Only Fools and Horses star Patrick Murray dies, aged 68

Only Fools and Horses actor Patrick Murray has died, aged 68.

Murray starred in the BBC sitcom as Mickey Pearce, the wheeler-dealer friend of Del Boy and Rodney Trotter.

News of Murray’s death was shared on an Only Fools fan site, with a statement reading: “It is with heartfelt sadness that we report the death of our friend Patrick Murray – Mickey Pearce to so many.

“He was a regular attendee of our conventions, and we will miss his humour and the joy he brought to many.”

The actor underwent surgery and chemotherapy to remove a cancerous lung tumour in 2021. Subsequent scans found another tumour in his liver that was unconnected to his lung cancer and also treatable.

In 2023, the actor revealed he had been diagnosed with cancer for a second time, telling his fans he had surgery to remove the tumour and half his liver.

“I kept this under my hat that they’d discovered another primary cancer last year,” he said, praising the medics at King’s College Hospital.

He received transcatheter arterial chemoembolisation (Tace), a minimally invasive procedure performed in interventional radiology to restrict a tumour’s blood supply.

Murray made his Only Fools and Horses debut in 1983, starring in 20 episodes until 2003.

In tribute to the actor, an X (Twitter) account for an Only Fools podcast wrote: “This never gets easier … rest in peace, Patrick Murray.

They remembered Murray as “a very talented and clever actor with impeccable timing”, stating: “He really brought ‘Mickey Pearce’ to life with a mischievous charm.”

Away from Only Fools, Murray starred in films Scum, Quadrophenia (both 1979), and The Firm (1989), but after the sitcom came to an end, he retired from acting and instead became a taxi driver.

He returned to acting in 2015 and 2019 after scoring roles in TV shows in Endeavour and Conditions, respectively.

Murray had been married to his wife, Anong, whom he met while living in Thailand for a decade, since 2016. They had one daughter named Josie. He returned to the UK by himself to try and get a visa for his family, having had their application rejected by the Home Office – and spent a year having to Skype his daughter.

He described the situation as “heartbreaking” in a 2018 interview on Loose Women.

Other Only Fools stars who have died in recent years include John Challis and Roger Lloyd-Pack, who played Boycie and Trigger, respectively.

Trump calls to clear ‘dead wood’ in government

President Donald Trump is set to cut “thousands” of jobs from what he’s described as “Democrat agencies” as the government shutdown stretches on.

Trump said he’s meeting with Russ Vought, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, to “determine which of the many Democrat Agencies, most of which are a political SCAM, he recommends to be cut.” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later added that “thousands” of people will likely be laid off.

It’s now day two of the government shutdown, and there’s still no sign of a deal that could end it. The shutdown began Wednesday at midnight after a Republican spending bill failed 55 to 45 in the Senate, five shy of the 60 votes needed.

The Senate is not in session on Thursday, in observance of Yom Kippur. The next vote is scheduled for Friday afternoon.

The Trump administration and its allies have blamed the shutdown on the Democratic Party and its leaders, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. Meanwhile, Schumer said Wednesday the shutdown could “go away very quickly” if Republicans work with Democrats to “fix America’s healthcare crisis.”

Anti-vax mother ‘influenced’ daughter to reject chemotherapy

A University of Cambridge graduate who died after refusing chemotherapy was “adversely influenced” by her mother’s conspiracy theory views, an inquest has concluded.

Paloma Shemirani, 23, died at Royal Sussex County Hospital on 24 July 2024, seven months after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Her mother, Kay “Kate” Shemirani, rose to prominence on social media by sharing anti-vaccine Covid-19 misinformation, and had been struck off as a nurse in 2021, with a Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) committee finding she had spread theories that “put the public at a significant risk of harm”.

The inquest heard that she had raised concerns with medical staff about Paloma’s treatment plan, and had taken in a “leading role” in pursuing “alternative treatment” for her daughter.

The hearings at Kent and Medway Coroners Court heard that this treatment had revolved largely around a strict diet, coffee enemas and “lots of green juices”.

Describing Ms Shemirani’s conduct of care towards her daughter as “incomprehensible”, coroner Catherine Wood concluded: “If Paloma had been supported and encouraged to accept her diagnosis and consider with an open mind chemotherapy, she probably would have followed that course.”

