His nephew has reported that Hollywood star Jack Betts passed away at home in his sleep at the age of 96. The actor was best known for playing significant roles in the popular television series Friends, as well as Batman and Spider-Man.
He reportedly passed away on Thursday at his Los Osos, California, home in his sleep. Before her passing in 2016, the actor and his Everybody Loves Raymond co-star Doris Roberts shared a home.
An Everybody Loves Raymond fan account honored the actor and confirmed that the pair were not married. Jack had been “best friends” with Doris.
According to a post on Instagram, “Doris Roberts was close friends with Jack Betts, who you will recall from the Cruising With Marie episode. He was a staunch supporter of Marie and played Walter on the ship.
When Jack passed away, Jack was 96 (GC Images).
He passed away yesterday, aged 96. He has a long list of credits. As has been reported elsewhere, he wasn’t Doris Roberts’ husband. We did see him with Doris at dinner, and we always enjoyed his company because he had been a long-time friend of hers! I captured this image of Jack and Doris visiting the set for the final episode.
His nephew, Dean Sullivan, told the publication that he had died in his sleep at home, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Through his acting, Jack has a number of notable roles, including in Friends, Everybody Loves Raymond, and My Name is Earl. In the Friends episode titled The One With Joey’s New Brain, Jack portrayed Tom. In addition to his numerous acting credits, he also starred as Dracula on Broadway during his incredibly successful acting career, as well as businessman Henry Balkan in the 2002 smash hit film Spider-Man.
After hearing the news, the star’s friends and supporters have rushed to pay tribute. One person said, “Years ago, Jack played an evil character on One Live to Live!!! I adored him and watched him on “Crisis With Marie” with awe and awe.
The actress Doris Roberts and Jack Betts (Getty Images) shared a close relationship.
RIP to a legend, another person said. From gritty westerns to comic book charm, Jack Betts did a lot for the screen.
Another third comment was made: “Dr. Ivan Kipling’s character, Jack Betts from One Life to Live, passed away at the age of 96. He will always be remembered for the Karen Wolek-starring Judith Light storyline.
Jack was born in Miami in 1929, and he later took up acting in a Richard III Broadway play. Although Jack became well-known over the years for his TV shows and movies, he struggled to find fame there because both of his films did not have the same number of airplay as Jack’s.
Clint Eastwood was even his neighbor at one point, according to Jack, who had filmed a number of Westerns at the time. In the hotel right next to mine was Clint Eastwood, he claimed on The Dev Show in 2021. I would go up to my mountain and perform my Western, while he would go up to his mountain and do his. However, my films were distributed [everywhere], with the exception of Canada and America, whereas his films were distributed worldwide.
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Ajao S. Adewale, the commissioner of police for FCT Command, has issued a strong warning to all officers about meddling in civil affairs, particularly land disputes, and extortion.
This comes in response to reports of police interfering with civil cases, extortion of complainants and suspects, and unlawful detention for bailable offenses. These actions, according to the CP, violate both the Inspector-General’s orders and the Constitution.
The CP has directed all Area Commanders, DPOs, and HODs to immediately review and release suspects held for minor, bailable offences as soon as they can, according to a statement released over the weekend by SP Josephine Adeh, the police public relations officer of the FCT Police Command, in Abuja.
Any officer found collecting money for bail or documentation will face strict disciplinary action, according to CP Adewale, who stressed that bail is free.
He reiterated that the police are not permitted to enter civil disputes, especially those involving land-related disputes.
“Any officer in violation of this directive and any supervisor who disobey it will be held accountable.” The CP also criticized the practice of demanding payment before conducting inquiries, citing extortion and office abuse. The statement stated that violators would face charges.
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Additionally, there was a cautionary note for people who offered bribes because Section 118 of the Penal Code Act criminalizes this practice. Citizens were also advised against utilizing the police to recover money or launch personal vendettas.
