Column: CEQA needs reform, but not like this
SACRAMENTO — When does positive reform become negative regression? That’s what Californians need to answer before voting on Proposition 45, which would substantially change the state’s landmark environmental protection law.
The business-backed ballot measure would make it much easier and less costly to build loads of projects — not just housing, but also water works, clean energy and transportation facilities.
It also, however, would give citizens much less time and fewer tools to assess and oppose projects they deem unfit for their area — like freeway expansions or giant warehouses.
“It tips the scale from favoring the public and the environment to favoring developers and polluting projects,” asserts state Sen. Catherine Blakespear (D-Encinitas), chair of the Senate Environmental Quality Committee.
“It’s an overreach.”
“We streamline the building process for billionaires to erect stadiums. Why don’t we do it for middle-class homebuyers?” declares Dan Dunmoyer, president and chief executive of the California Building Industry Assn., a major backer of Proposition 45.
It’s a bitter, high-stakes fight that’s too close to call. Polling has indicated the outcome could be decided in the final days before the Nov. 3 election.
Proposition 45 would be the most significant overhaul of the California Environmental Quality Act since Republican Gov. Ronald Reagan signed it in 1970.
CEQA — as it’s commonly called and used as a four-letter obscenity by developers — is justifiably credited with keeping California air less polluted, water relatively clean, urban traffic from being worse and more outdoors open to the public.
It requires developers — private and public — to undergo a lengthy process of analyzing a project’s environmental effects and reducing their negative impacts.
But over the years CEQA became blatantly abused.
Union blackmailers — ”greenmailers” — threatened frivolous CEQA lawsuits unless developers caved to labor demands. Business rivals drove off potential competitors by filing protracted suits that wore down investors. NIMBYs — ”not in my backyard” — fought local projects that crowded their spaces or blocked views.
As a CEQA battle dragged on, the developers’ costs soared and many cut their losses by abandoning the project. Home building plummeted in California and the law of supply and demand ruled. Housing costs skyrocketed.
Project opponents legitimately concerned about environmental impacts also filed lawsuits, but they weren’t the developer’s big problem — not like the CEQA abusers.
Finally, prodded by Gov. Gavin Newsom, lawmakers have been responding in recent years to the developers’ frustration. They’ve been pecking away at CEQA with meaningful reforms for most types of housing, especially urban apartment projects near transit hubs.
“You’ve got to just move things,” Newsom exclaimed at an economic summit in Long Beach last week. “I’m just done with the [CEQA] litigation…. Years and years of B.S…. Eight years to develop something? Give me a break.”
But the nearly termed-out governor still hadn’t taken a position on Proposition 45.
Money and power, of course, have always had their privileges in the state Capitol. Billionaire sports team owners have had no trouble securing CEQA exemptions for construction of new stadiums or arenas. The exemptions are handed out like free bobbleheads.
In fact, Newsom recently signed legislation essentially granting a CEQA exemption in San Diego for a 16,000-seat sports arena and housing project led by Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke.
Dunmoyer says that lawmakers “have done quite a bit” to expedite housing, “although not quite enough. It has been limited in scope and size — limited to urban infill and close to transit. It doesn’t address the overwhelming amount of housing needs in California.
“It doesn’t help the first-time middle-class homebuyers or address market rate rentals.”
He pegs the cost of a CEQA battle at $75,000 per new home, noting that’s added to the selling price — if the dwelling ever gets built.
Opponents of Proposition 45 argue that the measure’s backers wish to return California home building to 1960s sprawl when the state’s population was half its current size and there was more usable open space to pave over with roads and subdivisions — more orchards to rip up and wetlands to drain. And that led to longer smog-spewing car commutes to city jobs.
“Sprawl housing is not affordable housing,” Blakespear says. “There are costs to build new infrastructure like utility lines and water facilities, and high insurance costs. Then taxpayers have to clean up the pollution.
“Do we really want new sprawl housing developments in wildfire areas? We need to incentivize [urban] infill housing, instead of in the middle of the forest or the desert.”
Proposition 45 — generated by the state Chamber of Commerce — would streamline the CEQA approval process for several types of construction projects the measure deems “essential.” They include housing, water systems, clean energy, health facilities, jails, fire stations, wildfire reduction, broadband access and transportation.
Two very controversial projects were excluded — the bullet train and delta tunnel —
and so was nuclear power.
Opponents insist that the proposition eases the way for construction of massive data centers. But backers adamantly deny it, and they make sense. The anti-45 campaign is trying to scare voters with a Halloween bogeyman.
But there’s plenty of other ugly and smelly potential projects that could benefit.
If this were solely about housing, it wouldn’t ring so many alarms.
Here’s how I see it: We elect a governor and Legislature to handle such complex issues. Let them — especially the new governor, presumably Xavier Becerra — consider enacting new CEQA reforms, holding months of public hearings and ultimately compromising on a deal.
OK, maybe that’s dreaming. But it beats voters trying to wrap their heads around this in a few days.
Unlike regular legislation, if the ballot measure did pass and flaws emerged, it would be very hard for lawmakers to amend, requiring a two-thirds vote.
Proposition 45 rolls back CEQA protections too far — especially with a dangerous anti-environment California abuser in the Oval Office.
What else you should be reading
The must-read: ‘He’s everywhere’: This California Republican wants to make his party relevant again
CA vs. Trump: Big assertions, sharp exchanges, little clarity define DOJ election battle with California
The L.A. Times Special: Voter guide to the 2026 California general election
Until next week,
George Skelton
—
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All the goals from the Women's Super League – matchweek six
Watch every goal from matchweek six of the Women’s Super League 2026-27 season.
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Russia’s Lavrov to discuss US war and regional security during Tehran visit | US-Israel war on Iran News
Tehran, Iran – Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is due to meet with senior Iranian officials in Tehran to discuss the war with the United States and efforts to end it.
Lavrov landed in the Iranian capital on Monday afternoon on his first visit to Iran since February 2025. Moscow said the trip was part of efforts to ease months of tension, since the US and Israel launched their war on Iran on February 28. The Russian minister is scheduled to hold talks with President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi later on Monday.
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On Sunday, Lavrov was in Bahrain, which was heavily targeted by Iran during the war, to participate in a strategic dialogue session between Russia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
He was urged by GCC members to use Moscow’s influence with Tehran to press for “serious dialogue” and restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been severely disrupted by attacks on commercial vessels.
GCC chief Jasem Al-Budaiwi said member states had faced more than 7,000 Iranian missiles and drones since the start of the war.
In the council’s closing statement, the six Arab countries said they wanted Iran’s nuclear and missile programmes, as well as its support for regional armed groups, to be included in future talks to end the war.
Nikita Smagin, an analyst and researcher on Iran and Russia’s role in the Middle East, said Lavrov’s trip reflects Moscow’s efforts to maintain working relations with all countries in the region.
He said Lavrov also wants to maintain Russia’s status as a mediator, despite the impact of the Ukraine war on its global reputation.
“The timing of visits to the Gulf monarchies and Iran, taking place almost simultaneously, is a deliberate signal: Moscow wants to show that it approaches relations with all these countries on broadly equal terms and is equally interested in cooperation with each of them,” Smagin said.
