Away from the legends game, news broke earlier today that Ibrahima Konate has pulled out the France squad.
The centre-back has a right quadriceps injury and has been receiving “treatment and following protocol” since joining up with his international team-mates.
Kalou’s new venture
Salomon Kalou has a surprising way of keeping busy in retirement.
The Ivory Coast star played in the match today, which means he had some time off from running his chocolate company Oume.
Kalou hopes to see it on the shelves of UK shops soon.
Garden of Eden
Roberto Di Matteo was delighted to be reunited with icon Eden Hazard this afternoon.
The former boss said: “He was a special player. I think from the first minute he wore the Chelsea shirt, everybody fell in love with him.
“You could see the talent he had, even though he was only 19 back then.
“He showed his capabilities and his qualities over the years and had a very successful stint here with us.
“Thank you to him that he came today and showed again some of his qualities.
“I think the people absolutely loved seeing him on the pitch for Chelsea today.”
‘Connected for life’
Roberto Di Matteo spoke about his iconic Chelsea squad which won the 2012 Champions League as he returned to the dugout today.
Di Matteo said: “When you win a competition, a trophy, it connects you for the rest of your life.
“Every time we get together, it’s a great feeling and a lot of emotions to see these players again that managed to lift the trophy with the big ears!
“They always turn up when we call them for these sort of games.
“They love to come back and put the blue shirt on.
“We’ve created a lot of memories for the players and for the supporters as well.
“Overall, it’s a wonderful day today to see all these guys again. I wish them all good health.”
Friends again?
Diego Costa has just took to Instagram to post this snap alongside his rival Martin Skrtel.
The tough guys appear to be mates… for now!
Hazard’s return
Fans were delighted to see Eden Hazard glide across the pitch one again.”
One supporter said: “Eden Hazard is not just a footballer, he’s an entertainer!”
A second reacted: “Hazard strolling around on the Stamford Bridge turf. I’m not crying, you are.”
A third wrote: “He’s been superb, Diego Costa has been a menace to the Liverpool back line….these guys still got it in them.”
Keegan Bradley reveals what he would have done differently having seen how the weekend played out.
He told Sky Sports: “I would have set the course up a little differently – but Europe played better than us and deserved to win. They are a great team.
“In my eyes, Luke Donald is the best European captain of all time.
“I’ve got a real weird relationship with this tournament. A lot of heartbreak. But I still love it, and I love the guys.
“I love being out here again. I don’t know if I’ll ever get to do this again. I will remember this for the rest of my life.”
Tyrrell talks
The man that clinched the half point which secured Europe’s victory, Tyrrell Hatton told Sky Sports: “To be honest, it’s been one of the hardest days I’ve ever experienced on the golf course.
“Going out number 10 of 11 matches, you’re hoping that everything is wrapped up but still want to pride in your individual record.
“The U.S. lads put up an incredible fight — it was to be expected, they’re amazing players. Selfishly, I was hoping it wouldn’t come down to me.
“The last five, six, seven holes were horrible but I’m so happy that we’ve managed to win.”
The Fairytale in New York – report
Europe have WON the Ryder Cup over Team USA on a dramatic day at Bethpage Black.
Luke Donald’s men needed just two points to keep their trophy won in Rome in 2023.
They had completely outplayed their rivals across the first two days in New York.
And they kept the famous gold trophy during the single’s action on Sunday afternoon.
It wasn’t without drama though, as the US stormed to a comeback.
Rahm reacts
Jon Rahm said: “It’s about as intense a rollercoaster of emotions I’ve ever had. for sure on the golf course, maybe in my life. The intensity out there was incredible. The U.S. team did nothing short of amazing.
“What they almost pulled off was amazing. Luckily we had a big enough lead and we had the right people at the back to get it done. Hard to describe. What an atmosphere it’s been all week, it’s been so tough for us and I couldn’t be prouder of everyone in this team.
“We came together as a team and did what a lot of people thought was impossible in New York. It feels very special. That’s golf, that’s sport. That’s why you play 12 points on Sunday, a lot of things can change.
“Great putts on 18 by Cam and JT, once the echoes of the cheers happen you can hear it on the golf course.”
More from Bradley
While Europe were celebrating on 18, Keegan Bradley told the press conference the rule regarding injury and ‘the envelope’ has to change.
Viktor Hovland’s absence meant Harris English had to sit out and in doing so, their match was tied and put down for a half each.
He said: “The rule has to change.
“I think it’s obvious to everyone in the sports world, everyone in this room.”
Fan discussion
Clearly, the New York fans did their best to try and ruin a fantastic Ryder Cup.
Clearly, the fans in Ireland in two years time are going to be a heck of a lot better behaved too.
Lowry told Sky Sports: “Luke is the greatest captain that has ever lived. He’s the most amazing man in the world.
“He’s done the best job. I don’t know what to say.”
On a home Ryder Cup for him in two years, he added: “It will be a little bit nicer than playing here, I know that!”
Former England rugby captain Chris Robshaw has been married to classical crossover singer Camilla Kerslake since 2018, with the couple sharing two children together
Chris Robshaw’s wife had a brutal reaction when he announced he would be on Strictly(Image: Max Cisotti/Dave Benett/Getty Im)
The pair had been engaged for six years when they tied the knot. Classical crossover singer Camilla, 37, made headlines in 2009 when she became the first person to be signed by Gary Barlow’s record label.
She had performed for Queen Elizabeth II as well as performing the national anthem at Wembley and the-then Millennium Stadium. And while Camilla has been one of Chris’s supporters throughout his career, he admits she burst out in a fit of laughter when he told her he would be heading onto the dance floor.
Chris told Heat that Camilla knows “all about my dance moves” but revealed she later reassured the 39-year-old that she backed his decision.
He explained: “She was like, ‘Look, it’s a great opportunity. It’s amazing, so go and do it, we’ll support you’.”
Chris, who shares one-year-old Hunter and four-year-old Wilding with Camilla, says his eldest child has been excited by the news. “We’ve shown him the show, he loves the sparkles and the lights,” Chris explained.
And while Wilding “doesn’t quite understand” that his dad will be taking part in the show, Chris wanted him to see his dad stepping out of his comfort zone. The former flanker says it’s good to “really challenge yourself” at times.
Chris himself is no stranger to a challenge. As well as racking up 66 caps for England, he took part in Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins last year, although he had to withdraw due to injury.
Chris underwent surgery after a boxing match with Love Islander Ovie Soko. He said: “I had to get an operation. Because I’d popped my shoulder out the ligament was loose so it becomes like a catch which keeps opening. So they reattached the ligament to keep it in place.”
The ex-rugby star said he had experienced some shoulder problems towards the end of his playing career. Before taking part in Strictly, Chris joked that he hoped the BBC show would help him take his “dad dancing to a whole new level”.
He said: “This is about as far out of my comfort zone as it gets! I’m hoping to take my dad dancing to a whole new level, and my mum can’t wait to drag me along to her Zumba class. Let’s see if a rugby sidestep works in the Cha Cha Cha.”
Chris will be taking part in Strictly with professional dancer Nadiya Bychkova. Strictly Come Dancing will return to BBC One from 6.55pm today (September 27)
AS I watched the scene playing out on the TV, my heart started pounding.
