Since its monumental debut in March, “sister dreamer lauren halsey’s architectural ode to tha surge n splurge of south central los angeles” has been active.

In Sunday Funday, L.A. people give us a play-by-play of their ideal Sunday around town. Find ideas and inspiration on where to go, what to eat and how to enjoy life on the weekends.

That’s the official name of Lauren Halsey’s public sculptural park nestled at the corner of 76th and Western in South-Central. In its first few months, the park has hosted intimate jazz shows, Kemetic yoga classes, art workshops and album listening parties where artists like Childish Gambino and Vince Staples have performed. For Halsey, a contemporary visual artist who began dreaming up the space 17 years ago, it’s all been part of the plan.

“At a museum or a gallery, I can program in a context that makes sense there, but at the park, it becomes a venue that is limitless,” she says. “So I can have a music series. People can roller skate. It can be a classroom. It can be a dance floor. It can be a theater, so I’m getting to know it every day, which is just so cool.”

She adds, “It’s just very alive so I love it.”

Now, Halsey is plotting on her next project: “emajendat,” a music festival that merges fine art, music and community activation all in one night. Featuring live performances from Erykah Badu, the Alchemist, Flea (of Red Hot Chili Peppers), DJ Pee .Wee (a.k.a Anderson .Paak) and the Charles Gaines Collective (with Black Nile and Devin Daniels), the immersive event will take place on Sept. 29 at the Hollywood Bowl.

Ahead of the big night, the South-Central native shared her itinerary for a magical day in L.A. It involves listening to rare ‘70s funk and soul music at her favorite brunch spot, supporting all of her favorite vendors (including a henna artist) in Venice Beach and bowling at Lucky Strike.

6:30: Coffee and produce at the Westchester Farmers’ Market

I wake up early no matter what. I’m out of my door between 6 to 6:30 a.m. I’d do my walk around my neighborhood and wait until my partner gets up then we’re off to the Westchester Farmers’ Market, which we go to sometimes. There’s this really amazing vendor called Gus’ Coffee. He makes coffee with his daughter. I’d get a black coffee with a tiny bit of milk or a horchata-based coffee and we’ll just shop for produce. We’d get some yellow watermelons, which are in season right now.

11 a.m: Brunch and ‘70s funk music at RVR

I’m going to my favorite restaurant RVR in Venice for brunch. I’m talking to the chefs, Travis and Ian. I’m listening to amazing music because they have this wonderful vinyl program led by Carlos Niño. So I’m listening to this rare B-side of the B-side ‘70s soul and funk while eating amazing plates. They change their menu quite often because it’s a call and response to what produce is available seasonally. No matter what, I start with the pickled vegetables then I get one of the hamachi rolls. Right now, I’m getting the melon salad, egg plate and the spotted prawn. Depending on the day, they’ll have six or 21 of the prawns, so sometimes they’ll hold me one when they know I’m coming in. Then I’m getting the dessert. Right now it’s banana ice cream with blueberries and it’s heaven.

2 p.m.: Get blasted with henna tattoos in Venice Beach

Then we’re racing to Venice Beach, which has been my favorite since I was a kid. It’s just so wild and grungy and weird and fun yet family friendly and safe. My girlfriend’s best friend lives on the boardwalk so we’ll go see him. I’ve always loved the vendors there so I have my favorites. Right now I’m really into Martha who is a henna tattoo artist, so I just get blasted with henna tattoos. She has a fat notebook of [inspiration], so I’ll pick some and then I’ll remix them with her. It’s this really cool collaboration. I do it every few weeks. I’ll sit with her for like two hours while life is happening, watching the roller skaters, the families, the cool outfits, the riffraff. Sometimes I’ll go to a lady to get the back of my hair wrapped in thread, which I used to do as a kid. It’s just another way I can adorn myself with color. Also, I love a hat, so I’ll go to everyone who’s selling a hat and maybe we’ll buy some fruit.

5 p.m.: Bowl and live my WNBA dreams at Lucky Strike

We’re going bowling at Lucky Strike, which used to Bowlero. We have the summer season passes and we just go ham. We go to the arcade first and I just live my WNBA dreams. Then we’ll go bowl two or three games. My partner usually orders the chicken wings. I don’t eat meat, so I’ll do a beer, French fries with “truffle,” shrimp tacos and maybe some candy.

8:30 p.m.: Head home to prepare for the week

Next, we’re going home. I’d look at my calendar for the week and answer emails. Then I’d take a shower and watch something with my partner. I’m into heist films and basketball. She’s into the psychological thrillers and those sort of crime investigation shows, so we meet in the middle. It’s going to sound so silly and I don’t care, but the last good show I watched was Tyler Perry’s “Beauty in Black.” His imagination is wild, so we just can’t wait until Season 3. It’s ridiculous that it’s so good. We’d watch something until I fall asleep usually by 10 p.m.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has updated its travel advice for British passport holders entering Ireland and the ID that is required

The Foreign Office has issued an important travel update for Brits planning to visit Ireland.

