comeback

BACK in the 80s and early 90s, this movie star was known for huge blockbuster films, and was one of the biggest names in Hollywood.

Sadly, in 1991, the actor’s beloved wife died and he started to take a step back from the limelight and eventually quit fame – but now the 72-year-old star is making his big comeback.

Rick Moranis, famed for 80s films like Ghostbusters, thrilled fans when he made a rare appearance at CinemaCon 2026.

The much-loved actor was spotted at the big event with the cast of the Spaceballs sequel as he prepares for his return to the big screen.

It was announced last year that the Canadian actor would be reprising his role as Dark Helmet.

The original movie, which is a spoof of Star Wars, came out in 1987 and starred many notable names, including Mel Brooks, Daphne Zuniga, Bill Pullman, the late John Candy, and Joan Rivers, among others.

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Many of Rick’s former co-stars have returned for the sequel, such as Mel, Daphne, Bill, and George Wyner.

There are also several new faces among the cast, including Josh Gad and Keke Palmer.

The cast joined Rick at a panel event to promote the movie at CinemaCon.

Despite the star rarely being seen in the last three decades, the actor hasn’t changed much in appearance.

The Flintstones star wore his trademark round-framed glasses, which he was famed for in his iconic movies.

Other than Spaceballs, Rick starred in many successful films in the 1980s and 1990s, including Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and its sequels, and playing Barney in The Flintstones.

Sadly, Rick started to take a step back from Hollywood when his wife, Anne Belsky, passed away from breast cancer in 1991.

During the 90s, he slowly started to quit fame to focus on parenting his two children.

Although Rick hasn’t been seen on screen, he hasn’t entirely distanced himself from acting.

He lent his voice to several animated projects over the years, including Disney‘s Brother Bear in 2003, and its sequel, Brother Bear 2, in 2006.

Rick’s voice also appeared in a 2018 episode of The Goldbergs and a 2020 episode of the Disney+ docuseries Prop Culture.

However, he hasn’t appeared in a live-action film since Disney’s Honey, I Shrunk Ourselves, which was released directly to video in 1997.

But Rick is now set to be back on the big screen, with production for Spaceballs 2 underway.

The hotly-anticipated sequel is set to hit cinemas in 2027.

Norway is preparing to lift restrictions preventing its $2.2 trillion sovereign wealth fund from investing in government bonds issued by Syria.

The move follows the political transition after the ousting of Bashar al-Assad and the rise of Ahmed al-Sharaa, whose government has been seeking economic recovery and international reintegration after more than a decade of war and sanctions.

At the same time, Norway plans to newly restrict investments in bonds issued by Iran, aligning with ongoing international sanctions.

Policy Shift and Financial Context

The Norwegian sovereign wealth fund, the largest in the world, plays a major role in global financial markets. Its investment decisions often influence broader investor behaviour.

The updated policy removes Syria from the exclusion list for government bonds while adding Iran, reflecting changing geopolitical and sanctions dynamics.

Although the fund does not currently hold investments in Middle Eastern government bonds, the policy shift opens the door for future allocations and signals a reassessment of risk and legitimacy.

Geopolitical Significance

Norway’s decision represents a notable step toward Syria’s re-entry into the global financial system. It comes alongside other developments, including the restoration of Syria’s financial links with international institutions after years of isolation.

The move also highlights a divergence in how states are being treated: while Syria is gradually being reintegrated, Iran remains economically isolated due to continued tensions and sanctions.

As one of the world’s most influential sovereign investors, Norway’s stance could encourage other countries and institutions to reconsider their own restrictions on Syria.

Analysis

The decision reflects a broader recalibration of international economic engagement based on political change and shifting strategic priorities. By opening the possibility of investment in Syrian bonds, Norway is signalling cautious confidence in the new government’s direction and stability.

At the same time, the move remains largely symbolic in the short term. The wealth fund has no immediate exposure to Syrian debt, and actual investment will depend on risk assessments, market conditions, and institutional safeguards.

More importantly, the policy underscores how financial tools are increasingly used as instruments of foreign policy. Inclusion or exclusion from global capital markets can legitimise governments, incentivise reforms, or reinforce isolation.

In Syria’s case, gradual financial reintegration could support reconstruction and economic recovery, but it also raises questions about governance, transparency, and long-term stability after years of conflict.

With information from Reuters.

It was not just a nation of sports fans and media that became entranced when former Chargers great Philip Rivers, like a soldier, answered the call to duty and joined another one of his former teams, the Indianapolis Colts, at age 44, five years after his last game. (Five years after! No misprint). Former players, like me, were curious and envious.

This was a selfless, noble act by Phil. A player is not eligible for the Hall of Fame until five years after his last season. Thus, Phil has delayed his consideration as a candidate by another five years.

The winter is not merely a matter of age; it is long after the time when the pro football player lived a life at full throttle, doing what years of unromantic labor crafted his mind and body to do.

Jim Porter, the president and chief executive officer of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, reported that about 35 million males, from youth leagues to high schools to colleges, have played organized football. Of that total, only about 22,000 have played in a professional game. Shameful pride compels me to say there are only about 300 players in the Hall of Fame.

Colts quarterback Philip Rivers throws the ball during a game against the San Francisco 49ers on Dec. 22 in Indianapolis.

(Zach Bolinger / Associated Press)

Now, at 88 years old, I am in that winter of life; a time long after leaving that locker room, a place that was alive with bravado and bonds with teammates, each knowing the devastating work it took to, not only get there, but to stay there, because each year the team would bring in a fresh group of draftees and players acquired by trade who wanted your spot. As teammates, we had an unspoken contract to do the drills to the extent that the movements become instinct, to do the work, to play injured, to show up.

The memories of teammates stay fresh. I will share a few stories that stick with me about players early Charger fans will recall:

Power of Alworth

San Diego Chargers wide receiver Lance Alworth poses for a photo in 1970.

(Associated Press)

Lance Alworth is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Our team in the ‘60s had many players that deserve to be called great; however, we all held Lance in special regard because he encompassed high levels of skill and character. He had speed, elusiveness, and he blocked (something of a dirty word to many wide receivers). The best way to describe how I felt about Lance is to relate an incident that took place when our plane was returning from an East Coast game. The plane hit a long stretch of weather so bad that it caused the plane to rise and drop and shake to such an extent that I knew it was going to crash and kill us all. I truly felt it was all over. Then I remembered that Lance was on board and I relaxed, thinking we are safe because God would not kill Lance. I am still amused that I actually thought that.

A formidable man

Ernie Ladd, seen here in action for the San Diego Chargers, on Oct. 29, 1963.

(Associated Press)

Ernie Ladd was a 6-foot-9, 325-pound defensive tackle who played the position with skill and fury and, for four seasons, before severe knee injuries reduced him from great to good, was as skilled as anyone who ever played the position. And strong. Ernie joined the Chargers in 1961. In 1963, coach Sid Gilman made the Chargers the first team in professional football to employ a strength coach and direct that all players begin a weight-training program. At that time, I was one of only a few players in professional football that lifted year-round because coaches, at all levels of football, discouraged weightlifting, believing it tied up an athlete’s muscles. Ernie had never lifted weights. During our first training session with our strength coach, Alvin Roy, Ernie lifted 300 pounds over his head. I had trained for years and my best lift at that time was a military press of 325 pounds.

He demonstrated strength and restraint when a dispute arose between him and a teammate, who I will refer to as X, a defensive lineman whose play fell far below expectations when he was a high draft choice. Ernie was given to fun-loving razzing of others in the locker room. X took offense and swung his fist at Ernie. Ernie caught the fist in his big right hand, then grabbed X’s forearm and bent the wrist up, forcing X to the ground. Ernie then said, “X, if I let you up, are we done?” X, red with embarrassment, said it was over and Ernie released him.

The reason this stuck with me was because it reminded of an incident in the John Steinbeck novel, “Of Mice and Men,” in which Lennie, a slow-witted worker on a ranch, was being repeatedly struck by the ranch foreman until Lennie caught the foreman’s fist in the air and crushed his hand. The reference is a bit strained because Ernie was extremely bright.

Ernie was the most joyful game participant I had ever seen, bright and quick-witted, laughing before a game, getting energy from the thrill of what was about to take place. Before one of our games, he said to me in a mockingly serious voice, “Ronnie Jack, I hope I don’t kill anyone out there today. If I do, I want you to represent me and plead self-defense.” At the time, I was going to law school at night.

Surprising Wright

Ernie Wright left college early and joined the team at age of 20, the same year I signed up for the Chargers — 1960. He played offensive left tackle, making All-Pro several times. He was extremely bright, great work ethic, and proved it by having a very successful post-football business career.

Different players have different game-day, pre-event routines. I tried to stay calm and collected no matter how big the moment. I believed that if I allowed myself to get charged up by adrenaline rushes before the game started, I would use up energy I needed for the entire game.

My pregame ritual became a curious thing for Ernie. After one of our games, Ernie approached me, and the following conversation took place:

Ernie: I have been watching you before games and seeing your lips moving and I thought you were praying. I finally decided today to get closer so that I could hear what you were praying for. Was it for a team to win, was it to kick butt. You were singing to yourself! You were singing “Fly Me to the Moon.” Is that what you have been doing before all these games?

Me: That’s it. It is my way of staying calm.

Ernie (laughing): And here I thought you were deeply religious, and I have been careful not to swear around you.

A mind for politics

Republican vice presidential candidate Jack Kemp accepts a jersey from football players at Fairfax High in 1996.

(John Hayes / Associated Press)

Jack Kemp was the Chargers’ first quarterback. After an injury in his third year, he played for the Buffalo Bills. After football, he became a congressman in the Buffalo area and, later, presidential candidate Bob Dole’s choice to join his Republican ticket as his vice presidential running mate. Jack and I were training camp roommates during our first year with the Chargers. We became close friends. Jack was constantly thinking about politics and the relationship between government and the public and how power and policy shape everyday life and collective freedom.

Jack’s early political beliefs embraced the John Birch Society, a movement that felt expansive federal power is a threat to individual liberty. Among the Birch beliefs that Jack embraced was that there should not be Social Security, that if it was absent, people would then accept the responsibility of regularly putting away funds for their retirement.

