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TGL: What to know ahead of inaugural season

ESPN
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TGL: What to know ahead of inaugural season


  • Mark Schlabach, ESPN Senior WriterJan 7, 2025, 08:54 AM ET

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    • Senior college football writer
    • Author of seven books on college football
    • Graduate of the University of Georgia

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — It took a year longer than expected, but TGL, the new tech-infused golf league being fronted by superstars Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, is finally teeing off.

The first of 15 regular-season matches, with the inaugural one between New York GC and The Bay Golf Club, will be played Tuesday (9 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN+) at SoFi Center, a 250,000-square-foot venue on the campus of Palm Beach State College in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

TGL was supposed to launch in January 2024, but its start was pushed back a year after a power outage caused by a storm resulted in the original arena’s domed roof collapsing on Nov. 14, 2023.

Woods believes the delay was a good thing because the new SoFi Center is bigger and better. The new arena is a steel structure with a traditional roof. About 1,500 fans will be wrapped around the playing area.

“I think it was a blessing in disguise,” Woods said at last month’s PNC Championship. “We were rushing to get it ready. I don’t think we had all the components we have now, and we certainly didn’t have the technology we’re able to have now. It worked out for the best for us as players, for the fans, and I think for everyone watching.”

Here’s what to know about TGL.

A closer look at the virtual course

Three golf course design companies (Agustín Pizá, Beau Welling and Nicklaus Design) created 30 original holes that will be played on a competition area approximately 97 yards by 50 yards, roughly the size of a football field, inside SoFi Center.

The holes will be played in varying order in matches, and TGL says they were “inspired by authentic golf landscapes such as links, canyons, coastal, deserts and tropical settings.”

For instance, there’s a par-5, 590-yard hole known as “Pick Yer Plunder,” which was created by Pizá Golf, that sits along Bounty Bay in the Pacific Ocean. A par-4 hole designed by Nicklaus, “Hang Low,” is set among the barrancas of Southern California.

Then there are more unique holes like the par-4 “Flex,” which is nestled on an active volcano, and “The Spear,” which has a floating tee box, landing area and GreenZone.

Each team will field three players for the matches, starting each hole by teeing off on real grass tee boxes into a screen that is 64 feet by 53 feet — 24 times larger than a standard golf simulator.

For shots of 130 yards or longer, including most tee shots, golfers will hit from a back box that is 35 yards away from the screen. The back box accommodates shots from real fairway grass and rough, as well as sand. For shots of 50 to 129 yards, golfers will hit from a front box that is located 21 yards from the screen.

The landing location of their tee shots will determine the next challenge: approach shots played from natural grass fairways, deep rough, or pristine white sand, mirroring the bunkers found at Augusta National Golf Club. For shots of 50 yards or less, the players will shift to a one-of-a-kind, specially designed green to complete the hole.

“The playing surfaces are very realistic,” McIlroy said. “Whenever you hit it out of the rough, you have to think about whether you’re going to get a flyer; whether it’s going to come out soft, a lot of things that you would have to think about on a real golf course.”

The GreenZone features a state-of-the-art 22,475-square-foot short-game area that dynamically transforms between holes. A turntable 41 yards wide rotates the artificial-turf green to create varying approach angles, while nearly 600 actuators morph the terrain to simulate different topographies of 30 different greens.

“I still feel like the ball reacts very realistically on the green,” McIlroy said. “We toyed around with the idea of using real grass and real turf on the green, but with the rotating green and then obviously with the jacks underneath and the ability to change slopes, we were afraid if we used real turf that that turf could crack and break. We made the decision to go with artificial [grass] for the green because we want to make it interesting.”

How the matches will work

Each team will play five matches during the 2025 regular season from Jan. 7 to March 4.

The 15-hole matches will be split into two sessions: nine holes of alternate shot and six holes of singles. Three players from each team will hit alternate shots in the first nine holes. In the final six, the golfers will compete head-to-head, with each golfer playing two full holes during the session.

Each hole is worth one point and there are no carryovers. If the two teams are tied at the end of regulation, an overtime determines the winner. TGL’s overtime period is similar to a penalty shootout in soccer. Three golfers from each squad will compete in a best-of-three, closest to the pin competition until a team successfully hits two shots closer than its competitors.

The golfers will play the overtime period on the 15th hole, which will remain unchanged from regulation. The shot will be played from between 25 and 50 yards, and the on-course official will determine the pin location and distance before the match. A ball must land on the putting surface to be eligible.

Every match will consist of 15 holes — even if the outcome has been decided. Tiebreakers in the SoFi Cup standings will be determined by the total number of holes won during the regular season.

There’s a shot clock and timeouts

There won’t be any slow play in TGL — it’s designed to be fast and entertaining.

Each match will feature a shot clock that displays a countdown of 40 seconds. Players must hit their shot within the allotted time frame or their team receives a shot clock violation and incurs a one-stroke penalty. The 40-second time frame is based on the United States Golf Association’s recommendation on pace of play.

