WASHINGTON — New White House press secretary Katie Zacharia defended her legal background and justified her truncated inaugural briefing as she navigates a rocky first week as the president’s chief spokeswoman.

Zacharia sat down for an interview Thursday with the conservative Human Events outlet. In it, she said she did not have time to get fully prepared ahead of her first briefing on Tuesday and that it was always the plan to keep it short because President Trump would field questions from journalists later that morning.

“It was absolutely my goal to keep it short, considering he is his own best spokesperson, and he would love — and does love — gaggling with the media as he goes to Marine One,” Zacharia said. “So I wanted to give ample deference and not barge into his time.”

The initial briefing materials were given to Zacharia on Monday evening, then completed on Tuesday at 8 a.m., less than two hours before she would appear before the White House press corps. She had been up since 3 a.m. preparing, Zacharia said.

“I never had a full briefing beforehand, and I went out and I effectuated the briefing,” she said.

As for her legal background, Zacharia said she was preparing to take the bar exam in California at a time that she had just gotten married and was readying a move to China to join her new husband, who had been working in private equity in Beijing.

“I was obviously incredibly distracted and overwhelmed and excited for finally being married to someone who I’d been long distance from for at least a year,” Zacharia said.

She said the results of the bar exam, which she did not pass, were “somewhat inconsequential” because she would not need to be a barred attorney while living in China.

Zacharia, who has been under scrutiny for calling herself a “lawyer,” said she consulted several legal experts to ensure that title was accurate when offering legal analysis.

“It’s unfortunate that people dub this as some kind of conspiracy or want to put me in a camp. The truth is, I was very careful how I executed this, and I never came across as someone who was an attorney-at-law.”

She will not weigh in on legal matters in her White House capacity, Zacharia said.

She also divulged details of how she went about securing the White House press secretary job. Zacharia stressed that she did not want to be seen as lobbying for the position, left vacant when Karoline Leavitt announced she would depart the administration to spend more time with her family.

Zacharia, who was a communications advisor for the company that runs Truth Social, said she closely monitored the president’s social media posts to determine what was top of mind for him, then would go on air to talk about those topics.

“My philosophy is, I’m on TV enough where if he sees me and he likes me, then I will be recruited for the job. I do not believe that lobbying for that job would have been successful, and I wanted to work for it. I wanted to audition for it.”

Then on Oct. 7, as Zacharia was preparing to take one of her children to a pumpkin patch, she received a phone call from Trump about the press secretary position.

She promptly flew out the next day from her home in California to Washington, met with the president about the job on Friday and formally accepted the position later that day.

Kim writes for the Associated Press.

He made one of the biggest splashes in the Lakers’ first preseason game. Ziaire Williams set the tone of the Lakers’ new defensive style, pressuring the ball the full length of the court and injecting energy into his teammates. The Sierra Canyon High alumnus sank three three-pointers in a stellar debut for his hometown team.

Then came the swelling in his left foot.

After a minor injury slowed Williams’ preseason ascent, the 6-foot-9 forward could be in position to return to the lineup for the Lakers’ preseason finale at 7:30 p.m. Friday against the visiting Denver Nuggets. Williams practiced fully Thursday after missing the last three games. He’ll leave the final call up to the Lakers’ medical staff as the team tries to maximize its preseason preparation.

“It’s important, man, just to get game reps with each other, but health is key,” said Williams, who had 13 points and a steal as a starter in the preseason opener against the Sacramento Kings on Oct. 5. “If you can’t go, you just can’t. It’s not the end of the world. Going back to championship identity, we’re looking ahead at the bigger picture. So it’s not worth [it] to risk your body for a game that doesn’t count and then be out for the real games.”

With nine new players, the Lakers needed training camp and preseason games to build chemistry as a group. Small injuries to several players interrupted the process, but with one fewer preseason game than last year and almost double the total practice days, coach JJ Redick said integrating new players still has “been pretty seamless.”

“We would love to have gotten looks with everybody healthy and everybody good to go,” Redick said, “but we also have to be smart with an 82-game season.”

The Lakers debuted new center Walker Kessler only this week, and the star acquisition who jammed a pinky finger early in training camp still has not played in a game with guard Luka Doncic, who was held out of Tuesday’s game for a planned rest day. Doncic participated fully in practice Thursday, as did forward Adou Thiero, who sat out Tuesday because of “maintenance,” Redick said. Rookie Cameron Carr (undisclosed) remained out of practice Thursday after missing the last two games.

Guard Quentin Grimes has been a preseason iron man. The free-agent signing who is angling for a starting position has played a team-high 97 minutes in four preseason games. With Doncic and Austin Reaves playing together only once in the first four games, Grimes has filled a larger ballhandling role than he might have if the Lakers were at full strength. The 26-year-old guard who is on his fifth team in six seasons credited his journeyman history for helping him get comfortable with a do-it-all role.

“I’ve done a good job of just creating offense, creating opportunities whether that be for myself or for teammates, getting everybody involved,” said Grimes, who is averaging 12.3 points and 2.5 assists on 53.3% shooting in the preseason. “I feel like this team allows me to play on the ball, off the ball in any situation. I feel like I’ve played that kind of [role at] every stop.”

Collin Sexton is the only offseason acquisition who has not made his Lakers debut. Battling a lower leg injury, Sexton participated in all of practice except for periods of live play Thursday. After practice, the guard was seen with kinesiology tape snaking up his right calf while working on the court with assistant coaches.

Sexton’s presence could help stabilize the Lakers’ offense, which is averaging 25.3 turnovers during the preseason.

When Sexton was sidelined at the beginning of the preseason, Redick said he was not worried about the guard’s status for the Oct. 21 season opener against Golden State. When asked Thursday about Sexton’s availability, Redick said simply he was “trending in the right direction.”

Lisandro Martinez meets with his Manchester Untied manager Michael Carrick before apologizing for criticism of the club.

Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez apologised on Thursday for criticising the club’s hierarchy following their Champions League defeat by Atletico Madrid, after holding talks with manager Michael Carrick and senior officials.

Martinez met Carrick and club executives after training, two days after saying the club needed greater investment to help the team compete at the highest level following Tuesday’s 2-0 loss.

“Today I met with the club’s leadership and the manager,” Martinez said in an Instagram post, in his second statement since the interview.

“It was a very positive conversation where we were able to exchange views and speak openly about what happened after Tuesday’s game.”

A club source said that any internal disciplinary action would remain private, adding that it had been Martinez’s decision to apologise publicly and that all parties considered the matter closed.

British media, including the BBC, reported that United fined the defender over the outburst.

Martinez acknowledged that his frustration following the defeat had got the better of him and apologised for choosing the wrong moment to air his feelings.

“Everyone knows that I am a passionate person and that I live football with great intensity,” he said.

“The frustration of the defeat led me to express how I felt at a time and place that perhaps were not the right ones, and for that I want to apologise.”

