return

France captain Antoine Dupont will make his return from a serious knee injury in Toulouse’s Top 14 match against Racing 92 on Saturday (20:00 GMT).

Scrum-half Dupont, 29, has been out since March after rupturing cruciate ligaments in his knee in France’s Six Nations win over Ireland in Dublin in March.

The 2021 World Rugby Player of the Year has been named on the bench as Top 14 leaders Toulouse host Racing at Stade Ernest Wallon.

“Straight away he found his footing again,” Toulouse assistant coach Jean Bouilhou told reporters on Friday.

“He’s such a talented player, at the highest level. He also has a form of authority over our gameplan. I think he’ll get back his best quickly.”

Dupont has won two Six Nations titles with France and helped the Sevens team win Olympic gold at last year’s Paris Games.

With Toulouse, he has won five Top 14 titles and two Investec Champions Cups, while he recently signed a contract extension until 2031.

“I don’t have a crystal ball,” Bouilhou added when asked about Dupont’s return.

“I can’t really tell you what will happen in the match or in future matches, I can just talk about what I’ve seen in training.

“I haven’t seen a drop in quality compared to last year. We’re quite reassured to see him, in that regard.”

A fan-favourite presenter returned to Good Morning Britain on Friday after several weeks away

Good Morning Britain fans were delighted as a beloved star made their return to the ITV show on Friday (November 28).

During this morning’s instalment of the popular show, Kate Garraway was accompanied by Rob Rinder as they brought viewers the most recent news stories from Britain and beyond. It signals Rob’s comeback to the programme following a break of several weeks.

They were accompanied in the studio by Charlotte Hawkins, who managed the remainder of the day’s bulletins, whilst Laura Tobin delivered regular weather updates live from Austria.

Upon witnessing Rob’s comeback to the programme, numerous GMB watchers swiftly flocked to social media to express their joy, reports Wales Online.

“Glad to switch on to @robrinder, best presenter on the show, go get ’em Rob,” one viewer posted on X (formerly Twitter), with another commenting: “Brilliant to have Rob Rinder on this morning.”

A third declared, “Yay, Rob’s back!” with another likewise posting: “Nice to see Rob on.”

On today’s show, Rob and Kate discussed Labour’s U-turn on a key pledge for workers after they abandoned a promise to give all employees the right to claim unfair dismissal from their first day of employment. Business groups say it’s a crucial change.

They also anticipated a decision on whether the go-ahead will be given for a nationwide programme to screen millions of men for prostate cancer.

Plus, the duo met the everyday heroes aiming to top the charts, and revealed what could be Britain’s most Christmassy house.

However, ITV viewers couldn’t help but share their complaints minutes in as they didn’t understand why Laura was presenting the weather segment from the Austrian mountains instead of the studio.

“Scores of weather presenters and accompanying TV crews have travelled to Austria to talk about climate change,” one person wrote.

Another added: “Why is Laura in Austria to tell us about the UK weather? I thought we had to watch our carbon footprint?” while a third said: “Laura flew to Austria to discuss climate change on top of a mountain.”

A fourth fan echoed the sentiment, saying: “The show’s climate activist has pointlessly travelled to Austria. Think of the carbon footprint you’ve used, Tobin.”

Good Morning Britain airs weekdays on ITV1 and ITVX at 6am

Next five fixtures: Sharks (H), Ospreys (A, Challenge Cup), Black Lion (H, Challenge Cup), Dragons (A), Ulster (A)

It has been a difficult start to life in Galway for former England boss Stuart Lancaster, who replaced Pete Wilkins as Connacht head coach in the summer.

After an opening win over Benetton was followed by the Storm Amy-enforced postponement of their Scarlets game, the western province lost to Cardiff, Bulls and Munster before the international break.

The 28-27 loss to the Bulls in Galway and 17-15 reverse to Munster in Limerick were tough pills to swallow, but Lancaster has had a solid month to devise a plan for breathing new life into Connacht’s season.

It starts with the visit of the Sharks to Dexcom Stadium on Saturday (19:45 GMT). After three defeats in their first four games, the South African side signed off before the November break with a 29-19 win over Scarlets.

The Sharks will be without most of their Springboks, including Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth, Bongi Mbonambi, Ethan Hooker and Andre Esterhuizen.

For the hosts, Ireland internationals Bundee Aki, Cian Prendergast and Finlay Bealham are available for selection, but Mack Hansen has been ruled out.

Hansen, who starred at full-back in Ireland’s win over Australia earlier this month, is nursing hand and foot injuries with Connacht unsure on a timeline for the 27-year-old’s return.

After facing the Sharks, Lancaster will lead Connacht into European action for the first time as the Challenge Cup returns with a trip to Ospreys followed by a home game against Georgian side Black Lion.

JESSIE J has taken a leaf out of Jennifer Lopez’s book and taken aim at her Hollywood ex on her new music.

Earlier this year, J-Lo slammed Ben Affleck on track Wreckage of You after her marriage to the actor broke down.

Now Jessie has let rip at Channing Tatum, who she dated from 2018 to 2020, on her album Don’t Tease Me With A Good Time, which is out on Friday.

