DAVID and Victoria Beckham have offered to meet son Brooklyn with lawyers or therapists to try to end their feud, it is claimed.
Brooklyn, 27, is also said to be considering taking back ownership of his own name — ten years after his mother trademarked it.
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Brooklyn Beckham is also said to be considering taking back ownership of his own name, pictured with wife Nicola PeltzCredit: GettyParents David and Victoria have offered to meet son Brooklyn ‘with lawyers or therapists’ in a bid to end their feud, it is claimedCredit: Instagram
The aspiring cookery influencer, who changed his name to Peltz-Beckham after marrying US actress Nicola, reportedly wants to regain control.
It has also emerged that the rabbi at Brooklyn’s 2022 nuptials called him “David” twice.
He is now said to be considering making a legal move as it is up for renewal in December.
A source said: “Victoria trademarked the Intellectual Property for his full name in 2016-17 in order to protect him, and ensure no one else could exploit his famous name.
“It certainly wasn’t a malicious thing, and the view was that Brooklyn could do with it what he wanted in adulthood.
“But from Brooklyn’s perspective, it was yet another example of control being displayed over him.
“He feels infantilised and just wants to claw back control over the most simple of things — his name.
“He is weighing up all his options but no decisions have been made yet.”
Brooklyn has not spoken to his parents in 15 monthsCredit: Getty
The trademark covers commercial rights in Europe and the UK for goods such as beauty products and toys.
It means Brooklyn would technically need permission to launch a brand using his full name.
Meanwhile, another embarrassing detail from his wedding was revealed by New York-based magazine, The Cut.
A witness described it as “uncomfortably Oedipal”.
Brooklyn also claimed in his statement that his mother “danced very inappropriately on me” at his wedding.
The Sun first revealed Brooklyn sent Posh and Becks a cease and desist letter last summer, telling them not to tag him on Instagram.
Brooklyn, who has formed a close bond with in-laws Nelson and Claudia, unfollowed chef Gordon Ramsay after his interview with The Sun about the Beckhams’ rift.
Brooklyn’s devastating six-page Instagram statement in January said the feud was fuelled by ‘pressure to sign away the rights to his name’Credit: Getty
Key dates for next year’s awards season — and the one after that — are already on the calendar.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Tuesday announced the dates for the 2027 and 2028 Oscars ceremonies, on March 14, 2027, and March 5, 2028, respectively. The awards show’s 99th and 100th iterations will be its last hurrahs with longtime distributor ABC before a move to YouTube.
In another nod to streaming, the Actor Awards (formerly known as the Screen Actors Guild Awards) also set the dates for their next two shows, which like this year’s ceremony will stream live on Netflix. Presented by SAG-AFTRA, the 33rd Actor Awards are slated for Feb. 28, 2027, and its successor for Feb. 20, 2028.
The Producers Guild of America also announced its 2027 ceremony will take place on Feb. 27, 2027, and its 2028 iteration, on Feb. 19, 2028.
The 2027 and 2028 Oscars will also be the last two ceremonies held at the Dolby Theatre after more than a quarter century at the Hollywood mainstay. Beginning in 2029, the Academy Awards will move to L.A. Live’s Peacock Theater, which is expected to be renamed before the Oscars arrive. The new agreement runs through 2039.
Anchoring the ceremony at the sprawling L.A. Live campus rather than in the heart of Hollywood is expected to allow the academy greater control over crowd flow and event programming, and provide better means for hosting visitors. Similarly, the Oscars’ move to YouTube is aimed at expanding the show’s reach in a streaming-dominant era.
This year’s ABC telecast averaged 17.9 million viewers, a 9% drop from last year’s 19.7 million viewers on ABC and Hulu. The dip ended a four-year streak of ratings bumps.
Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another” led this year’s Oscars with six wins including best picture, director and adapted screenplay. “Sinners,” which earned a record 16 nominations, followed behind with four awards.
“Sinners” also won big at the Actor Awards, with television categories dominated by “The Studio” and “The Pitt.”
Times staff writers Josh Rottenberg and Stephen Battaglio contributed to this report.
White is the latest festival alum added to the bill for a surprise slot in recent years, joining the likes of Weezer and Ed Sheeran in 2025, Blink-182 in 2023 and Arcade Fire in 2022.
The sold-out festival is topped by Sabrina Carpenter on Friday, Justin Bieber on Saturday and Karol G on Sunday. Carpenter has the earliest headlining spot of the three, with a set scheduled for 9:05 to 10:35 p.m. Following Carpenter on opening night is electronic artist Anyma, who is debuting a production called “Æden” at midnight on the Coachella stage.
It’s free to see, but there’s a reservation system for a time slot. People who can’t make a reservation will be admitted on a first-come, first-served basis.
On the Coachella website, it describes the Bunker as being located near the Sahara Tent.
1 of 3 | A photo of the moon, taken by the crew on day 4 of the Artemis II mission, shows the South Pole at the top and parts of the lunar far side, as well as the Orientale basin on the right edge of the lunar disk. The mission will mark the first time that humans have seen the entire basin. Photo by NASA/UPI
April 5 (UPI) — The four astronauts of the Artemis II mission were woken on Sunday by the sounds “Working Class Heroes (Work)” by CeeLo Green, and they will go to sleep as their spacecraft enters its sphere of gravitational influence.
Day 5 of NASA’s first journey to the moon in more than 50 years remained on course Sunday morning after maneuvering the Orion space capsule in its precise course to ricochet around the far side of the moon before heading back to Earth.
The crew is roughly half-way through its ten-day mission to test the abilities of the Orion space capsule and make direct observations of the far side of the moon, all of which will take them farther from Earth than any human has previously traveled.
The crew’s work for Sunday includes a full sequence of space suit operations and preparations for their approach to the moon, as well as their responsibilities during the five-hour trip around its back side, NASA said.
“We’re going to work!” NASA said in a post on X around 12:30 p.m. EDT on Sunday that the astronauts were hearing the day’s wake-up song, which the agency has been announcing each day of the mission.
In addition to the wake-up song, the astronauts were greeted this “morning” with an audio message from Apollo 16 astronaut Charlie Duke, who in 1972 became the 10th person to walk on the moon at age 36.
“Below you, on the moon, is a photo of my family,” Duke said in the 46-second recording, which the crew posted to X. “I pray it reminds you that we, in America, and all of the world, are cheering you on. Thanks for building on our Apollo legacy with Artemis.”
The suits are designed to protect astronauts during “dynamic” phases of space flight, can keep them alive should the Orion’s cabin depressurize and are designed to provide life support after splashing down in the ocean when they return to Earth.
The demonstration, like many of the other tasks the Artemis II crew is conducting, are meant to inform later Artemis missions to land on the moon and eventually build a human base there.
Although the crew was able to skip two other planned correctional burns on the way to entering the moon’s gravitational influence, an outbound trajectory correction burn is still planned for later today.
The final lunar science targets that the astronauts will be inspecting, photographing and analyzing will be sent from mission control and the crew will prepare to actually enter the moon’s gravity.
NASA’s Space Launch System rocket carrying the Artemis II crew is launched from Complex 39B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 1, 2026. Photo by Joe Marino/UPI | License Photo
IT was like a scene straight out of a rom com when Ryan Thomas popped the question to Lucy Mecklenburgh in Positano, Italy, back in June 2019, less than two years after they started dating – and it seemed like the pair would waste no time throwing a huge celeb wedding.
