Albert Pujols Interviewing for Houston Astros Managerial Role

Albert Pujols may be weighing an astronomical opportunity.

The 46-year-old Dominican professional baseball manager and former first baseman and designated, a future Hall of Fame first baseman, is reportedly preparing to interview for the Houston Astros’ managerial vacancy this week, according to ESPN.

Albert PujolsFive days ago, the Astros named former St. Louis Cardinals executive Randy Flores their new general manager.

Before joining the Cardinals’ front office – first as director of scouting, then as assistant general manager – Flores was a left-handed pitcher who spent eight years in the big leagues. Five of those years were spent as Pujols’ teammate in St. Louis, including a championship-winning season in 2006.

Pujols has made no secret about his desire to manage in Major League Baseball since retiring as a player in 2022.

He won a championship in the Dominican winter league in his first season leading the Leones del Escogido in January 2025 and served as manager for the Dominican Republic in this year’s World Baseball Classic, which saw his native country lose to the U.S. in the semifinals.

During MLB’s last hiring cycle, Pujols was a finalist for vacancies with the Los Angeles Angels and San Diego Padres before they hired rookie managers in Kurt Suzuki and Craig Stammen, respectively.

Pujols’ in-person interview for the Astros’ vacancy, scheduled for Thursday, will be his first with the organization, which is still sorting through candidates. New York Yankees bench coach Brad Ausmus is also among those being considered, sources tell ESPN.

Pujols is still tied to the Angels through a 10-year, $10 million personal-services contract that is approaching its fifth year, but a buyout can be negotiated if the Astros choose him as their manager.

He is eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2028 and is widely expected to get in on the first ballot.

Rafael Nadal Accepts Offer to Join Real Madrid’s Board of Directors

Rafael Nadal is getting Real…

The 40-year-old Spanish tennis legend has accepted an offer to become a member of Real Madrid‘s board of directors.

Rafael Nadal,Nadal, a long-time fan of the team, has been an honorary member of Real Madrid since March 2017.

“For Real Madrid and for all madridistas, it is an immense honor that a figure of his sporting and human stature, a reference in Spanish and global sports, joins our Board of Directors and contributes, from this role, to the present and future of our club,” a club statement said of Nadal on Wednesday.

Nadal posted on Instagram a photograph of himself when he was a toddler wearing the Madrid kit, and wrote: “I would like to thank President Florentino Pérez and the Board for inviting me to join the Board of Directors of @realmadrid. I have accepted this invitation with great enthusiasm, keen to learn and contribute as much as I can.”

Nadal retired from tennis in 2024 having won 22 major titles, including a record 14 French Opens, as well as 36 Masters titles and two Olympic gold medals.

Madrid added: “Nadal has had a legendary sports career.

“However, his persona represents much more than his achievements: his talent, his continuous drive for improvement, his capacity for sacrifice, his competitiveness, his humility, his respect for rivals and teammates, and his solidarity make him an example both on and off the court.

“All these values are part of Real Madrid’s identity, and Rafael Nadal has represented and upheld them throughout his sporting life, becoming a role model for millions of people around the world.”

Madrid’s General Assembly on November 21 will have to ratify Nadal’s appointment as a new member of the board.

Xavier Becerra Becomes First Latino Elected Governor of California in Modern Times

Xavier Becerra is celebrating a historic victory.

The 68-year-old Mexican American politician and attorney, a Democrat who ran on his decades of experience in public office, will take over from California Gov. Gavin Newsom as the next governor of the nation’s most populous state.

Xavier Becerra Born in Sacramento to a mother from Mexico and a father who was born in California and raised in Mexico, Becerra will be California’s first Latino governor since the late 19th century.

He made appealing to Latino voters a key part of his campaign strategy, including by releasing ads and social media posts in Spanish.

“I’m running to be what the haters fear most: a proud son of immigrants with a law degree and a union card governing America’s most diverse and successful state,” Becerra said at a recent rally.

The victory by Becerra, a former state attorney general and Biden administration official, ensures California and the White House will remain adversaries for the final two years of President Donald Trump’s second term.

Becerra repeatedly tied his opponent, Republican Steve Hilton, to the president and promised to defend California against Trump’s policies on everything from immigration to voting rights.

“If anyone wants to come after California or any one Californian, they better be ready for a fight,” Becerra said Tuesday night in front of a crowd near Sacramento.