Each team has four timeouts per match, two timeouts in each of the two sessions. Unused timeouts during the first session do not carry over to the second session. For the team that is playing its shot, timeouts may be called at any point until the shot clock expires. The opposing team may call a timeout until the other team’s player has addressed the ball. A team cannot call back-to-back timeouts while on the current shot.

A referee will be on the course to enforce TGL’s rules and regulations, and another official monitors the action from a booth.

What is the Hammer?

The Hammer increases the value of a hole by one point. It can be played by only the TGL team that holds possession of it. The Bay Golf Club, as a result of a coin flip, will start the season in possession of the Hammer.

The Hammer can be thrown at any time during a match — and it can be used multiple times on the same hole — to increase pressure on an opponent. The opposing team can decline to play the Hammer — kind of like a golfer turning down a “press” in a Saturday morning match — but it concedes the hole if it declines.

The Hammer changes possession each time it’s used.

There’s a caddie (sort of)

TGL golfers will be allowed to use a digital caddie, which is a 50-inch touchscreen yardage book, which reveals distances, penalty areas, wind, green topography and elevation changes on each hole.

TGL says the interactive app, custom built by Full Swing, “allows players to use a number of quick, user-friendly tools to research their next shot, set their target, and get a preview of what they will see on the hitting screen when they step up to hit their shot.”

The digital caddie is another way to ensure that the pace of play is lightning fast.

There’s going to be trash-talking (hopefully)

Golfers involved in TGL know they’re going to have to be more than, well, golfers. For the tech-infused circuit to work, viewers are going to have to be entertained, and that’s going to come from the conversations and ribbing that are going to be captured by microphones that every player will be wearing during the matches.

“It’s going to be really competitive,” Billy Horschel said. “We’re competitors. We want to win, but we also have to be entertainers at the same time. I think everyone who has signed up to be a part of this is aware of that, and they’re going to do their part to make sure this is successful.”

The microphones might capture too much in some instances.

“People are going to see our personalities,” Wyndham Clark said. “Some things could come out that maybe we don’t want to say, but that’s how other sports are.

“I’m going to have to really watch my cussing, but on our team, Shane Lowry. He has some cuss words on trigger pretty quick, so he’s going to have to really watch himself.”

Who’s on which teams?

Atlanta Drive GC

Justin Thomas
Patrick Cantlay
Billy Horschel
Lucas Glover

Boston Common Golf

Rory McIlroy
Keegan Bradley
Adam Scott
Hideki Matsuyama

Jupiter Links GC

Tiger Woods
Max Homa
Tom Kim
Kevin Kisner

Los Angeles Golf Club

Collin Morikawa
Tommy Fleetwood
Justin Rose
Sahith Theegala

New York Golf Club

Matt Fitzpatrick
Rickie Fowler
Xander Schauffele
Cameron Young

The Bay Golf Club

Ludvig Åberg
Wyndham Clark
Min Woo Lee
Shane Lowry

2025 SCHEDULE

Tuesday, Jan. 7: New York Golf Club vs. The Bay Golf Club, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN+
Tuesday, Jan. 14: Los Angeles Golf Club vs. Jupiter Links GC, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN+
Tuesday, Jan. 21: New York Golf Club vs. Atlanta Drive GC, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN+
Monday, Jan. 27: Jupiter Links GC vs. Boston Common Golf, 6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN+
Tuesday, Feb. 4: Boston Common Golf vs. Los Angeles Golf Club, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN+
Monday, Feb. 17: Atlanta Drive GC vs. Los Angeles Golf Club, 1 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN+
Monday, Feb. 17: Atlanta Drive GC vs. The Bay Golf Club, 4 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN+
Monday, Feb. 17: The Bay Golf Club vs. Boston Common Golf, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2/ESPN+
Tuesday, Feb. 18: Jupiter Links GC vs. New York Golf Club, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN+
Monday, Feb. 24: Los Angeles Golf Club vs. New York Golf Club, 5 p.m. ET, ESPN2/ESPN+
Monday, Feb. 24: Boston Common Golf vs. Atlanta Drive GC, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN2/ESPN+
Tuesday, Feb. 25: The Bay Golf Club vs. Jupiter Links GC, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN+
Monday, March 3: The Bay Golf Club vs. Los Angeles Golf Club, 3 p.m. ET, ESPN2/ESPN+
Monday, March 3: New York Golf Club vs. Boston Common Golf, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2/ESPN+
Tuesday, March 4: Jupiter Links GC vs. Atlanta Drive GC, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN+

The SoFi Cup playoffs

Similar to the NHL, TGL will employ a points-based system for regular-season matches. For each match, teams can earn up to two points toward their regular-season total. That total determines their position in the SoFi Cup standings.