How does Russia fit in?
Lavrov told GCC ministers in Manama that the region was once again teetering on the brink of a full-scale war and Russia wanted to establish a regional architecture for “collective security”.
He said this could include combining initiatives from countries in the region, along with those put forward by Russia and China, with the aim of restoring maritime traffic and achieving lasting peace. The Russian foreign minister urged other regional states such as Iraq and Jordan, which have also been hit by Iranian strikes, to participate.
Lavrov expressed support for the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Iran and the US in June, which later collapsed, as a framework for reducing tension.
Iran has said it wants a return to that agreement, and for Washington to honour a finalised bilateral deal between Iran and Oman to manage territorial waters in the Strait of Hormuz. This has been opposed by the US, which has established its own route in the waterway for shipping.
Intelligence reports cited by US media said that Russia and China are providing military support to Iran in the form of satellite imagery for targeting purposes and components for weapons.
But US President Donald Trump contradicted those reports last week, saying Moscow and Beijing would have “too much to lose” if they helped Iran.
Washington has also issued sanctions waivers for Russia in a bid to lower fuel prices driven up by the war against Iran.
Mixed intentions
Russia’s position on the Iran war is somewhat unusual, said Smagin. It has a partial interest in the conflict continuing, as higher oil prices and the severe restrictions on Iranian oil reaching China all benefit Moscow.
“Russia and Iran have been competing primarily for the Chinese market, so China is now effectively forced to buy Russian oil at higher prices because Iranian supplies are largely unavailable,” he said.
Smagin added that Russia does not want the conflict to escalate further, as the consequences could be unpredictable, but its leverage over either Iran or the US to influence the course of the conflict remains limited.
Russia will continue to expand relations with Tehran, Smagin said, including through Caspian Sea trade, and limited military cooperation with Iran.
“These efforts appear to be aimed less at generating economic returns than at expanding Russia’s political influence over Iran and the course of events,” he said.
Military strikes by Iran and the US to wrest control of the waterway have continued, with the US midterm elections approaching on November 3 .
In comments to the media, Trump threatened to “soon finish the job” with Iran, to which Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi replied: “We have unfinished jobs too.”
Dozens killed after Houthi strike on military camp in Shabwa | Houthis
Dozens of Yemenis are feared dead after a Houthi strike targeted a military camp in Yemen’s Shabwa governorate.
The spokesman for the Yemeni army said the Houthis targeted Shabwa with 3 ballistic missiles.
Published On 19 Oct 2026
Huw Edwards sparks Ofcom investigation with complaint over Channel 5’s film of his downfall
The feature-length factal drama was rigorously researched but Huw has asked for it to be examined inder the ‘fairness and privacy’ clause of the Broadcasting Code
Huw Edwards has filed an Ofcom complaint against the drama about his downfall
Ofcom has launched a probe into Channel 5’s factual drama about Huw Edwards following a complaint which can only have come from the ex-BBC newsreader himself.
The two-part factual drama, called Power: The Downfall of Huw Edwards and starring Martin Clunes as the disgraced journalist, is being examined for “fairness and privacy” under Ofcom’s Broadcasting Code.
The investigation’s criteria covers “unjust or unfair treatment of individuals or organisations in programmes” or “unwarranted infringement of privacy in programmes”.
Huw, 65, has not publicly stated that he has called for the probe. But under the Ofcom code, in order to make a fairness and privacy complaint, it must come from either the affected person directly or by someone authorised to complain on their behalf.
An Ofcom spokesperson told Broadcast : “ We are investigating a fairness and privacy complaint about this programme.”
The feature-length film, Power: The Downfall of Huw Edwards, told the story of the former BBC News presenter’s shattered career. It showed him befriending a 17-year-old boy and grooming him to send explicit photos or videos in exchange for cash. It also showed him linking up with a convicted paedophile online, leading to a criminal conviction for making indecent images of children, for which he pleaded guilty and was given a suspended sentence.
The 90-minute special is currently Channel 5’s highest-rating show of the year, pulling in 3.8m viewers over 28 days when it aired in March.
Ahead of the drama transmitting, Huw claimed that producers had failed to “check with me the truth of any aspect of their narrative” in the factual drama.
In a statement after the drama aired, he accused Channel 5 of “belatedly” asking him for a response after the drama had been made and claims the broadcaster “refused to disclose whether any of those making allegations” used in the research of the drama “had been paid for their contributions”.
In response, a Channel 5 spokesperson insisted it had been “based on extensive interviews with the victim, his family, the journalists who revealed his story, text exchanges between the victim and Edwards, and court reporting”.
They added: “It has been produced in accordance with Ofcom’s Broadcasting Code. All allegations made in the film were put to Huw Edwards via his solicitors six weeks before transmission.”
Huw resigned from the BBC on health grounds, before being charged in June 2024 following a Metropolitan Police investigation.
The Welsh newsreader pleaded guilty at Westminster Magistrates’ Court to three charges of making indecent images of children. These included seven category A images, the most serious classification, which had been sent to him on WhatsApp by 25-year-old convicted sex offender Alex Williams.
Ofcom is now expected to take representations from both sides before either upholding the complaint or dismissing it.
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AIOS Tech to acquire SmartCore Holdings in all-stock deal
- AIOS Tech (AIOS) said on Monday that it will acquire SmartCore Holdings in an all-stock deal worth $100M.
- AIOS Tech will purchase the shares from Better Way Holdings, Novo Spring Management and Cloud Spring, which collectively hold all the issued and
Save HUNDREDS on dream Disney & Universal holidays in Attraction Tickets huge Black Friday sale
HAVE you been dreaming of that bucket-list Orlando holiday? Well, it’s about to get a whole lot cheaper.
AttractionTickets.com are launching a massive Black Friday sale, where you can save up to hundreds of pounds on visits to Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando Resort and more.
Sign up to the AttractionTickets.com Black Friday sale and receive an EXTRA discount
The sale will include theme park and attraction tickets, as well as combo tickets and holiday packages with hotel or villa stays.
And you’ll want in on these Black Friday deals, as this is the website’s biggest sale of the year.
If you pre-register for the sale ahead of time, you’ll score yourself an EXTRA discount, which will land in your inbox on November 5.
This means that those pre-registered for Black Friday will have access to the absolute cheapest holidays and attraction tickets available on the website all year long.
Click here to sign up to the Black Friday sale so you’ll be among the first to know as soon as these deals drop.
Last year’s mega Black Friday sale saw 20% off all Orlando tickets, so theme park fans are already expecting big discounts again this year.
The deals will be for 2027 holidays, with major savings to be had during the school summer holidays.
While the exact offers are tightly under wraps until the big day, Attraction Tickets have revealed that the average customer will save hundreds of pounds on their holiday, based on the website’s typical orders.
So where could you go and what could you do with a holiday booked through AttractionTickets.com?
If you’re looking for a Florida holiday, you will be able to bag discounts on Disney, Universal, the Kennedy Space Centre and more, plus hotels and villas if you want to extend the magic by staying on-site.
