Professional dancer Alan Bersten, who suffered injuries, will return to the floor of ‘Dancing with the Stars’ with his leg supporter, animal advocate Elaine Bredehoft, after a week where she was not competing due to an injury. The couple shared a very emotional message announcing their happiness to dance again and at the same time connecting with their audience in a deep way. The news of their return has been a great relief and added a lot of excitement for the viewers after the couple’s absence, which was very impactful.
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In a very simple but strong manner, Alan Bersten said, ‘We can’t wait to dance for you all on Tuesday 🙏🏼❤️’. The following day’s playful video showed the partners’ vibrancy and assertiveness, as if they were already claiming the dance floor. The announcement was a beacon of hope to the spectators after the couple had gone through a rather difficult episode.
Last week’s performance was an emotional roller coaster for the fans, and many messages pointed out the strong emotional impact of seeing Bersten all alone on stage. A user put it in a very poignant way, saying, ‘Elaine might never miss a show again because I’ve never seen Alan so sad as last week when he was standing alone on stage! 😭💔’. He was making the sadness that the audience felt very clear, and indeed it was very compassionate of one person to be concerned and talk about the hardship of the professional dancer when another said, ‘I never want to see you that sad again,’ making the undercurrent of concern very clear.
The discussion about that night went on for quite a while, one viewer critiquing the show’s production, saying, ‘that was diabolical. they never said it was bottom 3. They just be like one of these 3 is going home. Couldn’t they have called them as the first 3 oh my gosh 😑☠’. The gloom of everyone was indeed apparent with many explaining how Bersten hugging himself on stage was a moment that ‘broke me with sadness’.
The atmosphere has finally transformed from one of sadness to the one of pure exhilaration and backing the cause. The followers are right there with the comeback, one comment saying, ‘We’re all soooo excited to see you two dancing again ❤️’. Another supporter insisted, ‘I demand a standing ovation from around the world when Elaine finishes her dance this week. That is all,’ indicating the massive excitement surrounding their return.
The special bond between Bersten and Bredehoft was another point that the commentators highlighted. One viewer accurately described their connection as, ‘You two give off the cool aunt/protective nephew vibe. 👏’. Bersten was, in fact, part of the discussion when he commented about this saying, ‘sounds about right! 🙂🙃,’ which reflects the charming and unique side of their relationship. Another fan mentioned, ‘Their chemistry is so great,’ which seems to be one of the factors that unite the couple’s fanbase.
Support extended even to the smallest fans thus proving the attractivness of the pair to a diverse audience. One mom wrote, ‘My kids aged 9 &12 have been really concerned about you guys this week. We love you and hope you are getting better. Can’t wait to see you sparkle this week.’ Bredehoft did not take long to think it over and replied the mother by asking, ‘Please, give those sweet angels a big hug from me! I’m bruised but I’m going to be just fine. Get ready to cheer for us on Tuesday! ❤️❤️.’ This interaction shows the supportive and heartfelt bond the couple has with their audience in a very accessible way.
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A week that was full of concerns and disappointments has now turned into a positive anticipation-filled atmosphere. The overwhelming response they received to their post announcing return has confirmed the idea that Alan Bersten and Elaine Bredehoft will have the highest level of commitment and the most passionate following. Their story on the show is still one of partnerships, perseverance, and the simple joy of dancing which is told far and wide, as their supporters are always ready to vote and cheer, with their volume turned up more than ever. Fans are particularly excited to see them recreate iconic Parent Trap scenes again. Elaine Hendrix, who shares a special bond with her partner, recently posted about their team partnership. The couple previously delivered a stunning contemporary performance that wowed audiences. Alan has also become known for teaching his viral trust fall move to others.
Writing a novel is a lonely endeavor, one that requires thousands of hours in quiet solitude. Or so I used to believe. In the years after the pandemic, I started meeting with four other writers — Jade Chang, Angela Flournoy, Aja Gabel and Xuan Juliana Wang — for regular work sessions at Little Dom’s, the cozy Italian American restaurant on Hillhurst Avenue in Los Feliz. We sat cloistered in a corner booth and adhered to the Pomodoro method, increasing the usual 25 minutes of work to 40, with breaks in between to talk, over giant meatballs in marinara sauce, fried potatoes with garlic and lemon, butter lettuce Italian tuna salad. What did we talk about in those breaks? Seldomly about our book projects — but everything else, from the serious to the frivolous. The point wasn’t to share pages or workshop chapters. All of us had published one book and were writing our sophomore manuscripts. The point, simply, was being together, bearing witness to each other’s lives, week by week, as women and as friends.