A win in regulation and a win in overtime both equal two points, while a loss in overtime equals one point.

The top four teams advance to the playoffs, which include a single-elimination semifinal round and a best-of-three championship series.

The TGL semifinal matches featuring the top four teams in the SoFi Cup standings will be played March 17-18. The two winning teams will advance to the championship series, a best-of-three match that will be played March 24-25.



This story originally appeared on ESPN

Hotel worker accused of selling drugs to Liam Payne surrenders

LATimes
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Hotel worker accused of selling drugs to Liam Payne surrenders


A hotel worker accused of supplying pop star Liam Payne with drugs before his death has reportedly turned himself in to Argentine officials.

Nearly three months after the former One Direction star plunged to his death in Buenos Aires, 21-year-old hotel employee Ezequiel Pereyra reportedly gave himself up to police Monday evening. Pereyra negotiated his surrender through his lawyer, prosecutors confirmed to TMZ. Prosecutors investigating Payne’s October death allege Pereyra was one of two people who supplied the singer with cocaine multiple times during his stay at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel.

Payne died Oct. 16 after falling from a hotel balcony. He was 31. A preliminary autopsy determined Payne died from multiple traumas and internal and external bleeding caused by the fall.

In November officials announced Payne had traces of alcohol, cocaine and a prescription antidepressant in his system when he fell to his death.

News of Pereyra’s reported surrender comes a week after the National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office of Argentina announced in a Spanish-language statement that Judge Laura Bruniard was prosecuting five people for their alleged involvement in Payne’s death. Officials said a hotel employee (identified at the time as “E.D.P.”) and a representative of Payne (identified as “R.L.N.”) were among the five suspects.

In late December, the prosecutor’s office charged hotel employee “E.D.P.” and a restaurant waiter (identified as “B.N.P.”) with supplying Payne with narcotics. Prosecutors accused Pereyra of delivering cocaine to Payne on Oct. 15 at at 3:25 a.m. and on Oct. 16, the day of the singer’s death, between 3:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. Officials allege Payne consumed the cocaine during his stay at the hotel. The “X Factor” alum died two weeks after arriving in Argentina, where he attended an Oct. 2 concert by Niall Horan, his former One Direction bandmate.

Pereyra and the waiter who also allegedly supplied Payne with cocaine were ordered into pretrial detention. Payne’s representative and two hotel managers were charged with manslaughter without pretrial detention, prosecutors said in December.

Pereyra reportedly turned himself in shortly after detectives arrested the waiter, Argentine newspaper La Nacion reported Tuesday. Police also reportedly raided Pereyra’s home prior to his surrender but could not locate him.

Payne was laid to rest in November during a private funeral ceremony northwest of London. In addition to the singer’s loved ones, his former One Direction collaborators Horan, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson attended the emotional service. A day after Payne’s death One Direction released a social media statement remembering the “Teardrops” artist.

“The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever,” the band said.




This story originally appeared on LA Times

Reba McEntire to Star In ‘The All-Girl Filling Station’s Last Reunion’

Billboard
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Reba McEntire to Star In ‘The All-Girl Filling Station’s Last Reunion’


Country Music Hall of Famer Reba McEntire is set to star in and co-produce the upcoming film The All-Girl Filling Station’s Last Reunion, an adaptation of the 2013 novel of the same name by Fannie Flagg, Deadline reports.

The All-Girl Filling Station’s Last Reunion follows an Alabama family whose legacy and bonds are tested when one of its members, Sookie Poole, begins receiving letters that suggest she was adopted.

The film comes from the independent, faith-based film studio Wonder Project, launched by Kelly Merryman Hoogstraten and Jon Erwin. Oscar winner Callie Khouri, known for helming projects including the movie Thelma & Louise and the television series Nashville, will direct and co-produce the film from a script produced by playwright/screenwriter Bekah Brunstetter.

Producing alongside McEntire will be Jeremy Latcham for Wonder Project, in addition to Khouri. Ben Howard will exec produce for Third Coast Content, with VP of Film Michael Musgrave overseeing the film for Wonder Project. Flagg is known for books including 1987’s Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe and for co-writing its 1991 film adaptation.

McEntire said in a statement, “I’ve always been a fan of Fannie Flagg and her writing, and it’s been an honor to call her my friend for the past decade. I cannot wait to work with this incredible team to bring another one of her special stories to life on the big screen.”

In addition to her accomplishments as a multi-award-winning country music singer and performer, McEntire’s multi-faceted career arc has included work as an actress, author, Broadway performer, awards show host, businesswoman and coach on The Voice. Most recently, McEntire’s film and television roles have included Happy’s Place and The Hammer.



This story originally appeared on Billboard

Eating just 10g more of this is key to weight loss success, say GPs

Express.co.uk
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Eating just 10g more of this is key to weight loss success, say GPs


An incredible 35% of Brits call themselves yo-yo dieters, constantly gaining and losing weight. But experts believe there’s more than just a lack of willpower at work – and that it could be a shortfall of fibre in our diets that is leading to failure.

