Month: November 2025

Good morning, and welcome to L.A. on the Record — our City Hall newsletter. It’s David Zahniser, with an assist from Noah Goldberg and Libor Jany, giving you the latest on city and county government.

L.A.’s elected leaders took a dramatic step to cut police spending this year, chopping in half the number of officers that Mayor Karen Bass had been hoping to hire.

In May, the City Council voted to give the LAPD just enough money to recruit 240 officers this year, down from the 480 requested by Bass. They did so not just to close a $1-billion budget shortfall, but also to prevent other city workers from being laid off.

But on Tuesday, council members learned that the LAPD is on track to blow way past its budget allocation by adding 410 officers by summer 2026, the end of the fiscal year. That would mean hiring as many as 170 officers who lack funding in this year’s budget.

Councilmember Tim McOsker voiced frustration, saying the LAPD’s overspending represents “everyone’s worst fear about a department running rogue.”

“The budget has to mean something,” McOsker said during a Budget and Finance Committee meeting on Tuesday.

Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky was equally irritated. At the meeting, she asked City Administrative Officer Matt Szabo whether his office had identified the funds to hire the 170 extra officers. Szabo, a high-level budget official, said no.

“At some point, we’re going to have to stop the hiring,” Yaroslavsky replied. “That’s all I’m going to say. If we can’t find the money, we have to stop the hiring once we hit the 240 that’s budgeted for in this year’s budget.”

Police hiring was the biggest source of tension between Bass and the council during this year’s budget deliberations. Bass, who has seen the LAPD lose hundreds of officers since she won office in 2022, had been hoping, at minimum, to keep the department from shrinking significantly this year.

Council members, on the other hand, were determined to avert the mayor’s proposal to lay off as many as 1,600 civilian workers — even if that meant scaling back police. Cutting the number of recruits ultimately freed up the money to save scores of jobs, including civilian crime specialists working at the LAPD.

By the end of May, Bass was seriously considering a veto of the council’s budget. But by that point, the city was being upended by federal immigration raids, with helmet-wearing LAPD officers captured on video using tear gas while facing off against protesters in downtown Los Angeles.

Bass ultimately signed the budget but, at the 11th hour, said she had reached an agreement with the council’s leadership — that is, Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson — to find the additional money to restore the police hiring.

In her announcement, Bass said that would happen within 90 days. For now, they haven’t come up with the money.

Clara Karger, a Bass spokesperson, said in a statement that her office is working to find the additional funding. The city is preparing for next year’s World Cup, as well as other large-scale events, she said.

“Crime is down and we are going to keep reducing crime and, obviously, hiring officers is a key component of a comprehensive approach,” Karger said.

Police Chief Jim McDonnell, in an interview, said his agency’s recruiting numbers are “substantially up” after a long slump. Yet even if the council signs off on the additional hiring, sworn personnel will still drop by the end of the budget year, he said.

“We’re going to still have a net loss, because we’re projected to lose [through] attrition between 500 and 600 people this year,” he said.

On Tuesday, Yaroslavsky and McOsker said they want to hire more officers — but only if the city has the money to pay for them. They warned that if the additional funding isn’t there, overspending at the LAPD could force city leaders to contemplate cuts to other city jobs, which they oppose.

“Either we find the money, new money, for the additional hires, or we need to have a serious conversation about following the budget,” Yaroslavsky said.

Szabo told council members this week that, if the budget committee instructed him to, he would prepare a report identifying additional money to cover the cost of the extra 170 officers.

“But we didn’t,” McOsker, an attorney who at one point represented the police union, quickly responded. “If we did, we would. But we didn’t. And it still came out the same.”

The council’s budget advisors had previously projected that the city would need an extra $13.3 million to restore the 240 police hires sought by Bass. In 2026-27, the cost of those same officers would grow to about $60 million, since they would have worked a full year, the advisors said.

The Los Angeles Police Protective League, which represents about 8,600 rank-and-file officers, supports the mayor’s effort to increase LAPD hiring. In a statement, the union’s board of directors said it is confident that Bass and the council will find the money to add the additional officers.

“We have every confidence that city leaders will act with the same sense of urgency to identify funds for additional officers … as they recently did to protect other city workers from layoffs,” the union said.

State of play

— END OF AN ERA: Bass announced this week that she is ending her declaration of emergency on homelessness, nearly three years after she announced it. Bass was facing pressure from council members to lift the emergency, which allowed her to award contracts and leases without bidding or council oversight. In her letter, she said she would not hesitate to reinstate the emergency if she finds that insufficient progress is being made on the crisis.

— WHITHER ED1? The biggest question mark is the mayoral initiative known as Executive Directive 1, which fast-tracks the approval of 100% affordable housing projects and was made possible by the homelessness emergency. The council recently voted to make ED1 permanent law. But City Atty. Hydee Feldstein Soto still needs to finalize the legal language, and for now, it’s not clear how long that will take. The homelessness emergency expires Nov. 18.

— POOR COMMUNICATION: L.A.’s emergency responders had communication breakdowns, inconsistent recordkeeping and poor coordination during their response to the Palisades fire, according to a new report issued by the LAPD. The report said communications were particularly poor between the LAPD and the city’s fire department on the wildfire’s first day.

— LOOKING FOR TEXTS: Meanwhile, a federal grand jury issued a subpoena seeking text messages and other communications from the fire department regarding the Jan. 1 Lachman brush fire, which reignited six days later into the massive Palisades fire, according to an internal memo. The Times previously reported that a battalion chief ordered firefighters to pack up and leave the burn area the day after the Lachman fire, even though some firefighters said the ground was still smoldering.

— MANY, MANY McOSKERS: Councilmember Tim McOsker is just one of the many McOskers who have had a toehold at City Hall. There’s daughter Nella McOsker, who heads the Central City Assn., the business group that weighs in on city policy, and brother Pat McOsker, who was at one point president of the firefighters union. There’s nephew Emmett McOsker at the tourism department and a few others beyond that. We spell it all out here, along with a helpful family tree.

— CAPPING THE RENT: The council’s Housing and Homelessness Committee voted 3-2 to endorse Councilmember Nithya Raman‘s plan to limit rent increases in rent-stabilized apartment buildings to no more than 3%, down from 10%. (The city’s housing department had proposed lowering the cap to 5%.) The proposal heads to full council on Wednesday.

— NO SOLICITORS: The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors took the first step toward cracking down on “predatory” salespeople who they say hit up vulnerable residents seeking benefits from social services offices. The looming crackdown follows a Times investigation that found nine plaintiffs in sex abuse lawsuits against the county who said they were recruited outside the offices.

— PRESS PROTECTIONS: Councilmember Ysabel Jurado is looking to change the way the city issues press credentials to journalists in the wake of the LAPD’s treatment of the news media at anti-ICE protests. Her proposal would, among other things, change the design of press passes so officers can more easily identify journalists.

— WILL HE OR WON’T HE? Billionaire developer Rick Caruso still isn’t saying. The erstwhile mayoral hopeful might run for mayor or governor, but had no answer on either while speaking with podcaster Adam Carolla on Monday at a town hall at Caruso’s Americana at Brand mall in Glendale.