On Friday, 4 September, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) updated its information on the ID requirements for British passport holders when travelling from the UK to Ireland. On the Foreign Office’s entry requirements page for Ireland, it advised Brits that while they don’t need a passport to enter Ireland, it might be best to carry one.

Outlining the requirement for passports and ID, the FCDO said: “British nationals are not legally required to show a passport to enter Ireland, but it may be useful to carry in case you need to prove your identity. British and Irish citizens can continue to travel freely between the UK and Ireland under the Common Travel Area.

“Some airlines and ferry operators have introduced, or will be introducing, a passport-only identification requirement. Check your carrier’s requirements before departure and, where necessary, travel with a valid passport. Check the Ireland Citizens Information Board for guidance on acceptable ID. Irish immigration officers are entitled to ask for proof of British nationality in the course of their work.”

The FCDO also confirmed that British passport holders do not need a visa to enter Ireland. They stated: “You can visit and remain indefinitely in Ireland under the Common Travel Area rules. British nationals do not need a visa or residency permit to live, work or study in Ireland. Although Ireland is in the EU, it is not part of the Schengen area, and Schengen rules do not apply.

“As Ireland is not in the Schengen area it is therefore not affected by the new Entry/Exit System (EES) that will be introduced in Schengen countries from 12 October 2025. You will not need to register for EES when entering Ireland. Read more information on the EU Entry/Exit System and to understand which countries are in the Schengen area.”

It comes after it was confirmed that anyone travelling by ferry between the UK and Ireland will be required to show a passport before boarding. As it stands, those catching a ferry to and from the Irish ports of Dublin and Rosslare can use photo IDs rather than passports, but from September 28, passports will be required.

In the update, Irish Ferries confirmed: “From 28 September 2026, all passengers travelling on Irish Ferries services between the Republic of Ireland and Britain must present a valid passport or Irish passport card before boarding. The new passport requirement applies to Irish Ferries’ Dublin–Holyhead and Rosslare–Pembroke routes, in both directions.

“This requirement applies to all passengers, including Irish and UK citizens. From 28 September 2026, driving licences, national identity cards and other forms of photographic identification will no longer be accepted for travel on these routes.

“Irish Ferries is introducing this requirement to comply with UK Border Force requirements on the accuracy and integrity of passenger data before boarding.”

Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com

EASYJET’S well-loved Big Orange Sale has returned – and there are some VERY cheap flights and holidays on offer.

More than 780,000 seats are on sale with up to 20 per cent off.

The sale is on until September 15, although the sooner you book, the better deals you will find.

And you can plan ahead as the flights in the sale are for anytime between September 14, 2026 to March 18, 2027.

But where can you go?

Some of the cheapest flights include Edinburgh to Belfast for £14.99, but lots of flights to Europe are under £20.

TAKING OFF

EasyJet launches famous Seat Sale TODAY – cheapest flights under £35 to book now

JET SET

EasyJet to launch 13 new flight routes to Europe and Africa

For example, you could fly to Alicante from London Gatwick from £18.99.

Over in Bristol there are flights to Malaga for £18.99, or go to Amsterdam from Glasgow for £18.49.

Or head over to London Luton and you could fly to Antalya or Barcelona for £18.99.

Other airports you can fly from in the UK include Manchester, Birmingham and Newcastle, with destinations across Spain, France, Morocco and Portugal are also on offer.

EasyJet has 30 new flight destinations too, including Newcastle to Marrakech and Tenerife, and London airports to Sharm el Sheikh and Pristina.

The sale also includes easyJet holidays too, with up to £400 off.

Using the cost ORANGESALE, it can be used on any holidays that depart before October 31, 2027.

The biggest saving is for holidays that cost £4,000 or more, with £400, although you can also get £50 off holidays worth at least £500.

A NEW premium economy seat is set to change the way you fly – with business class-like privacy screens.

Emirates has revealed its new seats, with premium usually only a small jump up from economy (often with more legroom and better food).

However, the designs show something much closer to a business class seat too.

Launching on the Airbus A350, they will be the first fully electrically powered premium economy seats.

This means with a flick of the button, you can choose from ‘lounge mode’ to ‘meal mode’.

Don’t worry about annoying the person behind you when you recline – each seat is built into a ‘cradle’ so it doesn’t affect them.