The Argentina international had singled out director of football Jason Wilcox in the post-game interview, saying United needed more signings to compete with their rivals and build a squad capable of challenging in Europe.

Martinez said his comments had not reflected the unity required at Old Trafford and stressed his belief that everyone at the club was working towards the same goal.

“Our club is at its best when we are all united, and I recognise that my words in that moment did not help with that,” he said.

“I know that every single person at Manchester United is doing everything possible to achieve our shared ambition, bringing the success that this club and its supporters deserve.”

Martinez finished his statement by drawing a line under the episode.

“With this situation now behind us, we are fully focused on winning together.”

United are 13th in the Premier League after six games in their worst start in 40 years. They travel to seventh-placed Leeds United on Sunday.

The halt to commercial shipments, including fruit and winter clothing, cuts off a key source of critical supplies.

Israeli authorities say no commercial goods have entered Gaza for two days, citing what they claim is a tax dispute between local merchants and Hamas.

COGAT, or the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, the Israeli military body that “oversees humanitarian affairs” in Gaza, announced the halt on Wednesday.

COGAT claimed that local merchants “made the decision in response to a 10,000 shekel ($3,220) fee imposed by Hamas on each truck entering Gaza” as well as a demand for 30 percent of all sales in Gaza to be carried out in cash.

This decision is expected to impact a crucial source of food and goods for the 2.1 million people in the Strip, who are completely reliant on Israel’s border crossings in a territory that is still suffering from famine.

Gaza’s government media office refuted the claims on Thursday and condemned the “blatant disinformation campaign and false statement”.

The media office instead said it was an attempt “to hold the government apparatus in Gaza responsible for the disruption of truck entry” and that the fee was a voluntary payment to a fund providing aid for those in need, such as widows and orphans.

It also said that cash payments were encouraged due to what it described as an acute cash shortage in the war-torn territory, but were never a mandatory requirement.

An already dire humanitarian crisis

The halt to commercial shipments, including fruit and winter clothing, cuts off a key source of food and other critical supplies as fears mount ahead of the encroaching winter.

Aid groups generally bring in staples such as flour, while merchants import more perishable foods like fruits and meat, according to data released earlier this year by COGAT.

The suspension is raising fears about affordability, with humanitarian workers saying a combination of aid and a robust commercial market is needed to keep prices under control.

“The humanitarian sector on its own cannot meet the needs of all the people,” said Shaina Low, a spokesperson for the Norwegian Refugee Council. “The markets need to be functioning.”

Local merchants step in

The head of Gaza’s private truckers union, Nahed Sheheiber, denied the Israeli narrative, saying: “The Israeli coordinator is claiming that Gaza’s merchants are responsible, but the truth is that the Israelis are the ones who imposed the restrictions.”

Following COGAT’s announcement, Sheheiber’s union met with Gaza’s Ministry of Economy to express concern and say Israel was citing fees levied by the ministry as a pretext to cut off commercial goods.

A global hunger monitor in July warned that more than two-thirds of people in Gaza could face acute hunger by the year-end.

Israel is obliged under a US-mediated agreement to allow a minimum of 600 trucks carrying humanitarian aid to enter Gaza each day.

Diplomats say that far fewer than 600 trucks normally enter Gaza each day. Sheheiber said the figure was closer to 300, with two-thirds carrying commercial goods.

Big Brother fans weren’t impressed with one star’s actions during the latest episode

One Big Brother star has sparked backlash after their comments in the house.

The hit reality series returned to screens on Thursday (October 15), ahead of the next eviction. Yasmin, Twinks and Rob will all face the public vote on Friday night (October 16). Yasmin notably received a killer nomination this week, while Twinks and Rob each received six nominations from their fellow housemates.

The housemates tackled another shopping task during the latest episode, as the house transformed into Big Brother’s body. The teams were given various challenges to determine who would be awarded the luxury shopping budget, while the losing side had to face basic rations.

Drama quickly ensued when Rochelle upset Harry during the task, leading to him storming out of the living area. Harry was supported by his fellow housemates as he broke down in tears in the bathroom.

But the tension didn’t end there, as Philip later shared his true feelings about Rochelle, who he has appeared to be close with in the house. During a whispered conversation in the garden, Philip told Lynx: “Lynx, I have wished for her to go.

“So, if she f****** goes, because it’s got that way now. I haven’t got no time for her. I haven’t, I’m telling you, I’m speaking honest with you. That’s why I have time in bed, because I want to stay away from her. And that’s no word of a lie that.”

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Philip went on: “Rochelle has said too much… And it’s funny what she kept saying to me and all. She’d say, ‘You’re my best friend in here.’ She said, ‘You’ll never turn on me, will you? Never turn on me.’ She kept saying that to me. She’s got too f****** much to say.”

Lynx added: “And it’s never-ending. And like you make such a pure soul like Harry get like that today, and then you come in the bathroom and make it about you. It’s just sometimes you just have to think about what you say.”

Philip continued: “See, she’s had a very privileged [life] from a child. I think she’s been spoiled, and I think she’s got away with everything. Everything she wants, she got. She never wants to listen about you, about your life, about your things. And do you know what? I’m not really interested and I don’t want to tell her.”

Lynx then said: “Since Sam went or like, when he was giving his reason to vote her, he was like, ‘All you talk about is me, me, me.’ God that stuck with me.”

Philip shared that Sam was “f****** right” about what he said, before concluding: “This is what she’s like. And come on, Lynx, she’s got on everyone’s [nerves]. She has. The ones [that have] gone and the ones [that are] here, she f****** has.”

Viewers were left speechless after hearing Philip’s comments, with many sharing their shock on social media. “Not a good look,” one person wrote on X.

Another added: “Wow can’t believe Philip’s now turning on Rochelle. I sense a downfall coming.” A third said: “Not Philip showing his true colours after that chat about Rochelle!”

A fourth viewer echoed the sentiment, saying: “Philip is giving game player, sorry not sorry.” Someone else similarly shared: “Philip turning on his ‘best friend’ is not what I expected.”

Big Brother is available to stream on ITVX

Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel didn’t shy away from discussing his job security Thursday amid a frustrating 0-5 start to the season.

“I feel like it’s core to my job to always feel that way,” McDaniel said when asked if he’s coaching for his job. “I need to do the very best I possibly can, all the time, because [of] the players, the organization, the fans.

“So, that’s second nature. … I think it’s disrespectful to all those that choose to invest in our game and our team to not look at things that way. The second you get comfortable in this league, it’s a wrap; it’s too good. I will be doing my very best, because from an integrity standpoint, I think it’s really insulting to do anything else. And that won’t change.”

McDaniel says his determination is unwavering. His place in the Chargers’ organization, however, might not be if things don’t change soon.