This fall, three from our group have new novels out: Jade Chang’s “What a Time to Be Alive”; Angela Flournoy’s “The Wilderness”; and Aja Gabel’s “Lightbreakers.” We met up for lunch, no laptops this time, to reflect on the years since we began meeting for “poms.”
Jean Chen Ho: So, how did we start writing together at Little Dom’s?
Jade Chang: I think that we started with only working together occasionally. And I feel like there was a little skepticism. But then people liked it …
Aja Gabel: I was very skeptical. I never worked with other writers before.
Jade Chang, left, wears a vintage tuxedo shirt and custom pants; Angela Flournoy, center, wears a vintage vest, Melody Ehsani earrings and vintage custom bracelets and rings; Aja Gabel, right, wears an Ali Golden dress.
Xuan Juliana Wang: The pomodoros helped.
AG: Yeah, setting the timer. I had an office that I paid for, and then I would sometimes go to meet up with you guys at Little Dom’s, and I started to realize I would get more done in a shorter amount of time, with you guys. Usually if I try to work with someone, I would just talk and talk and talk and talk and talk, be totally distracted. But because everybody was really focused on their novels …
Angela Flournoy: I mean, it’s very hard to write a second book. So it helped to feel like you’re not alone. I also think that for me, I put aside my skepticism because I had been inside, a lot, talking to a child all day. I needed to be outside, talking to adults.
JCH: How far along was everyone on their book projects before the poms and co-working started?
AF: When I started working with you guys, in January of 2022, I was working on my memoir. I gave myself until June, then I sold the book by August. And then the second year of poms, 2023, was all novel. I hadn’t really worked on it since 2019. It was dormant because I was taking care of a child.
JC: I knew what I wanted to write, I knew how I wanted to write it, but I hadn’t really found the voice yet for this novel. I had a lot of notes, pages and pages.
AG: When I really started writing with you all, I had a draft but was like, “God, you need to fix this.” This was like the fifth or sixth draft. I did the whole final draft with you guys, which was kind of a page-one rewrite. I just started at the beginning and rewrote everything again. I pulled some stuff from previous drafts.
“The sheer pleasure of making up stories about people while sitting there with other people who are so good at making up stories is just so fun.”
XJW: I was at a place where I couldn’t write anything. Sometimes it was just having that set time, forcing yourself to write anything down. After the pandemic, and after having kids, it was like I forgot who I was and how to be — and then it took the poms, 30 minutes at a time, to remember who I was again, a writer.
AF: That’s beautiful.
AG: I had been writing and rewriting this novel since I sold it in 2020. I felt like I might not finish it. But I think seeing how determined you guys were to finish reminded me that that’s the mode you have to be in.
JC: Oh, no. Is our closest equivalent like being a run club?
JCH: Ew! No —
AF: Absolutely not.
JC: I thought run clubs are about, like, not being competitive, and everyone finishing? I mean, the last thing I would ever do is join a run club, so truly, I don’t really know.
AG: When we did poms, I would have to come with a plan because we only had the 40-minute chunk, so I was like, “I’m gonna do this scene today.” And when I’m alone, I think I would just be like, “What’s my feeling today?” And then it would take eight hours, and I would get the same scene. At a certain point, when you’re writing a novel, you just need to finish it. You can’t just feel your way through.
“I mean, it’s very hard to write a second book. So it helped to feel like you’re not alone.”
AF: I feel like there was a moment Jade started cracking the whip a little bit at work. We started having timed breaks. Before that, the length of the breaks in between working was purely based on vibes!
AG: Who was in charge of making the poms longer?
AF: Did they used to be 30 minutes? 25? That wasn’t enough time.
JCH: Well, I have to say it’s very inspiring as the person who hasn’t finished their novel to see all of you guys get there, and now your books are all coming out this fall. Can you talk about how it feels to not only have written these books together, but to be in the same publication season?
JC: It’s so much fun! What a weird surprise and treat. When I published the first book, I only knew one other person who had ever written a book. I didn’t know any other writers. I hadn’t gotten an MFA. I didn’t have friends where you get the behind-the-scenes story of how the book was written.
AG: Yeah, because we were there when the stuff was made, you know? When I had the first book out, there were people that I would see who came out at the same time as me, and I was like, they must have done something better than me. But all of us were together when this stuff was all getting cooked. I know we all worked hard. Are you and Julie going to come out in the same season?
JCH: I hope so!
AG: Is our publication affecting you guys?