Caruso asked the audience, which was filled with his supporters, to clap for the office they want him to run for. Carolla concluded that mayor won out by a small margin. “I’m getting pushed in a lot of different directions,” Caruso said.

— HE’S BACK: Councilmember Curren Price returned to the council chamber after a monthlong absence. He suffered a “health-related incident” during an Oct. 1 press conference, with his staff saying at the time that he had been dehydrated. Price also made an appearance in court this week for a preliminary hearing in his ongoing corruption case. The hearing was delayed until Dec. 11.

QUICK HITS

• Where is Inside Safe? The mayor’s signature program to address homelessness went to the area around 15th Street and St. Andrews Place, which is in the Harvard Heights section of Councilmember Heather Hutt’s district.
• On the docket next week: The council’s Public Safety Committee takes up the mayor’s nomination of Deputy Chief Jaime Moore to be the next fire chief on Wednesday.

Stay in touch

That’s it for this week! Send your questions, comments and gossip to [email protected]. Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up here to get it in your inbox every Saturday morning.

Matthijs de Ligt equalised in the sixth minute of a dramatic period of stoppage time to earn Manchester United a 2-2 draw at Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.

Tottenham looked like claiming all three points on Sunday when Richarlison glanced in a header in the first minute of added-on time, completing a Spurs comeback from a goal down.

There was still time for de Ligt to find space at the back post at a corner to direct a header goalwards and over the line before Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario clawed the ball away.

Trailing to Bryan Mbeumo’s 32nd-minute header, Tottenham dominated the second half and grabbed an equaliser in the 84th through substitute Mathys Tel’s shot that deflected in off de Ligt.

De Ligt said United deserved more from the game than a point.

“I’m proud of the team for how we fought back and got a point in a really difficult stadium,” he said.

“You can see that we still have the fire in our belly to get a goal, to get a point – even with 10 men,” he added, as United played the last few minutes a man down as Benjamin Sesko was forced off injured after United had made all their five substitutions.

However, Tel said he felt Spurs merited all three points.

“We are feeling 50-50, we conceded a goal, but our reaction in the second half was top,” Tel said.

“We changed the game, but we are mad because we have to win today. The subs brought energy to change the game, and we showed great mentality; we deserved to win.”

United extended their unbeaten run in the league to five games – three wins followed by two draws – while Tottenham have only won one of their six home games so far.

However, the Red Devils have now failed to beat Spurs in their previous eight meetings, but it was the most recent of these that will live long in the memory of the Tottenham support.

Spurs ended their 17-year trophy drought thanks to a scrappy 1-0 win in the Europa League final in May, which also took them into the Champions League while United missed out on European football altogether.

Despite the huge blow to United’s finances and prestige, Ruben Amorim is making the most of having more time on the training field to finally build some momentum after a tough first year at Old Trafford.

Unlike most of United’s big-money signings in recent years, Bryan Mbeumo has proved his worth since a 65-million-pound ($86m) move from Brentford in July.

The Cameroonian was named Premier League player of the month for October and took his tally to four goals in as many games when he headed in from Amad Diallo’s cross on 32 minutes.

Spurs were booed off after a woeful attacking display in losing a London derby 1-0 to Chelsea last weekend.

After another dreary first 45 minutes, the hosts came to life early in the second period.

Senne Lammens produced a brilliant stop to turn Cristian Romero’s flick behind.

The Belgian goalkeeper was quickly called into action again to parry Joao Palhinha’s effort.

Brennan Johnston, who scored the winner when the sides last met in Bilbao, was then denied an equaliser by the offside flag.

Tottenham’s burst of attacking threat quickly fizzled out, though, and discontent among the home fans with manager Thomas Frank showed when his decision to replace Xavi Simons was roundly booed.

However, the Spurs boss can claim his changes turned the game around.

Destiny Udogie crossed for fellow substitute Tel to turn and fire into the top corner via a deflection off de Ligt.

Wilson Odobert, introduced off the bench at half-time, then curled a shot towards the far corner that Richarlison flicked in to leave Lammens helpless.

The Brazilian tore off his shirt and was reduced to tears in his celebration.

Yet, it still was not enough to earn Tottenham a first home league win since the opening weekend of the season.

De Ligt was offered too much space at the back post from Bruno Fernandes’s corner, and his header was too powerful for Vicario.

Later, Arsenal take a six-point lead into a match at Sunderland, while Chelsea host Wolverhampton in one of three other games.

CHELTENHAM is famed for its racecourse and its annual “Greatest Show On Turf”.

But there’s so much more to do in this pretty Regency spa town than have a flutter on the horses.

Emma Glanfield takes you on a tour of the best of the rest.

WHY SHOULD I GO? Sitting at the foot of the Cotswolds hills, Cheltenham is vibrant and buzzy, with a backdrop of well-preserved Regency architecture and rolling countryside.

And its abundance of quirky hotels, lively bars and boutique shops make it perfect for a weekend away.

There always seems to be something exciting going on, too, with the town hosting more than 30 festivals and events a year.

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Among these are the 80-year-old music festival and the world’s longest running literature festival.

And, of course, it is the home of National Hunt racing, with the Cheltenham Festival boasting pinnacle event the Gold Cup.

STREETS MADE FOR WALKING? The spa town is sprawling but walkable, and there’s plenty of gorgeous architecture to enjoy on the way.

Wander the elegant, tree-lined Montpellier district — one of the town’s most historic areas — and take in the surroundings while popping into boutique shops and cosy cafes.

The Grade I-listed Rotunda, inspired by Rome’s Pantheon, was once a spa pump room but is now a branch of The Ivy hotel. You can dine there amid the Art Deco-style interior.

It’s also worth a stroll around The Suffolks, a sought-after district with mid-19th century buildings, independent shops and cafes, plus a friendly pub called The Suffolk Arms.

ANYTHING FOR THE BUCKET LIST? It really is worth attending a Cheltenham race meet. There’s a reason the town is known for its horseracing, and you don’t have to be massively into the sport to enjoy it.

With food, drink and glam all on offer, it’s a great, fun-packed day out. Alternatively, take a walk up Cleeve Hill — the highest point in the Cotswolds — for breathtaking panoramic views across the town and towards The Malverns.

WHERE SHOULD I EAT? With burgers as big as your head, The Beefy Boys is not to be missed. It was buzzing on the Saturday night we visited.

The atmosphere was jolly but not so loud you couldn’t chat.

The award-winning Dirty Boy and Oklahoma Onion Boy are absolute beasts, but delicious. Go hungry!

For those wanting a more formal affair, or for a special occasion, Settebello, in Belgrave House, serves authentic Italian cuisine. We feasted on giant bowls of rigatoni with an ox cheek ragu, £18, and Spigola Puttanesca (sea bass with a punchy tomato sauce), £25. The two-course lunch menu at £19 is well worth the money.

FANCY A DRINK? There are stylish bars all over, but a visit to Mr Cambray’s Curiosity won’t leave you disappointed.

Cafe by day, cocktail room by night, it has five themed rooms to explore.

