Or, from the perspective of the Dodgers, this is just starting.
Because the Dodgers are returning to the World Series.
Technically, they still have to close out their National League Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies. They still have to win the NL Championship Series.
But they will.
They will because they won’t blow the two-games-to-none lead they have after their 4-3 victory over the Phillies on Monday in Game 2 of their best-of-five series.
They will because the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs don’t have the firepower necessary to take down these Dodgers in the next round.
One victory at Citizens Bank Park would have sufficed. The Dodgers won two, and now they’re on the verge of sweeping the greatest threat they will encounter in their title defense.
“To get two in this environment is obviously massive,” first baseman Freddie Freeman said. “You can’t understate it. This is a really hard place to play in the regular season, let alone here (in the playoffs).”
The Dodgers can officially eliminate the Phillies on Wednesday.
They will be playing at Dodger Stadium. They will have their best pitcher on the mound in Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Call in a priest — or a padre. The time has come to read the Phillies their last rites.
The Dodgers didn’t come close to winning 120 games, and they were underwhelming in the regular season, which explains why they were unable to secure either of the first-round byes that were claimed by the Phillies and Brewers. They entered the postseason with an alarmingly untrustworthy bullpen, and that bullpen nearly blew a four-run lead in Game 2.
But in stealing two wins at Citizens Bank Park, the Dodgers demonstrated they still have that championship something that no other team in baseball has.
That something emerged on Monday night in the six scoreless innings pitched by Blake Snell, the run-scoring slide by Teoscar Hernández on a slow roller by Kike Hernández, the two-run single by Will Smith that broke open the game, the insurance run driven in by Shohei Ohtani. That something was reflected in the two innings contributed by converted starter Emmet Sheehan, and game-saving defensive plays made by Mookie Betts, Max Muncy and Miguel Rojas.
“It’s huge,” manager Dave Roberts said. “It’s obviously huge. Guys are really stepping up.”
The Phillies aren’t stepping up, and their championship window that was opened by the likes of Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber could soon be closing. The urgency of the situation was recognized, with Phillies manager Rob Thomson making no effort to downplay the importance of Game 2, saying before the game that Ranger Suarez and Aaron Nola could pitch in relief.
Suárez and Nola were two candidates to start Game 3 (the Phillies announced after the game Nola would get the nod).
Thomson was prepared to deploy Suárez in a high-leverage situation. He was ready to call on Nola if the game went into extra innings.
“And we’ll figure out Game 3,” Thomson said.
The home fans comprehended the stakes. Citizens Bank Park was a madhouse in Game 1, but the crowd for Game 2 was comparatively toned down.
The nervous tension in the stadium quickly morphed into unbridled frustration, as the Phillies’ lineup was unable to do anything against Snell.
There were boos when batting champion Trea Turner struck out in the third inning. There were boos when Brandon Marsh was caught stealing on a pickoff by Snell to end the inning. There were more boos when Alec Bohm struck out for the final out of the fourth.
The first hit Snell gave up was with two outs in the fifth inning, a flare single to center field by Edmundo Sosa. The very next batter, Marsh, grounded out. More boos.
How nervous were Phillies fans? When a warning on the public-address system about streaking was followed by a bare-chested Philly Phanatic running across the outfield before the sixth inning, they offered no reaction. Baseball’s most iconic mascot was completely ignored.
Up to this point, the Dodgers were equally unproductive against the Phillies starter Jesús Luzardo. Betts singled and Teoscar Hernández walked in successive at-bats in the first inning, only for Luzardo to retire the next 17 batters in a row.
The Phillies threatened Snell for the first time in the sixth inning when Turner and Kyle Schwarber drew successive one-out walks. Up next: Harper, a two-time NL most valuable player.
In almost any other postseason, this is where Roberts would have instructed one of his coaches to phone the bullpen. But Roberts wasn’t about to replace Snell, not at this stage of the game, not with the combustibility of his relievers.
Snell struck out Harper and forced Bohm to hit a sharp grounder to Rojas at third base. Once Rojas secured the ball, he dived to the nearest bag, his outstretched glove touching the base before the hand of a sliding Turner.
The defensive stand set the stage for a four-run seventh inning that decided the game.
Thomson inadvertently assisted the effort but not because he removed Luzardo. His error was in the pitcher he chose to replace Luzardo with runners on second and third base with no outs. With closer Jhoan Duran available, Thomson went with Orion Kerkering.
Nothing could stop the Dodgers — not even their own bullpen.
Sheehan pitched the seventh and eighth innings, over which he limited the Phillies to a run.
Reluctant to use rookie Roki Sasaki twice in three days — Sasaki closed out Game 1 — Roberts gambled by calling on Blake Treinen to pitch the ninth inning. The slumping former World Series hero failed to get a single out, giving up a pair of runs on a double by Nick Castellanos. What was once a four-run lead was suddenly down to 4-3.
With Alex Vesia on the mound, the Dodgers executed a wheel play that resulted in Muncy fielding a bunt by Bryson Stott and throwing to third base, where Betts applied a tag on Castellanos. The play potentially saved a run, as well as the game.
Vesia was replaced with two outs and runners on the corners by Sasaki, who forced Turner to ground out.
The game was over.
Unofficially, the most important series of the postseason was, too.
United States President Donald Trump has spent the better part of this week touting a TikTok “deal” with China, but experts say it is far from finalised after both sides shared details of his phone call with President Xi Jinping.
The two leaders spoke by phone on Friday, their first call in three months, but there was no announcement of the sale of the popular social media app that has 170 million US users.
Recommended Stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
While Trump, in a post after the call on Truth Social, said “It was a very good call … appreciate the TikTok approval”, the version from Beijing was not as clear.
“On TikTok, Xi said China’s position is clear: the Chinese government respects the will of firms and welcomes companies to conduct business negotiations on the basis of market rules to reach a solution consistent with Chinese laws and regulations while balancing interests,” according to the meeting summary in Xinhua, the Reuters news agency reported.
Experts were not surprised.
“Trump is the type of person who often announces frameworks or deals to have deals or a deal that still has a lot of details to be worked out, and this seems to be another example of that,” said Rachel Ziemba, adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security.
The bigger trade deal is likely to wait till Trump and Xi meet on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum that starts on October 31 in Gyeongju in South Korea, “if that happens”, added Ziemba.
Despite the lack of any specific developments from Friday’s call, experts agree that the leaders talking is in itself a sign of a thaw, especially as Xi had previously refused to get on the phone with Trump, despite the multiple meetings in Geneva, London and most recently in Madrid.
“At least they have broken ice after a long while, and it seems like they are ready to negotiate other more difficult issues,” said Wei Liang, a professor at Middlebury Institute of International Studies, where she specialises in international trade and Chinese foreign economic policy, among other topics.
Some scholars, she said, had likened the last few months as worse than the peak of the Cold War between the US and the former Soviet Union, where leaders of the two countries at least had a hotline in place.
The call was days after Trump extended, for the fourth time, a deadline for China’s ByteDance to divest its ownership of TikTok or face a ban in the US under a law passed last year with overwhelming bipartisan support and one that was later upheld by the Supreme Court.
“It will be a very complicated transaction, if it happens,” said Robert Rogowsky, adjunct professor of trade and economic diplomacy at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, both because Beijing is reluctant to exit the app and because of the lack of clarity of future owners and rules around that.
