Month: April 2025

Cocoa prices surged almost 300 percent last year, making chocolate bars, easter eggs and cocoa powder much more expensive this year than last.

In the US, retail chocolate prices were one-fifth higher this Valentine’s Day compared with last year, according to Wells Fargo Bank. The price of a king-size US-sold Reese’s Hearts chocolate bar was 13 percent higher in February 2024 than in the same month the year before.

In the United Kingdom, meanwhile, a Twix white chocolate Easter egg rose in price from 5 to 6 pounds ($6.63 to $7.96) at Tesco supermarkets in the run-up to Easter (year-on-year) and was reduced in size from 316g (11oz) to 258g (9oz). In all, the unit price rose by a whopping 47 percent.

While the price of cocoa – made from roasted raw cacao beans, the key ingredient in chocolate – has fallen back by about 20 percent since its all-time high in December 2024, consumers are still paying record prices for chocolate.

The spike in the price of cocoa can be chalked up to several factors. Chief among them is extreme weather, which has hit cocoa producers in West Africa, from where most of the world imports cocoa.

According to Amber Sawyer, an analyst at the environmental think tank Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU), expensive chocolate shouldn’t come as a surprise.

“Chocolate is just one of the many foods being made more expensive by climate change-driven extreme weather,” she said. “These extremes will keep getting worse.”

And so might the prices.

What has happened to the price of cocoa?

Benchmark New York futures contracts, used to exchange cocoa at a specified future date and price, hit a high of $12,565 per metric tonne in December 2024.

Last year’s meagre cocoa harvest led to record supply shortfalls, as poor weather and disease devastated crops in Ghana and the Ivory Coast, where two-thirds of the world’s cocoa beans are grown.

Crop shortages were also observed in Nigeria and Indonesia, the third- and fourth-largest cocoa producers.

In all, there was a 500,000-tonne deficit of cocoa in global markets in 2024, which is continuing to keep prices high.

The latest cocoa harvest – which ran from October 2024 to March 2025 – did get off to a bright start, with 33 percent more beans arriving at Ivory Coast ports compared with last year, Commerzbank analyst Carsten Fritsch said in a note to clients.

But while the New York cocoa futures price is currently hovering at about $8,350 per tonne – a significant drop from December – concerns are growing that the same dry weather that wrecked last year’s crop will take a similarly devastating toll this year, Fritsch said.

The uncertainty is taking a toll on chocolate producers. Swiss chocolate maker Barry Callebaut slashed its annual sales forecasts on April 11 due to what it called “unprecedented volatility” in cocoa prices, sending its shares falling almost 20 percent – its biggest ever one-day drop.

What is causing the rise in prices?

Weather

Volatile weather is one major factor. West Africa experienced extreme rainfall in 2023, with total precipitation more than double the 30-year average in some places, while 2024 saw extreme heat and drought.

Many climate scientists point to the El Nino weather phenomenon, which produces warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, as the primary driver for volatile weather patterns. However, they also expect a transition to the La Nina pattern – the cooling of ocean surface temperatures in the central and east-central equatorial Pacific every three to five years – to revive cocoa yields at least temporarily.

Indeed, the International Cocoa Organization in February forecast a global cocoa surplus of 142,000 megatonnes for 2024/25, the first surplus in four years. That partly explains the recent fall in price.

But according to Felipe Pohlmann Gonzaga, a Switzerland-based commodity trader, the larger picture of “climate change is only going to make supply concerns worse” in the longer term.

Scientists at the research group Climate Central published a paper this year showing that climate change compromised cacao trees during the harvest season in Ivory Coast and Ghana.

Laws against deforestation

Besides changing weather patterns, several other issues are also driving recent price hikes in cocoa.

Across West Africa, new deforestation laws have prevented farmers from expanding cocoa plantations, keeping a lid on supply.

West Africa is also grappling with an ageing tree stock. “Older trees are not being replaced,” Pohlmann Gonzaga told Al Jazeera. “There has been under-investment in the industry.”

Disease

At the same time, the spread of the cocoa swollen shoot virus (CSSV) has hit harvests. Tropical Research Services, a market research group, recently found that Ivory Coast cocoa production could halve due to the spread of CSSV.

Illegal gold mining

Meanwhile, Ghanaian cocoa farmers are abandoning beans for gold in an illegal mining boom that has hit Ghana’s cocoa production and helped drive up prices.

In recent months, investors have been buying up the precious metal to shield themselves from the financial market turmoil unleashed by United States President Donald Trump’s trade tariffs. On April 16, gold reached $3,357 per ounce for the first time.

As a result, many farmers are selling their holdings to illegal miners who have decimated swaths of land in pursuit of gold. Ghana is Africa’s leading producer of gold — and the sixth-biggest globally.

Will cocoa prices continue to rise?

“Tariffs have had an impact on the value of commodities, and cocoa is no exception,” says Pohlmann Gonzaga. “At first, you’d think trade levies would reduce demand for cocoa in the US, which is a big consumer.” The US consumes the most chocolate in the world, though the Swiss take that tag for the most per-capita consumption.

“But if US consumption persists, that could raise prices. And of course, Trump may drop tariffs [on West African cocoa exporters] in the future, which would probably lead to higher demand.”

Pohlmann Gonzaga cited the growing demand for chocolate in East Asia. “We may be seeing a similar trend as with coffee,” he said. China’s coffee consumption, for instance, increased by more than 60 percent between 2019 and 2024.

In the near term, Pohlmann Gonzaga said prices are likely to “trend sideways … as these factors can cancel each other out. Volatility will be the word of order for this year.”

How have chocolate manufacturers responded?

So far, producers have responded in one of two ways – by passing the higher cost to consumers, or by promoting products with less cocoa or with substitute ingredients.

Last year, food giant Nestle introduced a hazelnut flavour to its British Aero line of chocolate bars, which, at 36g (1.3oz), are about one-third the weight of competing chocolate bars.

In 2024, agri-food giant Cargill partnered with US chocolate alternatives producer Voyage Foods – which creates cocoa-free bars from grape seeds, sunflower flour and other flavourings – to be its business-to-business distributor.

In addition to big companies, startups like Nukoko and Planet A are exploring microbial fermentation techniques to enhance and mimic the aromas and flavour of chocolate.

Elsewhere, Dubai chocolate was founded in 2022. Its products are filled with pistachio and tahini and are inspired by kunafa, the chessy, saccharine dessert that is a staple across the Middle East and North Africa. Since coming to market, it has become a social media sensation.

If cocoa prices continue rising, “I’d expect to see more and more cocoa substitutes on supermarket shelves. The interesting question is whether consumer tastes will change,” said Pohlmann Gonzaga.

Oscar Piastri’s victory put Australia on top of the Formula One world championship for the first time since 2010.

McLaren’s Oscar Piastri cruised to victory in the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix to move atop the driver’s championship after five races on the season.

The 24-year-old became the first driver this season to win while not starting on the pole, and he comfortably finished the race ahead of runner-up Max Verstappen of Red Bull, who was given a five-second penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage in the opening lap of the race on Sunday.