SIT UP

I flew on world’s best airline with business-like perks in premium & huge reclines

TAKE OFF

I flew on one of world’s oldest airlines – one way economy trumped business class

But the highlight is the privacy screen between seats, the first ever for premium economy seats.

The divider can be lowered if sitting with family or friends, or raised and locked into position.

The new seats will be laid out in a 2-3-2 layout, with 28 seats in the cabin.

Pitch will be up to 39 inches – compared to most having around 38 inches – as well as 50.8cm width.

Other perks include wireless charging – a first for premium economy – as well as USB-C chargers and phone holders.

The new premium seats are part of wider regeneration of the plane cabins.

Recently, the airline unveiled the new economy seats with built in adjustable headrests.

Called the U-Dream Headrest, it means you can ditch the travel pillow as the headrest pulls down to offer neck support.

There are also plans to launch the world’s first ever private bathrooms onboard, albeit only for first class passengers.

Here’s what it is like to fly business class with Emirates.

After LAPD recruitment officers were accused of making racist, sexist and homophobic comments — some of which were caught on tape — department leaders promised to look into whether they improperly disqualified any police applicants.

More than a year and a half later, the city is still waiting on the report.

But the contents of a separate LAPD internal affairs file reviewed by The Times has shed new light on the unit at the center of the scandal and how its officers responded to investigators who were looking into the matter.

No clear explanation has been given for the delay in publicly addressing the scandal’s effect on recruitment efforts.

In response to a records request from The Times, the city’s personnel department, which is conducting the inquiry, said it had not yet finished its review and had no timeline for doing so.

Last month, Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman charged Daniel Flores, the LAPD whistleblower who secretly recorded his colleagues, with 16 felonies, alleging he violated a state eavesdropping law. But, after criticism from Mayor Karen Bass and others, the district attorney downgraded the counts to misdemeanors with a diversion agreement that will probably allow Flores to avoid any time behind bars.

Flores’ recordings captured Los Angeles Police Department recruitment officers referring to Black people as “monkeys,” describing a female job applicant as “rapeable,” and saying “F—ing deport them, call ICE” during a conversation about Latinos, among a long list of other offensive remarks.

Asked about the pending LAPD report into the fallout from the tapes, Bass said in a statement that the review “has gone on too long.” The mayor said she had directed the personnel department to “complete the report and release it without further delay.”

Flores alleged in a complaint he filed with the LAPD in January 2025 that some recruits had been improperly rejected, adding to ongoing concerns about the department’s struggle to replenish its ranks.

As of last week, the LAPD had 8,507 sworn personnel — its lowest total since October 1995.

Even after efforts under Bass to streamline hiring and boost recruitment, Chief Jim McDonnell has warned that the department may not be adequately staffed in time for the 2028 Olympics.

McDonnell said after Flores’ allegations were made public in early 2025 that the personnel department would conduct a “biopsy” to examine “any adverse impacts” of the scandal on recruitment.

In a brief statement, the department said that it wouldn’t comment on what discipline, if any, had been meted out to the officers involved, citing state privacy law.

“The Department takes allegations of discriminatory or biased conduct seriously,” the statement read. “We are committed to ensuring the workplace is professional, respectful and free from misconduct.”

The Police Commission said in a statement that it is still waiting on the report, adding that “fair and equitable hiring of sworn and civilian employees remains a priority.”

The LAPD internal affairs investigative file reviewed by The Times described a frat-like office atmosphere in the Hiring and Evaluation Section in which Flores worked.

According to the internal affairs report, Flores claimed that at least one colleague, Shirley Burgos, had inappropriately disqualified candidates based on their appearance.

The report said that Burgos was captured in several recordings making fun of overweight candidates who were “ugly, creepy” people.

Another officer, Ayron McKay, told internal affairs investigators about an instance in which the unit’s officers were discussing a candidate who they believed was overweight.

Burgos then looked up the woman’s driver’s license picture on the DMV database, which several officers told internal affairs probably violated department policy, according to the report.

Burgos and McKay did not respond to inquiries to their work email accounts.

The internal affairs file said Flores recorded another officer saying he wanted to go to Big Bear, a popular winter sports destination in the San Bernardino National Forest, and roll the candidate down the ski slope. Meanwhile, according to the report, McKay asked the others how much they would pay to sleep with the woman, and referred to her as “Jabba the Hut.”

When asked about the conversation by internal affairs, the report said, McKay told investigators that the conversation started with Burgos venting about an applicant, but acknowledged that it should not have been allowed to continue.

In one recording made on Nov. 13, 2024, the report said, Burgos told her colleagues that she had released information about disqualified candidates to a friend of hers at the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, which is against LAPD policy.

The officers were all required to sign a confidentiality agreement that barred them from discussing candidates’ personal information with anyone outside the office.