JC: Yeah, have you been nervous?
JCH: Oh, it’s so much fun when it’s not happening to you. None of the anxiety.
XJW: Yeah, it’s way more fun!
JC: Really?
XJW: It makes me feel like it is possible for me to finish writing the second book. Watching you three do it, it wasn’t like I got the spark and I just suddenly rushed the end of this book. It takes time.
“This was a community of friends that, even if I hadn’t finished my second book, I would still be really grateful for.”
JC: No, it’s a slog for everybody.
JCH: We would always talk very organically about problems that we’re having in our books that we wanted to solve, but it always felt like we were just meeting up as friends. And we met up so much outside of doing pomodoros too. A lot of times we would go straight to happy hour after writing, or we would eat dinner together, or we would go to literary events together. There’s so much we know about each other, like having to take care of kids, family stuff, trying to get jobs, dating, working on screenplays, going on pitch meetings or all of the other things that come up. Being a writer is just a small part of the whole picture, to me, of our very rich and very nourishing friendship.
XJW: One thing you guys taught me, which I wouldn’t have learned outside of this, was when Jean got her page proofs back, you were actually having fun doing your page proofs at pomodoros. I always thought page proofs were pure torture. And then you guys were making it so fun, in a good mood. That’s the last part of editing the book before it comes out, you’re not supposed to think of it as the worst chore ever. When we were working together, I was always in a good mood. I’m going to get through this chore. And then, you know, have a drink.
JC: Oh, yes, having treats in any way is good.
JCH: How did we start making Little Dom’s our main writing office? Because we started at Alcove, and we tried other places.
AF: On the weekends Julie brought her kids there, I brought mine there. So it wasn’t like we were just there during weekdays, working. And just talking to the people who work there, Danny, Laura, Noah, Emily. And also always being, like, if you need me to move, tell me to get the f— out of here. Not being entitled to the space. Because, I mean, we should acknowledge that it’s not what you’re supposed to be doing, opening your laptop at a restaurant!
AG: I think they were charmed by the fact that we were all friends, too.
JCH: OK, last question. What has been your favorite part of this pomodoro writing experience and being in this group?
JC: The sheer pleasure of making up stories about people while sitting there with other people who are so good at making up stories is just so fun.
AG: This was the first friend group that I had in L.A. That’s really important. Some people don’t have that, a group of friends that they can hang out with regularly. Like, I have a lot of friends, here and there. But this was a community of friends that, even if I hadn’t finished my second book, I would still be really grateful for.
AF: I think the thing that made me realize how much fun pomodoros felt like is when I had to really hide to finish the book. I was like, oh, this is hell! I wrote so many thousands of words, but I’m just alone at home, making my back hurt, hunched over my desk. But I just needed to go a little feral.
XJW: I feel like I couldn’t have imagined another way to reemerge into the world, after the pandemic. Everything was there, friendship and mom advice and making Friday night plans, and we could riff off of each other and talk about everything. All my favorite things. Even if nothing else was going well, I had this space.
Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) stock’s been one of the highlights of earnings season so far. After the company posted its Q3 results, its share price shot up more than 10%.
Wall Street analysts believe it can keep climbing. Here’s a look at some new price targets for the Big Tech stock.
Strong Q3 earnings
Amazon’s Q3 earnings were strong, and much better than expected. For the quarter, revenue was up 13% year on year to $180.2bn. Analysts had been expecting $177.8bn.
Earnings per share came in at $1.95. This was up 36% and miles ahead of the consensus forecast of $1.57.
What really excited investors was a reacceleration in cloud computing (AWS). Here, growth was 20% – the fastest rate since 2022 (analysts had been expecting 18%).
Granted, this wasn’t as high as the level of growth that Microsoft (39%) and Alphabet (34%) generated in cloud computing. Amazon’s a bigger company so it’s unlikely to grow as fast.
Another highlight was revenue from digital advertising (where Amazon is the third largest player in the world today). This was up 24% to around $17.7bn.
New price targets
Since the Q3 earnings, Wall Street analysts have been scrambling to raise their price targets for the stock. And many have pencilled in $300 as a medium-term target.
Some of the firms that have gone to $300 (or higher) include Barclays, Bernstein, BMO, BofA Global Research, Canaccord Genuity, Citigroup, Citizens, DA Davidson, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, Susquehanna, TD Cowen, UBS, and Wedbush. So clearly, the consensus is that $300’s achievable.
Note that this figure represents a gain of around 17% from here. That would be a good result from a large-cap stock in the medium term, however, there’s obviously no guarantee it will get there.