“The value of TikTok is the algorithm which selects for us what we want to see, but in a way that is remarkably controlling,” said Rogowsky.
While the focus in debates on TikTok’s ownership has centred around data security, the real problem, instead, is its “ability to influence” viewers through the algorithm, said Rogowsky.
“Think about the power that would confer on the owners, the power of that incredibly sophisticated algorithm that drives people’s viewing, when that is under the control of a political party or groups [aligned with one], gives them tremendous power to influence.”
Middlebury’s Liang adds that it is unlikely that China would let go of the algorithm and expects “a graceful exit” that would allow both the US and China to get what they want from this deal.
China’s ‘stronger, bolder stand’
Any hammering out of a bigger trade deal on the multiple other issues, including US access to rare earth metals and China’s purchase of Russian oil and access to US semiconductor chips, will have to wait for the two leaders to meet, experts say.
“What is clear is that Trump himself is not in a space to impose new tariffs on China, and that is a reflection of the fact that the US government has mixed interests with respect to China, and the Chinese control some very important choke points,” said Ziemba, referring to China’s hold over critical minerals.
Rogowsky agrees that “China is taking a much stronger, bolder stand with regard to the US, partly because that’s the China way.”
But it is also likely that Beijing has some justification for that confidence, he said, referring to Beijing’s directive to businesses to avoid buying chips from US chip giant Nvidia.
“While US is trying to control what sort of chips go to China, they have declined to buy those, probably because they have the technology to design equally good or better and cheaper chips,” he said. Plus, with US dependence on Chinese rare earth metals, Beijing is “feeling strong enough to confront the US”.
Roku’s stock crashed hard after its pandemic highs. But the growth story is far from over.
Some investors thought Roku(ROKU -2.56%) was a pure hero of the coronavirus lockdown era. The media-streaming technology expert’s stock soared in 2020, stalled in 2021, and took a long, consistent swan dive over the next couple of years.
Image source: Getty Images.
It was fair to call Roku’s stock overvalued in 2021, but the company’s growth story never ended. In fact, I think Roku has many more high-growth chapters to share over the next several years, and the stock looks wildly undervalued these days.
And I only need one simple chart to illustrate this concept. As you can see in the graph below, Roku’s revenues are still experiencing explosive revenue growth:
Sure, you see an abnormal bump around the COVID-19 era. Roku saw a few quarters of unsustainable user and revenue increases there, followed by a whiplash-inducing slowdown in the inflation-based market panic of 2023. Roku’s top-line sales growth hit the brakes pretty hard at that point.
Some of that was a clear-eyed and voluntary long-term growth strategy. You see, Roku saw a user-grabbing opportunity in the inflation-fighting crash. Consumers were more price-sensitive than ever and most of Roku’s streaming platform rivals were staving off inflation-based costs by raising prices. Yep, those companies contributed to the very inflation problem they were battling.
Not Roku. The company held service and hardware prices steady throughout the golden lockdown years and the following penny-pinching crash. As a result, the active user count rose from 70 million at the end of 2022 to 80 million a year later and 90 million in Q4 2024.
Atop this expanding user base, Roku is building a massive long-term business. Revenues quickly picked up speed after the 2023 pause, as seen in that handy chart. In July’s Q2 2025 report, free cash flow rose 23% year over year while adjusted EBITDA jumped 76%. And these are still the early innings of a long growth game.
With temperatures of 25C in September and crystal-blue water, this underrated holiday hotspot is a must-visit for those looking to escape the crowds in September.
(Image: Paolo Graziosi via Getty Images)
Italy is a favourite destination for late-summer and early-autumn beach holidays, thanks to its warm weather and status as one of the world’s most visited countries. Even during the shoulder season, top spots like Florence, Rome, and the Amalfi Coast are teeming with tourists.
However, there’s an under-the-radar region in this southern European country that remains largely untouched by international crowds – but probably not for much longer. This stunning part of Italy boasts sandy beaches so pristine they’re likened to the Maldives and enjoys balmy weather with average highs of 25C in September.
While Italians are well-acquainted with Puglia, it’s not usually the first place that springs to mind when planning a beach holiday in Europe.
Nestled between the Adriatic and Ionian seas and shaped like the heel of Italy’s boot, Puglia has a vast coastline peppered with dreamy coves, limestone cliffs and picture-perfect bays.
Among them is Polignano a Mare, a delightful coastal town perched on cliffs. Its small cove beach, Lama Monachile, is famous for its crystal-clear water and white pebbles, all framed by dramatic, rugged cliffs, reports the Express.
Polignano a Mare is uniquely beautiful(Image: Getty)
Further down south, Santa Maria di Leuca is the southernmost point of the region where two seas converge.
It’s an ideal spot for a sunset cruise or paddleboarding into caves before enjoying dinner at a local trattoria serving fresh seafood, orecchiette pasta, and robust Salento wine.
Inland, you’ll find the enchanting town of Alberobello, renowned for its UNESCO-listed trulli – traditional whitewashed stone huts with conical roofs. Many have been transformed into luxurious holiday accommodations, offering a truly local experience.
Just a short drive away, the dazzling white town of Ostuni, also known as La Città Bianca, boasts cobbled lanes and panoramic terraces. Nearby Brindisi provides easy access to the region, often with cheaper flights than other Italian hubs.
Alberobello is famed for its UNESCO-listed trulli(Image: Getty)
Puglia also serves as the perfect starting point for exploring the incredibly popular Matera in the neighbouring Basilicata region.
It’s the third-oldest city in the world, after Aleppo and Jericho, boasting over 10,000 years of history, and is famous for its ancient cave homes and rupestrian churches with hand-painted walls.
Naturally, no visit to Puglia would be complete without delving into its food culture. This is the land of burrata, orecchiette, and full-bodied wines like Primitivo, Negroamaro, and Salice Salentino.
The written reasons detailing the commission’s finding were published on Wednesday.
“The FA is committed to ensuring that the integrity of football is maintained, and full and thorough investigations will always be conducted into serious allegations of rule breaches,” said English football’s governing body., external
The FA started its investigation in August 2023 and the Brazil international was charged in May last year for allegedly getting booked deliberately “for the improper purpose of affecting the betting market”.
The four charges against him related to a Premier League game against Leicester City on 12 November 2022, as well as 2023 fixtures against Aston Villa on 12 March, Leeds United on 21 May and Bournemouth on 12 August.
Paqueta was also charged with two counts of failing to co-operate with the investigation after breaching “FA Rule F3 in respect of alleged failures to comply pursuant to FA Rule F2”, which relates to providing information and documents.
He also denied these charges, but the regulatory commission found them to be proven.
“The regulatory commission will decide an appropriate sanction for the breaches of FA Rule F3 that were found proven and the details will be published at the earliest opportunity,” added the FA.
Paqueta joined the Hammers from Lyon for an initial £36.5m in August 2022 and helped the club win the Europa Conference League during his debut season.
The visitors suffered a huge blow after just eight minutes when loose forward Morgan Knowles was forced off with a head injury after a high shot which earned Martin 10 minutes in the sin-bin.
The home fans breathed a sigh of relief moments later when half-back Lewis returned to the field after limping off, and George Delaney, on for Knowles, could have seen worse than a yellow card after putting his shoulder into Eribe Doro’s head.
