SpaceX to join Nasdaq-100, effective July 7, 2026
Source link
June 26 (UPI) — The Transportation Security Administration on Friday said that it expects to screen roughly 18.7 million travelers at U.S. airports during the July Fourth holiday week that runs from June 30 to July 6.
The agency said it has prepared itself for the traditionally busy week of travel to be even busier, as this July 4 is America’s 250th birthday amid the FIFA World Cup, which has games in 11 U.S. cities next week.
AAA has projected that this year’s week of holiday travel is set to break records, with roughly 72.2 million Americans expected to travel at least 50 miles from their homes — an increase from the 71.8 million that traveled in 2025.
“TSA security checkpoints are fully staffed and prepared to welcome these travelers and handle the large passenger volumes expected during the Fourth of July holiday period,” Ha Nguyen McNeill, a senior TSA official who is performing the duties of the administrator, said in a press release.
“We’ve implemented significant technology enhancements at key airports for the historic FIFA World Cup 2026, as well as for America 250 celebrations across the country,” McNeill said. “TSA is working closely with federal, state and local partners to safeguard the traveling public and manage security for large-scale public events.”
TSA said it expects that Thursday, July 2, will be the busiest travel day next week, with more than 3 million people moving through U.S. airports.
The Top 10 domestic destinations for Americans during the holiday week for July 4 include Seattle, Orlando, Anchorage and Fairbanks in Alaska, New York City, Chicago, Fort Lauderdale, Denver and Boston,
TSA also has prepared for teams, team staffs and fans to travel to the 11 World Cup host cities in the United States.
The 11 cities have some cross-over with the locations most Americans are expected to travel, which include Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, the San Francisco Bay Area and Seattle.
Shohei Ohtani was the first Dodger to be named a 2026 All-Star, after leading the majors in Phase 1 voting for the All-Star game on July 14 in Philadelphia. Six other Dodgers were finalists through the fan ballot, giving them a chance to claim starting spots in Phase 2 of voting.
Ohtani locked down the starting DH spot for the National League squad, with 3,341,257 votes. The top vote-getters in each league bypass Phase 2. Second baseman Ernie Clement of the Toronto Blue Jays was the top vote-getter in the Amlerican League, with 3,232,932 votes.
Ohtani was the expected choice, despite a slow offensive start. His red-hot June boosted him up the leaderboards. He entered Thursday with the second-highest OPS in the National League (.963), barely trailing Mets outfielder Juan Soto (.965).
Pitchers aren’t chosen through the fan vote — hurlers and reserves have to wait for the player ballot (which includes votes from players, coaches and managers) and commissioners picks. But Ohtani has been just as impressive on the mound this year.
He has a 1.58 ERA, the fourth-best mark among NL pitchers who have thrown at least 50 innings this season.
Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (2,666,008 votes), third baseman Max Muncy (2,890,181) and outfielder Andy Pages (2,158,664) also led their respective NL position groups in voting. Other Dodgers finalists, who advance to voting Phase 2, include catcher Will Smith (1,871,805), shortstop Mookie Betts (1,762,343 ) and outfielder Teoscar Hernandez (1,569,932).
The vote totals reset for Phase 2, which runs from next Monday through Thursday. The remainder of the All-Star starters are set to be announced on July 4 on Fox Sports.
Time to break out the “Paper Rings”: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s trip down the aisle is just around the corner.
Since Swift and Kelce’s engagement in August 2025, fans have been wondering when, where and how they’ll tie the knot — and looking for clues anywhere they can.
All of the signs indicate that wedding bells should be ringing any day now. Here’s everything we know so far.
Leave it to Taylor “Eras Tour” Swift to hold her wedding at the most iconic arena in the U.S. In early June, TMZ reported that the Swift-Kelce wedding would take place at New York City’s Madison Square Garden, with over 1,000 attendees.
Fans immediately jumped on board with the theory, since Taylor has played the venue eight times and famously loves the Big Apple. There’s also notably a “Blank Space” on the MSG calendar between June 28 and July 7. According to TMZ, Swift even secretly had a “massive stage” built offsite to use at the venue, which can hold up to 22,000 people.
The tabloid also broke the news that MSG was not the couple’s first choice wedding venue. Allegedly, they were hoping to tie the knot in Rhode Island, where Swift has an oceanside property, on June 13, but that plan fell through after it was leaked to the press.
Importantly, sources also said that while the celebratory reception is set for MSG, the ceremony will take place beforehand “somewhere more intimate.” Could Rhode Island still be on the table?