There’s also the recently opened Parler on Clarence Street, in the heart of town. This Georgian building has been reimagined into a Parisian-style cafe by day, and a Japanese listening bar come sundown, with a cosy retro vibe.

The Retreat Wine Bar in Suffolk Parade is a bit of an institution, having been serving drinks since 1982. For late-night entertainment, the Gin & Juice Bar has more than 400 gins on offer and regular live music.

WHERE SHOULD I STAY? For those wanting to be in the town centre, Hotel du Vin is a great choice. The 4H boutique hotel is set in the Montpellier district just a five-minute walk from The Promenade, a local shopping district.

Breakfast is a continental spread with hot plate options, taken next to the impressive underground wine cellars.

At night, guests can enjoy a glass of wine in The Laroche tasting room before diving into soft Egyptian cotton sheets in one of the hotel’s 49 bedrooms. Our room had a huge double bed and walk-in “monsoon” shower.

For those seeking pure relaxation away from the hustle and bustle, you won’t go wrong with The Greenway Hotel & Spa.

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The 16th-century manor house — an eight-minute taxi ride from the town centre — was once a grand family home before being taken over by The Eden Hotel Collection. A £1.2million makeover included 21 beautifully revamped bedrooms.

The in-house Elan Spa is not to be missed.

This week, Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani made history by becoming the first Muslim mayor of New York City. His road to victory was anything but smooth. After he secured a historic win in the mayoral primary, he faced a landslide of attacks from across the political spectrum. In the months that followed, the hateful rhetoric from right-wing provocateurs, social media personalities, and even his three opponents mushroomed.

Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa claimed that Mamdani supports “global jihad”; independent candidate and former New York governor Andrew Cuomo agreed with a comment that Mamdani would celebrate “another 9/11”; and outgoing NYC mayor, Eric Adams, who dropped out and endorsed Cuomo, suggested that a Mamdani mayorship would turn New York into Europe, where “Islamic extremists … are destroying communities.”

Sadly, as researchers of anti-Muslim bias, and Muslim individuals who came of age in a post-9/11 America, we know attacks of this nature – on someone’s character or fitness for a job because of their religious background or national origin – aren’t entirely unexpected. We know that Islamophobia spikes not after a violent act, but rather during election campaigns and political events, when anti-Muslim rhetoric is used as a political tactic to garner support for a specific candidate or policy.

Worryingly, these attacks also reflect a general trend of rising Islamophobia, which our research has recently uncovered. The latest edition of the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding’s (ISPU) American Muslim Poll, which contains our Islamophobia Index, released on October 21, reveals that in the last three years, Islamophobia has sharply risen in the US, across almost all demographic groups.

Among the general population in the US, on our 1 to 100 scale, the index increased from a score of 25 in 2022 to a score of 33 in 2025. This jump was most pronounced among white Evangelicals, whose score increased from 30 to 45 between 2022 and 2025, and Catholics, whose score increased from 28 to 40 during the same period. Protestants also saw a rise of 7 points, from 23 in 2022 to 30 in 2025. Jews had an Islamophobia score of 17 in 2022, the lowest of any group that year, which increased only slightly to 19 in 2025, the same score as Muslims in 2025. The only group that did not change since 2022 is the non-affiliated.

Undoubtedly, the weaponisation of Islamophobia by high-profile individuals is a major driver of this worrying trend. And it can lead to devastating outcomes for Muslims: From job loss and inability to freely worship, to religious-based bullying of Muslim children in public schools and discrimination in public settings, to even physical violence. Simply put, dangerous rhetoric can have dangerous consequences.

Much of this Islamophobic rhetoric relies on five common stereotypes about Muslims, which we used in putting together our index: That they condone violence, discriminate against women, are hostile to the US, are less civilised, and are complicit in acts of violence committed by Muslims elsewhere. We then surveyed a nationally representative sample, including 2,486 Americans, to identify the extent to which they believed in these tropes.

More Americans are embracing these stereotypes about Muslims, even though they are easily disproved.

For example, despite popular media portrayals of Muslims as more prone to violence or as being complicit in violence perpetrated by Muslims elsewhere in the world, ISPU research shows American Muslims overwhelmingly reject violence. They are more likely than the general public to reject violence carried out by the military against civilians and are as likely to reject individual actors targeting civilians.

The popular stereotype that Muslim communities discriminate against their women also does not hold water. The fact is that Muslim women face more racial and religious discrimination than they do gender discrimination, which all women, Muslim or not, report at equal levels in the United States. The vast majority (99 percent) of Muslim women who wear hijab say they do so out of personal devotion and choice – not coercion. And Muslim women report that their faith is a source of pride and happiness.

Our research also disproves the belief that most Muslims living in the US are hostile to the country. We have found that Muslims with strong religious identities are more likely than those with weaker ones to hold a strong American identity. It also shows that Muslims participate in public life from the local to the national level through civic engagement, working with neighbours to solve community problems, and contributing during times of national crises like the COVID-19 pandemic and the Flint water crisis.

The trope that most Muslims living in the US are less “civilised” than other people has no factual basis, as well. The use of the “civilised/uncivilised” dichotomy strips individuals of their human dignity and separates people into a false, ethnocentric hierarchy on the basis of race or religion. Accusing a group of being less civilised than another is a frequently used dehumanising tactic. Dehumanisation, defined by Genocide Watch as when one group denies the humanity of the other group, is a step on the path to genocide.

We have seen all of these tropes activated in the past few weeks to launch Islamophobic attacks on Mamdani. We have also seen too many of our politicians and public figures use them comfortably in their public speech, placing an entire faith community in harm’s way. As Mamdani said in a speech addressing the Islamophobic attacks by his fellow candidates, “In an era of ever-diminishing bipartisanship, it seems that Islamophobia has emerged as one of the few areas of agreement.”

But Islamophobia isn’t just bad for Muslims – it undermines our democracy and constitutional freedoms. Research has linked belief in these anti-Muslim tropes to greater tolerance for anti-democratic policies. People who embrace Islamophobic beliefs are more likely to agree to limiting democratic freedoms when the country is under threat (suspending checks and balances, limiting freedom of the press), condone military and individual attacks on civilians (a war crime under the Geneva Convention), and approve of discriminatory policies targeting Muslims (banning Muslims, surveilling mosques, and even restricting the ability to vote).

Weaponising Islamophobia in political speech may be perceived as a winning strategy to rally support, but communities where it is deployed end up losing. That is why such practices must be challenged. Confronting and denouncing hate means preserving democracy and human dignity. Perhaps the election of Mamdani will signal a real shift away from this political strategy. As the mayor-elect said in his acceptance speech, “No more will New York be a city where you can traffic in Islamophobia and win an election.”

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial policy.

A HUGE heavy metal band has announced their first UK show in over a decade, after they retired from touring.

The 70s band, who who are best known for We’re Not Gonna Take It and I Wanna Rock, are heading back on the road – and they are heading to the UK.

Formed in New Jersey in the 70s, American rockers Twisted Sister are coming out of tour retirement and making a stop in Wales.