Martin was stopped inches short and James Batchelor knocked on close to the line as Rovers looked to exploit their man advantage, but fine scramble defence denied them in a breathless and scoreless opening half-hour.
Martin nudged the hosts ahead after Joe Batchelor was punished for an off-the-ball hit on Jez Litten, yet Saints, under the cosh for long periods, went in level through Percival when Litten was pinged for ruck interference.
Joe Batchelor’s shoulder put the visitors behind for a second time soon after the restart when he illegally blocked Lewis from following up his chip and chase and Martin kicked a simple penalty.
Tom Davies was denied the opening try after Peta Hiku stuck a foot in touch, but Rovers ground their way to a six-point lead with two quick penalties, the second conceded by Delaney, who was forced to hold on after Lewis cut loose.
Showing signs of wear and tear, the visitors finally buckled, with Lewis unsurprisingly the man to unpick the lock in the 67th minute, setting up field position with a brilliant 40-20 kick before supplying the try assist.
Saints set up a nervy finale with a try out of nowhere when Cross chased down Jack Welsby’s kick ahead, but the hosts held on for a fifth successive win over the Saints and a third of the season.
Investors have ridden an incredible recovery from the April 2 “Liberation Day” tariff surprises. Since the April 8 low, the Nasdaq Composite(^IXIC 1.88%) has appreciated an incredible 40%. And of course, that recovery has taken place amid a decade-long bull market in technology growth stocks.
It’s easy to understand why. Society is becoming more digital and automated. The last 10 years have seen the emergence of cloud computing, streaming video, digital advertising, the pandemic-era boom in electronic devices and work-from-home, all topped off by the introduction of generative artificial intelligence (AI) marked by the unveiling of ChatGPT in late 2022.
However, after a long tech bull market, technology growth stocks have reached a worrying valuation level relative to other stocks, and today’s relative overvaluation mirrors an infamous period in stock market history.
Echoes of the dot-com era?
In several ways, technology stock performance and valuations are currently mirroring the extremes of the dot-com boom of the late 1990s. Unfortunately, we all know how that period ended, with a terrible “bust” that sent the Nasdaq tumbling three years in a row, eventually culminating in a 78% drawdown from the March 10, 2000, peak.
Technology innovation can be very exciting; however, that excitement often finds itself in the form of high valuations. According to data published on Charlie Bilello’s State of the Markets blog, the technology sector’s recent outperformance has now exceeded that of the height of the dot-com bubble:
The relative outperformance isn’t the only mirror to the dot-com era. Back then, tech stocks also became very large, leading to an outperformance of large stocks relative to small stocks. Similarly, tech stocks are often growth stocks with high multiples, reflecting enthusiasm over their future prospects. This is in contrast to value stocks, which trade at low multiples, usually due to their more modest growth prospects.
As you can see below, the outperformance of large stocks to small stocks, as well as growth stocks to value stocks, is at highs last seen during the dot-com boom.
Given that higher-valued tech stocks now make up a larger portion of the index, the Schiller price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio, which adjusts for cyclicality in earnings over 10 years, while not quite at the levels of 1999, has crept up to the highest level since 1999, roughly matching the level from 2021:
As we all know, 2022 was also a terrible year for tech stocks. While it didn’t see a multiyear crash akin to the dot-com bust, 2022 saw the Nasdaq decline 33.1% on the year. Of course, at the end of 2022, ChatGPT came out, somewhat saving the tech sector as the AI revolution kicked off.
Counterpoints to the bubble thesis
Thus, when compared to history, tech stocks are at worrying levels. Given the similarities to the 1999 dot-com bubble and the 2021 pandemic bubble, some may think it’s time to panic and sell; however, there are also a few counter-narratives to consider.
The first is that, unlike in 1999, today’s technology giants are mostly truly diversified, cash-rich behemoths that account for a greater and greater percentage of today’s gross domestic product (GDP). While the late 1990s certainly had its leaders — including Microsoft(MSFT 0.56%), the only market leader that is in the same position today as then — they weren’t really anything like today’s tech giants, with robust cloud businesses, global scale, diversified income streams, and tremendous amounts of cash.
While market concentration in the top three weightings tends to occur before market downturns, index weighting concentration appears to be somewhat of a long-term trend now, increasing beyond prior highs in 1999 and 2008 since 2019.
Image source: Charlie Bilello State of the Markets blog.
Thus, it seems a higher weighting of the “Magnificent Seven” stocks could be a feature of today’s economy, rather than an aberration.
While it’s true that some of today’s large companies are overvalued, given their underlying strength and resilience, it’s perhaps not abnormal for them to garner higher-than-normal valuation multiples.
What investors should do now
It’s important to know that while taking note of market levels is important, it is extremely difficult to time market downturns. Famed investor Peter Lynch once said, “Far more money has been lost by investors preparing for corrections, or trying to anticipate corrections, than has been lost in corrections themselves.”
So, one shouldn’t abandon one’s long-term investing plan just because overall market levels may be frothy. That being said, if you need a certain amount of cash in the next one to two years, it may be a good idea to keep that money in cash or Treasury bills until then, rather than the stock market.
Furthermore, if you have a regular, methodical investing plan, stick to it. But if you are consistently adding to your portfolio every month or quarter, you may want to look at small caps, non-tech sectors, and value stocks today, rather than adding to large technology companies.
AUSTIN, Texas — Both parties expected Republicans to win an early round Wednesday in a growing national redistricting battle by pushing a congressional map creating five new potential GOP seats past its biggest obstacle in the Texas Legislature.
The Republican-controlled Texas House planned to vote on a redistricting plan that resulted from prodding by President Trump, eager to stave off a midterm defeat that would deprive his party of control of the House of Representatives. Texas Democratic lawmakers delayed a vote for 15 days by leaving the state in protest, depriving the House of enough members to do business.
Some Democrats returned Monday, only to be assigned round-the-clock police escorts to ensure their attendance at Wednesday’s session. Seven who refused were confined to the House floor, where they protested on a livestream Tuesday night, led by Rep. Nicole Collier, who represents a minority-majority district in Fort Worth. Her staff removed a pillow, blanket and bag of personal effects early Wednesday.
As lawmakers trickled into the chamber, several Democrats gave Collier a hug, said “Thank you,” and took photos with her. In a social media post Tuesday night, Collier put a call from 2024 Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris on her cellphone’s speaker. Harris told Collier that, “We are all in that room with you.”
“We are making a difference,” she said after the call. “People are watching and they are ready to hold this government accountable.”
House approval of the map would send it to the Senate for a vote as early as Thursday. Passage there also is expected, and not enough Democrats walked out previously to prevent the chamber from working. Democrats said they’re preparing to challenge the new map in court.
Furious national Democrats have vowed payback for the Texas map, with California’s legislature poised to approve new maps adding more Democratic-friendly seats later this week. The map would still need to be approved by that state’s voters in November.
Normally, states redraw maps once a decade with new census figures. But Trump is lobbying other conservative-controlled states like Indiana and Missouri to also try to squeeze new GOP-friendly seats out of their maps as his party prepares for a difficult midterm election next year.
