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SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gray Davis sat in his campaign office in West Los Angeles, reading scribbled updates from aides and phoning supporters.

A few hours earlier, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the San Francisco Democrat, had ruled out a run in the recall election, inspiring enormous relief in the Davis camp. Then, as rumors circulated that a pair of Democrats were poised to put their names on the Oct. 7 special election ballot, a political bombshell struck: Arnold Schwarzenegger was launching a Republican candidacy.

“He was surprised, but he’s a seasoned enough professional that he just doesn’t ride the roller coaster on these things,” said Davis campaign manager Larry Grisolano, one of those with the governor at the Pico Boulevard office on Wednesday evening.

“In politics, you learn to expect unusual things to come your way, and he rolls with them.”

After a dizzying week, the 60-year-old Davis confronts an uphill struggle that seems to rival, if not surpass, his improbable 1998 feat when he came from last place to win the Democratic nomination for governor and then the election.

By all accounts in the Davis camp, the governor has taken the surprising news of Schwarzenegger’s entry into the race, and the less surprising Democratic candidacies of Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante and Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi, in typical Davis style: calm, dispassionate, disciplined and focused on what he needs to do to defeat the recall effort.

A few weeks ago, as the recall campaign gained momentum and talks over a state budget remained deadlocked, “he was a little down,” said David Doak, a longtime Davis campaign advisor. “He’s pretty steady, but you could tell.”

Now, though, “I think his mood is better since he has sort of confronted this thing and said, ‘Let’s go get ‘em,’ ” Doak added. “This guy is not a quitter. He may not always look it or act like he’s tough, but internally he’s tough.”

In a conversation with at least one aide, Davis told a joke that drew comparisons of his seemingly hopeless political plight with that of Democratic President Harry Truman, whose defeat was widely — and erroneously — predicted heading into the 1948 election against Republican Thomas Dewey.

In the two days since the Schwarzenegger news broke, Davis has held political discussions by telephone with former President Clinton. Recently, the two have been talking three or four times a week, aides said. They met for about 40 minutes in Chicago on Monday, where Davis sought and received commitments of financial and logistical support from the AFL-CIO.

Schwarzenegger’s bombshell and Bustamante’s decision to get in the race whipped the news media into a frenzy on Wednesday. But the response was more measured inside the suites of the Davis headquarters, aides said.

In white shirt and tie, Davis spent several hours cloistered in his office there, calling state senators, advisors and supporters and meeting with Grisolano and others. Davis tried but failed to reach Senate President Pro Tem John L. Burton (D-San Francisco), a frequent Davis critic.

Art Pulaski, leader of the California Labor Federation, talked briefly with Davis and found him as calm “as he always is.”

“He was like, OK, new reality,” said Steve Smith, who is directing the Davis campaign.

While Davis was phoning around the state, Smith and other campaign officials were calling and fielding calls from supporters in the labor movement, environmental groups, women’s organizations and other groups.

Occasionally, Smith and others would slip Davis notes, letting him know the latest news and rumors they were hearing about other Democrats getting in the race, he said.

“At one point we were all using our cell phones because the incoming calls were just burying our phone system,” Smith said.

Davis left sometime after 9 p.m. His campaign staff worked the phones, plotted strategy and prepared talking points for Thursday media appearances by supporters until around midnight, said Peter Ragone, communications director for the Davis campaign.

Before leaving the office, Ragone — who handled press relations during Andrew Cuomo’s failed gubernatorial campaign in New York and Al Gore’s Florida recount effort — called his wife in San Francisco and summed up the day.

“I’ve had a lot of extraordinary days in politics. This one might have been the most extraordinary of all,” he recalled saying.

While the media frenzy continued in Los Angeles, Davis aides met in the early evening with about 50 administration officials, including resources secretary Mary Nichols and appointments secretary Michael Yamaki, at the California Nurses Assn. offices in Sacramento to bolster morale and answer questions.

“It was pretty sober, but with bursts of feistiness,” said Davis spokesman Steven Maviglio, who attended the meeting. “People were still in shock over Arnold’s announcement. There were shouts and yells like, ‘We’re going to fight this.’ People who worked for this guy for five years are beside themselves that all their hard work could be reversed because the governor made some difficult decisions that made him unpopular.”

While throngs of television cameras and screaming fans converged on Schwarzenegger’s Thursday appearance at the Norwalk offices of the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder, where he took out papers for his candidacy, Davis attended the memorial service for slain Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Stephen Sorensen in Lancaster, answered questions from reporters and addressed the California School Employees Assn.’s annual conference in Anaheim.

Back at headquarters, Doak set the day’s tone during the senior campaign staff’s morning strategy call: “We’re going to beat this thing,” he growled.