“Fibre is a type of carbohydrate, but unlike other carbs we consume, it isn’t broken down into glucose during digestion and isn’t absorbed by the body,” explains dietitian Dr Carrie Ruxton. “That means we only take in a fraction of its calories.

“Compared with fat, fibre has less than a quarter of the calories weight for weight, but its biggest benefit when it comes to losing weight is that fibre has a beneficial impact on our gut bacteria which stimulate the hormones that make us feel fuller after eating.

“This means that when we eat enough fibre in our diet we see double benefits when it comes to weight loss – we take in fewer calories and we curb our hunger.”

Unfortunately, the evidence suggests that Brits aren’t great when it comes to consuming the recommended amount of roughage each day. “We’re supposed to eat 30 grams of fibre a day, yet only one in 10 UK adults actually manage to consume that quantity,” says GP Dr Binita Kalaria.

“Most people have a significant daily ‘fibre gap’ of around 10 grams a day.”

According to a new report, Going against the grain: Health Consequences of the Great British Fibre Gap, most of us are oblivious to this simple health hack when it comes to sticking to a weight loss plan. The survey, commissioned by General Mills who make products like Fibre One snack bars, only three in 10 adults understand that fibre helps weight loss, with the majority of those questions unclear about the fibre-weight connection.

“This means people don’t prioritise high fibre foods because they don’t know about the benefits or can’t recognise the best fibre sources when they’re in the supermarket,” adds Dr Kalaria. “But, with a bit of planning, it’s simple to plug the fibre gap.”

Put the F into breakfast: Ditch the croissants, cornflakes and white toast for high fibre Bircher muesli. Dr Ruxton says: “Breakfast is a great opportunity to start the day with some fibre. This will help curb the munchies later in the morning.

“To make Bircher muesli, simply soak oats, raisins and seeds in apple juice overnight then add a spoon of natural yoghurt before eating.”

Go nuts: Swap a handful of walnuts for your usual biscuit snack to sneak in extra fibre. Or try oatcake with a smear of almond butter. Dr Kalaria says: “Despite being relatively high in calories, studies show that eating nuts regularly supports weight loss.

“A study in the journal, Obesity, found that adding almonds to a calorie-controlled diet led to a 9 per cent loss in body weight and improved blood pressure and blood cholesterol.”

Full of beans: Save money and boost your fibre intake by adding a tin of chickpeas or butter beans to soups and stews. “Whether it’s a curry, chilli con carne or a warming winter stew, adding a tin of beans to your recipe not only makes the meat go further, saving you money, but your gut bacteria will thank you for the extra fibre,” says Dr Ruxton.

Invisible allies: Not all fibre is visible. Some products, like snack bars, cereals and yoghurts, contain ingredients like inulin and oligofructose. These natural sweeteners are also types of soluble fibres. “Inulin, which is made from chicory root, brings benefits for our guts as it is a prebiotic that feeds the microbiome, but isn’t digested. It can be found in a wide variety of products, so check the label,” explains Dr Ruxton.

Blast up a smoothie: A study printed in the journal Nutrients found that a homemade smoothie of apples and blackberries performed better than whole fruit for avoiding blood sugar spikes. “This is because making the smoothie releases the fibre from the berry seeds,” explains Dr Kalaria. Try using frozen berries to save time and money.

Root for the right veg: Not all vegetables are created equal… While they’re all healthy, some are far better than others for fibre content. Parsnips, swede, broccoli, peas and green beans have some of the highest fibre levels. In contrast, lettuce and salad veg are pretty low in fibre. “Most people don’t get the recommended 5-a-day of fruit and veg so miss out on their fibre,” says Dr Kalaria.

“A simple hack is to keep a supply of mixed veg such as peas and sweetcorn in the freezer which can be microwaved in minutes to add fibre to any main meal.”

Do give a fig: Dried fruit is a highly concentrated fibre source so why not munch a handful on the go, or add to desserts, baking and breakfast cereals. “Figs, apricots, sultanas and cranberries are all good options and a packet of them can be kept in the car or desk for a healthy, high fibre snack,” suggests Dr Ruxton.

Special starch: Scientists have found that some foods typically believed to be low in fibre, such as potatoes, yams and plantains, contain something called ‘resistant starch’, which acts like fibre in the body, helping to balance blood sugar levels and feeds good gut bacteria. “It’s possible to boost resistant starch in potatoes by cooking and cooling them, then use them next day in salads or an omelette,” advises Dr Ruxton.”



This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk

Love Island All-Stars Season 2 Cast: Everything To Know

RealityTea
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Love Island All-Stars Season 2 Cast: Everything To Know


After months of rumors, the cast of Love Island All-Stars Season 2 is finally confirmed! In Love Island UK’s first All-Stars season, Molly Smith and Tom Clare won the 50k pound prize. This year, the cast includes some fan favorites, a few notorious villains, and a former couple who had a very messy breakup. Here’s everything you need to know about the returning Islanders of All-Stars Season 2.

