April 29 (UPI) — The Florida legislature approved a new congressional map proposed by Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday, sending the redistricting plan back to the governor’s office for a signature.
The new congressional map would allow the Republican Party to pick up an expected four more seats in Congress, Politico reported. In total, the party would have 24 seats to four that would lean Democrat. Currently, Florida Republicans hold 20 seats in Congress and Democrats have seven.
DeSantis submitted his proposal Monday as the state legislature convened a special session.
“Our new map for 2026 makes good on my promise to conduct mid-decade redistricting and it more fairly represents the makeup of Florida today,” DeSantis told Fox News earlier in the week.
Florida lawmakers fast-tracked the proposal ahead of Novembers midterms, The Hill reported. Committees in both the House and Senate advanced the map within hours of the start of the special session.
Lawmakers approved the map mostly along party lines, with some Republican senators voting against it.
Dave Wasserman with Cook Political Report said Reps. Kath Castor, Darren Soto, Jared Moskowitz and Debbie Wasserman Schultz, all Democrats, are now in danger of losing their seats come November.
The restored sign showed up more than 130 miles away from its original home as part of the roast beef chain’s pop-up at the festival at the Empire Polo Club, where it became one of the event’s go-to photo spots.
“As you can see, everyone’s loving it. Everyone’s getting a photo op standing in front of it,” Arby’s franchisee Roger Amaya said.
Over the three days, people moseyed by the pop-up near Diplo’s Honky Tonk, sometimes lining up to wait their turn to take a photo in front of the sign. Some climbed on the surrounding hay bales for a better pose, asking others in line to snap their photo in front of the cowboy hat emblazoned with the words “Arby’s roast beef sandwich is delicious.”
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A number of people we talked to taking photos weren’t from L.A. and didn’t know the lore of the Hollywood Arby’s sign — they just liked the visual.
The family that owned the location said at the time that rising food costs, the post-pandemic changes in the neighborhood and a law that raised minimum wage contributed to the closure.
Amaya said that Amir Siddiqi, head of a group of Arby’s franchises, was able to get the sign from the Hollywood location and have it restored.
“We were able to bring it back to life here and bring it to all the fans of Arby’s out there,” Amaya said.
Now that Stagecoach is over, where will the sign go next?
“That’s the big question, so you gotta stay tuned,” Amaya said.
“A challenge like this is definitely not in Ella’s comfort zone but she wanted to experience something new and push herself. Both Sam and Ella are competitive and they’re in it to win it.
“They filmed the show earlier this year but their fans will have to wait until it airs before they can see who did the best.”
Earlier this month, I revealed that Sky Sports legend Jeff Stelling had signed up to take part with his son Matt.
They’re also competing against Junior and Princess Andre — who are making their reality TV contest debut together.
On Friday, Sam was one of Chris Evans’ first guests on his new run of TFI Unplugged on Channel 4, to promote his telly series Your Song with Paloma Faith and Alison Hammond.
Sam’s show invites amateur singers to take to the stage in a live roadshow across the UK.
Sam explained: “It’s berserk. We go up and down the country, we bring a stage with us for people who have probably never sung in public before with a live band. They come, share a story and sing a song that’s attributed to that. The connection you see being made is beautiful.”
On working with Paloma and Alison, Sam joked: “They’re mad as a box of frogs but great to be around. All of our laughs are so cackly, it’s unreal.
“The three of us laughing together is like the Witches Of Eastwick.”
Sam added: “There is no winning a record deal. There is an event at the end of it and every singer is invited — they rinse the free bar, and a couple of people from each round perform on the night. That is the prize.
“It’s a show that’s got heart.”
LOOK MUM, I’M ALL SET
THERE is less than a month to go until Eurovision and the UK act is now out of the gates, with Look Mum No Computer giving his first live performance of zany track Eins, Zwei, Drei.
The singer– whose real name is Sam Battle – performed at the London Eurovision Party on Sunday night, but admitted it was a struggle to get there after becoming a dad less than a fortnight ago.
Look Mum No Computer is giving his first live performance of zany track Eins, Zwei, DreiCredit: GettyThe singer– whose real name is Sam Battle – performed at the London Eurovision Party on Sunday nightCredit: GettyBoy George and Italian Senhit are representing San MarinoCredit: Getty
In an exclusive chat with Bizarre’s Howell, he confessed: “The concept of sleep is something I fondly miss.”
But it isn’t just his newborn Max who has taken up his time, as he has also built his set for the contest in Vienna.
The YouTuber and inventor said: “Just before we went to the hospital for the baby, I was finishing the props – making and soldering all the bits for Eurovision.
“I didn’t build all of the props – the BBC didn’t trust my welding! – but I’ve built the synthesiser bits for it, and it’s already on a lorry on the way to Vienna.”
Sam has also been working on his voice and dance moves as he prepares for the contest, which starts on May 12.
He added: “I’ve been singing, and I’ve also been working out. I just need to get my stamina up.”
On his staging, he said: “It’s quite complicated. There are some things that require coordination, which is not my forte. I’ve got two left feet.
But (choreographer) Benke Rydman, who I’m working with on the stage setup – he’s very much pushing my boundaries.”
Also at the event in London on Sunday was Boy George, who features on the San Marino act Senhit’s song Superstar.
He was in chipper spirits before the show and spent over an hour talking to journalists, so I’m sure he’ll be hoping to one-up our British act at the final on May 16.
ARNIE TO BACK AUSTRIA
HE is the most famous living Austrian and despite it being rather at odds with his macho persona, Arnold Schwarzenegger has been invited back to his home nation to attend the Eurovision final.
I’m told that organisers are preparing for the Terminator star to be in the audience at the Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna, with the hope that his presence will help celebrate Austrian culture and draw in viewers.