On the not-so-subtle track Threw It Away, Jessie brands a former flame a “beast”.

She sings: “I put my heart out on the table, that’s when it got uncomfortable. But oh that karma is gonna come one day, ’cause I gave you my love and you threw it away.”

She later adds: “Don’t you dare rewrite the story. I’m the beauty, you’re the beast.”

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‘I’m better person’

Taking to the stage at an exclusive listening party for the album in West London, Jessie did not mention the Magic Mike star by name.

But she left little doubt among fans who the track is about.

She said: “This next song I wrote in 2020 with Ryan Tedder, and you can figure out who I was dating.”

After taking time out over the summer to undergo treatment for breast cancer, Jessie is working at full pace.

Opening up about her health battle, Jessie said: “I’m grateful for the lessons and grateful for the connectivity it’s given me with so many people having cancer.

“And I’ve been a better parent, I’ve been a better person.”

Published on
24/11/2025 – 18:20 GMT+1

US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said that Washington can reduce duties on EU steel and aluminium but only if the Europeans agree to ease the implementation of digital rules following a meeting in Brussels on Monday.

Lutnick, who is a close ally of President Donald Trump and negotiated on his behalf a trade deal with the EU over the summer introducing 15% tariffs, said that European should reassess the way they implement their flagship policies on digital regulation if they want further tariff relief. Lutnick did not call to remove the rules but did say the way in which they are applied should be “more balanced” for American tech companies.

Brussels is desperately seeking to obtain a reduction of the 50% tariffs that the Trump administration imposed on European aluminium and steel in June under pressure from the industry.

The US does want the EU “to put these rules away, but find the balanced approach that works for us,” he told reporters in Brussels. “Then we will, together with them, handle the steel and aluminium issues.”

“The enforcement is quite aggressive at times”

Lutnick and US trade representative Jamieson Greer were in Brussels meeting with EU27 trade ministers and Commission boss Maroš Šefčovič for a working lunch.

The implementation of the trade deal signed over summer was at the center of the discussion, which was “open and direct,” according to an EU diplomat.

The EU and the US clinched a trade deal in July in which the US tripled tariffs on EU while Europeans agreed to cut tariffs for most US industrial goods at 0%. US tariffs on EU steel and aluminium remain stuck at a much higher rate of 50% despite the deal.

Lutnick and Greer also met EU Tech Commissioner Henna Virkkunen who stressed in a statement the importance of the Digital Market Act (DMA) and the Digital Services Act (DSA), the two landmark digital regulations applied in the EU. The comments suggest the Commission is not ready to water them further for the time being.

To counter the US offensive on its digital legislation, EU Trade Commissioner Šefčovič said that the EU is working hard to explain its legislation to the US and stressed that there no discriminatory practices applied to US companies. The rules, he argued, are the same for everyone operating in the EU single market regardless of their origin.

Still, the US insists that is not the case and American Big Tech is being punished.

“The enforcement is quite aggressive at times,” Greer said about EU tech rules, adding that the US government wants to make sure their companies do not see their global revenues “affected” by foreign rules. In his comments, Greer’s tone was severe.

Brussels recently launched investigations against Amazon and Microsoft under the DMA which prevents big platforms from abusing their dominance in the tech market. It also hit Google with a €2.95 billion over antitrust rules despite the threats from the US.

In the starting lineup, coming off the bench or even on the pickleball court, Marcus Smart knows he can deliver what the Lakers need. So LeBron James’ return and the question of how it could affect his role isn’t slowing down Smart.

“I like to [think of] myself as a Swiss Army knife,” Smart said Saturday as the Lakers prepared for a game at Utah on Sunday. “It’s not one thing I do great, but I do everything very well. … People come back, people get hurt. People have great games, have bad games. You have to adjust to whatever the game is calling for at that moment.”

With four days to regroup after James made his long-awaited season debut, the Lakers (11-4) want to continue their strong start. Smart had started nine times in a row before James’ return. Smart then played a season-low 17 minutes in Tuesday’s 140-126 win against the Jazz at home, scoring five points with three rebounds. He made just two shots, but coach JJ Redick commended Smart’s play off the bench along with the performances of Jake LaRavia, Jaxson Hayes and Gabe Vincent.

Vincent returned from a sprained ankle that cost him 11 games to score six points on two-for-three shooting from three-point range. LaRavia led the bench group with 16 points and four rebounds. He was six for 10 from the field, including two three-pointers.

Signing as a free agent this offseason, LaRavia knew getting to play with James was part of the deal. He had to wait through training camp, the preseason and 14 games to get his wish, but it was worth it. The 24-year-old LaRavia, who was five days shy of his second birthday when James made his NBA debut, knocked down a first-quarter shot off a James assist.

“It was dope to finally get on the court with him,” LaRavia said. “He brings something to this team that I don’t think we really had. It’s another level of passing ability that he’s able to do, and just the force he is on offense in transition and just when he has the ball in his hands.”

The Lakers are tied for the second-fewest transition possessions per game but they’ve been picking up the pace. Through the first nine games the team was scoring 9.5% of its points in transition. That mark ticked up to 13.4% in the last five games.