During her internal affairs interviews, Burgos denied providing information to other agencies, saying it was clear from her laughter on the recording that she was joking.

Burgos told investigators that the only time she’d ever discussed a candidate with someone outside the department was during a conversation with an unnamed background investigator with the Sheriff’s Department or Santa Monica police — and said that was only to confirm that the candidate had in fact applied to the LAPD, according to the report.

The LAPD investigation noted that she and the other involved officers all denied that their office conversations had ever caused them to inappropriately disqualify a candidate.

The internal affairs report quoted the unit’s supervisor, Sgt. Denny Jong, a 20-year-department veteran, as describing his relationship with the officers under his command as friendly and professional; none of them had ever expressed discomfort about their work environment, he reportedly said.

Jong did not respond to emailed questions from The Times.

Several officers told investigators that they used gallows humor as a way to deal with the stress of working long hours in a small, windowless basement office.

According to the report, some officers, including Jong and McKay, acknowledged that the office banter sometimes crossed the line, but they denied that there was anything malicious about their comments. They also contended that the unit had little authority about which applicants advanced in the recruitment process — decisions, they said, that had to go through several layers of review.

During his internal affairs interviews, Jong often told investigators that he didn’t recall making certain inappropriate comments. The report said he also denied ever making any of the inappropriate comments that were contained in Flores’ complaint.

When he was confronted with audio of comments in which he referred to a candidate of Chinese descent as a terrorist, Jong said he was joking.

“He explained that this was based on current news stories at the time, which involved concerns over Chinese nationals attempting to infiltrate the country,” the internal affairs report said. “Jong was not serious and did not believe the candidate was a terrorist, but admitted the remark was an off-color joke and inappropriate for the workplace.”

