Connect with us

NewsBeat

Coronation Street fans work out Jodie Ramsey’s next move after ‘not liking’ David Platt scene

Published

on

Manchester Evening News

Coronation Street fans have previously shared what they think Jodie Ramsey’s next move will be, and it seems they’re even more sure following her latest appearance in the long-running show.

It would be fair to say that fans haven’t trusted the character ever since she first appeared in the ITV soap, before she was revealed to be the long-lost sister of Shona Platt.

Her initial arrival, however, sparked a mystery as her identity was at first unknown, as she appeared during Corrie’s epic crossover with Emmerdale, dubbed Corriedale, which featured a horror multi-vehicle pile-up.

While not involved in the accident, Jodie was seen tied up in the back of a van being driven by Emmerdale returnee, Graham Foster, and while caught up in the traffic caused by the horror smash, Jodie used her chance to escape and as she did, DC Kit Green gave chase and she ended up running into a tree.

Advertisement

This left her among the injured in the hospital and that was how she found a then-pregnant Shona, who was also involved in the crash, alongside David, and ended up giving birth to their first child together, Harper.

While Shona was in the hospital, Jodie revealed herself, much to David’s confusion as he’d never heard of Jodie before. But she has since been invited to stay with the Platt family at No.8, with viewers noting she seems keen to replace Shona in her life by cosying up to David.

This week, Jodie has been seen stepping up her war with lawyer Adam Barlow, who has been on Jodie’s case as she keeps walking David the dog, without picking up his mess. After Adam spotted Jodie walking the dog, he was quick to give her a lecture about the importance of cleaning up dog poo.

While Jodie just left him with a smile, she, or Adam hasn’t let it go. Earlier this week David the dog was spotted cocking his leg on Adam’s new car. He was furious, but Jodie failed to take him seriously. Then, in the café, Tracy Barlow spied the dog behind the counter and threatened to report Jodie to environmental health.

During the mid-week visit to Weatherfield, Adam headed to No.8 with a bag of dog poo that had been left on his car, and made it clear he knew how was responsible. Jodie denied all knowledge and was backed by David Platt. Later, David joined Jodie in planting more muck on Adam, only for him to capture them on camera, and he later took great delight in sharing the footage far and wide.

But it was following Thursday’s (March 12) visit to Weatherfield that Corrie fans were once again left unsure about Jodie’s intentions as she was seen spending more time with David.

Advertisement

@janice_gro33662 said: “I think Jodie is about to make her move on David #Corrie.” @its0l_ replied: “Been obvious since the start, she wants what Shona has got.” @agf1052 posted: “I’m not liking this vibe between David and Jodie #Corrie.”

@LadyReignFC commented: “David has been around Jodie more than he’s been around Shona since Corriedale. Shona wasn’t even in this episode. Just David & his sister-in-law whom he met 2 months ago & invited to come live in his house without asking his wife first. #corrie.” @RyanSoapKing25 added: “David and Jodie are going to sleep together ain’t they #Corrie.”

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

NewsBeat

Igor Tudor: Tottenham interim boss says players can ‘cry or fight’ amid dire situation

Published

on

Tottenham interim boss Igor Tudor

Tudor was hired in part for his positive short-term record at previous clubs, including at Italian giants Juventus – but the Croat’s appointment has not yet brought a change of fortune.

Spurs have lost their past six matches in all competitions and they have not won in the Premier League since 28 December.

Tottenham owner Enic said this week that it does not plan to take a decision on Tudor’s immediate future out of the hands of the club’s executive team.

“It is about all of us,” Tudor said.

Advertisement

“In the last period, a lot of things were said about what is [wrong with] the club, the problems, [that] no one can do [anything] like we were victims.

“I said this morning to the players totally opposite things. We are the team and we are the staff. It’s all about us.”

On Wednesday, defender Micky Van de Ven described Spurs calamitous start in Madrid as a “doomsday scenario”.

That start resulted in young goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky being substituted off just 17 minutes into his Champions League debut for the club – a decision for which Tudor was criticised.