Charles Leclerc finished third to give Ferrari its first podium of the season. Piastri’s McLaren teammate Lando Norris finished fourth, while Mercedes’s George Russell finished fifth and Kimi Antonelli was sixth.

With his third victory of the season, and second consecutive after winning at Bahrain last week, Piastri becomes the first driver from Australia to lead the drivers’ championship standings since Mark Webber in 2010. It is the first time Piastri has led the drivers’ standings in his F1 career.

Piastri, who began the race from second position on the starting grid, ultimately took the lead on the 6.1km (3.8-mile) track after Verstappen served his five-second penalty during a pit stop on Lap 22. He finished off his fifth career victory in his 51st start without much of a challenge from Verstappen, crossing the finish line 2.84 seconds ahead of the reigning world champion.

In addition to 2025 race victories in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, Piastri also won the second race of the season in China. McLaren has won four of the five races after Norris won the season-opening race in Australia.

Verstappen’s runner-up finish came after he won the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix in two of the last three years.

In the drivers’ championship, Piastri has 99 points to Norris’s 89 and Verstappen’s 87. Champions McLaren stretched their lead over Mercedes in the constructors’ standings to 77 points.

Ex-Wales international Ashley Williams says Manchester United’s players “must be hungrier” and “go with a bit of meaning” in front of goal, following their 1-0 defeat at Old Trafford against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

READ MORE: ‘If we don’t score, nothing matters’ – ‘damaged’ Hojlund ‘not ready’

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April 20 (UPI) — New York City’s $9 congestion pricing fee for people driving in certain parts of the city will remain, passing a federal deadline Sunday to end it.

“The program is working,” N.Y. Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement. “Traffic is down, business is up and the cameras are staying on.” Hochul has been a staunch supporter of the program, touting its benefits.

The Department of Transportation ordered New York city to “terminate” the program and set a Sunday deadline.

“USDOT will continue to fight for working class Americans whose tax dollars have already funded and paid for these roads,” a statement said.

The DOT mandate came on the heels of efforts by President-Elect Donald Trump to also put an end to it. He suggested that he would not support the plan before he took office and then again in February after had assumed his second term.

A federal judge has sided with New York City in its efforts to keep the plan alive, saying the toll is legal. Hochul and the Metropolitan Transit Authority have both said the cameras will stay on and the toll program in place until a judge rules otherwise.

Pricing congestion has already sidestepped a number of federal mandates and deadlines. The plan went into effect on Jan. 5. Drivers entering Manhattan’s central business district, from 60th St. to the southern edge of the Financial District face a $9 fee from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends.

Reports come after Hegseth attracted scrutiny last month over discussions of military plans in another group chat.

United States Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth shared details about planned bombing raids on Yemen in a second Signal group chat that included his wife, brother and personal lawyer, US media has reported.

The reports come after Hegseth attracted scrutiny last month when the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic magazine revealed that the defence chief had shared details about upcoming air strikes on Houthi rebels in a Signal group chat that the journalist had been accidentally included in.

Hegseth’s discussions in the second group chat similarly involved planned strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, The New York Times and CNN reported on Sunday, citing multiple unnamed sources.

The information shared by Hegseth in the second chat included “flight schedules for the F/A-18 Hornets targeting the Houthis in Yemen,” The Times reported, citing “people with knowledge of the chat”.

Hegseth set up the second group chat before his confirmation as defence secretary to coordinate with members of his personal and professional inner circle, the outlets said.

Hegseth’s brother, Phil, and his personal lawyer, Tim Parlatore, are both employed at the Defense Department, but his wife, Jennifer, a former Fox News producer, is not.

The circumstances that led to the disclosure of military information in the first Signal group chat, which included top officials in President Donald Trump’s administration including Vice President JD Vance and National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, is currently being investigated by the Pentagon’s acting inspector general.

The latest controversy involving Hegseth’s leadership follows a week of personnel upheaval at the Pentagon.

Four members of Hegseth’s inner circle, including his former press secretary John Ullyot, have been removed over the last week amid a widening probe into leaks of information.

On Sunday, Ullyot said that the Pentagon was in “disarray” and “total chaos” under the defence chief’s leadership.

“The dysfunction is now a major distraction for the president — who deserves better from his senior leadership,” Ullyot wrote in an opinion piece published by Politico Magazine.

Ullyot announced his resignation on Wednesday, following the departures of Colin Carroll, chief of staff to Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg; Darin Selnick, Hegseth’s deputy chief of staff; and Dan Caldwell, one of Hegseth’s aides.

In a statement on Sunday, Carroll, Selnick and Caldwell said they had been slandered and subjected to “baseless attacks” ahead of their dismissal.

“All three of us served our country honorably in uniform – for two of us, this included deployments to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. And, based on our collective service, we understand the importance of information security and worked every day to protect it,” the three men said in the statement.

“At this time, we still have not been told what exactly we were investigated for, if there is still an active investigation, or if there was even a real investigation of ‘leaks’ to begin with.”

Not all heroes wear capes. This one is an impeccably dressed lawyer who is often armed with a tumbler of whiskey. And the new “Suits” spin-off has called him back for duty.

When NBC announced that it was capitalizing on the success of the glossy legal drama — which concluded its USA Network run nearly six years ago but became the most streamed show of 2023 with its arrival on Netflix — with “Suits LA,” a Los Angeles-set spin-off revolving around a new group of ambitious lawyers and their dealings within the entertainment industry, creator and showrunnner Aaron Korsh kept any plans for appearances by characters from the original series more tightly under wraps than the logistics of the mysterious can opener ritual.

Rather than play the odds, he played the man and got Gabriel Macht to play Harvey Specter again.

Across nine seasons and 134 episodes, Macht took viewers on the smug but charming corporate attorney’s journey of emotional and personal maturation as he teamed up with — for more most of the show’s run — wayward genius Mike (Patrick J. Adams), whom he hired to be his associate even though the young man had never attended law school. Between cases, Harvey confronted his demons and by the series’ 2019 finale was a married man headed to Seattle to reunite with his sidekick to do some legal good for the little guys. (Macht, meanwhile, intentionally stepped away from acting to focus on his family once the series wrapped.)

Now, it’s early March and Macht’s on the set of “Suits LA” on the NBCUniversal lot putting the finishing touches on his three-episode arc, which was crammed into roughly a week of filming: “I really thought I was shutting the door on this character at the end of the original,” says Macht, with a set of dark-framed glasses the only thing distinguishing him from his character during a break.

