moment

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Transportation was working Saturday to determine whether Friday’s air traffic control system meltdown resulted from human error or equipment failure as travelers across the nation continued to grapple with a cascade of flight delays and cancellations.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the crisis began when a contractor was performing routine maintenance at a remote FAA location to switch telecommunication lines from 1980s-era copper wire to a fiber line.

The new equipment began flooding other routers in the air traffic control system — sending more than 1,000 connection attempts every four to five seconds — causing radar and communications disruptions, he said. As a safety measure, the FAA decided to ground all planes for more than four hours.

It is currently unclear whether the contractor, L3 Harris, or the piece of new equipment itself was at fault.

“This was an FAA system that didn’t meet the moment,” said Duffy. “A contractor didn’t meet the moment or the equipment didn’t meet the moment — and it caused the outages.” L3 Harris could not be immediately reached for comment.

On Saturday morning, thousands of planes were back in American airspace, but airlines warned it would take several days to recover and urged passengers to change their flights to later dates where possible. On Friday, there were more than 7,400 flight delays within, into, or out of the United States and more than 9,000 cancellations, according to flight-tracking website FlightAware.

The incident sparked barbed political discourse over who is to blame for failing to fix the aging infrastructure and frustrations over the initial lack of clear communication from White House officials.

“The Transportation and Homeland Security leaders were slow to provide updates, and when they did speak, they didn’t have good explanations about what was happening, nor whether it would happen again,” Rep. George Whitesides (D-Santa Clarita) said in a statement on X.

Whitesides, who was himself stuck in an airport for seven hours Friday, criticized the president for installing a Transportation Secretary with “basically no professional transportation experience in one of the most crucial jobs we have as a country.” Duffy is a former sports television personality, prosecutor, congressmember and CNN political contributor.

Trump, who rarely shies away from the spotlight, has not publicly commented on the unprecedented telecommunications outage. He had posted on social media about other issues, including criticism of Gavin Newsom, but nothing yet on the airspace issue.

When asked about the president’s silence at a Friday evening news conference, Duffy said that Trump was “fully engaged” behind the scenes.

Duffy praised Trump for pushing to modernize the FAA’s infrastructure and securing $12.5 billion through his 2025 “Big Beautiful Bill” — a sprawling collection of tax breaks, spending cuts and other Republican priorities — to upgrade the nation’s air traffic control and airspace systems. Duffy called on Congress to approve up to an additional $50 billion in funding to fully modernize the nation’s aviation infrastructure.

Friday’s stoppage marks the second full ground stop since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York. The most recent full ground stop, which lasted about 90 minutes, was in 2023 when a pilot notification system went down.

Times staff writer Ana Ceballos contributed to this report.

When Ateez first arrived in Los Angeles from South Korea in 2018, they were aspiring K-pop idols who were still only learning their craft and unsure what the future had in store for them.

From humble beginnings training at Movement Lifestyle and Millennium Dance Complex, Ateez have gone on to headline arenas and stadiums across the city and established themselves as one of the biggest K-pop groups in the world.

The eight-member K-pop unit — made up of Hongjoong, Seonghwa, Yunho, Yeosang, San, Mingi, Wooyoung and Jongho — have headlined festivals, accumulated billions of streams and transcended the genre with viral songs and dances such as “Bad” and “Bouncy (K-Hot Chilli Peppers).”

Marking another milestone in their careers, Ateez headlined their first outdoor festival in L.A. with the inaugural two-day K-pop music festival 82 World at Los Angeles State Historic Park in October.

Following their performance, Hongjoong, San, Mingi and Jongho of Ateez sat down with The Times to discuss their comeback with their 15th mini-album, “Golden Hour: Part.6,” out Friday.

The excitement about the album was palpable, as San and Jongho couldn’t hold back their dance moves while discussing songs like “Up” and “Drip.” The album sees Ateez experiment with genres, such as heavy trap, while incorporating familiar elements that have made them so popular over the years.

How was the performance at 82 World?

San: It’d been over a year since our last show in L.A., so it was special, and the fans were full of energy as we hadn’t seen them for so long.

How have these big performances, like 82 World or headlining at BMO Stadium, helped you grow as performers?

San: I think the most important thing that we’ve gained from these big performances is confidence. We have been performing on bigger stages and meeting more Atiny — the fandom name — and this made us enjoy performing more.

Did this feel like a full-circle moment, as you’re headlining a festival in the city you trained in?

Hongjoong: We have been to L.A. a lot of times, but this is the first time we’ve had a big outdoor performance in L.A. This felt like a full-circle moment. Also, the fact that we got to perform “From” at the end of the show, which is a song that we made in L.A., made it even more special.

What are your memories of recording “From”?

Hongjoong: When we recorded “From,” it was our pre-debut song, so it was before all of this happened. So getting the chance to perform this in front of the fans who we thought about whilst writing the song made it even more special.

What did you learn from training in L.A. that perhaps you couldn’t have just picked up in Seoul?

Mingi: The thing that I learned the most in L.A. is about showmanship. There’s a lot of freedom and happiness on stage.

How did you feel that freedom in the studio when recording in L.A.?

Mingi: Rather than in the studio, it was something I learned to express whilst on stage. But as we travel to different countries and cities, I picked up bits and pieces from each place, so it wasn’t just from L.A.

What energy does L.A. bring you?

Jongho: It’s not just the concerts; it’s the fact we have beautiful weather in L.A., too, and that gives me a lot of energy. Also, on my way to the concerts, I love looking at the beautiful scenery, and everything here is a little bit brighter.

Did you have any favorite places you liked to go while training?

Hongjoong: When we first came to L.A., we were just there to train, so we didn’t really go to any special places. We would just go to places near the dance studio to get sandwiches during our break. We would just try anything during that time.

How will “Golden Hour: Part.6” show a new side of Ateez from what we’ve seen recently?

Hongjoong: Of all the “Golden Hour” installments, this feels like the most Ateez and the most representative of what we want to express. We’ve also tried a lot of different genres throughout the “Golden Hour” and “Treasure” series, so we’re bringing them together for this mini-album.

What was that like, experimenting in the studio and bringing all these sounds together?

San: We’re thankful that we have the freedom to try all of these different genres. There was an opportunity to explore the different music tastes of Atiny and what sounds they liked, and that helped us grow as artists. It was a good challenge to experiment.

Congratulations on the eighth anniversary. How does this album celebrate your anniversary, and why is this a special milestone?

Mingi: The fact that we’ve stayed together for eight years is a gift in itself, and we’re thankful for that. Also, we were able to grow together and share these experiences in such a short time, which is a blessing. We are looking forward to our ninth, 10th and 20th anniversaries.

Is there any moment in your eight years that you wish you could relive?

Jongho: Rather than one specific moment, every moment that we’ve been able to live through these eight years has been special. We just want to enjoy every moment and connect with the fans for a long time.

One of the biggest moments must have been your first show, which was at the Globe Theatre in L.A. in 2019. How did that feel?

San: We went in not knowing much. We didn’t know how many people would turn up, but from the first moment we were able to hit the stage and connect with Atiny, we started to feel more confident. Our first show was in L.A., and people from all different cultures and backgrounds were coming from different places. The fact that they were able to sing with us as one and sing in Korean and all our songs from the beginning to the end was a beautiful memory that I still cherish.

You go through lots of training, but what did you learn from that first show that you couldn’t have prepared for?

Mingi: The thing I learned the most was how to connect with the fans and get them as excited as us. It’s like a symbiotic energy. With every concert and every moment, I’m always learning how to get fans more excited, how to communicate with them and make sure they enjoy it from the start until the very end.

Is there anything you wish you had known before debuting that would have helped you prepare differently?

Jongho: We always used to beat ourselves up when things didn’t go as planned, even if it was just a little mistake or it wasn’t as perfect as we had imagined. It meant that we couldn’t always enjoy the moment. Now, we try to enjoy the moment, and then we review our performances afterward and we can adjust that for the next show or project.

How does “Up” reflect the sound and energy of the new mini-album?

Hongjoong: One of the reasons that we were able to get a lot of attention early in our careers was that we had a signature energy in our songs and performances. We think that “Up” carries this same energy, but as we’ve been on this road for eight years, it has a more mature sound. It’s something that people have missed from Ateez, but it is also a culmination of our eight years of experience.

In a similar way, what did you want to express with “Drip”?

Hongjoong: “Drip” has a heavy trap sound that we’ve never really explored before. As we’ve mentioned, “Golden Hour” is all about bringing new sounds and energies.

