Kyiv, Ukraine – Any description of Ukraine’s attacks on Russia’s fleet of strategic bombers could leave one scrambling for superlatives.
Forty-one planes – including supersonic Tu-22M long-range bombers, Tu-95 flying fortresses and A-50 early warning warplanes – were hit and damaged on Sunday on four airfields, including ones in the Arctic and Siberia, Ukrainian authorities and intelligence said.
Moscow did not comment on the damage to the planes but confirmed that the airfields were hit by “Ukrainian terrorist attacks”.
Videos posted by the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU), which planned and carried out the operation, which was called The Spiderweb, showed only a handful of planes being hit.
The strategic bombers have been used to launch ballistic and cruise missiles from Russian airspace to hit targets across Ukraine, causing wide scale damage and casualties.
The bomber fleet is one-third of Moscow’s “nuclear triad”, which also consists of nuclear missiles and missile-carrying warships.
According to some observers, the attack shattered Russia’s image of a nuclear superpower with a global reach.
The attack inadvertently “helped the West because it targeted [Russia’s] nuclear potential”, Lieutenant General Ihor Romanenko, former deputy head of the Ukrainian military’s general staff, told Al Jazeera.
While the assault decreases Russia’s potential to launch missiles on Ukraine, it will not affect the grinding ground hostilities along the crescent-shaped, 1,200km (745-mile) front line, he said.
(Al Jazeera)
Romanenko compared The Spiderweb’s scope and inventiveness to a string of 2023 Ukrainian attacks against Russia’s Black Sea fleet that was mostly concentrated in annexed Crimea.
Although Ukraine’s navy consisted of a handful of small, decades-old warships that fit into a football field-sized harbour, Kyiv reinvented naval warfare by hitting and drowning Russian warships and submarines with missiles and air and sea drones.
Moscow hastily relocated the decimated Black Sea fleet eastwards to the port of Novorossiysk and no longer uses it to intercept Ukrainian civilian vessels loaded with grain and steel.
The Spiderweb caught Russia’s military strategists off-guard because they had designed air defences to thwart attacks by missiles or heavier, long-range strike drones.
Instead, the SBU used 117 toy-like first-person-view (FPV) drones, each costing just hundreds of dollars, that were hidden in wooden crates loaded onto trucks, it said.
Their unsuspecting drivers took them right next to the airfields – and were shocked to see them fly out and cause the damage that amounted to $7bn, the SBU said.
“The driver is running around in panic,” said a Russian man who filmed thick black smoke rising from the Olenegorsk airbase in Russia’s Arctic region of Murmansk, which borders Norway.
Other videos released by the SBU were filmed by drones as they were hitting the planes, causing thundering explosions and sky-high plumes of black smoke.
Russia’s air defence systems guarding the airfields were not designed to detect and hit the tiny FPV drones while radio jamming equipment that could have caused them to stray off course wasn’t on or malfunctioned.
The SBU added a humiliating detail – The Spiderweb’s command centre was located in an undisclosed location in Russia near an office of the Federal Security Service (FSB), Moscow’s main intelligence agency, which Russian President Vladimir Putin once headed.
“This is a slap on the face for Russia, for FSB, for Putin,” Romanenko said.
However, Kyiv didn’t specifically target the pillar of Russia’s nuclear triad.
“They are destroying Russian strategic aviation not because it’s capable of carrying missiles with nuclear warheads but because of its use to launch … nonnuclear [missiles],” Nikolay Mitrokhin, a researcher with Germany’s Bremen University, told Al Jazeera.
The operation, which took 18 months to plan and execute, damaged a third of Russia’s strategic bomber fleet, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
“This is our most far-reaching operation. Ukraine’s actions will definitely be in history textbooks,” he wrote on Telegram late on Sunday. “We’re doing everything to make Russia feel the necessity to end this war.”
The SBU used artificial intelligence algorithms to train the drones to recognise Soviet-era aircraft by using the planes displayed at an aviation museum in central Ukraine, the Clash Report military blogger said on Monday.
‘The very logic of the negotiations process won’t change’
The attack took place a day before Ukrainian and Russian diplomats convened in Istanbul to resume long-stalled peace talks.
But it will not affect the “logic” of the negotiations, a Kyiv-based political analyst said.
“Emotionally, psychologically and politically, the operation strengthens the positions of Ukrainian negotiators,” Volodymyr Fesenko, head of the Penta think tank, told Al Jazeera. “But the very logic of the negotiations process won’t change.”
“Both sides will consider [US President] Donald Trump an arbiter, and whoever is first to leave the talks loses, ruins its negotiation positions with the United States,” Fesenko said.
Once again, the talks will likely show that the sides are not ready to settle as Russia is hoping to carve out more Ukrainian territory for itself and Ukraine is not going to throw in the towel.
“Russia wants to finish off Ukraine, and we’re showing that we will resist, we won’t give up, won’t capitulate,” Fesenko said.
By Monday, analysts using satellite imagery confirmed that 13 planes – eight Tu-95s, four Tu-22Ms and one An-12 – have been destroyed or damaged.
“What a remarkable success in a well-executed operation,” Chris Biggers, a military analyst based in Washington, DC, wrote on X next to a map showing the destruction of eight planes at the Belaya airbase in the Irkutsk region in southeastern Siberia.
Five more planes have been destroyed at the Murmansk base, according to Oko Hora, a group of Ukrainian analysts.
The Spiderweb targeted three more airfields, two in western regions and one near Russia’s Pacific coast, according to a photo that the SBU posted showing its leader, Vasyl Malyuk, looking at a map of the strikes.
But so far, no damage to the airfields or the planes on them has been reported.
Russia is likely to respond to The Spiderweb with more massive drone and missile attacks on civilian sites.
“I’m afraid they’ll use Oreshnik again,” Fesenko said, referring to Russia’s most advanced ballistic missile, which can speed up to 12,300 kilometres per hour (7,610 miles per hour), or 10 times the speed of sound, and was used in November to strike a plant in eastern Ukraine.
To look inside Julie Celestial’s kindergarten classroom in Long Beach is to peer into the future of reading in California.
During a recent lesson, 25 kindergartners gazed at the whiteboard, trying to sound out the word “bee.” They’re learning the long “e” sound, blending words such as “Pete” and “cheek” — words that they’ll soon be able to read in this lesson’s accompanying book.
Celestial was teaching something new for Long Beach Unified: phonics.
“It’s pretty cool to watch,” she said. “I’m really anticipating that there’s going to be a lot less reluctant readers and struggling readers now that the district has made this shift.”
Engage with our community-funded journalism as we delve into child care, transitional kindergarten, health and other issues affecting children from birth through age 5.
These phonics-based lessons are on the fast track to become law in California under a sweeping bill moving through the Legislature that will mandate how schools teach reading, a rare action in a state that generally emphasizes local school district control over dictating instruction.
Julie Celestial teaches her kindergarten class a literacy lesson at Mark Twain Elementary School in Long Beach.
The bill is the capstone to decades of debate and controversy in California on how best to teach reading amid stubbornly low test scores. Gov. Gavin Newsom has pledged his support, setting aside $200 million to fund teacher training on the new approach in the May revise of his 2025-26 budget proposal.
“It’s a big deal for kids, and it’s a big step forward — a very big one,” said Marshall Tuck, chief executive of EdVoice, an education advocacy nonprofit that has championed the change.
California has long struggled with reading scores below the national average. In 2024, only 29% of California’s fourth-graders scored “proficient” or better in reading on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, or NAEP.
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Literacy instruction has been controversial in California for decades, but state legislators may have finally decided on a compromise.
The proposed law, which would take effect in phases beginning in 2026, would require districts to adopt instructional materials based on the “science of reading,” a systemic approach to literacy instruction supported by decades of research about the way young children learn to read, from about transitional kindergarten through third grade.
The science of reading consists of five pillars: phonemic awareness (the sounds that letters make), phonics, reading fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.
“It’s finite. There’s only 26 letters and 44 sounds,” said Leslie Zoroya, who leads an initiative at the Los Angeles County Office of Education that helps districts transition to a science-of-reading approach. “Phonics isn’t forever.”
After a failed effort last year, the bill gained the support this year of the influential California teachers unions and at least one advocacy group for English-language learners. In a compromise, school districts would have more flexibility to select which instructional materials are best for their students and the option to decline teacher training paid for by the state.
Kindergarten student Annika Esser works on a literacy lesson at Mark Twain Elementary School in Long Beach.
For decades, most school districts in California have been devoted to a different approach called “whole language” or “balanced literacy,” built on the belief that children naturally learn to read without being taught how to sound out words. Teachers focus on surrounding children with books intended to foster a love of reading and encourage them to look for clues that help them guess unknown words — such as predicting the next word based on the context of the story, or looking at the pictures — rather than sounding them out.
“The majority of students require a more intentional, explicit and systematic approach,” Zoroya said. “Thousands of kids across California in 10th grade are struggling in content-area classes because they missed phonics.”
Kindergarten student Tyler Madrid raises his hand to answer a question during a literacy lesson at Mark Twain Elementary School in Long Beach.
An extended reading war in California
California embraced the whole language approach to literacy, which took hold in the 1970s and 1980s, said Susan Neuman, a New York University professor who served as assistant secretary of elementary and secondary education under former President George W. Bush. The state became a national leader in what was considered a progressive and holistic approach to teaching literacy, with a focus on discovering the joy of reading, rather than learning specific skills, she said.
Bush then incorporated a phonics-heavy approach in an initiative that was part of his 2002 launch of No Child Left Behind, which increased the federal role in holding schools accountable for academic progress and required standardized testing. States, including California, received grants to teach a science-of-reading approach in high-poverty schools.
But many teachers in the state disliked the more regimented approach, and when the funding ended, districts largely transitioned back to the whole language approach. In the years since, science of reading continues to draw opposition from teachers unions and advocates for dual-language learners.
Many California teachers are passionate about the methods they already use and have chafed at a state-mandated approach to literacy education. Some don’t like what they describe as “drill and kill” phonics lessons that teach letter sounds and decoding.
Advocates for multiple-language learners, meanwhile, vociferously opposed adopting the most structured approach, worried that children who were still learning to speak English would not receive adequate support in language development and comprehension.
A 2022 study of 300 school districts in California found that less than 2% of districts were using curricula viewed as following the science of reading.
But the research has become clear: Looking at the pictures or context of a story to guess a word — as is encouraged in whole language or balanced literacy instruction, leads to struggles with reading. Children best learn to read by starting with foundational skills such as sounding out and decoding words.
“Anything that takes your eyes off the text when a kid is trying to figure out a word activates the wrong side of the brain,” Zoroya said.
Los Angeles County renews focus on phonics
In the last few years, several larger districts in California have started to embrace more structured phonics learning, including Los Angeles Unified, Long Beach Unified and Oakland Unified.
Recently, these districts have started to see improvement in their reading test scores.
Julie Celestial teaches her kindergarten class a literacy lesson at Mark Twain Elementary School in Long Beach.
At Long Beach Unified, for example, the district’s in-house assessment shows significant gains among kindergarten students. In 2023-24, 78% of them met reading standards, up 13 percentage points from the previous school year. Proficiency rates across first and second grade were above 70%, and transitional kindergarten was at 48%. The district’s goal is to hit 85% proficiency across grades by the end of each school year.
In 2019, LAUSD introduced a pilot science-of-reading based curriculum, and adopted it across all schools for the 2023-24 academic year. After the first year, LAUSD reading scores improved in every grade level and across every demographic, chief academic officer Frances Baez said.
From the 2022-23 to the 2023-24 school years, LAUSD’s English Language Arts scores improved by 1.9 percentage points — five times more than the state as a whole, which improved by 0.3, she said.
‘Science of Reading’ makes waves in Lancaster
Teresa Cole, a kindergarten instructor in the Lancaster School District, has been teaching for 25 years. So when Lancaster asked her to try out a new way of teaching her students to read three years ago, she wasn’t thrilled.
“I was hesitant and apprehensive to try it,” she said, but decided to throw herself into a new method that promised results.
Artwork and literacy lessons hang from the ceiling inside Julie Celestial’s kindergarten class at Mark Twain Elementary School in Long Beach.
Teaching kindergarten is a challenge, she said, because children come in at vastly different stages. Many are just learning to hold a pencil; others can already read. She was seeing many children under “balanced literacy” lessons slip through the cracks — especially those with limited vocabularies. When she asked them to read words they didn’t know, “it almost felt like they were guessing.”
But as she began to teach a phonics lesson each morning and have them read decodable books — which have children practice the new sound they’ve learned — she noticed that her students were putting together the information much faster and starting to sound out words. “The results were immediate,” she said. “We were blown away.”
She was so impressed with the new curriculum that she started training other teachers in the district to use it as well.
Looking back at her old method of teaching reading, “I feel bad. I feel like maybe I wasn’t the best teacher back then,” Cole said. Part of the change, she said, was learning about the science behind how children learn to read. “I would never say to guess [a word] anymore,” she said.