Arnold Schwarzenegger has been invited back to his home nation to attend the Eurovision finalCredit: Getty
Arnie already has a surprising soft spot for the contest after meeting with 2022’s Ukrainian winners KALUSH ORCHESTRA and then starring in the music video to their song Shchedryi Vechir in 2023.
Reflecting on the response after they won, frontman Oleh Psiuk previously said: “In Los Angeles, we met Arnold, who has been actively supporting Ukrainians since the early days of the war.
“He invited us over to his house and came out to greet us with a pet donkey.
“We talked about the situation in Ukraine and thanked him for his support and shared how important it was to us.”
Unfortunately though, I don’t think the movie hero’s donkey will be coming with him to the final.
APPLE Music is getting behind Eurovision in a big way, with the streaming service conducting interviews with all the key stars which will air in the run-up to the event.
And you can get to the heart of this year’s songs on Apple Music’s Eurovision 2026 official playlist, which has translated and phonetic lyrics for each of the tracks.
NOW WOODY TELLS HIS OWN TOY STORY
WITH Toy Story 5 hitting cinemas on June 19, the bigwigs over at Mattel invited Bizarre to visit their top-secret studios in LA – where characters Woody and Buzz were once again working their magic before our eyes.
Nick Karamanos at Mattel revealed: “We are bringing to life what happened in Andy’s room for the first time.” (Andy is the central child character in the original film.)
And that means fans of the films won’t just hear Tom Hanks and Tim Allen voicing the characters on screen – they’ll be able to hear them having full-blown conversations in their own homes.
The new Toy Story 5 toy range lets Buzz and Woody actually talk to each other, with no imagination required.
And Hollywood star Tom’s brother Jim Hanks was brought into the studio to bring the speaking toy version of Woody to life.
Mattel designer Baxter Crane explained: “He sounds just like him (Tom), and he knows how to sound like him. He said, ‘To be Tom you’ve just got to yell more, like whatever you wanna say you’ve just got to yell it instead.’
“And it really worked – he sounds just like his brother.”
The craftsmanship behind it all is next level, with Nick revealing that Mattel still uses manual sewing machines to make the characters’ clothes.
Nick explained: “When we think about Toy Story and taking inspiration, a lot of it is just being true to what the characters are and what is the best way to bring them to life.”
It’s not just Toy Story characters being reimagined either, with Camila Mendes, Idris Elba and Nicholas Galitzine all working with Mattel to create figures for Masters Of The Universe.
Andy and his pals will go on sale this Sunday, just in time to get us all excited about the film’s release.
Despite this, I hear fans of the Stones will be able to see Ronnie in action at a top-secret gig later this year.
Fans of the Stones will be able to see Ronnie Wood in action at a top-secret gig later this yearCredit: Getty
My music moles say he is putting on a special, intimate show at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, London, on August 31.
They revealed: “Ronnie is doing a show and some big rock names will join him. This isn’t a Stones gig, so it’s not with Mick and Keith, it’s other well-known industry names.
“So far, he’s got Imelda May on board to sing and Ronnie is currently talking to other artists about getting involved.
“He absolutely loves to play live. The show should be announced next week, with tickets on sale soon after.”
Confirming the gig, Ronnie told me: “I’m looking forward to kickin’ ass with my back catalogue and some new songs – look out London!”
I revealed last month that the band was back with a brand new record, and that the legends had signed up actress Odessa A’Zion to star in their comeback video.
Last week, they proved their fan base is still crazy for their music. The Stones released an ultra-limited white label vinyl single, Rough And Twisted, under the alias The Cockroaches – with all copies snapped up within seconds.
They are now being flogged online for more than a grand.
HUGH’S PREMIERE LEAGUE
HUGH JACKMAN and his actress girlfriend Sutton Foster couldn’t have looked happier as they attended his latest movie premiere – three years after he split from his wife.
The Greatest Showman actor stepped out in a blue suit to the launch of The Sheep Detectives in New York City on Sunday evening, alongside Sutton in a sequin gown.
Hugh Jackman stepped out in a blue suit to the launch of The Sheep Detectives in New York CityCredit: Getty
He moved on after his 27-year marriage to Deborra-Lee Furness came to an end, with their divorce finalised last summer.
Defence deal is latest example of deepening ties between Canberra and Tokyo amid shared concerns over China’s rise.
Published On 19 Apr 202619 Apr 2026
Australia and Japan have signed contracts for the first three of 11 warships set to be delivered to the Australian navy under a landmark $7bn defence deal, as the two close US allies in the Asia Pacific region deepen defence cooperation.
Australia’s Defence Minister Richard Marles and Japanese Defence Minister Koizumi Shinjiro made the announcement in Melbourne on Saturday at the signing ceremony for the Mogami-class warships.
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The “Mogami Memorandum” pledges to deepen military ties, including through “closer industrial cooperation” in defence.
Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will build three of the stealth frigates in southern Nagasaki Prefecture, while Australia’s Austal will build eight in Western Australia.
The first of the Japanese-built warships is scheduled to be delivered in 2029 and enter service in 2030.
“Our surface fleet is more important than at any time in decades,” Marles said in a statement.
“These general-purpose frigates will help secure our maritime trade routes and northern approaches as part of a larger and more lethal surface combatant fleet.”
Shinjiro said closer defence coordination was becoming more important as Australia and Japan faced an “increasingly severe security environment”.
Australia’s government last year announced that it had chosen Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to build its fleet of next-generation warships, following a bidding war between the Tokyo-based firm and Germany’s Thyssenkrupp.
Australia has committed to a record $305bn in military spending over the next decade, as part of a widespread defence overhaul aimed at boosting the country’s naval power to levels not seen since World War II.