But almost seven years later, the pair haven’t got anywhere close to an altar, and insiders are now telling The Sun they claim to know the real reason their plans to tie the knot appear to be permanently on ice.
Lucy Mecklenburgh and Ryan Thomas got engaged back in June 2019 less than two years after they started datingCredit: InstagramTelly stars Ryan and Lucy fell in love as they took on Channel 4’s Celebrity Island with Bear GryllsCredit: Channel 4The loved up couple threw a huge engagement party with their family, friends and celeb pals in attendanceCredit: InstagramCorrie star Ryan and TOWIE legend Lucy share two children – Lilah, four and Roman, sixCredit: Instagram
Initially, the official line from the couple- who fell in love in 2017 while filming Channel 4 show Celebrity Island with Bear Grylls – was that their nuptials were delayed due to life getting in the way.
After all, the year after they got engaged, the world shut down due to the Covid pandemic, forcing millions across the globe to shelve their weddings.
The pair also went on to have two kids in quick succession – Roman was born in March 2020, and Lilah arrived in the world in May 2022 – so it was understandable that planning their big day took a backseat.
In 2021, Lucy admitted to OK! Magazine that her wedding plans were “on the backburner”, while she also told fans via her instagram stories that she was “still in the engagement bubble but I can’t wait to start planning.”
However, with Roman now six and Lilah turning four next month, any talk of becoming man and wife appears to have gone silent.
In fact, sources tell us the couple are perfectly happy being ‘perma-engaged’ and raising their little family rather than being legally bound to each other.
And the reason the nuptials are now unlikely to happen? Well, one insider alleges the delay is down to Lucy’s desire to remain financially independent after Ryan’s previous struggles with money.
In 2013, before the pair met, Ryan was declared bankrupt – despite earning £100,000 a year on Coronation Street at the time.
He spiralled into debt over an unpaid £40,000 tax bill, and while his bankruptcy is now over, it still casts a shadow in his life.
Just last year, The Sun revealed his company R James Thomas Ltd, which takes in cash from his TV and endorsement work, had just £1 in its accounts.
Last year revealed Ryan’s company R James Thomas Ltd had just £1 in its accountsCredit: ArchiveLucy owns a wellness business, RWL, which is UK’s leading at home health and fitness appCredit: Instagram
Annual accounts filed to Companies House show just a solitary quid in the company account for the 12 months to the end of January 2025.
At the time, the books also revealed he owed more than £30,000 of a Covid Bounce Back Loan.
Our source explains: “Lucy comes from money – her dad Paul is very wealthy and has an extensive property portfolio, so she and her two sisters will inherit a lot from him one day. Lucy listens to everything her father says, and she has always been very financially literate.
“She was raised to understand money and be very careful with it, and as soon as she started making money from Towie, her dad taught her to make careful investments.
“Ryan, on the other hand, has admitted to making a lot of mistakes with money and not being financially savvy in the past. As much as Lucy loves him, it wouldn’t be entirely sensible for her to legally bind her finances in with Ryan’s, which would be the case if they were man and wife.
“Of course they share some money, and they have property together, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Lucy has been advised to protect her interests – especially her wellness business RWL, which she has worked her backside off to make the UK’s leading at home health and fitness app.
“Ryan has worked to claw himself back from his previous money woes, and she is really proud of him, but if he ever got into difficulties again, it could affect her credit rating and have big implications for her own finances if they were married.”
In the UK, while bankruptcy is generally wiped from your credit reports after six years, certain bankruptcy restrictions can last up to 15 years.
Furthermore, if an application asks for your full financial history, the bankruptcy must be disclosed, regardless of how long ago it happened.
Despite Ryan’s previous woes, however, another source close to the situation insists the reason Lucy hasn’t wed Ryan has nothing to do with safeguarding her own assets.
Ryan also has a daughter (first on the right) – singer Scarlett, 17, who he shares with his ex-girlfriend Tina O’BrienCredit: Instagram
Counters a pal: “It’s not true that Lucy doesn’t want to legally merge her finances with Ryan. The reasons they haven’t got married are because they are both parents of two young kids, have busy careers and also weddings are extortionate. It just hasn’t been a priority for them, they are happy as they are.”
Indeed, a Mecklenburgh- Thomas wedding certainly wouldn’t come cheap. The pair have large families, an array of celebrity friends and aren’t the types to do a no-frills affair in a register office followed by drinks down the local boozer.
“To do something on the scale they want would take a lot of cash, and Lucy and Ryan want to pay for a lot of it themselves. Yes, Lucy’s dad’s very wealthy but Ryan is also a proud man and doesn’t want handouts. He’s worked hard to turn his financial situation around, but he wants to give Lucy the wedding of her dreams and that takes years of hard graft to save for.
“Ultmately, there is no rush either. Neither of them feel the pressure to get hitched. They’re fully committed to each other and really happy – a big fancy wedding is nice but it’s not the priority right now. It will happen one day, and when it does it will be incredible and a day they will never forget.”
And even though Ryan is no longer in the red, other high profile members of his family have also experienced financial difficulties
Scott’s health and fitness company Food 4 Thoughts collapsed in 2024, which saw Scott lose £75k of his own money while brother Adam lost his £125k investment.
Aside from this, Adam’s own Manchester restaurant The Spinn went into liquidation that same year, owing £300,000.
Our insider explains: “The Thomas boys have all made mistakes in business which have cost them a lot of money. They have big dreams and have invested in each other’s brands, but this has come with financial ramifications.
Our insider continues: “Ultimately, Ryan and Lucy are strong and don’t need money issues coming between them, it’s a stress their relationship doesn’t need.
“Ryan is totally happy too. He is a proud man, so wouldn’t push the issue, but he knows Lucy is fully committed to him and they are happy as they are. As time has gone on, they have realised that being committed to each other is about sharing a home and a family, not a big wedding.
“Like a lot of men, Ryan isn’t overly fussed about a big day anyway. To him, what’s important is having a strong relationship, and that’s what he and Lucy have. He doesn’t care about blowing a load of money on a big wedding either, that seems like a waste of cash to him.”
A source told The Sun they ‘wouldn’t be surprised if Lucy was advised to protect her interests’ after Ryan’s money woesCredit: RexLucy Mecklenburgh and Ryan are said to be happy where they are in their relationship and don’t need to get married right awayCredit: InstagramRyan and his brother’s Adam and Scott have all felt the sting of their businesses going belly upCredit: ITV
Patsy Kensit is reportedly returning to Emmerdale as villain Sadie King 20 years after her big exit, with ‘explosive’ scenes on the way when she heads back later this year
22:04, 04 Apr 2026Updated 22:06, 04 Apr 2026
An Emmerdale villain is reportedly heading back to the ITV soap after 20 years(Image: ITV Network)
An Emmerdale villain is reportedly heading back to the ITV soap after 20 years.
Later this year, it’s been reported that TV star Patsy Kensit will be reprising her role as fan favourite Sadie King. The character debuted on the show back in 2004 as part of the King family.
The former wife of Jimmy King, who is still in the village with his new wife Nicola King, Sadie turned against the family when she teamed up with Cain Dingle to target them.