WEDNESDAY’S RESULTS

City Section

Arroyo 38, MSAR 0

Arroyo 28, MSAR 0

Birmingham 20, Venice 0

Brio College Prep 47, Belmont 0

Camino Nuevo 18, Animo De La Hoya 13

Cantwell-Sacred Heart 36, South Gate 12

Fairfax 6, San Fernando 0

Foshay 21, New Designs University Park 0

Franklin 12, Los Angeles Roosevelt 6

Franklin 28, Santee 0

GALA 12, Sotomayor 0

Jefferson 13, Verdugo Hills 6

Los Angeles Roosevelt 24, Santee 0

Los Angeles Wilson 41, Jefferson 13

Los Angeles Wilson 25, Verdugo Hills 6

Orthopaedic 14, Alliance Levine 0

Rise Kohyang 24, Smidt Tech 0

Roybal 20, Diego Rivera 0

San Fernando 12, Contreras 6

San Pedro 49, Legacy 0

SOCES 7, Chatsworth 6

Stern 6, Collins Family 0

Torres 45, West Adams 0

Southern Section

Alemany 19, Louisville 0

Aliso Niguel 31, Corona Centennial 6

Anaheim Canyon 14, La Mirada 12

Azusa 38, Arroyo 6

Baldwin Park 30, Norwalk 14

Bishop Montgomery 28, Artesia 6

Bonita 32, Sierra Vista 0

Burbank Burroughs 6, Thousand Oaks 0

California 12, Warren 7

California Military 32, Arrowhead Christian 14

Cathedral City 14, Desert Hot Springs 0

Cerritos 33, Katella 0

Compton 31, Dominguez 6

Compton Early College 10, Long Beach Cabrillo 0

Corona del Mar 44, Marina 7

Costa Mesa 20, Capistrano Valley Christian 6

Covina 35, El Monte 0

Downey 28, Gahr 6

Duarte 37, Edgewood 6

Eastvale Roosevelt 27, Lakeside 0

El Dorado 14, Chino 12

El Modena 18, Rialto 0

El Rancho 27, Pioneer 0

Fountain Valley 32, Garden Grove Pacifica 18

Fullerton 52, Placentia Valencia 24

Gabrielino 26, La Canada 25

Godinez 8, Estancia 6

Glendora 38, San Dimas 20

Huntington Beach 16, Edison 15

Irvine 7, Laguna Beach 6

JSerra 36, Corona Santiago 0

La Habra 6, Bishop Amat 0

Lakewood St. Joseph 25, Long Beach Poly 6

La Serna 27, Bellflower 0

Millikan 26, Villa Park 0

Mountain View 48, Entrepreneur 0

Murrieta Mesa 60, Rancho Christian 0

Newport Harbor 47, Los Alamitos 6

Norco 13, Riverside Poly 6

Ontario 12, Nogales 6

Ontario Christian 31, Xavier Prep 14

Pomona d. Sacred Heart of Jesus, forfeit

Portola 19, Irvine University 12

Ramona Convent 30, La Puente 6

Redlands 28, Palm Springs 14

Rowland 35, Montclair 0

Saddleback 19, Santa Ana Valley 12

San Clemente 60, Oceanside 0

San Marino 28, Temple City 6

Santa Ana Foothill 19, Long Beach Wilson 12

Segerstrom 13, La Palma Kennedy 6

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 14, Harvard-Westlake 6

Sonora 40, Santa Fe 0

South El Monte 26, Rosemead 6

South Hills 26, Charter Oak 7

St. Lucy’s 14, Valley View 6

Sunny Hills 21, Brea Olinda 8

Temecula Prep 51, Nuview Bridge 0

Tustin 18, Orange 8

Upland 6, Shadow Hills 0

Western Christian 13, Linfield Christian 12

Intersectional

Agoura 14, Cleveland 13

Ayala 25, Paso Robles 18

Cantwell-Sacred Heart 26, South Gate 12

Garfield 7, Montebello 6

St. Paul 33, South East 0

Taft 25, Calabasas 0

Vasquez 13, Rosamond 0

Wilmington Banning 14, Torrance 0

THURSDAY’S RESULTS

City Section

Carson 26, Los Angeles Marshall 0

Eagle Rock 41, Bell 6

Garfield 19, North Hollywood 7

Hollywood 18, WISH Academy 0

LACES 20, USC Hybrid 13

Lincoln 20, Jefferson 18

Los Angeles Marshall 20, Arleta 12

Manual Arts 20, LACES 6

Torres 12, Huntington Park 6

Southern Section

Agoura 46, St. Bonaventure 0

Alhambra 8, Whitney 0

Aliso Niguel 31, Etiwanda 20

Burbank Providence 52, YULA 7

Castaic 6, Canyon Country Canyon 0

Culver City 30, Beverly Hills 6

Dos Pueblos 46, Oxnard Pacifica 0

Eastside 12, Palmdale 0

El Segundo 28, Wiseburn-Da Vinci 7

Knight 70, Littlerock 0

Lancaster 7, Highland 6

Lawndale 19, Hawthorne 13

Mater Dei 25, Capistrano Valley 0

Newbury Park 39, Fillmore 6

Oaks Christian 21, Hart 20

Orange Lutheran 31, Beaumont 13

Oxnard 52, Channel Islands 0

Quartz Hill 13, Antelope Valley 0

Santa Margarita 33, Tesoro 6

Santa Monica 7, Torrance 6

Santa Paula 9, Buena 6

South Torrance 19, North Torrance 12

St. Margaret’s 32, San Juan Hills 7

Village Christian 12, Brentwood 6

Westlake 33, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 19

West Torrance 7, Peninsula 6

Woodbridge 24, Fountain Valley 6

Intersectional

King/Drew 12, Mayfair 0

Merced 44, Hacienda Heights Wilson 6

DODGING the crowds on Oxford Street could become a thing of the past ahead of new plans to ban all traffic.

The busy London street is taking its first steps to becoming pedestrianised and will partially close to cars in October.

It’s not the first time that Oxford Street has been closed to vehicles – but this will be a move for a permanent change.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan‘s vision is for it to be transformed into a ‘pedestrian plaza’ at the cost of £150million.

At first, not all of Oxford Street will be closed to cars – the plan is for 1km to be traffic free by the second half of October.

Buses won’t be allowed to drive down the pedestrianised area either and will be diverted to other roads.

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The section closed to traffic will be Orchard Street near Selfridges and Great Portland Street.

This area includes the Oxford Circus junction where Oxford Street and Regent Street cross.

Not only will the road be shut, but there will be new seating and planters installed too.

This is a test followed by a review of the scheme which will take place in spring 2027 – work will then start on making it permanent later on in the year.

The end aim is for Oxford Street to undergo an enormous £150million to be completely pedestrianised between Oxford Circus and Marble Arch.

There will be more space for its 500,000 daily visitors to walk around by replacing the roads with paths.

There are concerns though – some locals are worried that the pedestrianisation will push the traffic out into the surrounding areas such as Soho and Mayfair.

Council leader Paul Swaddle has raised further issues including safety.

He said: “At the moment, if you go to Oxford Street at midnight, there are buses, there are people getting night buses – you would feel relatively safe.

“If you were crossing that on your own – if one of my kids was crossing it on their own in the evening, I’d be concerned.”

Other concerns are about emergency services, however unlike private vehicles, they will have access to the street at any time in the new plan.

In the mountain resort of Abetone Cutigliano, nestled in the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines, supporters of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni are celebrating.

On Friday, the Italian leader and her party set a record – leading the country’s longest-lasting government since World War II.