Scott Thomas, Season 2

Photo Credit: ITV

2025’s Love Island All-Stars cast kicks off with a true OG from way back in Season 2! During his initial run, Scott Thomas was paired with Kady McDermott, who re-appeared on Season 10. Season 2 was way back in 2016, and Scott is 36 years old now, so we’ll have to see if wisdom really does come with age for our Islanders.

Marcel Sommerville, Season 3

Marcel Sommerville Love Island
Photo Credit: ITV

Season 3 is my favorite, so I’m thrilled to have two Islanders confirmed so far. And these are messy picks, for reasons we’ll get to.

Before Love Island, Marcel Sommerville was a member of the boy band Blazin’ Squad. Marcel initially acted like he wanted to keep this under wraps, but he definitely didn’t. It launched one of the best recurring gags/drinking games in Love Island history – take a shot every time Marcel finds an excuse to bring up Blazin’ Squad.

As the oldest contestant, he also took on a mentor role. I can still hear narrator Iain Stirling saying, “Paging Dr. Marcel!!!” every time another Islander had a crisis. On All-Stars Season 2, he’s once again the oldest, at 39-years-old. Marcel remained friends with quite a few of his Season 3 co-stars, including Olivia Atwood. He was also at Camilla Thurlow and Jamie Jewitt’s wedding.

Speaking of weddings, Marcel returns to the villa as a recent divorcee. He split from Rebecca Vieira, with whom he shares a son, last year. Rebecca allegedly cheated on him with rapper Slim Jxmmi. It’s not Marcel’s first cheating scandal.

Gabby Allen, Season 3

Gabby Allen Love Island
Photo Credit: ITV

Speaking of Marcel, his ex Gabby Allen will also return. Marcel and Gabby were a fan-favorite couple in Season 3 and landed in fourth place. After the season wrapped, they dated for nearly a year. Then, Gabby found out Marcel cheated on her while they were on holiday. It was all very messy. Years later, have old wounds healed?

Since her time on Love Island, Gabby has worked as a fitness influencer. She also appeared on Ex on the Beach.

Kaz Crossley, Season 4

Kaz Crossley Love Island
Photo Credit: ITV

Kaz was a finalist in Season 4, winning third place with Josh Denzel. They broke up six months later. Kaz went on to date Season 3 star Theo Campbell for about a year. She later appeared on Celebrity Ex on the Beach and The Challenge UK. Kaz returns to the villa nearly two years after she made headlines for being in-prisoned in Dubai. She recently opened up about this ordeal on GK Barry’s podcast.

Curtis Pritchard, Season 5

Curtis Pritchard Love Island
Photo Credit: ITV

Up next is Curtis Pritchard, aka Maura Higgins’ ex. He previously appeared on Season 1 of Love Island Games, where he had an awkward reunion with Maura. On that season, he failed to win Justine Ndiba’s heart. Maybe the third time will be the charm?

Curtis is a very polarizing Love Island star, but he gave us some of the most iconic moments, for better or worse. He and Amy Hart were the Barbie and Ken of the villa until Casa Amor. Curtis blew it up, and all for a bombshell who chose another contestant instead. The devastated Amy gave us an all-timer by yelling, “I was coming back here to tell you that I loved you!” When she confronted him about not cuddling her in the morning, Curtis said it was more important to him to make coffee for the rest of the villa. Maura then shocked everyone by declaring feelings for Curtis out of nowhere. They came in fourth place, but Curtis allegedly cheated on her in the outside world.

Elma Pazar, Season 5

Elma Pazar Love Island
Photo Credit: ITV

Elma was right by Maura’s side when they made their iconic bombshell entrance. Elma instantly caught the eye of Anton Danyluk, who competed in All-Stars Season 1. She also competed with Maura for Tom Walker, before getting eliminated after two weeks. In addition to LI UK, Elma also appeared on TOWIE.

India Reynolds, Season 5

India Reynolds Love Island
Photo Credit: ITV

Gorgeous model India Reynolds was one of Season 5’s final bombshells. She came in third place when coupled with Ovie Soko. Ovie is definitely a dream All-Stars cast member for many fans, so we’ll see if he shows up this year. It’s probably a long shot, however.

India was (unwittingly) responsible for one of the most dramatic Love Island blowups ever. Two days (“TWO DAYS!!”) after asking Anna Valki to be his girlfriend, Jordan Hames pulled India for a chat. Never mind that India was happy with Ovie. Curtis encouraged Jordan, much to Maura’s chagrin. Maura told Anna, and the villa absolutely erupted. Maybe India will inspire some similarly chaotic moments on All-Stars?

