Israel to take full control of Gaza, allowing in ‘minimal’ aid

Israeli forces will take full control of the Gaza Strip as part of their latest, expanded offensive against the territory, prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced.

As the latest round of airstrikes killed dozens of Palestinians in Gaza, according to the local Hamas-run health ministry, Mr Netanyahu revealed that Israel had plans to “take control of all” of the Gaza Strip. He would also, he added, allow “minimal” aid into the enclave – after a months-long blockade – in an effort to stave off international criticism.

“The fighting is intense, and we are making progress. We will take control of all the territory of the strip,” Mr Netanyahu said in a video posted to his Telegram channel. “We will not give up. But in order to succeed, we must act in a way that cannot be stopped.”

Mr Netanyahu added that Israeli forces would lift their blockade on aid entering the territory, but that they would do so only for “practical and diplomatic reasons” that centred on pacifying Israel’s international critics. The blockade has been in place since a truce fell apart in March.

The Israeli military said forces engaged in a new campaign dubbed “Operation Gideon’s Chariots” were active across Gaza, seeking to eliminate Hamas’s military and governing capabilities and to bring back the remaining hostages seized in October 2023.

Over the weekend, Israeli forces announced they were launching “extensive” operations in the north of Gaza, towards the Jabaliya refugee camp, and southwards towards the city of Khan Younis.

Palestinians in Khan Younis were ordered to “evacuate immediately” on Monday morning ahead of what Israeli forces described as an “unprecedented attack to destroy” Hamas.

“From this moment, Khan Younis will be considered a dangerous combat zone,” Israel spokesperson Avichay Adraee said on Telegram.

Previous Israeli air and ground offensives have already caused heavy damage to the city. Almost the entire population of 2.3 million Palestinians living in Gaza, who are barred from leaving the territory, have been displaced by Israel’s constant attacks. Many have been forced to relocate numerous times as Israel returns for further military operations.

Palestinian health officials said more than 500 people have been killed in attacks in the past eight days.

Nedal Hamdouna a journalist who was force to flee bombing for the eight time over the weekend said the situation was a nightmare.

“While I was evacuating I saw people screaming and crying as they received the news of the killing of their sons in an Israeli airstrike,” he told The Independent. “I passed by the cemetery road where I saw some young men burying their relatives who were killed this morning,” he said.

Israel’s ground and air war has killed more than 53,000 people, many of them civilians, according to Gaza’s health authorities.

The war erupted after Hamas-led militants attacked Israeli communities near the border with Gaza on 7 October 2023, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and seizing 251 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

The Israeli army spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Nadav Shoshani, said there was “no end date necessarily” for the newly expanded and intensified operation in Gaza, adding that the army had hit over 800 targets in Gaza in “recent days” and that there were five divisions operating there, after tens of thousands of reservists were mobilised.

Eden Bar Tal, the Foreign Ministry’s director general, said Monday a shipment of flour, baby food and medical supplies would be permitted to cross into Gaza and that baby food had started entering but would not say how much aid would enter, where it would go or when. There was reportedly no sign of any aid on the Gaza side of the border.

Israeli military spokesperson Lt. Colonel Shoshani also would not confirm the amount or the timeline of the delivery of aid, saying ” Trucks are planned to enter Gaza with aid” while directly questions to the political echelon.

He also declined to confirm or deny whether the Israeli military would indefinitely hold areas of Gaza, as suggested by the Israeli premier.

The military spokesperson told reporters said the main goal of the new operation was “to target Hamas’ command and control systems, to target their commanders, to target their remaining capabilities.” However, he acknowledged that this means forcing civilians to flee again — without confirming how many people have been asked to move.

Palestinian health officials, meanwhile, said more than 500 people have been killed in attacks in the past eight days as Israel has stepped up its ferocious military campaign.

The health ministry in Gaza said several hospitals had been hit or surrounded. In a message posted to Telegram groups today, the Ministry of Health said Israeli forces fired directly at the intensive care unit at the Indonesian Hospital and bombed the European Gaza Hospital with 14 rockets, “complicating the hospital’s chances of reopening.”

