The Force is with Harrison Ford.

The legendary actor, who received the SAG-AFTRA Life Achievement Award earlier this year, will be lauded with another career honor.

The Paley Center for Media will celebrate Ford at its fall gala, alongside previously announced honorees Greg Berlanti, Goldie Hawn and Melissa McCarthy. All four will receive the organization’s highest accolade at the annual Paley Honors event in Beverly Hills on Dec. 3.

Although known for his iconic roles in the “Star Wars” and “Indiana Jones” movie franchises, he recently shifted his focus toward television — first as the Dutton family patriarch in “1923” then as a therapist in “Shrinking.”

“Harrison Ford’s landmark performances have brought some of entertainment’s most memorable characters to life and established him as a global icon whether playing action heroes or the everyman,” Maureen J. Reidy, president and chief executive of the Paley Center, said in a statement. “His recent Emmy Award-nominated turn as Dr. Paul Rhoades on ‘Shrinking’ further solidifies his legacy as one of the world’s most beloved actors. We are honored to celebrate his ongoing achievements with the Paley Honors Award.”

Ford has by no means stopped making movies (see: 2020’s “The Call of the Wild,” 2023’s “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” and 2025’s “Captain America: Brave New World”), but he hadn’t played a regular, recurring TV character before 2022, when he joined the “Yellowstone” prequel series “1923” as Jacob Dutton.

Last year, at the fresh age of 83, Ford became a first-time Emmy nominee for his performance in the second season of “Shrinking.”

The Paley Honors Award recognizes landmark contributions to and enduring impact on the media industry, and its gala will feature a special tribute celebrating each honoree’s distinguished career and creative legacy.

Megaproducer Berlanti is known for his work on numerous TV series, including “Dawson’s Creek,” “Everwood,” “Riverdale,” “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” and “You,” as well as DC Comics adaptations like the Arrowverse shows, “Titans” and “Doom Patrol.”

Hawn broke out on the NBC sketch comedy program “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In,” won the supporting actress Oscar for her feature film debut in 1969’s “Cactus Flower” and starred as the titular “Private Benjamin” in the 1980 military comedy, which snagged her an Academy Award nomination for lead actress.

McCarthy has picked up two Emmys, one for lead actress in a comedy for her role on the CBS sitcom “Mike & Molly” and the other for guest actress in a comedy for hosting “Saturday Night Live” in 2017. She also portrayed perky chef Sookie in “Gilmore Girls,” and earned two Oscar nominations for “Bridesmaids” and “Can You Ever Forgive Me?”

Colin Allred is all blue. The Democratic politician from Texas played linebacker for the powder blue-clad Tennessee Titans for four years and he rode the historic blue wave Tuesday to return to the U.S. House of Representatives.

Allred, who served three consecutive terms in Congress before making an unsuccessful bid for the Senate in 2024, is one of several prominent former athletes who ran for office in the midterm elections. He won this time in a landslide over Republican Patrick Gillespie, collecting nearly 80% of the votes in the 33rd Congressional District located in Dallas County.

In an Substack essay in August, Allred enumerated lessons learned playing in the NFL, calling them “the core values I’m bringing with me in my fight for Congress”: Staying humble, recognizing that leadership comes from bringing people together despite their differences and building strong relationships, trust and teamwork.

Joining Allred in Congress — albeit from the other side of the aisle — will be another former professional athlete who ran a successful campaign in Texas: Former Angels slugger Mark Teixeira, a Republican who will succeed Chip Roy.

Teixeira was the fifth overall pick in the 2001 MLB draft by the Texas Rangers, for whom he played until 2007. After brief stints with the Atlanta Braves and Angels, he spent nine seasons with the New York Yankees, helping them to a World Series title in 2009 and finishing second in MVP voting.

After retiring in 2016 with 409 career home runs, Teixeira returned to Texas and announced his candidacy for the 21st Congressional District a year ago. An avowed conservative, he said he was “ready to help defend President Trump’s America First agenda, Texas families, and individual liberty.” Trump endorsed Teixeira and he defeated 11 candidates in the Republican primary.

Historically, former athletes running for office lean Republican. Decades after helping Michigan to national championships in 1932 and 1933, the outstanding center and linebacker Gerald Ford became the 38th president of the United States on the Republican ticket.

Ford never played professionally, but several men who did have served in Congress: Rep. Jack Kemp (R-NY), Rep. Steve Largent (R-OK) and Rep. Burgess Owens (R-UT) played in the NFL; Sen. and Rep. Jim Bunning (R-KY) was a Hall of Fame MLB pitcher; and Sen. Bill Bradley (D-NJ) was a Hall of Fame NBA forward.

Dave Bing and Kevin Johnson became the Democratic mayors of Detroit and Sacramento, respectively. And if the net is widened to include powerlifting and pro wrestling, Governors Arnold Schwarzenegger of California and Jesse Ventura of Minnesota get a nod.

Tommy Tuberville, a former longtime college football coach and Republican senator since 2021, won the governor’s race in Alabama on Tuesday, defeating Democrat former Sen. Doug Jones. Tuberville posted a record of 159-99 over 21 seasons at Auburn, Cincinnati, Texas Tech and Mississippi.

Two former NFL players and a veteran NFL broadcaster appear to have fallen short in their attempts to win political office.

Republican Jay Feely, an NFL kicker for six teams over 14 seasons, trails Democrat Amish Shah, a former team physician for the New York Jets, 52.6% to 45.4% with 85% of the vote tallied in a race for the U.S. Congress in Arizona. Democrat Chris Kluwe, a Minnesota Vikings punter from 2005-2012, lost a close race to Republican Gracey Van Der Mark to represent California Assembly District 72, which mainly consists of Orange County beach communities.

And Republican Michele Tafoya lost the U.S. Senate race in Minnesota to Democrat Peggy Flanagan, the state’s lieutenant governor. Tafoya was a sideline reporter for NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” and also worked as a broadcaster for CBS and ABC.

Perhaps the most impressive showing by a former athlete was that of Iowa Democrat Josh Turek, who flipped a seat for the U.S. Senate by defeating Republican Congresswoman and former TV anchor Ashley Hinson. Born with spina bifida and confined to a wheelchair after his father was exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam, Turek is a four-time Paralympian and two-time gold medalist in wheelchair basketball.

Lakers have room for improvement

From Thuc Nhi Nguyen: Austin Reaves described it as “fun.” Luka Doncic called the Lakers’ effortless-looking offense as “flowing.” And this is still the early stages of development for a team that brought in nine new players.

Through eight games, the Lakers have the most dynamic offense in the NBA. Led by Doncic, the Lakers are second in scoring with 122.5 points per game and first in offensive rating with 121.9 points per 100 possessions. The starting lineup of Doncic, Reaves, Walker Kessler, Ziaire Williams and Matisse Thybulle has a league-best 135.5 offensive rating among five-man groups that have played at least 40 minutes together entering Wednesday’s game at Sacramento.

“Everything’s as expected,” guard Quentin Grimes said Monday after the Lakers hung 138 points in a21-point win over the Miami Heat. “Winning, everybody’s getting involved, everybody’s making the right play, getting a lot of assists.”

The Lakers (6-2) had 39 assists against the Heat, the most during JJ Redick’s head-coaching tenure. Doncic is on a historic scoring binge; he is the first Laker since Kobe Bryant in 2007 to have five consecutive games of 35 or more points. While putting up a seemingly ho-hum 42 points against Miami, he also had a season-high 13 assists.

“It’s a really good offense that we’re playing right now,” Redick said. “And a lot of that, of course, is Doncic and what he’s able to do and bend the defense.”

Doncic, the NBA’s leading scorer at 38.3 points per game, does his damage early. He typically plays all 12 minutes of the opening quarter and leads the league with 15 points a game in the first quarter. Once he gets his shot going, teams send double teams to force the ball out of his hands. That’s when Doncic can be particularly dangerous.

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How Angel City helped ‘Ted Lasso’

From Kevin Baxter: Angel City and “Ted Lasso” both came to life in the summer of 2020 when the rest of the world was preoccupied with something far more serious, the global COVID-19 pandemic.

In those dark times, the series about kindness, grace, optimism — and soccer — became the show we didn’t know we needed, but suddenly couldn’t do without.

Angel City, meanwhile, would play its first NWSL game two years later, by which time “Lasso” and Jason Sudeikis, the title character of the Apple TV series about a fictional Premier League team and its manager, had already won multiple Emmys.