Under the plans, Canberra’s defence spending is set to rise to 3 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) by 3033, from about 2 percent now.
Australia and Japan, two of the United States’ closest allies, have ramped up military cooperation in recent years amid shared concerns about shifts in the regional security environment, particularly China’s rising influence. Tokyo and Canberra are also members of the Quad security bloc led by the US.
Dylan Sprouse sprang to action early Friday morning when he encountered a trespasser at his Hollywood Hills home.
Sources familiar with the incident told The Times that “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody” star tackled a man on the lawn near his home after his wife, Victoria’s Secret model Barbara Palvin, spotted “the creepy guy.” Palvin made an emergency call to police around 12:30 a.m. and reported a possible burglary.
TMZ, citing unnamed sources, reported that Sprouse had a gun and held the trespasser down until police arrived.
Police told The Times that the suspect was taken in on outstanding warrants and that no injuries were reported. Additionally, the suspect did not make it inside the couple’s 1920s Spanish-style home, only onto the property.
TMZ obtained footage of the arrest, which showed a suspect, whose face was blurred out, being handcuffed outside a police vehicle. A skateboard was leaned against the fence of the Disney alum’s property, and a “Private Property, No Trespassing” sign was posted on the gate.
Representatives for Sprouse and Palvin have not responded to The Times’ request for comment.
The couple met at a party in 2017 and by the fall of 2018, Palvin was gushing to Vogue that she was “very much in love.”
“I feel like I found the perfect guy,” she said of Sprouse. “He’s very kind and gentle.”
The couple tied the knot in the summer of 2023. In 2024, Palvin walked in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show and during a backstage interview said that Sprouse always has something up his sleeve to surprise her.
Outside the show, Sprouse revealed on the pink carpet that he had signs made with the faces of the couple’s fur babies, a French bulldog named Piggy Cow and a cat named Klaus Von Sprouse, to hold up while Palvin strutted the catwalk.
A powerful dust storm disrupted the first weekend of the Coachella music festival as blustery winds swept over the sprawling grounds and enveloped concertgoers in a whirlwind of desert sand.
Several social media videos from last Friday night showed attendees navigating the festival grounds amid wind-tossed tents and wearing face masks to guard against the airborne dust.
The weather conditions prompted the South Coast Air District to issue dust advisories for parts of the Coachella Valley, warning that strong winds could expose people to unhealthy dust levels. The dust storm caused festival organizers to cancel a highly anticipated performance by Italian EDM artist Anyma, who had been scheduled to perform Friday at midnight on the main stage.
“I don’t have many words other than to say I’m truly devastated and deeply sorry to everyone who showed up to the main stage, and to those watching the livestream at home,” he posted on X. “The dangerous winds not only prevented us and Coachella from building our stage, but also made it impossible for my entire live setup and performance to operate safely.”
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It was the latest instance in which dusty conditions hampered one of the nation’s largest and most profitable music festival, which has been called “Dustchella.” But it is just one fragment of the economy disrupted by this natural phenomenon.
Wind-driven dust is an overlooked environmental hazard — and one that carries a hefty price tag. A recent study estimated that dust storms cost more than $154 billion in the U.S. in 2017, alone. The evaluation puts dust events on par with natural disasters in terms of economic costs, eclipsing, for example, the 2017 wildfire season but shy of that year’s hurricane season, according to Irene Feng, the lead author of the 2024 study, who researched dust at the University of Texas at El Paso.
“Dust is kind of a big deal,” said Feng, now a post-graduate student at George Mason University. “The fact that it was even comparable to hurricanes … was a huge surprise to me.”
Since researchers last attempted to calculate the costs associated with dust pollution in the 1990s, the numbers overall numbers essentially quadrupled.
Some of the greatest costs calculated in the new study include:
$100 billion related to dust-related deaths and lost productivity from health issues, as inhaling dust particles can lead to serious respiratory illness and trigger heart attacks.
$40 billion from additional household costs from cleaning, painting and property damage.
$9.6 billion for damages to agriculture from lost water and weaker crop yields.
$4 billion in lost value of weakened renewable energy generation, because dust obscures solar panels and gum up wind turbines.
$280 million for traffic crashes caused by reduced visibility due to dust storms.
Among one of the most grave conditions Feng analyzed was a potentially life-threatening respiratory infection known as “valley fever.” Throughout much of Southwest, desert soil can be laced with Coccidioides fungus spores. When inhaled, this fungus can propagate in the lungs, potentially causing scarring and collapse of lungs.
In many cases, valley fever symptoms can mirror the flu or COVID, leading doctors to misdiagnose patients, and to not provide proper treatment.
Coachella, which is hosted at an irrigated polo field surrounded by desert, is particularly susceptible.
“When I heard that there was a dust event at Coachella, I was actually really concerned about the valley fever cases that might come out of that,” Feng said. “Because there’s so many people traveling from outside the state, and they don’t necessarily know what valley fever is.”
But devastating dust-related effects, like valley fever, can be mitigated, at least to some degree, according to environmental experts.
In California, state and local government agencies have launched dust-mitigation efforts by installing windbreaks, such as cultivating native plants or reshaping the topography with more ridges. About 200 miles north of Los Angeles, at the eastern base of the Sierra Nevada mountains, Owens Lake, a critical and controversial source of water for Angelenos, city officials say they have drastically reduced dust near the dry, exposed lake bed in recent years after implementing some of these measures.
Scientists say global warming is causing warmer temperatures and more intense droughts, paving the way for more dust emissions. Feng said that could require more innovative solution, more action and more money.
“From what I’ve seen, it’s projected to be dustier in the future,” Feng said. “So, all these effects, all these costs, they’re just only going to get worse.”
