Actor Joe Don Baker, who has appeared in a string of big-name movies, has died.
The Hollywood actor, who played two roles in the James Bond movie franchise, died at the age of 89. His family announced the news in a statement. Joe died on May 7, his family announced in a statement as they paid tribute to him and branded the star a “beacon of kindness and generosity”.
The statement added: “His intellectual curiosity made him a voracious reader, inspiring a great love of nature and animals, particularly cats.
“Throughout his life, Joe Don touched many lives with his warmth and compassion, leaving an indelible mark on everyone fortunate enough to know him.” The statement then ended with: “As we say goodbye to Joe Don, we hold onto the memories and the love he shared with us.
“Though he may no longer be with us in body, his spirit will always remain, a guiding light in the lives he touched.
“Rest in peace, Joe Don. You will be dearly missed but never forgotten.”
Joe was married to Maria Dolores Rivero-Torres from 1969 to 1980. He never had any children.
The actor played two roles over three movies in the James Bond franchise. Joe played villain Brad Whitaker in 1987’s The Living Daylights, in which Timothy Dalton played James Bond. After undertaking the role of a villain in his first James Bond movie appearance, Joe then went on to play a good guy as he played CIA agent Jack Wade in GoldenEye and Tomorrow Never Dies, in which Pierce Brosnan portrayed the lead role.
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New sci-fi thriller-comedy Murderbot lands on Apple TV+ on May 16 and has critics hailing it as one of the streamer’s ‘best sci-fi shows’ ever
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Murderbot centres around a sentient robot programmed to protect humans
Alexander Skarsgård’s new Apple TV+ series has achieved a staggering Rotten Tomatoes score ahead of its premiere. The Emmy-winning actor – known for roles in True Blood, The Northman and Succession – stars in Murderbot, a genre-bending sci-fi thriller-comedy based on Martha Wells’ best-selling and award-winning book series.
The 10-part series centres around a self-hacking security construct who is horrified by human emotion yet drawn to its vulnerable clients. Murderbot (Skarsgård) must hide its free will and complete a dangerous assignment when all it really wants is to be left alone to watch futuristic soap operas and figure out its place in the universe.
Alongside Skarsgård, the series boasts an ensemble cast including Noma Dumezweni, David Dastmalchian, Sabrina Wu, Akshay Khanna, Tattiawna Jones, Tamara Podemski and Jack McBrayer. Murderbot will premiere with the first two episodes on Friday, May 16, exclusively on Apple TV+, and can be streamed for free with Apple’s seven-day free trial.
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The series has debuted with a staggering Rotten Tomatoes score of 97%, with only one negative – or rotten – review from 36 critics. The rating – equalling Disney+’s Andor and beating Sky’s The Last of Us (95%) and – has seen Murderbot earning the site’s Certified Fresh label.
Awarding the series an 8/10, Collider said: “Murderbot will arguably go down as one of the strongest so far this year, as well as one of Apple TV+’s best sci-fi shows yet, thanks to a delightfully layered lead performance from Skarsgård, a terrific ensemble and a perfect blend of laugh-out-loud comedy and high-stakes drama.”
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In its 9/10 review, Screen Rant said: “Skarsgård’s portrayal of Murderbot is perfect. From the cadence of his sardonic tone to his carefully constructed facial expressions, Skarsgård is undeniably the best and greatest element of this adaptation.”
With an 8.5/10, Looper said: “Each key ingredient falls in line relatively seamlessly, but the key to it all is without question Alexander Skarsgård’s performance as the title character. Apart from the occasional pacing hiccup, this is a remarkable series packed with humor, heart and big ideas that are both constantly present and never in the way of a thumping good sci-fi story.”
Murderbot is ambivalent towards the humans it’s programmed to protect
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The show’s only negative review so far comes from Slant, which rated Murderbot 2/4 and said: “Murderbot eventually finds tension and intrigue in its home stretch, though you need to wade through some graceless filmmaking to get there.”
Finery’s latest summer collection is filled with gorgeous wardrobe staples, including the perfect summer blouse that’s breezy, sweatproof and goes with everything
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A summer blouse that doesn’t compromise on style or practicality(Image: Michelle Darlow / Finery)
With the weather finally warming up, summer dressing is back on our minds, and that also means fresh new collections are starting to drop on the high street.
Our fashion team recently got a first look at Finery’s latest summer drop, and it’s full of everything we want to wear this season. Think easy linen, laid-back denim, soft neutrals, and elevated everyday staples, all with a focus on wearability and timeless style.
One item caught my eye in particular, thanks to its high-quality, chic look and breathable summer fabric. If you’ve been looking for a blouse that feels polished but still lets you breathe, enter the Adalia White Cotton Blouse; a crisp white top that’s the perfect combination of stylish and practical.
