special

The Rams have lost four games this season, three resulting in part from special teams breakdowns.

In the aftermath of their defeat by the Seattle Seahawks, coach Sean McVay made a significant move.

Chase Blackburn, the Rams’ special teams coordinator for the last three seasons, has been fired, a team official said Saturday.

Assistant Ben Kotwica remains on the staff.

Earlier this month, Blackburn said, “The job of a special teams coach is to be able to adapt and overcome on all things.”

That proved a challenge for a team that features a high-powered offense, and an at-times dominating defense.

On Thursday night in Seattle, the Rams led by 16 points in the fourth quarter when they allowed Rashid Shaheed to return a punt 58 yards for a touchdown. The play sparked the Seahawks’ comeback that sent the Rams to a 38-37 overtime defeat.

The loss dropped the Rams’ record to 11-4, and knocked them out of the No. 1 seed in the NFC and first place in the NFC West.

The breakdown was the latest in a series of special teams issues that have plagued the Rams.

In September at Philadelphia, the Eagles blocked two field-goal attempts by Joshua Karty, returning the second for a winning touchdown on the final play of regulation.

Two weeks later, in a 26-23 overtime defeat by the San Francisco 49ers, Karty missed a long field-goal attempt and had an extra-point attempt blocked. Karty’s kickoff in overtime did not reach the landing zone, giving the 49ers the ball at the 40-yard line.

Before their Week 10 game against the 49ers, the Rams signed kicker Harrison Mevis to replace Karty and signed veteran snapper Jake McQuaide to replace Alex Ward.

The kicking game solidified. Mevis made all eight of his field-goal attempts, including three against the Seahawks, before he missed a 48-yard attempt with just over two minutes left in regulation.

The Rams, who clinched a playoff spot, play the Atlanta Falcons on Nov. 29 in Atlanta and then conclude the regular season at home against the Arizona Cardinals.

PETE Davidson has welcomed his first child with his girlfriend, Elsie Hewitt, and shared the baby’s gender and special name.

Elsie revealed the happy news on Instagram on Thursday.

The model shared photos capturing the moments after the little one’s arrival, including the pair bonding with the newborn.

She announced in her caption that they welcomed their daughter, named Scottie Rose Hewitt Davidson, on December 12th.

“My best work yet, i am absolutely overflowing with love and gratitude and disbelief. – elsie

“Wu tang forever. – pete,” Elsie added in her caption.

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The baby’s name is a sweet nod to Pete’s New York City firefighter father, Scott Davidson, who died on September 11, 2001.

Fans took to the comments to congratulate the new parents and gush over her family moniker.

Elsie, 29, revealed her pregnancy in July with a funny Instagram post featuring ultrasound photos.

She humorously wrote in her caption, “Welp now everyone knows we had sex.”

An insider previously told The U.S. Sun that Elsie and Pete, 32, hoped to one day have a family together, and that the supermodel envisioned a life with the Saturday Night Live alum.

Pete had been vocal about wanting to become a father sooner rather than later, although he sympathized with his girlfriend for going through her pregnancy in the public eye.

During an August appearance on The Breakfast Club, the comic admitted that he “felt bad” for Elsie, who had to deal with many things in the limelight because of their relationship.

Pete has had a spotlight on his personal life since his string of high-profile romances.

They included a brief engagement to Ariana Grande in 2018, and a months-long relationship with Kim Kardashian, following her messy split from her ex-husband, Kanye West.

Pete has also made headlines for his impulsive purchase of a massive Staten Island Ferry with his former SNL co-star, Colin Jost.

The duo has faced numerous delays in their renovation plans since buying the ferry four years ago.

The U.S. Sun exclusively revealed in October that the $280,000 vessel is currently sitting decrepit and abandoned in a New York City harbor, and that both Pete and Colin have expressed regrets over the extravagant purchase.

FASHIONISTA Gwen Stefani has shown her fans how to slay Christmas style. 

Gwen, 56, performed in front of a Disneyland castle in a sneak peek of her Christmas Day TV special in a tiny dress and fur.

She was dressed in head-to-toe winter white, including a cropped fur jacket and sky-high platform boots. 

The chic outfit also included a tiny tiered white skirt which exposed itty bitty lace shorts underneath. 

In the post, the crooner told fans to “tune in Christmas morning,” for the Sleeping Beauty’s Castle for Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade.

Fans expressed their excitement for the Christmas concert in the comments on Instagram. 

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“I absolutely can’t wait to watch your performance, Gwen! Also you look like a gorgeous Disney princess,” one commenter wrote. 

“Yay, cannot wait for your performance of my all-time favorite version of “White Christmas!” another fan commented. 

A third fan stated, “You are stunning. How don’t you age!?”

The concert, which will play on ABC, Disney+, and Hulu, is slated for performances by Coco Jones, Bebe Rexha, and Nicole Scherzinger. 

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The parade will be hosted by Dancing with the Stars alum Alfonso Ribeiro and Ginnifer Goodwin, with Maia Kealoha serving as parade correspondent. 

HAPPY MARRIAGE?

Gwen fans recently suspected relationship challenges with her 49-year-old husband, Blake Shelton.

Their marriage was called into question ever since Blake released a cryptic breakup song entitled Hang On earlier this year.

Rumors ran rampant when they didn’t attend the CMA Awards in 2025, even though Blake received a nomination.

Days later, Gwen posted a photo on her Instagram Story where she received a sweet kiss from Blake – indicating all was well.

A source close to the couple told The U.S. Sun: “They’ve gone through real challenges, nothing manufactured.”  

“There were times when the tension was high enough that people close to them quietly wondered if the relationship could take the strain.

But the source insisted that Gwen and Blake are committed to making their marriage work: “They showed up for each other instead of checking out.”

It’s timmmme!

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Join Los Angeles Times Dodgers beat reporter Jack Harris and columnists Dylan Hernández and Bill Plaschke for our very special 2025 Dodgers Debate Christmas Special.

The trio will discuss the signing of Miguel Rojas and Edwin Díaz, who else might be on the 2026 roster, the World Baseball Classic, whether the Dodgers can three-peat and more.

Video replay will be available at latimes.com/dodgers and our YouTube channel to bring joy all holiday season.

Death in Paradise star Don Gilet has opened up on returning to the BBC drama for the Christmas special

Death in Paradise star Don Gilet has expressed his delight at reprising his role, admitting “It was great to come back”.

The actor, 58, joined the BBC drama as DI Mervin Wilson last year, following in the footsteps of previous stars such as Ben Miller and Ralf Little.

Now, he’s eagerly awaiting the 2025 Christmas special and shared his feelings about returning to the role, confessing it was “slightly daunting”.

“It felt good. Slightly daunting, but in a positive sense because you want to do the same again, if not better,” he revealed in a BBC interview ahead of his return. “I jokingly describe it as the second album, the first album went really well, but you can’t rest on your laurels and be complacent, there’s still more audience out there to win over.”

He continued: “So, I went out to Guadeloupe with a renewed appetite. It was great to come back and reconnect with the characters and the actors,” reports the Express.

Discussing what fans can expect from the festive special, Don promised “plenty of humour, but even more heart”.

He elaborated: “It pushes and pulls emotionally and comedically in equal measure. Mervin faces far more antagonism, and things are a lot more challenging for him, especially now he knows there’s a half-brother out there to find.

“But you can still get cosy, sip your Baileys and enjoy another great Death in Paradise Christmas special,” he added.

The forthcoming special presents one of the team’s most perplexing cases yet, as a victim is found dead in a swimming pool on Saint Marie, whilst the murder weapon was locked away in a drawer back in England at the time of the killing, leaving detectives completely stumped.

This comes as Don recently spoke candidly about the “pressure” of filling the boots of previous stars as the latest detective on the show.

During his stint on BBC The One Show on Monday (December 16) evening, he confessed to Alex and co-host Roman Kemp: “I feel the pressure doing this. I’ve said this before, it feels like the second album, you know the first one went well, I was the replacement like a replacement Doctor Who and people have their favourites prior to that.

“So there’s always this sense of ‘well is he going to be as good as…’ are people going to switch off, but luckily no one has switched off yet but you’ve got to come back and do it again and better so I’m not resting on my laurels.

“I do feel a bit pressure but it’s an enjoyable pressure. I love coming back and doing more of the same but with something a bit extra.”

Death In Paradise Christmas special airs on BBC One on Sunday, December 28 at 8.30pm.

Dec. 15 (Asia Today) — Democratic Party leader Jeong Cheong-rae, whose party holds the presidency, on Monday called for a second, wide-ranging special investigation into an alleged insurrection case, raising questions about Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hee-dae after courts rejected arrest warrants for several figures tied to the probe.

Jeong made the remarks at a party Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul, as the mandate of a special prosecutor was set to end. He said the special prosecutor made progress byre-arresting former President Yoon Suk-yeol and referring 24 people to trial, but argued the investigation was constrained by court decisions, including warrant denials.

Jeong said the rejection of warrants for figures such as Choo Kyung-ho was “difficult to accept,” and claimed it fueled suspicions that the judiciary was blocking steps that could lead to broader legal consequences for the People Power Party. He also said the circumstances raised questions about whether Chief Justice Cho may have been involved, citing a meeting on Dec. 3, the day martial law was declared.

Jeong said the Democratic Party would work with the government and presidential office to push for what he called a “second comprehensive special investigation,” and urged a tougher approach without leniency. He said a follow-up probe should also examine allegations involving first lady Kim Keon-hee and issues the current special prosecutor did not fully resolve.

He additionally questioned court case assignment procedures, citing media reports that the treason-related trial was assigned through unusual in-person discussions rather than random distribution. He said the party would pursue legislation to create a specialized court for sedition-related cases.

Jeong also criticized the People Power Party’s use of filibusters, including on bills he said were bipartisan or originally proposed by the party, and said the Democratic Party would seek revisions to parliamentary rules governing the tactic. He offered condolences to victims of a collapse at a construction site at the Gwangju Central Library and called fora thorough investigation.

– Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Dec. 15 (Asia Today) — Song Eon-seok, floor leader of South Korea’s ruling People Power Party, called Sunday for appointing a special prosecutor to investigate allegations that political figures received money and gifts linked to the Unification Church, while also urging a separate probe into special prosecutor Min Jung-ki over claims of politically biased investigations.

Speaking at a press briefing at the National Assembly, Song said a special prosecutor was needed “to restore judicial justice” and argued that Min’s team should fully examine allegations involving Unification Church-related political funds, including claims tied to the opposition Democratic Party that he said have not been adequately addressed.

Song criticized Min’s investigation as politically motivated, accusing the special prosecutor of abandoning neutrality and fairness and operating as a tool for retaliation against the opposition. He said the special prosecutor’s office should be disbanded and investigated.

On the scope of any Unification Church-related probe, Song said investigators should not draw distinctions between ruling and opposition parties.

Asked whether allegations involving People Power Party figures should also be covered, Song said any individual accused of receiving money or valuables from the Unification Church should be investigated regardless of party affiliation.

Song also suggested the ruling party could coordinate with the minor Reform Party on advancing the special prosecutor proposal, saying cooperation was possible with any political force that shares its vision. He added the People Power Party plans to discuss the issue after Reform Party floor leader Cheon Ha-ram returns to South Korea.

– Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Rob Reiner was known to millions as a TV actor and film director.

But the Brentwood resident, known for the classic films “Stand by Me” and “When Harry Met Sally,” was also a political force, an outspoken supporter of progressive causes and a Democratic Party activist who went beyond the typical role of celebrities who host glitzy fundraisers.

Reiner was deeply involved in issues that he cared about, such as early childhood education and the legalization of gay marriage.

Reiner, 78, and his wife, Michelle Singer Reiner, were found dead inside his home Sunday, sparking an outpouring of grief from those who worked with him on a variety of causes.

Ace Smith — a veteran Democratic strategist to former Vice President Kamala Harris, Gov. Gavin Newsom, former Gov. Jerry Brown and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton — had known Reiner for decades. Reiner, he said, approached politics differently than most celebrities.

“Here’s this unique human being who really did make the leap between entertainment and politics,” Smith said. “And he really spent the time to understand policy, really, in its true depth, and to make a huge impact in California.”

Reiner was a co-founder of the American Foundation for Equal Rights, the organization that successfully led the fight to overturn Proposition 8, the 2008 ballot measure that banned same-sex marriage. He was active in children’s issues through the years, having led the campaign to pass Proposition 10, the California Children and Families Initiative, which created an ambitious program of early childhood development services.

Proposition 10 was considered landmark policy. Reiner enlisted help in that effort from Steven Spielberg, Robin Williams, and his own father, comedy legend Carl Reiner.

“He wanted to make a difference. And he did, and he did profoundly,” Smith said.

Reiner was also a leading backer of Proposition 82, an unsuccessful measure that would have taxed the wealthy to create universal preschool in California.

Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who had known Reiner since he was a state lawmaker in the 1990s, worked with him on Proposition 10 and was impressed with how Reiner embraced the cause.

“He was a man with a good answer. It wasn’t politics as much as he was always focused on the humanity among us,” Villaraigosa said. ‘When he got behind an issue, he knew everything about it.”

“Just a really special man. A terrible day,” the former mayor said.

Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement that she was “heartbroken” by the day’s events, saying Reiner “always used his gifts in service of others.”

“Rob Reiner’s contributions reverberate throughout American culture and society, and he has improved countless lives through his creative work and advocacy fighting for social and economic justice,” the mayor said.

“I’m holding all who loved Rob and Michele in my heart,” Bass said.

Newsom added, “Rob was a passionate advocate for children and for civil rights — from taking on Big Tobacco, fighting for marriage equality, to serving as a powerful voice in early education. He made California a better place through his good works.”

“Rob will be remembered for his remarkable filmography and for his extraordinary contribution to humanity,” the governor said.