led

The fans were enraged, They now saw him as akin to a martyr who might be carried out on his shield because his directors wouldn’t back his vision to bring success.

The leak was poisonous, of course, and it was meant to hurt Rodgers, which it did. He called for an investigation and for the guilty person to be removed. If there was a probe then we heard no more about it.

At that point it was plain Rodgers was losing the support of the people above him.

The regular gripes about transfers were followed by a desperate beginning to the season. A feeble exit from the Champions League, flat domestic performances, a stench of decay in the air.

Blame was shifted. When Celtic lost to Dundee a few weeks back he said: “You can’t be given the keys to a Honda Civic and drive it like a Ferrari.”

If Rodgers had said that after losing a big Champions League game then it would have been contentious enough, but after a loss to Dundee – with a tiny fraction of Celtic’s resources – it was mortifying. Later, he doubled-down on it.

The fans, increasingly growing weary of excuses, didn’t buy it, but if it was a battle between Rodgers and the Celtic board then, in their eyes, Rodgers was still an emphatic winner.

Nothing was heard from Desmond, as usual, but the story of his business life tells us he doesn’t appreciate his people going rogue. Rodgers comment by Rodgers comment, those Desmond whiskers would have to started to dance.

Monday, in the wake of a loss to Hearts that put Celtic eight points behind Derek McInnes’ team, was the endgame. Desmond opened his laptop. Sudden, unsparing and almost startling in its intensity, he unburdened himself.

Unquestionably, elements of what Rodgers did and said was self-serving. He dropped hints that some players were being signed without his full approval, something that Desmond categorically denies.

He said as recently as Sunday that he was never more determined to fix things as he was right in the here and now, but the trust had obviously gone. In both directions.

A divorce is the wisest action. This was an irretrievable breakdown. Unseemly and embarrassing.

Rodgers made good points, though, and the supporters, though turning on him slightly in the wake of recent performances, were wholly behind him in other areas.

Some will see him now as a victim, a sacrificial lamb, a man who had the bravery to speak up about the problems the club faced and who got driven out because of it. Silenced and humiliated by Desmond.

It’s an interpretation with merit, but they were two parties involved in this break-up.

Through his caustic words, Desmond has made it a vicious separation. We’ll get Rodgers’s riposte in time, but his era is over now. No coming back this time, not even a chance of a proper farewell. A sad, but inevitable conclusion.

ROMEO Beckham has confirmed that he is back with his ex Kim Turnbull after rekindling their romance.

The pair were seen in Paris this weekend, holding hands and looking loved up, just six months after the strain of the Beckham family feud led to them splitting up.

The pair’s romance was previously said to have “fizzled out” shortly after Romeo’s dad David’s star-studded 50th birthday party.

The split also came amid the subsequent feud between Romeo’s brother Brooklyn Beckham and the rest of the Beckham clan.

Last week, Romeo, 23, soft-launched that he and Kim, 24, were back on, and now things are official since they were spotted in public holding hands.

On a date night in Paris with Kim, Romeo could be seen wearing black cargo trousers with a black top and a leather jacket.

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He completed the look with some beige boots and a couple of chains around his neck.

Meanwhile, Kim twinned with her boyfriend and also opted for an all-black look.

Kim could be seen donning black pinstripe trousers with a waistcoat worn alone and buttoned down the front.

She held onto a black jacket and carried a bag on her shoulder.

Kim wore her hair up in a sleek ponytail, and finished off her look with a pair of white shoes.

In other pics from their outing, Romeo donned the same outfit while Kim rocked a different look.

For their daytime outing, Kim wore some baggy blue ripped jeans and a button-down black leather jacket.

Last week, Romeo hinted that he and Kim were back together when he shared a very telling image on social media.

It came when he posted a snap with Kim on his Instagram Stories.

The picture saw Kim dressed in an oversized jacket with the hood up, and Romeo in a beanie hat as he stood behind her.

The pair were facing the camera as he took the selfie.

It was revealed back in June that the pair had decided to call time on their romance.

The announced of their split came around the same time that the Beckham family feud kicked off.

A source told The Mail at the time: “Romeo and Kim are both young and they had a lovely time together but at that age things don’t always last forever and they decided to split up.

“They have been friendly since and have even been at the same venues.

“It’s a huge shame, particularly as David and Victoria really adored her and thought she made Romeo happy but it wasn’t to be.

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“It happened a couple of weeks ago and relations have remained friendly between them.”

Kim and Romeo first went public with their romance after his split from Mia Reagan, his ex of five years.

As Pratika moved up through the age groups, she caught the attention of former India player Deepti Dhyani, who became her coach.

“I saw her play a few drives and realised she had the capabilities. Most state-level players have talent; the challenge is transforming it for professional cricket. That’s where we as coaches step in,” Deepti says.

“She stood out because whenever you asked her to work on something, she would tick every box, even if you weren’t watching.”

Deepti also emphasised fitness, something Pratika had embraced since childhood.

“We often think gym work means building bulky muscles, but it’s really about staying injury-free. Thankfully, Pratika understood that well and worked on her fitness seriously,” says Deepti.

Even as cricket became her focus, Pratika didn’t neglect her studies. She pursued a degree in psychology, which helped her understand the mental side of the game.

“She was in ninth standard when she got interested in psychology, so she decided to study it in college,” says her father.

“In cricket, psychology plays a major role. When you’re batting, trying to read what a bowler is thinking or why they’ve set a certain field, it helps you dissect situations better. It’s been really useful for her.”

It’s that out-of-the-box thinking which gives Pratika a useful skill off the field: she can solve a Rubik’s cube.

“It has an algorithm to it,” Pratika said, in a social media video. “The centre pieces don’t move, so you need to move everything around those.”

Easy, or so Pratika makes it seem.

TWO years ago, I became a qualified nail technician and since then, have been through countless nail lamps.

The one that has remained my trusty companion has been the SUNUV nail lamp — and it’s been discounted on Amazon by a hefty 43%.

SUNUV Led Nail Lamp, £69.99 £39.97 at Amazon

Whether you’re looking to save some cash by doing your manicures at home or considering a career as a nail technician, this nail lamp is one to consider, offering salon-quality nails at an incredibly affordable price.

We all know that as Christmas approaches, it brings with it events that can strain finances, leaving less budget for monthly salon trips.

So, now is the perfect time to save your pennies and put some treatments on hold by investing in a nail lamp.