The Chargers, who rank 10th in total yards allowed per game on defense (311.6), enter Sunday’s road game against the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs averaging just 16.8 points per game, the third-lowest mark in the NFL above just the also-winless Miami Dolphins (14.0) and Tennessee Titans (11.6). Quarterback Justin Herbert ranks 22nd in passing (937 passing yards) and is last in the NFL in total quarterback rating (26.6).

Injuries have played a significant role in the Chargers’ offensive struggles. Eight offensive players either didn’t practice or were limited in practice because of injuries on Wednesday. Four rookies started on the offensive line in Sunday’s loss to the Denver Broncos and wide receivers Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston and Brenen Thompson, didn’t play.

McDaniel insists that he’s been giving the franchise all he has.

“I would be so embarrassed if I told you, ‘Well, now I’m going to try harder,’” McDaniel said. “Like, what? What have you been doing? I’m confident in the players that we have. The improvement that I see before the results generally lead to good things. But talk is cheap. We got to do.”

The drama continued in the Big Brother house on Thursday, as one star struggled to control their emotions

Emotions ran high during the latest episode of Big Brother.

It’s been a tense week in the house, following the results of the latest nominations. Yasmin was instantly put up for eviction after receiving a killer nomination this week. It was soon revealed that Twinks and Rob would be joining Yasmin in facing the public vote, after they each received six nominations from their fellow housemates.

During Thursday’s (October 15) episode, the house was transformed into Big Brother’s body, as part of this week’s shopping task. The housemates, who remained in their two teams, were tasked with keeping Big Brother’s body healthy and happy.

Team captains Rob and Samuel became Big Brother’s brain, and were able to hold all the power. All the other housemates became blue and red blood cells, and had to obey every command given by their side of the brain. The team that performed the best would be rewarded with a luxury shopping budget, while the other team would have to make-do with basic rations.

It later became too much for Harry, as he started to feel the pressure of being in the house. “I feel like all our lot have f***** off. I feel like we’re just left and even then, Rochelle just said, ‘What did you do to stand out?'” he said.

Rob tried to comfort his friend, saying: “This process is hard enough without people making it harder for each other. You can tell me to shut up if this is an overreach, but from a couple of people it feels there’s an assumption that you can’t do a challenge.”

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Several jibes from his fellow housemates later proved too much for Harry. During the task, Rochelle told Harry to “f****** concentrate”, adding: “It’s really annoying. He won’t be laughing when he’s got no f****** thing to eat next week.”

Harry didn’t take too kindly to Rochelle’s comments, as he was soon seen slamming the bedroom door and rushing into the bathroom. Philip and Lynx stepped in to try and calm Harry down by getting him to take a moment in the toilet cubicle.

Harry soon emerged in tears, saying: “I feel s*** man. Just can’t be a****.” Rochelle later apologised to Harry, and became emotional as she reflected on her behaviour.

“I’m desperate to get home and just hope that I’m more patient and just different. I can just be horrible and I have to be better,” she tearfully said to Yasmin and Rhianna. Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Rob and Samuel acknowledged that they needed to support Harry more during their time in the house.

After watching the emotional scenes, viewers were quick to share their concern on X, with one person writing: “That is my worst nightmare – having a meltdown and like 6 people surrounding me. LET HIM BREATHE.” Another added: “Harry has a beautiful soul. Rochelle needs to leave.”

A third said: “Sad to watch Harry be so emotional, he’s clearly hurting.” Someone else echoed the sentiment, saying: “Seeing Harry sad has genuinely upset me.”

Big Brother is available to stream on ITVX

The Trump administration on Thursday sued California over its handling of voter fraud claims, asking a federal court to immediately bar the state from counting ballots from about 20,000 voters statewide — many in Los Angeles County — whom the administration alleges are “likely noncitizens.”

The lawsuit is highly unusual, particularly given that California voters have already begun voting in the Nov. 3 midterms via mail ballots, experts said.

It’s also highly inappropriate and based on questionable federal data that have proved wildly inaccurate in other states, state officials said.

“This is a sad, desperate attempt by Trump to use his politicized Justice Department to try to suppress California voters just three weeks before Election Day,” Gov. Gavin Newsom wrote on X. “Courts have made clear the federal government has no role in running state elections. We will defend free and fair elections in the Golden State and call out every authoritarian attempt to undermine our democracy.”

U.S. Atty. Gen. Todd Blanche, in his own statement, defended the lawsuit.

“State-facilitated voter fraud is unacceptable in the United States of America,” he said. “If found responsible in a court of law, the State of California will have seriously undermined confidence in our electoral system and violated laws that protect our nation’s representative system of government.”

The lawsuit states that “as part of an investigation into unlawful voting,” U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services conducted a “multiagency and multilevel review” of state voter and federal citizenship data and determined with “high confidence” that around 20,000 “likely noncitizens” are registered to vote in the state.

It then forwarded those names to Homeland Security Investigations, which conducted its own investigation and concluded the same, the lawsuit says.

“This means that, consistent with state law, nearly 20,000 noncitizens in California have been sent a vote-by-mail ballot to participate in the federal election (or will receive one), with many addresses listed in Los Angeles County,” the lawsuit alleges.

The lawsuit comes two days after Acting Deputy Atty. Gen. Trent McCotter wrote to California Secretary of State Shirley Weber and Dean Logan, head of the L.A. County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s office, giving them 48 hours to set aside the same ballots in order to investigate those voters’ citizenship status.

McCotter had said the Trump administration would be forced to file for emergency relief in the courts if Weber and Logan did not comply.

The lawsuit comes about three months after Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin wrote his own letter to Weber, alleging that there may be more than 190,000 noncitizens registered to vote in California.

The lawsuit makes no mention of that prior estimate, or why Homeland Security’s initial estimate was so much larger than its current estimate. It does say that USCIS identifying with “high confidence” that a voter is a likely noncitizen “means that the match between voter information on the voting roll and USCIS’ internal records is strong and consistent based on multiple identifiers that support a strong identity link.”

It also said, “The Federal Government notified California months ago that numerous noncitizens may be registered to vote in California. Despite knowing that California must send vote-by-mail ballots to every registered voter, the State made no serious attempt to work with the Federal Government to determine whether noncitizens are registered to vote.”

The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for more information as to how the 190,000 figure dropped to 20,000.

In a letter back to McCotter, Weber noted both figures and accused the Trump administration of pushing forward to disenfranchise voters at the last minute before the midterms based on shoddy data work and no certainty that those voters are ineligible.

“Nowhere has the federal government clarified the basis for suspecting — not even confirming with any level of certainty — the listed individuals are non-citizens. And as one court recently noted, the federal government’s citizenship records are ‘known to be unreliable,’” Weber wrote, referring to a case brought against the Justice Department by the organization Common Cause. “To give just one example, in a similar incident in the State of Nevada, DHS initially alleged that Nevada’s voter roll included nearly 16,000 potential non-citizens. However, after working with the State of Nevada, DHS officials failed to establish that a single non-citizen was on the voter rolls.”