Much of Thursday’s campaign analysis focused on how the changed set of candidates would affect voter turnout, a crucial element for Davis, who must push the “yes” vote for a recall below 50% to keep his office, campaign advisors said.

As Schwarzenegger kept up his media blitz on morning TV talk shows Friday, Davis spent much of the day on the phone, seeking campaign donations and discussing health and environmental issues with his Sacramento advisors.

On Friday night, Davis talked about his mood in a taped interview on HBO’s “Real Time With Bill Maher.”

“It’s not a lot of fun,” he said of the effort to recall him from office. “But I try not to let negative emotions consume me, because I am privileged to be the governor.”

For all the talk of Davis’ impending political demise, there was no sense of panic in the governor’s inner circle.

“People’s moods run the gamut,” Doak said.

“I think people who are maybe closer to the stuff every day, it goes up and down. I’ve always been confident we’re going to win. You get a lot of these campaigns where you don’t see any way where you can get where you want to go. This one, you look at it and there’s some things out there you can say that move people.”

No one was suggesting that Davis would easily escape his predicament, but the campaign’s message in public and private was that, even with other Democrats on the ballot, Davis could achieve the 50% “no” vote he needs to defeat the recall.

To Davis strategists, Schwarzenegger is a less potent threat than Feinstein or former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan, who took his name out of contention Thursday.

They also propose that the more crowded the candidate field gets, the better Davis looks as a rational choice.

“Gray’s been written off and underestimated his entire political career,” said Garry South, the governor’s longtime campaign strategist.

“He has persevered through lots of adversity. I think he has a very good chance of beating this recall, which happens to fly in the face of conventional wisdom. He is a very tough competitor and he doesn’t give up.”

April 3 (UPI) — More than three million bottles of eye drops sold at stores across the United States have been recalled by their manufacturer because they may not be sterile.

K.C. Pharmaceuticals earlier this month issued a nationwide U.S. recall of roughly 3.1 million bottles of eight different eye drop products because of a “lack of assurance of sterility,” an FDA notice about the recall said.

The drops have been sold at some of the nation’s largest drug and grocery retailers, including CVS, H-E-B, Publix, Walgreens, Rite Aid, Kroger, Good Neighbor and several pharmaceutical supply companies.

K.C. Pharmaceuticals bills itself as the largest private label eye care supplier in North America, servicing 26 of the top 30 U.S. retailers and more than 90,000 stores across the country.

The voluntary recall, issued on March 3, has been categorized as a Class II recall, which the Federal Drug Administration told USA Today indicates that “the probability of a serious health issue is remote.”

People who have the drops also can continue to use them unless otherwise directed by K.C. Pharmaceuticals or the FDA, the agency said.

NBC News also reported that the FDA has not received reports of injuries linked to the recalled drops.

The eight types of drops included in the recall are Sterile EYE DROPS AC, EYE DROPS Advanced Relief, Dry Eye Relief Eye Drops, Ultra Lubricating Eye Drops, Sterile Eye Drops ORIGINAL FORMULA, Sterile EYE DROPS REDNESS LUBRICANT, STERILE EYE DROPS SOOTHING TEARS, and Artificial Tears Sterile Lubricant Eye Drops.

A complete list of the products, lot numbers and expiration dates, and what company or retailer sold the recalled drops can be found at the FDA’s website.

Egyptian official says Liverpool star will fade away if he opts for the MLS as San Diego FC owner welcomes compatriot.

Egypt’s ‌national team director Ibrahim Hassan has cautioned Mohamed Salah against moving ⁠to Major League ⁠Soccer (MLS) after he leaves Liverpool at the end of the season, as it would see the forward fade into obscurity.

Salah, 33, ⁠has yet to decide his next move after he ends a hugely successful nine-year spell at Liverpool, where he won two Premier League titles ⁠and the Champions League.

MLS Commissioner Don Garber has said he would love to see Salah in the league, though it is unclear whether any league teams will attempt to sign him.

“Personally, I would prefer him to stay in Europe,” ‌Hassan told On Sports. “I have heard about offers from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), Bayern Munich and clubs in the Italian league.

“A move to the Major League? He would be far too out of the spotlight. You won’t remember Salah any more than I remember [Lionel] Messi now, I don’t even try to watch him.”

After trophy-laden stints with Barcelona and PSG, ⁠Argentina captain Messi joined Inter Miami in 2023, months ⁠after lifting the World Cup, and became the club’s all-time top scorer.

Hassan said the Saudi Pro League would be a suitable option if Salah chose not to stay in Europe.

“If ⁠he does not receive offers from Europe, then a move to the Saudi league would be a good ⁠option, especially with big names such as Cristiano [Ronaldo],” ⁠Hassan, twin brother of Egypt coach Hossam Hassan, added.