The SUNUV lamp has over 2,000 five-star reviews, has made over 3,000 sales this month alone, and is currently on sale for just £39.98.

Performance

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SUNUV Led Nail Lamp, £69.99 £39.97 at Amazon

I tested this lamp as part of my review of the best nail lamps, focusing on how long it takes to use, how easy it is for beginners to get to grips with and the features that set it apart from other devices on the market.

The SUNUV lamp takes the top spot as the best overall lamp for me for several reasons.

Firstly, despite being a salon-quality lamp — in fact, many salons use it — it’s priced similarly to many flimsy starter lamps, making it a steal for the quality it offers.

While it doesn’t come with polishes, base coats, and tools like some others do, the durability of the manicures it delivers makes it worth purchasing those additional items separately.

One feature that I really love is the three different time settings of 10, 30, and 60 seconds, as well as a fourth option: a lower-heat, longer-timed 90-second setting, perfect for those with sensitive hands who may find higher heat intensity uncomfortable.

The placement of the lights inside the lamp ensures even curing, while the sturdy, detachable base makes pedicures much easier to achieve.

Price and packaging

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SUNUV Led Nail Lamp, £69.99 £39.97 at Amazon

Other salon-grade lamps, such as Glitterbels or Gelish, can sit at the higher end of the price range, costing between £250 and £350.

I’ve tested Gelish as well as other high-end lamps and still find SunUV’s lamp to be the best all-rounder in terms of value, affordability, and features.

For £39.97, you’re getting a salon-grade lamp that’s also compatible with a range of polishes.

Jacklin considered himself a winner, always striving for improvements. In 1969 he became first Englishman in 18 years to win The Open. He followed that in 1970 by clinching the US Open. The only other Englishman to win both is Jim Barnes, in the 1920s.

But six of his seven Ryder Cup appearances ended in heavy losses.

The outlier was the 16-16 draw at Royal Birkdale in 1969, which was secured when Nicklaus conceded Jacklin’s three-foot putt on the last hole in what has gone down as one of sport’s great moments.

The margin of defeat was 15 points on his debut in 1967, and throughout the 1970s the gap was never fewer than five.

In 1977, the final match as GB&I, the number of matches was reduced.

Sir Nick Faldo, who won all three of his rubbers on his debut in that edition at Royal Lytham and St Anne’s, told BBC Sport: “We played only one session per day because they didn’t want the thought that America would be so far ahead that the singles would be obsolete.”

The US still won 12½-7½.

In came the European blood for 1979. Newly crowned Open champion Severiano Ballesteros and his fellow Spaniard Antonio Garrido bolstered the dozen heading to West Virginia. But little changed.

“We went to The Greenbrier and they didn’t know who we were or what to call it,” recalled Faldo. “I’ve got a little plate which has the International Ryder Cup on it.”

A sense of frustration was palpable in Jacklin as he recalled what turned out to be his final appearance as a player.

“It was all done on a shoestring budget,” he said. “It was all too similar to what I’d experienced before, when you couldn’t take your own caddie, the players wore anything they were given and thought their only job was to turn up.

“But the Americans were treated like kings. First-class travel, nice clothes.”

Jacklin also still rails against the “disruptive” behaviour of Mark James and Ken Brown at that Ryder Cup.

“They did every bloody thing they could to jeopardise our chances,” he said. “They were like spoilt children. They didn’t turn up to meetings at the right time, they wore the wrong clothes.

“They were a total disgrace, and I would have sent them home if I’d have been the captain.”

European skipper John Jacobs was also unimpressed, saying they turned up “dressed as though they were going on a camping holiday”.

James, who would go on to captain Europe to a narrow defeat at Brookline in 1999, received a £1,500 fine for “unprofessional conduct”.

Brown, who has forged a career as a successful TV commentator, later admitted “it wasn’t the greatest moment of my career”. He was fined £1,000 and given a one-year ban from international duty.

A US team that featured eight rookies and was without leading players Nicklaus, who failed to qualify, and Tom Watson – absent for the birth of his first child – still pulled away in the singles to win 17-11.

The 1981 edition was even more lopsided. Generally regarded as the best dozen ever assembled, with 11 players having won major titles, the US rampaged to an 18½-9½ victory at Walton Heath in Surrey.

Jacklin was left out of the side, with Jacobs preferring the “disgraced” James. Also on the sidelines, incredibly, was Ballesteros.

The mercurial Spaniard had become the first European to win the Masters in 1980, adding to his 1979 Open triumph, but was at loggerheads with the tour over appearance fees.

It was the final straw for Jacklin. “After that happened, I was done with the Ryder Cup,” he said.

“Seve was at his absolute zenith. He was Tiger Woods before Tiger Woods existed.

“I didn’t think they were interested in winning. I thought they were only interested in having a team that could get beaten up.”

President Claudia Sheinbaum has made history as the first woman to lead Mexico’s Independence Day celebrations in 215 years, delivering a resolute message against foreign intervention amid ongoing diplomatic pressure from the United States.

From the National Palace balcony in Mexico City, Sheinbaum presided over the traditional “grito” ceremony on Monday night, ringing the bell that symbolises the call to arms during Mexico’s 1810-21 independence struggle against Spain. While Independence Day is officially marked on September 16, the “grito” has been performed the evening before for more than a century.

During Tuesday’s military parade, Sheinbaum firmly declared, “No foreign power makes decisions for us.” Speaking before her cabinet and thousands of soldiers, she emphasised that “no interference is possible in our homeland”. Though she named no specific nation, her statement comes as the US government increases pressure on Mexico to combat drug cartels and enhance border security.

The Trump administration has offered to deploy US troops against cartels — some of which his government has designated as “terrorist” organisations — but Sheinbaum has consistently rejected such proposals.

Her administration has taken stronger action against cartels than her predecessor, extraditing numerous cartel figures to US authorities and highlighting reduced fentanyl seizures at the Mexico-US border. However, Sheinbaum maintains these efforts serve Mexico’s interests rather than responding to US pressure.

Sheinbaum, who assumed office in October, is Mexico’s first female president.

Cofounder of anti-Islamist EDL says rally is for free speech, as protesters attack police and antiracism campaigners.

Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of London for a march organised by far-right activist Tommy Robinson, as support for the anti-immigrant Reform UK party soars across the country.

London’s Metropolitan Police estimated that Robinson’s “Unite the Kingdom” rally drew about 110,000 people on Saturday, crowds marching from two directions – Waterloo Bridge and Lambeth Bridge – and converging on Whitehall, next to the United Kingdom Parliament.