Weber called it “remarkable” that the Justice Department would demand that her office “review and confirm the citizenship status of each of the approximately 20,000 individuals on the list on the eve of an election and within a mere 48 hours” despite providing no clear evidence that those individuals are wrongly registered.

“This is an emergency of the DOJ’s creation,” Weber wrote. “California’s election administration will continue to be governed by applicable federal and state law, not by unsubstantiated claims and outrageous demands.”

First Assistant U.S. Atty. Bill Essayli, the lead federal prosecutor in Los Angeles, posted about the lawsuit on X, noting the 48-window given to Weber and Logan had lapsed and writing, “Time is up for California.”

“This is not political or controversial,” he wrote. “We will not allow California to dilute the votes of American citizens.”

The Trump administration’s lawsuit says that while the U.S. “actively investigates and prosecutes incidents of unlawful voting,” it “is not practicable or feasible for the United States to investigate before the 2026 election concludes thousands, let alone tens of thousands, of individuals that two federal investigative offices identified on the California voter roster as likely being sent vote-by-mail ballots.”

Because of that, it argues, “California is thus knowingly imposing an obstacle on the United States’ ability to enforce [federal election law] by facilitating unlawful voting rather than working with the Federal Government to prevent it,” and the state is therefore legally barred from sending mail ballots to the 20,000 voters Homeland Security has flagged.

It asks the federal court in the Central District of California to declare the state’s actions — including providing and counting ballots for those 20,000 people — to be barred by law and in violation of the Supremacy Clause, and to issue an injunction barring the state from counting those ballots in federal elections “until those individuals’ citizenship status can be verified.”

The Trump administration’s attempts to use immigration data to reach conclusions about California voter rolls and intervene in California’s election is already being challenged in a separate federal case in the district of Washington, D.C., brought by attorneys with the UCLA Voting Rights Project on behalf of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, or CHIRLA, and a California voter named Pedro Trujillo.

The UCLA attorneys filed their own emergency petition Thursday to preclude the Justice Department from moving forward with such actions against California, citing the letters McCotter sent to Weber and Logan.

A judge in that case ordered the parties to meet and file a status report with the court by Friday as to when each side would be able to brief the court on the issue.

Times staff writer Brittny Mejia contributed to this report.

Australia beat New Zealand 24-22 in a dramatic Rugby League World Cup opener in Sydney, with debutant Jack Bostock scoring a hat-trick to see the hosts snatch victory late on.

READ MORE: Australia edge New Zealand in epic World Cup opener

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Poll shows right-wing candidate with two percent advantage over Lula going into second round of voting on October 25.

A new poll has found that right-wing Senator Flavio Bolsonaro maintains a slight lead over President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as the two candidates seek an edge ahead of Brazil’s tense October 25 run-off vote.

A Quaest poll released on Thursday found that Bolsonaro, son of former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, would receive 46 percent of the vote compared to Lula’s 44 percent, a difference within the two-percent margin of error.

Bolsonaro outperformed expectations during the first round of voting on October 4, beating Lula by less than two points despite most polls suggesting that the leftist president was on track for a marginal first-round win. Neither candidate secured a majority that would have avoided a run-off.

The poll, the first released by Quaest since the initial round of voting, shows that Bolsonaro has held onto his lead and remains the favourite heading into the second round.

Lula has sought to rally his supporters after the October 4 loss, holding large rallies that have drawn millions of people onto the street.

While Bolsonaro has remained ahead in the polls, analysts have pointed out that he has not benefitted as much from the elimination of several conservative candidates, whose supporters would presumably prefer him to Lula, as might have been expected after the first round.

Bolsonaro has made progress securing endorsements from right and centre-right parties, however, seeking to consolidate support from conservatives and build a coalition friendly to business interests and a policy agenda sought by investors.

Brazil’s Senate approved a constitutional amendment on Wednesday reducing the country’s maximum workweek from 44 to 40 hours per week without a reduction in pay, delivering a key priority for Lula as the president presses his case to an electorate that is anxious about cost-of-living issues.

“Today is a day to celebrate a historic achievement for millions of workers,” Lula said in a statement. “This means having more time to live, rest, be with family, watch your children grow up, take care of yourself, and enjoy life. Those who work so hard to build Brazil also deserve to have time to live.”

The president also recently banned sports betting, which had caused an explosion of gambling addiction and contributed to surging household debt across the country.

MOVE over Brad and Angelina – Hollywood has another bitter custody war on its hands, and this one is about to get even messier, with a 13-year-old boy preparing to give evidence against his own parents.

Oscar-winner Halle Berry and her ex-husband Olivier Martinez are locked in an explosive legal battle over their son Maceo after allegations of physical abuse plunged their already turbulent relationship into fresh crisis.

Today Maceo will appear in court to give evidence in a hearing over a restraining order sought by his dad, who has accused 60-year-old Halle of attacking the teenager during an argument at her home in September.

The judge has ruled that Maceo will testify, despite Halle’s objections, although his evidence is limited to the restraining order request and he will appear in a closed courtroom.

It marks a dramatic new chapter in a custody battle that has dragged on for years since the couple’s disastrous marriage collapsed in 2015 after just two years.

And while French actor Olivier insists his son deserves to have his voice heard, Halle claims the boy has been “coached and manipulated”.

The latest showdown erupted after Olivier, who is also 60, obtained a temporary domestic violence restraining order against Halle this month, accusing her of physically abusing Maceo on September 26 this year.

In the court filings, he alleged she jumped on their son, put her hands around his neck and choked him.

He claimed the row erupted after Halle called Maceo “stupid” over a game involving virtual reality glasses, and that afterwards a “traumatised” Maceo begged Olivier to pick him up.

Halle has vehemently denied the allegations, insisting the pair were “roughhousing”.

She says the incident arose as she tried to enforce boundaries, claiming Maceo had been ­physically aggressive towards her.

In a statement, she said: “I have never physically, emotionally, or otherwise abused Maceo. I am a victim of domestic violence, and I help ­victims of domestic violence . . . I am not a perpetrator of violence. I would never hurt our child.”

Halle has found a fierce ally in 18-year-old Nahla, her daughter by former partner Gabriel Aubry, who leapt to her mum’s defence in a sworn declaration.

She said: “I have never seen my mom hit, slap, choke, grab or physically abuse Maceo in any way.

“I have never seen my mom place her hands around Maceo’s neck, put him in a choke hold, restrict his breathing or engage in any conduct remotely resembling the allegations that have been made against her.”

Nahla described Halle as a “loving and devoted parent”.

It is a far cry from how it all began.

Halle and Olivier met in 2010 in South Africa on the set of the horror film Dark Tide, shortly after she had split from French-Canadian model Gabriel.

They got engaged in 2012 and married in France in July 2013, and Halle gave birth to Maceo that October.

