When federal prosecutors charged 28 California immigrants with illegally registering to vote, they invited friendly media outlets to document the early morning arrest of one suspect.

At a news conference in Los Angeles this week, First Assistant U.S. Atty. Bill Essayli intoned that the defendants’ alleged crimes proved President Trump’s long-held conspiracy theory that voter fraud threatens democracy and that noncitizens are voting by the boatload. Mug shots of the accused — lawful permanent residents, some of whom said they didn’t recall registering to vote — were displayed as if they were part of a Mafia-like conspiracy.

It all felt staged for maximum humiliation.

So what happened to a Costa Mesa woman who registered her dog to vote and attempted to cast ballots for it in two elections?

There was no perp walk for Laura Lee Yourex, who pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor. No melodramatic news conference from Orange County Dist. Atty. Todd Spitzer.

Nah, Spitzer dismissed Yourex’s case after she paid $1,500 for four electronic billboards along the 22 and 55 freeways. They feature a photo of her late boxer Maya Jean sporting an “I Voted” sticker alongside a warning — “Don’t be a dog. Voter Fraud is a Crime” — and the district attorney’s election fraud hotline number.

Yourex’s attorney has said she was trying to expose flaws in the state’s voter registration system by showing that even a dog could cast a ballot, a gimmick for which Spitzer had little sympathy.

He’s usually the modern-day equivalent of a hanging judge, the type of hard ass who wants his prosecutors to not only throw the book at defendants but also to bury them with a library. In an email, he told me that his office has successfully prosecuted two other voter fraud cases during his eight years in office and is pursuing three current ones. But as serious as voter fraud is, Spitzer has never preened in these cases the way Essayli has.

The Republican stalwart declined to comment on Essayli’s approach, saying he’s “not privy to any of the evidence in those cases.” When I asked why he chose a chuckle-inducing billboard as Yourex’s punishment, he argued that it successfully “address[ed] the harm that is done when engaging in this type of criminal behavior.”

Leave it to the Trump administration to make Spitzer — whose campaign slogan for his 2022 reelection was “#NoLAinOC” — come off as a big ol’ liberal softy. But when it comes to voter fraud, at least he’s meting out penalties that fit the crime, while Essayli is once again making Trump his North Star, not the Constitution.

The defendants charged with voter fraud deserve punishment, if they are indeed guilty. But as my colleagues Brittny Mejia and Kevin Rector reported, citing election experts, cases of noncitizens registering to vote are often a result of administrative error or confusion on the part of immigrants, for example, if they accidentally check a box at the DMV.

Essayli’s record as Trump’s top lawman in Southern California — he can’t even call himself the region’s U.S. attorney, since he hasn’t been confirmed by the Senate — is so laughable that I wouldn’t believe him if he claimed that water is wet.

His prosecutors have gone after activists involved in protests against Trump’s masked deportation goons with shoddy charges that were dropped, rejected by grand juries, ridiculed as “amateur hour” by a federal judge or resulted in not guilty verdicts. He’s a lackey who silently stood and watched last year as FBI agents tackled Alex Padilla during a news conference in Los Angeles just because the U.S. senator dared to challenge then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s ludicrous defense of mass immigration raids. He’s a coward who regularly declines to talk to press outlets — including The Times — that don’t think Trump is the greatest president in history.

Unsurprisingly, my request to interview Essayli — or at least receive emailed answers to questions including whether every felony defendant gets arrested with a phalanx of armed officers surrounding their home, whether that’s occurred in other voter fraud cases and whether his office regularly releases mug shots of felony defendants — went unanswered.

Orange County Dist. Atty. Todd Spitzer said his office is pursuing three voter fraud cases.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Mejia and Rector spoke to some of the accused immigrants and their families swept up by “Operation Protect the Vote,” who were bewildered as to what they had done wrong and why the U.S. Justice Department was swinging such a heavy hammer against them. They shouldn’t be.

What Essayli is doing in the name of rooting out voter fraud isn’t about upholding the law. It’s about validating Trump’s xenophobia. The show trials the defendants will probably face are not about getting rid the worst of the worst, as Trump long claimed. It’s about casting suspicion on all immigrants, legal and not.

What’s especially ironic — no, disgusting — about Essayli’s claims that immigrants who wrongly register to vote are disenfranchising American citizens is that the portrait of this country’s biggest election scofflaw hangs in every federal courthouse. It was Trump who wanted Congress to stop the electoral college from formalizing his 2020 loss to Joe Biden, claiming that Democrats stole the White House from him, and provoked a mob to storm the U.S. Capitol.

But facts have never stopped Essayli from making a pendejo out of himself. His pathetic, dangerous charade reminds me of an infamous voter fraud case from 30 years ago. I wrote about it this summer when Trump first announced he was going to sic the Justice Department on noncitizens who were supposedly voting en masse.

Back then, Loretta Sanchez forever changed O.C. politics when she beat Republican Rep. Bob Dornan by fewer than 1,000 votes. Like Trump, Dornan claimed he lost because of immigrants who illegally voted. Like today’s GOP, sympathetic prosecutors and lawmakers at the local and federal levels spent way too much time and taxpayer money looking into the baseless allegations.