Estate agent Cherry was meeting her boyfriend’s mum, Laura, for the first time – bringing back memories of the real-life monster-in-law who tried to destroy me in ways you wouldn’t believe.
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Ayla Tash, 40, reveals the nightmare of a controlling mother-in-law and how it led to the breakdown of her relationship (posed by model)Credit: Getty
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My ex’s mum hated my guts from day one, she reveals (posed by model)Credit: Getty
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Daniel (Laurie Davidson) is embraced by Laura (Robin Wright) in The GirlfriendCredit: supplied
Hoping to make a good impression, she arrived with a beautiful bunch of flowers, but her future mother–in-law callously tossed them on a table, dismissing them as rubbish.
It’s a tale as old as time: son introduces the woman he loves to his mum, who instantly feels jealous that a new female will take her place.
So she makes her life HELL.
The reason The Girlfriend had such a strong impact on me was because, in many ways, I’d been there myself.
My ex’s mum hadn’t just disliked me, she’d hated my guts from day one.
She too had thrown down the flowers I’d given her the first time we met – not onto a table, but on the floor.
And the memories of the awful things she did while I was with her son still make me shudder.
Courteous to my face, but nasty behind my back, my monster-in-law, Jackie, constantly bad-mouthed me to friends and family – even my own neighbours.
She regularly told her son, Simon, that I wasn’t good enough for him and urged him to leave me, despite us having a child together.
Eventually, she succeeded and we split up. I simply couldn’t cope with her twisted games anymore.
My MIL threw a tantrum when me and my husband bought a house that was too far away from her
Thankfully I’ve had no contact with her since the split, but I still have nightmares about it – and watching TV show The Girlfriend brought them all back.
I won’t spoil the story for those who haven’t seen it, but although Cherry isn’t all that she seems, Laura’s actions beggar belief.
For me, though, there’s one big difference.
Courteous to my face, but nasty behind my back, my monster-in-law, Jackie, constantly bad-mouthed me to friends and family – even my own neighbours
Cherry
While Laura’s awful behaviour pushes her son into his lover’s arm, the same could not be said for me and my ex.
His mother’s constant interference created a crack so wide that we still don’t talk to one another, despite sharing a six-year-old.
‘Overbearing’
I’d hoped the unappreciated flowers might be a misunderstanding, but soon I was being subjected to constant put-downs.
Sometimes we’d pop to her house for breakfast and if I asked for a bit of fruit instead of bacon and egg, she’d tut and mutter that I was ‘strange’.
She’d also get in a huff if Simon chose to spend a Saturday night out with me, instead of going round to see her.
He’d tell me his mum was ‘in a mood’ because he wasn’t paying her as much attention now.
I thought he was joking – at that point I had no idea how bizarre their relationship was.
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Hit Amazon Prime thriller The GirlfriendCredit: Amazon Prime
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Ayla reveals her mother-in-law would constantly gaslight herCredit: Shutterstock
Just like obsessed Laura in The Girlfriend, Jackie had to know where Simon was at all times.
She’d call and text him multiple times a day, despite only living around the corner.
On one occasion, we were having sex at 11am when she messaged him six times in a row.
“Can you turn it off?” I pleaded as Jackie’s impatient alerts threatened to kill the moment.
I’m not alone in having a difficult relationship with my partner’s mum.
A two-decade study by Dr Terri Apter, a University of Cambridge psychologist, found that more than 60 per cent of women admitted their relationship with their mother-in-law caused them long-term unhappiness and stress.
Two-thirds of daughters-in-law also believed that their husband’s mother frequently exhibited jealous, maternal love towards their sons.
This was definitely true of Jackie.
She relished standing in front of me with her arms wrapped around Simon’s waist or shoulders.
And she had a key to his flat, so would often turn up unannounced.
One morning I plodded, half-awake, into the kitchen wearing nothing but a pair of knickers, only to find Jackie casually washing his dishes.
I complained that I found her actions overbearing and gently tried to explain to Simon that it wasn’t normal for a mum to be so involved in her adult son’s life.
But he responded saying she only did so because she “cared about him so much” and wanted to help.
Two-thirds of daughters-in-law also believed that their husband’s mother frequently exhibited jealous, maternal love towards their sons
During the three years we were together, Jackie would constantly gaslight me, telling Simon she’d sent texts inviting me to the cinema, or out shopping, and that I’d ignored them.
And if he dared take my side, she’d burst into tears on the phone so that he’d have to go round and console her.
Her words were vicious, but her actions were even worse.
If I invited her and her doormat of a husband round for dinner (yes, she controlled him too) she’d politely accept, then not turn up, secretly texting Simon afterwards to say she felt my invite was “fake”.
About a year into our relationship, I found out I was pregnant with our son, Josh.
For a while, Jackie softened – but within minutes of his birth, she reverted to type.
I had a terrible labour which culminated in an emergency c-section. Josh then had to be rushed to intensive care.
I felt exhausted, broken and bloody, so we requested that loved ones give us time to rest.
Everyone respected our wishes – except Jackie.
An hour after I’d got off the operating table, she burst into the room armed with balloons and a giant teddy bear.
“We’ve all been through it, you know,” she crowed as I burst into tears and begged Simon to get her out of there.
She even insisted on sneaking into the intensive care unit to see our newborn, even though I hadn’t been able to see him yet.
Jackie’s treatment only worsened when we finally brought Josh home.
She would message me constantly, telling me which wet wipes to use and what kind of vests I should be putting on him.
I even saw messages on Simon’s phone telling him to hide clothes I’d bought for the baby and replace them with ones she’d supplied instead.
The bullying was so bad, I even went to see a counsellor.
Jackie’s interference caused countless arguments and at one point, I even left Simon after she texted him claiming that I was “lazy” and “a useless mum”.
What hurt even more was that he never defended me.
That’s when I realised the level of control she really had over him.
It was relentless and in the end, I left for good.
I realised I would never be able to have a healthy relationship with such a mummy’s boy and that Jackie would never change.
Thankfully, I have little to do with her now, although she did try to continue her antics after we split.
She bombarded my friends and family with messages claiming that I was mentally ill, an unfit mother and needed help.
Luckily, they knew what she was like and blocked her.
But I’ve had to write my story anonymously, for fear of any backlash.
As a mother of a son myself, I understand it can be difficult seeing your child growing up, moving on and having another woman take centre stage.
But I’ve vowed never to be like my ex’s mum and to try to love whoever my son brings home.
I know all too well what it feels like to be on the receiving end of a hate campaign from a woman it is impossible to compete with.
Paramount+’s hit Sylvester Stallone drama Tulsa King is finally back for season three and a new addition to the cast has everyone excited
Tulsa King fans are ecstatic as another action movie legend has joined the cast as a powerful new enemy for crime boss Dwight ‘The General’ Manfredi (played by Sylvester Stallone).
Season three premiered last Sunday night (21st September), taking fans back to the night Dwight was kidnapped by Special Agent Musso (Kevin Pollak).
Thankfully, he’s soon released, albeit as Musso’s new informant on an unknown target, and reunites with Margaret (Dana Delany), apologising for her ranch being ransacked by gunmen the night before.
After a quick visit to his family in Little Italy, Dwight discovers Cleo Montague’s (Bella Heathcote) family distillery is due to be sold to the powerful Dunmire family after her father Theodore (Brett Rice) made a handshake deal.