For a time they appeared to have found happiness together, with Maceo’s arrival completing the family.

Now Halle’s lawyer Marina Beck has branded the court filing “entirely meritless and deliberately misleading”.

She claimed Olivier had repeatedly violated court orders, “misconduct for which Mr Martinez has already been legally sanctioned”, and alleged he has a ­history of “erratic, possessive and ­violent behaviour”.

Halle also accuses Olivier of ignoring evidence which she says contradicts his version of events, including statements from her now-fiancé Van Hunt, who was present, and what she describes as contemporaneous video evidence.

Her filing reads: “Van Hunt was physically present during the incident and is the only adult third-party eyewitness to the events at issue.”

She argued that Maceo has “a ­personal interest in minimising his own conduct”, claiming he has behaved similarly at school.

Halle told the court that making him testify would place him “directly in the middle of a highly contentious dispute between his parents” and risk harm to his wellbeing.

She added that he has spent the past two weeks mainly in Olivier’s care, discussing the allegations and the litigation.

But Olivier has launched a blistering counter-attack, insisting his son is the real victim.

His lawyer Patrick Baghdaserians said: “We vehemently deny such ­allegations. The child is the primary victim here. Victims of abuse should be able to testify regarding the abuse inflicted upon them.”

He added: “We are not surprised that the opposing party does not want the child Maceo to testify.

“The opposing party is seemingly scared of what the child will say.”

Olivier said Maceo “was concerned that no one will believe him over his mother” and “wants to speak with the court to provide his side of the story”.

He continued in his declaration: “Given that our son is 13 years old, I believe it would certainly be in his best interest for him to address the court.

“I believe that our son’s testimony will be the key to the Court learning the full truth about the events that occurred on September 26.

“I am the parent who wants the truth to come out. I am the parent who does not want to suppress Maceo’s voice.”

Mr Baghdaserians warned that if their son was stopped from speaking, Olivier “fears that [Maceo] would be dissuaded from reporting problems or potential abuse in the future”.

The team also expected Halle “will try to prevent Maceo from addressing the court directly”.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Shelley Kaufman ruled that “the minor child shall not be coached” and reminded both parents that existing orders remain in force, including not discussing custody issues or court papers with him.

But Olivier has hit back by asking the judge to block Nahla from testifying, claiming she is “unquestionably biased” and has “no significant bearing” on the case.

He said it was not appropriate for Halle to “insert her daughter into ­litigation that does not involve her”.

The hearing is set to be an ­agonising showdown for two exes who have been trading blows in court for years over how to raise Maceo.

The marriage was short-lived. The couple’s wedding took place in France on July 13, 2013, but cracks soon began to show.

In January 2015, showbiz news ­service TMZ reported that Olivier had appeared to push a worker at Los Angeles airport with a child car seat as photographers closed in.

He was named a suspect in a battery investigation but no charges followed.

By October 2015 the couple had confirmed their split, saying in a joint statement they were divorcing “with a heavy heart” and wished each other “nothing but happiness in life”.

Yet the bitter legal wrangling ­rumbled on for the best part of a decade, with their divorce not ­finalised until August 2023.

The settlement required Halle to pay £6,000 a month in child support, cover Maceo’s private school tuition and contribute more than £41,500 towards Olivier’s legal fees, with the pair sharing joint custody of Maceo.

But the courtroom clashes did not stop there. In 2024 the pair were back in front of a judge over co- parenting therapy, with Halle accusing Olivier of trying to delay it by taking “the summer off” to travel.

She then sought sole custody, claiming Maceo had “serious behaviour and learning problems” and that Olivier refused to get a tutor because it could interfere with their son’s football schedule.

Olivier disputed the claims. Halle also said she had spent more than £150,000 trying to “work with” her ex, and swiped at him over child support.

“As Olivier has advised this court, he lives off my child ­support,” she wrote.

Now Olivier has filed for sole custody and has been granted primary custody, along with a restraining order barring Halle from coming within 100 yards of him.

She has been given two days a week of court-ordered visitation and every other weekend with Maceo.

She has also completed a court-mandated parenting programme.

For now, the battle lines are firmly drawn, with Halle fighting to protect her reputation and relationship with her son, while Olivier insists Maceo’s account of events must be heard.

And with Maceo due to take the stand today, the latest chapter in one of Hollywood’s most vicious ­custody disputes is set to unfold in a courtroom far removed from the glitz and glamour of the world that the former couple once shared.

The Sun has approached representatives for both Halle and Olivier for comment.

WASHINGTON — FBI employees fired for their roles in the investigation of President Trump’s retention of classified documents at his Florida estate sued on Thursday to get their jobs back, calling their terminations unlawful acts of “political retribution.”

The complaint adds to the growing list of legal challenges to the mass terminations under FBI Director Kash Patel of agents who participated in investigations of the Republican president or are seen as opposed to Trump administration interests.

The suit was filed in federal court in Washington on behalf of nine agents, intelligence analysts and staff operations specialists who were fired in February after dismissals of agents who had worked on the investigation into Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 presidential election loss to Democrat Joe Biden.

Patel has said in congressional testimony that employees he has fired had “weaponized” the FBI. But the agents deny that claim in the lawsuit, noting that between them they had more than a century of distinguished and apolitical FBI service that involved responding to the Boston Marathon bombing, hostage recoveries and the investigation into the 2024 assassination attempt of Trump in Butler, Pa.

Their firings, the lawsuit says, create an “immeasurable loss” to “America’s national security.”

“In return for their service, they were fired because they did their jobs, as they always did to follow the facts and law without bias or favor. To this administration, this is an offense. To the rest of us, it is heroic,” said a statement from their attorneys, Margaret Donovan, Abbe Lowell and Rebecca Tinio.

“This lawsuit will prove their unlawful dismissal and hold the administration accountable for this blatant attack on the rule of law,” the statement added.

The Mar-a-Lago investigation produced criminal charges against Trump

The suit lays out a detailed recitation of the allegations against Trump, describing how he improperly stored dozens of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., that he took with him after leaving the White House, showed them off to people not authorized to see them and obstructed FBI efforts to get them back.

The investigation resulted in a dramatic 2022 FBI search of Mar-a-Lago that recovered classified records and later produced an indictment in federal court in Florida charging Trump with dozens of felony counts.

Trump denied wrongdoing, and the case was dismissed in 2024 by a Trump-appointed judge, Aileen Cannon, who ruled that the special counsel who filed the charges, Jack Smith, had been illegally appointed by the Biden administration Justice Department.

The nine fired FBI employees did not volunteer for the investigation but were rather assigned to it as part of their work on specialized counterintelligence and counterespionage squads, according to the lawsuit, which says they were nonetheless terminated because of baseless perceptions that the performance of their law enforcement duties had run “afoul of the political and personal loyalty to Trump that Defendants demanded.”