The much-loved band revealed in September they were heading back out on the road again, after nearly a decade of not touring.

Twisted Sister, who are headed up by Dee Snider, have now announced their first UK show which will see them headline the Welsh festival Steelhouse.

Organisers have brought in the legendary heavy metal band to celebrate 15 years of the festival – which next year will take place from July 24 to 26.

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They will take to the stage at the iconic Welsh festival, which is held at the mountainous Hafod-y-Dafal Farm, Aberbeeg, Ebbw Vale.

Speaking about booking Twisted Sister, Steelhouse promoters Max and Mike said: “We thought 15 years was worth celebrating in the biggest possible way.

“And what better way to do that with one of the most iconic names in metal – Twisted f***ing Sister!

“To have them come and celebrate their milestone 50 years with us is an absolute and unbelievable honour.”

The statement ended: “When Dee Snider came and laid waste to Steelhouse a decade ago – and more than any other headliner, fundamentally got what we were trying to do as an independent rock festival – we hoped that perhaps he would one day return with the band he made his name with… In our 15th year and their 50th, this is coming to pass… Twisted Sister on The Mountain is going to be huge!”

Other bands confirmed for Steelhouse 2026 include The Temperance Movement, plus Reef, Alien Ant Farm, Tyketto, Von Hertzen Brothers, Darren Wharton’s Renegade, Mason Hill, Dan Byrne, Luke Morley, Anthony Gomes, King Kraken, Blue Nation and more.

Twisted Sister have only played one live show since 2016, when they temporarily reunited for their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in 2023.

But they announced in September that they would be heading back out on tour.

At the time, the band revealed that their line-up had changed, as longtime bassist Mark Mendoza won’t be on the tour.

Instead, Russell Pzütto, who has played with the band in the past, will be joining for the new shows.

They are going back on tour to celebrate a HUGE milestone in the band’s long career.

“If you’re lucky enough to be in a band that people still want to see after fifty years(!), how can you not answer the call?” lead singer Dee teased.

“In 2026, Twisted F***ing Sister will hit stages around the world because WE STILL WANNA ROCK!!”

The house that served as the home of Doris in the hit BBC sitcom Gavin and Stacey is now available to rent for holidaymakers who want to immerse themselves in the world of the show

Attention, Gavin and Stacey superfans – you can now book a stay in one of the iconic houses from the hit BBC One sitcom. Trinity Street in Barry, with views of the Island, was the fictional home to Gwen and Stacey, Uncle Bryn and their cheeky neighbour Doris, played by actor Margaret John.

When the show returned in 2019, Doris’ house became the family home for Gavin and Stacey and their children, after it was passed down to them following her death. Gwen’s house (played by Melanie Walters) has always been a fan favourite, but now the neighbouring property is available for rent for holidaymakers wanting to experience the world of Gavin and Stacey.

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The red-brick terrace, named Lush House, is owned by Lisa and Chris Molloy, who are huge fans of the show. They were the first to view the property when it went on sale and managed to buy it, having loved the sitcom since it first aired in 2008, according to Wales Online.

You can book Lush House through Sykes Cottages for as early as next week, with prices starting from £472 for a two-night stay. If split between five people, this works out at around £47 per person per night.

The house comfortably sleeps five guests in two bedrooms: one double and another with a three-person bunk. The snug living and dining area is equipped with an electric fire, TV and WiFi for cosy nights in after a day of exploring, along with a dining table – just don’t forget the salad!

The property is already fully booked for Christmas week (we’re sure whoever has nabbed it is planning a Gavin and Stacey marathon) but there’s plenty of other availability in November and December.

The house has been the setting for some of Gavin and Stacey’s most memorable moments, including saucy Doris snogging toyboy Scott, making a pass at Gav on the doorstep, and in the 2019 and 2024 Christmas specials, it was the backdrop for the whole gang to celebrate Christmas as Uncle Bryn’s military operation dinner was (part) cooked there.

Step outside the front door and you’re just minutes away from Barry’s vibrant high street and Barry Island – where Marco’s Café, the slots and the chip shops are at the beach front – is just a half-hour walk away.

You can book Lush House with Sykes Cottages here, and for other holiday lets in Barry, try Holidaycottages.com and Vrbo.

For Zuri Crawford, the last several weeks have been an emotional whirlwind — swinging from fears to frustration to now partial relief.

A 20-year-old single mother and Riverside City College student, Crawford depends on the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to buy groceries for herself and her young son. Earlier this week, she braced herself for the possibility that — because of the federal shutdown — she would not receive the $445 that typically gets loaded onto her state-issued debit card on the sixth day of every month.

“I really feel like I’m going to be burnt out. I feel like it’s going to be hard on me because I am a single mom,” she said on a recent afternoon. “I have to push through, but I am going to be overwhelmed.”

On Thursday, however, Crawford was surprised to learn that the $445 payment had showed up on her card. Soon after, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that, because of a court victory, “food benefits are now beginning to flow back to California families” — at least temporarily.

Crawford is one of roughly 5.5 million statewide who depend on this food aid — known in California as CalFresh — and one of 42 million people nationwide. In recent weeks, this group has been caught in the crosshairs of a political battle that has shifted from Congress to courtrooms amid a federal shutdown that has now lasted more than five weeks.

As of early Friday, two federal judges had ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture to use billions of dollars in contingency funding to continue providing SNAP support — the reason Crawford and many others nationwide received their full benefits Thursday. On Friday the Trump administration asked a federal appeals court to block one of those orders. The appeals court let the order stand, and then late Friday the Trump administration succeeded in persuading the Supreme Court to block the judicial rulings and — at least temporarily — withhold food benefits from millions of Americans.

Many recipients in California already have their payments, but the legal drama late Friday may add to their anxieties. Many were already improvising, and may have to do so again.

Zuir Crawford, 20, loads groceries bought using gift cards supplied by Riverside City College.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

In Crawford’s case, she already juggles college coursework, picks up shifts as an UberEats driver and cares for her 1-year-old. When she learned her food aid would be delayed this month, she made a plan: She would drop two classes and then pick up additional work as a caregiver so she and her son could afford to eat. She would use that money to supplement the support she is receiving from her school and community.

Even with food aid, she depends on food pantries to help her obtain items such as canned ravioli, Rice-a-Roni and frozen dinners for the last two weeks of the month.

Single parents could be hit especially hard by the delay in food benefits. Nationwide, single-adults make up nearly two-thirds (62%) of all SNAP households with children, according to the USDA. In California, almost a quarter of single working parents (23.2%) are in poverty, according to the Public Policy Institute of California.

Households headed by single mothers are especially vulnerable amid a worsening gender wage gap and rising costs for education, housing and child care, said Jesseca Boyer, vice president of policy and strategic initiatives for the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. “All of those factors require a single mother to stretch their already limited dollars even further,” she said.

In the Bay Area city of Mountain View, Abigail Villavicencio usually gets between $500 and $700 each month loaded onto her CalFresh cards, she said. It depends on her fluctuating income delivering food for apps such as Uber Eats. A single mom with three children, she first qualified for SNAP in 2021, and at that time was able to stretch the money to cover groceries for an entire month.