Worth a look today?
Is the stock worth considering given this bullish analyst sentiment? I think so.
The way I see it, this company is almost guaranteed to get much bigger in the years ahead. Not only does it have a fast growing cloud computing division (which just announced a partnership with OpenAI), but it also has online shopping, its own high-powered computer chips, digital advertising, self-driving cars, and space satellite operations.
As for the valuation, it’s not stretched right now if you ask me. Looking at analysts’ earnings forecasts for next year (which may be increased in the weeks ahead after the great Q3 results), the forward-looking price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is 31.
That may not be a bargain valuation. But I don’t think it’s unreasonable for a diversified tech company that has rewarded investors with 20%+ returns a year over the last few decades.
Of course, there are plenty of risks here. These include a slowdown in online shopping due to consumer weakness, competition in cloud computing, and disruption in digital advertising (eg consumers ordering goods directly from ChatGPT).
Overall though, I like the risk/reward proposition at current prices. To my mind, this stock could be a great core holding to consider (it is for me).
The University of Southern California has issued layoff notices to more than 900 employees since July amid a fiscal crisis that has battered morale and strained resources.
The cuts, detailed in a Monday letter to the USC community by interim President Beong-Soo Kim, are central to an effort to erase a budget deficit that ballooned to more than $200 million. The layoffs have included employees across the university and its health system, including student academic advisers.
But Kim, who succeeded former President Carol Folt on July 1, wrote that as many 200 of those who received layoff notices could remain with the university in new positions. And he noted that the job cuts are nearly complete.
“The layoffs, of course, fall most heavily on those losing their jobs, but everyone else in our community also feels their impact — through the emotional strain of losing colleagues and friends, the resulting stresses on departments and units, and the challenge of doing more with fewer resources,” Kim wrote.
USC interim President Beong-Soo Kim, who assumed the top job at the university July 1.
(Gus Ruelas/SC Photo/Gus Ruelas)
USC’s deficit grew dramatically during the final year of Folt’s tenure, mushrooming from $158 million to upwards of $200 million — an increase of more than 26%.
The private university, traditionally known for its wealth, embarked on several pricey projects in recent years, among them the opening of a campus in Washington, D.C., that included buying a building there for about $49 million.
In 2021, USC agreed to pay $1.1 billion in settlements to former patients of university gynecologist George Tyndall — the largest sex abuse payout in the history of higher education.
USC had announced a spate of austerity measures in March, including a hiring freeze, a reassessment of capital spending projects and restrictions on discretionary spending.
Now, with the layoffs, Kim said that USC is “on track to eliminate our long-term deficit” by the end of the fiscal year that concludes in June.
“Notwithstanding this encouraging news, we cannot afford the luxury of complacency,” Kim wrote in the letter. “First, our fiscal progress must be monitored carefully to ensure we reach our budgetary goals for this fiscal year and can sustainably generate positive margins in the future.”
The USC actions come at a time of unprecedented threats against universities by the Trump administration, which has slashed billions of dollars in funding at campuses across the country.
On Oct. 16, USC rejected President Trump’s education compact, which offers priority research funding to universities in exchange for following Trump’s conservative vision. At the time, Kim wrote that tying research benefits to signing the compact “would, over time, undermine the same values of free inquiry and academic excellence that [it] seeks to promote.”
Kim’s latest letter obliquely referenced a chaotic year for universities amid Trump’s effort to remake higher education. He noted the presence of “significant stresses,” “uncertainty” and “scrutiny” in higher education, adding, “More disruptions are coming, even if we can’t predict their timing or form.”
“During these volatile times, it’s important to be agile, remain open to different perspectives and ideas, and never lose sight of our long-term mission and values,” Kim said.
The layoffs have come as USC has steadily raised tuition and fees to become one of the most expensive colleges in the U.S. The university — which has been buffeted by controversy in recent years, including scandals involving Tyndall and former medical school dean Carmen A. Puliafito — projects the cost of undergraduate attendance for the upcoming academic year to be $99,139, including housing.
Historically, layoffs at USC have been rare. The 1990s, marked by a recession brought on by the collapse of the region’s aerospace industry, saw two notable rounds of job cuts.
In 1992, USC laid off 58 people and eliminated 31 vacant positions to pare down a $15-million deficit. Three years later, at least 100 faculty members at the medical school took pay cuts and an undisclosed number were dismissed as part of a plan to address an $11-million deficit.