Democrats are energized by the fight in Texas
As House session was about to begin, about two dozen demonstrators supporting Democrats sang “Fighting for Democracy, we shall not be moved” outside the chamber. GOP House Speaker Dustin Burrows announced that the public gallery will be cleared if there are disruptions. The public gallery was mostly empty as the session was gaveled in.
But the 100 members required to do business were present. About 200 people have gathered in the Capitol’s rotunda for a rally supporting Democrats, holding signs saying “End Gerrymandering — Save Democracy,” “Defend the Constitution” and “Fascism is here.”
Texas Democrats spent the day before the vote continuing to draw attention to the extraordinary lengths the Republicans who run the legislature were going to ensure it takes place.
Collier started it when she refused to sign what Democrats called the “permission slip” required by Burrows to leave the House chamber, a half-page form allowing Department of Public Safety troopers to follow them. Collier spent Monday night and Tuesday on the House floor, where she set up a livestream while her Democratic colleagues outside had plainclothes officers following them to their offices and homes.
Dallas-area Rep. Linda Garcia said she drove three hours home from Austin with an officer following her. When she went grocery shopping, he went down every aisle with her, pretending to shop, she said. As she spoke to The Associated Press by phone, two unmarked cars with officers inside were parked outside her home.
“It’s a weird feeling,” she said. “The only way to explain the entire process is: It’s like I’m in a movie.”
Dallas-area Rep. Cassandra Garcia Hernandez joined the protest inside the House chamber and called it a “slumber party for democracy,” and she said Democrats were holding strategy sessions on the floor.
“We are not criminals,” Houston Rep. Penny Morales Shaw said before also joining Collier.
Collier said having officers shadow her was an attack on her dignity and an attempt to control her movements.
Republican leader says Collier ‘is well within her rights’
Burrows brushed off Collier’s protest, saying he was focused on important issues, such as providing property tax relief and responding to last month’s deadly floods. His statement Tuesday morning did not mention redistricting, and his office did not immediately respond to other Democrats joining Collier.
“Rep. Collier’s choice to stay and not sign the permission slip is well within her rights under the House Rules,” Burrows said.
Under those rules, until Wednesday’s vote, the chamber’s doors were locked, and no member could leave “without the written permission of the speaker.”
Republicans issued civil arrest warrants to bring the Democrats back after they left the state Aug. 3, and Republican Gov. Greg Abbott asked the state Supreme Court to oust Rep. Gene Wu of Houston — the House minority leader — and several other Democrats from office. The lawmakers also face a fine of $500 for every day they were absent.
Democrats outside the Capitol reported different levels of monitoring and some said the officers watching them were friendly. But Austin Rep. Sheryl Cole said in a social media post that when she went on her morning walk Tuesday, the officer following her lost her on the trail, got angry and threatened to arrest her.
Garcia said the officer who tailed her home also came in the grocery store when she went shopping with her 9-year-old son.
“I would imagine that this is the way it feels when you’re potentially shoplifting and someone is assessing whether you’re going to steal,” she said.
Vertuno and Riccardi write for the Associated Press. Riccardi reported from Denver. John Hanna in Topeka, Kan., and Sara Cline in Baton Rouge, La., contributed to this report.
Porthor, known by some as ‘Whistling Sands’, is one of only two beaches in Europe where the sand ‘sings’ under your feet – and it’s a must-visit for Brits.
As one of merely two European beaches where this extraordinary phenomenon occurs, Porthor – or Porth Oer as it’s known locally – stands as an essential destination for any traveller. Walking holiday experts Mickledore have emphasised that Porthor captivates visitors with its unusual acoustic properties, spectacular scenery, and convenient accessibility.
The experts add: “Porthor’s gentle ‘song’ is rare and beautiful. It turns a simple walk into something magical. Where else can you step on the sand and have it sing back to you?”
Alongside its singing sands, Porthor offers stunning views of the small islands of Dinas Bach and Dinas Fawr, where grey seals are sometimes spotted.
The beach also sits in an ideal spot for Wales Coast Path walkers, acting as an excellent launching point for treks to Mynydd Anelog, another site offering spectacular panoramas.
Porthor offers stunning views of the surrounding area(Image: Getty)
Visitors hoping to witness the ‘whistling sands’ phenomenon must time their trip perfectly. Head there on a dry day, stroll above the high tide mark, and either shuffle your feet or tread gently – that’s when you might catch the distinctive squeak or whistle.
Beachgoers have been singing the praises of this unique spot on TripAdvisor. One visitor gushed: “This was our favourite beach on Llyn. Perhaps more of a ‘squeak’ than a whistling beach but sure enough if you walk across the sand bare foot you’ll hear it! Dramatic location, crystal clear waters, lovely soft squeaky sand!”
Another fan penned: “What a lovely sandy beach, great car park, lovely views with rock pools and a cave for the children to explore. Could hear the sand whistling under our feet, well worth a visit.”
However, one visitor who missed out on the ‘whistling’ still had positive words to share: “Beautiful beach well worth a visit. Lovely coffee and cake served in the cafe. Sand was quite wet so I didn’t get the whistling experience.”
A worker removes a fallen tree on the A82 at Onich near Fort William
Storm Floris disruption is expected to continue on Tuesday as the clear-up continues after the amber weather alert.
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) said it was continuing to restore supplies after about 50,000 homes were left without power.
Network Rail said teams had been working “tirelessly” to clear routes with 119 incidents reported on train lines across Scotland on Monday, amid gusts of up to 90mph in some parts.
Winds of up to 70mph were expected overnight in Orkney and Shetland, with a Met Office yellow warning in place until 08:00.
The Scottish government held an emergency meeting on Monday night in response to the “significant disruption” caused by the storm.
Home Affairs Secretary Angela Constance said travel should be avoided if possible until the danger had passed.
She said that power cuts were still affecting a “significant” number of properties, and that the recovery period would take time despite an improving forecast over the rest of the week.
“We will continue to receive updates throughout Tuesday and will have a better idea on public transport tomorrow morning,” she added.
ScotRail urged customers to check their journey via the app, website or JourneyCheck before travelling on Tuesday.
SSEN said Floris was “the most damaging summer storm in recent memory” with thousands of properties hit in the Highlands, Moray and Aberdeenshire.
Damage and disruption as Storm Floris crashes into UK
About 9,000 homes had been reconnected by Monday night, with SSEN engineers working to restore power to 43,500 more.
The firm said free hot food and drinks would be provided on Tuesday in areas where homes were awaiting reconnection.
Confirmed food locations are:
DINGWALL – Maryburgh Hub Hall
HUNTLY – Market Muir Car Park
WICK – Bilbster Hall
LAIRG -Village car park
KYLE OF LOCHALSH – Lochalsh Leisure Centre
Network Rail reported 75 tree-related incidents across the network, including trees falling on to overhead lines at King’s Park in Glasgow, Cornton near Stirling and Bishopton near Paisley.
It said some train disruption would continue as checks were carried out on Tuesday morning.
Network Rail Scotland
In Clackmannanshire, Network Rail cleared trees from lines near Alloa
Ross Moran, Network Rail Scotland’s route director, said: “Storm Floris has caused significant disruption to Scotland’s railway.
“As the storm passes our focus switches to inspecting routes which have been closed by fallen trees, debris and other damage.
“We’ll use two helicopters to assist engineers on the ground. We’re grateful to passengers for their patience whilst we do this.”