Becerra argued he was best positioned for the job after serving more than 35 years in state and federal office, including as a congressman and health secretary in President Joe Biden’s administration.

Hilton, a former Fox News host and adviser to former U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron, has never held elected office.

Becerra sustained Democrats’ 16-year winning streak in statewide California elections, which Hilton tried to break by arguing one-party rule was to blame for the state’s high cost of living and homelessness crisis.

He argued Becerra would prolong his party’s failure to adequately address homelessness.

“This is what you get with one-party rule,” Hilton said at a news conference before Election Day. “You get a bunch of people in charge who think that they can get away with anything.”

He said after losing to Becerra that “the change we hoped for may be delayed, but the change is coming.”

Gina Hinojosa Pulls Off Massive Upset to Become Texas’ First Latina Governor

Gina Hinojosa has pulled off a historic upset…

In one of the most stunning defeats of election night, the 52-year-old Mexican American Democratic politician and lawyer defeated incumbent Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in Texas, making her the first Latina to lead the state and the first Democratic governor since 1990.

Gina HinojosaHinojosa, a five-term Austin lawmaker, was considered a longshot candidate against Abbott, a three-term incumbent who has never won reelection by fewer than 11 points.

Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan organization that analyzes elections, rated the race as “lean Republican” as of October 1.

“Tonight, I make a solemn promise to every single Texan. Whether you voted for me or Governor Abbott, or felt so betrayed by a broken politics that you did not vote at all,” Hinojosa said in a post on X. “Hear what Texas said today, loud and clear: Your government belongs to you. And as your governor, I will never forget it. There will be no special set of rules for the wealthy and powerful. No looking the other way when someone in my own party does wrong. The trust you have placed in me tonight is not a blank check. It is a sacred responsibility. And I intend to earn it every single day.”

Hinojosa, who was born in McAllen, Texas, a city near the U.S.-Mexico border and raised in Brownsville, a city at the southernmost tip of the state, is part of an influential Democratic family. Her father, Gilberto Hinojosa, served as chair of the state’s Democratic Party from 2012 to 2025.

At 10:17 p.m., the Associated Press called the race in Hinojosa’s favor. With about 5,200 of 5,300 polling places reporting results at 7:15 a.m. on Wednesday, she led with nearly 53% of the vote, according to the Texas Secretary of State.

Hinojosa’s victory gives Democrats control of the governor’s office for the first time since Ann Richards left office in 1995.

Overall, Democrats had huge wins in the Lone Star State, a Republican stronghold that hadn’t elected a Democrat to statewide office in roughy 30 years.

Democrat James Talarico defeated Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, flipping the state’s U.S. Senate seat.

For years, the Democratic Party hoped the state would go into play as it became more diverse.

Hinojosa will take office in January. Her next challenge will be turning a historic electoral victory into a governing agenda — and determining how much of the change she promised voters can make it through the Texas Capitol.

Tami Roman to Star In & Executive Produce Lifetime’s  “Double Double Trouble 2”

Tami Roman is facing additional double-trouble…

The 56-year-old half-Puerto Rican actress is expanding her relationship with Lifetime with the announcement of Double Double Trouble 2, a sequel to Double Double Trouble, the network’s No. 1 highest-rated original movie of 2026.

Tami Roman Roman will executive produce and star opposite Roger Cross in the project.

She will reprise her original roles as identical twins Drea and Ali. Cross will play a shocking new character in the movie slated to premiere in 2027.

In Double Double Trouble, reeling from a devastating miscarriage and the collapse of her marriage, Drea (Roman) struggled to rebuild her life while her identical twin sister, Ali (Roman), found love with Ryan (Colin Lawrence), a man who represents everything Drea believed she had lost. As old wounds reopen, buried resentments and twisted loyalties resurface, Drea is pulled into a dangerous psychological battle with her twin, leading to deadly consequences.

In Double Double Trouble 2, after Drea made the fateful choice to assume Ali’s identity, Drea gets everything she has always wanted – the cooking show, the fiancé, the name on the wedding invitations- that is, until the hospital calls to reveal the real Ali isn’t dead after all. Drea must continue to navigate her identity as Ali, under the watchful eye of their aunt, who knows something is amiss, while Ali’s fiancé, Ryan, also starts to notice his bride doesn’t remember her own life. To complicate matters even more, a long-lost twin brother, Randy (Cross), slides into Ryan’s identity as easily as Drea slid into Ali’s. By the time Ali’s memory comes roaring back, the sisters end up face to face again with a knife between them and a lifetime of resentment behind it.