More recent air news
The NAACP sued Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company this week, claiming xAI (the creator of Grok) violated federal clean air laws. The lawsuit, reported by CNBC’s climate tech reporter Lora Kolodny, accuses the company of installing and operating 27 natural gas-fired turbines to power its data center in Memphis without the necessary air permits.
Recent far-flung wildfire smoke has led to air quality risks in unlikely places. Now, Michigan, my beloved home state, is overhauling its air quality alerts system after having endured heavy smoke from Canadian wildfires in 2023 and 2025, per Planet Detroit’s senior reporter Brian Allnutt.
New research suggests methane emissions have been drastically underestimated in the country’s largest cities. An satellite analysis of 12 urban areas, including New York City and Los Angeles, found up to 80% more methane emissions than previously thought, according to ABC reporter Julia Jacobo.
Because methane warms the atmosphere far more than carbon dioxide, the findings underscore the need to investigate large emitters, such as landfills, gas pipelines and wastewater treatment facilities. One other, underreported source is California’s man-made lakes that we tap for drinking water, L.A. Times water reporter Ian James writes. Environmental groups are urging environmental regulators to investigate why.
A few last things in climate news
Sales of new electric vehicles have slumped as Trump has eliminated federal incentives for car buyers. But, as oil prices have spiked due to the war in Iran, used EV sales have jumped 20%, signaling a renewed willingness by Americans to ween themselves off fossil fuels, according to Bloomberg senior correspondent Kyle Stock.
Stingrays injuries in Southern California have been on the rise. LAist climate reporter Erin Stone, who was recently wounded by stingray’s barb herself, writes that warming waters attract more rays and make these painful encounters more likely.
Under an ambitious proposal, the Bay Area could host the world’s largest floating wind farm, taking California closer to its 100% renewable energy goal, L.A. Times climate reporter Hayley Smith writes. The plan would involve building hundreds of Eiffel Tower-sized wind turbines and towing them into the deep, breezy waters of the Humboldt Bay, where they could generate up to 15% of the state’s electricity.
This is the latest edition of Boiling Point, a newsletter about climate change and the environment in the American West. Sign up here to get it in your inbox. And listen to our Boiling Point podcast here.
THE ROLLING STONES continue to champion new talent, this time signing up Marty Supreme actress Odessa A’Zion for their next video.
The wise old rockers previously cast Sydney Sweeney in the vid to accompany 2023 comeback single Angry.
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The Rolling Stones have signed a top actress to star in their brand new music videoCredit: GettyOdessa A’zion has already filmed the scenes in a secret shoot in South LondonCredit: Alamy
Now they are hoping to repeat that success, as I can reveal they have got one of Gen Z’s buzziest names on board.
Odessa filmed the visuals during a hushed-up two-day shoot at Battersea Arts Centre in South London last week.
I’m told loads of extras of all ages and styles were brought in to reflect the Stones over the years.
A music industry insider said: “The video represents the Stones through the ages. There’s a lot going on. They brought in lots of extras to represent subcultures and sonic histories.
They are coming back with their 25th album, believed to be titled Foreign Tongues, which is largely being touted as their final record together.
It is a follow-up to their 2023 album Hackney Diamonds, with the tracks mainly being written and recorded during the same sessions.
Unfortunately for their fans, I’ve been told there are no immediate plans for the band to hit the road again just yet.
But I live in hope the band will rethink that — when they see just how many people snap up this new album when it drops later in the year.
Zara up to finny business
Zara Larsson wore a sequined skirt and tiny bikini to promote a new clothing lineCredit: Desigual
ZARA LARSSON is por-poised for action as she lifts a dummy dolphin over her head.
She dazzled in a sequined skirt split to the waist and a tiny bikini top while fronting Spanish label Desigual’s Life’s A Beach campaign.
Zara has signed a major deal with the clothing brand for a new range inspired by her Y2K look.
Meanwhile, her US tour ends tomorrow in Houston, Texas – then she’ll focus on a deluxe version of her 2025 album Midnight Sun, due out next month.
Zara has remixed tracks with female collaborators. Tyga, Madison Beer and Jade are among stars expected to be involved.
The record originally peaked at No36, but with Zara enjoying a popularity surge, I predict a massive leap up the charts.
Derm’s so Keane on his main man
Dermot Kennedy has revealed an unlikely role model for his music careerCredit: GettyKennedy says he was inspired by football hard man Roy KeaneCredit: Getty
His inspiration during gigs is the memory of Man United hero Keane playing against Juventus in 1999.
Despite being yellow-carded, the captain put in a blistering performance that took them to the Champions League final.
Dermot whose album The Weight Of The Woods became his third No1 last night, said of Roy: “If you ask about the way I sing, it’s purely him.
“He has a thing in his book where, when he was younger trying to get spotted, he would play a match to 100 or 200 people, and he developed the skill of creating the atmosphere in his head.
“I think I have that in music. If I play to ten people, I will rip it because I don’t care how many people are there.”
Dermot also shares a love of football with Roy once playing for Dublin’s Crumlin United.
He said: “I’m a far better person when I’m playing football regularly. Whatever feeling everyone thinks I get from music, I get it from football. It’s the one time my mind is clear.”
But Dermot has another reason to be inspired after his wife Aisling Finnegan gave birth to their daughter.
Asked how long they have been together, he told the And The Writer Is . . . podcast: “I would have been eight years old.
“We went to school together. What age did I know? Early twenties, probably.”
Michaela in a flap
Michaela Coel has admitted she found filming a Marvel movie to be outside her comfort zoneCredit: Getty
MICHAELA COEL looks amazing despite her suit falling apart at the seams as she steps out in New York.