Al Jazeera witnessed people waving an assortment of flags – Union Jacks, the red and white St George’s Cross of England and the Israeli Star of David – chanting “[Keir] Starmer is a w*****” as they flocked to see famous far-right speakers next to the UK Prime Minister’s Downing Street residence, including Robinson, Katie Hopkins, and Steve Bannon.

Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon and is known for his anti-immigrant and anti-Islam views, billed the march as a demonstration for free speech, British heritage and culture, pumping up the crowd with claims that migrants now had more rights in court than the “British public, the people that built this nation”.

The Met deployed more than 1,600 officers to keep apart Robinson’s rally and a counter “Stand Up to Racism” protest attended by about 5,000 people, reporting on X that a number of officers were assaulted as they tried to stop the former breaching cordons delineating a buffer area between the two.

“We continue to see significant aggression directed at officers by Unite the Kingdom protesters,” said the force on X, which arrested nine protesters, adding that additional officers supported by police horses had been deployed in “multiple locations”.

Stand Up to Racism counterprotest held

At the counterprotest, attended by left-wing lawmakers Zarah Sultana and Diane Abbott, the crowd held signs saying “refugees welcome” and ”smash the far right,” and shouted “stand up, fight back”.

The “Stand Up to Racism” campaign group posted on X that its protesters had also been attacked by Robinson’s followers. “Are these the ‘concerned ordinary people’ we’ve heard so much about? Or are they far right thugs,” said one post.

Robinson’s rally comes at the tail end of a highly charged summer in the UK that featured several protests staged outside hotels housing asylum seekers in England, following the arrest of an Ethiopian man who was later convicted of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in a London suburb.

BREAKING: far right thugs attack anti-fascists in Whitehall. Are these the “concerned ordinary people” we’ve heard so much about? Or are they far right thugs. #StandUptoRacism pic.twitter.com/0rkMf5BxmM

— Stand Up To Racism (@AntiRacismDay) September 13, 2025

It also comes as the far-right, anti-immigrant Reform UK party establishes itself as a significant political force, with recent polls saying it would be the UK’s largest political party if a general election were held now.

People at the march displayed placards with slogans like “send them home” and “stop the boats”, the latter a reference to asylum seekers making the perilous journey over the English Channel in inflatable boats.

One woman who had travelled from Scotland for the march told Al Jazeera that she was sick of seeing homeless British people in the street while immigrants were receiving shelter and that empty buildings should be opened for both groups.

“Bad things are going to happen if things don’t change,” she said.

Robinson founded the nationalist and anti-Islamist English Defence League (EDL) and is one of the most influential far-right figures in the UK.

While the crowd attending the “Unite the Kingdom” was large, it fell far short of one of the biggest pro-Palestinian marches, which drew an estimated 300,000 people in November 2023.

After aiming to leap from the WNBA’s worst team to a season of triumph, the Sparks instead ended the season seeking perspective — none more so than Kelsey Plum.

In the season’s final weeks, while fighting for a playoff spot, Plum called Dearica Hamby, her closest teammate, to voice her frustration. Accustomed to winning seasons with the Las Vegas Aces, Plum sought solace after several losses, and Hamby grounded her.

“Hey, I won eight games last year,” Hamby responded. “So this looks different to me.”

Despite finishing under .500 for the fifth consecutive season and falling just short of making the playoffs, the Sparks easily more than doubled last year’s win total. Hampered by a slew of injuries that stunted momentum, they greatly improved with the league’s fourth-best record after the All-Star break.

“I really wanted to impact winning, and so it’s tough because sometimes I don’t do a great job of giving myself grace,” Plum said. “We did win 21 games, different from eight a season ago, [but] at the same time, as a competitor, I really want to be in the playoffs.”

Missing the postseason has left Plum carrying that burden, an internal battle she said she’ll have to process. The weight was heavier for Plum, after taking a leap of faith, betting on herself as a No. 1 option for the first time in her career and the motivating factor behind accepting a trade to L.A.

Sparks guard Kelsey Plum, who will become a free agent this offseason, drives against Dream guard Jordin Canada during a game Sept. 5.

(Paras Griffin / Getty Images)

Now, heading into the offseason, Plum’s message to her teammates is to “take that chip and that hunger,” as she will, and carry it into next season.

For Hamby, this season was a necessary dismantling and rebuilding of the organization, an essential step for lasting success.

“My optimism and perspective is I’d rather have a slow burn than a quick fix,” Hamby said. “We’re talking about long-term and wanting to build something for years to come, with the core that we have.”

For the Sparks to take the next step, head coach Lynne Roberts and general manager Reagan Pebley face a tall task: holding together a roster that finally showed promise of reaching lofty goals. Drawing on their coaching backgrounds, both have leaned on a collaborative approach to building the roster, but free agency will be a test this offseason.

Outside of second-year contributors Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson, and this year’s rookie class — all locked into multi-year deals — every veteran on the roster will hit the market. That includes three players who delivered career years: Plum, Hamby and Azurá Stevens.

Plum, with Hamby seated beside her, refrained from guaranteeing her return during exit interviews Friday night. Yet her impassioned message to fans after the season finale, role as the face of the franchise, and input in offseason plans make a return likely.

Hamby, who began recruiting Plum nearly a year ago in hopes of building a legacy together, also appears committed to staying. As she put it, the two “always talked about being together, staying together, whatever we do.”

Fever forward Kelsey Mitchell, middle, tries to drive against the Sparks’ Dearica Hamby (5) and Azurá Stevens (23), who both will be free agents this offseason.

(Michael Conroy / Associated Press)

For starters, retaining them along with Stevens and Julie Allemand is a priority, but it could become a bit complicated come free agency.

Stevens, the healthiest she’s been in years, delivered career highs in points (12.8), rebounds (8.0), minutes (28.4) and games (all 44) as a primary contributor, particularly when injuries plagued the team early in the season — a showing that could attract suitors in free agency.

Allemand is headed to Turkey to play professionally this offseason but hopes to return next season — a return that might hinge on a more defined role. She said she can “do a lot more” and doesn’t want “to be satisfied with this, and be like, ‘OK, let’s just come back next season,’ and it’s the same.”

“It’s always tough to run it back,” Pebley said. “Success is really hard to sustain, and momentum is really hard to hold on to. … We’ll do everything we can to make sure the right pieces stay. Maybe it’s putting people in a different spot, but also addressing some needs that we have.”

