Utility crews are working to restore power to Puerto Rico after a major blackout that left 1.4 million without power and 400,000 without water. The outage disrupted hospitals, airports, and Easter events. Governor Jenniffer González Colón blamed Luma Energy for the island-wide failure.
A flight attendant has shared a behind-the-scenes truth about cabin crew uniforms that has left social media users in stitches – and it’s all about what she wears underneath
One flight attendant has shared her uniform secret with her followers(Image: Hinterhaus Productions via Getty Images)
When boarding a plane, passengers are usually met with the pristine appearance of flight attendants, who maintain their professional image despite long hours and sleep deprivation.
These cabin crew members seem to possess a secret for their fresh-faced beauty and wrinkle-free uniforms, giving off the impression of an extensive skincare routine and a flawless presentation. They usually have to have their hair styled in a certain way and their make-up matching their colleagues’ – especially their lipsticks.
Paula, who shares insider titbits on the social media platform TikTok as @muulann_, posted a video that initially presented her in a crisp white blouse and trousers, looking every bit the part of the immaculate flight attendant carrying out a shift on board.
A stewardess has shared a secret about her uniform to her online followers(Image: Getty Images)
Yet Paula had a surprise for her followers; in the video, she strips off her uniform to reveal a set of cosy pyjamas she had been wearing underneath all along. The surprising reveal is humorously accompanied by her saying, “I’m literally wearing my pyjamas underneath.”
The short clip showed her peeling away her work attire to unveil comfortable grey PJS, proving that first appearances can indeed be deceiving.
With a playful smile, she illustrated that comfort during working hours doesn’t have to be compromised, a fact previously unknown to her passengers.
Her mischievous grin at the end of the video, now dressed down in her matching pyjama set, seemed to share a silent triumph – her personal trick for staying comfy had been successfully kept under wraps from the travelling public until now, reports the Daily Record.
Paula had her followers in stitches as she used Lana Del Rey’s ‘Margaret’ as a soundtrack, looping the telling lines, “‘Cause if you know, you know.”
Her workmates immediately related to her feelings, with one replying: “Girl, same,” and Paula responding with a knowing response: “If you know, you know…”
Meanwhile, others were left wondering how she manages to wear her jim jams with the warm cabin temperatures, with one asking: “HOW CAN YOU DO IT?”
Echoing this sentiment, another added: “When the cabin is 829 degrees in the boarding, what do you do?”
Paula shared her secret, revealing that she “gets cold really easily,” which means wearing an extra layer becomes essential for her comfort, not just a fashion statement.
The conversation continued with another person complaining about the uniform’s discomfort, saying: “I understand you; the pants are super scratchy inside.” Paula humorously responded, confirming their frustration: “Literally!”
Celebrity Big Brother has announced who will be facing the latest public vote ahead of tomorrow night’s live eviction, which will be fronted by hosts AJ Odudu and Will Best
The group were playing the game never have I ever, which challenges players to dare each other to reveal their secrets, and former CBBC presenter Angellica Bell asked the ITV reality show’s housemates if they had ever been rude to a fan.
Daley put his hand up and explained that he had done so during a training session in London.
The 66-year-old athlete said: “Back in the day when I was training, I was training at Crystal Palace, and I was pole vaulting.
“I’m in the middle of my session, got my head on, got my game head on, and this kid comes up to me and says, ‘can I have your autograph?’.
Watch the moment shock new CBB feud explodes as star accuses rivals of being ‘gameplayers’ for ‘screentime’
“I said, ‘no not now, I’m really busy, please let me’. He said, ‘my school’s only here for an hour, I want your autograph’. I say, ‘sorry son, you can’t’ and the kid walks off.
“A few years later, I meet him and he says to me, ‘you told me to f*** off’. I said ‘yeah, not sure I did’. It was David Beckham.”
The housemates could be seen in shock, with Coronation Street actor Jack P Shepherd describing the story as “brilliant” and singer Chesney Hawkes adding: “That’s a good one.”
Daley went on to say he could not remember whether he actually swore at former Englandfootball captain Beckham, who will turn 50 next month.
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Daley told a story about a young David BeckhamCredit: Rex
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The Southern California lawmakers who represent the Eaton and Palisades fire zones introduced a bill in Congress on Thursday that would give homeowners affected by natural disasters nationwide a break on mortgage payments for almost a year.
The bill, introduced by U.S. Reps. Judy Chu (D-Monterey Park) and Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks), would require lenders to grant a six-month pause on mortgage payments for homeowners who could document evidence of damage or destruction to their properties. Payments would be paused with no interest, penalties or fees, but would not be forgiven.
That pause, known as mortgage forbearance, would apply only to federally backed loans in areas where a federal disaster declaration has been signed by the president, said Chu, who represents Altadena. Borrowers would have the option of extending the forbearance for another six months if needed, extending the life of the loan.
“They’ve lost their home, their whole life, they’re living with friends or living in a hotel, they’re still working with their insurance company to get that hotel bill covered, or they’re applying to FEMA, and now the mortgage is due, too,” said Sherman, whose district includes Pacific Palisades and Malibu. “So it’s like paying rent or a mortgage twice. Some of them are finding that quite difficult.”
Non-federal lenders are not required by law to offer forbearance to homeowners in disaster zones, although they often do. Chu’s office said the bill would standardize the forbearance policies for federal lenders.
After the January fires, which destroyed more than 13,500 buildings in Altadena, Pacific Palisades and Malibu, more than 400 lenders offered homeowners a 90-day pause on mortgage payments without reporting the missed payments to credit agencies.
People who survived the fire, Chu said, “shouldn’t have to worry about missing a mortgage payment while they’re worrying about dealing with so many other things.”
