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Britain’s ‘Chat Show King’ Michael Parkinson Is Dead

Published

3 years ago

August 17, 2023

Michael Parkinson, the veteran British chat show host whose decades-spanning career featured interviews with some of the world’s highest profile figures, has died at the age of 88, his family said Thursday.

His BBC show “Parkinson” which first aired in June 1971 made him a household name.

He died late on Wednesday following a brief illness.

Muhammad Ali, Fred Astaire, Elton John, Paul McCartney and Peter Sellers were just a few of the famous names to grace his interview couch.

Others included Lauren Bacall, David Bowie, Tom Cruise, Helen Mirren and Gwyneth Paltrow.

“Sir Michael Parkinson passed away peacefully at home last night in the company of his family,” his family said in a statement, requesting “privacy and time to grieve”.

The star interviewer’s BBC chat show enjoyed a successful run until 1982 before being revived in 1998.

He switched from the BBC to commercial rival ITV in 2004, where he continued until 2007.

Parkinson’s final two-hour show in late 2007 featured a typically star-studded line-up of footballer David Beckham, actors Michael Caine and Judy Dench, environmental broadcaster David Attenborough and comedian Billy Connolly.

Parkinson was knighted by the late Queen at Buckingham Palace in 2008.

“I never expected to be knighted — I thought there was more chance of me turning into a Martian really,” said the broadcaster who grew up the son of a miner in a working class community in northern England.

Prior to taking to the airwaves, he worked as a newspaper journalist, work that he credited with honing his interview skills.

In 2013, he revealed he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer following a routine health check.

He had three sons with wife Mary, who he married in 1959.

Tributes quickly flooded in for the British TV legend, with the director-general of the BBC lauding him as “the king of the chat show” and an “incredible broadcaster and journalist”.

It will re-air a celebration programme about Parkinson on Thursday evening.

Comedian Stephen Fry praised his authenticity.

“The genius of Parky was that unlike most people (and most of his guests, me included) he was always 100 percent himself. On camera and off,” he said on Instagram.

A long-time newspaper sports columnist and cricket enthusiast, Parkinson was also lauded by celebrated former umpire Dickie Bird, who had spoken to his “true friend” by phone just hours before he died.

“I’m completely stunned and shocked,” Bird told Times Radio.

“There’ll never be another one like him… He will go down as a legend… he was the best.”

Headline

Indian Court Denies Bail To Nigerian Man Over Drug Charges

Published

1 hour ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

A court in India has denied bail to a 44-year-old Nigerian national, Cristian Soporuchukwu, who is currently facing drug trafficking charges in the country.

Cristian Soporuchukwu initially entered India on a business visa but was later arrested over allegations of involvement in the sale of hard drugs.

Reports indicated that after arriving in India, Soporuchukwu travelled through Goa, Delhi, and Mumbai, where he allegedly established links with suspected drug traffickers.

He was accused of purchasing MDMA crystals and distributing them to college students and information technology workers.

According to reports, operatives of the Beguru Police arrested Cristian Soporuchukwu in April 2025 for allegedly selling MDMA crystals around Begur Lake and the AECS Layout Road area.

The New Indian Express reported that the High Court of Karnataka subsequently dismissed the Nigerian’s bail application.

“The anti-narcotics wing seized about 1 kg of MDMA crystals, a pocket weighing machine, 10 zip-lock covers, a mobile phone and a scooter from him,” the report stated.

Justice V. Srishananda, while ruling on the bail application, reportedly held that errors relating to the grounds of arrest could not automatically justify bail in serious narcotics-related offences under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, NDPS, Act.

The court further noted that Cristian Soporuchukwu had allegedly overstayed his visa in India, according to the report.

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Strait Of Hormuz: US Announces Sanctions Against Iran

Published

2 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

The United States Treasury has announced sanctions against Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority.

Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, said this in a statement on Wednesday.

The statement extended the threat of sanctions to anyone paying the fees, saying they may be providing support to and receiving services from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, and therefore may be exposed to sanctions risk.

“The Iranian military’s latest attempt to extort global maritime trade is proof that Economic Fury has left the regime desperate for cash.

“Treasury has deprived the Iranian regime of revenue for their weapons programs, terrorist proxies, and nuclear ambitions,” Bessent said.

Bessent added that the US has succeeded in disrupting tens of billions of dollars’ worth of revenue from being accessible to Tehran.

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US Launches New Airstrikes On Iran

Published

2 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

The United States has launched new airstrikes in southern Iran.

The strike shot down four one-way attack drones that posed a threat around the Strait of Hormuz and then a ground control site.

A US official revealed that American forces struck an Iranian ground control station in Bandar Abbas that was about to launch a fifth drone.

The official described the strikes as purely defensive, saying the US intended to maintain the ceasefire.

Report says this is the second time in three days that the US has carried out self-defense strikes against Iranian military targets in southern Iran.

Recall that on Monday the US carried out airstrikes against Iranian missile locations and boats that US Central Command said were preparing to launch mines in the Strait of Hormuz.