Living with a mobility-impacting disability can make everyday tasks quite daunting. However, having a Blue Badge can be a significant help, whether you’re off to an appointment, nipping out for some shopping, or simply fancying a day out.
Blue Badges are designed to support people with disabilities or health conditions by enabling them to park nearer to their destinations. They afford the holder and their drivers the right to use disabled parking bays and even park on certain double yellow lines.
But the benefits of a Blue Badge go beyond mere convenience – they also offer financial savings by often providing free parking in disabled spaces or car parks. The badge isn’t tied to a specific vehicle either, and can be used in any car the holder is travelling in, including taxis, as long as they are present.
Acquiring a Blue Badge in England costs a maximum of £10, while in Scotland the fee is up to £20. In Wales, the benefit is entirely free. Local councils oversee the application process, determine eligibility, and set the price.
Blue Badges typically stay valid for up to three years, after which a new application must be made. There are two categories of people who can apply for a Blue Badge: those who automatically qualify and those whose cases are assessed individually.
Cases assessed on an individual basis may even occur in situations where people are experiencing mental health challenges, including severe anxiety and temporary ‘loss of behavioural control’ during overwhelming circumstances.
Who automatically qualifies for a Blue Badge?
The Government has outlined that people over three years old will automatically qualify for a Blue Badge if they meet at least one of the following criteria:
You receive the mobility component of PIP and have obtained 10 points specifically for descriptor E under the ‘planning and following journeys’ activity, on the grounds that you are unable to undertake any journey because it would cause you overwhelming psychological distress
You receive the higher rate of the mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
You receive a War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement
You have received a lump sum benefit within tariff levels one to eight of the Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation) Scheme and have been certified as having a permanent and substantial disability that causes inability to walk or very considerable difficulty in walking
You are registered blind (severely sight-impaired)
You receive a Personal Independence Payment (PIP) because you can’t walk more than 50 metres (a score of eight points or more under the ‘moving around’ activity of the mobility component)
If your score falls 10 points below descriptor E in the ‘planning and following journeys’ activity of PIP, you may still be eligible for a Blue Badge, although it’s not guaranteed. This applies even if your score is higher, such as 12.
You’ll need to provide evidence to support your eligibility, which will be assessed as part of your application.
Other ways you can qualify for a Blue Badge
According to LancsLive, others may qualify for a Blue Badge if one or more of the following apply:
Walking is dangerous to your health and safety
You struggle severely to plan or follow a journey
You find walking very difficult due to pain, breathlessness or the time it takes
You regularly have intense and overwhelming responses to situations causing temporary loss of behavioural control
You have a child under the age of three with a medical condition that means the child always needs to be accompanied by bulky medical equipment
You cannot walk without help from someone else or using mobility aids
You cannot walk at all
You have a life-limiting illness, which means you cannot walk or find walking very difficult and have a SR1 form
You have a severe disability in both arms and drive regularly, but cannot operate pay-and-display parking machines
You have a child under the age of three with a medical condition that means the child must always be kept near a vehicle in case they need emergency medical treatment
You are constantly a significant risk to yourself or others near vehicles, in traffic or car parks
You frequently become extremely anxious or fearful of public/open spaces
You find it difficult or impossible to control your actions and lack awareness of the impact you could have on others
How to apply for a Blue Badge
In England, Scotland, and Wales, you can request a Blue Badge through GOV.UK. However, if you’re in Northern Ireland, the process differs. Click this link for more information.
Your local council will assess your eligibility for a badge once they receive all the required evidence. The processing of your application might take 12 weeks or more. If they determine you don’t qualify and you believe some facts were overlooked, you have the right to request a review.
“The Voice” Season 28 Knockouts continued on Monday with six performances, three eliminations and the show’s first-ever Mic Drop, courtesy of Michael Bublé.
But first, the show held space for a cringey “Wicked” tie-in, during which poor Bowen Yang was forced to screech out an unhinged performance of “For Good” to fulfill his life-long dream of auditioning for “The Voice.” It was intentionally bad, but also… possibly good? And hey, if that isn’t a central theme of “Wicked,” we don’t know what is.
Then came the evening’s three face-offs between Toni Lorene and Natalia Albertini from Team Snoop, Aiden Ross and Liam Von Elbe from Team Niall, and and Max Cooper III and Max Chambers from Team Bublé. Some were closer than others, but we agree with all of Monday’s winners — even though we really wish we got to see more from the eliminated member of Team Bublé.
And as we mentioned earlier, one of the Knockout winners became the first Mic Drop recipient in the history of “The Voice.”