Famed for political instability, Italy has seen 68 governments in eight decades. While the late Silvio Berlusconi keeps the title of longest-serving premier, having held the premiership for a longer period over four terms, the government led by the far-right Brothers of Italy has now overtaken his record of 1,412 consecutive days in power.

Abetone Cutigliano, the prime destination for skiing enthusiasts, was one of the municipalities that made the accomplishment possible, overwhelmingly voting for Meloni’s party in the national elections of October 2022. Andrea Tonarelli, a councillor with Brothers of Italy’s local branch, said a seafront celebratory event is being held to mark the occasion.

“Those of us who can’t go will gather at the party’s local office to watch the rally,” the 35-year-old told Al Jazeera.

For Tonarelli, an engineer for the municipality, the milestone is a “point of pride”.

“Ten years ago, this result would have been unthinkable,” he said. “I feel emotional saying this, but the merit goes to those people who were able to get hold of the youth like me.”

A self-professed mountain dweller who joined Brothers of Italy in 2017, Tonarelli said he was enticed by the party’s opposition to the left’s “armchair environmentalism” that restricts hunting, thwarts big infrastructure projects and opposes selective woods logging.

He also embraced the party’s “patriotic” resolve to put “Italians first”, including through border protection and the promotion of local products and traditional heritage.

“Our main characteristic is believing in what we do and giving it our 100 percent,” he said. “This is not a milestone reached by Giorgia Meloni, by the party, or by a single militant. This is a milestone by an entire community that makes history in this nation.”

‘Profoundly symbolic’

Grazia Di Maggio, the youngest member of the Chamber of Deputies for Brothers of Italy, hailed the government’s record-breaking longevity as “profoundly symbolic”.

“Giorgia Meloni is the first woman to hold the office of prime minister and she comes from a right-wing background, which means no shortcuts and no favouritism,” the 31-year-old told Al Jazeera, hinting at Italy’s rebuke of Benito Mussolini’s totalitarian dictatorship and subsequent weariness of far-right ideologies.

Meloni has sought to distance herself from fascism, declaring in 2022 that the Italian right had handed the ideology “over to history”.

For Di Maggio, who left the southern region of Basilicata at the age of 18 and started her political career leafleting while pursuing a degree in communications in Milan, Meloni’s accomplishment sets an example.

“It’s a story that shows that passion, sacrifice and personal value can make a difference,” she said. “It demonstrates that a right-wing government can be credible, stable and uphold its responsibilities.”

Stable or static?

Analysts have questioned Brothers of Italy’s claim to a newfound political stability.

“Political stability is not measured by the government’s longevity,” Paolo Carusi, a lecturer in contemporary history at Roma Tre University, told Al Jazeera.

In previous decades, “governments would fall but political ideologies would remain stalwart,” Carusi said. “The current political scene is characterised by voter volatility … Italians don’t feel like voting any   more – and if they do, they tend to reward parties that run for the first time.”

Carusi argued that two main factors enabled Meloni’s government to survive longer than others. First, Italy’s latest electoral law, dating back to 2018 and applied to the 2022 election that brought Meloni to power, worked to her advantage by allowing the right-wing coalition to obtain an absolute majority.

Second, Brothers of Italy gave up on much of its electoral programme to maintain stability, unlike previous governments that had alienated coalition partners by pursuing their own agendas.

As a result, Meloni is now grappling with the rapid ascent of a new far-right party led by former army ‌general Roberto Vannacci, which has become the country’s fourth most popular political force only seven months after its launch.

In the upcoming 2027 general election, Vannacci’s National Future will be able to “claim to be the only true upholder of right-wing values,” Carusi said.

Political scientist Piero Ignazi, who lectures at the University of Bologna, said the government’s longevity signalled a period of stasis.

“Stability can be useful to create change, or it can be a way to remain static or even shift into reverse,” the analyst said, arguing that the latter describes the trajectory of Meloni’s government.

Italy’s economy remains fragile, with forecasts projecting its growth at a lacklustre 0.6 percent in 2026. Next year, it is expected to rank last in growth and first in public debt within the European Union.

Alongside Italy’s economy, social policies are also a cause for concern, Ignazi said.

The government has reformed the law to criminalise actions that previously resulted only in fines or civil penalties.

“The government introduced 52 new felonies and all of them have to do with the expression of public dissent and the right to protest,” he said. “This marks a dangerous setback which I believe is the harbinger of more to come if another right-wing government is elected.”

“Over the last five or six years, man-to-man pressure has become bigger,” Kane says.

“European football is physical and top teams are trying to win the ball back high, trusting their defenders and midfielders to defend man for man to win their battles.”

