“A challenge like this is definitely not in Ella’s comfort zone but she wanted to experience something new and push herself. Both Sam and Ella are competitive and they’re in it to win it.
“They filmed the show earlier this year but their fans will have to wait until it airs before they can see who did the best.”
Earlier this month, I revealed that Sky Sports legend Jeff Stelling had signed up to take part with his son Matt.
They’re also competing against Junior and Princess Andre — who are making their reality TV contest debut together.
On Friday, Sam was one of Chris Evans’ first guests on his new run of TFI Unplugged on Channel 4, to promote his telly series Your Song with Paloma Faith and Alison Hammond.
Sam’s show invites amateur singers to take to the stage in a live roadshow across the UK.
Sam explained: “It’s berserk. We go up and down the country, we bring a stage with us for people who have probably never sung in public before with a live band. They come, share a story and sing a song that’s attributed to that. The connection you see being made is beautiful.”
On working with Paloma and Alison, Sam joked: “They’re mad as a box of frogs but great to be around. All of our laughs are so cackly, it’s unreal.
“The three of us laughing together is like the Witches Of Eastwick.”
Sam added: “There is no winning a record deal. There is an event at the end of it and every singer is invited — they rinse the free bar, and a couple of people from each round perform on the night. That is the prize.
“It’s a show that’s got heart.”
LOOK MUM, I’M ALL SET
THERE is less than a month to go until Eurovision and the UK act is now out of the gates, with Look Mum No Computer giving his first live performance of zany track Eins, Zwei, Drei.
The singer– whose real name is Sam Battle – performed at the London Eurovision Party on Sunday night, but admitted it was a struggle to get there after becoming a dad less than a fortnight ago.
Look Mum No Computer is giving his first live performance of zany track Eins, Zwei, DreiCredit: GettyThe singer– whose real name is Sam Battle – performed at the London Eurovision Party on Sunday nightCredit: GettyBoy George and Italian Senhit are representing San MarinoCredit: Getty
In an exclusive chat with Bizarre’s Howell, he confessed: “The concept of sleep is something I fondly miss.”
But it isn’t just his newborn Max who has taken up his time, as he has also built his set for the contest in Vienna.
The YouTuber and inventor said: “Just before we went to the hospital for the baby, I was finishing the props – making and soldering all the bits for Eurovision.
“I didn’t build all of the props – the BBC didn’t trust my welding! – but I’ve built the synthesiser bits for it, and it’s already on a lorry on the way to Vienna.”
Sam has also been working on his voice and dance moves as he prepares for the contest, which starts on May 12.
He added: “I’ve been singing, and I’ve also been working out. I just need to get my stamina up.”
On his staging, he said: “It’s quite complicated. There are some things that require coordination, which is not my forte. I’ve got two left feet.
But (choreographer) Benke Rydman, who I’m working with on the stage setup – he’s very much pushing my boundaries.”
Also at the event in London on Sunday was Boy George, who features on the San Marino act Senhit’s song Superstar.
He was in chipper spirits before the show and spent over an hour talking to journalists, so I’m sure he’ll be hoping to one-up our British act at the final on May 16.
ARNIE TO BACK AUSTRIA
HE is the most famous living Austrian and despite it being rather at odds with his macho persona, Arnold Schwarzenegger has been invited back to his home nation to attend the Eurovision final.
I’m told that organisers are preparing for the Terminator star to be in the audience at the Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna, with the hope that his presence will help celebrate Austrian culture and draw in viewers.
Arnold Schwarzenegger has been invited back to his home nation to attend the Eurovision finalCredit: Getty
Arnie already has a surprising soft spot for the contest after meeting with 2022’s Ukrainian winners KALUSH ORCHESTRA and then starring in the music video to their song Shchedryi Vechir in 2023.
Reflecting on the response after they won, frontman Oleh Psiuk previously said: “In Los Angeles, we met Arnold, who has been actively supporting Ukrainians since the early days of the war.
“He invited us over to his house and came out to greet us with a pet donkey.
“We talked about the situation in Ukraine and thanked him for his support and shared how important it was to us.”
Unfortunately though, I don’t think the movie hero’s donkey will be coming with him to the final.
APPLE Music is getting behind Eurovision in a big way, with the streaming service conducting interviews with all the key stars which will air in the run-up to the event.
And you can get to the heart of this year’s songs on Apple Music’s Eurovision 2026 official playlist, which has translated and phonetic lyrics for each of the tracks.
NOW WOODY TELLS HIS OWN TOY STORY
WITH Toy Story 5 hitting cinemas on June 19, the bigwigs over at Mattel invited Bizarre to visit their top-secret studios in LA – where characters Woody and Buzz were once again working their magic before our eyes.
Nick Karamanos at Mattel revealed: “We are bringing to life what happened in Andy’s room for the first time.” (Andy is the central child character in the original film.)
And that means fans of the films won’t just hear Tom Hanks and Tim Allen voicing the characters on screen – they’ll be able to hear them having full-blown conversations in their own homes.
The new Toy Story 5 toy range lets Buzz and Woody actually talk to each other, with no imagination required.
And Hollywood star Tom’s brother Jim Hanks was brought into the studio to bring the speaking toy version of Woody to life.
Mattel designer Baxter Crane explained: “He sounds just like him (Tom), and he knows how to sound like him. He said, ‘To be Tom you’ve just got to yell more, like whatever you wanna say you’ve just got to yell it instead.’
“And it really worked – he sounds just like his brother.”
The craftsmanship behind it all is next level, with Nick revealing that Mattel still uses manual sewing machines to make the characters’ clothes.
Nick explained: “When we think about Toy Story and taking inspiration, a lot of it is just being true to what the characters are and what is the best way to bring them to life.”
It’s not just Toy Story characters being reimagined either, with Camila Mendes, Idris Elba and Nicholas Galitzine all working with Mattel to create figures for Masters Of The Universe.
Andy and his pals will go on sale this Sunday, just in time to get us all excited about the film’s release.
Despite this, I hear fans of the Stones will be able to see Ronnie in action at a top-secret gig later this year.
Fans of the Stones will be able to see Ronnie Wood in action at a top-secret gig later this yearCredit: Getty
My music moles say he is putting on a special, intimate show at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, London, on August 31.
They revealed: “Ronnie is doing a show and some big rock names will join him. This isn’t a Stones gig, so it’s not with Mick and Keith, it’s other well-known industry names.
“So far, he’s got Imelda May on board to sing and Ronnie is currently talking to other artists about getting involved.
“He absolutely loves to play live. The show should be announced next week, with tickets on sale soon after.”
Confirming the gig, Ronnie told me: “I’m looking forward to kickin’ ass with my back catalogue and some new songs – look out London!”