Read on for a breakdown of the results from Monday’s Knockouts episode, then vote for your favorite singer of the night and drop a comment with your thoughts on the outcomes. Did any of the coaches make the wrong call?
Team Snoop: Toni Lorene (Lady Marmalade) vs. Natalia Albertini (I Wish)
NBC
Some Knockouts are simply too close to call… but this wasn’t one of them. Toni owned every inch of the stage with her electric performance of “Lady Marmalade,” as the angels of the Moulin Rouge smiled down upon her. Some of music’s most iconic divas have put their stamp on this song, and Toni did them all proud with piercing vocals, solid runs and enough energy to bring Satine back to life. (Oops! Spoiler alert.)
And then there was Natalia, who more or less fumbled her way through Stevie Wonder’s “I Wish,” never finding a true stand-out moment. And were we alone in barely understanding most of the words coming out of her mouth? Whether it was a breathing issue or a diction issue, it was an issue.
WINNER: Toni Lorene (A) ELIMINATED: Natalia Albertini (B-)
Team Niall: Aiden Ross (When The Party’s Over) vs. Liam Von Elbe (Over My Head [Cable Car])
NBC
Right out the gate, Ross’ stunning falsetto on this Billie Eilish song earned a “Wow!” from Reba McEntire and a “Damn, boy!” from Snoop Dogg, and we echo both sentiments wholeheartedly. Arguably the best performance from the Knockouts thus far, Ross gave us everything — emotional low notes, soaring high notes and runs so clean they could earn him a Lysol sponsorship.
That was a tough act to follow, so the pressure was definitely on for Liam as he took to the stage with a Fray throwback. Unfortunately, save for one raspy high note towards the end, this performance didn’t give us much to chew on. It was fine, but after what Ross brought to the table, he needed to step up his game a little more.
WINNER: Aiden Ross (A+) ELIMINATED: Liam Von Elbe (B)
Team Bublé: Max Cooper III (End Of Beginning) vs. Max Chambers (Don’t You Worry ‘Bout A Thing)
NBC
In this battle of the Maxes, Cooper kicked things off with an utterly charming rendition of this Joe Keery jam, beginning with a more intimate vibe and steadily growing to full rockstar mode. He’s clearly most comfortable with his hands on the keyboard, but we loved the brief moment where he gave up control and let loose with his vocals. More of that please! And more of Cooper in general!
Next came Chambers with a performance that can be summed up in a single word: What?! We knew the 14-year-old phenom would eat this Stevie Wonder classic, but we weren’t expecting him to absolutely devour it. The song’s soulful opening gave us chills, and its raucous conclusion had us fully grooving. Chambers’ range is insane, and the control he has over his voice is beyond.
WINNER: Max Chambers (A+) ELIMINATED: Max Cooper III (A)
As a bonus, Bublé also gave Chambers his one-and-only Mic Drop, nominating him to perform at the Rose Bowl’s annual Rose Parade.
The new editor of Vanity Fair magazine has told staffers to give favorable coverage to the children of ex-Prince Andrew — with whom he’s friends — according to a new report.
Mark Guiducci, who was chosen to succeed Radhika Jones as editor-in-chief of the glossy Condé Nast-owned publication, reportedly took issue with a mention of the disgraced royal’s progeny, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie in a Vanity Fair story about their father’s ties to the late convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
According to the news site Semafor, Guiducci “wanted to know if it was relevant to include the women in a piece about their father.”
Mark Guiducci, editor-in-chief of Vanity Fair, has reportedly instructed staffers to be gentle with the two princesses. Getty Images for Academy Museum of Motion Pictures
The Vanity Fair piece about the former Prince Andrew, which appeared in the September edition of the magazine, “only mentioned the princesses in passing” following Guiducci’s intervention, Semafor reported.
A Vanity Fair spokesperson told The Post that “the references to Beatrice and Eugenie in the draft are identical to what ran and still runs on VF.com. Nothing was changed.
“Vanity Fair published the first excerpt of Virginia Giuffre’s devastating posthumous memoir,” the spokesperson noted.
The former Duke of York, Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, was recently stripped of his royal titles. WireImage
In late September, Vanity Fair ran a story by reporter Erin Vanderhoof titled: “Sarah Ferguson Avoided the Worst of the Epstein Fallout — but a Newly Uncovered Email Has Led to New Consequences.”
The magazine reported on a newly surfaced email from April 2011 in which Andrew’s ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, apologized to Epstein for publicly disavowing him, calling him a “steadfast, generous and supreme friend.”