Advertisement

Asked if Kinsky will feature for Spurs again this season, Tudor said: “He will play for sure. He came back the day after and was very good and positive in training. Nothing else. This is probably the first and last time that this happened in my life, and the life of a lot of people.

“It is the same message that I had before. You can go out and be the victim. Everyone was sending messages of help and ‘I am with you’ and this is nice also.

“He will for sure in his career make other mistakes, but I think he has the strength and quality in front of him to have a very good career.”

More to follow.

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Ex-prince Andrew, Mandelson and Epstein pictured together ‘for first time’ in photo

Published

on

Manchester Evening News

The image is similar to another image from Epstein’s “birthday book” made public last year

A photo showing Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, Peter Mandelson and Jeffrey Epstein together has been released by the Department of Justice. The image is reportedly the first confirmed photograph showing all three men together, the Express reports, released as part of the newest tranche of Epstein files.

The trio are seen sitting around a wooden table on an outdoor deck, drinking from mugs decorated with the US flag during what looks like a meeting in Martha’s Vineyard. Although the photo has no timestamp, it is similar to another image from Epstein’s “birthday book” made public last year.

Advertisement

That book also showed Mandelson, again wearing a bathrobe, alongside Epstein suggesting it may have been taken around the same period. Inside the book, the former UK ambassador to the US is said to have written a note to Epstein calling him his “best pal”.

The release of these documents has added new detail to the connections both Mandelson and Andrew had with the convicted sex offender. However, Andrew has consistently denied any wrongdoing.

The Epstein files add more detail about the former Duke of York’s dealings with Epstein, including claims that Andrew’s team sought his help in responding to sexual‑assault allegations made by Virginia Giuffre. This was despite Andrew having said he cut ties with Epstein more than four years earlier.

Emails from 2010 to 2018 also appear to show that Andrew was exploring a potential business partnership with Epstein during his time serving as the UK’s trade envoy.

Advertisement

Being named or pictured in the Epstein files is not an indication of wrongdoing.

Ensure our latest headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Serbia buys Chinese supersonic missiles | World News

Published

on

A CM-400AKG air-to-ground missile on display in Zhuhai, China. File pic: Getty Images

Serbia, a NATO partner and candidate for EU membership, has bought Chinese missiles for its air force.

The Balkan state is now the first European power armed with Chinese CM-400AKG missiles, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Thursday.

“We have a significant number of those missiles, and we will have even more,” he said during a live appearance on state broadcaster RTS TV.

He made the announcement after images of the missiles mounted on Serbian warplanes were leaked online, according to Sky’s US partner network NBC News.

Advertisement

Mr Vucic said the country’s air force had adapted its Soviet-made MiG-29 fighter jets to carry the air-to-surface missiles.

He declined to say how much Serbia paid, only it had received a “slight discount”.

Image:
A MiG-29 jet of the Serbian Air Force. File pic: Michael Kappeler/picture-alliance/dpa/AP

Despite being a traditional ally of Russia, Serbia is a candidate for EU membership and participates in a partnership scheme with NATO.

Its purchase of the missiles is already causing friction with EU and NATO neighbours.

Advertisement

Croatia – which fought Serbia in the Yugoslav Wars of the 1990s – called the missiles a threat to regional stability, an attempt to alter the military balance, and a sign of a growing arms race in the Balkans.

Read more from Sky News:
Husband of Labour MP arrested on suspicion of spying for China
Call to make NATO ‘more European’ at alliance summit

Manufactured by China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC), the supersonic CM-400AKG has a range of up to 248 miles (400km) and can carry either a 150kg blast warhead or a 200kg penetrator warhead.

Its first combat use came during the 2025 India-Pakistan conflict, when it was used by Pakistan.

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Russia’s relentless interference since start of Ukraine war has failed to break Moldova

Published

on

Russia’s relentless interference since start of Ukraine war has failed to break Moldova

When Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the prospects for Moldova did not look good. But four years have now passed and, despite a relentless Russian campaign to destabilise the country, Moldova has survived and made significant progress.