The bill has 11 other co-sponsors, all Democrats, including Southern California Reps. Laura Friedman (D-Glendale), Jimmy Gomez (D-Los Angeles), Linda T. Sánchez (D-Whittier) and Lou Correa (D-Santa Ana), as well as several representatives from disaster-prone states, including Hawaii Rep. Jill Tokuda and Louisiana Rep. Cleo Fields.
No Republican lawmakers have signed on as original co-sponsors, but Chu and Sherman said they hope the bill will receive bipartisan support.
“This is the smallest thing they could do,” Sherman said. “This is virtually no cost to anyone.”
Chu said the bill was inspired in part by a story she read in the Pasadena Star-News reporting that as many as 3,200 survivors of the Eaton Fire and Palisades Fire missed mortgage payments after the January fires.
The story quoted a report by an insurance firm that found that on-time mortgage payments in the Palisades fire area fell 23.9% from December to February and 16.7% in the Eaton fire area. On-time payments rose 0.2% statewide over the same period.
Chu said the disaster bill is structured after the mortgage forbearance clause included in the CARES Act, the $2-trillion pandemic economic stimulus bill that passed Congress with bipartisan support and was signed into law by President Trump in March 2020.
The CARES Act required that lenders grant requests for forbearance on monthly mortgage payments for 180 days, with a possible extension of another 180 days.
Last month, Chu and Sherman also asked the Federal Housing Finance Agency, which regulates mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, to allow mortgage lenders to grant forbearances of up to two years, in six-month increments, after natural disasters.
The current limit of one year, the lawmakers wrote, “does not account for the prolonged disruptions that homeowners face after a disaster of this magnitude. Allowing a longer period with fewer administrative hurdles would help prevent unnecessary foreclosures, preserve homeownership and support community resilience.”
Shohei Ohtani is not publicly known, nor personally sees himself, as a quick starter at the plate.
“Overall, in my career,” he said through interpreter Will Ireton, “I don’t really have a hot start in the beginning of the season.”
This year, that’s technically true again — but only if you hold the reigning National League MVP to his own stratospheric standards.
Through the opening three weeks, all of Ohtani’s triple-slash stats are down from last year (.288/.380/.550), but only because his 2024 marks (.310/.390/.646) all topped the NL. Same story with a .930 OPS that is more than 100 points lower than his gaudy 2024 total, but still good enough to rank top 20 in the majors.
With six home runs and five stolen bases, Ohtani isn’t quite on mathematical pace for another 50-homer, 50-steal season; but is on an early track to become the first player in MLB history with multiple 40/40 campaigns.
And though he has taken a few more awkward swings than normal in the opening three weeks, he has started honing in on his power stroke, too, leading off Wednesday’s win over the Colorado Rockies with a towering 448-foot blast that almost cleared the right-field pavilion.
“I think overall,” he said, “it’s been a really good first 20 games.”
The only true area of regression so far has been in one statistical category; where a glaring drop in production has signaled a key early-season problem for the team.
After racking up 130 RBIs in 159 games last year, Ohtani has just eight in this season’s opening 20 contests. Seven of them have come via his six home runs (all but one of which were solo shots). Not until Wednesday, when he returned to the plate in a seven-run first inning and knocked in Austin Barnes with an RBI single, did he record his first hit with a runner in scoring position.
“Shohei’s in a good spot,” manager Dave Roberts said recently. “We just need to get some guys on base for him.”
That reality said more about the rest of the team’s offense than its superstar leadoff man.
From the Nos. 7-9 spots in the batting order, the Dodgers have posted a .173 batting average so far, tied for worst in the majors. Prior to Wednesday, they’d given Ohtani just nine plate appearances with runners in scoring position (tied with No. 2 hitter Mookie Betts for fewest among the team’s regulars). In four of those spots, he was walked.
It created an early-season conundrum for Roberts, as he tried to shake the team out of a recent offensive lull. Should he consider dropping Ohtani in the lineup, where he could get more RBI opportunities? Or should he give his offense more time to find its footing, and hope his bottom-half hitters began heating up at the plate?
“I just feel that there’s guys who are gonna perform better than they have,” Roberts said this week, opting for the latter. “Shohei will ultimately get those opportunities.”
And on Wednesday, he finally saw signs that could be happening.
In an 8-7 win over the Rockies, the Dodgers got five hits and a walk from their bottom three hitters.
One was provided by Barnes, the backup catcher who didn’t have a hit all season before doubling in the first in front of Ohtani.
The others came from more important pieces of the Dodgers’ lineup construction: Max Muncy and Andy Pages.
Bottom-of-the-order staples who are both batting under .200 to begin the season, Muncy and Pages had arguably their best games of the year Wednesday. Pages, the second-year center fielder, went two for four with three RBIs, continuing improvements that began during his two-homer series in Washington last week.
“He is swinging the bat a lot better,” Roberts said.
Muncy, meanwhile, reached base three times with the help of a recent adjustment to his own slumping swing.
In an effort to stay more on top of the ball at the plate this year, Muncy spent his offseason purposely trying to hit grounders and low line drives. In doing so, however, he realized he had begun lurching forward in his swing. As a result, he gave himself less time to read pitches and make proper swing decisions. And even when he did, he wasn’t driving the ball like usual.
“The ball sped up on me the first few series of the season and I really wasn’t myself,” Muncy said. “I was chasing a lot of stuff and I was unable to recognize it.”
But now, he has returned to staying back in his stance and is looking for pitches to elevate. Amid a series in which Muncy walked six times, Roberts felt he also took his best at-bat of the season against left-hander Luis Peralta on Wednesday night, launching one deep fly just foul before ripping a single into right field.