During the week before a game in San Diego, I told Jack that Social Security is earned insurance, not welfare, that it spreads the risks across society, and keeps seniors out of poverty. I gave as an example my mother, who was a first-generation American with only a fifth-grade education who, prior to my retiring her when I signed with the Chargers, held minimum wage jobs that barely covered monthly expenses of her raising my brother and me by herself. I told Jack that her, and likely millions like her, given the choice of setting aside a dollar a month for retirement or spending it to care for her family, would place family first.

The depth of Jack’s constant thinking of politics became clear to me the Sunday of that week. I have forgotten the name of our opponent, but I do remember that it was a brutally contested game on a very hot day and we were ahead by only three points. At halftime, our team was walking toward the locker room when I heard Jack call out to me: “Ron, Ron, wait up.” I thought he was going to ask my opinion on what run plays would be best to call. Nope. Jack said: “I’ve been thinking about what you said about Social Security and people like your mother. I agree with you. Social Security must stay.” Then he was back to football: “OK, then, let’s get ‘em.”

I was surprised. It was a, “Wait … did that just happen?” moment. We were in the middle of a football game!

Being a part of something special

Athletes, as a group, have always been ahead of the country in improving racial and religious relations among the population. I am reminded of my senior year at the University of Southern California in 1959 when Willie Wood and I were elected co-captains of the football team. That was done at a time when 99% of the fraternities at the school barred us from membership because Willie was Black and I was Jewish. That sentiment in America meant nothing to our predominately white Christian teammates who, true to the nature of sports, judged teammates only on their character, work ethic and production.

Missing the demands of the game

And then there were the opponents. How deeply they are missed, those men across the line who made excellence necessary. While it is true that some opponents were less skilled than others, the collisions with all of them were just as real.

Playing against greatness was a measurement of who you were. I had the, yes, the pleasure of playing directly against fellow Hall members such as Deacon Jones, Buck Buchanon, Bobby Bell and Claude Humphrey, and a slew of other notable defensive linemen. They, and others, were equally committed to stopping me from doing my job.

It has now been 54 years since I left the game and I still miss it.

Mix was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979.

Tyson Fury beats Arslanbek Makhmudov in a unanimous points decision as he makes his heavyweight comeback.

Former world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury marked his return to the ring with a comprehensive and unanimous points win over Arslanbek Makhmudov at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

British boxer Fury won 120-108 on two of the judges’ scorecards, with the other ruling he had defeated his Russian opponent 119-109 after the maximum 12 rounds on Saturday.

Makhmudov made a strong start to the first round, throwing a left and connecting with an overhand right.

But by the third round, Makhmudov was already showing signs of fatigue, with Fury switching stances and hitting a one-two off the Russian’s chin.

The fight continued in a similar fashion until the final bell, as Fury moved closer to a “Battle of Britain” super-fight with fellow former world champion Anthony Joshua, who was watching from ringside.

“I’ve never had a problem getting in the ring with you. I punched you out when we were kids, and I’ll punch you out again,” Joshua said as Fury shouted at him from the ring.

“With all due respect, tonight is your night, and you know I’ll [be] in that ring across from you in due time,” Joshua added.

“You aren’t going to tell me what to do. I’ve been chasing you for the last 10 years. When you’re ready, you come and see me … I’m the boss. You work for me.”

A QUAINT English town not too far from a major city is having a major comeback.

Morpeth near Newcastle is on the up with Visit Northumberland even dubbing the town the “traditional trendsetter”.

And according to The Times, “Morpeth itself is the ultimate comeback queen”.

This is because the town has seen a number of new openings including a £21million leisure centre with a spa and a four-court sports hall.

For a spot of shopping, visitors can head to Sanderson Arcade, which is home to over 30 shops, as well as cafes and restaurants.

Make sure to head to the farmers’ markets in the town too, which is held on the first Saturday of every month between 9am and 3pm.

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If you fancy a tipple while visiting the town, you can head to The Electrical Wizard Wetherspoons pub, which gets its name from a flamboyant 20th century entertainer called Dr Walford Bodie.

At one point, he was the highest paid entertainer in the world and inspired the likes of Harry Houdini and Charlie Chaplin.

The pub is located inside the old Coliseum Cinema where he often used to perform in the 1930s, hence the name.

Even though the town is up-and-coming, it still has a lot of history to explore.

For example, the very meaning of Morpeth derives from the Old English, meaning ‘murder path’.

The rather grim name is believed to be given to the town as a result of a treacherous road to Scotland that passed through the area.

According to Bradley Hall property experts, “walking through the town feels like stepping back in time”, thanks to its castle and the 13th-century Chantry, which is home to the Bagpipe Museum which boasts 120 pipes from across Europe.

Not much of Morpeth Castle remains today, but you can visit the site.

Back in 1516, Margaret Tudor – sister of Henry VIII and widow of James IV of Scotland – stayed there for four months when fleeing Scottish enemies.

The original castle was destroyed by King John in 1216 and later rebuilt but all that stands of the former motte and bailey castle is the gatehouse, which is now a holiday rental.

Prices to stay are rather steep, but Sun Travel did find a stay for two nights between December 21 and 23 for £658 – which is around £47 per person per night as the gatehouse sleeps up to seven people.

For families there is Whitehouse Farm Centre, where kids can feed lambs and head on tractor rides as well as enjoy a new soft play.

Tickets to the farm cost from £15.45 per adult and £14.45 per child.

Surrounding the entire town, you can head on a number of pretty countryside walks as well, such as in Northumberland National Park.

And of course Northumberland’s best beaches aren’t too far away such as Druridge Bay Beach and Cambois Beach.

You could extend your trip to the town too by visiting many of the attractions in the local area.

You can reach Morpeth by hopping on a Lumo train from London King’s Cross, stopping at just Stevenage and Newcastle before reaching the town.

The route also heads further than Morpeth if you fancy exploring Scotland, as the final stop is Edinburgh.

A single ticket costs as little as £54.90 with the journey taking just over three hours.

For more pretty towns to visit, in the Cotswolds ‘Golden Triangle’ you will find some of the UK’s prettiest towns – and you might bump into loads of celebrities.

Plus, the pretty town on Mamma Mia! island has a ‘glowing’ cave and barely any crowds.

There could be more problems ahead for George Shuttleworth, whose business is in big trouble after losing his court case with right-hand man Todd Grimshaw set to depart for Belfast

Slippery Coronation Street character Rupert Copley is returning to the Cobbles to create more misery for the residents of Weatherfield.

Two years after his exit, Rupert is sure to have old rival George Shuttleworth in his sights after viewers learned the undertaker is putting his business up for sale – and there could be more problems ahead for George, played by Tony Maudsley. Last week, he headed to court, and it wasn’t a good result.

The judge ruled against him and ordered George to pay the legal costs after a customer launched a smear campaign against him, leaving the funeral director devastated. A glum George opens up to his sister, Glenda (Jodie Prenger), and tells her that he might have to sell the business to rivals RestEasy at a knock-down price.

Rupert, played by Peter Carroll, is set to reprise the role of the trouble-making undertaker after leaving back in 2024. The last time we saw the character, he tried to poach his work partner Todd Grimshaw but was soon sent packing. With Todd heading to Belfast with conniving Theo Silverton, will there be more agony ahead for George?

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His Corrie return was confirmed by agents Thinking Actors with a post on social media. It read: “Thinking Actors’ Peter Carroll is back filming next week for ITV’s Coronation Street.”

Tony joined the ITV soap in 2020, portraying George, the son of the late funeral director Archie (Roy Hudd). Since then, he’s won over viewers and has been involved in numerous major plotlines.

The actor has featured in Queer As Folk, Emmerdale and also starred in the popular ITV sitcom Benidorm, playing hairdresser Kenneth Du Beke from 2011 to 2018. He also made an appearance in the Harry Potter series in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, portraying Hagrid’s half-brother, Gawp.

Todd could be about to find the courage to confront his abuser Theo after months of coercive control, and physical and verbal abuse, sparking a showdown between the pair. Todd reports Theo to the police for assault, and Summer finds out exactly what her father figure Todd has been going through behind closed doors.

As their doomed relationship progressed, Theo began cutting Todd off from his close friends one by one before subjecting him to bizarre forms of abuse, such as pouring milk over his head and forcing him to eat his dinner cold. They became engaged on New Year’s Eve and then then Theo caused the death of Todd’s best friend Billy Mayhew (Daniel Brocklebank) in the programme’s crossover with Emmerdale.

They called it quits a short time later – only for Theo to worm his way back in. Last week, Theo revealed to Gary Windass (Mikey North) that he hadn’t cancelled the wedding and wanted to surprise Todd, so Gary and his wife Maria (Samia Longchambon) acted as witnesses, and had not picked up on the signs at all that this was not what Todd wanted at all.

Coronation Street airs weeknights at 8:30pm on ITV1 and ITV X.

THE ROLLING STONES continue to champion new talent, this time signing up Marty Supreme actress Odessa A’Zion for their next video.

The wise old rockers previously cast Sydney Sweeney in the vid to accompany 2023 comeback single Angry.

Now they are hoping to repeat that success, as I can reveal they have got one of Gen Z’s buzziest names on board.

Odessa filmed the visuals during a hushed-up two-day shoot at Battersea Arts Centre in South London last week.

I’m told loads of extras of all ages and styles were brought in to reflect the Stones over the years.

A music industry insider said: “The video represents the Stones through the ages. There’s a lot going on. They brought in lots of extras to represent subcultures and sonic histories.

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“The idea is it blends everything from blues souls and punk kids with old school rockers and Northern Soul dancers.

“Then there’s a load of glam rock attitude and DIY chaos to echo the legacy of the Stones.

“Odessa is at the centre of it all.

“The video should look really impressive when it’s all tied together.”

The return of the Stones has been talked about for a while, but there isn’t long left to wait at all.

The band is expected to drop a new song today, as I revealed on Wednesday.

Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood have been teasing their return under the pseudonym The Cockroaches.

They are coming back with their 25th album, believed to be titled Foreign Tongues, which is largely being touted as their final record together.

It is a follow-up to their 2023 album Hackney Diamonds, with the tracks mainly being written and recorded during the same sessions.

Unfortunately for their fans, I’ve been told there are no immediate plans for the band to hit the road again just yet.

But I live in hope the band will rethink that — when they see just how many people snap up this new album when it drops later in the year.

Zara up to finny business

ZARA LARSSON is por-poised for action as she lifts a dummy dolphin over her head.

She dazzled in a sequined skirt split to the waist and a tiny bikini top while fronting Spanish label Desigual’s Life’s A Beach campaign.