The original movie, which premiered on February 21, delivered 625k adults 25+ in Live+Same Day viewing, outperforming Lifetime’s FY26 original-movie premiere average by 54%. Among women ages 25–64, Double Double Trouble delivered 235k viewers, exceeding the average by 90%, according to Nielsen.

Double Double Trouble 2 is produced by Navid Soofi for Novus Pictures in association with Studio TF1 America. Timothy O. Johnson, Meghan Hooper White, Abbey Sibucao-MacDonald, Jill Ramsey and Roman serve as executive producers.

The film is directed by James Bamford from a script by Sa’Rah L. Jones.

Denzel Papillon to Star in Angel’s Dramedy “Quitters”

Denzel Papillon is preparing to hang with quitters…

The half-Puerto Rican actor and model has joined the cast of the Angel dramedy series Quitters.

Denzel PapillonPapillon will star in the series alongside Thomas Lennon, Emily Bett Rickards, Jolie Handler, Lonzo Liggins and John Novosad.

The eight-episode half-hour addiction-themed dramedy is now in production in Utah starring Craig Ferguson and Megyn Price.

The series will be distributed by Angel.

Craig Ferguson stars as Nick McTavers and Megyn Price stars as Liza.

In Quitters, “after Liza, an upbeat soccer mom, falls into the cycle of opioid addiction, she lands at Unplugged, an unconventional recovery center run by Nick McTavers, a former heavy-metal legend. To put her life back on track, Liza must learn to rely on an eclectic family of patients and counselors who help her navigate the long road of recovery.”

Tristan Whitman serves as director of photography, Eric Wilson as production designer and Jayme Bohn as costume designer on the series.

Directed by Darrin “Fletch” Fletcher and Chet Thomas and produced through their FletChet Entertainment banner, the series was written and created by Dave Parkin.

Executive producers include Chet Thomas, Darrin Fletcher, Eric Handler, Chase Vergari, Ibrahim Mohammed, Dave Parkin, Edward Neumeier, Rob Gibbs, HR Brown and Alema Harrington.

“This ensemble is everything we hoped for,” said Fletch and Chet. “Every role has been cast with someone who brings real heart and humor to it, on both sides of this story — the recovery center and the families whose lives it touches. Watching it all come to life has been a joy, and we can’t wait for audiences to meet these characters.”

Papillon’s previous credits include Sunshine Station and Falling for the Nanny.

Karol G Makes History on Billboard’s Latin Airplay Chart with Top Three Tracks

Karol G is making history on the Billboard charts…

The 35-year-old Colombian Grammy-winning superstar has become the first artist on Billboard’s 32-year-old Latin Airplay chart to hold Nos. 1, 2 and 3 simultaneously with songs from one album, on the chart dated November 7.

Karol GFurther, she’s just the third act, and only woman, to hold the entire top three, following Bad Bunny and J Balvin, who both did it in 2019 — but not with songs from the same album.

“It brings me so much happiness to see how music continues to connect with people in this way,” Karol G shares with Billboard. “Having three songs occupy the top three spots on the Latin Airplay chart is something that thrills me and fills me with pride — but above all, it makes me feel deeply grateful.”

As “BbY WOW” is back on top of the overall Latin Airplay chart, Karol sweeps the top three. The track, with Judeline and rusowsky, returns to No. 1 for a third week, generating 11.1 million audience impressions in the United States during the October 23-29 tracking week, up 29%, according to Luminate.

All three songs come from her album No Me Arrepiento de Sentir Tanto, released in August, which spent 11 weeks at No. 1 on Top Latin Albums.

“Karol is in a special moment where different songs are connecting with different audiences at the same time,” Jose Cedeño, EVP & GM of Interscope Capitol Miami, tells Billboard. “Each record has its own story and momentum, and our job is to support what fans and radio are responding to. We don’t see these songs as competing with each other. There’s real demand for all three, and seeing them at No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 on Latin Airplay speaks to that connection and the range of her music.”

“BbY WOW” trades places with “Ahí,” with Drake, which dips to No. 2 after one week in charge, with 8.3 million impressions, down 10%. Meanwhile, “Alguien Que Te Amaba,” climbs to a new No. 3 high, up 31% to 7.6 million impressions.

“Behind every song, there is a story, a great deal of hard work, and an incredible team that makes it possible for the music to reach so far,” says Karol. “Thank you to everyone who listens to these songs, makes them their own, and takes them to places we sometimes never even imagined.”