Sign up to the AttractionTickets.com Black Friday sale and receive an EXTRA discount
The site also offers handy combo ticket deals – which are great if you want to tick off Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort in one trip, for example.
2027 is the ideal time to visit Disney World, with new upgrades including a Muppet takeover of the former Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster as well as the brand new Magic of Disney Animation zone in the Hollywood Studios park.
At Universal Orlando Resort, new coaster Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift is set to launch in 2027, and the previews of this coaster have excited theme park fanatics around the world.
And if you’re wanting to visit California, now’s the time to get planning. You’ll also be able to save on tickets for Disneyland Resort California and Universal Studios Hollywood in this sale.
Disneyland Resort California is home to Cars Land, which you won’t find in Orlando, plus you can tick off the world-famous studio tour at Universal Studios Hollywood.
If you prefer a Spain or Tenerife holiday, you’ll be able to bag discounts at PortAventura World, Siam Park and Loro Parque.
Just make sure to pre-register ahead of the Black Friday deal to bag an extra discount to make your trip even cheaper.
Sign up to the AttractionTickets.com Black Friday sale and receive an EXTRA discount
What will be included in the Black Friday sale?
Here are some of the top attractions included in the AttractionTickets.com Black Friday sale:
- Walt Disney World Orlando
- Universal Orlando Resort
- Kennedy Space Centre
- Discovery Cove Orlando
- Disneyland Resort California
- Universal Studios Hollywood
- PortAventura World
- Siam Park
- Loro Parque
- Hotels and villas
- Attraction & hotel packages
And more!
UCLA Unlocked: What we learned from the — bowl-eligible — Bruins’ win over Wisconsin
The Chesney Train is not stopping any time soon.
No. 9 UCLA football picked up its sixth win of the season Saturday night at the Rose Bowl, defeating Wisconsin 17-7, making the Bruins bowl eligible and the sole undefeated team in the Big Ten and Southeastern Conference.
Some penciled in a Bruin loss to the Badgers — who were the leading vote getters outside the top 25 in last week’s Associated Press poll — with starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava ruled out for the rest of the season with a knee injury suffered against Oregon.
But UCLA’s newest conductor, senior quarterback Ty Dieffenbach, exceeded expectations against a relentless Wisconsin defense, leading the Bruins to victory in his first FBS start.
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Let’s take a look at the three takeaways from the Bruins’ fourth conference win, as the idea of a Big Ten championship and College Football Playoff appearance becomes increasingly viable.
Ty Dieffenbach isn’t going anywhere
Heading into his first start at the Power Four level, there was still talk from coach Bob Chesney that there was a battle for Iamaleava’s replacement between Dieffenbach and Madden Iamaleava.
But after Saturday’s victory Dieffenbach more than secured his starting spot for the time being.
His final output was nothing to write home about, throwing for 264 yards to no touchdowns and one interception, but Dieffenbach more than passed the eye test.
Dieffenbach was on point from the first whistle to the last, unafraid to make difficult throws over the middle of the field and on the boundaries. Arguably his most valuable contribution was his play in high-leverage situations, consistently converting on third down through the air, and having his best drive backed up in his own end zone.
The quarterback’s pocket awareness also impressed, consistently moving up in the pocket as edge rushers converged from the outside. He also was willing to roll out when the interior of the pocket collapsed, and for the most part, excelled with off-platform throws and scramble plays.
Dieffenbach does not have to contend for a Heisman Trophy for the Bruins to be an elite team.
And he proved that he is more than capable of game-managing, effectively spearheading the UCLA offense against a formidable Wisconsin defense without the running game carrying the offense like it has in the past.
In fact, it was the passing game that led the Bruins to victory, with Dieffenbach’s throws marching the Bruins downfield and putting the running backs in position to convert in the end zone.
What separated Dieffenbach from previous quarterback play was his ball protection, largely keeping it out of harm’s way, and really only taking one avoidable sack. His one interception, which came on a Hail Mary for the last play of the first half, was his worst throw of the night.
Dieffenbach not only displayed that he can efficiently manage the offense, but the ceiling for the former Cal Poly and Pittsburgh quarterback may be higher than previously thought.
Colin Hitschler’s defense holds its own
UCLA defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler’s unit makes the list for the third consecutive game.
The “Bruin Bullies” held the Badger offense to just seven points and 214 yards of offense. And while quarterback Colton Joseph is not a pocket passer, the former Old Dominion signal-caller threw for only 66 yards and completed just six passes.
UCLA’s secondary dominance is becoming more of a pattern and less of a coincidence. The back end of the defense has limited gashing throws since the Purdue game, and has made the simple passes difficult with defensive backs blanketing pass catchers in coverage across the field.
The Bruins’ pass rush also created problems for Joseph and the Badger offensive line all night. UCLA pressured Joseph on 52.4% of his dropbacks, failing to complete a pass on any of the pressures.
Fifth-year linebacker Jalen Wood’s sack forced a deep field-goal attempt that missed wide and fifth-year defensive back Mason Rivera’s sack forced the Badgers to punt, putting the final nail in the coffin, as the Bruins ran out the clock.
While Joseph was productive with his legs, garnering 71 yards and one touchdown, the Bruins were effectively stopping the run — a theme consistent throughout the season — limiting the Badger running backs to 54 yards.
What impressed most about Hitschler’s unit was the ability to dominate defensively with no turnovers, the first time all season the Bruins finished a game without a takeaway. Although UCLA forced two fumbles that were recovered by Wisconsin, the Bruins proved that the influence of their defense does not lie solely in its ability to capitalize on others’ mistakes.
The process works
Chesney and his staff say it all the time — it all comes back to the process.
And the Bruins’ coach has proved it.
When Nico Iamaleava went down, it was the next-man-up mentality. Even outside of Iamaleava, UCLA played Saturday without starting outside cornerback Rodrick Pleasant and starting left tackle Jordan Davis. And the duo’s replacements did not miss a beat. Sophomore Osiris Gilbert proved to hold his own on the 23 snaps he played, splitting time with senior Dante Lovett.
On the blindside of the offensive line, junior Jensen Somerville and fifth-year Mack Indestad split time replacing Davis with 45 and 32 snaps, respectively. Despite the tandem getting their highest snap counts of the season, they did not skip a beat, with the offense allowing one sack, which came from the right side of the line.
Outside of injury, Saturday’s win guaranteed the Bruins something that has been absent the last two seasons — a bowl game. And it is not going to stop there.
Like Chesney promised during his introductory news conference, the Bruins have real playoff and Big Ten championship aspirations.
But turning a program from 3-9 to a playoff contender does not happen overnight.
It all comes back to the process.
“You gotta believe in yourself,” Chesney said. “I believe in these guys. I told them back in the spring that there’s fibers of a really high-level football team that exist within this program, and we just need to put it all together and test it in fire, and compete, and that’s just the way this program works … When they end up with a failure, it’s never fatal or final. It’s a chance to refine.”
Women’s volleyball is on a roll
The UCLA women’s volleyball team extended its win streak to five matches with two big home victories.
The Bruins defeated No. 15 Penn State 3-2 on Friday and Ohio State 3-2 on Sunday.