Just as Operation Protect the Vote has already shown this year, with only 28 charged out of about 23 million registered voters in California, Sanchez’s 1996 victory was not achieved through a vast immigrant voting conspiracy.

At least in the Dornan fiasco, Republicans finally dropped their investigation and moved on. The few immigrants who did vote improperly had their ballots tossed but otherwise faced no legal problems.

I doubt Trump and Essayli will give up so easily. That would require humility, mercy and the ability to admit they’re wrong.

But hey, if a dog can cast a vote in California, I guess anything’s possible.

Tuesday’s 4-0 thumping of Bromley followed the 2-1 win over Doncaster which dampened the external noise.

Martin – a sometimes polarising personality with fans who have criticised his style and ability following a 17-game spell at Rangers last season – had been the target of anger following two wins in eight which left them 17th in League One and a point above the relegation zone.

Home defeats by Burton, Oxford and Peterborough were a world away from the Champions League quarter-final against Atletico Madrid in 2017.

That has little bearing internally at the club and BBC Sport can reveal the Foxes were working under a transfer embargo for five weeks in the summer.

It related to the EFL’s Salary Cost Management Protocol (SCMP) with an independent Club Financial Review Panel agreeing future Premier League distributions within Leicester’s SCMP calculation could not be used to increase their spending capacity.

It meant the club could not sign players until they brought money in, although it only disrupted the order of summer business.

Jeremy Monga and Abdul Fatawu were not sold until the middle of July and only after Monga left for Manchester City on 11 July were the Foxes able to bring in Conor Chaplin and Alex McCarthy five days later.

Four of the starting XI on Tuesday signed on deadline day and 66% of the players joined after the season started.

Leicester missed out on targets who were not willing to wait but Chaplin, McCarthy and Wes Burns were just three who were prepared to hold on to join Martin.

It is the relationships the head coach has built and something which has started to turn the tide at Seagrave.

Martin inherited a broken, expensive squad, which had lost the faith and connection with supporters and a dressing room which let egos get in the way and lacked work ethic.

In a different financial reality, it needed to be stripped back and, including loans and academy exits, 34 players left the club in the summer and 16 arrived.

Sources have told BBC Sport the atmosphere at the club has now markedly improved.

The £100m training ground is one of the best in the country – with a herb garden and golf course – but has been seen as part of the problem over the decline in standards.

Players have been allowed to become too comfortable but Martin has worked hard to change the culture and behaviours.

There is a blanket ban on mobile phones in the canteen and anyone breaking the rules is not fined, they run.

Players – and staff – have to run the length of the pitch and back in 35 seconds three times, with a 35-second break in between.

The same punishment is handed out for lateness, with Martin and his senior staff also adhering to it to set the standards.

Earlier this season players left tape and drinks at the swimming pool and were shown a picture the next day. The punishment was the same. Run.

Across Europe, an autumn of anger is taking hold.

In France, student protests over overcrowded classrooms and teacher shortages have grown into a broader public outcry.

In recent weeks, separate protests have also erupted in Belgium, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Albania.

The grievances differ, from unaffordable housing and low wages to rising fuel costs, education and political accountability.

But the frustration is increasingly shared: paying more, getting less, and struggling to afford a decent life, even with a job.

Governments face demands for relief while wrestling with high debt, rising borrowing costs and, in several countries, looming elections.

One of Hollywood’s legendary music recording studios is for sale as its owner prepares to end his half-century run immortalizing many of the biggest acts.

The list of household names who have recorded at Conway Recording Studios spans generations and genres. Burt Bacharach, Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Wonder, U2, Guns N’ Roses, Daft Punk, Taylor Swift and Kendrick Lamar are just a few of the artists who have recorded there.

While many studios have struggled, the unique space has attracted big names for decades.

Digital production tools and home studios have eliminated much of the need for traditional recording space, allowing artists to produce professional-quality music almost anywhere, real estate data provider CoStar said.

The digital revolution rocked the analog world of art, media and communication on a scale the industrial revolution did to agrarian and handicraft economies more than a century ago. The advent of Pro Tools recording software in the 1990s and the rise of music streaming services in the early aughts irrevocably changed the business.

Yet industry veterans say surviving facilities with expansive live rooms, vintage gear and decades of recording history may be becoming more valuable as they become harder to replicate. U.S. recorded-music revenue rose 7% to $6 billion in the first half of 2026, according to the Recording Industry Assn. of America. Streaming, physical formats and licensing all posted gains.

Conway Recording Studios is a jungly hideaway on bustling Melrose Avenue created by a transplant from chilly Buffalo, N.Y., who arrived in the 1970s with a vision to create an L.A.-style oasis in the middle of the city where he could pursue his craft as a sound engineer.

“I moved to California to be outside in the warm,” Buddy Brundo said. “I like sunlight.”

He defied recording studio conventions by bringing in natural light through large, soundproof windows instead of working in chambers sealed on all sides.

“You kind of feel like you’re in Hawaii or somewhere else,” at Conway studios, said entertainment real estate broker Nicole Mihalka of CBRE. “That’s what’s kept Conway so busy over the years.”