Nas Majeed, Season 6

Nas Majeed Love Island
Photo Credit: ITV

On the show’s first winter season, Nas was the sweetheart short king who, inexplicably, none of the girls would go for. That was until Demi. But the two were only coupled for a few days before the infamous Casa Amor challenge. Nas shocked Demi, and the viewers, by recoupling with Eva. But they proved naysayers wrong and stayed together for four years. Now single again, Nas is returning to South Africa, and hopefully won’t have to wait as long to find some matches.

Luca Bish, Season 8

Luca Bish Love Island
Photo Credit: ITV

Introducing himself as “My name is Luca Bish and I sell fish,” the fishmonger was one of Season 8’s more notorious villains. Particularly cruel was his taunting of the show’s first deaf contestant, Tasha Ghouri. It got so bad that thousands of Ofcom complaints were filed about his behavior, and he had to apologize to Tasha on the show. His own parents confronted Luca about this on Parents’ Day. These days, Tasha and Luca appear to be on decent terms, but it left a bad taste in viewers’ mouths.

Additionally, Luca was accused of acting possessive of then-girlfriend Gemma Owen. The couple had plenty of fans and were runners-up, but some posted memes comparing him to Joe from the show You. They split two months after the finale. Gemma was rumored to be on All-Stars Season 2, so we may have another ex-reunion on our hands.

Olivia Hawkins, Season 9

Olivia Hawkins Love Island
Photo Credit: ITV

Speaking of Love Island villains, Olivia “Liv” Hawkins took that role in Season 9. A friend of mine even compared the actress’ cadence to Severus Snape from Harry Potter. Michelle Keegan’s former stand-in really got under viewers’ skin when she tried to come for Kai Fagan because he recoupled with Sanam Harrinanan in Casa Amor. Despite recoupling herself! Kai and Sanam won, and are now engaged. Will Olivia find lasting love herself this time?

Catherine Agbaje, Season 10

Catherine Agbaje Love Island
Photo Credit: ITV

Catherine started out strong on Season 10, but viewers turned on her after she recoupled in Casa Amor. While some fans hoped the Irish beauty would reunite with Scott Vandersloot in the outside world, he went on to appear on Love Island USA and Love Island Games back-to-back. Now, Catherine is following in her former paramour’s footsteps by returning to another villa.

Ronnie Vint, Season 11

Ronnie Vint Love Island
Photo Credit: ITV

If you skipped last summer’s LI UK, you’re not alone. Lots of viewers grew frustrated as it became the Joey Essex show. Plus, LI USA had its greatest season yet, so viewers on both sides of the pond changed the channel.

Those who stuck with the UK watched as every girl went gaga for Ronnie Vint. It was mostly surprising because he’s far from the usual type that girls fight over every season. But Islanders cried over him from day 2, he made out with breakout Uma before the show and kept up a never-ending love triangle with two women no matter how much he mugged them off. Sadly, he was eliminated before we could see what kind of havoc he’d cause in Casa Amor.

Who else may appear on All-Stars Season 2?

Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu
Photo Credit: ITV

Love Island mixes things up by periodically adding bombshells. So, if your favorite isn’t on this list, that doesn’t mean they won’t appear. A popular rumor is that Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu will be the first bombshell of All-Stars Season 2. That would be huge, especially because Ekin is widely held as the greatest bombshell ever, next to Maura and Ovie. Others rumored to appear include Gemma Owen, Paige Thorne, and Sammy Root.

Love Island All-Stars can be streamed on Peacock.

TELL US – WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE LOVE ISLAND ALL-STARS SEASON 2 CAST? WHO ARE YOU THE MOST EXCITED TO SEE BACK? WHO DO YOU HOPE RETURNS AS A BOMBSHELL?



This story originally appeared on Realitytea

Sam & Jay Need to Find a Silent Investor Double in Midseason Premiere Photos

TV Insider
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Sam & Jay Need to Find a Silent Investor Double in Midseason Premiere Photos

Ghosts‘ Season 4 return is nearing as the midseason premiere is slated for Thursday, January 30. And while fans may have to wait a few weeks, CBS is giving them something to look forward to as the network unveils a first look at the episode, “The Not-So-Silent-Partner.”

As viewers know by now, Revolutionary War spirit Isaac (Brandon Scott Jones) has become an investor in living Woodstone proprietors Sam (Rose McIver) and Jay’s (Utkarsh Ambudkar) business ventures as he’s a ghost and can’t make full use of his wealth, but things are about to get dicey for the trio. The logline for the episode teases that Sam and Jay are forced to cover when Mark (Tristan D. Lalla) demands to meet the silent investor in Jay’s restaurant who has been holding up the construction.

Who will pose as the investor? It seems that one guest star is making a comeback in one of the newly released photos. See them below, and let us know what you hope to see when Ghosts Season 4 returns on CBS.