Hollywood is a small town, so it wasn’t long before Sudeikis reached out to Kara Nortman, a venture capitalist who co-founded Angel City in 2020, and asked to talk about women’s soccer.

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UCLA is No. 8 in first CFP rankings; USC is No. 20

UCLA coach Bob Chesney and the Bruins are ranked No. 8 in the first College Football Playoff rankings, a remarkable turnaround for a program that recorded three wins last season.

Chesney has led a revival in his first season that has the Bruins on track to host a playoff game if they can navigate formidable games at Minnesota on Saturday, at home against Illinois on Nov. 13, at Michigan on Nov. 21 and at home against crosstown-rival USC on Nov. 28.

The Trojans (7-2) were ranked No. 20 in the poll after their defiant 30-18 win over No. 12 Ohio State Saturday at the Coliseum.

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Split election results for local teams

From Sam Farmer: Hollywood Park was winning one fight and losing another, both by slim margins, as vote counting continued Tuesday night on two ballot measures in Inglewood.

According to results posted by the Los Angeles County registrar shortly after 10:30 p.m., Measure AT was losing, 51.9% to 48.1%, a margin of 583 votes; and Measure BB was losing 51% to 49%, a margin of 307.

Measure AT would mean more ticket taxes for big events in Inglewood, home to SoFi Stadium, Intuit Dome and the Forum. The City of Inglewood wants that.

Measure BB would bar the city from allowing billboard advertising on sidewalks, medians and the like. Owners of those sports and entertainment venues, who have their own sponsorship deals, are backing that measure.

Meanwhile, City Council member Gloria D. Gray led incumbent Mayor James T. Butts Jr., 34.6% to 29.8%, putting them on an early track for a runoff election in March.

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Ducks beat the Canucks

Cutter Gauthier scored a hat trick for the second game in a row and the Ducks held on for a 5-4 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night.

Mikael Granlund added a goal and two assists for the Ducks, while Leo Carlsson put away a shorthanded tally and Beckett Sennecke had four assists.

Laurent Brossoit stopped 19 shots for the Ducks.

The Ducks (7-7-1) came into the game with the league’s second-best power play (34%) behind only the Utah Mammoth and went three for three with the man advantage. Two of Gauthier’s goals came on the power play and the Ducks have 10 power-play goals on 12 chances over their past three games.

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Ducks summary

NHL standings

This day in sports history

1934 — The Detroit Lions rush for an NFL-record 426 yards in a 40-7 rout of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The only bright spot for the Pirates is scoring the first touchdown against Detroit this season, ending the Lions’ shutout streak at seven games.

1951 — The U.S. wins six of eight singles matches and ties another to win the Ryder Cup 9½-2½ over Britain at Pinehurst in North Carolina.

1959 — Ernie Banks, Cubs shortstop, wins his 2nd consecutive NL MVP.

1960 — Wilt Chamberlain of Philadelphia scores 44 points and sets an NBA record by missing all 10 of his free throws in the Warriors 136-121 victory the Detroit Pistons.

1976 — Baseball holds its first free agent draft with 24 players from 13 major league clubs participating. Reggie Jackson eventually signs the most lucrative contract of the group, $2.9 million over five years with the New York Yankees. Others free agents are Joe Rudi, Don Gullett, Gene Tenace, Rollie Fingers, Don Baylor, Bobby Grich and Willie McCovey.

1984 — Seattle’s Dave Brown returns two interceptions for touchdowns in a 31-17 triumph over the Kansas City Chiefs.

1987 — NBA announces four new franchises; Charlotte & Miami for 1988 & Minneapolis & Orlando for 1989.

1989 — Sunday Silence holds off the late charge by favorite Easy Goer to win the $3 million Breeders’ Cup Classic by a neck at Gulfstream Park.

2000 — R.J. Bowers rushes for 128 yards to become the first player in NCAA history to gain 7,000 yards in his career, leading Grove City past Carnegie Mellon 14-10.

2000 — In the highest scoring Division I-AA game in NCAA history, Ricky Ray passes for 344 yards and three touchdowns and scores three more to lead Sacramento State over Cal State Northridge 64-61.

2001 — Luis Gonzalez’s RBI single caps a two-run rally off Mariano Rivera in the bottom of the ninth, and the Arizona Diamondbacks win their first championship by beating the New York Yankees 3-2 in Game 7.

2006 — Rod Brind’Amour of Carolina scores his 1,000th point, assisting on a goal in the Hurricanes’ 3-2 win over Ottawa.

2007 — Adrian Peterson runs for an NFL-record 296 yards and three touchdowns in Minnesota’s 35-17 win over San Diego.

2009 — The New York Yankees win the World Series, beating the defending champion Philadelphia Phillies 7-3 in Game 6 behind Hideki Matsui’s record-tying six RBIs.

2012 — Andrew Luck breaks the NFL’s single-game rookie record by throwing for 433 yards in leading Indianapolis to a 23-20 win over Miami

2016 — Cam Atkinson, Nick Foligno, Scott Hartnell and Josh Anderson score two goals apiece and the Columbus Blue Jackets beat Montreal 10-0, matching the biggest loss in the Canadiens’ storied history.

2017 — Quarterback Ahmad Bradshaw rushes for a career-high 265 yards and Army ends Air Force’s 306-game scoring streak with a 21-0 victory.

2017 — With a 31-24 overtime victory over Nebraska, Northwestern becomes the first Football Bowl Subdivision program to win three consecutive overtime games.

Compiled by the Associated Press

Until next time…

That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

Russian strikes also cut power to Ukrainian cities as Moscow claims 700 Ukrainian drones downed across multiple regions.

Ukrainian drone strikes have killed three people in Russia’s Belgorod region, while attacks cut power to multiple cities in Ukraine and parts of Russian-occupied Crimea, officials reported.

Local Russian authorities in Belgorod, which borders Ukraine, announced the three deaths on Wednesday. In Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia’s overnight attacks damaged power generation facilities and substations in nine regions leaving emergency outages in many cities.

Russia’s Defence Ministry confirmed on Telegram that it hit two power stations in Ukraine’s Kyiv and Zhytomyr regions. Ukraine has repeatedly said Moscow is targeting its energy grid as temperatures drop before winter.

Overnight, Russian attacks on critical infrastructure caused hours-long power and water outages across Kyiv and surrounding regions.

Residents in the capital were urged to use public drinking water fountains, and emergency centres offering hot tea and power points to charge devices were set up in the worst-hit areas.

There were also power outages in Crimea, the peninsula Russia seized from Ukraine in 2014, home to approximately 2.5 million residents. Russia’s Ministry of Energy said Ukrainian strikes hit energy infrastructure overnight and that temporary outage schedules were in force. It did not say how many households were affected.

But reports also indicated that Russia-held Crimea ordered power cuts after an accident outside the region, a Moscow-installed ⁠official said, according to the Reuters news agency.

‌In addition to the capital, Kyiv, Russia also hit the regions of Poltava, Dnipro, Kirovohrad and Rivne, Reuters reported, citing Ukraine’s emergency service and local officials.

In southern Russia, a Ukrainian drone attack started a fire at a major warehouse belonging to Ozon, known as Russia’s Amazon. The strikes were on an Ozon distribution facility in the town of Adygeysk, in the Republic of Adygea, regional head Murat Kumpilov said.

Ozon said all workers were evacuated and no one was hurt, and that it had removed damaged goods from its listings and rerouted deliveries.

Russia’s Defence Ministry also said it downed 709 Ukrainian drones across 14 regions, Crimea and the Black and Azov seas.

Kremlin response to US midterms

Amid ongoing fighting between Russia and Ukraine, Russia’s Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the Kremlin hopes United States President Donald Trump will continue his peace efforts after a sweeping Democratic victory in the congressional midterms dealt a blow to the president.

“President Trump continues to exercise his powers. We sincerely hope that he will also continue his peacemaking efforts,” Peskov said in a statement.

Whether a change in Congress could hinder Trump’s peace efforts, Peskov said, as cited by the state-run Interfax news outlet, that it was “an internal matter for America”.

Democratic control of the legislature in January is expected to bring a more vocal pro-Kyiv majority in Congress that could pressure Trump to change tack, but there is little hope that the US will return as a major financial backer of Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Zelenskyy awarded US First Lady Melania Trump the Order of Princess Olga, which honours women who have contributed to Ukraine, according to a presidential decree on Wednesday.