The FCT’s residents were asked to support the Command’s efforts to promote professionalism, accountability, and human rights.
The Complaint Response Unit (CU) can be reached at 08107314192 with complaints of misconduct.
Tiwa Savage, a Nigerian musician, has revealed how determination and a little “shamelessness” helped her secure a record deal with Mavin Records in 2012 thanks to Don Jazzy.
Even though she had collaborated with some of its members, the award-winning singer recalled how her initial attempts to join Mo’ Hits Records were unsuccessful.
“Mo’Hits didn’t include me. I’d done some songs with Jazzy and other artists, but I wasn’t officially signed. I went to him and said, “Can you sign me now? ” when he started Mavin.
I re-asked him, “I asked him.” Oh my goodness, I’m not ashamed. I re-asked the question. She revealed in an interview with Afrobeats Intelligence that she had just said “yes.”
Tiwa stated that she had approached several major labels in Nigeria before being turned down for the Mavin deal.
“No, they all said no.” They didn’t believe blending R&, B, and Afrobeats would work, in my opinion. They would say, “You’re a great singer, you look amazing,” but I never received a response.
“I sold my car, sold my house in L.A., and declared that I would return to Africa as my next-biggest asset.” I was unable to return to L.A. and begin writing again. She remarked, “I had to stay.”
The 45-year-old singer claimed that her success came with the success of her debut single, “Kele Kele Love,” which made her known to the Nigerian audience. However, it was the follow-up, “Love Me,” that made her a star.
When “Love Me” dropped, people thought, “Wow! This musical instrument might actually work, in my opinion. “
The secret to success is label signing.
Tiwa Savage is a participant in the Universal Music Group’s 2020 Grammy after-party held at Rolling Greens Nursery in Los Angeles, California on January 26, 2020. Universal Music Group/AFP photo: Arnold Turner/Getty Images
Tiwa Savage, known as the Queen of Afrobeats, said it helped her develop as a businesswoman while also shaped her as an artist.
Mavin still feels like family to me. I’d go to Jazzy’s room if there was a problem, and we’d all gather there: Sid, Reekado, and Tega. She said, “We’d cry, talk, and get through it.”
Most labels don’t consider your personal circumstances, but Mavin made it feel different. Don Jazzy is more interested in you than just your stats.
One woman’s mother also pointed out that choosing the ideal label only became apparent after she left.
Who you sign to is very important, Tiwa said. It wasn’t appreciated until after I left. Once you stop producing hits, some labels view you as a dollar sign.
Tiwa became the first Nigerian female artist to join Universal Music Group (UMG) in signing a global deal in 2019. Their seven years of dating were deemed “epic,” according to Don Jazzy.
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Why Her Son Won’t Be A Musician?
The singer also discussed the difficulties of juggling motherhood and work, particularly during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Even at two a.m., I was always at home recording and watching things. I disliked that my son and I weren’t having fun together. The singer said, “I couldn’t keep work from my home.”
Tiwa said she is firmly opposed to her son pursue music despite the toughness and darkness of it, citing the humour and ferocity of the genre.
There’s no way for him to enter music, she continued. No Hell. I’ve witnessed parents who are successful in music pressure their children to follow, even when they are not gifted. He must choose his own path, I want to see. Music is difficult.
The Afrobeats star reiterated her previous commitment to signing artists herself, expressing her frustration with the technicalities of doing so.
“My heart won’t take it,” the statement read. Very little is achieved in this area. Even if you have luck and get hits, she said, it’s even more difficult to keep a career going for five or ten years.
Mentally, it’s draining because “people think you’re wealthy, but you still have to look the part even when you’re not making a lot.”
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Gender disparity in the industry
Wizkid, Mohbad, Qing Madi, and Tiwa Savage photo op.
Since Afrobeats started to gain popularity with artists like Wizkid and Davido, the genre has largely been dominated by male artists, with fewer women enjoying the same amount of attention.
