Alaa Abd El-Fattah, an Egyptian-British activist and blogger, has been released from Egypt after almost 12 years as a political prisoner, according to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Abd El-Fattah’s return, which Starmer described as a “profound relief,” was described as “profound relief” by Starmer on Friday. He had been detained for several years before and was pardoned by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in September.
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“I want to pay tribute to Alaa’s family and all those who have worked and campaigned for this moment,” Starmer said. Since we have been in office, my government has prioritized Alaa’s case. President Sisi deserves my appreciation for making the pardon.
Following a number of hunger strikes and calls for his release, the Egyptian-British writer was the most well-known of the six prisoners who was pardoned by el-Sisi this year.
Prior to the uprising against former Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak, the former blogger had previously been imprisoned in 2011. He later became a vocal critic of El-Sisi, who seized power in a 2013 military takeover.
Abd El-Fattah was convicted of spreading false information and given a 15-year prison sentence in 2014. He was then temporarily released in 2019 and given a further five years.
Egyptian authorities refute Egyptian authorities’ claims that they are political prisoners, citing the government’s claim that it only imprisons lawbreakers.
After being released in September, Abd El-Fattah faced a travel ban like other prisoners who had been freed. However, he announced his departure from Egypt in a cryptic post on X on Friday, saying, “Is it possible, kids, that we will say bye?”
Abd El-Fattah’s release was requested by the British government, but it was criticized for not putting enough pressure on El-Sisi’s government, which has ties to both the UK and the US.
Emmerdale star Amy Walsh shared an adorable gender reveal on Boxing Day, announcing she’s expecting a baby girl in 2026 with EastEnders husband Toby-Alexander Smith
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Amy Walsh has confirmed she’s expecting another baby girl(Image: Getty Images)
Emmerdale’s Amy Walsh has confirmed the gender of her second child. The actress, known for playing Tracy Metcalfe in the popular ITV drama, revealed back in September that she and EastEnders’ Toby-Alexander Smith were expecting baby number two.
On Boxing Day, the 38-year-old actress took to Instagram with a sweet video captioned: “New addition to the family incoming!” The footage shows Amy and Toby’s little girl, Bonnie, perched on the staircase alongside her male cousins. Text appears asking: “When it’s your last Christmas before becoming a big sister… will I still be the only girl in the family?”
What follows is the couple’s gender reveal moment, captured as a football gets booted and pink powder explodes into the air whilst the family erupts in celebration. The overlay text declares: “Girl power coming in 2026.”
Amy’s fanbase of 194,000 and her Emmerdale colleagues rushed to send their well-wishes following the happy announcement. Natalie Ann Jamieson, who plays Amy Wyatt, gushed: “Can not waitttttt x x x” accompanied by heart emojis.
Whilst Michelle Hardwick (Vanessa Woodfield) posted heart emojis and Bradley Riches, who portrays Lewis Barton, contributed three white hearts. Shona McGarty added: “OMG YAAAY!! Congratulations.”
One fan penned: “Bonnie is gonna be amazing big sister to baby girl.” Another typed: “Bonnie’s hair is gorgeous!!! So happy for you another little girlie to add to the boy gang.” Meanwhile, a third penned: “So happy for you both looking forward to seeing your bundle of joy hope you had a brilliant Christmas sending much love to you all.”
The couple tied the knot in Montenegro in September 2023, with family and friends present, after getting engaged in August 2022. They’re already doting parents to daughter Bonnie, who arrived in December 2021.
On Tuesday (September 9), the couple announced that Bonnie would soon be welcoming a younger sibling, sharing their delightful pregnancy announcement.
Amy posted a black-and-white video on Instagram, soundtracked by Nick Drake’s ‘Northern Sky’. In the heartwarming clip, she’s heard saying to Bonnie: “Mummy and daddy have got a special secret to tell you..”
She went on: “Mummy has got a baby in her tummy. A baby sister or brother for you,” whilst the camera revealed a scan photograph being held by Amy, Toby, and Bonnie.
Amy wrote alongside the post: “Smith/Walsh baby 2.0 incoming 2026,” and was immediately flooded with well-wishes. Fellow Emmerdale star Isabel Hodgins, who’s also pregnant, wrote: “Gorgeous!! So happy for you.”
Michelle Hardwick added: “So exciting,” whilst Samantha Giles said: “So excited the news is finally out.” Speaking previously, Amy admitted she found it hard to balance time with her family and her work. She explained: “It’s just a juggle, a struggle sometimes … I’ve barely seen him since we got married.