“But over the last year, it hasn’t been enough. I spend $500 in 2 weeks. I noticed prices were going up,” she said, and her weekly grocery trip often now costs $200 to $300. “I have two weeks when I have to figure out what to do.”

Villavicencio said she augments her benefits by collecting donated food at her son’s school twice a month.

The last few weeks have been particularly hurtful, she said, when she sees commenters on social media deriding food stamp recipients as “lazy.” She notes that she has to show her bank accounts every six months to qualify for CalFresh. For the past three years, she’s been home with her twin daughters as they went through intensive behavior therapy for autism.

News of the delayed SNAP benefits gutted her carefully calibrated food plan. She dipped into her savings for the last grocery trip and bought enough to make meals she could sell to construction workers to earn a few extra dollars.

Now that her twin daughters are in kindergarten, she’s also been searching for more consistent work — but it’s been challenging, she said, to find one that will allow her to drop off and pick up her children from school.

Holding her dog Bear, Zuir Crawford, 20 fears losing her SNAP benefits because of the federal government shutdown. “I really feel like I’m going to be burnt out. I feel like it’s going to be hard on me because I am a single mom,” she said on a recent afternoon. “I have to push through, but I am going to be overwhelmed.”

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

As for Crawford, she said she experienced “trauma after trauma” growing up, bouncing between homes in Los Angeles and Riverside counties. She has sought stability since becoming a teen mom to her son, whom she affectionately calls Baby Z.

She is in her second semester at Riverside City College, where she is taking prerequisite courses to pursue a nursing career. She makes “little to nothing” driving for Uber Eats, she said, “but it’s enough for me to at least put gas in my tank.”

Without the financial support of her family or a partner, she relies on a patchwork of government programs.

Two months ago, she, her son and her fluffy white dog Bear moved into a one-bedroom apartment that she obtained through a county housing program for the homeless. She uses the nearly $900 a month she receives through CalWorks, a state welfare program, to cover her rent, utilities and phone bill. Along with CalFresh, she gets a monthly allotment of healthy food through the Women, Infants and Children program.

She said she’s also sustained by her Christian faith. She attends regular Bible studies and uses a portion of her food budget to make meals for the homeless.

Inside the college’s Basic Needs Resource Center on Wednesday afternoon, Crawford filled a black basket with peanut butter, jelly, oatmeal, a can of pozole and hygiene products. While students can typically access the pantry every two weeks, they can collect staples once a week during the shutdown, a volunteer explained.

Crawford is in her second semester at Riverside City College, where she is taking prerequisite courses to pursue a nursing career.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

As a community college student and single parent receiving public assistance, she is also eligible for additional support including meal vouchers and grocery gift cards.

With SNAP beneficiaries becoming pawns in the shutdown fight, she said she’s grateful for the public assistance, which she views as a “stepping stone” to a more financially secure life.

“It’s not my fault that I was born into the family I was born into,” she said later that day, as she sliced and spiced chicken and steamed vegetables for a low-cost meal. “I can’t control that. But what I can control is my outcome. And I know that if I keep on working hard, if I keep on persevering through all the hardships, I’m going to be OK.”

Zuir Crawford, 20, carries groceries from a local market and also from a food pantry to her apartment in Riverside.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Up until Thursday, both Villavicencio and Crawford were preparing for hard times. The Mountain View mom was worried about telling her children about a diminished Thanksgiving this year. Crawford was calculating how to further improvise on using her food budget wisely.

Both women were relieved that, on the sixth day of the month, their benefits had fully reloaded.

“I can breathe now,” Villavicencio said Friday.

“I’m super-shocked,” added Crawford with a laugh. “I feel relieved. I just feel happy.”

This article is part of The Times’ equity reporting initiative, funded by the James Irvine Foundation, exploring the challenges facing low-income workers and the efforts being made to address California’s economic divide.

The road to becoming the first repeat World Series champion in 25 years was not a smooth one for the Dodgers, who captured their ninth championship in franchise history when they knocked off the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4 in 11 innings of a Game 7 for the ages.

After winning nine of their first 10 postseason contests, the Dodgers had to slog through a seven-game World Series that included two extra-inning wins — one in 18 innings — and consecutive losses at home that put their season on the brink.

But in the end, the Dodgers emerged with their second consecutive championship and third in six seasons. How did they make it happen? Here are some moments that galvanized the Dodgers’ run to another World Series triumph.

A great escape, with a wheel man

Mookie Betts broached the idea of running the wheel play as the Dodgers tried to hang on for dear life in Game 2 of the NLDS against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Ballpark. In a tribute to executing the fundamentals, Max Muncy pounced on a bunt and Betts tagged out the lead runner at third base to help the Dodgers survive the ninth inning and grab a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series.

Ohtani’s iconic performance

A look at the three home runs Shohei Ohtani hit in Game 4 of the NLCS.

Based on the first inning alone, Shohei Ohtani would’ve produced an unforgettable performance in Game 4 of the NLCS against the Milwaukee Brewers, striking out three in a row following a leadoff walk as the Dodgers’ starting pitcher and then homering as his team’s leadoff batter to stake himself to an early lead. But Ohtani homered twice more — including a 469-foot blast over the right-field pavilion — and went on to strike out 10 in six innings to help the Dodgers secure their second consecutive NL pennant.

Another complete game by Yamamoto

Yoshinobu Yamamoto had already thrown a complete game in Game 2 of the NLCS, the first one by a Dodgers pitcher since José Lima in 2004. But Yamamoto went into more rarefied air when he threw another one in Game 2 of the World Series in a 5-1 win over the Blue Jays — becoming the first Dodger to throw consecutive postseason complete games since Orel Hershiser in 1988.

Kershaw’s moment

The anguish and heartbreak of Clayton Kershaw‘s postseason history is well known, and the Dodger Stadium crowd braced itself when he entered Game 3 of the World Series with the bases loaded and two outs in the 12th inning. In an eight-pitch battle with the Jays’ Nathan Lukes, Kershaw induced a soft grounder to second baseman Tommy Edman that he had to charge and scoop over with his glove to first baseman Freddie Freeman to escape the jam.

The Will Klein Game

As Game 3 of the World Series dragged into the 15th inning, the Dodgers turned to Will Klein, the last reliever in their bullpen — though Yamamoto was later warming for a potential 19th inning. Klein, acquired by the Dodgers in a minor trade on June 2, threw 72 pitches — the most he’s thrown as a professional — over four scoreless innings to keep the Dodgers in it.

Freeman, the walkoff sequel

In a World Series Game 3 that featured 19 pitchers, 25 position players, 609 pitches thrown and 153 trips to the plate, it was something familiar that won it for the Dodgers in the 18th inning: a Freeman walk-off home run. One year and two days after his iconic walk-off grand slam in Game 1 of the 2024 World Series, Freeman smashed a solo shot to center field to lift the Dodgers to a 6-5 win and a 2-1 series lead.