Among the musicians who came to work there lately was Korean pop group BTS, the subject of a Netflix documentary released in March that followed the young men as they recorded their comeback album “Arirang” after completing their military service.

Brundo appears in the film.

1

2

1. “You kind of feel like you’re in Hawaii or somewhere else,” a real estate broker said of the studios. “That’s what’s kept Conway so busy over the years.” 2. Conway’s clients have included Justin Timberlake, Kendrick Lamar, U2 and Counting Crows. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)

Taylor Swift is a regular and once created a run on company merchandise by wearing a Conway Recording Studios sweatshirt in public.

People have asked Brundo for years when he might sell the studio he has operated since 1976, said Mihalka, who has the listing.

“Ten years ago I wouldn’t even think about this,” Brundo said. Now, “I’m 83, and how long can I keep this up? It’s best to walk away while I still can.”

He works out three times a week and appears fit, jumping up to play air guitar to Mötley Crüe’s “Girls, Girls, Girls” while showing off the powerful sound system in Studio B. The band recorded the hit 1987 album of the same name at Conway Studios, where members arrived by motorcycle.

Brundo is asking $15 million for the property that spans more than an acre on the edge of Melrose Hill, a niche neighborhood at Melrose and Western avenues known for its trendy restaurants.

It includes three studios, offices, tons of recording equipment, including two grand pianos, lounges, and a kitchen that pointedly lacks a stove.

“Every studio I worked with had a stove, and the kitchen was a mess,” Brundo said.

“Ten years ago I wouldn’t even think about this,” Conway’s Buddy Brundo said. Now, “I’m 83, and how long can I keep this up? It’s best to walk away while I still can.”

(Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)

Not that he hasn’t gone out of his way to accommodate his clients. Years ago he shrank his own office to enlarge a lounge for a singer-songwriter who needed space to camp out.

“Courtney Love wanted to book a bunch of time,” but also wanted a place to unwind outside the studio. “We lived here for two months with the kids and the clothes.”

One of his studio innovations was an air-conditioning and filtration system that whooshes out smoke and neutralizes it with charcoal filters and blue lights that kill bacteria, because the official smoking policy is “whatever they want,” he said. On a recent afternoon, a strong scent of cannabis came from Studio A.

To create his rambling California oasis in the middle of a busy neighborhood, Brundo acquired house after house on the south side of his lot over the years so he could keep expanding. He bought and tore down 10 of them.

“Each house was a battle,” he said, particularly one where the owners had an issue with guitarist and outdoorsman Ted Nugent, who accidentally shot an arrow into their yard.

While the property could be used for other purposes, Buddy Brundo hopes to find a buyer who will keep the music going.

(Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)

Brundo had set up a Styrofoam deer and a bear on the back of his property to entertain archer Nugent. The musician missed a shot and his arrow passed through the fence and came close to striking a neighbor in her backyard as her husband stood nearby.

“He was really pissed off,” Brundo said of his neighbor. It took Brundo another year to buy the neighbors’ house “because the price went up,” he said.

Today, the foliage a full-time groundskeeper tends has grown tall and thick. Sleek cats roam the grounds.

The parking lot is large for the studio’s size, and its 59 striped spaces have accommodated about $2 million worth of fancy cars at a time, Brundo estimated. It’s also big enough for basketball games, and Brundo recently painted a full court on the asphalt so singer The Weeknd could play ball during downtime.

While the property could be turned to other uses such as stores and housing, Brundo hopes to sell it to someone who will keep the music going even as times change.

The recent backlash against AI-generated music has prompted “a reversion back to the real” with bands using more instruments and needing more space to record, Mihalka said. “There are fewer studios now where you can actually do this.”

The provided text from an online digest covers various global events, including the celebration of Maha Ashtami and Dussehra, which symbolize the victory of righteousness over malevolence through the ancient tale of Rama and Ravana. Additionally, the excerpts reference several news stories from October 2026, such as a deadly crowd crush during a Hindu festival in Kolkata, India, and a political event in New Delhi where a cockroach effigy was burned by a pro-Modi leader. The source also features updates regarding international financial exchange rates and weather conditions alongside other brief headlines.

Before it gets topped with seafood, seasonal produce and a medley of sauces, each tostada begins as a blank canvas. Local chefs are the artists, using the tostada as a vehicle to showcase their cultural backgrounds, kitchen expertise and the ingredients they love. Each bite is intentionally crafted to hit certain taste and textural marks: the crispy tostada, buttery seafood, zesty citrus and creamy avocado, plus unexpected elements that take it over the top, like tart grapefruit, piquant pickled onions or earthy salsa macha.

The best part? The seafood tostada comes ready to eat as-is, requiring no more than a dash of salsa or a squeeze of lime to complete the chef’s vision. It’s not unlike a meticulously prepared tasting menu course, except these chefs are handing over tostadas at taco trucks, food halls, raw bars and everywhere in between.

Seafood tostadas originated in coastal regions across Mexico, but in L.A., the dish pulls global influence, including a tostada topped with tuna carpaccio and cachucha pepper aioli at a Central American restaurant in Venice; salmon and chicatana ant mayo at a modern Mexican haunt in the Arts District; and scallops and wasabi aioli that merge Baja California and Japanese flavors at a Frogtown favorite.