Zara has signed a major deal with the clothing brand for a new range inspired by her Y2K look.

Meanwhile, her US tour ends tomorrow in Houston, Texas – then she’ll focus on a deluxe version of her 2025 album Midnight Sun, due out next month.

Zara has remixed tracks with female collaborators. Tyga, Madison Beer and Jade are among stars expected to be involved.

The record originally peaked at No36, but with Zara enjoying a popularity surge, I predict a massive leap up the charts.

Derm’s so Keane on his main man

DERMOT KENNEDY has a surprising role model in his music career – football great Roy Keane.

His inspiration during gigs is the memory of Man United hero Keane playing against Juventus in 1999.

Despite being yellow-carded, the captain put in a blistering performance that took them to the Champions League final.

Dermot whose album The Weight Of The Woods became his third No1 last night, said of Roy: “If you ask about the way I sing, it’s purely him.

“He has a thing in his book where, when he was younger trying to get spotted, he would play a match to 100 or 200 people, and he developed the skill of creating the atmosphere in his head.

“I think I have that in music. If I play to ten people, I will rip it because I don’t care how many people are there.”

Dermot also shares a love of football with Roy once playing for Dublin’s Crumlin United.

He said: “I’m a far better person when I’m playing football regularly. Whatever feeling everyone thinks I get from music, I get it from football. It’s the one time my mind is clear.”

But Dermot has another reason to be inspired after his wife Aisling Finnegan gave birth to their daughter.

Asked how long they have been together, he told the And The Writer Is . . .  podcast: “I would have been eight years old.

“We went to school together. What age did I know? Early twenties, probably.”

Michaela in a flap

MICHAELA COEL looks amazing despite her suit falling apart at the seams as she steps out in New York.

The actress, whose outfit had several flappy features, recently admitted she didn’t love appearing in 2022’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, in which she played warrior Aneka.

She said: “I really don’t think I was ready for that world of green screen acting. I don’t know how to do that.”

Maybe she’s struggling with new styles.

Nineties exhibition shines the spotlight on Scary’s catsuit

THE famous leopard-print catsuit Mel B wore when the Spice Girls performed at the Brit Awards in 1997 is going on display.

Former Bizarre editor Dominic MOhan has curated the exhibition, 1996: 30 Years On, and managed to get hold of the catsuit which was worn to perform their debut hit Wannabe.

Mel said: “It was all a crazy Nineties whirlwind but, in my leopard print, I knew I could take on anything. This outfit is sexy, naughty and bold, which pretty much sums me and the Nineties up.”

Also on display will be Emma Bunton’s dress from the same performance, Geri Halliwell’s Union Jack boots and a signed Liam Gallagher‘s tambourine.

It opens on Thursday at the Barbican Music Library in London and runs until September 19.

Dom will be launching his four-part show Cool Britannia on Virgin Radio tomorrow from 6pm.

OLIVIA DEAN is obsessed with Love Island.

She said: “I just watched Love Island All Stars and, oh my god, what amazing television that was.

“Thank you everybody involved for that. It really got me through the last couple of months and I loved it. No notes. Can’t wait for the next season.”

She also had a message for its host: “Maya Jama, I love you.”

Even pop’s busiest acts can’t resist a bit of villa drama.

Masterclass by B-Side Boys as jangling Mars Attacks

THERE aren’t many acts that can pull off five sell- out shows by promising only B sides, album tracks and no hits.

But the Pet Shop Boys did, without breaking a sweat.

I’d happily listen to Neil Tennant sing the back of a crisp packet, but he and Chris Lowe had something more special in store here in Camden, North London.

They whipped out guest Johnny Marr early on, who added some excellent guitar jangling on Up Against it from 1996 and 2003’s I Didn’t Get Where I Am Today.

They might be synthpop’s finest duo, but they can rock out too. With a back catalogue spanning more than 40 years, you can forgive Neil for needing lyrics printed out for the more obscure numbers, and being overjoyed at a stool, joking: “Ooh, I can sit down now, like Westlife.”

They finished by teasing the launch of their upcoming musical, Naked, performing a song from it called I Dream Of A Better Tomorrow.

Right now, that’s a mantra we can all get behind.

Former world heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury says he’s “still got it” as he pledged to focus on the task at hand in his latest return to the ring.

Following a 15-month absence, 37-year-old Fury (34-2-1, 24 KOs) is up against 36-year-old Russian-born heavyweight Arslanbek Makhmudov (21-2, 19 KOs) in a bout at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday.

The pair spoke during a pre-fight news conference in London on Thursday, hours after the chief executive of Croke Park said the 80,000-capacity Dublin venue wanted to stage the long-awaited Battle of Britain super-fight between Fury and fellow former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua.

Fury and Joshua have almost fought on several occasions, only for contract disputes, fitness issues and losses elsewhere to derail previous attempts to get them into the same ring.

Their camps had reportedly been close to an agreement before Joshua decided to take time out from boxing following a car crash which led to the deaths of two close friends in December.

The 36-year-old Joshua is now back in training and was at Derek Chisora’s defeat by Deontay Wilder last Saturday.

Fury insisted on Thursday: “I don’t want to mention names when I’ve got a dangerous fighter in front of me. The rest can get a hiding but I need to give Makhmudov a hiding first.”

He added: “Like I said when Daniel Dubois was fighting Anthony Joshua [in 2024], everybody said and all the boxing brains said, ‘AJ will knock him out inside three rounds,’ and they were overlooking him. ‘Are you going to fight Tyson next?’

“And I said you better put some respect on Dubois’ name because he’s going to chin him and that’s what happened. So, I won’t fall down that same hurdle and trap.”

Nevertheless, he did hint at future plans for 2026 when he spoke on Ring’s YouTube channel later on Thursday.

“As far as I am concerned, I will focus on this big Russian fella, then Anthony Joshua and maybe a third fight [with Oleksandr Usyk],” Fury said.

‘Bored of the normal life’

Fury retired after his second successive loss to world champion Usyk at the end of 2024 and went a year without a fight before revealing his latest comeback on January 4.

“People always question retirement for me,” said Fury, who on Thursday reiterated the inspiration for this return was the death of Joshua’s friends because “you have got to live every day like it is your last”.

He added: “I’ve retired five times before and meant it wholeheartedly. I’ve come back four times successfully and we’ll see if it’s five.

“Make no mistake when I retire I have zero intention of returning but I miss the game. However, after a few months I am bored of the normal life. Dropping the kids off at school, taking the dogs for a walk, that kind of stuff. I miss everything that comes with big fights.”

John Fury, Tyson’s father and long a familiar figure in the corner as his son rose through the boxing ranks, said last month that a trio of gruelling fights against Deontay Wilder meant the ‘Gypsy King’ is “past his best”.

“Tyson has been gone since the Deontay Wilder fights, they finished him … Makhmudov is a problem for Tyson, said John Fury.

But Tyson said on Thursday: “I’ve never lost my speed of reactions. I’ve still got it. 100 percent.”

Makhmudov says wrestling a bear once was ‘enough’

The Russian-born fighter, meanwhile, played down suggestions that Fury, “a great boxer”, would be hampered by a recent lack of competitive ring time.

“It’s not a problem for him because of his experience,” said Makhmudov, who briefly grabbed Fury in a playful bear hug.

“Maybe it’s the opposite because he can recover from hard fights in the past.”

Makhmudov has created some buzz ahead of the fight by posting a video that showed him wrestling a 2.9m (9 feet 8 inch), 419kg bear in woods outside of Moscow nearly two years ago – an encounter he says taught him to confront fear.

“It was very terrible. Not just scary, but really crazy terrible,” Makhmudov told the Press Association this week.

“Since I was a kid I have liked a challenge, that’s why I did that just to test myself to see how I would feel in that crazy situation.

“You only understand its strength when you’re close to it. In one second you can become like meat, just meat, just like that.

“It’s not comparable with human stuff. It’s like a natural disaster, I cannot explain it, it’s crazy.

“It is good preparation for boxing because you have to control your emotions and your fear. You have to beat your fear, beat your phobias. For that it was good, but one time is enough!”

BROKEN Social Scene is more than just a band, it is a community.

The Canadian collective is at the beating heart of Toronto’s freewheeling indie music scene.

If you attempt to count the combined total of active and inactive members, you arrive at a mind-boggling approximation somewhere between 20 and 30.

“What I love about this band is that it’s an open door,” affirms singer and guitarist Kevin Drew.

Since forming Broken Social Scene in 1999 with Brendan Canning, Drew has been its lynchpin . . . albeit one with an unerringly democratic approach.

“We invited everybody in and we didn’t have rules,” adds the 49-year-old frontman. “And we went out and did our f***ing best.”

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Over the years, notable collaborators have included an array of Canada’s finest singers, including solo artist Feist, Amy Millan of Stars and SFTW’s other interviewee this week, Emily Haines of Metric.

Drew cemented his place at the centre of the scene by co-founding progressive label Arts & Crafts in 2003 and has known many of the artists since he was a teenager.

Now, Broken Social Scene are back with their first album in nine years, Remember The Humans, a typically multi-layered affair but one that never loses touch with a winning melody.

Through words and music, it serves as a telling reminder that in this dislocated tech-driven world, we are still mere mortals with very human feelings.

Drew is at home outside Toronto and I’m in London when we hook up for a video call this week.

Before we discuss Broken Social Scene’s welcome return to the fray, he balances his phone on a copy of Irma Rombauer’s hefty culinary classic, The Joy Of Cooking, to bring his face into full view.

He apologises for appearing a bit flushed and says with a big smile: “Sorry, I just took a sauna.”

I quickly discover that Drew is a disarming character with a refreshingly open take on life.

“My dad was from London originally,” he continues. “I said, ‘Hey Pops, I’m gonna speak to The Sun’, and he went, ‘Oh, my gosh, I remember The Sun — it used to have the pin-ups!’ ”

I inform Drew that one of my earliest reviews for SFTW was Broken Social Scene’s self-titled breakthrough third album, released in 2005. “So, we have a long relationship together, which I love,” he responds without a trace of irony.

Introductions out of the way, he’s ready for me to ask why it’s the right time for a new album, as well as a triple headliner tour with Metric and Stars, which is coming to the UK in September.

“We came to a realisation through playing shows after the pandemic that this IS our life,” he says. “This is something we have spent so much of our lives working on.

“We still find much joy in melody and we are part of the muscle memory business now.