Given that change, the best teams have recruited physical athletes and brilliant dribblers who can beat their man when the game becomes a series of one-against-ones.

Kane, not known for his dribbling – and by his own admission “not the fastest”, has thrived on his own terms.

Against Dortmund, there was a specific moment Kane dropped deep, looking to arrive in space unmarked. Recognising the danger, two players converged on the Englishman.

Kane’s dribbling is cerebral. His speed of thought provides him solutions to problems others would attempt to solve with their feet alone.

After getting low and using his strength to shrug centre-back Waldemar Anton off him, Kane rose, slightly adjusting his body to the right. These micro-adjustments are a hallmark of his game and through them he is able to shift an entire team’s momentum.

Fooled by this feint, Daniel Svensson and Jobe Bellingham found themselves wrong-footed as Kane snapped the ball back the other way, opening up the entire pitch from within Bayern’s half.

TREVOR Nelson has revealed when he’s returning to Radio 2 after undergoing brain tumour surgery.

The 62-year-old announced in June that he was stepping back from his work commitments before revealing last month that he was diagnosed with a brain tumour and had “very serious” surgery.

But now he’s looking onwards and upwards as he returns to work.

Trevor confirmed today that he will be returning to host his BBC Radio 2 show from Monday (September 7).

He will be back in his 2pm-4pm slot at the beginning of the week before returning to his BBC Radio 1Xtra show on Sunday (September 13) at 11am.

The iconic DJ said: “I will be slowly easing my way back on to the airwaves from Monday on Radio 2 and next Sunday on 1Xtra. I look forward to being with you all then.”

READ MORE ON TREVOR NELSON

BRAVE TREV

Trevor Nelson reveals he’s been battling a brain tumour & had ‘serious surgery’

off air

Trevor Nelson hinted his working days were numbered – days before Radio 2 break

The news was revealed in a trail on Sara Cox’s Breakfast Show this morning at 8:50am.

Trevor popped up to ask: “Oh hi Sara Cox…. Have I missed anything?

“Now where were we before I was rudely interrupted?

“It’s been a minute, I know… but over the next few weeks I’m getting back to where I belong… In the Radio 2 studio, behind the microphone and spinning some records!

“It’s so good to be home and I’d be delighted if you could join me Monday afternoon from 2. Just ask your smart speaker to play BBC Radio 2, but for now Sara…  “It’s FRI-YAYYYYY.”

He’ll be making a staggered return with two days next week, three days the week after, four days the following week, before returning full time on the airwaves on Monday 28 September.

DJ Spoony, who has largely covered for Trevor in his absence, will be stepping in for the days he’s not in, as well as Clara Amfo.

He returned to social media last month as he addressed speculation after suddenly stepping away from work two months prior.

Trevor expressed: “There’s been a lot of speculation as to what’s wrong with me, I know that much.

“My phone’s blown up 20 times over with people asking what’s wrong with me.”

The dad-of-two said he felt he wanted to share more details due to the outpouring of love he had received.

However, he said he wasn’t going to do a “deep dive” just yet, rather that would come at a later date.

He continued: “I was minding my own business and then it was discovered I had a brain tumour.

“As you can imagine, I was shocked. In fact, my world was turned upside down.

“Quite literally, my head was all over the place. I knew I had to stop work because I couldn’t be that guy on the radio knowing I had that going on.”

After confirming his surgery was a success, Trevor said he’d been at home “recuperating and resting” and having post-op treatment.

He went on: “I can only tell you the truth, and the truth is I feel great right now.”

Trevor added he was back playing golf and in the gym and living his old life, except for the radio and gigs.

As a proud Atlantan, I’ve loved lemon pepper wings my entire life. Zesty and crispy-skinned, they were present every Super Bowl Sunday and Labor Day weekend. When my family of four wanted takeout, it was the one item we could all agree on to order.

I learned to like lemon pepper wings as an alternative to buffalo wings, which were way too spicy for me as a child. My taste buds eventually learned to handle the heat, but there’s still something in me that prefers a dry rub lemon pepper wing over anything else.

Lemon pepper wings are widely believed to be the invention of J.R. Crickets, an Atlanta-based wing chain that has now expanded to several locations throughout Georgia since opening in 1982. The classic recipe involves wings covered in a blend of lemon zest, pepper and butter, but the regional restaurant is also known for a flavor that’s not explicitly on the menu — “lemon pepper wet.” Sparking curiosity worldwide after being featured on the Emmy award-winning TV series “Atlanta” in 2017, these wings are first covered in buffalo sauce before sprinkling the lemon pepper seasoning on top.

“Lemon pepper wet” can also refer to wings that are covered in a lemon pepper sauce, in addition to the usual dry rub. American Deli, a fast-food chain that opened in Atlanta in 1989, claims to be the inventor of this flavor.