For a refreshing bite on a hot day, or anytime really, here are 20 of the best seafood tostadas to try in L.A.

— Danielle Dorsey

The Metcalfe sisters played for Wales together for the first time when lock Branwen came off the bench for her first cap against Canada at the 2025 World Cup.

They started the uncapped fixture against the Baa-Baas but join forces in the XV for the first time at Test level against Japan.

Branwen, 20, starts her sixth successive Test and has a new second-row partner in fellow bright prospect Aiono.

Nel, 21, returns on the wing rather than full-back for her first cap since the World Cup after a knee injury that forced her to sit out the Six Nations.

“She was a shining light at the World Cup, which was tough for us,” said Lynn.

“Every time that she gets the ball, something will happen. She has got fitter, stronger and faster, and she’s excited to go out there on Saturday.”

Wales are 11th in World Rugby’s rankings, a spot above Japan.

Last month the Sakura Fifteen lost 55-21 to Italy and were beaten twice by Ireland, 31-24 in the WXV Global Series and 43-19 in an extra Test.

“Japan ran Ireland close in the first Test and they are very efficient in what they do, very regimented,” said Lynn, who opts for six forwards on his bench.

“They’ve got a very good maul and we are not going to be taking them lightly at all.”

Avanti West Coast research says that more than half of all passengers would like a completely phone-free carriage

Railway boffins claim to have discovered the ‘perfect train journey’ – from dodging boiled eggs and sweaty feet to revealing the best seat on any train. Avanti West Coast research and customer data claims to have revealed the unwritten rules of onboard comfort and which behaviours generate disapproving tuts.

The intercity operator has launched its first Comfort Index to provide a unique insight into what passengers value most during their journey and how it varies across Britain.

Their research said more than two thirds (77%) said they want a window seat, 69% prefer to face forward and 58% want an empty seat beside them. Exactly one in five (20%) would even travel 15 minutes longer to keep it empty, 18% would pay an extra £5 and 22% would sacrifice Wi-Fi.

Another one in five (20%) would even swap their coveted window seat for a little more space. Avanti’s booking data suggests there may be such a thing as the perfect train seat, with Seat 18 in Coach B being the most reserved seat on its Pendolino services.

It was booked 179,685 times between September 2025 – September 2026 and matches passenger preferences of having a window and table.

While those travelling on the West Coast Main Line have similar thoughts about seats, snacks proved controversial with 52% of rail travellers objecting to boiled eggs and 48% to tuna sandwiches being eaten onboard.

They say the famously reserved reputation of British people extends to the carriage environment too, with more than two-thirds (68%) wanting more quiet carriages.

More than half (52%) would even choose a completely phone-free carriage, suggesting that for many Brits, the dream journey might simply be one where nobody makes any noise.

The Index also reveals a generational shift in the unwritten rules of train travel, with Gen Z passengers being more tolerant of video calls. It says 38% think Facetiming onboard is unacceptable compared to almost three quarters (72%) of over-65s.

Sounds of other people’s phones onboard reveals an even bigger generation gap. A huge 88% of over-65s object to TikToks or videos without headphones compared to just 51% of 18-24-year-olds.

Younger passengers are said to place greater emphasis on choice and ‘making the journey their own’. A surprising 62% of 25-34-year-olds say choosing between Standard, Premium and First Class matters during planning compared with 42% of over-65s.

Gen Z are bringing their own comforts onboard too, with one in eight (12%) 18-24-year-olds saying they’d even pack a massage gun. Avanti West Coast say everyone seems to agree on keeping your socks on, as three quarters (75%) say taking them off onboard is unacceptable.

A whopping 70% object to TikToks without headphones and 67% to someone cutting or filing their nails. The study also shows how rail journeys are considered part of the occasion, with 69% of Brits saying their leisure time starts the moment they get onboard.

Between September 2025 – September 2026 Avanti West Coast say their customers drank almost 420,000 cups of breakfast tea and ate 212,000 KitKats.

Beer proved another favourite, with 154,000 Grolsch Pilsners sold, painting a suitably British picture of onboard comfort – a cuppa, something sweet or a cold beer en route. From seating preference and noise tolerance to boiled eggs, the Index shows Brits might never agree on exactly what makes the perfect journey.

Kathryn O’Brien at Avanti West Coast said: “The Comfort Index shows everyone’s definition of comfort varies. While there’s some unspoken rail travel etiquette most seem to agree on, beyond that people have different thoughts on what makes a comfortable journey.

“For some it’s peace and quiet while for others it’s getting work done, enjoying a snack or having space to relax.

“Customers most value the ability to shape their journey around their own needs, whether that’s choosing the perfect seat or enjoying a cup of tea onboard. That’s why we offer our seat picker tool and a range of refreshments in our onboard shop, helping customers to enjoy their trip from the very moment they board.

“By better understanding what matters most to our customers, we can continue to enhance and develop the onboard experience. This includes upgrading Wi-Fi connectivity to make travelling with Avanti West Coast as comfortable as possible for everyone.”

