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Morocco World
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Morocco World
Five Facts About Moroccan Muay Thai Star Elmehdi El Jamari
Morocco's Elmehdi El Jamari hopes to cement his status as a world-class Muay Thai fighter and a serious contender in ONE Championship's strawweight division in his second promotional bout. El Jamari is set to face Thailand's rising star Aliff Sor Dechapan in a Strawweight Muay Thai contest that could decide the next challenger to Prajanchai PK Saenchai at ONE Fight Night 32 which kicks off at 2 a.m. (WET) on Saturday, June 7. Before El Jamari returns to Bangkok's iconic Lumpinee Stadium, we look at five facts about the 27-year-old Moroccan. Muay Thai changed his life El Jamari was born and raised in the Taqaddoum neighborhood in Morocco's capital city of Rabat where he watched many of his peers sink into drug addiction and a life of crime. However, Elmehdi found martial arts as a welcome gateway to a healthy lifestyle. 'I would say martial arts saved me from so many things. I grew up in a tough neighborhood with a high crime rate. It was a difficult neighborhood. Most of the young men used to do drugs. Martial arts saved me. By practicing martial arts, I stayed away from bad friends and drugs,' he said. Elmehdi's older brother and fellow ONE athlete Zakaria inspired him to attend Muay Thai training sessions. Elmehdi joined a local gym when he was eight years old – and he instantly found his passion in Muay Thai. Their eldest brother Mohammad had led the way for both into Muay Thai, but unlike his younger brothers, he never turned professional due to an injury he suffered early on in training. He is a proven Muay Thai champion After showcasing his immense talent in more than 120 amateur Muay Thai bouts, El Jamari turned professional where he has amassed a 27-1. Most recently, the Moroccan star picked up an impressive debut victory in ONE Championship over Thai counterpart Thongpoon PK Saenchai via a first-round knockout. Before joining ONE, El Jamari had already proven his credentials as a top Muay Thai fighter, winning the Moroccan Muay Thai championship seven times, the Arab Muay Thai championship twice, and the African Muay Thai championship twice as well as Muay Thai titles at K-1 and the World Boxing Council (WBC). He has fought around the world After dominating the Muay Thai national and regional circuits, El Jamari traveled to the UAE and then to Barcelona where he started working under his manager Hamza Ostoura. In the following years, The Sniper rose to his nickname picked up impressive wins as he fought in UAE, Spain, Belgium, France, and Thailand. He recently revealed that he was especially thrilled to fight inside the Lumpinee Stadium and highlighted it as 'a dream come true'. He is aiming to become a ONE World Champion With a wealth of experience and an impressive overall record, El Jamari knows he could be one win away from challenging for the ONE Strawweight Muay Thai world title. Despite focusing on his preparations for his fight against the talented Aliff, the Moroccan already has one eye on two-sport world champion Prajanchai's Muay Thai belt. 'I think Prajanchai is a very experienced fighter. But his time is up. He is aging and this is the time for a new generation of fighters. I hope I will defeat Aliff first and then Prajanchai, too,' El Jamari said. Tags: El Jamarifightingmuay thaiONE Champion
Pink Villa
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Who Was Ben Rathbun? All About 90 Day Fiancé Star and His Cancer Battle as He Passes Away at 55
Trigger Warning: This article contains mention of an individual's death. Ben Rathbun, known for his appearance on the reality TV show 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days, has passed away at the age of 55. He died at his home in Greencastle, Indiana, on May 19, surrounded by his family. Rathbun had been fighting stage 4 stomach cancer, which was diagnosed late last year. Ben Rathbun became a familiar face to 90 Day Fiancé fans during season 5 of Before the 90 Days. At the time, he was a 52-year-old father of four. Rathbun's story centered on his online relationship with Mahogany Roca, a 22-year-old woman from Peru. The show follows couples who meet online and apply for a K-1 visa, giving them 90 days to marry after entering the U.S. Initially, some viewers and even Rathbun's own family worried that Mahogany might be catfishing him. She had refused to take video calls, which made fans suspicious. Despite doubts, the couple eventually met in Peru and got married. Rathbun shared on the spinoff 90 Day Diaries in February 2024, 'Our civil ceremony was just brilliant; I could not believe how beautiful it was.' He added, 'But we are still planning on having a religious ceremony.' Ben and Mahogany confirmed their engagement in a YouTube video in 2022, filmed during Rathbun's trip to Peru. The couple appeared together on 90 Day Diaries and revealed that they had already married months earlier. Rathbun spoke openly about the challenges they were facing, sharing that they were going through a difficult transition. He mentioned that he had been without a steady job for about six months and that bills had been piling up, making things very tight. He said he was doing everything he could to pay the bills and save for his next trip to Peru. At the time of Rathbun's death, the couple were reportedly still together. Ben Rathbun's life also included some legal difficulties. In 2020, he was arrested for operating a vehicle while under the influence and driving with a suspended license. He was sentenced to 18 months probation in January 2021. In 2022, Rathbun missed a probation violation hearing, which led to a bench warrant for his arrest. He later turned himself in and spent a night in jail. In an interview with In Touch, Rathbun said, 'This was my fault because I needed to make sure I was getting all notices, but by the time I found out, it was too late, and I missed my appointment. So a warrant was issued for my arrest. I immediately drove 14 hours and turned myself in to the court and spent a night in jail.' Ben Rathbun's passing was first reported by the Instagram page shabootydotcom and confirmed by TMZ. His battle with stage 4 stomach cancer lasted several months after his diagnosis at the end of 2024. Despite his illness, Rathbun spent his final moments at home in Greencastle, Indiana, surrounded by his loved ones.