During the upset of the Nittany Lions, the Bruins won the first set, dropped the next two and rallied to sweep the final two. UCLA had 79 digs, eight aces and 53 assists.
UCLA now prepares for the biggest test of the season, with a match at Nebraska on at 4 p.m. PDT Thursday. The showdown will be broadcast on FS1.
Bruins on deck
Here is this week’s UCLA athletics schedule. All Times are PDT.
Monday, Oct. 19
Women’s tennis at ITA Regional Championships, All day
Men’s tennis at ITA Regional Championships, All day
Men’s soccer at Northwestern, 4 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 20
Women’s tennis at ITA Regional Championships, All day
Men’s tennis at ITA Regional Championships, All day
Wednesday, Oct. 21
Men’s basketball vs. California Baptist (exhibition), 7 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 22
Women’s volleyball at Nebraska, 4 p.m.
Women’s soccer at Iowa, 5 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 23
Swimming and diving at Iowa, Purdue, 1 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 24
Football vs. Michigan State, 12:30 p.m.
Women’s volleyball at Iowa, 4 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 25
Women’s soccer at Nebraska, 11 a.m.
Women’s basketball at Texas (exhibition), 11 a.m.
Men’s soccer vs. San Diego, 6 p.m.
In case you missed it
Ty Dieffenbach shines in his first UCLA start as Bruins defeat Wisconsin, improve to 6-0
UCLA’s unlikely starting quarterback never stopped believing in himself
Gabby Williams powers to Valkyries to victory in Game 1 of WNBA Finals
USC and UCLA could benefit as College Football Playoff nears 24-team expansion
UCLA names Ty Dieffenbach starting quarterback with Nico Iamaleava out
UCLA Unlocked: What we learned from the Bruins’ breakthrough win at Oregon
Have something Bruin?
Do you have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future UCLA newsletter? Email newsletters editor Houston Mitchell at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Sports editor Iliana Limón Romero contributed to this report.
On Iran, Israel’s opposition is even more hawkish than Netanyahu | Israel Election 2026 News
In the rest of the world, the Israeli PM is often blamed for the Iran war. His opponents say he hasn’t been tough enough with Tehran.
Published On 19 Oct 2026
When Israel launched a sweeping military assault on Iran with the United States in February, the Israeli government enjoyed overwhelming support from the Jewish Israeli public.
Opposition parties lent their support to the army and backed the audacious step. Enmity towards the government in Iran is an issue mainstream Zionist parties agree on.
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Then in June, Israel’s role in the confrontation halted abruptly with an announcement from US President Donald Trump, who said Iran and Israel had agreed to stop attacking each other.
That announcement – and Netanyahu’s decision to abide by it at the time – were unpopular in Israel. According to the Israel Democracy Institute, 65 to 70 percent of Jewish Israelis believe that stopping the war did not serve Israel’s national security interests.
As Israelis prepare to vote in national elections on October 27, Iran remains an important election issue for many. Opposition parties present Iran as an example of what they say are Netanyahu’s many failures. They promise to reset security and foreign policy if they’re elected.
The frontrunner, Gadi Eisenkot, says the conflict is unfinished. While saying that a change in Iran’s government was an unrealistic goal, Eisenkot accuses Netanyahu of doing little to dismantle Iran’s nuclear programme. In September at the inauguration of his new party, Yashar, Eisenkot told supporters: “Ultimately, it must end in the destruction or dismantling of the Iranian nuclear programme, a goal not yet achieved with 440kg [970lb] of highly enriched uranium already there, which could quickly be turned into several nuclear devices.”
Former Prime Minister Yair Lapid, who is now the head of the opposition in the Knesset, accuses Netanyahu of a strategic failure. He recently told the Atlantic Council that toppling the administration in Tehran is a realistic objective that requires a military escalation: “What Israel should do or the alliance should do is bomb all the energy facilities, especially on Kharg Island, but other places as well in order to make sure that the Iranian economy is demolished. And the reason is that it’s the only thing that will overturn the regime.”
Bombing this civilian infrastructure was actually something Netanyahu had lobbied for himself. An international outcry about such bombings likely constituting war crimes and Trump’s refusal to offer backing put the brakes on the plan.
Naftali Bennett, another former prime minister, says Israel must ensure its military dominance over the entire region. For Bennett, toppling the government in Iran and crushing it is a must. But he says that is not enough. The right-wing politician calls Qatar an “enemy” and says Turkiye is “the new Iran”, going as far as saying that military confrontation with the NATO member was inevitable.
“We will build an alliance of moderate forces in the region against the Islamist forces, against Iran, against Qatar, Turkiye and all the radical forces. We will take proactive actions to shape the region,” Bennett recently told supporters.
Eisenkot and other opposition leaders do not rule out renewed confrontations. They focus on their confidence in the military and security establishment in assessing the dangers and dealing with them appropriately.
But opposition leaders have voiced concern that Netanyahu might resort to military escalation before the elections to tilt the balance in his favour or even disrupt them altogether – even though the prime minister said last week that he did not plan to attack Iran before the vote.
Those fears were elevated after Netanyahu posted a video from the Tel Nof Airbase warning that Israel’s enemies might attack before the elections. Other news reports said Netanyahu has shared intelligence on new threats from Iran with the US president.
Netanyahu was quickly rebuked by opposition leaders, who accused him of “political fearmongering”.
Lapid openly questioned Netanyahu’s motives. Lapid also accused him of using the Israeli military and bases as “backdrops” for election campaign videos.
Ultimately, most Israeli opposition parties and leaders aren’t opposed to war with Iran, and many are in fact even more hawkish in their approach towards Tehran than Netanyahu. They just don’t want a new military escalation before the elections.
Qatar to unveil regional defence partnership | News
Qatar is preparing to announce a new regional defence partnership aimed at strengthening its military capabilities, Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs, Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, told the Global Security Forum in Doha.
Published On 19 Oct 2026
Ruth Langsford chokes back tears on Loose Women as she addresses ‘heartbreaking’ loss
Loose Women host Ruth Langsford has bene flooded with support after her recent devastating news
Ruth Langsford took a moment to talk about her recent sad family news(Image: ITV)
Ruth Langsford thanked fans watching at home for their “thousands” of well wishing messages as she was supported by her co-stars following her recent heartbreaking loss.
The Loose Women host struggled to hold back tears as she opened up on her ‘heartbreaking’ loss on Monday’s (October 19) show. It comes just days after she shared sad news on social media and was flooded with support.
Part way through the show she took some time out to thank viewers who had sent messages following the loss of her family dog. Last week, Ruth announced that her dog called Maggie had “gone to sleep forever” at the age of 16.
As soon as she began to talk about her, Ruth immediately became teary eyed and was handed some tissues. Joined by Janet Street Porter, Kelly Brook and Jane Moore, they noted she had only just talked about Maggie on the show the other day.
Ruth revealed that very same day, was when they lost her. She spoke directly to the camera and thanked everyone for all their messages that she was ‘working my way through to say thank you.’