The challenge isn’t just shuffling or adding talent; it’s doing so without overcorrecting. The goal is bringing in players who add value while preserving locker-room balance — those whom both Roberts and Pebley trust to fit seamlessly into the culture, enhancing it rather than disrupting it.

Changing the culture and building an identity was Roberts’ top priority heading into her first full WNBA season, and she believes the roster has fully bought in, a process that began with earning the players’ trust.

“They don’t care what you know until they know you care,” Roberts said. “I wanted to get them on board and get them bought in. And so then next year there can be more accountability and I can do a better job.”

Sparks coach Lynne Roberts talks with guard Julie Allemand during a break in play. Allemand will become a free agent this offseason.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Pebley said missing the playoffs has left everyone focused on accountability, at times, to a fault.

Plum is carrying the weight of coming to L.A. to win and falling short. Roberts is shouldering the responsibility of missing the mark of turning a perennial losing team into a winner, like she was hired to do. Pebley herself has been reflecting on the decisions she could have made differently.

“Like mature, experienced people that can gain perspective, do hold on to that self-accountability, but also start to move things into the right place,” Pebley said. “We want to get better, and we will. We’re very committed to doing that, and grateful that it’s not just on one of our shoulders.”

Terry Reid, the bombastic British singer who famously passed on fronting both Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple, has died. He was 75.

Reid’s representatives confirmed his death in a statement to the Guardian. He had been treated for cancer just before his death, and a GoFundMe had been set up for donations.

Reid, born in Cambridgeshire, England, had a uniquely resonant and soulful voice with an enormous range that earned him the nickname “Superlungs.” He was a coveted figure among the arena-rock titans of the era — even vocal powerhouse Aretha Franklin once claimed in 1968 that “There are only three things happening in England: the Rolling Stones, the Beatles and Terry Reid.”

Reid first found local success in the teen rock group the Redbeats, and soon joined the band Peter Jay and the Jaywalkers. After a performance at London’s Marquee club, where Mick Jagger and Keith Richards caught Reid’s set with the Jaywalkers, the Rolling Stones brought the group on a support tour. Also on that package — Ike & Tina Turner and the Yardbirds, then the main project of guitarist Jimmy Page.

Reid, who had also become close friends with Jimi Hendrix then, left the Jaywalkers to become a solo act. The Stones asked him to support them on a U.S. tour. Citing those tour obligations, he declined Page’s offer to front a new group he was forming. Reid instead recommended vocalist Robert Plant and drummer John Bonham of Band of Joy, and that group soon debuted as Led Zeppelin.

“Lots of people asked me to join their bands,” Reid told the Guardian. “I was intent on doing my own thing. I contributed half the band — that’s enough on my part!”

Led Zeppelin wasn’t only the massive act Reid nearly fronted. He also turned down Ritchie Blackmore’s pitch to front Deep Purple, after Rod Evans left the band in 1969. Ian Gillan took the job instead.

As a solo artist, Reid signed a deal with the influential talent manager Mickie Most, and his debut 1968 LP, “Bang Bang, You’re Terry Reid,” included a song, “Without Expression,” he wrote at 14. That song would become a popular cover of the era — John Mellencamp, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and REO Speedwagon all took a crack at it.

He supported Cream, Fleetwood Mac and Jethro Tull on tour (and nearly opened for the Stones at the infamous Altamont festival, but skipped that date), but he never achieved chart success commensurate with his proximity to fame. Yet exquisitely performed albums like 1973’s ‘River” remain cult classics in the ’70s rock canon, and in the ’80s he turned to session work with Bonnie Raitt, Don Henley and Jackson Browne. Reid befriended Brazilian musicians Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso after they moved to the U.K. during Brazil’s military coup, and he played both the first Isle of Wight festival and opened the Pyramid stage at Glastonbury’s 1971 festival, with David Bowie side stage.

Reid later moved to California and lived outside Palm Springs in his later years. His musical reputation was revived by both the crate-digger era of DJs (the virtuoso turntablist DJ Shadow collaborated with him) and the ’90s and 2000s rockers enamored with his vocal prowess. Chris Cornell, Marianne Faithfull and Jack White’s band the Raconteurs covered his songs. He reportedly recorded a number of unreleased tracks with Dr Dre. Reid told the Guardian the rap mogul “became fascinated with [Reid’s album] ‘Seed of Memory’ and invited me into his studio where we reworked it alongside his rappers, a fascinating experience.”

Reid is survived by his wife, Annette, and daughters Kelly and Holly.

DAVINA McCall’s dating show has proven life-changing for one bride after it unlocked a hidden disorder. 

Gorgeous Millie Thompson, 30, has been diagnosed with autism and ADHD after taking part on Stranded on Honeymoon Island having realised her OCD was so intense she considered smuggling in a pair of socks. 

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One of the DJ and model’s quirks was she cannot bear to be barefoot, so she thought about sewing a secret set into her wedding dress. 

The BBC show sees singles marooned on a deserted beach in only their wedding attire. 

Millie told The Sun: “Coming back from the show, I ended up getting tested for ADHD and autism and I found out I have both. 

“I have learnt so much about myself, someone described it as being ‘neuro spicy’ and I love that for me.

“It’s lifechanging really.

“I always knew things like I couldn’t be without a pair of socks, I always have to be wearing a pair, but being on the show made everything clear. 

“This sounds crazy but I was contemplating sewing some socks into the boob bit of my wedding dress, I was like ‘can I smuggle in some socks?!’ but then I was like, no they’ll be disgusting. 

“Now I know that’s why I am how I am. 

“I’ve changed so much from it but in such a good, positive way and everyone has noticed.”

Millie was so conscious of being without her comforts, she had her wedding dress custom made with the experience in mind. 

She included a bodysuit she could wear like a onesie, and a skirt she could detach and use as a mosquito net. 

Millie, from Cheshire, added: “I am such a girly girl, I was combing my hair extensions with a fork. 

“But the experience makes you strip everything back and I thought I’d struggle because I’m so OCD but I actually coped really well.”

Viewers saw her struggle with the show’s dramatic jump into the sea that kicks off their stranded experience. 

“With Love Island there’s other couples and you can escape, but there’s nothing like Stranded for this, you’ve just got each other.”

Millie Thompson

After meeting at the altar, the couples then take a boat out to their deserted beach and then plummet into the sea ahead of a swim to land. 

But poor Millie can’t swim and she had to fit a life vest over her gorgeous wedding dress. 