This kind of buy-in and enthusiasm from teachers has been key to making the new curriculum work, said Krista Thomsen, Lancaster’s director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Department. In schools where the teachers are implementing the program well, scores have started to rise. “But it’s a steep learning curve,” she said, especially for teachers who have long taught a balanced literacy approach.
“We are stumbling through this process trying to get it right and making sure that every one of our kids has equitable access to learning how to read,”Thomsen said. “But we have every faith and every intention, and the plan is in place to get it where it should be going.”
A compromise may bring more phonics to the classroom
Kindergarten student Lauren Van De Kreeke answers a question from teacher Julie Celestial as they work on a literacy lesson at Mark Twain Elementary School in Long Beach.
A bill introduced by Assemblymember Blanca E. Rubio (D-Baldwin Park) last year requiring a science-of-reading approach in California public schools did not even get a first hearing. This year, Rubio introduced another version — Assembly Bill 1121 — that would have required teachers to be trained in a science-of-reading approach.
Opponents included the California Teachers Assn. and English-language learner advocates, who said in a joint letter that the bill would put a “disproportionate emphasis on phonics,” and would not focus on the skills needed by students learning English as a second language.
The groups also voiced concern that the bill would cut teachers out of the curriculum-selection process and that mandated training “undermines educators’ professional expertise and autonomy to respond to the specific learning needs of their students.”
Martha Hernandez, executive director of Californians Together, said the group opposed both bills because they were too narrow in their focus on skills such as phonics. “They’re essential. But English learners need more, right?” she said. “They don’t understand the language that they’re learning to read.”
Rubio said she was shocked by the pushback. “I was thinking it was a no-brainer. It’s about kids. This is evidence-based.” Rubio, a longtime teacher, was born in Mexico, and was herself an English-language learner in California public schools.
In 2024, just 19% of Latino students and 7% of Black students scored at or above “proficient” on the fourth-grade NAEP reading test.
But with the support of Democratic Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Hollister), the groups reached a compromise that not all teachers would be required to participate in the teacher training.
Hernandez said she was pleased that the compromise included more of an emphasis on oral language development and comprehension, which is vital for multi-language learners to succeed.
AB1454 requires the State Board of Education to come up with a new list of recommended materials that all follow science of reading principles. If a district chooses materials not on the list, they have to vouch that it also complies. The state will provide funds for professional development, though districts can choose whether to accept it.
This article is part of The Times’ early childhood education initiative, focusing on the learning and development of California children from birth to age 5. For more information about the initiative and its philanthropic funders, go to latimes.com/earlyed.
Laura Mealer‘s bases-loaded, walk-off single to right field in the bottom of the ninth propelled Tennessee to a 5-4 win and a semifinal meeting with Texas at 9 a.m. PDT Monday.
The Volunteers (47-16) did what UCLA couldn’t in the ninth: deliver with the bases loaded. The Bruins got singles from Savannah Pola and Jordan Woolery followed by an intentional walk to Grant. But Alexis Ramirez grounded out to first to end the inning.
Taylor Pannell hit a deep fly to left field to lead off Tennessee’s half of the ninth, a ball that caromed off Rylee Slimp’s glove and hit the white padding on the top of the wall but didn’t leave the field. The play was reviewed and ruled a double.
Mealer, who knocked in two runs in the first inning to give the Volunteers an early 2-0 lead, delivered again, this time on a 2-2 pitch from Taylor Tinsley, who came on in relief of UCLA starter Kaitlyn Terry.
“Just a great battle to the end,” UCLA coach Kelly Inouye-Perez said. “I could not be more proud. Period. Just the ability for us to be able to fight, the ability for us to come back, the epic [rally], just down to the last pitch … there’s something about what UCLA softball can do, with your backs against the wall and just rising to the occasion creates some amazing memories.”
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NBA PLAYOFFS RESULTS
All Times Pacific
Conference finals
Western Conference
No. 1 Oklahoma City vs. No. 6 Minnesota at Oklahoma City 114, Minnesota 88 (box score) at Oklahoma City 118, Minnesota 103 (box score) at Minnesota 143, Oklahoma City 101 (box score) Oklahoma City 128, at Minnesota 126 (box score) at Oklahoma City 124, Minnesota 94 (box score)
Eastern Conference
No. 3 New York vs. No. 4 Indiana Indiana 138, at New York 135 (OT) (box score) Indiana 114, at New York 109 (box score) New York 106, at Indiana 100 (box score) at Indiana 130, New York 121 (box score) at New York 111, Indiana 94 (box score) at Indiana 125, New York 108 (box score)
NBA FINALS
West No. 1 Oklahoma City vs. Indiana
Thursday at Oklahoma City, 5:30 p.m., ABC Sunday, June 8 at Oklahoma City, 5 p.m., ABC Wed., June 11 at Indiana, 5:30 p.m., ABC Friday, June 13 at Indiana, 5:30 p.m., ABC Monday, June 16 at Oklahoma City, 5:30 p.m., ABC* Thursday, June 19 at Indiana, 5:30 p.m., ABC* Sunday, June 22 at Oklahoma City, 5 p.m., ABC*
“No,” he said when asked if his Dodgers had the New York Yankees’ proverbial number, having followed up their defeat of the Bronx Bombers in last year’s World Series with two impressive wins to start this weekend’s rematch at Dodger Stadium.
“I think we’ve had their number the last two nights,” Roberts said, “but today’s a different day.”
Was it ever.
Twenty-four hours after a total annihilation of the Yankees in a 16-run rout on Saturday, the Dodgers suffered the kind of setback that has so often plagued them this season, squandering the chance to build further momentum in a 7-3 loss that prevented a series sweep.
José Ramírez homered during a three-run fourth inning, Gavin Williams gave up only one hit in 6⅔ innings and the Cleveland Guardians defeated the Angels 4-2 on Sunday.
Ramírez extended Cleveland’s lead to 2-0 when he connected on a slider from Angels starter Jack Kochanowicz (3-7) and put it into the stands in right-center for his team-leading 11th homer to lead off the fourth.
Nolan Jones added a two-run single with the bases loaded for the other runs in the inning as the Guardians took two of three games in the weekend series.
The Bruins continued to roll in every facet of the game in the Los Angeles Regional final, scoring early and trusting their bullpen to defeat UC Irvine 8-5 on Sunday night. The Bruins advance to the super regionals of the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2019 and will host the Texas San Antonio at Jackie Robinson Stadium this week.
UTSA defeated Texas 7-4 in the Austin Regional final, taking down the national second-seed Longhorns to advance to its first-ever super regional.
If UCLA beats UTSA, it’ll advance to the College World Series in Omaha for the first time since 2013.
From Shotgun Spratling: USC baseball wanted to be aggressive knowing it was entering a hostile environment, playing in front of a sold-out crowd of 4,347 at Goss Stadium.
The Trojans tried to set the tone early.
Instead, it backfired, costing them early opportunities, early momentum and ultimately Sunday night’s matchup in a 14-1 loss to Oregon State in the Corvallis Regional final.
USC has a chance for redemption Monday as Oregon State’s win forces a winner-take-all regional final at 3 p.m. PDT (ESPNU).
From Benjamin Royer: In the game early Sunday that advanced UC Irvine to the Sunday night game against UCLA….
Under threat of elimination, UC Irvine‘s bats emerged once again.
Bringing the power for a second straight game, the Anteaters connected for five home runs Sunday, eliminating Arizona State 11-6 in the Los Angeles Regional of the NCAA baseball tournament.
Needing to win four straight games to advance to the super regionals after losing to Arizona State on Friday, UC Irvine is halfway to its goal.
Alonso Reyes — who had just one home run in 2025 entering Sunday’s game — ripped a two-run home run off of Sun Devils starter Derek Schaefer in the fourth inning. Later in the inning, after Arizona State coach Willie Bloomquist went with Lucas Kelly out of the bullpen, Chase Call cleared the batter’s eye in dead center field for a two-run home run to give the Anteaters a 6-1 lead.
From Anthony De Leon: Sunday’s matchup between the Sparks and Phoenix Mercury felt like déjà vu. When the Sparks faced Phoenix last month, the game ended with a failed Sparks comeback.
In a twist of fate, Sunday’s comeback belonged to Phoenix.
Unable to stay ahead after building an 18-point lead, the Sparks fell 85-80 to the Mercury at Crypto.com Arena for their third consecutive loss.
As with the first meeting, the third quarter proved to be the Sparks’ undoing. After scoring just seven points in the third quarter of their loss to Phoenix on May 21, the Sparks were outscored 24-9 in the third Sunday.
We asked readers of of our Sports Report and USC newsletters: Could a smoother path to the College Football Playoff be worth losing the USC-Notre Dame rivalry?
After 1,154 votes,
Yes, 17.6% No, 82.4%
NHL PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE, RESULTS
All times Pacific
STANLEY CUP FINALS
P3 Edmonton vs. A3 Florida Wednesday at Edmonton, 5 p.m., TNT Friday, June 6 at Edmonton, 5 p.m., TNT Monday, June 9 at Florida, 5 p.m., TNT Thursday, June 12 at Florida, 5 p.m., TNT Saturday, June 14 at Edmonton, 5 p.m., TNT* Tuesday, June 17 at Florida, 5 p.m., TNT* Friday, June 20 at Edmonton, 5 p.m., TNT*
* If necessary
THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY
1896 — Hastings, ridden by H. Griffin, edges Handspring by a neck to capture the Belmont Stakes.
1908 — Royal Tourist, ridden by Eddie Dugan, posts a four-length victory over Live Wire in the Preakness Stakes.
1909 — Joe Madden, ridden by Eddie Dugan, wins the Belmont Stakes by eight lengths over Wise Mason.
1935 — French Championships Men’s Tennis: Englishman Fred Perry wins his only French title, beating Gottfried von Cramm of Germany 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, 6-3.
1947 — After a six-year layoff, 13-year-old Honey Cloud wins the second race at Aqueduct. His jockey, Clarence Minner, takes his first ride in 10 years.
1962 — French Championships Women’s Tennis: In an all-Australian final Margaret Smith beats doubles partner Lesley Turner 6-3, 3-6, 7-5.
1971 — European Cup Final, Wembley Stadium, London: Ajax beats Panathinaikos, 2-0; Dutch champions begin 3-year period of domination.
1985 — Nancy Lopez beats Alice Miller by eight strokes to win the LPGA championship.
1991 — Andrettis finish 1-2-3 in the Miller 200 at Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway in Milwaukee. Mario Andretti finishes third, his son Michael wins the race and his nephew John finished second.
1996 — Annika Sorenstam closes with a 4-under 66 to win her second consecutive U.S. Women’s Open. Sorenstam’s 8-under 272 is the best ever in the Open.
2002 — Annika Sorenstam matches the LPGA record for margin of victory in a 54-hole event while winning the inaugural Kellogg-Keebler Classic. Sorenstam finishes at 21-under 195 to win by 11 strokes.
2005 — Jockey Russell Baze records his 9,000th career victory aboard Queen of the Hunt in the eighth race at Golden Gate Fields.
2007 — Daniel Gibson scores a career-high 31 points as Cleveland beats Detroit 98-82 to advance to the NBA Finals. The Cavaliers are the third team to come back from an 0-2 deficit in a conference finals, joining the 1971 Baltimore Bullets and 1993 Chicago Bulls.
2008 — Pittsburgh outlasts Detroit 4-3 in three overtimes of Game 5 of the Stanley Cup finals. Petr Sykora scores at 9:57 of the third overtime ending the fifth-longest finals game in NHL history.
2011 — Dirk Nowitzki makes the tie-breaking layup with 3.6 seconds left, and the Dallas Mavericks roar back from 15 points down in the fourth quarter to beat the Miami Heat 95-93 and tie the NBA finals at one game apiece. The Mavs outscore the Heat 22-5 down the stretch and pull off the biggest comeback win in an NBA finals since 1992.
2019 — US Open Women’s Golf, CC of Charleston: Lee Jeong-eun of South Korea wins her first major title; beats runners-up Lexi Thompson, Agel Yin and Ryu So-yeon by 2 strokes.
THIS DAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
1928 — Les Bell of the Boston Braves hit three home runs and a triple at Braves Field, but the Cincinnati Reds came away with a 20-12 triumph.
1928 — The Philadelphia Phillies defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 2-1. All the runs came from three pinch-hit home runs.
1941 — Lou Gehrig died in New York at age 37.
1949 — The Philadelphia Phillies hit five homers in the eighth inning against the Cincinnati Reds. Andy Seminick hit two and Del Ennis, Willie Jones, and Schoolboy Rowe hit one apiece. Seminick had homered earlier in the game.
1959 — The Baltimore Orioles-Chicago White Sox game at Comiskey Park was delayed for nearly half an hour as a swarm of gnats overcame the field. Groundskeepers tried using bug sprays and torches, but the gnats wouldn’t budge. A postgame fireworks display was brought in from center field and a smoke bomb was attached to the framework. The gnats left and the Orioles defeated the White Sox, 3-2.
