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Ariana Grande’s family members express concern for Wicked: For Good star

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Ariana Grande’s fans said the singer appeared to have lost a lot of weight when they saw her promote Wicked: For Good recently — but she since reassured her following

Ariana Grande’s fans recently noted a change in her appearance(Image: Getty Images)

Popstar Ariana Grande’s family members fear the singer is “not in a healthy place” amid concerns around her weight loss.

Fans had expressed worry for the singer, 32, noting a change in her appearance during her promotion for the release of the second installment of Wicked. Ariana is in Wicked: For Good, which came out last month, after the huge success of the first film of this series.

Ariana hit back at the scrutiny by resharing a clip of an interview in which she spoke about her body. In the interview, she said: “In today’s society, there is a comfortability that we shouldn’t have at all — commenting on others’ looks, appearance, what they think is going on behind the scenes, or health or how they present themselves … that I think is really dangerous.”

But some of her family members have today shared their concern. One said: “Ariana did not handle [the press tour] well at all. It bothered her a lot — from the red carpet incident [in which a man tried to attack her] to what people were saying about her online. She can be very thin-skinned, and people commenting on how skinny she is was really troubling to her.”

READ MORE: Ariana Grande makes rare comments about Mac Miller after his tragic deathREAD MORE: Wicked fans slam ‘ridiculous’ snub as sequel suffers huge Golden Globe loss

Ariana is pictured with Cynthia Erivo last monthat the premiere
Ariana is pictured with Cynthia Erivo last monthat the premiere(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Ariana, pictured in 2018, has won two Grammys
Ariana, pictured in 2018, has won two Grammys(Image: Getty Images for iHeartMedia)

Wicked: For Good, which also stars Bridgerton actor Jonathan Bailey and Drift actress Cynthia Erivo, has been a box office success. It made approximately $112.5million (£84million) globally during its first weekend in cinemas.

But at the premiere for the Wicked: For Good last month, Ariana was ambushed by a Johnson Wen, a repeated red-carpet rusher who jumped the barrier to grab hold of her. Thankfully, Cynthia swooped into action, wrapping her arm around Ariana as bodyguards grabbed the man. Wen, 26, was sentenced to nine days in prison for being a public nuisance in Singapore.

At the time, a separate source revealed that the attack had triggered Ariana’s post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which she has been battling since the terrorist bombing at her concert in Manchester in 2017 that left 22 dead.

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“She is struggling right now. She’s not in a healthy place and she knows it. Everyone around her knows it. Her anxiety is through the roof. She over-exerted herself and the cracks started to show pretty quickly,” the family source told the Daily Mail this week.

The insider, thought to be from Florida, added: “Fortunately she’s got a support system. Everyone is encouraging her to take care of her own mental health — because she needs to.”

Dame Judi Dench’s tranquil life in ‘Beverly Hills’ of Britain where homes average £827k

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Dame Judi Dench, 91, lives quietly in a historic farmhouse in Surrey, where the James Bond star enjoys privacy in one of Britain’s most sought-after areas

Away from the stage and screen, Dame Judi lives a quiet life in a charming farmhouse(Image: Getty)

Dame Judi Dench, 91, famed for her portrayal of M in the James Bond series, is widely hailed as one of Britain’s finest actresses. Over her illustrious career, she has taken on a myriad of roles in theatre and film, earning her an array of awards including an Oscar, two Golden Globes and a Tony Award.

Her professional journey began with the Old Vic company, where she graced the stage in numerous Shakespearean plays such as Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, and Macbeth.

She then landed the lead role of Sally Bowles in Cabaret, cementing her status as one of Britain’s most prominent theatre performers, with stints at the National Theatre Company and the Royal Shakespeare Company. During this period, she also starred in several television shows like A Fine Romance and As Time Goes By, and had supporting roles in major films, including A Room with a View (1985).

Her rise to global fame came when she took on the role of M in GoldenEye in 1995.

She later featured in a number of films, including Shakespeare in Love (1998), Mrs Brown (1997), Chocolat (2000), Notes on a Scandal (2006), and Philomena (2013), reports the Express.

Queen Camilla Attends
The Oscar-winning retired actress has lived in the leafy village for several decades(Image: Getty)

Away from the limelight, Dame Judi leads a peaceful life in a quaint farmhouse in Surrey. She purchased the property 40 years ago with her late husband, Michael Williams, who passed away from lung cancer in 2001.

The property is situated near the village of Outwood, which boasts a population of around 720 residents.

The historic property, constructed in 1497, is believed to be valued at approximately £8 million and reportedly features a barn, pond, separate cottage, workshops, and swimming pool.

Yet the 91-year-old has previously revealed that the estate houses some unwelcome furry residents and suffers from certain structural issues, the Mirror reported previously.

She remarked: “The mice have moved in since lockdown, and I’m battling the mice. They have moved in and taken over a bit.”

She added: “My house is falling down a bit here and there.”

House and Garden reports that Dame Judi is sometimes seen enjoying meals at her preferred Italian eatery in the neighbouring town of Redhill.