When The Independent asked the Israeli military about these reports, Lt. Colonel Shoshani replied that the army “does not attack hospitals” and that they were “operating according to international law.”

The director general of the World Health Organisation, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said on Monday morning that more than 2 million people, out of a total population of 2.3 million, are currently starving in Gaza, while “tonnes of food are blocked at the border, just minutes away”.

Mr Netanyahu said it was important for Gaza not to “reach a state of starvation, both from a practical and a diplomatic perspective”, because Israel’s international backers “simply will not support us [and ] we will not be able to complete the mission of victory”.

He added that Israel will only provide “minimal assistance” in a way that will “prevent Hamas from accessing” the aid. “We are going to set up the first points in a few days,” he said.

US president Donald Trump, who is viewed as one of America’s most pro-Israel leaders, said last week on the final day of his Gulf tour that people were starving in Gaza and suggested that the US would have the situation “taken care of”. European allies, including the UK, have also voiced serious concerns about the dire humanitarian situation.

Private US companies, under the security control of Israeli forces, will eventually administer the aid, in a move that has been criticised by humanitarian groups as illegal. Until then, the United Nations will lead “limited” efforts to restore deliveries into Gaza.

Hardline nationalist ministers in Mr Netanyahu’s cabinet who had previously opposed all aid to the strip endorsed the move. Finance minister Bezalel Smotrich, echoing Mr Netanyahu’s message, suggested it was necessary to ensure the continued war.

“I understand the anger and the stomach aches,” he said on Monday morning. “Until the last of the kidnapped people returns, not even water should be brought in, but the reality is different.”

Israel made its announcement on aid after sources on both sides reported no progress had been made in a new round of indirect talks between Israel and Hamas in Qatar.

Israel has also been pounding Iran-aligned Houthi rebels in Yemen. Shoshani said the Israeli military deployed 15 aircraft, including fighter jets, to strike seaports and the airport in Yemen.

“They were successfully conducted… and they disabled the ports and reduced the Houthis’ capabilities to transfer their core equipment or anything funding terror into Yemen.”

Dawn Richard testifies Diddy was ‘frequently’ violent toward Cassie Ventura

Dawn Richard testified in the Sean “Diddy” Combs sex trafficking trial today, following dramatic testimony last week from his former girlfriend Cassie Ventura.

Richard told the jury that Combs once said he “owned” Ventura, and that she could “see” that Ventura was afraid of him. Last week, Richard told the jury that she saw Combs physically and emotionally abuse Ventura for years.

Richard separately sued Combs last year, accusing him of sexual assault, forced labor, and forced imprisonment.

During her four days on the witness stand last week, Ventura testified she was made to have “freak offs” involving her having sex with other men as directed by Combs, often while using drugs.

Venture told prosecutor Emily Johnson she’d return the $20 million settlement from her 2023 civil lawsuit against Combs if she “never had to have freak offs.” She was also cross-examined over explicit texts and emails that she shared with Combs.

Combs is facing sex trafficking, transportation to engage in prostitution, and racketeering conspiracy charges. The hip-hop mogul was arrested in September 2024 as federal authorities alleged he threatened, abused, and coerced victims “to fulfil his sexual desires” between 2004 and 2024. Combs has denied any accusations of wrongdoing.

The Who fires drummer Zak Starkey, again

The Who have fired longtime drummer Zak Starkey again, two weeks after he was reinstated ahead of the band’s farewell tour announcement.

The news was made public first by guitarist Pete Townshend, who shared it with his followers on social media, and then confirmed by Starkey, who made his feelings about the decision clear.

The musician, who is the son of Beatles drummer Ringo Starr, said he had been asked to claim that this time, he was quitting of his own accord.

“This would be a lie,” he wrote. “I love The Who and would never have quit.”

Townshend had said, in text written over a photo: “After many years of great work on drums from Zak the time has come for a change. A poignant time. Zak has lots of new projects in hand and I wish him the best.”

He also revealed that Starkey would be replaced by Scott Devours, who has worked with frontman Roger Daltrey’s solo band.

“Please welcome him,” Townshend wrote.