She said: “That was a massive thing for me because I literally will not get in the water, I can put my feet in but that’s it, so to have to do that was massive.”

But she reckons being out of her comfort zone kickstarted a connection with her groom Jordan in a way that could never happen on Love Island.

While she can’t give away what happens on her journey, Milile added: “You are on a beach with absolutely nothing, you are relying on each other for everything.

“With Love Island there’s other couples and you can escape, but there’s nothing like Stranded for this, you’ve just got each other.”

Stranded on Honeymoon Island continues on BBC One tonight at 9pm, then returns next week on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. 

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The first episodes are already available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

Sheridan Smith stars in ITV’s new four-part series, I Fought The Law, as Ann Ming, whose daughter, Julie Hogg, was tragically strangled to death by Billy Dunlop

Ann Ming’s relentless fight for justice for daughter is nothing short of remarkable. On 16 November 1989, Billy Dunlop, 25, strangled 22-year-old mum-of-one, Julie Hogg, to death – and hid her corpse behind a bath panel in her home in County Durham.

Julie was tragically found decomposing by her mother, Ann, 80 days later and, despite evidence against Dunlop, juries twice failed to find him guilty of the crime.

However, while serving a prison sentence for unrelated violent offences, Dunlop confessed to Julie’s death. But there was a twist: under the centuries-old double jeopardy rule, he couldn’t be tried again for the same crime.

READ MORE: I Fought The Law’s Sheridan Smith left ‘shaking mess’ over murdered woman hidden under bathREAD MORE: ‘I discovered my daughter’s body after she was murdered and her killer didn’t get jailed for years’

However, for Ann, played by Sheridan Smith in ITV’s new adaptation of the tragedy, I Fought the Law, giving up wasn’t an option. She petitioned politicians for more than a decade, lobbied the media and refused to let Julie’s case go unheard, with unwavering support from her husband Charlie, played by Daniel York Loh, in the crime drama.

So, as we wait to watch the four-part series, which starts on ITV at 9pm tonight, here’s the chilling discoveries that lead to Dunlop’s arrest and eventual life imprisonment…

Ann Ming finds her daughter’s body

When Julie disappeared from her home in November 1989, leaving behind her toddler son Kevin. Her mother, Ann, immediately sensed something awful had happened.

Three months later, her maternal instincts were tragically vindicated. She discovered Julie’s body, hidden under the bath at her home.

Ann agreed that her daughter’s husband, who Julie had been in the process of separating from when she was killed, could move back into her daughter’s house with their three-year-old son, Kevin.

However, when her son-in-law went inside the home, he complained a strange smell was coming from the bathroom. Ann noticed the bath panel was loose and pulled it away, uncovering her daughter’s body, wrapped in a blanket: “That was the start of a living nightmare,” she said.

Chilling evidence heard at trial

Dunlop, who knew Julie from their local area and visited her at home after a day’s drinking before killing the mum-of-one, went on trial at Newcastle Crown Court on 7 May 1991, where a jury heard that there was finger print evidence on Julie’s keys.

Dunlop’s sperm was also on the blanket he’d wrapped her in, and there were fibres from the jumper he’d been wearing.

The prosecution team felt it was strong enough evidence to satisfy a jury – but, sadly, they were mistaken. The jury failed to reach a verdict and the judge ordered a retrial for 3 October 1991.

Dunlop’s defence team tried to then convince the jury that Julie had died of natural causes following a consensual act between her and Dunlop. However, they failed to reach a verdict for a second time and Dunlop was acquitted and could never be trialled again due to the double jeopardy law and walked away a free man.

Dunlop confesses

While serving a prison sentence for unrelated violent offences after the trial, Dunlop confessed to Julie’s killing. But there was a twist: under the centuries-old double jeopardy rule, he couldn’t be tried again for the same crime.

The police wanted to arrest him for perjury, but needed more evidence than just an admission.

As a result, a female prison officer wore a wire and obtained 90 hours of material about what happened on the night of Hogg’s death. He was arrested, pleaded guilty to the murder, and jailed for six years to be served consecutively to his existing sentence.

Ann’s battle for justice – ‘For once in my life, I’m speechless’

Driven by grief and determination, Ann launched a 15-year campaign to overturn the centuries-old double jeopardy law – which once prevented a person from being tried twice for the same crime.

Of course, Ann wasn’t satisfied with Dunlop’s perjury sentence and asked her MP, Frank Cook, to help her meet Home Secretary Jack Straw to scrap the double jeopardy law. He recommended she speak to the Law Commission and, in 2002, her 13 years of campaigning finally came to fruition.

A white paper advising changes be made to the legislation, to affect both future and retrospective cases, was presented in parliament by David Blunkett, and in April 2005, the 800-year-old law was binned for good. Ann told reporters at the time: “I just can’t believe it. For once in my life I’m speechless.”

In September 2006, Dunlop went on trial at the Old Bailey and was found guilty and sentenced to life behind bars. All his requests for parole and to be moved to an open prison have been denied.

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Beauty Pie’s in-demand LED face mask is finally back in stock after selling out three times, and shoppers have praised it for softening wrinkles, plumping and evening out skin tone

LED mask fans will be pleased to hear that Beauty Pie’s professional-grade C-Wave LED Treatment Mask is finally back in stock after selling out three times.

These high-tech beauty gadgets have been rising in popularity over the past few years, with major celebs like Victoria Beckham and Kate Hudson using them as part of their skincare routines.

And they’re not just a fad; they’re scientifically supported pieces of tech that can help reduce inflammation, stimulate collagen production, and combat fine lines by using light therapy to penetrate deep into your skin.

So why is the Beauty Pie mask so in demand? Well, it’s a clinically proven skincare device that tackles everything from fine lines to redness to dullness. Using the power of dual-wavelength tech, it boosts collagen, firms up skin, fades pigmentation, and gives you that fresh, even-toned glow.

The best part? It delivers pro-level results at a fraction of the price of luxury LED masks. If you’re a Beauty Pie member already, you can nab it for £120, and if you’re not a member, the mask is priced at £200.

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Beauty Pie shoppers have been raving about this LED mask for plumping the skin, reducing the appearance of wrinkles and balancing out skin tone.

One happy reviewer wrote: “I am pleased to say I have seen results, lots of comments on how I am looking younger! Which at 61 I will take. I can see a softening of lines and wrinkles and look a little plumper. I use it every morning as soon as the first snooze button has been pressed. I recommend this LED Mask, but like anything you need to be consistent. Its a great price too.”