She went on to share that when she got home a relative told her that Maggie was not right and was not getting out of her bed. Ruth said it was then she knew that it was her time and added: “It was sad but it was peaceful”
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Sharing more, she said she believed that Maggie waited for one of her children to be there before it happened. She confessed that years ago, before she owned the dog, she would have ‘internally rolled her eyes’ at someone who responded in the teary manner she had over he death of a pet but now understood just how ‘heartbreaking’ it really was now.
However, Ruth also commented that she had not told her mum about Maggie’s death. This is because she is suffering with Alzheimer’s.Viewers watching along were quick to show their support.
One posted on social media: “Oh Ruth. You gave your beautiful Maggie a very happy life.” Another replied: “We can so understand Ruth. Much love xxx”
At the time, Ruth posted on Instagram : “It is with a heavy heart that I tell you our beautiful Maggie has gone to sleep forever. She was 16 years old and sadly this was her time.
“Her passing was painless and peaceful and we were with her until the very end. We are so thankful to have had her in our lives for 15 years…..she gave us so much joy & unconditional love. We will treasure our memories forever. Rest in peace our beautiful girl.”
Loose Women is airs weekdays on ITV from 12:30pm
Beautiful market town hailed as England’s ‘loveliest’ with some of the UK’s best food
The spot is famed for its cobbled streets, Norman castle and stunning architecture
The town has plenty of shops, cafes and restaurants to visit(Image: Photos by R A Kearton via Getty Images)
Long hailed by poet John Betjeman as “the loveliest town in England,” Ludlow has also earned a global reputation as a premier food and drink destination. With over 500 listed buildings and a skyline dominated by a Norman castle, Ludlow effortlessly blends ancient, storybook charm with a modern appeal.
Winding cobblestone streets lead visitors to delis, bakeries, welcoming pubs and acclaimed restaurants.
Frequently dubbed the “food and drink capital of the Marches”, Ludlow’s thriving hospitality scene is fuelled by its impressive variety of locally sourced produce. In 2024, a Which? Travel survey of more than 9,000 people asked respondents to rate the food and drink in their favourite inland towns and villages.
Ludlow came out on top as the nation’s highest-rated destination for food and drink, standing as the only inland town to achieve a full five stars in that category, reports the Express.
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As Which? Travel put it, “Instead of a handful of high-end eateries, there’s a culture of local produce as well as numerous pubs and cafes, served by people who care about the food.”
This ethos is reflected on every plate, with an emphasis on fresh, locally sourced ingredients and menus that change with the seasons.
TripAdvisor currently ranks Old Downton Lodge as Ludlow’s finest restaurant, while waterside favourite CSONS is another beloved choice for relaxed, quality dining, along with Kin Kitchen and The French Pantry for café and bistro-style fare. Pub lovers are spoilt for choice with options including The Queens and The Boot Inn, both of which are highly rated on TripAdvisor.
Experts from Ludlow Distillery note that the town’s food and drink scene benefits greatly from a thriving network of local producers, ranging from artisan cheesemakers and bakers to craft brewers and distillers.
They stated: “The strength of this offering is best seen (and tasted) by a visit to the Local to Ludlow Market in the Castle Square (where growers and makers based within 30 miles of the town sell a range of high-quality and carefully selected produce), and the award-winning Broad Bean fine food delicatessen on Broad Street.”
The town proudly champions ‘Slow Food’, a global grassroots movement with thousands of members worldwide that brings together a love of good food with a commitment to community values.
In recent years, the movement in Ludlow has gone from strength to strength.
Slow Food Ludlow Marches offers activities throughout the year, including visits, talks, demonstrations, meals and Taste Workshops at Ludlow Food Festival in September.
Ludlow Food Festival ranks among the town’s most celebrated annual events, regularly drawing around 15,000 visitors to Ludlow Castle over three days.
Both locals and visitors alike can look forward to the Winter Festival at Ludlow Castle. Taking place between 27 and 29 November 2026, the event showcases local entertainment, mulled wine, and much-loved highlights from the Ludlow Food Festival.
Head along on the second or fourth Thursday of the month to discover the Ludlow Local Produce Market, a vibrant showcase of food and drink made within a 30-mile radius.
The stalls champion sustainability and seasonality, turning an ordinary shopping trip into a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon out.
Outside of Shropshire, Wells was named runner-up for inland dining by Which? Travel.
Other destinations receiving recognition include Lavenham in Suffolk, Llangollen in Denbighshire, Stamford in Lincolnshire, and Cartmel in Cumbria. Each offers its own distinctive flavour of a foodie escape.
Gov. reveals details of ski injury
SACRAMENTO — He made millions playing an indestructible action hero in the movies, but Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger sounded altogether mortal as he talked for the first time Wednesday about the pain and frustration he has felt since his holiday skiing accident.
At a news conference where he released his new budget, Schwarzenegger told reporters that since his surgery two weeks ago he has been in continuous pain.
“The operation was a very complicated operation,” he said, “and I don’t think I can ever remember having had pain — ongoing pain, 24 hours a day — like after this operation.”
In a statement put out last month after the Dec. 23 accident, the governor’s doctor described the surgery planned for Schwarzenegger as routine.
Schwarzenegger had previously said nothing publicly about his accident, and his staff had refused to confirm reports that the governor tripped and fell while standing on a mountain slope in Sun Valley, Idaho.
Adi Erber, a ski instructor who was with the governor at the time, said Schwarzenegger’s pole got caught in one of his skis, causing the fall. Schwarzenegger was then carried down the slope on a toboggan and taken to a hospital.
Asked for his own account of how the accident happened, Schwarzenegger offered a few details about his complicated medical history, which has included steroid use, a heart valve replacement, a torn rotator cuff and broken ribs. He said that he has also had an artificial hip put in — a procedure that, he maintained, helped cause the leg break.
Schwarzenegger said that because he was moving “at a very slow speed,” his ski stayed on.
Had he been moving fast, he said, the ski would have popped off, probably sparing him any real injury.
“I had an artificial hip that was replaced around five years ago,” he said. “Because it was vulnerable, the ski torqued the leg, and it broke the femur because of that. If I were to have that accident at 50 mph — and many times I’ve crashed at that speed — nothing happens.
“So this is what the unfortunate thing was.”
Soon after the injury, speculation bubbled up that the governor’s steroid use might have left his bones weakened, making him more susceptible to a break. Schwarzenegger has admitted using steroids when he was a champion bodybuilder.
The governor’s office released a statement from his orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Kevin Ehrhart, addressing the steroid question.
“Any suggestion that Gov. Schwarzenegger’s injury was sustained as a result of anabolic steroid use is wrong and has no basis in fact,” Ehrhart said. “His bone was completely healthy and rock solid.”
Normally upbeat in his public appearances, Schwarzenegger said the accident has left him shaken. He has looked thinner and somewhat drawn since the surgery.
At his inauguration last week, First Lady Maria Shriver clutched the governor’s arm as he took the oath of office — as if holding him up — and handed him bottled water afterward. Shriver also attended the governor’s budget address.
Schwarzenegger suggested Shriver has been at the receiving end of his darkened mood.
