Hollywood actors announce strike as Oppenheimer stars walk out of London premiere

Published

2 years ago

July 13, 2023

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Hollywood’s film and TV industry will effectively be shut down after American actors announced they will join writers by going on strike.

The decision to walk out means that for the first time in 63 years, both SAG-AFTRA (the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) and WGA (the Writers Guild of America) will be on strike at the same time.

SAG-AFTRA said the industrial action – which is being held amid anger over pay, conditions and concerns over the use of artificial intelligence (AI) – would begin at midnight Los Angeles time.

The union also warned no date for its end had been set.

As the strike was announced, stars including Matt Damon walked out of the London premiere of historical epic Oppenheimer to “write their picket signs”, the film’s director Christopher Nolan said.

Speaking on stage at the Odeon Luxe in Leicester Square, he said: “I have to acknowledge the work of our incredible cast, led by Cillian Murphy.

“The list is enormous – Robert Downey Jr, Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh, Kenneth Branagh, Rami Malek and so many more. You’ve seen them here earlier on the red carpet.

“Unfortunately, they are off to write their picket signs for what we believe to be an imminent strike by SAG, joining one of my guilds, the Writers Guild, in the struggle for fair wages for working members of their union.”

In a news conference announcing the strike, SAG-AFTRA executive director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland described the action as a “last resort” and said it had come after four weeks of talks.

He accused industry body the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) of “devaluing the work of our members” and said it had been “unwilling to offer a fair deal on key issues essential to protecting the livelihoods of working actors and performers”.

“Actors deserve a contract that reflects the changes that have taken place in the industry,” he added.

SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher added: “This is a moment of history that is a moment of truth…

“The jig is up AMPTP, we stand tall, you need to wake up and smell the coffee. You cannot exist without us.”

The union – which represents 160,000 performers – had earlier voted unanimously to recommend a strike after negotiations with Hollywood studios failed to reach an agreement.

Two of the actors’ big demands are higher pay and safeguards against unauthorised use of their images through AI.

The streaming boom – which provides the bulk of TV actors’ work – is also a big factor in contract negotiations.

Writers who are members of the WGA have already been striking for two months, seeking higher minimum pay, more writers per show and less exclusivity on single projects.

Two sides very far apart and long summer could be in store

Writers have been treading the pavements with picket signs outside the Netflix building in Hollywood for two months now.

The midday sun is punishing but they march in unison, cheering every time a passing motorist beeps their horn in support.

A huge cheer erupts as they hear news that the actors who bring their words to life would soon be joining them. They know this makes their strike action so much more powerful.

Production had been limping along in a small number of shows and films which were already written. This dual strike, the first for 63 years, means the entertainment industry will grind to a complete halt almost immediately. Without writers and actors, very little can be achieved.

It heaps pressure on the production studios and streaming giants to reach a resolution. But after 70 days, the writers are yet to get back around the negotiating table.

Their grievances are very similar to those the actors have. The two sides seem very far apart and a long and harsh summer could be in store.

Productions hit by the writers’ strike include season five of Stranger Things, season two of The Last Of Us, season six of The Handmaid’s Tale and Game Of Thrones spinoff A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight.

The decision for performers to join them on strike means Hollywood is likely to come to a virtual standstill – with many predicting an autumn TV schedule full of reality TV as a result.

AMPTP – which represents the likes of Netflix, Disney and other studios – said it was “deeply disappointed” by the union’s decision.

It added: “This is the union’s choice, not ours.

“In doing so, it has dismissed our offer of historic pay and residual increases, substantially higher caps on pension and health contributions, audition protections, shortened series option periods, a groundbreaking AI proposal that protects actors’ digital likenesses, and more.”

Equity, the British actors’ union, said in a statement on Thursday that it “stands full square behind our sister union in their claim, and the action their Board have agreed to take”.

While the US actors’ strike will not directly affect those working in the UK, it is thought that British performers who are members of SAG-AFTRA and working in the US will lawfully be allowed to take part.

US

Venezuela’s president pleads for peace after Trump sends in CIA

Published

15 hours ago

October 16, 2025

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Trump refuses to say if CIA has authority to assassinate Venezuela's president

Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro has accused the US of a coup attempt after Donald Trump approved CIA operations in the country to tackle alleged drug trafficking.