Though Swift and Kelce have kept their official wedding date under wraps, signs point to the upcoming Fourth of July weekend. Back in April, Page Six reported that the date was set for July 3, and last Monday, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani helped legitimize the rumor at a press conference, addressing the city’s preparedness for a holiday weekend with a World Cup matchup at MetLife Stadium along with other high-profile events.
“We are the biggest city in the country,” he said. “We are used to big events, and we are incredibly excited for this one. We know it coincides with July 4, America 250, Taylor Swift’s wedding all happening at the same time.”
However, given TMZ’s report that the nuptials will take place before the massive reception, some outlets are speculating that vows may have already been exchanged.
Sightings of Swift and Kelce gathering separately in single-sex groups have prompted major speculation about the stars’ respective bachelor and bachelorette parties.
On Wednesday night, photographers captured Kelce meeting up with pals, including his brother and podcast co-host Jason Kelce, former Kansas City Chiefs teammate Ross Travis and comedian Druski at the members-only Bird Streets Club in West Hollywood.
Across the country, paparazzi captured images of an all-female group — that appears to include Swift and her childhood friend Abigail Anderson Berard — gathering at Swift’s Rhode Island estate. Armed security guards were also spotted on the property.
Unsurprisingly, Swift and Kelce have been tight-lipped about wedding details, but keeping an event this huge under wraps is an uphill battle. Page Six linked the duo to discreet wedding planner Mark Seed, and multiple outlets report that the couple required guests to sign a strict nondisclosure agreement before receiving any revealing information.
Even with the secrecy, rumors of drama have emerged. Swift’s ex-BFF Blake Lively (and her husband Ryan Reynolds) were reportedly not invited to the celebration, and Star reported that a number of guests complained about being invited without a plus one. These kinds of issues might sound familiar to anyone who’s ever planned a wedding — and most people don’t have to add security concerns into the equation.
ATLANTA — Legislation to keep Georgia’s embattled vote-counting method in place for this year’s midterm elections faced strong opposition from state Democrats on Monday after Republicans in the Georgia Senate approved an amendment that would require a hand recount of ballots.
Georgia’s governor, Republican Brian Kemp, had called lawmakers into a special session in part to address a July 1 deadline that was set to ban the QR codes used for the official vote count. Legislators passed a law two years ago that set that deadline, but then failed to find a replacement for tabulating votes.
Some voting rights activists had warned that any changes so close to the midterm elections could create confusion at polling sites. Georgia is a political swing state where voters will decide high-profile races for U.S. Senate and governor in the fall.
State lawmakers last week appeared to have reached a deal on a bill to push the July 1 deadline back to 2028. But Republicans in the Senate approved an amendment over the weekend that would require a full hand recount of the two races at the top of ballot. In November, that would be the governor’s contest and a U.S. Senate election.
The amended bill passed the Senate on a party line vote, but the House did not immediately schedule it for a vote on Monday.
Georgia Democrats say a hand recount in November would create chaos that could sow doubt about the results. Research has shown that hand-counting is more prone to error, costlier and likely to delay results. It has gained traction, however, with Republican lawmakers in some states amid President Trump’s repeated false claims about a stolen 2020 election.
“What we are experiencing is a Republican Senate who’s acting extraordinarily irresponsibly with Georgia’s elections and people’s votes,” state Rep. Saira Draper, a Democrat, said Monday.
Republican state Sen. Max Burns defended the Senate bill, saying hand counts and machine counts can “coexist and confirm each other’s ultimate results.”
“This amendment to a good bill is to strengthen it so that the voters have confidence in election security,” he said.
Georgia’s current election system uses a QR code printed on ballots to tally the votes. It has drawn the ire of Trump, who claimed without evidence that voting machines in Georgia deleted or switched votes in the 2020 election. He narrowly lost the state to Democrat Joe Biden that year.
Georgia voting machines have been the subject of conspiracy theories, which manufacturer Dominion Voting Systems fought vigorously in court. But election integrity advocates also have raised concerns about the machines, arguing that they are vulnerable to hacking and that voters cannot be sure their selections are accurately reflected because people can’t read QR codes.
The Georgia Senate bill would extend the July 1 deadline to Jan. 1, 2028. It also would create a committee to recommend requirements for a new voting system. The committee would have until Jan. 31, 2027, to report its findings. State lawmakers would be responsible for funding, buying and implementing the new system for the 2028 election cycle.
The special session also was supposed to redraw Georgia’s congressional and legislative districts for the 2028 election, but state lawmakers postponed those plans.
Thanawala writes for the Associated Press.
A beautiful beach on Comino island, Malta(Image: Getty)
Millions of people across the UK have already booked their summer holidays, but there are still plenty of options for those yet to make plans. While travel can be costly, a trip abroad can cost less than £80 for the flights.