A second added: “I love this mask. I work within the Beauty industry and have seen lots of LED masks including medical grade ones. I have combination skin and want to prevent early aging. This mask is the best value for money and I really like how it fits directly to the face. It’s great that you can have the eye guards off or on. The adjustable strap is really helpful too.

I have been using this daily since March. The instant result I saw was my skin was smoother. After that it was more radiant.”

Not all were as impressed, however, with a few noting that the eye protectors sit awkwardly on the face. A shopper said: “Too early to tell tbh – I have high hopes. Negatives are that the eye protectors are very uncomfortable – I have tried wearing them back to front to give some eye protection with less discomfort. That seems to work ok.”

For alternative LED masks, our beauty team tested and reviewed a selection of the very best masks to shop in 2025. Among the list, the standout masks to try included the Shark CryoGlow LED Anti-Ageing and Blemish Repair Mask, priced at £299.99, and the BeautyPro Photon LED Light Therapy Facial Mask, priced at £195.

What started as a local conflict in southern Syria between local Druze and Bedouin communities over the weekend escalated on Wednesday into Israel bombing Syria’s Ministry of Defence and other targets in the capital Damascus.

At least three people were killed in the Damascus attacks, the Syrian Ministry of Health said. Other Israeli air attacks on Wednesday hit the southwestern provinces of Suwayda and Deraa.

Suwayda – where the majority of the population are members of the Druze religious group – had been the epicentre of the violence in recent days. Israel had already struck Syrian government forces there earlier this week.

Israeli officials claim their attacks on Syria aim to protect the Druze community in Suwayda, where scores of people have been killed in clashes involving local armed groups, as well as government forces.

However, local activists and analysts say Israel is fueling internal strife in Suwayda by continuing to bomb Syria – as it has done repeatedly since former President Bashar al-Assad was overthrown in December. And Israel has continued to attack Syrian government forces, despite ceasefire agreements between some Druze leaders and the Syrian authorities.

“Not only is Israel now painting the entire [Druze] community as pro-Israel, but they are painting them as supporting Israel’s bombardment of Damascus,” said Dareen Khalifa, an expert on Syria and a senior adviser with International Crisis Group.

Exploiting strife

The recent violence in Suwayda began after Bedouin armed groups kidnapped a Druze trader on the road to Damascus on July 11, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a United Kingdom-based monitor.

The abduction quickly turned into more widespread violence between the two communities – which have a longstanding rivalry due to land disputes – eventually dragging in Syrian government forces.

Syria’s new government has been attempting to impose its authority after a 14-year civil war and the end of half a century of al-Assad family rule. However, it has found it difficult to do so in Suwayda, partly because of Israel’s repeated threats against the presence of any government forces in the province, which borders the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

Suwayda’s Druze initially welcomed the deployment of government forces following the weekend’s violence, but clashes soon began between some Druze fighters and those forces, with reports of the latter carrying out human rights abuses, according to civilians, local monitors and analysts.

The actions committed by members of the security forces – acknowledged as “unlawful criminal acts” by the Syrian presidency – have given Israel a pretext to bombard Syria in an attempt to keep the country weak and divided, as well as to pander to its own Druze citizens who serve in the Israeli army, experts say.

“From the Israeli perspective – and how they view Syria and how Syria should be – they prefer a weak central government and for the country to be governed and divided into sectarian self-governing enclaves,” said Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi, an expert on Syria who has extensively researched local dynamics in Suwayda.

Al-Tamimi added that reactions in Suwayda have been mixed regarding Israel’s conduct, which speaks to the lack of trust many in the province have in the new government in Damascus – which is led by members of Syria’s Sunni majority, many of whom, including President Ahmed al-Sharaa, were members of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a former affiliate of al-Qaeda.

Civilians in Suwayda said that part of the distrust stems from the government’s failure to hold fighters accountable for either allowing or partaking in the killing of hundreds of Alawites on Syria’s coast in March.

Alawites belong to an offshoot of Shia Islam, a sect that al-Assad and his family hailed from. The government has launched an investigation into the fighting, in which more than 200 Syrian government security personnel were also killed after attacks by pro-Assad forces, with the findings expected in October.

Abuses and fear

Government forces have been accused of carrying out human rights abuses in Suwayda, including carrying out “field executions,” according to SOHR and other local monitors.

“I personally wanted the government forces to restore order, but not like this,” said Fareed*, a young man from the Druze community.

The local outlet Suwayda24 reported that fighters believed to be linked to the government executed nine unarmed civilians after raiding a family compound on July 15.

Al Jazeera’s verification unit, Sanad, confirmed the reports.

Written questions were sent to Uday al-Abdullah, an official at Syria’s Ministry of Defence, asking him to respond to accusations that government forces carried out execution-style killings.

He did not respond before publication.

However, on Wednesday, the Syrian Health Ministry said that dozens of bodies had been found in Suwayda’s National Hospital, including security forces and civilians.

Ceasefires have been repeatedly agreed between Druze factions and the Syrian government. The most recent, on Wednesday, included an agreement that Suwayda be fully integrated into the Syrian state, according to Youssef Jarbou, a Druze leader.

However, as in the case of a ceasefire agreed on Tuesday, Israel has continued to attack.

What’s more, several Druze religious and armed factions retreated from the Tuesday ceasefire primarily because government forces continued to carry out violations in Suwayda, according to al-Tamimi.

During the civil war, clerics and armed Druze factions were able to negotiate de facto autonomy while repelling attacks by groups such as ISIL (ISIS).

After al-Assad fell in December 2024, one notable Druze religious leader, Hikmat al-Hijri, demanded that the new authorities in Damascus change the constitution to ensure greater regional autonomy for Suwayda and secularisation.

His position had significant backing, but not the majority, said al-Tamimi.

“His specific position – that the government needed to rewrite the constitution – was not the majority position in Suwayda,” he told Al Jazeera, saying there were pragmatists willing to engage with the government to safeguard a degree of autonomy and integrate with the new authorities.

“[But after these government violations], al-Hijir’s positions will likely enjoy more sympathy and support,” al-Tamimi warned.

Calls for intervention

As fighting continues in al-Suwayda, al-Hijri has controversially called on the international community to protect the Druze in Syria.

Critics fear that his call is a veiled request for Israeli intervention, a position that many people in Suwayda disagree with.

Samya,* a local activist who is living in a village several kilometres away from where the clashes are unfolding, said Israel’s attacks make her “uncomfortable” and that she doesn’t support intervention.

