the older children in his family.
“[Children that are] two or three years old, they can’t feel it. They know nothing about the war, they just want to play. But those aged 10 and above, it has a huge impact on them,” he says.
“But at least we can adapt with the situation. We consider ourselves lucky compared to other families who are suffering more.”
Abiaad warns shelters are overcrowded and people’s needs are going unmet.
People in Lebanon are exhausted. They want to live safely in dignity and have the chance to rebuild their lives again.
“It’s changing hour by hour in Lebanon,” she says.
“People had to leave multiple times in a short period. They don’t know if they are going to be able to return to their homes. They don’t know when this is going to be over.”
“Behind these numbers are real families, real people who are exhausted, tired, and they want to live safely and protect their children in Lebanon.”
‘If we still have a home’
From his vantage in the mountains, about 12km from home, Ayoub can still hear Dahiyeh being struck.
“It’s like a deep explosion sound, and we can see, of course, the columns of smoke,” he says.
Abbas Ayoub’s view of Beirut from his uncle’s house in the mountains, where he is sheltering with 15 members of his family. Source: Supplied
Amid the uncertainty, he is keeping routines as normal as possible.
“Every day, we are trying to gain hope. Doing sport, doing your regular hobbies. We’re trying our best to keep on track,” he says.
He watches the news each day, trying to anticipate what will come next.
“It seems like it’s going to be a long war because it’s not only Lebanon involved.”
But Ayoub has not given up hope for Lebanon.
“I want to live and I want to stay. I love this country. We have a high potential in Lebanon, we just need some stability in this country … we have a lot of resources, a lot of smart people in Lebanon.
“We hope this war will end soon. We want to get back to our normal.
“When it ends, we will get back to our home — if we still have a home.”
In Tampa, Florida, a new “All Abilities Park” is set to honor the memory of a young man tragically lost in the Ybor City shooting during the Halloween weekend of 2023. This memorial is dedicated to Harrison Boonstoppel, who was an innocent victim in the incident.
Harrison’s mother, Brucie, fondly recalls her son’s adventurous spirit and his love for connecting with others. Her South Tampa residence, adorned with wind chimes and a thriving butterfly garden, serves as a constant reminder of Harrison’s presence.
“Whenever the butterflies appear, I grab my camera and imagine Harrison saying, ‘Hey,'” Brucie Boonstoppel shared, capturing the essence of her son’s enduring spirit.
Harrison’s life was marked by courage and determination from the start. Born prematurely, he spent many years overcoming significant health challenges. Brucie remembers a time when doctors questioned whether he would ever walk or speak.
“He faced life with a smile, even with leg braces and a feeding tube. I remember him holding a lizard, grinning from ear to ear, unfazed by anything,” she reminisced.
He took that attitude even further into his teenage years, when he still had physical handicaps that couldn’t stop him from ziplining, doing back flips, skateboarding, and mountain climbing.
“He was just an amazing person,” she said.
A year after graduating from high school, Harrison Boonstoppel was tragically killed during a shooting in Ybor City. His mother said that moment doesn’t take away from the victories he saw in life. And a park in Tampa is being dedicated to his life, acknowledging those victories along the way.
“That’s why I think it’s perfect for him,” said Brucie Boonstoppel.
The newly named Harrison Boonstoppel All Abilities Park will reflect his determination. The park is designed to give children of all abilities a place to explore and connect. It features equipment for children with physical, cognitive, and sensory needs, and for those who use wheelchairs.
The idea and Harrison Boonstoppel’s story brought tears to Tampa City Council members who unanimously approved the dedication last year.
“Harrison’s life, it just uniquely fits into what this park is all about,” said Councilmember Luis Viera.
As her son speaks to her, Brucie Boonstoppel said he continues to be her inspiration.
“The pain of losing a child, it’s every day. But I feel not just therapeutic for me, but I want to do this. I want to make it better so that he sees me marching on forward anyway,” said Brucie Boonstoppel.
The park is located at Cypress Creek Nature Preserve. The dedication is Saturday. You can learn more about his family’s efforts to honor his life here.
Hannah Payne during her sentencing hearing on Dec. 15, 2023 (Law&Crime).