“By casting Plaintiffs’ work on the Plasmic Echo investigation as ‘politically weaponized,’ Defendants incorrectly presumed to know the personal political convictions of Plaintiffs and took unlawful action based on that presumption,” the lawsuit says, using the FBI code name for the classified documents investigation. “Worse still, Defendants incorrectly concluded that those personal political convictions affected or drove their work.”

The lawsuit seeks, among other remedies, reinstatement to the FBI, an awarding of back pay and a court order declaring that the firings were unlawful.

The suit says the firings were the culmination of a retribution campaign

Lawyers for the fired employees suggest their clients’ “fate was sealed” well before the February terminations, casting the ousters as the culmination of a long-running retribution campaign that kicked into gear once Trump returned to the White House in 2025.

The lawsuit notes how Patel, in his capacity as a conservative podcaster before becoming Trump’s FBI director, had derided the FBI’s Mar-a-Lago search as “unlawful” and had accused the agents who had participated in it as being “corrupt government gangsters.”

Days after Trump was inaugurated, a top Justice Department official demanded that the FBI turn over a list of bureau employees who had participated in Trump-related investigations, an order that the then-director, Brian Driscoll, resisted and that was seen within the workforce as a potential prelude to mass firings.

Over the following year, the FBI and the Justice Department fired waves of employees involved in investigations of Trump, without hearings or proper notice that the plaintiffs’ lawyers say are required by law.

The lawsuit says that the Mar-a-Lago agents and analysts were fired in February after Patel disclosed to Reuters that the FBI, as part of the investigation, had subpoenaed his toll records, which show the date, time and length of a phone call but not the content of the communications.

“The Plaintiffs were unlawfully terminated not for any cause or any legitimate reason, but only to satisfy the President’s personal vendetta,” the lawsuit states. “The firings did not follow any internal investigation or disciplinary process within the FBI, and Plaintiffs were not given any notice, a hearing, or an opportunity to appeal.”

Tucker writes for the Associated Press.

Harry Kane is close to signing a new deal at Bayern Munich, Arda Guler has agreed a new contract with Real Madrid and Liverpool are leading the race for Bournemouth‘s Alex Scott.

England striker Harry Kane, 33, has agreed a new deal in principle with Bayern Munich, who are finalising the paperwork on a contract extension until summer 2029. (Sky Sports), external

Turkey midfielder Arda Guler, 21, has agreed a new deal at Real Madrid after summer interest from Arsenal and Manchester City. (Teamtalk), external

English winger Jacob Murphy’s current deal at Newcastle United runs until next summer and the 31-year-old is close to agreeing a one-year extension. (Mail – subscription required), external

Premier League clubs are keeping tabs on 22-year-old Italy midfielder Issa Doumbia, who joined Sporting from Venezia in the summer for 26m euros and has an 80m euro release clause in his contract. (Tuttomercatoweb – in Italian), external

Liverpool are in pole position to sign Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott, 23, with the England international valued at £100m. (Mail – subscription required), external

A number of Premier League clubs watched Austria’s 19-year-old midfielder Jacob Hodl at Vitality Stadium on Thursday as Sturm Graz played Bournemouth. (Football Insider), external

Leeds United striker Lukas Nmecha, 27, is yet to agree a new deal as the German, who is out of contract in the summer, wants more playing time. (Teamtalk), external

Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson is under increasing pressure at the Championship club and ex-Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard is open to the role should a vacancy arise. (Talksport), external

Eritrea denies troop movement inside northern Ethiopia as US calls for de-escalation.

Ethiopian forces and allied fighters say they have expanded control across Tigray and entered the historic city of Aksum, as fighting in the northern region continues.

The pro-government militia, the Tigray Peace Force (TPF), also claimed on Thursday that troops from neighbouring Eritrea have retreated towards the border.

Solomon Hailemariam, spokesperson for the TPF, said Eritrean forces had sustained significant casualties during the fighting.

But Eritrea’s Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel rejected the claims as false in comments to local media. The extent of the reported losses could not be independently verified.

The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), an independent conflict-monitoring organisation, documented Ethiopian government forces and TPF fighters entering Aksum, while rival Tigrayan fighters remained in surrounding mountainous areas.

ACLED also reported Eritrean troops withdrawing across the border through Zalambessa, following advances by Ethiopian forces and their allies into several strategic towns.

“Ethiopian troops are on one side, and Eritrean troops are on the other,” Selam, a resident of Zalambessa whose first name was changed for security reasons, told the AFP news agency on Thursday.

AFP reported that there is no fighting now, but the town has been without power or water for a week.

“We are caught in the middle and living in deep anxiety,” Salem told the news agency.

Trading accusations

ACLED also documented Ethiopian tanks and heavy weapons moving towards the Eritrean border on Tuesday, raising concerns about a possible confrontation between the neighbouring countries.

Addis Ababa has accused Eritrea, as well as Sudan and Egypt, of backing a rebel alliance of seven groups that is fighting the government of Abiy Ahmed.

Eritrea has denied accusations that its forces entered Tigray to support the armed opposition groups, accusing Ethiopia of threatening its sovereignty.

Eritrea, which fought alongside Ethiopia’s federal army in the 2020-2022 war, severed diplomatic ties with Ethiopia over the accusations earlier this month.

Khartoum and Cairo have also denied involvement in the conflict.

The TPF supports Ethiopia’s federal government in its campaign against the Tigrayan rebels linked to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).

Ethiopian forces captured Tigray’s regional capital Mekelle earlier this month, and the TPLF confirmed that it had withdrawn from the city and moved its regional administration “temporarily” to another location. Government forces also retook the towns of Adwa and Adigrat from the TPLF without a fight. Further, there are reports of Ethiopian advances in the town of Rama, close to the border with Eritrea.

On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called for de-escalation in a phone call with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy, following reports of the alleged confrontation between Ethiopian and Eritrean forces.

Rubio said the region could not tolerate more conflict, according to a statement from the US Department of State.

‘A major failure’

A round-faced man with dark-rimmed glasses, a moustache and short-trimmed hair, Ismael came to the US when he was only five years old.

Southern California became his home, and as an adult, he qualified for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programme, which offered temporary protection against deportation.

He lost his DACA status, however, in 2015 after a conviction for driving under the influence.

His family remembers him as a caring son and uncle, always willing to buy his niece and nephew new clothes or school supplies.

“Ismael was always looking after his siblings. He just had a big heart,” said his brother, Jose Miguel Ayala. “He was very protective of not just us, but my mum and dad too.”

He was 39 years old when he was brought to the Adelanto ICE Processing Center.

Two weeks after his arrival, Ismael told his family that he developed a high fever and a painful sore on his backside.

On September 18, 2025, workers at Adelanto initiated a Code Blue alert for Ismael, signalling a life-threatening medical emergency. Medical staff rushed him from his dorm to the infirmary in a wheelchair.