“When he’s getting on base, and it was a ton this series, then that’s a good thing,” Roberts said. “So I do think that he’s turned a corner, yeah.”
The Dodgers hope that the rest of their bottom-half hitters will do so as well.
Because the more Ohtani heats up as the season progresses, the more important it will be to have guys getting on base in front of him.
Palestinians across the occupied West Bank are commemorating the annual Prisoners’ Day on Thursday, by holding rallies and demonstrations, dedicated to the nearly 10,000 detainees held in Israeli prisons. Many of these prisoners face years in Israeli detention with no charge, suffering from abuse and torture.
At least six people have been taken to hospital after a shooting at Florida State University in Tallahassee.
One person was taken into custody after the shooting at the university’s Student Union building on Thursday, according to CBS News, the BBC’s US partner.
President Donald Trump said he had been briefed on the incident at the start of a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at the White House, calling it “a shame, a horrible thing”.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said: “Our prayers are with our FSU family and state law enforcement is actively responding.”
One of the victims is in a critical condition, according to the Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare facility, with five others in a serious condition.
The university has cancelled all classes until at least Friday, and sports events were also cancelled for the weekend.
Police responded to an active shooter call at around midday local time, the university said.
It then sent an alert warning ordering students and those on campus to “seek shelter and await further instructions”.
“One of my classmates got an alert on her phone and announced it to the rest of the class,” student Ava Arenado told CBS News Miami.
Another student, Blake Leonard, told CBS that he initially heard about 12 shots fired.
“In my head I thought it was construction at first, until I looked behind me and saw people running from the union towards my direction, and then I heard another 12 or 15 shots go off, so I started running away from there too,” he said.
A police briefing is expected later on Thursday.
This is not the first shooting at Florida State University in recent years. In 2015, a graduate of the school shot and injured three people at the library before he was fatally shot by police.
CELEBRITY Big Brother is set for fireworks tonight as a dramatic nominations twist sees Danny Beard turned on by the house.
In a teaser trailer for the upcoming episode, JoJo Siwa, 21, is seen nominating Danny, 32, in the Diary Room.
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CBB’s JoJo Siwa nominates Danny Beard for eviction in tonight’s installmentCredit: ITV
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The pair were formerly friendsCredit: Eroteme
While fans will have to tune in to find out her reasons, she says: “With so much love for this man, I am gonna say Danny.
“With both being part of the LGBTQ family, I think now as we’ve found our feet in the house, I feel like we’ve kind of distanced.
“I’ve really tried to make an effort to talk about things with him and a lot of the time those efforts do get ignored.
“I mean I feel like I should feel that with Daley [Thompson}, you know what I mean, I don’t feel like I should feel that with Danny.”
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Meanwhile, Jack P. Shepherd nominates Ella Rae Wise, saying: “I haven’t seen her wash a pot while we’ve been in here.
“Even Chrissy [Hughes] who does nothing, I’ve seen him wash up more times.”
Elsewhere, in the clip, Donna Preston nominates a co-star for their loud snoring while Ella picks puts someone up for the axe for being a “closed book”.
During yesterday’s installment, CBB fans were left furious with Danny after he ganged up on JoJo.
The drag performer was seen opening a bag of her popcorn behind her back, alongside Ella and Jack.
The group appeared to delight in taking what belonged to the American singer, with Ella laughing: “It’s even better when it’s hers.”
CBB’s Danny, Ella, Jack and Angellica eat JoJo’s popcorn behind her back
Those watching at home were not impressed with their behaviour and while many previously loved Danny – the tide appears to be turning.
One person commented: “Boohoo I’m not getting attention so I’ll be a mean girl and start bullying Jojo. Danny and Ella giving pure bully behaviour.”
A second said: “BB is putting me off Danny Beard now as well! Idk I’m getting mixed vibes from him, he seems like he’s playing a game trying to not get voted by people, but then talking behind their backs etc. idk I’m going off him!”
A third added: “Danny and Ella like…. Oooh girls come on, jealousy and bitchiness really isn’t a look.”
And another added: “Danny, Ella and Daley are some of the most jealous and bitter people I’ve seen on TV for a long time.”
Their cruel antics came after they were left wound up by JoJo and Chris.
JoJo and Christ were punished by Big Brother for writing secret messages to each other – and were told they had to use a megaphone to speak on the ITV series.
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The move angered their fellow contestants, with Ella fuming: “I told you they’ve been having secret conversations.”
Daley Thompson said the megaphone was “not a punishment, that’s a punishment for us”.
“They’re laughing because they’re annoying us,” the two-time Olympic decathlon gold medallist added.
He also said: “You know it’s part of the plan. Every time they get a punishment and all that, they get the air time.”
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Donna Preston nominates a co-star for their loud snoringCredit: ITV
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Meanwhile, Jack P. Shepherd nominates Ella Rae Wise for her lack of houseworkCredit: ITV
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Danny came under fire for stealing JoJo’s popcorn yesterdayCredit: Eroteme
WASHINGTON — Former Pentagon spokesman John Ullyot was asked to resign this week, a senior Defense official told the Associated Press on Thursday, in the latest shake-up for the Defense Department following firings and other changes under President Trump.
Ullyot was one of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s initial hires for the communications office and oversaw some of its most highly visible but controversial moves, including a broad edict to the military services to strip away online images and other content considered a promotion of diversity, equity or inclusion.
That directive, given under a wide-ranging Trump administration effort to purge so-called DEI content from federal agencies, led to public outcry when images of national heroes such as Jackie Robinson were briefly removed.