In response, Starkey wrote text over Townshend’s image, commenting that quitting The Who “would [have] let down the countless amazing people who stood up for me (thank you all a million times over and more) through the weeks of mayhem” as he was first fired from the band then reinstated.

“To clarify ‘other projects’… yes I do have other projects and always have,” he continued, referencing his work with artists including Johnny Marr and The Lightning Seeds.

“None of this has ever interfered with The Who and was never a problem for them,” he concluded. “The lie is or would have been that I quit The Who – I didn’t. I love The Who and everyone in it.”

Starkey was fired from the band in April over a dispute about his performance at the Royal Albert Hall the previous month.

A report on the band’s gig in the Metro suggested that Daltrey had complained onstage about Starkey’s performance, apparently telling the audience he was struggling to sing their final track, “The Song is Over”.

“To sing that song I do need to hear the key, and I can’t,” he said. “All I’ve got is drums going boom, boom, boom. I can’t sing to that. I’m sorry guys.”

Starkey was reinstated three days later, having called his bandmate “Toger Daktrey” and joking that he was bringing “formal charges of overplaying” against him.

He first joined The Who full-time during their 1996 Quadrophenia tour, having been introduced to the drums by the band’s former drummer, Keith Moon, a family friend who gave Starkey a drum kit for his eighth birthday.

The band are due to kick off the North America leg of their farewell tour, UK and Europe dates for which have yet to be announced, in August.

A number of Starkey’s friends and fans posted messages of support on his latest Instagram post, including Sean Ono Lennon, the son of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, who joked: “WIthout Zak it’s like, ‘The Who who?’”

Brazilian drummer João Barone of the band Os Paralamas do Successo said: “Simply unbelievable, what a wrong move, couldn’t be a worse choice, it’s a matter they just ‘Can’t Explain’…”

The news comes after another rock drummer was fired over the weekend, as the Foo Fighters dropped Josh Freese two years after he was brought on to fill in for the late Taylor Hawkins.

Freese said that he had never been let go from a band in his 40 years of playing professionally, so while he was not angry, he was “a bit shocked and disappointed”.

“I enjoyed the past two years with them, both on and off stage, and I support whatever they feel is best for the band,” he said.

Egypt says seven, including two Brits, dead in tourist boat tragedy

Seven people, including five foreign tourists, have been officially declared dead by Egyptian authorities after a tragic boat accident in the Red Sea.

The tourists – two British, two Polish, and one German – along with two Egyptians, were aboard the Sea Story when it capsized near Sataya Reef in November last year. The boat, carrying 31 tourists and 13 crew on a diving excursion, sank rapidly after being hit by high waves.

While four bodies were recovered shortly after the incident, the remaining seven individuals had been missing until this official declaration, published in a government decree on Sunday.

Brits Jenny Cawson, 36, and her husband Tariq Sinada, 49, were believed to be among seven people still unaccounted for.

Ms Cawson’s mother Pamela told the BBC at the time that she recognised the name of the boat in the news as the couple had been in touch when they arrived in the Red Sea.

She said: “Your heart sinks. You ask yourself, have I misread the news? Let’s look again.”

The family said they approached local sources in Egypt in an attempt to locate their loved ones.

“One of the local sources was kind enough to try and look for them in local hospitals,” Ms Cawson’s mother said in December.

Officials said the boat had passed its last safety inspection eight months earlier with no technical issues reported.

Owned by an Egyptian national, the vessel was 34 meters long and had received a one-year safety certificate from the Maritime Safety Authority. The incident was blamed on high waves during rough weather conditions.

The Sea Story was the second boat to sink in the area last year. A vessel suffered severe damage from strong waves in June, though no casualties were reported. Earlier this year, a viewing submarine sank off the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Hurghada, killing six Russian tourists.

The Red Sea, renowned for its coral reefs and marine life, is a major hub for Egypt’s tourism industry, which plays a critical role in the country’s economy.

Sarah Silverman shares shocking revelation about her brother’s death

Sarah Silverman has shared an extraordinary and shocking revelation her father made to her before he died, about the circumstances surrounding the death of her brother, Jeffrey, when he was three months old.