“We do feel like newlyweds, we haven’t been together that long in the grand scheme of things, so our relationship is still quite new and fresh, but then you throw a toddler in the mix and work commitments, and it’s crazy.”
Amy and Toby got together in 2020 after meeting in the audience at Strictly Come Dancing a year before. Speaking about how becoming a parent changed them, Toby told OK! magazine: “We’ve always been a really good team anyway, and I think Bonnie coming along has shown that we’re meant to be parents together, because we’re finding our roles.”
The pair’s love story kicked off in the audience at Strictly, which Amy described as a “twist of fate”. She said: “The twists of fate that came into play to make us meet are crazy. Jamie Laing was supposed to be in it that year but he broke his ankle so Kelvin Fletcher replaced him, and Toby wasn’t even supposed to be in the audience that week.
“It only came out when we spoke to each other and we put two and two together and were like, ‘So you do that and I do that.’ We didn’t even say the words Emmerdale or EastEnders. After the show someone sent me a screenshot of us in the audience and I sent it to my best friend and joked, ‘Me and my future husband,’ just thinking it was going to be a date.”
Emmerdale star Amy Walsh shared an adorable gender reveal on Boxing Day, announcing she’s expecting a baby girl in 2026 with EastEnders husband Toby-Alexander Smith
View 3 Images
Amy Walsh has confirmed she’s expecting another baby girl(Image: Getty Images)
Emmerdale’s Amy Walsh has confirmed the gender of her second child. The actress, known for playing Tracy Metcalfe in the popular ITV drama, revealed back in September that she and EastEnders’ Toby-Alexander Smith were expecting baby number two.
On Boxing Day, the 38-year-old actress took to Instagram with a sweet video captioned: “New addition to the family incoming!” The footage shows Amy and Toby’s little girl, Bonnie, perched on the staircase alongside her male cousins. Text appears asking: “When it’s your last Christmas before becoming a big sister… will I still be the only girl in the family?”
What follows is the couple’s gender reveal moment, captured as a football gets booted and pink powder explodes into the air whilst the family erupts in celebration. The overlay text declares: “Girl power coming in 2026.”
Amy’s fanbase of 194,000 and her Emmerdale colleagues rushed to send their well-wishes following the happy announcement. Natalie Ann Jamieson, who plays Amy Wyatt, gushed: “Can not waitttttt x x x” accompanied by heart emojis.
Whilst Michelle Hardwick (Vanessa Woodfield) posted heart emojis and Bradley Riches, who portrays Lewis Barton, contributed three white hearts. Shona McGarty added: “OMG YAAAY!! Congratulations.”
One fan penned: “Bonnie is gonna be amazing big sister to baby girl.” Another typed: “Bonnie’s hair is gorgeous!!! So happy for you another little girlie to add to the boy gang.” Meanwhile, a third penned: “So happy for you both looking forward to seeing your bundle of joy hope you had a brilliant Christmas sending much love to you all.”
The couple tied the knot in Montenegro in September 2023, with family and friends present, after getting engaged in August 2022. They’re already doting parents to daughter Bonnie, who arrived in December 2021.
On Tuesday (September 9), the couple announced that Bonnie would soon be welcoming a younger sibling, sharing their delightful pregnancy announcement.
Amy posted a black-and-white video on Instagram, soundtracked by Nick Drake’s ‘Northern Sky’. In the heartwarming clip, she’s heard saying to Bonnie: “Mummy and daddy have got a special secret to tell you..”
She went on: “Mummy has got a baby in her tummy. A baby sister or brother for you,” whilst the camera revealed a scan photograph being held by Amy, Toby, and Bonnie.
Amy wrote alongside the post: “Smith/Walsh baby 2.0 incoming 2026,” and was immediately flooded with well-wishes. Fellow Emmerdale star Isabel Hodgins, who’s also pregnant, wrote: “Gorgeous!! So happy for you.”
Michelle Hardwick added: “So exciting,” whilst Samantha Giles said: “So excited the news is finally out.” Speaking previously, Amy admitted she found it hard to balance time with her family and her work. She explained: “It’s just a juggle, a struggle sometimes … I’ve barely seen him since we got married.
“We do feel like newlyweds, we haven’t been together that long in the grand scheme of things, so our relationship is still quite new and fresh, but then you throw a toddler in the mix and work commitments, and it’s crazy.”
Amy and Toby got together in 2020 after meeting in the audience at Strictly Come Dancing a year before. Speaking about how becoming a parent changed them, Toby told OK! magazine: “We’ve always been a really good team anyway, and I think Bonnie coming along has shown that we’re meant to be parents together, because we’re finding our roles.”