Tensions ran high in a Georgia courtroom on Wednesday as flaws stemming from AI-generated legal documents threatened to disrupt the appeal of a woman accused of a citizen’s arrest that tragically ended in murder.
In December 2023, 25-year-old Hannah Payne was found guilty on multiple charges, including two counts of felony murder, three counts of weapon possession during a crime, and individual counts of malice murder, aggravated assault, and false imprisonment. These charges were related to the May 2019 death of 62-year-old Kenneth Herring.
Payne received a life sentence but is eligible for parole after serving a minimum of 43 years.
She promptly appealed both her conviction and sentence, arguing that she had received ineffective legal representation. After a failed bid for a new trial in the late summer of 2025, her case has now reached the Georgia Supreme Court.
During the court proceedings, a justice observed that some sections of the legal documents from the lower court lacked proper legal basis.
“In reviewing the trial court’s order denying the motion for new trial, there are at least five citations to cases that don’t exist, and there’s at least five more citations to cases that do not support the proposition for which they’re cited, including three quotations that don’t exist,” Chief Justice Nels S.D. Peterson said.
An attorney for the state denied knowledge of the fabricated citations.
“I did prepare an order, that order was revised,” Deborah Leslie, representing the Clayton County District Attorney’s Office, said.
This answer received a quick riposte.
“Those nonexistent cases were cited in your initial brief opposing the motion for new trial,” the justice told the prosecutor.
To which Leslie replied: “Your Honor, I’m not aware of that, but I would be glad to research and provide the court with a supplement.”
Court TV obtained copies of the initial 37-page proposed order prepared by the state — as well as the eventual 33-page order denying Payne a new trial issued by Clayton County Superior Court Judge Jewel C. Scott.
A review of both orders by Law&Crime shows the exact same number of citations were used in each document.
During oral arguments, an attorney representing Payne apologized for not catching the multiple apparent errors in the orders.
“I’m sorry I didn’t catch it,” appellate lawyer Andrew Fleischman said. “I sometimes don’t read all the cases cited in my opponent’s brief, and this was an instance where I didn’t do that. I regret that I did not bring this to the court’s attention. I am sorry about it.”
The heart of the appeal is the notion that Payne’s trial attorney offered constitutionally deficient counsel because he did not try to assert either a defense of others or citizen’s arrest basis in service of her broader self-defense claim.
In the aftermath of a collision involving multiple vehicles, Payne confronted Herring. And while taking the stand in her own defense, she admittedly never drew her weapon before the day in question. But Payne insisted she never meant for her brandished handgun to even fire a bullet during the resulting altercation. Rather, she said, the deceased man shot himself during the ensuing struggle for her weapon.
“The defense that he chose is basically inapplicable,” Fleischman said of the way Payne’s trial counsel framed the self-defense argument.
The state, for its part, claims the two unused defenses were not supported by the evidence and therefore the lack of instruction was proper.
But while drama was high over the fake quotations issue, the justices on the highest appeals court in the Peach State gave no indication the kerfuffle would necessarily inure to Payne’s benefit.
As proceedings drew to a close, the court said it would take all the arguments into consideration. The state supreme court offered no indication when a decision would be issued.
Sydney experienced a dramatic afternoon as a fierce storm brought hailstones the size of golf balls.
Several regions in New South Wales, including Singleton and Warragamba, also saw significant hail.
By 3:30 p.m., the city was engulfed in darkness as the storm advanced.
Authorities had previously issued alerts, cautioning residents about potential flash flooding and severe winds accompanied by hail.
According to the Bureau of Meteorology, Penrith recorded hailstones measuring 5 centimeters at 4 p.m.
A gust of 91 km/h was recorded at Western Sydney Airport at 3.42 pm.
A weather warning remains in place for “very dangerous thunderstorms” in Central Tablelands and parts of the Hunter, Metropolitan, Illawarra, Southern Tablelands, North West Slopes and Plains, Central West Slopes and Plains, South West Slopes and Riverina Forecast Districts, the BOM says.
“Severe thunderstorms with heavy rainfall, and possible damaging wind gusts and large hail continue,” it says.
A Florida resident recently took to the internet to clarify that he is not Jeffrey Epstein, despite bearing a striking resemblance to the infamous figure. However, he did acknowledge attending events where Epstein was present.