Ullyot’s departure is the fourth this week among Hegseth’s former inner circle. Three other senior officials were escorted from the building after being implicated in an ongoing investigation into information leaks: Colin Carroll, chief of staff to Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg; Darin Selnick, Hegseth’s deputy chief of staff; and Dan Caldwell, an aide to Hegseth.
It was not immediately clear what leaks led to the departures. Selnick and Caldwell had worked with the Defense secretary during his time leading the nonprofit Concerned Veterans for America.
Ullyot told Politico on Wednesday he had decided to resign. A senior Defense official familiar with the decision said that wasn’t the case and that Hegseth’s office had requested that Ullyot resign. Ullyot did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Ullyot’s resignation Wednesday was not tied to the inquiry into the unauthorized disclosures. Two other U.S. officials said Carroll, Selnick and Caldwell were placed on leave in that investigation.
All three officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss details that have not been made public.
The departures follow a purge of senior military officers, including Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. CQ Brown; Chief of Naval Operations Lisa Franchetti; National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command director Gen. Tim Haugh; and Vice Adm. Shoshana Chatfield, the U.S. military representative to the NATO Military Committee.
Mumbai’s most recent IPL title came in 2020, having also won the previous year, and Rohit was replaced as skipper by Hardik Pandya in 2024 – but in the all-rounder’s first edition in charge, they finished bottom of the table.
Rohit’s legendary status with the side is likely to earn him a longer run in order to solve his personal batting problems, but it could present the Mumbai hierarchy with a brave call to make if he cannot regain form – and if the team maintains its inconsistency, too.
“There is a lot of pressure on him, especially when he’s playing for India,” Jhunjhunwala added.
“In the IPL, they are ruthless as we’ve seen with so many players, and we’ve seen that with Mumbai Indians.
“There will be patience with him, especially at Mumbai, because he’s done brilliantly for them over the years.
“He’s still got it. I just feel that he’s maybe lost a bit of hand-eye coordination and that can happen, but your career can really go down quite quickly. He’s got to work on a lot of things, especially his fitness.”
Former England bowler Tymal Mills, who played with Rohit at Mumbai in 2022, also backed him to rediscover his best form and described him as “a nightmare for bowlers” when in full flow.
“He’s one of the most experienced players in the world, he has been there and done it at the highest level for a very long time,” Mills told BBC Sport.
“He will stick to his processes, he will hit a lot of balls. You’ll always see him going to training early and getting his extra work done before everyone else arrives.
“When you have played as long as Rohit has, you’re going to go through bad spells. Players of his class always re-emerge.
“He has earned the right to get a long leash because he’s had such a successful career and been a nightmare for bowlers.”
Mills also questioned whether being the impact sub – which Rohit has been in five of his six games, including three times when batting second – was a “hindrance” because it could “take you a bit longer to get into the game”.
April 17 (UPI) — Handbags, scarves and other goods sold in the United States by French luxury brand Hermes will cost more in May due to tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump.
Representatives of the brand announced Thursday they are hiking prices only in the United States due to the impact of the 10% tariff that Trump imposed on goods produced by European Union members, including France.
“The price increase that we’re going to implement will be just for the U.S. since it’s aimed at offsetting the tariffs that only apply to the American market,” Eric du Halgouet, Hermes’ executive vice president for finance, said while announcing first-quarter results to analysts Thursday.
Hermes products include popular Birkin and Kelly handbags, prices for which often start at $20,000 for a clutch and go well over $100,000 for larger, high-end bags, the New York Post reported.
The 10% price hike would take effect on May 1 and add $2,000 to the cost of a $20,000 handbag and $10,000 for luxury items that cost $100,000.
The Paris-based luxury brand is the world’s largest producer of luxury goods based on market capitalization. Its scarves generally cost hundreds of dollars, and Hermes also produces watches, jewelry, perfume, shoes and make-up.
Hermes reported an 11% increase in sales in the Americas during the first quarter of 2025. The Americas accounted for about 17% of Hermes’ global market share during the first three months of the year.
The luxury brand reported a 7% increase in revenue growth, which is less than an anticipated increase of between 8% and 9% and down from a 17.6% revenue growth rate during the last three months of 2024.
Analysts estimate the luxury goods market will experience less of an impact from Trump’s tariff policy than other retailers because Hermes customers have greateer wealth.
Trump on April 2 announced a global tariff of at least 10% on foreign-produced goods sold in the United States but on April 9 paused implementation for most nations for 90 days after numerous requests from countries to negotiate trade terms.
The president said he imposed the tariffs to improve the nation’s economy and add more jobs by addressing trade deficits and high tariffs on U.S.-produced goods that are sold in other nations.
US-China trade war escalates with huge stakes for the economies of both nations and the rest of the world.
The US and China are locked in a fast-moving trade war. It’s a game of brinkmanship. Tariffs on both sides are now so high that commerce between them is effectively about to cease. If it escalates into a full economic break, the consequences will hurt both economies and will send shockwaves worldwide. But, if he wants to negotiate, Donald Trump might have to bargain alone. China is seeking to win allies elsewhere, in Europe and Southeast Asia, where many nations also face punitive Trump tariffs.
Actor Haley Joel Osment’s recent trip to a California ski resort included more than just snowy slopes: a run-in with law officials and his arrest were also in store.
The 37-year-old “Blink Twice” and “The Sixth Sense” star was arrested April 8 on suspicion of public intoxication and possession of an unidentified controlled substance in Mammoth Lakes, according to People and TMZ.
Sgt. Jason Heilman of the Mammoth Lakes Police Department confirmed to People that the former child star, the brother of “Young Sheldon” actor Emily Osment, was booked and “is no longer in custody.” Law enforcement received a call about an allegedly intoxicated individual at the popular Mammoth Mountain ski resort, according to TMZ, which first reported the arrest on Wednesday. Ski patrollers were with Osment when police arrived to the resort, the website said.