Priced at a wallet-friendly £39, this is the perfect summer top for office days, weekend brunches with the girls, and everything in between.
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Style this blouse with everything from tailored trousers to mini skirts(Image: Finery )
The pintuck detailing and ruffle neckline give it that luxe, boho feel that reminds me of designer brands like Isabel Marant and Chloé, while the airy puff sleeves are right on trend for the new season.
A few other similar styles we’ve been loving include New Look’sWhite Floral Embroidered Lace Trim Short Sleeve Blouse, currently 25% off priced at £19.49, and ME + EM’s Cheesecloth Blouse, priced at £75.
The huge bonus of Finery’s blouse is that the material is 100% cotton, making it the perfect piece for warm summer days. Cotton has always been considered an excellent fabric choice for the summer months, thanks to its natural fibres, which allow air to circulate and absorb moisture.
This means you can keep cool and dry on warmer days, and most importantly, avoid any dreaded sweat patches. A true lifesaver on days you’re commuting into the office.
Whether styling it with tailored trousers for work or denim shorts on the weekend, this button-up is about to be on serious repeat for me.
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Alongside Finery’s new season drop, we also got a first look at Next’s spring/summer collection, filled with some amazing holiday must-haves.
The Duchess of Sussex has reportedly had a heart to heart with Brooklyn Beckham’s wife Nicola Peltz as both couples find themselves in tough family struggles
Meghan is said to have ‘a lot of sympathy’ for Nicola Peltz(Image: Getty Images)
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle seem to have offered Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz a show of support as the ‘heartbreaking’ feud in the Beckham household rumbles on.
The Sussexes are said to have hosted the couple for dinner at their Montecito mansion – planned before the Beckhams’ fall-out reached boiling point – and Meghan reportedly feels especially sympathetic to Nicola given their similar ongoing family struggles.
Harry and Meghan have famously distanced themselves from the royal family, having made repeated public criticisms of the monarchy. Brooklyn and Nicola, meanwhile, have fallen out with Victoria and David and chose to skip the ex footballer’s recent 50th birthday celebrations.
Speaking about the dinner event, a source told the Sun: “Nicola and Meghan also had a bit of a ‘deep n’ meaningful’ as obviously both women have been positioned in the media as home-wreckers — the women to tear apart their husband’s families.”
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The Sussexes are said to have hosted Brooklyn and Nicola at their LA home(Image: Getty)
“Meghan had a lot of sympathy for her, and said there was shared common ground. They didn’t meet in relation to recent developments and headlines, but it was an honest but very welcome coincidence.”
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But now a source close to Harry and Meghan appears to have thrown cold water over the alleged alliance. The Sussex insider has claimed that the younger couple were not directly invited to dinner by Harry and Meghan, suggesting they were instead asked to be there by a mutual friend or intermediary. According to PEOPLE, the Sussexes’ favoured publication in the US, the dinner was also for a larger group of VIPs, including TV and media executives, rather than a more intimate meal.
READ MORE: Nicola Peltz ‘mocked’ by Brooklyn Beckham’s brothers on Instagram amid family feud
Nevertheless, there are certainly similarities between the couples, given their joint strained family relationships. Harry and Meghan are practically estranged from the royals, but the Duke recently expressed his wish for a reconciliation.
Meanwhile, Brooklyn and Nicola came under fire after deciding not to attend David’s 50th bash in Notting Hill, despite being in London at the time. Brooklyn also skipped an early birthday party in Miami in April, as well as a fishing trip David had arranged with all his sons in Scotland, an intimate dinner at his Cotswolds mansion, and a trip to France for a vineyard tour.
A source close to Brooklyn and Nicola later claimed that Victoria and David “refused” to see the couple privately ahead of the final birthday dinner, even though they had “travelled all the way to London specifically to try to repair the relationship”.
Brooklyn and Nicola are said to have fallen out with his parents, David and Victoria(Image: Instagram)
Meanwhile, the Beckhams’ friends have reacted with fury after Nicola’s pals made a series of extraordinary claims about the reason why the rift between Brooklyn and his family emerged .
A friend suggested that there is “emotional abuse and toxic behaviour” between the family which is why the four are unable to get along. However, David and Victoria reject the claims and are outraged by the suggestions.
A source close to the Beckhams said: “I don’t think anyone who has ever seen David and Victoria with their children would recognise this deeply unpleasant attack. It doesn’t even warrant a response, it’s so ludicrous and patently untrue.” A second source told The Mirror that the couple have been left “open mouthed” after hearing the suggestions.
Victoria and David were initially friends with Meghan and Harry. However, the four of them appear to have fallen out after ex-Suits actress Meghan reportedly accused Victoria of leaking stories about her.