According to Skyscanner, UK travellers could find return flights for under £80 next month. Skyscanner is a travel comparison website that lets users search and compare flights from hundreds of airlines and travel providers. It also offers tools such as price alerts, flexible date searches, and its “Everywhere” feature, which helps travellers find the cheapest destinations.
The company says Dublin, Milan and Prague are among the cheapest places to visit in June. And for those holding out for a summer getaway in July and wanting a little extra time to save, these are the 10 destinations worth considering for a last-minute holiday.
The comparison experts say the prices are based on the median cost of economy return flights booked through Skyscanner for travel in 2025 on the selected route and month, including taxes and fees.
Brits heading abroad this summer are being advised to make one quick check before they travel, as the peak holiday season gets underway. Experts at Compare the Market recommend taking out travel insurance and cover for electronic devices. However, travellers are warned not to assume every policy offers the same level of protection.
Experts say many people assume their travel insurance automatically covers phones, tablets and other gadgets. But policies vary, so it’s worth checking the small print before you travel to avoid unexpected costs.
It notes: “Not all travel insurance policies include gadget cover. And travel insurance payouts for valuables are often low – as little as £200 for one item or £500 in total.”
June 18 (UPI) — Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are planning to visit Britain in July with their children for the start of the one-year countdown to the Invictus Games, sources say.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are planning to bring their children, Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5, according to reporting by the BBC, ITV and The Telegraph.
Harry hasn’t been assured that there will be a security detail in place, and it isn’t clear if King Charles III will be able to meet the children, The Telegraph said.
The prince has said that he wants to bring Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet back to England to meet his friends and family and teach them more about British culture. The children haven’t seen their grandfather in person since they were last in England in 2022 for the late Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee.
A Los Angeles business associate told The Telegraph that there was a “warming of the frost” between Harry and Charles in recent months. Harry had fallen out with his family after his memoir, Spare, made several accusations against them.
The unnamed source said, “Harry says he’s coming back before the end of the year with the children with the express intent to reunite with his dad.
“The way in which he said it seems to make it clear that he believes that this is happening and will pave the way for a longer-term peaceful relationship between them.
“He has wanted to have his kids meet their grandfather, especially after their summit in London last year.
“While there have been deep-seated trust issues around Harry, there is a sense now that all parties want peace.”
The source said that there was still distrust of Harry among the king’s friends but that Charles wants to find a way to reconcile.
Harry lost an appeal last year challenging the dismissal of his claim against the Home Office over the decision that he should have a different degree of taxpayer-funded protection when in the country.
Harry and Meghan moved to Canada then California after they decided they no longer wanted to serve as senior royals.
June 17 (UPI) — Officials at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport announced Tuesday that the airport is scheduled to be closed for much of July 4 amid a predicted record-breaking week of travel for the holiday.
There are no scheduled flights to or from the airport after noon on July 4, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority announced in a release. The day before will also have no flights for several hours in the early afternoon.
The MWAA said the schedule disruption is to accommodate Independence Day celebrations coinciding with the country’s 250th birthday.
“Many events will include downtown flyovers or other aerial displays such as fireworks or parachute jumps, which will affect flights periodically at Reagan National,” the agency said.
Airport officials expected flight operations to return to normal July 5.
AAA projected Tuesday that a record-breaking 72.2 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles away from home to mark Independence Day between June 27 and July 5. That’s up from 71.8 million in 2025.
Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel, said traveling for the July 4th holiday “is tradition.”
“The 9-day travel forecast includes travelers who are vacationing all week and people just getting away for the long holiday weekend,” Barber said. “While the overall number of Independence Day travelers appears to be plateauing, we’re still expecting record volumes this year.”
Among those traveling for the holiday, AAA projected the vast majority — 61.4 million — will do so by car, 5.85 million by air and 4.93 million by other modes of transportation such as bus, train or cruise.
The Top 10 domestic destinations for the holiday week are Seattle; Orlando, Fla.; Anchorage, Alaska; Miami; New York City; Chicago; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Fairbanks, Alaska; Denver; and Boston. The Top 10 international destinations are Vancouver, Canada; Rome; Dublin; Paris; London; Calgary, Canada; Reykjavik, Iceland; Amsterdam; Athens; and Barcelona, Spain.
Corey Feldman was rushed to an L.A. hospital after his plane arrived at Los Angeles International Airport on Monday.
The “Stand by Me” star, 54, started feeling unwell on his flight from Chicago to Los Angeles and was met by medical professionals at his gate. A doctor happened to be on board and checked on the former child star while in the air, but it was unclear what the issue was.