The actress, whose outfit had several flappy features, recently admitted she didn’t love appearing in 2022’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, in which she played warrior Aneka.
She said: “I really don’t think I was ready for that world of green screen acting. I don’t know how to do that.”
Maybe she’s struggling with new styles.
Nineties exhibition shines the spotlight on Scary’s catsuit
Mel B’s famous catsuit is set to go on display at a brand new exhibitionCredit: Getty
THE famous leopard-print catsuit Mel B wore when the Spice Girls performed at the Brit Awards in 1997 is going on display.
Former Bizarre editor Dominic MOhan has curated the exhibition, 1996: 30 Years On, and managed to get hold of the catsuit which was worn to perform their debut hit Wannabe.
Mel said: “It was all a crazy Nineties whirlwind but, in my leopard print, I knew I could take on anything. This outfit is sexy, naughty and bold, which pretty much sums me and the Nineties up.”
Also on display will be Emma Bunton’s dress from the same performance, Geri Halliwell’s Union Jack boots and a signed Liam Gallagher‘s tambourine.
It opens on Thursday at the Barbican Music Library in London and runs until September 19.
Dom will be launching his four-part show Cool Britannia on Virgin Radio tomorrow from 6pm.
“Thank you everybody involved for that. It really got me through the last couple of months and I loved it. No notes. Can’t wait for the next season.”
She also had a message for its host: “Maya Jama, I love you.”
Even pop’s busiest acts can’t resist a bit of villa drama.
Masterclass by B-Side Boys as jangling Mars Attacks
THERE aren’t many acts that can pull off five sell- out shows by promising only B sides, album tracks and no hits.
But the Pet Shop Boys did, without breaking a sweat.
I’d happily listen to Neil Tennant sing the back of a crisp packet, but he and Chris Lowe had something more special in store here in Camden, North London.
They whipped out guest Johnny Marr early on, who added some excellent guitar jangling on Up Against it from 1996 and 2003’s I Didn’t Get Where I Am Today.
They might be synthpop’s finest duo, but they can rock out too. With a back catalogue spanning more than 40 years, you can forgive Neil for needing lyrics printed out for the more obscure numbers, and being overjoyed at a stool, joking: “Ooh, I can sit down now, like Westlife.”
They finished by teasing the launch of their upcoming musical, Naked, performing a song from it called I Dream Of A Better Tomorrow.
Former US Senior State Department official Jennifer Gavito argues why US attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities may be a sign that the war is coming to an end.
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.
WASHINGTON — President Trump said Thursday he would sign an order instructing the Homeland Security secretary to immediately pay Transportation Security Administration agents as Congress struggled to reach a deal to end a budget impasse that has jammed airports and left workers without paychecks.
Trump announced his decision in a social media post saying he wanted to quickly stop the “Chaos at the Airports.”
“It is not an easy thing to do, but I am going to do it!” the president posted.
With pressure mounting, the White House had floated the extraordinary move of invoking a national emergency to pay TSA agents, while senators were reviewing a “last and final” offer from Republicans to Democrats to end the funding impasse at the Department of Homeland Security.
Details of the president’s plan were not immediately available, but a national emergency declaration would be politically fraught and almost certain to face legal challenges. Instead, the president may simply be shifting money from other sources.
Democrats have been refusing to fund Homeland Security as they seek changes to rein in Trump’s immigration enforcement operations. The Senate came to a standstill and senators, ready to leave town for their own spring break, had prepared to stay all night to reach a deal.
“The president is doing absolutely the right thing,” said Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), the GOP whip. “The TSA agents are going to be paid.”
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), the chair of the Appropriations Committee, has said there is funding elsewhere that can be legally used to pay the TSA as well as the Coast Guard without declaring a national emergency.
The funding shutdown, now in its 41st day, has resulted in travel delays, missed paychecks and even warnings of airport closures. TSA workers are coming up on their second missed payday Friday, with thousands refusing to show up for work.
Multiple airports are experiencing greater than 40% callout rates of TSA workers and nearly 500 of its nearly 50,000 transportation security officers have now quit during the shutdown. Nationwide on Wednesday, more than 11% of the TSA employees on the schedule missed work, according to DHS. That is more than 3,120 callouts.
Trump, who has largely left the issue to Congress to resolve, had warned he was ready to take action, even threatening to send the National Guard to airports, in addition to his deployment of ICE agents who are now checking travelers’ IDs — a development drawing concerns. The White House has been considering a menu of options.
“They need to end this shutdown immediately or we’ll have to take drastic measures,” Trump said during a morning Cabinet meeting at the White House.
At George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Melissa Gates said she would not make her flight to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, after waiting more than 2½ hours and still not reaching the security checkpoint. She said no other flights were available until Friday.
“I should have just driven, right?” Gates said. “Five hours would have been hilarious next to this.”
Thune did not disclose details of the new framework, but he said that it picked up on what had been the Republican offer over the weekend, before talks with the White House and Democrats had broken off.
“Enough is enough,” he said.
But as senators retreated to privately discuss the new plan, the action stalled out.
Democrats argue the GOP proposals have not gone far enough at putting guardrails on officers from ICE, Customs and Border Protection and other federal agencies that are engaged in the immigration sweeps, particularly after the deaths of two Americans protesting the actions in Minneapolis.
They want federal agents to wear identification, remove their face masks and refrain from conducting raids around schools, churches or other sensitive places. Democrats have also pushed for an end of administrative warrants, insisting that judges sign off before agents search people’s homes or private spaces.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York said they needed to see real changes. “We’ve been talking about ICE reforms from day one,” he said.