Cain ended double-crossing his former flame and her plan backfired, sparking her exit from the show in 2006. According to reports though she will soon be back, with “explosive” scenes on the way.
According to a publication, the top secret signing was planned to shock fans. Of course there will be a little less “shock” now that the apparent signing has been leaked.
Emmerdale have yet to confirm if the news is true, while the Mirror has contacted ITV for comment. A source is said to have told The Sun: “This signing has been kept a top secret as bosses want Patsy’s return to shock fans.
“She is apparently delighted to be get her teeth back into the meaty role. Scriptwriters want to keep the show going with explosive plots and divisive characters.”
Fans began sharing the possible news online, not expecting it while several viewers have been calling for the twist for some time. One fan said: “SADIE KING IS COMIMG BACK? OH MY GOODNESS!”
Another posted: “Sadie King potentially making a return, ok I am sat for that!” A third fan added: “SADIE IS BACK,” while another simply said: “Sadie king is returning to Emmerdale.”
It comes amid another villain trying to kill a soap legend. Graham Foster was exposed for poisoning Kim Tate in a recent episode, tampering with her pain medication.
Kim collapsed and was rushed to hospital, where it was assumed she had accidentally taken too many of her tablets. But fans soon learned the shocking truth.
Graham was shown swapping her medicine bottles over, before explaining he’d swapped out her usual pills for a double dose of her medication. He suggested the plan was to kill Kim but it did not work, so now he was figuring out another way to get rid of “the pain in his neck”.
Beyond Paradise fans think Humphrey and Martha will leave Shipton Abbott for good
17:23, 04 Apr 2026Updated 17:43, 04 Apr 2026
Kris Marshall plays Detective Humphrey Goodman(Image: BBC)
Beyond Paradise enthusiasts have voiced a devastating theory that Detective Humphrey Goodman (portrayed by Kris Marshall) will depart the Shipton Abbott police force to protect one of his team members.
During the opening episode of series four, Humphrey was informed by his new superior that, due to budget constraints, he must dismiss one of his colleagues.
One viewer commented on social media, “Could this be his last outing as they are looking to reduce staff? May he goes to save the others?”
Another concurred, “I was thinking the same thing,” while a third speculated, “Could be Humphrey, maybe he and Martha go back to Saint Marie?”, reports the Express.
“I’d love for this to happen,” a fourth enthusiast continued, with another suggesting, “Humphrey leaves to save the station and takes a job in Saint Marie.”
After Friday evening’s second episode, Zoe Williams (Melina Sinadinou) revealed to PC Kelby Hartford (Dylan Llewellyn) her intentions to leave Shipton Abbott and embark on travels to Australia.
Certain viewers also suspect Kelby might ultimately depart to travel alongside Zoe. One fan posted on social media, “Is Kelby going to leave to go travelling with Zoe?”
Another proposed, “Zoe off to Dolphin Cove would be great!!! Kelby in tow even more amazing (as long as he comes back) Poor Esther.”
A third enquired, “Kelby and Zoe off travelling?” Fans were equally quick to spot the nod to Death in Paradise spin-off, Return to Paradise, and were delighted at the possibility of a crossover between the two series.
As Zoe and Kelby crossed paths, Zoe remarked, “Sorry, I was miles away.”
“In Dolphin Cove,” Kelby replied, to which Zoe asked, “Have you been?”
“I wish,” the police officer responded. “It just says there. Sorry, I wasn’t snooping; it caught my eye. It looks like paradise. Are you planning on a holiday?”
“I am thinking about going travelling, seeing a bit of the world,” Zoe replied. “That is what life is about, isn’t it?”
Bridges could close and ferry services may be cancelled, with possible delays to planes, trains and buses.
Rough seas and large waves will bring dangerous conditions around the coasts.
Parts of north-west Scotland are also covered by a Met Office yellow warning for rain and snow.
At low levels, especially in the Western Isles and Skye, up to 50mm (2in) of rain could fall with the potential for flooding.
Meanwhile hills and mountains above 200m (650ft) are likely to see snow, with 5-10cm (2-4in) expected to accumulate, and a small chance of 20cm (8in) in a few places.
Coupled with the strong winds this could give blizzards, snowdrifts and very poor visibility on the roads.
European markets are set to open lower on Monday, with futures pointing to declines across major indices as investor sentiment remains cautious amid rising oil prices and geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
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As of early morning trading, Germany’s DAX was down around 0.5%, the FTSE 100 fell roughly 0.3%, and France’s CAC 40 was also in negative territory, according to IG data.
The weaker outlook follows losses in Asia, where shares mostly dipped overnight as concerns persisted around soaring oil prices and the potential for further escalation in the US war with Iran.
The declines follow steep losses on Wall Street on Friday, marking a fifth consecutive losing week — the longest such streak in nearly four years.
“US equity markets remained under sustained pressure, with the S&P 500 falling 2.1% for the week and the Nasdaq 100 sliding 3.2%. The Dow Jones held up comparatively better, declining 0.9%, owing to its lower technology weighting. Both the Nasdaq 100 and the Dow Jones have now officially entered correction territory after recording drawdowns of more than 10% below their respective peaks,” IG market analyst Fabien Yip said in a commentary note.
Asia-Pacific markets lower overnight
Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 fell 4.5% in early trading, Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 dropped 1.2%, and South Korea’s Kospi slid 3.2%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng declined 1.7%, while the Shanghai Composite edged 0.7% lower.
Investor worries have been particularly acute due to the risk of disrupted access to the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global oil shipments.
Benchmark Brent crude rose above $116 a barrel in early trading, marking an increase of more than 50% since the Iran conflict began on 28 February. Prices were just over $70 a barrel when the war started. US benchmark crude was also up, at around $101 a barrel, reflecting continued volatility in global energy markets.
The surge comes as US President Donald Trump raised the possibility of American forces seizing Iran’s Kharg Island, the country’s main oil terminal in the Persian Gulf. He made the comment in an interview published early Monday by the Financial Times.
“Maybe we take Kharg Island, maybe we don’t. We have a lot of options,” Trump told the newspaper. “It would also mean we had to be there (on Kharg Island) for a while.”
Asked about Iranian defences there, he said: “I don’t think they have any defence. We could take it very easily.”
The US has already launched airstrikes it said targeted military positions on the island. Iran has threatened to launch its own ground invasion of Gulf Arab countries and new attacks if US troops land on its territory.
Meanwhile, G7 finance ministers, energy ministers and central bank governors are set to hold an emergency meeting today to discuss the conflict and its consequences. It will mark the fourth time since the start of the war in Iran the G7 has convened at a ministerial level.
Many of Spain’s major airports are set to be hit by strike action this week.
Steffan Rhys Deputy Content Hub Director
13:52, 29 Mar 2026Updated 14:06, 29 Mar 2026
Travellers heading to Spain could be hit by strike action
UK tourists hoping to travel to Spain for Easter sunshine should be aware that workers are set to strike at several of the country’s biggest airports.
The strikes affect ground-handling services at the airports of Barcelona, Madrid, Alicante, Palma, Ibiza, Málaga, the Canaries and more and the first of the action is set to start on Monday. The strikes are by Groundforce and Menzies workers and are a result of salary disagreements.