Doctors at a Los Angeles hospital were able to rule out gallstones, and on Tuesday, a representative for the “Goonies” star told The Times that they cracked the case, and Feldman is on the mend.
“Corey is doing much better and is now out of the hospital,” a rep for the actor and singer said. “They determined it was a really bad case of food poisoning (which no one ever wants to have on a plane!). Corey wants to thank everyone for all of the love and well wishes. He has definitely seen a lot of the messages and really appreciates everything.”
As for what soured Feldman’s stomach, his rep said, “Corey is vegetarian so I can definitely confirm it was not shrimp!”
Feldman was in Chicago to participate in a 40th anniversary celebration of the 1986 classic “Stand by Me,” one of the earlier films that put Feldman on the map as a young actor. He appeared at anniversary events alongside co-stars Jerry O’Connell and Wil Wheaton.
Feldman is dropping the single “What Am I Here 4” on Monday and is slated to perform two birthday shows, on July 25 at the Arrow Room in Rancho Cucamonga and on July 26 at the Garden Amp in Garden Grove.
The airline is cutting flights from its schedule (Image: MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
A UK airline is set to cut flights to three destinations next month due to financial pressures.
Loganair offers passengers flights to and from destinations across the UK and France, including London, Glasgow, Paris and Edinburgh.
However, the airline has announced that it cannot continue to run all current routes “without impacting the wider business”.
From July 19, Loganair will reduce flights between Inverness and Stornoway, Orkney, and Shetland.
Daily flights currently run from Inverness to Orkney (Kirkwall) and Shetland (Sumburgh) with a regular service also flying to Stornoway.
However, following the cuts, flights between these destinations will only operate on weekends.
Chief executive of Loganair, Luke Farajallah, told the BBC, said: “We do not take these decisions lightly.”
He continued: “The recent increase in fuel prices, together with escalations in aircraft repair costs, airport fees and route charges, mean that Loganair, Hial and Transport Scotland must find a way to sustain lifeline routes where passenger numbers are limited.
“These routes matter to us and to the communities they serve, but we must balance that commitment with the long-term sustainability of Loganair and the wider network those communities also rely on.”
Mr Farajallah said that full services could resume in October if more funding was secured.
Hial, owned by the Scottish government, have offered a support package but it warned that any assistance must be affordable.
With the largest Olympic and Paralympic Games in history approaching, LA28 announced Monday it will open volunteer applications on July 14, the two-year mark before the Olympics officially begin.
LA28 is searching for 60,000 volunteers to work during an Olympics that will feature more than 11,000 athletes across 15 days of competition. Volunteer responsibilities range from welcoming and guiding spectators and athletes, to specialized roles, including medical care and language translation. While the majority of Games-time volunteer opportunities are in the L.A. area, volunteers are needed for every Olympic venue city: Oklahoma City will host softball and canoe slalom events, and soccer preliminaries will be held in New York, Columbus, Nashville, St. Louis, San José and San Diego.
Applicants can specify their preferred location, their special skills and whether they would like to volunteer for the Olympics or Paralympics.
The Olympics, which run from July 14-30, 2028, have a volunteer period from March to August. The Paralympics, which open on Aug. 15, 2028 and close on Aug. 27, needs volunteers from August to September. Games-time volunteers must be available to complete at least 10 nonconsecutive shifts of approximately eight hours each during each Games period and must be 18 years or older.
“Volunteers are the backbone of the Games,” LA28 chief executive officer Reynold Hoover said in a statement. “They are a friendly face who helps welcome the world, create memorable experiences and bring the Olympic and Paralympic spirit to life. Their passion and energy will help define LA28 for athletes, fans and communities across the region.”
LA28’s volunteer program started in 2025 with community-based opportunities. LA28 volunteers have already worked with local nonprofits on beach, street and trail cleanups, habitat restoration and fresh food packing. Volunteering in the community through the LA28 program is not required to earn a spot for the Games, but the experience can strengthen an applicant’s chance.
Updates about the LA28 volunteer program are available at la28.org/volunteer, where potential volunteers can register their interest to automatically receive more information about the Games-time application process when it opens.
LA28 reserved the first Olympic tickets for locals. To kick off the second round of ticket sales, it’s a sponsorship connection that could help fans get to the front of the line.
Before the second Olympic ticket drop officially begins Aug. 10, LA28 announced Wednesday there will be a presale for Visa cardholders that will run from July 29-31.
Visa has sponsored the Olympics for 40 years and is the only credit card accepted for payment in Olympic zones. For a chance to be selected for the presale, fans need to first confirm their status as a Visa cardholder. Fans who have already registered can log into their existing LA28 ticket account, check the “Visa presale box” and save changes. New registrants must select the Visa cardholder option during the registration process. All ticket sales during the presale must be completed with a Visa credit card.