The full Avanti West Coast Comfort Index is available here

KATIE Price has revealed her eldest son Harvey has moved out to a temporary residential home after he wrecked her kitchen.

The 24-year-old, who has Prader-Willi Syndrome, a complex condition that causes obesity and learning difficulties, has re-located – and is “loving” his new surroundings.

Harvey, who is also autistic and partially blind, was last year sadly deemed “too difficult” by staff at another facility, forcing him to cut short his stay.

Now his proud parent Katie, 48, who has always sent her eldest to residential care home in order to let him learn vital skills and his own independence, has given an update.

On her podcast with sister Sophie she admitted: “This week I am chilling now.

“So Harvey has gone to a residential temporary place now, because after three kitchen cabinets and just everything I’m just like, honestly, he is ruining my house.

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“I’ve said he’s got to go into this place, the place we have been waiting a year and a half for.

“So he’s gone somewhere else up the road, he’s loving it, he’s got his own little flat until his place is ready”.

Katie added: “He FaceTimed me this morning while he was in the swimming pool, showing me the bubbles, when he saw trains.

“I set it all up for him, done his food shop for the week and he’s got the carers there so he can get into the routine for when he moves to Little Hampton.

“So fingers crossed he likes it”.

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In June, Katie revealed how Harvey had been left “limping” following a mishap in her kitchen.

She previously gave fans an insight into a tiring Christmas period with Harvey at home.

Katie told the camera: “Harvey has destroyed the house as much as he can, pulling food out every day – I’m exhausted, but I love him.”

Earlier this week, Katie admitted she was proud of her eldest son after he showed off his boxing skills and two stone weight loss.

Harvey started to take the weight loss medication back in August.

Katie, who shares Harvey with footballer Dwight Yorke, took to her Instagram account to post a picture of her oldest working up a sweat.

In the snap, Harvey had a huge smile on his face as he punched a pair of training pads.

Katie captioned the post: “Proud mummy.”

Last month Katie told her podcast co-host and sister Sophie: “He’s started Mounjaro because I told you he’s lost two stone.

“And I can really see him here [stomach] losing weight.”

So much has happened over the past seven days, including wondergoals in the Premier League, Cristiano Ronaldo receiving a fine from the Portuguese FA and a boxing heavyweight title clash.

About 11% of quizzers got full marks in last week’s edition. Will you make the grade this week?

After more quizzes? Go to our dedicated Football Quizzes and Sports Quizzes pages and sign up for notifications to get the latest quizzes sent straight to your device.

Class action could be first in Australia to blame social media for harming its users.

Meta and its social media platforms Facebook and Instagram are facing a class action lawsuit in Australia over allegations that addictive design features are harming children and teenagers.

The lawsuit, filed by MinterEllison in the Australian Federal Court, seeks to recover compensation for current and former users of Facebook and Instagram who claim they were exposed to harmful content or developed an addiction to social media as a result of using those platforms, the law firm said in a statement released on Thursday.

“This proceeding raises important questions about the design and operation of social media platforms and their impact on children and teenagers in Australia. Those questions will now be considered through the Federal Court process,” MinterEllison Partner William Nolan said in the statement.

The class action suit was filed on behalf of eight plaintiffs who allege they were harmed by Meta while they were below the age of 18.

In a suppression order on Monday, the court prohibited the reporting of any information that could reveal their identities and the statement of claim.

“We are aware of this claim and we will defend ourselves vigorously,” a Meta spokesperson said.

Litigation Lending Services said it was funding the class action for Australian families who “would have no practical means of pursuing these claims against a global technology giant”.

The lawsuit comes amid rising tensions between Australia and Big Tech after a world-first ban on social media for children below 16 in 2025, and newly proposed rules that could let users switch off algorithm-driven content on their feeds.

Meta agreed in August to pay $18bn to settle with nearly all US states to resolve claims that it designed social media to addict children.

Barclays is cutting around 5,000 staff this year as it introduces more artificial intelligence (AI) into its processes.

The banking group said 1,000 posts had already been closed and it expects a further reduction of 4,000 to be complete by the end of 2026.

The cuts amount to 5% of its global workforce. Most are operational and functional roles, with the bulk in its UK retail banking arm. However, its investment banking division will also be affected.

Barclays said the cuts were the result of investments in technology, with AI making some work processes more efficient.

WHEN you think of theme parks you probably picture spiralling rollercoasters and splashtastic log flumes.

But one lesser-known theme park with no rides has actually been named the best in Europe.

Named Europe’s leading theme park by the World Travel Awards, Puy du Fou España is a historical theme park on the outskirts of Toledo, Spain – less than an hour from Madrid.

Rather than rollercoasters, visitors can expect large-scale live action shows with falconry displays featuring more than 200 birds.

The theme park is home to five historical villages – The Andalusian Askar, The Royal Town, Isidro’s Sale, The Suburb and Villaneuva del Corral.

The Andalusian Askar, for example, recreates the atmosphere of the 10th-century Córdoba.

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And then in Villanueva del Corral, the theme is centred on a 16th-century Golden Age hamlet with traditional Spanish taverns.