Harvey’s arc primarily occurs in flashbacks circa 2010, establishing his friendship with “Suits LA” frontman Ted Black (Stephen Amell) around the time the latter was wrapped up in a case involving notorious mobster John Pellegrini (Anthony Azizi) that ultimately triggered his move to the West Coast. Ted was prosecuting federal cases for the U.S. attorney’s office in New York City and on a mission to put the mafioso — who used various intimidation tactics on Ted, including extorting Ted’s corrupt father (Matt Letscher) and inadvertently having Ted’s brother (Carson A. Egan) killed — behind bars; Harvey worked in the district attorney’s office. Later, when the murder case fell apart, Harvey, who by this time was working in the corporate sector, clandestinely helped Ted convict Pellegrini on racketeering charges. But with the criminal set to be released from prison in the present day, Harvey makes a trip to L.A. to rally Ted so they can get Pellegrini back behind bars. The arc concluded with Sunday’s episode, titled “Bat Signal,” which finds the dynamic duo in New York City to (successfully) execute their plan.

But is this the last viewers will see of Harvey Specter? Macht has learned not to say no to anything.

“Look, if everything fails in my life, I think I can go to Times Square, put on the suit and just pose for pictures, maybe?” he says with a wide smile as he ambles his way back to shoot a scene in the present-day timeline.

Like the Naked Cowboy?

“Yeah, I’ll be right next to him.”

The Times checked in with Macht a few weeks later over a video call to discuss the reprising of his character. Here are excerpts from the conversation.

Gabriel Macht reprises his “Suits” character Harvey Specter for NBC’s spin-off “Suits LA.”

(Nicole Weingart/NBC)

Since the resurgence of “Suits,” you’ve been asked about reprising your role for a revival or even a movie of the OG series. You’ve largely had some playful responses quashing the likelihood of that happening. What was the initial reluctance and how did this way become appealing for you?

When I was finished with “Suits,” I was ready to be done. I feel like we told those stories and we really stuck the landing. We left with integrity. At that time in my personal life, I was ready to be done and move on and focus on different things. I wanted to travel the world, and I wanted to fill up the daddy well, and, you know, really spend time with my kids and make up for lost time. That was really the focus. That’s where maybe those responses [came from]. Jump a few years, when Netflix picked it up, it dominated the viewership in so many ways that it just felt like it was sort of bigger than anyone could really understand and imagine. I’m seeing that there’s a new generation. Who knows, there might be a “Suits: The Musical” on Broadway in 20 years. It created a bunch of opportunities for a lot of the players from the original show. And when Aaron [Korsh, the creator and showrunner of both series] came to me and said [mimics Korsh’s pitchy voice], “Hey, I know you haven’t wanted to get back in this … ,” I said, “What is it? What’s the story?” All I was interested in was how he was doing and how’s the show going and support the show. He said, “Look, there’s a character that might have been friends with Ted, and I can make his name in the script Harvey, if you’d be willing to consider …”

And over the next days, I started to think about the fans and how much the fans are really so committed to this show. That was my first instinct … if they can make it happen, I want to do it for the fans.

Did it take some time for you to feel like you were locked in? We don’t see Harvey in a suit right away and I would imagine that’s what helps you get there.

It kind of was like riding a bike, especially when you put the suit on. Aaron has this way of writing where he’s got a lot of double negatives. They gave me one or two speeches where I had to get into that dynamic and I was like, “Oh, my God, I’m gonna have a panic attack. This is not why I came back.”

On set you mentioned that the baseball scenes were shot at Rancho Park, which is where you used to practice for your high school baseball team. That must have felt like a surreal, full-circle moment to be coming back to this seminal character in your career while returning to a place that had meaning in real life.

It was nostalgic in so many ways. I played up until my freshman year of high school. They put me on the bench. I didn’t really play that much. I loved baseball and I still love baseball, but I was like, “Oh, God, I should really be thinking about my future. Maybe I should go into the drama class or something.” They happened at the same time, so I can either do baseball every day or do drama and acting.

Going back to Rancho Park and being in a uniform, playing shortstop, and actually seeing my dad [actor Stephen Macht, who had a recurring role in “Suits”] come out was nice. I said, “Dad, I’m shooting at Rancho, if you want to come and visit.” He comes out and he’s sitting in the stands; apparently he asked them, “Where’s Gabriel?” And someone was like, “Who are you?” And he’s like, “I’m his father!” It brought him right back to when I was in high school or little league. And they’re like, “Oh, he’s playing shortstop.” He’s been in the business 50 years. And he was like, “Well, when’s the game starting?” It was a real moment for me to see him in the stands. During one of the takes, I was like, “Dad, you’re sitting with background, you’re like an extra right now. Go behind video village! You can watch the scene there.” It was a full-circle moment for us.

Gabriel Macht, left, as Harvey Specter and Sarah Rafferty as Donna Paulsen in the 2019 series finale of “Suits.” (Shane Mahood / USA Network / NBCUniversal)

Patrick J. Adams, left, as Mike Ross and Gabriel Macht as Harvey Specter in a Season 2 scene from “Suits” (Steve Wilkie / USA Network)

When it was announced that you were returning, it quickly became clear that one of the key cameos fans were anticipating with your return is Harvey’s wedding band. The Darvey shippers, myself included, wanted some assurance that Aaron did not mess with their favorite TV couple. Did you see some of that? And were you curious where Harvey would be at in life?

Yes, I was curious to see what it was and what was going to happen and what the storyline is; it could have gone in so many different directions. There’s no reference that they’re married and still together, but there is a reference that there’s a child. I was moved by that moment. I was moved when I read it, I was like, “Oh, that’s cool.” I said “Guys, in the flashbacks, obviously I don’t have a ring, but I think I should have a ring for the present time.” And they were like, “Yeah, yeah, yeah.” So, that’s how we basically said that this [Harvey-Donna] relationship is still continuing. It was a nice moment. It was a really nice moment. Now why we never mentioned anyone with the name Ted in 134 episodes [of “Suits”], but these guys are really great friends and he names his son after him …

Wait. Do you think he really named their son after him? I thought he was just teasing.

I think he [Harvey] was just playing with him [Ted]. But you never know with Harvey; he keeps so many things close to the chest. He could have really connected with him years ago. With television, with characters, you don’t know.

I have to say, I always thought Harvey would be a girl dad. Maybe they have a daughter who just can’t text yet. My niece loves doing the voice to text on other people’s devices.

That’s very possible. Maybe he has a girl who’s of the age of texting but doesn’t have a phone? We don’t give our daughter a phone.

Fans on the show know that Harvey lost both his parents. With his appearance on “Suits LA,” we learn his only sibling, Marcus, has passed in the time since. [Actor Billy Miller, who portrayed Marcus, died in 2023.]Have you asked Aaron why he has made Harvey endure so much pain and loss? Can we have some assurance that Harvey is at least going to the doctor and getting himself checked out?

That’s a good question. How do I answer this? The human in me says, look, there’s tons of loss in in our lives and humans go through loss every day. There’s always been a real sense of abandonment issues that Harvey has had throughout his life, and I think that that has been a dramatic tool that has been helped by writing for that. I don’t think Harvey really plays a victim, but I think it’s a way to feel for him. If you look at any Disney movie, the parents die within five seconds and that’s to get you on the hook of feeling like you gotta feel for this character.

Gabriel Macht, left, as Harvey Specter and Stephen Amell as Ted Black in “Suits LA.”