1990 — Randy Johnson pitched the first no-hitter in the Seattle Mariners’ history as he beat the Detroit Tigers 2-0. The 6-foot-10 left-hander, walked six and struck out eight while pitching the first no-hitter at the Kingdome, which opened for baseball in 1977.
1996 — Houston starter Darryl Kile tied the modern major league record by hitting four batters in a 2-0 loss at St. Louis, and the first to do it in the NL since Moe Drabowsky in 1957.
2000 — Tampa Bay’s Fred McGriff hit his 400th career home run, but the Devil Rays lost to the Mets 5-3.
2000 — Rick Aguilera of the Chicago Cubs became the 13th pitcher with 300 saves in a 2-0 win over Detroit. Aguilera reached the mark in 614 career appearances, third quickest.
2002 — Philadelphia pitcher Robert Person drove in seven runs with a grand slam and a three-run homer in an 18-3 win over Montreal. Person had just come off the disabled list and collected his first win of the season.
2005 — Kansas City completed a sweep of the New York Yankees with a 5-2 victory. The Royals, who have the worst record and second-lowest payroll in the major leagues, finished their first three-game sweep of the Yankees at home in 15 years.
2009 — Dan Uggla of the Marlins became the fastest second baseman to 100 homers in Florida’s 10-3 win over Milwaukee. Uggla’s two-run shot in the bottom of the second came in his 502nd game as a second baseman, beating Alfonso Soriano to 100 by 34 games.
2010 — Ken Griffey Jr. announces his retirement after 22 seasons in the major leagues. Hitting only .184 in part-time duty for the Mariners, he retires with 630 career home runs and six seasons of 40 or more homers. Most of his career was spent with Seattle and the Cincinnati Reds.
2010 — Armando Galarraga of the Detroit Tigers lost his bid for a perfect game with two outs in the ninth inning on a call that first base umpire Jim Joyce later admitted he blew. First baseman Miguel Cabrera cleanly fielded Jason Donald’s grounder to his right and made an accurate throw to Galarraga covering the bag. The ball was there in time, and all of Comerica Park was ready to celebrate the 3-0 win over Cleveland, until Joyce emphatically signaled safe.
2011 — Aubrey Huff hit three home runs and matched his career best with six RBIs and the San Francisco Giants posted a 12-7 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. Huff hit two-run homers in the fourth and ninth and a solo shot in the seventh.
2015 — In a memorable major league debut, Rangers 3B Joey Gallo hits a two-run homer in his second at-bat on the way to collecting 3 hits and 4 RBIs in leading Texas to a 15-2 beating of the White Sox.
2017 — Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers records his 2,000th career strikeout.
2018 — Jacob deGrom matches a career high set just two weeks earlier by racking up 13 strikeouts in 7 innings in a start against the Cubs.
Compiled by the Associated Press
Until next time…
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at [email protected]. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Washington has not been clear on ‘how and through what mechanism’ sanctions would be lifted, says Tehran.
Iran has demanded that the United States clarify exactly how sanctions will be lifted if the two sides are to reach a new agreement on Tehran’s nuclear programme.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Esmail Baghaei made the comments on Monday, days after the US submitted what it described as an “acceptable” proposal. Unverified reports claim that Iran sees the offer as a “non-starter” and is preparing to reject it.
The pair has conducted seven weeks of negotiations over the nuclear programme, with the US seeking assurances that it is peaceful, while Iran hopes to escape punishing sanctions that have battered its economy in recent years.
However, Tehran is now demanding Washington detail what it is offering, reflecting scepticism voiced earlier this year by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
In remarks carried by the official IRNA news agency, Baghaei stressed the need for guarantees regarding the “real end of the sanctions”, including details on “how and through what mechanism” they would be removed.
“The American side has not yet provided the necessary clarity in this regard,” he said.
US envoy Steve Witkoff has said President Donald Trump opposes Tehran continuing any enrichment, calling it a “red line”.
A leaked United Nations report shows that Iran has ramped up production of uranium enriched to 60 percent, short of the roughly 90 percent required for atomic weapons but significantly above the 4 percent or so needed for power production.
Baghaei dismissed the report as biased, accusing unnamed Western countries of pressuring the UN to act against Iran’s interests.
Official sources cited by The New York Times said the recent US proposal includes a call for Iran to end all enrichment.
While Tehran has confirmed receipt of the proposal, which the White House described as being in Iran’s “best interest”, it has said it is still reviewing the document.
“Receiving a text certainly does not mean accepting it, nor does it even mean that it is acceptable,” Baghaei said.
The Reuters news agency quoted an unnamed Iranian diplomat as saying that Tehran is in the process of “drafting a negative response to the US proposal, which could be interpreted as a rejection”.
The official described the proposal as a “non-starter” because it does not soften the US’s stance on enrichment or offer a “clear explanation” of sanctions relief, according to the report.
Iran has held five rounds of talks with the US since April 12 in search of a new agreement to replace the deal with the leading powers that Trump abandoned during his first term in 2018.
Batu Caves, located just outside of Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, are sacred for Hindus across the world, but also have issues with cheeky monkeys and piles of rubbish
Batu Caves in Malaysia has been named and shamed(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
A sacred tourist spot has become overrun by monkeys and plagued by litter.
Batu Caves, located just outside of Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, took first place in a recent study of the world’s most littered tourist attraction, with 1.67% of reviews mentioning rubbish out of a total 13,950 reviews.
The huge cave complex is one of Malaysia’s most iconic tourist destinations and has particular religious significance due to its Hindu temple complex dedicated to Lord Murugan, the Hindu God of war. The limestone caves themselves are more than 400 million years old, while the temple at their heart was built in 1920.
Hindus from all over have come together during festivals to celebrate and pray as a community in the Batu Caves, where magnificently built shrines and statues are strikingly set against a captivating background of limestone hills.
The caves topped the litter rankings (Image: AFP/Getty Images)
Unfortunately, several factors have chipped away at the beauty of the unique attraction.
The site’s litter issue has often been attributed to its popularity with milions of annual visitors, many of whom discard rubbish and often feed the resident monkeys. The large size and complex nature of the site also make it difficult to maintain.
Following a recent visit to the Caves, a man from Burnley wrote: “The whole area surrounding the shrine was filthy and covered with litter, discarded food, refuse bins overflowing with plastics etc, used face masks and litter in general.
“If this is a sacred shrine, I find it difficult to understand why those responsible for its upkeep allow it to be abused in this way. Entry to the sacred shrines requires visitors to remove shoes, but having seen the filthy state the floors were surrounding these areas, there was no way my wife nor I would risk doing so.
“I appreciate that the matter was exacerbated by the presence of monkeys at the caves that scavenge for food, but surely those responsible for health and safety should introduce a programme of cleaning throughout the day to ensure all litter etc is removed.”
A holidaymaker from Essex added: “The area is strewn with rubbish and very stinky. It needs a good clean-up.”
Some visitors have had issues with the monkeys(Image: Getty Images)
Mark Hall, general waste expert at BusinessWaste.co.uk which conducted the study, said: “It is concerning to see so many reviews mentioning litter at iconic tourist attractions around the world. Many of these sites have religious, spiritual, or historic importance, so it’s vital that travellers treat them with respect. Sadly, overtourism is now a huge issue in many countries and this often brings the issue of litter.
“When tourists visit in such vast numbers, it can be difficult for the operators of tourist attractions to manage waste. Therefore, it’s vital that travellers are mindful of the impact of their own waste. You should never litter, and if a bin isn’t available or is full, always take litter home with you to dispose of properly. That way, we can ensure that these sites remain preserved and enjoyable for years to come.”
Iraqi authorities have opened an investigation into a mass die-off of fish in the country’s central and southern marshlands, the latest in a series of such incidents in recent years.
One possible cause for the devastation is a shortage of oxygen, triggered by low water flow, increased evaporation and rising temperatures driven by climate change, according to officials and environmental activists. Another is the use of chemicals by fishermen.
“We have received several citizens’ complaints,” said Jamal Abd Zeid, chief environmental officer for the Najaf governorate, which stretches from central to southern Iraq, adding that a technical inspection team had been set up.
He explained that the team would look into water shortages, electrical fishing, and the use by fishermen of “poisons”.
For at least five years, Iraq has endured successive droughts linked to climate change. Authorities further attribute the severe decline in river flow to the construction of dams by neighbouring Iran and Turkiye.
The destruction of Iraq’s natural environment adds another layer of suffering to a country that has already faced decades of war and political oppression.
“We need lab tests to determine the exact cause” of the fish die-off, said environmental activist Jassim al-Assadi, who suggested that agricultural pesticides could also be responsible.
Investigations into similar incidents have shown that the use of poison in fishing can lead to mass deaths.
“It is dangerous for public health, as well as for the food chain,” al-Assadi said. “Using poison today, then again in a month or two … It’s going to accumulate.”
HERE’S the tanned, toned and totally gorgeous line-up for this year’s Love Island.
The Sun can exclusively reveal Maya Jama’s full squad for the summer includes a footballer, personal trainer and a series of stunning models.
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Maya Jama will be back with this summer’s Love Island singletons on Monday
But their beauty is more than skin deep, as ITV2 has amassed a group with real kudos.
Brilliant former fire-breather Sophie Lee has campaigned for real beauty since she was scarred for life when her act went disastrously wrong, whilst Alima Gagigo has a BA degree in international business.
Love Island bosses will officially confirm the OGs tomorrow, with the series to kick off next Monday.
But for now, take a look at the girls and guys who will be sexing up your summer.
Harry Cooksley
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Football player Harry Cooksley is known as The Surrey ZidaneCredit: Instagram
The dancer and model, from Manchester, was left with horror burns when an air conditioning unit blew flames back in her face.
Sophie has written a book about her experience and has worked with The Katie Piper Foundation, helping fellow burns victims
A source said: “Sophie is a gorgeous girl and a powerhouse of a woman who has overcome everything life has thrown at her.
“Just like Tasha Ghouri’s amazing time in the villa where she raised awareness for the hearing impaired, Love Island bosses are thrilled to give Sophie the same platform to discuss her accident and how she’s become comfortable in her skin since.”
Shakira Khan
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Stunning Shakira Khan is set to wow Love Island fansCredit: Instagram
The 22-year-old’s Instagram page is filled with gorgeous travel snaps from Haiti, Dubai and New York – and she’s not afraid of a bikini showcase too.
In one recent post, she showed off her impressive figure in black and silver bikini top and thong briefs.
Shakira captioned it: “Haiti cos u ain’t me 💋.”
One follower replied: “Wow!! 🤩 gorgeous lady x.”
A source said: “Shakira is jaw-droppingly gorgeous and will land a place in Love Island’s history books as a real beauty.”
Megan Forte Clarke
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Irish actress Megan isn’t afraid to have a laugh at herselfCredit: Instagram /meganforteclarke
Stunning actress Megan will definitely turn a few heads this summer.
Megan originally hails from Ireland but trained at The Brighton Academy of performing arts and musical theatre.
She has more than 20,000 followers on TikTok and isn’t afraid to take the mickey out of herself.
But once in the villa, she Megan might give the swimming pool a miss.
One of her TikTok videos shows Megan screaming and terrified while making her way through the rides at Siam Park water park in Tenerife.
Speaking of her experience, she told a follower: “It took 10 years off my life.”
Megan is already friends with Love Island alumni Harriett Blackmore.
Dejon Noel Williams
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Dejon Noel Williams is a fitness fanatic and already has big name sponsorsCredit: Instagram / dejonnoelwilliams
Hunky Dejon Noel Williams will definitely be making the most the villa gym this summer.
The personal trainer and semi-professional footballer is a fitness fanatic and has already worked with a string of big name sportswear brands.
Dejon’s social media accounts are full of sexy photos of his ripped body and he already has an Instagram following of more than 11,000 fans.
His bio reads: “I go beyond the gym—helping you build Strength, Confidence & Discipline for life.”
Dejon recently took part in his first HYDROX competition and told his fans: “I trained for the moment, and the moment didn’t break me. First Hyrox down.”
In 2021, he represented the Grenada national football team.
Blu Chegini
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Blu Chegini is a uni graduate who works in London’s FitzroviaCredit: Instagram / bluchegini
Businessman Blu will be swapping his wardrobe of smart suits for swimming trucks when he walks into the villa.
Blu is based in London and currently works as a construction project manager.
He graduated from Oxford Brookes University in 2023 with a Bsc Hons in Construction Project Management and works for a firm in the captial’s swanky Fitzrovia.
Blu also spends a lot of time in Marbella, meaning he will feel right at home in the Spanish sun.
Alima Gagio
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Alima has both beauty and brainsCredit: Instagram / alimsssx
Alima Gagio is another of this year’s lot who brings a lot more to the table than just 10/10 looks.
The stunning Scot has an BA Hons degree in International Business and proudly posted online about her achievement.
Posing with a bunch of flowers on her graduation day from Glasgow Caledonian University, her 2,250 followers rushed to congratulate her.