It has, for example, progressed on its path to EU membership. Moldova transitioned from applicant to candidate status several months after the outbreak of the war and formally opened accession negotiations two years later. The government is now carrying out reforms to align with EU standards.

Such progress was not a foregone conclusion given the many challenges Moldova has faced as a result of the war in Ukraine. The country was an early destination for Ukrainian refugees, which put significant pressure on already stretched public services and resources.

With a decades-old foothold in Transnistria, a breakaway region in eastern Moldova, Russia also seemed to have a springboard for conflict escalation in Ukraine’s rear. This foothold gave Moscow a possible destination to push westwards along the Black Sea coast, too.

Advertisement

Russian false-flag operations in April 2022 seemingly provided further evidence that Moscow planned to destabilise Moldova. And one year later, the so-called soccer plot underscored Moscow’s intention to continue its efforts against Moldova. This was a Russian-planned and sponsored attempt to infiltrate Moldova with saboteurs from Russia, Montenegro, Belarus and Serbia.

Transnistria, which is home to around 450,000 people, declared its independence from Moldova in 1990.
Peter Hermes Furian / Shutterstock

Perhaps the most serious challenge for Moldova came in January 2025, when Ukraine stopped the transit of Russian gas through its territory. Transnistria, which had for decades been kept completely dependent by Moscow on Russian gas supplies, was plunged into an immediate crisis.

The authorities there cut off central heating and hot water to all residential buildings. They also ordered the closure of industrial enterprises not involved in making critical food products. The impending humanitarian disaster and ensuing information war between Russia, Moldova, Transnistria and the EU over who was to blame posed a serious threat to stability in Moldova yet again.

Advertisement

In addition, two Moldovan elections in recent years presented the Kremlin with an opportunity for interference. Yet, despite Russian meddling, Moldova’s incumbent pro-Europe president, Maia Sandu, secured a second term in 2024. Her party then won another absolute majority in parliamentary elections the following year.

So, how has a small country wedged between Ukraine and Romania with a decades-old conflict of its own managed to withstand Russian pressure?

Countering Russian destabilisation

Early in the war, the most serious danger for Moldova was an escalation of the conflict in Transnistria. While this may have served Moscow’s interests, politicians in Moldova and Transnistria were keen to preserve stability in their relations.

On the Transnistrian side, this was mainly driven by economic interests. The region has been part of the deep and comprehensive free trade area between Moldova and the EU since 2016, and 80% of all exports from Transnistria now go to EU countries.

Advertisement

Economic stability also helps ensure the continuation of the ruling Transnistrian regime. Business and political interests there are often one and the same, embodied in the all-dominant Sheriff conglomerate.

Sheriff dominates Transnistria’s economy, operating a network of supermarkets, gas stations, construction companies, hotels, radio and TV stations and a mobile phone network. It also controls the Obnovlenie political party that runs the government in the regional capital, Tiraspol.

At the same time, stability reduces the risk of a humanitarian crisis and a refugee wave that could destabilise Moldova. Maintaining the relatively substantial levels of confidence that has been built between the two sides was therefore high on the agenda of politicians in Chișinău and Tiraspol.

The ability of Moldovan and Transnistrian politicians (helped by EU assistance) to avoid a major escalation of the energy crisis in 2025, as well as keeping relations generally stable and predictable over the past four years despite Russian disruption efforts, bodes well for the future.

Advertisement

The Moldovan state budget continues to earmark resources for joint projects involving communities on both banks of the Nistru River, which separates Moldova and Transnistria. This included €1.5 million (£1.3 million) for 30 projects in 2025, bringing the total investment to over €11 million across more than 600 projects since 2011.

A gas worker in Chișinău, Moldova, stands next to his van on his phone.
A gas worker on duty in Chișinău during the January 2025 energy crisis.
Dumitru Doru / EPA

However, while Moldova has weathered storms over recent years effectively, there are still threats to its stability. For example, challenges to the reintegration of Transnistria into Moldova remain. After more than three decades of separation, there are significant social, political, economic and legal hurdles to overcome.