(Nicole Weingart / NBC)

I know it was brief and we don’t get too much of present-day Harvey, but what was it like playing Harvey at this stage of his life and this stage in your life?

It was fun. He’s a little bit more settled. He’s a little bit more in touch with himself. He likes to still take the piss out of his friends and the people that are close to him. But what we love about Harvey is his sense of what’s right and making things right and his loyalty and his heart. There’s plenty of times he’s playing with the system. I think he’s doing what’s best. That was nice to play and just to be in in touch with that.

It’s interesting because there’s many versions of Harvey that I’m not a fan of and that I’m not crazy about and that I don’t like to engage in or support. I don’t like supporting the narcissistic elements of him. I don’t like supporting the aggressive, toxic masculinity that Harvey has in his toolbox. In these last six years, I have done a lot of work on myself and just seeing, what are the behaviors of Harvey that do align with me? There’s elements of behavior where, as the actor and as the character, you’re having to beat people down and manipulate and use so many negative behaviors that don’t align with me, or more so, align with the child in me, that I have been keenly aware that I need tend to.

What worked well for Harvey was my [inner] child. So, to be able to dismantle that or observe all the behaviors of the child — digging his heels in and saying, “This is what I need! This is how to do it!” — that selfish, sort of narcissistic coping mechanisms that you make as a kid, that’s the work to be done [on myself] to move away from him. I’d love to see a documentary where somebody takes characters where the actors have really lived in their shoes for so long that they become them in different ways, and how do they shake them at the end of the day and come back to themselves? I think it’d be really interesting

Could you see a day when you consider doing another TV series or returning to the screen?

I’m way more interested right now in this partnership that I’m doing with Bear Fight Whiskey. The small narrative stories where I can be creative are where my heart is right now. A television show is a big commitment. You’re basically owned by the show and the network and the stories and you really have to give up so much of your life. Maybe when my kids go to college or whatever, and there’s more time in my life that I can devote to that.

Your friends and “Suits” co-stars, Sarah Rafferty and Patrick J. Adams, recently wrapped re-watching the first season on their podcast. They’re on hiatus now, but do you think you’ll ever stop by as a guest? I need you on this podcast.

At some point, yeah. I don’t know when. The stars have to align. I think they’re doing great and I think they’re really enjoying it. I don’t know how I would go on there and talk — I have a bad memory as it is. I do not know if I would come in with much substance. I’ve seen clips [of “Suits”] here and there and I’m like, “I said that? I have no idea! I have no recollection of that!”

I do feel like Harvey has some explaining to do with Mike for using the whole Batman thing with Ted.

I think you’re right. You have to go after Aaron. He thought it was a little too meta and too much of a wink to the audience, but I’ll tell you, we said “Green Arrow” and “The Spirit.” [Amell played Oliver Queen in the CW’s “Arrow” and Macht portrayed the title character in Frank Miller’s 2008 film adaptation of Will Eisner’s “The Spirit.”] There’s a version of that that would have been gold, but [Aaron’s] a Batman guy, so you got to just say what’s on the page sometimes.

You grew up here. What’s the L.A. spot Gabriel would tell Harvey to visit?

Marty’s. I’m telling you, Marty’s burgers — it’s right near Rancho Park. It’s a greasy spoon. It’s the home of the combo. It’s where I used to eat all the time. I’m a vegetarian now, so I can’t go back there and eat there, but Harvey could.

Jo Adell had a bases-clearing double in a four-run ninth inning against San Francisco closer Ryan Walker and the Angels rallied to beat the Giants 5-4 on Sunday, spoiling the day for Justin Verlander in the rubber match of a three-game series.

Verlander was in line for his first victory in his fifth start with the Giants leading 4-1. But Walker (0-1) walked Mike Trout leading off and Jorge Soler followed with a single. Logan O’Hoppe had a one-out hit to load the bases before Walker hit Zach Neto to force in a run. Adell hit a 1-2 pitch down the left-field line.

Verlander gave up just two hits and a run in six innings with six strikeouts. He fanned Trout twice on 96- and 97-mph fastballs.

Yusei Kikuchi allowed an unearned run in 5 1/3 innings for the Angels. He was in line for the loss after he walked Tyler Fitzgerald on his 102nd pitch and Sam Huff greeted reliever Brock Burke with a two-run homer. Fitzgerald walked and scored on Willy Adames single off Michael Darrell-Hicks in the eighth.

Adames singled in Heliot Ramos in the fifth for a 1-0 lead.

The Angels tied it when Neto homered on the first pitch from Verlander in the bottom half.

Kikuchi gave up five hits and four walks with six strikeouts. Darrell-Hicks (1-0) notched his first career win.

Key moment

Verlander ran into trouble in the fourth after pitching three hitless innings. The Angels loaded the bases with two out, but Verlander struck out O’Hoppe swinging to end it.

Key stat

Huff’s home run was his 11th in 86 career games and his first since 2023 while a member of the Rangers.

Up next

The Giants send Robbie Ray (3-0, 4.19) out for Monday’s opener of a four-game series with the visiting Brewers. Quinn Priester (1-0, 0.90) starts for Milwaukee.

The Angels end a homestand with three against the Pirates. José Soriano (2-2, 3.16) starts Tuesday’s opener for the Angels against Bailey Falter (1-2, 4.91).

SPRING brings longer days, warmer weather, and bursts of colour everywhere, especially in the way of flowers.

From cheery Daffodils and humble Bluebells to elegant Lilies – learn how to help your flowers look fabulous for longer.

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Whether you’ve picked up a treat at the local supermarket or you’ve been gifted a beautiful bouquet, it’s devastating when your flowers die almost instantly.

But don’t despair because a flower expert has shared a secret that will help your flowers last longer.

What is the secret ingredient?

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Elise Harlock, brand manager at Prestige Flowers, said: “Hydration is key for keeping fresh-cut lilies for longer but the acidity of the water is important, too.

“A splash of lemon juice can lower the water’s pH which helps lilies absorb water easier and keep them vibrant for longer.

“Lemon water is a healthy drink for humans but many don’t realise it can have benefits for flowers, too.

“A vitamin C tablet crushed into the vase can also be effective.”

If you haven’t got a lemon lying around at home, you can pick one up for around 30p at your local supermarket.

Most flowers absorb water more effectively in an acidic environment which helps them stay hydrated and fresher for longer and keeps bacteria growth at bay.

What causes flowers to wilt?

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“One of the biggest culprits behind wilting flowers is bacteria as it can block flower stems’ vascular systems.

“This prevents water and nutrient uptake and causes petals to droop and leaves to start yellowing.”

Elise added: “Lowering the pH keeps vase water clearer, the growth of harmful bacteria is reduced, keeping stems clear and expanding your flowers’ lifespan.”

Elise also recommends refreshing the water in the vase every two or three days and trimming stems at a 45-degree angle to improve water uptake.

She added: “Direct sunlight can be too harsh on flowers, so if you want to keep your bouquet for as long as possible, place them somewhere cool and shaded.