I revealed last month that the band was back with a brand new record, and that the legends had signed up actress Odessa A’Zion to star in their comeback video.
Last week, they proved their fan base is still crazy for their music. The Stones released an ultra-limited white label vinyl single, Rough And Twisted, under the alias The Cockroaches – with all copies snapped up within seconds.
They are now being flogged online for more than a grand.
HUGH’S PREMIERE LEAGUE
HUGH JACKMAN and his actress girlfriend Sutton Foster couldn’t have looked happier as they attended his latest movie premiere – three years after he split from his wife.
The Greatest Showman actor stepped out in a blue suit to the launch of The Sheep Detectives in New York City on Sunday evening, alongside Sutton in a sequin gown.
Hugh Jackman stepped out in a blue suit to the launch of The Sheep Detectives in New York CityCredit: Getty
He moved on after his 27-year marriage to Deborra-Lee Furness came to an end, with their divorce finalised last summer.
Defender Callum Doyle has been a key member of the Wrexham team bidding for the Championship play-offs.
The 22-year-old has played in 36 games in all competitions this season, including 26 successive matches.
His performances have been recognised with a spot in the Championship team of the season, one he describes as a “massive honour”.
But Doyle acknowledges that life at the Stok Cae Ras did not get off to the best of starts.
Back in October the 22-year-old former Manchester City youngster was featuring in only his eighth game for his new club following a late summer move.
In the second half at home to Oxford – a game Wrexham won 1-0 – he was shown a straight red card during the second half of the match.
“It’s one of those moments that it’s a bad moment,” Doyle said.
“But, in the grand scheme of things it’s not so bad of how I’ve changed my attitude towards training.
“And it’s been good for me since that point.”
The sending off proved to be a blessing and a turning point for Doyle’s season.
Doyle’s enforced absence was an opportunity that manager Phil Parkinson and his coaching team used to work with the Manchester-born defender.
“He came in and missed a lot of pre-season, so it took us a while to get him up to speed,” said Parkinson.
“When he got sent off, it was a chance for us to pull him away and do work with him and almost give him a mini pre-season and get him to where he needed to be.
“But I think everybody can see what a class player Callum is.
“He’s got a lot of experience for someone so young and the aim is for him now to finish his season strongly.”
April 20 (UPI) — A Southwest Airlines flight arriving at Nashville International Airport over the weekend was directed into the path of another Southwest flight that was taking off, causing them to pass within 500 vertical feet of each other.
A flight arriving from Myrtle Beach, S.C., on Saturday evening initiated a go-around before landing because it was facing “gusty winds” during it’s approach, but air traffic controllers directed the crew into the path of another flight, USA Today, WSMV and WTVF reported.
The other flight was departing NIA on a parallel runway, which caused the close call, and “both flight crews responded to onboard alerts” because the two aircraft were 500 feet apart, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement.
Five hundred feet is equivalent to 1 2/3 football fields, including the end zones, or two Boeing 747s lined up nose-to-tail, which is half the 1,000-foot distance the FAA requires aircraft to maintain.
The air traffic controller who gave the errant order recognized the mistake and corrected himself with both flight crews, who had already responded to alerts from their Traffic Collision Avoidance System, devices that are standard on all commercial aircraft.
“We are engaged with the FAA as part of the investigation,” Southwest said in a statement.
“Southwest appreciates the professionalism of its Pilots and Flights Crews in responding to the event,” the company said. “Nothing is more importing to Southwest than the Safety of our Customers and Employees.”
Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. speaks during a House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies hearing on the budget for the Department of Health and Human Services in the Rayburn House Office Building near the U.S. Capitol on Thursday. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo
Patrick Muldoon, known for his roles on “Days of Our Lives,” “Melrose Place” and “Starship Troopers,” has died. He was 57.
The actor and producer reportedly died Sunday, his manager confirmed to Variety. According to Deadline, Muldoon died suddenly after a heart attack. The Times has reached out to Muldoon’s reps for comment.
Muldoon originated the role of Austin Reed on the daytime soap opera “Days of Our Lives.” He first portrayed the aspiring boxer and brother of Lisa Rinna‘s Billie Reed from 1992 to 1995, and returned to reprise the role from 2011 to 2012 (the character had since become a forensic accountant).
“Austin is a wonderful role,” Muldoon told The Times in 1995. The actor explained he took his “sweet time” mulling over whether to leave the show because “it was one hell of a decision to make.”
“I’m leaving for no other reason than why other people leave soaps,” Muldoon said at the time. “To take a shot at doing other things like nighttime, movies and other things. … I feel confident right now so I figured I better take the shot sooner than later. If I don’t, I’ll always wonder ‘what if.’ ”
He played the recurring villain Richard Hart on the primetime soap “Melrose Place” for three seasons beginning in 1995. Muldoon’s big-screen roles include Zander Barcalow, a pilot and rival of Casper Van Dien’s Johnny Rico, in Paul Verhoeven’s 1997 movie “Starship Troopers.”
Born September 27, 1968, in San Pedro, Muldoon’s early passions included football. He started playing at the age of 6 and would go on to play at Loyola High School and then at USC.
“I did fairly well for being a smaller tight end,” Muldoon told The Times in 2012, adding that getting run over during practice by USC teammateJunior Seau — the late linebacker who had a 20-year NFL career — was among the factors that led him to pursue acting instead. Muldoon began his acting career during the sport’s offseason, and his earliest roles were on shows such as “Who’s the Boss?” and “Saved by the Bell.”
In addition to acting, Muldoon was a producer with credits on films such as “Riff Raff” (2024), “Marlowe” (2022), “The Card Counter” (2021) and “The Comeback Trail” (2020). Most recently, he shared on Instagram his excitement of being among the executive producers for the upcoming film “Kockroach.”
This little-known European country gets a fraction of the visitors of some of its neighbours, but if you’re in the mood to visit somewhere a little different, it’s easily accessed from the UK
The country could become more popular as travellers seek out budget-friendly destinations(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Nowadays, travel isn’t exactly cheap. From jet fuel prices to everyday spends, it soon adds up, and many popular beach and city break destinations are getting more costly to visit.
But there are still less expensive destinations to discover, even in Europe, and one of the continent’s cheapest destinations also happens to be one of the least visited. While it’s not on many travellers’ bucket lists, it’s a charming break and something a little different if you’re feeling adventurous.
Many people can’t point Moldova out on a map, and this small Eastern European country is often overlooked. It sits between Romania and Ukraine, with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advising against travel near the border with the latter, and travellers should pay attention to travel advice for Moldova in case the situation changes.