The man was seen driving around last week by a fellow Floridian named Andrew Posey with the caption ‘Epstein out here in South Florida,’ and thousands of commenters left shocked by the resemblance.
In response to the growing buzz, the man launched several social media profiles under the name ‘Not Epstein’ to introduce himself to the public.
“Hey everyone, this is Palm Beach Pete. My video went viral after someone randomly filmed me driving on I-95 without my knowing. Suddenly, I’m an internet sensation,” he explained in a video.
Pete mentioned that his life had become “pretty crazy” following the video’s release, as he received numerous comments about his likeness to Epstein.
An off-camera voice then asks, “So, you’re not Jeffrey Epstein?”
Pete replied: ‘I’m not Jeffrey Epstein. I’m Palm Beach Pete.’
Shockingly, there was another twist in the story when Palm Beach Pete was interviewed by TMZ following his viral infamy.
A Florida man who took to the internet to say that he is not Jeffrey Epstein despite an uncanny resemblance, but in a shock twist, admitted to having attended parties where the pedophile was in attendance
The man was seen driving around last week by a fellow Floridian named Andrew Posey with the caption ‘Epstein out here in South Florida,’ and thousands of commenters shocked by the resemblance
‘Back in the day, when I was living in the city, I went to a couple of parties and Epstein was there,’ he said.
Pete described Epstein as ‘kinda’ creepy, staying to himself and he wasn’t the magnitude that he is or was, he wasn’t a big deal.’
He also stated that he never really met the pedophile financier, nor did he have a conversation with him.
Epstein was ‘mysterious’ according to Pete, who stated what many others have, that ‘people didn’t know where he made his money or what his story was.’
Pete said that this is nothing new for him, as he has recalled going viral before, having appeared in the background of a Real Housewives episode and with his children at a hockey game.
He was insistent that the world realizing his doppelganger – though he says he’s a ‘better looking version’ of Epstein – was not going to affect his life.
‘I’m not gonna’ change. This guy is dead and he was a really bad person, and I can hold my head high. I didn’t do anything. I just happened to have similar looks.’
In fact, while people are often rude online, they are friendlier in person, with some even asking him for pictures.
This week, the man created several social media accounts under the handle ‘Not Epstein’ and introduced himself as ‘Palm Beach Pete’
Pete’s recently launched Instagram account already has over 71,000 followers
Palm Beach Pete said that, fame aside, he’s a regular retiree spending his golden years in the Sunshine State.
‘I’m a regular guy, I’m retired, I lived in the city for a long time, worked in commercial real estate. I love to play tennis, I’m very social!’
Pete’s recently launched Instagram account already has over 71,000 followers.
Fascination with Epstein has gone on long past his 2019 death at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Manhattan, which was ruled a suicide.
Epstein was convicted in 2008 in Florida of soliciting a minor for prostitution, taking a plea deal where he registered as a sex offender
He was arrested again in 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges but died by suicide in jail while awaiting trial.
His connections to the wealthy and elite – including Presidents Donald Trump and Bill Clinton – have led many to wonder what they knew about Epstein’s crimes and vice versa.
Neither Trump nor Clinton has ever been charged with a crime in relation to Epstein. Both men have publicly stated they stopped associating with Epstein decades ago.
Attorney General Pam Bondi has released tranches of documents, known as ‘the Epstein Files’ in an attempt at transparency, though she has faced criticism for her handling of the files.
Most recently, President Clinton and former First Lady and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton both testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee regarding Epstein.
Secretary of State Clinton said that she had never met nor associated with Epstein, while President Clinton reiterated that he’d not spoken with him since before his initial arrest.
Both have encouraged the committee to bring Trump in for questioning.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese faced a hostile reception on Friday at the country’s largest mosque, as attendees expressed their discontent with his position on the Israeli conflict with Hamas.
During his visit, Albanese was met with derogatory remarks, being labeled a “putrid dog” and a “genocide supporter” in relation to the ongoing casualties in the Gaza Strip following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, according to The Telegraph.
Footage captured the prime minister alongside the Home Affairs Minister, Tony Burke, at Sydney’s Lakemba Mosque. The visit coincided with the community’s celebration of Eid al-Fitr, marking the conclusion of Ramadan.