Most female artists are still attempting to break into a largely male-dominated field despite the presence of many talented female artists.
However, Tiwa criticized the way that women are frequently viewed differently from their male counterparts in light of the ongoing issue of gender bias in the Afrobeats scene.
I detest the statement, “I hate that’ for a woman.” Like, “You’ve done well for a woman,” for example. It is overly male-dominated.
“I don’t want to fill a spot on a lineup just because I’m the only woman there.” Because I’m the best, I want to be there. Even after ten years, I find it hard to believe I’m still fighting these battles.
On the set of their single, “Men Are Crazy,” Simi and Tiwa Savage pose in a promotional photo. (Image provided by the artists via Listen Up PR Agency)
The 45-year-old singer also made a point about the contentious appearance of her 2024 single “Wanted” in the music video for her controversial appearance following public criticism that she was no longer “more desirable”.
“My time had passed, and there was talk that I was married.” So I said, “Let me do something crazy.” I wanted to challenge that narrative, she said, but it wasn’t just to be sexy because I’m naturally a tomboy.
Savage claims that Tunji “TJ” Balogun, her ex-partner, was responsible for the majority of the image shift.
She remarked, “He told me to start waxing, and wear wigs; he changed my appearance.” In a T-shirt and baggy jeans, I was a songwriter. Let’s give them the African equivalent of Beyoncé, he said. Although the backlash was not my thing, we persevered.”
Starting Late, Maintaining Relevance 
The mother of one asserted that her career came to her with more experience than many of her peers, giving her an advantage in the field.
I didn’t start out young. When I was in my forties, I released my first single. However, as I studied music, I became familiar with terms like “in perpetuity” and “first right of refusal.” That was a big help, Tiwa said.
Tiwa questioned how she managed to stay relevant in a rapidly evolving field by taking chances and building on her mistakes.
The singer remarked, “This project I’m working on right now is a risk.” I’m not sure if it will work. But I never fail to take responsibility. I take lessons from it if it fails. Never let failure derail me.
Savage also reaffirmed her joy at seeing Afrobeats become popular recently, but she also expressed concern about losing one’s identity, putting emphasis on the need for Africans to master their own narratives and creativity.
Five more final-over finishes, five more matches, and a pitch invasion all come to mind.
The trip to Scotland between the Netherlands and Nepal was epic and action-packed.
Some of the most captivating cricket on offer anywhere in the world has been produced by the pairing of Dundee and Glasgow in their six ODI matches.
Nepal brings drama and noise.
Scotland and cricket
Nepal’s involvement has been a key component of the series’ compelling nature.
After a remarkable defeat by the Netherlands following three super overs, Scotland’s Mark Watt posted a question on social media: “Do Nepal ever have a regular game of cricket?”
Match after match went to the wire for the “Cardiac Kids,” which they had for three weeks in Scotland.
They won five of their eight matches in foreign conditions with a dramatic one-wicket victory over the hosts, and they continue to play with the same intensity and spirit the entire way.
Tens of thousands more watched from home in Dundee and Glasgow as passionate supporters demonstrate their support.
After that one-wicket win over Scotland, that enthusiasm was no more evident than in a cheery pitch invasion.
Nepal has made it clear that they want to play Test cricket one day and become a full member of the ICC.
They appear to only engage in thought-provoking matches. They excel in the field, have a varied bowling style, and don’t seem to know when they are down.
Rohit Paudel, the skipper of Nepal, told BBC Sport, “I guess it’s how we’ve played cricket for the past ten or so years.”
“Every game seems to be ending.”
What lies ahead?
Teams are frequently denied the talents they have developed and nurtured because the sport is increasingly dominated by franchises.
Due to more lucrative franchise agreements, New Zealand’s and world champions South Africa’s best players are not able to access them, even at the highest level.
England, Australia, and India are currently the owners of the Five-Test series.