“At the age we’re at and with what we’ve achieved already, we made a firm choice to continue.

“Between us all, we have had so much loss of family and friends, but we found that grief made us grateful for what we’ve got.”

Drew is thrilled to be heading out with his comrades from Metric (particularly Jimmy Shaw) and Stars, a trek that summons “the true spirit of what we have been from the beginning”.

Audiences can expect some band-hopping, meaning that Drew can’t really say how many people will be on stage with him.

“I haven’t a clue,” he says. “But I do know there will be a LOT.” The latest chapter in the Broken Social Scene story probably began in 2022 with a 20th anniversary tour of their second album, You Forgot It People, and its songs that still resonate today.

Drew and his fellow travellers realised they might provide some solace in a world where “identity is at war, fear is prominent at every turn” and where “hope is a very tired word”.

He says: “We thought, ‘Let’s do our tiny little protests, let’s continue to demonstrate community’. After all, it’s not hard for us to make music because there’s so many of us.

“Just by being around for 25 years, we have our own sound.”

One song from You Forgot It People — Anthems For A 17-Year-Old Girl, with Metric’s Haines on lead vocals — has acquired a new audience, as Drew explains.

“Thanks to the [2024] film I Saw The TV Glow, the trans community has brought that song into their lives and embraced it.

“It went viral on TikTok, then suddenly all our listens went up. It was the greatest award we’ve ever been given. We were so touched.”

For Drew, it was proof positive that “music helps to build your identity, to find your own people and to express yourself. Right now, that is something to hold on to”.

With its layers of horns, guitars and synthesisers as well as various distinctive voices, new album Remember The Humans is a triumph for freedom of expression.

There’s also a strong feeling of Broken Social Scene coming full circle, enhanced by the return of original producer David Newfeld.

Drew picks up the story: “I moved out of the city, just half an hour away from where Dave had moved 18 years ago.

“He started coming over for dinner and there was a lot of laughter. He’s so old school — still has a flip phone because he doesn’t think smart phones are smart.

“I reached out to him about working together again. I missed his sound and his passion, which were so unpredictable.

“Next thing I knew, I was on a two-and-a-half-year journey of starts and stops — and loss. I lost my mom and he lost his, so we bonded over that.”

It’s clear that the new album’s heartfelt opening song Not Around Anymore is, among other things, a product of their grieving process.

Drew adds: “Dave also latched on to the song And I Think of You. If you put it through headphones, you are hearing his grief over his mom. He records that thing, mixes it and he takes you on a journey.

“His mom was his world — they talked three times a day. Once he’d lost her, I realised it would help him to put love and loss into some of this music.”

We move on to other key contributors, firstly Feist, who resurrects What Happens Now, a song that reportedly didn’t make the cut for Broken Social Scene’s 2017 album Hug Of Thunder.

“Leslie Feist is a different entity because she’s so solo in her success,” says Drew. “There’s us, Metric and Stars, but she became the biggest of all on her own.”

He adds that Feist has “an open invitation” to be part of Broken Social Scene’s endeavours.

“I always tell her, ‘You’re welcome at this home any time you help build it. In fact, you’ve got your own wing!’ ”

Over acoustic strums, atmospheric electronica and occasional swells of horns, Feist’s ghostly delivery turns What Happens Now into a standout moment. “I’m honoured we were able to put it on this record,” says Drew. “It fits the theme.

“I love the cadence of Leslie’s vocals, the way it seems as if she is drowning before she becomes so clear. It’s so Feist.”

Another singer to make a significant contribution is Hannah Georgas, who became involved in Broken Social Scene’s world through being a support act.

Drew says she made Only The Good I Keep her own, and adds: “She neurologically removed my topline [lead vocal melody] — but we need people to have ownership.

“At first, I called Hannah and said, ‘This is great, but I’ve got something I can’t get in’. Two days later, I couldn’t even remember what I was saying and all I could hear was her version.”

Broken Social Scene regular Lisa Lobsinger brought the song Relief into the mix — providing another insight into the band’s democratic process.

Drew reports: “We got this email out of the blue from Lisa saying she kept singing a song in her head while meditating, and she thought it was by Social Scene.”

Lobsinger realised she was making up Relief by herself in that moment, so she submitted it.

“We sent it to the crew, and everyone loved it,” continues Drew. “So, I said, ‘Oh my God, Lisa, let’s do it!’ ”

Before we go our separate ways, Drew leaves me with telling observations about more general topics related to his home country.

Much as he appreciates iconic Canadian artists like Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell and Neil Young, he singles out some of the lesser-known trailblazers who inspired him — “Thrush Hermit, Sloan, Hayden and Godspeed You! Black Emperor”.

And he has this to say about Donald Trump’s wacky idea of making Canada the 51st US state.

“I say to the younger members of the band, ‘Don’t listen to this man. In fact, don’t listen to men in general — if they have a microphone, they won’t do you any favours, including rock singers!’ ”

It’s a typical comment from someone for whom community spirit means everything.

In Broken Social Scene, decides Drew, “we are empaths, not sociopaths. No one has their identity wrapped up in this band”.

BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE
Remember The Humans

★★★★★

MADONNA has called in the big guns for her new album – reaching out to Britney Spears for a potential collaboration.

I can reveal the Queen of Pop tried to connect with the Circus singer in December and January with hopes of a joint writing or studio session.

Madge has been busy working on the follow-up to 2019 album Madame X, which is expected to be released this year.

However, Britney has so far refused to engage with the Like A Virgin singer, who was one of the few guests at her wedding to model Sam Asghari in 2022.

A collaboration between the two superstars would be huge for the pop universe — 23 years after they scored a No2 hit with Me Against The Music.

That year, 2003, they also made global headlines when they kissed on stage at the MTV VMAs.

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A source close to the younger star said: “Madonna believes Britney is not just a brilliant artist, but a lovely ­person.

“They had a great time in the past working together and had touched on working together again.

“Madonna felt that Britney could bring something to her new album or perhaps join for a writing idea.

“She feels a connection to Britney and has been a vocal supporter of her, despite all the concern about her welfare in the last couple of years.

“Madonna is one of the few people on the planet to understand the stresses and troubles of being one of the most famous people in the world.”

Britney has said she is unsure if she will ever return to music, although she did have a No3 hit in 2022, duetting with Elton John on Hold Me Closer, following the end of her 13-year conservatorship.

Meanwhile, Madonna has also been busy with acting.

Last month she shot a cameo in Venice for the Apple TV series The Studio, in which she will play herself in a storyline inspired by the making of her scrapped biopic.

It will show Julia Garner — who was cast as Madonna in the real film before it was binned — winning a gruelling audition, then heading to the Venice Film Festival for its debut.

It sounds like quite the farce, but I’m glad Madonna can still laugh at herself after all these years.

KAROL COMES OUT TO PLAY

COLOMBIAN beauty Karol G has Playboy covered . . . even if she isn’t.

The singer went topless on the cover of the mag and posed without a bra in a revealing crop top in another shot, as she gears up to headline Coachella festival in California this weekend.

She joins Justin Bieber and Sabrina Carpenter who also top the bill at the three-day desert bash.

And although she is used to massive crowds, she was unsure about stripping off for Playboy, asking her Modern Family actress pal Sofia Vergara for advice.

When Karol told her she wouldn’t do it if Sofia didn’t think it was a good idea, she says the TV star replied: “With that body? When you get to this age, you tell yourself, ‘F***, why didn’t I pose that one time?“

Karol, take it from me – you look amazing.

ARIANA GRANDE has confirmed she is back in the studio – a month after I revealed she was secretly working on new music.

She previously insisted she had no plans to release her eighth album this year, saying she is far too busy with her Eternal Sunshine tour kicking off in June.

However, last night she posted images on Instagram of her clearly making music, tagging her long-time co-writer and co-producer Ilya Salmanzadeh.
She released her seventh album, Eternal Sunshine, in 2024.

BLOW FOR CREDIT CARDI

NOTHING could get Cardi B down as she arrived for an after-party in Philadelphia in this revealing dress.

The rapper has had a tough week, as her ex-husband Offset was shot and she became the victim of credit card fraud.

But she still had a smile on her face with this violet outfit and her colourful hair, despite saying on Instagram that she wanted to have the person responsible for nicking her money “beat the f*** up”.

Cardi claimed almost £45k was spent on her AmEx card in an Apple shop and fancy American department store Saks. Whoever did that messed with the wrong woman.

A SUPER SHOT FOR MARISA

BRIT stars Marisa Abela and Ella Purnell are battling against US actress Adria Arjona to land a key role in the Superman sequel Man Of Tomorrow.

US website Deadline reported last night that the actresses have been testing for the role of Maxima – the warrior queen from the planet Almerac.

The character lands on Earth and swiftly sets her sights on Superman, who is once again being played by David Corenswet.

It will be a coveted role and landing it would be a coup for any of the leading ladies.

THE STROKES are celebrating 25 years since their debut by returning with their seventh album, Reality Awaits.

It will be out on June 26 and they have already released the first taste with new track Going Shopping.

Their album was recorded in Costa Rica and is their first music since 2020’s The New Abnormal.

JACKO KO ON ABUSE MENTION

THE upcoming Michael Jackson biopic has been forced to erase scenes featuring allegations of child abuse.

The film will finally hit cinemas a fortnight tomorrow – a full year after its original release date.

And now the cause of the long delay has been revealed.

According to a clause in a settlement with one of his accusers, Jordan Chandler – the boy whose accusations were at the centre of Jackson’s first sex probe in the Nineties – any depiction or mention of him in an official Jackson film is banned, so producers had to go back to the drawing board.

According to Variety mag, the final third of the film needed to be reshot, resulting in 22 days of extra work last June.

This is estimated to have cost the late singer’s estate around $10-15million.

Jackson’s nephew Jaafar will play him on screen, but the Billie Jean star’s sister Janet is not in the film. I’m sure it’ll still be a box office smash.

SABRINA CARPENTER says she can separate her feelings from her songs when she’s performing – handy, given she has so many hits about failed relationships.

She told Perfect mag: “When I’m on stage, there’s a button. I think it’s been this way ever since I was young.

“I started ­touring when I was 16, and I’ve always felt there’s a button that turns on when you’re performing. And when you’re singing these songs, in that moment, it really becomes a show.

“I am a human being. I’m a 26-year- old girl. I’m hormonal. I’m emotional. I’m ­dealing with a lot of stuff.