The US comedian, 54, is preparing to release a new special, PostMortem, about the deaths of her parents Beth Ann Halpin (1941 – 2015) and Donald Silverman (1937 – 2023).

In an interview with Rolling Stone, Silverman spoke about her late parents and the themes behind the show, before the journalist told her that he’d been unable to talk about his own father after he was killed in a plane crash.

He wondered if Silverman’s parents had ever been able to talk about Jeffrey’s death, prompting her to explain she was going to tell him “a big bomb”.

While she was writing her 2010 memoir, The Bedwetter – which was later turned into a 2022 musical – she said she was struck by the fact that, while her parents had different accounts of “every issue of their marriage”, they had the same one when describing how Jeffrey died.

In her memoir, Silverman said her brother had been left in the care of her grandparents, Max and Rose, while Donald and Beth Ann went on holiday. Max told his son that he had been checking on Jeffrey in the night, as he had been crying a lot and Rose was hard of hearing.

When her grandfather got up to check on Jeffrey in the morning, he apparently found the baby had suffocated after slipping through a narrow space between the mattress and the bottom rail of the crib.

“The story was that something happened with the crib, and Jeffrey’s little body slid and he got suffocated,” Silverman told Rolling Stone. “But if you look back, there was never a lawsuit with the crib company or anything.”

In 2022, the year before he died, her father came to see a Manhattan production of The Bedwetter five nights in a row. The show included a scene about Silverman as a child making a joke about Jeffrey’s death to her grandmother and no one laughing.

Donald Silverman came backstage after the fifth show and told his daughter a different story about her brother, who died before she was born, claiming that it was in fact his own violent father who had been responsible.

“My dad says, ‘I always felt that he was crying or something, and my dad shook him,’” she recalled. “‘He shook him in a rage and killed him.’”

Her manager apparently gasped at this revelation, and the room went quiet for a moment.

“As soon as he said it, it was like, ‘Of course, that’s what happened,’” Silverman continued. “[Donald’s] mother always stood by her husband. She watched him beat the s*** out of her son. I couldn’t ask my mom, because she was dead.”

Silverman had earlier spoken of her father’s “heartbreaking” childhood, when he was subject to daily beatings by his own father: “He had a younger brother who wasn’t touched. His father made the kids call him Mr Silverman.”

She suggested this kind of bombshell-dropping was par for the course from her dad: “We were playing poker once, and he just dropped in that one of the priests at his school fondled him. I was like ‘Dad!’ He was always dropping bombs.”

The Independent has contacted Silverman’s representatives for additional comment.

Donald Silverman died shortly after his second wife of more than 40 years, Janice, passed away.

“My best pal, Schleppy – my dad, died last night,” the stand-up comedian, 52, wrote in an Instagram post after his death in 2023.

“All the sisters, and grandkids surrounded him with love and singing and very dark f***ed up jokes this final week. But ultimately, he wanted to be with his love, Janice, who we lost last Monday.”

“He always said he was the richest man in the world because of his family, and he was,” Silverman added.

In another recent interview with The Guardian, Silverman said touring PostMortem across the US had been “a nice way of keeping [her parents] alive”, but it would be “time to put it to bed” after PostMortem’s UK run, which concluded last month.

Her previous comedy specials have included Netflix’s A Speck of Dust (2017) and HBO’s Someone You Love (2023).

PostMortem will be available to stream on Netflix from Tuesday 20 May.

From secluded bays to family-friendly shores, discover the Costa Dorada’s beaches

Whether you prefer your sunbathing broken up by a spot of snorkelling, experiencing local culture, or simply blissfully uninterrupted – the Costa Dorada (locally known as Costa Daurada) has the perfect beach for you. With 50 miles of coastline, and 26 Blue Flag beaches, it doesn’t matter if you’re after calm waters, family-friendly facilities or adventurous water sports – there’s a sunspot that caters for every traveller.

What’s more, with Jet2holidays flying to the Costa Dorada from 12 UK airports and a range of two to five-star accommodation, it’s easy to get your beach break sorted. Jet2holidays is always giving you more, to help make planning and booking as smooth as possible. That goes for the PayPal Pay in 3 interest-free payments** option, 22kg baggage and 10kg hand luggage, and return transfers† that are included. Look out for Free Child Places***, and infants under two go free‡.