However, Dwight sees the distillery as a valuable asset to his own empire and promises a better deal for the Montagues.
Fans are saying season three is already an improvement over the previous outing(Image: PARAMOUNT)
Cue the introduction of Tulsa King season three’s terrifying new villain, Jeremiah Dunmire, portrayed by none other than Hollywood star Robert Patrick.
Patrick is best known for portraying the unstoppable T-1000 in James Cameron’s hit action movie sequel Terminator 2: Judgement Day and has more recently landed roles in Yellowstone prequel 1923 and HBO’s Peacemaker.
Jeremiah is naturally furious to discover Theo has reneged on their deal, and sets a group of thugs on his mansion who beat him to a pulp and burn his home to the ground.
Viewers were on the edge of their seats during this nail-biting premiere, which raises the stakes for Dwight and his crew to a whole new level. Fans were also already impressed with Patrick’s performance as this season’s sadistic antagonist.
Dwight’s newest rival Jeremiah Dunmire isn’t playing games(Image: PARAMOUNT)
One ecstatic viewer took to X to reply to Patrick’s recent post in which he warned Dwight not to “cross” him.
Using plenty of fire emojis they exclaimed in the comments: “Yoooo, I just watched the new episode and O M G… and this is just the 1st episode and yall WENT TF OFFF… WOW!! ..
“You ARE GONNA BE A PROBLEMA FOR Dwight. Your character already starting off EVIL AF. Dude, I WAS YELLING AT THE TV AT THE END LIKE NOOO WAY! 10/10 show!!
“I can’t wait for next week.. man oh man.. GANGSTA A*** S***!! Awesome job yall!!!”
Someone else replied: “you’re awesome dude, great career, enjoy your success!!”
Robert Patrick is best known for playing the deadly T-1000 in Terminator 2(Image: TRI-STAR PICTURES)
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Discussion continued over on Reddit, where one user wrote: “Good to see Robert Patrick get consistent acting work.” To which another viewer replied: “He killed it and he was only on screen for a few mins.”
Another said: “Robert Patrick Is [a] great bad guy character.”
While other fans praised the episode in general for starting off the new season strong, with one sharing: “It’s already looking great, way better than season 2’s premiere for sure.”
And a final fan predicted: “Sly’s gonna rip Terminator’s nuts off for killing that old guy!”
Are you excited to see Stallone going head-to-head with one of Hollywood’s greatest villains?
Tulsa King season 3 continues Sundays on Paramount+.
ABC has cancelled Jimmy Kimmel Live! indefinitely after the veteran host, Jimmy Kimmel, made several comments about the reaction to Charlie Kirk’s assassination
03:26, 18 Sep 2025Updated 03:33, 18 Sep 2025
Jimmy Kimmel’s programme has been scrapped(Image: Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Jimmy Kimmel is said to be “p*ssed” over ABC’s decision to axe his late-night show indefinitely.
Jimmy Kimmel Live! has been scrapped following the veteran host’s divisive comments about the reaction to Charlie Kirk’s assassination on Monday and Tuesday’s shows. A group of ABC-affiliated stations said it would not air the programme, citing the remarks broadcast less than one week after the killing as the reason.
But the star, who has hosted and been executive producer of the show since 2003, “isn’t going to take this lightly,” according to sources. One insider said: “Jimmy is p*ssed over the decision to suspend him and the show and he isn’t going to take this lightly, as he is actively looking for ways to get out of his contract. This is the last straw and Jimmy is now looking to forever break his relationship with ABC forever.”
Kimmel is pictured at a Democratic coordinated campaign canvass launch last year(Image: Getty Images)
Kimmel’s comments included: “Many in MAGA land are working very hard to capitalise on the murder of Charlie Kirk.” He also said on Monday’s programme: “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterise this kid ‘who murdered’ Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them, and doing everything they can to score political points from it.”
These were deemed “offensive and insensitive” by Nexstar Communications Group, which operates 23 ABC affiliates, and ABC itself moved swiftly on Wednesday. Kimmel, himself, is yet to comment on ABC’s move but President Donald Trump brazenly posted on Truth Social: “Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done.”
Kimmel’s contract is up in May next year, though, and insiders believe he is now “looking for ways to get out” of the deal. It is believed Kimmel, 57, is set to go on Stephen Colbert’s show in the US in the coming days as Colbert – a Democrat – has also been criticised by Mr Trump after his show was axed by CBS in the summer.
The source told the Daily Mail: “They both are in the same predicament with being against the Trump administration, and they are now looking to do something together to fight for what they believe in. They both don’t want Trump to win in any way or fashion at all, and this has lit an extreme fire under Jimmy’s a** to continue to tell it like it is and be real to himself.”
The suspect in the Kirk case is Tyler Robinson, a young man who grew up in a conservative household in southern Utah but was enmeshed in “leftist ideology.” His parents told investigators he had turned politically left and pro-LGBTQ rights in the last year.
Lewis Crocker has stunned Belfast with his gameplan and conviction
Crocker vs Donovan R7
Lewis Crocker has put on a masterclass in Belfast.
Two knockdowns to the good after a clinic in counter punching.
Six months ago, Donovan bossed the original bout but he lost on a DQ.
Crocker entered the rematch the underdog, but he’s showing bark and bite and brain and brawn.
BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND – SEPTEMBER 13: Lewis Crocker knocks down Paddy Donovan for the second time during the IBF World Welterweight Title fight between Lewis Crocker and Paddy Donovan at Windsor Park on September 13, 2025 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)
Crocker vs Donovan R7
Donovan has now suffered two knockdowns and counts.
But trainer Billy Nelson now tells him to flip the tactics and get on the front foot.
The counter-punching has worked so well. Will the 180 be a mistake?
13 September 2025; Paddy Donovan receives a count from referee Howard Foster during his IBF World Welterweight title bout with Lewis Crocker at Clearer Twist National Football Stadium at Windsor Park in Belfast. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Crocker vs Donovan R6
Donovan now needs knockdowns or this will slip away.
But that could play right into counter-punching Crocker’s heavy hands.
Two 10-8 rounds must have given Crocker the lead and Donovan needs to match those scores.
Donovan down R5!
Donovan is trying to land combinations now, to take the upperhand and block Crocker counters.
Just when Donovan looks like banking another session, he is smashed again and folds.
Donovan gets back to his corner after the count and tells Andy Lee: “I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT HAPPENED”
Another 10-8 round to Crocker
Crocker vs Donovan R4
Crocker buzzed by a lazer of a left-hand uppercut but his legs stay solid.
Then he spins it by smashing Donovan back and wobbling him.
Donovan is clawing back from that early knock down and he is still struggling to adapt to Crocker’s shock counter-punch tactics.
Coleraine were one of three Irish Premiership clubs to miss out on progression to the next stage of the funding process, along with Crusaders and Portadown.
League of Ireland side Derry City also missed out, while Institute and Limavady United were the other clubs from the north west of Northern Ireland not included in the list announced by Lyons on Thursday morning.
“Geographically, for me, the north west has been shafted again,” Higgins said.
“You might say it is sour grapes because of my connection to Coleranie Football Club and Derry City, but I’ll not talk about either – I’ll talk about Institute.