ICE documents show that Ismael was given pain medication, an ointment and a fibre supplement.

But according to Physicians for Human Rights’ Cuneo, who reviewed the case, Ismael should have received a physical examination and antibiotics.

“That is a major failure,” Cuneo said.

That weekend, hours after Lucia’s visit, Ismael’s condition worsened. Just after midnight on Sunday, ICE records say he was vomiting, shaking and sweating.

According to ICE documents, he was later sent to an intensive care unit, where he went into cardiac arrest within minutes of his arrival and subsequently died.

“I believe Ismael’s death could have fully been prevented by timely care,” Cuneo said. “It was a simple abscess that was not treated in a timely manner.”

Fault Lines obtained a coroner’s investigation that reveals Ismael was critically ill when he first arrived at the hospital, a fact that was left out of ICE’s public report on his death.

The coroner’s report also contradicts ICE’s timeline for Ismael’s death. It indicates Ismael went into cardiac arrest early on September 21, nearly a full day before he passed away. Medical staff, however, managed to restore his heartbeat after intubating him.

That conflicts with ICE’s report, which only notes his pulse stopping once: shortly before his death was announced on the morning of September 22. ICE described his condition on September 21 as “calm and cooperative”, but it signalled no heart problems.

“If they had given him the medical care and what he needed, maybe he would be here with us,” Lucia said.

In a statement about Ismael’s death, ICE said detainees receive “comprehensive medical care” throughout their time in custody.

But California’s Attorney General Rob Bonta told Fault Lines that his office found “the exact opposite” during its inspections of the state’s detention centres.

“We’ve gone to these facilities. We’ve gone into Adelanto. We have done our own physical inspections,” Bonta explained.

“If what the ICE spokesperson said was true, Mr Ayala-Uribe would be with us today.”

An internal mortality review committee also found that the care provided to Ismael at Adelanto “deviated beyond safe limits of practice”, according to a document obtained by US media earlier this year.

It also suggests that medical staff delayed responding to calls about Ismael’s declining health in the days leading up to his death.

KATIE Price’s ex-husband Kieran Hayler yesterday told jurors he was attracted to older women as he denied child rape allegations.

The former stripper, 39, spoke about his affairs while married to the TV personality as he gave evidence at his trial.

He is accused of three rapes and one sexual assault against a 13-year-old girl.

But the judge yesterday added four alternative counts of sexual activity with a child to Hayler’s indictment, which means the jury could convict him of those lesser offences if they clear him of the original charges.

Hayler’s barrister, Arlette Piercy, asked him about cheating on Ms Price with three other women — including the family’s nanny, Nikki Brown — during their marriage.

He said Ms Brown was older than his then-wife. When Ms Piercy asked Hayler about his taste in women, he said: “I am attracted to older women. Michelle (Pentecost, his ex-fiancée) is also older.”

READ MORE ON KEIRAN HAYLER

KATIE FURY

Katie Price rants ‘I won’t be called a liar’ in fiery exchange at Hayler trial

KATIE’S PAIN

Katie Price tells Kieran ‘rape’ trial terminally ill mum has just ‘days’ left

Hayler mentioned the two other women only by their first names, saying: “Jane was 16 years older than me and Chrissy was two years older than Kate.”

Hayler has previously admitted affairs with two of Ms Price’s pals, Jane Pountney and Chrissy Thomas.

During his evidence, he went on to accuse former glamour model Ms Price of coaching the girl he was alleged to have raped at a West Sussex address in 2016.

Hayler said he used the mum of five’s fingerprint to unlock her phone, on which he found a May 2017 text exchange between her and the 13-year-old.

Asked why he accessed her phone, he said: “She was making allegations that I fancied maybe 15 or 20 different people. I wanted to see who she was talking to.”

Hayler admitted he was looking for dirt about an affair he believed Ms Price was having.

He denies all of the charges against him.

The alleged victim is not a member of his or Katie’s extended family.

The trial continues.

Three weeks after the autumnal equinox, it finally feels like fall.

Well, kind of.

This past weekend, Southern Californians breathed a collective sigh of relief as an oppressive heat wave broke. Temperatures in L.A. dropped 31 degrees, from 104 degrees on Oct. 4 to one week later, a high of 73 degrees, according to observed weather data.

I felt like a climatological grim reaper when, in the midst of my friends celebrating the drop in temperature, I told them it was temporary, as it was expected to get hot. Again. (I’m great at parties!)

But, even still, I want to help you get outdoors — safely. In this week’s edition of The Wild, our weekly outdoors newsletter, I will share three excellent L.A. hikes that each offer something different — great views or shade, for example — with caveats about the best time to go.

The first caveat is: The National Weather Service issued a red flag watch and warning, which signals an increased risk of fire danger, for much of L.A. and Ventura counties from Thursday morning through Saturday evening. It includes the San Gabriel and Santa Monica mountains. As a result, parks within Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area will be closed Thursday through Saturday. The closure applies to land managed by California State Parks, the National Park Service, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority.

Daniel Swain, UC Agriculture and Natural Resources climate scientist, told my Times colleagues Terry Castleman and Rong-Gong Lin II in a recent story that the greater fire risk will be in communities and natural areas west of the 405 Freeway, as east of the 405 recently saw rain.

The 405 Freeway passes through several areas with hillsides covered in dense shrubs and trees.

(Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)

“West of that point, almost no rain fell at all, and in early October we had a record-breaking heat wave,” Swain said. “East of the 405 in Southern California, the fire risk is lower because it recently rained.”

Bearing that in mind, two of the hikes below are east of the 405 and the third is an urban hike. All three avoid long drives far into the mountains. The two hikes closest to the foothills have large parking areas and clear exits. The urban hike usually offers clear views that should allow hikers to spot a fire near them and evacuate quickly.

Several children balance on rocks as they cross a segment of the Arroyo Seco near Pasadena.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

1. A shady hike along a flowing river

Gould Mesa via Gabrielino Trail
Distance: About 4 miles out and back
Elevation gained: About 300 feet
Difficulty: Easier end of moderate
Dogs allowed: Yes
Nearest to: Pasadena, La Cañada Flintridge and Altadena
Accessible alternative: The first mile of this trail is paved. See notes below.

The Gabrielino National Recreation Trail is a 28.8-mile journey from Chantry Flat Recreation Area north of Sierra Madre all the way to the Ventura Street & Windsor Avenue trailhead near the Hahamongna Watershed Park in La Cañada Flintridge. It is a multi-use trail for hikers, mountain bikers and horse riders.

The trail has several beautiful sections, including from its western entrance in Hahamongna to the Gould Mesa Trail Camp. This segment is mostly shaded and great for a morning stroll, especially before 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.

To begin your hike, you’ll park at a large free dirt lot near the backside of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab. If hiking in a wheelchair or seeking an accessible paved path, I recommend parking at this smaller paved lot, as that’s where the paved portion of the trail begins. (Please leave this lot for folks seeking the accessibility alternative, as it’s smaller than the large dirt lot — and both are free!)