Flights and ferries were also suspended across Scotland on Monday with people urged to avoid travel.
Most of the country’s major road bridges were closed to high-sided vehicles.
Vehicles were blown over in Glasgow and Skye, while the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and other major events were cancelled.
PA Media
Visitors were turned away from Edinburgh Castle after it closed on Monday
Edinburgh Fringe Festival said about 110 shows had been cancelled – mostly those in temporary structures.
In Glasgow, location filming for the superhero blockbuster Spider-Man: Brand New Day was suspended in the city centre.
The SQA also warned that the weather would delay the delivery of exam results letters on Tuesday for pupils on Scotland’s islands.
A Met Office amber warning, covering a wide area from the central belt to the Highlands, expired at 23:00 on Monday.
Western coastal areas saw the strongest early gusts with the high winds moving north-east later.
The Met Office said summer storms caused problems as trees were in full leaf and were more likely to be toppled with branches broken off.
Tuesday is forecast to be a calmer day as Storm Floris moves towards Scandinavia.
Not too far from the UK’s capital, there’s a coastal gem that bears a striking resemblance to the gorgeous and dreamy Mediterranean Greek island – but it’s cheaper
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Pedn Vounder Beach is the perfect place on a sunny day(Image: Getty Images)
Escaping the city for a couple of days and going to a paradise with poor phone signals and ocean views is something many of us dream about. Now, with the cost of living cutting short our annual trips, who said there’s a need to fly out of the country? Walking sandal experts FitFlop found the UK’s best lookalike locations to dreamy destinations like Italy, Greece, India, Iceland and even the Caribbean.
A five-hour drive from London to Cornwall will take you to a magical place with gorgeous coastline and crystal clear waters. Called Pedn Vounder Beach in Cornwall, it has positioned itself as one of the must-visit places this summer.
It was named one of the most beautiful beaches(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Nestled among the cliffs of Treryn Dinas in Cornwall lies one of the most beautiful beaches. Interestingly, but not surprisingly, Big 7 Travel named Pedn Vounder Beach as one of the must-visit beach destinations in 2023, competing against well-known holiday spots like South Africa and Iceland.
Cornwall’s hidden gem
The site wrote: “Tucked beneath rugged cliffs near the famous Logan Rock, Pedn Vounder is a tidal beach that looks more Mediterranean than British. Its crystal clear turquoise waters and soft white sands are reminiscent of Greek islands like Zakynthos or Sardinia’s Costa Smeralda.”
“At low tide, a sandy causeway connects it to neighbouring Porthcurno Beach, adding to the magical, untouched feel. With more than 40,000 monthly Google searches for ‘Greece holiday’, this Cornish gem is a hidden hack for a faux Grecian staycation.”
The famous Logan Rock, a 80-ton rock stone located on the east headland of the beach, is known for its turquoise waters and picturesque views. It’s a good area for those who love outdoor activities, such as walking and hiking.
However, if you’re looking for a quiet holiday, you might want to reconsider visiting during the summer months. Pedn Vounder Beach is extra busy during the holidays, and, of course, when the temperatures go above 20 degrees Celsius.
With a 4.4 rating out of five stars on TripAdvisor, visitors seem to have been left impressed. Many were happy to enjoy swimming, tanning and participating in water activities.
One holidaymaker said: “The beach cove really is gorgeous, the water is crystal clear and a stunning turquoise colour, you wouldn’t believe it’s in the UK!” A second one added: “Beautiful, unspoiled beach, much quieter than other beaches because it is not easy to get to.”
Visitors to wear comfortable clothes and appropriate footwear on their way to Pedn Vounder Beach(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Pedn Vounder Beach is not easy to get to
Although it’s one of the most remote spots in Cornwall, it’s always been one of the most popular to visit. However, those who wish to dip in the beautiful waters and lie down in the white sand have to be careful, as it can be dangerous to get there.
The majority of comments recommended that future visitors wear appropriate clothing and footwear, as it might be tricky. The review continued: “The last bit requires you to climb, literally, holding on with both faces, face to the rock and being very careful not to slip or you risk falling 5 or 6 meters onto hard rock. Proper shoes are a must, plus a rucksack with your stuff, you don’t want anything in your hands.”
So, if you’re heading to Cornwall this summer, don’t drive past Pedn Vounder Beach. It might be challenging, but it’s so worth it.
The Isles of Scilly are just 28 miles off the coast of Cornwall and have some of the warmest weather in the UK. There are five main islands and hundreds of beaches to explore
This tropical paradise is in the UK(Image: Aerial Essex via Getty Images)
The Isles of Scilly, situated a mere 28 miles from the Cornish coast, boast some of the UK’s most temperate climates.
With five main islands and countless beaches to discover, visitors can indulge in a plethora of water sports including kayaking, diving, sailing, swimming and windsurfing.
The island of Tresco has some beautiful beaches(Image: Ashley Cooper via Getty Images)
On dry land, there’s no shortage of awe-inspiring sights to behold, from ancient ruins and stunning gardens to an intriguing maze.
St Mary’s, the largest island in the group, covers just over six square miles and is home to approximately 1,800 inhabitants.
This particular island holds a special place in the hearts of the Royal Family.
The Prince and Princess of Wales have been known to whisk their children away here for their summer holidays, reports the Express.
They’ve also been spotted on Tresco, the second largest island, which houses the renowned Tresco Abby Gardens.
Tresco Abbey Gardens(Image: Clive Nichols via Getty Images)
This breathtaking location is home to 20,000 species of sub-tropical plants and flowers, creating a tranquil paradise perfect for a day of exploration.
Tresco is a designated area of outstanding natural beauty, and to maintain its unspoilt charm, it is completely car-free; electric buggies or bicycles are the preferred modes of transport around the island.
Alternatively, public transport is available, or, if you prefer, you could simply stroll around and enjoy the best the island has to offer.
If you’re keen to explore this heavenly spot, Discover Ferries suggests journeying to Tresco via St Mary’s by sea from Penzance between March and November with Isle of Scilly Travel.
A picturesque UK island with white beaches and turquoise waters was once home to around 40 residents, but has been left abandoned for around 200 years due to one key reason
This abandoned island really does like something straight from a postcard(Image: Getty Images/Hemis.fr RM)
A beautiful UK island that could easily be mistaken for the likes of the Maldives or Caribbean was surprisingly abandoned by Brits centuries ago.
Boasting insanely white beaches, turquoise waters and its very own sub-tropical climate that welcomes balmy temperatures of around 25C – you’d expect Samson Island to have been turned into a huge holiday resort crawling with tourists. But for years, this stunning piece of land – which is roughly just 39 hectares – used to home just 40 residents, most of whom were believed to have worked as farmers and fishermen.
Despite its ethereal beauty, life on Samson wasn’t easy, and by the mid-1800s the population had dwindled down to just 10 people, all part of two remaining families. Stung by scarce resources and its isolated location, residents reportedly started suffering from malnutrition – surviving mainly off foraged food and potatoes.
The island was transformed into a deer park, which quickly backfired(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
In 1834, the island was bought by Augustus Smith, who removed the families from Samson and transformed the island into a private deer park. However, this plan massively backfired and many of the deer attempted to escape to the neighbouring islands.