“If there’s one club that needed support it was them. For me, it’s an absolute disgrace.”
Higgins was referring to the loss of Institute’s home ground in Drumahoe, in 2017 after flash flooding left the stadium unusable with Japanese Knotweed.
Institute now play their home matches at Derry City’s Brandywell Stadium and Drumahoe is now being demolished.
Higgins said Stute had been “dealt the worst hand out of everybody” and felt the process was unfair.
“In 2017 they lost their ground through no fault of their own. It’s a brilliant football club run by brilliant people, and they’ve been absolutely trampled on from what I can see.
“They had a disaster eight years ago and they’ve been given no backing at all. That surprises me in one sense, but when you look geographically where they are based, it doesn’t surprise me at all.”
Speaking at the announcement of funding in Belfast on Thursday morning, before Higgins gave his reaction, Lyons said the location of clubs had not come under consideration.
“This hasn’t been done in terms of geography, it has been done in terms of need and other criteria that we set out,” Lyons said.
“Yes, you can look at the two big ones in Belfast but there are many others throughout Northern Ireland.”
Lisa Berns, the niece of retired Gen. Colin L. Powell, passed by a newsstand in Los Angeles over the weekend and found herself reacting with dread and alarm to the news that Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin had just been assassinated.
The Orange County woman’s reaction surfaced again Wednesday, when her uncle announced he would not be running for President, a decision that, in Berns’ words, “hasn’t ruined my day. . . . It takes a lot of the pressure off of us. It takes the worry away.”
“People in public office just put themselves at risk every day, so I’m not unhappy that he decided not to run,” she said.
Lisa Berns’ mother, Marilyn Berns, whose only sibling is Powell, said she had never discussed the dangers of running for office with her brother, “But I know that it concerned us–my husband and our family. I think Colin’s decision was made prior” to Saturday’s tragedy in Israel.
“I wasn’t surprised [by Wednesday’s announcement] because Colin called me [Tuesday] night and told me what his decision was,” said Marilyn Berns, 64, a teacher at Martin Elementary School in Santa Ana until her retirement in June. “I’m pleased about the decision. It’s important to us that he do the thing he feels most comfortable with. . . . We were all getting very edgy about it.”
Berns said that her brother’s consideration of seeking the presidency had left his family subject to prolonged stress.
“There was this monumental decision that had to be made,” Marilyn Berns said. “Both of them [Powell and his wife, Alma], along with their kids, were just meeting and meeting and thinking it over. I didn’t realize until I spoke to him the gravity of what my brother was dealing with. That was very disturbing to me. I got a little teary over that.”
Elsewhere in Orange County, the response was less personal and more political as Democratic and Republican leaders found a common ground: Albeit for their own reasons, both parties agreed that Powell had done the right thing–the only thing he could do, really–in not seeking the White House.
But private citizens throughout the county reacted glumly, saying that Powell’s decision deprived American voters of a candidate whom many felt was potentially the best President of anyone in public life.
Others expressed relief, however, saying the timing just didn’t feel right.
Numerous political pundits said Wednesday that Powell’s wife had been “adamant” about having him decline, language with which both Berns women took issue.
Marilyn Berns said that her sister-in-law “has a lot of input” into her husband’s choices and that “they do things together as a team”–to a point.
Even if Alma Powell had strongly resisted her husband’s running, “she’s not the type of woman who is so forceful that she would ram her views down someone’s throat. That’s not Alma Powell’s style. She gives her input, and that’s it. She doesn’t beat a dead horse.”
“I haven’t talked to my aunt [Alma, Powell’s wife]. I don’t know that she’s adamant about him not running,” said Lisa Berns, a computer saleswoman in Orange County, “but I don’t think she’s got a burning desire for him to run.
“I don’t know what she feels precisely about Rabin’s assassination. I don’t know that it played a big part in their decision, but I will tell you this: I was in L.A. over the weekend visiting friends. I hadn’t been watching the news, or reading the newspaper.
“But at 5 o’clock when I walked by a newsstand and saw that Rabin had been assassinated, my heart sank. I don’t know if anybody else in the family had it cross their minds, but it certainly crossed mine.”
The Berns family is so concerned about its own privacy that both mother and daughter asked not to have published the name of the Orange County community where the family lives.
Despite her uncle’s decision, “I think he would have been great” as President, Lisa Berns said. “I think he would be good at anything he sets out to do. He’s obviously very bright, very well spoken, level-headed, cool. . . . He knows how to work under tremendous pressure in various capacities. He’s a fair person, an eminently decent person.”
On other fronts, Democrats and Republicans across the county were not about to try to persuade Powell to change his mind.
“If he had run, it would have made the Republican [presidential] race even uglier than it is already,” by pitting the moderate Powell against GOP conservatives, said Irvine attorney Jim Toledano, chairman of the Democratic Party in Orange County.
“The announcement comes as no surprise to me,” countered Thomas A. Fuentes, chairman of the Republican Party in Orange County. “I never met a party activist who was favorable to [Powell’s] nomination during all the time the press was touting it.”
It was always the media and never the GOP constituency who wanted Powell to run, Fuentes said, claiming the negative feeling was far more prevalent in the ultraconservative, Republican stronghold of Orange County.
“If there were ever a media-contrived candidacy, this was the best example,” Fuentes said. “To carry our banner requires some time of service to the party and also the full embrace of the values and ideals of the party–and that was lacking.”
Fuentes suggested that party regulars felt the would-be candidate had not yet paid his dues, noting that Powell’s most trusted advisers “obviously shared with him the reality that there was no Powell ground network. There has to be some structure, some network, some reality to a campaign. That not being in place, I think he just came to grips with reality.”
But some people reacted to Wednesday’s news with disappointment.
At the Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace in Yorba Linda, about 150 people watched Powell’s announcement on a big-screen television. Many were both surprised and crestfallen at his decision. “I really thought he had the impetus and the appeal to win,” said 54-year-old Beverly Nocas of Pasadena. “He’s very articulate and I think he could have done a lot for us.”
Norma Canova, a 50-year-old resident of Yorba Linda, said, “I think he could have had a great role in healing racial problems in this country.”
But several onlookers, who had gathered to watch a fashion show called “Dressing the First Lady,” expressed relief.
“I couldn’t vote for him because I don’t know what he stands for,” said 81-year-old Henry Boney of San Diego. “I know that he’s a good salesman though. He created a lot of publicity for his book.”
Newport Beach resident Elaine Parks said she was “very impressed” with Powell, but was heartened by his decision to stay out of the race.
“It would have been divisive to the party, and we need complete unity to beat the current President, which I sincerely hope happens,” Parks said.
Lioness fans tuning in to the procession following the historic win were quick to praise manager Sarina Wiegman’s ‘wholesome’ reaction to parade’s surprise musical guest when she appeared alongside him on stage
14:12, 29 Jul 2025Updated 14:12, 29 Jul 2025
Lioness fans were quick to praise Sarina Wiegman’s ‘wholesome’ reaction to parade’s surprise musical guest during the procession following the historic win.
Alex had been chatting to Sarina when she reminded her that last time they spoke following the Euros win in 2022, she had refused to dance because it was the wrong music. This time, however, organisers had managed to Burna Boy to come to the event and give a rendition of his song For My Hand, which originally featured Ed Sheeran.
