Month: June 2026

A U.S. Navy uncrewed surface vessel (USV) found and rescued the crew of a U.S. Army Apache that went down overnight near the Strait of Hormuz, in the Gulf of Oman. This is the first known use of a drone boat executing a personnel recovery action as part of a military search and rescue operation, and it’s likely a glimpse of what’s to come. The cause of the incident is otherwise under investigation.

Navy Capt. Tim Hawkins, a U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) spokesman, has confirmed the use of the Navy USV in the rescue effort to TWZ. This had already been hinted at by mention of Task Force 59, the Navy’s main drone force in the Middle East, in an official CENTCOM statement. What specific type of drone boat was utilized in this case is not yet known. Task Force 59 operates a variety of USVs, including speedboat-like types. The Task Force has been experimenting with all types of new uncrewed naval technologies and this rescue is clearly a major win for the forward-looking unit.

“At 7:33 p.m. ET on June 8, two crew members from a U.S. Army AH-64 Apache were rescued by American forces after their helicopter went down near the coast of Oman while patrolling regional waters,” per CENTCOM’s statement. “The Soldiers were safely rescued within approximately two hours and are in stable condition. The cause of the incident is under investigation.”

“Rescue efforts were led by U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and the 82nd Airborne Division, with support from U.S. Air Force and Navy units including U.S. 5th Fleet’s Task Force 59,” the statement added.

The New York Times was first to report that an Apache had gone down near the Strait of Hormuz. President Donald Trump had also confirmed the crew was safe while speaking to reporters earlier this morning.

“We are going to issue a report tomorrow, but the pilots are fine,” Trump said after returning to Washington from the NBA Finals in New York.

As we have reported in the past, Army AH-64s have been part of an effort by the U.S. military to enforce the ongoing blockade of Iran and protect commercial shipping. Last month, Apaches and U.S. Navy MH-60 Seahawk helicopters destroyed six small Iranian boats that were threatening commercial ships in and around the Strait of Hormuz, according to Navy Adm. Brad Cooper, head of CENTCOM. Apaches had already been conducting missions targeting Iranian naval assets in and around the Strait of Hormuz before the announcement of the ceasefire in April. All of this has shown that armed helicopters remain important assets in maritime operations, especially for defending against swarms of small boats.

As TWZ regularly highlights, search and rescue operations present inherent complexities and risks, especially when conducted in or near hostile territory. The F-15E rescue effort in Iran put a particular spotlight on the immense risks that combat search and rescue (CSAR) forces take, with helicopters and C-130 variants sent into areas where even a high-end fighter aircraft didn’t survive.

Open-water recoveries can present distinct additional challenges. There is always the possibility of the loss of additional assets and personnel in the process, no matter where a CSAR mission occurs.

The use of Navy drone boat in the rescue overnight highlights a new dimension for maritime CSAR going forward. These uncrewed assets can be more readily pre-positioned in a distributed manner. For example, in the broad expanse of the Pacific, USVs could be forward-deployed at multiple points along certain flight paths for this exact purpose. USVs could offer other distinct advantages in certain scenarios where they might be able to get into areas where traditional assets cannot and without risking additional personnel. These realities extend well beyond the maritime domain, and we are only likely to see uncrewed platforms of all kinds increasingly taking part in rescue efforts, especially in denied areas. The U.S. military is coming to terms with just how vulnerable their CSAR assets are and the ranges that would be needed to access highly defended areas, especially during a peer fight. Using drones to execute personnel recovery is being viewed as one part of a larger set of solutions to this pressing problem.

With the Apache going down near the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. military has now lost at least seven crewed fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters since the start of the latest operations against Iran in February. In addition, several aircraft have been damaged in the air and on the ground, including by Iranian fire. The TWZ graphic below offers a visual tally of damaged and destroyed aircraft as of April 10.

Despite the loss of the Apache, the use of a USV in the rescue effort is a major development and a sign of things to come.

Contact the author: howard@twz.com

A NUMBER of airlines, including several to a popular long-haul destination, are the latest in updating rules on a popular travel item.

Portable power banks have caused a number of issues on flights in recent months.

And as a result, rules regarding travelling with them on planes have been updated for all flights heading to, within and from Thailand.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has stated that power banks must now be stored in hand luggage, when previously they were allowed in checked luggage.

Passengers will be allowed up to two power banks but they cannot be used during flights.

The updated rules apply to all airlines that fly to, within and from Thailand such as Thai Airways, Thai AirAsia, Bangkok Airways and Singapore Airlines.

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And it isn’t just the airlines flying to Thailand that are issuing updated power bank guidance.

This week Aer Lingus changed its policy as well, with passengers now only able to carry up to two power banks in their cabin baggage.

A spokesperson for the airline told The Irish Times that the change is “in line with guidance from the International Civil Aviation Organisation and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency”.

Airlines changing their rules and guidance on travelling with power banks comes as a number of incidents caused by lithium batteries – which are found inside power banks – have occurred on flights in recent months.

The batteries are prone to overheating and in a number of cases have even caught fire.

For example, on May 19, an easyJet flight travelling from Egypt to the UK was forced to divert to Rome after a passenger revealed they had left a phone connected and charging via a power bank in their checked luggage.

And back in July last year, a power bank caught fire on a Bangkok Airways flight from Samui to Hong Kong.

According to power bank brand Anker, “for those traveling to, from, or within the United Kingdom, you must adhere to Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) guidelines.

“When it comes to carrying power banks on planes, UK regulations are very specific about how these items are stored.

“The CAA emphasises that terminals must be protected from short circuits.

“Major airlines like British Airways, EasyJet, and Virgin Atlantic all enforce the 100Wh limit for automatic acceptance.”

The CAA’s power bank rules are as follows:

• Power banks must be carried in carry‑on baggage
• Power banks must be individually protected when not in use
• Power banks must not be recharged on board the aircraft
• Power banks should not be used to charge other portable electronic devices on board the aircraft
• Maximum of two power banks per person

THE top 10 destinations offering five-star stays on a budget have been revealed – starting from just £70 a night.

They’ve been identified by Hotels.com, which used search data to determine the most appealing locations for Brits.

Despite volatile travel prices, it’s possible to go on a 5-star holiday on a budget – with high-end range accommodation available for as low as £70 in Nha Trang, Vietnam.

You can also enjoy luxury stays in Zagreb, Croatia, for £130 and Tallinn, Estonia, for £140, with the likes of Zaragoza, Spain (£120) and Sofia, Bulgaria (£135) also cheap.

The data was revealed as part of the global marketplace’s 2026 Hotel Price Index.

The report also includes findings from a global study of 11,000 adults who’ve ever stayed in a hotel – covering the UK, USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, France, Sweden, Denmark, Norway and South Korea.

It revealed how they define luxury accommodation, with offering great food (31 per cent), a room with a view (30 per cent) and premium in-room amenities (28 per cent) coming top.

Travel expert and spokesperson Melanie Fish said: “Travellers may be feeling the squeeze, but they’re also getting smarter.

“With increasing volatility in travel prices this summer, fuel costs may be dominating the conversation, but hotel prices are where travellers are making real trade-offs.”

The Hotel Price Index also revealed other cheap but luxurious options include nights in Wrocław, Poland (£120), Tirana, Albania (£130) and Riga, Latvia (£130).

Heraklion, Crete (£135) and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (£140) are also offering high-end accommodation at a lower cost.

There are five-star offerings available in the UK too – including the likes of Brighton (£115), Cornwall (£135) and Liverpool (£170).

In addition to finding 10 of the cheapest, 10 notable locations which have seen major price drops during the past year were revealed – including Loire, France (down by 32 per cent) and Edmonton, Canada (down 31 per cent).

Further places include St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands (down 30 per cent), Dortmund, Germany (down 21 per cent) and Turin, Italy (also down 21 per cent).

The report also found it pays to book holidays at the last minute, with hotel rates up to 26 per cent lower if booking close to departure.

TEN OF THE CHEAPEST FIVE-STAR STAYS IN THE UK:

1. Brighton (£115)
2. Bristol (£115)
3. Chichester (£120)
4. Llandudno (£125)
5. Worcester (£125)
6. Bournemouth (£130)
7. Cornwall (£135)
8. Leeds (£145)
9. Cardiff (£155)
10. Liverpool (£170)

If you’re looking to keep costs down further still, the data also found prices are 14 per cent lower for Sunday stays – with Saturdays the most expensive.

Getting away in January offers the lowest prices, while the second week of July is the priciest – at least domestically.

Hotels.com’s global study, carried out through OnePoll, also revealed what’s top of everyone’s luxury dream wish list – a hot tub with a view (44 per cent) followed by a penthouse suite (41 per cent).

When asked what they consider a truly luxury hotel to offer, great food at the hotel (31 per cent), a room with a view (30 per cent) and premium in-room amenities (28 per cent) came top.

Christa Miller, who plays consummate mother and opinionated neighbor Liz on “Shrinking,” has one piece of advice for parental dressing: Step away from the athleisure.

“You’re not going to feel confident in workout wear,” says Miller. She and the show’s costume designer, Allyson B. Fanger, are very intentional with Liz’s outfits, a master class in effortless yet accessible casual chic: Bold colors, layered tops, cheeky accessories and a liberal use of stripes. “The character totally could have been [in] Lululemon, but I didn’t want to fall into that trap.” Instead, Miller says they chose to spotlight Californian brands like Clare V, Jennifer Meyer, and fittingly, Mother, styled “a little off” for looks that have become so popular that Fanger created a LookLikeLiz hashtag on Instagram for fans.

Miller is just one of the stars pulling focus for their characters’ distinctive style on shows that are contenders in the Emmys race this year: Keke Palmer (“The ‘Burbs”), Sarah Snook (“All Her Fault”), Lucy Punch (“The Audacity”), Elle Fanning (“Margo’s Got Money Troubles”) and others all have fans buzzing about their fashion. And costume designers and style experts agree that the inspiration goes both ways.

“There was this expectation that once you became a mom, the attractive parts of you got set aside because you were just a mom,” says Shana Draugelis, founder and CEO of lifestyle and shopping website the Mom Edit, which recently ran a detailed feature on Liz’s wardrobe. “With the advent of Instagram, the whole style game has just completely leveled up.”

Liz’s looks, which Miller says are inspired by “Brentwood mom” style, reflect the character’s personality. “She’s not going to work, but she does want to have a certain element of presence,” says Fanger, who is a five-time Emmy nominee for her work on “Grace and Frankie.” “But there’s also a casual component to Los Angeles dressing. Mixing levels [of designers] lends itself to uniqueness, a strong point of view and a general coolness. You never look like you’re trying too hard.”

As Samira, a city native who moves to “The ’Burbs” with her husband and baby son, Keke Palmer stands out from the cul-de-sac crowd.

(Elizabeth Morris / Peacock)

Another character with a strong fashion POV is “The ‘Burbs” Samira (Palmer), a city girl and new mom who moves with her husband Rob (Jack Whitehall) and their baby son from the city to the idyllic (and fictional) Hinkley Hills. Clad in bright, slouchy-cool separates and statement accessories, Samira quickly makes a splash among her more blandly dressed neighbors.

“She’s the only Black woman in the neighborhood,” says the show’s costume designer, Trayce Gigi Field, who pulls quite a bit of, yes, Mother, but also likes to sprinkle in some lesser-known designers like Good ’Ol Whats-her-face jeans. She also paired Samira’s Howard University sweatshirt with biker shorts a la Princess Diana. “Showing her jewelry and her vibe and just having cooler clothes … it’s a great contrast to the other characters, except for Rob, [who] had the Black wife glow-up.”

Less brightly colored but no less interesting are Marissa (Snook) and Jenny (Dakota Fanning), who bond after the disappearance of Marissa’s son in an affluent Chicago neighborhood in “All Her Fault.” Their wardrobes are more subtle, yet show that there are different strata in the quiet luxury landscape. Publishing exec Jenny is well off, but nowhere near as wealthy as Marissa, who owns an accounting firm. (Perhaps not coatless “Succession” rich, but still.)

Sarah Snook, left, and Dakota Fanning connect as working moms in “All Her Fault,” albeit with subtle class distinctions between them.

(Sarah Enticknap / Peacock)

Costume designer Gypsy Taylor pulled “silks and beautiful fine wools and cashmeres” in warm toffee, chocolate and peachy tones by designers like Max Mara and Armani for Marissa, while Jenny “was a little bit more street: leather coats instead of cashmere. Or a beautiful J. Crew turtleneck as opposed to a Saks Fifth Avenue” one.