“So it’s really annoying to me, and believe me, there’s nothing I hate more than having an obstacle like this. So this is very frustrating to me. It’s very tough on my wife.
“When I get frustrated and have those obstacles, I’m very angry a lot of times,” he said, “and so I’m working through all of this and trying to get rid of this problem as soon as I can.”
Boo Williams has Sun Valley Poly at 7-1 in football
After spending years as an assistant football coach at Sylmar and San Fernando, Boo Williams arrived at Sun Valley Poly this season with a mission to turn around a program that always seemed to have talent but rarely put together many victories.
In his rookie season, Williams has Poly with a 7-1 overall record and a 5-0 mark in the East Valley League going into the final games against Verdugo Hills and Arleta.
Justice Brown has rushed for more than 1,000 yards. King Exudus has been an impact player on defense.
Williams brought with him some of his ex-players, including former Sylmar quarterback Clarence Williams.
Poly’s only loss was to Taft in the season opener 37-16.
Boo Williams said he’s “having fun” being a head coach for the first time.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
Indonesia battles worst forest fires and toxic haze in 11 years | Weather
As forest fires and toxic haze in Indonesia’s Central Kalimantan continue to worsen, critics accuse authorities of failing to take adequate action to contain the crisis.
Published On 19 Oct 2026
Harry Brook: England captain says he has ‘learned a lot’ from off-field issues
Brook remains one of England’s most fascinating cricketers.
Despite being white-ball skipper and serving as Test vice-captain, he was overlooked for the red-ball job when Ben Stokes retired, with Joe Root preferred.
He averages a formidable 53.08 in Tests – the highest for England in almost 60 years – with 10 centuries, but often draws criticism for his aggressive, some say reckless, batting.
While he has failed to convert any of his seven fifties into centuries since the Ashes, he still averages 41.57 and has scored hundreds as captain in T20s and one-day internationals in that time.
“I enjoy the extra responsibility,” he said. “I like the extra little bit of added pressure.
“I’m not going to go out there and score runs every time I bat but I want to be the man that is in that match-winning situation who can get us over the line.
“I know there have been a few innings where I haven’t managed to do that but hopefully I’ve turned that corner and I can really be the man England fans and the team rely on.”
The debate around Brook was perhaps best summed up by Stokes telling the Yorkshireman he is talented enough to average 65 or 70.
“Personally I’m not that bothered about the stats, I’ve always said I think there should be a match-winning column in your stats – that’s not there,” Brook said.
“I write stuff down and I try and judge myself on whether I’ve had a match-winning performance or match-winning impact in that specific game and I try and tally it up at the end of the year and see how well I’ve done.”
Strictly Come Dancing star will return this week after nasty injury
Former Neighbours star Delta Goodrem will return to Strictly Come Dancing this week after previously being forced to take time out when she sustained a rib injury
Delta Goodrem will return to Strictly Come Dancing this week, it has been confirmed(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/BBC Studios)
Delta Goodrem will return to Strictly Come Dancing this week, it has been confirmed.
The pop star, 41, had been forced to take time out of the BBC Saturday night favourite when she sustained a rib injury and was given a free pass but it was uncertain whether she would be well enough to make it back to the show at all.
But on Monday morning, the official social media account for Strictly announced that her comeback was imminent. A statement posted to Instagram read: “Following her bye last week due to injury, we’re delighted to confirm Delta has been given the all clear to dance again this weekend.
“She’ll return to the #Strictly ballroom on Saturday night, and Abi Clarke will pop into her rehearsal room for a chat on Training Room Diaries on Wednesday evening.”
Reacting to the news, one fan said: “Great news can’t wait to see your dance this week,” whilst another wrote: “Whoop whoop have missed her.”
A third wrote: “Unfinished business to attend to! Can’t wait to see you back out there,” and a fourth said: “Amazing news, welcome back delta.”
Delta, who is best known for starring in Australian soap Neighbours and releasing hits such as Innocent Eyes, recently told fans she was hoping to recover in time for the next round and – following her doctor’s order – had been getting rest at home.
Taking to social media, Delta, who is paired up with professional dancer Kai Widdrington, wrote: “Just wanted to come on here and say a big Thank you to everyone who has sent messages and wrote lovely comments the last couple of days, I see them all.
“Not the start to the week I’d hoped for but your support has meant the world. Also special big thank you to my amazing dance partner @kaiwidd who I will miss dancing with this weekend but I am so beyond grateful for his guidance and friendship through it all.. as well as the wonderful Strictly team!!”
She added: “Resting and recovering at home and will be cheering everyone on from my couch on Saturday night xx.” Delta had previously said she was “absolutely gutted” to be out the show for the week, and hoped she’d be back the following week.
Delta had planned dance to Dolly Parton’s Jolene with Kai during Icons Week but it was performed instead by Amy Dowden.
A spokesperson for the show had said: “Due to injury, Delta Goodrem has been advised by doctors to rest and, as a result, will not dance on this weekend’s Strictly Come Dancing.
“In line with the rules of the show, Delta and Kai will receive a bye through to next week when it is hoped they will be able to dance again. We wish Delta the very best as she continues her recovery.”
Delta added: “I’ve been loving every second of this experience, so having to sit this one out is heartbreaking – especially after the high of Saturday night.”
“I cannot tell you how much I love being a part of this magical show. I’m going to focus on resting and recovering, and hopefully I’ll be back on that dancefloor very soon. Thank you so much to everyone for all the love and support. It’s so appreciated. I’ll be cheering everyone on from the sidelines this week!”
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Global-E Online rallies after Morgan Stanley turns bullish (GLBE:NASDAQ)
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Butlin’s launches all-inclusive breaks for summer holidays with food, drinks and waterpark included
BUTLIN’S is continuing its all-inclusive family breaks into summer 2026 and 2027 – and absolutely everything is included.
From food and drink to waterparks and swimming pools to the adventure playgrounds – there are no hidden surprises.
Called the ‘All Inclusive Bundles‘ these include accommodation, breakfast, dinner, and drinks, Splash Waterworld, unlimited fairground rides, live shows, playgrounds and soft play.
The price starts from £125 per person for a family of four – or £41.50pppn.
When it come to the bundle, families have four different dining plans to choose from.
There’s the Food Court Dining & Drinks which has an all-you-can-eat buffet breakfast and dinner, DineAround, which offers a choice of restaurants across each resort.
Premium Buffet Dining Plan which is the best of the buffets including live cooking stations and themed nights, and Hotel Dining Plan which has the variety of the premium plan but at your own hotel restaurant.
Meanwhile, the drinks package includes unlimited soft drinks, spirits, wines, cocktails, draught beers and ciders, as well as non-alcoholic choices and Costa Coffee.
In 2027, there will be eight brand-new shows to enjoy too including Britain’s Got Talent which will take place during all school holiday breaks.
It will be hosted by a celebrity presenter and performers will take to the stage in an attempt to get the Golden Buzzer.
During February half-term, there will be the new DreamWorks’ Madagascar – A Musical Adventure on stage.
Other new performances include K-Pop Forever! which has hits from groups like BTS and Blackpink.