“For me, it really just has been compartmentalising the moments where I feel like the show must go on and moments where I allow myself to be a little all over the place.”

MORE than a quarter of a century after they burst on to our screens as one of America’s most dysfunctional and chaotic families, the Malcolm In The Middle clan are back.

FRANKIE MUNIZ, who starred as Malcolm, posed alongside his on-screen parents, played by Bryan Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek, for the premiere of the four-episode sequel Malcolm In The Middle: Life’s Still Unfair, which debuts on Disney+ tomorrow.

Also back as Malcolm’s older brothers Francis and Reese are Christopher Masterson and Justin Berfield.

But Erik Per Sullivan, who played their younger sibling Dewey, decided not to return as he is busy studying Victorian literature at Harvard University.

HOLLY Willoughby is turning up the heat — as she plans to install a sauna at her £8million London home.

The TV host, 45, has been researching fancy brands and asked her 8.1million Instagram followers about the health benefits of classic and infrared units.

Mum-of-three Holly and her telly producer husband Dan Baldwin, 50, bought the six-bedroom home in South West London last year.

Her sauna search comes as the ex-This Morning host and former golden girl of ITV shuns ­traditional broadcasters and prepares a comeback on YouTube with an edgier image.

A source recently told The Sun: “Charli XCX might think she’s the original Brat girl, but Holly will give her a run for her money.”

Recently Emma Bunton was spotted beaming alongside pal Holly at a Disney launch after the Spice Girls reunion was cancelled.

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The singer, 50, attended the press day of Disney Adventure World and World Of Frozen at Disneyland Paris in France.

She appeared to put her band’s woes to one side as she posed for pictures with her longtime friend Holly.

Baby Spice got into the spirit of things by donning a pair of Mickey Mouse ears as well as a tie with the famous character on it.

She looked chic in a white shirt tucked into a pair of straight leg jeans and a cream wool coat.

Emma wore her blonde locks straight and opted for a subtle make-up look.

Meanwhile, Holly wore a black t-shirt tucked into jeans with a black coat and some brown boots.

She too got into the Disney spirit with a set of ears as the two put on their widest smiles for photos.

The two women have been firm friends for several years and are often spotted socialising with their group of friends, including Melanie Blatt and Christine Lampard.

On the first night of Passover, Ye — the superstar rapper, the artist formerly known as Kanye West, the man who once threatened in a tweet to go “death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE” — performed for what looked like a full house at Inglewood’s SoFi Stadium.

The first of a pair of Ye concerts this week at the gigantic NFL palace, Wednesday’s show came two months after the 48-year-old musician apologized for his past antisemitic comments, attributing his behavior to injuries he sustained in a 2002 car crash.

More to the point, perhaps, the gig came on the heels of last week’s release of “Bully,” Ye’s first solo LP since 2022’s “Donda 2,” which the trade journal Hits predicts will enter the album chart at No. 2, right behind the latest from BTS.

In other words, Ye’s trying to get a comeback going — and, to judge by the very warm reception he got at SoFi, he might prove successful.

Wednesday’s concert — Ye’s first full live performance in Los Angeles since a 2021 gig at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum — lasted about two hours and featured guest appearances by Don Toliver and Ye’s 12-year-old daughter, North.

The rapper performed atop an enormous dome set up on the stadium’s floor; for much of the night, a spinning globe was projected onto the dome so that Ye looked to be — well, on top of the world is how he might’ve put it.

Early in the set, Ye asked his technical crew to “make the earth move slower,” which somebody made happen.

Accompanied by what sounded like prerecorded backing tracks, Ye opened with a handful of songs from “Bully,” which seeks a middle ground between the soulful, sample-heavy sound of his early work and the gloomier, synthed-up vibe of more recent records like “Donda” and his and Ty Dolla Sign’s “Vultures 1” and “Vultures 2.”

After an extended version of the new album’s “All the Love,” he reached back for an assortment of oldies, including all-timers like “Father, Stretch My Hands, Pt. 1,” “Mercy,” “Black Skinhead” and “Can’t Tell Me Nothing,” which he stopped and restarted after telling the crew to mute the music during the song’s line about getting his money right so that he could hear the crowd join in.

He also did his and Jay-Z’s collaborative 2011 hit — the one whose title contains the N-word — which made you think about how he and his old frenemy are both mounting comebacks at the same time, Jay-Z as a kind of retiree’s victory lap and Ye in hopes of moving past a mess of his own making.

Other classics Ye performed included “Bound 2” and “Heartless,” to name two of his most emotionally potent songs, though thick smoke in the stadium made it hard to feel a sense of connection with him as he moved back and forth atop the dome.

Ye brought out Don Toliver to perform “Moon” and Toliver’s “E85,” then cycled again through the “Bully” tracks he’d done earlier. North West came out to perform “Talking” and “Piercing on My Hand,” after which Ye did his and Ty Dolla Sign’s “Everybody,” which prominently samples the Backstreet Boys’ “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back).”

Then he finished with a sprint through some of his most beloved hits: “All Falls Down” into “Jesus Walks” into “Through the Wire” into “Good Life,” which he restarted several times because he said the lights were “corny.”

“Is this like an ‘SNL’ skit or something?” he asked when nobody made the changes he was looking for.

Ye ended the show with “All of the Lights,” which got a huge pryo display, and “Runaway,” his epic 2010 warning to anyone foolish enough to consider falling in love with him.

“Run away fast as you can,” he sang, and the crowd roared right along.

Céline Dion is officially coming back to the stage.

The singer announced on Instagram that she will return to the stage this fall, performing 10 shows at the Paris La Défense Arena. In 2022, Dion canceled her North America tour due to muscle spasms. She was later diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome, an autoimmune neurological disorder, which prevented her from performing.

The concert announcement comes after speculation last week by fans in Paris who spotted posters around the city referencing Dion’s songs, including “Power of Love” and “Pour Que tu M’aimes Encore.”

Dion, who turned 58 on Monday, called this news “the best gift” of her life.

“I’m so happy. I’m so ready to do this. I’m feeling good. I’m strong,” Dion said. “I’m feeling excited, obviously. Of course, a little nervous, but most of all, I am grateful to all of you. I can’t wait to see you again.”

While Dion performed at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympics in Paris and at an Elie Saab fashion show in Saudi Arabia, she has not headlined her own concert since her Courage World Tour in 2020. In her video, Dion thanked her fans, who supported her in the “most difficult times.”

“Over these last few years, every day that’s gone by, I felt your prayers and support, your kindness and love,” Dion said. “You’ve helped me in ways that I can’t even describe, and I’m truly so fortunate to have your support. I’ve missed you so much.”

Dion will perform twice a week — on Wednesdays and Saturdays — from Sept. 12 to Oct. 14. In a press statement, Frédéric Longuépée, president of La Défense Arena, called Dion’s residency a major milestone for the venue, which opened in 2017.

Fans can register for presale tickets until April 2, and general ticket sales will go on sale April 10.

Dion discussed her battle with stiff-person syndrome in her 2024 documentary, “I Am: Celine Dion.” In the film, the singer explained how SPS causes a vocal strain that makes it difficult for her to perform. Before her 2022 diagnosis, she had already experienced symptoms for 17 years.

While SPS has no known cure, Dion did not lose motivation to continue performing.

“If I can’t run, I’ll walk. If I can’t walk, I’ll crawl, but I won’t stop,” Dion said.

HOUSTON — Isaac Paredes hit a tiebreaking two-RBI double with two outs in the eighth inning to help the Houston Astros to a 9-7 win over the Angels on Sunday despite a disappointing major league debut from starter Tatsuya Imai.

There were two outs in the eighth when the Angels intentionally walked Yordan Alvarez to give Houston runners at first and third. Alvarez stole second before Paredes hit a line drive off Drew Pomeranz (0-1) to put Houston on top 8-6.

Jose Altuve followed with a double to push the lead to 9-6.

Imai gave up three hits and four runs with four walks and four strikeouts in 2⅔ innings.

The Astros (2-2) are banking on him to have a big year after signing the right-hander to a three-year, $54-million contract following a stellar career in Japan where he was a three-time All-Star in eight seasons with the Pacific League’s Seibu Lions.

The Angels (2-2) had two on with one out in the ninth when Bryan King took over for Bryan Abreu. Nolan Schanuel hit an RBI single to cut the lead to two, but King struck out the next two batters for his first save.

Jorge Soler drove in three runs and Zach Neto hit a two-run homer for the Angels as they split the season-opening series.

The score was tied with one on and one out in the fourth inning when Neto made it 6-4 with his shot to the seats in left field.

Christian Walker’s two-RBI double with two outs in the fifth inning tied it 6-6.

Christian Vázquez drove in two runs with a single in Houston’s four-run second inning to give the Astros an early lead.

There was one out in the third when Imai walked Neto before he moved to third on a single by Mike Trout. Schanuel walked to load the bases and Soler cleared them with his double to the corner in left field to get the Angels within one.

Jo Adell’s two-out RBI single tied it at 4-4 and chased Imai.

Angels starter Jack Kochanowicz yielded four hits and six runs with five walks in four innings.

IF you’re wondering where the next big holiday trend is coming from, I can save you some time.

It’s not a brand new destination, and it’s not somewhere “undiscovered”.

It’s the places your parents went in the 90s.

I spend most of my time looking at holiday booking data, and this one trend keeps jumping out.

A whole wave of classic British package holiday resorts are making a serious comeback in 2026.

And the reason is simple: they’re still ridiculously good value.

From Europe to Africa, here are my top 10 cheap holiday spots that are booming again… and the deals you can get right now.

10. Skanes, Tunisia

Skanes is a proper throwback to 90s package holidays – big beachfront hotels, short transfers, and everything centred around the resort.

And now, it’s having one of the biggest comebacks I’ve seen in the data, with bookings to Tunisia up massively again heading into 2026.

I found a really strong all-inclusive deal here – 7 nights at the 4* Hotel Liberty Resort, flying from London Southend (16–23 Aug 2026), from £535pp for a family of four. That’s roughly £76pp per night, and crucially, it’s all-inclusive.

What makes this one work is how family-friendly it is – big pool areas, loads going on for kids, and everything included, so you’re not constantly spending.

And the reason it’s this cheap is simple. Tunisia is still rebuilding demand, so hotels are pricing low to win Brits back. Which means right now, you’re getting proper beachfront value for a fraction of what you’d pay elsewhere.