Just over 67,000 tourists visit Moldova each year, and most of them arrive in the capital of Chișinău, which has routes from the UK serviced by Wizz Air and FlyOne. The city is a mixture of historic and Soviet-era architecture, and the compact, walkable centre is broken up with large green spaces.
As a cultural hub, Chișinău has plenty for tourists to do. Visit the ornate Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ’s Nativity and see the grand frescos, or tour the National History Museum of Moldova for a fascinating look at this little-known nation’s past.
Moldova’s rolling green countryside is covered in vineyards, and just outside the city you’ll find the world’s largest wine cellar at Milestii Mici. Over 30 miles of its limestone tunnels are in use, storing an estimated 1.5 million bottles of wine, enough to throw quite a party.
You can take a tour of the tunnels, which have ‘streets’ named after different wine varieties, and of course, you get your own bottle to take home.
Many local restaurants also serve Moldovan wines, and you can often enjoy a bottle in a restaurant for £4-5, while a pint in a bar can easily be found for less than £2, making it a cheap place for a night out compared to many European destinations.
Just south of the capital you can visit the 13th-century cave monastery at Orheiul Vechi. Dug into the cliffs, it has a series of solid stone stairs and tunnels and amazing views across this traditional Moldovan town. You may even spot a few of the monks who still live within its walls. There’s also the archaeological remains of Old Orhei, dating back as far as the 6th-century BC.
If you’re looking for time away from the city, the Bicaz Gorge near the border with Romania showcases some of the area’s natural beauty and includes the unique Red Lake. This lake is famous for its reddish hue and the remains of tree stumps that poke defiantly from the water, making it a popular place for hiking.
Have a story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com
Xavi Simons (Tottenham): I didn’t like the celebration when he scored against Brighton – I thought it was a bit too much, a bit Instagrammy. But Spurs have been poor of late and his quality and the X-Factor he showed with the assist and goal could be how they stay up.
I don’t think they will stay up – I’m really worried for them, but they need him to have five more games like that and that will give them the best chance. Maybe if the defenders started to defend they would have won the game instead of drawing it.
Bernardo Silva (Man City): In the biggest game of the season, with a Ballon d’Or winner in Rodri next to him, and facing Declan Rice – who people have talked about winning the Ballon d’Or – Bernardo Silva was the best player on the pitch as Manchester City beat Arsenal.
In key moments, he understood what the game required, grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck and said ‘we win today’. The biggest moment that pops into my head is a cross in the 83rd minute – Bernardo Silva against Viktor Gyokeres to win a header. Bernardo Silva wins it, and blasts Gyokeres in the meantime.
I think he is one of the biggest pieces for Manchester City to replace. Not just with his quality on the ball but also that leadership – it’s going to be hard to replace.
Rayan Cherki (Man City): My favourite player, as you know. The best player to watch in world football for me.
Look at that goal against Arsenal – he goes past Gabriel and Rice as if they are not there. The weight of body to transfer from right foot to left foot. When he shoots, you don’t know which foot is his strongest, he goes with his left foot past people, and scores with his right. He is just an unbelievable footballer.
Pep Guardiola has found another talent. And at 22, he is only going to get better. It’s quite scary when you think about how young this Manchester City team is.
Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingam Forest): Very simple, you score a hat-trick – even if it is against Burnley – you’re in the team of the week. Captain’s performance. That’s all that matters.
A Cuban Foreign Ministry official said the exchange with Washington was ‘respectful and professional’ and devoid of threats.
Published On 21 Apr 202621 Apr 2026
The Cuban government has confirmed that it held recent talks in Havana with officials from the United States, as tensions remain high between the two countries over Washington’s energy blockade of the Caribbean country.
Alejandro Garcia del Toro, deputy director general in charge of US affairs at the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said on Monday that the US delegation included assistant secretaries of state, and the Cuban delegation included representatives at the level of deputy foreign minister.
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Garcia de Toro said that the US delegation did not issue any threats or deadlines as had been reported by some US media outlets.
“The entire exchange was conducted with respect and professionalism,” he said.
In comments reported by Cuba’s Communist Party newspaper Granma, Garcia del Toro emphasised that ending the three-month-old US oil blockade was “a top priority” for the Cuban government in the talks, and accused Washington of “blackmail” for threatening countries that export oil to Cuba with tariffs.
“This act of economic coercion is an unjustified punishment for the entire Cuban population,” he said.
“It is also a form of global blackmail against sovereign states, which have every right to export fuel to Cuba, in accordance with the principles of free trade,” he added.
US news outlet Axios reported on Friday that officials from US President Donald Trump’s administration held multiple meetings in Havana on April 10, including with Raul Guillermo Rodriguez Castro, grandson of former President Raul Castro. The meetings marked the first time that American diplomats had flown into Cuba since 2016 in a new diplomatic push.
According to reports, US officials laid out several conditions for negotiations with Cuba to continue, including the release of prominent political prisoners, an end to political repression, and liberalising the island’s ailing economy.
The Reuters news agency said that US proposals for Cuba also include allowing Elon Musk’s Starlink internet terminals into the country and providing compensation for Americans and US corporations for assets confiscated by Cuba after the 1959 revolution. Washington is also concerned about the influence of foreign powers on the island, a US official told the news agency.
Trump has hinted at military intervention in Cuba and warned of tariffs on any country that sells or supplies oil to Cuba. The fuel blockade has aggravated Cuba’s economic and energy crisis, leading to warnings of a humanitarian disaster.
Cubans have also braced for a possible attack following Trump’s repeated warnings that the country will be “next” after his war on Iran and the US military’s abduction of Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro in January.
Last week, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said that his country was prepared to fight if the US carried through on its threats.
The leaders of Mexico, Spain and Brazil on Saturday voiced concern over the “dramatic situation” in Cuba and urged “sincere and respectful dialogue”.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Monday there was no evident justification for the US to attack Cuba.
“The ability to defend oneself does not mean the right to intervene militarily in other states when their political systems do not match what others might have in mind,” he said.
Chavez-DeRemer is the third high-profile female official to leave the Trump administration after recent departures of Kristi Noem and Pam Bondi.
Published On 21 Apr 202621 Apr 2026
US Secretary of Labour Lori Chavez-DeRemer will be leaving her post in the administration of President Donald Trump, the White House has said.
Chavez-DeRemer is the third woman to leave the Trump administration since March, when the president fired Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in the wake of federal immigration raids in Minnesota that led to the deaths of two protesters. Trump also ousted Attorney General Pam Bondi earlier this month.
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Chavez-DeRemer has done a “phenomenal job” protecting American workers and is set to “take a position in the private sector”, White House Director of Communications Steven Cheung said in a post on X late on Monday, announcing the labour secretary’s departure.