How did that new heavy trap sound feel in the studio?

Jongho: At first, when I heard the song, I thought, “Oh, my God! How am I going to make my voice match with this rhythm?” But from the moment I hit the studio and started recording, I was taken by the rhythm and started moving along to the beat, and it was a really fun recording experience.

Congratulations on the success of “Bad.” What has it been like to see a song transcend the genre and become so popular?

San: We received a lot of love from “Bad.” With all of that love, we want to give back with better performances. … We want to give back all of the love, support and attention.

There was a great music video with Chase Infiniti. What was it like to work with her on that?

Hongjoong: When we were in the early stages of planning for the music video, we knew that her role was going to be really important for this video, so we were really eager to have her involved. She was very professional and dedicated to always doing her best. She also brought a great energy to the set and gave each one of us really positive vibes. We are really grateful that she was with us and she is a big part of why “Bad” was such a great success.

Collaborating and working with Chase, what new perspective did you learn about Atiny and your fandom?

Hongjoong: Chase was actually the first Atiny to hear the song, as she needed to hear it for the music video. Also, since she had a dancing part, she also needed to look at the performance. She was really excited about it, so we knew the reaction from Atiny would be the same. She was really proud of being an Atiny and was talking about it and happy about being part of the fandom. We are very proud of her and the way that she has been able to grow that much as a great actress. We are really looking forward to what she’s going to do in the future.

THIS is the moment Russell Brand joked he was “looking at a 10-year stretch” in prison – 13 years before the fiend was caged for rape.

The disgraced comedian made the remark on The Jonathan Ross Show in 2013 as the pair discussed Brand’s past behaviour.

In the resurfaced footage, which is now doing the rounds on social media, Brand appears to make an eerie prediction about his eventual downfall.

The exchange begins with Ross telling his guest: “We should point out, by the way, that you do not endorse criminal behaviour.”

Brand replies: “It depends really, I mean…”

But Ross quickly jumps in, saying: “I am trying to keep you out of trouble.”

IN PLAIN SIGHT?

Walliams clips emerge from ‘bulge’ at kids’ book signing to kissing stunt

CELL PREACHER

Jail bosses ‘watching’ Brand amid fears he’ll lure lags into Christian cult

Brand then fires back: “Oh yeah, you have done a great job in the past, ain’t ya? Thank you, Uncle Jonathan.”

The audience erupts into laughter, with the remark thought to be a reference to the pair’s involvement in the 2008 Sachsgate scandal.

Brand then adds: “I will be looking at a ten stretch. You’re like bloody Fagin.”

Ross responds: “I was trying to keep you on the straight and narrow.”

But Brand continues: “I was regarded as a twinkie little sex addict when I met you, and then I nearly ended up in jail.”

Social media users have been quick to point out the irony of the comment, more than a decade before he received a sentence of ten years and six months.

The fictional character Fagin, from Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist, is a criminal who leads a gang of young pickpockets.

Brand’s comparison appeared to suggest Ross had been encouraging him towards trouble rather than keeping him on the straight and narrow.

Ross has since broken his silence after Brand’s conviction and the allegations surrounding his former pal David Walliams came to light.

A three-year joint investigation by ITV News and the Guardian revealed shocking allegations against Walliams dating back as far as 2003.

Walliams has been accused of preying on young girls for sexual purposes – including two as young as 15 – and he denies the claims.

Ross said he was “genuinely unaware of their conduct” when he was on friendly terms with the pair.

He also said his “thoughts are with the many, many women who have bravely come forward”.

The resurfaced exchange is just one of a string of uncomfortable clips involving Brand that have been circulating online since his sentencing.

Another disturbing video shows the moment Noel Fielding joked: “We’re not rapists” during an appearance alongside Brand on Big Fat Quiz of the Year in 2007.

The exchange came after Jonathan Ross made a crude remark about singer Lily Allen, who was the only woman on the panel.

Fielding responded: “How dare you, we’re not rapists.”

Host Jimmy Carr then quipped: “Why are you wearing a cape if you’re not a rapist?”

Brand, grinning, then said: “What if, horror of horrors, he ain’t even done a rape. You could ruin his career.”

He went on to ask Fielding: “Have you done a rape?”

Footage has also resurfaced of Brand touching Lorraine Kelly’s thigh during an appearance on The Graham Norton Show in 2007.

The comedian placed his hand on the TV presenter before asking whether she was wearing suspenders.

He then called her a “s**t”, leaving her visibly uncomfortable.

Another chilling clip shows Brand asking broadcaster Vanessa Feltz whether he could have sex with her daughters during an appearance on his chat show in 2006.

Her youngest daughter was just 15 at the time.

When Vanessa firmly told him no, Brand continued to push the subject.

It comes as comedian Sean Lock has had praise heaped on him for calling out Brand in a scathing rant on Channel 4‘s 8 Out Of 10 Cats.

The late comic, who died from cancer in 2021, has been praised for his comments about the disgraced star in another resurfaced television clip.

Lock launched into a furious takedown of Brand, branding him “pathetic” and admitting: “I hate him so much.”

He went on to explain that being a father was one of the reasons he felt so strongly about Brand.

Lock said: “Probably the reason I hate him so much is that I am a dad, and I have this fear that one day my daughters will bring something like that home.”

In 2006, Brand interviewed Walliams alongside his Little Britain comedy partner Matt Lucas.

During the exchange, Lucas accused the pair of being the “gayest straight blokes there are”.

Walliams turned to Brand and replied: “Isn’t it a wonderful smokescreen?”

Brand agreed, saying: “Isn’t it though? Isn’t it glorious? It works wonderfully well.”

Walliams has denied the accusations and insists he has broken no law.

Brand, 51, was jailed for ten years and six months at Southwark Crown Court on November 9.

He was convicted last week of raping a woman he met at one of his gigs in 2009.

The former comic was also found guilty of sexually assaulting three other women at the height of his fame between 2004 and 2009.

He was cleared of two further counts of rape and one of attempted indecent assault.

Sentencing him, Mr Justice Bennathan described Brand as a “sexual predator” who had used his fame to prey on women.

Brand, who denied all the charges, has been held at HMP Wandsworth in South London since his conviction.

After many hours slowly submerging, the SS United States finally sunk off the coast of Florida on Wednesday night.

The historic ocean liner will now become the world’s largest artificial underwater reef, designed to attract marine life and diving enthusiasts.

The SS United States has not been in commission for decades, and spent 30 years docked in Philadelphia before it was moved to Florida.

Read more about this story here.

The supporting actor race finds several multiple nominees in the running alongside an icon among Latino entertainment figures looking for his first-ever nod.

Anne Thompson declares, “The favorite is [Andrew] Garfield, who plays tricky billionaire Sam Altman in ‘Artificial.’ It is a winning, if not positive, portrayal.”

“Past winner Sam Rockwell is also a lock,” says Dave Karger, “while veteran John Leguizamo is angling for his first nomination. And the always-reliable Edward Norton would increase his tally to five.”

Glenn Whipp says front-runner Paul Giamatti has been “so good for so long,” it seems as if he has won before, though he hasn’t. But “the way he brings to life the demanding, bighearted theater director in ‘The Debut’ will give him another shot.” As Robert Daniels says, his turn is “made memorable for the actor’s moments of tenacity, anguish and vulnerability. It’s Giamatti giving a classic Giamatti performance.”

1. Paul Giamatti, “The Debut”
2. John Leguizamo, “The Odyssey”
3. Sam Rockwell, “Wild Horse Nine”
4. Andrew Garfield, “Artificial”
5. Edward Norton, “The Invite”
6. John Goodman, “Digger”

RogerEbert.com

Robert Daniels

1. Paul Giamatti, “The Debut”
2. John Leguizamo, “The Odyssey”
3. Andrew Garfield, “Artificial”
4. Sam Rockwell, “Wild Horse Nine”
5. Edward Norton, “The Invite”

“Paul Giamatti got extremely close to winning best actor for ‘The Holdovers.’ His role as a theater director in ‘The Debut,’ isn’t the showstopping kind, but it is made memorable for the actor’s moments of tenacity, anguish and vulnerability. It’s Giamatti giving a classic Giamatti performance.”