The 5 best flowers to help bees to thrive

Nature experts at Faith In Nature have shared the 5 best flowers Brits can plant in their gardens to help bees thrive.

Rebecca Miller, Fabulous’ Associate Editor and keen gardener explains why “bees are brilliant”.

“They are vital. They pollinate our food and play a crucial role in our ecosystem. But climate change, the increasing use of pesticides and loss of habitat means bees are endangered. No matter how big your garden or outside space is, you can plant a flower or two to help bees.”

Lavender

Lavender can thrive in a sunny spot with well-drained soil. It’s fragrant and flowers all-summer-long meaning it’s a big hit with bees – especially bumble bees.

Sunflowers

This cheery flower giant are bee-magnets. And if you look closely at a sunflower head, the big ‘flowers’ are actually a cluster of small flowers, called an inflorescence which attract pollinators.

Ideally, grow sunflowers in groups to provide nectar and pollen for as many bees as possible. At the end of summer, collect the dried seeds from the sunflower heads to feed the birds or plant next year.

Heather

These abundant, bell-shaped blooms are brimming with nectar and pollen – which is good news for bees.

Cornflowers

A vivid blue wildflower, cornflowers are often planted alongside other meadow blooms, like ox-eye daisies and poppies.

They grow on tall stems and are packed with nectar, making them particularly attractive to bees. Cornflowers bloom for a long time and are simple to grow, so they’re perfect for first-time gardeners and experienced alike. 

Crocuses (and snowdrops)

Later this summer, when you’re starting to plan for your Spring displays, consider crocuses and snowdrops.

They provide bees, such as the queen buff-tailed bumblebee and male hairy-footed flower bees, with vital early pollen as they emerge from their winter hibernation. 

“Retrimming flower stems can also extend the life of your lilies.

“Over time, the cut ends of blooms can become blocked by air bubbles which can block water and nutrients accessing the flower.

“Trim half an inch off your stems after a few days to expose a fresh surface to absorb water.”

Meanwhile, you can give your flowerbeds and lawn a spring spruce up without spending any extra money.

Instead of investing in bags of pricey fertiliser, simply repurpose an item that’s already in your fridge.

However, with the sun shining, many people might begin to notice weeds growing on their patios.

But you don’t have to fork out on expensive products to get rid of them, as gardening fans have revealed a simple two-ingredient hack that they claim will make stubborn gravel weeds disappear.

Even better, they say it works in less than 24 hours.

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Leon Fresco, an immigration lawyer, talks about the deepening rift between the Trump administration and the courts, and what’s really at stake for the US judicial system.

With millions of Brits flocking to EU hotspots like Spain, Italy and Greece this Easter – a legal expert has warned that certain parents will need to bring five essential documents

Avoid getting stung by these little-known travel rules parents must follow this half term. It is thought more than two million Brits will be jetting off to sunny hotspots like Spain and Greece this Easter – with a surge of last-minute bookings blamed on the dreary UK weather.

While travelling with children – especially on long-haul flights – can be a nightmarish experience in itself, there is much more that can go wrong than a toddler screaming through take-off. Failing to bring with you a host of essential documents could stop you from being allowed to fly, and dampen everyone’s holiday spirits.

The costly warning comes from Ann Ownes, a consultant solicitor in the divorce law team over at Richard Nelson LLP who has urged separated couples to check which travel documents they need to take their children out of the country. Without these important pieces of paperwork, parents could even be accused of child abduction.

READ MORE: EU warning as UK issues sudden ban on food items being brought into the country

Consent letter from the non-travelling parent

Divorce is hard on kids: but many take light of the fact that they can now enjoy two holidays a year instead of one. But, for a child to be taken abroad – all people with ‘parental responsibility’ will need to agree on the decision. Mothers automatically get parental responsibility at birth, while a father will acquire parental responsibility upon marriage.

“With that in mind, a consent letter from the non-travelling parent is critical,” Ann said, in a statement sent to the Mirror. “A signed letter provides proof that your ex-partner has agreed to you holidaying abroad should you ever be challenged while travelling. The letter will need the other parent’s contact details as well as the details of your holiday, such as where you’re going to be staying. If your child has a different surname to you, the letter should also explain that this is the case.”

Birth or adoption certificate

It might seem a little overboard to travel with this kind of document, but bringing a birth certificate or adoption certificate can help prove your relation to your child. “You may be asked to provide proof of parental responsibility when leaving the UK and entering your holiday destination,” Ann added.

Court order

If your separation wasn’t smooth, and your ex (who has parental responsibility for your child) won’t agree for you to take the children abroad – the court may still grant you permission. Naturally, this can take a while to go through the motions, so make sure you allow for as much time as possible.

“For those who have been successful in gaining permission this way then you must travel with a sealed copy of the Court Order with you,” Ann said. “Border officials may ask for proof of your legal right to take the child abroad at the airport, and if you can’t provide it, you may be turned away at customs.”

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Passports

Now, passports are a bit of an obvious one – but it is this exact reason why so many people end up rocking up at the airport and realise they’ve left theirs at home. You’ll need to make sure you have your and your child’s passport – and need to check it’s valid for the specific destination you’re heading to.

“In the majority of instances, your passport will need to be valid for at least three months after your intended return date,” the legal firm explained. “But for countries like Dubai, Thailand and Australia, it must be valid for at least six months from your date of entry into the country.”

Divorce or marriage certificate

Divorces often result in one parent having a different surname to their children – which can sometimes spark suspicion at the border. To avoid any long conversations about why you’re no longer Mrs DiCaprio – it might be wise to just bring our divorce certificate along.

Do you have a story to share? Email us at [email protected] for a chance to be featured.

Britain’s Got Talent judge Amanda Holden has teamed up with relationship expert Paul C. Brunson for new Netflix series Cheat and they have strong views about relationships

Amanda Holden has been married since 2008 and her 20-year relationship with record producer husband Chris Hughes is rock solid, but she says hosting a show about infidelity has actually made her marriage even stronger.

The Britain’s Got Talent judge and radio host is fronting Cheat, a Netflix series which tries to repair long-term relationships that have been broken by affairs or one-night stands.

Alongside relationship expert Paul C. Brunson, Amanda, 54, follows eight couples whose relationships were torn apart due to infidelity.

And she says Paul’s advice is so good it can be applied to any couple, even those who are happily married. Amanda says: “I was in awe of Paul’s advice because it’s so brilliant and succinct. You can listen to it all day.” Joking, she adds: “So I was really nice to Chris when he came out to filming.”

Like herself, Paul is in a long-term relationship, and Amanda speaks for them both when she shares some good advice on how to keep the spark in a marriage.

Amanda, who has two daughters, Lexi, 19, and Hollie, 13, says: “We make time for our partners. So I think you have to set aside time. A lot of couples might only spend an hour a week together and that’s just sort of working logistics of school runs and school clubs and all the other stuff that comes with marriage and parenting. So, set aside time, if you can. Or spend a weekend with your partner without the kids is brilliant and what we do in my house.”