During the day, visitors can watch a number of shows including the 25-minute immersive Beyond the Ocean Sea show which focuses on the Santa Maria ship trying to reach the East by sailing West.

At night, there’s the El Sueño de Toledo spectacular, which is a show about 1,500 years of Spanish history and includes water effects, lighting and hundreds of actors.

The park also has a number of outdoor play areas too and farm areas as well.

Scattered around the park visitors can also explore a number of shops for unique souvenirs.

Tickets cost from €37 (£31.07) per person.

And the even better news is that you won’t have to wait long until heading to similar theme park in the UK.

Ste to open in 2029, there will be a £600million Puy du Fou theme park in the UK.

But instead of focusing on Spanish history, the theme park will focus on British history and folklore.

The park will be near Bicester in Oxfordshire and like the Spanish park, feature no rollercoasters or rides.

Instead, the park will span through woodland and gardens with 13 live shows, including seven indoors.

The shows will all be set around major milestones in British history such as the Celts, Romans, Anglo-Saxons, Tudors and Victoria’s reign.

There are also plans to build three hotels onsite that would each be themed around different British eras.

The park plans to operate seasonally each year from April to October.

HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

SOUTHERN SECTION PLAYOFFS
WEDNESDAY’S RESULTS
First Round

DIVISION 1
Pool A
#1 Mater Dei d. #8 Harvard-Westlake, 25-13, 25-14, 25-22
#5 Santa Margarita d. #4 Oaks Christian, 25-21, 29-27, 24-26, 25-22

Pool B
#7 Marymount at #2 Sierra Canyon, postponed
#3 Mira Costa d. #6 Los Alamitos, 3-1

DIVISION 3
Sunny Hills d. Cerritos, 3-2
Santa Ana Foothill d. Oak Park, 20-25, 25-23, 25-17, 22-25, 15-10
Cerritos Valley Christian d. Chaminade, 16-25, 25-23, 25-20, 25-23
Beckman d. Alemany, 3-0
Newbury Park d. Corona Santiago, 26-24, 25-19, 18-25, 25-13
Redlands d. Rosary, 21-25, 25-22, 25-20, 25-16
Etiwanda d. Murrieta Mesa, 3-0
Thousand Oaks d. Saugus, 23-25, 21-25, 25-20, 25-14, 15-12
Corona del Mar d. Claremont, 3-0
Flintridge Prep d. Millikan, 25-17, 28-26, 25-20
St. Margaret’s d. Bishop Amat, 3-0
La Salle d. Huntington Beach, 3-1
Crescenta Valley d. Chaparral, 25-16, 22-25, 27-25, 25-21
La Canada d. Crossroads, 25-13, 25-15, 25-21
Lakewood St. Joseph at Marina
Windward d. Aliso Niguel, 3-0

DIVISION 5
Marlborough d. West Torrance, 3-0
Liberty d. Academy for Academic Excellence, 3-1
Hesperia Christian d. Peninsula, 3-0
Canyon Country Canyon d. Moorpark, 3-0
El Toro d. Troy, 3-0
Valencia d. Western Christian, 3-1
San Jacinto d. Culver City, 3-1
St. Anthony d. Santa Monica Pacifica Christian, 23-25, 25-9, 25-19, 25-21
Viewpoint d. Southlands Christian, 3-1
Westridge d. Arrowhead Christian, 3-1
Irvine d. Beaumont, 3-2
Paraclete d. Gahr, 21-25, 27-25, 25-21, 26-28, 15-13
Maranatha d. Sultana, 3-1
La Serna d. Burbank Providence, 3-1
Quartz Hill d. Temple City, 3-0
Capistrano Valley d. Palm Desert, 19-25, 25-16, 25-14, 25-9

DIVISION 7
Pasadena d. CAMS, 3-2
Tustin d. Immaculate Heart, 3-0
Laguna Blanca d. Brea Olinda, 3-0
Sacred Heart of Jesus d. Chino, 3-1
Placentia Valencia d. South Hills, 25-16, 25-17, 23-25, 25-20
Nordhoff d. Trinity Classical Academy, 3-0
Barstow d. Highland, 25-20, 25-16, 25-21
Webb d. Mary Star of the Sea, 3-0
Pasadena Marshall d. Eisenhower, 25-23, 25-19, 25-22
Beverly Hills d. Whittier, 3-0
Vistamar d. Rialto, 3-1
Northview at Calvary Baptist
Fullerton d. Indio, 3-0
Buckley d. Tahquitz, 3-0
Rio Hondo Prep d. Arlington, 20-25, 16-25, 25-23, 25-21, 16-14
Foothill Tech d. St. Genevieve, 3-2

DIVISION 9
Rancho Mirage d. Santa Paula, 3-0
Canoga Park AGBU d. Saddleback, 3-2
San Jacinto Valley Academy d. Cobalt, 3-0
St. Monica Academy d. Anaheim, 25-20, 27-25, 25-19
Nogales d. Carter, 3-2
Santa Rosa Academy d. Carpinteria, 3-0
Westminster d. Vasquez, 3-2
Azusa d. Moreno Valley, 3-2
St. Jeane de Lestonnac d. Santa Clarita Christian, 3-2
Jurupa Hills d. Sierra Vista, 3-2
Desert Christian Academy d. Victor Valley, 3-0
Wildwood d. Hillcrest, 3-2
Buena Park d. Excelsior Charter, 25-17, 22-25, 25-8, 25-10
Milken Community d. Eastside, 25-17, 22-25, 25-8, 25-10
California d. Garden Grove, 3-0
Twentynine Palms d. Shadow Hills, 3-2