As Albanese departed the mosque, some in the crowd voiced their displeasure, shouting, “Why is he in here? Get him out of here!”
“Why is he in here? Get him out of here!” some shouted.
Albanese and his Left Labor government have drawn criticism for its support of a ceasefire in Gaza and Israel’s right to defend itself.
During the commotion, Gamel Kheir, the mosque’s secretary, pleaded for calm.
“Respect the place you’re in,” he said. “We must engage and have frank and open dialogue with our political leaders and not shy away and be reclusive.”
“You called him honorable. He’s responsible for the deaths of 1 million people, 1 million of our brothers and sisters,” one person reportedly shouted.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was heckled out of a mosque in Sydney during a visit Friday.(AuBC via APTN)
Albanese was taken into an office inside the mosque by security before he was taken out of the building and into his motorcade.
As he was leaving, cries of “shame on you” and the slur “Alba-tizi,” a derogatory Arabic play on his surname, referencing buttocks, were shouted.
“He wants to come here after shaking hands with the president of Israel, who’s got blood on his hands,” said one person who confronted the prime minister. “To come here and act like nothing has happened is a disgrace.”
Albanese posted photos on X showing him smiling and shaking hands with attendees.
Attendees heckled Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during a visit to a mosque Friday, March 20, 2026.(AuBC via APTN)
“Overwhelmingly, the reception was incredibly positive,” he told reporters of his visit. “I walked through the crowd to the mosque, and not a single person heckled. There were a couple of hecklers inside. They were dealt with.
“Contrary to what’s been suggested, no one was rushed out,” he added. “We just sat there. … It was dealt with by the community themselves because overwhelmingly they did not want that to occur.”
Nicholas Brendon, the actor fondly remembered for his role as Xander Harris on the iconic series “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” has died at the age of 54. His passing occurred on March 20, leaving fans and loved ones in mourning.
The WB
In a heartfelt statement shared with The Hollywood Reporter, Brendon’s family expressed their grief: “We are heartbroken to share the passing of our brother and son, Nicholas Brendon.” They revealed that he died peacefully in his sleep from natural causes. Acknowledging his past struggles, the family noted that Nicholas was receiving treatment and was hopeful about the future. “Our family asks for privacy during this time as we grieve his loss and celebrate the life of a man who lived with intensity, imagination, and heart,” they added, thanking everyone who has offered support and love.
Earlier in 2023, Brendon disclosed that he had suffered a heart attack, during which doctors discovered a congenital heart defect. His health challenges also included cauda equina syndrome, necessitating multiple spinal surgeries.
Beyond his memorable stint as Xander in all seven seasons of “Buffy,” Brendon carved out a niche in cult classics and television. He charmed audiences as the dashing surfer Starcat in the quirky horror-comedy “Psycho Beach Party,” sharing the screen with Lauren Ambrose and a then-up-and-coming Amy Adams. His television credits include a recurring role as Kevin Lynch on “Criminal Minds,” a stint on “Kitchen Confidential” as Seth, and voice work as Huntsboy #89 in “American Dragon: Jake Long.”
Brendon’s final credited appearance was in the 2024 film “Christmas Slasher,” portraying Mr. Gregory. In recent years, he had embraced roles in numerous B-movies, particularly within the horror genre, while also channeling his creativity into art and painting. He is survived by his twin brother, Kelly, and other family members. Nicholas Brendon will be dearly missed by the “Buffy” fandom, remembered for bringing to life a character who could alternately be endearing and exasperating, capturing the complexities of the human spirit.
Nicholas Brendon also appeared in cult films and became an artist later in life
Michael Caulfield Archive/Getty Images
Besides playing Xander in all seven seasons of “Buffy,” Nicholas Brendon had several popular cult roles on his resume. He was handsome surfer Starcat to Lauren Ambrose’s tomboyish Chicklet in the wild surf-comedy-horror picture “Psycho Beach Party,” a cult classic which also featured an early role for Amy Adams. He also played Kevin Lynch in 21 episodes of “Criminal Minds,” Seth in the short-lived show “Kitchen Confidential,” and voiced Huntsboy #89 in “American Dragon: Jake Long.”