On the one hand, the fact that chief negotiators from both sides met again face-to-face in late February after a 15-month hiatus indicates their commitment to making progress and resolving their differences peacefully and through dialogue. But, on the other hand, there are some signs that trust between the two sides remains fragile.

On the eve of the meeting, Sandu signed a decree revoking the Moldovan citizenship of nine people who serve in the governmental structures of Transnistria. Two of them had also fought against Moldova during the brief civil war in 1992 that created Transnistria. The timing of the decree was condemned by the Transnistrian side as putting undue pressure on Tiraspol.

As Sandu acknowledged recently on the anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, her country’s survival is due to the heroism of Ukrainians in defending their country and thereby keeping Russia away from Moldova. But beyond simple survival, Moldova seems to have emerged stronger from the challenges it has faced.

Advertisement

At a time when the narrative of inevitable Russian victory against Ukraine is beginning to crumble, it is important to remember the limits of the Kremlin’s power. Russia’s neighbours, through their own efforts and with support from their European partners, are not the helpless pawns that Moscow wishes them to be.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Chicken pilaf with cardamom, carrot and orange

Published

on

Chicken pilaf with cardamom, carrot and orange

This Middle Eastern dish is scented, a little sweet and very pretty. In the original, the orange zest, cooked in sugar syrup, ends up a lot sweeter. I’ve toned it down, partly for ease, partly for health reasons. It’s still a gorgeous dish.

It can be made grander with saffron butter. Soak a pinch of saffron strands in 1½ tbsp boiling water for 20 minutes, melt some butter and add the saffron water. Pour this on before serving.

If you can get on top of making pilafs, you can do them with lots of different ingredients. I often make them with what I have – the remains of a roast leg of lamb, toasted almonds and dried sour cherries, for example – so I’m always stocked up with long-grain rice and dried fruit and nuts.

Advertisement

Some pilaf recipes suggest soaking the rice in water, but if you’re making this last minute, just wash it in a sieve.

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

12 ASDA Buys That Prove George Home Is Winning The Interior Game In 2026

Published

on

12 ASDA Buys That Prove George Home Is Winning The Interior Game In 2026

We hope you love the products we recommend! All of them were independently selected by our editors. Just so you know, HuffPost UK may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page if you decide to shop from them. Oh, and FYI prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.

The supermarket aisles are really packing a punch these days.

First, the fashion over at M&S took over our everyday wardrobes. Now, George Home at ASDA has entered the chat in a big way.

It’s a maximalist dreamscape that shoppers are accusing of being so good that they’re breaking up with Oliver Bonas.

Advertisement

Don’t believe me? Here’s a list of some of the best bits to buy before they’re gone.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

UK urges allies to keep up pressure on Russia as US eases sanctions

Published

on

UK urges allies to keep up pressure on Russia as US eases sanctions

Asked whether the prime minister was disappointed by the US move to ease sanctions on Russian oil already in transit, his official spokesman said: “Ultimately, it’s obviously a decision for the US, but our position is clear. All partners should maintain pressure on Russia and its war chest.

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Woman adopts ‘chihuahua’ but something unusual happens weeks later

Published

on

Daily Mirror

A woman has shared her shock after adopting a chihuahua – but after spending a few weeks with her new pet, she soon came to realise something wasn’t quite right

A woman got the shock of her life after bringing home what she believed was a tiny chihuahua, only to realise she had adopted something completely different. Madison Austin explained how she adopted a puppy during the pandemic after researching “small apartment-friendly dogs“, knowing the pup would be growing up in New York.

Advertisement

After spending hours looking into different breeds, she came across Henry online and quickly got in touch with the seller. She said: “They advertised him as a four-pound male chihuahua. But from the moment we got him, we thought, ‘Hmm… his paws definitely look big.’”

Just weeks after welcoming him into her home, Madison realised the puppy was getting bigger and bigger each day.

She added: “We still thought he was at least part chihuahua.

“I remember talking to my husband about whether or not his ears were eventually going to stand up.”

Advertisement

But Henry soon went through a rapid growth spurt and quickly grew past what would be considered a “large chihuahua”.