Mr Trump confirmed his decision, first revealed by The New York Times, as he said large amounts of drugs were entering the US from Venezuela – much of it trafficked by sea.

“We are looking at land now, because we’ve got the sea very well under control,” he said.

When asked why the coastguard wasn’t asked to intercept suspected drug trafficking boats, which has been a longstanding US practice, Mr Trump said the approach had been ineffective.

“I think Venezuela is feeling heat,” he said.

Maduro hits back

He declined to answer whether the CIA has the authority to execute Mr Maduro, who denies accusations from Washington that he has connections to drug trafficking and organised crime.

The US has offered a $50m (£37m) reward for information leading to his arrest.

“How long will the CIA continue to carry on with its coups?” he asked after Mr Trump’s comments on Wednesday evening, saying calls for regime change harkened back to “failed eternal wars” in Afghanistan and Iraq.

In a message to the American people, he said in English: “Not war, yes peace. The people of the US, please.”

US targets ‘drug boats’

Mr Trump also alleged Venezuela had sent a significant number of prisoners, including individuals from mental health facilities, into the US, though he did not specify the border through which they reportedly entered.

On Tuesday, he announced America had targeted a small boat suspected of drug trafficking in waters off the Venezuelan coast, resulting in the deaths of six people.

According to the president’s post on social media, all those killed were aboard the vessel.

The incident marked the fifth such fatal strike in the Caribbean, as the Trump administration continues to classify suspected drug traffickers as unlawful combatants to be confronted with military force.

War secretary Pete Hegseth authorised the strike, according to Mr Trump, who released a video of the operation.

The black-and-white footage showed a small boat seemingly stationary on the water. It is struck by a projectile from above and explodes, then drifts while burning for several seconds.

Mr Trump said the “lethal kinetic strike” was in international waters and targeted a boat travelling along a well-known smuggling route.

There has also been a significant increase in US military presence in the southern Caribbean, with at least eight warships, a submarine, and F-35 jets stationed in Puerto Rico.

‘Bomb the boats’: Bold move or dangerous overreach?

It’s a dramatic – and risky – escalation of US strategy for countering narcotics.

Having carried out strikes on Venezuelan “drug boats” at sea, Trump says he’s “looking a” targeting cartels on land.

He claims the attacks, which have claimed 27 lives, have saved up to 50,000 Americans.

By framing bombings as a blow against “narcoterrorists”, he’s attempting to justify them as self-defence – but the administration has veered into murky territory.

Under international law, such strikes require proof of imminent threat – something the White House has yet to substantiate.

Strategically, Trump’ss militarised approach could backfire, forcing traffickers to adapt, and inflaming tensions with Venezuela and allies wary of US intervention.

Without transparent evidence or congressional oversight, some will view the move less like counterterrorism and more like vigilantism on the seas.

The president’s “bomb the boats” rhetoric signals a shift back to shock and awe tactics in foreign policy, under the banner of fighting drugs.

Supporters will hail it as a bold, decisive move, but to critics it’s reckless posturing that undermines international law.

The strikes send a message of strength, but the legal, moral and geopolitical costs are still being calculated.

US

Man who moved to US aged four dies after being detained in immigration raid

Published

17 hours ago

October 16, 2025

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Man who moved to US aged four dies after being detained in immigration raid

A 39-year-old man died in hospital alone, miles from his family, after being detained by US immigration officials.

Ismael Ayala-Uribe, who had lived in the US since he was four, fell ill while in an immigration detention centre in California.

He complained of a fever and had a persistent cough in the weeks before he died, according to his mother Lucia.

She said he was initially treated by medical staff inside the detention centre but was returned to his cell.

He was eventually taken to hospital for a scheduled surgery to remove an abscess on his buttocks, but died before he was able to have the operation.

His family were never told he was in hospital, learning of his death via a knock on the door from police.

“They’re the ones that notified us that he had passed,” his brother, Jose Ayala, told Sky News.

“We were not even aware that he was in the hospital or even had a scheduled surgery. Then we got a knock on our door a little after 5.30 one morning.

“I believe he would still be alive today if he was never detained. He got sick while in detention, and they did not seem to take care of him.”

Why was he detained?