The Groundforce strikes had been due to start on Friday but they were delayed. However, it is believed they will now start on Monday, take place at set times of day in the mornings, afternoons and nights and continue indefinitely. Majorca Daily Bulletin reports that “there is as yet no indication as to whether there will be further suspensions of strike action”.
Menzies workers were due to have gone on strike this Saturday and Sunday. That was also suspended but 24-hour strikes from April 2 to 6 have not been called off.
Groundforce operates at Madrid-Barajas, Barcelona-El Prat, Palma de Mallorca, Alicante, Málaga, Gran Canaria, Valencia, Ibiza, Bilbao, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura. Menzies operates at Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Málaga, Alicante, Gran Canaria, Tenerife South and Tenerife North.
The Traveler website reports that “travellers heading to Spain over Easter face a challenging season, as walkouts by airport ground staff threaten queues, baggage delays and potential timetable disruption at some of the country’s busiest hubs”. It added that “reports indicate that the stoppages are partial rather than full shutdowns, typically concentrated in several time bands during mornings, midday and late evenings. This pattern mirrors earlier labour disputes at Madrid, where limited ground handling strikes created bottlenecks at baggage reclaim and during boarding, while flights continued to operate under minimum service rules.”
It added: “For most holidaymakers, the most visible impact of the strikes is likely to be queues and slower processing rather than mass cancellations.”
Travel and Tour World, a B2B travel publisher, says travellers “are being urged to check their flight status regularly and stay updated on the latest developments”.
Strikes not the only problem
The strike action coincides with the ongoing rollout of the EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) which could cause further delays. Under this system, which has been rolling out since October and is expected to be fully operational by April 10, all travellers from the UK and other non-EU countries have to be photographed and fingerprinted at EU airports and border points.
The Telegraph reports that the Home Office and travel organisations “are advising holidaymakers to allow extra time to arrive at their destinations on both entry and exit because of predicted queues of two to four hours at busier airports”. It adds: “Delays at airports on return journeys have already led to some holidaymakers missing their planes home, even though they arrived within the required two-hour limit.”
It reported how Tenerife airport has already seen “acute delays” with one recent traveller saying on Facebook that she had spent three hours queuing in passport control, writing: “Our flight left with 15 passengers on and ditched the rest of us here in Tenerife to fend for ourselves.”
Another traveller said she had been astonished to arrive at her airport departure gate in Paris recently to find a long queue. She said: “I had entirely forgotten about the additional security checks. Only one kiosk was open, with a queue of at least 30 people, and the clock was ticking down to our flight’s departure. As we stood there, another 40 individuals joined the queue behind us, yet still, only one kiosk was operational.
“The process was painfully slow. The queue barely seemed to budge, and more people continued to join behind us. From the snippets of conversations I caught, everyone appeared as taken aback – and stressed – as I was.
“Fortunately, my partner and I had started relatively close to the front, so we managed to reach the gate just in time. As for the people behind us, I have no clue.”
U.S. Gen. Xavier Brunson (C), chief of the South Korea–U.S. Combined Forces Command, attends a combined exercise (maneuvering, wet gap crossing) with South Korean soldiers from the Lightning Brigade, Capital Mechanized Infantry Division and 7th Engineer Brigade, as part of the Freedom Shield 26 exercise, in Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi province, South Korea, 14 March 2026. According to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), North Korea launched ballistic missiles into the east sea on 14 March as South Korea and the United States were conducting their military exercise. Photo by JEON HEON-KYUN/EPA
March 27 (Asia Today) — The United States and South Korea have established a new joint command unit aimed at integrating nuclear and conventional forces to strengthen deterrence against North Korea, according to defense officials.
The unit, known as J10, has been set up within U.S. Forces Korea headquarters at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek. It is designed to move beyond the traditional concept of a “nuclear umbrella” and enable real-time operational coordination between U.S. strategic assets and South Korean conventional forces.
Originally separated from the U.S. Forces Korea planning directorate in June 2024, J10 is led by a colonel-level commander and serves as a centralized command structure for combined nuclear and conventional operations.
Military experts said the creation of J10 marks a shift from declaratory deterrence to operational readiness, allowing faster execution of joint responses in the event of a North Korean nuclear threat.
The unit is expected to play a key role in implementing decisions made by the bilateral Nuclear Consultative Group established under the Washington Declaration, with the ability to coordinate immediate response measures from the Korean Peninsula.
J10 will oversee operational planning that aligns U.S. strategic assets – such as long-range bombers and nuclear-powered submarines – with South Korean support forces. It is also expected to match response options to specific North Korean threat scenarios to accelerate execution speed.
Previously, U.S. nuclear operations were largely managed by command structures based in the United States. The new arrangement places a dedicated coordination function on the Korean Peninsula, enabling continuous, real-time management of response planning.
Analysts said the move is intended to strengthen integration between South Korea’s “three-axis” defense system and U.S. nuclear capabilities, increasing military pressure on North Korea.
However, officials noted that the effectiveness of J10 will depend on the level of real-time intelligence sharing between the two allies.
A senior official described J10 as “the final piece” in building an integrated extended deterrence framework, adding that its capabilities will be tested in upcoming large-scale joint military exercises.
Last May, a strange thing happened on the U.S. album charts. Two metal bands (or at least metal-adjacent hard rock acts) scored No. 1 albums in the same month. The genre hadn’t seen multiple bestsellers in the same year since 2019 — and those were from veteran acts. So it was notable when the young U.K. group Sleep Token crushed on streaming and Ghost topped charts with a Taylor Swift-sized vinyl rollout. Meanwhile, avant-garde heavy rockers Deftones became unexpected TikTok darlings and arena stars.
Metal had not-so-quietly reemerged as a commercial force, and not just in the live sphere, where it’s always thrived and continues to grow. Pop culture seemed ready to welcome back a breed of hitmaker thought lost to time — the sleeve-tatted, throat-shredding hard rock star.
So the wider pop world should acquaint itself with the Virginia-born group Bad Omens, whose slam-packed Thursday night show at the Forum in Inglewood reaffirmed that they’re one of the most ambitious and skilled young bands in heavy rock, and have the star wattage and ravenous fan culture to get even bigger.
Bad Omens — with singer Noah Sebastian, bassist Nicholas Ruffilo, guitarist Joakim Karlsson and drummer Nick Folio — are not brand new. They’ve slugged it out on the metalcore and heavy rock circuit for a decade, signed to the small-ish but influential imprint Sumerian Records. But they hit their stride with 2022’s “The Death of Peace of Mind,” which melded a Weeknd-worthy R&B falsetto with rotted, churning guitars and tasteful electronics.
The band became festival headliners and racked up billions of streams, surely aided by Sebastian’s dreamboat-goth-BF good looks and striking range as a vocalist, where he veers from an ear-tickling whisper to an operatic howl and a shriek worthy of Norway in the ‘90s (sometimes on the same song, as he did on “Like a Villain”).
The band has tipped a new album for some time, though for this career-peak arena tour, it had only a handful of new singles in tow. No matter. At the Forum, the band cohered its catalog with an eye-popping stage production, one that made its case as an ultra-modern heavy rock act with the reach to be huge stars, even if they take genuine fame with some ambivalence.
That force-of-gravity was evident in the days leading up to the Forum show, where fans debated how many hours early they needed to be at the Forum to be on the barricades (the consensus — get there by breakfast). Mid-set, Sebastian pointed out one fan whom he recognized from years on the road. “You’ve been coming to see us since we sucked,” he said, laughing.