Utah (5-10) is one of the fastest teams, averaging 102.6 possessions per game. With pace increasing over the years, the heavier workloads have made minor soft-tissue injuries unfortunate realities in the NBA. They also make extended breaks between games, like the four-day reprieve the Lakers had last week, a major luxury.

In between much-needed rest and efficient practice sessions for a team that has been fully healthy for only a week, the Lakers also used the time for team bonding in the form of a trash-talk-filled pickleball tournament.

Smart and Redick and a third teammate, head video coordinator Michael Wexler — whom Redick anonymously accused of eating during the entire tournament — went to the semifinals. They lost to Luka Doncic and player development coach Ty Abbott. LaRavia and assistant coach Beau Levesque won the championship. Redick raised questions about the fairness of the team pairings.

As with everything involving ultracompetitive athletes, even the innocent pickleball games got heated. Smart was trying to be mindful to not push his limits too much.

“The last thing I need to get out and do is roll my ankle trying to play pickleball,” said Smart, who said he would rather play tennis.

It was still a welcome break from the monotony of the season, Redick said. He graded the experience an A.

“We got through this week without wanting to kill each other,” Redick said with a smirk.

Etc.

Center Deandre Ayton missed practice Saturday because of an illness. He was expected to join the team on the trip to Utah.

VICTORIA Beckham is embracing her Spice Girls past more than ever – leaving many convinced she’s sewing the seeds for an announcement that will send fans into meltdown. 

For years Victoria, 51, has been The Grinch of the Spice Girls, refusing to join Mel B, Emma Bunton, Melanie C and Geri Horner on tour in 2019 and making several comments about how she’s moved on from the group. 

But the fashion designer has dropped many hints in recent months that Posh Spice is coming out of retirement. 

The biggest clue yet came when she uploaded a clip of her make-up free and singing a live acoustic version of one of their biggest hits, despite being open about insecurities surrounding her voice. 

Next year marks three decades since Spice Girls took over the world with debut single Wannabe and – with Scary, Baby, Sporty and Ginger keen to mark the occasion in a big way – here’s all the clues Victoria will finally perform with them again. 

Stadium temptation

For music fans, this summer was dominated by the historic Oasis reunion tour which saw brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher perform together for the first time in 16 years. 

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Demand for tickets was so high that thousands of people were left gutted to miss out – but Victoria wasn’t one of them.

She attended one of the Wembley Stadium gigs with husband David, 50, and their children and the iconic show clearly had her feeling nostalgic.

Victoria shared a clip of David enjoying himself at the concert and tagged all of her former bandmates, adding: “Tempting…”

During their 2019 reunion tour, Spice Girls sold out 13 stadium dates – including three nights at Wembley – which grossed an estimated £55million.

So you can’t blame Posh for wanting a slice of it this time around…

Posh residency

Since launching her eponymous luxury fashion brand in 2008, Victoria has made it clear it’s her priority professionally.

Discussing her decision not to join Mel B, 50, Emma, 49, Melanie C, 51, and 53-year-old Geri on tour in 2019, she told Vogue Germany: “It took me a lot of courage not to go on tour with the Spice Girls again.

“But to be the one who says, ‘You know, I’m not doing it because things feel different now than they used to’.”

She added: “I’d rather concentrate on my family and my company. I’m 45 now and very happy to be the woman I am…”

But, while touring all over the world may be out of the question for Victoria and her business, she recently confessed the idea of a Vegas residency is one that appeals to her.

Speaking to Andy Cohen on Sirius XM, she said: “It would be tempting.

“But could I take on a world tour? No I can’t. I have a job…

“How good would the Spice Girls be at the Sphere! I love the idea of it. I mean I don’t know if I could even still sing, I mean I was never that great!”

The 20,000-capacity concert hall features wraparound screens and has hosted residencies from U2, The Eagles and Backstreet Boys, with No Doubt set to reunite there for 12 dates next May.

Spice Girls forever

Right from the start, Victoria was labelled as the ‘Posh one who doesn’t sing’.

And it was all because – due to a prior family commitment – she missed the final recording session for Wannabe, meaning she was the only member without a solo.

Writing in her 2001 autobiography Learning To Fly, Victoria recalled trying to write the track over the phone with the girls – calling missing the session one of her biggest regrets.

She wrote at the time: “It did make a difference, because by the time it came to recording, performing and singing it, all the parts had been divided up between the rest of them.

“And every time we performed it I just felt like a gooseberry standing at the back not doing anything. 

“And I used to say to my mum, ‘God, they’ll say I’m the one who doesn’t sing’. And she’d say, ‘Don’t worry, Victoria, no one will notice’.

“But they did notice. And to this day it’s what always gets thrown at me: Posh Spice, the one who doesn’t sing.”

Victoria has always been ahead of the joke about her vocals and recently quipped: “[My voice] wasn’t off-key, but it was small. Sometimes, they just turned my mic off.”

But she almost broke the internet when she sat down for a stripped back acoustic performance of Viva Forever with son Cruz, 20.

The incredible video sent fans wild, with one writing: “My fave song ever. Goosebumps listening it on your beautiful voice!”

And another said: “This gave me goosebumps… so iconic.”