At the same time, she said she is increasingly worried that government forces will raid homes, endangering civilians.

“We don’t know what to expect,” she told Al Jazeera.

“We don’t know who may come to our house and who that person will be, and what he might ask us once he enters. We don’t know how that person or soldier might treat us, you know? So, there is fear. Honestly, we are all really terrified,” she added.

Al-Tamimi warned that Israel’s discourse of “protecting” the Druze of Syria could exacerbate internal strife, leading to collective punishment.

“[What Israel is doing] is inflaming sectarian tension, because it gives fuel to the suggestions that Druze are secretly working with Israel to divide the country,” he said.

Some names have been changed to protect sources from reprisal

Fiona Phillips has sensationally revealed that she had secretly split from her husband Martin Frizell as tension grew in their marriage before Alzheimer’s diagnosis

To the outside world, Fiona Phillips’ marriage was nothing short of perfect. But now, the former breakfast TV presenter has revealed that her relationship was anything but a happy one as Alzheimer’s disease was starting to take its toll on her and her family – unknowingly.

The relationship between Fiona, 64 and her husband – former This Morning producer Martin Frizell – had broken down beyond repair as she recalled the moment he announced he was moving out of their family home.

In a first person piece for the Mail On Sunday, the TV star, who was one of the main presenters of GMTV, opened up on the fact she was not aware she had developed the disease which had taken both her parents.

In the run up to their secret separation, Fiona explained that she was in denial over the fact she was experiencing the initial symptoms of the disease and put it down to the menopause instead.

Their marriage became more and more fractured as Martin felt Fiona was becoming increasingly distant from him and their children and their arguments were becoming far too regular.

Fiona explained: “Was I worried that there might be something sinister lurking beneath the surface? That Alzheimer’s could one day be coming for me too? “

She added: “On one level I did think I would get the disease, but there was also another part of me that was in a strange sort of denial about it all. This illness has devastated so much of my life already, surely it’s not going to come for me too?’ I’d tell friends.”

Fiona went onto reveal that she’s sure that the disease was “at least partly responsible” for her marriage breaking down but that neither she nor Martin could see that. She became “more and more disconnected” from her family, with Martin accusing her of zoning out of their marriage.

She said: “But, if I’m honest, I think he was right. I just didn’t seem to have the energy for any of it any more. I didn’t realise quite how seriously Martin felt about it all until one evening he announced he was moving out.”

In that moment, Fiona did not believe that her marriage was completely over, in fact she said that she felt he was simply “trying to shock me into behaving differently”.

They had separated for three weeks before they started to exchange text messages between each other and then arranged to meet at a hotel in Hampshire, in a desperate bid to save their marriage.

They reconciled their differences but Fiona recalled that she was still suffering with the same symptoms. In 2023, at the age of 62, Fiona revealed that she had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.

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Three years after USC and UCLA triggered a mass exodus by bolting for the Big Ten, the Pac-12 has extended an invitation to Texas State to give the conference eight football-playing members.

Texas State, currently part of the Sun Belt Conference, is expected to accept the offer Monday, according to several media outlets. The school would join the Pac-12 in July 2026.

USC and UCLA transformed the college sports landscape by leaving the Pac-12 on June 30, 2022, citing the Big Ten’s $8-billion media-rights deal as the primary motivation. Ten Pac-12 teams eventually departed, leaving only Washington State and Oregon State as members.

The Pac-12 contemplated folding, but instead added five state schools from the Mountain West Conference and Gonzaga, a private, non-football playing school from the West Coast Conference.

When it accepts the invitation, Texas State will be the next addition. The school made its first bowl appearance in the program’s 121-year history in 2023, defeating Rice in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl. The Bobcats won the same bowl in 2024, this time against North Texas.

Texas State will give the Pac-12 eight football-playing teams, the minimum number of members to continue as an NCAA conference. Although long in the shadow of Texas, Southern Methodist, Texas Christian, Texas A&M, Baylor and Texas Tech, Texas State is a growing university located in San Marcos, a booming suburb located on Interstate 35 about halfway between Austin and San Antonio.

The Bobcats also bring a reasonably strong portfolio of non-revenue sports, having won an award as the top-performing school in the Sun Belt across all sports in three of the last four years.

The Pac-12 had courted Memphis as the eighth football-playing school, but Memphis athletic director Ed Scott told the Memphis Commercial Appeal a week ago that the school was working to join a Power 4 conference — a nonofficial term for the SEC, Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC, four conferences that operate with relative autonomy.

“I know [Pac-12 commissioner Teresa Gould is] worried about finding her eighth full member,” Scott said. “I’m worried about trying to get us into a Power 4 conference. That is our first goal, unequivocally. That’s always been our goal.”

The Pac-12 has long lagged in media exposure, especially on television, but on Monday announced a multimedia deal with CBS as the anchor partner from 2026 to 2031. Texas State was encouraged by the TV deal, and the Pac-12 was under pressure to add the Bobcats before July 1, when their exit fee from the Sun Belt would double from $5 million to $10 million.

Under the deal, CBS will broadcast a minimum of four football and men’s basketball games per season on its main network and provide a cable and streaming presence. All Washington State and Oregon State games will be broadcast on The CW, CBS or ESPN this fall. The new deal with CBS and other media partners would begin in 2026 when Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, Utah State and Gonzaga join the Pac-12 along with Texas State.

Texas State’s move would trigger a domino effect, with the Sun Belt looking toward Conference USA for a replacement. Louisiana Tech, Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee have been mentioned as possibilities.

The new Pac-12 is expected to be strongest in men’s basketball because of the inclusion of Gonzaga and San Diego State, but the conference could be solid in football as well. Boise State made the College Football Playoff last season, one of five schools joining the Pac-12 that played in a bowl.

June 16 (UPI) — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the first woman head of the country’s secret intelligence service, MI6, since it was formed in 1909.

Blaise Metreweli will be promoted from her current role as “Q,” in which she is the agency’s lead on technology and innovation. She will take over from the current holder of the role of “C,” MI6 Chief Sir Richard Moore, when his term is up in the fall, No. 10 Downing Street said in a news release Sunday.

“The historic appointment of Blaise Metreweli comes at a time when the work of our intelligence services has never been more vital. The United Kingdom is facing threats on an unprecedented scale — be it aggressors who send their spy ships to our waters or hackers whose sophisticated cyber plots seek to disrupt our public services,” Starmer said.