Turner Classic Movies

Dave Karger

1. Paul Giamatti, “The Debut”
2. Sam Rockwell, “Wild Horse Nine”
3. John Leguizamo, “The Odyssey”
4. Andrew Garfield, “Artificial”
5. Edward Norton, “The Invite”

“Could this finally be Paul Giamatti’s year? He will definitely earn his third career nomination for going toe-to-toe with Julianne Moore in ‘The Debut.’ Past winner Sam Rockwell is also a lock, while veteran John Leguizamo is angling for his first nomination. And the always-reliable Edward Norton would increase his tally to five.”

Los Angeles Times

Amy Nicholson

1. John Goodman, “Digger”
2. Paul Giamatti, “The Debut”
3. John Leguizamo, “The Odyssey”
4. Sam Rockwell, “Wild Horse Nine”
5. Reggie Absolom, “Club Kid”

“Dismal box office aside, there’s a lot of passion for ‘Digger’ burbling up from the internet. I wouldn’t count it out yet, and John Goodman’s ferocious president goes toe-to-toe with Tom Cruise in every scene.”

IndieWire

Anne Thompson

1. Andrew Garfield, “Artificial”
2. John Leguizamo, “The Odyssey”
3. Paul Giamatti, “The Debut”
4. Sam Rockwell, “Wild Horse Nine”
5. Edward Norton, “The Invite”

“The favorite is Garfield, who plays tricky billionaire Sam Altman in ‘Artificial.’ It is a winning, if not positive, portrayal. His challengers are strong: Leguizamo in ‘The Odyssey,’ which has coattails, Giamatti in ‘The Debut,’ Rockwell, who won for Martin McDonagh’s ‘Three Billboards,’ and four-time nominee Norton in ‘The Invite.’ ”

Tribune News Service

Katie Walsh

1. Sam Rockwell, “Wild Horse Nine”
2. Paul Giamatti, “The Debut”
3. John Leguizamo, “The Odyssey”
4. Edward Norton, “The Invite”
5. Andrew Garfield, “Artificial”

“Giamatti and Rockwell (a previous winner) are reliable standbys, and they’re terrific in ‘The Debut’ and ‘Wild Horse Nine,’ respectively. I would love to see John Leguizamo (‘The Odyssey’) and Andrew Garfield (‘Artificial’) recognized, but to win, it’s a coin toss between Giamatti and Rockwell for me right now.”

Los Angeles Times

Glenn Whipp

1. Paul Giamatti, “The Debut”
2. John Leguizamo, “The Odyssey”
3. Sam Rockwell, “Wild Horse Nine”
4. Edward Norton, “The Invite”
5. Guitarricadelafuente, “La Bola Negra”

“Paul Giamatti has been so good for so long in so many great movies that you assume he must have won an Oscar for one of them. Nope. But the way he brings to life the demanding, big-hearted theater director in ‘The Debut’ will give him another shot.”

Courage in politics is rare.

It’s especially difficult and fraught for a politician such as Gavin Newsom, who has Oval Office ambitions and everything to lose from a misstep. Playing it safe is playing it smart.

On Thursday, Newsom took what can only be described as a courageous stand, a risky stand — commuting the death sentences of the 548 men and women condemned to die in California, and instead seeking to change their sentences to life without parole.

Many people will stop reading right now because honestly, do you care what happens to those on death row? They’ve raped, murdered, robbed, tortured — you name the heinous crime, one of them has done it. They are not the most sympathetic lot, and in truth many of us have ambivalent feelings on the death penalty.

It’s that ambivalence, that uncertainty, that makes Newsom’s move so interesting. We are in the most unlikely of moments — witnessing a self-inflicted test of political endurance from a savvy politician who didn’t need to go there. What happens in these strange days when a presidential hopeful takes an unnecessary risk simply because he believes it’s the right thing to do?

Newsom will be roasted by those claiming to be tough-on-crime types. They predictably will cry that he is circumventing the will of the people and disrespecting crime victims and juries. Some will say he cares more about criminals than victims. Fox News is going to have a field day.

Newsom has publicly pondered this decision for some time, calling it a “rocking chair” choice, one he’s likely to look back on someday to judge whether he lived up to his own ideals. He has said he is morally opposed to the state killing to prove killing is bad. As he terms out of office, he had only a couple of months left to take action on that belief before the power to end the largest death row in the Western Hemisphere slips out of his hands.

“Faithfulness to our values is measured by how we act when it’s most difficult to uphold them,” Newsom wrote in a letter to Californians announcing his decision. This, he said, was one of those moments for him.

“Americans are looking for leadership that is more principled,” civil rights attorney Bryan Stevenson told me, arguing Newsom’s move is actually in sync with the electorate. Stevenson is one of the people Newsom has talked to about the death penalty, and the founder of the Legacy Museum in Alabama, which traces the line from slavery to mass incarceration.

The shocking blue-wave midterms showed that Americans aren’t just tired of cruelty for cruelty’s sake, he said. They are tired of injustice, tired of selfish, self-serving leaders, tired of fearing that their own government might crush them simply because it can.

Across the country, voters elected political leaders who stood for something — who bucked the trends to run on their values and vision of a better America, even if it wasn’t mainstream or safe.

So whether Americans agree with Newsom’s decision to commute these sentences to life without parole or not, voters are at a moment when I suspect, as Stevenson does, that they may embrace his courage to stand for something, even if they don’t agree with what that something is.

The death penalty is the ultimate expression of that power of government to crush. Support for it has been mixed for years, even among liberals — though young people are less likely to back it. It has been banned in nearly every Western democracy including almost all of Europe, Canada and New Zealand.

Twenty-seven U.S. states either have abolished it or have gubernatorial moratoriums on it (Newsom enacted one in California a few years ago). And President Biden commuted the death sentences of most federal inmates in his final days of office, as have several other governors over the years.

There also has been a growing understanding in the U.S. that race bias is baked into how we use the death penalty. Black and brown people make up the majority of those on death row, and crimes in which the victim is white are more likely to draw the death sentence — even when we get it wrong.

More than 200 people on death row have been exonerated across the United States since the 1970s — including eight in California — meaning that for every eight people we have put to death, there has been one other who was going to be killed by the state until we figured out they were innocent.

So while there’s a moral argument to be made against the state killing people to prove killing people is wrong, there’s also a practical one: It turns out we’re really bad at imposing a lethal sentence fairly, or even correctly.

Vicente Benavides Figueroa is proof of that. After 25 years on death row, the justice system finally realized it had made a terrible error in his conviction. Figueroa wasn’t just railroaded into a lethal sentence — for the murder, rape and sodomy of a toddler — the crime itself likely never actually happened.

Figueroa was a seasonal farmworker, a Mexican immigrant with less than a high school education, who was watching his girlfriend’s kids in the Central Valley in 1991 when he lost track of the youngest, Consuelo, for 15 minutes. When he found her, she was in the front yard, unresponsive and vomiting.

One thing led to another — a “reckless” investigation, as his civil attorney Salomon Zavala, describes it; faulty translators; a mostly white jury who werefar from his peers; and erroneous medical testimony — and Figueroa was convicted. The machine of justice was so grinding that Figueroa did not understand he had been sentenced to death until he got to San Quentin.

Decades later, the doctors who claimed Consuelo was raped and sodomized would realize the injuries were likely because of trauma from medical workers attempting to insert an adult-sized catheter. They recanted. New experts, hired by the defense, theorized the child had been hit by a car, causing the extensive internal injuries that killed her. The witnesses now agreed the child never had been raped or sodomized.

Figueroa’s conviction was overturned by the state Supreme Court in 2018, citing false evidence in the original trial.

“No matter what your moral position is on the death penalty, I think we have to look at it from a standpoint of institutional responsibility,” Zavala, the lawyer, told me. “We have to really think about whether we, as a society, are comfortable with executing someone that could potentially be innocent.”

I’m of the mind that erroneously killing one person in the name of justice is one too many — that the death penalty is an unacceptable risk.

I take nothing away from, nor mean to diminish, the importance or pain of any victim, their story or their point of view. Their pain is real and enduring, and surely there will be some who feel Newsom’s decision robs them of some sort of final resolution.

But pain cannot define justice.

It’s easy to forget that Newsom is married to a survivor of violent crime, and knows as well as anyone how complicated and difficult and personal the journey to recovery is, and how that suffering affects not just victims, but also families and communities.

But whether or not the state should be in the business of killing has to be a bigger decision that we consider collectively in moments when we are not in distress.

Newsom’s decision does that, seeking to go beyond “these performative sentences that just represent a lot of fear and anger,” Stevenson said, and move our justice system toward one that lives up to the ideal of promoting safety and fairness over vengeance. And even then, the state Supreme Court will have a say in the majority of these clemencies, since Newsom needs their approval in cases where there are repeat felonies.