On Cheat, the couples are a long way from having a weekend away without fighting. In all of the eight cases, it seems to be the last chance saloon and a time for people to admit their mistakes.

Amanda says: “I think it was intelligent. It’s layered. It’s about trying to be as non-judgmental as possible and listening to both sides and having empathy for everybody involved. It’s very intense.

“It’s very raw. It’s people facing each other across a table that has a flame in the middle of it, so it’s very hot. And they have nowhere else to go but the truth. They have to look in their partner’s eyes, and it doesn’t matter how many hours it takes or weeks in some cases.

“The truth comes out. And then the truth can be dealt with and then you are in a really amazing place to deal with what you are going to deal with. Some couples do make it back to each other. And some couples don’t.”

Pointing at Amanda, Paul says: “You not only get tears from the couples, but from this one.” Talking of infidelity, he says: “It’s a topic that typically gets swept under the carpet, but it impacts everybody. This is one of the first projects to unpack that entirely. And then to explore all of the grey areas within it. What is cheating? Can you stay with a cheater? Once a cheat always a cheat?”

As the eight couples reunite at a retreat, each pair is guided through their issues in the hope they can face up to mistakes, rebuild trust and move forward.

Amanda, whose first marriage, to Les Dennis, broke down after she had a brief affair with actor Neil Morrissey, says: “It (cheating) is a sensitive topic and I think it’s a topic everyone can understand. It’s about good people who have made bad choices. Some of those people haven’t had the answer for 10 years. So, it was amazing to be part of that process and to witness the truth coming out.”

Amanda’s eldest daughter Lexi is a similar age to the younger participants on the show, but her mum says, thankfully, she does not have any of the same issues at the moment.

She says: “She’s all loved up. She’ll kill me for saying this but, yes, I am really happy that she’s at university and has found somebody. She can enjoy university from a completely different perspective now. I feel lucky in that she has formed a relationship with somebody. Obviously they are very young and everything else, but it’s lovely and he’s really nice and he’s got Daddy’s approval.”

Amanda says only some couples on the show make it and perhaps for others it is better to move on. She says: “It is about forgiveness. But it’s also about finding out if you can continue on.”

Cheat: Unfinished Business will be streamed on Netflix from Wednesday, April 30.

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads.

Verstappen’s radio messages during the race clearly indicated he did not approve of the penalty he was given, but he was warned to keep his thoughts to himself.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said he felt the penalty was “very harsh” and asked rhetorically: “Whatever happened to ‘let them race on the first lap?’ That just seems to have been abandoned.”

The stewards’ verdict contained an answer to that – it said that the normal penalty for leaving the track and gaining a lasting advantage was 10 seconds, but they reduced it to five because it was the first lap.

Verstappen was penalised for cutting the chicane after the start and keeping the lead.

Piastri had got fully alongside him on the inside on the entry to the first corner. Despite this, Verstappen cut the second part of the chicane and retained the lead.

F1’s driving standards guidelines effectively say that the corner was Piastri’s in that situation.

They say that for a driver overtaking on the inside to be “entitled to be given room (his car) must have its front axle at least alongside the mirror of the other car prior to and at the apex, be driven in a fully controlled manner particularly from entry to apex and not have ‘dived in”; and in the stewards’ estimation have taken a reasonable racing line and been able to complete the move while remaining within track limits.”

Piastri comfortably complied with all these criteria.

He said: “The stewards had to get involved, but I thought I was plenty far enough up (alongside) and in the end that’s what got me the race.

“I knew that I had enough of my car alongside to take the corner. We obviously both braked extremely late. For me, I braked as late as I could while staying on the track. And I think how it unfolded is how it should have been dealt with.”

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella said: “Oscar, thanks to a very good launch off the grid, and thanks to positioning the car on the inside, [was] slightly ahead of Max, managing to keep the car within the track limits, then he gained the rights (to the corner), and obviously in that situation you can’t overtake off track.

“This is a clear case. It shouldn’t create any polemic, really.”

Verstappen led until the first pit stops, when he served the penalty and dropped behind Piastri, who controlled the race from there to take his third win in five grands prix this season.

It included a bold move around the outside of Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari on the approach to the high-speed Turns 22 and 23 at a critical point of the race, to minimise his time loss on the lap Verstappen stopped.

Verstappen had shown strong pace in the first stint, tracked closely by the McLaren, and was pulling away slightly by the time Piastri made his stop on lap 19.

Once into the lead, Piastri controlled the race but was unable to extend the gap to Verstappen despite having the advantage of clean air.

April 20 (UPI) — Former California Rep. Barbara Lee has won the Oakland mayoral race and vowed to work with city residents to ease racial and economic tensions.

“Oakland is a deeply divided city,” Lee said after being calculated as the winner, and said that she “answered the call to run” so the community could address its issues together, NBC News reported.

“While I believe strongly in respecting the democratic voting process and boots will continue to be counted, the results are clear that the people of Oakland have elected me as your next mayor,” she continued. “Thank you, Oakland!”

Councilmember Loren Taylor conceded the race Saturday morning after it became clear that Lee’s lead was insurmountable. Lee made a brief appearance at an Easter event Sunday at the Arroyo Viejo Center where she thanked interim Mayor Kevin Jenkins for his work.

Lee, 78, represented Oakland in Congress for 27 years before retiring last year following an unsuccessful bid for the U.S. Senate.

She was endorsed by a handful of California Democratic party stalwarts, including former Gov. Jerry Brown. Lee takes the place of former Mayor Sheng Thao after he was indicted on federal bribery, fraud and conspiracy charges in January.

With about 400,000 residents, Oakland is a deeply liberal city, the birthplace of the Black Panther Party and the hometown of former presidential contender Kamala Harris.

The city is contending with high homelessness, public drug use, gun crime and violence that prompted the fast food chain In-N-Out Burger to close one of its locations for the first time.

Oakland has about 400,000 residents and is deeply liberal and multicultural, the birthplace of the Black Panther Party and claimed by former Vice President Kamala Harris as her hometown.

But Oakland also is reeling from homeless tents, public drug use, illegal sideshows, gun violence and brazen robberies that prompted In-N-Out Burger to close its first location ever last year.

“We have to bring people here who understand the beauty and opportunities in Oakland and who will work with us to help us move this beautiful city forward,” she said Sunday, KQED reported.

Last week, a prominent Saudi Sheikh, Mohammed Al-Issa, visited the Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland to commemorate the 75th anniversary of its liberation, which signalled the end of the Nazi Holocaust. Although dozens of Muslim scholars have visited the site, where about one million Jews were killed during World War Two, according to the Auschwitz Memorial Centre’s press office, Al-Issa is the most senior Muslim religious leader to do so.

Visiting Auschwitz is not a problem for a Muslim; Islam orders Muslims to reject unjustified killing of any human being, no matter what their faith is. Al-Issa is a senior ally of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman (MBS), who apparently cares little for the sanctity of human life, though, and the visit to Auschwitz has very definite political connotations beyond any Islamic context.

