Egyptian television presenter Sarah Khalifa and 11 other defendants have been sentenced to death by hanging after being convicted in a major drugs case.

According to state-owned newspaper Al-Ahram, the defendants were members of a criminal gang accused of importing raw materials used to manufacture drugs for sale.

The group was also accused of possessing illegal firearms and ammunition.

Khalifa, 39, is best known for presenting Mission Impossible, a television programme focused on crime-related issues. She has denied the charges.

Nine other defendants were sentenced to life imprisonment, while seven were acquitted.

Khalifa’s lawyer said she would appeal the death sentence.

The verdict was initially announced last month but could not be formally confirmed until the court received a religious opinion from Egypt’s Grand Mufti, a legal requirement in cases involving the death penalty.

During the trial, prosecutors said authorities had seized more than 750kg (1,653lb) of narcotics, along with imported materials allegedly intended for drug production.

Twenty witnesses provided statements to prosecutors, while electronic evidence including conversations and video footage was also presented to the court, Al-Ahram reported.

According to state-run newspaper Akhbar Al-Youm, Khalifa was questioned by a judge about her alleged involvement during a court hearing last September.

She reportedly said she had never seen drugs before being photographed with them inside the offices of Egypt’s anti-narcotics authority.

Khalifa has maintained her innocence throughout the case.

English actor Tim Curry, best known for his iconic portrayal of Dr Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, has died aged 80.

Curry first played the flamboyant character on stage before reprising the role in the 1975 film adaptation. The movie went on to become a cult classic and cemented Curry’s place in popular culture.

He later became known to a new generation of audiences for playing the terrifying clown Pennywise in the 1990 television adaptation of Stephen King’s It.

Curry’s other notable film roles included Long John Silver in Muppet Treasure Island, as well as appearances in Annie, The Hunt for Red October, Home Alone 2 and Scary Movie 2.

He also enjoyed a successful theatre career and was nominated for three Tony Awards for his work on Broadway.

Born in Warrington, England, in 1946, Curry began his professional acting career after university when he joined the original London production of the groundbreaking rock musical Hair in 1968.

Five years later, fellow Hair cast member Richard O’Brien invited Curry to audition for a new musical he was writing.

Curry won the role of Dr Frank-N-Furter, the flamboyant and eccentric scientist at the centre of The Rocky Horror Show.

He first performed the character in 1973 at the upstairs theatre of London’s Royal Court, where his distinctive performance helped establish the role that would define much of his career.

His portrayal combined theatricality, humour and irreverence, making Frank-N-Furter one of cinema’s most memorable characters.

Curry went on to build a diverse career across film, television and theatre, becoming known for his ability to move effortlessly between comedy, horror, drama and musical performance.

His death marks the passing of an actor whose most famous performances remained enduring fixtures of popular culture for generations.

Dolly Parton, one of the most celebrated figures in country music, has died aged 80.

Parton leaves behind a remarkable seven-decade career in which she won 10 Grammy Awards, sold more than 100 million records worldwide and wrote more than 3,000 songs.

Although she became famous as a singer and performer, Parton always regarded herself primarily as a songwriter. She once described songwriting as her way of expressing herself and called it her “therapy”.

Beyond music, Parton was also a successful businesswoman who took control of her career with a combination of determination, sharp humour and Southern charm.

Born Dolly Rebecca Parton in 1946, she was the fourth of 12 children in a poor farming family in Tennessee. The family lived in a one-bedroom cabin, while her father, Robert Lee Parton, worked as a tobacco farmer.

Music was part of Parton’s childhood. Her mother, Avie Lee, regularly sang folk songs, while an aunt played guitar and wrote songs. Her uncle, Bill Owens, also accompanied Parton on guitar during some of her earliest performances.

Parton began singing at her local church at the age of six, where her grandfather was the pastor. By her teenage years, she was already appearing on local television.

In 1959, at just 13, she performed with Uncle Bill at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry, one of the most important stages in country music. She was introduced by country music star Johnny Cash.

Parton’s career continued to grow over the following decades as she established herself as a prolific songwriter, recording artist, actress and entrepreneur. Her distinctive voice, songwriting and flamboyant stage style made her one of the most recognisable entertainers in the world.

In later years, Parton occasionally postponed or cancelled performances while receiving medical treatment.

In May 2026, she postponed an upcoming Las Vegas residency while being treated for kidney stones. At the time, she joked about needing to recover before returning to the stage.

“I can’t be dizzy carrying around banjos, guitars and such on 5-inch heels,” she said in a video message, adding that she would also have to cope with her “heavy rhinestone outfits, the big hair” and her “big… uh, personality”.

Parton’s death marks the end of an extraordinary career that took her from a one-bedroom cabin in rural Tennessee to the pinnacle of global music and entertainment.