Kiké Hernández, October hero

Left fielder Kiké Hernández added another chapter to his October legacy in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 6 with the Dodgers trying to hang on to a 3-1 lead and keep their season alive. With runners on second and third and one out, Hernández played shallow and was in good position to catch a sinking line drive by Andrés Giménez before firing a throw to second baseman Miguel Rojas, who caught it on a bounce to double off the runner at second and force a Game 7.

Miguel Rojas ninth-inning hero

Rojas became the ninth-inning focal point in Game 7 as he came up to bat with the Dodgers trailing 4-3 and two outs away from losing the World Series. Rojas, who had one homer since the All-Star break, worked the count full before hammering a game-tying shot to left. In the bottom of the inning, with the bases loaded and the infield in with one out, Rojas fielded a grounder cleanly and came up firing to force the runner out at home and preserve the tie.

The Catch

One batter later and with the bases still loaded, it was Andy Pages’ turn to be the defensive hero. Inserted mid-inning at center field for his strong arm, Pages found himself using his legs to cover a lot of ground on a deep fly ball to left-center that Hernández was trying to catch over his shoulder before colliding with Pages as the center fielder secured the ball to carry the game into extra innings.

Will Smith, home run hero

As Game 7 entered the 11th inning, it was catcher Will Smith who was in the right place at the right time. Smith, who’d worked his way back into the lineup after suffering a hairline fracture in his right hand in September, turned on a 2-0 slider for his second home run of the series to put the Dodgers in front for the first time in the game.

Yamamoto with the exclamation point

Entering Game 7 during that ninth-inning jam that Rojas and Pages helped him escape, Yamamoto retired the Jays in order in the 10th and then worked around a leadoff double in the 11th, fiedling a sacrifice bunt and then walking a batter before inducing a double play to seal the Dodgers’ repeat championship. For Yamamoto in the World Series, the final tally was three wins, the last coming in relief after throwing 96 pitches the night before in Game 6, and the MVP award.

WOULD you believe it that one village in Suffolk used to be as big as London, and just as important?

On the east coast of England is a village that years ago used to be one of the country’s biggest trade hubs, but due to coastal erosion has been lost to the sea.

Dunwich in Suffolk sits 13 miles down the coast from Lowestoft, and in recent history has been called the ‘Lost City of England‘ or even Suffolk’s answer to Atlantis.

During the medieval period, Dunwich had a main port which was a huge hub for international trade in what was the Kingdom of East Anglia.

Dunwich was even the capital of the Kingdom of the East Angles in the Anglo-Saxon period.

At that time, Dunwich was home to around 3,000 people – the same number that were in London.

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It would trade goods like wool, grain and fish, but problems began in the 14th century after a number of huge storms.

Significant storms in 1286, 1328 and 1362 caused a huge amount of damage, destroying buildings.

It washed the port and a large amount of the town into the sea, including around 400 houses and eight churches.

Sonar images have even revealed a number of old buildings and streets sitting 30 feet below the sea.

After this, the medieval port was lost and so Dunwich became what it’s known as now, a coastal village.

There’s very little of the original Dunwich left now, but one ruin that’s still on land is the Greyfriars Monastery.

This isn’t the original though as that was also destroyed by a storm in 1286, the ruins visible today are from the “new” friary that was rebuilt in the late 13th century.

These are reportedly haunted with some visitors saying they spotted mysterious lights, and even ghosts at the friary.

If you want to learn more about Dunwich’s rich history, there’s even a museum dedicated to telling the history of the village from Roman times to the present day.

But today, most people visit Dunwich to spend time on its stretching beach which in 2021 was named as one of the UK’s best-kept secrets.

Just down the coast is Dunwich Heath, known for its wildlife like Dartford warblers, woodlarks, adders and antlions.

The beach and surrounding countryside are owned by the National Trust, which runs a beachside tearoom called Coastguard Cottages where you can pick up hot and cold drinks, snacks and light meals.

There’s also a children’s play area on the beach, and cafes and pubs in the nearby village.

Favourites on Tripadvisor include The Ship Inn Restaurant, Flora Tea Rooms and The 12 Lost Churches.

For more exploration, further up the coast is the pretty seaside town of Southwold, or travel south to Leiston and Aldeburgh.

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The English seaside town with no arcades or rides but named the best in the UK…

Aldeburgh in Suffolk doesn’t have any arcades, but instead is littered with pastel-coloured holiday villas and fisherman’s huts selling the daily catch.

Today, the town still celebrates its rich history and has a literary festival each year.

Locals also boast about the town’s fish and chips, with The Suffolk recommended by Michelin.

Along the high street, instead of arcades you will find clothes boutiques, antiques shops and independent book stores.

One stop to head to is O&C Butcher – a 130-year-old clothes store selling top brands including Barbour and Gant. The town is also known for being the home of famous composer, Benjamin Britten.

Today, during the summer months, visitors can head to his home, The Red House. Britten shared the home with Peter Pears and it is nestled in a five acre garden, with a farmhouse, gallery space, shop and cafe. And there is a historic cinema in the town too.

It doesn’t look like your average cinema from the outside, as it features timber framing.

The beach itself boasts both shingle and sand and backs onto the town, making it the ideal spot for adventuring to after exploring the town.

On the beach you will also find The Scallop – a sculpture that is a tribute to Benjamin Britten.

The Times recently named the seaside town the best in the UK.

For a place to stay in Dunwich, discover what one writer made of the Smugglers Inn.

And hear more from Jimmy Doherty who lives in Suffolk or as he called it, the ‘undiscovered gem of England’.

There’s a never-ending list of places across the UK where you can get your hands on a hearty dish of fish and chips. But there’s one particular chippy that has long been hailed as ‘the best’

Fish and chips are a staple in British cuisine, and have been famously classed as the national dish for centuries. Whether that’s eating them at the seaside, indulging in a fish supper at your local pub, or making your own variation at home, there’s nothing quite like it.

But there’s one UK village thought to offer one of the best places to enjoy the delicacy. Nestled in the village of Beamish in County Durham, which “hasn’t changed over 100 years”, is Davys Fish & Chips.

Content creator and avid foodie, Callum (@streetfoodanalysis), took to TikTok to share a video of the hearty eatery, labelling it the “best” in the country. In a video showing a glimpse inside Davys Fish & Chips, Callum said: “This is the fish and chip shop trapped in time.

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“One of the last in the world that uses coal to heat the original 1950s fryers with fish and chips cooked in beef dripping.”Proving just how delicious Davys Fish & Chips is, Callum shared a clip of himself indulging in the dish as he exclaimed, “Wow”.

With a perfect crisp on both the fish and chips, it’s not just Callum who has given rave reviews of this frozen-in-time fish and chip shop. His video was flooded with comments from others who have sampled the famed meal from this charming eatery, with its blue counter and original features. One affirmed: “Beamish fish and chips were the best fish and chips I have ever had.”

A second penned: “Beamish is one of our favourite places to go, as for the chip shop, it’s amazing, you can’t get better. It’s the one on the mining village, beware, the portions are huge. Can’t wait to go back.”

“Love going to Beamish, those fish n chips are absolutely worth the 2 hour wait”, a third noted. Another added: “Love Beamish the chips are a must.”