9. Calpe, Costa Blanca, Spain

Calpe was huge with British tourists in the 80s and early 90s – classic Spanish seaside, big beaches and that iconic rock backdrop.

Now it’s trending again in 2026, as people look for more relaxed, less chaotic alternatives to bigger resorts.

I found a great-value summer deal – 7 nights at the 4* AR Diamante Beach, flying from Bournemouth (3–10 Aug 2026), from £588pp for a family of four. That’s about £84pp per night, on a bed & breakfast basis.

This hotel stands out because it feels a bit more premium than your typical Costa Blanca stay – big modern rooms, great pool area, and close to the beach without being chaotic.

It’s cheaper because it’s not trying to be flashy or all-inclusive heavy. And for families, that works – because you can eat out cheaply and control your spending instead.

8. Hurghada, Egypt

Hurghada was unbelievably popular in the 2000s all-inclusive boom, thanks to massive resorts, guaranteed heat and loads included in the price.

And now it’s properly back again, with bookings climbing fast into 2026.

This one’s properly eye-opening – 7 nights at the 4* Royal Lagoons Aqua Park Resort & Spa, flying from Belfast (22–29 Aug 2026), from £668pp for a family of four. That’s around £95pp per night, and it’s all-inclusive.

What makes it great for families is the waterpark setup with slides, multiple pools and enough going on to keep kids busy all week without leaving the hotel.

This is why Egypt is flying with Brits right now, despite its proximity to the Iran conflict. Because once you arrive, everything’s covered.

Flights are longer, which keeps demand slightly lower, but for families, that means ridiculous value for what you get.

7. Hammamet, Tunisia

Hammamet was one of the classic British beach holidays of the 90s – long sandy beaches, big hotels and loads of all-inclusive resorts.

Just like Skanes, it’s seeing a massive resurgence heading into 2026.

I spotted this while digging through peak summer prices – 7 nights at the 4* Houda Yasmine Hammamet, flying from London Southend (23–30 Aug 2026), from £553pp for a family of four. That’s about £79pp per night, and it’s all-inclusive.

It’s a proper classic family hotel with a massive pool, entertainment, and everything geared around easy, no-stress holidays.

Again, the price comes down to perception catching up with reality.

The hotels are good, the weather’s great – but demand hasn’t fully returned yet. So you’re benefiting from that gap.

6. Salou, Costa Dorada, Spain

Salou was massive with British families in the 90s and early 2000s with beaches, family hotels and PortAventura right next door.

And now it’s flying back again in 2026 as families rediscover how easy it is.

I couldn’t ignore this deal – 7 nights at the 4* 4R Playa Park, flying from Birmingham (21–28 Aug 2026), from £408pp for a family of four. That’s just £58pp per night, on a bed & breakfast basis.

This is exactly what Salou does well: simple, well-located hotels with good pools and easy access to everything – and at a really great price too.

And it’s such great value because you’re not paying for extras upfront.

But in Salou, that’s ideal – everything locally is affordable, so you can build your own budget holiday.

5. Torremolinos, Costa del Sol, Spain

Torremolinos is where the British package holiday basically started back in the 60s and 70s.

And in 2026, it’s trending hard again thanks to how easy and reliable it is.

I found a really solid summer option here – 7 nights at the 4* Hotel Apartamentos Bajondillo, flying from Bournemouth (22–29 Aug 2026), from £518pp for a family of four. That’s about £74pp per night, on a self-catering basis.

What makes this one great is the location, as it sits right on the beachfront, with loads nearby, and perfect if you want flexibility with food and spending.

It’s not the cheapest on the list, but you’re paying for convenience – short transfer, loads to do, and no surprises.

4. Benidorm, Costa Blanca, Spain

Benidorm was the capital of British holidays in the 80s and 90s, and now a whole new generation is discovering it.

Bookings are up again in 2026, especially with younger families and couples.

I found this cracking value deal – 7 nights at the 3* Terralta Apartments, flying from Dublin (23–30 Aug 2026), from £403pp for a family of four. That’s roughly £58pp per night, on a self-catering basis.

It’s ideal for families too, as it’s home to spacious apartments, a big pool, and a quieter location just outside the main strip.

And this one’s cheap simply because Benidorm is built for volume: loads of apartments, loads of competition – which keeps prices low.

Best part is, once you’re there, everything else is cheap too.

3. Sousse, Tunisia

Sousse has always been one of Tunisia’s most popular beach resorts – big hotels, great beaches and loads of all-inclusive options.

And just like the rest of Tunisia, it’s seeing a huge comeback into 2026.

One of the best-value all-inclusive deals I found – 7 nights at the 4* El Ksar Resort & Thalasso, flying from London Southend (16–23 Aug 2026), from £583pp for a family of four. That’s about £83pp per night, and it’s all-inclusive.

This is exactly what families want – beachfront setting, slides, big pool areas and everything included from day one.

This is where the value really shows.

Because when everything’s included, you’re not constantly spending – which makes it one of the easiest holidays to budget for.

2. El Arenal, Majorca, Spain

El Arenal was massive in the charter flight era – big beach, loads of hotels and right next to Palma.

And now Majorca, and El Arenal in particular, is firmly back on the rise again in 2026.

I found a peak summer Majorca deal that really stood out – 7 nights at the 3* BLUESEA Costa Verde, flying from Bournemouth (19–26 Aug 2026), from £580pp for a family of four. That’s about £83pp per night, and it’s all-inclusive.

What makes this one work is simplicity – good pool, food included, and a no-frills base in a super easy destination.

It’s slightly pricier because Majorca never really goes out of demand.

But you’re paying for ease – short flight, reliable weather and a destination that just works.

1. Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt

Sharm El Sheikh was one of the BIGGEST British holiday hotspots of the 2000s.

And now it’s making the biggest comeback of all destinations worldwide heading into 2026.

And this is where the value really hits home – 7 nights at the 4* Xperience Saint George Homestay, flying from London Luton (5–12 Aug 2026), from £650pp for a family of four. That’s around £93pp per night, and it’s all-inclusive, in great hotel, with guaranteed heat.

This hotel is built for proper relaxation with multiple pools, loads of food options and everything set up so you barely need to leave. Just turn up, pay for nothing, and leave rested, relaxed and tanned.

And the reason it’s such good value, even in the summer holidays, is simple.

Flights have only relatively recently come back at scale, so demand is still catching up. But the hotels are still world-class.

Which means right now, you’re getting proper 4* all-inclusive… for less than most self-catering holidays in Europe.

There’s a lot of chatter around reality TV right now and the hazards of leaning into mess for the sake of potential viewership. Before Utah-based reality star and social media influencer Taylor Frankie Paul was making national headlines over domestic violence allegations brought against her by former boyfriend Dakota Mortensen — putting “The Bachelorette” and “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” series under interrogation — The Times was working on a group of stories that captured the longevity and cultural impact of the unscripted format.

News and culture critic Lorraine Ali took a look at the reality TV-to-politics pipleline. Writer Pamela Chelin spoke with “Survivor” host Jeff Probst and others to discuss why CBS’ competition show continues to endure after more than 25 years. And I wrote an oral history on the first episode of “The Real Housewives of Orange County,” which premiered 20 years ago and, in that time, expanded and morphed into a franchise, spreading to 12 other U.S. locales, including the upcoming series set in Rhode Island.

Speaking of reality TV — Valerie Cherish and “The Comeback” have returned for another round of the showbiz satire. The HBO comedy, which blends scripted comedy with a mockumentary format, originally premiered a year before the “Real Housewives of Orange County” and lampooned the effects of the early-2000s reality TV boom. It followed Valerie (Lisa Kudrow), a former sitcom star from the ’90s, as she attempts to revive her career by starring in a new sitcom while allowing a reality TV crew to document her journey. When the short-lived series was revived in 2014, it poked fun at the rise of prestige TV and the evolution of celebrity culture in the social media era. Now, its third and final season finds our favorite leading lady navigating Hollywood’s AI revolution. Michael Patrick King, who developed the series with Kudrow, stopped by Guest Spot to discuss the show’s latest timely exploration.

Also in this week’s Screen Gab, we take a breather from current programming and dust off two bygone titles. One is an animated sitcom that revolves around a mild-mannered therapist and his sessions with a notable clientele of real-life comedians playing exaggerated versions of themselves; the other is a mid-aughts thriller (of the Lifetime TV variety) that follows a heroic doctor who moonlights as a dangerous predator — its Letterboxd rating spread is something to behold. And it’ll make you wonder what Valerie Cherish might have brought to camp like that.

Let it all be incentive to spend some extra time on the couch this weekend — it’ll cut down on trips to the gas pump! Until next week.

— Yvonne Villarreal

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Recommendations from the film and TV experts at The Times

Dr. Katz, played by creator Jonathan Katz, invites his ex-wife, Roz, played by actor/author Carrie Fisher, to indulge in a dysfunctional family Thanksgiving on “Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist.”

(Comedy Central)

“Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist” (YouTube)

Once in a while the algorithms that rule our lives do us an actual favor, and so it was that YouTube alerted me that the entirety of this great turn-of-the-century cartoon lives there, hosted unofficially on a variety of channels. (Just type in the title.) Created by star Jonathan Katz with Tom Snyder, the inventor of an animation workaround called Squigglevision — in which vibrating outlines give a crude effect of action — and co-produced by Loren Bouchard, who would go on to co-create “Bob’s Burgers,” this six-season, semi-improvised, Peabody Award-winning Comedy Central series is founded on the notion that a comedian’s patter can resemble the neurotic unloading one might encounter in a psychotherapist’s office. And so onto Katz’s couch comes a parade of future comedy elder statespersons, naively but recognizably rendered, including Ray Romano, Lisa Kudrow, Dave Chappelle, Garry Shandling, Marc Maron, Catherine O’Hara, Margaret Cho, Wanda Sykes, Patton Oswalt, Sandra Bernhard, Paul F. Tompkins, David Cross, Jim Gaffigan, Steven Wright and Conan O’Brien. Rodney Dangerfield, already an elder comedy statesperson, has some things to say about his wife. Framing the therapy sessions are the domestic misadventures of Katz and his adult child son, Ben (H. Jon Benjamin, the Mel Blanc of adult animation, if Mel Blanc only used his own voice). Can’t-be-bothered secretary Laura (Laura Silverman, recently seen as Jane the documentarian on the new season of “The Comeback”), fills out the regular cast. — Robert Lloyd

“Stalked by My Doctor” (Tubi)

Last weekend, the Museum of Home Video hosted an interactive game at Vidiots where the sold-out crowd watched the first five minutes of 10 films and then voted on which flick to finish. “Stalked by My Doctor” won in a landslide. This 2015 Lifetime TV movie is one of the most bizarrely watchable trash films of the 21st century. Eric Roberts stars as Dr. Beck, a lovelorn, egotistical California cardiologist who is convinced he’s a catch. This graying bachelor falls for his patient, a high schooler named Sophie (Brianna Joy Chomer) and, when rejected, threatens to clobber her disabled boyfriend (Carson Boatman) with the guy’s own crutch. Filmmaker Doug Campbell makes B-pictures like a plastic surgeon does liposuction: He hacks off all the fat. Subtle? Absolutely not. Yet, there’s not a single dull scene and the characters make smarter moves than you’d expect. By the end, I was hooting and clapping, and giddy to hear that this top-notch schlock launched a five-film franchise. Some night soon, you can bet I’ll put on “Stalked by My Doctor: Patient’s Revenge.” — Amy Nicholson

Guest spot

A weekly chat with actors, writers, directors and more about what they’re working on — and what they’re watching

Lisa Kudrow as Valerie Cherish in “The Comeback.”