Now left alone to its own devices, Samson has become a haven for wildlife, and is protected as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Expect to see seals playing in the waves, while gannets and razorbills fly overhead if you visit.
You’ll also be able to spot the crumbled ruins that once homed multiple families. They make for a great snap and really make you think what life would have been like on this incredible island some two hundred years ago.
Crumbling houses provide an insight into life on Samson(Image: Getty Images/Collection Mix: Subjects RF)
“Nestled in the narrow strip of land between the twin hills of Samson stand the roofless remains of stone cottages and boathouses,” explains Discovering Britain. “Long walls section off parts of the island and, around the ancient burial sites that top the hills, flints, pottery and other echoes of an intriguing history of human habitation have been unearthed.”
Situated in the acclaimed Isles of Scilly, some 28 miles of Cornwall – you can now visit Samson on a day trip from the habitable islands nearby. Tresco, one of the most popular islands on the archipelago, is less than a mile away – meaning you can technically swim over to Samson, but due to potential hazards and ferry routes – it isn’t advised.
Most tourists visit Samson by boat, though it is technically possible to swim over from nearby islands(Image: Getty Images/Collection Mix: Subjects RF)
However, you can easily catch a ferry and walk the plank from the boat to the shore. If you want a bit more adventure, you can hire a kayak from Bryher and paddle across the clear water from Rushy Bay.
Getting to the Isle of Scilly will require a little bit of work. You can either fly on the Skybus, which departs from Land’s End, Newquay or Exeter Airport – or take a helicopter from Penzance. Most people opt for the Scillonian III Passenger Ferry, which takes two hours and forty minutes from Penzance but can work out much cheaper.
Do you have a story to share? Email us at [email protected] for a chance to be featured
Hout Bay in Cape Town is a stunning seaside spot that’s a must-visit for anyone travelling to South Africa – but there’s a near-perfect alternative much closer to home
Porthdinllaen has been named as a perfect dupe for South Africa’s Hout Bay(Image: R A Kearton/Getty Images)
A Welsh coastal gem bears a striking resemblance to the breathtaking Hout Bay in Cape Town, South Africa.
With its spectacular scenery and crystal-clear azure waters, Hout Bay has established itself as an essential destination for travellers exploring South Africa. Yet there’s a remarkably similar shoreline much nearer to home for holidaymakers seeking an affordable getaway.
North Wales’s Porthdinllaen, featuring the magnificent Morfa Nefyn Beach, serves as Britain’s answer to Hout Bay, according to staycation specialists at holidaycottages.co.uk.
Both Porthdinllaen and Hout Bay are enchanting coastal settlements renowned for their golden sandy shores and dramatic clifftops, each boasting a lively local character with thriving harbours.
Hout Bay in Cape Town has a dupe quite a bit closer to home(Image: Getty Images)
Porthdinllaen, much like its South African counterpart, provides an ideal spot for wildlife observation, and whilst you won’t encounter any penguins as some fortunate Hout Bay visitors have, there’s still an abundance of creatures to discover, including seals, sand martins, and oystercatchers.
The Welsh coastal destination also appeals to those eager to enjoy a dip in the ocean or participate in more thrilling water activities such as kayaking and snorkelling.
Visitors to Porthdinllaen must make sure to grab a bite at The Ty Coch Inn, a quaint red-brick establishment situated on its own stretch of sandy coastline, which has been described as “world-class” and “magical” by guests. Dog owners will be chuffed to hear that Morfa Nefyn is a dog-friendly beach, but do remember to keep your furry friend on a lead near the Ty Coch area.
Porthdinllaen is the perfect location for wildlife watching(Image: Jason Wells/Getty Images)
The beach has been showered with praise on TripAdvisor, with one holidaymaker commenting: “Fantastic views, beautiful beach. Ideal for kayaking and paddle boarding. Lovely pub on the beach selling good homemade food. Naturally gets busy at peak times, bank holidays etc.”
Another visitor remarked: “I thought that this was a particularly good beach. It had sand, sea, boats, old buildings and mountainous views. It is definitely worth a go, if you are out that way.”
A third reviewer shared: “We were staying in a nearby holiday cottage and had a quiet, scenic, pleasant walk on a January morning. With it being out of season, it was pleasant having the entire place to ourselves for the walk. Would be lovely to visit again in better weather and with a picnic.”
Meanwhile, we are getting rid of medical researchers and weather forecasters, even as extreme and deadly weather events become more common.
Steve Lopez
Steve Lopez is a California native who has been a Los Angeles Times columnist since 2001. He has won more than a dozen national journalism awards and is a four-time Pulitzer finalist.
You would think — based on the priorities in President Trump’s budget, tax and policy bill approved last week — that immigration is the greatest threat to our health and security.
It’s not.
But billions of dollars have been added for border and ICE agents while billions more have been trimmed from medical, climate and weather-related resources.
On Monday morning, federal agents on horseback and in armored vehicles descended on MacArthur Park in a show of force. Children playing in the park were ushered to safer ground, Mayor Karen Bass said at a news conference.
“Frankly it is outrageous and un-American that we have federal armed vehicles in our parks when nothing is going on in our parks,” Bass said, adding that she didn’t know if anyone was even detained.
“It’s a political agenda of provoking fear and terror,” she said.
The event “looked like a staging for a TikTok video,” said City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson.
MacArthur Park has a sizable undocumented immigrant population, and a lot of big problems to tackle — homelessness, a wide-open drug trade and gang activity. On some days areas of the park were unusable for families. First responders rolled out on overdose calls, addicts took over an alley, and merchants struggled to stay open amid all the mayhem.
In December, people sit at the corner of Alvarado Street and Wilshire Boulevard, an area known for illegal drug use in the Westlake neighborhood.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
As I found last year over the course of several months on the ground, local officials waited too long and moved too slowly in response to the long-festering crisis.
But a silly military parade isn’t going to help, unless they actually were going after undocumented drug lords — but there was no immediate evidence of that.
If the federal government wanted to help, L.A. could use more support for housing, drug interdiction and treatment. It could use a more stable and equitable economy that’s not undermined by tariff uncertainties and the president’s taunts of trading partners.
As we know in California, countless industries rely on undocumented laborers. It’s an open secret, and has been for decades, not just in the Golden State but across the nation, and yet Washington has been unable to put together a sensible immigration reform package over the years.
That’s right. Trump threatened lackey GOP Congressman, ordering the spineless ninnies to pull their support.
Every time I see a helicopter now in L.A. — and as we know, they’re like mosquitoes up there — I wonder if Trump has sent in the Air Force, with bombers coming in behind them.
My colleague Rachel Uranga recently reported that “ICE has not released data on criminal records of detainees booked into its custody.” But nonpublic data from the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank, “showed about 9 out of 10 had never been convicted of a violent or property crime, and 30% have no criminal record. The most frequent crimes are immigration and traffic offenses.”
It’s nothing to warrant the terrorizing of neighborhoods and communities, nothing to warrant armed, masked agents of unknown identities and agencies roaming our streets and nabbing workers at car washes, Home Depots and restaurants.
Federal immigration agents near MacArthur Park in the Westlake area on Monday.
(Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)
It’s almost as terrifying as several other real and existential threats:
An anti-vax crackpot is in charge of the nation’s healthcare and medical research system.