Scottish Sun
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
90 Day Fiance star dies aged 55 surrounded by family after months battling horror diagnosis
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Ben Rathbun, star of the reality show 90 Day Fiance, has died at the age of 55. He passed away at his home in Greencastle, Indiana on Monday morning, a source told TMZ. 3 90 Day Fiancé star Ben Rathbun tragically dies aged 55 Credit: Instagram 3 He passed away after a cancer battle Credit: Instagram 3 He is pictured with his fiance Mahogany from Peru Credit: Instagram Ben had been battling stage four stomach cancer, which he only been diagnosed with at the end of last year. He spent his final moments surrounded by his family, according to the publication. Ben became well known after his story was featured on 90 Day Fiance. He was a 52-year-old father of four when it aired, who met his 22-year-old girlfriend, Mahogany Roca online. The show chronicles the lives of such couples who meet online and apply for a K-1 visa - which sets the 90 day clock ticking in which to get married. They would later appear on a follow up spinoff 90 Day Diaries, in which they revealed they had got married a few months earlier. While their story was being aired, several viewers were doubtful that the couple would meet. Some fans reckoned that someone could have been catfishing him during their online interactions. But Ben and Mahogany would go on to meet nonetheless, proving the naysayers wrong. They confirmed their engagement on a YouTube video in 2022, which on a trip to see Mahogony in Peru. The couple were reportedly still together at the time of Ben's death. His passing was first reported on the Instagram page shabootydotcom.
The Irish Sun
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
90 Day Fiance star dies aged 55 surrounded by family after months battling horror diagnosis
Ben Rathbun , star of the reality show 90 Day Fiance, has died at the age of 55 . He passed away at his home in Greencastle, Indiana on Monday morning, a source told TMZ. 3 90 Day Fiancé star Ben Rathbun tragically dies aged 55 Credit: Instagram 3 He passed away after a cancer battle Credit: Instagram 3 He is pictured with his fiance Mahogany from Peru Credit: Instagram Ben had been battling stage four stomach cancer, which he only been diagnosed with at the end of last year. He spent his final moments surrounded by his family, according to the publication. Ben became well known after his story was featured on 90 Day Fiance. He was a 52-year-old father of four when it aired, who met his 22-year-old girlfriend, Mahogany Roca online. read more in world news The show chronicles the lives of such couples who meet online and apply for a K-1 visa - which sets the 90 day clock ticking in which to get married. They would later appear on a follow up spinoff 90 Day Diaries, in which they revealed they had got married a few months earlier. While their story was being aired, several viewers were doubtful that the couple would meet. Some fans reckoned that someone could have been catfishing him during their online interactions. Most read in Celebrity But Ben and Mahogany would go on to meet nonetheless, proving the naysayers wrong. They confirmed their engagement on a YouTube video in 2022, which on a trip to see Mahogony in Peru. The couple were reportedly still together at the time of Ben's death. His passing was first reported on the Instagram page .