That commitment wouldn’t be possible if the music didn’t have a preternatural force to speak to current anxieties. From the first notes of its new single “Specter” — a brooding vocal workout for Sebastian that ended on pulverizing riffs — Bad Omens used cutting-edge tools and underground influence to elicit arena-rock catharsis.
One early peak of the set came when Jake Duzsik of the L.A. industrial-rock trio Health came out to duet on “The Drain,” a lurching, menacing collaborative single and a standout for both bands. Heavy-rock veterans see something compelling in Bad Omens, which helps situate the band’s pop-savvy tracks like “Left for Good” and “Just Pretend” (a platinum-selling single that wrapped up the main set) with earned feeling rather than calculation.
After the Forum show, I understood why it’s taking them so long to finish a new LP. Sebastian has been open about his mental health struggles. The band is pitched right at a difficult juncture at which their artistic ambitions abut real, life-altering attention.
They can make songs like “What It Cost” (a hooky, lecherous electro track that I’d totally believe was co-written with Max Martin if you told me) and the serrated metal that them earned them their fanbase and would cause a revolt without. It’s not easy to pair the two in a natural way. (Just ask Code Orange, once pitched as metal’s breakout stars who got bogged down in electronic experiments.) Having a K-pop-caliber devoted fanbase is great on the way up, but it’s a tense relationship.
But first and foremost, Bad Omens are gifted musicians, and whatever eldritch magic Sebastian wields onstage will always be bolstered by a serious band contorting metal, dark pop and electronic music. I saw nothing that would stop that one fan from coming back for 10 more years of Bad Omens shows, and plenty to suggest others are going to follow him.
First baseman Freddie Freeman, pausing outside of the Dodgers’ home dugout to talk about the upcoming season, nodded his head toward the right-field foul pole, where just beyond it the Dodgers’ championships signs are displayed.
Eight baseball-shaped signs sported their years — 1955, 1959, 1963, 1965, 1981, 1988, 2020, 2024 — while a ninth was still shielded by a blue cover, with plenty of room along the stadium’s club level for more.
“You want to just keep putting those banners up,” Freeman said. “That one’s blocked for a reason. You want to do it again. You want to keep doing it over and over and over again. And that’s what’s fun, and then that’s what makes everything else just take care of itself.”
The 2025 championship sign will be revealed as the Dodgers both celebrate last year’s achievements and set the tone for this year.
They’ll receive their World Series ring on Friday, but they’ll also be in the midst of playing three games against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
“Everyone’s different,” Freeman said. “Some people want to move on and get on to the new season and not worry about last year. I’m one of the guys that can appreciate what we did last year, even in the present year.
“It’s hard to win a World Series. I don’t like to just kick it to the side. … Our fans haven’t celebrated it since the parade. We get to celebrate with our fans and open the weekend. It’s going to be a great time.”
“I get my ring, and I put it in the safe, and I don’t really look at it ever again,” he said when asked about the ring ceremony. “It brings back all the emotions from the prior year, you like showing friends and stuff, it’s cool. But no, for me, the motivation is just winning, being with these guys each and every day, and competing with them and working towards that goal.”
On that point, Dodgers players seem to agree.
They don’t need a tangible reminder of their World Series aspirations this year.
“It’ll be one of the few days where we really think about what we did last year, versus what we’re trying to do right now,” veteran third baseman Max Muncy said.
Plenty of teams say their goal is to win the World Series. But the Dodgers have raised their outside expectations, too. Entering Thursday, PECOTA put the Dodgers’ odds of completing a three-peat at 20.8%, by far the highest World Series chances in the majors. PECOTA, Baseball Prospectus’ projection system, listed the Mariners as next most likely to win the World Series, at 14.2%.
While those numbers establish a clear favorite, they also reflect how unpredictable the postseason can be. Even the Dodgers, with their lofty payroll and strong player development track record, will need health, luck, and the right mindset to pull off a third straight championship.
“You know what the goal is every single year, and that’s to be the last team standing at the end,” Mucy said. “But we more so preach, how do you get there, instead of that being the goal. And for us, it’s always been, you have to take it one day at a time.”
The phrase itself isn’t a novel concept. The trick is making that focus a reality, and a team standard.
“I talk about it every day,” manager Dave Roberts said. “I’ve talked about it since I got here. It’s just, let’s win a baseball game. That’s our mantra, and everyone in this building, that’s the goal.”
The veterans on the team preach it too, hoping to pass down that team-first focus to the generation coming behind them.
“When you put on this uniform, you come in here, you see all these superstars working extremely hard every single day — front office, ownership group doing the same thing — that’s the expectation,” Freeman said. “It’s a different standard, and you just want to be part of that standard that keeps the level high.”
After the commotion of the championship banner reveal and the ring presentation the first two days of the season, “let’s win a baseball game,” will continue to be the mantra.
Maybe it will even work well enough, day after day, for the Dodgers to add another sign to their championship display this time next year.
Delays are expected at check-in, baggage handling and other services affecting UK holidaymakers
Robert Rowlands Deputy editor, money and lifestyle, content hub and Maria Ortega
15:11, 26 Mar 2026Updated 15:12, 26 Mar 2026
An EasyJet Airbus 320 NEO landing at Lanzarote airport – file image(Image: Getty)
Major UK tourist hotspots are set to face disruption within days due to widespread strike action. The Canary Islands in Spain is getting ready as unions prepare to go on strike this and next month.
Airports across the Canary Islands are bracing themselves for industrial action by ground handling staff over the Easter period. Trade unions representing workers at Menzies and Groundforce have announced walkouts.
More than 1,500 employees throughout the islands are expected to take part, according to Spanish website Canarias7. Aviation hubs in the Canary Islands are making preparations for the ground handling strike announced for Easter week, which forms part of a nationwide protest.
Three major spots used by Brits are set to be affected, according to the website. Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, and Fuerteventura are all set for disruption.
The industrial action has been organised by staff at Menzies and Groundforce. Reports say the action will almost certainly lead to hold-ups in ground operations – including check-in, baggage processing and collection.
Menzies has a workforce over 600 and handles operations for carriers including Norwegian, British Airways, and EasyJet, among others. It operates at Gran Canaria, Tenerife North, and Tenerife South airports, as well as on the mainland at major airports such as Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Málaga and Alicante.
The UGT union-coordinated action will kick off this weekend (28th and 29th March), with further stoppages planned for 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th April, during the peak travel period for Easter week. Groundforce is a Globalia group firm providing services to Air Europa. We reported earlier this week that the action is taking place over rights and working conditions for staff.
Unions say they are taking strike action over the implementation of pay scales among other things. Close to 900 employees across the Canary Islands – encompassing Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, and Fuerteventura – face disruption. The Groundforce industrial action is set to begin tomorrow, 27th March, with walkouts planned for Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays across staggered time slots: 5:00-7:00am; 11:00am-5:00pm; and 10:00pm-midnight.
On the Menzies action, Spanish media reports say that should no agreement be reached, the strikes will continue every Saturday and Sunday until 31 December, following the same timetable. That could lead to months of disruption.
Poverty can be and often is crushing. For Hermanos Espinoza — who are in the midst of promoting their debut studio album “Linaje,” released Friday — growing up in a family that struggled financially after a string of failed restaurants turned out to be the greatest motivator.