Elsewhere the gorgeous travel fan shares images from her holidays around the world, posting updates from Lisbon, Mykonos, Ibiza and Morocco.
Alima also loves a trip down south to London for a bouji dinner and cocktails with her friends.
Ben Holbrough
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Ben Holbrough works as a modelCredit: Instagram / ben.holbrough
Buff Ben will feel right at home with his top off in the Majorcan sunshine.
The model is 6ft 2ins and is a big fan of showing off his six pack in mirror selfies on social media.
In a video on his Star Now modelling page, he says: “My main line of work is modelling, which I’ve been doing for about five or six years now.
“But when I’m not doing that, my hobbies are either going to the gym or playing football.”
Air stewardess Helena Ford has travelled all over the worldCredit: instagram
Blonde beauty Helena Ford hopes to find herself a match in the Love Island villa.
The gorgeous influencer is already mates with Love Island alumni Zara McDermott and loves travelling the world as a member of cabin crew.
Helena is based in the UK, the majority of of her social media snaps have been taken in the luxury destinations she has visited with her job.
She has been pictured in Dubai, Miami, Cape Town and Lake Como in Italy.
Helena also has a TikTok account where she posts ‘come with me’ videos as she jets off around the world.
Megan Moore
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Fans can look forward to getting to know Megan MooreCredit: Instagram / megann.mooree
Gorgeous girl Megan is another fan of travelling the world.
The influencer was last snapped in Spain just two weeks ago as she topped up her tan ahead of her big villa entrance.
Little is known about Megan but she already has several thousand fans on Instagram.
Commenting on a recent photo of her, one gushed: “Most beautiful girl inside and out.”
Another added: “Stunning my girl .”
And a third told her: “You are just delightful.”
Kyle Ashman
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Kylie Ashman keeps a low profile onlineCredit: Instagram/@kyleashmantr
Unlike most of Love Island’s line-ups, Kyle doesn’t come into the villa with a social media packed with model shots.
The hunk has just one snap online, showing off his rippling six-pack as he poses on a rooftop.
But he looks to be more than villa-ready – and will head straight to the garden gym.
On his Instagram page he has two emojis, one of which depicts a man lifting up a barbell.
The second emoji suggests he is a devout Muslim and will join the likes of Islanders including Nas Majeed who have practised the faith in the villa.
Viewers can look forward to filling in Kyle’s blank pages as we learn more about him.
Bombshells
IF the gorgeous gaggle of guys and girls above isn’t enough, then a troop of bombshells are ready to explode into the villa once the show is underway.
The Sun revealed last week that 6’5” Aaron Buckett was lined-up and can now share the update that he will appear later in the series to tempt the girls away from their partners.
The PT is such a hunk, execs have decided to hold him back until the early couplings look secure – then deploy him at the perfect time to lure a lass away and create maximum drama.
Elsewhere, two beauties have been named as in the mix for later on.
They are make-up artist Lucy Quinn, a 20-year-old from Liverpool.
A source told Mail Online: “Lucy is single and ready to mingle. She can’t wait to enter the Love Island villa and is counting down the days until it becomes a reality.”
Then there is beauty salon owner Rose Selway, who counts Islanders including Lucinda Strafford and Jessy Potts among her clientele.
A source told MailOnline: “Rose is friends with many former stars of the show so has a good idea what it’s like being in the villa and now she finally has the chance to experience it herself.”
The trio will join the throng of Islanders poised and ready to land in the villa throughout the series run.
An ITV spokesman said: “As always there is a lot of speculation around the Love Island line up – we will be announcing the Love Island 2025 cast in due course.”
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Beauty salon owner Rose will be a latecomerCredit: instagram
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Aaron Buckett will also arrive as a bombshell to tempt the girls awayCredit: Instagram/@aarxncb
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Make-up artist Lucy Quinn is single and ready to mingle
Victoria Finnigan, 25, has instructed lawyers to investigate the cause of the E.coli infection after her daughter Freya Finnigan-Haynes was left needing emergency surgery
Milo Boyd Digital Travel Reporter and SWNSed (Ed Chatterton)
13:02, 02 Jun 2025
Freya Finnigan-Haynes was diagnosed with a severe bacterial infection
A mother has shared her harrowing tale of a dream holiday to Egypt that turned into “one of the worst experiences of her life” when her two-year-old daughter contracted deadly E.coli..
Victoria Finnigan, 25, has asked lawyers to investigate whether she has a claim after her little girl, Freya Finnigan-Haynes, required emergency surgery following their luxury trip to Hurghada. The toddler was diagnosed with a severe bacterial infection that resulted in both her kidneys failing after she fell seriously ill during the £2,000 holiday last November.
Victoria and her partner Thomas Sloan, 24, had taken Freya away for some winter sun, but all three fell ill with gastric symptoms following their holiday in Egypt.
Upon their return to the UK, Thomas recovered within a few weeks, however, Victoria and Freya were diagnosed with E.coli..
Freya’s condition worsened over the next two days, with her hands, feet and lips turning blue, leading to her being rushed to hospital by ambulance. Both of Freya’s kidneys failed and she was moved to another hospital for surgery to insert dialysis tubes.
She underwent dialysis for three weeks and received four blood transfusions, remaining in hospital over the Christmas period. Freya now has to take folic acid daily and will need annual check-ups until she turns 18.
Victoria, a home carer, and Thomas, a car body repairer, have since hired lawyers to investigate their illnesses. “We’d been looking forward to our holiday for a long time and couldn’t wait to get out there and enjoy some winter sun,” Victoria, from Twickenham, London, said.
“Instead, it turned into one of the worst experiences of our lives. It was awful when Thomas and I fell ill, but I hoped that Freya had escaped it. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. To see my darling girl so unwell was incredibly traumatic, and to be told that she was suffering kidney failure devastated me.
“All I wanted to do was make her better. Sadly, she’ll have to have regular check-ups for a long time. We know we can’t change what happened but the least we deserve are some answers, especially for Freya.”
The family’s dream trip turned sour when Victoria and Thomas were struck down with sickness and diarrhoea shortly after their holiday began between November 29 to December 9 last year. Their daughter Freya started showing similar symptoms on the flight back home a week later.
While Victoria and Thomas got better within weeks of returning to the UK, Freya’s condition led to hospitalisation due to kidney failure, and she remained in care until New Year’s Eve.
Jatinder Paul, an international serious injury solicitor at Irwin Mitchell representing the family, commented on the ordeal: “The first-hand accounts we’ve heard from Victoria and Thomas are deeply concerning. The impact of gastric illness should never be underestimated. That Freya went on to develop kidney failure and had to undergo dialysis as a result, demonstrates the severity of what can happen.
“Understandably, Victoria and Thomas have a number of concerns over how their holiday was ruined by illness. We’re now investigating those concerns and are determined to provide the family with the answers they deserve.”
FABIO WARDLEY is preparing for a huge homecoming bout THIS WEEKEND!
The lifelong Ipswich Town fan will take to the ring at Portman Road as he faces Justis Huni on Saturday night.
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Fabio Wardley will return to the ring for the first time since his brutal knockout win over Frazer ClarkeCredit: Getty
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Boxing – Justis Huni v Kevin Lerena – Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – March 8, 2024 Justis Huni in action against Kevin Lerena REUTERS/Andrew Couldridge
A win for Wardley would see him move into pole position for a shot at the WBA heavyweight title.
Brussels and Washington have little chance of breaking the trade deadlock they have been in since mid-March and the imposition of the first US tariffs on steel and aluminium, Ignacio García Bercero, a former senior EU official and expert of the Bruegel think tank, told Euronews.
“It seems to me very clear that if the US is not ready to take action to substantially mitigate the impact of the tariffs on steel, aluminium and cars. I don’t really see how it is going to be possible to reach any kind of negotiated agreement,” García Bercero said.
“The increase of US tariffs on steel and aluminium from 25% to 50% hardens the position of the US, which is the only country capable of deciding how to end the crisis.”
US President Donald Trump announced last Friday an increase in US tariffs imposed in mid-March on steel and aluminium coming into the country — including EU imports — from 25% to 50%, as of June 4.
Those tariffs come on top of 25% US tariffs on cars and 10% US levies on all EU imports.
However on 28 May, the US Court of International Trade ruled that an emergency law invoked by Trump did not give him unilateral authority to impose the 10% tariffs and ordered an immediate block on them.
The day after, a US court of appeals paused the lower court’s ruling to consider the government’s appeal on 9 June.
But the tariffs of 25% on steel, aluminium and cars were not challenged by the judges as they were grounded on a different law regarding national security.
Several investigations are currently being conducted by the US on the same legal basis into the pharmaceutical, semiconductor and aircraft industries, which could lead to further US tariffs.
“It is very clear that the US has already indicated that it is not ready to do anything on the 10% tariffs, which in any case are being challenged by a US court,” García Bercero said.
“And it now appears that it is not very easy to do anything on the other tariffs which are based on national security – the tariffs targeting steel, aluminium and cars or cars parts,” the former EU official explained.
“Quite frankly, I don’t really see how it is possible to reach any kind of agreement.”
“Therefore the EU need to adopt rebalancing action at least on steel, aluminium, cars and car parts increase,” García Bercero added.
Deadlines coming in fast
The EU has currently suspended until 15 July a first list of US products worth €21 billion to retaliate against US tariffs on steel and aluminium, after Trump decided a 90-day pause in the trade conflict until 9 July.
A second package is under discussion in Brussels until 10 June to target €95 billion worth of US goods in retaliation for the 25% tariff on cars and 10% on EU imports, if negotiations with the US fail.
Further countermeasures on steel and aluminium would need to be adopted by EU member states.
After the negotiation between the EU and the US seemed to kick off 10 days ago, the US president already threatened to impose 50% tariffs on all EU imports.
But a call between Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen eased the pressure with the promise from both sides to “fast-track” the trade talks.
Brussels stated that it did not alter its offer in the negotiation, which includes zero-to-zero tariffs on all industrial goods and the purchase of certain strategic US products, such as energy, AI, or agricultural products.
“I’m not optimistic. But it doesn’t mean that it’s not the right tactic to continue to discuss and to see whether or not finally there is a willingness of the US to put something on the table,” García Bercero concluded.
It’s not easy being a Democrat in these Trumpian times, as each day brings fresh tales of conquest and pillage.
Still, despite all that, 4,000 stiff-upper-lipped partisans showed up in Anaheim over the weekend, seeking solace, inspiration and a winning way forward.
As mouse-eared pilgrims plied the sidewalks outside, the party faithful — meeting several long blocks from Disneyland — engaged in their own bit of escapism and magical thinking.
“Joy is an act of resistance,” state party Chairman Rusty Hicks gamely suggested at a beer-and-wine reception, which opened the party’s annual three-day convention with as much conviviality as the downtrodden could muster.
That’s certainly one way to cope.
But the weekend gathering wasn’t all hand-wringing and liquid refreshment.
There were workshops on top of workshops, caucus meetings on top of caucus meetings, and speaker after speaker, wielding various iterations of the words “fight” and “resist” and dropping enough f-bombs to blow decorum and restraint clear to kingdom come.
President Trump — the devil himself, to those roiling inside the hall — was derided as a “punk,” “the orange oligarch,” a small-fisted bully, the “thing that sits in the White House” and assorted unprintable epithets.
“My fellow Golden State Democrats, we are the party of FDR and JFK, of Pat Brown and the incomparable Nancy Pelosi,” said a not-so-mild-mannered Sen. Adam Schiff. “We do not capitulate. We do not concede. California does not cower. Not now, not ever. We say to bullies, you can go f— yourself.”
The road from political exile, many Democrats seemed to feel, is richly paved with four-letter words.
Two of the party’s 2028 presidential prospects were on hand. (Another of those — Gov. Gavin Newsom — has fallen out of favor with many of his fellow California Democrats and found it best to stay away.)
A highly caffeinated New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, of 25-hour filibuster fame, summoned past glories and urged Democrats to find their way back to the party’s grounding principles, then fight from there.
“We are here because of people who stood up when they were told to sit down. We’re here because of people who spoke up when they were told to be silent. We’re here because of people who marched in front of fire hoses and dogs,” Booker hollered in his best preacherly cadence. “We are here because of people who faced outrageous obstacles and still banded together and said we shall overcome.”
Tim Walz, the party’s 2024 vice presidential nominee and the weekend’s keynote speaker, was on hand after jetting from a morning appearance in South Carolina. He delivered the most thorough and substantive remarks.
He began with a brief acknowledgment and thanks to his 2024 running mate, Kamala Harris. (She, too, stayed away from the convention while pondering her political future. The former vice president’s sole presence was a three-minute video most noteworthy for its drab production and Harris’ passion-free delivery.)
“They played a game, a blame game, and they put out misinformation about an incredibly tragic situation,” Minnesota’s governor said. “They didn’t have the backs of the firefighters. They didn’t hustle to get you the help you needed. They hung you out to dry.”