Some of the leading researchers in medicine and science are leaving the country in a trend that could end up being a catastrophic brain drain.
I got an email the other day from the Social Security Administration informing me the “(SSA) is celebrating the passage of the One Big, Beautiful Bill.” I thought it was a joke at first — a satirical take on the rise of an authoritarian regime.
Meteorologists say extreme weather events like the rainstorms that led to a river surge and killed dozens of children and adults in Texas’ Hill Country over the holiday weekend are going to become more common.
Florida had a record-tying number of hurricanes in 2024 with 11 of them, and $130 billion in damage.
Wildfires destroyed thousands of homes in Southern California last year and are becoming ever-more common around the world.
Temperatures in the Mediterranean Sea smashed records for June, and scientists are warning of dire impacts on sea life and food chains.
To the president and his minions, the crisis is overblown.
It’s fake news.
And the federal government can’t be distracted from its core mission.
The week is young, and there’s no telling which L.A. neighborhood will be invaded next.
A beach in the UK has been compared to the stunning shores of Majorca and Ibiza, thanks to its breathtaking scenery. One visitor recently described her trip to this much-loved destination.
A woman came across the UK’s ‘best beach’ during her mission to find Britain’s hidden gems (stock photo)(Image: James Osmond via Getty Images)
A woman exploring the UK in search of its most scenic locations recently highlighted a stunning Cornish beach. Cornwall, with its array of beautiful shores and natural landscapes, draws tourists from all over Britain and beyond.
Cornwall is a beloved holiday spot in the UK, famed for its coastline, idyllic beaches, vibrant surfing scene, and attractions like the Eden Project and Tintagel Castle. British holidaymakers flock to the county for seaside escapades with their partners, families, or friends during the summer months, and Cornwall never disappoints. Lizzy Parkin, a travel blogger based in the Cotswolds, took to TikTok to share her latest coastal discovery in Cornwall.
She began by saying: “I’m on a mission to find places across the UK that make people say ‘I can’t believe this is the UK’ because as Brits, me included, we love to be negative about our own home but I’m trying to change that by sharing places that are undeniably beautiful and we’re starting strong with a spot near Penzance in Cornwall.”
Lizzy enthused: “This gem of a beach looks straight out of Majorca or Ibiza if you ask me, though the water is a little colder.”
She also mentioned that it’s “located on the most beautiful coastal path” but cautioned that the walk down isn’t the easiest, involving a “short scramble” to reach the beach, so she advised potential visitors to tread carefully when heading to this location.
The travel fan called the scenery on the way down to the beach “absolutely unreal” and revealed that it is Pedn Vounder Beach, found near the village of Treen in Cornwall.
Nestled among the cliffs of Treryn Dinas, Pedn Vounder boasts crystal clear turquoise waters and white sands.
Content cannot be displayed without consent
Cornwall Beaches recognises it as West Cornwall’s most famous spot for naturism, but Lizzy noted in her TikTok post’s comments that the beach was mostly full of visitors wearing swimsuits and a sign indicates it’s not entirely a nudist beach.
Cornwall Beaches explains that Pedn Vounder lies at the eastern end of Porthcurno cove, with the renowned Logan Rock perched atop the headland to the east, a massive granite boulder delicately balanced on the cliff tops of Treen.
Lizzy’s TikTok footage showcasing the breathtaking beauty of Pedn Vounder Beach has racked up 412,000 views, 45,000 likes, and over 200 comments so far.
One user raved: “Pedn Vounder is the best beach in the UK. Took my breath away when I first saw it recently. As good as any beach anywhere in the world!”
Another commented: “Just got back from Thailand and Pedn Vounder was as beautiful as.”
A third was astounded: “I can’t believe this is the UK!!! Wow.” And a fourth echoed: “Okay but I can’t believe this is the UK.”
There were so many mines on Larisa Sysenko’s small farm in Kamyanka in eastern Ukraine after the Russians withdrew that she and her husband Viktor began demining it themselves — with rakes.
Along the front line at Korobchyne near Kharkiv, Mykola Pereverzev started clearing fields with his farm machinery.
“My tractor was blown up three times. We had to get a new one. It was completely unrepairable. But we ended up clearing 200 hectares of minefields in two months,” he said.
“Absolutely everyone demines by themselves,” declared Igor Kniazev, who farms half an hour from Larisa’s.
Ukraine is one of the world’s renowned breadbaskets, its black earth so rich and fertile you want to scoop it up and inhale its aroma.
But that dark soil is now almost certainly the most heavily mined on the planet, experts told the AFP news agency.
More than three years of relentless artillery barrages — the most intense since World War II — have scattered it with millions of tonnes of ordnance, much still unexploded.
Experts estimate one in 10 shells fail to detonate, with up to a third of North Korean munitions fired by Russia remaining intact, their high explosives deteriorating where they fall.
Yet the drones revolutionising warfare in Ukraine may also transform the demining process.
Ukraine and many of the 80-plus nongovernmental organisations and commercial groups operating there already employ drones to accelerate the enormous task of land clearance, supported by substantial international funding.
Despite the dangers and official warnings, farmers themselves often take the initiative, like the Sysenkos.
They were among the first to return to devastated Kamyanka, which Russian forces occupied from March to September 2022.
Two weeks after Ukrainian soldiers recaptured the village, Larisa and Viktor returned to find their house uninhabitable, without utilities.
After waiting out the winter, they returned in March 2023 to take stock and begin cleanup, first removing the gallows Russian soldiers had erected in their yard.
Then they started demining, with rakes. “There were many mines, and our guys in the Ukrainian army couldn’t prioritise us. So we slowly demined ourselves with rakes,” Larisa said cheerfully.
Boxes of Russian artillery shells — 152mm howitzer shells specifically, Viktor noted with a mischievous smile — still sit stacked before their house.
“I served in Soviet artillery, so I know something about them,” the 56-year-old added.
That summer, Swiss FSD Foundation deminers discovered 54 mines in the Sysenkos’ field.
The deminers instructed the Sysenkos “to evacuate the house”.
“Their protocols prohibited us from staying. So we complied. The demining machine traversed the area repeatedly, triggering numerous explosions.”
While Kamyanka remains largely a ghost village with gutted homes, about 40 people have returned — far below its pre-war population of 1,200.
Many fear the mines, and several residents have stepped on them.
Yet farmers cannot afford to wait and have resumed working the vast fields of Ukraine’s renowned “chernozem” soil, famous for its intense blackness and fertility.
“Looking at surrounding villages, farmers have modified tractors themselves for clearance and are already planting wheat and sunflowers,” Viktor added.
The president of the United States, who seems to enjoy nothing more than playing the bully, is picking on Los Angeles. But L.A. Mayor Karen Bass, not known as a public brawler until recently, is ducking punches and throwing her own jabs and uppercuts.
She has accused President Trump of initiating the protests he condemned, and called Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem a liar for suggesting L.A. was a city of mayhem.
I had a conversation with her Tuesday about what it’s like to deal with a president like this one, but before we chatted, she stepped to the podium at City Hall, flanked by labor, business and faith leaders, and defended her turf again.
“This is essentially an all-out assault against Los Angeles,” Bass said, denouncing the U.S. Justice Department’s lawsuit accusing her and the City Council of hindering the battle against “a crisis of illegal immigration.” It’s a political stunt, Bass said several times, denying that the city’s sanctuary city protections are unlawful.