Brendon’s last credited role was in 2024’s “Christmas Slasher,” where he played Mr. Gregory. In recent years he’d been appearing in a healthy number of B-movies, mainly horror films, and had also become dedicated to art and painting. He’s survived by his twin brother, Kelly, among other relatives, and will be missed by “Buffy” fans far and wide for the way he brought a character who was both lovable and also easily hateable — depending on the episode and fans’ moods — in equal measures.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Authorities took Christopher Bernard Williams, 55, into custody yesterday after a deputy discovered a sawed-off shotgun, a pistol, and drugs in a vehicle parked illegally in Porters Quarters.
The incident unfolded around 3 p.m. on March 19 when an Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy approached Williams. He was seated in a red Dodge pickup truck parked in the 500 block of SW 6th Place. The deputy noted the truck’s illegal parking and found that the vehicle’s registration tag had been switched with one registered to a white pickup truck in Pompano Beach. Additionally, it was confirmed that Williams did not possess a medical marijuana card.
Williams exited the vehicle, claiming that it belonged to his uncle, who lived nearby. The deputy observed signs of intoxication in Williams and detected the scent of marijuana emanating from the truck. Williams refused to grant permission for a search of the vehicle.
Subsequently, a K-9 unit was summoned to the scene and indicated the presence of illegal narcotics in the truck. This led to a probable cause search, during which the following items were reportedly discovered:
A short-barreled modified shotgun, loaded with a spent shell; the barrel was about 12 inches long, and the overall length was about 18 inches, shorter than the legal length of 26 inches
A 9mm pistol, loaded with 17 rounds, and a holster
A box of 50 9mm bullets
A pipe with suspected marijuana residue
Four “colorfully designed Mylar strain bags with marijuana residue”
About 177 empty baggies, “commonly used to package and distribute drugs”
Two digital scales, both covered in white powder residue
Nine razor blades, one with white residue
A glass plate and a metal pan covered in cocaine residue
19 Viagra pills
A small white rock-like substance that tested positive for cocaine
A plastic bag containing an unknown brown powder that weighed about 15.7 grams
About $1,226 in cash
A search of Williams’s pockets reportedly produced about $120 in cash, two Florida EBT cards in other people’s names, and keys that included a Dodge truck key.
Post Miranda, Williams reportedly said, “You caught me in violation.” He said he had been living in the truck for 3-6 months and said he’d had a couple of beers. He said he took “full responsibility” for the items in the truck. He reportedly took ownership of the marijuana and the empty baggies; he said the Viagra pills were his and admitted that he did not have a prescription for them. He initially said there was no crack cocaine in the truck and then said they’d probably found “crack residue.”
When asked if he had any weapons, Williams reportedly said he had a gun; he said someone had put a black handgun in the truck, and somebody else put a shotgun in the truck. He denied ownership of the guns but reportedly admitted to holding them at times and confirmed that he knew they were in the truck. He denied selling drugs; he said the EBT card owners gave him the cards, but he admitted that he did not have written permission to possess them.
One of the EBT card owners is an inmate in the Alachua County Jail, and she reportedly told the deputy she gave Williams her EBT card in exchange for a regular supply of methamphetamine or crack cocaine.
Williams reportedly said he has been “jobless and homeless” for three or four years, and he said the cash was his savings.
The truck’s owner, who said he gave the truck to Williams’s uncle, reportedly said Williams did not have permission to be in the truck.
The deputy noted that the scales, razors, empty baggies, and the plate and pan are all consistent with street-level drug sales.
Williams has been charged with possession of a short-barreled shotgun, three counts of possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon, maintaining a vehicle for the purpose of selling drugs, possession of Viagra without a prescription, possession of cocaine, felony possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to use it to sell drugs, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana. He has seven felony convictions (non-violent) and seven misdemeanor convictions (two violent). Judge Jonathan Ramsey set bail at $117,500.
Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
According to DEA records, Petro has been linked to several investigations since 2022, largely based on testimonies from confidential informants. These inquiries revolve around his alleged connections with Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel, as well as a purported plan to exploit his “total peace” initiative to aid significant traffickers who allegedly supported his presidential bid. The documents also hint at the possibility of using law enforcement to facilitate the smuggling of cocaine and fentanyl through Colombian ports.