The compact village offers tranquillity while remaining conveniently positioned near London and Gatwick Airport, rendering it a highly sought-after location.

English countryside view from Box Hill in the Surrey Hills, England, UK.
Dubbed Britain’s ‘Beverly Hills’, Surrey offers celebs space, quiet and privacy(Image: Getty)

Rightmove data indicates that property values in Outwood averaged £827,000 throughout the past year.

Most homes that sold in Outwood during the previous 12 months were semi-detached dwellings, achieving an average sale price of £657,000, while detached homes commanded an average of £871,250.

In total, historical property prices in Outwood over the last year climbed 2% compared to the preceding year, though remained 9% below the 2021 peak of £905,763.

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Dame Judi certainly isn’t the sole famous face residing in Surrey’s affluent surroundings.

Student killed, suspect in custody in Kentucky State University shooting

A shooting at Kentucky State University in the United States has left one person dead and another in critical condition, police said. The suspected shooter, who is not a student, has been taken into custody.

The Frankfort Police Department said on Tuesday that officers responded to reports of “an active aggressor” and secured the campus, which was briefly placed on lockdown. Authorities said there was no ongoing threat.

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Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said the shooting appeared to be an isolated incident rather than a mass shooting event.

“Today there was a shooting on the campus of Kentucky State University. Two individuals were critically injured, and sadly, at least one of them is not going to make it,” Beshear said in a post on X.

“This was not a mass shooting or a random incident… the suspected shooter is already in custody, which means that while this was frightening, there is no ongoing threat,” he said.

“Violence has no place in our commonwealth or country. Please pray for the families affected and for our KSU students,” he added.

Stabbing at North Carolina high school

Earlier on Tuesday, a stabbing at a central North Carolina high school left one student dead and another injured, authorities said.

Forsyth County Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough said officers at North Forsyth High School in Winston-Salem responded shortly after 11am local time (16:00 GMT), following reports of a dispute between students.

“We responded to an altercation between two students,” Kimbrough said at a news conference, adding that “there was a loss of life”.

In an email to families and staff, Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools Superintendent Don Phipps confirmed that one student died and another was injured.

Sheriff’s office spokesperson Krista Karcher later said the injured student was treated at a hospital and released.

Kimbrough declined to take questions at the news conference, citing an ongoing investigation, and did not provide details about the potential charges.

North Carolina Governor Josh Stein called the incident “shocking and horrible” in a post on X, saying he was praying for the students involved and their loved ones.

Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,385

Here’s where things stand on Wednesday, December 10 :

Fighting

  • Russia’s top general, Valery Gerasimov, said that Moscow’s forces were advancing along the entire front line in Ukraine and were also focused on Ukrainian troops in the surrounded town of Myrnohrad.
  • Russia said air defence systems intercepted and destroyed 121 Ukrainian drones throughout Tuesday.
  • A member of the United Kingdom’s armed forces was killed in Ukraine while observing Ukrainian forces test a new defensive capability, the UK’s Ministry of Defence said. The ministry said the British soldier was killed away from the front lines with Russian forces.
  • Russia’s Syzran oil refinery on the Volga River halted oil processing on December 5 after being damaged by a Ukrainian drone attack, the Reuters news agency reported, citing two industry sources.

Ceasefire

  • Ukraine and its European partners, Germany, France and the UK, will present the US with “refined documents” on a peace plan to end the war with Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
  • Finnish President Alexander Stubb said that allies of Ukraine worked on three separate documents, including a 20-point framework for peace, a set of security guarantees and a post-war reconstruction plan.
  • At a United Nations Security Council meeting on Ukraine, Deputy US Ambassador Jennifer Locetta said the United States is working to bridge the divide in peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv. She said the aim is to secure a permanent ceasefire, and “a mutually agreed peace deal that leaves Ukraine sovereign and independent and with an opportunity for real prosperity”.
  • Russia’s UN ambassador to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, said, “What we have on the table are fairly realistic proposals for long-term, lasting settlement of Ukrainian conflict, something that our US colleagues are diligently working on.”
  • Pope Leo said Europe must play a central role in efforts to end the war in Ukraine, warning that any peace plan sidelining the continent is “not realistic”, while urging leaders to seize what he described as a great opportunity to work together for a just peace.

Politics and diplomacy

  • Zelenskyy said he was prepared to hold elections within three months if the US and Kyiv’s European allies could ensure the security of the vote. Wartime elections are forbidden by law in Ukraine, but Zelenskyy, whose term expired last year, is facing renewed pressure from US President Donald Trump to hold a vote.
  • The Kremlin said that European claims that Russian President Vladimir Putin wanted to restore the Soviet Union were incorrect and that claims Putin plans to invade a NATO member were absolute rubbish.
  • The European Union is very close to a solution for financing Ukraine in 2026 and 2027 that would have the support of at least a qualified majority of EU countries, European Council President Antonio Costa said.
  • Japan has denied a media report that it had rebuffed an EU request to join plans to use frozen Russian state assets to fund Ukraine.