While another commented: “The fish n chips looked amazing! Absolutely beautiful place! And visitors still keep on visiting Beamish!” “Love Beamish, the chippy is unreal!” one more declared.

In the video, which has accumulated more than 500K likes, Callum said the chippy is found in Beamish, where “the sweet shop makes candy by hand and the bakery makes the same cakes as a century ago.” He also noted that it’s a place which rarely has phone signal, adding to its quaint and historic appeal.

BUENOS AIRES, Nov. 7 (UPI) — The agricultural sector in Buenos Aires province is facing a severe crisis after the worst flooding in decades inundated farmland in the central and eastern regions.

The Confederation of Rural Associations of Buenos Aires and La Pampa estimates that nearly 12 million acres of farmland have been affected after heavy rains exceeded about 67 inches in several rural areas, far above the historical annual average of about 35 inches.

This situation has halted the planting and harvesting of key crops such as soybeans and corn, with rural roads rendered impassable and flooded fields preventing machinery from operating and blocking the transport of supplies and production.

María José Gentile, mayor of Nueve de Julio, one of the hardest-hit localities, told UPI that nearly half of the county has been affected by flooding.

“This area is known for producing crops such as soybeans and wheat, as well as livestock. Many farmers have lost part of their production and have had to move their cattle to higher ground or rent land in other areas,” Gentile said.

She added that some areas are under more than 3 feet of water and could take months to dry.

Graciela Vadillo, a livestock and grain producer and former president of the Nueve de Julio Rural Society, told UPI that most fields are underwater or inaccessible because of damaged roads.

“This will not only affect farmers’ finances but the entire production chain,” she said.

Much of the grain produced in the region is sold to national distributors that later export to Asian markets and the United States. In the livestock sector, many of the highest-quality cuts are also exported.

Hugo Enríquez, president of the Nueve de Julio Rural Society, told UPI that the city has about 506,000 acres of land flooded out of a total of about 1.06 million acres. Of those 506,000 acres, about 65% is used for livestock and 35% for crops.

“Buenos Aires province has around 6.7 million acres underwater. Much of it is in the core productive region,” Enríquez said.

He said cities such as Nueve de Julio, Carlos Casares, Pehuajó, Olavarría, 25 de Mayo and Los Toldos, all agricultural areas, have more than 8.6 million acres affected by impassable roads and partial flooding.

Regarding losses, Enríquez said that flooding has destroyed about 8% of the most recent harvest, mostly soybeans, since about 49,000 acres cannot be reached because the roads are impassable.

Buenos Aires province plays a key role in Argentina’s agricultural and livestock production, standing as the country’s largest producer of beef and pork, with more than 50% of national slaughter.

Its production includes both livestock and crops, and although the region historically maintained a more balanced agricultural-livestock mix, the acreage planted with crops such as soybeans has expanded significantly in recent decades, displacing livestock in some areas.

In response to the situation, Security Minister Patricia Bullrich and Cabinet Chief Manuel Adorni announced Wednesday that the federal government will take charge of the emergency.

“The national government, through the Federal Emergency Agency, has decided to make all necessary resources available to confront this dramatic situation,” Adorni said at a news conference.

Sony Pictures Television and CBS have struck a compromise in their hard-fought legal battle over distribution rights to the popular “Wheel of Fortune” and “Jeopardy!” syndicated game shows.

“We have reached an amicable resolution,” Sony and CBS said Friday in a joint statement. “We look forward to working together to continue bringing these beloved shows to audiences and stations around the world.”

Financial terms were not disclosed.

As part of the deal, CBS will continue to distribute the shows in the U.S. for an additional 2 ½ years — through the 2027-2028 television season. After that, Sony will control the domestic distribution rights.

Sony owns both shows and produces them on its Culver City lot.

The shows have retained their popularity and solid ratings even in the streaming age, as traditional TV has declined. They remain among the most-watched programs on television.

The dispute began more than a year ago, when Sony terminated its distribution deal with CBS and later filed a breach-of-contract lawsuit that claimed CBS had entered into unauthorized licensing deals for the shows and then paid itself a commission. Sony also maintained that budget cuts within CBS, which is owned by Paramount, had hobbled the network’s efforts to support the two shows.

Earlier this year, Sony attempted to cut CBS out of the picture, escalating the dispute.

CBS has long maintained that it had the legal rights to distribute the shows to television stations around the country. The broadcaster previously alleged that Sony’s claims were “rooted in the fact they simply don’t like the deal the parties agreed to decades ago.”

For years, CBS has raked in up to 40% of the fees that TV stations pay to carry the shows. The network took over the distribution of the programs when it acquired syndication company King World Productions in 1999.

King World struck deals with the show’s original producer, Merv Griffin Enterprises, in the early 1980s to distribute “Jeopardy!” and “Wheel of Fortune.” Sony later acquired Griffin’s company, but those early agreements remained in effect.

As part of this week’s resolution, CBS will manage all advertising sales through the 2029-2030 television season.

However, Sony will take over all marketing, promotions and affiliate relations for the shows after the current television season, which ends in mid-2026. Sony will also handle the lucrative brand integration campaigns.

In another element that was important to Sony, the studio will claim international distribution rights beginning this December.

WASHINGTON — President Trump made historic gains with Latinos when he won reelection last year, boosting Republicans’ confidence that their economic message was helping them make inroads with a group of voters who had long leaned toward Democrats.

But in this week’s election, Democrats in key states were able to disrupt that rightward shift by gaining back Latino support, exit polls showed.

In New Jersey and Virginia, the Democrats running for governor made gains in counties with large Latino populations, and overall won two-thirds of the Latino vote in their states, according to an NBC News poll.

And in California, a CNN exit poll showed about 70% of Latinos voting in favor of Proposition 50, a Democratic redistricting initiative designed to counter Trump’s plans to reshape congressional maps in an effort to keep GOP control of the House.

The results mark the first concrete example at the ballot box of Latino voters turning away from the GOP — a shift foreshadowed by recent polling as their concerns about the economy and immigration raids have grown.

Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill celebrates with supporters after being elected New Jersey governor.

(Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

If the trend continues, it could spell trouble for Republicans in next year’s midterm elections, said Gary Segura, a professor of public policy, political science and Chicana/o studies at UCLA. This could be especially true in California and Texas, where both parties are banking on Latino voters to help them pick up seats in the House, Segura said.

“A year is a long time in politics, but certainly the vote on Prop. 50 is a very, very good sign for the Democrats’ ability to pick up the newly drawn congressional districts,” Segura said. “I think Latino voters will be really instrumental in the outcome.”

Democrats, meanwhile, are feeling optimistic that their warnings about Trump’s immigration crackdown and a bad economy are resonating with Latinos.

Republicans are wondering to what degree the party can maintain support among Latinos without Trump on the ticket. In 2024, Trump won roughly 48% of the Latino vote nationally — a record for any Republican presidential candidate.

Some Republicans saw this week’s trends among Latino voters as a “wakeup call.”

“The Hispanic vote is not guaranteed. Hispanics married President Donald Trump but are only dating the GOP,” Republican Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar of Florida said in a social media video the day after the election. “I’ve been warning it: If the GOP does not deliver, we will lose the Hispanic vote all over the country.”