But it’s a can of worms he didn’t have to open — the clearest statement we’ll ever get of who Newsom is as a leader.

And it’s a welcome reminder that sometimes, occasionally, values still have a place in politics.

BIANCA Censori shared a sweet moment with her stepdaughter, North West, at a packed event.

The model accompanied her husband Kanye’s eldest daughter to ComplexCon in Los Angeles early last month.

North, 13, vlogged her experience at the annual two-day convention, from her eclectic look to signing autographs and taking pictures with fans.

The teen shared the 21-minute video on her YouTube channel on Tuesday, which included a heartwarming exchange with her stepmom.

Early in the clip, Bianca, 31, appeared alongside North at the crowded venue, where they matched in all-black outfits.

North rocked a black top and her signature vibrant blue hair in braided pigtails, with heavy makeup, facial piercings, and a massive skull necklace.

Read More on Bianca Censori

STICKY & SWEET

Bianca Censori strips off feather jacket to reveal a CANDY thong and bra

CRAZY OVER YE

Bianca Censori straddles husband Kanye West in a beyond skintight bodysuit

Bianca rocked a black leather jacket and oversized sunglasses, her brunette hair falling straight down.

North towered over her father’s wife as they posed for what they thought was a photo-op.

After learning they were being recorded, North flashed her silver grills while Bianca puckered her lips at the camera.

Kanye, 49, also attended the event and was seen hugging his daughter backstage and taking pictures.

The U.S. Sun obtained photos from last month’s festival showing the trio navigating the crowds in matching black attire.

Bianca and North walked hand-in-hand, with Bianca gripping Kanye’s arm tightly as their 10-person security team surrounded them.

Hours earlier, North’s mother, Kim Kardashian, 46, shared her concerns about her kids growing up in the spotlight, particularly North, who’s garnered a massive following on TikTok.

North is also following in her rapper father’s footsteps by forging a music career, while appearing on the family’s Hulu series, The Kardashians.

“I do worry about it. Each kid does what they’re comfortable with,” Kim said in an interview with The Times, after admitting she has five nannies on rotation to help care for her and Kanye’s four children.

“So, my little ones come around when I’m filming, but they don’t really do storylines. North loves it a little bit more than the rest. I hold her back,” the All’s Fair star said.

“All she wants to do is forward-facing projects. And so, it’s like us really kind of trying to savor those moments and not doing everything that comes her way, so we can really make sure that we manage it the right way,” she added.

Kim and Kanye, who finalized their divorce in December 2022 after nearly seven years of marriage, share daughters North and Chicago, 8, and sons Saint, 10, and Psalm, 7.

Kanye married Bianca just weeks after divorcing Kim and has been accused of dictating her barely-there wardrobe.

The Yeezy architect has repeatedly stepped out in extremely racy outfits, including a completely see-through fishnet top and an almost invisible sheer bodysuit.

A source previously told The U.S. Sun that Kanye has spent thousands of dollars on his wife’s nearly naked looks.

Mike Madrid was prepping to interview Xavier Becerra on Olvera Street last month when the immensity of the moment hit him.

• Share via Close extra sharing options

That morning, Becerra held a rally for his gubernatorial campaign in the birthplace of Los Angeles alongside California Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas and the leader of the state Senate, Monique Limón, that doubled as a referendum on where Latinos stood politically.

Never before have Latinos occupied the top spots in both chambers of the Legislature and the governor’s mansion simultaneously, Rivas told the cheering crowd. Becerra reminded the audience that the moment was fraught for Latinos, though. Federal agents were still detaining undocumented immigrants across the state, and Latino residents — the state’s largest ethnic group at 41% — were suffering under the crushing cost of food, gas and housing.

“[Latinos] are here, we are present and we will fight,” Becerra said. “But right now, our fight is to get the vote out, to make sure everyone understands that our power lies in our vote.”

Gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra purchases an agua fresca from Taqueria Vista Hermosa in Mercado La Paloma on June 9.

(Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times)

Madrid, a longtime political commentator and strategist, had set up his recording equipment at the Pico House, formerly a historic hotel named after the last Mexican governor of California. He recalled how Pio Pico, who helped found the California Republican Party but ended up dying destitute, opened the structure in 1870 as a testament to what Latinos had contributed to their state. But they would eventually be seen as a relic of the bygone days when Mexicans ruled — days that gringos imagined would never return.

The symbolism of a Becerra victory would be “kind of a big deal,” Madrid said, representing a back to the future opportunity for an ethnic group that ruled California until the United States won the Mexican-American War, then was relegated to political irrelevance for over a century before finally being at the doorstep of the governor’s mansion again. Becerra would become California’s first Latino governor in modern times and the second since Romualdo Pacheco served for 10 months in 1875.

Now that the race has been called, Becerra’s victory signifies how much Latinos have advanced since Pico’s days. But it’s also anticlimactic.

As California’s Latino population grew and their political power eventually did too, the days when such a victory would have been an inspiring surprise are long gone. Becerra is now just one of many Latino political captains who steer the Golden State.

Xavier Becerra, right, fist bumps with Roy Kuroyawagi, owner of Japangeles, during a tour of businesses in Little Tokyo on Aug. 18.

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

California Supreme Court Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero became the first Latina to occupy that role when Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed her in 2023. The state’s senior U.S. senator, Alex Padilla, is the son of Mexican immigrants who settled in the San Fernando Valley. Rep. Pete Aguilar, a fourth-generation Mexican American from Redlands, is the third most powerful Democrat in Congress as the head of the party’s House caucus. Lorena Gonzalez, daughter of a Mexican immigrant father and white mother, leads the California Labor Federation, a longtime kingmaker in state politics.

And now, with Becerra at the helm, they will have to govern at a precarious moment, inheriting a state with existential problems affecting everyone, everywhere.

Droughts, El Niño, an eroding coast and the year-round threat of wildfires, much of it accelerated by climate change. Stagnant population growth that threatens to shrink the number of congressional seats. A presidential administration that keeps fighting California in federal court and has attempted to block the votes of 20,000 Californians it alleges are noncitizens. A restive population that Madrid predicts won’t let Becerra bask in his historic win.

“This is what you’ve always wanted. Here’s the keys to the car,” he cracked. “You’re responsible for it now. Who you’re going to blame if things don’t get better — Trump?”

Jody Agius Vallejo, associate director of USC’s Equity Research Institute, said she hopes that California’s new caretakers remember the struggles of getting to the summit — that they represent the dreams and battles of generations of politicians, voters and activists — as they embark on whatever’s next.

“You use these narratives [of Latino personal and collective struggle] to get elected,” she said. “Use them to understand what people need, and govern for them.”

1

2

3

4

1. Patricia Guerrero, left, is sworn-in to the California Supreme Court in 2022 by Gov. Gavin Newsom. (Nathaniel Levine / The Sacramento Bee via Associated Press) 2. Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., questions Attorney General Pam Bondi as she testifies before a Senate Judiciary Committee in 2025. (Jose Luis Magana / Associated Press) 3. Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., speaks at a Democratic Steering and Policy Committee hearing in 2026. (Allison Robbert / Associated Press) 4. Lorena Gonzalez at podium with California Attorney General Rob Bonta during a news conference in Los Angeles in 2024. (Damian Dovarganes / Associated Press)

Many voters were already shrugging about the significance of Becerra’s likely victory — especially Latinos. Only 45% of Latino voters in California felt “proud” about the prospect of a Latino governor, according to a Berkeley IGS poll released last week.

Those results aren’t surprising to Lena Gonzalez, a Long Beach-area state senator who chairs California’s Latino Legislative Caucus. She praised Becerra’s victory as the culmination of decades of political organizing. But voters care more about results than identity, she said — something the Latino political class has been slow to realize.

“People will say, ‘OK, that’s great [he’s Latino], but how are you fighting back?’” she said. “I just think we need to lead now and not advertise we’re Latinos.”

Los Angeles mayoral candidate Xavier Becerra waves goodbye after a visit to Hoover St. Elementary School in March 2001.

(Kim D. Johnson / Associated Press)

Becerra has long been a poster child for Latino political firsts, representing L.A.’s Eastside in the state Assembly and Congress for 27 years before Gov. Jerry Brown appointed him to be California’s first Latino attorney general in 2017. Three years later, Becerra became the country’s first Latino Health and Human Services secretary under President Biden.