A representative for the Mammoth Lakes Police Department did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for confirmation Thursday. The Times also did not immediately hear back from representatives for Osment.
Osment, best known for his haunting performance in M. Night Shyamalan’s “Sixth Sense,” first faced legal troubles in 2006 when he was charged with misdemeanor drunk driving after crashing his car in La Cañada Flintridge. More than a decade later, Osment sparked a police response in 2018 for allegedly making verbal threats to American Airlines staff in the Las Vegas airport after missing his flight. Police received a call about the “unruly passenger” but did not make contact with the “Poker Face” actor.
Earlier this year, Osment was among the thousands of Angelenos who lost their homes in the devastating wildfires that ravaged parts of Southern California in January. Emily Osment said in a January Instagram post that their parents also lost their home in the Eaton fire.
Amid the January blazes, Haley Joel Osment wrote in a since-expired Instagram story: “My heart would be so full every time I drove home – it was such a special place — I loved living there — our forest and our mountains and our homes — all gone.”
Saudi Arabia’s Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman has met several Iranian officials before a second round of talks between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s nuclear programme.
Prince Khalid said he conveyed a message from Saudi Arabia’s King Salman to Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during Thursday’s meeting in Tehran.
“We discussed our bilateral relations and topics of mutual interest,” he wrote on X.
“Our belief is that the relationship between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Saudi Arabia is beneficial for both countries,” Iranian state media cited Khamenei as saying in the meeting on Thursday.
Prince Khalid also met President Masoud Pezeshkian and Iran’s armed forces chief of staff, Mohammad Bagheri.
“Ties between the Saudi and Iranian armed forces have been improving since the Beijing agreement,” Bagheri said after the meeting, according to Iranian state media.
Saudi Arabia has welcomed Iran’s nuclear talks with the US, saying it supported efforts to resolve regional and international disputes.
Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed in a 2023 deal brokered by China to re-establish relations after years of hostility that had threatened stability and security in the Gulf region and helped fuel conflicts in the Middle East from Yemen to Syria.
‘Crucial stage’
The Saudi defence minister’s trip coincided with a visit to Iran by the UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi, who warned that the US and Iran were running out of time to reach a deal.
Iranian and US delegations are set to gather in Rome on Saturday for a second round of Omani-mediated negotiations, a week after the longtime foes held their highest-level talks since US President Donald Trump abandoned a landmark nuclear accord during his first term in 2018.
Since re-entering the White House in January, Trump has revived his so-called “maximum pressure” policy imposing punishing economic sanctions against Iran and threatened military action if Tehran does not agree to a deal.
“We are in a very crucial stage of these important negotiations. We know we don’t have much time, this is why I am here … to facilitate this process,” Grossi said on Thursday.
“We are working hard and we want to succeed,” he told a joint news conference with Iran’s atomic energy agency chief Mohammad Eslami, acknowledging that the effort to secure a deal was “not an easy process”.
Asked about US President Donald Trump’s threats to attack Iran, Grossi urged people to “concentrate on our objective.”
“Once we get to our objective, all of these things will evaporate because there will be no reason for concern,” he said.
In March, Trump sent a letter to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urging talks and warning of possible military action if Iran refused.
Khamenei has cautioned that while the talks with the United States had started well, they could yet prove fruitless.
“The negotiations may or may not yield results,” he said on Tuesday.
Western governments have long accused Iran of seeking to acquire nuclear weapons capability, an ambition Tehran has consistently denied.
Since the nuclear deal’s collapse in 2018, Iran has abandoned all limits on its programme, and enriches uranium to up to 60 percent purity, near weapons-grade levels of 90 percent.
Surveillance cameras installed by the IAEA have been disrupted, while Iran has barred some of the Vienna-based agency’s most experienced inspectors.
But despite the tensions between Iran and the agency, its access has not been entirely revoked.
The Rams once again are on the move for the NFL draft.
But for the first time in five years, coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead will not make their picks from a luxury home transformed into a Rams-centric draft house.
The facility will remain fully operational during the draft, the team said.
Since 2021, homes in Malibu, the Hollywood Hills, the San Fernando Valley and Hermosa Beach served as the Rams’ draft locale.
But in the wake of the fires that decimated Altadena and the Palisades, the Rams opted for the fire station as a way of showcasing “commitment to community resilience and honoring the first responders who protect the city they call home,” the team said in a statement.
“Drafting from LAFD Air Operations is a powerful reminder of what it means to represent Los Angeles,” Rams president Kevin Demoff said in a statement. “Since the wildfires devastated our region in January, we have looked to bring LA Together to help with the recovery efforts, raise the spirits of those impacted, and shine a light on our first responders. We are humbled to partner with LAFD during one of the NFL’s biggest moments to express gratitude for those who risk their lives daily to protect our city.”
Rams coach Sean McVay, left, and general manager Les Snead stand next to an Los Angeles Fire Department Air Operations helicopter.
(Brevin Townsell / LA Rams)
The Rams have a history of honoring first responders. In 2018, after a deadly mass shooting in Thousand Oaks and wildfires that ravaged parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties, the Rams hosted first responders at a “Monday Night Football” game against the Kansas City Chiefs at the Coliseum.
In January, because of the fires, the NFL moved an NFC wild-card game between the Rams and the Minnesota Vikings to Glendale, Ariz. During the game, Rams coaches and team personnel donned clothing and caps that honored the LAFD.
On April 25, before Day 2 of the draft begins, the Rams will honor 150 responders during a “chalk talk” with McVay, Snead and other Rams executives.