The decree noted Melania Trump’s “significant personal contribution” in providing support for humanitarian aid and children in Ukraine.

Ukrainian officials say the US first lady played a pivotal role in organising a six-day local ceasefire to evacuate civilians from the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky, which ended on Sunday.

Eurocamp has announced a major change affecting its popular Spain holiday parks from 2026 but it could be good news for Brits looking for a sunny getaway

Eurocamp parks (or parcs, as they call them) are already a firm favourite with Brits looking for cheap and cheerful getaways in the summer, with sites across plenty of popular destinations including France, Italy and Spain. Now, the holidays giant has announced it will be making a major change to a number of its Spanish locations, in what could be good news for holidaymakers.

That’s because for the first time ever, Eurocamp is going to be offering winter sun holidays, kicking off in 2026. While typically Eurocamp sites close for the winter, this year there will be three parcs remaining open throughout the colder months; Alannia Costa Blanca and Alannia Guardamar in Costa Blanca (home to Benidorm), and Alannia Els Prats in Costa Dorada (home to Salou), with prices from £452 per party during the quieter seasons.

It marks the first time that Brits can opt for Eurocamp breaks in Spain during Christmas, or even for February half term. However, they’re not the only destinations on offer. Eurocamp already has sites in the French Alps which are open during the ski season, as well as its Paris-Est location which is popular with Brits hoping to visit the French capital for its Christmas markets.

It’s not the only brand to offer up holiday parks during the winter months. For example, Center Parcs has a number of sites in France, Belgium and the Netherlands, including one park just a stone’s throw away from Disneyland Paris.

For Brits who are after winter sun but don’t want to commit to jet-setting off to far-flung Caribbean islands, Spain and its islands can be an ideal compromise. In fact, the popular country has 8 of Europe’s 10 sunniest cities according to research from travel pros at Holidu. Cities such as Cordoba or Malaga, in the southern part of Spain, are where you’ll likely have more luck given temperatures average 19C in November, while Barcelona keeps a balmy 15C although it does get cooler in the evenings.

Meanwhile the Canary Islands are famed for their year-round sunshine, and can enjoy temperatures of up to 23C as late as early December. So while it may not be warm enough for swimming in the sea, it’s still pleasant enough that you can enjoy the outdoors whether you wander along the bustling promenades, or want a lunch al fresco. (Not to mention the cooler mornings are ideal for those who want to kick off the day with a hike around those volcanic landscapes).

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WE MIGHT barely be in November but with the mornings chillier and the evenings darker it won’t be long before we press play on the festive films.

And one in particular – The Holiday (2006) – has one of the cosiest of cottages we all dream of staying in over the winter period.

While Rosehill Cottage might be fictional, the UK isn’t short of similarly beautiful cottages by any means.

So here are six that will give you the same feel as being in the movie’s cottage itself:

Philham Water Cottage, Devon

Nestled in the Devonshire countryside is Philham Water Cottage with a double bedroom and a lounge with a sofa bed.

Like The Holiday itself, you will find a roaring wood stove inside an open fireplace.

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There’s WiFi, a TV and a DVD player too.

The cottage also has a fully equipped kitchen and a bathroom, with a bath tub.

The website says it can host two individuals or a couple, however the cottage does sleep up to four people.

It costs from £95 per night, so £42.50 per person per night if two people were sharing or £21.25 per person per night if four people did stay.

Lew Quarry Cottage, Devon

Set in the grassy green fields, Lew Quarry Cottage, also in Devon, has two bedrooms and two bathrooms.

There’s also a fully equipped kitchen, washing machine, and free WiFi.

If you fancy enjoying a cuppa in the fresh air, there is also a garden with a cosy seating area.

And of course, the cottage has a grand fireplace.

Nearby guests can head to Lydford Castle and Launceston Castle.

A seven-night stay for two adults and two children costs £465, working out at £16.61 per person, per night.

Old Blacksmith’s Cottage, Lincolnshire

Old Blacksmiths Cottage in Market Rasen has one bedroom, alongside a shower room and fully equipped kitchen.

The cottage also has a private garden and parking.

Nearby attractions include Lincoln Medieval Bishops’ Palace and Lincoln Cathedral of St. Mary.

It costs from £320 for a seven-night stay for two people, working out at £22.86 per person, per night.

The Green House, Somerset

The Green House in the village of Nunney, Frome, is a quaint Grade II listed cottage that can sleep up to four people (though children under the age of nine are not allowed).

In the lounge there is a cosy fire, which guests can snuggle up by and admire the period features of the cottage.

In the chilly mornings make sure to head outside to the secluded terrace that overlooks the stream.

In the village – which is often dubbed one of the prettiest in Somerset – there’s also a pub and a small shop.

Nearby attractions include Nunney Castle and Cranborne Chase – an International Dark Sky Reserve.

Stays cost from £571 for seven-nights for four people, working out at £20.40 per person, per night.

The Cottage at The Feathered Nest, Cotswolds

Now if you really want to stay in a cottage that looks almost identical to Rosehill Cottage in The Holiday, book into The Feathered Nest’s cottage in the Cotswolds.

Known as ‘Little House’ it is part of The Feathered Nest’s pub site and dates back to the 15th century.

The cottage found in the village of Chipping Norton, has a double bedroom as well as a lounge area with a sofa bed.

There is a grand open fireplace and a sleek kitchenette too.

Your four-legged friend doesn’t have to miss out on this one either as it is dog friendly.

Stays are a bit steeper costing from £800 for two nights for four people, but if you stay from a Sunday to a Monday you get a discount making it £760 – or £95 per person per night… Maybe a good one for a friend group.

Blackbird Cottage, Dorset

Blackbird Cottage in Beaminster is dog-friendly and sleeps up to five guests.

This restored Grade II listed cottage boasts its original features across its three bedrooms and walled garden.

The ground floor of the cottage also features historic stone floors as well as a wood-burning stove to keep you warm.

You’d be a short walk from shops and pubs as well as a short drive to the famous Jurassic Coast.

If you stay for three nights, you can get a £50 discount working out at £526 total or £35.07 per person per night.

JESSICA Alba has found herself on thin ice with fans following a massive fallout from her Halloween costume.

There has been such a backlash over her choice of outfit that the Fantastic Four actress, 45, has been forced to delete the picture of her wearing it after being called “distasteful”.

Much like the rest of the celebrity world, at the weekend Jessica Alba got into the spooky spirit and revealed her costume on social media to fans.

In a pic posted on Instagram Jessica dressed up as the famous 90s figure skater Nancy Kerrigan.

In the snap, her costume consisted of a white lace figure skating dress with a bloody bandage wrapped around her knee.

Jessica’s friend Kelly Sawyer dressed up as her rival Tonya Harding, and was wielding a baseball bat.

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Back in 1994, Nancy was famously assaulted and struck in the knee with a baseball bat right before she performed at the 1994 Winter Olympics.

Tonya was blamed for having an involvement in the attack – something she denied – but she later pleaded guilty to conspiring to hinder the prosecution.

Nancy’s attacker was later revealed to be Shane Stant, who was hired by Tonya’s ex-husband Jeff Gillooly, along with Shawn Eckhardt.

Fans found Jessica’s reference to this attack as “distasteful”, and the actress has since pulled the picture from Instagram following the backlash.

One fan said: “We expect better, Jessica.”

Another called the actress “immature”, with another commenting: “Why are we being nasty this Halloween?”

However, this fan jumped to Jessica’s defence and said: “It’s been over 30 years. Seems like a pretty tame joke at this point.”

Xavier Becerra, who grew up in a 685-square-foot house with his parents and three sisters in working-class Sacramento before ascending to Stanford University, Congress and the White House Cabinet, will become California’s first directly elected Latino governor.

The historic victory thrusts the unassuming Democrat into the forefront of California’s scathing fight with the Trump administration over immigration enforcement, healthcare funding, environmental protections and social issues.

“I didn’t run to make history,” Becerra told supporters at his election night party in West Sacramento. “I ran to make a difference for anyone and everyone who calls California home — whether you voted for me or not.”

He paid tribute to his parents and late labor icon Dolores Huerta before stating his “straightforward” mission: “Deliver a California we can afford and defend a California we can’t afford to lose.”

The Associated Press declared Becerra the winner at 8 p.m. Tuesday. He beat Republican Steve Hilton, a conservative commentator and former British political strategist backed by President Trump. Hilton conceded defeat a little before 9:15 p.m.