Sarina Wiegman danced along with Burna Boy during the celebrations
This time, however, he was joined by none other than Sarina herself and sports fans flooded social media with their reaction to the moment, even though the whole collaboration was not something they saw on the cards. One wrote: “@burnaboyand Sarina Wiegman dancing at the #Lionesses homecoming was not something I had expected to see today So wholesome!! Oluwa Burna,” and another said: “Sarina Wiegman dancing up there on that stage is just brilliant.”
Sarina worked the crowds and her dancing became a hit amongst social media users
One praised Sarina for knowing all the words to the 2022 hit single, and another proclaimed: “This is what you call a manager who can have fun, let her hair down and party like her team! Sarina is the one!” whilst a fifth fanatic joked that the Dutch native is ‘never leaving’ the UK.
The crowds cheered as Sarina partied along on stage, and she also explained how she had managed to ‘stay calm’ on the journey to the victory as she joked: “It was chaos. I had hoped for a little less chaos. But they didn’t keep their to promise to finish things quicker! But yeah, as we always have a plan, and we try to execute that, and the players on the pitch, we just kept having hope all the time and belief. And they just showed up when it was really necessary and urgent.”
“I think you start with talent, there’s a huge talent pool within this team, also, what we want to do is play to our strengths but I think that the bonding in this team this time…in 2022, we had great bonding but it’s made the absolute difference now, that everyone was ready to step up and support each other and it was just amazing to be a part of.”
An open-top bus procession took place along The Mall, culminating with a staged ceremony at the Queen Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace starting at approximately 12:30pm. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer hailed the team’s triumph, saying: “The Lionesses have once again captured the hearts of the nation. Their victory is not only a remarkable sporting achievement, but an inspiration for young people across the country.
“It stands as a testament to the determination, resilience and unity that define this outstanding team.” Despite the historic achievement, it is understood Downing Street has no plans for a bank holiday to mark the Lionesses’ triumph.
Supporters stood on tables, waved flags, threw drinks in the air and excitedly hugged each other as England claimed victory, while the Prince of Wales and Sir Keir watched on from the stands in Basel. Alessia Russo gave the Lionesses hope of retaining their Euros title with her second-half equaliser after Mariona Caldentey netted the opener for Spain in the 25th minute.
Roozbeh Farahanipour sat in the blue-green glow of his Westwood restaurant’s 220-gallon saltwater aquarium and worried about Iran, his voice accented in anguish.
It was Sunday morning, and the homeland he fled a quarter-century ago had been bombed by the U.S. military, escalating a conflict that began nine days earlier when Israel sprang a surprise attack on its perennial Middle Eastern foe.
“Anger and hate for the Iranian regime — I have it, but I try to manage it,” said Farahanipour, owner of Delphi Greek restaurant and two other nearby eateries. “I don’t think that anything good will come out of this. If, for any reason, the regime is going to be changed, either we’re facing another Iraq or Afghanistan, or we’re going to see the Balkans situation. Iran is going to be split in pieces.”
Farahanipour, 53, who’d been a political activist before fleeing Iran, rattled off a series of questions as a gray-colored shark made lazy loops in the tank behind him. What might happen to civilians in Iran if the U.S. attack triggers a more widespread war? What about the potential loss of Israeli lives? And Americans, too? After wrestling with those weighty questions, he posed a more workaday one: “What’s gonna be the gas price tomorrow?”
Such is life for Iranian Americans in Los Angeles, a diaspora that comprises the largest Iranian community outside of Iran. Farahanipour, like other Iranian Americans interviewed by The Times, described “very mixed and complicated” feelings over the crisis in Iran, which escalated early Sunday when the U.S. struck three nuclear sites there, joining an Israeli effort to disrupt the country’s quest for an atomic weapon.
About 141,000 Iranian Americans live in L.A. County, according to the Iranian Data Dashboard, which is hosted by the UCLA Center for Near Eastern Studies. The epicenter of the community is Westwood, where the neighborhood’s namesake boulevard is speckled with storefronts covered in Persian script.
On Sunday morning, reaction to news of the conflict was muted in an area nicknamed “Tehrangeles” — a reference to Iran’s capital — after it welcomed Iranians who emigrated to L.A. during the 1979 Islamic Revolution. In some stores and restaurants, journalists from CNN, Spectrum News and other outlets outnumbered Iranian patrons. At Attari Sandwich Shop, known for its beef tongue sandwich, the pre-revolution Iranian flag hung near the cash register — but none of the diners wanted to give an interview.
“No thank you; [I’m] not really political,” one middle-aged guest said with a wry smile.
Kevan Harris, an associate professor of sociology at UCLA, said that any U.S. involvement in a military conflict with Iran is freighted with meaning, and has long been the subject of hand-wringing.
“This scenario — which seems almost fantastical in a way — is something that has been in the imagination: the United States is going to bomb Iran,” said Harris, an Iranian American who wrote the book “A Social Revolution: Politics and the Welfare State in Iran.” “For 20 years, this is something that has been regularly discussed.”
Many emigres find themselves torn between deep dislike and resentment of the authoritarian government they fled, and concern about the family members left behind. Some in Westwood were willing to chat.
A woman who asked to be identified only as Mary, out of safety concerns for her family in Iran, said she had emigrated five years ago and was visiting L.A. with her husband. The Chicago resident said that the last week and a half have been very difficult, partly because many in her immediate family, including her parents, still live in Tehran. They recently left the city for another location in Iran due to the ongoing attacks by Israeli forces.
“I am talking to them every day,” said Mary, 35.
Standing outside Shater Abbass Bakery & Market — whose owner also has hung the pre-1979 Iranian flag — Mary said she was “hopeful and worried.”
“It’s a very confusing feeling,” she said. “Some people, they are happy because they don’t like the government — they hate the government.” Others, she said, are upset over the destruction of property and death of civilians.
Mary had been planning to visit her family in Iran in August, but that’s been scrambled. “Now, I don’t know what I should do,” she said.
Not far from Westwood, Beverly Hills’ prominent Iranian Jewish community was making its presence felt. On Sunday morning, Shahram Javidnia, 62, walked near a group of pro-Israel supporters who were staging a procession headed toward the city’s large “Beverly Hills” sign. One of them waved an Israeli flag.
Javidnia, an Iranian Jew who lives in Beverly Hills and opposes the government in Iran, said he monitors social media, TV and radio for news of the situation there.
“Now that they’re in a weak point,” he said of Iran’s authoritarian leadership, “that’s the time maybe for the Iranians to rise up and try to do what is right.”
Javidnia came to the U.S. in 1978 as a teenager, a year before revolution would lead to the overthrow of the shah and establishment of the Islamic Republic. He settled in the L.A. area, and hasn’t been back since. He said returning is not something he even thinks about.
“The place that I spent my childhood is not there anymore,” he said. “It doesn’t exist.”
When two young men broke into a British family’s hotel room in Benidorm, a mum-of-two had a totally fearless reaction to the terrifying situation – and she has issued an urgent warning to holidaymakers
12:45, 19 Jun 2025Updated 12:48, 19 Jun 2025
Becca Farley had a fearless reaction to intruders in her hotel room (Image: Becca Farley / SWNS)
When a British mum was faced with a terrifying situation on holiday in Benidorm – her reaction was totally fearless.