Keeping with the weekend’s expletive-laden spirit, Walz blasted Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bull—” legislation and mocked congressional Republicans as the “merry band of dips—” who lend him their undying support.
But much of his 30-minute speech was devoted to flaying his own party — “like a deer … in goddamned headlights” — saying Democrats can blame only themselves for being so feckless and off-putting they made the odious Trump seem preferable by comparison.
“There is an appetite out there across this country to govern with courage and competency, to call crap where it is, to not be afraid, to make a mistake about things, but to show people who you truly are and that they don’t have to wonder who the Democratic Party is,” Walz said to a roaring ovation.
“Are you going to go to a cocktail party with somebody who’s super rich and then pass a law that benefits them?” he demanded. “[Or] are you going to work your ass off and make sure our kids get a good education?”
And yet for all the cursing and swagger and bluster, there was an unmistakable air of anxiety pervading the glassy convention center. This is a party in need of repair and many, from the convention floor to the hospitality suites, acknowledged as much.
Alex Dersh, a 27-year-old first-time delegate from San Jose, said his young peers — “shocked by Trump’s election” — were especially eager for change. They just can’t agree, he said, on what that should be.
Indeed, there were seemingly as many prescriptions on offer in Anaheim as there were delegates. (More than 3,500 by official count.)
Anita Scuri, 75, a retired Sacramento attorney attending her third or fourth convention, suggested the party needs to get back to basics by speaking plainly — she said nothing about profanity — and focusing on people’s pocketbooks.
“It’s the economy, stupid,” she said, recycling the message of Bill Clinton’s winning 1992 campaign. “It’s focusing on the lives people are living.”
Gary Borsos said Democrats need to stop dumbing-down their message and also quit harping on the president.
“There’s a lot of ‘Trump is bad,’ ” said the 74-year-old retired software engineer, who rode eight hours by train from Arroyo Grande to attend his first convention.
“What we’re doing is coming up with a lot of Band-Aid solutions to problems of the day,” Borsos said. “We’re not thinking long-term enough.”
Neither, however, expressed great confidence in their party going forward.
More than 520 additional former rugby players have joined a concussion lawsuit against the sport’s authorities, according to the law firm bringing the case.
Rylands Garth says there are now more than 1,100 former players involved, with 784 from rugby union and 319 from rugby league.
Steve Thompson, Mark Regan and Phil Vickery – part of England’s 2003 Rugby World Cup-winning squad – former Wales stars Gavin Henson, Colin Charvis and Ryan Jones and England and British and Lions scrum-half Harry Ellis are among those seeking damages from World Rugby, the Rugby Football Union and the Welsh Rugby Union.
In November, former British and Irish Lions duo Lee Byrne and Phil Greening were confirmed to have joined the concussion lawsuit.
The former players claim the governing bodies were negligent in failing to take reasonable action to protect them from serious brain injuries.
A similar action is being taken against the Rugby Football League (RFL) and the British Amateur Rugby League Association (BARLA).
“Players continue to play almost all-year round, with many elite players soon to embark on extremely physical summer tours across the rugby world. We will continue to fight for justice for those who gave so much to the game,” a Rylands Garth spokesperson said.
June 1 (UPI) — China criticized the United States on Sunday for having a “Cold War mentality” after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described Beijing as a threat the Indo-Pacific region in a speech Saturday.
“Hegseth deliberately ignored the call for peace and development by countries in the region, and instead touted the Cold War mentality for bloc confrontation, vilified China with defamatory allegations, and falsely called China a ‘threat,'” a spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“The remarks were filled with provocations and intended to sow discord. China deplores and firmly opposes them and has protested strongly to the U.S.”
Hegseth had delivered his remarks during the International Institute for Strategic Studies Shangri-La Dialogue event in Singapore. He said the Indo-Pacific region is the United States’ “priority theater” and won’t allow China to push it and its allies out of the region.
China retorted Sunday that “no country in the world deserves to be called a hegemonic power other than the U.S. itself.”
“To perpetuate its hegemony and advance the so-called ‘Indo-Pacific strategy,’ the U.S. has deployed offensive weaponry in the South China Sea and kept stoking flames and creating tensions in the Asia-Pacific, which are turning the region into a powder keg and making countries in the region deeply concerned,” the Foreign Ministry spokesperson said.
Hegseth had also said that China was “preparing to use military force” to alter the balance of power in the region and said that the United States and its allies must be prepared for armed conflict, citing “great progress” in the region toward “achieving peace through strength.”
“If deterrence fails — and if called upon by [the] commander in chief — we are prepared to do what the Department of Defense does best: to fight and win, decisively,” Hegseth said.
Mainland China and the island of Taiwan, among other islands, were ruled by the Republic of China before the ROC lost the Chinese Civil War in the early 20th century to the Chinese Communist Party, which established the new government of the People’s Republic of China in October 1949.
The ROC in turn established a temporary capital in Taipei on the island of Taiwan, a former Japanese territory, in December 1949 that served as the seat for China at the United Nations until it was replaced by the People’s Republic of China in 1971 when foreign countries switched their diplomatic relations.
China views self-governed Taiwan and its 23 million residents as a wayward province and has vowed to retake it by force, if necessary. Many supporters of Taiwan have since argued that it is already an independent sovereign state separate from mainland China, which has never controlled Taiwan.
Tensions between the United States and China started to grow during the administration of President Joe Biden in 2022 when then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosivisited Taiwan, sparking a military response from the Chinese government and increased drills in the Taiwan Strait. In 2022, a four-star general predicted that the U.S. and China could be at war by the end of this year.
After returning for his second term, President Donald Trump‘s administration has escalated tensions with China, particularly related to trade tariffs that appear now to be expanding into broader military and diplomatic arenas.
For example, the Pentagon has increased naval patrols in contested areas of the South China Sea and bolstered military partnerships with allies including Japan, Australia, and the Philippines.
“The Taiwan question is entirely China’s internal affair. No country is in a position to interfere. The U.S. should never imagine it could use the Taiwan question as leverage against China,” the Foreign Ministry spokesperson said. “The U.S. must never play with fire on this question.”
Tricked into a Boko Haram camp in Niger State, North-central Nigeria, the 16-year-old is mired in the mud of his traumatic experience as a child soldier. He is a witness to the terror and tragedy devastating his hometown of Shiroro. He struggles to move towards a glimpse of the future. Audu’s nine-year-old brother, Ja’afar Hassan, was caught in Boko Haram’s vicious net in 2022, with families and friends thrown into agony that the terrorists had conscripted their beloved son. For years, no one could trace Ja’afar’s footpaths to the camp; his parents wallowed in pain, begging local authorities in the Mashekeri village of Shiroro to help retrieve their son.
When Ja’afar’s captors sauntered into the village in 2024 for their exploits, they encountered a weary Audu, exhausted from his desperate search for his younger brother. The terrorists took advantage of his desperation, asking him to follow them into the forest to retrieve his brother. He hopped on a motorbike, wedged among the terrorists, as the rider zigzagged his way toward the forest’s edge.
“They asked me to come see my brother. When I arrived, they locked me up in a mud cell,” Audu tells HumAngle. “We used three motorcycles, two people each, including the one I was on. They asked me to come with them and see my brother. Since I knew my brother was with them, I went along.”
The boy wears a sour face and a sober appearance, beaming softness and stone-heartedness simultaneously. One minute, his eyes catch tears during the interview in a secured location in the Hudawa area of Kaduna State in northwestern Nigeria, and the next minute, he carries a terrifying face, stirring up a panic-stricken atmosphere.
Concerned that he might go rogue if allowed to travel alone, Audu’s stepmother, Laraba, accompanied him from Zamfara to Kaduna to speak with HumAngle. Since returning from the terrorist den, his chances of going berserk have been high, according to the stepmother, who noted that the boy has lost his tenderness as a teenager, occasionally displaying wild behaviour and betraying a civil demeanour. Blame him, but also blame the men who lured him into the valley of violence, keeping him in the logistics unit of the camp where he witnessed how terrorists planned attacks, brutally punished offenders, and detained civilians for ransom.
The terrorists fed him enough tuwo, a local Nigerian meal made from maize, and a hastily prepared tomato soup. He had wanted to return home the same night with his brother, but fed like a cat, Audu stayed, with the terrorists promising more sumptuous meals if he swallowed their rulings. He had more than three square meals that he couldn’t have at home. Back in Mashekeri, a single solid meal daily was a luxury. The boy found that luxury in multiple folds in the terrorist camp and stayed glued to it, quickly forgetting his initial mission to bring his brother back home.
“I never missed home. Whenever I mentioned home, they would say, ‘Some other time.’ Since then, the feeling of returning home faded,” Audu tells HumAngle.
He is one among dozens of children lured with food to embrace corrosive doctrine peddled by violent extremists. The food weaponisation strategy is deployed by a fragment of the Boko Haram terror group predominantly settling in the lush canopy of the Alawa Forest in the Shiroro area of Niger State. Caught up in the terrorist zone, children are vulnerable to hunger and displacement and are trained to become brutal terrorists.
They are recruited into different areas of terrorist operations. While Audu, for instance, was placed in the logistics unit, his younger brother was taught how to spot a target and pull the trigger. Teenage girls trapped in the camp are kept as wives, a euphemism for sex slaves. The women are also responsible for the food supply, preparing meals for the captives and commanders in the camp, and determining the food ration formula.
Fed to forget home
The terrorist group deliberately ravages specific areas, destroying crops and farming infrastructures, looting stores and houses, and destroying properties to make life difficult for locals.
The terrorists first give them food and then guns to fight against the government. Illustration: Akila Jibrin/HumAngle.
After impoverishing and uprooting them from the agrarian areas, the terrorists, having access to the food supply, take advantage of the undernourished children, tricking them into their enclaves with promises of enough food and water. They also use this tactic to gain appeal among marginalised communities, seeking to win the hearts and minds of potential supporters by providing crucial services and distributing meals.
HumAngle’s investigation, spanning months of identifying underage boys and girls tricked into the terrorists’ territory, interviews with their parents, and local sources, including farmers and vigilantes, reveals this strategy. We monitored some radicalised teenagers from the moment they were abducted to when they escaped from the terror camps to reunite with their families. Many of the victims’ parents asked HumAngle to hide the identity of their children for fear of reprisals and stigmatisation. Being a minor, we spoke to Ja’afar through his uncle, but Audu and two other teenagers with the same story spoke to us directly.
Several months after they tricked him into the camp, Ja’afar fell into a toxic love with guns and the deadly triggers they pulled. As a child, he was trained in the art of using a weapon to snuff life out of a human being and to get a human to do his bidding in seconds. When Audu witnessed his younger brother’s newly acquired prowess in spraying bullets, he fell flat for the escapade.
“It was an admiration. I admired the way boys my age wielded weapons,” he says. He had thought only grown-up men like police officers could do so until he saw his mates displaying mastery in it and following terrorists to the battlefield as they fought security agents or rival terror groups. “I gradually got used to their lifestyle. I adapted. It felt good, and I liked it.”
This terrorist empire belongs to a man simply known as Mallam Sadiqu. Sadiqu is a Boko Haram commander and a protégé of Mohammed Yusuf, the founder of the extremist group. An adherent of the catch-them-young maxim, Sadiqu heavily invests in manipulating teens and young people. The empire’s underworld setting, known among terrorists as Markaz (centre), makes it easier for them to plan covert anti-state operations.
Interactive map/ Mansir Muhammed, HumAngle
Recruiting children as fighters didn’t start with Mallam Sadiqu’s terror camp — terrorists in West and Central Africa deployed child soldiers in their fights against authorities. A 2021 United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) report revealed that since at least 2016, the region has recorded more than 21,000 children used by non-state armed groups.
“Whether children in West and Central Africa are the direct targets or collateral victims, they are caught up in conflict and face violence and insecurity. The grave violations of their rights perpetrated by parties to the conflicts are unacceptable,” UNICEF says.
The global humanitarian organisation added in a 2022 report that over 8000 children had been recruited by insurgents since 2009, describing Boko Haram as the major recruiter of child soldiers in Nigeria. The sect forcibly recruits children to strengthen its fighting ranks, abducting many of them during raids on villages, schools, and camps.
Boys are often trained as fighters, spies, or to carry ammunition, while girls are frequently subjected to sexual violence, forced marriages, and used as domestic servants. Some of the children are direct descendants of these fighters, with terrorists raising a deadly generation of criminals. Boko Haram is also notorious for using children as suicide bombers, with at least 117 kids, mostly girls, used in covert bombing operations between 2014 and 2017, according to UNICEF.
Interactive map/ Mansir Muhammed, HumAngle
Bewildered by the near-perfect coordination of the terrorist enclave, however, Audu’s naivety made him think it was a sovereign territory set up for religious purification and built to fight the secular state. The setting first set him off balance before offering an adrenaline of safety, power, and protection from what he thought was the government’s persecution. There were four rogue commandants, with only one supreme leader: Mallam Sadiqu, a dangerous man with a growing network of followers and foot soldiers.