Since 2021, the quintet led by the sibling duo of Joel and Leonel Espinoza have steadily built an audience with their brand of new wave norteño, pairing the prominent sounds of the accordion and the bajo quinto with lyrics about making it big thanks to a combination of unrelenting working-class grit, familial love and faith.
Hermanos Espinoza were one of the most buzzed about bands at the 40th South by Southwest music festival, which took place earlier this month in Austin, Texas. At the De Los showcase — one of three appearances the band made during SXSW — the rooftop of the Mala Fama nightclub was at capacity well before the brothers set foot on stage, and a line to get in extended past the door.
“Y que c— su madre la pobreza,” lead vocalist and accordionist Joel Espinoza, 24, belted out from the stage, opening their set with their 2024 hit “Dios Por Delante.” The popular Mexicanism translates to “F— poverty.”
The crowd cheered and danced, letting loose on a late Sunday night.
“I saw my family go through so much because of money, because of poverty. They didn’t deserve it but I understand the world works in a certain way,” he would later tell De Los in a video call. “I just hated it.”
The dynamic singer delivered every lyric with his whole body as he frenetically tapped the buttons of his brightly colored accordion, doing his best to make the squeezebox sound like an electric guitar. The drum set and bajo quinto kept pace, making the set feel more like a rock show than a backyard kickback.
(Cat Cardenas / For De Los)
With “Linaje” — it translates to lineage, a term often associated with nobility and pedigree — the brothers are intent on sharing their hard-earned success with those they love most.
“Some people refer to ‘Linaje’ as royalty, or people who come from money, but for us, it’s the complete opposite,” said Joel. “Our family is hardworking and we wanted to give them credit too. To us, that’s royalty.”
The Espinoza brothers grew up in the South Texas city of McAllen, in the Rio Grande Valley, helping out at their family’s Mexican restaurants. They can still recall prepping food from the early morning hours to late at night. They say it was tedious work that made them disciplined, punctual and appreciative of the value of a hard-earned dollar.
“You see life through a different perspective,” said Leonel, who is 20 years-old.
(Cat Cardenas / For De Los)
The brothers say they brought that same work ethic in their pursuit of music; both were heavily involved in their school’s marching band as part of the drum line, which helped them master rhythmic timing, coordination and motor skills. In high school, Joel picked up the accordion — he describes playing the 49-key instrument as a “love-hate” situation — and Leonel the bajo quinto.
Their mother helped book their first gigs singing serenade covers. But by 2021, house party gigs had slowed down.
“I used to work with my dad back at his restaurant and one of those days I was just feeling really down, ready to give up on my dream of music, but he held me down,” said Joel.
It wouldn’t be long before all that hard work paid off. Hermanos Espinoza gained traction on YouTube and TikTok with their self-released tracks, “Prueba De Fuego” (2022) and the aforementioned “Dios Por Delante,” which describe leaving behind the treachery of poverty for a better life.
“People started tattooing ‘Dios Por Delante’ on their forearms and neck and that’s when we realized that this was more than music, it’s a movement,” Joel said of the impact of the latter song.
Resilience and faith remain at the core of “Linaje,” which was mixed and produced by Ernesto “Neto” Fernández, who has worked with the likes of Peso Pluma and Xavi.
The 15-track LP, a solid representative of the ever-evolving norteño sound coming from the Texas borderlands, begins with a blessing, “29:11.” The title refers to a Bible verse in the Book of Jeremiah: “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”
“A big part of this album was just letting go of trying to control everything,” said Joel. “I put it into [God’s] hands and we just let things flow.”
Money is the focus in the tracks like “La Moneda,” with Joel’s voice echoing through the backdrop as he proclaims that cash might change some tacky, incompetent chumps, but not him. Almost halfway through the set list is a hazy track, “No Puedo Amarte,” where the singer sours over an unresolved love; the crooning track is reminiscent of a twinkling sad sierreño genre, with an accordion alternating volumes between a bold tremolando and a silky legato.
Still, at its core, “Linaje” fundamentally underscores their grit in tracks like “Modelo V,” the first single under Double P Management that celebrates the journey that led them to success, which honors the lessons taught by their father.
“No matter all the adversities we face, the thing about my dad is that he’s always stayed true to himself and who he is,” says Joel. “That’s how we were raised and how we live day to day.”
The Venezuelan leader, who is accused of plotting to traffic cocaine, denies all charges as part of an imperialist plot.
Published On 26 Mar 202626 Mar 2026
Former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is set to return to a New York courtroom as he seeks to have his drug trafficking indictment dismissed.
Thursday marks the first time that Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, will be in court since a January arraignment at which he protested his abduction by United States military forces and pleaded not guilty to all charges against him.
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Maduro, 63, and Flores, 69, remain jailed at a detention centre in Brooklyn. Neither has requested bail.
Judge Alvin Hellerstein has yet to set a trial date, though that could potentially be announced at the hearing.
Maduro, who has led Venezuela since 2013, was abducted in Caracas by US special forces on January 3.
His lawyer contends that Washington is violating the deposed leader’s constitutional rights by blocking Venezuelan government funds from being used to pay his legal costs.
The former president and Flores continue to enjoy some support in Venezuela, with murals and billboards across the capital, Caracas, demanding their return.
However, while Maduro’s ruling party remains in control, he himself has been gradually sidelined within the government led by acting President Delcy Rodriguez.
Rodriguez has removed key figures loyal to Maduro, including his longtime defence minister and attorney general. She has also reshaped state institutions, named new ambassadors, and dismantled core elements of the self-declared socialist project that has governed Venezuela for more than 20 years.
Accusations of helping Colombian rebels
US prosecutors have accused Maduro and several alleged associates of “narco-terrorism” and plotting to traffic cocaine into the United States. If convicted, the charges could carry maximum penalties of life in prison under US law.
Congress created the narcoterrorism statute 20 years ago to target drug traffickers who finance activities the US considers “terrorism”.
Since then, 83 people, including Maduro, have been charged with violating it.
According to the Reuters news agency, the 2006 statute at issue has produced four trial convictions. Two were later overturned over issues stemming from witness credibility.
Maduro is also accused of leading a conspiracy in which officials in his government helped move cocaine through Venezuela in collaboration with traffickers, including the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), which Washington labelled a terrorist organisation from 1997 to 2021.
Maduro and his fellow indicted officials have always denied wrongdoing, saying the US charges are part of an imperialist plot to harm Venezuela.
The NFL announced on Wednesday that the Rams will play the San Francisco 49ers on Friday, Sept. 11, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground at 10:35 a.m. Australian Eastern Time. Because of the time difference, fans in the United States will see the game on Thursday, Sept. 10 at 5:35 p.m. PDT.
The league did not announce a broadcast or streaming partner.
It will be the first regular-season NFL game to be played in Australia, where the Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Las Vegas Raiders and Philadelphia Eagles hold global marketing rights.
According to the NFL, “hospitality packages” will be available for purchase through Ticketmaster on April 6, tickets on April 7.
Also on Wednesday, the Rams announced that they re-signed running back Ronnie Rivers to a one-year contract.
Rivers, 27, has been a dependable backup and special teams contributor during his four seasons with the Rams. Last season, he played in 11 games and rushed for 46 yards in nine carries.