Becerra has rarely highlighted his latinidad while never shying away from his background as the child of Mexican immigrants. He told Madrid at the end of their interview at the Pico House that Californians should be prouder of his working class roots than his ethnicity.

Some have complained that Becerra is an unworthy, boring torchbearer for Latinos — not dynamic enough to meet a moment where many hoped for a firebrand. But in many ways, his style is a callback to the past.

When Latino politicians first began winning local and state legislative elections in the decades after World War II, they “were constantly about, ‘How do I mobilize the Latino vote without alienating the white vote, and how do I get support from the establishment which is white?’” said Fernando Guerra, director of the Center for the Study of Los Angeles at Loyola Marymount University and a longtime chronicler of California politics.

Latinos were the majority of the population in some areas during that era, but politicians couldn’t rely solely on them to win, because they still didn’t represent a majority of voters. That changed by the late 1980s, as immigration brought millions of Latinos to California.

Civil rights activists successfully sued cities and counties to draw district lines making it easier for Latinos to vote for Latino candidates. Local activists registered new voters by selling them a future where people like them would be leaders, not tokens. Pioneers like Richard Alatorre and Gloria Molina subsequently created political machines, which helped Becerra get his start.

Mayoral candidate Antonio Villaraigosa, center, and Assemblywoman Karen Bass, left, dance to gospel music sung by the McCoy Memorial Baptist choir during an endorsement celebration in 2005.

(Stefano Paltera / For The Times)

That set the stage for politicians who “didn’t need the external validation anymore” of white voters or power brokers, Guerra said. “They could now say, ‘I am a Latino candidate with a Latino agenda, because I represent a Latino district.’”

By 1996, two years after the anti-immigrant Proposition 187 galvanized Latino activism, a record number of newly registered Latino voters in Orange County helped Loretta Sanchez upset longtime Republican Rep. Bob Dornan, the first welt of purple in a famously red county. That same year, Cruz Bustamante became the first Latino Assembly speaker, then lieutenant governor — the first Latino elected to statewide office in California since Pacheco ascended to the same position in the 1870s. In 2005, Antonio Villaraigosa was elected mayor of Los Angeles, sparking national headlines as the first Latino to occupy that position in modern times.

The Latino political firsts kept coming over the next 20 years, now reaching a pinnacle with Becerra’s win. Guerra said that “incremental” approach made Latinos mainstream to the point where the novelty of another milestone quickly wore off.

“Do you want a transformative moment? Absolutely,” he said. “But those come few and far in between. Incremental comes every two years.”

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra takes a selfie with supporters after a campaign stop on May 21 at the Wende Museum in Culver City.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Becerra started his campaign for governor far behind in the polls, surging after Rep. Eric Swalwell dropped out due to sexual assault allegations. Becerra’s campaign leaned into his milquetoast persona and crowned him Tío Xavier — Uncle Xavier — to market him as a non-threatening moderate who happened to be Latino.

Madrid, a lifelong Republican, voted for Becerra because of GOP candidate Steve Hilton’s refusal to denounce MAGA. He also thinks Becerra can “resurrect a healthy economy for the working class” — something he accuses Democrats of “abandon[ing] for a generation.” The “burden” is on California’s Latino leaders to show they can serve not just their own community but everyone, he said.

On Monday, Becerra mingled with eaters at Homegirl Cafe in Chinatown, looking anodyne in a white shirt, wire-framed glasses and tan khakis as supporters asked for selfies or a hug.

Half-hearted shouts of “¡Sí se puede!” gave way to authentically boisterous chants of “Be-ce-rra!”

The heavy favorite for governor took questions in the packed dining room and didn’t flinch when I asked him to reflect on the fact that Latinos will head every branch of California government if he wins.

“We’re all fortunate when a state like California gives all of us opportunities to be in position of authority,” Becerra replied.

He nodded at Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who stood by his side.

“But we gotta do it right,” he said. “And it’s on me to be a good governor — not to be a good Latino governor, but to be a good governor.”

Zainab Johnson believes in optimism — to a somewhat alarming degree. Not just because she usually presents as smart and happy and sharply dressed on stage or because she’s doing incredibly well in her comedy career, or even just because she’s a millennial. She’s happy in spite of every aspect of life that conspires to bring her down because it’s the ultimate power move. From surviving a near deadly car crash that broke both her legs to fighting for every opportunity to become successful in stand-up only to realize there’s more work at the top of the mountain, Johnson’s attitude towards it all has been to keep smiling. It’s no wonder she named her newly-arrived second special “Toxically Optimistic” (the first stand-up special produced by the Obama’s Higher Ground Productions).

But the unbridled joy is also the byproduct of a weight she’s lifted off herself in this new hour on Netflix — the pressure of always having to keep it real in her comedy. As a Black female stand-up it’s the box she says she’s often put in when she goes on stage and audiences are expecting her to air out her true-life trauma and make it funny as if she’s got nothing else to offer. Those who know her know better. Johnson’s mode as a storyteller has always been to dig for the deeper meaning in things, and in this new special she uses an opossum — her unlikely spirit animal — to get the job done.

This conversation has been edited for length and clarity

Having optimism is tough these days, especially for people glued to their algorithms and, of course, watching too much news. Is it a challenge as a comedian to be able to get people out of that and get them into the positive mode of thinking?

It’s not difficult because it’s kind of what they want. People come to comedy shows because they want to feel good. Ultimately, they do want to come to hear you say the things that they can’t say. They want to hear your opinion on the things happening in the world that we’re all experiencing. They want to be affirmed by you. They want to be challenged by you, but ultimately they want to feel good. A comedy club is like a restaurant for the soul. Nobody likes to eat and then not feel good afterwards, right? And so I think that what I do in my comedy is I always like to put medicine in the candy. And “Toxically Optimistic,” is another medicine in the candy.

What were some things that you took from your first special “Hijabs Off” that helped you craft “Toxically Optimistic?”

My first special “Hijabs Off” was me laying the groundwork. I just wanted people to understand my foundation of who I am and know that whatever I give them after that, this is who it’s coming from. I think that “Hijabs Off” taught me to have fun, to really trust myself in the moment. There’s really spontaneous moments that I have in “Toxically Optimistic” and watching at home, you might not know that they’re spontaneous. You might think that I wrote that and I have been performing that all along. Some things in that special that night was the first night I said it… I don’t shy away from things. If anybody watched “Hijabs Off,” one of the most talked about moments was when my hair was like getting unruly because of the temperature in the room, and I can’t see myself, but I could I could feel it, and I called it out in that moment, like comedically. You see everybody on camera all the time, and so it liberated every woman in the room to “OK, good, she knows her hair is going crazy right now.” I was glad that I trusted myself at that moment, and so I just leaned more into that with “Toxically Optimistic.”

Johnson says Black women comedians often face pressure to deliver authenticity and personal meaning, while some white male peers can roam freely into the absurd; her bit nudges audiences to expect more.

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

The people that know you now through that special know your story of being one of 13 siblings. If that doesn’t make you funny. I don’t know what will.

A lot of people say “you must be so funny being one of 13.” But I don’t know if that can take responsibility for me being funny.

I think it helps at least when it comes to fighting to be heard. I know because I’m one of a bunch.

How many specifically?

Well, I’ve got four in my immediate group, but my dad had 14 total.

Oh wow, look at papa, a Rolling Stone.

[Laughs] So I understand what it is to like fight for space in the conversation or to do anything. So maybe for you it was something like that?

I definitely think that it is. I can attribute that to being one of 13, being on stage with stand-up. Because with comedy, you could choose improv, you could choose sketch, right? But I think I do like that I’m carving out time almost every night that I get to be the center of attention, whether it’s for 15 minutes at a time or an hour at a time. But yeah I think my family’s so funny. They just don’t have the guts to do it in front of people over and over again, which is why I try to bring them as characters to life on stage. I feel like I might be the messenger.

You talk specifically about one of your sisters in your new special and how close you are with her as well as her mental state.

I think she would be called neurodivergent but I don’t really like that term. Every time I see a movie with “divergent” in it, the divergent is bad. Anytime you see a sci-fi movie and they talking about a divergent, the divergent is like not a good thing.

“I’m not a person that gets on stage and just talks about something for the joke of it,” Johnson said. “I’m always looking not just on stage, but in my life, for the deeper meaning, or the ‘why’ in things.”

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

I think it’s worth noting that you don’t necessarily treat your sister any different.