But it was Melanie C’s comment that set tongues wagging, as she wrote: “Love this. Getting a head start on rehearsals.”

Mum guilt

Despite her reservations about singing with the girls again, Victoria has always been proud of their legacy.

Speaking in her recent Netflix documentary she admitted she “wouldn’t have been who I am now if it wasn’t for the Spice Girls, 100 per cent”.

Victoria added: “People love the Spice Girls. I love the Spice Girls. I’m so proud of that.”

And the mum-of-five joked David “mum-guilted” her into joining the group for their 2007 world tour.

In the series, he said: “Our kids weren’t around to see their mum be a Spice Girl!”

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And Victoria quipped: “He mum-guilted me!”

And, given Cruz’s recent duet with his former pop star mum, there’s no doubt David and the kids will be encouraging Victoria to dust off her little Gucci dress at least one more time.

Ferran Torres scores brace to send Barcelona to the top of La Liga, level with Real Madrid, who face Elche on Sunday.

Barcelona were back at their beloved Camp Nou and produced a dominant 4-0 victory over 10-man Athletic Bilbao to add to the homecoming celebrations.

Some 45,000 fans were on hand on Saturday as what is set to be Europe’s largest football stadium reopened at roughly half capacity.

Camp Nou had been closed for more than two years for a major overhaul that the indebted club hopes will boost revenues.

Robert Lewandowski set the tone early, capitalising on an error in Athletic’s defence in the fourth minute. Alex Berenger mishandled the ball while attempting to play out from the back, allowing the Polish striker to seize possession and fire a low effort past Unai Simon at the near post.

Barcelona maintained control throughout, relentlessly pressuring an out-of-form Athletic side. Ernesto Valverde’s charges have only managed three wins since September, losing six of their last nine league fixtures.

Eighth in the table with 17 points, Athletic rarely threatened the hosts.

Barcelona struck again in first-half stoppage time. Lamine Yamal’s expertly delivered long ball into space found Torres, and the Spanish forward took the pass perfectly in his stride, raced into the area and calmly slotted past Simon.

Three minutes into the second half, Barcelona punished another defensive lapse by Athletic. Attempting to play out from the back, the visitors gifted possession to the alert Fermin Lopez, who rifled a bullet strike into the net.

Athletic’s frustrations boiled over when Oihan Sancet was sent off with a straight red card in the 53rd minute following a reckless challenge on Lopez.

In the closing stages, Torres added his second, rounding off another counterattack set up by the 18-year-old Yamal, who provided a second sublime assist.

The win pulled Barcelona level on points with Real Madrid atop the table before Madrid visits Elche on Sunday.

“We played well from the start and took another three points, but the important thing today is being back at Camp Nou,” Lewandowski said. “It is something else to play here. I think when we play at Camp Nou, we are a little bit stronger.”

Barcelona’s fans belted out the club hymn before kickoff amid a celebratory vibe despite the chilly weather.

They had reason to be extra happy. The last time they had been able to attend a game at Camp Nou was May 2023. For the following 900-plus days, Barcelona played their home games at the municipally owned 55,000-seat Olympic Stadium located atop a hill overlooking the city that was more difficult to reach.

“It has been two years at the [Olympic Stadium] and it wasn’t easy, the atmosphere wasn’t the same, you could tell it wasn’t Camp Nou,” the 36-year-old fan Carlos Narváez told The Associated Press.

“This is like coming home. I am sure the players will feel that way, just like we fans do. You can see how excited everyone is.”

But homecoming aside, there is still significant work before the new-look Camp Nou is finished and ready to hold 105,000 fans.

The top tier of Camp Nou remains mostly a skeleton of metal and concrete beams and pillars; huge construction cranes loom over the stadium and are visible from the stands, and there are areas that look like a construction site.

Work on upgrading Camp Nou began in June 2023 to repair, modernise and expand a venue that previously had a capacity of 99,000. The club secured 1.45 billion euros (then $1.6bn) from multiple investors to undertake the remodelling project.

Barcelona had originally planned to be back playing games at Camp Nou as early as November 2024 to coincide with the club’s 125th anniversary. The date was pushed back several times, and the club has not said when it now expects the stadium work to be completed. The club said it plans to seek permission from authorities to open more seating as work progresses.

Barcelona also received authorisation from UEFA this week to host Eintracht Frankfurt at Camp Nou on December 9.

Nico Iamaleava is back.

The UCLA quarterback who sat out last weekend’s game against Ohio State because of a concussion has been cleared to play against Washington on Saturday at the Rose Bowl, according to a person with knowledge of the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of health matters. Iamaleava was released from concussion protocol on Monday night.

The return of the Bruins’ best player should significantly enhance an offense that unveiled a conservative game plan against the Buckeyes under backup quarterback Luke Duncan.

UCLA’s offensive line will also be back at full strength with the expected return of guard Garrett DiGiorgio and tackle Reuben Unije from injuries. DiGiorgio missed the game against the Buckeyes because of back spasms and Unije departed the game with a lower-body injury.