Another development just this week when Harry’s sister-in-law Princess Kate made a show of support for Victoria by choosing to wear an olive trouser suit from the designer to a major fashion event.
The Princess stunned in one of Victoria’s tailored suits(Image: AP)
In response to Kate’s outfit choice, a source close to the Beckhams said: “The Princess of Wales has worn Victoria’s designs before and it’s really great to see that she’s wearing one again, especially as the outfit was not gifted and was very much her own call to wear it. Both couples support each other’s charities and David and William are friends too, so there is a great deal of mutual respect there.”
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It will have been a big boost for Victoria, who is said to be ‘heartbroken’ by the rift with her eldest son. Reports that the former Spice Girl and her daughter-in-law didn’t get on first surfaced at the time of Brooklyn and Nicola’s wedding in 2022, when Nicola opted to wear a Valentino gown instead of one designed by Victoria. Sources say the incident marked the start of ongoing friction.
The Senate on Thursday asked President Bola Tinubu to assent to the Nigerian Forest Security Service (Establishment) Bill, 2025, which was recently passed by the National Assembly and is currently awaiting presidential approval to tackle insecurity.
This resolution was adopted after the submission of two bills sponsored by the Senate minority leader, Sen. Abba Moro and Sen. Sunday Karimi, strongly condemning the abduction of His Royal Highness, Oba James Dada Ogunyanda, the Obalohun of Okoloke, in Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State as well as deadly attacks on communities in Benue State by suspected herdsmen.
In the first motion, the Senate expressed dismay over the abduction of a Kogi monarch by suspected kidnappers who stormed his palace around midnight on Thursday, May 15, firing gunshots before whisking him away to an unknown location.
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As lawmakers called for immediate security intervention across affected regions, they noted that the bill could be revisited to accommodate the President’s proposed Forest Guard initiative, aimed at curbing rising insecurity, particularly in forested and rural areas.
The Senate further urged the Federal Government to direct all security agencies to deploy their resources for the immediate rescue of the monarch.
Moro had informed the chamber of coordinated attacks by suspected Fulani herdsmen on Akpete and Ojantele communities in Apa Local Government Area of Benue State, which occurred on May 1 and May 7, respectively, killing more than a dozen residents.
The Senate also passed a bill seeking to make it mandatory for Ministries, Departments, and Agencies to prioritise local automobile manufacturers and indigenous companies in their procurement processes through second reading.
The passage followed a submission by Sen Patrick Ndubueze during plenary.
Speaking in support of the bill, Deputy Senate President , Barau Jibrin, underscored the economic benefits of such a policy, noting that there has been a sustained public call for increased support for Made-in-Nigeria products.
“There has been a clamour for the government to patronize locally made goods. This is not just patriotic, it is a sound economic decision. Supporting indigenous companies will help grow our economy, create jobs, and reduce our dependence on imports,” he stated.
The Senate has passed a bill seeking to make it mandatory for Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to prioritise local automobile manufacturers and indigenous companies in their procurement processes through the second reading.
The passage followed a submission by Sen Patrick Ndubueze during plenary on Thursday.
Speaking in support of the bill, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin underscored the economic benefits of such a policy, noting that there has been a sustained public call for increased support for Made-in-Nigeria products.
“There has been a clamour for the government to patronize locally made goods. This is not just patriotic, it is a sound economic decision. Supporting indigenous companies will help grow our economy, create jobs, and reduce our dependence on imports,” he stated.
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The bill, which was widely backed, aims to strengthen the local manufacturing sector, enhance job creation, and reduce capital flight by encouraging government patronage of Nigerian-made goods, particularly in the automobile industry.
Meanwhile, the upper chamber called on President Bola Tinubu to assent to the Nigerian Forest Security Service (Establishment) Bill, 2025, which was recently passed by the National Assembly and is currently awaiting presidential approval to tackle insecurity.
This resolution was adopted after the submission of two bills sponsored by the Senate minority leader, Sen. Abba Moro and Sen. Sunday Karimi, strongly condemning the abduction of His Royal Highness, Oba James Dada Ogunyanda, the Obalohun of Okoloke, in Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State as well as deadly attacks on communities in Benue State by suspected herdsmen.
In the first motion, the Senate expressed dismay over the abduction of a Kogi monarch by suspected kidnappers who stormed his palace around midnight on Thursday, May 15, firing gunshots before whisking him away to an unknown location.
As lawmakers called for immediate security intervention across affected regions, they noted that the bill could be revisited to accommodate the President’s proposed Forest Guard initiative, aimed at curbing rising insecurity, particularly in forested and rural areas.
The Senate further urged the Federal Government to direct all security agencies to deploy their resources for the immediate rescue of the monarch.