Air Passenger Duty (APD) is set to increase, with the tax usually passed on to passengers
Airlines will have to pay more tax, and this is usually passed on to customers(Image: Grant Faint via Getty Images)
British holidaymakers are being warned that flight prices are soon very likely to rise.
Among many other price hikes Brits are likely to encounter this April, Air Passenger Duty (APD) is poised to rise on flights departing from most parts of the UK from April 1. While APD is levied on airlines and aircraft operators, the costs are typically transferred to passengers at the point of booking. Charges vary depending on the distance travelled, with categories for domestic journeys as well as distances spanning 0 to 2,000 miles, 2,001 to 5,500 miles, and beyond 5,500 miles.
From April onwards, passengers taking an economy domestic flight within the UK will fork out an additional £1, bringing the cost to £8 per leg. Travellers will pay £2 extra for economy short-haul flights, with the rate climbing from £13 to £15. The levy on an economy medium-haul flight – covering 2,001 to 5,500 miles – will jump by £12 to £102, and by £12 – from £94 to £106 – on a long-haul journey.
The surcharge is considerably steeper for those travelling in premium class, escalating to £32 for short-haul, £244 for medium-haul, and £253 for long-haul. And for those opting for private jets, the hike will see APD rocket from £673 to £1,141.
The aforementioned rates exclude Northern Ireland and the Scottish Highlands and Islands. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) clarifies that passengers on flights departing from airports in the Scottish Highlands and Islands region are exempt. This region encompasses:
the Highland Region, Western Isles Islands Area, Orkney Islands Area, Shetland Islands Area, Argyll and Bute District, Arran, Great Cumbrae and Little Cumbrae.
in the Moray District, it includes the parishes of Aberlour, Cabrach, Dallas, Dyke, Edinkillie, Forres, Inveravon, Kinloss, Kirkmichael, Knockando, Mortlach, Rafford and Rothes.
Passengers on flights from other parts of the UK to airports in this area are not exempt.
Direct long-haul flights leaving from Northern Ireland airports are exempt from APD. However, for domestic and short-haul flights departing Northern Ireland, the standard rates apply.
HAVE you ever wanted to live out your favourite movie? Well, there actually is an attraction in the UK that lets you do this.
Secret Cinema is known for hosting immersive movie experiences in the UK’s capital.
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Secret Cinema is planning to launch its first permanent venueCredit: Studio DJL & Dale Croft
Previous venues have included Battersea Park, Alexandra Palace and London Fields with shows including Grease, Stranger Things, Casino Royale, Guardians of the Galaxy, Dirty Dancing and even Bridgerton.
And now, Secret Cinema plans to create a permanent venue in Greenwich.
The purpose-built venue in North Greenwich, if approved, would open by the end of the year.
And the venue would be close to other popular destinations in Greenwich such as The O2 and the Troubadour Theatre, due to open in late 2026.
Merritt Baer, Artistic Director & Producer of Secret Cinema said: “Greenwich Peninsula is the perfect location for Secret Cinema’s long-term flagship home.
“We are committed to bringing world-class immersive experiences to London audiences and are thrilled to work with local businesses and partners to make this happen…
“We are looking forward to breaking ground on this venue and continuing to bring entertainment’s most loved stories to life.”
Secret Cinema hopes that Greenwich will become its permanent home “for up to 10 years”.
In addition to the potential permanent site, Secret Cinema has also announced that it is bringing back last year’s hit, Grease: The Immersive Movie Musical.
The experience will return to Battersea Park from July 22 to September 13.
Travel reporter Cyann Fielding visited last year’s Grease experience and said: “Secret Cinema’s Grease: The Immersive Movie Musical had immediately transported me out of London in 2025 and landed me in the world of Sandy and Danny in the 1950s.
“It felt like a time machine had dropped me into the world of Sandy and Danny, more than 65 years in the past.
“Guests can purchase carnival tokens, just like at a real fair, to enjoy the attractions at the experience.
The brand is known for creating immersive experiences based off of moviesCredit: Luke Dyson
“There was a Ferris wheel, flying chairs, hook-a-duck and even the iconic fun house from Sandy’s unforgettable transformation scene.
“Inside, the school’s gymnasium dominated the room, serving as the central stage for the night’s performance.
“Around the edges, themed bars and seating areas were scattered – each also playing a role in the experience.
“Rows of vintage cars had been converted into tables, the auto shop was slick with oil and the bleachers were ready for Patty Simcox to screech about school spirit.
“The experience kicks off with the film itself, but as key scenes played out, actors took to the stage to bring them to life, all before cutting back to the movie.
Secret Cinema also recently announced that it will be bringing Grease: The Immersive Movie Musical back for 2026Credit: Cyann Fielding
“My only criticism would be that at times it felt a little overwhelming to the senses – I found myself on occasions unsure where to look or what to listen to as the sound from the film, orchestra and actors sometimes battle against each other.
“Yet, the entire time my feet tapped and I couldn’t help but sing along.
“Both the dancing and singing throughout the experience was breathtakingly flawless.”
Unlike the usual West End shows in London, the Secret Cinema experience allows guests to stand and move around freely.
As you move around, so do the actors and they interact with you too, chatting while in full character.
Cyann added: “One student dropped by our table to rant about being ‘left out of Frenchy’s sleepover’ – dragging us directly into the drama.
Visitors get to walk around Rydell High, going on carnival rides, before heading into the gymnasium for the showCredit: Cyann Fielding
“For the finale, the audience was led back outside to the carnival.
“Sandy’s final transformation scene with song ‘You’re the One That I Want’ really did bring the house down complete with leather trousers and Shake Shack.”
Comedians Jo Koy and Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias are used to delivering big laughs on large stages. But in the world of major L.A. venues, there’s big, there’s massive, and then there’s SoFi Stadium.
The show starring both comedians was billed as a record-breaking feat for stand-up when they sold out the 70,000-seater. Though the pressure to fill up the stadium was off, it still remained to be seen how the two comics would make their most dedicated fans laugh from more than a football field away. By that criteria, Saturday night was definitely a win.
Kicking off the early portion of the show at 7 p.m., fans were already filling the seats as opening acts from Iglesias’ camp, including Matt Golightly, Joey Guila, Alfred Robles, Martin Moreno (who celebrated his 58th birthday on stage) and ventriloquist funnyman Jeff Dunham got the crowd warmed up for about an hour before Iglesias took the stage first.
Comedians Jo Koy and Fluffy perform Saturday at SoFi Stadium.
(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
It was almost 8 p.m. when Iglesias emerged following a video skit playing on the jumbo screens and the stadium’s massive halo scoreboard with his funny misadventures of a routine doughnut run at Randy’s Donuts that turned into the plot of “Sons of Anarchy” spinoff “Mayans M.C.” featuring lead actors Emilio Rivera, a.k.a. Miguel Golindo, and Clayton Cardenas, known for playing Angel Reyes. Reyes caused the first major eruption of noise in the crowd by pressing a detonation device that triggered columns of smoke that filled the stage as Fluffy made his entrance in a white flat cap and custom Los Angeles button-up to greet the sold-out stadium.
“Thank you for being here, all I have to say is we did it!” Iglesias proclaimed as the crowd cheered.