Any deal will almost certainly need to involve a compromise as lawmakers on the left and right flanks revolt. Conservative Republicans have panned their own GOP proposals, demanding full funding for immigration operations and skeptical of the promise from leaders that they would address Trump’s proof-of-citizenship voting bill in a subsequent legislative package.
Republicans said after a private lunch meeting that there were other options to shift money than invoking the national emergency.
The GOP’s big tax cuts bill that Trump signed into law last year funneled billions to DHS, including $75 billion for ICE operations, ensuring the money is flowing for his immigration and deportation agenda even with the funding shutdown. ICE and other immigration officers are still being paid.
Republicans say the Trump administration has already made strides to meet Democrats’ demands, particularly after swearing in former Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin as the new homeland security secretary to replace Kristi Noem. He has given a nod to the need for the judicial warrants for searches.
Airport lines grow as TSA workers endure hardships
“This is a dire situation,” the acting TSA administrator, Ha Nguyen McNeill, testified at a House hearing Wednesday.
She described the multiple hardships facing unpaid TSA workers — piling-up bills and eviction notices, even plasma donations to make ends meet — and warned of potential airport closures if more employees refuse to come to work.
“At this point, we have to look at all options on the table,” she said.
McNeil also said TSA officers working at the nation’s airports had experienced a more than 500% increase in the frequency of assaults since the shutdown began.
It was Dodger Stadium on Wednesday, when the grass outside the baseline and the bright red sign high above center field read “UNIQLO FIELD.” It will be Dodger Stadium on Thursday, when the defending World Series champions open their new season, and forevermore.
The official name of our summer home is now Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium. The team announcers will say that, and so will some of the signs. The fans won’t, and the founder of the company that just spent nine figures on the name you won’t use said he completely understands.
“That’s a very natural reaction,” Uniqlo founder Tadashi Yanai told me through an interpreter. “We respect that.”
Yanai said his company’s deal with the Dodgers covers five years. He would say only that the total value was “more” than $125 million. That provides the Dodgers with an annual naming rights payment in line with the ones at Crypto.com Arena, Intuit Dome and Sofi Stadium, without the Dodgers having to sell naming rights to the actual venue.
Are the Dodgers baseball’s version of a gold mine? Yes. Do they spend big and win big? Also yes. Do you mind if Uniqlo essentially covers Freddie Freeman’s salary this season?
“We need a lot of revenue to put out the product that we do,” Dodgers president Stan Kasten said. “That’s not a secret. And we’re proud of everyone who helps us do it: all of our fans, all of our media partners, and all of our sponsor partners. They are all important. It is how this all comes together.”
While Uniqlo would be delighted if you used its name, whatever local fans choose to call the stadium is not critical to the success of the partnership.
Ohtani made an estimated $125 million in endorsements and sponsorships last year, Sportico reported, a larger annual haul “than any other athlete in the history of sports.”
“The Dodgers are such a popular team,” Yanai said. “I usually ask my wife, after I come back from the office, whether Shohei hit a home run. I think all the Japanese people do that.”
Uniqlo Field signs were unveiled Wednesday at Dodger Stadium in the wake of the team’s naming rights deal.
(Beth Harris / Associated Press)
According to Forbes, Yanai is the richest man in Japan, where baseball teams carry corporate names. Why not buy a team and call it, say, the Uniqlo Bears?
“I always keep saying that could be very interesting,” he said, “but my wife turned it down. She keeps telling me, ‘Tadashi, you are not cut out to manage sports teams.’”
Instead, he is managing Uniqlo, an apparel company that pitches itself as blending comfort with quality. “We do not make disposable clothing,” Yanai said in the company’s last annual report.
Uniqlo has 794 stores in Japan but only 77 in the United States, including 14 in the Southland. Koji Yanai, a senior executive officer and Tadashi’s son, said the company aspires to grow annual U.S. revenues from $6 billion to $30 billion.
He shared what might be a more challenging aspiration.
“The Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium name may be very new for everyone,” he said, “but I hope in the near future the fans will like it and will love it.”
Jeff Marks, the chief executive of Los Angeles-based Innovative Partnerships Group, once brokered a naming rights deal in which the Cal football team would play on Kabam Field at California Memorial Stadium. He tried to find a receptive audience for the name.
“We educated a lot of freshmen, sophomores, and newcomers,” Marks said. “Are you going to go after alumni who have been calling it Memorial Stadium? No. So you didn’t focus on that. You focused on people that could be more impressionable, and it worked.”
With Dodger Stadium, we’ll see. For the 2026 season, it is now time for Dodgers baseball, but not before one reporter at a press conference Wednesday asked company officials whether Uniqlo would provide the Dodgers players with free clothing.
Kasten could not pass up the chance to interject.
“We pay them enough,” he said with a grin, “to shop at Uniqlo stores.”
The Dodgers are working ahead on adding bullpen depth for later in the season.
Right-hander Jake Cousins, who is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, was signed to a one-year deal, as revealed on the team’s transactions page on Tuesday.
The one-year contract is worth $950,000, with incentives that could bring the total to $1 million if he makes at least five appearances and finishes the season on the active roster, a source familiar with the deal but not authorized to speak publicly confirmed. The Athletic first reported the terms of the deal on Wednesday.
Cousins, 31, underwent Tommy John surgery last June. At that point, he’d already spent the whole season on the 60-day IL. In 2024, however, Cousins posted a 2.37 ERA in 37 relief appearances for the Yankees. He pitched in all three rounds of the postseason that year, including three appearances in the World Series against the Dodgers. Cousins was the pitcher of record in Game 1, which culminated with Freddie Freeman’s dramatic walk-off grand slam off Nestor Cortes.
Though Cousins has a substantial injury history, he’s performed when healthy. He spent the first three seasons of his major-league career with the Brewers, amassing a 3.08 ERA in 51 games.