“Keith Sonderling will take on the role of Acting Secretary of Labor,” Cheung added, referring to the current deputy labour secretary.
While Cheung did not give a reason for Chavez-DeRemer’s departure, the New York Post reported in January that she was under investigation for “pursuing an ‘inappropriate’ relationship with a subordinate” and drinking in her office during the work day.
Al Jazeera was unable to independently verify the allegations.
From the beginning of her tenure, Chavez-DeRemer had some notable differences with other members of Trump’s inner circle.
She had voiced support for the pro-union Protecting the Right to Organize Act (PRO Act), earning support for her nomination from some Democrats.
Her appointment was also seen as favoured by Sean O’Brien, the president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, who notably spoke in support of Trump’s re-election campaign at the Republican National Convention in July 2024.
However, as the labour secretary, Chavez-DeRemer’s positions have more closely aligned with the Trump administration’s overall anti-regulatory policies, according to US media outlets. During her tenure as secretary, the Labor Department stalled on responding to calls for limits on silica exposure from Appalachian coal miners suffering from the occupational black lung disease.
Chavez-DeRemer is not the first top official to leave the Labor Department during Trump’s second term.
In August 2025, Trump fired the director of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Erika McEntarfer, who was appointed by previous President Joe Biden, after a report showed that hiring had slowed in July and was worse in May and June than had previously been reported.
Chavez-DeRemer had supported the president’s move at the time.
“I support the President’s decision to replace Biden’s Commissioner and ensure the American People can trust the important and influential data coming from BLS,” Chavez-DeRemer said in a post on X following McEntarfer’s removal.
An ITV newsreader has shared a rare insight into why he needed to take some time off.
An ITV presenter has opened up about going through a ‘breakdown’(Image: ITV)
An ITV News journalist has opened up about taking three months off work after suffering a “breakdown”.
Newsreader Tom Bradby took the break from work back in 2018, and now he is speaking candidly about that time.
He opened up about it to Radio Times as he discussed new ITV thriller Secret Service, which was adapted from his book and stars Gemma Arterton as MI6 officer Kate Henderson.
Tom said he wrote that particular novel faster than any of his other books, saying that when he reflects on the speed it “poured out” of him “it seems obvious that Kate – as a result of all the pressure heaped upon her – is skating on the edge of acute insomnia and some kind of breakdown”.
“And shortly after I finished it, this is exactly what happened to me,” he said. “I took three months off, rebooted and recovered.
“But when I read the book now, I do wonder at the way the character was a direct reflection of my own psychological state of mind.”
Tom has previously been open about his time off, revealing it happened after he developed insomnia, which resulted in what he said was an “addiction” to a sleeping pill.
Secret Service, which also stars Rafe Spall,was adapted from Tom’s best-selling novel and ITV has promised viewers “high-stakes drama” and “political intrigue”.
The five-part series explores the world of espionage against the backdrop of escalating tensions between the UK and Russia.
A synopsis for the show said: “The drama follows senior MI6 officer Kate Henderson (Gemma). On the surface, her life appears ordinary – a civil servant married to Stuart (Rafe) with two teenage children.
“However, to those who don’t know her well, Kate’s true role is heading the Russia Desk at the Secret Intelligence Service.
“When her undercover operations reveal alarming evidence that a high-ranking UK politician may be a Russian asset, Kate finds herself in a desperate race to uncover their identity.”
It continues: “As a brutal murder thrusts her team into the spotlight, Kate must navigate the dangerous world of espionage while trying to hold her family together and protect her reputation.”
Secret Service will launch on Monday April 27 at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
In 2025, some of the world’s top investment banks demonstrated their leadership across diverse sectors, driving major deals that shaped global markets.
For 2025, some of the world’s most influential investment banks demonstrated their ability to adapt, innovate, and lead across diverse sectors. From major M&A to groundbreaking IPOs, these financial powerhouses have cemented their positions as industry leaders by executing high-profile deals that shaped global markets.
Financial Services
UBS
With a dedicated team of 150 specialists in the category, UBS delivered some of the year’s most closely watched finance deals. In the US, the Swiss powerhouse played a leading role in the $1.6 billion acquisition of Paramount Group by global alternative-asset manager Rithm Capital. In Europe, UBS served as financial adviser to Monte dei Paschi di Siena in connection with the voluntary public purchase and exchange offer for Mediobanca for over €16.5 billion (about $19 billion). UBS also advised financial services provider Baloise in its 17.8 billion Swiss franc (about $22 billion) merger of equals with Helvetia, one of the sector’s most important deals. UBS acted as an active bookrunner on the May IPO of Israel’s eToro retail trading platform, valued at $4.2 billion. The bank also acted as a joint bookrunner on Swedish fintech Klarna’s $1.4 billion IPO in September. —Thomas Monteiro
Healthcare
Rothschild & Co
With a specialized healthcare team of more than 100 advisory bankers in 20 offices globally, Rothschild secured several of the most complex and high-profile deals of 2025.
Balancing IPO and private-sale options, the London-based firm supported Sanofi’s disposal of French multinational pharmaceutical company Opella, valued at €16 billion. The bank also acted as joint lead adviser in the €10 billion sale of pharma company Stada Arzneimittel to investment firm CapVest—one of Europe’s largest leveraged buyouts of 2025. In Switzerland, Rothschild advised Swiss multinational medical-technology company Ypsomed on the carve-out and sale of its Diabetes Care division to TecMed for 420 million Swiss francs.
Beyond Europe, the bank supported healthcare deals in Asia and North America, including India’s landmark sale of a controlling stake in JB Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals to Torrent Pharmaceuticals for roughly $3 billion. —TM
Industrials/Chemicals
Barclays
2025 saw a surge in industrials and chemicals M&A activity, with major deals in the US and Europe reshaping the market. UK-based Barclays played a key advisory role, including on Berkshire Hathaway’s $9.7 billion acquisition of OxyChem, spun off from Occidental Petroleum..
Barclays also advised the buy side on the $13.4 billion acquisition of Nova Chemicals by a consortium led by Abu Dhabi National Oil Company and OMV, the year’s largest cross-border deal in the sector, which played a key role in strengthening global polyolefins production.
In industrial technology, Barclays advised CVC Capital Partners on its £2 billion ($2.5 billion) acquisition of Smiths Detection from Smiths Group, highlighting continued private-equity interest in high-tech industrial assets. —TM
Infrastructure Finance
Societe Generale
As global infrastructure investment accelerated in 2025, French giant Societe Generale played a central role in some of the year’s most significant infrastructure transactions. In the UK, Societe Generale acted as mandated lead arranger and bookrunner on £5.5 billion (about $7.3 billion) of financing for the Sizewell C nuclear power station, one of Europe’s most important new energy-infrastructure projects and a cornerstone of the country’s long-term energy-security strategy.