The terrorist apprentice
In April 2025, HumAngle travelled to several satellite communities in the Shiroro area of Niger State. Apart from battling deeply-rooted insurgents, we found that the communities suffer from apparent government absence, turning the local areas into ungoverned spaces. Many villages and townships lacked good roads, hospitals, and basic schools. The terrorists are taking advantage of the governance gap to brainwash children and teenagers into believing in their ideology. There is also the social welfare appeal.
“When I fell critically ill in the forest, a doctor came in to treat me. I was worried that I might not be able to get adequate treatment in the bush, but I was wrong. I got a treatment far better than what I would have gotten at home,” Audu says. Even now that he’s out of the den, he wonders why he got better medical attention in the camp, saying, “This was one of the attractive points.”
Audu was placed under the watchful eye of Muhammad Kabir, the commander in charge of logistics and operations. Considered a stranger, Audu wasn’t given a gun or taught how to use it. He had only seen his terrorist chaperone servicing guns upon returning from battlefields. Kabir also prepared the fighters for operations, especially when they had fierce face-offs with security agents and local hunters surveilling the forest areas.
Kabir moved from the Sambisa forest to the Allawa wilderness to join Mallam Sadiqu in Shiroro. In September 2021, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), released an internal memo confirming that scores of senior Boko Haram fighters were moving out of the Sambisa Forest to work in cahoots with Sadiqu, who was wielding rocket-propelled grenades and shuffling between Kaduna and Niger states at the time. The NSCDC advised security agents to scale up surveillance in the affected areas, according to the memo obtained by HumAngle. Kabir was among the terrorists the NSCDC was referring to, locals and security sources said, corroborating the internal memo.
Audu would later learn how to reload guns for the militants in the camp. He painstakingly watched his boss service various rifles, including the Russian Avtomat Kalashnikova (AK-47), the Gewehr 3 (G3), and Rocket-Propelled Grenade (RPGs). Kabir also prepared the fighters for war against the military and terrorist rivals. Under the operations unit was the group’s bomb manufacturer; he had produced scores of explosive devices used to waylay unarmed citizens and military men, tearing them apart and killing them instantly during face-offs. Audu referred to him as Baba Adamu.
“Baba Adamu had picked Ja’afar up in the village, luring him into the enclave and training him to operate guns and produce bombs,” Audu notes. “Baba Adamu himself learned bomb making from one man who later died during a gun battle with the military.”
Working with the operations unit, Audu’s duty included joining other child soldiers to work on Mallam Sadiqu’s illegally acquired farm fields. In many Shiroro villages, the group has violently evacuated local farmers, illegally occupying their lands to farm. When they needed more workforce on the farms, they abducted vulnerable civilians, forcing them to farm for them. Audu says he had joined other teenage terrorists to supervise civilians working on the farm. They planted beans, maize, and rice and harvested richly while the local farmers struggled to cultivate their fields over fears of being attacked.
Dozens of farming communities in Shiroro also signed a peace deal with the Sadiqu-led terror camp, paying millions before accessing their farm fields. In 2021, a journalist documented how 65 agrarian communities paid over ₦20 million to access their farm lands and live peacefully in the villages. In the same fashion as terrorists in northwestern Nigeria, Sadiqu partners with communities and, in some cases, collects levies to allow people to farm freely.
“We would travel through villages in the Alawa town to work on Mallam Sadiqu’s fields, which are close to people’s homes. Sometimes, we would spend days on the farms, planting and harvesting. We planted maize and rice most of the time. It was a big field,” Audu adds. “Almost all those who can ride motorcycles in the camp used to labour there. Almost all of us used to go there to work. We used to buy boiled cassava from the townspeople. But when the people fled, we harvested the cassava from the farms. We would boil and eat them while on the farms.”
Shadow justice
One man, Mallam Shaffi, was the spiritual commandant of the gang, usually regarded as the amirul da’wah. He led daily prayers and preached on Fridays, encouraging the children to neglect modern ways for their anti-Western governance path. Every morning, he admonished the combatants to fight for God’s cause, manipulating verses from scripture to convince his disciples that Western ways would only lead them to hell. Anyone antagonistic to their violent operations and extremist tendencies is an enemy and must be taken out of the way, Audu says.
Audu’s stepmother, Laraba, accompanies him on the journey from Zamfara to Kaduna over fear that he might derail if allowed to travel by himself. Illustration: Akila Jibrin/HumAngle.
Although Sadiqu presided over the general affairs of the camp, Mallam Shaffi served as the Amirul Khadi (chief judge). This role gave him oversight that ensured discipline and strict adherence to their extremist doctrine within their sphere of control. He was consulted before judgments were made on offenders. In this clime, misdemeanours could attract capital punishments; petty thieves caught with their hands in the cookie jar were first jailed before their hands got cut off.
When Sani, Mallam Shaffi’s younger brother, was found guilty of petty theft, he was not spared. “His hands were cut off instantly; they passed a judgment,” Audu recalls. It was his first time witnessing such a gory scene, wondering why a man would lose his hands “just because he stole”. But something even more shocking unfolded before his eyes months after he arrived at the forest: six combatants were killed on the camp’s wild execution ground.
“They killed them for imposing a tax on the Gbagyi locals and seizing their farm produce,” Audu tells HumAngle. “The fighters executed are Jabir Dogo, Usmna, Attahir, Abdullahi, Elele, and Abu. They killed them about a month ago.”
The black market justice system turns like a vicious circle: if the rules favour you today, they might be used against you tomorrow.
One morning, Ja’afar woke up locked in a cell, with his hands and legs tightly bound. He was accused of stealing petrol and bullets from the logistics store. Ja’afar’s case seemed different from other thefts recorded in the past. While others stole from civilians on the other side, he stole from the terrorists — that was considered a grave offence, raising tension that the punishment might be more than cutting off his hands, like they did for Sani.
Audu’s worry suddenly grew cancerous; he was there to rescue his brother, and now he had been fed so much that he even forgot about going home. The detention of his younger brother tensed his worry; the probability that the young lad would be killed was high. He had committed treason, according to their laws, and the most severe punishment for such an offence was brutal death.
Rumours mounted that Mallam Shaffi had ordered that Ja’afar’s throat should be slit. That rumour flared up Audu’s fear. He had lately been nursing the thoughts of escaping the forests due to increased aerial attacks from the military. That trepidation was aggravated when the military perpetuated surveillance of their camp almost every day, killing the combatants frequently.
“Teenagers far younger than me and my sibling had been killed in that forest, either by the terrorists or the military,” Audu says, enveloped in his sweat. Months after leaving the camp, the boy still lives in fear, displaying paranoia towards every positive event around him and showing violent tendencies at any provocation.
Lost in the lush
As he forged escape routes for himself and his brother, Audu says he thought about scores of girls also trapped in the terrorists’ camp. Girls from satellite communities in Shiroro were tricked into the underworld after they were promised better living conditions. One girl, Zainab Mainasara, suddenly disappeared after terrorists raided her community in 2021, kidnapping a considerable number of girls. Since then, Zainab’s parents have done everything to retrieve their daughter from the hands of the terrorists. Later, they learned she had settled with them, marrying one of them.
When Audu came to the forest, he met Zainab. He had learned about her from the lips of villagers, especially how the terrorists attempted to pay her bride price to her father in the Kurebe area of Shiroro. HumAngle spoke to her father, Ali Mainasara, somewhere on the shore of the town, where he is currently burying his head. He left the Kurebe community in shame after villagers accused him of marrying off his 17-year-old daughter in exchange for farming freedom.
Ja’afar is now living in a military barracks, hoping to be deradicalised. Photo: Ibrahim Adeyemi. Illustration: Akila Jibrin/HumAngle.
Ali denied the allegation during an interview with HumAngle, saying he wanted to give his daughter the formal education he lacked. “But the terrorists took her away from me one afternoon, with guns and weapons in their hands,” he says, amid sobs. “If she were with me, she would probably have finished schooling or legitimately married.”
Zainab’s mother, Fatima Mainasara, left the community for a neighbouring village. The incident that took their daughter away from them also shattered their homes, as Fatima seemed to have swallowed the flying rumour that Zainab’s father sold her out to terrorists. “Since the incident, her mother has been quite distressed and experiences anxiety daily. She has been diagnosed with chronic hypertension. The reality is that we are suffering deeply. I am urging the government to assist in securing my daughter’s release so that she can be safely reunited with her family,” Mainasara cries out.
Audu knows where to find Zainab, but cannot take anyone there. While in captivity, he realised Zainab was forcefully married to his chaperone in the forest, Muhammad Kabir. Now with two kids from the ‘unholy’ marriage with the terrorists, Audu recalls that Zainab and many other girls were in charge of cooking and sharing food in the camp. Knowing each other from Shiroro, they had met on many occasions and exchanged greetings, but they’d never had a chance to discuss anything. It was forbidden to be seen discussing with the fighters’ wives in the camp.
“Zainab’s first child was named Adam. I don’t know the second boy’s name,” Audu notes. “Adam could be around two or three years old. The boy can walk and talk. The second boy is an infant.”
Mainasara’s worries double up at the mention of his daughter’s sudden disappearance into the woods. He fears Zainab might have been brainwashed into the realm of extremism, as news emerging from the terrorist camp revealed she had been fully immersed in the life outside her home. Her mother, once chubby, has become emaciated due to the anguish of her daughter’s disappearance. The grief has taken a toll on her health, but Zainab’s captors won’t let her go.
Scores of girls in Kurebe are in Zainab’s shoes: they were indoctrinated by terrorists a few years back, and now they can’t look back. One such girl is Rumasau Husaini, who was just 11 years old when she was abducted in 2022. Her father, Haruna Husaini, is still desperately searching for her. He once offered to pay a ransom for his daughter’s release, but it failed.
“When we reached out to the terrorists, we asked them to return her, but they told us it was impossible since she had already been brought into the forest,” Husaini recounts. “They mentioned discussing her dowry, but I refused to entertain that. All I want is my daughter back.”
Other girls caught in the trap of the terrorist group include Mary, Azeemah, and Khadijah — all from the Kurebe village of the Shiroro town. While Zainab was betrothed to Muhammad Kabir, Mary was forced to marry Ismail, another terrorist, and Azeema was given to Mallam Shafii.
As the grip of Boko Haram grew stronger in Shiroro, casting a shadow over the community, girls and boys became an endangered species. Mallam Sadiqu took over the leadership of several ungoverned communities neighbouring the Alawa Forest. One evening in 2021, he announced in his local mosque, with his voice echoing through the modest building: all girls must be married off or risk being forcefully betrothed to terrorists.
“Any female child that is up to 12 years old should be married off,” Sadiqu was quoted to have announced, instilling fear among the parents who listened. Unable to bear the thought of their daughters being taken by terrorists, many families chose to flee, relocating their girls to safer locations or sending them to displacement camps in more garrison areas.
When Sadiqu finally took absolute control of the political and economic lives of the locals, he propagated his extremist beliefs, wielding threats like weapons and eliminating anyone daring to defy him. He banned schools, stripping formal education away from children and forcing them into menial jobs and denying them a brighter future.
The tragedy deepened so much that the Nigerian military declared Kurebe a terrorist zone. In April 2022, six out-of-school girls were sent to fetch water from the nearby Kurebe stream. In a cruel twist of fate, they were mistaken for armed terrorists by the Nigerian military. An air raid ensued, killing the unprotected children who had already been traumatised by the circumstances forced upon them.
As the dust settled, it became clear that Boko Haram’s reign of terror was far from over. With schooling activities ground to a halt in the community, the terrorists began abducting the very children they had denied an education. The girls were taken as brides, and the boys were forcibly recruited into their radical ideologies, whisked away to secret camps hidden deep within the forests of Alawa.
“Up till now, some of our boys and girls are still missing,” laments Yusuf Saidu, the district head of Kurebe. He looked disturbed as he spoke of the lost boys and girls missing from their homes and families. “They marry the girls and sometimes even come to pay dowries to their parents.”
As military surveillance abounded in the Alawa Forest, Mallam Sadiqu built fortresses around himself to dodge attacks. Then, fear grew like wildfire in the terrorist camp, especially among children and teenagers trapped in the camp. Audu realised his younger brother could be killed if he folded his arms — either by military airstrikes or through the terrorists’ shadow justice system, which recently found him guilty of stealing.
One night, while everyone slept, he crept into the cell where Ja’far was caged and untied him. Discreetly, the two brothers walked out of the camp, trudging through the woods to find a way out. After days of sojourning in the forested expanse, they finally reunited with some relatives in the Shiroro area. Knowing they were not safe anywhere in the town, their relatives moved them to a community in northwestern Nigeria.
Back to square one
For Ja’afar, it was a free ride out of the lion’s den. And for Audu, the journey had only just begun. Their lives never remained the same; even after escaping from the radical world, they struggled to adapt to a regimented civilian lifestyle under their guardians. A few months after reuniting with families, Ja’afar exhibited attitudes suggesting he could no longer live in a civilian community. He would threaten his mates with death or charge at them at any slight provocation. His family has handed him over to the military in Kaduna State, hoping for a deradicalisation and psychological reform process so he can be safely reintegrated into society.