“Karol G’s historic Billboard achievement is a testament to her global impact and the deep connection her music creates with audiences,” shares Ismar SantaCruz, SVP – Audio-First Content & Music Strategy at TelevisaUnivision. “As the leading Spanish-language audio network in the U.S., TelevisaUnivision has a close relationship with Hispanic listeners and a deep understanding of what moves them, and we have been proud to support Karol’s journey since the early days of her career… We congratulate Karol and her team on this remarkable milestone, and we look forward to continuing to amplify her music across our platforms.”

While Karol G goes 1-2-3 on Latin Airplay with songs from the same album, Bad Bunny and J Balvin tripled up atop the list for a week each in August and September 2019, respectively.

On the August 3, 2019-dated ranking, Benito was credited on all three top spots. Starting with “Callaita,” from his album Un Verano Sin Ti, the song surged 7-1 for his first and only week in charge. The No. 2 spot belonged to “Que Pretendes,” with J Balvin, from their collaborative album, OASIS. Standalone cut “Soltera,” with Lunay and Daddy Yankee, rounded out the top three at No. 3.

J Balvin took over the top three on the chart dated Sept. 28, 2019. “Que Pretendes,” with Benito, led at No. 1. “No Me Conoce,” from Jhayco’s album Famouz, also with Bunny, rose to No. 2, and “China,” the all-star collaboration by Anuel AA, Daddy Yankee, Karol G, Balvin and Ozuna, came in at No. 3.

Elsewhere, “BbY WOW” adds an 11th week at No. 1 on the multi-metric Hot Latin Songs chart — the second-longest command in 2026 (behind Bad Bunny’s 31-week reign this year — 72 overall — through “DtMF”).

Erislandy Lara to Defend His WBA Middleweight Title Against Tim Tszyu

Erislandy Lara has locked in his next opponent.

The 43-year-old Cuban professional boxer, who is the reigning WBA middleweight champion, will put his title on the line on December 12 against former junior middleweight champion Tim Tszyu in Australia.

Erislandy LaraThe bout, which will take place at Cbus Super Stadium in Queensland, will be the fifth consecutive title defense for Lara (32-3-3, 19 KOs). It will also be the first time he has fought outside the United States since his second professional fight in 2008.

“I’ve worked my entire life to be in this position, and I’m blessed to have more opportunities like this to be a world champion and defend my title,” said Lara. “Travelling to Australia to fight Tszyu is something I’m really looking forward to. I know he’s a tough fighter, and I respect what he brings to the ring, especially fighting in front of his home fans. But I’ve been in big fights my whole career and I know what it takes to win at this level.”

Tszyu (28-3, 18 KOs), meanwhile, has been picking up the pieces following a pair of losses to Sebastian Fundora and an upset at the hands of Bakhram Murtazaliev. The son of Hall of Famer Kostya Tszyu has won his past three fights, his most recent being a unanimous victory over Errol Spence Jr., who retired after the fight.

“This is what I live for,” Tszyu said. “Lara is a great champion and one of the most avoided fighters in the world. That is exactly why I wanted him. Spence was the first step. This is the one that matters.

“This fight is about legacy. My dad is a Hall of Famer and the greatest fighter this country has produced. Becoming a two-weight world champion is the one thing he never did. That is what I am chasing, and it drives me every single day.”

The blockbuster card will also feature former undisputed super welterweight world champion Jermell Charlo, who makes his long-awaited return against Australia’s Brock Jarvis.

Another Australian, Liam Wilson, will battle Elnur Samedov for the WBA super featherweight world title.

“We’ve got a reigning world champion, a former undisputed champion and two world titles in a stadium on the Gold Coast,” said Tszyu’s promoter, George Rose of No Limit Boxing. “Tim Tszyu wanted the best middleweight in the world and we got him.”

Isabela Merced to Portray Lorena Bobbitt in Next Season of Hulu’s “Good American Family” Series

Isabela Merced is set to portay an infamous Latina…

The 25-year-old half-Peruvian American actress will portray Lorena Bobbitt in the second installment of Hulu’s true-crime anthology Good American Family.

Isabela MercedMerced, who most recently starred in The Last of Us, will star opposite Patrick Schwarzenegger, who will portray John Bobbitt.