Cousins is expected to return sometime during the season.
The Dodgers also made a flurry of injured list moves, all retroactive to Sunday.
They put right-hander Bobby Miller (shoulder soreness) on the 60-day IL; left-hander Blake Snell (left shoulder fatigue) and right-handers Brusdar Graterol (right shoulder surgery recovery), Brock Stewart (right shoulder surgery recovery), Gavin Stone (right shoulder inflammation) and Landon Knack (right intercostal strain) on the 15-day IL; and utility player Tommy Edman (right ankle surgery recovery) on the 10-day IL.
LORNA Luxe has been seen out for the first time since her husband John’s death – joining race-goers at Cheltenham Festival this week.
The fashion influencer, 43, was seen out on Friday for the Gold Cup and was quids in after backing a horse in John’s memory.
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Lorna Luxe puts on a brave face as she’s spotted at Cheltenham Festival following husband John’s deathCredit: InstagramHer husband John died in FebruaryCredit: Instagram
Johnny’s Jury was priced between 25/1 to 33/1 with bookmakers like Betfair before jockey Gavin Sheehan took him from last to first to win the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle.
Lorna said in a video message to fans: “It’s been raining all week, but the weather was perfect with blue skies.
“I started betting on the horses but didn’t get any winners at all.
“I bumped into Amanda Wakely, whose dress I wore for my wedding to John, and we went to the betting box.
“She said ‘look, one of the horses is called Johnny’s Jury, shall we have a go?’
“It was a bit of an outsider but I put £20 each way – and it won.
“It flipping won. I’m absolutely buzzing. I had all this cash.
“It was just, so John.”
Lorna’s voice cracked as her eyes filled with tears.
Lorna shared a video of her collecting her winnings
She added: “It really made me smile. It was just a brilliant moment.
“I was really teary to be honest. I’m teary now just thinking about it.
“Even though he wasn’t there with me, it felt like he was there in spirit.”
Lorna was dressed in Holland Cooper, the official luxury fashion partner of The Jockey Club, to enjoy a day at the races.
The brand’s founder – Jade Holland Cooper – described Lorna as “the strongest woman I know”.
Lorna Luxe puts on a brave face as she’s spotted at Cheltenham Festival following husband John’s deathCredit: Instagram
Lorna’s late husband John was initially diagnosed with stage three cancer, but it developed to stage four while he was undergoing treatment.
Lorna kept her followers updated throughout his journey, and they supported her when he went into remission in November 2023.
But his cancer returned in May 2024, spreading to his brain.
Tragically, just before Christmas, he was rushed back to hospital with organ failure, following a complication with his chemotherapy treatment.
Lorna was advised to prepare for the worst but John defied the odds and was able to recover and spend Christmas at home, before passing away two months later.
Lorna and John, pictured together previously at Cheltenham, met when she was 25 and he was 46Credit: Getty
ANGRY locals must wait to have a say on Alan Carr’s new castle renovation reality show after a meeting was delayed by “unprecedented” interest.
Producers behind the project planned to hold the gathering at a 120-capacity bowling club — but 600 people wanted to attend so it was held over.
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Alan Carr paid around £3.25million for 19th century A-listed Ayton Castle in the Scottish BordersCredit: AlamyComic Carr bought the castle after winning the first Celebrity TraitorsCredit: Splash
Expectation TV are now looking for a larger venue to allow locals a chance to voice their concerns on the revamp and restrictions to their access to 19th century A-listed Ayton Castle in the Scottish Borders.
Baltimore Ravens tight end Charlie Kolar warms up before a game against the Rams on Oct. 12.
(Nick Wass / Associated Press)
The Chargers didn’t hesitate to bolster their run-blocking options for new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, agreeing to terms with former Baltimore Ravens tight end Charlie Kolar.
Kolar and the Chargers agreed to a three-year, $24.3-million deal that includes $17 million in guarantees, NFL Media reported.
Widely considered the best run-blocking tight end available ahead of free agency, Kolar should help an uneven Chargers running attack that forced coach Jim Harbaugh to often rely too much on quarterback Justin Herbert — even when his running backs were healthy.
Kolar can also help complement tight end Oronde Gadsden II in the passing game when necessary, but he should mostly serve as a replacement for Will Dissly, who was released by the team last week. It’s also no coincidence that Kolar played for Harbaugh’s brother, John, in Baltimore and was drafted in 2022 when Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz was the director of player personnel for the Ravens.
Kolar, 27, had 10 catches for 142 yards and two touchdowns last season. In four seasons with the Ravens, he had 30 catches for 409 yards and four touchdowns.
Like most Chargers offseasons, it’s clear Hortiz is prioritizing ways to add to the Chargers’ offense while also bolstering its protection options. On Sunday, the team agreed to terms with Alec Ingold, reuniting the former Miami Dolphins fullback with McDaniel.
Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.
A video out of RAF Fairford in England shows American B-1Bs getting prepped for a strike mission against Iran. In addition to the staple AGM-158 JASSM cruise missiles being readied for loading onto the ‘Bones,’ we see GBU-31 Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs) equipped with BLU-109 2,000-lb bunker buster warheads. We can also see the revolving weapons rack being extracted from the B-1’s weapons bay. The move from cruise missiles to JDAMs, at least for some targets, is a sign that air supremacy over Iran is becoming more assured, at least in some areas. You can read all about how the U.S. and Israel had not achieved air supremacy last week in our report linked here.