Audu, who appears calmer, was moved to Zamfara State to stay with a family member and is under tight monitoring. The family feared the proximity of the original town to Shiroro could later prompt the teens to return to the terrorists. Months after they returned, the boys seemed to be back to square one. Audu, for instance, is not enrolled in a school and struggles to have three square meals as adequately provided to them in the terror camp.
The situation remains dire back in Shiroro: locals caught up in war zones can hardly feed themselves properly, as food insecurity bites harder. Unfortunately, food insecurity is a reality for many Nigerians, yet those in power tend to downplay the issue. The United Nations predicted last year that by 2030, over 80 million Nigerians might face a severe food crisis. In many villages and displacement camps HumAngle visited while gathering this report, hunger, malnutrition, and food insecurity dominate the land, with hundreds of locals uprooted by the insurgency relying on animal feed due to an extreme food shortage.
HumAngle spoke to Dapit Joseph, a child psychologist at the Federal University Kashere, Gombe State, to further understand the implications of children being recruited in this manner.
“You know, food is a physiological need; it’s the foundation of human motivation and the first in the hierarchy of needs. People need food to survive, and in the quest to get it, they can do anything to survive. When people are hungry, especially children, that hunger can be weaponised to lure them into terrorism,” he asserts.
Joseph noted that we can neither blame the children nor the parents in this situation, because “when you’re caught up in a devastating war-torn area, you lose a lot of things, you become traumatised, and all you do is struggle to survive. It’s a very terrible condition that comes with a lot of psychological effects.”
The psychologist thinks the government needs to prioritise rehabilitating and providing social support for the children. Social support, he says, includes providing the basic needs these families require to survive and educating the parents on how to take care of these vulnerable children in society.
“Religious bodies have a role to play. You know, we attach serious meaning to religion in this part of the world,” he advised. “So if religious bodies can go, talk to these people, give them hope, and tell them that it won’t remain like this forever, it would help.”
A child sleeps on the cold, hard floor of a displacement camp, exhausted and vulnerable, with no comfort but the bare concrete beneath in a camp in Kuta, Niger State. Photo: Ibrahim Adeyemi/HumAngle.
For a region big on farming and fighting insecurity, it remains unclear what the Niger State authorities are doing to avert Boko Haram’s weaponisation of food shortages to recruit children. However, the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Niger State Homeland Security, Aminu Aliyu, recently told local journalists that the government and security agents were aware of the situation, failing to reveal steps to put the situation under control.
Laraba, Audu’s stepmother, worries about what might happen to him and his younger brother. She says she ponders every day, with no clarity, how to ensure these children do not derail again. Her heart pounds whenever she sets her eyes on Audu every morning because she’s clueless about providing a permanent succour to the brothers.
Audu’s parents are stuck in Shiroro, living from hand to mouth, swept under the control of terrorists in the ungovernable Kurebe village. Now, looking after their children has become a burden for Laraba, who complained recently that Audu has refused to return to school after terrorists brainwashed him against Western education.
“He has now returned to Hudawa, and he shouts about wanting to get married, instead of going back to school, but we’ve warned him against that,” Laraba says. For a 16-year-old, the stepmother thinks marriage should not be the next chapter in Audu’s life, but the boy seems convinced otherwise.
Audu’s return to the town also bothers Laraba because the area, although in Kaduna, borders Shiroro, making it easy for the boy to return to terrorism if he finds no help. “We’re seeking help from all angles so that he can at least start a business even if he can’t return to school,” she says.
Ja’afar’s uncle has also expressed doubt over his fate. He says living with the military has not yielded desired results, noting that the boy does not seem to have been deradicalised months after he was taken to the army. As it stands, the future of both boys has been halted.
Asked if he was considering going back to the forest fringe if he gets the chance, Audu says he would not hesitate if another chance was given, “because I got enough food that I don’t have access to even at home.”
The virus has been detected at a number of holiday destinations and one government has issued an alert
Masks may be needed for some travel this summer
The government in a UK holkiday hotspot has urged people to wear masks, wash their hands, get vaccinated and avoid activity that could spread Covid as a new variant sends cases rocketing, The World Health Organisation has issued a warning over the new variant, NB.1.8.1, which has seen cases soar in countries including Egypt, the Maldives and Thailand.
The new strain, which is said to be more infectious than previous variants, has also been found in the US and the UK. Now the government in Thailand has issued a warning after 257,280 cases of Covid and 52 deaths.
The latest outbreak has been worst in the capital Bangkok and in Chonburi Province. Deputy government spokesperson Anukool Pruksanusak said international travel and the oncoming rainy season, could accelerate the outbreaks and the Ministry of Public Health will monitor the situation closely.
The 69-meter tall giant Buddha statue of Wat Paknam Phasi Charoen temple in Bangkok
Anukool said people should ‘limit activities that increase the risk of infection, wash their hands regularly, wear masks in crowded places, get booster vaccinations when due, and seek medical attention promptly if experiencing symptoms’
Cases of the virus have been surging since mid-February and are now at their highest rate since last June. The WHO says there are higher levels of Covid in 73 countries – including the Caribbean.
The WHO has designated the new strain NB.1.8.1 as a ‘variant under monitoring’ amid concern about the sharp rise in cases. By late April 2025, NB.1.8.1 comprised roughly 10.7% of all submitted sequences – up from just 2.5% four weeks before. It is already the dominant strain in Hong Kong and China. Lara Herrero Associate Professor and Research Leader in Virology and Infectious Disease, at Griffith University said thanks to multiple mutations the new strain ‘ may infect cells more efficiently than earlier strains’.
Traditional Thai dancers wearing facemasks perform at the Erawan Shrine in Bangkok
“But importantly, the WHO has not yet observed any evidence it causes more severe disease compared to other variants. Reports suggest symptoms of NB.1.8.1 should align closely with other Omicron subvariants.
“Common symptoms include sore throat, fatigue, fever, mild cough, muscle aches and nasal congestion. Gastrointestinal symptoms may also occur in some cases.”
The new strain is being found in large numbers in the Eastern Mediterranean, an area including the tourist destination of Egypt. It is also being found in South East Asia – including in Thailand and the Maldives.
Masks are being encouraged for people in Thailand
The WHO said recent increases have also been observed in Cambodia, China, Hong Kong and Singapore.
The report reads: “WHO recommends that countries remain vigilant, adapt to evolving epidemiological trends, and leverage COVID-19 management strategies to strengthen systems for all respiratory disease threats. Member States should continue offering COVID-19 vaccines in line with WHO recommendations.
“Based on the current risk assessment of this event, WHO advises against imposing travel or trade restrictions.”
Brits heading to beaches this summer may want to double check the local rules and guidelines – or they could face hefty fees for an easy mistake
11:44, 02 Jun 2025Updated 11:44, 02 Jun 2025
(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Brits planning a staycation this summer will want to take note of one habit that could land them with a £1,000 fine.
When heading to the beach, it doesn’t seem uncommon to pick up a shell or pebble to take home as a memento; but this seemingly harmless habit actually can have ramifications on an area’s eco-system, not to mention you could inadvertently be breaking the law.
In fact, the Coast Protection Act 1949 makes it illegal to remove natural materials from beaches, with the law aiming to protect coastal environments by preventing erosion and preserving natural habitats.
It’s not just pebbles and sand – the law covers any kind of natural materials taken from public beaches. (It’s worth noting that the Coast Protection Act applies to beaches across England and Wales only – Scotland has its own version.)
Brits are being warned to leave the pebbles on the beach(Image: Getty Images)
Eco experts at Arbtech have warned that pebbles and sand play an important part in a beach’s natural defence against erosion, absorbing wave energy which protects cliffs, dunes, and inland areas.
They add that beach materials such as shells or driftwood can also provide microhabitats for wildlife, so taking these materials can directly disturb local ecosystems.
Andrew Ward from Arbtech said: “What may seem like a harmless holiday keepsake is, in fact, part of a delicate and vital ecosystem, and could even cost you a fine of up to £1,000. One person taking a pebble or shell may not seem like much, but when thousands of visitors are doing the same, it can have drastic impacts on the coastal environment.
“Over time we could start to see increased erosion, the loss of natural sea defences, and disruption to habitats that many species rely on. The law is clear and it’s not just there to spoil any fun. It’s a reminder that beaches are protected for a reason. We all have a role to play in preserving the environment so that it can continue to thrive for generations to come.”
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More often than not, beaches will have clear signs warning visitors against removing the pebbles and sands, and there have been reports in previous years of tourists being ordered to return pebbles to the beach, or face receiving a fine, even after they have left the coast.
It’s not the first time that tourists have been warned when it comes to rocks or pebbles in tourist hotspots. In recent years there’s been increasing calls for visitors to stop ‘rock stacking’, especially in national parks.
Eco experts have also previously warned against rock stacking(Image: Getty Images/Cavan Images RF)
Rock stacks, or cairns, can be found on many of the highest peaks across the nation, and have become a popular activity for hikers. While rock stacking is seen by some as an art form, others have slammed the practice as just being an excuse for someone to take a photo for their social media feeds.
Meanwhile, environmental campaigners have warned that moving rocks from their spot on a beach or in the countryside can have a knock-on ecological effect, such as accidentally destroying a nest or home of local wildlife.
Do you have a travel story to tell us? Email us at [email protected].
“Dystopian” TV may seem ubiquitous, but not all dystopias look the same. We asked the creatives behind several series — totalitarian, postapocalyptic or both — to explain how they bring the term to life.
‘The Boys’: Normalized dystopia
A scene from the Vought on Ice performance in “The Boys” Season 4.
(Jasper Savage / Prime Video)
“Dystopia, by definition, suggests an imagined society in which suffering and injustice are normalized. The people in that society are meant to believe their leaders and heroes are always right and working in their interest no matter how evil their values are or how horrifying their behavior,” says Mark Steel, the production designer for the comedy-drama about controlling capitalist overlords (and the outsiders who want to bring them down).
“One of the principal rules for the look of ‘The Boys’ world was to stay close to the recognizable visual language of American media and culture today,” Steel says.
The show uses everything from patriotic rallies to kids’ puppet shows to an ice-skating performance branded with the name of the omnipresent corporation Vought International to parallel real life.
“I think absurdity is most effective and funniest when it is set against normalcy,” Steel says. “We were able to build the Vought on Ice show in a real professional arena at real scale with skaters, costumes and music. The genius of the piece was how far we could facilitate the performance before all hell breaks loose.”
‘The Handmaid’s Tale’: Manicured dystopia
A scene from “The Handmaid’s Tale.”
(Steve Wilkie / Disney)
“The Handmaid’s Tale’s” Season 6 co-showrunner Yahlin Chang says the word “dystopia” usually connotes overgrown trees and disaster zones. In her show, the slave slate known as Gilead is a veneer of perfection that’s fooling no one, “like a cake with a razor blade in it,” she says.
“Our dystopia has always been very beautiful to look at … because it was meant to sort of clean up the horrible modern world from before where women weren’t having babies and where the environment had collapsed,” she says.
The homes of the elite commanders and their families are pristine and conservative. Everyone else’s surroundings are worn and muddied. But the last two seasons have introduced a new concept: color. Bradley Whitford’s Cmdr. Lawrence, the brainiac who masterminded Gilead, has designed New Bethlehem, a supposed safe haven for anyone who escaped his country’s oppression to return and live out a Mayberry-like existence. So production designer Elisabeth Williams and her team went all in on white picket fences and manicured lawns.
“It’s meant to be the kinder, gentler version of Gilead and it has a deliberately beautiful, pristine sheen on the surface,” says co-showrunner Eric Tuchman. “It feels artificial and sterile, with a kind of a theme-park vibe to it. It doesn’t feel quite real.”
‘The Last of Us’: Dystopian or postapocalyptic?
A scene from “The Last of Us” Season 2.
(Liane Hentscher / HBO)
“The Last of Us” is set after an outbreak has wiped out much of human existence. Because of this, Season 2 production designer Don Macaulay says his show also has to try to define “postapocalyptic,” another term that, he says, “can, visually, be a million different things.” The creators referenced the video game his show is based on, as well as real-world places that saw mass destruction, like the area around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
“There is a certain amount of violence associated with it and destruction associated with it,” Macaulay says of this world. “But, for the most part, it’s really nature taking over again and what that looks like in various environments. … There’s places in our story that haven’t been touched by humans in decades.”
This consideration of the time scale of dystopia and apocalypse led to conversations about when the world in the show “ended” — and if that matched the events in the game. Bella Ramsey’s lead Ellie is a music aficionado. But how far back does that record collection go?
“People who get really into the minutiae may point out that there are a couple of instances … where we bent those rules a little bit,” Macaulay says. The show premiered 10 years after the game launched, “so there are things in the game that became fairly iconic that wouldn’t have been around in our timeline.”