By sending Al-Issa to the camp, Bin Salman wanted to show his support for Israel, which exploits the Holocaust for geopolitical colonial purposes. “The Israeli government decided that it alone was permitted to mark the 75th anniversary of the Allied liberation of Auschwitz [in modern day Poland] in 1945,” wrote journalist Richard Silverstein recently when he commented on the gathering of world leaders in Jerusalem for Benjamin Netanyahu’s Holocaust event.

READ: Next up, a Saudi embassy in Jerusalem 

Bin Salman uses Al Issa for such purposes, as if to demonstrate his own Zionist credentials. For example, the head of the Makkah-based Muslim World League is leading rapprochement efforts with Evangelical Christians who are, in the US at least, firm Zionists in their backing for the state of Israel. Al-Issa has called for a Muslim-Christian-Jewish interfaith delegation to travel to Jerusalem in what would, in effect, be a Zionist troika.

Zionism is not a religion, and there are many non-Jewish Zionists who desire or support the establishment of a Jewish state in occupied Palestine. The definition of Zionism does not mention the religion of its supporters, and Israeli writer Sheri Oz, is just one author who insists that non-Jews can be Zionists.

Mohammad Bin Salman and Netanyahu – Cartoon [Tasnimnews.com/Wikipedia]

We should not be shocked, therefore, to see a Zionist Muslim leader in these trying times. It is reasonable to say that Bin Salman’s grandfather and father were Zionists, as close friends of Zionist leaders. Logic suggests that Bin Salman comes from a Zionist dynasty.

This has been evident from his close relationship with Zionists and positive approaches to the Israeli occupation and establishment of a Jewish state in Palestine, calling it “[the Jews’] ancestral homeland”. This means that he has no issue with the ethnic cleansing of almost 800,000 Palestinians in 1948, during which thousands were killed and their homes demolished in order to establish the Zionist state of Israel.

“The ‘Jewish state’ claim is how Zionism has tried to mask its intrinsic Apartheid, under the veil of a supposed ‘self-determination of the Jewish people’,” wrote Israeli blogger Jonathan Ofir in Mondoweiss in 2018, “and for the Palestinians it has meant their dispossession.”

As the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, Crown Prince Bin Salman has imprisoned dozens of Palestinians, including representatives of Hamas. In doing so he is serving Israel’s interests. Moreover, he has blamed the Palestinians for not making peace with the occupation state. Bin Salman “excoriated the Palestinians for missing key opportunities,” wrote Danial Benjamin in Moment magazine. He pointed out that the prince’s father, King Salman, has played the role of counterweight by saying that Saudi Arabia “permanently stands by Palestine and its people’s right to an independent state with occupied East Jerusalem as its capital.”

UN expert: Saudi crown prince behind hack on Amazon CEO 

Israeli journalist Barak Ravid of Israel’s Channel 13 News reported Bin Salman as saying: “In the last several decades the Palestinian leadership has missed one opportunity after the other and rejected all the peace proposals it was given. It is about time the Palestinians take the proposals and agree to come to the negotiations table or shut up and stop complaining.” This is reminiscent of the words of the late Israeli Foreign Minister Abba Eban, one of the Zionist founders of Israel, that the Palestinians “never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity.”

Bin Salman’s Zionism is also very clear in his bold support for US President Donald Trump’s deal of the century, which achieves Zionist goals in Palestine at the expense of Palestinian rights. He participated in the Bahrain conference, the forum where the economic side of the US deal was announced, where he gave “cover to several other Arab countries to attend the event and infuriated the Palestinians.”

US President Donald Trump looks over at Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammad bin Salman al-Saud as they line up for the family photo during the opening day of Argentina G20 Leaders’ Summit 2018 at Costa Salguero on 30 November 2018 in Buenos Aires, Argentina [Daniel Jayo/Getty Images]

While discussing the issue of the current Saudi support for Israeli policies and practices in Palestine with a credible Palestinian official last week, he told me that the Palestinians had contacted the Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro to ask him not to relocate his country’s embassy to Jerusalem. “The Saudis have been putting pressure on us in order to relocate our embassy to Jerusalem,” replied the Brazilian leader. What more evidence of Mohammad Bin Salman’s Zionism do we need?

The founder of Friends of Zion Museum is American Evangelical Christian Mike Evans. He said, after visiting a number of the Gulf States, that, “The leaders [there] are more pro-Israel than a lot of Jews.” This was a specific reference to Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince, and his counterpart in the UAE, Mohammed Bin Zayed.

“All versions of Zionism lead to the same reactionary end of unbridled expansionism and continued settler colonial genocide of [the] Palestinian people,” Israeli-American writer and photographer Yoav Litvin wrote for Al Jazeera. We may well see an Israeli Embassy opened in Riyadh in the near future, and a Saudi Embassy in Tel Aviv or, more likely, Jerusalem. Is Mohammad Bin Salman a Zionist? There’s no doubt about it.

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.

A MAJOR train station used by almost 10,000 people every day is set to close for a month as part of a £70 million revamp.

No trains will run through or stop at Huddersfield station in West Yorkshire between August 30 and September 29, according to Network Rail.

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The works are set to spark travel chaos for the roughly 300,000 travellers who use the station each month.

After the closure, just three of the six current platforms will reopen on a temporary basis.

This is to allow for work on the multibillion-pound Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) to continue.

Gareth Hope, TRU sponsor, said the scheme would be “key to improving the journeys of millions of people across the north.”

Network Rail says the closure will allow developers to remodel the track and platforms.

This change will “transform the layout of the station and enable more trains with more seats to run through the area on a greener, more reliable railway”.

The works will also enable future upgrades at the busy station to take place, including the restoration of its Grade II listed tea rooms.

A new footbridge is also planned to be installed at West Yorkshire’s second busiest station in the future, as part of its £70 million internal modernisation project.

Huddersfield station has already completed some of its restorative work, which began in November 2023, with the terminus’ canopy roof having its refurbishment finished up in April.

The station’s modernisation programme is due to be complete by 2027.

Hope said the 30-day closure would help give the station a “deserved makeover without harming its heritage”.

Chris Nutton, major projects and TRU director at TransPennine Express, said the nearby station at Brighouse, three-and-a-half miles away to the north of Huddersfield, would act as the “gateway to the town” during the closure.

He added: “We’ll have more information on how our customers can travel across the Pennines in June but, for now, we encourage you to put these dates in your diaries.”

Huddersfield station recorded 3.022 million entries and exits in the 2023/24 period, while around 600,000 people also used the station for interchanges over the same time frame.

The station is a major halt on the North TransPennine route, which connects major cities Liverpool and Manchester through Yorkshire to Leeds, York, and Hull as well as far-fetched destinations like Newcastle and Edinburgh.

It also acts as a terminus for a number of Northern Trains services which run to Sheffield, Leeds, and Bradford.

The station was also famously home to a cat, Felix, who even had a Sunday Times bestselling biography.