Fans can register for the second ticket drop at tickets.la28.org until July 22. Those who already registered for Drop 1 but weren’t selected or didn’t purchase their full 12-ticket allotment do not have to sign up again and are automatically entered into the lottery for Drop 2, which will run from Aug. 10-20.
Fans who are randomly selected for the Visa presale will be notified of their time slot on July 27. Those who aren’t selected for the presale remain eligible for a time slot in Drop 2. Email notifications for Drop 2 time slots will go out from Aug. 6-7.
The second ticket drop will offer tickets across all Olympic sports at a range of price points, LA28 said in a statement, subject to inventory availability. Prices start at $28 for individual tickets, but of the total 1 million $28 Olympic tickets, half were scooped up during the Drop 1 presale that was reserved for locals living near venue cities in Southern California and Oklahoma City.
April’s ticketing debut frustrated fans who were surprised by high prices, a 24% service fee on every ticket and limited inventory for key events. Still, LA28 sold 4 million tickets across 85 countries, a historic number that had International Olympic Committee officials giddy for the potential of the 2028 Games.
“What we thought we were going to sell, and what we thought we were going to get for people who registered for interest, we exceeded those by magnitudes,” LA28 Chief Executive Officer Reynold Hoover told The Times on June 4 after IOC members visited L.A. “We were able to set Olympic records in terms of sale, but I think the broader picture about all of that is people want to be a part of something really big and be part of something here in L.A., a part of history.”
LA28, the organizing committee behind L.A.’s first Olympics in 40 years, expects to generate $2.5 billion in ticketing and hospitality to support what has been advertised as a privately funded Games. The estimated $7.1-billion operations budget is also buoyed by $2.5 billion in expected sponsorship revenue. LA28 already has $2 billion in domestic partnership money.
WASHINGTON — The State Department will offer a “premium” expedited service for foreigners seeking business or tourist visas to come to the United States that will set applicants back $750 — on top of the initial fee of $185.
In a notice to be published in the Federal Register this week, the department will unveil a pilot program that will allow visa applicants to pay the $750 to schedule an appointment for an interview within 10 days of the payment at select U.S. embassies and consulates.
The pilot program will run from July 1 to Dec. 31, according to internal documents obtained by the Associated Press and a State Department official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the program has not yet been announced.
The move is a potential effort to ease conditions caused by the Trump administration’s push to make entering the United States more difficult. The administration has cracked down on most forms of migration for foreigners — demanding that bonds of up to $15,000 be paid for visa processing in some, mainly African, countries and requiring years of personal history, including social media accounts, to be vetted.
The new requirements have caused delays in visa processing around the world, prompting complaints.
Wait times for visa interviews for citizens of countries that are not part of the Visa Waiver Program can be several months if not longer. But paying the fee for the “optional premium add-on service” does not guarantee that a visa will be issued.
The embassies and consulates at which the expedited service will be available are to be announced before the program takes effect July 1. The pilot program will run through the end of the year but could be extended depending on demand.
Lee writes for the Associated Press.
Avios points are on offer(Image: imageBROKER/Chris Putnam via Getty Images)
A bank is tempting new customers with 10,000 Avios Points.
J.P Morgan Personal Investing confirmed the deal was running until July 31, 2026. The bank revealed customers could put their points towards flights at a time when concerns are mounting over potential fare increases.
The offer is open to new customers who invest £500 or more in a single payment before the end of July.
To qualify for the points, new clients must keep at least £500 invested from August 1, 2026, until February 1, 2027, after which the Avios will be awarded within 55 days of this holding period concluding. New clients can open a Stocks and Shares ISA, Junior ISA, Lifetime ISA, Personal Pension or General Investment Account.
New investors will need to complete the sign-up form, accessible via the promotional page. J.P Morgan reminded customers that their capital was at risk and that transfers in were excluded from the offer.
Claire Exley, head of advice and guidance at J.P. Morgan Personal Investing, said: “Many UK savers are curious about investing for the first time but unsure when to get started. Over the long term, it’s often more important to stay invested over several years than to try to time the market and pick the ‘perfect’ moment.
“For those thinking about starting to invest, our Avios offer is designed to help make that first step in investing feel a little more rewarding. With the cost of travel on many people’s minds, those Avios points could help towards a future holiday or bring a dream trip a bit closer.
“Whether you’re using a Stocks and Shares ISA for the first time, investing for your children, or topping up your pension, what often matters most is choosing an approach you’re comfortable with and staying invested for the long term.”