DIVISION 11
Compton Early College d. Grove, 3-0
El Monte Arroyo d. Ambassador Christian, 3-0
Mesrobian d. Rubidoux, 3-2
Ramona d. Animo Leadership, 3-1
La Sierra Academy 3, Long Beach First Baptist 0
Pacific Lutheran d. Thacher, 3-0
Grace d. Shalhevet, 3-1
Newport Christian d. New Covenant, 3-0
Tarbut V’ Torah d. Oak Grove, 3-0
Workman d. California Lutheran, 3-2
Santa Clara d. EF Academy, 3-0
Lynwood d. Desert Chapel, 25-17, 25-9, 25-22
Norton Science Academy d. Newbury Park Adventist, 25-21, 25-22, 5-25, 25-22
Joshua Springs d. Liberty Christian, 3-0
Downey Calvary Chapel d. River Springs, 3-1
Silver Valley d. Riverside Bethel Christian, 3-0

THURSDAY’S SCHEDULE
(Matches at 6 p.m. unless noted)
Second Round

DIVISION 4
Portola at Burbank Burroughs
Yorba Linda at North Torrance
Notre Dame Academy at Arcadia
Vista Murrieta at Ventura
Ayala at Santa Barbara, 5 p.m.
Rancho Cucamonga at Hemet
Royal at Glendora
Bonita at Linfield Christian

DIVISION 6
Alta Loma at Villa Park
Temescal Canyon at Dos Pueblos
St. Bonaventure at Temecula Prep
Capistrano Valley Christian at Ridgecrest Burroughs
Castaic at Santa Fe
Rim of the World at Santa Ana Calvary Chapel
Mayfair at Schurr
Yucaipa at Lakewood

DIVISION 8
Samueli Academy at Bellflower
San Gabriel Academy vs. San Gorgonio at Indian Springs
Fairmont Prep at San Jacinto Valley
Burbank at Riverside Prep
Lighthouse Christian at Garden Grove Pacifica
Rio Mesa at Jurupa Valley
Big Bear vs. Geffen Academy at UCLA SAC gym, 5 p.m.
Bell Gardens at Artesia

DIVISION 10
Leuzinger at Glendale
Canyon Springs at Orange
Adelanto at Orange County Classical Academy, 4:30 p.m.
Chaffey vs. New Roads at Park Century School, 5 p.m.
La Quinta at Miller
Redlands Adventist at Loara
Ganesha at Lancaster
Cornerstone Christian

Note: Second round (Divisions 3, 5, 7, 9, 11) Sat., Oct. 24; Quarterfinals (Divisions 2, 4, 6, 8, 10) Tues., Oct. 27; Second Round pool play (Division 1) Tues., Oct. 27; Quarterfinals (Divisions 3, 5, 7, 9) Wed., Oct. 28; Semifinals (Divisions 2-11) Sat., Oct. 31; Third Round pool Play (Division 1) Sat., Oct. 31; Finals (all divisions) Sat., Nov. 7 at TBA.

Taiz, Yemen – As Houthi fighters tighten their siege on the government-held southwestern Yemeni city of Taiz, women who initially organised food deliveries for soldiers defending the city have begun raising money to buy weapons and ammunition.

The initiatives have emerged spontaneously since the resumption of fighting in early September in the western countryside of Taiz governorate, between Saudi-backed forces of the internationally recognised government and the Iran-backed armed group.

At first, women volunteers came together to bake cookies for fighters on the front lines.

The aim was “to strengthen the relationship between the supportive social base and the members of the national army and pro-government popular resistance forces stationed at the front lines in defence of their besieged city, which is subjected to daily shelling in preparation for an invasion,” said Amira al-Saghir, an activist involved in the campaign.

The cookie-making initiative attracted widespread participation among women volunteers, drawing encouragement and support on social media. It coincided with a broader community campaign to supply fighters with food and other basic necessities, as well as weapons, with people contributing from districts and villages across the governorate.

In Yemen, a conservative country and the poorest in the Middle East, the vast majority of women do not participate in active fighting in the civil war, which began in 2014. Instead, these initiatives allow women to take part in what they see as the defence of their city against an invading force, and support for the men who are fighting.

After nearly four years of relative calm following a United Nations-brokered truce in April 2022, Houthi forces launched a major ground offensive in western Taiz in early September. The armed group rapidly captured territory along Yemen’s Red Sea coast, including the strategic port city of Mocha on September 10 , expanding its presence around Bab al-Mandeb strait, a vital shipping route.

The Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah, Arabic for Supporters of God, subsequently advanced towards other parts of Taiz governorate, taking control of key routes into the provincial capital and effectively surrounding the city. Government forces have since launched counteroffensives, with control of some areas remaining contested.