Her mother questioned medical staff to the extent that the coroner found it “highly likely that she seeded some form of doubt in Paloma’s mind as to her diagnosis”.

Paloma’s twin brother, Gabriel Shemirani, said: “I blame my mother entirely for my sister’s death”, by “obstructing” his sister from receiving treatment.

“In short, I believe that she sacrificed Paloma’s life for her own principles. I believe that she should be held accountable for Paloma’s death,” said Mr Shemirani.

Arunodaya Mohan, an NHS consultant haematologist at Maidstone Hospital, said that there had been concerns that the nurse-turned-conspiracy theorist had influenced her daughter’s decision to refuse treatment.

She had met with Paloma on 22 December 2023 to set out the treatment plan after her diagnosis, which came after she began to suffer pain in her chest.

Dr Mohan told Paloma that she had an 80 per cent chance of recovery if she had chemotherapy, and recommended steroids and a PET (positron emission tomography) scan, adding that Paloma “nodded in agreement”.

Paloma later refused the treatment and when asked why, she did not appear to have a reason. Alison Hewitt, counsel to the inquest, later asked: “Were there concerns that Ms Shemirani was influencing Paloma?”

Dr Mohan replied: “That’s right.”

She told the inquest that Ms Shemirani had mentioned wanting to be her daughter’s “power of attorney” and was asking for copies of blood records.

At the time of Paloma’s cancer diagnosis in autumn 2023, she was estranged from her mother, who then advised her against conventional medicine, the court heard.

Her brother brought a High Court case to assess his sister’s ability to exert her capacity to take medical decisions while living with her mother in April 2024.

He claimed that when Paloma was first diagnosed, she was considering chemotherapy, before their parents started to pressure her against it.

Her father sent a message to his daughter saying, “Don’t consent to anything from the doctors, they try and kill you”, and that Ms Shemirani had said, “I’m the only one that can help you, don’t bite the hand that feeds”.

In other messages, her father had insisted she discharge herself and refuse any medication and to urgently confirm she had done so, with Paloma responding: “Jesus Christ, can you both calm down” and “I get it, you’re heckling me”.

Ms Shemirani also sent Paloma’s then-boyfriend a voice note telling him to bring her to their family home and saying “she’s really not going to be going in or out of anywhere”, while she looked after her.

Giving evidence, her brother Gabriel said that the relationship between his parents, who had split in 2014, had been abusive, and that he and his siblings had “felt unsafe” around their mother.

This had included Paloma being removed from the family home prior to her diagnosis due to “emotional and physical abuse”, which included food restriction.

However, in written statements submitted to the family division of the High Court in spring 2024, Paloma said she declined chemotherapy partly because of her “background in natural healing”.

The proceedings, which were to assess the appropriateness of her care, also saw her describe her mother as “an extremely forceful advocate for natural health” who is “misquoted” by people claiming “those natural solutions are conspiratorial”.

She also claimed her human rights had been violated by NHS practitioners, that she was “delighted” with her alternative treatment, and denied even having non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

The coroner concluded that while Paloma had shown mental capacity, she was “extremely vulnerable” in the months prior to her death, and this had only increased upon moving into her mother’s home.

Paloma collapsed at her home on 19 July after telling her mother she was struggling to breathe, and died five days later in hospital. In her evidence, Ms Shemirani told the court that her daughter had appeared well that day, which Ms Wood described as “simply incredible”.

An osteopath who saw Paloma the morning she collapsed also said he had “never seen” a lymphoid mass like hers in 43 years of practice.

On the 999 call played to the court, Ms Shemirani was heard shouting “she’s dying” to the operator before the paramedics arrived.

She also told the ambulance operator, “it’s difficult to lie her on her front because she has a medicinal mass” in her throat, and later told hospital staff that her diagnosis of non-Hodgkin lymphoma was disputed.

“Paloma made her own treatment choices based on her values, research and experiences,” Ms Shemirani told the inquest.

She added that her daughter was “never a victim of coercion” and that she “continued to improve physically” under her alternative medicines.

“She was determined to get well on her own terms and this is well documented in her own high court statement, which was read out in this coroner’s hearing”, said Ms Shemirani.