Iamaleava has been far and away the Bruins’ top offensive weapon this season after transferring from Tennessee. He’s completed 63.7% of his passes for 1,659 yards with 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions while also emerging as the team’s leading rusher with 474 yards and four touchdowns in 96 carries.

Iamaleava’s refusal to slide or run out of bounds might have contributed to his concussion because he’s repeatedly taken big hits as a result of his fearlessness. He absorbed several punishing hits against Nebraska earlier this month before developing concussion symptoms over the next week, forcing him to miss the game against Ohio State.

Duncan played admirably in Iamaleava’s absence, completing 16 of 23 passes for 154 yards and one touchdown without an interception. He appeared more comfortable as the game progressed amid play calls that increasingly allowed him to throw the ball farther downfield.

Now Duncan will happily cede his spot to Iamaleava as the Bruins (3-7 overall, 3-4 Big Ten) try to break a three-game losing streak with a victory over the Huskies (7-3, 4-3).

A Coronation Street icon is set to return to the famous ITV cobbles this festive period after making an emotional exit exactly a year ago

Coronation Street fans are set for the dramatic return of a legend of the cobbles this Christmas. And it will mark exactly a year since they initially left.

Former mainstay Gail Chadwick is set for a return during the festive special. It will mark a year since the star, played by Helen Worth, married Jesse Chadwick and headed for a new life in France.

Fans of the ITV show were devastated by her exit after a long-running stint on the soap, spanning back to 1974. And now, she is set for a one-off appearance, which is sure to delight the show’s avid viewers.

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Details are still being kept close to the chests of producers. However a TV insider has said she could be about to connect with her family again for the festive period.

The source told The Sun: “It could be more timely as the Platts find themselves in yet another drama, one that they’ve had to deal with by themselves since the Platts’ matriarch moved abroad.”

They continued: “It’s a move which is guaranteed to thrill soap fans, who wondered whether we’d ever catch a glimpse of show favourite Gail on the cobbles again.”

Helen, 73, bowed out from the soap as Gail last year after an astonishing 50 year. She told viewers she’d been part of “the most wonderful show in the world“.

Since making her debut in Corrie 50 years ago the actress has been involved in an array of hard-hitting and juicy storylines. Her biggest lines have involved murders, steamy affairs and the perennial drama surrounding her three kids, Nick (Ben Price), Sarah and David.

When she finally left her role, Helen posted a message on social media to thanks her fans and their long-time support. She said at the time: “There’ll be more Platt stories, and I hope you’ll be watching.”

In a statement announcing her exit, she said: “This year felt like the perfect time to leave the show after celebrating 50 years in the most wonderful job on the most wonderful street in the world.

“I made the decision at the start of the year and spoke to the producers, who were very kind and understanding.”

In the build-up to Christmas, fans are set to watch dark scenes for Todd Grimshaw next week. It comes as his abusive partner Theo Silverton takes action against him once again.

The scenes result in a character outside of the relationship becoming suspicious which leads to a falling out. Later, Todd accuses Theo of rail-roading him into doing a half marathon.

However, Theo claims to him that it’s for his own good and they’ll be going for another run later as part of their training.

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

While the game didn’t provide any definitive answers about what LeBron James will do in his record-breaking 23rd season, it offered promising signs about what he won’t do.

He won’t disrupt what the Lakers are doing.

James indirectly said that leading up to his season debut on Tuesday and he indirectly said that again after.

The point was made most emphatically by how he played in the 140-126 victory over the Utah Jazz at Crypto.com Arena.

In the 30 minutes he played, James shot the ball only seven times, less than any other Lakers starter.

He didn’t have problems with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves remaining the team’s primary options.

He didn’t mind picking his spots.

He didn’t mind spending most of the game as a peripheral figure on the court.

“Just thought he played with the right spirit,” coach JJ Redick said. “Very unselfish all night. Willing passer. Didn’t force it. Took his drive and his shots when they were there.”

The 40-year-old James acknowledged that his conditioning remained a problem — “Wind was low,” he said — but he played so much within himself that he never looked visibly fatigued.

This is what the Lakers needed from James on Tuesday, as it allowed them to build on the 10-4 record they compiled in the games he missed because of sciatica. And this could be the kind of mindset the Lakers will need James to adopt for the remainder of the season, especially if Doncic and Reaves continue to score at their current rates.

“I don’t have to worry about [chemistry],” James said.

James sounded offended by questions implying he could have trouble fitting in with the team.

“I don’t even understand why that was a question,” he said.

Concerns over his ability to meld with his particular team were never based on his basketball IQ or skillset but instead how open he would be to accepting a reduced role.

This is a player who was the centerpiece of every team on which he’d ever played. This is also a player who craves attention and is notoriously passive aggressive.

In retrospect, suggesting that James couldn’t adapt to a new role might have sold him short. Whatever he’s said off the court, he’s usually made the right decisions on them.

“There’s not one team, not one club, in the world that I cannot fit in and play for,” James said the day before his return. “I can do everything on the floor. So whatever this team needs me to do, I can do it when I’m back to myself.”

Or even before that.

James scored only 11 points against the Jazz, but he still had his moments.

Starting in the final second of the third quarter, James assisted on seven of the next eight Lakers baskets, a four-minute-30-second stretch over which the team extended its lead from eight to 17.