The videos were posted on X by journalist Richard Gaisford and can be seen below:
Missiles delivery systems are being removed from the B1 Lancers at RAF Fairford this afternoon, to be replaced by JDAM bombs. For those asking, the US Airforce has positioned these aircraft close to the fence in full view of media. @AJENewspic.twitter.com/fWtDRfV5g4
US Airforce ground crew work under hatches of a B1 Lancer at RAF Fairford today. What appear to be cruise missiles sit by the warplane. Three B1 bombers returned this morning, on what is believed to be the first attack on Iran from a British base during this conflict. @AJENewspic.twitter.com/80YkxHL5rT
The bomber force at RAF Fairford has expanded even larger over the last couple of days. There were nine American bombers at Fairford — three B-52s and six B-1s — as of the start of this week. Now there are 15 total — three B-52s and 12 B-1Bs.
Bomber aircraft can achieve far greater and more varied effects if they are allowed to directly strike targets instead of relying on cruise missiles fired at standoff ranges. This is especially true for delivering withering assaults on large target areas via a belly full of JDAMs. It also allows the aircraft to do this against targets that require bunker-buster capabilities. So far, we only know of the B-2 that has executed large-scale bunker buster attacks in Iran, using its stealth capabilities, as well as support from the total force, to ensure it can safely return from the mission. Fighters have been able to deliver much smaller numbers of these weapons onto targets deeper in Iran. Opening up these same target sets to forward-deployed B-1s and B-52s would help change the pace and impact of the air campaign.
NEW: At least three U.S. B-52 bombers have landed at RAF Fairford in the U.K., signaling preparations for potential sustained heavy bomber strikes against Iran.
Potential targets include large industrial complexes used for long-range weapons production and development, command and control bunkers, nuclear-program related sites, and, maybe most likely, keeping Iran’s underground ‘missile cities’ entombed by bombing their entrances so that the weapons that are housed inside can not be put to use.
B-1s first mission to Iran out of RAF Fairford UK
Still, B-1s and B-52s will likely operate over western Iran, where degradation of enemy air defenses has been the focus for nearly two weeks. Venturing into the eastern part of the country, which has seen far less attention, probably remains too risky. This is underscored by the map below, which the Pentagon released yesterday, showing the distribution of strikes across Iran during the first 10 days of the conflict (February 28 to March 9).
US Military
We still don’t know if the U.S. military will activate Diego Garcia as another forward operating location for its bombers. The U.K. government approved the use of both Fairford and Diego Garcia last week after denying that access leading up to the war. We have seen some heavy transport movements in satellite imagery to the remote island outpost in the Indian Ocean, and KC-135 tankers and force protection F-16s are still there, so it’s possible this could occur or has already happened. Cloud cover has kept the island obscured in satellite imagery for the last few days. Of course, such a deployment all depends on how long this campaign will actually last, with conflicting signals from the Trump administration as to its planned duration and exit strategy.
Regardless, it looks like the B-1s are going to be using their extremely large payload capacity to directly attack hardened Iranian targets in the very near future.
A video circulating online appears to show signature collectors paying people to sign initiative petitions under other people’s names, according to officials, and now the state has opened an investigation.
The video, filmed by videographer JJ Smith, shows a long queue leading to a table set up at 6th and Mission streets in San Francisco. A man in line says they are being offered $5 to sign petitions. At the table, where there are lists with the information of apparent registered voters, a woman confirms the payment and — using a highlighter — instructs a person on the name and address that she is supposed to use.
“I get $5 too?” the videographer asks.
“Yeah,” says the woman.
“And what is it?”
“Just sign it,” she says.
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Petitions connected to at least three ballot campaigns — including the billionaire-backed effort to thwart California’s proposed billionaire tax — appear in the video.
“I approached some people and asked them what they were there for,” Smith told The Times. “They told me they didn’t know what they were signing for, that they just wanted the $5.”
Smith said he watched the scene for hours and estimated that a few hundred people cycled through the line over roughly two hours.
Those running the table did not ask for anyone’s identification and gave no explanation of what was actually being signed, he said.
The video showed voter data from San Luis Obispo County that was both visible and, as details were spoken aloud, audible in the footage.
The county acted immediately after becoming aware of the video and initiated an investigation through the fraud unit of the California secretary of state’s office, said Erin Clausen, public information officer for the San Luis Obispo county clerk’s office.
Clausen noted that, although voter registration data can be legally requested from county election offices, the data in this case may have been used inappropriately. The county is also planning on reaching out directly to voters who were specifically mentioned or identified in the video, according to Clausen.
“The activity shown in the video, if verified, would violate California election law,” County Clerk-Recorder Elaina Cano said in a formal statement released Wednesday morning.
The secretary of state’s office confirmed it had opened a formal investigation.
“Under California law, it is illegal to give money or other valuable consideration to another in exchange for their signature on an initiative petition,” a spokesperson said in a statement. “ Those who abuse our system will be held accountable.”
The office is working with local officials and encouraged anyone with information to file a complaint.
One political committee, Californians for a More Transparent and Effective Government, confirmed its petitions were among those whose signature gatherers were allegedly paying people to sign and moved quickly to distance itself from the activity.
“Under no circumstance do we tolerate this type of activity in the signature gathering process,” said spokesperson Molly Weedn. “We’ve taken immediate action and have demanded that the signature gathering firm identify these circulators and reject their petitions.” Weedn said the collectors were subcontractors, not campaign employees, and that attorneys were contacting authorities.
That committee is funded by another group, Building a Better California, which was also among campaigns that appeared in the video. The other was for a proposed initiative called the Retirement and Personal Savings Protection Act of 2026. Representatives for the latter two have not responded to requests for comment.
Smith said this was not the first time he had witnessed this type of activity in the area.
“I saw something similar with ballots three days ago,” he said.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information can submit a complaint to the Office of the California Secretary of State or contact their local county elections office.
Times staff writer Seema Mehta contributed to this report.