The major airline will be cutting complimentary meals (Image: Getty )
A major airline has announced a new in flight charge that will impact passengers from July, with meals no longer being complimentary.
Hawaiian Airlines services included the free perk of meals when flying between Hawaii and the US mainland.
However, in a recent announcement the airline stated that passengers will not longer automatically receive complimentary meals.
Travellers will now have to purchase pre-ordered dishes from a new menu, between two weeks before departure and 20 hours ahead of takeoff.
Prices are expected to range from about $10 (£7.45) to $17 (approx £12.66) per meal.
However, according to the airline, flights between Honolulu and New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, will continue to include a complimentary meal for Main Cabin passengers.
The menu has been curated by Maui-based chef Sheldon Simeon, who developed a menu featuring elevated local favourites including crispy mochiko chicken with garlic noodles, barbecue teriyaki chicken bento, and corned beef hash with eggs.
Passengers will also be able to try signature dishes inspired by Simeon’s restaurants including his popular K mayo, teriyaki sauce, and banana bread syrup.
“At the heart of this transformation is what has always defined Hawaiian Airlines: authentic Hawaiian hospitality,” Alisa Onishi, the Managing Director of Hawai‘i Marketing at Hawaiian Airlines, said in a statement.
“We’re still going to keep the authentic parts of our hospitality, free beverages, free local snacks, (and) the sweet treat at the end of the flight. We’re really proud to offer this new option in our main cabin for our guests to explore and enjoy a little more from our island home.”
The airline added: “By moving to a pre-order model, we’re expanding beyond a single standard meal to offer a broader menu that reflects how our guests want to dine today.”
Business Class and First Class menus are also being revamped, with complimentary snacks remaining available on flights.
Comedian and “Saturday Night Live” standout Marcello Hernández will host this year’s ESPY Awards, ESPN announced Wednesday.
The event, honoring excellence in sports performance, will be broadcast live on ABC and the ESPN app from the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center on July 15, making it the first ESPYs in New York City since 1999. For the last 25 years, the awards ceremony was held in Los Angeles.
“I started doing comedy 10 years ago, in Cleveland, Ohio, and I would take the train 12 hours to New York to sell comedy tickets on the street in Greenwich Village in exchange for stage time,” Hernández said in a statement. “It is an honor, and frankly feels crazy to be hosting the ESPYs this year in New York. I’m sure the energy is going to be great.”
Hernández recently headlined the biggest Spanish-language comedy show ever at the Hollywood Bowl as part of the Netflix Is a Joke Festival in May, and wrapped up his fourth season of “SNL” soon after. His first stand-up special, “American Boy,” premiered on Netflix in January.
He’s also a sports enthusiast, having grown up playing soccer and competing at the collegiate level during his time at John Carroll University in Ohio.
“Marcello is one of the most electric, young comedians today. His genuine enthusiasm for sports and his ties to New York City make him a natural fit to host this year’s ESPYs,” Craig Lazarus, ESPN vice president and executive producer of the ESPYs, said in a statement.
Hernández succeeds last year’s emcee, comedian Shane Gillis, as well as past hosts that include Jimmy Kimmel, John Cena, LeBron James and Peyton Manning.
In January, Puck reported that the change in venue is an effort to capitalize on the popularity of Fanatics Fest, the massive sports festival taking place in New York’s Javits Center from July 16-19, which also coincides with the World Cup final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
“This return to the heart of Manhattan brings the celebration of sports back to its roots for an unforgettable night at an iconic cultural landmark,” an ESPN spokesperson said in a statement.
June 2 (UPI) — Officials have rescheduled the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner for July 24, several weeks after a gunman disrupted the original event.
Weijia Jiang, president of the association and a senior White House correspondent for CBS, said Tuesday that the event will be a “more intimate gathering” with additional security precautions.
“When gunfire interrupted this year’s event, it further clarified the WHCA’s mission to advocate for the freedoms that are protected in the First Amendment,” Jiang wrote in an email to WHCA members. “We will not allow an act of violence to have the last word, especially during a year when we are reflecting on the 250th anniversary of America and everything we stand for.”
The original event April 25 ended when an armed man charged a security checkpoint outside the event at the Washington Hilton, and the president and other officials evacuated. The suspect, Cole Allen, 31, has been charged with attempting to assassinate the president, assaulting a federal law enforcement official with a deadly weapon and other offenses. Allen pleaded not guilty to all charges.
President Donald Trump posted on social media Tuesday that he will attend and speak at the dinner, which he called a ” ‘HOT’ ticket!”
Trump said the dinner will take place at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, D.C., which is the former Trump International Hotel. In the email announcing the rescheduling, Jiang did not mention a site.