Here we pick out just some of the region’s gorgeous shores to delve into…

In one of the most picturesque and lively parts of Costa Dorada sits this almost two-and-a-half mile stretch of beach, lined with palms as well as the famous pine trees that give the area its name. It’s fab for everything from gentle strolls and paddles to more active games of volleyball, sand football and tennis. Other activities on offer include everything from shoreside Zumba classes to yoga, meditation and mindfulness sessions. The slow slope of sand into sparkling waters makes it ideal for families with young children, while for the real water babies, the exhilarating Aquopolis waterpark is only a short walk from the beach. With plenty of bars, restaurants, toilets and shower facilities lining the pretty promenade, there’s no reason not to stay all day.

With over five miles of Blue Flag beaches, all with gentle waters, Cambrils makes an excellent family-friendly break. Great for water sports such as kayaking, paddleboarding and sailing – especially at the pristine Platja del Cavet Beach, where the Escola Nàutica water sports centre offers windsurfing lessons.

For something more laidback, head to Platja de la Llosa for a series of smaller, but equally beautiful, beaches and coves. Then why not potter around the picturesque, cobbled alleyways of the old town to sample delicious local dishes? While you’re in the area, take the opportunity to visit neighbouring Platja de la Pixerota in Mont-roig on the southern border of Cambrils, to enjoy breathtaking views out to the Gulf of Sant Jordi and learn about the fascinating Spanish Civil War bunkers situated in the middle of the beach.

As the tourist capital of the Costa Dorada and the epicentre of amusement and entertainment, Salou’s beaches are home to good times for kids and adults alike. And being so close to PortAventura World (one of Europe’s largest theme parks) means double the fun, when so many of Jet2holidays’ Experience More hotels include park entry, meaning staying and playing is on the cards. Don’t miss the stunning Llevant Beach, dotted with colourful sunloungers and umbrellas, where the sea is filled with kayaks and jet skis. In between sunbathing and water sports, you can also enjoy wandering along its pretty promenade of shops, restaurants and bars. For something a little more secluded, take the coastal path to the sand dunes, pine trees and shallow crystalline waters of Platja Llarga, which is great for snorkelling.

This charming beach town is as much a magnet to those looking for lazy beach days as it is for history lovers. A medieval castle forms the backdrop to a swathe of fine golden sand at Platja d’Altafulla, and it’s a stone’s throw from the famous Roman ruins at Tarragona. You can even borrow a book from the Bibliomar beach library, which also organises workshops and storytelling, or join a yoga or Pilates class on the sands.

Walk down to neighbouring Tamarit Beach, which has its own castle dating back to the 11th century, as well as some friendly beach bars for a cheeky cocktail. Also in the area is family-friendly Coma-ruga Beach in El Vendrell. Its clear waters, palm-lined promenade of restaurants, bars and shops, and natural thermal springs, make for a balanced beach break.

The soft, sloping sands make Platja La Paella a super-safe option for families with children who love spending all day in the sea. As for water sports, there’s a designated area for surfers, and a bespoke exit and entry point for jet skis. The nearby marina offers scuba diving, snorkelling, water skiing and boat trips. For those who prefer being on terra firma, there are kids’ playgrounds, and a sports zone with four volleyball courts and three beach football pitches, often hosting championships. In summer, sports camps and gymnastics sessions are held here.

One of the most unique beaches in the Costa Dorada, the sugar-like sands and translucent waters of l’Arenal are split into two parts. There’s the northern section with its promenade and the Base Nautica water sports resort, which offers dinghy sailing, windsurfing and kayaking. Then there’s the southern part, which can only be accessed via a listed Blue Trail footpath. Here you can enjoy magnificent dunes, marshlands and white pine woodlands around a more tranquil shore.