As C, the 47-year-old will serve as the face of British intelligence in more ways than one, since she is the sole named operative. The identities of roughly all 3,600 agents of the organization a closely guarded state secret.

A career intelligence officer who has also held senior roles at the sister-domestic intelligence service MI5, Metreweli is a Middle East specialist with a lengthy track record as an operative in the region, as well as in Europe.

“I am proud and honored to be asked to lead my service. MI6 plays a vital role — with MI5 and Government Communications Headquarters — in keeping the British people safe and promoting U.K. interests overseas,” she said.

“I look forward to continuing that work alongside the brave officers and agents of MI6 and our many international partners.”

Outgoing chief Moore said in a post on X that Metreweli was the right person for the job, particularly with the current tensions in the Middle East and her out-of-the-box thinking in using technology.

“I am absolutely delighted by this historic appointment of my colleague, Blaise Metreweli, to succeed me as ‘C’. Blaise is a highly accomplished intelligence officer and leader, and one of our foremost thinkers on technology. I am excited to welcome her as the first female head of MI6,” said Moore.

MI6, which began life as the Secret Service Bureau, has never been led by a woman, in contrast with MI5 and the electronic surveillance agency GCHQ. MI5 has previously been headed by two women, while Anne Keast-Butler continues to head GCHQ after being appointed in April 2023 by the previous Conservative government.

The Guardian noted that the on-screen M, James Bond‘s handler in the film franchise was played by Judi Dench for almost two decades, starting alongside Pierce Brosnan in his first stint as 007.

CNN’s chief national security correspondent Alex Marquardt, whose 2021 story on a military contractor led to a defamation suit loss in court, announced Monday he is leaving the network.

“Tough to say goodbye but it’s been an honor to work among the very best in the business,” Marquardt wrote on X. “Profound thank you to my comrades on the National Security team & the phenomenal teammates I’ve worked with in the US and abroad.”

Earlier this year, a Florida jury awarded $5 million to former CIA operative Zachary Young after a jury found he was defamed in a November 2021 report by Marquardt on how Afghans were being charged thousands of dollars to be evacuated after the U.S. military withdrawal from their country.

After deliberations began on punitive damages, CNN attorneys reached an undisclosed settlement with Young.

A CNN representative declined to comment on Marquardt’s departure, calling it a personnel matter. One network insider who was not authorized to comment publicly said there was a feeling among many people at CNN that Marquardt had to go after the loss in court.

Marquardt has served as CNN’s chief national security correspondent since 2017. He was previously a foreign correspondent for ABC News.

Young lives in Vienna and has his business based in Florida. He was seeking $14,500 for getting people out of Afghanistan after the chaotic U.S. military withdrawal. He claimed his services were limited to corporate sponsors.

The business was described in Marqurdt’s report alongside interviews with Afghans who spoke about desperate efforts by people to escape, but they had no connection to Young.

Young’s suit said his inclusion in the story, which used the term “black market” in an on-screen banner, implied that his activity was criminal, even though Marquardt’s segment made no such charge. “Black market” was also used in the introduction of the report when it first ran on “The Lead With Jake Tapper,” other CNN programs and the network’s website and social media accounts.

CNN lawyers argued that the term “black market” was used to describe an unregulated activity, even though the dictionary definition describes it as illegal.

Young claimed the story destroyed his reputation and ability to earn a living — driving his annual income from $350,000 to zero — and caused severe emotional and psychological distress.

Mexican corrido singer Gabito Ballesteros has always been a hopeless romantic. His newest album, “Ya No Se Llevan Serenatas,” or “They No Longer Perform Serenades,” tugs at those delicate heartstrings.

Released Thursday, the album pays tribute to romance in the digital era of smartphones and social media. Invoking modern-day references, like sending Instagram DMs and going to Disneyland, he puts his own spin on the traditional serenade, a ballad one typically sings below the windowsill of their lover. It’s the kind of profound romance that regional Mexican acts such as Joan Sebastian, Vicente Fernandez and Juan Gabriel honed for decades.

“I like to sing to women, bring them roses, be romantic, and I want to convey this to my audience,” said Ballesteros in a statement to The Times.

Sprinkled across the 21 tracks is a roster of star-studded Mexican homegrown talents, including longtime collaborator Natanael Cano, Tito Doble P, Christian Nodal, Neton Vega, Carín León, Oscar Maydon and Luis R Conriquez.

Colombian reggaeton superstar J Balvin is also featured in the Latin-EDM fusion track, “La Troka.”

Ahead of its release, the rising star teased his sophomore album on Instagram with a clip of him driving a classic Ford Mustang filled with dozens of red roses. Once parked, Ballesteros pulls out his guitar from the trunk as his joint song with Carín León, “Regalo de Dios,” begins to unfold in the background — a sign that Ballesteros is ready to pour his heart out to whoever that fortunate soul might be.

The song is one of the few pre-released tracks of the album, alongside poetic singles like “Cleopatra,” which compares a woman’s beauty to that of the famed Egyptian queen, and the agonizing track “Perdido,” which looks to fill the void of true love lost with vice.

The already popular, anxiety-riddled “7 Diás,” featuring Tito Double P, is also included in the track list; Ballesteros also performs an acoustic rendition of this heartbreak song on YouTube.

“This is a very important album because it tells a very different story than what [I] have been doing],” said Ballesteros. “The audience will get to learn more about my love and heartbreak.”

Ballesteros, who is originally from Sonora, Mexico, first gained recognition in 2020 with his breakthrough conjunto song “El Rompecabezas.” After obtaining his degree in industrial engineering in 2023, he joined his longtime friend Natanael Cano and Peso Pluma on the chart-topping hit “AMG,” which debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 92, marking the trio’s first appearance on the chart. Ballesteros later appeared on the chart that same year with the megahit “Lady Gaga” with Peso Pluma and Junior H,” which remained on the Billboard Hot 100 for 20 weeks, peaking at No. 35.

The release of “Ya No Se Llevan Serenatas” comes a year after Ballesteros launched his critically-acclaimed debut album, “The GB,” which landed at No. 65 on the Billboard 200. The 25-year-old singer— who is under Natanael Cano’s record label Los CT and Peso Pluma’s Double P Management— has quickly become a force in the new wave of corridos tumbados, amassing more than 50 million monthly Spotify listeners.

“If you’re in love, I would like for you to dedicate a song to your lover [from this album]. If you’re going through a breakup, listen to it and heal with the music,” Ballesteros said. “Everything is guided by love.”