The pair’s love story kicked off in the audience at Strictly, which Amy described as a “twist of fate”. She said: “The twists of fate that came into play to make us meet are crazy. Jamie Laing was supposed to be in it that year but he broke his ankle so Kelvin Fletcher replaced him, and Toby wasn’t even supposed to be in the audience that week.
“It only came out when we spoke to each other and we put two and two together and were like, ‘So you do that and I do that.’ We didn’t even say the words Emmerdale or EastEnders. After the show someone sent me a screenshot of us in the audience and I sent it to my best friend and joked, ‘Me and my future husband,’ just thinking it was going to be a date.”
Chelsea want to offload Raheem Sterling, Axel Disasi, and Sandro Tonali as targets for Juventus while Manchester United is considering a move for James Garner.
While discussions with Premier League and Championship clubs continue, Liverpool are yet to decide whether to let England Under-20s midfielder Trey Nyoni leave the club during the January transfer window. (Teamtalk)
Manchester United considering move for James Garner, Chelsea want to offload Raheem Sterling, Axel Disasi and Sandro Tonali targets for Juventus.
Manchester United are considering a surprise January move for their former England Under-21s midfielder James Garner, 24, whose contract at Evertonexpires next summer. (Mail)
Chelseaare monitoring Rennes’ French centre-back Jeremy Jacquet, 20, and Saint-Etienne‘s French forward Djylian N’Guessan, 17, but their priority is offloading players including France defender Axel Disasi, 27, and English wingers Raheem Sterling, 31, and Tyrique George, 19. (Athletic – subscription required)
Newcastle Unitedmidfielder Sandro Tonali is a target for Juventus with the 25-year-old Italy international open to a return to Serie A, while they are also interested in Tottenhamand Romania defender Radu Dragusin, who is also wanted by Roma. (La Gazzetta dello Sport – in Italian)
Fulhamand Crystal Palace are keeping tabs on Manchester City‘s Oscar Bobb, 22, if the club allow him to leave in January – but clubs outside England, including Sevilla, are also interested in the Norway midfielder. (Talksport)
Sporting have overtaken Portuguese rivals Porto in the race for West Hamwinger Luis Guilherme, and are close to agreeing a deal for the permanent transfer of the 19-year-old Brazilian. (ESPN Brazil – in Portuguese)
Tottenhamwant to tie 24-year-old Netherlands defender Micky van de Ven to a new, improved long-term deal. (Athletic – subscription required)
Liverpoolmight explore a six-month loan move for Paris St-Germain and Portugal striker Goncalo Ramos, 24, as a short-term solution for the absence of injured Sweden forward Alexander Isak, 26. (Caught Offside)
Wolves are eyeing a deal for former Bournemouthand Nottingham Forest player Sam Surridge, the 27-year-old English striker who scored 24 goals for Nashville during the 2025 Major League Soccer (MLS) season. (Talksport)
Liverpool are yet to decide whether to allow 18-year-old England Under-20s midfielder Trey Nyoni to leave the club during the January transfer window, but are holding talks with Premier League and Championship clubs. (Teamtalk)
The state of New York will require social media platforms with infinite scrolling, autoplay and algorithmic feeds to display labels about their potential harm to young users’ mental health, Governor Kathy Hochul has announced.
Hochul on Friday signed a bill that mandates the warning against “addictive” features into law.
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“Keeping New Yorkers safe has been my top priority since taking office, and that includes protecting our kids from the potential harms of social media features that encourage excessive use,” Hochul said in a statement.
The governor compared the social media labels to warnings on other products like tobacco, which communicate the risk of cancer, or plastic packaging, which warn of the risk of suffocation for small children.
“Research shows that social media exposure overstimulates reward centers, creating pathways comparable to those of an individual experiencing substance use or gambling addictions,” the law reads.
If social media platforms breach the regulations when they go into effect, the state attorney general would be able to take legal action and seek civil penalties of up to $5,000 per violation.
The law would apply to conduct occurring partly or wholly in New York but not when the platform is accessed by users physically outside the state.
Spokespeople for TikTok, Snap, Meta and Alphabet have not yet issued statements reacting to the new law.
Through this social media measure, New York is set to join other states in the United States like California and Minnesota that have similar social media laws for young users.
The effect of social media on children’s mental health has become a growing global concern, and some US school districts have already begun suing social media companies.
This month, Australia went a step further and banned children under 16 years old from using social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat and Reddit.