Oh no, no. I talk about that on stage a lot. Like any time we have taboo topics or taboo-like scenarios different from the “norm” we get really precious about it. Even in comedy clubs, people get awkward and stuff. The only way to normalize it is we have to get comfortable talking about like it is not something different. My sister is getting roasted like everybody else. She’s having a say like everybody else. She has a voice like everybody else — and we wouldn’t have it any other way. However, that’s inside the house. Now, outside the house, protection is different. I’m not like, “Oh yeah, you could talk to her like you would talk to me.” No, no, no. Talk to her nicely or you’re gonna have 12 other people to deal with.

In comedy specials there’s a difference between storytelling for a cheap laugh and showing us an allegory or something with a deeper meaning within the story. I love that you take that route with kind of an unlikely character.

I love talking about comedy when you’re not trying to give away the punchline.

I’m trying.

You’re trying to save the bit. Like they gotta go watch the bit. Yeah. But you want to talk about the bit!

What was the key for you about going beyond the joke or the story in that particular part of your special?

I am aware of the point that I’m making. The point that I ultimately end up making, I’m hyper aware of that because I’m living in that every day. Eugene, the opossum [the main character of the bit in question], was something that was really happening to me, and so these were like these two simultaneous situations — what does it mean for me to now be on stage as a Black woman every night trying to deliver comedy, but also I got this wild animal in my backyard every night and like, how am I dealing with this? And at some point on stage, I found the connection. I found it because I’m not a person that gets on stage and just talks about something for the joke of it. I’m always looking not just on stage, but in my life, for the deeper meaning, or the “why” in things. And when I found [it], I know it’s a trip to just give the audience this [wild story] but I’m gonna use it to prove a point. I’m gonna use it to illustrate something that I think is really important for the audience to be aware of. And when I figured that out, I felt really good. Watching it, you’re like “Where is she going with this?” And then when you get there, you’re like “it’s a great destination, thank you so much for bringing me here.”

And I think that destination brings up a big issue about what Black women are and aren’t allowed to say or how they’re “allowed” to be comedic. Why was that topic important for you to put out there to the world?

A few reasons. One, I am an observer as much as I am a doer, and I would be doing these really fun shows with really big comedians…I remember Mark Maron put me on a show with him and Zach Galifianakis, who’s hilarious and can speak very deeply about things in the world. I remember he went out in front of this audience, and I mean the stuff he was saying was so wildly imaginative. I was kind of like, “Hold on a second, they’re not even requiring him to be based in reality.” Like they were eating it up, you know?

And I was like, “What would happen if I did that?” That’s just a question that I asked myself… I watch someone who’s fully capable of being accountable not have to be accountable at all and kill in front of this audience. But the moment I went out there [on stage], I felt the pressure. I don’t know if it’s from me or from [the audience]. I can’t tell. But the pressure is there. It’s pungent, for me, like to “Give us something real, give us something valuable. Tell us who you are.” And [Galifianakis] didn’t have to do that. And I was like, “What does it feel like to not have to do that?”

“I don’t know if I should say that, but sometimes I’m watching things, and sometimes I’m up there as a performer, and I want the audience to want more,” Johnson said. “I want the audience to be smarter.”

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

Does the freedom from “being real” as a Black female comedian feel like an unboxing for you?

I think this is an unboxing. I’m naturally so scared to be trapped. It’s crazy because I’m usually not a person that’s trapped, but it’s because I’m so scared to be trapped. But also, the thing that I love about the Eugene [opossum] bit is that I say, you know, that there’s this comedian talking about a horse. A horse is a majestic animal. It’s a respected animal, nobody’s afraid of a horse, people love horses, horses signify beauty. But the opossum? To make an audience love an opossum is very difficult because I would go out on a road, and the moment I would say, “Anybody know what an opossum [is]?” Immediately, the audience would be like, oh, like their reaction to an opossum is like, “Girl, don’t even. I’m not trying to think about that right now. I’m sitting here enjoying some chicken wings at a comedy and you about to make me think about a big a— rat!” So even just to get them to sort of endear an animal that usually gives people a sort of like a reaction of like “ugh,” just that alone is a win for me. But then to turn up the heat and say also, I want you guys to know that I walked you through something that you had no idea that I was walking you through, and here’s why, you know. And I hope that it trains the audience in a way.

I don’t know if I should say that, but sometimes I’m watching things, and sometimes I’m up there as a performer, and I want the audience to want more. I want the audience to be smarter. I want the audience to be more sophisticated. I don’t want them to have less fun. I don’t want them to be less silly. I knew every time I did that bit, I was challenging them without letting them know. Like I’m about to challenge you guys to do something, and when you leave here, I hope that you, you know, I hope that you don’t do it just for me, but every other person that you see that is not a straight cis white male.

I think wanting better for the audience, especially a comedy club audience, is the most toxically optimistic thing I’ve ever heard. But it’s a pursuit I think you’ve achieved. I also walked away with a greater respect and love for possums.

I love that. I think most people do. I was at an event last night, it was an event solely focused on beauty and makeup and that sort of stuff, right? And the amount of women that came up to me and were like, “How’s Eugene?” The special was not out yet at this point, but they saw me working out this bit, And it reminded me of the process. To get up on stage and just do that [bit], it’s not easy. It’s easier to do it once I’ve already given you a full, nice 40 minutes of comedy. Now I’m gonna go into the experiment. But [the women who saw the early version of the bit] reminded me “Yeah, Zainab, you’re bold. You, you’re not doing it the way most comedians do it.”

Shaun Wright-Phillips has revealed the moment it dawned him on that he could be about to leave Strictly Come Dancing after a tense dance-off that took place over the weekend

Shaun Wright-Phillips has revealed the moment it dawned him on that he knew he was about to leave Strictly Come Dancing.

The footballer, 45, and his professional partner Alexis Warr became the latest couple eliminated from the BBC Saturday night favourite following their Jive that was set to Stevie Wonder hit Faith.

It was the second time in the series that the couple had found themselves in the dance off, but, in his first interview since exiting the programme, Shaun has admitted he knew it was coming.

Speaking to Ellie Taylor on Monday’s edition of It Takes Two, when asked how it felt when he was told he was in the bottom two again, he said: “I kind of knew. In my head I kind of knew so mentally I was already preparing myself from that moment.

“As soon as we got into that room in the back, I was visualising straight away. We were running the steps where I made the mistakes and once again I was doing them fine so that confused me to the point where I knew them but I still made the mistake.”

It was then that Alexis chipped in to show that she still has nothing but support for her former dance partner. She said: “That happens. I think… I want him to give himself grace for that because that’s sometimes just what happens on the floor and with everything.

“Sometimes things don’t always make sense but even when he did mess up, he kept pushing and he ended strong. He always kept pushing. He’s a fighter, from day one until now. He just has that fight in him, that spirit.”

On Sunday evening, viewers watched as Shaun and Alexis failed to turn things around in the dance off with Jaime Winstone and her partner Carlos Gu, who finished in the bottom two after the public vote despite scoring 25 for their dance on Saturday’s episode of the BBC dancing show.

Shaun said: “I don’t think I can put into words how my time has been, from the pros, judges, staff behind the cameras, everyone who’s helped me along the way, it’s been the most amazing journey I’ve had. And thank you for giving me the chance to be on the Strictly Ballroom floor and actually learn how to dance.”

To see more of the stories you love from The Mirror and to find them easily in Google, make us your preferred source. Free and easy to do, just click on the link here to find more from The Mirror at the top of your feed.

Alexis, commented: “The resilience that this man has is so admirable, and I just want to say thank you so much. You have made this season such a joy for me, and it’s been so lovely to just get to know you and get to see you completely handle something different.

“And I’m so proud of how you just danced that dance-off. And that, that’s what we talk about, that’s the grit that you did. And I am so proud of you, and you should be so beyond happy with yourself. And also, the gentleman that this man is, I feel so honoured to have had him as my partner, so a friend for life!

Addressing Alexis, Shaun said: “Thank you, I couldn’t ask for a better partner, a better human being, you knew how to deal with my mood swings, you put me in my box, you got me back on the dancefloor, you knew how to work with me, I wish I could’ve taken you further.”

When asked if he’ll continue dancing, he responded: “Oh hell yeah,” before saying he would return each week to support his co-stars.

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads

A Jet2 passenger plane was filmed veering off the runway onto the grass at Birmingham Airport on Sunday, as Storm Boelo winds whipped across the Midlands travel hub

The terrifying moment a Jet2 passenger plane veered off the runway in strong Storm Boelo winds has been captured on video

In the clip, the passenger jet is seen approaching the runway. As it touches down on the tarmac, the plane bucks up a little, causing the aircraft to move around on its axis in the air. When the plane next touches down, its nose is directed off the runway.