“We have a new governor of California,” he told about 800 supporters at his election night party in Garden Grove. “I know it’s not the one you wished for but I do wish Xavier Becerra well.”

Though the mood at his event was mostly one of defeat, Hilton stirred the crowd with a promise to help Republicans break the Democratic supermajority in the state Legislature in 2028.

“We love California and we’re going to fight for California,” he said. “The fight goes on. We have a plan.”

Becerra, 68, will take the helm with a slate of potential economic opportunity: luring back Hollywood production, drawing international visitors to the 2028 Olympic Games and responsibly growing the artificial intelligence industry.

But there are also a long list of challenges: grappling with worst-in-the-nation unemployment, solving the housing crisis, and preparing for and responding to seemingly endless natural disasters.

Becerra spent more than 25 years in Congress before he was appointed California attorney general and, later, secretary of Health and Human Services in the Biden administration. His long resume, as he often argued during the campaign, positions him to enter the governor’s office without “training wheels.”

“It’s groundbreaking,” Anna Sampaio, a professor of ethnic studies and political science at Santa Clara University, said of Becerra’s win. “It’s particularly important in this moment when Latinos are under siege, when they’re targeted by the federal government, and you have a Latino not only being elected, but a Latino who is consistently delivering this message that he is going to stand in opposition to a Trump agenda.”

Despite his long-standing presence in California politics, the modest Becerra initially struggled to energize support for his gubernatorial campaign. When explosive sexual assault allegations pushed a front-running Democrat out of the race, Becerra, a staid and experienced candidate with a clean reputation, leaped to the top of the crowded field and finished first in the top-two June primary.

The state has had one Latino governor, Romualdo Pacheco, who assumed office in 1875 when Gov. Newton Booth stepped down after winning a U.S. Senate seat.

Becoming the first Latino directly elected to California’s highest office is a distinction Becerra was reluctant to promote on the campaign trail, preferring instead to focus on his humble roots. His father, born in Sacramento and raised in Mexico, labored on farms and construction sites; his Mexico-born mother was a clerical worker.

The largest ethnic group in California, Latinos make up more than 40% of the state’s population and roughly a third of its voters.

Though noteworthy, polling suggests Latino voters care more about results than his history-making win.

“We’re moving from an era that has defined Xavier Becerra’s career as focused almost entirely on representation to one where the voters are demanding results far more,” said Mike Madrid, a Republican strategist who studies Latino voters. “When the housing situation for Latinos is getting worse, when affordability is getting worse, when school performance measures are not getting better, what difference does it make who’s holding office when we should be focused on results?”

Though he offered few specifics, Becerra discussed his priorities throughout the campaign. He plans to declare a housing emergency and speed up construction.

He will take Gov. Gavin Newsom’s baton on the thorny question of who should pay when megafires burn. And he wants to ensure there are no disruptions to Medi-Cal coverage, even for undocumented workers — a herculean task with as much as $30 billion in federal cuts looming.

“Hopefully he uses an overwhelming victory to achieve what he wants to get done in 100 days,” said Steven Maviglio, who served as a spokesman for former Gov. Gray Davis. “That’s when you’re most powerful: when you assume office with an agenda, so hopefully he’ll detail that within days of being elected.”

Becerra’s victory ushers in a new era of Latino political power in California. For the first time, all members of the “big three” who negotiate the state’s behemoth budget — the governor, Assembly speaker and state Senate president — come from working-class, immigrant backgrounds.

“When you’ve watched your parents and grandparents struggle to make ends meet, you bring a different perspective,” said Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Hollister). “If we do this right, history won’t remember us simply because we were the first. History is going to remember us because we made a difference. We want California to work for everybody.”

Times staff writer Andrew Campa contributed to this report.

Ocon is managed by Mercedes and came through their young driver programme.

When he lost his Force India seat, it was Mercedes that took him on as reserve driver in 2019.

At one point, team principal Toto Wolff was considering putting Ocon in the race team alongside Hamilton. One of the reasons he did not was he thought their characters would clash, that the relationship would be too combustible. Valtteri Bottas was retained for 2020 after all.

At the same time, George Russell, the next Mercedes protege, was excelling for Williams, and Mercedes concluded from the data they had on both that Russell was their guy for the future, not Ocon.

That was effectively the end of Ocon’s career as a potential candidate for a top team but Mercedes helped him back on to the grid with a drive at Renault in 2020, before the team was rebranded Alpine in 2021.

It was for them that Ocon took his sole victory, at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix. He drove well but the win owed a substantial amount to fortune.

The start was wet and there was a multi-car pile-up that took out Bottas and both Red Bulls.

Ocon came out of that pile-up running second to Hamilton. The race was red-flagged. By the time it was restarted, the track was drying.

At the end of the formation lap, every single car pitted for dry-weather slick tyres bar Hamilton, who took to the grid on his own.

He had to stop on the next lap, falling to the back. That put Ocon into the lead from Sebastian Vettel’s Aston Martin, a car of similar performance on a track where overtaking is difficult. Ocon and Alpine managed the race well to stay in front of the four-time champion throughout.

Hamilton spent the rest of the race fighting back and his pace was so superior it appeared he might win.

Until he caught Alonso, that is. The Spaniard, who had been delayed by rather than benefitting from the first-lap crash, was running fourth, close behind Ocon, Vettel and Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari.

Alonso knew what was at stake, that if Hamilton passed him quickly, the Briton would almost certainly win the race. And he knew what a win would mean for Alpine.

The team’s last victory had been in 2013 but that was when they were known as Lotus and were under different owners. Renault’s most recent win had been secured by Alonso – at the 2008 Japanese Grand Prix.

Alonso won his two world titles for Renault. He had been brought back to F1 after a two-year break by Renault. And so he fought as hard as he knew to keep Hamilton at bay for as long as possible.

The Mercedes was so much faster that at times it looked as if Hamilton might drive through or over Alonso. Instead, using all his skill and guile, he held Hamilton back for 10 laps.

When Hamilton finally passed Alonso, there were only five laps to go. Within two, he was past Sainz but he did not have time to make any further progress before the chequered flag.

Ocon and Alonso celebrated together with the team after the win.

Yet little more than a year later, relations had deteriorated to the point that, after a clash between the pair at the Brazilian Grand Prix at the end of 2022, shortly before Alonso was leaving the team to move to Aston Martin, the two-time champion sarcastically referred to Ocon as “our friend” over the radio.

Out of the car, asked whether he would speak to Ocon about the incident, he said: “I don’t need to. One more race. Then it’s over, finally.”

For Ocon, it’s now over at Haas, too. Finding a way back on to the grid won’t be easy.

The CAS ruled last week to overturn governing body’s exclusion of ‌Russia over its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

The International ‌Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) has said it ⁠maintains its ⁠disagreement with a Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) decision to reinstate Russian teams, warning of “significant ⁠practical and sporting challenges”.

The statement on Wednesday follows announcements from Norway, Denmark, Sweden and the Czech Republic that ⁠their national teams will refuse to play against Russia at next year’s men’s World Championships in Germany.

The CAS ruled last week to overturn the governing body’s exclusion of ‌Russia from international competition following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

“As presented to the CAS, the immediate reintegration of Russian teams presents significant practical and sporting challenges, including visa and entry requirements, security provisions, logistical constraints and consequences for competition formats,” ⁠the IIHF said.

The decision has prompted ⁠widespread backlash. Latvia and Finland have also said their teams will not play Russia, while the Finnish city of Turku threatened to ⁠drop hosting duties for the 2028 World Junior Championship.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark ⁠Carney said Russia and Belarus ⁠will be barred from the upcoming World Junior Championship in Alberta. Moscow criticised the move, with Russian ambassador Oleg Stepanov telling state-run news agency TASS that Canada was “bringing politics even into junior hockey”.

The IIHF said it remains in dialogue with ‌national ‌associations, host authorities and organisers to determine the best path forward.

Czech carmaker Skoda Auto, the main sponsor of the ice hockey world championships, said on Wednesday it would “reassess” its sponsorship if Russia takes part in the annual tournament.

“If the Russian national team takes part in the tournament, we will reassess our involvement in the tournament and take further action,” Skoda told the AFP news agency in a statement.

It added that Russia’s return to the tournament was “incompatible with the values we have consistently upheld”.

Skoda Auto, a unit of Germany’s Volkswagen, has been the tournament’s official main sponsor since 1993. It also sponsors the Tour de France.