The bank was also a key arranger on nearly $1.1 billion in green financing for the Eastern Green Link 2 transmission project, a 505 km (about 314-mile) subsea electric cable connecting Scotland and England. The project will transport up to 2 GW of renewable electricity from coastal wind farms to southern demand centers, enough to power more than 2 million homes while strengthening the UK’s electricity grid. Digital infrastructure has also been an important pillar of Societe Generale’s franchise. The bank participated in €650 million financing for the development of a European hyperscale data-center platform backed by Iliad Group and InfraVia, to support the expansion of cloud computing and AI infrastructure. —TM
BMO Capital Markets
After reaching record highs in 2025, prices for base metals and critical minerals continue to be whipsawed as economic risks and uncertainty persist, with shifting tariffs and supply disruptions related to the conflict in Iran. Strong price appreciation contributed to increased capital-markets activity, with many companies opting to increase scale or sell noncore assets. BMO Capital Markets continues to help clients successfully navigate these complex markets with advisory mandates and capital-markets execution on the largest transactions.
Globally, BMO covered 21 transactions in 2025 valued at $38 billion. It is also the sector’s top bank in equity capital-markets underwriting. In one of the largest metals and mining transactions of the past 10 years, BMO advised the $50-billion merger of Teck Resources and Anglo American. With BMO’s dominant market position, it has cultivated many long-term relationships. One of these clients is Coeur Mining, which the firm advised on the acquisition of SilverCrest Metals with a total implied equity value of approximately $1.7 billion. BMO was also named adviser for Coeur Mining’s announced buy of New Gold, valued at about $7 billion. —David Sanders
Power/Energy
BTG Pactual
The global power and energy investment outlook remained robust in 2025, driven by rising infrastructure spending amid the rearranging of supply chains due to increased geopolitical tensions and continuously accelerating renewable energy transition projects. Against this backdrop, our best bank for the sector, Brazilian heavyweight BTG Pactual, took advantage of its region’s large-scale privatizations, transmission-asset sales, and growing private investment to notch a banner year.
Among the bank’s main deals of the year in the sector, BTG served as the exclusive financial adviser to Equatorial Energia on the 9.4 billion Brazilian-real (about $1.8 billion) sale of its electricity-transmission portfolio to Canada’s CDPQ, one of the year’s largest infrastructure transactions. BTG also advised Eletrobras on the 535 million-real sale of its stake in Eletronuclear to a subsidiary of J&F Investimentos, a strategic divestment aimed at streamlining the Brazilian utility’s portfolio. The firm was equally active in energy transition investments. BTG acted as exclusive financial adviser to Orizon on the 275 million-real sale of a minority stake to eB Capital, supporting expansion in the waste-to-energy sector. —TM
Real Estate Finance
DBS Bank
As one of the leading banks in the Asia-Pacific region, DBS has been recognized as a global leader in real estate finance. Southeast Asia’s largest bank notably issued 300 million Singapore dollars (about $235 million) in five-year noncallable green subordinate perpetual securities at 3.18%. This issuance is one of the largest corporate perpetual securities in Singapore dollars and has the lowest fixed rate in 2025. DBS also acted as one of the bookrunners/managers for the Hysan Development-related $750 million bond issuance.
Lastly, DBS issued multitranche 3.5 billion offshore yuan (about $508.5 million) senior unsecured green notes due in 2028, 2030, and 2035. This was the first 10-year offshore yuan public bond. —Lyndsey Zhang
Sports Finance
Guggenheim Securities
In 2025, Guggenheim was a key player in sports finance, advising on major franchise transactions and strategic deals. The firm facilitated CEO Mark Walter’s historic $10 billion acquisition of the Los Angeles Lakers; it was the highest valuation ever for a professional sports team.. Guggenheim also advised Major League Baseball on a $9 billion debt-restructuring deal with Main Street Sports Group (formerly Diamond Sports Group), helping it emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The firm played a key role in Liberty Media’s €4.2 billion acquisition of Dorna Sports and published research suggesting the NFL’s media rights are undervalued. Additionally, Guggenheim developed structured credit solutions for sports teams, allowing them to leverage non-game day revenue streams.
UBS
In 2025, UBS played a central role in the tech dealmaking rebound, benefiting from increased capital inflows. The bank served as exclusive financial adviser to Veeco Instruments on its $4.4 billion merger with Axcelis Technologies, combining semiconductor equipment suppliers to meet growing demand in AI and data centers. UBS also led Fermi America’s $13.8 billion dual-listing IPO on the London Stock Exchange and Nasdaq, marking the first such dual listing in over a century. In Europe, UBS was a joint bookrunner for the Swiss Marketplace Group’s €901.6 million IPO, one of the continent’s largest digital platform listings.
With more than 40 years of coaching experience, Tom Harp of Granada Hills sure knows how to pull off upsets in boys volleyball.
His team created some uncertainty for the City Section playoffs by knocking off the likely No. 1 seed, Chatsworth, on Monday with a five-set victory, 24-26, 23-25, 25-18, 25-21, 15-12.
“It was an amazing match,” Harp said. “It was some of the hardest spikes I’ve seen in a long time from both teams.”
RJ Francisco of Granada Hills had 19 kills and setter Shawn Meza contributed 46 assists. Granada Hills pulled into a first-place tie with Chatsworth in the West Valley League after losing to the Chancellors earlier this season.
Baseball
Sylmar 7, Sun Valley Poly 0: The Spartans moved two games ahead of the Parrots in the Valley Mission League race. Matthew Torres threw a no-hitter with 11 strikeouts. Rickee Luevano had two hits and three RBIs. Tim Sepulveda added two hits.
El Camino Real 6, Chatsworth 2: It was a big day for JJ Saffie, who had a home run, double and two singles for the Royals. RJ De La Rosa had a triple.
Cleveland 2, Taft 0: Joshua Pearlstein threw 6⅓ scoreless innings, with Elliot Schoenwald getting the save. Sebastian Castaneda had two hits.
Banning 5, Narbonne 3: Oscar Chavez (4-1) threw a complete game and AJ Herrera went three for three to lead Banning.
Carson 2, San Pedro 1: Noah Sandoval threw a complete game for Carson.
San Fernando 1, Verdugo Hills 0: Alex Torres threw the shutout with seven strikeouts and no walks.
South Hills 4, Alta Loma 3: Gabriel Guerrero threw 1⅓ innings of scoreless relief to get the save for South Hills.
Long Beach Millikan 6, North Torrance 3: Austin Brett struck out seven in five innings.
Corona Centennial 15, King 8: Sophomore Ethan Miller hit two home runs and finished with five RBIs. The Huskies hit four home runs and rallied from a 5-3 deficit.