According to the Rams, the team has donated nearly $2 million in total to fire-relief efforts, including a $1-million donation from The Kroenke Family Foundation to LAFD Foundation.
Los Angeles Fire Department Air Operations will serve as the Rams’ 2025 draft headquarters.
(Brevin Townsell / LA Rams)
“We are incredibly grateful to the Los Angeles Rams for their unwavering support of the Los Angeles City Fire Department and our wildfire-impacted communities,” interim LAFD Chief Ronnie Villanueva said in a statement. “Hosting the NFL Draft at LAFD Air Operations highlights the critical role our Air Operations Division plays in protecting Los Angeles, especially during wildfire season.
“The Rams’ generosity — renovating our station and recognizing our firefighters — demonstrates a deep commitment to the city we all serve. We look forward to standing alongside the Rams in this meaningful event.”
The ruling could allow prosecutors to argue for a breakup of Google’s advertising products.
A United States judge has ruled that Alphabet’s Google illegally dominated two markets for online advertising technology, dealing another blow to the tech titan in an antitrust case brought by the US government.
On Thursday, US District Judge Leonie Brinkema, in Alexandria, Virginia, ruled that Google unlawfully monopolised markets for publisher ad servers and the market for ad exchanges, which sit between buyers and sellers. Antitrust enforcers failed to show the company had a monopoly in advertiser ad networks, she wrote.
The ruling could allow prosecutors to argue for a breakup of Google’s advertising products. The US Department of Justice has said that Google should have to sell off at least its Google Ad Manager, which includes the company’s publisher ad server and its ad exchange.
A judge in Washington will hold a trial next week on the DOJ’s request to make Google sell its Chrome browser and take other measures to end its dominance in online search.
Google has previously explored selling off its ad exchange to appease European antitrust regulators.
Brinkema oversaw a three-week trial last year on claims brought by the DOJ and a coalition of states.
Google used classic monopoly-building tactics of eliminating competitors through acquisitions, locking customers into using its products, and controlling how transactions occurred in the online ad market, prosecutors said at the trial.
Google argued the case focused on the past, when the company was still working on making its tools able to connect to competitors’ products. Prosecutors also ignored competition from technology companies, including Amazon.com and Comcast, as digital advertisement spending shifted to apps and streaming video, Google’s lawyer said.
United States President Donald Trump has hinted at firing Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell amid the president’s frustration that the central bank will not aggressively cut interest rates.
On Thursday, Trump said that Powell’s “termination cannot come fast enough”.
Powell’s term does not expire until May 2026. The president does not have the authority to remove Powell from the central bank.
Trump’s attacks on Powell come after the Fed chair’s speech at the Economic Club of Chicago on Wednesday. Powell said the Fed would base its decisions solely on what is best for all Americans.
“That’s the only thing we’re ever going to do,” Powell said. “We’re never going to be influenced by any political pressure. People can say whatever they want. That’s fine, that’s not a problem. But we will do what we do strictly without consideration of political or any other extraneous factors.
“Our independence is a matter of law,” Powell continued. “We’re not removable except for cause. We serve very long terms, seemingly endless terms.”
The Republican president’s broadside comes a day after Powell signalled that the Fed would keep its key interest rate unchanged, while it seeks “greater clarity” on the effect of policy changes in areas such as immigration, taxation, regulation and tariffs.
Powell also reiterated that Trump’s tariffs would likely raise inflation and slow the economy, which could make it harder for the Fed to cut rates anytime soon. The Fed chair suggested that the central bank would focus on fighting inflation in the wake of the tariffs, even if the duties did weaken the economy. Powell’s comments contributed to a drop in stock prices on Wednesday.
Trump pushes back
Pushing back on Powell, Trump in a social media post said, “Oil prices are down, groceries (even eggs!) are down, and the USA is getting RICH ON TARIFFS.”
On the contrary, oil prices have risen 2 percent in the last two weeks. Grocery prices have actually increased under Trump, according to the most recent consumer price index report in April, and egg prices hit record highs last month as per the same report. Last week, the president falsely claimed the US brought in $2bn a day thanks to tariffs – it was $200m a day.
Referring to the European Central Bank (ECB), Trump added that Powell “should have lowered Interest Rates, like the ECB, long ago, but he should certainly lower them now. Powell’s termination cannot come fast enough!”
The ECB on Thursday lowered its key interest rate from 2.5 percent to 2.25 percent.
Powell was initially nominated by Trump in 2017 and was appointed to another four-year term by former President Joe Biden in 2022. At a November news conference, Powell indicated he would not step down if Trump asked him to resign, pointing out that removal or demotion of top Fed officials was “not permitted under the law”.
Trump’s comments come with the backdrop of a legal case at the Supreme Court that could determine whether presidents can fire the heads of independent agencies such as the Fed.
The case stems from Trump’s firings of officials from two independent agencies. The Supreme Court last week let the firings stand while it considers the case. It could issue a broader ruling this summer that would enable the president to fire Fed officials, including the chair.
Powell said the Fed is watching the case closely, adding it might not apply to the Fed. Lawyers for the Trump administration have argued that allowing the president to fire the two officials wouldn’t erode the Fed’s independence.
“It is difficult to overstate the consequences at this stressed moment of a Court ruling that found that President Trump … does have the authority to dismiss the heads of independent agencies and did not establish a clear carve-out for the Fed,” Krishna Guha, an analyst at investment bank Evercore ISI, wrote on Thursday. “If you liked the tariff debacle in markets, you’d love the loss-of-Fed-independence trade.”