Ghosts, Midseason Return, Thursday, January 30, 8:30/7:30c, CBS




This story originally appeared on TV Insider

AI Startups Raised Almost Half of All Funding in 2024

Entrepreneur
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AI Startups Raised Almost Half of All Funding in 2024


AI startups captured a record-high portion of the funding pie last year.

According to PitchBook data released on Tuesday and obtained by Bloomberg, venture capitalists poured $209 billion total into U.S. startups in 2024 — and nearly half of that funding, or a record $97 billion, went towards startups focusing on AI.

The amount raised by this one category of startups is more than the entire amount of startup funding raised by early-stage companies in Europe and Asia. Europe saw funding for all startups reach $61.6 billion in 2024 while funding in Asia hit $75.9 billion.

Related: 4 Ways AI Startups Can Avoid Becoming Obsolete

In the United States, AI companies like xAI, OpenAI, and Anthropic led the way in funding.

xAI raised $6 billion in a May Series B round and another $6 billion in a December Series C to develop its AI chatbot Grok. OpenAI raised $6.6 billion in October to keep advancing ChatGPT, which has over 300 million weekly users.

Anthropic raised $4 billion from Amazon in November and agreed to make Amazon Web Services its main training partner.

Related: How AI Startups Can Increase Their Chances of Success in Today’s Landscape

How Funding for AI Startups Has Grown

Additional data shows how funding for AI startups has swelled over time. Business database platform Crunchbase released data on Tuesday showing that while global venture funding increased modestly overall from $304 billion in 2023 to $314 billion in 2024, funding specifically for AI companies grew more than 80% in that same time from $55.6 billion to over $100 billion.

Nearly a third of all global venture funding last year went to AI startups, per Crunchbase. The data showed that only one-third of AI funding went to companies like OpenAI that are creating foundational AI models.

The rest of the AI startups that were funded, the majority, focused on how AI applied to sectors like healthcare, security, and robotics.

Related: AI Startups Received $2.9 Billion in Funding Last Quarter. These 3 U.S. Companies Received a Lot of It— And You’ve Probably Never Heard of Them.



This story originally appeared on Entrepreneur

Kuehn Law Encourages Investors of OmniAb, Inc. to Contact Law Firm By Investing.com

Investing
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Kuehn Law Encourages Investors of OmniAb, Inc. to Contact Law Firm By Investing.com

New York, New York–(Newsfile Corp. – January 7, 2025) – Kuehn Law, PLLC, a shareholder litigation law firm, is investigating whether certain officers and directors of OmniAb, Inc. (NASDAQ: OABI) breached their fiduciary duties to shareholders. The investigation concerns potential self-dealing. Shareholders may be entitled to damages and corporate governance reforms.

If you are a long-term OABI stockholder please contact Justin Kuehn, Esq. here, by email at justin@kuehn.law, or call (833) 672-0814. The consultation and case are free with no obligation to you. Kuehn Law pays all case costs and does not charge its investor clients. Shareholders should contact the firm immediately as there may be limited time to enforce your rights.

Why Your Participation Matters:

As a shareholder your voice matters, and by getting involved, you contribute to the integrity and fairness of the financial markets. Your investment. Your voice. Your future.™

For additional information, please visit Shareholder Derivative Litigation – Kuehn Law.

Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/236345




This story originally appeared on Investing

Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg wears rare $900K Swiss watch to announce new Meta policy: report

NYPost
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Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg wears rare 0K Swiss watch to announce new Meta policy: report

Mark Zuckerberg may be a digital pioneer, but on Tuesday he flashed a taste for analog bling. 

The Meta CEO appeared to wear a rare Swiss watch which sells for nearly $1 million as he announced the decision to scrap third-party fact-checking by his popular Facebook and Instagram apps.

On Tuesday, as he argued that content moderation on Facebook and Instagram has “gone too far,” Zuckerberg sported an oversized black t-shirt, a gold chain and a luxury Greubel Forsey “Hand Made 1” watch on his left wrist, worth approximately $900,000, according to a Bloomberg report.

Mark Zuckerberg appeared to wear a rare Greubel Forsey watch in Tuesday’s video. zuck/Instagram

The Swiss watchmaker only produces two or three “Hand Made” models a year – making them extremely rare and expensive. The handmade mechanical watch retails for $895,500 before taxes.

Meta and Greubel Forsey did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Zuckerberg – the world’s third richest person with a net worth of $214.7 billion, according to Forbes – has shown interest in watch-collecting over the past year, wearing models from brands like Patek Philippe and FP Journe.

Greubel Forsey Hand Made 1 watch.

But the Greubel Forsey indicates the Meta chairman has taken a deep dive into collecting, since the company only produces a few hundred wristwatches each year.

The “Hand Made 1” that Zuckerberg is seen wearing in Tuesday’s video is composed of parts almost entirely made by Greubel Forsey – a painstaking, by-hand process that takes hundreds of hours.