The plane’s speed causes it to run off the tarmac and onto the grass, with dust and mud from the wheels billowing into the air. The plane’s pilots managed to correct its course, veering it back onto the tarmac and straightening it up.

No one was injured in the landing.

Were you on the flight? Email webtravel@reachplc.com

A spokesperson for Jet2 told the Mirror: “Flight LS1310 from Venice to Birmingham temporarily moved off the runway after landing at Birmingham Airport, due to exceptional weather conditions caused by Storm Boelo. The aircraft immediately returned to the runway and taxied to the stand. We can confirm that everyone disembarked as normal.”

The landing was one of the dicier moments on a weekend in which gusts reached 80 miles per hour in parts of the country, causing dozens of cancellations and lengthy delays. There were also fatalities caused by the storm.

A 60-year-old man died after being struck by a falling tree in Dumfries and Galloway during Storm Boelo. Police Scotland said the man was on a road at Mid Kelton, near Castle Douglas, when the tree fell on him at around 10.30am on Sunday.

A spokesperson said: “We were made aware of a 60-year-old man having been struck by a falling tree on a minor road at Mid Kelton near Castle Douglas around 10.30am on Sunday October 25 2026. The man was pronounced dead at the scene. There are no suspicious circumstances and a report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal in due course.”

The Met Office has warned of possible injuries and danger to life from flying debris, alongside the risk of damage to buildings, power cuts and travel disruption. An amber wind warning came into force at 9pm on Saturday and remained in place until 9pm on Sunday. Only Orkney remained under a yellow warning.

Network Rail said most train services were expected to return to normal on Monday, but advised passengers to check their journeys online before travelling. On Sunday, nine of the rail operators suffered from severe disruptions, with Scotrail forced to suspend journeys on entire sections of its network.

Teams have cleared fallen trees and debris from tracks and carried out repairs to overhead lines and flooding-related damage that disrupted the network.

Gary Hopkirk, route director at Network Rail Scotland, said: “It’s been a really challenging weekend for Scotland’s railway and particularly for the teams who’ve been out in some very difficult conditions responding to whatever the weather has thrown at us. Our focus throughout has been on keeping people safe and trains moving wherever possible.

“Now the worst of the weather has passed, our attention is on getting the railway back to normal. We’ll be working as quickly as we can, but we won’t compromise on safety. We know disruption is frustrating and we really appreciate the patience people have shown this weekend while our teams do everything they can to get everyone moving again.”

Several roads and bridges across Scotland and Northern Ireland have been forced to close in the weather, while many of the ferry services between the Scottish mainland and the islands, as well as the island of Ireland and Britain, were cancelled.

Of CalMac’s 30 ferry services scheduled for Sunday, 27 were cancelled, with some suspensions expected to continue until Monday.

The brilliant Korean filmmaker Lee Chang-dong is a suffering protagonist’s best friend, exploring the buried pain in people like no other filmmaker. But he’s never been so delicately novelistic, and so accessibly human, as with his latest movie, “Possible Love,” even when Lee is spinning the enigmatic vibes he’s known for.

A marriage story weighty enough to bear two fascinatingly complex couples, it explores a web of isolation and desire knotted with the divisions and woes of society today: class, labor, media. The film fairly vibrates with ominous tension even in scenes in which seemingly nothing happens. (Which, admittedly, is a Lee staple if you remember his last film, 2018’s eerie psychological thriller “Burning.”) Astonishingly acted, intricately written, with nary a shot out of place and never insulting to its audience, “Possible Love” is a masterpiece of everyday struggle — essentially, who bears it and who doesn’t — and easily among the year’s best films.

At the funeral for a colleague who committed suicide in the wake of a disastrous labor strike, out-of-work Ho-seok (Sul Kyung-gu, of Lee’s “Peppermint Candy”) would rather brood in the car alone and let his patient, grasping-for-connection wife Mi-ok (Jeon Do-yeon, a Cannes prize-winner for her turn in Lee’s “Secret Sunshine”) be around others. With these blue collar parents’ grade-school-age son a tangibly quiet presence, a seemingly impassable unhappiness oozes from the opening scenes. The appearance inside the funeral home, however, of a documentary crew interviewing laid-off workers spurs Mi-ok to engage with the outgoing director, Ye-ji (Cho Yeo-jeong), whose reserved, well-to-do husband Sang-woo (Zo In-sung) is in tow. When Mi-ok agrees to participate in Ye-ji’s film, a friendship forms.

Is it friendship, though, or a mutually useful rapport? The women couldn’t be more unalike in terms of background and status. Mi-ok has to tell Ye-ji that her expensive clothes don’t jibe with someone championing labor issues. But they have a breezy, even jokey openness, fed by the stories Mi-ok tells on camera as well as soju-fueled double dates with their spouses. They also have in common husbands who are remote, albeit for vastly different reasons. Hedge-fund-rich Sang-woo has an air of cool privilege, while the gloomy, taciturn Ho-seok harbors unprocessed trauma about what happened during the strike, the details of which are judiciously doled out to us in flashbacks. (Lee drew the background for his scenario from a real-life labor protest met by a government crackdown that shocked the country.)

But underneath what seems promising, the beginnings of empathy and maybe healing, there’s something performative and calculated in this fast bond. There are Ye-ji’s filmic needs — “I’m trying to love these people,” she says privately to Sang-woo after he calls her behavior with them “Method acting” — and Mi-ok’s swirl of intentions, hoping to save her husband with not ignoring the allure of her new pal’s quietly confident and wealthy man. Right at the moment when more cracks materialize, Ye-ji invites this broken family for a shared weekend at Sang-woo’s vacation mansion.

You may be forgiven for anticipating a potboiler climax when a lush hideaway with a private beach is concerned, and what occurs there is indeed juicy. But that’s only because Lee, in his finest screenplay to date, has laid out precisely where his vectors of hardship, exploitation, pent-up anguish and hidden desire are going to converge. Just add more alcohol and more reminders of these couples’ experiential chasm, and Lee’s command of irony in a simmering atmosphere is in a league all its own.

The documentary angle, of course, is this great director probing the ethics in his own vocation as an intrusive force, one that shapes lives, emotions and, in this case, the weight of a genuine tragedy. In much the way he finessed a truth about art facing evil in “Poetry,” the camera here is both predatory and a tool for catharsis. In one scene, the confluence is literally breathtaking.

Best-of lists were made for performances like Jeon’s. With tear-swollen eyes and an anxious intelligence that imbues Mi-ok’s mission of repair with heartbreaking energy, she is this movie’s restless soul of want: a wife, lover, worker and mother trapped between the balm of recollecting better times and worry for the future. Alongside Sul’s deftly handled, physical characterization of a proud man swallowed by hurt he could never imagine, “Possible Love” stands as one of the more sensitively wrought depictions of a wounded marriage you’ll ever see.

And when it’s over, it somehow doesn’t feel over. Maybe no scene better embodies Lee’s exquisite communion with his characters than his last one, which supplies them with a hint of grace. “Possible Love” hovers over the moment’s sublimity like the moonlight and I haven’t stopped thinking about its elemental beauty since.

The Prince of Wales made a surprise appearance on the Graham Norton Show tonight and opened up about the hilarious moment he was mistaken for singer Prince

Prince WIlliam has recounted the time he was once mistaken for the singer Prince at a UK event.

Tonight The Prince of Wales made a surprise appearance on the Graham Norton Show as part of a special edition to mark the Earthshot Prize. During the episode he sat on the sofa with Cate Blanchett, Robert Irwin and Hannah Waddingham, all of whom are involved with the prize.

The prince was a surprise for the audience, as Norton first spoke with Cate, Robert and Hannah. He then suddenly mentioned involving the prince in the chat, with William then making his surprise appearance. Before William emphasised the urgent need to tackle climate change he opened up about an encounter with a member of the public which had the audience howling with laughter.

Graham said: “Recently you were at an event and someone didn’t know who you were?” To which WIlliam responded: “Yes, that happens quite regularly actually. I went to a place in Somerset and was looking around some of the local communities there and one lovely gentleman looked up at me from his seat and said ‘when are you going to sing?’ and I looked at him, I’ve had many requests over many years for all ranging parts of society and I said ‘I’m sorry what do you mean?’ he goes ‘when are you going to sing your performance?’