Animals Magnified by the Animal Guyz which is a family show perfect for anyone who loves animals from hippos to tiny insects.
A Billion Streams will be its new concert-style show where guests can hear some of the world’s biggest hits from the likes of Harry Styles and Dua Lipa.
The Skyline Gang will compete in a Battle of the Bands competition so get ready to hear incredible drum solos and guitar riffs.
The price of an all-inclusive bundle starts from £499 for a family of four – or £41.50pppn.
This is based on two adults and two children in a Comfort Room on an October Half Term three-night break with Food Court buffet breakfast and dinner, and the All Inclusive Drinks Package.
During the 2027 summer holidays, a three-night break to Skegness from August 13-16 with a Food Court Dining & Drinks bundle costs £739.98 – or £61.66pppn.
Travel Writer Helen Wright checked out the all-inclusive last year where she enjoyed cocktails, including a ‘Butlin’s on the Beach’.
While her kids headed to all the free activities from go karting to the fairground and outdoor playground.
Jon Hendry Pickup, CEO at Butlin’s, said: “The cost of a family holiday doesn’t stop at the booking price.
“Meals and drinks can be harder to budget for in advance, so extending our All-Inclusive bundles to school holiday breaks gives families a much clearer picture of the overall cost before they arrive.”
Becerra ramps up public campaign in governor’s race
While Republican Steve Hilton has spent months jackrabbiting around California during his long-shot bid for governor, Democratic front runner Xavier Becerra just recently emerged from quasi hibernation and stepped into political daylight.
Hilton has blasted Becerra as taking the state’s voters for granted, failing to hold public campaign events to explain his detailed plans to address California’s many ills. Despite pledging to participate in multiple debates, Becerra brushed aside several invitations, agreeing to just a solitary one-hour face-off against Hilton on CNN in late September.
That month, Hilton held 14 public events, a dozen more than Becerra, but the Democrat’s spokesperson said he appeared at multiple functions sponsored by other groups. Hilton wasn’t buying it.
“He is a useless nothing, a totally unaccomplished pipsqueak who is so smug, so arrogant, so entitled, that he somehow thinks he’s owed this job just because he was picked as a useful puppet by the Sacramento machine,” Hilton, a former Fox News commentator and British political strategist, said last week in West Sacramento.
On Oct. 10, Becerra, a longtime member of Congress and Biden’s secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, scoffed at his GOP rival.
“Uh, hello?” Becerra said sarcastically to reporters in Sacramento after being asked about his absence from the campaign trail.
“That Steve Hilton doesn’t see me on Fox News is his problem, not mine. I am gonna talk to voters,” Becerra said, rattling off a list of his recent campaign events. “I will talk to them until November the 3rd, and then I’ll be ready to talk to voters and taxpayers and the people of California when I’m the next governor.”
On Thursday, Becerra held a news conference in downtown Los Angeles with Latino leaders and famed Mexican actor Eugenio Derbez urging voters to turn out despite alleged intimidation efforts by the Trump administration.
On Monday, he held get-out-the-vote events in Santa Clarita and Glendale, shortly after he campaigned for former state Sen. Richard Pan, a congressional candidate, in Sacramento, and urged voters to cast their ballots early at an event in Santa Rosa. In September, Becerra promoted Proposition 1, a proposal on the November ballot that would allow the state to sell nearly $11.3 billion in bonds to fund affordable housing.
“We know we can get these men and women who are wearing these orange vests to work and keep them working, so they can afford to buy a house if we pass Proposition 1,” Becerra said, standing alongside union members in front of a chain-link fence encircling a vacant lot in North Long Beach.
Gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra held a news conference in Long Beach on Sept. 4 to highlight his housing agenda.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson, who endorsed Becerra in April and appeared at the housing event, pushed back on the notion that Becerra is taking the election for granted after winning a top spot in the primary, positioning him to be the first Mexican American elected governor of California.
“I’ve seen firsthand the work that has taken place under the radar that may not be explicitly, openly political or openly be seen as campaigning, but it is the kind of thing you want to see,” Richardson said in an interview on Thursday, adding that he saw Becerra meeting with elected officials of both parties, the mayors of the state’s largest cities and labor leaders. “I’ve seen a very active candidate that has been making sure that real time was put into building relationships that will ultimately translate to a successful governorship, because that’s the goal. I mean, ultimately, what we want is a leader who has the relationships to lead our state.”
Becerra’s campaign said that the candidate has frequently met with voters since the primary without press coverage to hear from Californians, and that he would be a frequent public presence in the weeks before the election, when “voters really get engaged, when ballots land in their mailbox,” said spokesman Jonathan Underland.
“People have incredibly busy lives. They are worried about affording their healthcare, putting food on the table, paying for gas to fill their tank,” Underland said. “What is at the forefront of Secretary Becerra’s mind is the very real problems that Californians are facing every day.”
In contrast, Hilton has been publicly barnstorming California since the June primary.
Becerra’s schedule is not surprising given Democratic dominance in California, where the party’s registered voters outnumber Republicans nearly 2 to 1. While appearing at parades, pancake breakfasts and in voters’ living rooms can be effective for candidates running in local campaigns, the most effective way for candidates to reach voters in a state as vast as California is through sustained advertising buys, which can cost tens of millions of dollars.
“If you’re the Democrat running in California, the operating theme of your campaign is do no harm and measure the drapes and figure out how you’re going to put an administration together and what is the tone that you’re going to set for that administration,” said Tim Rosales, a veteran GOP consultant who led businessman John Cox’s unsuccessful 2018 gubernatorial campaign and previously worked on Arnold Schwarzenegger’s successful effort to replace Gov. Gray Davis in the 2003 recall campaign.
Newsom was more active in the 2018 general election campaign against Cox than Becerra has been this year, but Rosales argued that could be because Becerra views it as the final chapter of his political career, which also may have been the case with former Gov. Jerry Brown in his 2014 reelection campaign. Newsom, however, is pondering a 2028 run for the White House.
“This is potentially more of a swan song for Xavier Becerra, the icing on the cake for a long and distinguished political career, and for Gavin Newsom, it was a stepping stone,” Rosales said.
Becerra has raised $40.5 million, as of Friday, while Hilton has raised $29 million, according to the fundraising disclosure reports filed with the state. Those figures do not include the exponential advantage that Becerra had in independent expenditure committees’ spending over Hilton in the primary.
Veteran Republican strategist Rob Stutzman, an advisor to Schwarzenegger, said that while Becerra will almost certainly be the state’s next governor, he should be cautious about his approach weeks before the November election.
“What he needs to be careful of is a big Democratic night across the United States that looks muted in California, and if that happens, the analysis will be that it’s his fault,” Stutzman said. “He should want to optimize his political capital as the clear leader of his party now in California. So he has to be a little careful of leaving some political capital on the table by not creating a stronger brand over the next three weeks.”
The last gubernatorial race that was viewed as competitive took place in 2010 between Brown and former eBay chief Meg Whitman, then a Republican who spent $144 million of her personal wealth on her campaign.