As her family prepared to say goodbye to their holiday in the sunshine and return home to Eastleigh, Hampshire – they were warned about the potential for power cuts in the hotel.
So Becca Farley, 27, decided to stroll back to her hotel room to make sure that the family’s phones were charged up ahead of their flight home the following day, but things quickly took a terrifying turn.
Becca was staying at the Magical Tropical Splash in Benidorm, and was sharing a family-sized room – that set them back £2500 for the week – with her partner and two children, ages six and 11.
The mum-of-two went back to the room by herself to charge their phones(Image: Becca Farley / SWNS)
But the mum-of-two was on her own as she made her way back to the room. “As I got in the lift these two teenagers got in the lift with me and just pressed my floor level,” she explained.
“I honestly didn’t think anything of it because there’s five rooms per floor so I just assumed they were going to one of them.”
As she arrived on her floor, things got a little bit weird. The two young men walked straight into her room, the door of which was ajar, with a shoe being used as a wedge.
She reported the incident to hotel security(Image: Becca Farley / SWNS)
“I thought oh s**t I have obviously got off on the wrong floor, what a palaver I’m going to have to wait for the lift again. But it was the right floor,” she said. “It happened all quite quickly and they just strolled straight into my room.
“I then followed in after them, which in hindsight, I shouldn’t have because you hear horror stories and I think it could have gone sour.
“But I just didn’t really think and went straight into the room and shouted ‘What are you doing in my room?'”
The mum-of-two has said after the scary experience she wouldn’t take the kids away by herself(Image: Becca Farley / SWNS)
One of the criminals began raising their voice at Becca, speaking in Spanish, but the incredible mum-of-two stood her ground, screaming “Get the f*** out, get the f*** out, get the f*** out.”
Eventually, given Becca’s screaming, the pair cut their losses and scarpered – giving her the opportunity to slam the door shut and lock it, but the ordeal wasn’t over. The intruders returned and began banging repeatedly on her door – leaving the mum-of-two “petrified” inside.
She said: “I know it sounds silly and people have said ‘you should have done this, you should have locked them in the room, you should have decked them’, but at that moment I think it was just that invasion of privacy.
“This is supposed to be your safe place when you are away, you’re away from home, we don’t travel all that often so we were really shaken.”
The incident massively impacted the holidaymaker, and she admitted “That night I did not sleep because I was flinching at every noise,” and added that, “If it had happened earlier on in the week we would have flown home.”
She reported the incident to the security at the hotel, and she was told that similar incidents had occurred recently – with one family having all their valuables stolen, including their passports.
The family were staying at the Magical Tropical Splash(Image: Becca Farley / SWNS)
Becca urged all holidaymakers to stay on high alert whilst they are away, and don’t let the relaxing nature of a break in the sunshine make you “naive”.
“I would advise just to be alert,” she said. “A lot of people have said we were scaremongering people not to go away, not at all.
“We will certainly go on holiday again, it’s not a case of us never going abroad again but I think it’s just having that awareness that if you are a lone woman, please be careful.
“I’m very lucky that I’m OK but I think it’s just a case of having your wits about you a bit more. When you go on holiday you tend to relax and become a little bit naive to these situations.”
She advised that people buy some padlocks and keep their valuables locked away in their suitcases whilst on holiday. “Obviously keep your valuables safe.
“I know some people say don’t use the safes, we personally lock all of ours and padlock them in our suitcases.
“I think it’s just a case of having your wits about you and knowing not to get comfortable in somewhere you’ve never been before.”
The mum-of-two added that she will be thinking twice after the scary incident and being extra careful the next time she goes abroad. “I’m considering getting a webcam that you can put in your room next time we go away. I will carry on locking my stuff away. I would never take the kids away on my own.
“I certainly wouldn’t have cleaners in my room ever again, not to say it definitely was them but they have access to your room.
“I don’t know if I would feel comfortable going up to a room on my own again,” she added.
Magical Tropical Splash Hotel has been contacted for comment.
June 17 (UPI) — Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is resting in a Washington, D.C., hospital after suffering an allergic reaction on Tuesday.
Noem, 53, suffered an allergic reaction that required an ambulance ride and hospitalization.
“Secretary Noem … was transported to the hospital out of an abundance of caution,” DHS spokeswoman TriciaMcLaughlin told media.
Noem is “alert and recovering,” McLaughlin added without saying what caused the allergic reaction.
Secret Service agents were posted outside the hospital’s entrances.
Noem is the former governor of South Dakota and was nominated to President Donald Trump‘s cabinet after he took office in January. The Senate confirmed her in late January.
Noem has been instrumental in helping the Trump administration enforce federal immigration laws and last week was in Los Angeles during controversial Immigration and Customs Enforcement activities there.
While speaking at a press event on ICE activities in Los Angeles on Thursday, U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., entered and began shouting a question for Noem, which prompted security to remove him from the press event.
Padilla afterward said he was not trying to upstage Noem, who met with him after the press event ended.
Trump had called up the California National Guard to protect federal buildings while ICE raids continue in Los Angeles, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth deployed 700 Marines to help.
Noem also is in charge of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which she has recommended be disbanded.
She says the agency is ineffective, and Trump has said he intends to dismantle FEMA following the current tropical storm season.
But prior to Saturday’s action, Trump indicated his working relationship with Musk was irreparable.
“I’m too busy doing other things. I won an election in a landslide,” he said.
“I gave [Musk] a lot of breaks, long before this happened.
“I gave him breaks in my first administration, and saved his life in my first administration, I have no intention of speaking to him.”
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Elon Musk (right) accompanied Trump to his last UFC event in AprilCredit: AFP
Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s complicated relationship
Former president Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s relationship started rocky, but the pair have since reconciled, with Musk fully endorsing Trump and interviewing him on X Spaces on August 12.
In 2022, Elon Musk and Donald Trump publicly feuded on X, then still known as Twitter.
Trump called Musk a liar and “bulls**t artist” during a rally in Alaska.
“Elon is not going to buy Twitter,” Trump said at the time.
“You know, he said the other day, ‘I’ve never voted for a Republican.’ I said, ‘I didn’t know that – you told me you voted for me. So he’s another bulls**t artist, but he’s not going to be buying it.”
In response to Trump’s critiques, the SpaceX founder clapped back.
“I don’t hate the man, but it’s time for Trump to hang up his hat & sail into the sunset,” Musk posted.
Musk also went on to buy X months later.
The X owner said he had previously voted mostly for Democrats since becoming a United States citizen in 2002.
Musk initially backed Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to be the Republican Party’s presidential nominee.
“My preference for the 2024 presidency is someone sensible and centrist,” Musk wrote on X in 2022.
“I had hoped that would [be] the case for the Biden administration, but have been disappointed so far.”
His shift in political parties might be attributed to his plummeting relationship with President Joe Biden who didn’t invite Musk to the 2021 White House electric vehicle summit.
Despite their past issues, Trump and Musk’s relationship took a turn in March after they met at Mar-a-Lago.
Trump was also previously against electric vehicles but has since changed his stance.
“I’m for electric cars,” he said at a rally earlier this month.
“I have to be, because Elon endorsed me very strongly. So I have no choice.”