(Erin Simkin / HBO)

Could ChatGPT deliver a script worthy of Valerie Cherish’s talents? More than 11 years after it was last revived, “The Comeback” returned this month with a third season that explores the fear of technology replacing artists, and the ethical compromises that arise, through its sharp and uncomfortable comedic touch. Valerie is offered the lead in a new sitcom, “How’s That?,” on a faltering streaming service called the New Net. But there’s a catch. It’s the first-ever TV series to be written by AI — a fact that network brass wants to keep secret to avoid industry backlash. Valerie is initially resistant to the idea, but a humiliating experience on an indie shoot has her reconsidering. Is she about to be part of the new future of TV? A new episode of “The Comeback” drops Sunday on HBO and HBO Max. Over email, King shared his worries over how AI may transform the entertainment business and the series he’d pick to join the comeback circuit. — Y.V.

This season has Valerie Cherish starring in the first sitcom written by artificial intelligence. The series has always hilariously explored industry shifts. What concerns or curiosities do you have regarding AI, and did those evolve as you worked on the season?

Concerns — yes, many. They range from young writers with nowhere to learn their craft to no writers, young or seasoned, anywhere but the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. And yes I’m curious — white-knuckle curious — to see how the threat of AI (Season 3) will change how we make TV compared to how way the threat of reality TV (Season 1) and the threat of prestige cable and streaming (Season 2) did. Spoiler alert …television and TV writers are still here. When is this being published?

Without spoiling anything, there’s a scene in this week’s second episode where Valerie takes a meeting with some Hollywood folks — and it’s an odd experience. Do those meetings feel any more confusing or bizarre to you, in terms of how network brass thinks about the landscape, than they did a decade or two ago?

That billion-participant Zoom scene in the episode is very reflective of the “pitch process” today — in fact more than reflective — it’s a documentary … minus the occasional “pop-up pet.” What’s missing from this current Zoom pitch process is the in-person connection, which also accounts, I think, for why you no longer hear the phrase: “I sold it in the room.” No room, more people — less sales?

What does your writing process with Lisa Kudrow look like? Place me in those weeks of writing the first episode of this season.

The first and every episode has the same process. We talk, we laugh, we eat, we improv, we take turns writing it down — you know, things human writers do.

In addition to this third go with “The Comeback,” you worked on multiple seasons of “… And Just Like That.” What have you found interesting about the process of revisiting characters at a different stage in your life? Has one felt easier to navigate than the other in the current entertainment landscape?

I’m fascinated by a character’s personal evolution — how they can grow over the years. Who they were, who they might be now, what they’ve let go of — how they’ve changed. I’m also fascinated by how some fans of these characters don’t want them to change. In the current TV landscape — the fans are very vocal.

What have you watched recently that you are recommending to everyone you know?

“The Pitt” [HBO Max]. In addition to the good characters, it’s the thrill of being introduced to new actors.

As a viewer, which show — excluding those in your catalog — do you think would be worthwhile to revisit in 2026?

“Freaks and Geeks” [Prime Video, Paramount+]. One season only. Sometimes … a special show that was canceled — deserves a comeback.

ICYMI

Must-read stories you might have missed

INDIANAPOLIS — Kawhi Leonard made a jumper with 0.4 seconds remaining, and the Clippers rallied from a 24-point deficit to beat the Indiana Pacers 114-113 on Friday night.

Leonard finished with 28 points, reaching 20 for the 50th straight game. Darius Garland led the Clippers with 30.

The Clippers were run off the floor early by the team with the NBA’s worst record. The Pacers were a sizzling eight for 11 from three-point range in the first quarter to open a 42-21 lead.

It grew to 45-21 early in the second before the Clippers stormed back for their fourth straight victory, giving coach Tyronn Lue the 400th of his career.

Indiana had gone back ahead 113-108 on Obi Toppin’s jumper with a minute to play. Leonard answered with a jumper, Garland made two free throws and the Clippers got the ball back after Pascal Siakam missed a jumper. They inbounded along the left side to Leonard, who dribbled into the middle and pulled up for the winner.

Leonard become the 14th NBA player to score at least 20 in 50 straight games, a streak that began Nov. 28.

Bennedict Mathurin scored 17 points against his former team, going 12 for 15 on free throws.

Aaron Nesmith scored 26 points and Toppin had 20 for the Pacers, who have dropped two in a row since the victory that snapped their 16-game winning streak. They lost forward Jarace Walker after he was evaluated for a concussion in the first half.

Up next for the Clippers: at Milwaukee on Sunday.

Like the mythical city of Brigadoon, Lisa Kudrow’s “The Comeback” has returned to television after many years away, with the difference that time has not stood still for its inhabitants, older in a changing world that values them less and which they navigate with less assurance.

Kudrow, who created and writes the series with Michael Patrick King, was in her youth a player in the twilight of network-dominated television, cast in a smart, influential show with wide, multigenerational appeal; in a quantitative sense, at least, everything would be downhill from there, as the medium transformed and transformed again. “The Comeback” premiered in 2005, just a year after the end of “Friends”; the first season addressed the rise of reality TV, and the next season, in 2014, riffed on dark, streaming “prestige” television.

The new (and final) season, which is both timely and speculative, addresses the impact of artificial intelligence on the medium and the industry, hinting at a dystopian future; this gives it a moral, even political component, not to say a sense of urgency. Not surprisingly, “The Comeback,” as a thing made by humans, comes down firmly on their side — it’s a manifesto at times — even as it acknowledges, uncomfortably, that computer-produced content might be “good enough.”

Once again, Kudrow plays Valerie Cherish, who, at 60 — the phrase “of a certain age” repeats throughout the series — still qualifies as a working actor. But she’s been pushed into the further reaches of the profession: Her two-season cozy mystery series, “Mrs. Hatt” (“part-time gardener, solves crime, husband is an ex-police chief”), is on no one’s radar but her own, having shown on Epix. A day’s work on a “no-budget” film is even less rewarding than she had imagined; she lasted all of two episodes on “The Traitors.” Paddling hard to stay current, to improve her brand, she bumbles through a podcast, “Cherish the Time,” without any idea what to do with that time; employs a social media person, Patience (Ella Stiller), with no discernible impact; and posts pictures of herself holding products in hopes of “future collabs.”

Still, she is not poor. Valerie and husband Mark (Damian Young), have moved from Brentwood to a condominium with a view in the (real life) Sierra Towers, overlooking the Sunset Strip, opening the latest “new chapter” in their lives, though just what that chapter for them is hard to say. Mark has lost his job in finance — “You told a joke at work at a time when jokes were illegal,” Valerie says, trying to cheer him, “no one cares now” — but left on a golden parachute; now he builds his day around pickleball. A potential role in a reality show, “Finance Dudes,” isn’t working out to anyone’s satisfaction. He’s on the verge of a three-quarter-life crisis.

When her self-promoting manager/publicist Billy (Dan Bucatinsky) comes to her waving an offer for a new series, for a new network, in which she’ll star, Valerie is more than intrigued, if taken aback when he tells her that it’s being written by AI. (He isn’t supposed to know.) Network head Brandon (Andrew Scott, as blandly discomfiting as his Moriarty on “Sherlock”) assures her that it is “within the Writers Guild agreement,” but that it is also a secret — which will account for a lot of comedy going forward, secrets and lies being the very stuff of the form. “AI is really extraordinary,” he tells Valerie. “After all, it picked you.”

It’s also created a wholly generic multicamera sitcom, “How’s That?,” in which Valerie’s character, Beth, as she describes it, “runs a cute, charming old New England B&B with the help of her hunk nephew, Bo — so Beth and Bo, B&B.” (“Viewers want a break from the complicated confusing storylines of all these dark streaming shows,” says a network exec.) Her eager supporting cast has no idea that the series is being written by anything other than its human faces, unhappily married couple Josh (John Early) and Mary (Abbi Jacobson). Josh, who thinks of himself as “the voice of women of a certain age,” is precious about the jokes he manages to get into the script; Mary couldn’t care less. Untalented writing assistant Marco (Tony Macht) only wants “to get, like, a really nice house.” The AI, meanwhile, is personified to the cast and crew, who know nothing about it, as someone named “Al,” who “works remotely.”

One by one, the old company is introduced into the new season, Valerie finds Jane (Laura Silverman), her former documentarian, working as a cashier at Trader Joe’s, having tired of scuffling as a filmmaker, “begging people to care about the things that I cared about.” When Valerie lets it slip that her new series is AI-generated — “but don’t tell anyone ‘cause that’s a secret” — Jane is inspired to pick up her camera again. Lance Barber will eventually rejoin as screenwriter Paulie G., Valerie’s old nemesis. Robert Michael Morris, who played Mickey, Valerie’s hairdresser and best friend, in earlier seasons, passed away in 2017; Jack O’Brien, as Tommy, occupies a version of that space here.

Valerie may be only moderately successful, but she isn’t a hack. She has an Emmy for “Seeing Red,” the drama at the center of Season 2. She pushes back against the costumer (Benito Skinner) who wants to put her in a caftan. She knows her craft and is nominally proud of belonging to a union. She’s not a diva, but she has her pride. And that she is loyal, even when it does her no good, makes her easy to like. Thrust half-wittingly onto this cutting edge — being the first in an AI comedy, Mark tells her, “is like saying, ‘I was the first one to eat an arm in the Donner Party’” — she is wholly sympathetic, and, eventually, as things bend toward horror in a last-act revelation, a hero.