That contest drew national attention, but Brown beat Whitman by nearly 13 percentage points. Every gubernatorial election since that race has been sleepy and ignored in national politics, with Democratic candidates coasting to victory. The state has seen contentious gubernatorial primaries, notably in 2018, and this year, when the Democratic field was so crowded that party leaders urged low-polling candidates, including Becerra, to drop out.
He won the top spot in the primary after then-Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Dublin) dropped out amid rape and sexual assault allegations.
Mason Harrison, who worked for Republicans Carly Fiorina in a 2010 Senate bid and Neel Kashkari in a 2014 gubernatorial campaign, and worked with Hilton on business ventures but is not affiliated with his campaign, noted that while Brown was well-known by Californians because of decades in the public eye, Becerra is not. However, given Democrats’ edge in the state’s voter registration, as well as current headwinds against the GOP in California and across the nation, it’s unsurprising that Becerra has been less visible than Hilton. Harrison compared Becerra’s campaign to Biden’s in 2024 before the then-president bowed out of the race.
“The calculus seems to be, the more he gets out on the campaign trail, the greater the potential of him having a misstep in an interview or getting some tough question that he’s going to have to answer, and what’s the advantage of that in a year when you’re running against a party that, by historical standards, stands to lose significantly,” Harrison said. “Why make it more competitive by making yourself more vulnerable?”
Indeed, Becerra previously committed to multiple debates, but has participated in one so far and appears unlikely to agree to another. Still, he has repeatedly disputed the notion that he is taking the race for granted.
“If I were trying to coast, I’d be out on the coast right now instead of here with you all,” he told reporters one sweltering August afternoon in Little Tokyo in downtown Los Angeles, an area he represented in Congress.
Xavier Becerra, center, walks with Helen Ota, left, president of the 2026 Nisei Week Foundation, while touring businesses and meeting with business community leaders at Japanese Village Plaza in Little Tokyo in Los Angeles on Aug. 18.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
While there, he met with local business and community leaders. And he bought merchandise and delicacies, including a sweet mango mochi wrapped in a thin, fluffy pancake at a 123-year-old Japanese confectionery.
Times staff writer Nicole Nixon contributed to this report from Sacramento.
Dodgers must get better at keeping Shohei Ohtani healthy
Two things can be true: The Dodgers’ season ended prematurely and, for Shohei Ohtani, the offseason couldn’t come soon enough.
Thursday’s elimination — a no-doubt-about-it sweep at the hands of the Milwaukee Brewers, who vanquished the Dodgers in the same fashion Ohtani and Co. had summarily eliminated them last season — was apparently the only way to get the two-way superstar out of the lineup.
Now he can get some much-needed rest and recovery, a reality check and, possibly, some surgical procedures to repair the knee and biceps injuries that plagued him this season.
Ohtani didn’t rule anything out in his postgame scrum, several rows deep, in front of his locker after the Dodgers’ 6-4 defeat in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series.
“Hard to tell at this point,” the 32-year-old Ohtani said in Japanese, via interpreter Will Ireton. “It’s something that’s going to be analyzed, discussed over the offseason, and see if that’s a viable thing to do.”
Hopefully, for the Dodgers’ sake and for baseball’s, Ohtani and his team will see their way to a reasonable load management plan. Hopefully they’ll find a viable injury management strategy.
Especially if he continues to pitch, as Ohtani said he plans to: “Yes, definitely, and looking forward to having a better season.”
Hopefully this bumpy season — his first as a Dodger to end short of the championship following the 2024 and 2025 title runs — will make Ohtani better. Wiser. More willing to listen to his body and to communicate what it’s telling him with the ball club that relies on him so much.
“I’ll always trust Shohei,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “He’s the best player on the planet, and he’s not completely healthy. But I just give him a lot of respect for not running from it, still wanting to participate, still wanting to play when he’s not 100%.”
But hopefully when Ohtani’s knee barks next time, he won’t pitch through it. Hopefully when his right arm tightens up, he’ll step out of the box. Even — or especially — if it takes longer than a 15-day IL stint to make him right.
Hopefully he’s learned that irrespective of a sense of duty or pride or a selfish streak, the cold-hitting fact is that a compromised version of Ohtani leaves the Dodgers’ whole team — a $400 million investment — compromised, as it was this postseason.
“I don’t really want to take it for granted for the opportunity to be able to play with these guys,” Ohtani said. “But honestly, I think I’m just very disappointed.”
In eight playoff games against the Atlanta Braves and Brewers, Ohtani hit .192 (five for 26). He struck out 10 times. He didn’t get an extra-base hit or drive in a run until Thursday, in the season finale, which reminded us of Ohtani’s power — he walloped his first home run since Aug. 18, a three-run missile in the second inning that traveled 428 feet — and his pain.
Roberts looked, for a moment, like a genius for continuing to keep Ohtani in the lineup — and to pencil him in as the Dodgers’ leadoff hitter after batting him sixth on Wednesday.
For that one shining moment.
Shohei Ohtani celebrates after hitting a three-run home run in the second inning of the Dodgers’ 6-4 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 4 of the NLCS on Thursday night at Dodger Stadium.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
But Ohtani also struck out three times Thursday — made to look foolish in a much-too-familiar way.
The Dodgers needed a healthy Ohtani to deal with a young, hungry ballclub like the Brewers.
To have a chance against a team that was, as Dodgers utility man Kiké Hernández said, “almost playing perfect baseball,” they needed him dialed in and not tinkering, not staying late searching.
They need the version of him that delivered the perfect game a year ago, his three-home-run, 10-strikeout masterpiece that sent Milwaukee home in Game 4 of the NLCS.
“Ohtani is arguably the best player in the world,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said.
“He’s proven that to us. He had the greatest game I’ve ever seen played by an individual player last year against us.”
The Dodgers need that guy striking fear into opponents. Not him striking out, or getting stranded helplessly on base.
Shohei Ohtani tosses his bat after hitting a three-run home run against the Milwaukee Brewers during the Dodgers’ 6-4 loss in Game 4 of the NLCS on Thursday at Dodger Stadium.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
And they got a glimpse of that guy Thursday with that second-inning home run, a shot that had him throwing his arms up and screaming toward his dugout, as emotive as we’ve seen him, relieved and exulting after giving the Dodgers a 4-0 lead — and a fleeting expectation that they’d play a Game 5 on Friday.
“It was a lot of pent-up anger, frustration,” Roberts said. “It was the best ball he hit in probably two, three months, and it was a big hit.”
“It was like,” Max Muncy said, “that’s the swing we’ve been waiting for.”
Now we all wait for baseball to return — and then to learn what this season taught Ohtani, one of the most unique athletes in the history of the game.
“Not quite satisfied with how things shaped up on the pitching side at the end of the year,” Ohtani said. “… I haven’t been able to really come to grips in terms of what I’ve learned overall. It’s something that I’m going to kind of go back to the drawing board in terms of treatment, training program, and see what I can come up with for next season.”
Mexican protesters demanding clean water storm state congress | News
Protesters in Guadalajara, Mexico, were seen climbing on the windows of Jalisco’s state government building on Sunday, spray painting it with graffiti. It was the second protest by residents demanding clean tap water.
Published On 19 Oct 2026