This comes after it was announced in January that Manchester Oxford Road station would shut for as long as two years as part of a project to increase capacity.

The project would include longer platforms as well as a new footbridge and lift.

This would result in an extra 120 passengers per train, with each one having two additional cars.

And new track signalling improvements would allow two extra trains an hour to call at the station.

Network Rail has since put forward the proposal to close the station between 2029 and 2031 while these works are in place.

While it said this was “subject to change,” it would mean other stations would be much busier and congested.

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If you’re wondering where to go on your next trip, don’t skip this exciting UK city, that has transformed into a vibrant cultural hub

Not every poor reputation is deserved – and this UK city, once considered a rough spot, has now been named as one of TimeOut’s top places to visit this year. Even better, it’s only a train ride away.

With its rich culture, history and festivities, Bradford has become one of Britain’s most unlikely treasures. In fact, it has even been named the UK’s City of Culture 2025. Surprised? You shouldn’t be. The northern town is home to nineteenth century architecture, a thriving arts centre and a sensual delight of mouth-watering Asian cuisines.

TimeOut writes: “Bradford has been a slow burner when it comes to the UK’s best cities, but 2025 is its time to shine. Just three hours by train from London, it’s an accessible weekend getaway brimming with industrial-era architecture, a thriving performing arts scene and revered Middle Eastern and South Asian cuisine.”

READ MORE: Incredible UK seaside town named among top travel hotspots in the world

They also highlight that, as this year’s City of Culture, Bradford is bustling to the brim with exciting activities to keep you entertained. Enjoy a music-filled Bollywood blockbuster at one of their drive-in cinemas.

Alternatively, attend one of its many contemporary music or arts shows, some of which are held in the glamourous Alhambra theatre. If you’re feeling creative, you can even take part in a drawing campaign initiated by the famous Bradford-born artist David Hockney.

Foodies rest-assured: the city has become a paradise for those craving layered, spicy flavours and halal cooking. Everywhere you turn, you can find family-run eateries offering delicious sit-down meals. As one of the city’s top-rated restaurants, MyLahore Bradford Flagship offers sensational Pakistani cuisine paired with sumptuous cocktails. They serve up delights like chicken grilled in Tikka and Seekh kebabs.

While the city was once known for its high crime rates, locals claim this is highly exaggerated. On a Quora forum, one user asked: “Is Bradford in UK really as bad as it is made out to be or do people exaggerate the level of criminality in Bradford?”

A commenter was quick to dispel this notion. They wrote: “Having travelled and lived across almost every corner of the UK I have seen the same if not more negatives exist in other towns and cities but they do not get as much bad press [as Bradford].”

If you’re interested in exploring more of Bradford’s history, you can always stop by one of its many museums. This includes the ever-popular Bradford Industrial Museum.

Once inside, it takes visitors on a journey through 1870s mill life. It also allows you to appreciate the city’s pivotal role in Britain’s industrial revolution.

One reviewer wrote: “Very good museum it covers a lot of Bradford’s past industries, my favourite was the cars. It has the biggest collection of the Jowett cars in th world. It lets you see how the workers were housed, showing examples of the styles throughout the ages.”

DENVER — A day later, the Clippers didn’t hide from the primary cause of their demise in Game 1 of their Western Conference playoff series against the Denver Nuggets.

Twenty turnovers doomed the Clippers and put them in a 0-1 hole in the best-of-seven series Saturday. Four turnovers in the extra five minutes during overtime left the Clippers proclaiming they must do a better job taking care of the basketball in Game 2 on Monday night at Ball Arena.

“It’s a little frustrating, just because it’s self-inflicted and it’s that we have been really good at this the last few weeks,” Clippers guard James Harden said late Saturday night after Game 1. “But [we’re] even-keeled, you know what I mean? Come back in Game 2 ready to go even better.”

Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said they watched film and his staff showed the group how some of the turnovers transpired. Lue said 11 of their turnovers were “unforced errors that were “uncharacteristic” of his team.

Kawhi Leonard had seven turnovers, including one with 33.5 seconds left in the fourth quarter and the Clippers ahead 96-95 and another during overtime.

It was the turnovers in the overtime that spelled the difference.

Norman Powell turned the ball over with 3:36 left and the score tied at 100.

Harden turned the ball over with 2:08 left and the Clippers down 105-102.

Leonard turned the ball over with 49.3 seconds left and the Clippers down 108-104.

Nicolas Batum gave up his turnover after he took the ball out of bounds and had his pass intended for Harden tipped by Russell Westbrook off Harden’s hand with 9.1 seconds left and the Clippers down 110-107.

“The biggest thing for us was our turnovers and it was the careless turnovers,” Lue said Sunday. “Like, Denver is playing, they are blitzing, they are aggressive, their physicality — so you are going to have 10 turnovers because of that. But you can’t have 20, especially on the road. So a lot of those turnovers were careless. We just got to do a better job of cleaning that up.”

The players owned their mistakes and vowed to be better in the second game.

“There’s not much to say,” Clippers center Ivica Zubac said Sunday. “We all know where we made mistakes. There was a lot of unforced turnovers. I mean, a lot of them were forced by them. They played really well after that first quarter. So, we all know we got to be better. We can’t turn the ball over that much, so there’s not much we can say to each other. We all know what’s at stake. We all know where we messed up, so I’m sure everyone will be better next game.”

Another problem for the Clippers was the Nuggets’ offensive rebounding — especially in the overtime.

The Nuggets had four offensive rebounds during the extra period, two apiece by Aaron Gordon and Westbrook.

The Nuggets had 12 offensive rebounds during the game, five by Gordon and four by Westbrook.

Mentally, Lue said, his group is still in a good space. They have room for improvement and they have seen the error of their ways and how they can clean up those issues.

“Yesterday is behind us already,” Lue said. “We got to move on. It was one game and we got to be better in the second game if we want to go home with the series tied up at 1-1 and we understand that. So, just being better all around the board. We know we can do some things better defensively. Offensively, we have the blueprint and we just have to execute it time and time again.”

Harden’s foul problems

To a degree, Lue said, Harden was affected by his foul trouble.

Harden played 42:48. He scored 32 points and was 11 for 22 from the field, four for nine from three-point range and six for six from the free-throw line. He had seven points in the overtime, making all three of his shots.

But Harden finished the game with five fouls, picking up two in the first quarter, three by halftime and four by the middle of the third quarter.

Harden, a 6-foot-5, 220-pound point guard, was assigned to defend 6-foot-8, 235-pound power forward Gordon, and Lue thinks that may have been part of the reason for all the fouls.

“You could see a few possessions where he wasn’t as aggressive,” Lue said. “He kind of opened the door, opened the gate a little bit not wanting to get that foul. But we needed him on the floor. So, when he’s down under the basket wrestling with Gordon the whole game, that’s going to happen. We just got to be smart about it. Maybe mix those matchups a little bit more so he’s not on him for the whole game. But I thought he got a lot of them just trying to wrestle around with Gordon and Joker [Nikola Jokic] down on the block.”