The resurfaced missive ignited outrage in the UK, which prompted at least seven charities to sever ties with the Duchess of York.
The former royal’s ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, is seen (center) alongside their two children — Princess Beatrice (left) and Princess Eugenie (right). Dave Benett/Getty Images for The Anti Slavery Collective
Ferguson’s events for her children’s book were also canceled.
Her spokesperson claimed the chummy email followed a menacing call from Epstein and was intended to defuse potential legal threats, despite her prior public vow to sever all contact.
Guiducci’s hiring sparked allegations of nepotism, given his longtime friendship with the daughter of legendary Condé Nast executive Anna Wintour. He got the gig thanks in part to his extensive social contacts with the celebrity elite, including the British royal family, Semafor noted.
The 36-year-old California native was promoted from his previous position as chief creative officer at another Condé Nast property, Vogue.
Under Guiducci, Vanity Fair has taken a “more deferential” tone toward celebrities — particularly given the fact that the publication’s business model relies on access to A-list stars for content in this age of media fragmentation — according to Semafor.
But Semafor reported that Guiducci asked for that line to be changed to “reps for Rihanna and Rocky did not immediately respond to Vanity Fair’s request for comment, their hands perhaps full with their three kids.”
Ferguson has been the subject of scrutiny over her friendship with late convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Getty Images
According to the Semafor report, Guiducci believed that the edited line “sounded less harsh” and asked the reporter who authored the story, Kase Wickman, why she didn’t consult the company’s talent department before reaching out for comment.
The Vanity Fair spokesperson pushed back on claims that Condé Nast has recently required writers to coordinate with its talent department before contacting public figures, saying, “Vanity Fair’s global head of talent has been at Vanity Fair for nearly a decade and at the company for nearly three decades. VF has always had editors responsible for negotiating and booking entertainment talent. They are integral to the editorial team. This is nothing new.”
King Charles III has formally stripped ex-Prince Andrew of his titles and remaining royal privileges, ordering him to vacate his longtime residence at Royal Lodge near Windsor Castle as part of a sweeping effort to distance the monarchy from the fallout of his association with Epstein.
Mountbatten Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, has denied claims of sexual assault. Getty Images
The former prince — who will now be known simply as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor — is also losing his final honorary military title and has been removed from the UK monarchy’s official website, signaling a near-total severance of his royal status.
President Donald Trump moved Monday to blunt the pain Democrats are inflicting on food-stamp families with their government shutdown, which will be the longest ever if it continues through Wednesday.
The president doesn’t want to see the 42 million Americans who depend on food stamps have to struggle any more than necessary — plus, as ever, he’s complying with valid court orders directing the payments to continue (even if the judges in question are likely to be overruled by higher courts).
“President Trump wants to make sure that people get their food benefit,” noted Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Sunday.
Last week, Trump himself said on Truth Social that if the courts provide legal direction, “it will BE MY HONOR to provide the funding” for food-stamp benefits.
But make no mistake: Dems are still holding SNAP recipients hostage; the partial payments will only cover 50% of their usual benefits, leaving them painfully short. And they can expect significant delays in getting even that.
Democrats openly admit they care more about forcing Republicans to spend an extra $1.5 trillion on various bailouts than on reopening the government.
This “is one of the few leverage times we have,” confesses House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (Mass.).
If “you reopen the government . . . we lose our leverage,” warns Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).
Sorry, but shutting the government was never meant to be a tool used to force the other side to pass massive new legislation.
Democrats would be howling if Republicans used the filibuster to pull such a stunt; indeed in past shutdown fights they’ve relentlessly condemned the GOP for not agreeing to a “clean” stopgap-spending bill exactly like the one Dems now keep blocking.
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It’s beyond pathetic that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer feels compelled to appease their party’s deranged base with this nonsense.
Too bad for SNAP families.
And federal workers, like air-traffic controllers, who aren’t being paid.
And airline passengers plagued with delays as some controllers stay home.
Trump is right to say he “won’t be extorted.” If you give in to hostage-taking today, you’ll only see more of it tomorrow. And this not how democracy is supposed to work, though we guess it’s the “democracy” Democrats keep insisting they’re fighting for.
Average Americans should make sure that no Democratic lawmaker who shut down the government ever gets their vote again.
When it comes to generating passive income, real estate investment trusts (REITs) are a fantastic tool. Why? Because these businesses pay out the bulk of their profits in dividends. And while that can result in heavy reliance on debt, those with sturdy cash flows can more than afford this expense while still maintaining and expanding shareholder payouts.