Steve Lopez
Steve Lopez is a California native who has been a Los Angeles Times columnist since 2001. He has won more than a dozen national journalism awards and is a four-time Pulitzer finalist.
“We know that Los Angeles is the test case,” Bass said. “And we will stand strong, and we do so because the people snatched off city streets and chased through parking lots are our neighbors, our family members, and they are Angelenos. Let me be clear. I won’t be intimidated.”
This has not been the best year of Bass’ political career. It began with the destruction of Pacific Palisades by a wildfire that started while Bass was out of town, and continued with the second-guessing of L.A.’s disaster preparedness and questions about who would lead the rebuilding effort.
Then came the arrival of federal agents and troops, with raids beginning June 6, and Bass started to find her footing by going against type.
“Her natural instinct is to be a coalition builder — to govern by consensus,” said Fernando Guerra, a political science professor at Loyola Marymount University. But that doesn’t work with Trump, “so she’s recalibrating and saying, you know, the only thing this guy understands is confrontation.”
Pomona College politics professor Sara Sadhwani said Trump is attacking “the heart and core of Los Angeles,” and there may be unintended consequences, given the way the president’s actions are unifying many Angelenos. “I think the vast majority of folks in Los Angeles, but also throughout the state, can agree that what’s happening now is not OK and runs counter to our values,” Sadhwani continued. “And Bass is showing incredibly strong leadership.”
President Trump shook hands with Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass after a fire briefing in Pacific Palisades on Jan. 24.
(Mark Schiefelbein / Associated Press)
Even a half dozen Republican state legislators have joined the opposition, sending a letter to Trump suggesting he focus on arresting actual criminals rather than going after people who make up an essential component of the economy.
As Sadhwani noted, Republican lawmakers for years have lamented federal overreach and argued in favor of state’s rights and local control. And yet the Trump Administration is set on telling California and Los Angeles how to govern themselves, most recently on sanctuary protections, despite court arguments that they’re protected under the 10th Amendment.
After Tuesday’s press conference, Bass retreated to her office and told me her support for immigrants began with her work as an activist in the 1970s.
“This is fundamentally who I am. But of course, having a blended family” also factors into her politics on immigration. “My ex-husband was a Chicano activist … I have other family members that are married to people from the Philippines, Korea, Japan. I have a Greek side to my family.”
When gathered, she said, her family “looks like the General Assembly of the United Nations.”
And that’s what Los Angeles looks like, with storylines that crisscross the globe and transcend borders.
“I don’t see anybody [here] anywhere calling for deportations, whereas you could imagine in some cities this would be a very divisive issue,” Bass said.
I told her I hear quite often from people asking: “What don’t you understand about the word illegal?” or from people arguing that their relatives waited and immigrated legally.
I understand those perspectives, I told Bass. But I also understand context — namely, the desire of people to seek better opportunities for their children, and the lure of doing so in a United States that relies upon immigrant labor and tacitly allows it while hypocritically condemning it.
While serving in Congress, Bass said, she witnessed the toll wrought by the separation of families along the border. She met people who “carried the trauma throughout their lives, the insecurity, the feeling of abandonment.”
At the very least, the mayor said, federal agents “should identify themselves and they also should have warrants, and they should stop randomly picking people up off the street. The original intent, remember, [was to go after] the hardened criminals. Where are the hardened criminals? They’re chasing them through parking lots at Home Depot? They’re washing cars? I don’t think so.”
U.S. Marines post guard at the Federal Building at the corner of Veteran Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles on June 19.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
In fact, the vast majority of arrestees in Los Angeles have no criminal records.
As for the cost of the raids in L.A. — by an administration that made a vow to shrink government — Bass wanted to make a few points.
“You think about the young men and women in the National Guard. They leave their families, work, their school. For what?” she asked. “It’s a misuse of the troops. And the same thing with the Marines. They’re not trained to deal with anything happening on the street. They’re trained to fight to kill the enemy in foreign lands.”
While we were talking, Bass got an urgent call from her daughter, Yvette Lechuga, who works as senior administrative assistant at Mount St. Mary’s University. Lechuga said a woman was apprehended while getting off a shuttle.
“It seems like ICE grabbed our student,” Lechuga said.
Bass said her staff would look into it.
“We were on quasi-lockdown for a while,” Lechuga said.
Travel influencer Chloe Lawford shared a video of the picture-perfect beach she visited in the UK that’s only accessible via a network of historic tunnels
This hidden gem is perfect for a sunny day this summer(Image: Getty)
Finding postcard-worthy beaches in the UK might seem like a tough task. Nevertheless, wanderlust spirit Chloe Lawford, a travel blogger, has discovered a stunning, secluded coastal gem that’s just perfect for those warm summer days. Situated behind a historical network of tunnels, this hideaway boasts crystal-clear waters and an atmosphere of tranquillity.
This year, the avid adventurer made her way to this enchanting spot for a relaxed seaside picnic and a refreshing dip, resulting in a truly breathtaking excursion. Documenting her experience on TikTok (@chloelawfordtravels), she disclosed: “After paying a small fee to enter, you access the beach through these long tunnels.
“The first set of tunnels leads you out to the Gentleman’s Beach, which is on the left and there is a wedding venue here. But you can continue going through more tunnels to get to the Ladies Beach on the right.
“This was the more popular beach and it’s where the swimming pool normally is when the tide is out. But we opted to head back up to the Gentleman’s Beach as it was much quieter and it was like our own private little beach.”
Chloe enthusiastically recommends Tunnels Beaches, hidden away on the Ilfracombe coastline in Devon, reports the Express. Conveniently located within a two-hour drive from Exeter, this idyllic destination is also close to other noteworthy locations such as Woolacombe and Wildersmouth Beach.
Niche Museums sheds light on the history of Tunnels Beaches, dating back to the 1820s when droves of Welsh miners took two years to hew six tunnels into the Ilfracombe hillside.
Tunnels Beaches is hidden on the other side of a mesmerising tunnel network built in the 1820s(Image: Getty)
This massive undertaking was part of North Devon’s initiative to cement its reputation as an ideal holiday locale, creating pathways for tourists to tread or coach their way to the seaside.
Currently, adult admission to Tunnels Beaches is modestly priced at £3.75 for those aged 16 and up, whilst tiny tots under three enjoy free entry. Prices for children aged three to 15 are set at an affordable £3.
Budget-conscious visitors can take advantage of the discounts on offer for students and seniors, not forgetting the family deals available to sweeten the deal – though do note, they only accept card payments on-site.
“It was such a lovely day and the water was super clear,” enthused Chloe, sharing her experience. “[…]We had a little picnic and then went for a swim, although there were lots of jellyfish in the water, so we didn’t brave too long of a swim and we sort of had a quick dip.
“However, it was still super refreshing. If you find yourself in Devon, don’t miss out on popping by this beach when the sun’s beaming down.”
Chloe’s glowing recommendation swiftly turned heads on TikTok, with numerous others on the platform echoing praise for the site’s splendour.
A resident nearby commented: “This is down the bottom of my road, I have a season ticket and spend every day I can there! Bliss.”
Meanwhile, a second person shared their own memories, exclaiming: “Omg I’ve been there it was so cool but more rocky then sandy.”