Following the assassination attempt at Trump’s rally in July, Musk announced his support for the former president.
“I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery,” Musk wrote on X after the shooting.
During a recent press conference, Trump spoke highly of Musk.
“I respect Elon a lot. He respects me,” he said.
“Elon, more than almost anybody I know, he loves this country. He loves the concept of this country, but like me, he says this country is in big trouble, it’s in tremendous danger.”
Musk has been pictured at events at Mar-a-Lago and the UFC, buddying up with Trump.
Trump selected Musk to lead the Department of Government Efficiency – a taskforce aimed at cutting bureaucracy.
In the Octagon, it was a night to remember for Dvalishvili, who proved too strong for O’Malley in their main event rematch.
The reigning bantamweight champion secured his first-ever UFC submission following a brutal choke-out.
And he celebrated by vaulting out of the Octagon for a handshake and words with Trump.
The President also shook hands with a devastated O’Malley, who was able to leave the Octagon under his own steam after the choke.
“He was well trained, he was well prepared, and I knew that he was going to make changes,” Dvalishvili told reporters after the third round win.
“Every time I lost I made big changes and I learned from it.
“But I’m getting better and better. I wasn’t showing this technique [before] and I have more tools in my pocket I’m still working on, and then little by little I will show.
“Now it’s my time.”
Elsewhere on the main card, there were also wins for Kayla Harrison, Joe Pyfer, Holland, and Mario Bautista.
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Trump was given a hero’s welcome by the crowdCredit: Getty
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Kevin Holland shook hands with Trump after beating Vicente LuqueCredit: Reuters
Jane Moore, who has been in her second stint on Loose Women since 2013, noted the response from some pundits at the ITV announcement it – and Lorraine – will only run 30 weeks of the year from 2026
05:45, 28 May 2025Updated 05:47, 28 May 2025
Jane Moore has blasted the ‘snooty reaction’to the news Loose Women is being slashed to 30 weeks of the year(Image: YouTube)
Jane Moore has blasted the “snooty reaction” of some pundits at the announcement Loose Women is to be cut back to 30 weeks of the year.
The journalist, who claims ITV intends to use money it will save with the move by investing in more sport programmes, said she was “immensely disappointed” to see comments she called “lazy misogyny”. She wrote: “One male commentator for a broadsheet casually dismissed Loose Women — on air for 25 years — as a ‘gabfest’… The snooty reaction from some quarters was immensely disappointing.”
Jane, 63, does not name the broadsheet – or commentator – in her opinion piece but goes onto list several examples of moments on Loose Women where key political figures have been held to account.
Writing for The Sun, the journalist said: “Clearly he hadn’t seen the episode when Janet Street Porter turned to then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and demanded: ‘Why do you hate pensioners?’… Or when a squirming Nigel Farage was put on the spot and declared afterwards ‘that was one of the scariest things I’ve ever done.'”
Jane said Loose Women often discuss serious issues, such as cancer here with Coleen Nolan’s brother Brian, in March (Image: ITV)
Loose Women, a staple on ITV since 2000, also won a Royal Television Society award earlier this year for its Facing It Together campaign against domestic violence.
But it and Lorraine are casualties of a major ITV shake-up, as both daytime programmes will only run 30 weeks of the year from 2026. It is thought the move will save the network money but Jane, who was on I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! last year, understands cash will go into sport programmes instead.
The experienced broadcaster added: “When it was announced that one of the precious few, all-female shows was being cut back to 30 weeks a year to save money for, among other things, more sport, the snooty reaction from some quarters was immensely disappointing.
“We always cover the day’s main news stories, as well as important topics such as, among many other things, miscarriage, post-natal depression, menopause, midlife female invisibility (oh the irony) and breast cancer awareness.”
Jane has been a regular on Loose Women since 2013 and had a three-year stint some time before then, ending in 2002. She works alongside multiple panelists, whose ages range from 25 to 85-year old TV legend Gloria Hunniford. It is thought the numbers will be cut next year, alongside the hours available.
Lorraine Kelly, meanwhile, is also said to be unhappy with the changes. She has had her own, self-titled morning programme on ITV since 2010. But an ITV source told us this week: “She has been an icon of ITV but serious cuts need to be made and her show has been cut to just 30 minutes, which after ad breaks will be a very short chunk of time.”
Here’s how SunSport’s boxing correspondent Wally Downes Jr saw the fight.
DAVE ALLEN scored a knockout of the year contender to brutally finish his Johnny Fisher rivalry.
The 33-year-old Doncaster man was on the wrong end of a controversial decision against the Romford ticket seller, 26 in December in Saudi Arabia.
But he snatched his career out of the hands of the judges at Stratford’s Copper Box by smashing Fisher in the fifth round with a brilliant left hook, leaving the brave history graduate needing oxygen.
Read the rest here:
Nothing from Fisher
We won’t be hearing from Johnny Fisher tonight because the British Boxing Board of Control will not allow him to speak.
It’s not clear if he will be making his way to hospital tonight, but that was a vicious KO and they may decide it’s best if he gets properly checked over.
We’ll provide an update if and when we get one.
Will they meet again?
While Eddie Hearn mentioned a rematch clause, Allen said he’s not interested.
The White Rhino said: “I wouldn’t allow [a trilogy fight] to happen, because it’s not in his best interests.”
More from Allen
This was Allen’s in-ring interview in a bit more depth: “I knew the first fight did me a world of good.
“I put a bit of weight on, I knew it would pay dividends, took the risk. I’m the fattest, hardest man you’ll ever see.
“You know what it means? The belt, everything.
“My kids, yeah – I’m gonna have an en suite, they’ll have their own bathroom between them.
“At this level, I’m a handful. He overexaggerated the movement, which worked against him.
“I’ve got experience, I know the game inside-out. I’m him, but with 30 more fights basically.
“He’s my friend. He’s a very good friend of mine.”
‘Cinderella story’
Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn said: “If anyone was gonna break your heart, you’d want it to be Dave Allen. It’s a real Cinderella story.
“Changed his life again, but this time in a big, big way. He just knew too much in there.
“Johnny, the board wouldn’t let him do an interview, he’s a brave man. Maybe he shouldn’t have taken the rematch, but he wanted to put the wrongs right.
“Johnny’s got to come back and rebuild.”
Hearn mentions a rematch clause, but says it’s one for “down the line.”
Hollywood executives scrambled Monday to interpret President Trump’s call for stiff tariffs on movies produced outside the U.S. — a bombshell proposal that would upend how movies have been made for years.
Trump on Sunday night announced that he was authorizing a 100% tariff on movies “coming into our Country that are produced in Foreign Lands.” The proposal, like many other Trump-imposed tariffs, is aimed at bringing a key industry back home.
Studios shoot many of their feature films in Canada, Britain, Bulgaria, New Zealand and Australia. Such countries offer incentives to attract high-paying jobs and get their landmarks featured on the big screen.
“The Movie Industry in America is DYING a very fast death,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “Hollywood, and many other areas within the U.S.A., are being devastated.”
Studio executives were caught off guard.
Many filmmakers would like to work in the U.S. but would rather see the government institute its own national tax credit. Tariffs, many argue, would hasten the film industry’s demise rather than preventing it, because they would increase costs. Plus, it’s unclear how a tariff on movies would actually work.