But perhaps the most amusing depiction was how Taylor contrasted the stay-at-home moms (and dads) with Marissa and Jenny, with most of the sartorial showdowns taking place during school pickups and dropoffs. “We just went hard yummy mummy on her,” says Taylor of PTA President Sarah Larsen (Melanie Vallejo). She used “too much Lululemon,” as well as Alo and PE Nation to round out the athleisure.

In “The Audacity,” Silicon Valley parents Duncan (Billy Magnussen) and Lili (Punch) portray a different kind of luxury, a casual minimalism that belies the residents’ mind-boggling net worth. “The focus is not so much showing off the wealth, but at least, you know, it’s still there,” says the show’s costume designer Farnaz Khaki-Sadigh. “So you see people like wearing a T-shirt, but it’s not your average T-shirt — more about the quality of the fabric than the designer name on it.”

As the wife of a tech magnate in “The Audacity,” Lucy Punch’s costumes tap into the ultra-minimalist luxury of Silicon Valley.

(Ed Araquel / AMC)

Finally, on the other side of the economic spectrum, there’s Margo (Elle Fanning) and her mother Shyanne (Michelle Pfeiffer) in “Margo’s Got Money Troubles.” When college student Margo unexpectedly becomes pregnant, Shyanne and Margo’s estranged father Jinx (Nick Offerman) step in; the series follows their struggle to support each other after baby Bodhi arrives.

Costume designer Mirren Gordon-Crozier says via email that her conversations with Fanning “centered around making Margo feel emotionally truthful rather than overly styled.” This meant vintage Levi’s, worn tees, thrift-store knits, “pieces that feel inherited or accumulated over time.” As for her mother, “Shyanne is much more performative. She understands the power of presentation and uses fashion almost as armor.”

But it’s not just the distinctive clothes that are uniting the people on these shows — it’s the fact that parenthood is just one aspect of these characters’ very full, very busy lives. “What does feel good to me is the fact that so many of these moms are being portrayed in Hollywood for something other than being a mom,” says Draguelis. “It just feels like being a mom is a continuation of who you are.”

WASHINGTON — Democrats’ path to winning control of the Senate probably runs through Maine — where voters were set to head to the polls Tuesday after several days of growing party anxiety about Graham Platner, who has faced a string of controversies as the likely Democratic candidate.

Democrats not just in Maine but around the country — including in Texas, Iowa and other red states where the party’s mission to flip Senate seats would become more urgent if its prospects in Maine faltered — were closely watching Platner’s performance in Tuesday’s primary.

“They’ve probably become if not less optimistic, at least more nervous over the last 10 days or so,” said Mark Brewer, a political science professor at the University of Maine.

Democrats face a challenging map as they seek to regain control of both chambers of Congress and claw back power in Washington. Unseating Sen. Susan Collins, the veteran Maine Republican, has been viewed as one of the party’s best chances, Brewer said.

Platner’s primary opponent, Maine Gov. Janet Mills, suspended her campaign in late April, clearing his path. He is generally expected to prevail as the Democratic nominee, but what percentage of his party’s vote he captures could help indicate how strong his candidacy will be in the general election, said John Cluverius, director of survey research for the Center for Public Opinion at UMass Lowell, which has conducted polling on the race.

“It’s critical [for Democrats], because without Maine, to win back the Senate you would need to win in states that Donald Trump won overwhelmingly,” Cluverius said.

Platner, an oyster farmer and Marine Corps veteran, emerged as a political outsider and quickly gained popularity.

But apparent scandals followed him. The latest came Thursday, when the New York Times reported that three ex-girlfriends of Platner’s had described his behavior as volatile and, by one account, physically rough. Platner, who denied the latter allegation, had previously addressed controversies related to his texting of women outside his marriage, a Nazi-style tattoo and old Reddit posts.

Over the weekend, Platner projected confidence. He took questions from audience members at a Sunday town hall, and on Friday, the campaign saw its best fundraising day since Mills suspended her bid opposing Platner for the nomination, bringing in $200,000 in 24 hours, a campaign official said.

“Since the beginning, Maine, you had my back,” Platner told supporters at a Friday rally. He drew a standing ovation when he continued: “Now, as every single piece of that past and journey gets dug up, litigated and weaponized, you have my back.”

Platner described the allegations against him as “politically motivated” and false.

The controversies surrounding him could help Collins, who has a track record as a political survivor, Brewer said. In 2020, the last time Collins was reelected, polls predicted she would lose to her Democratic opponent, but she secured reelection, even as the state went for Democrat Joe Biden in the presidential race.

“Her position has probably improved over the last few weeks,” Brewer said. “She has mostly stayed out of the way on this and let the negative stories pile up.

Last week, Democratic leaders largely stood by Platner, as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer indicated the party would continue to back him. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Fremont) campaigned with him at the Friday rally. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) recorded a call to prospective voters on his behalf, and Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) appeared at a virtual fundraiser, according to a source familiar with the plans.

The political calculus comes down to whether “they would rather have a Senate majority with Graham Platner in it than a Senate minority without Graham Platner in it,” Culverius said.

Democrats must flip at least four Republican seats to take control of the Senate, a difficult task. The Maine seat is the only possible Democratic flip in a state that went for Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris in 2024 rather than for President Trump.

Democrats are also looking for victory in Texas, Iowa, Ohio, North Carolina or Alaska, all states that went for Trump in 2024. The party must additionally retain their seats in competitive races in Michigan, New Hampshire and Georgia.

How Platner affects his party’s chances of taking Senate control depends on what happens next, Brewer said.

“What else are we going to see? And I don’t know that anybody knows that at this point,” Brewer said. “I think that’s really what Democrats have to worry about the most. Is this as bad as it gets, or is there other stuff?”

Voters are willing to overlook scandal more readily than in the past, said Brandon Rottinghaus, a political scientist at the University of Houston. And in these midterm elections, Democratic voters view the stakes as “extremely high.”

“Most voters are looking at the prospect of winning and losing,” he said. “Parties are worried about getting the win.”

History tends to repeat itself at the World Cup. Such is the case with Mexico and South Africa, two teams that will face off in the World Cup opening match for the second time in history, just as they did in Johannesburg on June 11, 2010. The score that night was 1-1.

Many still remember Siphiwe Tshabalala and his powerful shot into the top corner that beat Mexican goalkeeper Óscar Pérez, and a celebration that remains etched in the collective memory of the soccer world. Unfortunately for the South African team that night, Rafa Márquez equalized for El Tri with 11 minutes remaining during what turned out to be a disappointing World Cup for the host nation.

Sixteen years later, the 2026 World Cup kicks off, curiously enough, with the same matchup, but with the roles reversed. Mexico is now the host at Azteca Stadium, known during this competition as Mexico City Stadium, at 7,216 feet above sea level. It will be the third World Cup the venue has hosted.

“It won’t be easy at all,” South Africa coach Hugo Broos said last December upon learning his team would debut against one of the hosts. “It’s a great thing to play in front of 80,000 people. We have nothing to lose.”

Mexico’s Giovani Dos Santos jumps on the back of Rafael Marquez after Mexico scored against South Africa during a World Cup group match on June 11, 2010, in Johannesburg, South Africa.

(Michael Steele / Getty Images)

On the Mexican side, the similarities to 2010 are striking — and not necessarily for the right reasons. Coach Javier Aguirre is back on El Tri’s bench — the same coach who led that campaign in South Africa — which, at first glance, might seem curious, though in practice it reflects the stagnation of a soccer team that has gone eight consecutive World Cups without advancing past the round of 16.

Former Barcelona player Márquez, who scored the equalizer, also remains connected to the national team, now as an assistant coach, with the mandate to take the reins of the team once the Aguirre era concludes after the World Cup. The squad has seen more than a dozen coaches come and go since 2010, including a qualification for Brazil 2014 that nearly ended in tragedy before a goal by the United States rescued the Mexican team and sealed its admission into the tournament.

“Javier [Aguirre] was a firefighter in 2002, he was a firefighter in 2010 and he stepped in as a firefighter again then — it’s the same old story,” said John Sutcliff, a journalist who has covered Mexico for more than 36 years. “[The federation officials] aren’t working in the best interest of the national team. There’s a lot of interest in bringing in foreigners [to the Mexican league] for business purposes and we don’t have players in Europe’s top leagues.”

Mexico’s recent record speaks for itself. It was eliminated in the World Cup round of 16 in 2010 by Argentina, by the Netherlands in 2014, by Brazil in 2018 and failed to even advance past the group stage in Qatar in 2022. Considered the “Giant of CONCACAF,” Mexico has remained dominant in its region since 2010, with five Gold Cups, although it has lost ground to the United States in the Nations League.

Outside the region, its participation in 2010 has been limited mainly to two editions of the Copa América held on U.S. soil, in which it has failed in both, reaching the quarterfinals in 2016 and being eliminated in the group stage in 2024.

“I think it’s been a roller coaster ride over these 16 years; for a moment it seemed like it was making progress, but then there were spectacular crashes,” said Gibrán Araige, a journalist who has followed El Tri through several World Cup cycles.

Mexico’s Raúl Jiménez celebrates with teammates after scoring against Serbia during a friendly at Nemesio Diez Stadium on June 4 in Toluca, Mexico.

(Agustin Cuevas / Getty Images)

For Araige, the level of the 2010 squad is similar to the current one, with players who are not yet established but have solid European experience.

Of the 26 players called up by Aguirre, 10 play in Europe, but few play for elite clubs or get significant playing time on their teams, mostly hampered by injuries, as is the case with Santi Giménez (AC Milan, Italy), César Huerta (Anderlecht, Belgium), Luis Chávez (Dinamo, Russia) and Edson Álvarez (Fenerbahçe, Turkey).

For its part, South Africa has not made significant progress since 2010.

After being eliminated in the group stage, finishing behind Uruguay and Mexico in a tournament held in its own country, it became the first host nation in a World Cup to fail to advance past that stage — a record that Qatar matched in 2022.

Bafana Bafana failed to qualify for the next three World Cups. In fact, this is the first time they have qualified since 2002, as they did not have to qualify in 2010, having hosted the tournament.

They were eliminated as group runners-up behind Ethiopia on the road to Brazil in 2014, they finished last in their group on the road to Russia in 2018 and finished second behind Ghana in the qualifiers for Qatar in 2022.

South African players run during a World Cup training session at Estadio Hidalgo on June 3 in Pachuca, Mexico.

(Manuel Velasquez / Getty Images)

They have also lacked consistency in the Africa Cup of Nations, missing the 2012 and 2017 editions.

Broos, who took over as South Africa’s head coach in 2021, sought to instill discipline and relied on local talent, which was vital in securing a spot in this year’s World Cup. During the qualifying round, South Africa won its group by finishing ahead of Nigeria and advanced despite starting the campaign with a loss due to an ineligible player used in a match against Lesotho.

Broos faced criticism for strategic errors early on, but ultimately built a competitive team that achieved historic qualification, aided by nine direct World Cup spots in the expanded tournament field.

“It’s a truly excellent group of players. We got through a very tough qualifying phase, which I think helped polish the team,” said Mark Gleeson, a journalist specializing in African soccer.

For Gleeson, South Africa missed a major opportunity to strengthen its league by failing to retain investors and wealthy clients after the 2010 World Cup and continued to operate in the same way — a trend reflected in the league’s stagnation and the scarcity of talent playing abroad.

Lwethu Makhanya (Philadelphia Union, USA), Ime Okon (Hannover 96, Germany), Mbekezeli Mbokazi (Chicago Fire, USA), Sphephelo Sithole (CD Tondela, Portugal) and Lyle Foster (Burnley, England) are among the few South African players competing abroad for a national team reliant on domestic soccer.

South Africa huddle during a training session at Estadio Hidalgo on June 3 in Pachuca, Mexico.

(Manuel Velasquez / Getty Images)

However, with the World Cup’s new 48-team format, the task of advancing proved less daunting for teams in the qualifying phase and at the World Cup, there will also be more opportunities to advance beyond the group stage because the best third-place finishers move on. That math could benefit South Africa even if it loses its opening match.

Should Bafana Bafana lose to Mexico, they would have to beat the Czech Republic in their second match on June 18 in Atlanta and would likely play for qualification on June 24 against South Korea in Monterrey.

“The Czechs are among the weakest in Europe, and there’s a good chance of beating them. Furthermore, South Korea is well below its own historical standards, as was evident in March with very poor results in high-pressure matches,” Gleeson said.

To prepare for the altitude in Mexico City, Broos, a former Belgian player who competed in the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, brought his team in early and, starting May 30, held training camp in Pachuca, a city at higher in elevation than the capital. Several of his players are already accustomed to some altitude from playing for clubs in Johannesburg, at 5,751 feet.