However, San Diego FC’s billionaire owner Mohamed Mansour believes his Egyptian compatriot would be an “asset” as speculation builds over the Liverpool forward’s next club.

If he does move to the United States, recent MLS expansion club San Diego FC, who reached the playoff semifinals in their debut season last year, have been heavily linked with Salah, not least due to their British-Egyptian owner, Mansour.

“He’s probably one of the great players today. And any team that will get him, or any country that will get him, he will definitely be an asset,” Mansour told the AFP news agency at a summit in Atlanta on Thursday.

Mansour declined to answer whether he is actively trying to recruit Salah or has previously sounded out a move for the striker.

But he added: “Of course, Mo Salah is somebody that, as an Egyptian, my origin, I’m very proud of. He is somebody that reached the world stage as one of the great players.”

“And I think he will, if he does decide … wherever he will go, he will add a lot to that league and to that country and to that team for sure. So he’s somebody I’m very proud of.”

Mansour said the entire Egypt comes to a halt whenever Salah plays and named the forward as his favourite footballer of all time.

While effusive in his praise for Salah, Mansour insisted that footballing recruitment decisions are left to San Diego FC’s sports director and coach.

“I let the people in charge” decide, he said.

Salah is currently sidelined by injury and will miss Egypt’s ongoing training camp as they prepare for the World Cup in North America.

Egypt ‌face Spain in a friendly in Barcelona on Tuesday after a 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia in Jeddah on Friday.

The seven-time African champions are in ‌Group ‌G with Belgium, New Zealand and Iran at the World Cup, which runs from June 11 to July 19.

In the New Year episode, Max Branning was revealed to be marrying a mystery woman in 2027, and EastEnders fans think the soap has subtly ‘confirmed’ who that bride will be – along with her unorthodox reason for marriage

EastEnders aired the start of a love story in their most recent episode, and fans think this confirms one woman as his bride for 2027, but she won’t be marrying him for love. Instead, she’s out for revenge.

Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins) has been one of the potential brides since Max Branning‘s (Jake Wood) fifth marriage was first teased. The two had already hooked up whilst unaware of each other’s identities, leading to an explosive punch up at their shared grandson Jimmy’s christening as Cindy realised she’d slept with her son’s killer. But after scenes airing on 19 March, fans are sure this enemies to lovers arc will end with a trip down the aisle.

READ MORE: Deafblind boy, 5, makes EastEnders debut as mum hopes he’ll ‘break down barriers’READ MORE: EastEnders spoiler ‘lets slip’ Jasmine’s fate amid ‘second murder twist’

During Thursday’s episode, Cindy and Max were having a chat in the Prince Albert as she closed up shop. The two quickly started eyeing each other up and Max leaned in for a kiss. When Cindy initially rejected him – on the grounds that he had killed her beloved Steven (Aaron Sidwell) – he apologised for Steven’s death. This was enough for Cindy to give in and start kissing Max, as a jealous Linda Carter (Kellie Bright), who was also a teased bride, looked on.

Fans are now more certain than ever that this means Cindy will marry Max, but they’re not convinced that she loves him. Rather, could Cindy be marrying Max as part of a revenge plan?

“If Cindy marries Max, it’s 100% for revenge,” said one fan. “She HATED Max for what happened to Steven and she’s way too smart to fall for Max’s greasy little lines.”

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They added that the bride mystery might not be the only part of the New Year flashforward that Cindy is part of. The fan predicted that Cindy would be the gunman who will hold Lauren and Oscar Branning (Jacqueline Jossa and Pierre Counihan-Moullier) hostage, forcing their father to pick one to save.

“I reckon, Max is marrying Cindy in 2027, but Linda is getting ready to crash the wedding because she knows Cindy is planning something horrible for Max,” the fan said. “What is that horrible thing? She’s the gunman. An eye for an eye, a child for a child you know?”

Another fan agreed that scenes from tonight’s episode pointed more towards a vengeful Cindy than a loved-up one. “OMG yeah you could be right! That look she gave him when he said he was sorry for Steven’s death wasn’t giving attraction for me, it was giving revenge!”

A third said they hoped this was the case: “Cindy has hated Max with a passion for years and I know they say there’s a thin line between love and hate, but her just falling for his chat yet again just doesn’t add up. I actually hope she’s playing him for some sort of revenge for Steven further down the line.”

Cindy’s hatred of Max dates back to 2017. Then, he manipulated her son into a sweeping revenge plot against the Square, particularly Jane Beale (Laurie Brett), who had let Max go to prison for the murder of Lucy Beale (Hetti Bywater) even though she knew it was really her young son Bobby (Eliot Carrington).

After setting fire to a restaurant, Steven tried to save Jane, but Max, desperate to stop him, pushed Steven into a countertop. This caused fatal internal injuries, eventually leading to a cardiac arrest and his death.

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