Its spokeswoman Ivana Povolna refused to specify the amount Skoda spends on the ice hockey world championships annually.

Skoda’s annual report for 2025 says the company lent 45 electric cars to the organisers, while its designers made the crystal trophy for the most valuable player of the tournament.

The U.S. Air Force is seeking options for a new unpowered 500-pound air-launched glide bomb as part of a new ‘spiral’ to its Extended Range Attack Munition (ERAM) program. The service has already been acquiring two different lower-cost jet-powered cruise missiles under ERAM, including batches of these munitions for Ukraine. Adding glide bombs to the mix could create additional streams of even cheaper weapons that still offer valuable extended reach.

The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s Stand-In Strike division (AFLCMC/EBI) put out a request for information (RFI) for what it is currently calling Extended Range Attack Munition Glide (ERAM Glide) on Monday. AFLCMC/EBI also put out a separate RFI for additional powered ERAM options.

For ERAM Glide, a “500lb class weapon desired, with the equivalent warhead with approximately 105lbs of explosive and associated fuzes,” according to the contracting notice. The warhead has to be “capable of blast / frag / and limited penetration effects.”

For navigation, proposed munitions have to use “M-Code GPS with a CRPA [Controlled Reception Pattern Antenna] antenna capable of operating in a GPS degraded environment,” the notice adds. It does not call for any particular form of guidance in the terminal phase.

However, ERAM Glide munitions will need to have an accuracy of “CEP [Circular Error Probable] 50 w/in 10m both in non-EMI (Electromagnetic Interference) and high EMI environments (includes GPS degraded).” This means they hit, on average, within 10 meters, or approximately 33 feet, of the specified impact point at least 50 percent of the time. This also happens to be the stated accuracy requirement in the original ERAM RFI put out back in 2024.

The ERAM Glide contracting notice notably does not include a range target, but does specify “glide ratio of at least 10:1, and >15:1.” When it comes to unpowered glide munitions, range is especially dependent on the speed and altitude of the launch platform. Tactics like toss bombing can also help extend the reach of glide munitions even when the launching aircraft starts at a lower altitude.

The Air Force is also looking for munition designs that are already at a high level of developmental and production maturity for ERAM Glide.

There are potentially relevant munitions in production today in the United States. A prime example is Boeing’s Joint Direct Attack Munition-Extended Range (JDAM-ER). The JDAM-ER is really more of a kit that turns various types of unguided bombs into the ‘warheads’ for the resulting precision-guided munitions. JDAM-ER builds on the basic JDAM concept by adding a pop-out wing kit that allows the weapons to glide out to a maximum range of around 45 miles (72.4 kilometers) depending on the aforementioned launch factors. A standard JDAM can also glide, but only for around 15 miles (24 kilometers) at most, according to the Air Force. JDAM-ER kits are available in 500-, 1,000-, and 2,000-pound-class flavors.

DST | The Joint Direct Attack Munition – Extended Range (JDAM-ER) | Andrew Snowden

There are other glide bomb options on the open market in the U.S. and elsewhere globally today, as well. This includes the SPICE family from Israel’s Rafael and the French AASM 250 Hammer, among others. However, many of them are smaller than the 500-pound-class weapons the Air Force is seeking for ERAM Glide.

For ERAM Glide, prospective vendors might also put forward unpowered derivatives of lower-cost cruise missiles. Eliminating the need for an engine and fuel to power it could free up additional space and weight for larger warheads or other payloads, or just lower overall weight. Reduced weight could, in turn, translate to extended glide range. Developing an unpowered variation of an existing design could also offer sustainment and manufacturing benefits, as well as reduce unit costs. There might even be a possibility for a modular design that can be readily configured for powered or unpowered use.

As already mentioned, the Air Force is already acquiring two lower-cost cruise missile designs through ERAM. These are the Rusty Dagger from Zone 5 Technologies (now a subsidiary of Norwegian defense company Kongsberg) and CoAspire’s Rapidly Adaptable Affordable Cruise Missile (RAACM). Zone 5 and CoAspire are already developing extended-range variants and derivatives of their respective designs for air- and surface-launched applications through two other U.S. military programs called Low-Cost Containerized Missile (LCCM) and Consolidated Affordable Ordnance System (CHAOS).

ERAM, as well as CHAOS, are also heavily focused on providing lower-cost extended-range strike options to allies and partners. Ukraine was notably the first known recipient of munitions through ERAM. At the same time, the ERAM effort, and its subsequent spirals, have also been feeding into the Family of Affordable Mass Missiles (FAMM) program for the U.S. Air Force’s own use. ERAM Glide could similarly help provide additional munition streams for the U.S. military, as well as for export.

Overall, the broadening of the ERAM program to include ERAM Glide speaks to growing demand within the U.S. military, and elsewhere globally, for enlarged and more diversified supply chains for munitions. The Air Force alone plans to acquire 28,000 lower-cost cruise missiles in multiple different configurations over the next five years through FAMM.

The war with Iran, as well as other crises around the Middle East in recent years, together with the conflict in Ukraine, have made clear that just stockpiling munitions ahead of a major fight is not enough. There also have to be realistic mechanisms to readily replenish those inventories, and do so in a cost-effective manner.

There has already been an explosion globally in the development of lower-cost air- and surface-launched cruise missiles for programs like ERAM. Many of these designs also blur the line between traditional cruise missiles, longer-range one-way-attack drones, and decoys. As noted earlier, the Air Force has also put out a call for new powered ERAM designs as part of the latest spiral to the program.

As these trends continue to grow, the Air Force is now looking to expand the ERAM program to include both powered and unpowered munitions.

Contact the author: joe@twz.com

A HOLIDAY park left abandoned for two decades on the Isle of Wight is set to be transformed into the ultimate luxury coastal escape.

Previously known as Atherfield Bay Holiday Camp and abandoned since 2007, the site is now being redeveloped by Evergreen Escapes as the Isle of Wight Resort.

Overlooking Atherfield Bay, the new multi-million holiday park is set to open in April 2027.

According to the resort’s website, it will be a “peaceful haven, where sweeping sea views and star-filled skies go hand-in-hand with exceptional accommodation and five-star facilities”.

The multi-million pound project includes building 63 luxury lodges with sea views.

There will be two options – Elite and Signature.

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Elite lodges will feature either two or three bedrooms sleeping up to six people, with an open plan living and dining space, as well as a private outdoor decking.

On the other hand, Signature lodges will be slightly more luxury, sleeping up to eight people across four bedrooms.

The living and dining space will be open plan like the Elite lodges, but guests can also expect pops of colour or feature walls.

All the lodges are dog friendly and if you do bring you beloved pooch, they will get their very own welcome pack.

There will be a welcome pack for the humans too though, with Isle of Wight goodies.

Each lodge will have Rituals smellies and luxury robes and slippers too.

All of the lodges will be be self-catered accommodation.

Also on-site will be an indoor swimming pool, – perfect for the colder winters months – as well as a sauna, steam room and a gym.

At the centre of the resort, The Wight Isle Lounge will serve hot drinks, alcoholic drinks, snacks and fresh pizzas.

Local residents will also be able to use the entire holiday park.

And discounted ferry tickets will be available to staying guests.

Bookings are currently open for stays from April 2027, with 38 out of the 63 lodges available to rent (the rest will be for sale).

Geoff Cowley, CEO of Evergreen Escapes Group, said: “The Isle of Wight Resort will be a fantastic addition to the Island’s already thriving hospitality scene when it opens.

“Not just because we’re investing in high-end accommodation and facilities, but also because we’ll be investing in the resort team.

“We’ve already filled a number of senior roles but are actively looking for others to join us and showcase the best the Island has to offer for guests and owners alike.”

Evergreen Escapes also has plans for another 15 to 20 resorts over the next five years.

The Isle of Wight Resort will follow Evergreen Escapes acquiring Manor and Ashbury Resorts in Devon and Doublebois Lodge Escape and St Mabyn Lodge Escape, in Cornwall.

Savvy travellers are being urged to remove one overlooked item from their hotel beds immediately upon arrival, with a YouTuber warning it could be harbouring dirt from previous guests

A YouTuber has suggested there is one reason why savvy travellers should remove the bed runner the moment they step into a hotel room. The bed runner is a strip of thick, coloured fabric that stretches across the foot of the bed and features in many hotel rooms.