The renewed siege has severely restricted the movement of people and essential supplies into the city, triggering shortages of food, fuel, and medicine.

From cookies to weapons

As the fighting intensified, the women’s initiatives expanded. What began with baking cookies and organising food convoys to supply arms kitchens gradually evolved into efforts to buy ammunition for fighters.

Women involved in the initiatives told Al Jazeera that they felt they had been “forced” to act because of the risk of their city falling to the Houthis.

The change began as more rural districts began falling to the Houthis, leading to some donors making their contributions conditional on part of the money being used to buy ammunition for fighters.

Al-Saghir believes the shift was encouraged by information and criticism circulating on social media suggesting that government fighters in Taiz lacked sufficient ammunition to continue defending the city and surrounding front lines.

The initiatives soon took off, encouraging more women to get involved. Among them was Huriya Wabel, a humanitarian activist.

“After we saw that those [Houthi] militias … are waging a war of extermination against our city, we felt that we had to take a serious stand to support the army, not just with food and clothing, but with weapons as well, especially since a siege has been imposed on Taiz and supplies can no longer reach it easily,” Wabel told Al Jazeera.

“We also found many civilians who wanted to participate in the fighting alongside the army in defence of the city, but they did not have weapons,” she added. “So it became incumbent upon us to help by focusing more of our activities on this aspect at this stage.”

Defending their city

For Khadija al-Majidi, the move from providing humanitarian supplies to delivering military equipment is a response to the growing threat facing Taiz.

“When the enemy reaches the gates of your city and imposes a complete siege on it in preparation for storming it by force, and everyone in it – including you, your children, and members of your family – is threatened with being killed, captured, or displaced … then what do you expect from us?” the activist told Al Jazeera. “Did you expect us to carry flowers for the criminal who came from the farthest reaches of the country to destroy our city and kill us?”

When Al Jazeera spoke to al-Majidi, she had just returned from the fighting around Jabal Sabir, the mountain overlooking Taiz from the south.

It was al-Majidi’s second trip to the front that day, delivering ammunition and other military supplies, which she valued at $3,000, to the commander on the front, along with winter clothing, shoes, food, and other necessities.

She said that after more than 10 years of living through Yemen’s devastating war, she no longer felt afraid to visit active battlefronts.

“Repeated visits to the front lines play a major role in removing fears, given what we see on the ground of the heroes’ courage and bravery in defending the city and their confidence in victory,” she added.

As fundraising expands, the women’s department of Taiz’s Supreme Council for Popular Resistance launched a campaign on October 8 , aiming to equip 10,000 pro-government fighters with rifles and ammunition.

The council has called for contributions from Yemenis across the country and abroad to support the initiative.

The campaign reflects the state of the fighting in Taiz, with government forces facing daily Houthi attacks, as they try to conduct their own counter-attacks.

But the longer the siege continues, the more difficult the military and humanitarian situation becomes in the city.

Al-Saghir and al-Majidi both explained that while many of the donations they receive come from Yemenis living abroad, people on the ground are also giving whatever they can, despite the humanitarian crisis in Taiz.

Al-Saghir said one woman whose husband was fighting in the army donated a wedding ring, while al-Majidi recounted stories of other women donating their gold jewellery.

Al-Majidi recalled a woman arriving at her home carrying envelopes containing Yemeni and Saudi currency.

The woman had written on the envelopes, “God willing, we will win. Buy ammunition for the heroes with this.”

China finished 0.233 points ahead of the Americans, denying them a chance to win an gold eighth consecutive team gold.

China have denied the United States an eighth consecutive women’s team title at the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships as Qiu Qiyuan sealed a dramatic victory with the final routine.

Qiu needed to score more than 12.600 points in the closing floor routine to give her country gold and did just enough with 12.833 on Wednesday.

The USA last failed to win gold when they were beaten by Russia at the 2010 championships, but were left to count the cost of several errors on the balance beam in Rotterdam.

China, who also led the way in qualifying, finished with 165.764 points, edging out the Americans by 0.233 overall.

Japan were a further 1.468 points behind as they completed the podium ahead of fourth-placed France.

USA superstar Simone Biles, a 23-time world champion including five times in the team competition, is taking a break from the sport and has not competed since the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she won three gold medals.

The reigning champions took a healthy lead at the halfway stage, helped by strong vault and uneven bars routines by Skye Blakely, the only gymnast on the team who was part of the quintet that won their seventh consecutive title in 2023.

But 18-year-old Caylor Dulcy stumbled on the beam, scoring just 12.333, as the Americans were outscored by more than four points on the apparatus by their rivals.

Zhang Qingying, who topped beam qualifying, in particular made them pay with a sparkling performance that earned her 15.066 points.

The Chinese were put under pressure on the floor, but Qiu held her nerve to secure their first women’s team world crown since 2006.

The championships continue in the Netherlands on Thursday as Japan’s Daiki Hashimoto defends his men’s all-around title, with a big challenge expected from his compatriot and Olympic champion Shinnosuke Oka.

Japan took the men’s team title on Tuesday, pipping Russia and China.