The Greubel Forsey watch retails for $895,500 before taxes. zuck/Instagram

“It’s a pleasure to see someone who has played such a pivotal role in shaping the modern digital landscape and lifestyle show true appreciation for the most traditional approach to fine watchmaking today,” Greubel Forsey CEO Michel Nydegger told Bloomberg.

Nydegger took the helm at Greubel Forsey last year after the watch company decided to roll back plans to increase production and lower the average prices of its watch down from about half-a-million dollars each.

Online retailers sell pre-owned Greubel Forsey watches for approximately $150,000 to $300,000.



This story originally appeared on NYPost

Vladimir Putin’s wobbly empire means US can stifle his threats

NYPost
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Vladimir Putin’s wobbly empire means US can stifle his threats

This week marked 25 years of Vladimir Putin’s rule, a milestone the Russian dictator celebrated in a televised address.

Boasting of past achievements, he assured Russians, “We can be rightfully proud of what has already been done,” and confidently added, “We are sure that everything will be all right.”

Reality reveals a darker forecast: Putin is now weaker than at any point in his tenure.

Over the next year, the incoming Trump administration should capitalize on this vulnerability to its fullest extent.

Putin’s rule is ultimately based on a devil’s bargain with the Russian people.

In exchange for their freedom, he vowed to end the upheaval and lawlessness that plagued Russia following the Soviet Union’s collapse.

After Russians accepted his terms and voted him into office in 2000, Putin steadily altered the deal with them.

Today’s Russia is a far cry from the stable and prosperous nation that he once promised to create. Instead, it is an isolated country embroiled in war and plagued by systemic decay.

Demographers warn that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has accelerated its long-term population decline.

Economists highlight how the country’s dependence on oil — a classic “resource curse” — and its wartime economy have locked it into a trajectory of prolonged stagnation.

These structural trends show no signs of change over the coming year.

Meanwhile, the Russian National Wealth Fund teeters on the brink of insolvency.

Putin has squandered his country’s resources on an imperial façade of high-tech power and affluence, funding hypersonic missiles, nuclear-capable submarines and a $2 billion St. Petersburg skyscraper for Gazprom, the Kremlin’s natural gas monopoly.

Yet the average monthly wage in Russia remains a mere $787, with citizens spending an alarming 30% of their income on food.(By comparison, Americans spend around 11%.)

Russia’s international alliances fare no better.

Rather than building a coalition of strong allies, Russia has gathered a motley crew of weak dependents like Belarus, African kleptocracies and rogue “frenemies” such as Iran. These partnerships are precarious at best.

The recent collapse of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad dealt a significant blow to the power projection capabilities of both Russia and Iran.

Assad now joins a growing list of deposed leaders from Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia and Armenia — all of whom have sought refuge in Russia after Moscow’s backing failed to sustain their rule.

This leaves China.

Instead of fostering a relationship of equals with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Putin has been forced to rely on Chinese cash flow and industrial support to sustain his military and imperial ambitions.

Initially, Moscow celebrated Beijing’s 2022 pledge of a “no limits” partnership. However, as Putin’s war in Ukraine became a stalemate, China began to distance itself from this commitment.

In 2023, China’s former ambassador to the European Union dismissed the “no limits” promise as “nothing but rhetoric.” More humiliating for Putin, Beijing omitted the phrase from a statement on Sino-Russian relations during his latest visit to China.

These conditions create an unprecedented opportunity for the incoming Trump administration.

Over the next year, the Trump White House must deny Putin the ability to spread instability across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

The fastest way to do so: Tighten the screws of Western sanctions first, and ease off later.

Washington’s immediate target should be Putin’s energy revenue — the lifeblood of his imperial pretensions.

To achieve this, the US and its G7 allies must sharply reduce their “oil price cap” on Russian crude exports.

Although initially proposed by the EU as a tool to slash Moscow’s earnings, the cap became a major loophole to Russian sanctions — and the Biden White House signed on to the scheme.

Letting Russia sell oil freely at prices under $65 per barrel now allows the Kremlin to rake in vast revenues without facing meaningful penalties.

That money funds Russia’s ability to spread chaos around the world.

The Trump White House should drastically tighten this exemption — perhaps lowering the sanctions bar to as low as $35 per barrel.

Since Putin cannot long survive without this cash flow, such a move would vastly increase Trump 2.0’s negotiating leverage over Moscow.

Eventually, the Kremlin will seek relief from Western sanctions to stabilize its crumbling economy, likely offering empty promises of good behavior.

Washington must remain cautious, ensuring that no concessions are granted without first seeing concrete action from Russia.

Ultimately, the United States cannot be expected to save Russia from Putin’s legacy of squandered national potential and self-inflicted decline.

We can, however, hold a firm line against Putin while assisting our allies in resisting him over the coming year.

Peter Doran is an adjunct senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.



This story originally appeared on NYPost

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