Corona 16, Eastvale Roosevelt 6: Sophomore Logan Pascarella had two hits and five RBIs and Trey Ebel added two hits and three RBIs to lead Corona.
Etiwanda 12, Chino Hills 11: Derick Kim hit a walk-off, two-run double in the bottom of the eighth inning for Etiwanda. Jacob Jimenez hit a grand slam for Chino Hills. LJ Roellig had four hits, including three doubles, for Etiwanda. Jaxson Milius had three hits and three RBIs.
Softball
El Camino Real 3, Birmingham 1: Audrina Gonzalez struck out eight in seven innings. Gonzalez had an RBI double and Madison Franklin added an RBI triple.
San Pedro 13, Narbonne 0: Jenna Ortega had three hits, including two doubles.
Outrage continues to grow over the Israeli soldier who was photographed desecrating a statue of Jesus Christ in southern Lebanon, including among Trump’s former MAGA allies. From a Polish MP to a Palestinian theologian, observers say it reveals a wider pattern.
Daniel Benaim, the former US Deputy Assistant Secretary for Arabian Peninsula Affairs, says the US missed the early off-ramps to declare victory over Iran, and now finds itself behind where it began on all its objectives.
Gregg Wallace, who was sacked from Masterchef last year following an investigation into 83 historical allegations of workplace misconduct, has confirmed his “new chapter”
Gregg Wallace is pictured during an episode of Masterchef in 2023(Image: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
Former Masterchef host Gregg Wallace is leaving the UK for Italy after being forced to sell his “enormous” £1million home.
The TV chef, 61, was axed from the popular BBC programme last year after he wasaccused of “inappropriate behaviour”, including allegations of touching an assistant’s bum on the show. An investigation into 83 historical allegations of workplace misconduct, with 45 accusations against him subsequently upheld.
But now the presenter has confirmed his “new chapter”, telling his Instagram following he will leave the UK for Italy by the end of the month. Gregg added he will homeschool his autistic son there.
Gregg’s wife, Anne-Marie Sterpini, whom he met on Twitter, is Italian. They tied the knot in 2016, four years after Gregg’s divorce to his third wife Heidi Brown.
Speaking in his social media video, Gregg said: “I’ve always loved Italy and we plan to move around and rent in different places which is quite an adventure and with the help of my autism specialist mates, I am going to homeschool Sid as well. It is a new chapter for us. It is a life that should be full of travel and adventure and I’m very very much looking forward too it.”
But the entrepreneur, who also hosted Saturday Kitchen, is also planning to buy a “much more modest”house in Yorkshire — close to where his daughter lives. He will then divide his time between Italy and Yorkshire, it is thought.
It comes after Gregg revealed earlier this month that he is selling his £1million Kent home after being left “unable to live the life he used to have”. The chef has not had a TV job since the BBC sacked him from Masterchef, a role he had held for nearly two decades.
The ex BBC star plans to sell the “enormous” home which sits on five acres of land along with its stables and pond. Gregg, who bought the home back in 2017, said he was making the move not only for a slower pace of life but also to ensure financial security for Anne-Marie, 38, and son Sid, six.
He said: “I can’t have the life I used to have but whether you chose to believe it or not, I really wanted to come out of that anyway, but obviously not in the dramatic way that I did.
“I want to ease off a little bit, I want to relax a little bit. but that also comes with wanting financial security for me and my family because I’ve got a wife that is much younger than me and a special needs little boy, Sid.”
DENVER — The Dodgers announced Monday that Edwin Díaz will undergo surgery to remove “loose bodies” in his right elbow and the closer isn’t expected to return until some point in the second half of the season.
Díaz, 32, has a 10.50 ERA in seven appearances this season for the Dodgers, who made a splash signing the high-profile free agent to a three-year $69-million deal, a record for a reliever.
The Dodgers recalled 27-year-old left-handed long reliever Jake Eder to replace Díaz on the roster.
Díaz gave up three runs and failed to get an out in the Dodgers’ 9-6 loss to the Colorado Rockies in a non-save situation Sunday, in what was his first appearance in nine days.
He entered the game and gave up a walk and three base hits, including a two-RBI single to Edouard Julien. Afterward, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts expressed concern about Díaz’s performance: “I know what it’s supposed to look like, and when it doesn’t look like that, it gets a little concerning, really.”
Before the Dodgers played their final game of the four-game series against the Colorado Rockies on Monday, Roberts said that the diagnosis provides some clarity, and that Díaz only began feeling discomfort in his elbow Sunday.
Before that Roberts said the plan was to “tread lightly” with the pitcher’s workload, unsure why the velocity of his pitches was down.
“Obviously, we all saw the stuff [Sunday], and it sent up red flags,” Roberts said. “And so, after the game, he had a conversation with our training staff, and felt that he had some elbow discomfort. So we just wanted to be proactive, and felt that it was smart to get an MRI, get imaging, which we did do, and it showed loose bodies.”
Having experienced the same thing as a player, Roberts explained, “you have loose bodies and they’re asymptomatic until they’re not.”
Dodgers closer Edwin Díaz jogs to the mound during the ninth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Dodger Stadium on March 31.
(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
A 10-year veteran, Díaz is a three-time All-Star. For his career, he has 257 saves in 300 opportunities with 849 strikeouts.
General manager Brandon Gomes said the Dodgers are “as confident as we can be” that Díaz will return to top form.
“Our understanding is that it’s a pretty straightforward procedure,” Gomes said. “We’re going to take our time with getting him back and being mindful of the buildup, and make sure he’s in a really good position to come out and compete at the highest level of what we expect.
“It’s the benefit of having a deeper staff and a talented team that it’s never easy to lose somebody like Edwin, but we’ll get through it and it’ll be a collective effort to keep winning baseball games.”
Roberts said he doesn’t plan to name a substitute closer in Díaz’s place, and the manager acknowledged that the news will significantly alter how he’ll use the bullpen.
“It does change it. In a big way,” Roberts said. “I do think being able to deploy guys in their right lanes or pockets has been helpful. But with that, I do think that Alex [Vesia] has been throwing the baseball really well. Tanner [Scott has] been throwing the baseball really well, and outside of last night, Blake [Treinen] was throwing the baseball really well.
“But it does kind of not allow us to work from the back end, which is certainly a luxury.”
The Dodgers have had unfortunate luck signing big-name relievers. In 2025 they signed left-hander Scott to a four-year $72-million deal. He then led the league with 10 blown saves last season and the Dodgers removed him from their postseason roster, replacing him with left-hander Justin Wrobleski, who was set to start Monday as the team played for a series split at Coors Field.