“South Africa has a chance; we can compete,” Tshabalala said in an interview after the draw. “I think the pressure will be on Mexico because they’re the hosts. That gives us a real opportunity to pull off an upset.”

A scoreless draw against Nicaragua in Johannesburg days before the World Cup isn’t exactly encouraging, but it also fits with the team’s expectations and the mindset of “having everything to gain and little to lose.”

“We have to enjoy it, and when you enjoy something, you can achieve great things,” said Broos.

The 2026 World Cup will launch with a series of historic opening ceremonies across North America, marking the first time the tournament has been launched simultaneously in three host countries.

The United States, Mexico and Canada will officially launch the biggest World Cup in history.

While the US hosted the tournament in 1994 and Mexico in 1970 and 1986, Canada will host the competition for the first time. Together, the three countries will open the tournament.

This World Cup will feature a record 104 matches spread across 16 host cities. The global event will run from the opening match in Mexico on Thursday, June 11, to the final on Sunday, July 19, in New York.

Here is what we know:

What are the 2026 FIFA World Cup opening ceremonies?

The three interconnected ceremonies staged across Mexico, Canada and the US are built around a shared theme designed to unite the three host nations while showcasing each country’s culture, identity and creative talent.

Each event will begin 90 minutes before the host nation’s opening match.

The ceremonies are being produced by Marco Balich, the creative director behind several Olympic opening ceremonies, including the 2026 Winter Games edition and major international sporting events. While each show will have its own distinct character, all three will be linked by a shared theme centred on football’s ability to unite people across borders.

Each host country will bring its own visual style to the ceremonies. Canada will be represented through a cultural mosaic, Mexico through papel picado, and the US through what Balich called “a super shiny, glowing cup”.

“The FIFA World Cup is a moment the world shares, and that begins with how we open it,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

“Starting with Mexico City and continuing the next days with Toronto and Los Angeles, these ceremonies will bring together music, culture and football in a way that reflects both the individuality of each nation and the unity that defines this tournament. It is a powerful way to begin a truly global celebration.”

According to The Athletic, the ceremony in Mexico City is expected to run for about 16 minutes and 30 seconds, while the shows in Toronto and Los Angeles are scheduled to last approximately 13 minutes each.

Once the performances conclude, the pitch will be handed over to the teams for their pre-match warm-ups. Matchday protocol ceremonies, including the player walkouts and official introductions, will then begin 25 minutes before kickoff and are expected to last about 13 minutes.

Who is playing in the opening games?

Mexico will face South Africa in the first match of the tournament, which will take place following the opening ceremony in Mexico City.

Canada will play against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto, marking a historic milestone as it will be the Canadian Men’s National Team’s first World Cup match played on home soil.

The US will take on Paraguay in their opening match following the celebration in Los Angeles.

When and where are the World Cup opening ceremonies?

Mexico City (June 11)

Mexico will launch the tournament at Mexico City Stadium (formerly known as the Estadio Azteca) 90 minutes before its opening match against South Africa, in a repeat of the 2010 opener.

The ceremony is expected to celebrate Mexican culture through Indigenous performers, contemporary folkloric acts and the traditional art of papel picado.

Artists featured on the Official FIFA World Cup Album are expected to perform, including Alejandro Fernandez, Belinda, Danny Ocean, J Balvin, Lila Downs, Los Angeles Azules, and Mana. The show will also include South African singer-songwriter Tyla.

Shakira is also expected to perform her Dai Dai – an Italian phrase meaning “let’s go” or “come on” – along with Burna Boy. Shakira is also set to co-headline the inaugural FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show on July 19, alongside Madonna and K-pop band BTS.

Authorities have declared June 11 a public holiday in Mexico City, with schools closed and employers encouraged to allow remote work. Access to the stadium area will be restricted to ticket holders, accredited media and authorised personnel.

Opening day schedule in Mexico
9:00 (15:00 GMT): Stadium gates open
11:00 (17:00 GMT): Opening ceremony begins
12:10 (18:10 GMT): Team warm-ups
13:00 (19:00 GMT): Mexico vs South Africa kickoff

Toronto (June 12)

Canada’s ceremony will take place at Toronto Stadium before the country’s World Cup match against Bosnia and Herzegovina. The opening ceremony in Toronto will kick off at 1:30pm local time (17:30 GMT).

The ceremony will begin with a unique countdown designed to take viewers on a “journey across Canada”, highlighting moments that reflect the nation “from coast to coast to coast”.

Centred on the theme of a cultural mosaic, the event will highlight Canada’s diversity through music and performance, with artists including Alanis Morissette, Alessia Cara, Elyanna, Jessie Reyez, Michael Buble, Nora Fatehi, Sanjoy, Vegedream and William Prince.

The match immediately following the ceremony against Bosnia and Herzegovina is deeply significant, as it will be the first FIFA World Cup match to be played by the Canadian Men’s National Team on home soil.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino noted that the Toronto ceremony will be a “powerful reflection of Canada’s identity” and a “moment of pride, unity and anticipation” as the country steps onto football’s biggest stage.

Opening day schedule in Canada

13:30 (17:30 GMT): Opening ceremony begins.
15:00 (19:00 GMT): Canada vs Bosnia and Herzegovina kicks off.

After the ceremony concludes, the teams will complete their warm-ups before the official pre-match proceedings and kickoff at 3pm local time (19:00 GMT).

Los Angeles (June 12)

The US will host its opening celebration at the Los Angeles Stadium before facing Paraguay.

The ceremony will feature large-scale visuals, immersive storytelling and performances from global artists including Katy Perry, Future, Anitta, LISA, Rema and Tyla.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino highlighted that this specific artist lineup was chosen to reflect the cultural diversity and vibrant diasporas of the US, showcasing the nation’s considerable influence on global pop culture, music, and entertainment.

Opening day schedule in US

16:30 (23:30 GMT): Opening ceremony begins
18:00 (01:00 GMT June 13): The US vs Paraguay kicks off.

How can you watch the World Cup opening ceremony?

Fans in the US can watch the opening ceremonies through FIFA’s official broadcast partners. English-language coverage will be available on FOX and FS1, while Spanish-language coverage will air on Telemundo and Universo.

For free streaming, Tubi will simulcast the opening ceremonies and the opening matches, including Mexico vs South Africa on June 11 and the United States vs Paraguay on June 12.

All 104 World Cup matches will also be available through the FOX One app (subscription required), while Spanish-language viewers can stream every match on Peacock and the Telemundo app.

International broadcasters include:

• Canada: CTV, TSN and RDS
• Mexico: Televisa and TV Azteca
• United Kingdom: BBC and ITV

How many fans are expected to attend and watch?

FIFA has not released an official number for the opening ceremonies. However, the three events are expected to fill their host venues in Mexico City, Toronto and Los Angeles, with a combined live attendance of roughly 200,000 spectators.

The ceremonies will also be broadcast worldwide as part of the opening match coverage, likely attracting a global television audience in the tens or hundreds of millions.

Are the hosting nations facing any challenges before the ceremony?

Yes. In Mexico City, ongoing protests by teachers’ unions and other groups have raised concerns about possible disruptions before the opening match between Mexico and South Africa.

Protesters have threatened to block major roads leading to Mexico City Stadium and other key locations. Authorities have responded with a large security operation and say the opening ceremony is not at risk, although organisers remain on alert as the tournament approaches.

In Los Angeles, officials have focused on security planning, crowd management and preparations for large-scale events across the city. Local authorities have also said they do not expect immigration enforcement operations at World Cup venues.

In Toronto, organisers are preparing for an influx of visitors, with transport agencies adding services and coordinating plans to reduce congestion. Across all three host nations, security and logistics remain key priorities as the tournament gets under way.

The FIFA World Cup begins on June 11. You can follow the action on Al Jazeera’s dedicated World Cup 2026 page with all the latest news, match build-up and live text commentary, and keep up to date with group standings, real-time match results and schedules.

This once charming village has been abandoned since a tragic accident decades ago.

Just a stone’s throw from one of the world’s most bustling capital cities lies a town that has been eerily silent for four decades, deserted by all those who once made it their home. Goussainville-Vieux Pays sits roughly half an hour’s drive north of Paris, and once upon a time, it was the picture of a quintessential French village.

Yet as the world moved on, a cruel twist of fate consigned Goussainville-Vieux Pays to history. The beginning of the end for this charming French settlement was the scene of a harrowing disaster

In 1973, a Russian aircraft had been performing aerobatic manoeuvres at the Paris Airshow when it stalled at low altitude and came crashing down.

The plane plummeted into the village, claiming 14 lives – including six crew members .

The wreckage obliterated 15 homes and the local school.

In the wake of the devastating incident, the village desperately tried to rebuild, but fate dealt another cruel blow.

The very next year, in 1974, Charles de Gaulle Airport opened its doors, placing Goussainville squarely beneath the flight path of one of Europe’s busiest airports.

The relentless roar of overhead aircraft proved not only an unbearable disruption for local residents, but served as a constant and harrowing reminder of the tragedy that had torn through their community just a year before, reports the Express.

Most villagers simply upped and left, many without even bothering to sell their properties.

The airport was subsequently compelled to purchase more than 100 of the deserted homes and pledged to maintain them.

Sadly, those houses have since been left to crumble.

Among the most arresting sights in this abandoned village are the crumbling remains of a sprawling old manor house, set within an overgrown and neglected garden.

Graffiti has spread across the settlement, and nowadays its only genuine signs of life are inquisitive tourists arriving to catch a glimpse of the village that time forgot.

NEW direct flights have been launched from the UK to a destination nicknamed the “pink city”.

Wizz Air has confirmed the new flights will connect London to Yerevan in Armenia – the only currenct direct flights.

It might not be on most Brits’ bucket list, but Armenia is a more unique destination for those wanting to go off the beaten track.

The pink nickname comes from the buildings made from rose-coloured stone which, during sunrise and sunset, can even turn into a vibrant pink or violet.

The country bordered by Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Iran is also backed by the enormous Mount Ararat which make for incredible views.

One Sun Writer went on the very first flight from Wizz Air to Armenia and revealed their favourite finds.

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They said: “Arriving in Republic Square, the heart of the capital city Yerevan, the Saturday evening atmosphere was electric with hordes of people enjoying live music alfresco.

“We wandered the main streets past buildings made from pink volcanic stone, before reaching the Cascade Yerevan.

“Made up of 572 steps (we took the interior escalator), this mighty landmark is a must-visit. From its peak, we had stunning views of the snow-capped Mount Ararat, now in modern-day Turkey.”

Away from landmarks, Armenia is known for its brandy and there are lots of vineyards dotted around Mount Ararat.

For those who want to learn more about it, there’s a museum dedicated to it and at the ARARAT Museum, a guided tour which includes a tasting starts from £9.

An hour outside of is the popular spot of Lake Sevan which is one of the world’s highest freshwater alpine lakes.

For anyone visiting in the summertime, it’s a popular swim spot and has a sandy shoreline for sunbathing.

The country of Armenia is affordable too with restaurant meals starting at around £8.

You can also pick up local beer for as little as £1 and coffee from £1.20.

According to Kayak, 3-star hotels in Yerevan can start from £30 per night – or if you consider hotels overnight stays can be as little as £15 per night.

One-way flights with Wizz Air start from £45.99.

It’s also cheaper for Brits to visit because Armenia has dropped its visa fees.

Holidaymakers can now visit for up to 180 days within a one year period.

The best time to visit Armenia is between May and June as well as autumn between September and October due to the mild temperatures up to 25C.

Yvonne Moynihan, Managing Director of Wizz Air UK, said that the route opens up “a destination that remains largely undiscovered by British travellers”.

She added: “At Wizz Air, we’re committed to making travel more accessible and helping our customers explore beyond the obvious.

“Yerevan is a city rich in history, culture and character, offering an incredible experience for travellers looking for something different, all at an affordable price.”

Memorizing your lines seems like such a foundational part of an actor’s job that there wouldn’t be much to say about it. Yet when a group of performers recently got onto the topic during The Envelope’s Emmy Limited Series / TV Movie Roundtable, it turned out everyone had their own way of doing it. And all were eager for tips and tricks, whether it be an app, a line-drilling coach (“Can I have that number?”), writing down the first letter of each word or even writing a monologue backward.

“We have to share tools, guys,” said Camila Morrone, who plays a bride-to-be who learns her fiancé’s family dark secrets in the horror thriller “Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen.” “It’s funny that we all have such different methods.”