“Nobody knows, and I don’t suspect we will for awhile,” said one high-level film industry executive who was not authorized to comment. “Is it on domestically funded foreign productions? Is it on foreign funded ones? Is the tariff on film revenues or film costs on those projects, or both?”
Foreign production incentives have hobbled Los Angeles’ production economy, which has been ailing after COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns, labor strikes and a retrenchment by traditional entertainment companies after losing billions of dollars on streaming services to compete with Netflix. The January wildfires in Pacific Palisades and Altadena dealt another setback.
Major entertainment companies declined to comment. The president’s announcement sparked a frenzy of questions, including whether U.S.-based companies, such as Walt Disney Co., Warner Bros. Discovery, Amazon and Netflix, would be subject to the tariffs simply for shooting a movie outside the U.S.
According to data from the Motion Picture Assn., the U.S. runs a $15.3-billion trade surplus with its exports of entertainment.
“This creates an incredible uncertainty in the industry,” said Nick Vyas, founding executive director of the Randall R. Kendrick Global Supply Chain Institute at USC. “This is the one industry where we have created a huge advantage.”
Key details must be worked out, the White House cautioned Monday. White House spokesman Kush Desai said in a statement that “no final decisions on foreign film tariffs have been made.”
Some crew leaders applauded Trump’s instinct to protect American jobs.
“Studios chase cheap production costs overseas while gutting the American workforce that built the film and TV industry,“ said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien and Motion Picture Division Director Lindsay Dougherty in a statement.
But a movie tariff would be complicated in practice.
Similar to Detroit’s auto industry, different phases of production often occur outside the U.S., such as adding special effects.
Tariffs are typically imposed when a product arrives at a port of entry, at which time the importer of record must pay the tax before the item is released. That wouldn’t be feasible for films, which are distributed digitally.
Digital products are also not part of the normal tariff regime, which would make it difficult to determine its valuation, said Tony Gulotta, principal and national tax practice leader at Ryan, a global business tax-focused firm.
Adding to the obstacles, the World Trade Organization also has a moratorium on taxation of digital trade that runs through March 2026, he said.
Administration officials are expected to meet with studio executives and the MPA to seek clarity about whether tariffs will be based on a film’s budget, its revenue, theater ticket prices or streaming service subscriber fees.
Another question: Would television shows, many of which are filmed in Canada and the U.K., be included?
“This is no small thing,” Frank Albarella, a media and telecommunications executive at consulting firm KPMG. “It could be really disruptive to the industry.”
The call to enhance U.S. production comes after Trump tapped a trio of actors — Jon Voight, Sylvester Stallone and Mel Gibson — to be his “special ambassadors” to Hollywood.
Voight and his manager, Steven Paul, traveled to Florida to present a plan to Trump during an in-person meeting this past weekend at Mar-a-Lago.
The plan was developed after meeting with Hollywood unions, studios and streamers, and addressed multiple potential ways to help the U.S. film business. Those included federal tax incentives, co-production treaties with other countries, infrastructure subsidies, job training and “tariffs in certain limited circumstances,” according to a statement from Paul’s production company.
“The American film industry, and Hollywood, is a beacon for teaching the American Dream to the world and is an engine for job growth and career opportunity,” Paul said in the statement.
But it was Trump himself who came up with the tariff plan, a White House official said.
Congressional leaders warned that tariffs were not the best way to boost the American film industry.
“If President Trump is serious about maintaining a dominant U.S. film industry and keeping production jobs in the United States,” said Rep. Laura Friedman (D-Glendale), a former film producer, “I invite him to join me in fighting for a national film tax credit that levels the playing field with overseas incentives.”
Runaway production is a decades-old trend, but leaders say its impact on California has reached a crisis point.
Such programs as Netflix’s “Bridgerton,” and movies including Universal’s “Wicked” and “How to Train Your Dragon,” Warner Bros. “The Conjuring: Last Rites” and “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” from Disney’s Marvel were shot in the U.K.
In addition to lower labor costs, studios have moved overseas to give productions local flavor for audiences in those continents. Films often collect as much as 60% of their revenue from international audiences.
Some experts warned that imposing stiff tariffs could invite reciprocal levies from other territories.
The news could also dampen dealmaking at the Cannes Film Festival in France next week due to the uncertainty of the proposed policy.
Senior debt lenders have expressed concern about how this will affect distribution, said Peter Marshall, managing principal of media insurance services at Epic Insurance Brokers & Consultants.
“If you wanted to time a bombshell statement to frustrate the independent film sector, you would say it now, right before the largest market in the world,” Marshall said. “This will, I think, almost certainly cast a huge pall over that.”
Times staff writers Michael Wilner, Stacy Perman and Wendy Lee contributed to this report.
Model Christine McGuinness, who announced her split from Paddy McGuinness in 2022, issued a statement on her sudden exit from E4 reality programme, Celebs Go Dating
23:40, 02 May 2025Updated 23:43, 02 May 2025
Celebs Go Dating expert shares reaction to Christine McGuinness’ shock exit(Image: Channel 4)
Christine was revealed as part of the line-up last week, with her having been set to appear in the fourteenth series of the E4 show alongside the likes of Kerry Katona. Filming was already underway for the show and the cast are understood to have jetted off to Ibiza for a trip recently, but Christine said the experience is “too soon” for her.
Dr Tara shared her thoughts on Christine’s exit(Image: Channel 4)
Christine said in her statement: “I joined Celebs Go Dating with great intentions but have realised that dating on a public platform and the attention that brings is just too soon for me.
“They’ve said the door is always open for me which I’m so grateful but for now I’m returning home to my family.” A spokesperson for Celebs Go Dating said in a statement that those behind the show have “loved” working with Christine and “respect her feelings”.
They said: “We have loved having Christine on the show and completely respect her feelings and decision to return home and have told her that the door is always open for her in the future at the agency.”
Christine departed the show and said ‘it’s too soon for her’(Image: Channel 4)
Following her statement, Dr Tara, the show’s ‘sexpert’, shared her thoughts on the departure and said it was ‘incredibly brave’ of Christine to recognise ‘when the timing isn’t right’.
“Her situation outside of the show is very complex so we will focus on helping her gain clarity about what she wants to do moving forward and build confidence in dating again,” Dr Tara said to The Sun.
“As a dating expert, I admire Christine for putting her wellbeing first. Opening up to love on such a public platform isn’t easy, and it’s incredibly brave to recognise when the timing isn’t right.” She added the show would ‘welcome her back with open arms’ if she feels ready in the future.
Dr Tara is currently out in Ibiza filming alongside returning experts Anna Williamson and Paul C Brunson, alongside celebrity clients including Kerry Katona and Love Island star, Olivia Hawkins.
Christine’s involvement with the show comes three years on from the news that she had separated from Paddy McGuinness. The former couple, who have three children together, announced that they had split up back in 2022.
Speaking about joining the show, Christine previously said: “I’m really excited to be joining the agency, I’m going to have a summer of fun! Who knows what might happen? I’ve not really dated much before, so I feel like I’m doing a crash course!
“I’m looking forward to getting to know the other celebs and I’m especially looking forward to the coaching side of things with the agents. I think that’s going to be good for me.”