Not yet titled, the limited series is inspired by the ripped-from-the-headlines story of the infamous Virginia couple, who incited a media circus that treated trauma as entertainment, launched a thousand dirty jokes and ignited a gender war.

The story revolves around an infamous 1993 incident in which Lorena cut off her husband’s penis with a kitchen knife after an argument at home. She later chalked up the act to abuse during their marriage.

The Bobbitt-focused season comes from the same studio, 20th Television, and the same creative team as the first. Katie Robbins is creator, writer and exec produces alongside Ellen Pompeo, who starred in the first season revolving around the stranger-than-fiction adoption story of Ukrainian orphan Natalia Grace Barnett.

Good American Family debuted in March 2025 and has amassed more than 140 million hours streamed globally on Hulu and Disney+. Its finale was the biggest of 2025 across those platforms. Pompeo and Laura Holstein executive produce the series under their Calamity Jane banner, alongside Robbins, Andrew Stearn and Sarah Sutherland. We announced the anthology expansion in August.

Merced is perhaps best known for playing Dina in HBO’s The Last of Us and for her role as Hawkgirl in James Gunn’s Superman.

Additional credits include the John Green adaptation Turtles All the Way Down and Fede Álvarez’s Alien: Romulus.

Upcoming, she’ll be seen in The Last of Us Season 3 and the Superman follow-up Man of Tomorrow, as well as films Ibelin, Psyche and The House of the Dead.

11-2

Andy Garcia Among This Year’s Kennedy Center Honors Award Recipients

Andy Garcia is receiving a prestigious national honor…

The 70-year-old Cuban-American actor, director, producer and musician is among the individuals set to be feted at this year’s Kennedy Center Honors.

Andy Garcia

Garcia, a Grammy-winner, is among a roster of honorees that includes Paul Anka, David Foster, David Mamet and Barbara Mandrell.

The honors celebrate the lifetime contributions of influential artists in music, dance, theater, opera, motion pictures and TV.

The quintet will be feted on December 7 during a gala ceremony event held for the first time at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. as the Kennedy Center is closed for potential renovations.

No word yet on who will host this year’s event. President Donald Trump hosted last year’s ceremony, which honored Sylvester Stallone, George Strait, Michael Crawford, Gloria Gaynor and KISS.

“We are recognizing amazing artists whose lifelong work has shaped American culture and inspired generations of audiences,” Trump said in a statement. “We are proud to honor this year’s class and to continue a tradition that has defined the Center for nearly 50 years.”

Garcia has been honored for his work as an actor and director in film and television and as a music producer. His performance in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather: Part III earned him Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actor. He later received an Emmy nomination and his second Golden Globe nomination for his portrayal of legendary Cuban trumpeter Arturo Sandoval in HBO’s For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story, which he also executive produced.

In 2026, Garcia premiered his film Diamond at the Cannes Film Festival to critical acclaim. He wrote, directed and stars in the film alongside Brendan Fraser, Vicky Krieps, Dustin Hoffman, Bill Murray, Danny Huston and Rosemarie DeWitt. He also wrote its original score with longtime collaborator Arturo Sandoval.

Garcia’s upcoming films include The Prince with J.K. Simmons and Giancarlo Esposito and Maseratiopposite Anthony Hopkins. He was most recently seen in Eenie Meanie and Pain Hustlers.

His other film credits include Steven Soderbergh’s Ocean’s Eleven, Ocean’s Twelve and Ocean’s Thirteen, the Book Club films, Father of the Bride, which he also executive produced, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, The Mule, The Untouchables, Internal Affairs, Dead Again, Black Rain, When a Man Loves a Woman, Modigliani and City Island, which he also produced. He also earned acclaim for his performance opposite Jeff Bridges in Hal Ashby’s 8 Million Ways to Die.

On television, Garcia most recently appeared in Season 2 of Taylor Sheridan’s Landman. His other television credits include Modern Love, HBO’s “My Dinner with Hervé and Ballers.


Through his production company, CineSon Productions, Garcia made his directorial debut with the documentary concert film Cachao… Como Su Ritmo No Hay Dos. He also produced, directed, wrote the music for and starred in The Lost City. Under his CineSon label, Garcia has won Grammy and Latin Grammy Awards for producing and performing on albums by Israel “Cachao” López.

Garcia’s honors include a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Crystal Globe from the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival and lifetime achievement awards from the Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors and the Imagen Foundation. This fall, he will receive the Stella della Mole Award at the Turin Film Festival, where Diamond will also screen.