Joining Morrone were Jamie Bell, who stars in “Half Man,” about the extremely dysfunctional, toxic relationship between two stepbrothers; Linda Cardellini, who appears in “DTF St. Louis” as a dissatisfied woman caught in a dangerous love triangle; Michael Peña, who plays a detective assigned to the case of a missing child while his own boundaries are tested in “All Her Fault”; Andrew Rannells, who is a man coming to terms with his own life while helping to plan a funeral in “Miss You, Love You”; and Constance Zimmer, who channels the mother of Carolyn Bessette Kennedy in “Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette.” Read on for more excerpts from our conversation.

The Envelope’s 2026 Emmy Limited Series / TV Movie Roundtable: Constance Zimmer, left, Michael Peña, Linda Cardellini, Andrew Rannells, Camila Morrone and Jamie Bell.

How do you watch TV? A home theater screening room or a tablet on the go?

Morrone: When I see people on a plane watching on their phone, I’m like, “Do you know how many people worked on that?”

Zimmer: I can barely watch one on an iPad because I still feel guilty about not getting the full effect.

Cardellini: I can’t watch on my phone or an iPad. It starts to hurt my eyes. And I like to binge. I don’t like one at a time. I like to save it up, and I like a binge. I don’t have the patience.

Morrone: Oh, I love one at a time. I want to wait till Sunday night, order my favorite food, maybe have a friend come over … Guess our theories of what’s going to happen. I did that with “White Lotus” this year, and I was looking forward to every Sunday at 7 p.m.

Bell: I catch usually about 10 minutes of whatever my wife has fallen asleep to. And then I’ll get into that, and then I’ll watch a lot more episodes while she’s asleep. And then she’ll wake up, and we’ll be completely out of sync in terms of what we’re watching.

Jamie, “Half-Man” is such an emotionally intense show, and it seems like that would be a really hard head space to exist in. Are there things that you do for yourself to maintain your own sanity?

Bell: Me and Richard [Gadd], who wrote the show, are big soccer fans. So I brought a soccer ball to set a lot, and just whatever space we’re in, we just kick a ball to each other every now and then. So, a lot of that wasn’t even us really speaking to each other, but just passing a ball backwards and forwards, which was quite a nice way of just taking our minds off of whatever scene we were doing and still enjoy the space with each other and do something that was physical that didn’t really require us jumping [around] too much.

Camila, “Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen” is also a very intense show. It’s not so much a scream queen kind of horror; it’s this foreboding horror. Was that a difficult space for you to exist in?

Morrone: I think there’s an underappreciation for horror performances. I think some of the most incredible performances, especially by women, have been done in the horror genre. And I think it’s a really specific thing to do because if you’re playing only one level of horror throughout an eight-episode series, I think it’s incredibly boring. And I think I had this notion of like, “God, I don’t want to do these jump scares,” and kind of the cliches of what we imagine horror is like. But horror can be really deep and really internal, and I think there’s a lot of ways in which horror and fear manifest. And I think it was interesting to try and find levels to it and to have the audience come with you, but not dramatize or exaggerate an emotion.

Michael, in “All Her Fault” you are playing someone who could be a much more conventional detective character, but reveals more layers. Was there a moment in your career when you realized, whether it was going for certain roles or not going for certain roles, where you wanted to break out of feeling like a sidekick character or more stereotyped characters? Was there a moment where you made an effort to start going for a different kind of role?

Peña: Back when I started acting, the breakdowns for actors, it was like “Caucasian only,” “Caucasian only,” “Caucasian only,” and we weren’t allowed to audition for those. And it was only until the 14th part that it said, “Open to other ethnicities.” So there’s like a thousand of us going for the 14th place. Ten years of that, you kind of think, “I guess I’m meant to be a supporting character.” But then my mom, right before she died, what she said is, “If you’re going to do that, just make it real. What’s the best you can do with that part?” I said, “Make it a three-dimensional character.” She’s like, “Just do that.” And she’s like, “Nobody remembers your bank account.” And I was like, “Oh, these are two good pieces of advice, Moms,” and so that’s what I did. And with “Crash,” he was a gangster and I was like, “Screw it. I’m just going to do the work and try it out, and all the stuff that I was learning in acting class, I’m going to apply it to this particular role.” And I was happy with the work, so then I kept doing that.

For the rest of you, was there a moment where you had to make a decision about the kind of career that you wanted for yourself and the kind of roles you were going to go up for?

Zimmer: Sorry. It just makes me laugh because we have no control, as actors, over where they believe that we belong. I wish that we could say, “I’d like to try this now,” but it’s basically where they believe they would like us. And then you get put into an area, or a path, or a box, and you can’t get out until somebody else decides, “Hold on. We’re going to give you that shot to try this, even though it’s not necessarily what you normally do or are known for.” Then it takes that for everybody to go, “Oh, you can do this, too?” And it’s like, “Yeah, that’s my job.” My job is to do a lot of things, not just one role, or one type of role.

Rannells: You’d like to think that you’re more in control of those decisions, but sometimes things just happen.

Constance, as Ann Messina, Carolyn Bessette’s mother in “Love Story,” you have this speech that you give at their wedding dinner. It’s such an incredible scene, and I’m wondering, what was it like for you when you first read that in the script?

Zimmer: That monologue was actually my audition.

Peña: Oh, I love when that happens like that.

Zimmer: So I knew it very well, getting on the set with it. I think that I only saw two scripts out of nine episodes, and they were just the ones I was in. And I remember my team saying, “This might be it. We don’t know if there’s anything else that you’re going to do on the show.” And I said, “If this is the only thing I do, it’ll be worth it,” because it was so layered and it was so well-written by Connor Hines and Juli Weiner, I was kind of like, “This is all that matters anyway.” So, to be able to feel like I could pour the entire character into one moment in time, it allowed me to try and give her as much as possible because I was like, “This might be it.” So when I read it, I was like, “Oh, OK. That’s like those five-page monologues that you don’t get very often to do for one character in one episode.”

Linda, your character on “DTF St. Louis” has this habit of saying, “No way, José,” and it’s oddly catchy. And she also is always asking people to speak up. Is it difficult to take what seems, on the page, maybe like tics or weird habits and make them feel natural?

Cardellini: That was the great challenge of it, and it’s the beauty of [Steven Conrad’s] writing. Like we repeat “Jamba Juice,” or “Quality Inn,” or “Garden Suites,” all these little phrases, or “Snag it.” It’s so fun to find a way to make that seem like it is natural to you. I remember I had a long monologue audition, and in there I talk about, “No way, José.” I wasn’t sure what the tone was — it’s such a specific tone when you watch the show, and it’s very Steve Conrad. And I didn’t know what it was before I met him and before you could see the show in action. So getting through that and chewing through that in my audition, doing these versions of “No way, José” that I thought felt really, really natural to me, I was like, “This is how I would say it. This is how I’m going to do it. If my sense of humor matches his sense of humor, if our tones match, then I’ll get this role. And if they don’t, then somebody else will do it beautifully in that other way, whatever that is.” Luckily that was like a marriage of tone and thought, and then those things start to come naturally. And then you want to say them more often than they’re written. There’s not a lot of improv in the show, but we would all just joke around and say it to each other.

Andrew, so much of “Miss You, Love You” is just you and Allison Janney together —

Rannells: Just sitting in a house. Just talking.

What was the rehearsal process like? How did the two of you prepare for these very long dialogue scenes?

Rannells: We rehearsed it like a play, which was really fun, and I’ve never really … I mean, we did that, I guess, with “Boys in the Band” a little bit. We had done it on Broadway and then we all kind of still knew it from when we actually filmed it. But Allison and I rehearsed it like a play, and we would just run lines like little theater nerds. It was exciting because I’ve never — to get on set and to be able to say, like, “We can do the first 25 pages just because we’ve already memorized it.” And we did for Danny Moder, the [director of photography]; we did our little play for the crew one day. Which was really fun because you don’t normally get to work like that. It’s like in little segments. And [writer-director] Jim Rash just let us run it in a way that felt really satisfying to get to do. Because sometimes when you just do little pieces of things you’re like, “I can’t quite get the arc of this, and I don’t really know.” You’re doing inserts, and you’re like, “This doesn’t feel like acting.”

Zimmer: And you’re doing it out of order, so you’re like, “Wait, I’m playing the end before I’ve even played the beginning, but I don’t even know what my beginning is.”

Cardellini: It becomes detective work.

Rannells: Shout-out to Allison Janney. It turns out she’s good at acting.

Linda, what was it like working with an intimacy coordinator in shooting what certainly look like they could have been very awkward scenes in “DTF”?

Cardellini: I like an intimacy coordinator. I think it’s wonderful. I think they’re there if you would like to use them. Everybody I’ve ever worked with in that capacity has been so helpful and considerate, and I think it’s just a nice resource to have. And we had a great one on “DTF.” … One of the first scenes I ever shot was me where I have to, we call it “weight placement,” on Jason’s face. And we were scheduled to shoot that much later, but it came up the —

Rannells: That was your first day?

Cardellini: That was our first scene together, really placing your weight on somebody in a way where you just don’t want to hurt somebody’s face. I mean, you don’t want to suffocate somebody. There’s a lot of things that could happen. But it was handled so beautifully. And Jason, of course, is so wonderful, and we had such a great time doing the scenes because we just would laugh — they’re funny. The scenes, more than even being sexual, are so awkward and bizarre and filled with these strange little kinks that it becomes funny, in a way, although you treat it with dead seriousness. But Steve Conrad had a beautiful economy about what he was shooting, and he would storyboard. It was never just like, “Oh, be intimate and go for it, and we’ll see what we use.” It was, “This is the part of your body we’re going to use right here. This will be the shot. It’s this frame. We’re not going to do any more than that.” So you never felt like you were in the Wild West doing this passionate thing that felt uncomfortable. … Because, of course, going into something like that, reading the script, you’re thinking, “It’s a little nerve-racking. How am I going to do these things?” It was much easier than I could have ever imagined.

Constance, your character in “Love Story,” she embodies the other side of the glamour and the fame and the story that we all think we know. And in a lot of ways I can’t help but connect it to your character from “UnReal” in that it creates this really interesting perspective on fame. These roles, do they make you think about that, as well? Do you start to consider your own relationship to fame and your character’s relationship to fame?

Zimmer: Ann, [and] working on “Love Story” in general, really brought the price of fame to the forefront and how it can tear people apart and down and away from who they were before they became famous. And I think, in this particular story, Carolyn never set out to be famous. That was like the last thing she wanted. The scenes with me and Sarah Pidgeon, who plays Carolyn Bessette, were very much about, “How do I remind you that everything is going to change, and you are going to change?” So it made the mama bear really show up. And sadly, it’s hard to do the research about all of that and see how much media was to blame. I hate to say it, and it’s tough, especially for a woman: They really tore her apart. It definitely makes you look at things and go, “Wow, it’s so interesting what we all give up.” This is our craft. We do this as actors, yet when we step outside of our craft and our roles, we are judged on such a harsh level. We’re here for the work and to make and show these characters so that maybe you can see a little bit of yourself, or maybe it can help you with grief, or laughter, or whatever. But then, outside of our work, we are judged almost worse about how we’re aging, how we’re not aging, what we look like, what we don’t look like. It’s the hardest part, I think, of what we do.

Would the rest of you agree with that, that in some ways, it’s not the work that you’re doing, but it’s this other job that exists outside of your work, the fame aspect of it? Does that become a bigger challenge than you expect?

Rannells: So much of the promotion of things that you work on now hinges on your participation in like, “Post this picture” or “Do this video” or “Do this thing.” And that’s stuff that you just don’t think about when you say, “I want to be an actor.” You don’t think about, “Do I have to do a collab with the network?” I don’t want to do that. That’s not part of my job, but it is part of your job. That is part of it now. So that’s a tricky aspect of it that I didn’t expect.

Morrone: The other side of that coin is that there’s independent films that I’ve done, that nobody would have ever seen had I not been the poster child on social media, being like, “I love this film. Please, watch this film. This is how to watch this film.” So, then again, it can also be a really beneficial platform. And it’s such a complicated relationship because, I mean, I grew up with social media. I don’t ever remember not having a form of social media. And I wish I could be like the cool actors who aren’t on it. They’re much more mysterious.

Peña: Jamie’s not on it.

Bell: I mean, it’s not a conscious choice. I’m just not on it.

Jamie, both you and Linda have been acting since you were quite young and, in some ways, have grown up on camera. How do you know what of yourself to hold onto, what you allow the public to see? Is that something you , at some point in your career, had to make a decision about how much of yourself you were going to give away?