She said: “He started gaining two or three pounds a week, and then it went up to five pounds a week. Within two months, our vet had to say, ‘Sorry to break it to you, but this dog is definitely not a chihuahua!’

“We had bought an expensive electronic pee pad, thinking we were going to train him on that. That didn’t work very well! And then, of course, we ended up spending a whole lot more money on dog food than we planned.”

Thankfully, the couple eventually moved house and later welcomed two children.

Advertisement
Content cannot be displayed without consent

Now, Henry tips the scales at around 95 pounds – and his breed has been revealed to be a Labrador retriever.

Madison added: “We thought we wanted a small pup because of our lifestyle, but we are so happy he ended up being so big.

“We have so much fun with him and he’s got a heart of gold. He was definitely meant to be ours.

“Sometimes we don’t even know what we need in our lives until it finds us. I have no doubt Henry was meant to be ours, and I can’t imagine life without him in our family.”

Advertisement

Commenting on her Instagram page, where she shares updates about Henry, one user joked: “Girl, I mean this in the nicest way, but have you ever seen a chihuahua?”

Another added: “Little Henry wasn’t even little. What were you thinking?”

A third user wrote: “Ma’am, I have bad news. I don’t think that’s a Labrador either… mix, sure, but pure? No.”

One more user added: “Seems like someone could’ve handed you a raccoon and you would’ve thought it was a chihuahua. That dog didn’t ever look like one.”

Advertisement

A final user commented: “Little Henry looks like every Lab-pit mix I’ve ever met.”

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Residents of Iran’s capital gripped by anxiety and sleeplessness

Published

on

Residents of Iran's capital gripped by anxiety and sleeplessness

CAIRO (AP) — An engineer crouches under a park bench as fighter jets roar overhead. An athlete wracked by anxiety can’t sleep as explosions go off. With the internet shut down, families and friends rely on each other for news about the war and the latest damage caused by airstrikes.

Fierce U.S.-Israeli bombardment of Iran’s capital, Tehran, now at the end of its second week, has left residents in a state of shock. From central historic quarters to upscale northern areas, bombs are shaking the city day and night, with no sirens or warning systems to alert the public.

“The psychological pressure is real,” said the athlete, who lives in a northern area of the capital. He was among a half dozen Tehran residents reached by The Associated Press, all of whom spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear for their safety.

Widely respected national symbols have been threatened. The monumental archway of Azadi Square, often seen as the capital’s modern emblem, was enveloped by smoke after strikes nearby, while the 19th-century Golestan Palace, a landmark of historic pride, had its windows blasted out. At the same time, security forces have increased their presence in the streets to prevent any shows of dissent.

Advertisement

Israeli strikes on oil depots in Tehran last weekend had a particularly profound impact on residents’ psyches. After the blasts, giant fires raged, and toxic, black smoke filled the air — partially eased by rains in the following days.

“I could barely breathe and had to go buy an inhaler,” a 54-year-old Tehran resident who is a human-rights activist said. “People are worried it will affect their drinking water.” As she spoke to AP, a blast went off in the background.

In a later voice note on Tuesday, the activist said, “Last night the situation was really bad. Fighters as well as drones had taken over the whole sky. East, west, they hit everywhere they could. Today you see a lot of residential places that were damaged. It’s really painful.”

The war is fraying nerves across the region, as Iran fires waves of missiles and drones at Israel, U.S. military bases and its Persian Gulf neighbors.

Advertisement

‘Severe bombardment’

The U.S.-Israeli air campaign has struck thousands of sites across Iran, most belonging to the military and the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. The Iranian Red Crescent says thousands of civilian sites have been damaged, including hospitals, schools, universities and homes. Iran has not publicly updated its death toll from the over 1,200 previously reported.

A 33-year-old engineer described the aftermath of the oil depot strikes as an “end-of-times scene.”

Iranians are finding it difficult to follow news of the war, he said, with internet access largely shut down since the first strikes on Feb. 28. Only a sliver of the public has limited access with virtual private networks, the engineer estimated.