New York Times
15-05-2025
- New York Times
Married, but Afraid to Travel
Two weeks before Gabby Morrison and Luke Joseph were set to fly to Tokyo for their honeymoon, they canceled their trip. Mr. Joseph, 25, moved from Kent, England, to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., the week of their March 21 wedding on a K-1 visa, which allows a foreign national engaged to a U.S. citizen to enter the country for the purpose of marriage. But the K-1 visa doesn't allow Mr. Joseph to leave and re-enter the country until he has received a green card, which can take five months to a year. 'We just didn't realize that he couldn't leave until the legal process is over,' Ms. Morrison, 23, said. 'It just really hit us hard.' When the couple, who met in 2014, shared a TikTok video about canceling their honeymoon, it was flooded with comments from users expressing anxiety about international travel over concerns that they may be detained or deported. Uncertainty around the processing times for green card permanent residency, coupled with heightened immigration fears under the Trump administration, has led many engaged and recently married couples — in which one person is a U.S. citizen and the other is not — to consider canceling or rescheduling their upcoming destination weddings and honeymoons. 'People assume that because you're married to a U.S. citizen, you have more rights,' said Terrica Jennings, an immigration lawyer in Washington, adding that foreign nationals in the process of becoming green card holders have been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at various airports in the country in higher numbers than previous years. When asked about the crackdown at airports, a spokeswoman for U.S. Customs and Border Protection said, 'Lawful travelers have nothing to fear from these measures, which are designed to protect our nation's security.' While brainstorming new potential honeymoon locations, Ms. Morrison and Mr. Joseph considered traveling to Hawaii. But under the Trump administration, noncitizens have been facing increased scrutiny in domestic airports in places like Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. As a result, they've held off on making any concrete plans. One such high-profile case occurred in February, when Bradley Bartell and Camila Muñoz, a couple from Wisconsin who were married last year, went on a belated honeymoon trip to Puerto Rico. On their way back to Wisconsin, an immigration agent asked Ms. Muñoz if she was an American citizen, which they thought was unusual for travel to a U.S. territory. She answered no, and that she is from Peru. Ms. Muñoz, who had overstayed her work-study visa when the Covid-19 pandemic hit, explained that she and her husband had submitted the paperwork for her green card, and she should be receiving it soon. Their explanation was not enough for border officials, and even though she lives in Wisconsin, she spent 49 days in detention in Louisiana. 'They were just saving up to do the honeymoon, and so they did Puerto Rico thinking nothing of it,' said David Rozas, an immigration lawyer in Baton Rouge, La., representing Ms. Muñoz, 'and otherwise had a great honeymoon until they got caught up at the airport.' Now, Ms. Muñoz is waiting for a court date. 'Hopefully we will be able to terminate the proceedings, and then she can adjust status through U.S.C.I.S.,' Mr. Muñoz said. Stories like these have led to immigration lawyers and experts receiving an influx of calls from couples seeking wedding and honeymoon advice, even from those who are legal permanent residents. 'Every day I hear something like this,' said Pouyan Darian, an immigration lawyer in Bardonia, N.Y. 'People are heartbroken when I tell them you really should not travel until the green card is physically in your hand. I've seen clients cry during consultations because I just destroyed their wedding plans and they need to cancel a wedding abroad or postpone it indefinitely. They don't know when the wedding will be because it all depends on the green card processing time.' According to Mr. Darian, marriage-based green card processing times are expected to slow down under the Trump administration, as more couples will now face mandatory interviews. Elizabeth Priya Kumar, a wedding planner in New York specializing in destination weddings for U.S.-based clients, is working with a couple reconsidering their wedding location. They had hoped to have it in Delhi, India, where the groom, a legal resident, is from. Now, they are considering having their wedding in Louisiana, where the bride's family is from, to avoid immigration risks. But that would mean that his family, who lives in Delhi, would be unable to attend. The Trump administration's immigration crackdown has also affected couples planning destination weddings who must now consider that some guests might not be able to attend over concerns of being detained or denied re-entry to the United States. These concerns come as the Trump administration attempts to increase the pace of deportations, taking more aggressive actions in recent weeks, including deporting a 2-year-old U.S. citizen to Honduras. Murad Awawdeh, the president of the New York Immigration Coalition, said that the Trump administration has issued hundreds of anti-immigrant policies, actions and executive orders. 'It has never been about safety and security with this administration, it's about cruelty,' Mr. Awawdeh said. 'They want to sow as much chaos, fear and confusion as possible to scare people, and to an extent it's working.' Immigration lawyers and experts recommend that individuals who are not U.S. citizens consult with an attorney before traveling. Adding to that, Ms. Jennings said, 'Generally speaking, clients that have Temporary Protected Status, DACA or a criminal history — our advice to them is simply: Don't travel.' Ms. Jennings said that permanent residents who spend extended periods of time outside of the country have also experienced increased scrutiny, and she recommends carrying pertinent immigration documents at all times, even when traveling domestically. 'As far as traveling is concerned, I don't really warn my clients against traveling if they have a green card,' she said. 'I just remind them to make sure that they're traveling with proper documents.' Ms. Jennings added that she explains to clients, 'You're traveling at your own risk. This is a different environment.'