At the start of 2025, my income portfolio had three pure-play REITs. But with Warehouse REIT recently acquired and taken private, I now have two:
LondonMetric Property (LSE:LMP) – a diversified commercial property landlord targeting the logistics, retail, healthcare, and entertainment sectors with a 6.4% yield
Greencoat UK Wind (LSE:UKW) – one of the largest owners of onshore and offshore wind farms in the UK, with a yield of 9.3%
The question is, should other investors consider adding these income stocks to their own portfolios?
Please note that tax treatment depends on the individual circumstances of each client and may be subject to change in future. The content in this article is provided for information purposes only. It is not intended to be, neither does it constitute, any form of tax advice.
Inspecting the dividend
Both businesses have proven to be a lucrative source of passive income. In fact, LondonMetric has successfully raised its dividend for 10 years in a row by an average of 5.7% a year. Greencoat was on a similar hiking streak until 2024, when dividends remained flat. Nevertheless, the growth’s been similar at 5.1%.
Regardless of economic conditions, the asset portfolio of both REITs is highly resilient. That’s because LondonMetric only deals with large enterprises like Amazon and Tesco under lease agreements that span an average of 17 years. As for Greencoat, electricity doesn’t go out of fashion during a recession.
This translates into a continuous stream of cash flow throughout the year, allowing both companies to keep debt under control and reward shareholders.
What to watch
As much as I admire these businesses, it’s essential to recognise the risk. As previously mentioned, REITs carry a lot of debt, and neither LondonMetric nor Greencoat are an exception.
In the past, this wasn’t much of an issue since interest rates were near zero. In 2025, that’s obviously no longer the case. And it’s subsequently put more pressure on cash flows while also dragging down the value of their asset portfolios.
This interest risk is why both stocks trade at a discount and offer such a high yield today. The management teams can obviously sell underperforming properties to reduce leverage. But with depressed asset prices, this could actually destroy long-term shareholder value.
It’s a bit like an investor being forced to sell shares in a terrific business at a terrible price during a stock market crash. And unfortunately for Greencoat, this has already started happening.
Wind speeds around the UK have been weak in the last two years, resulting in lower energy generation. That’s why its dividend hiking spree was temporarily paused, pushing the yield higher as investors grew more nervous.
Still worth considering?
Out of the two REITs, I think LondonMetric’s definitely the lower-risk option right now. Nevertheless, I still remain optimistic about both income stocks, even with Greencoat encountering a few bumps lately.
Investing in debt-heavy businesses is a higher-risk endeavour right now. But with strong long-term cash generation potential combined with exceptional yields, these stocks are worth the risk, in my opinion. That’s why income investors may want to dig a little deeper.
Prince William has talked about the need for more good leaders, as well as putting on a display of his less serious side, on the first day of his tour to Brazil.
William, who is in the country all week for both his annual Earthshot Awards on Wednesday and COP30, the UN’s climate conference, started his trip with a penalty shootout at the iconic Maracana Stadium in Rio, before heading to Copacabana Beach to kick off his shoes and take part in a volleyball game.
Image: Pics: PA
On Tuesday, he will focus more heavily on his environmental work with a series of visits.
On Monday morning, he was welcomed to Rio with an honour reserved for the carnival king – the keys to the city.
Standing on top of Sugarloaf Mountain with a bird’s eye view of the city and the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue, he was greeted by the mayor of Rio, Eduardo Paes.
Speaking about the significance of the key ceremony, he joked, “So he’s got the keys, he can do whatever he wants in the next 72 hours. The city belongs to Prince William. I’m still the king, but it will belong to him!”
William’s legacy goals
Ticking off some of the city’s most iconic locations, he met with Brazilian football legend Cafu at the Maracana.
Image: Pic: PA
He enlisted his help to highlight his Earthshot Awards, as they joined an event for young environmental campaigners and entrepreneurs.
Speaking to one group, William talked about the need for more good leaders, saying: “I need to work out how do I speed that up, but you guys are my hope, you’ve got the passion, the ambition that’s what this needs.”
He added: “That’s what I hope my legacy will be, in a few years time you’re kind of household names.”
Image: Pic: PA
William then went pitch side and met children learning about the environment and climate change through the sport-based organisation Terra FC.
The prince ended his football drills by taking a penalty against keeper Pedro Enrique, 14, and was mobbed by youngsters wanting a high-five after he scored.
Pedro said afterwards: “I was scared and nervous but very excited as he was most the famous person to take a penalty kick. I didn’t let him score. It was a good penalty.”