He said he phones friends for news of where bombs are landing. Other residents said family and friends trade reports of strikes at anxious gatherings in homes and cafes.

Advertisement

Almost total Israeli and U.S. air superiority has opened up the capital to attack at any moment. The engineer said he was on his street when he heard fighter jets, then a strike nearby. He ducked under a park bench.

A university student said fear of attacks is rising even among those who do not live near clearly marked government and military targets.

“Every moment, without any warning sirens or announcement, some part of the city is under attack,” he said, describing some streets as full of broken glass from surrounding buildings.

Hit without warning

Normally a vibrant city of over 9 million people, Tehran’s streets — in between airstrikes — are now eerily quiet. Many shops and supermarkets are open. But the traditional bazaar is closed, and many streets are empty as people hunker down at home. Families tape windows to prevent flying glass and they shelter in interior rooms when they hear the roar of strikes.

Advertisement

A teacher who lives in the northern Tehran district of Vanak said the home of a friend in eastern Tehran was damaged by a nearby strike that blew windows out of the frames, broke the sink and wrenched the door of the building’s garage out of place. When the friend called to tell her the news, “I was in a very bad shock,” the teacher said.

The teacher said she spends most of her time at home, hosting family members who fled another part of Tehran because they live near positions of the Basij, the feared all-volunteer wing of the Guard. She paces and spends a lot of time trying to get on the internet.

“I try to keep myself calm and tell myself, ‘This is the price we have to pay for getting rid of the Islamic Republic,’” she said.

U.S.-Israeli strikes have heavily targeted positions of the Guard, Basij and police forces, the main enforcers of the Islamic Republic that suppressed protests earlier this year, killing thousands and arresting tens of thousands. This week, strikes turned to roadblocks and checkpoints set up by the Basij, with at least 18 hit on Wednesday, mostly in Tehran, according to Armed Conflict Location and Event Data, a U.S.-based monitoring group.

Advertisement

On Friday, a large explosion hit a main Tehran square as government supporters held a large demonstration there.

So far, authorities appear to have been able to maintain their grip. Residents described a heightened presence of security forces and Basij on the streets One resident sent the AP video she took of a procession of Basij on motorcycles and cars waving flags on her street in a northern Tehran neighborhood. Mosques blared pro-government slogans, she said.

On state TV Monday night, Ahmad-Reza Radan, the commander-in-chief of the Islamic Republic’s security forces, warned that anyone taking to the streets in protests will be seen “as enemies, and we will deal with them as we would with the enemy. All our guys are ready to fire.”

The government has also encouraged its supporters to gather in street demonstrations, especially following the announcement of the new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei. He succeeds his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed by Israel’s opening strikes in the war.

Advertisement

The younger Khamenei’s selection is widely seen as a further sign that hard-liners are keeping a close grip on power. He issued his first statement Thursday, but has not appeared in public.

‘A scorched country’

As the war rages, many Iranians are still reeling from the crackdown after the massive anti-government protests in January.

A 27-year-old nurse said the surgery unit where she works in a Tehran hospital was still treating protesters with serious wounds.

She described the U.S. and Israeli targeting of Iran’s leadership and security forces as “revenge” for the killings of protesters and said she was happy to see the security forces hit.

Advertisement

But the damage from the air campaign is worrying some of those who want to see the Islamic Republic fall.

“It’s no longer about weakening the government. It’s gone toward weakening the people of Iran,” said the activist, who has been imprisoned in the past. “Do you really want to turn us into a scorched country, something the Islamic Republic couldn’t do itself?”

__

El Deeb reported from Beirut. Associated Press writer Shirin Hakim in New York City contributed to this report.

Advertisement

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

US Postal Service unveils new stamps celebrating lowrider car culture

Published

on

US Postal Service unveils new stamps celebrating lowrider car culture

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — From Mexican American and Chicano barrios in the American Southwest to the halls of the Smithsonian on the National Mall and even the streets of Japan, lowrider culture has become part of mainstream car culture around the globe.

The U.S. Postal Service is joining the club with a new series of stamps dedicated to the low and slow rolling works of art. The stamps — complete with pinstriping — are being unveiled Friday during a celebration in San Diego.