With Jet2holidays, you can book your trip to the Costa Dorada with lots of package perks thrown in to make getting away even easier. From a low £60 per person deposit* to PayPal Pay in 3 interest-free payments**, 22kg baggage and 10kg hand luggage per person to return transfers†, it’s all included. Families can make the most of Free Child Places*** while infants under two go free‡. And with flights included and the choice of two to five-star hotels, Jet2holidays is always giving you more. For more Costa Dorada travel inspiration, and to find and book your ultimate holiday, visit Jet2holidays. Plus, right now, myJet2 members can save £100 per person§ in The Big Jet2 Price Drop (correct at original publish date).

*On bookings made ten weeks or more before departure. Full payment required by balance due date. **Spread the cost over three interest-free payments. Available when booked online, for holidays under £2,000, departing within ten weeks. ***One free child place per two paying passengers. Subject to availability. T&Cs apply, please see www.jet2holidays.com/promotions#FCP2025 for further details. †Unless otherwise stated. ‡Applicable for all infants under the age of two years on the date of return. Infants are not entitled to a flight seat (they must be seated with a parent or guardian) or a 22kg baggage allowance. §£100 per person off holidays for myJet2 members departing until 15 November 2026. myJet2 members will need to be logged into their account at the time of booking for the discount to automatically apply. Book online, via our app, through our call centre or with your travel agent. Please note the discount is not applied to children travelling on a free child place. Terms and conditions apply, please see www.jet2holidays.com/promotions#100APRIL2025 for details.

White House insists Trump has nothing to do with Qatar plane deal

The White House continues to deny that the proposed gift of a $400 million bespoke jumbo jet for President Donald Trump’s has anything to do with the man who would benefit most from the transaction.

During a Monday press briefing, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was questioned on whether the tricked-out aircraft currently owned by a member of Qatar’s ruling al-Thani family could be checked for listening devices or other security concerns and retrofitted to presidential standards. The jet’s use as a luxury transport comes as construction proceeds on two long-delayed aircraft to be used as Air Force One

Leavitt quickly repeated a previously used statement about the plane being accepted “according to all legal and ethical obligations” and said it would be “retrofitted to the highest of standards” by the Pentagon and the Air Force. But she then pivoted to a complaint about what she described as “misinformation” about the proposed donation, which according to Trump would see the plane delivered to the Department of Defense for use during his term and then transferred to his presidential library’s foundation around the time he leaves office in early 2029.

She claimed that the aircraft was “not a personal donation or gift” to Trump and said any journalist who suggested otherwise should correct their reporting.

“This is a donation to our country and to the United States Air Force,” she said, adding later that she’d refer further questions on retrofitting the aircraft to the Air Force because Trump “has nothing to do with it.”

Leavitt’s insistence that the president isn’t a party to the proposed transaction tracks with the opinion of Trump’s Department of Justice, which had moved swiftly to rule that accepting the gift would break no laws despite the U.S. Constitution explicitly prohibiting the president from accepting from accepting “any present, emolument, office, or title, of any kind whatever, from any king, prince or foreign state.”

Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House lawyer David Warrington said the donation of the aircraft would be “legally permissible” given that its ownership would be transferred to the Trump Presidential Library Foundation before the end of his term.

Officials have compared the transfer to the as-yet unbuilt Trump library to the transaction that saw the Air Force donate a Boeing 707 aircraft used as presidential transport from 1973 to 2001 to the Ronald Reagan library, which has displayed the disused aircraft in an exhibit featuring other vehicles used during Reagan’s presidency. And while Trump has claimed that he would not make use of the aircraft after leaving office, there’s no reason why it could not continue to fly for his personal use if his library had the funds to fuel and maintain the plane.

Trump has long fixated on the details of what has become a long-delayed, budget-busting project to replace two iconic Boeing 747 aircraft used for presidential transport since the George H.W. Bush administration to the point of picking out a dark blue and red paint scheme for the replacement planes, which are slated to be a pair of 747-8 airliners that were built for but never delivered to a bankrupt Russian airline.

But that project, which began around the time Trump’s first term started in 2017, has been dogged by supply chain problems, security delays and the bankruptcy of a key Boeing subcontractor, all on top of the difficulty of stripping a commercial aircraft down to studs and rebuilding it as a hardened VIP transport capable of functioning as a White House in the sky during all manner of crises while protecting itself from many forms of attacks using highly classified defensive capabilities.