“This dinner will not only be an opportunity to carry out our program,” she wrote. “It will be a statement that violence has no place in American life and a free press will not be intimidated into silence. As you have all demonstrated, courage and community can and should rise above.”
The Washington Post reported after the prior event that some critics thought the president should not be so prominently featured.
“Why do I need to pay hundreds of dollars and dress up in a tuxedo to go listen to the president of the United States insult my colleagues?” Steven Herman, executive director of the University of Mississippi’s Jordan Center for Journalism Advocacy and Innovation, said in the Post. “I think he’s made it pretty clear he is not a champion of free speech or a free press. He only likes press or speech when it reflects positively on him.”
Many holidaymakers are being caught out and missing their trips(Image: simon2579/Getty)
Travel expert Simon Calder has issued a stark message to anyone who is going abroad in June, July and August. Many Brits are counting down to their summer holidays and the peak travel season.
However, Simon has urged everyone to do a vital check before travelling to avoid “wrecked holidays”. Simon explained that “thousands upon thousands” of people have already been caught out and missed their booked holidays.
He took part in a discussion on BBC Radio 2, where a holidaymaker explained that he had been turned away from his flight at the boarding gate.
James Luton was due to fly to Portugal last week for his 50th birthday but was denied boarding at the airport gate because his passport was issued more than 10 years ago, even though it was not expired.
Brits heading to the EU or Schengen areas cannot have passports older than 10 years when they arrive at their holiday destination. It must also be valid for at least three months after the day you plan to return home.
Simon appeared on the show to urge everyone with holidays booked to check their passports before it is too late. He said: “Unfortunately, he [James] is just one of thousands upon thousands of people who have fallen foul of this.
“As we speak, there will be people who have headed to the airport, and the same thing happened to them. It is just absolutely miserable.”
Simon urged: “You must remember, if you are going to the EU apart from Ireland, you cannot have a passport older than 10 years on the day you enter. It is the only part of the world that cares about when your passport is issued.
“Everywhere else only cares about the expiry date. Please, if you are going away in June, July and August please check that your passport is going to comply.
“Has it had its 10th birthday on the day you plan to go away, and has it got at least three months left on the date you plan to leave? That way, we can hopefully avoid too many more wrecked holidays.”
Before 2018, passports could remain valid for as long as 10 years and nine months.
This was because months remaining on old passports were rolled over to new passports, but the system was discontinued in 2018.
The problem mainly affects those holding burgundy passports, as anyone with a blue passport received it in 2020 or later.
It is still worth checking children’s blue passports, as they are typically only valid for five years.
Another Brat summer is upon us.
Charli XCX announced Monday that her new album, “Music, Fashion, Film,” drops July 24, and it already looks iconic.
That’s because the cover art, which Charli shared on Instagram, features three icons within their fields. The Velvet Underground’s John Cale represents music, Marc Jacobs stands for fashion and beloved director Martin Scorsese symbolizes film.
“My new album Music, Fashion, Film is out july 24th,” Charli wrote on Instagram. “11 songs, 30 minutes, 5 seconds. available to pre order now, love you xx.”
She released the first two singles, “Rock Music” and “SS26,” in May. The latter, a shorthand for the fashion industry’s current “Spring, Summer ‘26” season, has an accompanying video that features the artist strutting down an X-shaped runway, singing, “We’re walking on a runway that goes straight to hell / Nothing’s gonna save us, not music, fashion or film.”
“Rock Music,” the album’s first single, was met with mixed reactions from critics and fans. The song telegraphs Charli’s genre switch from electronic pop to the titular rock music, announcing, “I think the dance floor is dead” over heavily distorted guitar.
“If I’d made another album that felt more dance-leaning, it would have felt really hard, really sad,” Charli told British Vogue in April. “What’s interesting for me is to bend the possibilities of what my perspective on [rock music] could be.” She later clarified on Instagram, “I never said i was making a rock album.”
“Music, Fashion, Film” is not the artist’s first album in 2026. She released “Wuthering Heights,” the soundtrack to Emerald Fennel’s movie of the same name, in February. Cale is featured on “House,” the soundtrack album’s lead single.
Charli has added acting and producing to her repertoire in recent years. She produced and played a somewhat fictionalized version of herself in Aidan Zamiri’s mockumentary “The Moment,” based on the “Brat” album cycle, which Times film critic Amy Nicholson called “ ‘Spinal Tap’ for the era of stan culture.”
She also co-starred in Daniel Goldhaber’s “Faces of Death” remake, released in April, and is set to appear in Gregg Araki’s upcoming erotic comedy “I Want Your Sex” and Cathy Yan’s art-world thriller “The Gallerist” by year’s end.