In a video on his YouTube channel, sblga, who boasts 61,000 subscribers, shared his thoughts on why it’s there. The bed runner exists largely to make the room more visually appealing.

This can be achieved if it is a bright colour, contrasting sharply against the white bedding. However, sblga hinted there was a further reason behind it, too, reports the Express.

Sblga said: “Think what you do when you walk into a hotel room. You throw your bag on the bed, you sit down to relax a little bit, still have your shoes on, and all of that happens at the bottom end. The runner is still there.

“It takes dirt so the white colour doesn’t. Okay, now think about that. Sheets get changed for every guest. The runner usually doesn’t. A lot of hotels wash them now and then. That’s why people who travel a lot take it off the bed first thing.”

The suggestion, therefore, is that because the bed runner isn’t laundered as frequently as the sheets, it’s more prone to collecting grime and bacteria from previous guests’ luggage and personal items.

Yet sblga isn’t alone in advocating for the removal of bed runners, as a housekeeping manager has also urged guests to whip them off the moment they step into the room.

However, sblga is not the only blogger to have warned about hotel room hygiene, with inventor and entrepreneur Lori Greiner suggesting there are three things in a hotel room people should never use.

In a video posted on TikTok, the 56-year-old said: “Never, ever use these three things in a hotel room.”

The three items she recommended avoiding were the soap and shampoo, the hairdryer and the kettle. Explaining her concerns about the kettle in particular, she said it was because some people had used them to clean their clothes.

She claimed: “This one is rough. Did you know some people have used the kettle to wash socks and small undergarments? So if you need hot water, call the front desk and ask for some.”

Lori said the hairdryer was a no-no because some guests “touch it with unwashed hands” and it “rarely gets deep cleaned in between stays”.

Meanwhile, Lori’s dislike of the soap and shampoo dispensers stemmed from her belief that bacteria inside them could be unsafe for people’s skin. She alleged: “Most of the time, they are just refilled – not cleaned out – which means bacteria can build up inside.”

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CAPITAL’S Jingle Bell Ball returns for yet another year, after first taking place in 2008.

Here’s all you need to know about who will be performing and how you can secure your place at this year’s event.

The Jingle Bell Ball 2026 will take place between December 5-6 2026 at The O2 Arena in London.

The event will see a huge line-up of amazing acts performing at what Capital describe as “the UK’s biggest Christmas party.”

This year’s line-up includes British rap icon Tinie Tempah, as well as BRIT Award winners Lewis Capaldi, Aitch, Becky Hill and Jorja Smith.

Simon Cowell’s boyband December 10 will also be performing at The O2 during the ball.

Fans can also look forward to a special surprise performance on the night from a yet to be announced performer.

Jingle Bell Ball 2026 line-up

How to get tickets to the Jingle Bell Ball?

This year, Capital have changed the way in which people can get their hands on tickets.

Subscribers will be able to enter a ticket pre-sale through Capital Plus.

Capital Plus subscribers will have early access to Capital’s Jingle Bell Ball tickets when the pre-sale opens at 9am on Thursday, November 5.

You can sign up for the Capital Plus subscription service by heading to Global Player.

Once subscribed, you will receive an email with your code and link which will help secure your tickets.

If you are already a subscriber you will receive an email from Capital before the pre-sale opens, containing the link and code.

Barclaycard and Barclays Premier Debit Cardholders will have access to a separate pre-sale at 9am on November 5, which gives you 10% off pre-sale tickets.

New subscribers can try Capital Plus for free through the Global Player mobile app.

General sale tickets for people who haven’t subscribed are available on Friday, November 6 at 9am on Global Player.

The Dodgers lost four straight playoff games to the Milwaukee Brewers in a humiliating end to their season.

But this was worse.

Steve Hilton lost to Xavier Becerra in the race for governor before “Jeopardy” aired.

But this was worse.

President Trump lost early, late and often Tuesday night in the midterm elections.

In contests across the country — for governor, for Senate, for the House — he had told people to vote as if he was on the ballot.

They did, and Democrats ran the table, taking the House and then the Senate.

Trump lost big, inspected the wreckage, and claimed the problem was lousy candidates.

Has he lost a step? I would have expected him to say the election was stolen. All of the elections.

But maybe he realized that for all intents and purposes, his political career is over. Trump was trounced, the country triumphed, and the long national nightmare is over, but for the rest of his lame duck presidency.

I don’t think we were witnessing a national love affair with Democrats, nor do I think Tuesday night’s winning political party has all the answers on any of the day’s pressing matters. The Dems have their own problems, including an identity crisis and a shortage of bankable presidential prospects.

But the country’s voters signaled loud and clear that they’re tired of:

The lies.

The insults and name-calling.

The hatred.

The chaos.

The self-dealing.

The lack of civility.

The absence of humility.

Last week I turned on the news and saw Trump making fun of the name of newly elected Michigan Sen. Abdul El-Sayed, a Muslim.

An awful thing to see a president do, but here’s what’s worse:

I wasn’t surprised.

Then I saw him say at a political rally that he had looked at a man’s rear end, “and I’ve never done that before…Off the record, women, yes, men no, OK?”

Again, no surprise.

He once mocked the physical appearance of a female presidential primary foe, as well as the wife of a male foe, and insisted for years that the first Black president was secretly from Africa.

Trump had always been able to get away with this sort of numbskullery. His true believers were willing to put up with it as long as he seemed true to his promise of working on their behalf. Until they could no longer deny that he was only working on his own behalf.

The cryptocurrency profiteering. The bloody ballroom. The gold-plating of the White House.

All of it while working people, including staunch supporters, struggled to understand the goofball tariffs and wondered when the promise of lower grocery prices would be delivered.

Trump and the Republicans might have prevailed Tuesday night if not for the war in Iran, which everyone is still paying for at the gas pump. The president who promised we’d stay out of international conflicts went all in, for no good reason, then said it was over, we won, except that it’s not over, and we didn’t win.

And there’s no exit plan.

But so what?

It’s not like Trump is paying for gas. His golf cart is probably electric.

In the beginning, as a Republican populist who tapped into justifiable voter disapproval of Democratic leadership, Trump was onto something when he first ran for president. The scapegoating of immigrants was odious even then, but in 2016, at a Trump campaign rally in Arizona, I caught a glimpse of his appeal to adoring fans who cheered the presidential candidate’s vow to build a border wall, strengthen the military and make America great again. A struggling low-wage worker told me Trump was the best hope for a new day.

“We’re going to come back and rebuild our country,” Trump told the approving crowd that day in Arizona. “You will never be disappointed with me. … You are going to be so proud of your president.”

The act worked for way longer than I would have predicted. But 10 years later, and halfway through a second presidency, the gig is up. Voters said yes, they are disappointed, and no, they’re not so proud.

We thought we were having a mid-term election.

It turned out to be a political wake.

But also an awakening.

Red states voted for blue candidates in a nearly total Trump rebuke.

As I watched the returns Tuesday night, I thought about my daughter–an earth science grad student–and her generation. She’s 23, which means that for almost half her life, Trump has been a political force. Imagine being that young and living in a country that twice elected one of the most divisive and scabrous figures in history.

A man who attacked judges, invaded American cities, insisted ad nauseum that a lost election was stolen, pardoned the Jan. 6 barbarians, exonerated political donors and allies, called climate change a con job, gutted environmental protections and upended America’s global in scientific research.

It’s easy to understand why younger generations have lost faith in elections, both primary parties and the political/corporate establishment.

But on Tuesday, voters of all ages turned out and said enough already, in states red and blue.

The man who so bitterly divided us might ultimately have united us, at least for an evening.

That doesn’t mean that there is consensus on much of anything. Surely calamity awaits, just beyond the shadows, and new species of political trolls are being spawned as we live and breathe. But there was hope, on election night, in the collective declaration that we deserve and demand better.

Trump once said he was so popular and powerful, he could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue in New York, shoot somebody, and not lose any voters.

It might have been true once.

But he’s lost them now.

steve.lopez@latimes.com

Ireland: Hugo Keenan; Robert Baloucoune, Robbie Henshaw, Stuart McCloskey, Mack Hansen; Sam Prendergast, Craig Casey; Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan (capt), Tadhg Furlong; Joe McCarthy, Tadhg Beirne; Ryan Baird, Nick Timoney, Sean Jansen.

Replacements: Ronan Kelleher, Tom O’Toole, Sam Illo, James Ryan, Josh van der Flier, Jamison Gibson-Park, Ciaran Frawley or Jamie Benson, Bundee Aki.