The Qatari plane is reportedly so luxurious inside that it has been described as a “flying palace.” It has two full bathrooms, nine lavatories, a master bedroom and a guest bedroom, multiple lounges and a private office.

Retrofitting it to be used as Air Force One would likely require years of work to add secure communications, electromagnetic shielding, and possibly in-flight refueling capabilities. making it unlikely that it would be available for use before Trump’s term ends. Experts estimated that fixing up the plane could cost upward of $1 billion.

Speaking to Fox News host Sean Hannity aboard Air Force One during his trip to the Middle East last week, Trump appeared not to understand why the gesture had provoked such outrage.

“Why wouldn’t I accept a gift?” he asked, pointing out to Hannity how “much smaller” and “much less impressive” the present presidential plane is compared to the newer model.

“The plane that you are on right now is almost 40 years old,” he griped.

“When you land and you see Saudi Arabia, and you see [the UAE], and you see Qatar, and you see all these – they have these brand new Boeing 747s mostly.

“And you see ours next to it. This is like a totally different plane. It’s much smaller, it’s much less impressive… We’re the United States of America – I believe we should have the most impressive plane.”

Joe Sommerlad contributed reporting from London

Sisters battle over mum’s home as youngest claims she needs it for dog

An alternative therapist is locked in a court fight after her “sensitive” younger sister told her she can’t have her inheritance as she needs their mum’s £420,000 house for her and her emotional support dogs to live in.

Agnes Duggan died in August 2018, aged 78, leaving her home to be split equally in her will between her three daughters, Sharon, Ann and Brenda Duggan.

The house in Crawley, Sussex, where she had lived with youngest daughter Sharon, 49, caring for her in her final years, made up almost all the value of her estate.

But now Sharon is blocking alternative therapist Brenda, 55, and oldest sister Ann, 60, from getting their share of their mum’s estate, claiming she needs to stay in the house for life with her therapeutic pets, as she is too “noise sensitive” to live in a flat.

She says that her needs and those of her two rescue dogs – which she told Central London County Court “help with her mental and emotional well-being” – outweigh the rights of her sisters to get the inheritance they are due and that they should only get a “small lump sum” each, which she could raise with a mortgage.

Sharon is now suing her two sisters under the 1975 Inheritance Act, claiming “reasonable provision” above her one-third share of her mum’s money on the basis that her special sensitivity and medical ailments mean she should get the whole house for life.

But Brenda, who formerly ran a bioresonance therapy company and a business providing gluten-free altar bread to food-intolerant Catholics, is fighting her claim, insisting Sharon and her pets will be fine in a one-bed flat.

Former NHS medical secretary Sharon, representing herself in court, told Judge Alan Johns KC that she should have the right to stay put in the family home in Lyndhurst Close, Southgate, Crawley, where she moved in 2014 and cared for her mum in her last dementia-plagued years.

Sharon, who lives on benefits, told the court she is “dyslexic and suffers from a variety of health issues, including chronic fatigue syndrome, migraine, fibromyalgia, depression, anxiety, insomnia, PTSD, and adjustment disorder (and) also has long Covid.”

Her sister, Brenda, has suggested she could relocate to a flat using her stake from the inheritance, but in court Sharon rejected this as totally unsuitable due to intrusive noise, her history of fragile mental health and the effect on her two dogs.

In her written arguments, Sharon told the judge: “The claimant avers that psychologically she could not cope with living in a flat again.

“She is anxious that neighbours may cause disturbances and impact upon her ability to sleep and exacerbate her insomnia, of which she has previous experience, even having sound proofing installed in her apartment, which did little to mitigate noise.

“The claimant now has two rescue dogs, which help with her mental and emotional well-being, but which makes finding suitable alternative accommodation difficult.

“If the claimant received a lump sum, it would not likely be enough to buy a one to two bedroom house in the local area and she would need to move far away from her support network, which she relies on greatly for her health issues.

“The claimant maintains that moving from the property would affect her mental health greatly and that having to move into rented or temporary accommodation would further affect her health negatively. Moving out of the area would also adversely impact the claimant.”