Although part of the ICC’s plan is to “give more nations a global platform,” there are few and far between opportunities for teams outside the big three.
Scotland and cricket receives approximately £1.3m per year as part of the ICC’s revenue share to fund all their programmes, men’s and women’s, approximately 10% of what a full member such as Ireland receive.
Although World Cup League 2 is far from the highest-profile ODI game in the world, it offers everything to these teams: a chance to win the World Cup and a chance to show their worth to the big players.
Players give it their all, never realizing when the next game will be played.
The Dutch surpassed Scotland’s record-breaking 369 with Max O’Dowd’s magnificent 158 not out in Dundee, which is the most impressive total in associate history.
O’Dowd and his team-mates celebrated by putting an end to a four-game losing streak in front of them.
Yet, there isn’t scheduled a second ODI until 2025.
These countries require more fixtures, but the extra cost also comes with it.
Associate members contend that to build on the strong foundations that already exist, they need more funding, whether it comes from the ICC, governments, or through commercial sponsorships.
Scotland and the Netherlands have a significant benefit of playing at a World Cup in India and Sri Lanka the following year in addition to their T20 qualifiers for the upcoming July T20 tournament.
Gilan, Iran – The prospect of war seemed to creep nearer to reality with each passing day, but perhaps few of the millions who have been forced to abandon their homes across Iran in the past week – including myself – could have known this new reality would impose itself so harshly or abruptly.
The first explosions jolted people awake in Tehran shortly after 3am on June 13, when a large number of Israeli fighter jets and drones attacked dozens of areas across the country, and explosives-laden quadcopters and anti-fortification Spike guided missiles were launched by Israeli agents from inside Iran.
Entire residential buildings were levelled in the capital, military sites and air defence batteries were targeted, and above-ground facilities supporting nuclear enrichment halls buried deep inside mountains in Isfahan province’s Natanz were bombed. Dozens of civilians were killed, as were a large number of top military commanders and nuclear scientists.
In this photo released by the Iranian Red Crescent Society, rescuers work at the scene of an explosion after an Israeli strike in Tehran, Iran, on Friday, June 13, 2025 [Iranian Red Crescent Society via AP]
Tehran was in shock the first morning after the attacks, as people struggled to process the terrifying news and evaluate their options while the authorities scrambled to mount a concerted response to the surprise hits.
As the attacks came on a Friday morning – the last day of the weekend in Iran – most city streets were eerily quiet in the immediate aftermath, except for those where Israeli bombs had made an impact.
Soon, however, hours-long queues had formed at almost every single fuel station across the sprawling capital, which has a population of nearly 10 million people and holds more than 15 million during busy workdays, as millions also commute from neighbouring cities like Karaj.
I went out to visit a few of the targeted sites in western Tehran: Multiple homes had been destroyed in the Patrice Lumumba neighbourhood, several floors of a 15-storey building providing accommodation for university professors had caved in at Saadat Abad and adjacent buildings were damaged, while the top two floors of another residential building had been completely wiped out in Marzdaran. All were successful targeted assassinations – including of several top nuclear scientists – and many civilians were also killed.
Debris from an apartment building is seen on top of parked cars after a strike in Tehran, Iran, early on Friday, June 13, 2025 [Vahid Salemi/AP]
Later that night, Iran’s armed forces began launching hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel in retaliation. Nearly one week on, at least 16 rounds of Iranian strikes have been launched, with no immediate end in sight as Tehran says it will continue to hit back so long as Israel is attacking. Meanwhile, United States President Donald Trump teases triggering an all-out regional war by directly entering the war alongside Israel, which he and Washington’s Western allies already support with cutting-edge munitions, a massive fleet of refuelling planes and intelligence efforts.
For the next few days, the Israeli attacks were ringing out across Tehran and the country during the daytime, terrorising civilians who saw the smoke and heard the explosions get closer to their homes or places of work. Both at home and at Al Jazeera’s Tehran bureau, I heard many explosive impacts, with some of the closer ones only about 2km (1.2 miles) away.