She claimed that her daughter had died as a result of gross negligence manslaughter by medical staff, and said that Paloma had “deteriorated catastrophically” when paramedics intervened after she collapsed.

However, the coroner criticised her and her ex-husband’s behaviour in court and said: “These utterly groundless assertions to the cause of death and unfounded allegations in relation to the steps taken by others in trying to treat their daughter have been reprehensible.”

Ms Wood concluded that Paloma had died of 1a) hyperoxic ischemic brain injury as a result of 1b) cardiac arrest as a consequence of her non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

‘Security incident’ sparks travel chaos at Euston after evacuation

Commuters travelling through London Euston face travel disruption this evening following an evacuation of the station.

TfL Access shared an announcement on X (Twitter), posting “This station is closed due to a security alert” shortly after 3pm on Thursday.

Avanti West Coast added: “Due to a security alert at London Euston, the station has been evacuated, and all services in and out of the station have been suspended until further notice.”

Emergency services, including the police and London Fire Brigade, were pictured responding to the scene.

According to National Rail, all lines reopened within 20 minutes, but cancellations and delays in and out of the station are expected to continue until 8pm.

London Euston wrote on social media: “There’s disruption at Euston this afternoon after the station was evacuated for a short period. The station has safely reopened, but passengers should check @nationalrailenq for the latest train info.”

It added: “Be safe, Be patient, Be kind.”

For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calder’s podcast

Russia ‘using deadly new missile upgrade’ to bypass Ukraine’s Patriot air defence systems

Russia appears to have upgraded its ballistic missiles used against Ukraine to bypass US-made Patriot air defence systems, according to a report.

The upgrades likely involve Russia’s Iskander-M and Kinzhal missiles, which have ranges of up to 500km and 480km respectively. These missiles follow a standard flight path before suddenly diving steeply, making interception by Patriot systems difficult, Ukrainian and Western officials told the Financial Times.

One former Ukrainian official described it as a “game-changer for Russia”.

Ukraine’s missile interception rate has dropped sharply in recent months, from 37 per cent in August to just 6 per cent in September, the FT reported, citing Ukrainian Air Force data.

Russia targeted at least four drone manufacturing sites near Kyiv earlier this year, causing major damage, according to the officials.

One of those targets was a facility producing Turkish Bayraktar drones that was hit on 28 August. During this strike, Russian missiles evaded air defences and also damaged nearby offices of the EU delegation and British Council.

A report by the US Defence Intelligence Agency’s special inspector general, covering the period between 1 April and 30 June, states that the Ukrainian armed forces has “struggled to consistently use Patriot air defence systems to protect against Russian ballistic missiles due to recent Russian tactical improvements, including enhancements that enable their missiles to change trajectory and perform manoeuvres rather than flying in a traditional ballistic trajectory.”

The Patriot air defence systems are the only ones in Kyiv’s arsenal capable of shooting down Russian ballistic missiles, according to the FT. They are a vital element of Ukraine’s layered defences, which have sought to shield cities, including the capital, Kyiv, from large-scale strikes.

It follows reports that the US is set to provide Ukraine with intelligence to carry out long-range strikes against energy infrastructure targets inside Russia.

Washington is also weighing whether to send missiles to Kyiv that could be used in such strikes, the Wall Street Journal and Reuters have reported. This includes Tomahawk cruise missiles, which have a range of 2,500km (1,550 miles).

According to US officials cited in the reports, approval on additional intelligence came shortly before US President Donald Trump posted on social media last week suggesting Ukraine could retake all its land occupied by Russia, in a striking shift in Kyiv’s favour.

The move would make it easier for Ukraine to hit infrastructure such as refineries, pipelines and power plants with the aim of depriving the Kremlin of revenue and oil.

The US and Ukraine have not publicly commented on the reports, but Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov claimed the US and Nato were already supplying intelligence to Ukraine “on a regular basis”.

“The supply and use of the entire infrastructure of Nato and the United States to collect and transfer intelligence to Ukrainians is obvious,” he said on Thursday.