The FAA has grounded Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket because although its launch was successful, one of the engines on its second stage did not fire properly when it got to space, which resulted in the spacecraft releasing a communications satellite in too low of an orbit to be useful. Photo by Joe Marino/UPI | License Photo
April 20 (UPI) — The Federal Aviation Administration grounded Blue Origin‘s New Glenn rocket after it botched the release of a satellite following its successful launch two hours earlier.
The third launch of New Glenn and second landing of its reusable booster stage “Never Tell Me The Odds” on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean was a success in those terms, but the spacecraft delivered AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird 7 satellite to an orbit too low for it to operate properly.
Blue Origin said Monday that it is leading an investigation into one of New Glenn’s engines producing insufficient thrust to reach the mission’s target orbit.
“While we were pleased with the nominal booster recovery, we clearly didn’t deliver the mission our customer wanted, and our team expects,” Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp said in a post on X.
The FAA, NASA, the National Transportation Safety Board and the U.S. Space Force also have been monitoring the situation and will require Blue Origin to complete its investigation and report on the engine anomaly, the Orlando Sentinel reported.
“A return to flight is based on the FAA determining that any system, process or procedure related to the mishap does not affect public safety,” the FAA said in explaining why it grounded the rocket.
The New Glenn-3 rocket launched around 7:30 a.m. EDT on Sunday morning, nailing the flight and landing portion of its mission, and successfully released the BlueBird 7 satellite once it reached orbit.
Because one of the two BE-3U engines that power New Glenn’s upper stage didn’t produce sufficient thrust on its second engine burn, which is meant to boost the spacecraft to its target orbit above Earth, it never got there.
Although the satellite was released and powered on properly, the off-nominal orbit — which was too low for it to be useful — AST said it would be jettisoned.
BlueBird 7 is one of 45 satellites that AST SpaceMobile hopes to get in orbit by the end of 2026 as part of a satellite-based cellular network designed to operate with standard smartphones.
The satellite would have been the companies eighth to reach orbit, and it’s share price Feller by more than 6% on Monday, The BBC reported.
Limp said Blue Origin is analyzing data as it conducts the investigation and is “in steady communication with the team at AST SpaceMobile.”
“We appreciate their partnership, and we’re looking forward to many flights together,” Limp said.
NASA’s Orion spacecraft, with the four-member Artemis II crew aboard, is seen under parachutes as it lands in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California on Friday after its nearly 10-day journey around the Moon and back. NASA Photo by Bill Ingalls/UPI | License Photo
First all-women cohort of winners hails from Colombia, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, South Korea, the UK and the US.
This year’s prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize has been awarded to six grassroots environmental activists from around the world for their efforts to fight climate change and save biodiversity.
For the first time since the prize was created in 1989 by philanthropists Richard and Rhoda Goldman, all recipients of the award are women: Iroro Tanshi, from Nigeria; Borim Kim, from South Korea; Sarah Finch, from the United Kingdom; Theonila Roka Matbob, from Papua New Guinea; Alannah Acaq Hurley, from the United States; and Yuvelis Morales Blanco, from Colombia.
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Sometimes described as the “Green Nobel”, the Goldman Prize recipients are chosen from each of the world’s six primary regions. They each receive $200,000 in prize money.
“While we continue to fight uphill to protect the environment and implement lifesaving climate policies – in the US and globally – it is clear that true leaders can be found all around us,” said John Goldman, vice president of the Goldman Environmental Foundation.
“The 2026 Prize winners are proof positive that courage, hard work, and hope go a long way toward creating meaningful progress.”
Yuvelis Morales Blanco, winner of the 2026 Goldman Environmental Prize, shows a fish caught on a tour with fishermen along the Magdalena River in Colombia [Handout: Christian EscobarMora/Goldman Environmental Prize]
Morales Blanco, the winner for the region of South and Central America, fought some of the world’s biggest oil companies to successfully stop the introduction of commercial fracking into Colombia.
The 24-year-old grew up in a family of fishermen along the banks of the Magdalena River in the Afro-Colombian community of Puerto Wilches. “We had nothing but the river – she was like a mother who took care of me,” she said.
She began organising protests after a major oil spill in 2018, which forced the relocation of dozens of local families and killed thousands of animals. Her activism, which made her a target for intimidation and forced her to temporarily relocate, helped halt projects and elevate fracking as an issue in Colombia’s 2022 election.
Two of the other five recipients of this year’s prize have also focused their efforts on fighting fossil fuels, which are causing both global climate change and more localised pollution around the world.
Borim, the winner for Asia who started the Youth 4 Climate Action organisation, won a ruling from South Korea’s Constitutional Court that the government’s climate policy violated the constitutional rights of future generations, the first successful youth-led climate litigation in the continent.
Finch, Europe’s winner, told The Times newspaper she will use her prize money to keep fighting fossil fuels.
Together with the Weald Action Group, she fought oil drilling in southeastern England for more than a decade, securing the “Finch ruling” from the Supreme Court in June 2024, stating that authorities must consider fossil fuels’ impacts on the global climate before granting permission to extract them.
Two other recipients have fought against the destructive environmental impact of mining projects.
Papua New Guinea’s Roka Matbob, winner for Islands and Island Nations, led a successful campaign that saw the world’s second-largest mining company, Rio Tinto, agree to address environmental and social devastation caused by its Panguna copper mine, 35 years after it was closed following an uprising.
And the award recipient for North America, Acaq Hurley, from the Yup’ik nation in the US, successfully fought alongside 15 tribal nations to stop a mega- copper and gold mining project that threatened ecosystems in Alaska’s Bristol Bay region, including the largest wild salmon runs in the world.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Tanshi, Africa’s winner, rediscovered the endangered short-tailed roundleaf bat and has been working to save its refuge, the Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary, from human-induced wildfires.
It is also known as Radunitsa orRadonitsaand is a festival amongst many eastern Slavs, though Belarus is the only country where it is a state holiday.
Despite its date being dependent on Easter and it being observed as an Orthodox Christian holiday, the origins of Radunitsa are pagan rather than Christian with its roots based on an ancestor festival.
On Radonitsa, families go to church and then on to the cemetery. At the family tomb, a meal is eaten and any leftovers are offered to dead relatives. In pagan times, families would have left eggs on the graves of the dead, symbolising rebirth.
When Christianity arrived in the region, rather than suppress the older traditions, the church simply absorbed the rituals into Christian festivals. The egg was an easy one as the date of spring for the ancestor worship festival fell close to Easter and the use of the egg as a symbol of rebirth fitted well with the Easter message of resurrection.
Despite honouring and remembering the dead, Radonitsa is a day of celebration not one of mourning. Indeed, in Slavic languages, Radonitsa means ‘Joy Day’.