Most of Tehran was shut down after the Israeli attacks ramped up, and the streets and petrol stations were more crowded than ever after Israel and Trump told people to evacuate immediately. The government said metro stations and mosques were opened as 24-hour shelters since it has built no dedicated shelters or come up with any clear security protocols, despite the ever-present threat of war.
Red Crescent Society rescuers work at the scene of an explosion following an Israeli strike in Tehran, Iran, on Friday, June 13, 2025 [Iranian Red Crescent Society via AP]
On Monday, after three days of evaluating the situation, my family and I decided to join the countless others who had already fled Tehran.
After hurriedly packing some clothes and a few belongings in a suitcase, I drove from my own place to my girlfriend’s house to pick her up at about 4pm. Her parents, who work in healthcare, needed to stay in Tehran that day but they have since left as well, after Israeli air strikes intensified in their neighbourhood.
We then picked up my mother – along with our four cats who have been staying with her – from her home in western Tehran, close to a major road which exits the capital.
Israeli bombs were falling on multiple areas across western Tehran as we scurried to grab the cats and put them in their boxes.
The unmistakable sounds of the explosions, which leave a sickening, sinking sensation in your stomach no matter how many times you hear them, only added to the urgency – especially since the Israeli military had issued a new evacuation threat at about the same time and then bombed the state television headquarters.
Smoke rises from the building of Iran’s state-run television channel after an Israeli strike in Tehran, Iran, on Monday, June 16, 2025 [AP]
Fleeing north
We left Tehran with heavy hearts, not knowing when we might return. The buildings were already mostly empty of residents.
The feeling that we may not return to the same intact neighbourhoods was unavoidable, as was the terror we feel for those who wanted to leave but could not, whether because they are nursing a sick family member or because they simply lacked the means to do so. Iran’s ailing economy has been dragged under the weight of years of local mismanagement and US sanctions.
The journey north, which usually takes about four hours, took close to 12. The highways were a sea of vehicles filled with families, pets and belongings. Roadside diners and service areas brimmed with people who had no idea when or how they might return. Many worriedly followed news of the latest air strikes.
Close to our destination in the north of Iran, checkpoints set up by armed and masked security forces made the traffic even worse. They were stopping some vehicles, mostly pick-up trucks, since those are what have been used by Israeli agents to smuggle explosive quadcopters and other weapons inside Iran.
I am writing this from a small but vibrant city in the province of Gilan in northern Iran. The northern provinces, also including Mazandaran and Golestan, are where most Iranians have opted to go. They are relatively close to Tehran, have far fewer places that could be potential targets for the Israeli army, and were already popular travel destinations with a large number of hotels that many have visited before.
Many here have opened their homes to people displaced from other provinces, too. Six million people have entered Mazandaran alone since last week, according to Iran’s deputy police chief, Qasem Rezaei.
The authorities are trying to reassure the population, especially Iranians who have fled to the northern provinces, that the government faces no problems in providing for their basic needs, especially food and fuel.
The aftermath of an Israeli strike on Iran’s State TV broadcaster building in Tehran, Iran, seen on June 19, 2025 [Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters]
But in the meantime, 90 million Iranians have been thrown into a state of uncertainty, frustration and anger while trying to maintain hope for a semblance of normal life when the country is not constantly under threat of military action or isolated from the international community.
For ordinary civilians, the situation is seriously compounded by the fact that they have been completely cut off from the internet for days, with internet observatory NetBlocks confirming on Friday that 97 percent of the country’s connectivity was down. Barring a handful of small daily updates gleaned from state media or local sources, Iranians have little idea about the extent of the Israeli military strikes across the country.
The Iranian authorities began imposing internet restrictions from the first day of the Israeli strikes, but increased them as Israel expanded its offensive and a pro-Israeli hacking group also launched cyberattacks.