Bell: I’m quite a boring person. I’m a dad. When I’m not working, I’m just dad and school running and that kind of thing. And also, I enjoy working. So most of my time is spent either trying to get the next job, or thinking about the next job, or just really working hard on that because I enjoy that. So I really don’t think about any of that other stuff. And I’ve been quite fortunate in that no one is particularly interested in banging down that door anyway …which I’m quite relieved about, honestly, because I feel like I get to work in a space where I’m just coming and playing the part, and I’m going home. That’s all I’ve ever done is since I was like 12 or 13 years old, and I still enjoy that. I still enjoy that thrill of going to work and playing the character. And I have incredibly high expectations of myself and all those things. I self-flagellate a lot on the way home, like, “Why didn’t you do it like that?” I stress myself out about that kind of stuff, but I still go back the next day going like, “God, maybe I’ll get it today.” And that excitement still exists. And I think mostly that’s because I don’t have this other side of stuff that is distracting me from anything.

Cardellini: When I first started, I wondered if I would ever make a living at it. And to be able to have had it as my job and to have a job that I love and, like you said, show up and just be excited to do the work and be excited to be around other people who do the similar work or behind the camera… It’s such a beautiful community that I feel very grateful that I’ve been able to grow up doing what I love. I mean, I wouldn’t have guessed that it could have lasted this long. And people always said, like, “Oh, when you get to a certain age, it gets terrible for women.” And I still feel like I’m still learning and growing and doing new things, stuff I’ve never done before. So I just try to turn down my worry and just be so grateful in the moment, which is not always easy for me because I can live with a lot of anxiety. But thinking about it and listening to everybody here right now, I just am very grateful to have a seat at the table, literally and figuratively.

I’d imagine for all of you that you’re probably never quite sure what roles you do that are going to be the ones that hit in a certain way. Do you ever know what movies are going to land with audiences?

Peña: I think I’ve done OK in that department where if I read something and it really moves me, I just want to be a part of it. I mean, they had their own success, in a way. “Eastbound & Down” was so funny. When I read the character, I was like, “Oh, this is a really cool character.” And now the meme… There’s a fart meme. Man, I swear to God, we shot that 15 years ago, and literally I do a fart noise, and I say, “How long have you been with her?” It sucks now because I’m like, “That’s all they know me for. Not ‘Crash,’ not ‘World Trade Center,’ not all the movies that were nominated, this and that.” It’s the fart noise.

Rannells: Is that going to be your In Memoriam thing?

Peña: Can you imagine? Let’s watch a clip here of Michael —

As we talk about these past projects you’ve been a part of, it just leads to the question of how the business of being an actor, the nature of this as a job, has changed for you over the years.

Rannells: When I started, and I started in the ensemble of “Hairspray” on Broadway, I never expected that I would ever get a job on television. That just seemed very far away. So the fact that I get to do it and that I have a tiny bit of control over what I get to do is a real gift because it was very unexpected. My first TV job, I was a headless stripper on “Sex and the City.”

Morrone: What episode?

Rannells: It wasn’t a Halloween episode. They just didn’t shoot my face. But I remember filming it and being like, “I can’t imagine this will ever happen again, that I’ll be on a set, or doing a TV show,” So it’s still sort of a surprise anytime I get a job that I’m like, “Someone’s going to pay me to do that, to make faces.”

It seems like everyone in Hollywood right now is talking about artificial intelligence. For all of you, is that something that you are thinking about for yourself? Have you experimented with it at all?

Morrone: I really want to believe that people will always choose us and real emotion, and that the audience is really smart and they want to see real humans and real life experiences and raw emotion. And I pray that that’s the case. I have a lot of hope in humanity, in that case.

I don’t know what it means for us in the near future. I know that we have to protect ourselves. I actually was working with Patricia Arquette, she directed me in a film called “Gonzo Girl.” And she is so hyper-aware of all of this and looking into all her contracts. So was Jamie Lee Curtis. I got the opportunity to talk to her about AI. And they were so knowledgeable and like, “Go back and look at everything that you’ve done the last 10 years, and review everything, and make sure that they can’t use your likeness in the future.” I mean, it’s something that we really do have to be aware of.

Peña: I don’t think that it’s going to be a threat because it’s working off of a database and whatever has been uploaded onto that particular AI. So, just for s— and giggles, I was like, let me see if it can write some jokes. So, I’m like, “What would Peña say in this one?” I was like, “Lame.” All the jokes sucked, and they were recycled jokes. And I was like, “OK, cool. That gives me hope.”

Zimmer: Was there a fart joke in there, though?

New surveillance footage and other evidence from Southern California Edison confirms that a century-old, idle transmission line that the utility failed to remove ignited last year’s deadly Eaton wildfire, lawyers for insurers said in a court filing.

Video obtained from a surveillance camera at Gerrish Swim & Tennis Club in Pasadena shows two bright flashes occurring in the location of the tower holding the idle line at 6:11 p.m. on Jan. 7, 2025.

The flashes correspond to the time that Edison recorded two faults, three seconds apart, on another transmission line more than five miles away, the lawyers said in the filing, citing new data provided by the utility.

Soon after the faults, residents nearby recorded videos of a fire burning at the base of the tower, which is known as M16T1.

“Southern California Edison has spent the last sixteen months attempting to forestall the inevitable legal consequences of razing a large swath of the communities of Altadena and Pasadena to the ground,” the lawyers wrote in the filing.

“The Eaton Fire could not have occurred if SCE had simply disassembled and removed Structure M16T1,” the lawyers added.

The lawyers filing the May 18 motion represent property insurers that paid tens of millions of dollars to residents who lost their homes. Their motion asks the judge to order a judgment in the insurers’ favor that would make Edison liable for the damage under inverse condemnation, a legal doctrine in the state constitution.

Courts have ruled that the doctrine requires private utilities such as Edison to pay for property they destroy, even if they haven’t been found to have acted negligently.

Kathleen Dunleavy, a spokeswoman for Edison, said the company did not learn about the existence of the swim club video until the lawyers submitted it in court with their filing.

“It’s very disappointing and inappropriate that this video was not produced in discovery,” she said. “We hope that video has been turned over to the appropriate authorities.”

Dunleavy said the company believes the lawyers’ motion “is wrong on the facts and the law.”

“We’ll respond more fully in our own court filing,” she said.

Attorneys for the insurers did not respond to requests for comment.

In a February 2025 letter to state regulators, Edison said it had detected a single fault on a line more than five miles away from Altadena about 6:11 p.m. on the night the fire ignited. It said the fault caused a brief surge of electricity on its four live transmission lines in Eaton Canyon.

The company said in the letter that it was looking into whether the power surge could have caused electricity to jump to the idle line that runs parallel to the live wires through a process called induction.

Pedro Pizarro, chief executive of Edison International, later said that a leading theory of the fire’s ignition was that the idle line became energized briefly through induction, sparking the fire.

At the same time, the company has not accepted blame for the fire, saying repeatedly that its own confidential investigation into the cause, as well as a separate inquiry by Los Angeles County and state fire officials, is continuing.

According to the court filing, evidence obtained by the lawyers shows that the company stopped using the transmission line in 1971 and designated it as “out-of-service.”

“The declaration of Out of Service shall only be used when the line … or piece of equipment is expected to remain permanently out of service,” Edison stated in an internal document known as a system operating bulletin, according to the filing.

Edison executives told The Times last year that they left the line in place because they believed it might be needed in the future.

“We have these inactive lines still available because there is a reasonable chance we’re going to use them in the future,” Shinjini Menon, Edison’s senior vice president of system planning and engineering, said then.

Dunleavy said Friday that the idle lines are kept in place for a variety of reasons, including to preserve the right of way Edison had obtained to construct them and to support future needs for more electricity as the state aims to meet its clean energy goals.

Last year, The Times reported that state regulators, knowing old electric lines posed hazards, proposed a rule in 2001 that would have forced Edison and other utilities to remove idle lines unless they could prove they would use them in the future.

Under pressure from Edison and the other companies, the rule was weakened to allow utilities to keep the unused lines in place until executives decided they were “permanently abandoned.”

In their May 18 filing, the lawyers said Edison executives had known about the risk of induction for more than 100 years. They cited a 1923 contract between Edison and Pacific Electric Railway Co. that said that “leakage of electricity or induction from or between” conductors was an inherent risk of operating multiple electrical circuits in proximity.

“That’s why SCE grounds idle lines and inspects them,” Dunleavy said of the risk.

Copies of Edison’s fault records from that night, its operating bulletin and thousands of other documents, including depositions, are sealed from public view under a protective order that Edison and lawyers for the victims asked the judge to approve last year.

The L.A. County district attorney is investigating whether Edison should be criminally prosecuted for its actions in the fire, the company said in an investor filing this year.

The fire killed at least 19 people and left thousands of families homeless.

A hearing on the lawyers’ motion is scheduled for Aug. 11 in L.A. County Superior Court.

Edison has offered to compensate victims of the fire who give up their right to sue the utility.

The company said last week that it had so far received more than 3,500 claims from about 10,000 people. It said it had extended nearly 1,900 offers to those people, totaling more than $650 million.

Many victims have refused the offers, saying they don’t fully cover their losses from the devastating blaze.

Edison has told its investors it expects to actually pay little or nothing for the fire because of a 2019 state law. The company anticipates that it will be reimbursed for its payments to victims by a $21-billion fund created by the law known as
Assembly Bill 1054.

The law shields utilities from the damages of fires sparked by their equipment as long as they follow certain requirements, including submitting a plan to state regulators for reducing the risk that their equipment sparks fires. Regulators review the plan and track whether the utilities are making progress in reducing the fire risk.

Since 2019, Edison has spent billions of dollars on making its lines safer, including by undergrounding them and installing insulated wires. Those costs continue to raise customer electric bills.

In the last 10 years, Edison’s rates increased by 101%, according to an April report by the public advocates office at the California Public Utilities Commission.

Despite the spending, Edison’s electric lines sparked more fires in 2024 than in 2019. The company blamed the increase on erratic weather that created more dried vegetation.

A TINY island off the coast of Wexford could make for one of Ireland’s most spectacular summer day trips.

The breathtaking Saltee Islands are just a two-hour drive from Dublin — with a short ferry ride from Kilmore Quay bringing visitors straight to Great Saltee.

The islands are famed for their incredible wildlife, with puffin-watching a must for anyone visiting during the summer months.

Day trippers can spend around three-and-a-half hours exploring the stunning island, spotting seabirds, seals and dramatic coastal views.

And with return ferry tickets costing €40 for adults, it could be the perfect seaside escape to kick off the summer.

The islands are located just 5km off Kilmore Quay in Co Wexford — and a 20-minute ferry trip is all it takes to get there.

HIDDEN GEM

Island with only Irish cable car, whales & dolphins near most colourful village

Parking is available at Kilmore Harbour in the free public car park.

However, the little harbour is a busy spot during the summer months.

Visitors are advised to leave plenty of time to get to Kilmore Quay as parking spaces can be limited.

The ferry service picks visitors up at the top of the harbour in Kilmore Quay, beside the boat launching slip.

It brings passengers straight to Great Saltee, as permission to visit Little Saltee cannot be granted due to hazardous landing conditions.

But visitors can only access the island during certain hours each day.

Day trippers are allowed on the island between 11am and 4.30pm, and anyone landing on a boat outside these times will be asked to leave.

The popular Saltee Ferry is a daily service that runs from April to October every year.

A return ticket costs €40 for adults and €20 for children under 12.

Each ferry can carry up to 12 passengers at a time.

Visitors are advised to arrive at the ferry gate ten minutes before the trip.

A smaller transfer boat will meet the ferry just off the shore of the island.

It picks passengers up and brings them on the final part of the journey to Great Saltee.

Once you arrive, you will be given approximately three-and-a-half hours to explore the mesmerising island.

The ferry crew will give you an exact time to be back at the landing area for the return trip to Kilmore Quay.

The ferry trip can be booked in advance online at salteeferry.com.

The Saltee Islands are known as the most famous bird sanctuary in Ireland — and puffin-watching is a must on any trip there.

Puffin season is predominantly between May and June.

There are plenty to spot, so make sure to take lots of pictures.

One visitor said: “The trip of a lifetime. There were hundreds of puffins just a short stroll from the boat. If you sit quietly they’ll wander around you.”

But Discover Ireland chiefs have warned that the puffin population is in a dangerous position, and visitors are advised to keep their distance to avoid disturbing the wonderful birds.

As well as the magnificent puffins, the island is also home to an array of seabirds, from gannets and gulls to Manx shearwaters.

While exploring the picturesque island, you might also come across some friendly sea creatures.

Grey seals are known to breed around the Saltee Islands.

It is one of the very few places in eastern Ireland with a seal population.

Up to 120 animals are present in autumn and up to 20 pups are born annually.

The seals can regularly be spotted resting on the rocks around the island.