Alex Findley, barrister for Brenda, challenged Sharon’s claim, suggesting there is no medical evidence to show she cannot live in a flat.

But Sharon replied: “I have two dogs to consider and I am hyper-vigilant and sound sensitive. A flat would not be suitable due to the noise levels.

“I would be better off living in a car, I couldn’t cope with it.”

Sharon says she gave up a career and her position on the property ladder to move in and help out her mum and claims before her death Agnes had promised that she would inherit her home, although she never got round to changing her will.

She argued: “The claimant sacrificed her career and employment prospects, and by extension her ability to purchase a property, by giving up work in the latter half of 2014 to care for the deceased, such that it could be asserted that she had a moral claim to be maintained by the deceased through the provision of accommodation.

“The deceased recognised her sacrifice and possible moral claim against her estate.”

As well as helping her mother out with her daily needs, she also says she spent £30,000 of her own money on hefty vet bills for her mum’s beloved Jack Russell/Chihuahua cross, Lady, who Sharon had pledged to care for after she died.

And in her written arguments to the court, she explained: “Lady survived the deceased and was treated successfully for liver cancer but died in 2022.

“The claimant had promised the deceased she would look after Lady after her death. Lady was part of her mother’s estate and the claimant avers she spent over £30,000 on vets’ bills.”

However, lawyers for her sister, Brenda, suggest Sharon’s figures for Lady’s care are a “gross exaggeration”, with much of the expenditure going on “homeopathic and herbal remedies and not emergency medical treatment”.

Mr Findlay, for mum-of-four Brenda, insisted that Agnes had always been clear that her estate should be equally split three ways and said Sharon’s case that she is unfit for future work is “an extremely pessimistic claim which is not adequately supported by medical evidence”.

“Likewise, there is no evidence from a suitably qualified expert in mental health to support her assertion that her cognitive and mental difficulties are such that she cannot work,” he added.

There was evidence that Sharon had received nearly £160,000 from various sources over the past ten years, although she now claims to be penniless, despite living rent-free, said the barrister.

“Sharon claims to have an income of £1559.44 per month, no other savings or assets, and outgoings of around £1,500 per month,” he said.

“Evidence of credit card spending does not support Sharon’s case to be in deep financial need. She has regular expenditure on going out to restaurants and cafes, online shopping, through Paypal and Amazon Marketplace, dog grooming, and there is significant monthly expenditure on online courses relating to spiritualism and alternative medicine over the last few years

“Further, it appears that she has simultaneous subscriptions to Sky, Netflix, and Amazon Prime.

“While she is perfectly entitled to purchase these things with her own money, the significant amount of spending which is discretionary and apparently non-essential does not reflect someone in necessitous circumstances.

“Sharon claims that she needs the property. This is a substantial three-bedroomed home; it is obviously not needed for her maintenance.

“She claims that she cannot move because she cannot live in a flat due to her sensitivity to noise. There is inadequate evidence for this and it is to be noted that, although Sharon may prefer living in a house, it seems she lived in a flat on her own for many years.

“A suitable one bedroom property locally should cost less than £150,000. She should therefore be easily in a position to purchase a property for herself with a small mortgage and her share of the estate.

“Sharon certainly does not need the court to displace the deceased’s wishes and take from the inheritance of her sisters to achieve this.”

The barrister highlighted Brenda’s own predicament – including coping with four children, suffering from multiple sclerosis and being currently jobless.

“While she does own her own home, it is not valuable, and she is not wealthy,” he said.

“The claimant appears to believe that Brenda is hiding significant wealth and makes a number of other allegations, but there is no evidence to support the claims Sharon makes about Brenda.

“Ann is also near retirement age and has dependent children. While her financial disclosure has been limited, there is no reason to believe she is sufficiently wealthy that she can forego her inheritance from her mother without some hardship.”

Brenda, who is an executor and beneficiary under Agnes’ will, is opposing the 1975 Act claim, while her fellow executor and beneficiary, Ann, has adopted a “neutral position” in the case.

Judge Alan Johns KC is expected to reserve his ruling in the case.