But Trump’s aggressive and haphazard tariffs have raised the threat of a recession with both higher inflationary pressures and slower growth, a tough spot for Powell, whose mandate is to stabilise prices and maximise employment. With the economy weakening because of Trump’s choices, the president appears to be looking to pin the blame on Powell.
Trump has unleashed a rash of tariffs that have put the US economy and the Fed in an increasingly perilous spot.
On April 2, the president rolled out aggressive tariff hikes based on US trade deficits with other nations, causing a financial market backlash that almost immediately led him to announce a 90-day pause in which most countries would be charged a baseline 10 percent tariff while negotiations go forward. But Trump increased his tariff hikes on China to a rate of 145 percent in addition to his existing tariffs on Canada, Mexico, autos and steel and aluminium.
Wall Street banks such as Goldman Sachs have raised their odds that a recession could start. Consumers are increasingly pessimistic in surveys about their job prospects and fearful that inflation would shoot up as the cost of the import taxes get passed along to them. The risk of stagflation – stagnant growth and high inflation – would make it harder for the Fed to respond with the same playbook as recent downturns.
The Budget Lab at Yale University estimated that the increased inflationary pressures from the tariffs would be equal to the loss of $4,900 in an average US household.
I was just starting to meditate when the children began screaming with delight.
“Look at this place!” one of them shrieked. “This is amazing. Where are the frogs?!”
Soon, six tweens were racing around Peanut Lake in Ernest E. Debs Regional Park, sticks in hand, arguing over where exactly the amphibious pond dwellers were.
Nearby, two Gen Xers rested on a pink-orange bench, laughing as they shared Tik Tok videos. Two other parkgoers sat under a large shade tree, discussing a complex friends-with-benefits scenario. Another nearby group was having a picnic under the trees.
I laughed to myself as I took it all in and reflected on what I love about L.A.’s many urban public spaces. One of my favorite things about our parks is there’s something for everybody.
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For those of you who have family in town for Easter, Passover, spring break or maybe just peak bloom season in the city, I have picked three hikes that showcase those unique qualities.
The Times has spilled a lot of ink over the best ways to spend your time outdoors in L.A., including the best grassy hills to roll down, the best freshwater lakes and the best playgrounds near coffee shops. We have a comprehensive guide to Griffith Park and a data-driven analysis of the best beaches in Southern California. And that’s truly just the tip of the iceberg.
I, for one, can suffer from analysis paralysis when company is headed to town. In the spirit of simplifying your life, I highlighted three hikes that are in L.A. or very close and don’t require much technical expertise to complete. I picked well-maintained paths with great views, interesting plants and animals, and glimpses at local architecture. And none of them are so hard that you’ll be gasping for breath as you identify a building on the horizon for your aunt.
Peanut Lake, also called Debs Pond, in Debs Park.
(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)
1. Peanut Lake via Seco View Trail and Summit Ridge Trail
Distance: 2.3 miles Elevation gained: About 500 feet Difficulty: Moderate Dogs allowed? Yes Accessible alternative:Arroyo Seco Bike Path
The day I eavesdropped at Peanut Lake (also called Debs Pond), I parked at Hermon Park (Arroyo Seco Park) and crossed Via Marisol to start my hike. There are multiple ways to hike to Peanut Lake, a blue-green pond full of turtles in Debs Park that I agree, per the aforementioned children, is worth shouting about. Regardless of how you reach it, it’s a great shady spot to take kids and adults alike.
My route took me up a steep, wide dirt path shaded by oak, pine and toyon trees. Just a 10th of a mile in, I got my first clear view of Highland Park, Monterey Hills and other nearby hilly neighborhoods. There are a few large boulders a third of a mile where you can sit and take in the view. I spotted a solitary orange poppy and small patches of Arroyo lupine nearby, growing in spite of the black mustard bullying it for space and sun.
Clockwise from top left: An Arroyo lupine in Debs Park; From the Seco View Trail, you will spot several L.A. neighborhoods, including Mt. Washington; a turtle rests on a branchin Peanut Lake at Debs Park; A lone poppy growing along the Seco View Trail in Debs Park; Fiesta flowers in Debs Park.
(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)
The path turned from dirt to pavement once I reached the Summit Ridge Trail half a mile in. The trail mostly flattens out here, minus one steep incline that’s worth a bit of huffing and puffing to reach an overlook. You’ll be rewarded with a clear view of downtown L.A. and anything beyond what that day’s smog level allows you to witness. (I think I spotted the Palos Verdes Peninsula, which is about 25 miles away as the crow flies.)
From the overlook, it’s a short easy jaunt to the pond, where you can either turn around or continue hiking on one of several paths in the park.
The view from Le Mesnager trail in Deukmejian Wilderness Park.
(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)
2. Dunsmore Canyon & Le Mesnager Loop Trail
Distance: 2.6 miles Elevation gained: About 800 feet Difficulty: Moderate Dogs allowed? Yes Accessible alternative: Brand Park history walk
This hike through the 709-acre Deukmejian Wilderness Park in Glendale is a great option to either show out-of-towners how easy it is to quickly transition from being in the city to the mountains, or for one of those “errand runs” that is actually a much-needed break to clear your head. (We’ve all been there!)
You’ll park in a lot near the Stone Barn Nature Center. Several signs warn that the park closes one hour after sunset and to leave before you get locked in. I think they’re serious, so take note.
You’ll start your hike on the Dunsmore Canyon Trail, headed northeast up a straight gravel path covered on both sides with several native plants including ceanothus (both white and purple blooms), yerba santa and sagebrush.
Clockwise from top left: Purple blooms on a ceanothus plant in Dunsmore Canyon; The steep path of the Dunsmore Canyon Trail; White ceanothus blooms in Dunsmore Canyon; Brittlebush with its daisy-like flowers in Dunsmore Canyon.