Economic issues a main driver

Last year Trump was able to leverage widespread frustration with the economy to win the support of Latinos. He promised to create jobs and lower the costs of living.

But polling shows that a majority of Latino voters now disapprove of how Trump and the Republicans in control of Congress are handling the economy. Half of Latinos said they expected Trump’s economic policies to leave them worse off a year from now in a Unidos poll released last week.

In New Jersey, that sentiment was exemplified by voters like Rumaldo Gomez. He told MSNBC he voted for Trump last year but this week went for for the Democratic candidate for governor, Rep. Mikie Sherrill.

“Now, I look at Trump different,” Gomez said. “The economy does not look good.”

Gomez added he is “very sad” about immigration raids led by the Trump administration that have split up hardworking families.

While Latino voters fear being affected by immigration enforcement actions, polling suggests they are more concerned about cost of living, jobs and housing. The Unidos poll showed immigration ranking fifth on the list of concerns.

In New Jersey and Virginia, Democrats’ double-digit victories were built on promises to reduce the cost of living, while blaming Trump for their economic pain.

Marcus Robinson, a spokesman for the Democratic National Committee, said Democrats “expanded margins and flipped key counties by earning back Latino voters who know Trump’s economy leaves them behind.”

“These results show that Latino communities want progress, not a return to chaos and broken promises,” he said.

Republicans see a different Trump issue

GOP strategist Matt Terrill, who was chief of staff for then-Sen. Marco Rubio’s 2016 presidential campaign, said the election results are not a referendum on Trump.

Latino voters swung left because Trump wasn’t on the ballot, he said.

Last year “it wasn’t Latino voters turning out for the Republican party, it was Latino voters turning out for President Trump,” he said. “Like him or not, he’s able to fire up voters that the Republican party traditionally does not get.”

With Trump barred by the Constitution from running for a third term, Republicans are left to wonder if they can get the Latino vote back when he is not on the ballot. Terrill believes Republicans need to hammer on the issue of affordability as a top priority.

Mike Madrid, a “never Trump” Republican and former political director of the California Republican Party, has a different theory.

“They’re abandoning both parties,” Madrid said of Latinos. “They abandoned the Republican party for the same reasons they abandoned the Democratic party in November: not addressing economic concerns.”

The economy has long been the top concern for Latinos, Madrid said, yet both parties continue to frame the Latino political agenda around immigration.

“Latinos aren’t voting for Democrats or Republicans — they’re voting against Democrats and against Republicans,” Madrid said. “It’s a very big difference. The partisans are all looking at us as if we’re this peculiar exotic little creature.”

The work ahead

Democrat Abigail Spanberger was elected governor in Virginia in part because of big gains in Latino-heavy communities. One of the biggest gains was in Manassas Park, where more than 40% of residents are Latino. She won the city by 42 points, doubling the Democrats’ performance there in last year’s election.

The shift toward Democrats happened because Latinos believed Trump when he promised to bring down high costs of living and that he would only go after violent criminals in immigration raids, said Democratic strategist Maria Cardona, who worked with Spanberger’s campaign on outreach to Spanish-language media.

Instead, she argued, Trump betrayed them.

Cardona said Medicaid cuts under Trump’s massive spending package this year, along with the reduction of supplemental nutrition assistance amid the government shutdown, have Latinos families panicking.

“What Republicans misguidedly and mistakenly thought was a realignment of Latino voters just turned out to be a blip,” she said. “Latinos should never be considered a base vote.”

Political scientists caution that the election outcomes this week are not necessarily indicative of how races will play out a year from now.

“It’s just one election, but certainly the seeds have been planted for strong Latino Democratic turnouts in 2026,” said Brad Jones, a political science professor at UC Davis.

Now, both parties need to explain how they expect to carry out their promises if elected.

“They can’t sit on their laurels and say, ‘well surely the Latinos are coming back because the economy is bad and immigration enforcement is bad,’” Jones said. “The job of the Democratic party is now to reach out to Latino voters in ways that are more than just symbolic.”

India claimed a 2-1 win in their T20 series against Australia after the fifth and final match in Brisbane was washed out.

After losing the toss and being asked to bat, openers Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill steered India to 52-0 after 4.5 overs before a thunderstorm forced the players from the field.

Though the storm moved on, heavy rain persisted and the umpires decided no further play was possible.

It is the second match of the series to be washed out after the opener in Canberra on 29 October.

Australia won the second game in Melbourne, but victories in Hobart and the Gold Coast secured the series for the tourists.

India will defend their T20 World Cup title as co-hosts with Sri Lanka in February.

AS I walked down the gangplank, I felt green – no not seasick, ENVY!

I’m taking a look at the latest vessel to join the Ambassador fleet, its first fly-cruise ship.

Renaissance was setting off from London Tilbury on a cold afternoon to spend the winter cruising the Caribbean – sadly, without me.

The first guests were already having fun at Le Lido with its lovely swimming pool and two whirlpools, under an impressive retractable roof.

There is another outdoor pool at the stern.

Renaissance is British-French owned and recently renovated – and it shows. Not glitzy, not modern, just effortlessly chic.

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Top-notch dining

It can carry 1,100 guests who will fly/cruise from Barbados on 14-night itineraries, which include visits to St Kitts, Martinique, Antigua, St Maarten and Curacao.

The cruise line has chartered Virgin Atlantic flights from Heathrow or Manchester to fly you in style to join Renaissance for the winter season, with four choices of seating class.

Renaissance will then head to Blighty for the summer to join sister ships Ambience and Ambition with exciting new itineraries.

A peek at the choice of cabins impressed me. Even the inside one is spacious, light and airy, with serious amounts of storage – and enough hangers!

This is not a super- luxurious expensive cruise line, but it offers a great-value opportunity to escape the British winter.

The inside cabins were the best I have ever seen. The suites? Well, with a super-spacious private balcony, I would have had to drag myself away to enjoy the onboard entertainment. They were very good value.

There are of course porthole and window cabins, some balcony, and even cabins with sliding doors onto the outside deck.

The theatre was gorgeous – elegant and comfortable, West End glamour – without the queue for the Ladies!

A large gym, and free access to the spa suite promised opportunities to keep fit. Lots of lounge and library space too.

And there are plenty of top-notch dining options.

The impressive Valet main dining restaurant covers two decks and offers great sea views.

The Belle Vue buffet restaurant is great for casual dining and there are three speciality venues at a small extra cost plus a signature Chef’s Table seven-course dining experience.

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Kreole will serve up a vibrant menu reflecting Caribbean culinary traditions, Lotus has Pan-Asian options and Terre et Mer will feature a six-course extravaganza.

I was sad Renaissance sailed without me this time but you don’t have to miss the boat, there are Christmas and New Year cruises as well as lots more dates to discover the delights of Ambassadors’ Renaissance in the Caribbean in 2026.

150 students from Gaza’s al-Aqsa University have been celebrating after becoming the first class to graduate there since the start of Israel’s genocide, during which the territory’s entire education system has come under assault.