The Saltee Islands are among the most ancient islands in Europe.

As long ago as 3,500 to 2,000BC, people were living on the islands.

In December 1943, the Saltees were purchased privately by the late Prince Michael the First.

Since his death in January 1998, the islands have been owned by his five sons and one daughter.

Permission for people to visit the island was granted by the family in recent years — but visitors are asked to respect the island.

When the family is in residence, a flag will be flying at the house — which visitors are asked not to approach.

No one is allowed to stay or camp at the historic spot, but there is no admission fee for a day trip to the island.

But island chiefs have issued a major warning to visitors.

They said: “Please do not approach the nesting birds closer than six metres.

“The footfall is having a devastating effect on the bird population. Should visitors see photographers not obeying the signs, please explain to them that they are killing the birds and to use their lens instead of their feet.

“If things do not improve with the bird population due to the current footfall, we will be forced to close the island to visitors.”

Rams players discuss Aaron Donald returning

From Gary Klein: Aaron Donald has made no public pronouncements that he will remain retired or return to play for the Rams.

But the three-time NFL defensive player of the year and future Hall of Famer remains a hot topic, and Rams players are aware of the buzz.

“When you have a guy that’s that serious about even considering coming out, it’s like, ‘OK, we might have a chance,’” safety Quentin Lake said Monday after the Rams completed an organized-team activity workout.

Chatter about Donald, 35, has been rampant since last week, when the Rams made another gigantic offseason move by trading for defensive end Myles Garrett.

The possibility of pairing Donald with Garrett — a two-time defensive player of the year — continues to intrigue both in and out of the Rams’ facility.

Like Lake, defensive lineman Kobie Turner insistently cautioned that whatever Donald decides to do or not do was his former teammate’s prerogative.

But the possibilities…

“To just have two historic, if you will, defensive players on that line together,” Turner said of pairing Donald and Garrett, “and to have the rest of us who are trying to build up our reputations, and to build to that level of greatness that they’ve been able to garner, I think that would be cool for L.A.”

Continue reading here

Thousands welcome U.S. team to Irvine

From Kevin Baxter: With its World Cup opener just four days away, the U.S. team moved into its temporary home in Irvine on Monday, where the players found thousands of new Southern California neighbors waiting in line to watch them kick a ball.

After the U.S. announced that Orange County Great Park would be its base for at least the group stage of the tournament, the City of Irvine held a raffle for passes to see the team train in its only public workout.

Thirty-two thousand people applied and 5,500 received access on a warm Monday morning to watch the team rush through a light 45-minute practice that was notable primarily because it was the first in which injured center back Chris Richards was fully involved. Richards tore two ligaments in his left ankle playing for Crystal Palace, his English club team, on May 17 and hadn’t played or fully trained since. The team is rushing to get him ready in the hopes he can play at some point in the three-game group stage.

But the practice was also notable because it was the first at Championship Soccer Stadium, about 50 miles southeast of SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, where the U.S. will open its World Cup on Friday against Paraguay.

“[The] environment and facilities are crazy. It’s more than we expect,” U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino said of the venue. “We are so grateful.”

Championship Soccer Stadium is owned and managed by the city, which has leased it to the Orange County Soccer Club of the second-tier USL Championship. But the club was temporarily evicted in late April to make space for the national team — which is just fine with them.

Continue reading here

2026 World Cup guide: Full TV schedule, players to watch and team breakdowns

Ahead of World Cup opener in L.A., Iran lands in Tijuana wearing pins to honor schoolgirls killed in strike

Trey Mancini has three hits, but Angels lose

Angels first baseman Trey Mancini, a cancer survivor and former Baltimore slugger, had three hits in his first major league game since 2023 on Monday night in a 5-4 loss to the Houston Astros in 10 innings.

Mancini delivered a run-scoring single in the second inning in his first at-bat. He singled again leading off the fourth before adding a third single in the eighth.

The Angels selected the contract of Mancini and put him in the lineup at first base against the Astros after putting infielders Vaughn Grissom (left oblique strain) and Adam Frazier (right elbow inflammation) on the 10-day injured list.

Mancini, 34, agreed to a minor league contract with the Angels in February, a deal that included an invitation to major league spring training. Mancini hit .273 with six homers, 29 RBIs and three steals for triple-A Salt Lake this year.

Continue reading here

Angels box score

MLB standings

Kim Ng takes softball to the big leagues

From Mirjam Swanson: There’s no crying in baseball, but Kim Ng works in softball now. And as commissioner of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League, the former Dodgers assistant general manager has been fielding lots of tearful feedback from fans overcome by the fact that softball players finally, finally have a big league of their own.

“I can’t even tell you the number of people that have approached me, just openly sobbing with happiness,” she said. “It’s been incredible, experiencing all of that and understanding how long people have been waiting for something like this.”

It really is like that. Ask Lisa Fernandez, softball pioneer and total boss: “I’ll be watching and get emotional, just looking at how far this game has come.”

With MLB backing the Athletes Unlimited Softball League, or AUSL, for a second season and Ng back to steer it, sustainable professional softball is starting to feel real.

Fernandez remembers when it was a huge deal to get one softball game on TV, and now ESPN will broadcast 50 AUSL games and ABC will carry the championship. And after last year’s four-team 10-city barnstorming tour, the league will add two teams and anchor itself to locations in North Carolina, Illinois, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas and Utah.

Continue reading here

Kings to hire Peter Laviolette as new coach

Peter Laviolette will be the next head coach of the Kings, a person with knowledge of the negotiations told the Associated Press on Monday.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Kings hadn’t yet announced the results of their lengthy search for a permanent replacement for interim coach D.J. Smith, who replaced Jim Hiller in March.

The 61-year-old Laviolette is expected to get a three-year contract to take over his seventh NHL team. The Kings have made the playoffs in five consecutive seasons, but they’ve also endured five straight first-round exits under three head coaches and two general managers.

Laviolette is returning to the NHL after being fired by the New York Rangers in April 2025. He has also led the New York Islanders, Carolina, Philadelphia, Nashville and Washington during a 23-year head coaching career highlighted by a Stanley Cup championship with the Hurricanes in 2006.

Continue reading here

NBA Finals: Spurs win Game 3

Victor Wembanyama had 32 points, eight rebounds and six assists in his first NBA Finals win, carrying the San Antonio Spurs to a 115-111 victory on Monday night that cut the New York Knicks’ lead to 2-1.

The Spurs handed the Knicks their first loss in 46 days and potentially salvaged their season in front of a Madison Square Garden crowd that included President Trump.

The Knicks had their 13-game winning streak, the second-longest in NBA postseason history, snapped and missed a chance to move to the brink of their first championship since 1973.

Continue reading here

Spurs-Knicks box score

This day in sports history

1888 — James McLaughlin sets the record for wins by a jockey in the Belmont Stakes, six, when he rides Sir Dixon to a 12-length victory. McLaughlin’s record is matched by Eddie Arcaro in 1955.

1899 — Jim Jeffries knocks out Bob Fitzsimmons in the 11th round in New York to win the world heavyweight title.

1930 — Paavo Nurmi runs world record 6 mile (29:36.4).

1934 — Olin Dutra edges Gene Sarazen by one stroke to win the U.S. Open.

1940 — Lawson Little beats Gene Sarazen by three strokes in a playoff to win the U.S. Open golf title.

1945 — Hoop Jr. wins the Kentucky Derby, which is run one month after a national wartime government ban on racing is lifted.

1946 — Joe Louis KOs Billy Conn in 8 for heavyweight boxing title.

1973 — Secretariat, ridden by Ron Turcotte, wins the Belmont Stakes in record time to capture the Triple Crown. Secretariat sets a world record on the 1½-mile course with 2:24, and a record for largest margin of victory in the Belmont, 31 lengths.

1978 — Larry Holmes scores a 15-round split decision over Ken Norton for the WBC heavyweight title in New York.

1979 — Coastal, ridden by Ruben Hernandez, spoils Spectacular Bid’s attempt at the Triple Crown with a 3¼-length victory over Golden Act. Spectacular Bid finishes third.

1984 — Swale, ridden by Laffit Pincay, wins the Belmont Stakes by four lengths over Pine Circle. Swale dies eight days later.

1984 — French Open Women’s Tennis: Martina Navratilova beats Chris Evert 6-3, 6-1; 2nd women in Open Era to hold all 4 Grand Slam titles at once.

1985 — Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scores 29 points to lead the Lakers to a 111-100 victory over the Boston Celtics and the NBA title in six games.

1990 — Monica Seles holds off four set points in the first set tiebreaker and goes on to become the youngest winner of the French Open, beating two-time champion Steffi Graf 7-6 (8-6), 6-4. Seles is 16 years, six months.

1991 — In the first all-American men’s final at the French Open since 1954, Jim Courier rallies to beat Andre Agassi 3-6, 6-4, 2-6, 6-1, 6-4 for his first Grand Slam title.

1993 — Patrick Roy makes 18 saves and the Montreal Canadiens capture their 24th Stanley Cup, beating the Kings 4-1 in Game 5.

2001 — Stanley Cup Final, Pepsi Center, Denver, CO: Colorado Avalanche beat defending champion New Jersey Devils, 3-1 for 4-3 series win; Avalanche 2nd title.

2001 — Jennifer Capriati beats Kim Clijsters 1-6, 6-4, 12-10 to win the French Open, her second consecutive Grand Slam title.

2003 — The New Jersey Devils end the Mighty Ducks’ surreal season, winning the Stanley Cup with a 3-0 victory. Mike Rupp, who had never appeared in a playoff until Game 4, scores the first goal and sets up Jeff Friesen for the other two.

2007 — Rags to Riches, a filly ridden by John Velazquez, outduels Curlin in a breathtaking stretch run and won the Belmont Stakes, becoming the first of her sex to take the final leg of the Triple Crown in more than a century.

2010 — Chicago’s Patrick Kane sneaks the puck past Michael Leighton 4:10 into overtime, stunning Philadelphia and lifting the Blackhawks to a 4-3 overtime win in Game 6 for their first Stanley Cup championship since 1961.

2013 — Rafael Nadal becomes the first man to win eight titles at the same Grand Slam tournament after beating fellow Spaniard David Ferrer in the French Open final, 6-3, 6-2, 6-3.

2018 — Justify becomes the 13th Triple Crown winner by winning the Belmont Stakes with Mike Smith aboard.

2019 — French Open Men’s Tennis: Rafael Nadal beats Austrian Dominic Thiem 6-3, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1; 3rd straight French singles title; 12th overall; first to win 12 singles titles at same Grand Slam; 18th major.

2022 — The controversial Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series gets underway at the Centurion Club, Hertfordshire; PGA suspends 17 participating players.

2024 — French Open Men’s Tennis: Carlos Alcaraz becomes the youngest man to win grand slams on all three surfaces, coming back to beat Alexander Zverev 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 in a final lasting 4 hours 15 minutes

Compiled by the Associated Press

This day in baseball history

1901 — The New York Giants set a major league record with 31 hits in beating Cincinnati 25-13. Al Selbach of the Giants went 6-for-7 with two doubles and four singles and scored four runs.

1906 — Boston snapped a 19-game losing streak by beating the St. Louis Cardinals 6-3.

1914 — Honus Wagner of the Pittsburgh Pirates got the 3,000th hit of his career off Philadelphia’s Erskine Mayer in a 3-1 loss to the Phillies at the Baker Bowl. Wagner’s hit, a double, came in the ninth. Wagner joined Cap Anson as the only members of the 3000-hit club.

1935 — The St. Louis Cardinals became the 10th team in major league history to score a run in every inning in a 13-2 win over the Chicago Cubs.

1946 — Commissioner Happy Chandler imposed five-year suspensions on players who jumped to the Mexican League and three-year suspensions for those who broke the reserve clause.

1946 — The New York Giants’ Mel Ott became the first manager to be ejected in both ends of a doubleheader. The Pittsburgh Pirates won both games, 2-1 and 5-1.

1963 — Playing the first Sunday night game in major league history because of excessive heat during the day, the Houston Colt .45s handed the San Francisco Giants their seventh straight loss in Houston, 3-0. Turk Farrell and Skinny Brown pitched the shutout.

1966 — Rich Rollins, Zoilo Versalles, Tony Oliva, Don Mincher and Harmon Killebrew homered in the seventh inning for the Minnesota Twins in a 9-4 victory over the Kansas City Athletics.

1979 — Nolan Ryan struck out 16 batters as the Angels beat the Detroit Tigers 9-1. It was the 21st time in his career he struck out 15 or more batters in one game.