For the lowrider community, it’s validation of the vibrant artistic expression that blossomed in the 1940s in the working-class communities of Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas as everyday cars were transformed into one-of-a-kind masterpieces.

Lowriders are known for their dazzling paint schemes, glistening chrome, luxurious interiors and gravity-defying hydraulic systems. They’re symbols of creativity, craftsmanship, pride and identity.

Advertisement

Making history

Antonio Alcalá grew up in San Diego admiring the cars from afar, so it was an honor for him to design the stamps. The challenge was finding the right mix of cars and colors to represent the lowrider world.

He pored over tons of photographs before whittling it down to five: a 1946 Chevy Fleetline, three classic Chevy Impalas and a 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme. Each brings its own flare, from curvaceous body lines and low stances to a hint of the mechanics that make the cars hop.

“It’s a real thrill,” said Alcalá, the postal service’s art director. “The postage stamps are supposed to represent the best of America. They’re kind of a way that the United States signals to the rest of the world these are things that we find important about our people, our accomplishments, our culture, etc. So to have it commemorated on a stamp is a big deal.”

Alcalá watched a video of Danny Alvarado pinstriping a car, and his heart stopped as the brush effortlessly glided over the metal flake paint leaving behind intricate swirls. He knew that would be the final touch for the corner of each stamp.

Alvarado, an illustrator and sculptor, has spent about 50 years perfecting his craft and is now teaching others how to spin the brush just right. For him, the stamp project has special meaning — his father worked as a mail carrier for more than 20 years and it marks another corner turned as lowrider culture gains new fans and more respect.

Advertisement

Cruising ahead

In the 1980s, some cities imposed anti-cruising laws and height restrictions, often seen as targeting Chicano youth and associating lowriders with gangs despite the community’s emphasis on artistry and family.

But with the Hispanic U.S. population increasing and lowriding becoming more popular, restrictions have been rolled back in recent years. California repealed cruising bans in 2024, and just last year New Mexico lawmakers celebrated Lowrider Day at the state capitol, even though a proposal to enshrine the lowrider as New Mexico’s state vehicle didn’t gain enough traction.

Founder and president of the San Francisco Lowrider Council, Roberto Hernández began cruising in the late ‘70s when cruising was banned in California. With the stamp unveiling, Hernández feels “like we got the final stamp of approval as lowriders.”

Alvarado agrees, adding that widespread recognition of the positive aspects of lowriding has been a long time coming.

“It’s a big hit. I mean the lowriding community is so excited about these stamps,” Alvarado said from his home in Monrovia, California. “Everybody I’ve talked to already knows about them, so they just can’t wait till they come out.”

Advertisement

Melting pot

Alvarado mentioned car clubs in Las Vegas, Albuquerque, Chicago, Dallas, New York and the ones that are popping up overseas — from London to Hungary, New Zealand, Australia and Japan.

Humberto “Beto” Mendoza, whose photographs were used as the basis of three of the stamps, ticked off his own list, describing lowrider culture as both a family affair and a big melting pot.

He has traveled far and wide photographing many of the iconic masterpieces that have graced magazine covers. That includes “El Rey,” a red 1963 Chevrolet Impala that is featured on one of the stamps and is on display at the National Museum of American History.

Mendoza was a fan of lowriders long before he built a career photographing them for a living. When he was a boy, his father, a Mexican immigrant, taught him how to frame images with a point-and-shoot and then eventually bought him his first real camera. From there, Mendoza hustled, carrying with him a photo album of his work as he persuaded more lowriders to document their fancy rides.

The stamp project was unexpected, Mendoza said, noting that it couldn’t have come at a better time. He had just suffered a stroke in 2022 and was in a dark place. The project was a ray of light for him and for the wider lowrider community.

Advertisement

“We’re usually outcasted, you know, so them acknowledging us in this community is historic,” he said. “We feel accepted now.”

___

Associated Press reporter Fernanda Figueroa in Austin, Texas, contributed to this report.

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2025