Pointing and waving to fans in the nosebleeds, he took time to embrace the moment that topped his previous triumph of performing at Dodger Stadium.
Fluffy takes the stage at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.
(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
Though the stage couldn’t have been bigger, both comedians used their ability to make a large event feel intimate by drawing the crowd in through storytelling and making them feel like they were part of a conversation. Iglesias set the tone of his set right away by telling us about the chisme (a.k.a. salacious gossip) surrounding his newly married stepson that weaved into stories about his travels all over the world including his controversial stop at the Riyadh Comedy Festival.
Iglesias also took a pause to relate one other historic fact about the two stadiums in L.A. he’s now been able to sell out.
Santino Villalovos of Tracy, Calif., shows his Fluffy tattoo during the Jo Koy and Fluffy show at SoFi Stadium.
(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
“The two biggest shows in comedy were Dodger Stadium and SoFi Stadium. … And what did they both have in common? They both featured a Mexican,” he said.
Even though he thought about retiring as a comedian after filling up Dodger Stadium (twice) to film his special “Stadium Fluffy,” Iglesias said the SoFi show inspired him to keep pushing himself. And alongside Koy he knew they could do it.
Fans react to special guest Jamie Foxx during Jo Koy’s performance at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Saturday.
(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
“Jo I know you’re in the back, thank you for trusting me man, we did it brother. And I’ll say it in front of an entire stadium, love you. Things like this for me is a huge deal because it inspired me and gave me another reason to keep doing what I love to do. And tomorrow I’m gonna be in the same situation I was after Dodger Stadium — what am I gonna do now? But until then I’m enjoy the hell outta tonight and I still have more stories to share with you.”
Fluffy’s most controversial (and true) bit of the night was breaking the news to his fans that his name is mentioned in the Epstein files, which sent collective shock through the stands.
“I’ve never been to the island, I’ve never been on the plane and I have never met Jeffrey Epstein,” he clarified.
Fans light up SoFi Stadium during Fluffy’s set on Saturday.
(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
The comedian said that according to reports in the Epstein files, the late convicted pedophile apparently tried to buy tickets to his show at an Improv in West Palm Beach, Fla., in 2014 but was told by his assistant via email that both his shows were sold out.
“Jeffrey Epstein, one of the most diabolical human beings to ever walk the face of the earth. Had the ability to connect with politicians, with influencers, with celebrities. He put people in very compromising positions. He got people on planes. He put people on islands. He was involved in trafficking. He was able to accomplish all these evil, crazy things, but at the end of the day, he still couldn’t get tickets to see my show,” Iglesias said.
Jo Koy reveals himself with the Jabbawockeez at SoFi Stadium.
(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
After a brief intermission, things transitioned to Jo Koy’s portion of the show featuring warm-up sets from TikTok skitmaster King Bach and longtime friend and stand-up star Tiffany Haddish, who came to the stage looking ready for the red carpet with a flowing silk dress, hair blowing in the man-made wind to deliver her brand of high-energy stories about becoming a real estate tycoon in South-Central.
When it was Koy’s turn to enter the stadium, he slipped in undercover, dressed as one of the Jabbawockeez — the legendary masked hip-hop dance troupe that danced onstage to a medley of West Coast hip-hop dressed in red with acrobatic swagger. At the end of a brief routine, Koy unmasked himself as one of the dancers, eliciting cheers from the crowd as his son helped him change onstage into his regular attire, Dodgers hat and a jean jacket.
Jo Koy performs at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Saturday.
(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
Always a man of the people, his set also reminded us that he’s also a man of the pets, specifically dogs, launching into a long bit that felt worthy of a slightly more adult version of a Pixar movie. But beyond jokes and stories, Koy kept coming back to the idea that laughter, more than fame, marketing or money, is what helped the comedians’ big plans for SoFi come together.
“This place is full, all the way to the top, people laughing and having a good time. I know there’s a lotta s— going happening in the world right now but guess what, we don’t wanna hear it right now. We came to have a good f— time. I’m not here to debate s—, everybody’s in here, everything they said wasn’t supposed to happen happened. Look around, every f— color of the rainbow is in SoFi Stadium tonight.”
Jamie Foxx, left, sings with Jo Koy at SoFi Stadium.
(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
The vibe of the set was all about escaping the problems of everyday life. For most of the night that was taken care of by comedy. And sometimes that escapism was aided by the power of R&B. Twice during the night Koy shocked the crowd with special guest sing-alongs, first with Babyface coming out to serenade the crowd with a brief yet un-relenting hit fest he wrote and/or sang including “Can We Talk,” the ‘90s hit he wrote for Tevin Campbell, and the Boyz II Men anthems “I’ll Make Love to You” and “End of the Road.”
The second surprise came courtesy of Jamie Foxx, who popped out in shades and 10-gallon hat to sing the Ray Charles homage-driven hook of Kanye West’s “Gold Digger.”
Aside from any historic accolades, Saturday night was the culmination of a show that was a year in the making and a victory lap for the careers of two comics who’ve been in the game for decades. It was also a moment where comedy’s past met its stadium-size future in the L.A. comedy world. Though it’s hard to say when the next big comedian will have enough fans to fill a stadium in L.A., Saturday didn’t feel like it was the last time comedy fans will show up to fill SoFi for a pair of comedians who put in the work to make themselves a team worth rooting for.
A popular sitcom hailed as ‘comedy gold’ has apparently been renewed for another series
17:03, 23 Mar 2026Updated 17:04, 23 Mar 2026
Mammoth is apparently returning for a third series(Image: BBC/BBC Studios/Simon Ridgway)
A BBC series dubbed “cracking” and “comedy gold” by viewers is reportedly returning for a third series.
The sitcom about about a PE teacher from the 1970s getting a second chance at life started in 2024 and made a splash with viewers. According to The Sun, it is now set to return for a third run, with filming due to start in June.
Starring Mike Bubbins as Tony Mammoth and Car Share star Sian Gibson as his daughter, the series followed the teacher when his body was discovered frozen in time, after he was thought to have died in an avalanche during a school trip in 1979.
After being revived, he has to adapt to a world that has completely changed.
A previous BBC synopsis said: “In the Seventies he was a carefree Cardiff bachelor, teaching PE and generally living la vida loca. In 2024, he thought the world would still be his oyster, but Mammoth never really liked oysters, he was more of a pint and a packet of crisps sort of bloke. All he wanted was his old life back; the same job, the same clothes, the same car and the same soundtrack.”
Mammoth – set and filmed in Cardiff – started in 2024, and returned for its second series last year.
It was a hit with viewers, with one writing on Imdb.com that it was “a cracking comedy” that “feels remarkably relevant”, adding: “It is inoffensive yet sharp, poking fun at 1970s attitudes while highlighting the absurdities of modern life.”
“There were many genuine laugh out loud moments and some wonderful hillarious situations created by the writers,” said someone else.
Another viewer remarked: “Bubbins is wonderfully understated as the titular star and delivers the punch lines with little fanfare but lots of laughs. The supporting cast is brilliant, but this is very much Bubbins show and plays it to perfection.”
“Love it, a much needed slice of comedy gold and well done to the BBC for backing it,” said another impressed viewer.
“The writing is so strong, when you sit down you just know you’re in for some happy, silly, uncomplicated good fun and it’s been great to watch the series develop.”