1986 — Chicago White Sox pitcher Tom Seaver (306) and Angels hurler Don Sutton (298) had the highest composite win total (604) for opposing pitchers since 1926, when Walter Johnson (406) faced Red Faber (197). Sutton pitched a two-hit shutout to beat the White Sox 3-0.

1990 — Eddie Murray of the Dodgers tied Mickey Mantle’s record by homering from each side of the plate in the same game for the 10th time in his career. The Dodgers beat the Padres 5-4 in 11 innings.

1998 — Cecil Fielder of the Angels and Yamil Benitez of the Diamondbacks each hit grand slams in the same inning in Anaheim’s 10-8 win over Arizona. It was the first time both teams hit grand slams in the same inning since 1992.

2008 — Ken Griffey Jr. became the sixth player in baseball history to reach 600 homers with a drive off Mark Hendrickson in the first inning of the Cincinnati Reds’ 9-4 victory over the Florida Marlins.

2014 — Lonnie Chisenhall had nine RBIs and three home runs in a five-hit game, Michael Brantley scored five times and the Cleveland Indians beat the Texas Rangers 17-7.

2015 — Chris Heston pitched the first no-hitter in his 13th career start, leading the San Francisco Giants over the New York Mets 5-0. The rookie allowed three baserunners — all on hit batters. He also had a two-run single for his first big league RBIs and finished with two more hits than the Mets.

2019 — The Nationals accomplish a very rare feat as four consecutive batters hit solo homers in the 8th inning in Petco Park in San Diego to break a 1-1 tie. Pinch-hitter Howie Kendrick starts things off against Craig Stammen, and is followed in order by Trea Turner, Adam Eaton and Anthony Rendon, who all go yard. This is only the ninth time in major league history this has happened, and the Nats were the last to do so, on July 27, 2017.

2019 — Former Boston Red Sox star David Ortiz shot in the back while visiting in his native Dominican Republic.

2022 — The Twins open the bottom of the first against the Yankees with three consecutive homers off Gerrit Cole at Target Field, by Luis Arraez, Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa. This is the first time in franchise history this has happened.

Compiled by the Associated Press

Until next time…

That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

June 9 (UPI) — The Israel Defense Forces ordered residents of the Lebanese city of Tyre, including the Christian quarter and more than 10 refugee camps, to evacuate Tuesday, pending Israeli military action against targets of Iran-proxy Hezbollah.

IDF spokesman Avichay Adraee wrote on X that “out of concern for your safety,” residents should leave their homes immediately and move some 20 miles north beyond the Zahrani River and warned that anyone remaining south of the river was putting their life at risk.

“Your presence near Hezbollah elements or their facilities or combat means endangers your lives. As we warned in the past days, following Hezbollah elements’ actions inside the Christian Quarter in the city, the Israel Defense Forces will be compelled to act against their terrorist activities in the quarter in the near term,” said Adraee.

“Any building used by Hezbollah for military purposes may be subject to targeting. To ensure your safety — evacuate your homes immediately and move north beyond the Zahrani River. Attention — any movement south of the Zahrani River may endanger your lives,” he added.

The development came a day after Israel and Iran backed away from direct confrontation that flared up at the weekend over an Israeli strike on the southern suburbs of Beirut that prompted Tehran to fire as many as 30 missiles at Israel with Israel striking back against military targets in central and western Iran.

In standing down its military, Tehran warned that in the event Israel continued its attacks in Lebanon, including in the south, “much more severe and crushing measures will be on the way.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a post on X Monday evening that Israel had only halted hostilities because “after we struck the terror regime in Tehran, it ceased attacking us” and threatened to “respond with overwhelming force” if Iran made the mistake of attacking Israel again.

Netanyahu said that by firing into Israel over the past day, Iran and Hezbollah had attempted “to impose a new equation upon” where they believed they could fire at Israel from Lebanese territory and from Iran and Israel would not react.

“That did not happen, and it will not happen. Not on my watch! It is an equation I find intolerable and unacceptable,” wrote Netanyahu.

The sides halted their respective military strikes at the request of U.S. President Donald Trump who urged them to “stop shooting” because a deal ending the 100-day-long U.S.-Iran conflict was imminent.

Speaking on the tarmac at JFK Airport in New York on Monday night, Trump said the United States and Iran were very close to “a very good deal that will not allow in any way, shape, or form nuclear weapons.”

“And the [Hormuz] Strait will open up right away — they’ll open up immediately upon signing, which could be in two or three days,” said Trump.

He said he didn’t believe there were any sticking points.

Trump said the alternative was to return to bombing Iran but that would be counterproductive because it would mean the Strait of Hormuz remaining closed for many months and the needless deaths of many more people.

“Who wants to do that? I don’t. And we’ll have a signed document that’s actually stronger than doing the bombing,” he said.

BOARDING gates are usually good for people spotting, but I don’t usually see famous faces among the frazzled families, loved-up couples and hen parties.

British Airways’ newest route isn’t your average flight though.

The 2-hour journey from London City airport (best airport in the UK in my opinion) is taking passengers to Toulon-Hyeres airport in the south of France twice-weekly until September.

The seaside city is a taxi ride away from A-List heavy holiday destinations like St Tropez, Grimaud and Sainte Maxime.

Which is why my plane featured not one, not two, but three celebrities queueing to board.

Kelly Brook was sat in Business Class with her actor husband Jeremy Parisi, while Pixie Geldof and her sister Tiger Lily Hutchence-Geldof boarded the back of the plane in the Economy cabin.

Read More On British Airways

PLANE EXPLAIN

Jet2, Ryanair, easyJet, TUI, BA and Virgin – UK airlines on the fuel crisis

WHAT A TREAT

I visited the foodie city with new British Airways flights and 33C summers

London City is a dream airport, with non-existent security queues, almost non-existent check-in queues and very short walks to boarding gates.

I kicked myself for arriving a keen two hours before the flight, because we did everything so quickly that we had masses of time to kill.

The planes are small by BA standards but as they’re part of the BA CityFlyer brand that operates out of London City, Economy passengers get a free drink and a light snack on the two-hour trip, with flights costing from £130 one-way.

Business Class passengers get a full meal and car service, which includes fried breakfasts, salads and a hot main, plus pudding and bread roll, depending on the time of day you travel.

Despite this, flights cost from £130 one-way.

The flight is aiming itself at passengers who want relaxed and luxurious travel to the famous French Riviera, and Toulon airport is so tiny that arrivals at the other end are similarly breezy.

The dreaded lengthy passport control queues were perfectly manageable as the airport only serves seven destinations.

Because it’s so small, there is only a tiny cafe at Toulon after check-in though, so it’s worth coming armed with your own food if you have specific tastes.

The French Riviera isn’t known for being cheap, but you don’t have to splash 100 euros on a taxi to St Tropez.

There is a coach that leaves twice daily from the airport and costs 2.50 euros per person and travels all the way to St Tropez, stopping at a number of holiday destinations en route.

I was staying at the Eurocamp in nearby Port Grimaud and it took me nearly all the way, with just a 10 euro Uber at the end to get me to my campsite.

St Tropez is in the spotlight even more than usual this summer, as the new series of HBO’s The White Lotus will be set on the French Riviera, with the posh Chateau de la Messadiere in St Tropez being used as the main filming location.

So if you fancy checking out the real-life location that’ll be beaming onto our screens next summer ahead of the crowds, this is one of the easiest and most comfortable flights to get you there.

Plus you might even spot a celeb or two on your way.

Hotels.com’s 2026 Hotel Price Index has identified the top 10 destinations where you can enjoy a five-star stay on a budget – with some high-end options available from as little as £70 a night

The top 10 destinations offering five-star stays on a budget have been revealed. Despite unpredictable travel costs, securing a luxury holiday without breaking the bank is entirely achievable – with high-end range accommodation available for as low as £70.

The findings from Hotels.com’s 2026 Hotel Price Index drew on internal booking information and a worldwide survey of 11,000 travellers from the UK, USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, France, Sweden, Denmark, Norway and South Korea.

Travel expert and spokesperson Melanie Fish said: “Travellers may be feeling the squeeze, but they’re also getting smarter. “With increasing volatility in travel prices this summer, fuel costs may be dominating the conversation, but hotel prices are where travellers are making real trade-offs.”

The research revealed that luxury breaks in Croatia, Estonia, Zaragoza, Spain and Bulgaria can also be enjoyed for less than £150 a night.

The Index also uncovered other affordable yet indulgent alternatives destinations, including stays in Wrocław, Poland (£120), Tirana, Albania (£130) and Riga, Latvia (£130). Five-star accommodation can be found in the UK as well – with options in Brighton (£115), Cornwall (£135) and Liverpool (£170).

Alongside identifying 10 of the most budget-friendly destinations, the research highlighted 10 notable locations that have experienced significant price reductions over the past year – including Loire, France (down 32%) and Edmonton, Canada (down 31%).

Additional destinations include St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands (down 30%), Dortmund, Germany (down 21%) and Turin, Italy (also down 21%).

Surprisingly, the findings showed that booking last minute can actually save money, with hotel rates up to 26% cheaper when reserving closer to your departure date. For those seeking to reduce expenses even further, the data revealed prices are 14% lower for Sunday stays – with Saturdays proving the most costly.

Escaping in January delivers the best value, while the second week of July commands the highest rates – domestically at least.

Hotels.com’s global study, conducted through OnePoll, also disclosed what tops everyone’s luxury dream wish list – a hot tub with a view (44%) followed by a penthouse suite (41%).

When questioned about what defines a genuinely luxurious hotel experience, exceptional food at the hotel (31%), a room with a view (30%) and premium in-room amenities (28%) emerged as the top priorities.

TEN OF THE CHEAPEST FIVE-STAR STAYS ABROAD:

1. Nha Trang, Vietnam (£70)
2. Zaragoza, Spain (£120)
3. Wrocław, Poland (£120)
4. Tirana, Albania (£130)
5. Riga, Latvia (£130)
6. Zagreb, Croatia (£130)
7. Sofia, Bulgaria (£135)
8. Heraklion (Crete), Greece (£135)
9. Tallinn, Estonia (£140)
10. Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (£140)

TEN OF THE BIGGEST INTERNATIONAL PRICE DROPS YEAR-ON-YEAR:

1. Loire, France (-32%)
2. Edmonton, Canada (-31%)
3. St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands (-30%)
4. Dortmund, Germany (-21%)
5. Turin, Italy (-21%)
6. Kassandra (Khalkidhiki) Greece (-21%)
7. Agrigento (Sicily), Italy (-21%)
8. Montego Bay, Jamaica (-18%)
9. Cancun, Mexico (-16%)
10. Dominica (-13%)

The airport was once Britain’s main international gateway and birthplace of the ‘Mayday’ distress call

Croydon Airport has thrown open its doors to the public once more after being shut for 67 years. Once the nation’s main international airport, it closed down for good in 1959 and has remained vacant ever since.

Earlier this year, the airport received visitors for the first time as a heritage attraction. Now converted into a museum, the site enables people to discover the original terminal building on the first Sunday of each month.

Having initially opened in 1920, Croydon Airport played a pivotal role in the advancement of aviation in the aftermath of World War 1.

The location is celebrated as the birthplace of the ‘Mayday’ emergency call. In 1923, F.S. Mockford, Croydon’s Senior Radio Officer, devised the distress signal “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday”, taken from the French expression “m’aidez” (“help me”), reports Surrey Live.

Historic Croydon Airport said: “‘Mayday, Mayday, Mayday’ was subsequently approved by the Air Ministry as the required radio procedure to be used in an emergency. In 1924, the UK promulgated its approval and use through the publication of The Air Pilot: Great Britain.

“Adopted by the International Radiotelegraph Convention of Washington in 1927, ‘Mayday’ became the international standard distress phrase. The ‘Mayday’ distress call still saves lives today.”

The airport shut its doors due to its inability to accommodate larger aircraft, with its final flight departing the iconic terminal in September 1959.

The Croydon Airport Visitor Centre has an impressive 4.6 Google rating at the time of writing.

On Tripadvisor, recent visitors to the museum were full of praise, with one writing: “Fascinating trip through the history of passenger aviation!”

Another visitor said: “I have lived in the area all my life and even used to go to Purley Way Lido across the way from the airport as a child, and didn’t know the significance of Croydon Airport.

“I was amazed how well preserved the building was, and didn’t even know it had a control tower. If you are into aviation or history, it is a must-see.”

A third wrote: “Very nice and detailed tour, highly recommended. But you will have to keep checking for the tour date as it’s not year round function.”

One person commented: “This local gem has great volunteers and interesting history (such As being the world’s first control tower and carrying almost half of the UK’s air passengers in 1935). The tour, photos, and signage do give an interesting view as to what it was like in the 1920s and 1930.”