Regional security

  • Three men went on trial in Germany, accused of following a former Ukrainian soldier on behalf of a Russian intelligence service as part of a possible assassination plot.

Sanctions

  • US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent said he discussed US sanctions on Russian oil giants Lukoil and Rosneft with Ukrainian Prime Minister Svyrydenko.

US authorities acknowledge immigrant children held beyond court-set limit

Hundreds of immigrant children in the United States have lingered in federal detention beyond a court-mandated limit, including some who were held more than five months, according to court filings.

The filings have alarmed legal advocates who say the government is failing to safeguard children.

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The reports were submitted late on Monday in an ongoing civil lawsuit launched in 1985 that led to the creation of court-ordered supervision of standards in 1997. It eventually established a 20-day limit for children in custody.

The Trump administration is attempting to end the agreement.

Lawyers for detainees highlighted the US government’s own admissions that immigrant children were held for longer custody times, sometimes in hotels used for detention purposes.

They also argued that the children were subjected to contaminated food, a lack of access to medical care and insufficient legal counsel, citing reports from families and monitors at federal facilities.

A December 1 report from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) indicated that about 400 immigrant children were held in custody for more than the 20-day limit from August to September.

Legal advocates for the children told the court the problem was widespread and not specific to a region or facility.

The primary factors that prolonged their release were categorised into three groups: transportation delays, medical needs and legal processing.

The advocates contended that those reasons do not prove lawful justifications for the delays in their release. Through interviews with detained families, advocates identified five children held for 168 days. The report did not say how old those children were.

ICE did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.

Hotel use for temporary detention is allowed by the federal court for up to 72 hours, but lawyers questioned the government’s data, which they believe did not fully explain why children were held longer than three days in hotel rooms.

Conditions at the detention facilities continued to be an ongoing concern since the family detention site in Dilley, Texas, reopened this year.

Advocates documented injuries suffered by children and a lack of access to sufficient medical care. One child bleeding from an eye injury was not seen by medical staff for two days.

Another child’s foot was broken when a staff member dropped a volleyball net pole, according to the court filing.

“Medical staff told one family whose child got food poisoning to only return if the child vomited eight times,” the advocates wrote in their response.

“Children get diarrhea, heartburn, stomach aches, and they give them food that literally has worms in it,” one person with a family staying at the facility in Dilley wrote in a declaration submitted to the court.

Another wrote that they were given “broccoli and cauliflower that were moldy and had worms”.

Flavio Bolsonaro retracts suggestion of a ‘price’ to end 2026 election bid

Far-right Senator Flavio Bolsonaro has reaffirmed his commitment to running in Brazil’s 2026 presidential race, despite criticism that he appeared to be openly haggling over whether to remain a candidate.

On Tuesday, Bolsonaro met with reporters outside federal police headquarters in the capital Brasilia, where his father, former President Jair Bolsonaro, is serving a 27-year sentence for attempting to foment a coup.

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The younger Bolsonaro said he conveyed to his father that he would not shrink from the 2026 race.

“I told him this candidacy is irreversible,” Flavio said. “And in his own words, ‘We will not turn back.’ Now it is time to talk to people, so we can have the right people on our side.”

The senator also attempted to clear up the comments that sparked the initial controversy.

On Sunday, Flavio raised eyebrows when he told Brazilian media that he could exit the race — for the right “price”.

“There’s a possibility I won’t go all the way,” Flavio said at the time. “I have a price for that. I will negotiate.”

He declined to name what that price would be, but his comments were widely interpreted to be a reference to his father’s imprisonment.

In September, a panel on Brazil’s Supreme Court convicted Jair of five charges related to his attempts to overturn the 2022 presidential election, including one count of seeking the violent abolition of the democratic rule of law.

Jair lost the 2022 race to current Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, a left-wing leader who has announced he will run for a fourth term in 2026.

In November, the Supreme Court panel ordered Jair to be taken into custody to begin his sentence, after the ex-president admitted to damaging his ankle monitor.

Separately, in 2023, Brazil’s Supreme Electoral Tribunal ruled that Jair should be barred from holding public office for eight years, as a penalty for misusing the presidential office to spread election falsehoods.

Since his detention, Jair has backed his eldest son’s candidacy in the 2026 race. Liberal Party (PL) president Valdemar Costa Neto also confirmed on Friday that Jair’s endorsement meant that Flavio would indeed lead the party’s ticket.

Flavio has since received other right-wing endorsements, including from Sao Paulo Governor Tarcisio de Freitas, who was previously considered a frontrunner to represent the PL.

But Flavio’s comments on Sunday have thrown his nascent candidacy into doubt.

Critics, including from Lula’s Workers Party, have seized upon Flavio’s suggestion of a “price” to question his ethics and commitment.

“No one launches a candidacy one day, and the next day says, ‘Look, I can negotiate,’” Edinho Silva, the president of the Workers Party, told reporters. “It’s not just me. No one would take it seriously.”

But Flavio on Tuesday dismissed the attacks and reaffirmed he would stay in the race, while fighting for his father’s freedom.