‘Paradise’: A childlike vision
Actors Aliyah Mastin, left, Sterling K. Brown and Percy Daggs IV at the entrance to the bunker in “Paradise.”
(Brian Roedel / Disney)
More “Brave New World” than “1984,” “Paradise” is largely set after an environmental disaster, focusing on a group of survivors who live in an underground bunker that looks like the Grove shopping mall.
Production designer Kevin Bird says some of the first conversations he had with creator Dan Fogelman and others involved designing a “completely different experience from a show about a bunker that’s postapocalyptic and living in a rusty tower. We wanted the feeling of the town to be that idyllic, too-perfect way [that is] really just a way of distracting” characters from what’s really happening.
Here, he explains, essentials like food, clothing and housing are provided for everyone — “Just don’t stray too far from the path.”
Bird was aided by an early episode in which it’s made clear that billionaire Samantha Redmond (Julianne Nicholson) built the bunker as an ode to her deceased son; it’s what a child would create if instructed to make a perfect town.
“What was motivating her was to protect the rest of her family as long as possible,” Bird says.
‘Silo’: An aging dystopia
Avi Nash in “Silo.”
(Apple TV+)
The “Silo” bunker may be the future “Paradise’s” Samantha is attempting to avoid. In this show, production designer Nicole Northridge says, “The people have lived here for 350 years [and] they’re under no illusion that it’s a perfect world.” They just don’t know how to escape and, because it’s supposed to be set after a postapocalyptic event, they don’t know what’s waiting for them if they do.
The silo in “Silo” was designed in Season 1 by then-production designer Gavin Bocquet. Northridge says it was meant to have an “Eastern European socialist look, which is very functional, very austere.” Since this story starts centuries after the original inhabitants enter the bunker, she says, “Everything within the silo is essentially, when we come to it, reused, recycled and quite a bespoke make.”
But Season 2 introduces another silo, this one with graffiti and wall carvings. It also had flooded caverns. Northridge and her team had to research how concrete ages while submerged; the effects team built a giant chlorinated water tank. (The crew would sometimes go swimming in it after they wrapped for the day.)
Russia and Ukraine continued to launch air strikes overnight as they prepared to meet for a second round of direct peace talks in Turkiye.
The Ukrainian delegation arrived in Istanbul on Monday, despite recent rhetoric from Kyiv suggesting it may not take part in the follow-up to the first round of talks between the adversaries last month, at which little progress was made towards a ceasefire in the war, started by Russia as it invaded its neighbour in February 2022.
The Russian negotiators also announced they had arrived in the Turkish city, where Kyiv and Moscow – under pressure from the United States – are expected to present respective memorandums on peace terms.
The first round of talks ended with just a prisoner swap agreed, with Ukraine complaining that Russia continues to make unacceptable and unrealistic demands.
Russia has resisted pressure to send its memorandum to Kyiv in advance. However, presidential adviser Vladimir Medinsky, Moscow’s lead negotiator, was quoted by the TASS news agency as saying the Kremlin had received Ukraine’s proposal.
Kyiv, according to the Reuters news agency, has proposed a roadmap for lasting peace, with no restrictions on its military strength nor international recognition of Russian sovereignty over parts of Ukraine, conditions that Moscow has sought to insist upon.
As the delegations arrived in Turkiye, Ukrainian officials were busy coordinating with European allies, who are seeking to raise support for Kyiv amid uncertainty over the commitment of the US under President Donald Trump.
Ahead of the meeting with their Russian counterparts, the Ukrainian delegation met with representatives from Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom.
Around the same time, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius for a summit with the leaders of NATO’s eastern and Nordic members, who are some of Kyiv’s staunchest backers amid the Russian invasion.
“If Ukraine is not present at the NATO summit, it will be a victory for Putin, but not over Ukraine, but over NATO,” he said last week.
Zelensky wants the Western military alliance to offer security guarantees to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire or peace deal, something Moscow has called “unacceptable.”
Police officers stand guard on the day of the second round of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine at Ciragan Palace, in Istanbul, Turkey, June 2, 2025. [Reuters]
Zelenskyy had reiterated calls for a “full and unconditional ceasefire” before the talks.
“Second – the release of prisoners. Third – the return of abducted children,” he said in a post on social media.
Zelenskyy also called for a direct meeting with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. The Kremlin has previously said such a meeting could take place only after the delegations reach wider “agreements”.
Russia continues to demand that a ceasefire agreement must address the “root causes” of the conflict. It has persistently referred to limiting Ukraine’s military capabilities, banning Ukraine from joining NATO and agreeing to territorial concessions.
Massive bombardment
As the delegations arrived in Istanbul, both countries reported bombardments from massive overnight attacks.
Russia’s Ministry of Defence said on Monday that its air defence units had “intercepted and destroyed” 162 Ukrainian drones, the majority of which were over the bordering regions, including 57 intercepted over the Kursk region and 31 over the Belgorod region.
A day earlier, Ukraine carried out one of its biggest and most successful attacks on Russian soil, hitting dozens of strategic bombers in Siberia and other military bases in the country.
Ukraine, meanwhile, reported that Russia had targeted its territory with 80 drones overnight, striking 12 targets.
The governor of Kherson, Oleksandr Prokudin, wrote on Telegram that artillery fire had killed a 40-year-old man in the Korabelny district.
A five-year-old child was also injured in the attack in Kherson and was undergoing medical supervision, he added.
JACK DRAPER is not only a huge rising star in tennis but also models for fashion magazines including Vogue.
But who is the Tennis-playing supermodel dating? Here’s everything you need to know about British No 1 – who has reached the semi-final of the US Open.
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Jack Draper has reached the semi-finals of the US OpenCredit: Splash
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Zendaya, the star of hit tennis film Challengers, even attended one of Jack’s matchesCredit: AP: Associated Press
Who is Jack Draper?
Jack was born on 22 December 2001, in Sutton, Surrey.
He is a star both on and off the court, as he has been ranked as high as No.25 in singles – although he will likely climb the rankings after his heroics at the US Open.
Although he is yet to win a Grand Slam, tennis is something that runs in his family.
His brother, Ben, is a former pro and his mum, Nicky, is a junior champion turned coach.
His father was even the chief executive of the LTA (Lawn Tennis Association), which is the national governing body of tennis in Great Britain, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man.
Although they haven’t said that they are dating, Jack is close friends with Emma RaducanuCredit: Getty Images
He told Tatler: “I’m not that great with celebrities.
“We were at the US Open last year and everyone was making a big fuss over this girl who walked in and I had no idea who she was. I think she was called Zendaya?”
Lawmakers’ willingness to poke holes in the California Environmental Quality Act for specific projects without overhauling the law in general has led commentators to describe the changes as “Swiss cheese CEQA.”
Now, after years of nibbling at it, Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Legislature are going in with the knives.
Two proposals have advanced rapidly through the Legislature: one to wipe away the law for most urban housing developments, the other to weaken the rules for most everything else. Legal experts say the efforts would be the most profound changes to CEQA in generations. Newsom not only endorsed the bills last month, but also put them on a fast track to approval by proposing their passage as part of the state budget, which bypasses normal committee hearings and means they could become law within weeks.
“This is the biggest opportunity to do something big and bold, and the only impediment is us,” Newsom said when announcing his support for the legislation.
Nearly the entire 55-year history of the California Environmental Quality Act has featured dueling narratives about its effects. On its face the law is simple: It requires proponents to disclose and, if possible, lessen the environmental effects of a project. In practice, this has led to tomes of environmental impact reports, including volumes of soil testing and traffic modeling studies, and sometimes years of disputes in court. Many credit CEQA for helping preserve the state’s scenic vistas and waterways while others decry its ability to thwart housing and infrastructure projects, including the long-delayed and budget-busting high-speed rail.
On the latter point, evidence supports both sides of the argument. One study by UC Berkeley law professors found that fewer than 3% of housing projects in many big cities across the state over a three-year period faced any litigation. But some contend that the threat of a lawsuit is enough to chill development, and examples continue to pile up of CEQA stalling construction of homeless shelters, a food bank and child-care center.
What’s clear is that CEQA has become embedded as a key point of leverage in California’s development process. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass once recalled that when she worked as a community organizer in the 1990s, Westside land-use attorneys who were successful in stopping development in their communities taught her how to use CEQA to block liquor stores in South L.A.
Organized labor learned to use the law to its advantage and became one of its most ardent supporters, alongside environmentalists — major constituencies within Democratic politics in the state. Besides carve-outs for individual projects in recent years, lawmakers have passed CEQA streamlining for certain kinds of housing and other developments. These fast-track measures can be used only if proponents agree to pay higher wages to construction workers or set aside a portion of the project for low-income housing on land considered the least environmentally sensitive.
Labor groups’ argument is simple, said Pete Rodriguez, vice president-Western District of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners: CEQA exemptions save time and money for developers, so some benefit should go to workers.
“When you expedite the process and you let a developer get the TSA pass, for example, to get quicker through the line at the airport, there should be labor standards attached to that as well,” Rodriguez said at a Los Angeles Business Council panel in April.
The two bills now under debate — Assembly Bill 609 by Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) and Senate Bill 607 by Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) — break with that tradition. They propose broad CEQA changes without any labor or other requirements.
Wicks’ bill would exempt most urban housing developments from CEQA. Wiener’s legislation, among other provisions, would in effect lessen the number of projects, housing and otherwise, that would need to complete a full environmental review, narrowing the law’s scope.
“Both are much, much more far-reaching than anything that has been proposed in living memory to deal with CEQA,” said Chris Elmendorf, a UC Davis law professor who tracks state environmental and housing legislation.
The legislation wouldn’t have much of an effect on rebuilding after L.A.’s wildfires, as single-family home construction is exempt and Newsom already waived other parts of the law by executive order.
The environment inside and outside the Legislature has become friendlier to more aggressive proposals. “Abundance,” a recent book co-written by New York Times opinion writer Ezra Klein, makes the case that CEQA and other laws supported by Democrats have hamstrung the ability to build housing and critical infrastructure projects, citing specifically California’s affordability crisis and challenges with high-speed rail, in ways that have stifled the American Dream and the party’s political fortunes.
Wicks and Wiener are veteran legislators and former chairs of legislative housing committees who have written much of the prior CEQA streamlining legislation. Even though it took bruising battles to pass previous bills, the resulting production hasn’t come close to resolving the state’s shortage, Wicks said.
“We need housing on a massive scale,” Wicks said.
To opponents of the bills, including dozens of environmental and labor groups, the effort misplaces the source of building woes and instead would restrict one of the few ways community groups can shape development.
Asha Sharma, state policy manager for Leadership Counsel for Justice & Accountability, said her organization uses CEQA to reduce the polluting effects of projects in neighborhoods already overburdened by environmental problems.
The proposed changes would empower public agencies and developers at the expense of those who would be affected by their decisions, she said.
“What folks aren’t realizing is that along with the environmental regulations comes a lot of public transparency and public engagement,” said Sharma, whose group advocates for low-income Californians in rural areas. “When you’re rolling back CEQA, you’re rolling back that too.”
Because of the hefty push behind the legislation, Sharma expects the bills will be approved in some form. But it remains uncertain how they might change. Newsom, the two lawmakers and legislative leaders are negotiating amendments.
Wicks said her bill will not require developers to reserve part of their projects for low-income housing to receive a CEQA exemption; cities can mandate that on their own, she said. Wicks indicated, however, that labor standards could be part of a final deal, saying she’s “had some conversations in that regard.”
Wiener’s bill was gutted in a legislative fiscal committee last month, with lawmakers saying they wanted to meet infrastructure and affordability needs “without compromising environmental protections.” Afterward, Wiener and McGuire, the Senate leader, released a joint statement declaring their intent to pass a version of the legislation as part of the budget, as the governor had proposed.
Wiener remained committed to the principles in his initial bill.
“What I can say is that I’m highly optimistic that we will pass strong changes to CEQA that will make it easier and faster to deliver all of the good things that make Californians’ lives better and more affordable,” Wiener said.
Should the language in the final deal be anything like what’s been discussed, the changes to CEQA would be substantial, said Ethan Elkind, director of the climate program at UC Berkeley’s Center for Law, Energy & the Environment. Still, he said the law’s effects on housing development were overblown. Many other issues, such as local zoning restrictions, lack of funding and misaligned tax incentives, play a much larger role in limiting construction long before projects can even get to the point where CEQA becomes a concern, he said.
“CEQA is the last resort of a NIMBY,” said Elkind, referring to residents who try to block housing near them. “It’s almost like we’re working backwards here.”
Wicks agreed that the Legislature would have to do more to strip away regulations that make it harder to build housing. But she argued that the CEQA changes would take away a major barrier: the uncertainty developers face from legal threats.
Passing major CEQA reforms would demonstrate lawmakers’ willingness to tackle some of the state’s toughest challenges, she said.
“It sends a signal to the world that we’re ready to build,” Wicks said.