Eats, Beats and Storied Streets: A journey through Louisiana

Few places in America are as spellbinding as Louisiana. Streets are alive with music, every table groans with food that tells a story, and every river bend reveals landscapes as mysterious as they are beautiful. Whether you’re dancing to zydeco in Lafayette, devouring beignets in the French Quarter, or gliding through the Atchafalaya swamps in search of alligators, this is a destination which offers travellers an unforgettable blend of rhythm, flavour and culture.

Music that Moves You

A seemingly never-ending party, a stroll through the bouncing streets of New Orleans’ French Quarter is one of America’s most thrilling sensory experiences. Guitars crunch, symbols crash and horns howl on every street corner, from Bourbon Street to Frenchmen Street. This Cajun corner of the US has a deep heritage too, and the Preservation Hall – dating back to 1961 – is an essential stop. With its intimate time-worn walls and wooden chairs facing the small stage, it’s a shrine to New Orleans jazz and every note should be savoured.

But Louisiana’s music tradition goes far beyond the Big Easy. Beginning in 1981, the Baton Rouge Blues Festival is one of the country’s oldest blues festivals and the state capital is a haven of Cajun music. It’s also the home of the swamp blues, so to hear the best of these laid-back rhythms, spend a foot-tapping night at Phil Brady’s Bar & Grill or Henry Turner Jr’s Listening Room. And for a little backyard boogie from local Louisiana musicians, try and hit the wonderfully chilled out Bee Nice Concert Series.

One of the more niche regional sounds is zydeco, and these infectious beats driven by accordions and washboards are perfect for dancing the night away. Over in Lafayette, the lush outdoor Hideaway on Lee and the charming Blue Moon Saloon host high-energy zydeco and Cajun jams. For a deeper dive into this unique music of the swamp, drop by the Festivals Acadiens et Créoles for three glorious days of Cajun, Creole, and zydeco sounds.

Flavours to Savour

Louisiana has one of America’s most distinct food cultures, with Creole dishes like gumbo and jambalaya not found anywhere else. Needless to say, the fiery flavours found in these creations are sublime and it’s no surprise that 2025 is Louisiana’s Year of Food.

With its rich broth, often featuring a roux base and embellished by juicy shrimp and thick sausage, gumbo is arguably the quintessential Creole dish. If you’re in New Orleans, look no further than no–frills downtown spots like Coop’s Place or head out to neighbourhood joints like the upscale Gabrielle Restaurant who serve a smoky take on Cajun-style gumbo or the dense dishes plated up at Liuzza’s by the Track. And if you’re so enraptured by this unique stew, then learn how to make it at home at the New Orleans School of Cooking.

A Cajun rice dish that originated in southern Louisiana in the 18th Century, Jambalaya is also iconic down here and can include meats, vegetables, seafood and spices in its mouthwatering mix. The Jambalaya Shoppe is dotted all around southern Louisiana and is a good place to start, though make time to visit Gonzales – the ‘Jambalaya Capital of the World. It even has its own Jambalaya Festival every spring.

Remember to make time for sweet treats though, as Louisiana’s beignets are something special. Warm, deep-fried pastries dusted with powdered sugar, these gentle delights are the perfect cafe snack. Open since 1862, the Cafe du Monde is an iconic French Quarter spot to watch the world go by with a beignet and café au lait.

And if you’re here for Mardi Gras, make sure to sample the sweet colourful King Cake as the jaunty floats pass by.

Culture and the Great Outdoors

Louisiana’s diverse cultural heritage is as unique as its landscape. French, Spanish, African, Caribbean and native influences all converge into Cajun and Creole identities and that’s most famously reflected in the state’s sublime cuisine. But don’t miss the great outdoors, as Louisiana’s biodiversity is enchanting too.

Acadiana’s humid moss-cloaked swamps and bayous are one of America’s last wildernesses, and boat tours of these serene and ethereal landscapes are unforgettable, especially if you spot wildlife like American Alligators, beavers, herons, eagles and white tail deer. The Atchafalaya Basin, just east of Lafayette, is a particular haven and several airboat tours depart from here, including McGee’s Swamp Tours and Last Wilderness Swamp Tours.