From the left wing, James found Gabe Vincent in the opposite corner for an open three.

Double-teamed at the top of the key, James dropped a bounce pass to Jaxson Hayes, who soared for an open dunk.

James flipped a couple of no-look passes to Deandre Ayton and delivered a backdoor assist from the post to Jake LaRavia.

James finished with a game-high 12 assists.

“Good player,” Reaves said.

Describing his frustration over not playing the previous 14 games, James said he was grateful to just be playing.

“A lot of joy,” he said. “You probably saw me smiling and talking a lot on the court today.”

But he also sounded as if he wanted to prove something.

“I said it, was it yesterday’s practice, post practice?” James said. “I can fit in with anybody.”

Carefully watching his teammates in the games that he missed, James said he pictured where he could position himself and how he could contribute.

James will average more than 11 points this season. He’s still too good to not. But the Lakers almost certainly won’t need him to average 24 points as he did last season. How open he is to that could determine if they are just a playoff team or a legitimate contender.

The start was optimistic.

The Lakers (11-4) accomplished plenty without James during their first 14 games. Luka Doncic jump-started his most valuable player campaign and rose to the top of the NBA scoring leaderboard. Austin Reaves is averaging career highs nearly across the board. Some wondered how much the team would really benefit from James’ return when it started 10-4 already.

Then the Lakers scored a season-high 140 points, shot a season-best 59.5% from the field and locked down on defense to allow just 32 points in the first 21 minutes of the second half before the benches cleared.

“I can fit in with anybody,” James said. “I don’t even understand why that was a question.”

Doncic continued his scoring spree with 37 points and 10 assists, but with eight turnovers. Reaves had 26 points.

The Lakers lauded their early season chemistry, and coach JJ Redick praised his players for leading themselves through difficult times. He purposely restructured timeouts to give players time to discuss alone before the coaches would join them, hoping that the opportunities for player-to-player communication would prompt stronger team connection. Adding James’ voice to the conversation was an easy transition.

“Us as a young team, I’m glad we got hold of accountability before LeBron got out there,” Ayton said. “I’m glad we went through some tough games and a little of hardships and ups and downs and adversity. And it made us prepare for times like this where he says one thing and we get it done right away.”

The Jazz (5-9) knocked the Lakers back with guard Keyonte George making five threes in the first half and 23 points on nine for 15 shooting. Utah jumped out to a 11-point lead in the first half, but the Lakers tied it with 18.8 seconds left in the second quarter and went into halftime down by four, prepared to make a push.

“I think the word we were using as a coaching staff was our poise as a group,” Redick said. “Not overreacting, not pulling apart, problem solving, all that stuff, in real time. Just continuing to play. That, at times, was missing last year, and for us to get that on the first night [fully healthy] was really good.”

Sabrina Carpenter brought her latest world tour in for a landing Sunday night at Crypto.com Arena, where the pop star will play half a dozen sold-out dates through Nov. 23 to wrap up her year-long road show behind 2024’s “Short n’ Sweet.”

I was at Crypto when Carpenter played the arena last November, just after “Short n’ Sweet” was nominated for six Grammys. (It went on to win prizes for pop vocal album and pop solo performance.) But since then she’s released a speedy follow-up LP, “Man’s Best Friend,” which itself earned another six Grammy nods this month, including album, record and song of the year.

So it seemed worth checking in on the tour again as Carpenter, 26, gets close to stepping offstage. At least for a moment, that is: Come April, she’ll be back in the spotlight to headline Coachella along with Karol G and Justin Bieber. Here are the seven best moments from Sunday’s concert:

1. Turns out that earlier visit to the Lakers’ home wasn’t quite as cheery as it seemed then. “This time last year, when I played this show, I was going through it,” Carpenter told the crowd Sunday night. “I was not in a good headspace, and thankfully because of that I was able to write a whole new album for you guys this year.”

“Man’s Best Friend” follows Carpenter’s breakup with the Irish actor Barry Keoghan, whom she seems to refer to in her song “Go Go Juice” when she threatens to drunk-dial an ex named Larry. “So thank you for Crypto last year,” she added, “’cause you really inspired ‘Man’s Best Friend’ and what was to come after that.”

2. Carpenter didn’t sing “Go Go Juice” on Sunday, though she did throw a few tunes from “Man’s Best Friend” into a set list still dominated by material from “Short n’ Sweet.” (“Short n’ Sweet” is the better of the two albums, so this was fine.)

For the lightly country-fied “Manchild,” the singer and her dancers did a cute little line dance, and Carpenter’s live band powered “Tears” with some appealingly skanky disco-funk energy. The evening’s surprise song — the product of a regular bit in which Carpenter selects a tune via spin the bottle — was the new album’s “Nobody’s Son,” which emulates Ace of Base’s Nordic reggae more precisely than anyone else has in the past 30 years.

3. In one of the show’s other recurring bits, Carpenter pretended to arrest one of her opening acts, Amber Mark, with a pair of fuzzy pink handcuffs before singing the very horny “Juno.” That song features Carpenter simulating a different sexual position every night; here, well, you can look it up on TikTok.