(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)
Just .2 miles in, there’s a massive old coast live oak where kids could easily create an imaginary forest kingdom under its large branches. As you continue to climb, you’ll soon hear the trickle of Dunsmore Creek, which runs parallel to the trail. Remember to turn around as you gain elevation, as this trail rewards you with substantial views of Glendale and the Crescenta Valley soon after you start. All the while, you have the San Gabriel Mountains right in front of you, including Mt. Lukens, which you can hike to from the same park.
Half a mile in, you have the option to continue on the Dunsmore Canyon Trail or Le Mesnager Trail to make a shorter loop. The Le Mesnager Trail includes a lookout point at about 2,750 feet, a great spot for a sunset as long as you don’t get locked in! As you meander down the trail, you’ll find a nice shady canopy and continued views of the city below.
A hiking group navigates the Betty B. Dearing Trail near Fryman Canyon Park.
(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)
3. Betty B. Dearing Trail and Dearing Mountain Trail
Distance: About 8 miles Elevation gained: 1,500 feet Difficulty: Moderate Dogs allowed? Yes Accessible alternative:Franklin Canyon Park loop
The Betty B. Dearing Trail and Dearing Mountain Trail together are a hilly trek through canyons teeming with life. It is a great option if you have adult visitors who’d like to see city views, native plants and local architecture. It is a popular hiking area, so please pack your patience when parking.
My friend Bob and I started our hike on a Saturday at Wilacre Park and headed up through the 128-acre preserve, enjoying the shade provided by chaparral and oak trees. Wrentits sang their high-pitched giggle. Western fence lizards flitted across the trail. And we even spotted inky caps, an interesting local mushroom.
As we chatted, Bob suddenly leaped up and over, shouting “Stop!” That’s our code for “Snake!” Bob pointed to its chonky tail end as the snake slithered into its den. It wasn’t venomous, likely a gopher snake, and it was more so the surprise of her almost stepping on it that frightened us. We fell into a fit of giggles and continued on. Sorry, bud! (Of course, if it was a rattlesnake, we knew what to do.)
Clockwise from left: A bee feeds from a California brittlebush on the Betty B. Dearing Trail; The tail of a lizard or snake on the Betty B. Dearing Trail near the Nancy Hoover Pohl Overlook; Inky caps, a native mushroom, grows on the Dearing Mountain Trail.
The trails are named after Betty Brown Dearing, a tenacious activist who moved from Ohio to L.A. in 1946. Like so many of us, Dearing fell in love with the L.A. wilderness. She often took friends “to a high point on Mulholland Drive at dusk,” per this Times article. “She loved to harass public officials,” her brother U.S. Rep. Clarence J. “Bud” Brown Jr. told a crowd at the trail’s dedication in 1982. “She felt an individual has a duty to get involved and tell government what they should and should not do.”
3 things to do
Griffith Park trails provide amazing views of Griffith Observatory, downtown Los Angeles, the Hollywood Sign and the Pacific Ocean on clear days.
(Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
1. Celebrate Earth Day by cleaning trails around L.A. A Tribe Called Earth will host is eighth Earth Day cleanup Saturday in seven Southern California sites, along with events in San Francisco, New York, Yosemite National Park and Mammoth Lakes. In Griffith Park, volunteers will meet at 7:30 a.m. to clean near roads, parking lots and trails. Other local events will be hosted at the L.A. River, Elysian Park, the San Gabriel River, Santa Monica, Venice Beach and Black Star Canyon in Orange County. Afterward, volunteers can hang out from noon to 4 p.m. at Elysian Park for a celebration that will include sound baths, yoga, DJs and pizza. Register for a cleanup at eventbrite.com.
2. Connect with nature in La Crescenta The Arroyos & Foothills Conservancy will host its monthly “Healing in Nature” event from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday at its Rosemont Preserve. Kyle Cavazos, the group’s program coordinator, and guest facilitators Casey Velasquez and Elizabeth Starbuck will lead participants in reflection and mindfulness activities to help deepen your bonds with the Earth, your community and yourself. The event is free. Register at signupgenius.com.
3. Take the Junior Ranger Pledge in Calabasas The Santa Monica Mountains Visitor Center at King Gillette Ranch in Calabasas will kick off National Park Week from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday with a day of Junior Ranger program fun. The program started in the 1930s, first at Yosemite and now at more than 400 national parks. On Saturday, children (and young-at-heart adults) can complete activities, take the Junior Range pledge, earn a badge and collect limited-edition pins. For more information, visit the park’s Instagram page.
The must-read
(Ross May / Los Angeles Times; photos by Emily Hochberg; Getty Images)
One of the more remarkable things about hiking in and around L.A. is that so many of the hikes are free to access. This isn’t the case for other outdoorsy locales, including Palm Springs, where there are so many beautiful places to visit for epic desert and mountain combo views. Thankfully, Times contributor Emily Hochberg was willing to share her knowledge of free places to hike in and around the Coachella Valley. I was surprised to hear about the slot canyons on the East Indio Hills Badlands and immediately emailed one of my hiking besties about going out there ASAP. Make sure to keep this guide handy for your next Palm Springs escapade!
Happy adventuring,
P.S.
If you’re headed to Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks this summer, consider checking out the newly reopened Crystal Cave, which has been closed for the past four years. You’ll take a steep trail down to the cave and then walk a half-mile loop into the cave. Once inside, you’ll observe massive awe-inspiring rooms with incredible stalactites and stalagmites. You can visit as early as May 23!
For more insider tips on Southern California’s beaches, trails and parks, check out past editions of The Wild. And to view this newsletter in your browser, click here.