Eddie Murphy is celebrating not just his lifetime achievement award, but also the arrival of his third granddaughter, perhaps the funniest baby alive.
Murphy’s son Eric and Martin Lawrence’s daughter Jasmin have welcomed their first child together, baby Ari Skye.
On Saturday, Murphy was honored with the 51st AFI Life Achievement Award at a gala in Hollywood and told reporters that he had recently celebrated back-to-back milestones.
“I just had my first grandson two months ago, and I had my third granddaughter two weeks ago. And I turned 65 a month ago,” he told “Entertainment Tonight” ahead of the gala. “It’s raining blessings on me.”
The ceremony celebrated his storied career across comedy and film, and featured tributes from fellow funnyman Dave Chappelle and “Shrek” co-star Mike Myers. The special will premiere May 31 on Netflix.
The “Dr. Dolittle” star also gushed about his new grandbaby to E! News, and told the outlet that being honored for his work was “a wonderful thing” but that his legacy wasn’t his work.
“My legacy to me is my children,” he said.
Asked whether he or Lawrence offered their kids any parenting advice as they prepared to welcome Ari Skye, Murphy said he’s more of a lead-by-example kind of dad.
“You don’t give advice like that,” he told the outlet. “Your kids don’t go by your advice. Your kids go by the example you set. They watch you. Stuff you be saying, they don’t even pay that no mind. They watch and see what you do.”
In March, Jasmin and Eric posted photos from their lavish baby shower on social media. The shindig included a three-tiered pink cake, pink cocktails garnished with meringue that looked like clouds and balloons galore. “The most beautiful and special celebration for our baby girl,” the couple captioned the post. “Thank you to our parents and everyone that made this day so magical! Ari Skye Murphy, you are SO loved already!!”
Excitement around Ari Skye’s arrival had been brewing in the media long before the couple even announced they were expecting. Murphy joked about a potential grandbaby when Jasmin and Eric were dating back in 2024, during an interview with Gayle King.
“They’re both beautiful,” he said. “They look amazing together. And it’s funny — everybody’s like, ‘That baby gonna be funny!’ Like our gene pool is just going to make this funny baby.”
Murphy agreed, saying: “If they ever get married and have a child, I’m expecting the child to be funny.”
The most unpredictable California governor’s race in recent history took another set of dizzying turns on Monday, with former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra surging after former Rep. Eric Swalwell dropped out in the face of sexual assault and misconduct allegations, and former state Controller Betty Yee ending her bid.
The race to replace termed-out Gov. Gavin Newsom is the first in a quarter of a century with no clear front-runner and a sprawling field of candidates who have been jockeying for the attention of Californians, who are just beginning to pay attention to the campaign two weeks before ballots arrive in their mailboxes.
“I certainly could not have imagined the twists and the disturbing turns that this race has taken,” Yee said as she announced she was dropping out. “But through it all, my values and my vision for California has never wavered.”
A poll released Monday by the state Democratic Party — its first since Swalwell (D-Dublin) dropped out — showed Becerra’s support jumped nine points to 13%, placing him in a tie with Tom Steyer, the billionaire hedge fund founder turned environmental warrior. Former Rep. Katie Porter of Orange County saw a slight bump to 10% from 7%, while the remaining Democrats in the contest were mired in the low single digits.
The party began the surveys out of concern that Democrats could be shut out of the governor’s race because of California’s unique primary system, where the top two vote-getters in the June 2 primary move on to the November general election regardless of political party.
“I continue to believe there are too many Democrats in the field,” California Democratic Party Chairman Rusty Hicks told reporters Monday. “My call for candidates to honestly assess the viability of their candidacy and campaigns still stands, especially if you are stalled in the single digits, seeing financial resources dry up and/or are failing to pick up additional support.”
Hicks and other party leaders and allies had unsuccessfully urged low-polling candidates to reconsider their candidacies before the filing deadline in an attempt to cull the field and avoid splintering the Democratic vote. Though most did not name candidates who they thought should think about their viability, Yee was widely believed to be among them.
Yee became emotional as she said on Monday that she decided to withdraw from the race because she wasn’t able to raise the resources necessary to compete in the state. She also said her message of competency and experience wasn’t resonating among voters who were seeking a fiery foil to President Trump, not “Boring Betty,” as she dubbed herself. Yee said she would assess the field before making an announcement on whether she would endorse one of her fellow Democrats.
Becerra was another candidate believed to be a target of party leaders’ efforts to shrink the field. But he held on and apparently benefited from Swalwell’s downfall.
“I’m not the richest candidate, I’m not the slickest candidate, but I am the guy that’s got you,” Becerra said, rallying supporters in Los Angeles on Saturday.
The audience was filled with members of labor groups backing the longtime politician, and Becerra told them he’d serve as a “union man” in the governor’s office.
Pro- and anti-Becerra forces tussled outside the town hall after two people, who declined to identify whom they were working for, passed out fliers highlighting critical media investigations of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services during the migrant crisis when the agency was led by Becerra.
Pro-Becerra attendees grabbed the fliers and told the men to go away, prompting a security guard to intervene.
The question is whether Becerra, who also served as state attorney general, a member of Congress and a state Assembly member, can raise the funds necessary to compete in a state with some of the nation’s most expensive media markets. And he was tied in the state party poll with a billionaire who dumped an additional $12.1 million of his own money into his campaign last week.
Steyer’s total investment in his bid reached $133 million, according to the California secretary of state’s office. He also received the endorsement of Our Revolution, a progressive political organization founded by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).
“We’ve never endorsed a billionaire — but Tom Steyer is using his position to upset the system,” the group posted on X on Monday. “As Our Revolution executive director Joseph Geevarghese told @theintercept, ‘He’s been a partner in the movement. Most billionaires have used their wealth and privilege to lock in the status quo. Tom is doing the opposite.’”
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, who is also running for governor, accused Steyer of hypocrisy for the hedge fund he founded profiting from investments in private prisons being used to house ICE detainees, and Steyer calling for the abolishment of ICE.
Steyer got “rich investing off the ICE infrastructure he now wants to abolish,” Mahan posted on Instagram.
Steyer, who sold his stake in the hedge fund in 2012, has said he ordered the company to divest from the private prison company and has repeatedly expressed remorse about his former firm’s ties with the detention company.
Mahan also appeared Monday at a Hollywood production lot to announce his proposal for a special fund to lure sporting events, concerts and other productions to California as part of his plan to help the struggling film and television industry.
An independent effort supporting Mahan has also raised roughly $11 million since Swalwell left the race.
Mehta reported from Los Angeles and Nixon from Sacramento. Times staff writer Dakota Smith contributed to this report.