4. Shout out to Carpenter’s guitar player, Caleb Nelson, whose ripping solo in “Juno” made the tune sound just like the theme from “Beverly Hills, 90210.”

5. “I’m gonna give you a little bit of history that you didn’t ask for,” Carpenter said about halfway through the concert, which ended up being a selective rundown of gigs she’s played in L.A. since she was a teenager on the Disney Channel.

“I played the Roxy when I was 16, and then I think played the Wiltern,” she said. “Then I played the Fonda and then the Wiltern again. And then I went to the … the Greek! Went to the Greek, of course — that was the best night ever.”

6. It says something about Carpenter’s commitment to the concept of her show, which takes place in the various rooms of a late-’60s/early-’70s-style bachelorette pad, that after dozens of tour dates she’s still performing one of her most emotionally cutting songs, “Sharpest Tool,” while sitting on a toilet.

7. Carpenter closed, as she always does, with “Espresso,” and if you’d assumed that by now this breezy electro-pop bop would inevitably have lost some of its fizz, think again. “I’m working late ’cause I’m a singer,” she sang as she strutted down a runway jutting onto the arena floor. It’s a task she’s still up to.

Seventy-six Palestinian patients and their attendants have returned to Gaza after being stranded for two years in hospitals in occupied East Jerusalem where they’d been getting treatment, unable to come back due to Israeli restrictions.

LeBron James said his lungs felt like those of a “newborn baby” and his voice was “already gone” after his first Lakers practice Monday as he moved a step closer toward making his season debut after being sidelined by sciatica.

The Lakers listed James as questionable for Tuesday night against the Utah Jazz at Crypto.com Arena, and he sounded as if he was close to playing in his NBA-record 23rd season.

“We got a long time,” said James as he wiped sweat from his face while speaking to reporters. “I mean, we’ve been taking literally one minute, one hour, one step at a time throughout this whole process. So, see how I feel this afternoon, see how I feel tonight. When I wake up in the morning. … We’ll probably have [a] shootaround [Tuesday]. So, just gotta see how the body responds over the next 24 hours-plus.”

James, who will turn 41 next month, was asked how long it took him to become pain-free.

“I wouldn’t take it that far,” James said. “Like I said, if you ever had it, you go about it and you wake up one day and you hope that when you step down from the bed that you don’t feel it. You go to bed at night, and you hope that when you’re in the bed that you don’t feel it. So I’ve been doing pretty good with it as of late. There’s a lot of exercises and a lot of mobility things and a lot of things you can do to help it. So I’m just keeping a positive mindset.”

Lakers coach JJ Redick said it was like having a new player in practice with James on the court.

James agreed, saying, “Definitely feels new, for sure.”

The Lakers have four days off after Tuesday’s game against Utah — including three practice days — before playing the Jazz in Salt Lake City on Sunday.

“One day back, barking out calls and assignments and stuff, getting my voice working again,” said James about his first day at practice. “Be a lot of tea and rest tonight.”

James, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer (42,184 points), admitted he had to mentally adjust to missing the start of a season for the first time in his career.

“It sucks. It definitely sucks,” James said. “Never in my life since I started playing the game of basketball have I ever not started the season — in my life. It’s been a mind test, but I’m built for it and it’s been putting in the work, both mentally and physically trying to get myself ready to rejoin the team.

“It’s just been kind of the same revolving door. Just repetition, repetition, repetition; rehabbing, rehabbing, rehabbing. Just trying to get back where I can feel like myself again. It’s great to be out here today.”

James said this wasn’t the first time in his career that he had sciatica.

“I had it two years ago,” he said. “You had it, then you know what the hell it’s about. If you ain’t never had it and people are making jokes about it, I pray you never get it. It’s not fun.”

James practiced with the Lakers’ G League team, the South Bay Lakers, twice last week, getting in some five-on-five work.

“It was great,” James said. “I got cleared to play some five-on-five for the first time since … hurting my MCL versus Minnesota. And that was the blessing.”

The Lakers have gone 10-4 without James. Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves have led the way as one of the most potent two-way tandems in the early part of the NBA season.

Doncic leads the NBA in scoring (34.4 points per game) and Reaves is ninth (28.3). Doncic is fifth in assists (8.9) and Reaves is seventh (8.2).

James, who is 50 games away from breaking Robert Parish’s all-time record of most games played in NBA history (1,611), knows he’ll have to adjust things when he returns.

“I have to work my way back into it,” James said. “The guys have been going on road trips, shootarounds, flights. So it’s kind of like a kid going to a new school again. Got to learn the guys and everything. So they got some great chemistry. Feeling my way back in and do it organically. It shouldn’t be hard. But it’s definitely a feel-out process.”

Etc.

Redick said all 14 players practiced for the first time this season and that Rui Hachimura (left call soreness) and Marcus Smart (viral illness) will be available to play against the Jazz after sitting out against Milwaukee on Saturday.

Voters in Ecuador have rejected a proposal to allow the return of foreign military bases, according to early referendum results, with a count of close to 90 percent of ballots showing nearly two-thirds voting “no” on the proposal.