“And a lady behind tapped his arm and went “no, no he’s not that prince.” it turned out he wanted me to sing purple rain – which I don’t know the lyrics for.”

It comes as next month, Mumbai will stage the Earthshot Prize where the future king will meet Bollywood stars as he learns about India’s hugely popular film industry, play with cricketing royalty and preside over the ceremony awarding £5million in prize money to those with ideas to repair the planet.

Prince William went on to speak about the origins of the Earthshot Prize, and its role in identifying and supporting innovators around the world. He said: “For many years I was hearing stories about environment issues and one thing that struck me was the negativity and doom which got me down.

“I thought we could do something more powerful and more optimistic and the idea of an awards’ ceremony came about and we could talk about urgency and optimism together. It’s all about getting excited.”

Blanchett, an Earthshot Prize council member, described the Prize as a “tapestry of solutions”, while Irwin, a global ambassador for the prize, spoke about the role the prize has played in building a new generation of environmental advocates.

To see more of the stories you love from The Mirror and to find them easily in Google, then make us your preferred source. Free and easy to do, just click on the link here to find more from The Mirror at the top of your feed.

William’s Earthshot Prize project is halfway through its decades-long cycle to recognise and reward issues and ideas to help save the planet and the event has already been staged in London, Singapore, Cape Town, Boston and Rio de Janeiro.

Since its launch in 2021, he has managed to attract a host of stars to his cause, from Hollywood names Leonardo DiCaprio, Matthew McConaughey and Cate Blanchett to broadcaster and naturalist Sir David Attenborough and former prime minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern.

The initiative was inspired by former US president John F Kennedy’s Moonshot project which set scientists the challenge of placing an astronaut on the moon and returning him safely – and in the process helped advance mankind’s achievements.

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.

CAMILA Cabello accidentally poured water over her dancer before throwing the bottle in her FACE live on stage during a performance.

The awkward moment happened as the Havana songstress, 29, was doing her thing while singing her 2024 tune June Gloom.

Camila looked incredible as she performed the song, which is from her fourth studio album, C,XOXO, while sitting on a rotating carousel.

The star wowed in an all-white outfit and matching knee high boots.

Half way through she started to pour water over herself.

While she showed off her sexy dance moves, one of her dancers was on the floor pushing the carousel around with her arms.

CABELLO BYE-BYE

Camila Cabello splits from billionaire heir boyfriend after 18 months

RED HOT

Camila Cabello shows off slimmed-down figure in red string-bikini on tropical trip

After Camila had finished with all the water in her bottle, she accidentally threw it into her dancer’s face.

But like a true professional, the dancer carried on as if nothing had happened.

Shortly after the tune ended, the pair pointed at each other and smiled as the dancer walked off stage.

The fan captioned the post: “The poor dancer taking a bottle accidentally from Camila lol.”

The superstar has had a pretty successful career since shooting to fame as part of Fifth Harmony on The X Factor USA in 2012.

The girl group, which consisted of Ally Brooke, Dinah Jane, Lauren Jaurengui and Normani, ended up placing third on the second series of the singing competition.

Fifth Harmony released songs such as Worth It, Work from Home and That’s My Girl, and have won various awards.

The band were together until 2018 and reunited last year.

But Camila decided to go solo and left the group in 2016.

Her most popular songs include Havana, Senorita, Band Things, Never Ben The Same and My Oh My.

She dated singer Shawn Mendes between 2019 and 2021, and for a few months in 2023.

Actor Julie Hesmondhalgh was a Celebrity Traitors superfan and made some surprising friendships before being the third person out of the show this year

Actor Julie Hesmondhalgh has described her time on Celebrity Traitors as “extraordinary” and revealed a quirk of the show means people become friends faster than usual.

The former star of Coronation Street, 56, admitted she was “obsessed” with the show before signing up to star in the 2026 version.

She says she has made some friends for life and explained to Good Housekeeping UK: “The extraordinary thing is that you’re all on the same footing. There’s no status at all. You have these accelerated friendships because there’s a lot of time off-camera when you’re travelling in cars together and aren’t allowed to discuss the game. People tell you about their lives; I found out so much about people and I was really touched that they trusted me.”

Asked who she became closest to, she added: “Romesh [Ranganathan] is one of the greatest human beings. We were in there right at the start, alongside Ross Kemp. The three of us were a very unlikely little threesome. I adored Ross, too.”

Julie was banished as a Faithful from BBC show early on after being voted out in a round table. She was the third celebrity to leave.

The acclaimed actress is best known for starring as Hayley Cropper in Corrie between 1998 and 2014.

She said: “The short storyline was supposed to be Roy Cropper [David Neilson] falling for Hayley, then running for the hills when she comes out as trans. But everybody loved the relationship. It became a key storyline almost by accident, which was the best way, because it wasn’t an issue that was shoehorned in.”

On her exit, she added: “There’s a photo of me on the floor, foetal. I was like, ‘What have I done?’ I have no regrets about leaving, but when I watch the credits and see that so many of the cast and crew names are the same, it feels a bit strange.

“Had I stayed, it would have become embarrassing. Anachronistic. But I maintain that Hayley and Roy’s love story was important. It got people talking. It’s so upsetting that trans rights have now gone backwards.”

In real life she is married to writer Ian Kershaw and they have two grown up daughters Martha and Lyss.

Julie reflected: “I found a lot of motherhood a struggle. Balancing my own life and work with motherhood was tricky at times. I have a lot of regrets about losing my rag with my kids. I took things too personally; I felt like they were almost trying to make my life difficult, which obviously they weren’t. They were just children.”

Asked by the magazine who she’d invite to a fantasy Christmas lunch, she said: “Patti Smith, because I adore her. Rebecca Lucy Taylor [who performs as Self Esteem]. James Baldwin. Naomi Klein – I loved Doppelgänger and realised she’s funny as well as formidable. Tony Benn. Oh, and AOC [American politician Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez]. Who else? Emma Thompson – I’ve never met her, but I think she’s a good person.”

* The full interview can be read now in the December issue of Good Housekeeping UK.

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

Big Brother fans have been unimpressed with one star who just days ago was favourite to win

The Big Brother star was in the running to win the show.

ITV Big Brother fans have admitted that one star has “fumbled” their potential win in a matter of minutes. Tensions continue to run high in the iconic house as the housemates live in this week’s House of Time.

Just last night (October 20), a game changing nominations twist saw four housemates up for eviction. This week will see Catrin, Twinks, Harry and Sam facing the public vote as viewers are being asked to choose who they wish to evict.

It comes after the housemates each took a turn in the Time Zone where they nominated as usual. But with four names in the zone, each housemate afterwards had the opportunity to swap two of those names – with the last person ultimately having the final say.

But amongst the drama, it was Yasmin who came under fire with fans after her nomination choices. As a result, she is now no longer favourite to win, according to latest betting odds.

According to Coral’s John Hill, despite being up for eviction, Twinks is actually the new favourite to win, with odds sitting at 5/4. Yasmin has drifted from 4/5 odds to now 7/4.

John Hill said: “Twinks is the safest of the four housemates, according to our odds. She is also the new favourite to win the show, with Yasmin’s odds drifting over the last couple of days.”

Ensure our latest TV stories always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings.

Viewers have shared their disappointment with the star as one person wrote on X: “Yasmin is fumbling this win those cheers got to her head.” Another said: “Yasmin literally took away the win in one episode last night”, as a third fumed that the star had gone “from the people’s princess”, adding: “That is crazy.”

A fourth added: “Even since Yasmin heard the cheers on Friday night she now thinks she is untouchable. Get rid of her.” A fifth raged: “Yasmin really plummeted her own stock, how embarrassing.”

However, one person defended: “Yasmin has one bad episode and people are acting like she murdered someone oh ok.”

Another said: “Yasmin does one thing you deem as wrong and you all turn on her and insult everything about her.”

Of course, betting odds are not guaranteed to happen, the power is still in the public’s hand as they have the power of the vote. But with hours to go until the next live eviction on Friday, one star has been dealt a brutal blow.

Currently, Sam is favourite to go with odds sitting at 4/5 compared to Frankie’s odds at 3/1. Twinks’ odds sit at 8/1. Coral’s John Hill added: “This is the toughest eviction to call so far in the series. Sam is the favourite to go, but Frankie and Catrin are both in danger, especially if Big Brother decides to throw in a double eviction.”

Big Brother continues tonight at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX