The case against the woman who authorities allege fired multiple bullets at pop singer Rihanna’s Beverly Hills mansion can move forward, a judge ruled Tuesday.

Florida woman Ivanna Lisette Ortiz, 36, was deemed mentally competent by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Maria Cavalluzzi, meaning the criminal case can proceed after a competency evaluation delayed it for more than four months.

Case documents with Ortiz’s psychiatric evaluations were marked as confidential and sealed.

Officials allege that she put “numerous lives at risk” on March 8 when she drove a white Tesla to Rihanna’s neighborhood and fired about 20 rounds from an assault-style rifle. Rihanna, her partner A$AP Rocky and their three young children were home at the time.

Police discovered bullet holes or impacts on the exterior of the gate of Rihanna’s residence, a fence, the front windshield of an Airstream trailer, a patio area and on the exterior wall of a nursery room, according to a police document reviewed by City News Service.

At the time of the shooting, Rihanna and A$AP Rocky were inside the trailer, and their kids were inside the nursery room, according to reporting by the Associated Press.

Ortiz is facing 14 felony counts, including one count of attempted murder, 10 counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and three counts of shooting at an inhabited dwelling, vehicle or other target, court records show.

Ortiz had several prior arrests in her home state, The Times has reported. She was involved in a bankruptcy case in 2013, arrested on suspicion of careless driving in 2021, and arrested in 2023 on suspicion of domestic violence and battery.

Though she had no known affiliation with Rihanna, Ortiz often posted on social media about celebrities. In February, she shared a meme alleging Rihanna had AIDS and tagged Rihanna in a post on Facebook telling her to “say something to me directly instead of sneaking around.”

Another hearing is set for Wednesday morning at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center, court records show.

City News Service contributed to this report.

Despite being a lifelong Sunderland fan, Chandler admits basing his team on Kevin Keegan’s Newcastle – with entertainment even placed above winning.

“There was a standing joke in the team, two or three at the back? One time we chased a game with two at the back,” he says.

“The Premier League can be so boring; fans want to be entertained, that’s what we promised.”

Chandler was already a Whitley Bay hero when he was appointed manager by chairman Paul McIlduff, having scored the winner in the 2002 FA Vase final against Tiptree United at Villa Park.

After a slow start as the then-35-year-old with no prior managerial experience found his bearings, Chandler built a talented team which became the envy of non-league football nationwide.

“We played good football. We had pace on the wing, fantastic midfielders, and strikers who were deadly,” says McIlduff, who has been Whitley Bay chairman since 2001.

“When we brought them in, it was about fitting the psychology of the dressing room. No-one thought they were better than anyone else, they played for each other.”

A growing influence in the side was the ‘Whitley Bay Maradona’.

Paul Robinson came through Newcastle United’s academy before a career spent across various non-league clubs in the north-east – including Whitley Bay from 2007 to 2013.

Like several other players and staff, he worked with Chandler both in his day job at software company Sage and at Hillheads Park.

“He was my manager at work and football, I was sick of him,” he tells BBC Sport. “But it helped get time off for matches.”

And it meant he also had an understanding boss if his mind drifted at work.

“Zoning out happened regularly, picturing scoring and winning, what the opposition would be like – hoping they were rubbish so we could have an easy stroll,” he says.

Perhaps Robinson’s greatest Whitley Bay moment came in the 2010 FA Vase semi-final second leg, when his last-minute diving header in the driving rain secured a 6-5 aggregate victory over Barwell, sparking a pitch invasion.

“Everyone goes to the finals, you were there, you could enjoy it,” says Robinson, who is now academy head at South Shields.

“But the rounds before were the bigger games. At home, we would get 2,000 or 3,000 at every game. You felt like a real player. You associate those memories with 90s FA Cup you never think it will happen in non-league.”

Chandler played in a 2-0 win over Preston in round two as they reached the FA Cup third round for the first and only time in the 1989-90 season, and they also progressed to round two the following campaign.

Those seasons of success – made The Bay a feared side for non-league clubs across England, and meant they were ready for the big games in a way most amateur sides are not.

“One quarter-final against Biggleswade [in 2009], they turned up in suits and ties,” says Robinson. “We thought, this is their day out, their cup final. We won 5-2.

“By the end, teams were turning up afraid of us. We had it won beforehand.”

Pentagon official says the plan will be announced in the defence secretary’s ‘State of the Force’ address in Virginia.

United States Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will cut the number of positions reserved for generals and admirals by 20 percent, a Pentagon official has told Al Jazeera, in a change that will affect leadership across the Army, Navy and Air Force.

Hegseth is expected to announce the decision on Wednesday during a visit to the Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia, where he will deliver his “State of the Force” address in front of junior officers and enlisted officials, the official said.

The Associated Press news agency, citing Pentagon officials, reported that Hegseth will direct all the military services to double the 10 percent reduction that he ordered last year to the roughly 800 flag and general officer positions. This would make it a 20 percent total decrease and is to be completed by January 1, 2027.

Fox News reported the new reductions could include any one-star general or above or officer of equivalent Navy rank.

The Washing Post reported that the cuts could affect the careers of “hundreds of current and rising military leaders following scores of firings and denied promotions”.

US President Donald Trump or Hegseth have fired, or pushed into retirement, more than two dozen military leaders since taking office in January 2025, including the Army’s top uniformed officer, General Randy George, in April.

The administration also fired the only two women serving as four-star officers, along with several other senior female officers. Other top officials have left through retirements and resignations, including the Army secretary, Dan Driscoll, who resigned this month after repeated clashes with Hegseth.

When the defence secretary first announced the effort to trim the highest levels of the military ranks, he argued it was intended to remove “redundant force structure to optimise and streamline leadership”. And in a memo released in May 2025, he added that his aim was to free the military from “unnecessary bureaucratic layers”.

At this time last year, Hegseth also declared an end to “woke” culture and announced new directives for troops that included “gender-neutral” or “male-level” standards for physical fitness.

Senator Jack Reed, a Rhode Island Democrat and ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, expressed concern over Hegseth’s latest move in a statement. He said eliminating senior leadership positions must be done in consultation with Congress and warned that the planned cuts “should alarm every American”.

“Congress has been clear with the Secretary that he must consult this body and explain his reasoning for senior officer removals and promotion holds. To date, we have not received satisfactory answers,” Reed said.

“Our military is conducting major operations around the world, and the force is already under strain,” he added.

The number of general officer positions is set by law, but positions can be left unfilled if the administration does not submit nominees to Congress.

MEGAN Thee Stallion has stripped down to a tiny black thong and bra top while announcing she’s performing at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.

The racy rapper, 31, will soon show her recent ex-boyfriend Klay Thompson, 36, what he’s missing when she performs at the very sexy fashion show.

“Hotties, my dream has finally come true,” Megan told fans Tuesday when announcing the news on social media.

She added: “I’m in thee Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.

“Tune in October 18 to see me get my wings.”

Fans can tune into the live fashion show on October 18 via YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram.

MEG-A SEXY

Megan Thee Stallion suffers wardrobe malfunction in completely see-through dress

In the video accompanying her announcement, Megan could be seen rocking black thong panties and white bra top as she danced around.

Reacting to Megan’s news of her VS Fashion Show performance, one person said: “REAL LIFE ANGEL IS GETTING HER WINGS.”

Another added: “Sexy & sensual moment.”

While a third wrote: “GO MEG.”

And a fourth said: “ITS BEEN OVER DUE QUEEN!!!! You’ve been on a run! Cultural ICON.”

Megan previously said she was keen to become a Victoria’s Secret angel.

Back in 2011, the rapper took to X, formerly Twitter, and penned: “I swear ima b a victoria secret model when I grow up.”

Megan is keen to show ex-boyfriend Klay what he is missing, following their recent break-up, which was plagued by cheating rumours on his part.

In June, the star took to Instagram and appeared to call out her unfaithful ex.

Megan wrote: “Cheating, had me around your whole family playing house… got ‘cold feet’.

“Holding you down through all your HORRIBLE mood swings and treatment towards me during your basketball season now you don’t know if you can be ‘monogamos’ ????

“B**** I need a real break after this one.. bye yall.”

Sept. 29, 2026 9:13 PM PT

NEW YORK — The New York Liberty are peaking at the right time and were able to complete a historic sweep of the Minnesota Lynx to advance to the semifinals of the WNBA playoffs.

Jonquel Jones had 21 points and 13 rebounds and the No. 8 seed Liberty beat the top-seeded Lynx 87-71 in Game 2 of their WNBA playoff series Tuesday night. New York became the first No. 8 seed to eliminate a No. 1 seed in the league’s 30-year history.

The WNBA has undergone a number of different playoff formats. And in many of the formats, it wasn’t possible for those seeds to match up. However, in 2022, the league changed to the current format in which the top eight teams play in the quarterfinals.

“It feels good, we understand who we are as a team,” Jones said. “We’re not listening to outside noise, we understand that we can do a lot of great things. We feel like we can play with anybody and beat anybody. That’s the mindset we have moving forward. It feels good to make history. It had to be done for us to advance. It’s nice to say it’s been accomplished, but we have a lot of work to do.”

Breanna Stewart added 21 points and Sabrina Ionescu had 18 for the Liberty, who await the winner of the Atlanta-Washington series. The Dream are up 1-0 and play at Washington on Wednesday night. The semifinals begin Sunday.

A year after losing in the first round to Phoenix after going up 1-0 in that series, New York was determined not to have that happen again.

The Liberty were up five points after one quarter and led 40-35 with 2:39 left in the half. New York scored nine of the final 11 points in the second quarter to go up 49-37 at the break.

New York was up 52-39 with 6:26 left in the third when Stewart drove to the basket and was hit in the face by Olivia Miles as she tried to block the shot. Stewart was down for a minute as the officials reviewed the play and upgraded the play to a Flagrant-1 foul.

As Stewart walked off the court, she raised her hands to the sellout crowd of 17,593, who serenaded her with “MVP!” chants. Stewart hit both free throws.

Minnesota couldn’t get closer than seven points the rest of the way.

“New York is a great basketball team,” said Courtney Williams, who led Minnesota with 18 points. “You dig a hole for yourself and try to get out of it. We wanted to go on a run, but they had answers for everything.”

The Lynx’s season ended in disappointment again. The Lynx had the best regular-season record, but just couldn’t put it together against New York. On Monday, Cheryl Reeve won the league’s coach of the year and Miles was a unanimous choice for rookie of the year.

Miles struggled in both games against New York. She had five points, missing seven of her eight shots in 17 minutes, on Tuesday night. The Liberty’s size and ability to protect the rim bothered the stellar first-year player.

Reeve said she offered encouragement to her star rookie after the game.

“As I told her. When was the last time a rookie led the first-place team? Never happened before,” Reeve said. “That’s what we shared with her. This hurts for her.”

Napheesa Collier and Kayla McBride each added 14 to for the Lynx.

Feinberg writes for the Associated Press.

Opposition leader dismisses Netanyahu’s warning of possible attacks during next month’s general election.

Israel’s opposition leader Yair Lapid has accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of “fear-mongering” after the incumbent leader warned that the country’s enemies may attack before next month’s general election.

Lapid, who heads the Yesh Atid party, dismissed the warning after meeting the prime minister on Tuesday.

Earlier in the day, Netanyahu posted an online video that showed him posing in front of a fighter jet at a military base and saying there were “indications that, ahead of the elections, our enemies will try to attack us”.

He did not specify which enemy he had in mind. But in recent weeks, he has issued warnings to Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah and the Palestinian Authority, promising retaliation in the event of an attack.

Lapid requested an urgent security briefing after the warning, and in an online post afterwards, he said he was certain the election would take place on time and that “there is no reason to panic the public”.

“The elections will take place on time, and no one has an excuse to disrupt them,” he said.

He accused Netanyahu of using military bases as “props for election campaign videos” and of failing to heed warnings before the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023, which set off Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. More than 76,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war.

“Netanyahu ignored every warning before October 7, and now, 28 days before the election, he’s suddenly busy fear-mongering,” Lapid said. He added: “I of course will not violate the confidentiality of the security briefing but it must be said — security threats must be handled professionally and responsibly.”

The election, scheduled for October 7, is Israel’s first vote since the Hamas-led attacks, which plunged the Middle East into turmoil as Israel went to war in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran. The election could determine whether Netanyahu remains in power after one of the most consequential periods in Israel’s history, or is defeated by centrist rivals promising to usher in a new era.

Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving leader, was first elected prime minister in 1996. In recent weeks, he has had to deny media reports that his partners in the Middle East warned him of a potential Hamas attack, an allegation his political rivals have seized on.

Polls show him in a close race to stay in power.

According to a Reuters polling average, no candidate has a clear path to power. The average shows Yashar, the party of Gadi Eisenkot, a former military chief who has emerged as Netanyahu’s most formidable rival, leading the prime minister’s right-wing Likud party by 2 points.

Based on the average, parties opposed to Netanyahu would hold 64 seats in the 120-member Knesset, 15 more than the parties that back him, but they may be unable to form a coalition.

Lapid is one of several opposition figures in the race. He, Eisenkot and other opposition leaders have agreed to coordinate to remove Netanyahu’s government. Under the agreement announced last week, each leader pledged to work in their constituencies to increase turnout and attract support from various sectors of society to secure a majority and form a new government.

The prime minister said in a separate post on Tuesday that he has held a security briefing with Lapid in which he raised alerts about possible attacks “on the various fronts ahead of the elections”.

He stressed that he holds regular briefings with the opposition leader.

Tens of thousands of civil servants, including teachers, firefighters and healthcare workers, have marched in cities across France to demand higher pay, as students clashed with the police in separate protests over conditions at their schools.

Unions said some 300,000 people took part in the one-day strike action nationwide, while police on Tuesday estimated a turnout of 30,000 in the capital, Paris. The workers also demanded better working conditions and expressed anger at the government’s planned budget cuts.

Protests also took place at more than 400 schools, about 40 of which were blockaded and 44 of which faced attempted blockades.

Ten people, both students and staff members, were wounded, and at least 440 were detained, officials said.

The strikes and the student unrest came two days before the government is to unveil its draft budget and seven months before the presidential election. According to unions, the government proposes freezing base salaries for state employees in 2027 to save 2 billion euros ($2.3bn).

It would be the fourth consecutive annual freeze and the eighth during President Emmanuel Macron’s tenure. Unions say the freezes have cost workers a double-digit share of their purchasing power, and they are demanding a 6 percent raise.

‘Red alert’

Sophie Binet, general secretary of the General Confederation of Labor, called the protests “a red alert”.

“This anger is not going away. The government must look again at the budget,” she told Al Jazeera. She gave the government 48 hours to reverse the planned cuts before her union decides on further strike action.

The Education Ministry said just more than 11 percent of teachers and other school staff went on strike. French teachers are paid less on average than their counterparts in other European countries.

Fewer than 1 in 10 other civil servants took part, and fewer still in hospitals, with the loss of a day’s pay a likely factor in the turnout. France’s civil aviation regulator had warned of flight disruptions at some airports.

Professional firefighters, who say this summer’s huge wildfires exposed a lack of resources, were among those marching.

The government has already unveiled measures to help households cope with a spike in energy prices driven by the United States and Israel’s war on Iran, but it has failed to quell the discontent with Macron and his administration.

Student unrest

Students, meanwhile, have been protesting outside hundreds of schools over timetables, class sizes, teacher shortages and overheated classrooms during this year’s heatwaves. The demonstrations began in the Ile-de-France region around Paris and spread to other cities.

In addition to the 10 students and staff members who were hurt, 48 law enforcement officials were injured, authorities said, as students in some places set fire to rubbish bins and hurled projectiles, and officers responded with batons and tear gas.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez told BFMTV that 440 people had been detained.

“We don’t have the final tally yet, but I’m told two thirds led to police custody,” he said. “Violence is never legitimate. There is nothing that justifies violence.”

Education Minister Edouard Geffray condemned the clashes on social media.

“This violence is unspeakable,” he wrote, adding that legal proceedings had begun. “To legitimize it or… call for an expansion of the blockades is to endanger both our students and public officials. It is irresponsible.”

‘Fewer cops, more money’

In Seine-Saint-Denis, a low-income suburb of Paris, Bally Bagayoko, the district’s mayor and a member of the hard-left France Unbowed party, joined hundreds of students protesting at the Lycee Paul-Eluard.

He led them in singing the national anthem and called the protests “completely legitimate”, saying poorer areas received fewer resources than wealthier ones.

Outside the Arago school in Paris, students, some with their faces covered, sat on dumpsters to block the entrance beneath a placard reading “Macron explosion”. A banner at the Helene-Boucher school read “Fewer cops, more money”.

“We want fewer police because we think there is a huge amount of police repression, both against high school student movements and social movements more generally,” said Mael Breton, a final-year student there. “This is a real problem, especially when there is such a lack of funding… here at our school and in the national education system more broadly.”

Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu on Monday condemned the high school protests as irresponsible but acknowledged that the “difficulties of high schools must be heard and addressed”.

Jean-Luc Melenchon, a hard-left presidential contender, accused the government of steadily dismantling public services as he addressed protesters in Paris and urged his supporters to mobilise against the draft budget.

A Toluna Harris poll on Monday suggested that Melenchon and Marine Le Pen, the leader of the far-right National Rally, would advance to next year’s presidential run-off, with Le Pen best placed to win.

Despite his expressions giving the game away at all times, he still fancies being a traitor and says he has ‘no qualms’ when it comes to killing his friends

Rob Beckett has confessed he is facing an uphill struggle when it comes to The Celebrity Traitors – because he is unable to hide his true feelings.

The comedian, who fronts a TV series with fellow player Romesh Ranganathan, is aiming to emulate the comedy deflection tactic used to perfection last year by winner Alan Carr.

“I think I’ll be good at deflecting with humour naturally because that’s what I’ve been trained to do,” he said. “My problem is that you know what I’m thinking by looking at my face. I think I’m in trouble, because I tell everyone everything with my expressions alone.”

Speaking before the series was filmed in May, Rob said his strategy was to make decisions in real time as the game unfolds. “Do trust your gut in the moment because you can overthink and over prepare, and then what I’ve got is panicked rehearsed lines – and that’s not just in this game. In life, the best things I’ve ever said have never been planned.”

The comic, from south London, says for him and some of the other players, the show is a full-circle moment. “I think I’ll just find the whole scenario hilarious because it’s so surreal to be around that group of people.

“Romesh, obviously everyone knows we’re such good friends, but Joe Lycett and James Acaster, I did gigs with them nearly 20 years ago, in pubs in Soho in front of eight people, and now all of a sudden we’re in this situation. So, it’s quite a reflective moment to consider this journey we’ve all gone on to now be on the biggest show on TV.

“Everyone wants to be on it, and we’re very lucky to be here, and to be here with friends and people that I’ve come through the ranks with and been able to confide in over the years. It’s quite nice to see all of us here as grown-ups.”

Dad-of-two Rob, 40, reckons he’d make a good Traitor, but is happy to leave the decision to presenter Claudia Winkleman. “I’d happily be either. Claudia and the producers are the experts in this, not me, but I’m very happy to do both, and I’ve got no qualms about killing people off.”

If he does end up as a Traitor, however, he does worry about giving him away immediately. “I could be the fastest Traitor out in history. I’ll probably just get a tap of the shoulder and get up and go: ‘You’ll never guess what just happened to me!’ and off I go. You’ll never know until you get in there.”

Rob’s hoping that his many years as a stand-up will help him to survive. “Being on stage is like being at the Round Table. You’re performing to an audience. And you’re having to say things to get them to behave in a certain way.”

Fellow player Joanne McNally reckons the six comedians who’ve signed up for this year’s show would “absolutely kill each other off” if necessary.

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Arguing that the group will happily double-cross each other for entertainment, she insisted they hadn’t spoken beforehand. “We haven’t been in cahoots at all,” Joanne insisted. “There’s been no chatting because we know that we’re more than willing to throw each other under the bus. It’s not like we’re making fake allegiances. They are professional entertainers, and they will absolutely kill each other off for the craic.”

The other comedians taking part are James Acaster, Joe Lycett, Miranda Hart, Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan.

Asked about signing up for the series Joanne, 43, quipped that she wanted to improve her social circle, laughing: “It’s all about the celebrity WhatsApp group. And what an eclectic cast we have. Like, you couldn’t predict it. It’s like lining up all my ex-boyfriends. There’s no consistency to it at all. I love it. It’s so frantic. It kind of has a bit of everything.”

Aiming to be chosen as a Traitor, “quietly competitive” Joanne insisted she had the necessary skills. “I’m great at spotting lies. I can read body language, and I’ve dealt with a lot of snakes,” she said.

She prepared by having a makeover. “I got six packs of hair extensions put in. I have some skills but hair and makeup is not one of them.” Joanne now believes she could have what it takes to go all the way to the end. “I have this feeling I’ll either be out within seven minutes, or I’ll end up going the distance.”

Heartstopper actor Sebastian Croft, 24, is hoping to fly under the radar. “To be with a bunch of my heroes in a castle with Claudia is wonderful,” he declared. “I’m very much hoping that the fact that most of the cast don’t know me will work to my advantage.”

He has prepared by asking the universe for advice. “I went to see a lady who read my tarot, my astrology, crystals, the lot! I couldn’t possibly tell you any of it, it would ruin what’s going to happen.”

Sebastian is hoping to become a Traitor – ideally alongside actor pal Bella Ramsay. “I love Bella! Imagine us in the turret together. That would be the dream.”

YouTuber and boxer King Kenny, 29, is on a mission for justice after his pal Niko Omilana was the first to be banished in last year’s show. “I’ll be honest, after Niko went out last year, I stopped watching,” he said. “But when I heard I was going to play this year I got determined to do this for Niko and avenge him.”

The first season of The Celebrity Traitors aired on the BBC last autumn and was watched by 15million people across the series, the biggest TV audience of 2025.

– The Celebrity Traitors starts on October 1 at 8pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

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Wigan Warriors hooker Brad O’Neill has won the 2026 Steve Prescott MBE Man of Steel, the first time he has been given the honour.

The 24-year-old England hooker beat his Wigan team-mate Adam Keighran and Leeds full-back Lachie Miller to win the award.

O’Neill has been at the heart of an impressive Wigan side which won the Challenge Cup and League Leaders’ Shield in 2026.

He made 31 appearances in all competitions and was also named Rugby League Writers and Broadcasters Association Player of the Year.

O’Neill was sin-binned in last year’s Super League Grand Final for a wayward tackle on Tyrone May, however he inspired Wigan to two trophies, after a season without silverware in 2025.

It was a memorable night for the Warriors with Matt Peet also named Betfred Super League Coach of the Year having guided his side to the League Leaders’ Shield and Challenge Cup.

Wigan earned a clean sweep in the final three shortlist for the Woman of Steel award as Eva Hunter, Jenna Foubister and Megan Willams were all nominated, with Foubister taking the prize.

It was the second year in a row that three Wigan players were shortlisted, however this year the Warriors missed out on adding the Women’s Super League title to their Women’s Challenge Cup and League Leaders’ Crowns after they were beaten by York Valkyrie on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Halifax Panthers’ Rob Hawkins won the Wheels of Steel award.

ROB Beckett regularly turns family life into comedy, but his wife Louise Watts has been sharing her side of the story too.

She has swapped the classroom for the bookshelves, becoming a bestselling author with her frank take on parenthood.

Rob Beckett is currently on our screens as the new host of Channel 4 reality show Tempting Fortune, taking over from Paddy McGuinness for its third series.

The show returned on September 22, 2026, with 12 strangers trekking for 13 days through the Malaysian jungle, hoping to protect a £300,000 prize pot from costly temptations.

He is about to swap the jungle for a Scottish castle as one of 21 famous faces taking part in the second series of The Celebrity Traitors.

Claudia Winkleman’s BBC hit returns on October 1, 2026, with Rob joined by stars including Michael Sheen, Maya Jama, Miranda Hart and James Blunt.

TO THE RESCUE

Inside mystery of missing Sir Ranulph Fiennes as celebs unite to find truth

MAYA’S MESSAGE

Celeb Traitors’ Maya Jama says she’s been ‘blindsided’ by liars in the past

Who is Rob Beckett’s wife Louise Watts?

Louise Beckett (nee Watts), who also goes by Lou, previously worked as a secondary school history teacher.

The pair have been married for more than a decade, which Rob revealed on a 2015 episode of Mock the Week.

Lou has spoken openly about leaving a job she loved to be a stay-at-home mum while Rob’s comedy career was taking off.

In March 2026, she told Fabulous’ No Parental Guidance podcast: “He’s been able to leave the house four days on the trot and go to work.

“You get to leave the house and go and talk to grownups. And have a shower.

“You get to be the person that you’ve always been, whereas I feel like the kind of pigeon lady from Home Alone, who’s not left the house for four weeks. 

“And I haven’t had a shower and my clothes don’t fit me.”

In her blog, Louise explained that she had stopped teaching full-time because her ulcerative colitis was particularly severe around the time they became parents.

She wrote: “I didn’t realise how much being a teacher was part of who I was until I wasn’t one anymore.

“Until the only things I really had to speak about were what Rob was doing or how the baby was.

“If I’m totally and embarrassingly honest, teaching made me feel important and suddenly that wasn’t there anymore and I felt like I didn’t have anything to bring to the table.”

But Louise also said she was grateful that Rob’s success allowed her to concentrate on getting better and caring for their baby.

What is Louise Watts’ book about?

Louise released her debut book, Lessons from a Default Parent, in February 2026, which became a Sunday Times bestseller.

It grew out of her blog post A Very Long Whinge, which she posted on March 8, 2024.

The book tackles the often overlooked work of raising children, from organising school activities to tracking everyone’s needs.

It also explores how parents can share those responsibilities more fairly.

Louise told the Daily Mail’s Life of Bryony podcast that writing it helped her explain her feelings to Rob.

She said: “I found I was able to communicate much better with Rob after writing the book.”

Do Rob Beckett and Louise Watts have children?

Yes, Rob and Louise have two daughters, but they prefer to keep their names and dates of birth private.

However, in a December 2025 episode of the podcast Parenting Hell, Rob confirmed that his kids were 10 and eight at the time.

The comedian regularly shares stories about fatherhood on the podcast he presents with fellow comic Josh Widdicombe.

Louise occasionally appears for “right to reply” episodes, giving her own take on the stories listeners have heard from her husband.

Rob recently said he wants to spend more time at home as their children grow up.

In July, he told The Sun: “I’m trying to be at home more, more relaxed.

“I’ve done quite a lot, I think I need to chill out a bit – it’s getting a bit needy isn’t it?

“I’ve got a bit of time off in autumn and I’m looking forward to being at home more and being more present. 

“Because I’m getting older and the kids are too, so I’m trying to work a little bit less and be there for them.”

Dodgers right fielder Kyle Tucker has never shied away from just how bad his performance at the plate was for much of his first season in Los Angeles.

For the first five months of the season, when he’d show brief glimpses of progress before sinking back into an extended slump, Tucker’s .683 OPS was the third-worst among Dodgers hitters with at least 100 plate appearances, better than only Hyeseong Kim and Kyle Freeland, who both spent time in triple A.

In September, however, he found a sustainable adjustment. He fixed his bat path, extending through the ball more consistently instead of pulling off of it. He posted a .889 OPS in September, on par with his four straight All-Star seasons before signing with the Dodgers.

Now, all of a sudden, he looks like a potential difference-maker in the postseason.

“The last month or so is more or less what I expect out of myself,” Tucker said in a recent conversation with The Times. “The biggest thing is we have an opportunity now being in the playoffs to win another World Series. Once the playoffs start, you can forget about any stats or personal numbers. The only one that really matters is the win column. So that’s just what I’m gonna try and contribute towards.”

The Dodgers offense had a lot of success stories like Tucker’s in the final month of the regular season. He helped carry the offense, along with Teoscar Hernández and Mookie Betts, who turned around their seasons down the stretch, and Will Smith, who returned from the IL and quickly found his home run swing.

The Dodgers’ starting rotation is their biggest strength going into the postseason. But the offense’s performance against elite pitching, and the bullpen’s execution in tight games, could make or break a series.

Here’s how some other key players are trending going into the postseason:

Designated hitter Shohei Ohtani: Fortunate to have the bye

Shohei Ohtani appears on the right track for a successful postseason.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Ohtani returned from the IL with five games left in the season, and he went five for 21 with one extra-base hit.

All indications from general manager Brandon Gomes and manager Dave Roberts in video conference calls before the Dodgers’ closed workout Tuesday were that Ohtani was feeling good physically.

“I feel confident that you’re going to see the best version of Shohei of the last two months,” Roberts said. “I know that’s sort of a low bar given his injury, but I do think that he’s as healthy as he’s been in quite some time, and every day from the training staff, it keeps getting better. So, number one, he’ll be a threat being in the lineup, but I do think that the performance piece will be what we’re hoping for.”

First baseman Freddie Freeman: Ice cold

Freddie Freeman did not hit well in September.

(Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times)

Freeman, who pushed through a bout with tendinitis in his right knee earlier this month, hit just .184 in September and went 0-for-7 in his last two games.

On Tuesday, Freeman said he had no pain in his knee. But finally acknowledged that the injury could have affected his swing mechanics, while again emphasizing that he wouldn’t use that as an excuse.

Freeman has a plan for the bye week that he hopes will set him in the right direction for the playoffs.

“I’m going to hit on the field every day,” he said Sunday. “I already know how my Tuesday is going to go. There’s going to be a lot of blocked balls to left [field], a lot of flares into left. I’m hoping as Tuesday goes Wednesday, I’ll come back and those will be put down a little more. Thursday they’ll be moved over to shortstop and by Friday I will be feeling good. That is how my head is thinking right now.”

Center fielder Andy Pages: Out of the gate running

It was hard to predict how the center fielder would look at the plate when he returned from a fracture in his left hand. He recorded a 1.181 OPS in six games and homered twice in the final regular-season series against the San Francisco Giants.

“He went into last October really scuffling, and it sort of bled into October,” Roberts said over the weekend. “Where, I think right now he feels really confident, swinging the bat well, and the hope is that this one bleeds into October as well.”

Reliever Edgardo Henriquez: Healthy

Henriquez is “trending really well” after throwing live batting practice, Gomes said. If this week continues to go smoothly, the flame-throwing right-hander is expected to be on the NLDS roster.

“Given the body of work, what he’s done, the unique skill set,” Roberts said, “could be huge for us — will be huge for us.”

Reliever Edwin Díaz: Strong finish

Díaz made five appearances after his latest return from the IL (neck). He gave up just one hit in those games, with a 52.9% strikeout rate.

“I don’t know if we could have asked much more out of Edwin,” Gomes said. “Felt like each outing was more and more sharp and looking more like himself. So feel that he’s in a great place right now. Stuff out of hand is as good as it’s been all year. And we know that he has pitched in the hottest of hot games in the past and in any role, especially in the postseason. So he’s looked great, and glad that he’s in the position that he’s in and was able to bounce back after the IL stint.”

NLDS weather: Sweltering

Los Angeles’ weather forecast for this weekend, when the Dodgers are set to host the first two games of the NLDS, shows temperatures reaching the high 90s. The Dodgers are scheduled to play Game 2 at 5 p.m. on Sunday. But Saturday’s game time will depend on the results of the wild-card round. First pitch for Game 1 could be at 1 p.m. or 6 p.m.

The deaths appear to be the first at the hands of Somali pirates in more than a decade.

Pirates have killed five crew members on board a Palau-flagged oil tanker off the coast of Somalia before security forces rescued the ship, according to Somali authorities.

The deaths on the tanker, the MT Honour 25, were announced on Tuesday.

They appear to be the first deaths at ⁠the hands of Somali pirates in more than a decade and come amid a resurgence of Somali piracy that experts have attributed in part to the effects of the United States and Israel’s war on Iran.

The MT Honour 25, which authorities said was carrying 18,500 barrels of oil, was seized by pirates off Somalia on April 21.

The Information Ministry of Puntland, a semiautonomous region of Somalia, said in a statement that a rescue mission had freed the ship and captured 16 suspected pirates.

“Before the operation began, the pirates on board the ship killed five of the crew,” the statement said. “Among those killed were three from Pakistan, one from Myanmar and one from India.”

Four other crew members, three Pakistanis and one Indian, were injured, it said.

In a post on social media, the Puntland Maritime Police Force said the vessel was “safe” and under the government’s control. It said efforts were continuing to find others involved in the hijacking.

The rescue follows another operation last week in which the maritime police freed the Sibu 1, a tanker sanctioned by the US that Somali pirates had hijacked in August.

But 28 of the 41 pirates arrested in that operation later escaped while being transferred to jail, and several Puntland security officials accused local police of complicity.

At least 15 attacks have been reported off Somalia since April, according to officials.

A previous wave of piracy, from 2008 to 2014, disrupted one of the world’s busiest shipping routes, cost the global economy billions of dollars and resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars in ransom payments.

The resolution cites a ‘lack of accountability’ by Israel’s government and an ‘inability to secure justice’ by the US.

The United States Senate has blocked a resolution that would have required President Donald Trump’s administration to report on the killing of nine Americans in the occupied West Bank and on Israel’s treatment of Palestinian children in military detention.

The resolution failed 47-53 on Tuesday, with senators voting largely along party lines.

It was brought to the floor by Senator Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat from Maryland, and cited a “lack of accountability” from the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and an “inability to secure justice” from the US government.

Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania was the only Democrat to vote against advancing the resolution, while Senator Rand Paul, a Republican from Kentucky, joined Democrats in supporting it.

Van Hollen forced the vote under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, which allows individual members of Congress to demand a formal State Department report on the human rights practices of any country that receives US security assistance.

“Violence is raging in the West Bank, & despite the deaths of nine Americans, the wrongful detention of even more, & the daily torment of Palestinians, we have no accountability from the U.S. or Israeli govt”, Van Hollen wrote on X before the resolution was brought to a vote.

Nine Americans killed

The resolution called for an unclassified report within 30 days of adoption. It would have detailed investigations into the deaths of the Americans, the treatment of US citizens held in Israeli prisons, and the conditions facing Palestinian children in Israeli military detention.

The measure cited the deaths of nine American citizens in the occupied West Bank since January 2022, including Shireen Abu Akleh, a Palestinian-American journalist and Al Jazeera correspondent who was shot in the head and killed in May 2022 while reporting in the city of Jenin.

It also included Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, who was shot in the head and killed by an Israeli soldier in September 2024, and Sayfollah Kamel Musallet, who was beaten to death by Israeli settlers in July 2025.

The others were Amer Mohammad Saada Rabee, who was 14; Tawfic Abdel Jabbar and Mohamed Ahmad Alkhdour, both 17; Omar Assad; Khamid Ayyad; Nasrallah Abu Siyam; and Khamis Rabee Jabara.

The resolution also noted the arrests of several Palestinian-American children by Israeli forces.

Among them was Mohammed Ibrahim, a 16-year-old from Florida, who was arrested in February 2025 and held in pretrial detention for nine months without contact with his family. It noted that US embassy officials and lawyers who met him told his family that he had lost nearly a quarter of his body weight, contracted scabies, and was beaten and tortured.

Other Palestinian Americans who remain in custody include Adam Wajeh Abdelfattah Karakrah, 16, and Sama Safi, 20, a student detained in June in raids targeting students at Birzeit University.

The resolution cited rights groups that have documented the deaths of at least 44 Palestinians in Israeli military camps since the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023. Those groups, it said, have documented widespread abuses, including beatings, sexual violence, harassment and threats, “pointing to systemic and deliberate mistreatment”.

It also went on to note a sharp escalation in Israeli settler pogroms in the occupied West Bank, and stressed that there have been no convictions for the killings of Palestinian civilians by Israeli settlers since 2020.

Perez Hilton’s website has offered an update on the celebrity gossip blogger’s progress following his apparent August suicide attempt, revealing that he has been allowed to see his children and mother.

“They were first able to spend time together through a few video calls, and since then, Hilton has also been able to see his children and his mom a few times for short, supervised visits at the facility,” according to the site. “Seeing his children in person has meant an enormous amount to Perez. There have definitely been a lot of emotions for everyone, but being able to spend that time together has been incredibly meaningful and healing.”

Hilton, born Mario Lavandeira Jr., experienced a mental health crisis on the night of Aug. 4 in his Miami home and livestreamed himself engaging in self-harm with a box cutter and knife as followers pleaded with him to stop and attempted to contact him.

Hilton spent weeks in the hospital receiving treatment for his physical injuries before being transferred to a residential treatment program, where he could “focus fully on his mental health and recovery,” according to a family statement from earlier this month.

In August, Hilton was granted supervised visits with his children.

However, Hilton’s brother-in-law said on a podcast on Aug. 24 that Hilton had not had any contact with his kids, as “they were not allowed in that section of the facility.”

Tuesday’s update also publicized a GoFundMe fundraiser created for Hilton’s mother, Teresita Lavandeira, and Hilton’s three school-age children. The fundraiser, organized by theater producer Tom D’Angora, who has described himself as a longtime friend of Hilton’s, promised that “none of the money will be used for Perez personally.”

As of Tuesday afternoon, the fundraiser had raised about $14,000 out of its $25,000 goal. D’Angora was not immediately available for comment.

“Like any grandmother who suddenly finds herself responsible for raising three growing children, she’s also taken on significant and unexpected expenses,” the fundraiser website says. “Perez’s family and friends are helping however we can. We also wanted to give the many people who have asked how they can help a way to do so.”

The site’s Tuesday update said there was still no available timeline for when Perez would exit residential treatment.

“Communication with Perez is still limited, and we’re not able to talk to him daily,” the statement read.

But it assured that he was making progress.

“He’s continuing to work with his care team on understanding what led to his mental health crisis, recognizing warning signs, learning better ways to cope, and working through everything that brought him to this point,” according to the site.

Hilton has been a controversial media figure since the mid-2000s, when he launched a celebrity gossip blog called PageSixSixSix. After the New York Post sued him, he rebranded it to Perez Hilton, a play on socialite Paris Hilton’s name.

During its heyday, Hilton’s successful website — on which he would publish mocking posts about Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan and spread conspiracy theories about celebrity deaths — generated about 8 million page views a day, The Times’ columnist Robin Abcarian wrote recently. In 2010, he declined a $20-million offer for his website, according to reporting by the now-defunct outlet Gawker.

Gordon, the grateful beneficiary of Alexander-Arnold’s class, said: “I make that run time and time again and only a certain number of players have that ability, technique and bravery to be willing to make the mistake trying that pass. That’s why he’s so good and I’ve been dying to play with him for that reason.

“He’s had his own journey with England. He would’ve liked to have played more than he has but he’s been a great character during this camp. I’ve really enjoyed being around him.”

Alexander-Arnold is a risk taker, both in the defensive and attacking context, but only Elliot Anderson (41) made more passes in the final third than he did (32), while only Anthony Gordon, with four, created more chances than the defender’s three.

Tuchel, it should be stated, is not alone in having doubts about Alexander-Arnold.

Who can forget – although many would love to – Sir Gareth Southgate’s ill-fated attempt to utilise Alexander-Arnold as a midfielder at Euro 2024? It was ditched after 54 minutes of England’s second game against Denmark never to be seen again.

More will be revealed if Tuchel persists with Alexander-Arnold against Croatia behind closed doors in Rijeka on Saturday – but this must be close to make or break time for this lavishly-talented player who is 28 on 7 October.

If he cannot convince Tuchel in this camp, and surely that one moment of game-changing skill must be fixed in the head coach’s mind, then you wonder if he ever will.

Alexander-Arnold said: “It was amazing. It’s always an honour to represent my country. It’s been a long time, but I’ve always believed I can play for England. That belief has always been there and it was about proving it at club level. The manager gave me a chance, now hopefully he is happy with how I played.”

How happy? Time, and Tuchel, will tell.

Alexander-Arnold, however, could not have done any more as England, who sealed the three points with captain Harry Kane’s 87th goal in 123 international appearances, got their Nations League campaign going in Prague.