“I’ve always been really inspired by cinema when making my music, more so than listening to music, to be honest,” Charli told The Times at the Sundance Film Festival in January. “It’s an honor to be able to be acting, working on projects and writing and producing films. It’s kind of my dream.”
Earnings Call Insights: Roivant Sciences Ltd. (ROIV) Q4 2025
Seeking Alpha’s Disclaimer: This article was automatically generated by an AI tool based on content available on the Seeking Alpha website, and has not been curated or reviewed by humans. Due to inherent limitations in using AI-based tools, the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of such articles cannot be guaranteed. This article is intended for informational purposes only. Seeking Alpha does not take account of your objectives or your financial situation and does not offer any personalized investment advice. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank.
A $30 minimum wage for hotel and airport workers will be delayed after Los Angeles elected officials persuaded a group of business leaders to drop a ballot measure that would have devastated the city budget.
On Tuesday, the City Council approved the 18-month delay, which will postpone the wage increase until after the 2028 Olympics and fend off the business-backed initiative to eliminate the gross receipts tax, which is the city’s second-largest revenue stream.
The minimum wage will still increase to $25 in July and continue in increments until reaching $30 in January 2030.
Because the 11 to 4 vote was not unanimous, the new pay schedule will head to a second vote next week. Councilmembers Eunisses Hernandez, Ysabel Jurado, Nithya Raman and Hugo Soto-Martínez cast the “no” votes.
In May 2025, the council approved a proposal that would have increased the minimum wage to $30 in July 2028 and also raised an hourly payment for healthcare coverage.
In response, a coalition of airline and hotel businesses gathered enough signatures to place a measure on the Nov. 3 ballot that took aim at the city’s gross receipts tax, which is imposed on a vast array of businesses, including entertainment companies, child-care providers, law firms, accountants, healthcare businesses, nightclubs and many others.
If approved by voters, the measure would have stripped $740 million from the city’s general fund over the first year, according to city officials, and over five years would have amounted to a $860 million loss annually on average.
City officials, hotel and airport businesses and labor unions had been in continuous negotiations since last Wednesday, when the council narrowly approved an initial postponement of the wage increase to allow time to reach an agreement. The business coalition agreed to withdraw the measure if the council permanently approved the delay.
In addition to delaying the $30 minimum wage, the council on Tuesday pushed back the hourly healthcare payment to start at $8.15 an hour for airport workers in July 2027 and $4.25 for hotel workers July 1 of this year.
The council also voted to set up a committee to study possible changes to the business tax structure.
“Imposing wages and benefits without bringing business to the table is not reasonable,” said Nella McOsker, president and CEO of the downtown business group Central City Assn., at the council meeting. “It is reasonable to ask us to partner together to be on the other side of the table and negotiate, but it is not OK to do so without that process.”
Kurt Petersen, president of Unite Here Local 11, which represents the hotel workers, accused city officials of giving “into blackmail.”
“They now have a playbook. The next time workers win something, they’ll threaten to blow up the city,” Petersen said of the business coalition. “It’s a bad day for workers.”
Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson described the process as painful but nearing a conclusion.
“I think we walked away from the negotiating table, like many negotiating tables, where no one was happy about the outcome, but everybody came away better than when we started off,” he said.
Shortly before the council vote, Mayor Karen Bass issued a statement that said she was called in by both business and labor leaders to close the deal.
She called the proposed repeal of the gross receipts tax “an existential threat to the city budget and the services it supports,” including street repairs, public safety and efforts to clean the city.
“This agreement ensures workers are paid fairly and that businesses that create jobs can continue serving LA and hiring Angelenos,” Bass said.
On Tuesday, the council chamber was filled with union workers in red, purple and yellow shirts.
Laura Esquivel, a janitor at Los Angeles International Airport, expressed frustration that council members were not standing by their earlier commitment.
“We’re sick and tired of being exploited. Some members of the council that are here, now we know, do not stand with workers,” Esquivel said. “We are not giving up, we will continue to fight and we’ll be back here in 2028.”
Before voting against the delay, Soto-Martínez, a former Unite Here organizer, called it sad and enraging.
“I cannot support anything that is going to take away money from workers,” he said.
Councilmember Imelda Padilla, who spoke in Spanish, was critical of the way the negotiations unfolded.
“If this thing about the gross tax receipts passes, we don’t have a city,” Padilla said. “The business community has us by our necks.”
She said workers deserve the wage increase, though she voted for the delay.
“Next time, let’s negotiate, and let’s negotiate well,” she said.
Times staff writer Suhauna Hussain contributed to this report.