Finally, another said: “Great place to visit. Tour guide Micheal in the museum gave a great talk and overview. Would recommend for all ages. Visually great with so much so see. Definitely a must see for anyone who loves aviation.”

The money-saving experts shared a tip for people booking expensive holiday destinations

A savvy travel tip could help holidaymakers save money on trips to expensive destinations. MoneySavingExpert (MSE), founded by journalist and broadcaster Martin Lewis, often shares money-saving tips for the public. According to a previous blog post from the MSE team, some travellers could save money by booking a hotel they don’t need.

The experts explained that package holidays can sometimes offer better deals than scheduled flights for certain destinations. So travellers could save money by booking their flight as part of a package deal, then booking their preferred accommodation, assuming they’re not keen on the hotel included with the package.

MSE said: “Scheduled flights to some destinations, such as Orlando and Sri Lanka, can be silly money, yet packages there can sometimes come in much cheaper. If you only need the flight, check if there’s a cheaper package holiday, then grab it but DON’T stay in the hotel.”

The guidance added that Martin has previously had success with the trick, helping a friend book a holiday to Sri Lanka. MSE said the passenger paid £300 for the holiday to cover their flights, when the cheapest scheduled deal was over £1,000.”

In another blog post dedicated to cheap package holidays, MSE reiterates the advice. The experts explained: “If you’re going away specifically for seven, 10 or 14 days to a traditional holiday destination, package holidays are often best. They can sometimes be much cheaper than booking a scheduled flight… even if you DON’T want to use the hotel.

“For example, we found flights for a seven-day trip to Florida for £689 per person – a package holiday for the same dates was just £662 per person. It won’t always work, but it’s worth a try.”

When checking flight prices, passengers may wish to compare prices on sites such as Skyscanner. Booking on different days could help customers find the best deals.

Skyscanner says: “Flight pricing changes constantly based on demand, season and route. There’s no fixed ‘cheapest day’ to book but with the right tools, you can stay informed.

“Historically, Skyscanner pricing trends have shown that some airlines release deals late on Mondays, which may lead to lower fares early in the week. Prices tend to rise again as the week progresses and demand increases.”

Some holidaymakers wait until the last minute for deals. Skyscanner explains: “On quieter routes or off-peak travel days, prices may drop as the departure date approaches. But on popular routes or peak dates, fares often increase as the flight fills up.”

LOVE Island viewers have been left baffled after spotting Ellie Chadwick is rarely seen without her iconic £2,000 Prada bag.

Despite engaging in some tense chats in the villa, fans of the hit ITV show have been left distracted by her trusty wicker basket bag never being far from sight.

And it turns out there is a key reason why real estate videographer Ellie, 24, is always carrying her beloved accessory around the villa.

Amy Bannerman, eBay‘s Pre-Loved Style Director, told The Sun that bags were added into the Love Island pad for the first season of Love Island All Stars in January 2025.

She explained: “I wanted a way to add more eBay to the Islanders’ non-swimwear looks and give us an opportunity to talk about eBay’s Authenticity Guarantee (AG) offering. 

“The Love Island All Stars cast all really veer towards premium brands too, so it felt like the perfect place to introduce it.

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“There isn’t more of a focus on bags this season, but they have got more airtime from Ellie’s iconic Prada moment, which is great.”

Viewers have been left in fits of giggles after spotting Ellie’s bag habit and have taken to social media to discuss it further.

One wrote: “Ellie is the first girl I’ve seen carry a bag around the villa, she’s so real go find those designer bags girly show us the villa collection.”

This person replied: “And the only thing in there is probably her phone and some lip gloss.”

This person asked: “Can tell you right now that there’s nothing in Ellie’s bag,” while someone else echoed: “Why is Ellie the only person in love island to ever carry a handbag?”

Someone shared a picture of Teletubbies character Tinky Winky and their famous red handbag, while another posted a picture of Mr Tumble and his yellow spotted bag.

This viewer shared: “Ellie walking around the villa with a handbag, quite possibly is the first time I’ve seen that happen on that show, since I began watching it, all those years ago. Definitely not on my bingo card.”

Another added: “It’s really making me laugh that Ellie carries a handbag, like girl why do you need a handbag in the villa?”

And some fans have even suggested: “If she stays long enough, she’s going to have some bag deals.”

Amy clarified that there is no quota for how many eBay items Islanders have to use, but they have the option to choose from their “incredible choice of brands and styles.”

Amy explained: “They pick pieces from a shared wardrobe that includes everything from Versace and Gucci to vintage Topshop and Marks & Spencer. 

“Last season, unbranded vintage was the most-worn category, which was very exciting for us!”

The eBay staff member said they also added men’s bags as the “boys all seemed keen to join the girls in carrying AG bags.”

She added: “We have also added luxury AG men’s sliders too, so they’re wearing more eBay around the pool during daytime moments.”

The love triangle between Scottish lass Ellie and brothers Aidan and Kavan reared an ugly head on Sunday’s episode of Love Island, with Ellie branding Aidan as a ‘p****’.

Since Kavan entered the villa as a surprise bombshell he caught Ellie’s eye, despite her previously being coupled up with his brother.

The blonde beauty continued to express interest in both of the lads for a while until Sunday when everything came crashing down.

Ellie and Aidan were sitting on a sofa together talking about how Aidan kissed someone else when she was briefly booted from the villa.

Ellie left for around 12 hours alongside Samraj after bombshells Yasmin and George were tasked by host Maya Jama to axe a lad and a lady from the show.

However they weren’t really dumped from the programme, and instead went on secret dates with bombshells Priya and Kavan.

Ellie then returned to the villa and discovered that Aidan hadn’t been faithful.

She brought it up with Aidan tonight saying she can’t get past it and needed to “draw a line” under things.

An unconvinced Aidan didn’t take her seriously, saying he thinks she “still likes him”.

But Ellie then shut the romance down well and good, saying that the difference between Aidan and his brother Kavan is that Kavan “is not a p****”.

Since its creation more than a century ago, the Los Angeles Bureau of Street Lighting has been in the lamppost business and little else.

But in recent months, the little-known city agency has found itself pulled into a fierce debate over L.A.’s relationship with Flock Safety, a surveillance technology company that has been criticized for supplying data used to enable the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.

In L.A., Flock operates dozens of automated license plate readers, which allow authorities to scan for vehicles that have been reported stolen or are registered to known fugitives, tracking their movements throughout the city.

The devices are often mounted on municipal light poles, which makes the Bureau of Street Lighting responsible for their installation.

Reports that Flock has shared license plate data with federal authorities, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, have prompted dozens of mostly smaller cities across the country to end their relationship with the company. But in L.A. it still has found willing customers, including the LAPD.

Hundreds of emails obtained by The Times through public records requests reveal how LAPD boosters, homeowner associations and elected officials have engaged in a months-long campaign to pressure the Bureau of Street Lighting to speed up installations of the plate readers.

Flock, headquartered in Atlanta, said that it contracts with roughly 5,000 U.S. law enforcement agencies nationwide, and that its technology complies with a California law that limits what information can be shared with federal authorities. A company spokesperson said that Flock’s technology is “built around transparency, accountability, and local control.”

“Our customers own and control their data, which is deleted after 30 days by default,” the spokesperson, MoMo Zhou, said in a statement to The Times. “Our platform includes safeguards like audit trails to help ensure accountability at every step. Every day, Flock supports communities across the country in addressing crime and locating missing people.”

The Bureau of Street Lighting, with 177 employees and a relatively modest budget of $49.4 million, would seem an unlikely player in the broader debate over police surveillance. It is primarily tasked with repairing and fortifying the city’s more than 210,000 streetlamps — a frequent target of copper wire thieves — and maintaining its network of electrical vehicle charging stations.

The push to put up more plate readers has come amid calls for greater transparency around the Los Angeles Police Department’s dealings with Flock. In March, the Police Commission asked the department to report back on what information the company’s scanners collect and share. In recent months, the commission declined to approve donations of Flock cameras.

Members of the Stop LAPD Spying Coalition held a news conference to express opposition to Flock Safety, a license plate reader, ahead of a Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners meeting on March 3, 2026.

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

The commission ordered its inspector general to conduct an audit of the LAPD’s use of license plate reader technology, with the findings expected to be released in the summer.

Recently, Councilmember Ysabel Jurado introduced a motion urging the commission to “refrain from entering into any new Memoranda of Understanding, Contracts, or other Agreements, or implement any pilot programs with Flock Safety or its affiliates.” LAPD officials said last month that the city attorney’s office has been working on drawing up a formal contract with Flock.

Behind the scenes, though, the pressure to work with Flock has been ratcheting up from other council offices and community groups.

When a representative from Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky’s office emailed the streetlighting bureau urging speed, she received a response that said the installation process shouldn’t be rushed because some city light poles can’t support the weight of a Flock reader, which is normally powered by a solar panel.

“The last thing we need is to have a pole fall onto someone or something if there are high winds,” the bureau’s Clinton Tsurui wrote in the June 4, 2025, email.

In another exchange, Tsurui expressed frustration with a colleague who had offered what he thought was an overly optimistic timetable for installing new plate readers.

He wrote: “smh, promising things we can’t do is going to catch up with us one day.”

The Los Angeles Police Foundation, a nonprofit group that has long bankrolled equipment for the LAPD and offered other support, has criticized delays in installing the Flock devices. Last year, the foundation facilitated the donation of dozens of Flock cameras, most of which ended up in affluent neighborhoods on the city’s Westside and in the San Fernando Valley.

Records show that in May 2025, Dana Katz, the foundation’s executive director, reached out to the mayor’s office with a request to waive permit and rental fees associated with installing the new readers. Katz wrote in an email that the extra expense of around $2,000 per device were “cost prohibitive and detrimental to public safety.”

Katz also pointed out that in some places, there are no city-owned poles on which to mount the devices — but offered a possible solution.

“Flock has its own pole that has been accepted by the County of Los Angeles for these situations, and we would like the City to accept the use of them, too,” she wrote to Robert Clark, the city’s then-deputy mayor of public safety.

A few of L.A.’s historic streetlights stand outside the Bureau of Street Lighting’s office near Virgil Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard.

(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

Katz wrote Clark again on Aug. 6 to ask why officials were estimating a six-to-12-month wait for approval of new Flock readers on public property in the neighborhoods of Cheviot Hills and Brentwood Park, where there were no existing city poles to mount them. She noted that the county’s engineering department had already approved the company’s poles, and asked Clark whether there was a way for the city to “piggyback on these other entities’ approvals in order to speed this up so that these neighborhoods don’t have to wait so long for help in preventing these home invasions?”

In the following weeks, Katz’s emails took on an increasingly urgent tone. In one of her last messages, email records show, she told an aide she expected more help than the mayor’s office was offering.

“With all due respect, the answers you have provided are completely generic and do not provide any guidance and direction as to how we can expedite this process,” she wrote.

She added: “I’ve said it before, and I will say it again — these delays are harmful to public safety.”

A spokesperson for the mayor’s office told The Times that ultimately neither Clark nor the aide intervened on the Los Angeles Police Foundation’s behalf.

Email records show Flock’s courtship of the bureau dates at least to spring 2024, when the company agreed to donate two of its plate readers to help combat copper thefts.

Tsurui emailed LAPD Capt. Celina Robles to say that the company’s executives had requested an in-person meeting with the bureau and the LAPD “to discuss the benefits of this product and how it can benefit the city moving forward.”

On June 24, 2024, a lobbyist from the D.C. firm Modern Fortis emailed Bureau of Street Lighting Executive Director Miguel Sangalang seeking to “explore a public-private partnership” between Flock and the city. Sangalang took another meeting to discuss Flock a few months later with former City Councilmember Joe Buscaino, who after leaving City Hall had gone to work for Ballard Partners, a powerful Florida-based lobbying firm.

In January 2025, after wildfires devastated Pacific Palisades, Altadena and other areas, Flock stepped in again. The company agreed to donate more than 50 plate readers, free of charge for six months, to the wealthy Palisades area, where residents and law enforcement officials were on high alert about potential theft.

A Flock Safety automated license plate reader in Costa Mesa.

(Courtesy of the city of Costa Mesa)

In the days and weeks that followed, city and police officials continued to pepper the bureau about speeding up the approval process.

On Jan. 21, 2025, records show, Cmdr. Randall “Randy” Goddard of the LAPD’s Information Technology Bureau wrote streetlighting officials to say that the Palisades community “could use a big favor from your department.”

LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell “fully supports this and has been working with the City Attorney’s office to finalize the terms,” Goddard wrote.