Argentina: Juan Cruz Mallia; Bautista Delguy, Justo Piccardo, Santiago Chocobares, Mateo, Carreras; Tomas Albornoz, Gonzalo Garcia; Boris Wegner, Julian Montoya (capt), Francisco Moreno; Guido Petti, Pefro Rubiolo; Juan Martin Gonzalez, Marcos Kremer, Pablo Matera.

Replacements: Leonel Oviedo, Mayco Vivas, Joel Sclavi, Efrain Elias, Juan Martin Scelzo, Simon Benitez Cruz, Geronimo Prisciantelli, Lucio Cinti

The Democrats have wrested control of the United States Congress from Republicans by winning majorities in both the House of Representatives and the Senate in a stunning blow to US President Donald Trump.

Democratic Senate candidates have shattered decades-old electoral records across traditional Republican strongholds, in particular flipping key seats in Kansas, Texas and South Carolina.

How big is the Republican midterms loss? Is there any silver lining for the political party?

Here’s what we know:

How big is the Republican Party’s loss?

The Republican Party has suffered a historic, worse-than-expected rout, losing control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate to the Democratic Party.

According to the results, in the House of Representatives, Democrats have so far won 228 seats, while the Republicans have won 139.

Democrats are also leading in 34 other seats which have yet to be called. If they win all of those, they could end up with more than 260 seats in the House, the party’s biggest majority since 1990, when the Democrats won 267 seats in the lower chamber.

Democrats also had a large majority in the House in 2008, with 257 seats, while the Republicans had 178 seats.

In the Senate, the upper chamber of Congress, Democrats have won with a majority of 54 seats while the Republicans have won 44 seats. They have not had such a clear majority in the Senate since 2008, when the party won 56 seats in the slipstream of Barack Obama’s historic first presidential election.

While President Donald Trump told voters to imagine he was on the ballot for this election, many of the Republican candidates he endorsed in key battleground states have been defeated by the Democrats.

In South Carolina, which had not elected a Democratic senator since 1998, Trump backed Darline Graham. But Democrat Annie Andrews won the seat.

In North Carolina, Trump had endorsed former national Republican campaign official Michael Whatley, who was beaten by Democratic Governor Roy Cooper.

In Texas, Trump promoted Attorney General Ken Paxton. But Democrat Talarico won the race.

Then in Michigan, Former US Representative Mike Rogers, Trump’s choice in Michigan, was defeated by Democrat Abdul El-Sayed.

How significant are these losses for the Republican Party?

It is usual for the governing party to lose some seats in the US midterms, but not on this scale.

A Republican Party member told Al Jazeera’s Alan Fisher in Washington, DC that the results have been much worse than expected.

“Certainly their internal polling was telling them that they might hold on to the Senate. That obviously was so far off,” Fisher reported.

Chris Featherstone, a political scientist at the University of York in the United Kingdom, said the midterm results represent a “seismic loss” for the Republicans.

He noted that many Trump-backed Republican candidates have lost throughout the country, and to both progressive and centrist Democratic candidates.

“Texas is a great example of the extent of the loss, where [James] Talarico won [the Senate seat] by almost 10 points. Texas has long been a Republican stronghold, and has been close to the heart of the intellectual and emotional heart of the party,” he said. He added that Democrat Gina Hinojosa’s win over Texas governor Greg Abbott has “come as a huge shock”, especially after redistricting which took place ahead of the midterms and through which the Republicans had hoped to win five additional seats.

“The results will change the relationship between Congress and the White House, with a huge likelihood of significant investigations and potentially impeachments for several members of the administration,” Featherstone said. “They will also change the makeup of the Democrats in Congress, increasing the appetite for aggressive opposition to Trump.”

Sudha David-Wilp, vice president of external relations at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, said that the midterm elections are usually viewed as a referendum on the party in power. She said, “a blue wave was not out of the realm of possibility”.

She told Al Jazeera that the Democrats have not just flipped seats in places like Texas, Iowa and South Carolina, where Trump is highly popular, but may have also “ushered in a new political epoch”, following these elections.

“President Trump still has a loyal following but MAGA [his voter base] has splintered and it will be hard for the GOP [Grand Old Party, a nickname for the Republican Party] to run on his brand in 2028,” she added.

Are there any silver linings for the Republicans?

All is not doom and gloom for the Republicans who have had some wins in these elections.

In Florida, a state where Trump is very popular, Republican Senator Ashley Moody defeated Democratic state Representative Angie Nixon. Republican Byron Donalds also defeated Democrat David Jolly to win the Florida election for governor. Donalds will be Florida’s first Black governor.

In Wyoming, Republican Harriet Hageman won a Senate seat and, in Alabama, Tommy Tuberville won the race for governor of the state, defeating Democrat Doug Jones.

Republicans have also had victories in Idaho, Arkansas, Louisiana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kentucky and West Virginia, among others.

The party has experienced similar scenarios in US election history.

In 1992, for example, when George HW Bush was president, the Republicans won only 176 seats in the Congress, compared with the Democrats who built on their majority by winning 258 seats.

Even in 2008, when George W Bush was president but Barack Obama was elected as the country’s next president, the Republicans won only 178 seats compared with the Democrats who won 257 seats.

In both those cases, however, the Republicans were able to turn things around within two years.

In 1994, while Bill Clinton was president, the Republicans won back majorities in both houses of Congress. In 2010, while the Democrats held on to control of the Senate under Obama after the midterms, they lost control of the House of Representatives.

This year could be different, for one main reason. Laurel Rapp, director of the US and North America Programme at Chatham House, said that midterms are rarely a referendum on a US president’s foreign policy, but this year, amid the US and Israel’s war on Iran, Trump’s foreign policy agenda has been a major source of ire among American voters.

She said voters have increasingly connected the Trump administration’s international affairs with rising fuel and food costs.

“And they delivered a pretty resounding verdict to the president that they would like to see a change,” she told Al Jazeera.

Rapp said that while Trump may face some constraints when it comes to navigating the global affairs landscape in the next two years, he will still have a lot of authority.

“The president still retains wide latitude to approach relations with foreign countries unilaterally, to continue to send US troops where he desires and to continue to wage wars,” she said.

His mother was escorted to the airport by relatives and Dr Erieka Bennett, Head of Mission of the African Diaspora Forum.

“I’m going to America to plan my son’s funeral,” Gyamfi said.

She thanked the government and well-wishers for their support and prayers following her son’s death.

In a social media post on Saturday, New York mayor Zohran Mamdani said Trump had agreed to grant a visa to Gyamfi so she could mourn her son in person.

Mamdani said the murder of a child was a pain no parent should endure, “let alone from thousands of miles away.”

“Javits Frimpong’s mother deserves to say goodbye to her son in person. I just got off the phone with President Trump, and he has agreed to grant her visa immediately,” he said.

“All of New York City is mourning this tragedy,” he added.

Ghana’s government has condemned the killing and said it was following the case closely to ensure justice.

It has urged US authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and said it was ready to provide legal and consular support to ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice.

Police are searching for three teenage suspects who fled the scene, captured on surveillance footage.

The shooting has sparked concern among Ghanaians about the safety of children sent to study in America.

One woman is becoming a nomad, leaving her permanent home in favour of travelling around the world, staying in strangers’ houses, all while saving £1,500 a month with ‘no bills to pay’

Now more than ever, people are looking for innovative ways to travel around the world, all whilst saving some serious cash. It might seem impossible, but one woman is willing to give up her permanent home to make it happen, potentially saving herself around £18,000 a year.

Michelle, 63, is giving up her flat to travel around the UK and Europe, with hopes of venturing globally. While she’ll have no place to officially call home and a car packed with everything she owns, Michelle has the opportunity to stay at some rather lavish properties she otherwise couldn’t afford and will also save thousands of pounds every month.

So what exactly is Michelle doing to make this dream a reality? “I’m giving my time as a full-time house-sitter, looking after the pets, making sure the house and garden are cared for while the homeowners are away, and in exchange I get to live in their house and don’t need to pay the utility bills,” Michelle revealed. With just a membership fee to pay on house-sitting websites, alongside no rent or bills, Michelle will save up to £1,500 a month.

Michelle, who has already begun house-sitting before going full-time this year, typically looks after pets in homes while the owners are on holiday, all while staying somewhere new for weeks at a time. “The main focus of it is the pets, as it’s a nice alternative to putting dogs in kennels or cats in catteries. It keeps the pets happy at home in their normal environment,” Michelle shared.