Several of the country’s top banks have been taken offline as a result of the cyberattacks, as well as Iran’s top cryptocurrency exchange, Nobitex, which said its “hot wallet” had been compromised but promised it would return any lost money.
Iranian officials, who also took the country offline during the deadly nationwide protests in November 2019, claimed disconnecting the internet was necessary to fend off Israeli quadcopters and other projectiles, but gave no timeline as to when they would restore full connectivity.
Iran already has one of the most closed-off and slowed-down internet connections in the world, as almost all major global messaging apps and other services, along with tens of thousands of websites, are blocked and only accessible through workarounds such as virtual private networks (VPNs).
On Saturday, SUGA, a member of the K-pop megaband BTS, will officially complete his mandatory military service, completing each of the group’s seven total return from active duty.
Due to tensions with the North, South Korea’s most lucrative musical group has been on a self-described “hiatus” since 2022 as its members have mandated that all men under the age of 30 perform the service that is required of all South Korean men.
Before the group’s widely anticipated return to full-time activities, SUGA will be the last to finish his service.
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Photo: IG@agustd on Instagram
His final day comes to an end at 11:59 p.m., according to the South Korean Military Manpower Administration and the band’s agency HYBE.
The rapper, who previously served as a social service agent as an alternative to military duty, effectively left on Wednesday after using up his remaining leave, according to his label.
I wanted to “Above everything else,” the statement read. SUGA expressed gratitude to the group’s supporters on Weverse, who have since waited for me all this time.
“I’m so sorry for you,”
The Korea Culture and Tourism Institute estimates that the megaband had a yearly economic impact of more than 5.5 trillion won ($4 billion) before entering military service.
The South Korean boy band BTS performs at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas for the 64th Annual Grammy Awards on April 3, 2022 in this file photo taken on April 3, 2022. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP)
Analysts anticipate a rise in HYBE’s operating profit next year, partially due to BTS’s anticipated return to big-scale touring, with some projections projecting a 71% increase from the previous year.
“It is impossible to overstate the significance of BTS’s reunion with HYBE, K-pop, and South Korea as a whole. They are unique in their portrayal of the Korean Wave, according to Yale University sociology professor Grace Kao.
“I believe their upcoming tour will be their biggest yet,” he said.
Bandleader RM has been spotted at Art Basel, Switzerland, with “Old Boy” filmmaker Park Chan-wook performing at a piano recital alongside “Old Boy” ambassador Park Chan-wook, and band leader V has been spotted at a Seoul concert.
Soft power
Photo courtesy of IG@Bts.bighitofficial
One of the best instances of South Korea’s soft power is BTS, who has been hailed as a hero for years, even going to the White House in 2022.
They have publicly addressed issues of mental health and anti-Asian crime, and they have also donated $1 million to the Black Lives Matter movement in 2019, encouraging supporters to contribute the same amount.
According to Keung Yoon Bae, a professor of Korean studies at Georgia Institute of Technology, the rise in K-pop has also helped to lower discrimination against Asian artists.
Singers like Eric Nam, who was born and raised in Atlanta, have previously discussed their desire to relocate to Korea because they believe it was impossible for them to pursue a musical career in the US as an Asian.
“Today, groups like BTS and Blackpink seem to be dissolving that sense of impossibility,” BTS said.
Suga, a South Korean singer for K-pop mega group BTS, is detained for questioning at a police station in Seoul’s Yongsan district on August 23, 2024 after being charged with driving an electric scooter while driving while late at night on August 6th. (Photo by ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP)
SUGA was fined 15 million won ($10,933) last year for operating an electric scooter while under the influence of alcohol despite the widely acclaimed accolades.
In a message posted on Weverse on Saturday, he once more apologised for the incident.
“I’m sorry for the disappointment and concern I caused as a result of what transpired last year. Knowing I caused pain to my fans broke my heart, he said more.