Mr Ayala-Uribe’s death raises questions about the conditions inside the centre he was held in, and if a sudden surge of immigrants being detained by this administration has left the system stretched beyond breaking point.

He had moved to the US from Mexico with his family as a child.

He did have DACA – deferred action for childhood arrivals – status, granted to those who have arrived while under the age of 18. But this was removed in 2016, after he was convicted of drink-driving.

In August, he was arrested by immigration agents at a car wash in California where he had worked for 15 years.

He was held for five weeks at Adelanto, a privately owned, run-for-profit, immigrant detention centre. A lawyer for his family said he was, as far as they are aware, a healthy man before he was detained and had no medical need.

But Mr Ayala-Uribe’s mother, who was visiting him every eight days and speaking to him on the phone a couple of times a day, said she noticed him getting progressively unwell.

“He started with lots of fever,” Ms Ayala said. “He said they weren’t listening to him. The last time I saw him his face was drained, he told me he was not OK, he told me he couldn’t take it any more.”

Beginning to cry, wiping away tears, she added: “I feel powerless that I couldn’t do anything to help my son.

“I never imagined I was going to bury one of my sons. It feels terrible, they took a piece of my heart away.

“I would like something to change. If we cannot save him, at least we can save others that are still inside.”

ICE defends detention treatment

The cause of Mr Ayala-Uribe’s death is still under investigation.

Sky News requested comment from the company which owns the detention centre where he was held, and they deferred to ICE, the US immigration and customs enforcement agency.

In a statement, ICE said: “Comprehensive medical care is provided from the moment individuals arrive and throughout the entirety of their stay.

“At no time during detention is a detained illegal alien denied emergency care.”

The Trump administration says it’s targeting criminals and people in the US illegally. But campaigners say Mr Ayala-Uribe’s death should not be viewed in isolation.

Since Donald Trump took office, at least 15 people have died in immigration detention.

Democrat senators Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock wrote a letter to the homeland security secretary, Kristi Noem, asking for more information about these deaths.

The senators claimed 10 people had died between January and June, and that it was the highest rate in the first six months of any year publicly available.

Sarah Houston, a lawyer for the Immigrant Defenders Law Centre, claims immigrants are being mistreated in custody.

“This administration’s main goal is to harm, to torture individuals and to try to force them out,” she said.

“The great increase we see in human rights abuses, in deaths, is a direct result of the administration’s decision to pack these detention centres as much as they can.”

Mr Ayala-Uribe’s funeral was held this week. Dozens of extended family and friends wore t-shirts bearing his face. A mariachi band played as his casket was lowered into the ground and his mother heaved with sobs.

As they absorb their loss, the effort to carry out the biggest mass deportation operation in US history continues.

US

US defence secretary Pete Hegseth’s jet makes unscheduled landing in UK after in-air issue

Published

1 day ago

October 15, 2025

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US defence secretary Pete Hegseth's jet makes unscheduled landing in UK after in-air issue

An aircraft carrying US defence secretary Pete Hegseth has had to make an “unscheduled landing” in the UK.

The jet was about 30 minutes into its journey back to the US after a NATO defence ministers’ meeting in Brussels, when it suffered a “depressurisation issue”.

Sean Parnell, chief Pentagon spokesman, confirmed the aircraft had been diverted to the UK due to a crack in the aircraft windscreen.

He posted on X: “On the way back to the United States from NATO’s Defence Ministers meeting, Secretary of War Hegseth’s plane made an unscheduled landing in the United Kingdom due to a crack in the aircraft windshield.

“The plane landed based on standard procedures, and everyone onboard, including Secretary Hegseth, is safe.”

Mr Hegseth also posted: “All good. Thank God. Continue mission!”

Open source flight trackers spotted the aircraft lose altitude and begin broadcasting an emergency signal.

The aviation news website Airlive reported the Boeing C-32A – a military version of the Boeing 757 – had a “depressurisation issue”.

It went on to land at RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk at about 7.10pm.

Mr Hegseth had been at a meeting of NATO defence ministers which was also attended by UK Defence Secretary John Healey.

In February, a US Air Force plane carrying secretary of state Marco Rubio and the Senate foreign relations committee chairman, Senator Jim Risch, was similarly forced to return to Washington DC after an issue with the cockpit windscreen.