The loss on Sunday was a blow to President Daniel Noboa, who has said foreign cooperation, including shared or foreign bases within the country, is central to fighting organised crime.

A separate measure to convene an assembly to rewrite the constitution also had more than 61 percent rejection, with nearly 88 percent of votes counted.

Noboa acknowledged the defeat in a post on X.

“We respect the will of the Ecuadorian people,” he wrote.

“Our commitment does not change; it strengthens. We will continue to fight tirelessly for the country that you deserve, with the tools that we have.”

The rejection blocks the United States military from returning to an airbase at Manta on the Pacific coast – once a hub for Washington’s anti-drug operations.

Ecuador banned foreign military bases on its soil in 2008.

In Sunday’s referendum, voters were also asked if Ecuador should cut public funding for political parties, and if the number of legislators in the nation’s congress – the National Assembly – should be reduced from 151 representatives to 73.

The early count showed those proposals failing by a large margin, too.

Unprecedented violence

The referendum is taking place amid unprecedented violence in Ecuador, which has become a key transit point for cocaine produced in neighbouring Colombia and Peru. Drug trafficking gangs have attacked presidential candidates, mayors and journalists, as they fight for control over ports and coastal cities.

The vote also comes as the US military conducts a series of air strikes against alleged drug smuggling boats, a divisive policy from President Donald Trump that Noboa has backed.

Alessandro Rampietti, reporting from the Ecuadorian capital, Quito, said many voters had expressed concerns over sovereignty if foreign militaries return.

“The main issue here is the sovereignty and the fact that this country has had experience of having military bases in the past. And there have been allegations of many abuses committed by the US soldiers when they were in the country, including the sinking of fishermen’s boats, and also an increase in prostitution in the towns near the bases, as well as mistreatment of locals by these soldiers, who had immunity,” Rampietti said.

“So, it seems like a majority of people say no. They are saying we can do it with our police and our army. And that the problem is the corruption, the problem is that the laws in the country are not implemented.”

The US has previously praised Noboa as an “excellent partner” in efforts to curb illegal immigration and drug trafficking, and Ecuadorean authorities said prior to the referendum that a “no” vote on the military bases question would not derail security plans.

Noboa ratified two agreements for joint military operations with the US last year. The countries also maintain an aerial interception agreement, enabling drug and weapons seizures at sea.

US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem also recently toured military facilities in Manta and an airbase in Salinas alongside Noboa.

‘Mistrustful of the US’

Michael Shifter, a senior fellow at the Inter-American Dialogue and an adjunct professor of Latin American Studies at Georgetown University, said the outcome on Sunday marked a “big setback” for Noboa.

“The Trump administration saw Naboa as a key ally and assumed the Ecuadorian people would go along with restoring the military base that existed before on the coast,” he told Al Jazeera from Washington, DC.

“And this is clearly the Ecuadorans rejecting that. They prize their sovereignty, their independence… They are very suspicious, very mistrustful of the US administration, especially as they are watching what’s going on with blowing up of boats and killing people in the Caribbean and in the Pacific as well.”

In office since November 2023, Noboa has deployed soldiers on the streets and in prisons, launched dramatic raids on drug strongholds, and declared frequent states of emergency.

Still, in the first half of this year, there were 4,619 murders – the “highest in recent history”, according to Ecuador’s Organized Crime Observatory.

Just as voting began, Noboa announced that the leader of the country’s most notorious gang, Los Lobos, had been captured.

The most-wanted drug kingpin known as “Pipo” had “faked his death, changed his identity and hid in Europe”, Noboa said on X.

Interior Minister John Reimberg later said Pipo had been detained in Spain in a joint operation between Ecuadoran and Spanish police.

BREAKINGBREAKING,

Federal Aviation Administration says airlines can resume normal schedules from Monday.

Flights in the United States are set to return to normal after the country’s aviation authority announced an end to restrictions introduced during the government shutdown.

Airlines will be able to return to their normal schedules from 6am Eastern Time (11:00 GMT) on Monday after the lifting of an emergency order reducing the number of flights, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in a statement on Sunday.

The FAA ordered reductions in flights at 40 major airports during the shutdown to ensure safety amid reports of air traffic controllers exhibiting fatigue and refusing to turn up for work.

The restrictions resulted in the cancellations of thousands of flights and delays to countless more.

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed a bill to resume government funding and end the shutdown, bringing to an end a six-week standoff between Republicans and Democrats.

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the lifting of the order reflected a “steady decline in staffing concerns.”

Staffing triggers, which refer to instances where the number of available air traffic controllers falls below safe levels, dropped from 81 on November 8 to six on Friday, eight on Saturday and just one on Sunday, according to the aviation authority.

Under the restrictions, airlines were ordered to reduce flights by 4 percent by November 7 and 6 percent by November 10.

Officials on Friday scaled back the restrictions to 3 percent, pointing to improving staffing levels following the end of the government shutdown.

In its statement on Sunday, the FAA said it was also “reviewing and assessing enforcement options” amid reports of airlines not complying with the emergency order in recent days.

Just 149 flights were cancelled on Sunday, according to flight tracking website FlightAware, well below the 3 percent cut mandated by the FAA.