Though the subject is serious, the approach this time is light and farcical. Partially abandoning the documentary aesthetic of its predecessors — the first season had the look of amateur video, and the second of guerrilla filmmaking — much of this season is shot as a conventional, non-meta television show, allowing us access to private conversations and meetings without having to account for Jane and her crew, or requiring the players to act as if they’re being watched. Paradoxically, without pretending to reality, it makes some things more real.

Playing himself, director James Burrows, whom Valerie convinces to helm her pilot, notes that the jokes AI writes might come fast but are never better than obvious. “Surprising only comes from a group of writers huddled in a corner beating themselves up to beat out a better show,” he says. And just as Valerie is not a character an algorithm could produce, Kudrow is not an actor a machine could ever imagine. She’s no Tilly Norwood, or Tilly Norwood at 60, or Tilly Norwood with quirks applied. There’s no one like her— other than her — for the learning machines to scrape.

You should never settle for “good enough” when better, or best, is available. But that choice is on you.

Former L.A. mayor and current candidate for governor Antonio Villaraigosa wants voters to know that he navigated billion-dollar budgets, cracked down on violent crime and championed the expansion of bus and rail lines.

The onetime state Assembly speaker argues he’s the only Democratic candidate with the experience to do the complicated job of running California.

But Villaraigosa left City Hall in 2013 — eons ago in the world of politics. President Obama was still in office, singer Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” was atop the charts and Apple Watches weren’t yet a thing.

Because of his distance from elected office, combined with a decent but overshadowed fundraising effort, Villaraigosa lacks a high-profile platform to attract attention in today’s fractured media universe, an essential ingredient he needs to remind voters about his experience and accomplishments as mayor and a state lawmaker.

Antonio Villaraigosa gets his photo taken with students from Hazeltine Avenue Elementary School while visiting Placita Olvera in 2013.

(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Recent polls show Villaraigosa, 73, wallowing at the bottom of the field, though none of the major Democratic candidates have an overwhelming edge.

Villaraigosa also ran for governor in 2018, coming in third in the primary election behind Democratic rival Gavin Newsom, who went on to win and is now serving his second term, and little-known Republican businessman John Cox.

Political strategist Mike Madrid, who worked for Villaraigosa on that campaign, said the former mayor’s absence from politics in recent years is a major liability in this race.

“He’s a dogged, determined candidate,” Madrid said. “But there are pretty stiff headwinds.”

Villaraigosa got a boost last week when the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California pledged $1 million to an outside committee supporting him.

His allies argue voters aren’t paying attention to the governor’s race because eyes are on President Trump, immigration raids and the Iran war.

But the new funding is a pittance compared to some of his rivals. Billionaire Tom Steyer is tapping tens of millions of his own money to pump out ads. Tech companies and billionaire Rick Caruso are supporting Matt Mahan, the mayor of San José, with millions.

Another contender, Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Dublin), has the power of incumbency. Swalwell launched his campaign on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and is a regular on cable news shows, while former Orange County Rep. Katie Porter, who is also running, recently served in Congress and campaigned for the U.S. Senate two years ago.

With the June primary looming, Villaraigosa’s campaign risks sputtering out.

Angeleno Celine Mares holds a copy of Newsweek featuring newly elected Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa as he is sworn into office on the steps of City Hall July 1, 2005.

(David McNew / Getty Images)

Leaving a Compton church earlier this month, he reacted to Mahan’s support from technology companies, and the billionaire money in the race.

“When you have overwhelming sums of money influencing elections, there’s a great deal of concern for those of us who care about our democracy,” said Villaraigosa. “As much as they say it’s about free speech, it actually drowns out speech.”

(During his 2018 bid for governor, though, Villaraigosa was a major beneficiary of Californians using their wealth to wield political influence. Charter school backers, including Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings and philanthropist Eli Broad, spent around $23 million on efforts to boost his campaign. )

Earlier in the morning, he rallied runners at a 10K road race in L.A.’s Chinatown, lighting firecrackers, posing for photos and looking as energetic as when he was mayor and would dart into the street to personally fill potholes.

Villaraigosa flitted around the racers’ VIP tent, spotted a bowl of fortune cookies and made a beeline. “You have an active mind and a keen imagination,” he read aloud.

“Antonio V.!” a middle-aged man called out as the former mayor passed.

Minutes later, Villaraigosa swapped his black and white Veja sneakers and jeans for dress shoes and a suit for the church service in Compton, at which an overwhelmingly Black audience gave him a warm reception.

Building a coalition of Black and Latino voters helped him win the 2005 L.A. mayor’s race in a dramatic upset of then-Mayor Jim Hahn, and brought wide attention to the one-time high school dropout, who was raised by a single mother on Los Angeles’ eastside.

Newsweek magazine featured Villaraigosa on its cover with the headline, “Latino Power: L.A.’s New Mayor and How Hispanics will change American Politics.”

But national acclaim can be fleeting. Today, voters aren’t as interested in identity-based politics, said Fernando Guerra, a professor of political science at Loyola Marymount University who has known Villaraigosa for decades.

Guerra said Villaraigosa is struggling to differentiate himself in the race because his pitch to voters is not unlike the moderate path taken by Mahan. Another contender, former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, overlaps with Villaraigosa when it comes to biographical details: Both are from the L.A. area, Latino and relatively close in age.

“What’s made it so difficult is that [Villaraigosa said], ‘Here’s my path,’” said Guerra. “Well, guess what, there are one to two more candidates who are also on that path.”

Strategist Madrid questioned whether voters even want to hear about a candidate’s experience at a time when anti-Trump messages rally Californians. “They want a fighter,” he said.

Since leaving the mayor’s office, Villaraigosa has enjoyed success in the lucrative private sector. He purchased a $3.3 million home in the L.A. neighborhood of Beverly Hills Post Office in 2020. . A recent campaign filing shows he’s spent the last few years advising companies including the health company AltaMed, financial lender Change Company and crypto currency exchange Coinbase Global.

Then mayor Antonio Villaraigosa holds a news conference at the Department of Water and Power on Hope Street July 22, 2005, urging all of Los Angeles to conserve energy in an effort to ensure Southern California avoids blackouts.

(Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times)

He also worked for a few years for consulting firm Actum and briefly advised the Newsom administration on infrastructure projects.

“It’s not that I didn’t like the public sector,” said Villaraigosa, explaining his decision to run again. As he talked about his desire to serve, he cast a gauzy image of the aughts in Los Angeles, taking credit for the downtown resurgence, skyline full of construction cranes and fewer homeless people on the streets during that period.

“Most people look back on those years and say they were some of the best years we’ve had in the last 25 — at least,” said Villaraigosa.

Stuart Waldman, president of the business group Valley Industry and Commerce Assn., argues Villaraigosa’s experience in the private sector and distance from elected office is a good thing.

“Look at what the economy was like, look at what the city was like” under Villaraigosa, said Waldman. “That’s what he’s going to be judged on.”

Villaraigosa started his career working for labor and civil rights groups before entering politics. Elected to the state Assembly in 1994, he pushed legislation that banned assault weapons and created healthcare coverage for children. His outgoing personality established him as a coveted fundraiser for Democrats in Sacramento and paved the way for him to be chosen as Assembly speaker.

As L.A. mayor, he brought down gang crime through a program that used former gang members to broker truces. Voters backed his ballot measure to expand L.A.’s transit system through new sales tax money in the middle of the Great Recession. He drove down pension costs after a bruising battle with city unions. At the same time, he established himself as a national leader on climate issues and education.

His reputation took a hit after an affair with a television reporter led to the breakup of his marriage.

The media scene that covered Villaraigosa back then is vastly diminished, with young people now getting news from TikTok videos, message boards or Instagram posts.

Weighing in on recent TV news layoffs in Los Angeles, Villaraigosa called himself “lucky” that there were plenty of newspaper and television reporters covering him as mayor, recalling that he’d get a dozen cameras to his press conferences.

Asked to compare his 2018 campaign for governor with this one, he said, “I didn’t have to reintroduce myself last time in quite the way I’ve had to this time.”

Villaraigosa spent a significant time in Mexico in recent years to see his now ex-wife Patricia Govea, a clothing designer. “She was in Mexico 80% of the time, the last six years. So I` went to Mexico a lot.” The pair’s divorce was finalized last year.

During a debate in front of Jewish voters on L.A.’s westside last month, Villaraigosa appeared to seize on the fact that he was the sole Angeleno on the stage, introducing himself by saying, “It’s good to be home.”

He told the crowd about his work as president of the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California and criticized UCLA — his alma matter — for its handling of incidents targeting Jewish students on its campus.

It remains to be seen if he’ll have a hometown advantage. In the 2018 race for governor, Newsom won more votes than Villaraigosa in Los Angeles County. While Villaraigosa did well in Latino communities in central L.A. and on the Eastside, Newsom captured more votes in wealthier, whiter areas.

But at the Compton church, a security guard approached Villaraigosa and told him she’d worked on his 2005 campaign, while others promised to vote for him.

“I know he has a track record,” said Valerie Bland, a 63-year-old former port worker from Long Beach, as she watched Villaraigosa work the pews. “I haven’t even looked at anyone else.”

Former Assembly speaker Fabian Núñez, a longtime friend of Villaraigosa and managing partner at Actum, hopes voters dig into Villaraigosa’s record.

“We have short-term memories in this country,” said Núñez.

Police vowed Friday to detain any suspects behind possible terror threats targeting K-pop juggernaut BTS‘ comeback concert set to draw hundreds of thousands to downtown Seoul next week.

The group is scheduled to perform before some 22,000 fans in Gwanghwamun Square on March 21, with police estimating as many as 260,000 people to gather around the area that day.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said it would deploy police commandos to inspect the site, noting it could not rule out the possibility of terror in connection with the current conflict in the Middle East.

“If police resources are wasted or the event is disrupted due to public threats, such as bomb threats, (we) will pursue and apprehend (the suspects) to the end under the principle of investigation under detention,” it said.

Police plan to set up metal detectors at the venue’s entrances as well as barricades to prevent possible accidents or acts of terror, such as a vehicle-ramming attack.

They also asked concertgoers to minimize personal items as security checks will be strengthened.

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