The DEA classifies individuals as “priority targets” when they are considered to have a substantial impact on the drug trade. However, it remains uncertain when Petro was assigned this designation by the agency.
Petro has firmly denied any involvement with drug traffickers, asserting that he never received campaign contributions from such sources. In a statement posted on X Friday, he expressed confidence that U.S. legal processes would eventually expose the allegations made by the Colombian far right as baseless, even suggesting that this group is the one truly linked to traffickers.
Meanwhile, Colombia’s Embassy in Washington has dismissed these reports as “unverified” and based on anonymous claims from preliminary investigations.
“The reported insinuations lack any legal or factual foundation,” the embassy declared in an official statement.
The inquiry
The person said it wasn’t clear whether federal prosecutors have implicated Petro in any crime.
The investigation is focusing at least in part on allegations that representatives of Petro solicited bribes from drug traffickers at the Colombian jail La Picota in exchange for a promise that they not be extradited to the U.S., one of the people said.
Petro has consistently denied allegations of drug trafficking, particularly after Trump labeled him an “illegal drug leader” and the Treasury Department sanctioned him in late 2025 for alleged ties to the trade without offering evidence.
U.S. federal prosecutors declined to comment. The DEA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The federal inquiry was reported earlier Friday by The New York Times.
The inquiries into Petro are in the early stages, and it is not clear whether they will result in charges, according to another person familiar with the matter, adding the White House has had no role in the investigations.
The DEA records reviewed by the AP are based in part on tips from confidential sources that point to Petro’s possible involvement with a range of criminal groups that have dominated the South American drug trade for years. Those include Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel as well as the Cartel de los soles, or Cartel of the Suns, a term used to describe a loose network of corrupt, high-ranking military officers in neighboring Venezuela.
The records also cite a 2024 interview with an unnamed source who claimed Petro is utilizing former campaign aides and officials from state-run oil company Ecopetrol to launder presidential funds into foreign countries for Petro’s use upon completion of his presidency.
Ecopetrol President Ricardo Roa vehemently denied the allegations in a statement to AP, saying they “lacked all reality or logic.”
Family members under scrutiny
Petro, a former rebel leader, soared into office promising to reduce the country’s dependence on fossil fuels and reallocate state resources to addressing entrenched poverty.
A leftist politician known for winding sometimes incoherent speeches, he has regularly criticized the Trump administration over its support for Israel, bombing of drug boats in the Caribbean and likened the White House migration crackdown to “Nazi” tactics.
After one such outburst, at a pro-Palestinian demonstration outside the United Nations headquarters in New York, Trump retaliated by revoking Petro’s U.S. visa. He also briefly slapped high tariffs on Colombia over Petro’s refusal to accept deportation flights from the United States.
But more recently the two have shown signs of getting along. After a meeting at the White House in February, Trump described Petro as “terrific.”
Colombian authorities have for years been investigating members of Petro’s family for possible criminal acts.
His son, Nicolás Petro, was charged in 2023 with soliciting illegal campaign contributions from a convicted drug trafficker to fund a lavish lifestyle of expensive cars and homes. The younger Petro has pleaded not guilty and his father has said none of the money was used to fund his campaign.
The president’s brother, Juan Fernando Petro, has also been implicated in secret negotiations that allegedly took place with imprisoned drug traffickers to shield them from extradition to the U.S. in exchange for their disarmament.
Politics and cocaine
Politics in Colombia have long been tainted by cocaine, of which it is the world’s largest supplier. In the 1980s, drug lord Pablo Escobar was elected to the country’s Congress with the support of one of Colombia’s most traditional parties. A decade later, his rivals from the Cali cartel flooded the presidential campaign of Ernesto Samper with illegal donations.
The now defunct urban guerrilla group Petro belonged to, the 19th of April Movement, has long been suspected of taking money from Escobar’s Medellin cartels as part of its deadly siege of the Supreme Court in 1985. Petro did not participate in the attack, which left several guerrillas and around half the high court’s magistrates dead. Leaders of the group have always denied any links to the cartel.
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Goodman reported from Miami. Durkin Richer reported from Washington. Mike Sisak contributed from New York and Astrid Suárez from Bogotá, Colombia.