Sometimes longer house sits are required, even for people without pets who simply want someone to keep an eye on their home while they’re away. At the time of speaking, Michelle had just begun a two-month house-sitting job in southern Devon at a 16th-century Devon farmhouse spanning 25 acres, with plenty more booked into her diary for the next six months.

She’s already made plans to send her furniture from her former flat to a charity shop and to have a serious clear-out, keeping only the necessities and sentimental mementoes. But there’s one aspect that has proved challenging.

“I love my clothes, and it’s quite tough to try and thin out my walk wardrobe. The default while house-sitting is comfortable clothing, so there’s not much call for fabulous ball gowns or sparkly tops, but you want to hang on to them.”

Michelle added: “The difficult thing is when it comes to getting rid of stuff, including the mementoes, which is really difficult.” Luckily, she will still have her car for additional storage, with the aim of fitting everything she needs in the boot.

On becoming a nomad in her 60s, Michelle shared: “Sometimes, it can be a bit challenging, particularly as I’m single and on my own. You can sometimes feel that you’re kind of on the periphery of society, but other times it’s very freeing, and I’m not in that Monday to Friday, 9 to 5. My life is changing, potentially every few weeks, and I’ll be somewhere new to explore.

“I try to find the balance between newness and familiarity, so I’ll have my favourite mug with me and a wool blanket, so you create these little rituals; that’s what home is.”

This won’t be the first time Michelle has willingly opted to stay in a stranger’s home, as she began house-sitting in 2017, when she lived in Cyprus, looking after pets across the UK, Italy, Spain, and France. She would often take her beloved dog, Eddy, with her, before they were forced to take a hiatus in 2020 amid the pandemic. But after Eddy passed away at Christmas, Michelle was eager to get back into house-sitting and become a full-time nomad.

“Having got back into house-sitting, I just thought, perhaps, becoming a nomad and primarily using house-sitting as a way of having a roof over my head would be something to try. I’m not in a position to buy a place for myself, or know where I’d want to be permanently, and I checked how much house-sitting I could get booked into the diary,” she explained.

Michelle is now booked up for the next six months, aside from two weeks over Christmas, where she plans to stay at a friend’s house before taking on another job. “It made me realise that there is enough demand out there for house-sitters, so rather than renting myself again, I can make house-sitting work full-time,” she added.

Additionally, Michelle can work from her laptop while travelling around house-sitting, with the option to sell on Vinted and eBay for extra income. And if there are times that Michelle has a gap in the diary, she’d happily book herself a holiday or stay at a friend’s house, who have all been “very supportive”.

Michelle uses a few websites to find house-sitting jobs that best suit her, including HouseSit Match, with dreams of expanding her house-sitting duties globally. “House-sitting allows me to explore different parts of the country and around Europe, hopefully. As well as looking after pets, it’s actually quite fun trying on other people’s lives, and it’s nice to be able to experience that,” she said.

Lamia Walker, founder of home-sitting service HouseSit Match, added: “Michelle is a brilliant example of how house-sitting can become a lifestyle, not just a holiday. She lives in some beautiful places that would otherwise be completely out of reach, and also takes rent and bills out of the equation at the same time.

“More and more people are discovering that house-sitting is an affordable way to travel, and many get hooked on the way of life. Michelle is a fantastic sitter, and homeowners rebook her again and again because she goes the extra mile for their pets. Every sitter on our platform is verified, so owners can feel confident about who’s looking after their home and their animals.

“Anyone who fancies a change of scenery should search online to see what house-sitting opportunities are available and where they could go next.”

Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com

Hollywood has been cranking out films about unprepared men thrust into fatherhood since the silent movie days when Charlie Chaplin’s Little Tramp found a littler tramp on his doorstep and raised the ragamuffin as his own in 1921’s “The Kid.”

Since then, we’ve seen unwitting uncles (John Candy’s Buck), a triad of dads (“Three Men and a Baby”) and self-absorbed workaholics rethinking their priorities (Dustin Hoffman in “Kramer vs. Kramer”). But we’ve never seen an instant parent quite like Jordan Firstman‘s party promoter Peter in “Club Kid,” the Cannes Film Festival sensation that Firstman impressively directed and wrote for himself.

We meet Peter in a whirlwind, strobe-heavy blur of an opening sequence that takes us through a disorienting parade of coke-and-ketamine-fueled nights in New York’s underground queer club scene. Everyone wants a piece of Peter. His energy (and the drugs he sells) guarantee a good time. It’s a thrilling introduction, shot on 35mm on location in New York City, and the throbbing bass is still bumping around my skull.

When Peter stumbles back to his rent-controlled apartment, his downstairs neighbor Evelyn (Colleen Camp) gives him the once-over while telling him that she just finished Steven Spielberg’s “War Horse” and that “it’s as good as they say.” Peter doesn’t hear her. (Probably the bass is ringing in his ears too.)

“You ever just lose 10 years?” he asks Evelyn.

It turns out he has done just that. The night we’ve witnessed actually took place a decade ago. And one of its episodes included a hetero hookup, part of what began as a threesome with a hot dude and British tourist, Leonora (Paris Petitjean). Peter had forgotten about it until one of Leonora’s friends, Edison (Kirby Howell-Baptiste), knocks on his door, her arm around the beautiful 10-year-old recently orphaned Arlo (Reggie Absolom). Now this Peter (Pan) is going to have to grow up — fast.

If you know Firstman, it might be as an actor in the HBO series “I Love LA” or perhaps Sebastián Silva’s 2023 black comedy “Rotting in the Sun,” in which he played a heightened, vapid version of himself. You may also know him as an online provocateur, sharp and self-aware. Those familiar with that Jordan Firstman might be shocked to watch “Club Kid” and discover that the guy on the screen — and the creator behind the camera — is being utterly, hopelessly sincere with his feature film directorial debut. Get ready to wipe away a tear or two.

That disarming, open-hearted earnestness makes “Club Kid” a crowd-pleaser, albeit one that retains Firstman’s edgy comedy and insider knowledge of queer New York nightlife, as well as a lived-in awareness of how, over time, the nightlife can fray your soul. And just as Peter is ready to bid the scene an Irish goodbye, in walks Arlo, opening up an unlikely path to adulthood that astonishes Peter, a man-child who doesn’t own a single appropriate T-shirt that he can give to his newfound charge. (The one emblazoned “I love Björk and bareback” that Arlo initially picks out goes back into Peter’s closet.)

The thing is, Arlo really does love Björk, not to mention the Cocteau Twins, Elliott Smith and Massive Attack. Preternaturally poised and absolutely adorable, Arlo seems genetically engineered to fit into Peter’s chaotic life and thrive. He’s perfect. Too perfect. Given the tragic circumstances that brought him to Peter, you wait for the moment when grief and anger bubble up. That happens, if briefly. And then Arlo goes right back to being the coolest kid ever, except for maybe being lactose intolerant, but with all the plant-based swaps available these days, that’s hardly a deal-breaker.

Peter does tell Arlo that “it’s OK to be sad in my house,” confiding that he suffers from low self-esteem. This feels like Firstman trying to give some dimension to Peter, but it’s broad and lacking conviction. I’d say a bigger problem for Peter is that he drops $300 on some vinyl. Is there no Urban Outfitters near his apartment?

These issues nag a bit, but just a little because the loving chemistry between Firstman and Absolom is so real and tender. You can also forgive some of the shallower character notes because “Club Kid” is really funny, populated with a superb supporting cast that includes party girls Miss Benny, Alaska Riley and Saturn Risin9 as members of Peter’s rambunctious inner circle, Diego Calva as a child psychologist helping Peter (and, against his better judgment, falling for him) and Cara Delevingne, biting as a spiraling fellow promoter. Best of all is Eldar Isgandarov, playing a self-described “queer philosopher” who goes from couch-surfing at Peter’s place to moving in with Evelyn. He and Camp are so great together that, given the power, I’d green-light a spinoff feature pairing them without hesitation.

So there’s a lot to like. So much that when the film’s inevitable complications arrive — because, c’mon, somebody has to question the wisdom of Peter raising this kid — you feel a lump in your throat the size of a coke pile at one of Peter’s parties. If that comparison feels a little indelicate, it’s very much in keeping with the freewheeling spirit of “Club Kid,” a sentimental journey where the house music plays all night long.