Road trails through these bayous can be just as inspiring, and the Bayou Teche National Byway tells stories. Running for 183 miles from Arnaudville down to Morgan City, this serpentine route passes by ornate antebellum homes like Shadows-on-the-Teche, tranquil fields of sugar cane, breezy swamps and historic towns packed with friendly cafes, zydeco dancehalls and local museums.

Look out for the region’s lively 400+ festivals too, which often celebrate Louisiana’s local culture. The Festival International de Louisiane in Lafayette celebrates the links between Acadiana and the Francophone world, through music, art and food, while the Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Music Festival in Opelousas aims to preserve Louisiana’s most gleeful music genre. And there’s no better way of learning about the state’s people and heritage than at the various tours, concerts, talks and cultural events held in Vermillionville in Lafayette.

Robert Jenrick’s thoughts are ‘my thoughts repackaged’, says Badenoch

Robert Jenrick’s thoughts are just “my thoughts repackaged”, Kemi Badenoch has said in what appears to be a swipe at her main rival ahead of the Conservative Party conference in Manchester this weekend.

It comes as the beleaguered Tory leader faces devastating approval ratings and a growing number of defections to Reform UK – with Mr Jenrick being seen as the frontrunner to replace her.

Ms Badenoch has promised a “more fun than usual” party conference this year, with the promotion of open debates between party members on the stage.

“I think people should just speak freely, no matter what the consequences are. I don’t mind people straying a little bit off piste,” she told The Spectator.

Asked about Mr Jenrick, who is generally very vocal with his own opinions, the Tory leader said: “Yes, but most of them are my thoughts repackaged”.

She added: “I don’t mind that he says what he thinks. The advantage of having a leadership contest is that you’ve kind of already said what you think.

“Repeating it, which is what Rob tends to do, is not new information.”

Despite the Tory party sitting at least 10 points behind in the polls, Ms Badenoch also told The Spectator she has “quite a lot of self-belief”.

“I certainly wouldn’t be here if I didn’t,” she said. “So reinforcing myself, thankfully, is not something that I need to do.”

Asked about her first year in office, which has seen Nigel Farage declare Reform UK the main opposition party after huge success in the polls and at the local elections, the Tory leader said: “I basically inherited a distressed asset and my first job was to just make sure we didn’t go bust.

“Most of my first three to six months were spent on that. I just couldn’t get out there much. The opportunity cost was perhaps not doing much media.”

A seat-by-seat YouGov poll published earlier this month showed that the Tories would face a disaster scenario if an election were held today, being left with just 45 MPs – putting them behind Reform UK, Labour and the Liberal Democrats, which the poll put at 78 MPs.

Ms Badenoch also denied that she is sceptical of the climate crisis, despite her party’s new pledge to scrap landmark legislation in favour of “cheap” energy.

Ahead of the party’s annual conference this weekend, Ms Badenoch has announced a policy to scrap the Climate Change Act.

The legislation was brought in by the last Labour government in 2008 and committed the UK to cut climate emissions by 80 per cent by 2050, with five-yearly carbon budgets to keep the country on track towards the goal.

But Ms Badenoch said: “I’m not sceptical about climate change. That’s very obviously happening. But there’s been a lot of deception around the net zero agenda and I really want to expose that.’

“Net zero has become nothing more than a slogan … We need to do what we can sensibly to tackle climate change but we cannot do it alone. If other countries aren’t doing it, then us being the goody-two-shoes of the world is not actually encouraging anyone to improve.”

White House says president ‘will draw red line’ for Hamas to respond to his peace plan

Donald Trump will draw a ‘red line’ for Hamas to respond to his 20-point peace plan, the White House said on Thursday as the Palestinian group deliberates the U.S. President’s proposal to end the war in Gaza.

White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said the U.S. hopes and expects Hamas to approve its plan, but issued a warning should they reject it.

“It’s a red line that the president of the United States is going to have to draw, and I’m confident that he will,” Leavitt said in an interview with Fox News, asked about Hamas potentially walking away from the plan.

Trump gave Hamas three to four days on Tuesday to accept the plan, after receiving backing from Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu.

Hamas said it would consider the proposal in “good faith”. Mediators are understood to have made contact with the head of the military wing, who indicated he does not agree to the plan, the BBC reported.

The plan would see Hamas disarm and cede power to a transitional government, as well as an Israeli withdrawal.