You can either take the paved trail or an unofficial dirt trail that follows the Arroyo Seco before leading you to the official trail. Either way, it’s primarily a mix of flat path and gentle inclines along the Arroyo Seco, shaded by coast live oaks, bay laurels and sycamore trees. After hiking about two miles, you’ll reach the Gould Mesa Trail Camp, where you can set up a picnic at one of the campground’s tables, or cool off along the creek.

And if you’d like to go a bit farther, you can continue onward to the Paul Little Picnic Site or the Brown Mountain Dam waterfall (see map). Regardless of where you stop, I promise you’ll be treated to a stunning landscape and likely hear the chirp and squawk of scrub jays, California quail and more.

The San Gabriel Mountains become blanketed in golden light in the early evening in Dunsmore Canyon in Deukmejian Wilderness Park, a Glendale park.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

2. A canyon hike with incredible views

Dunsmore Canyon & Le Mesnager Loop Trail
Distance: 2.6 miles
Elevation gained: About 800 feet
Difficulty: Moderate
Dogs allowed? Yes
Accessible alternative: Stough Canyon Fire Trail with Action Trackchair AXIS 40

This 2.6-mile hike through the 709-acre Deukmejian Wilderness Park in Glendale will offer you not only great views of the surrounding cities but also an opportunity to spend time among healthy native trees and plants, including California buckwheat, black sage and California sagebrush (which you should smell).

You’ll park in a lot near the Stone Barn Nature Center. Several signs are usually posted around the lot warning visitors about when the park will close, and a staff member will lock the gate. I think that’s serious, so take note.

You’ll start your hike on Dunsmore Canyon Trail, headed northeast up a straight gravel path covered on both sides with thick ceanothus, yerba santa and more.

Although some hikes, like this path in Dunsmore Canyon in Glendale, may appear exposed during the day, you might find they’re shadier in the morning or evening, depending on their local topography.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

Just 0.2 miles in, there’s a massive old coast live oak where kids could easily create an imaginary forest kingdom under its large branches.

As you continue to climb, you might hear Dunsmore Creek, which runs parallel to the trail. Remember to turn around as you gain elevation, as this trail rewards you with substantial views of Glendale and the Crescenta Valley soon after you start. All the while, you have the San Gabriel Mountains right in front of you, including Mt. Lukens, which you can hike to from the same park.

Half a mile in, you have the option to continue on the Dunsmore Canyon Trail or Le Mesnager Trail to make a shorter loop. Le Mesnager Trail includes a lookout point at about 2,750 feet, a great spot for sunset as long as you don’t get locked in! As you meander down the trail, you’ll find a nice shady canopy and continued views of the city below.

Given our weekend temperatures, this trail is best in the morning or evening. I personally prefer the latter, when golden hour paints the mountains a deep gold to red.

If you plan to hike it in the evening, though, keep the park hours in mind. It is open until 8 p.m. until Monday, when its hours shift to closing at 7 p.m., which remains until Daylight Saving Time ends Nov 1. This is relevant if you plan to park in the lot. Otherwise, you can walk out of the park and back to your car. Regardless, have fun!

Visitors reach the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook by climbing the Culver City Stairs.

(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

3. An urban hike near a great picnic area

Culver City Stairs to Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook
Distance: 1.4 miles
Elevation gained: About 350 feet
Difficulty: Moderate
Dogs allowed? Only on the paved road, not on trails
Accessible alternative: Discovery Park and Bluff Creek Trail

This 1.4-mile out-and-back jaunt up 282 concrete steps, known locally as the Culver City Stairs, takes hikers to the stunning Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook. From here, you’ll have one of L.A.’s most breathtaking — kind of literally — city views.

To begin, you’ll take the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook entrance off Jefferson Boulevard. You’ll follow a dirt path briefly east, follow a switchback to the west and soon find stairs. Head straight up, pausing to breathe and appreciate the views. The stairs vary in height, from about 3 to 20 inches, so it’s good to take your time.

At the top, you’ll have panoramic views that, on a clear day, include the Pacific Ocean. To return, you can either head back down the steps or take the meandering dirt trail down.

Culver City is expected to be cooler on Sunday than Saturday, with an expected high of 85 degrees. Why not make it a morning trek followed by brunch?

Regardless of where you go, I hope you have a safe and meaningful time on our public lands!

3 things to do

1. Prance up to a giant pumpkin in Norco
The L.A. Fright Club will host a 1.6-mile moderate hike at 9 a.m. Sunday to Pumpkin Rock in Norco. Guests should wear comfortable hiking shoes and bring water. Costumes encouraged. Learn more, including how to register, at the club’s Instagram page.

2. Make marvelous marsh pics in Irvine
The California Native Plant Society’s Orange County chapter will host a beginner nature photography course at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the Duck Club at the San Joaquin Marsh in Irvine. At 5:30 p.m., photographer Bob Allen will guide attendees on a short walk in the marsh, followed by a presentation and discussion of technique at 7 p.m. Learn more at the organization’s Instagram page.

3. Witness the cosmos near Palm Springs
The San Bernardino Valley Amateur Astronomers will host a star party from 8 to 10 p.m. Saturday at the Whitewater Preserve northwest of Palm Springs. Gates will open at 7:30 p.m. and close at 8:05 p.m. No late entry. Learn more at the preserve’s Instagram page.

The must-read

An Eastern box turtle at the Turtle Conservancy in Ojai.

(Julie Leopo / For The Times)

The 90-acre Turtle Conservancy in Ojai was founded in 2005 as a research center and advocate for turtle habitat. But over the past 10 years, its mission has shifted in response to illegal turtle poaching, prompting the small nonprofit to take in 810 turtles — more than 400 of which they received in the past six months. What should the conservancy do once it has the turtles? That question remains heavily debated (and underfunded), an issue covered in a recent Times story by writer Stuart Miller. “It’s so easy to pluck an animal out of the wild, but when you want to put one back there’s more roadblocks,” said conservancy founder Eric Goode. “Can we find a happy medium? Because the best thing for these turtles is not to keep them in holding areas for too long.”

Happy adventuring,

P.S.

Would you like to help scientists better understand where native species are thriving in L.A. County? Or how about researchers who are tracking where invasive species are taking up loads of space? The L.A. Nature Quest is a monthlong challenge that runs through Oct. 31. The L.A. Public Library helps host the challenge, which asks participants to download the citizen science app iNaturalist and then document the natural world in their neighborhood. This year, quest organizers are especially hoping people will pay attention to “cold spots,” where there is little to no data on habitat in an L.A. neighborhood. Check out the map at lapl.org to see how you can help.

For more insider tips on Southern California’s beaches, trails and parks, check out past editions of The Wild. And to view this newsletter in your browser, click here.