Today, the preference for lemon pepper wings has spread beyond the South. Atlanta-born rappers Future and Gucci Mane have rapped about the dish in their songs. Memes and TikToks about the famous lemon pepper wet wings from Atlanta’s Magic City, an adult entertainment club, have gone viral on social media and some restaurants are even adding the flavor to cocktails.

When I moved to Los Angeles this summer, I began searching for spots that served wings that reminded me of home. Chef Melissa Cottingham, founder of Melnificent Wingz, went through a similar journey. She’s been selling wings in L.A. since 2021, but has been cooking since her childhood in Memphis, Tenn.

“I couldn’t find any wings that reminded me of that Southern brine, [with] wet, buttery citrus sauce as well as a spice blend,” she said. “So I was like, I’m gonna create it myself.”

She sells many flavors of wings, but says lemon pepper is by far her most popular.

From panko-fried chicken legs in the heart of Koreatown, to wing platters served alongside Cajun-style rice and gravy, restaurants across L.A. have added their own spin to the dish that helped put Atlanta’s food scene on the map.

A MAJOR UK railway firm is giving travellers the chance to secure £2 tickets.

As part of a flash sale, customers can snap up train trips for next to nothing.

Northern Rail’s generous offering means four million £2 advanced single tickets are up for grabs.

The chance to snap them up won’t last long and there is just hours left to make the most of the flash sale.

Lasting between September 2 and September 4, the ticket discount is available for travel between September 9 and October 23.

Taking advantage of the deal is a great way to explore the UK for less as autumn begins.

GROUNDED

Ryanair to axe two million seats this winter affecting THOUSANDS of flights

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Northern operates over 2,600 trains a day across the north of England, with services running to more than 500 stations.

With so many routes available, travellers can make journeys to and from the likes of Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle, Harrogate, Crewe, Chester, York and more.

While Railcards can’t be used alongside the offer, the half price children’s ticket offer still stands.

That means kids travel for just £1 with sale tickets.

There isn’t long left until the flash sale draws to a close – and when tickets are sold out, they’re sold out.

Tickets can be bought via the Northern website, app or at ticket machines and at ticket offices at participating stations.

Speaking about the rare offer, Alex Hornby, commercial and customer director at Northern, said: “With four million tickets up for grabs, this is one of our biggest Flash Sales yet, and there’s something for everyone.”

He added: “With millions of tickets available for just £2 each, our Flash Sale will make the railway even more appealing, and we believe it will inspire everyone to explore everything our fantastic region has to offer, from bustling cities to countryside and stunning coastlines.”

THE budget airline will axe two million seats across its 2026 winter schedule.

Ryanair cited high jet fuel costs as the reason for the reduction – and it has warned of rising prices too.

The airline announced that it has cut estimates for the expected number of passengers it will carry between April 2026 and March 2027.

The number has dropped from 216 million to 214 million.

In a statement, the airline explained that it was “sensible to strategically reduce the group’s exposure to unhedged jet fuel during the unprofitable winter schedule.”

It continued: “Subject to pricing and passenger demand, Ryanair expects this one-off winter schedule cut to reduce [November 2026 – March 2027 losses] by €70 million to €100 million (£85.8million).”

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It won’t be the first time Ryanair has cut flights.

As a result of rising air tax, budget-friendly Ryanair has cut a huge amount of routes over the last year.

Lots of the axed routes affected Spain with flights to Vigo, Valladolid, Jerez and Tenerife (North) stopped.

Other places that lost connections through Ryanair were to the Azores in Portugal and Thessaloniki in Greece where the airline closed its base.

At the same time, the airline announced it would be scrapping off-season flights to Chania and Heraklion in Crete and will reduce its Athens services too.

All of this will result in 700,000 fewer seats on sale this winter.

In 2025, France lost 25 routes and some 750,000 seats last winter from and completely stopped services completely to Strasbourg and Brive.

In Brussels, Ryanair has axed 20 routes and cut one million seats across Brussels-Zaventem and Brussels South Charleroi airports.

The budget airline also warned that the prices of tickets could rise next year.

Conflict in Iran has caused jet fuel costs to climb due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and it will continue to affect holiday prices.

In a statement, Ryanair said: “If high oil prices continue through to S.27 (summer 2027), Ryanair believes short-haul airfares in Europe will increase materially to reflect higher oil prices as some less well-hedged competitors will struggle to maintain capacity or even survive this coming winter season.”

Ryanair said it currently hedges fuel (which means it pays a set price).

The airline added that 80 per cent of its jet fuel is hedged through March 2027 at about $67 (£50) a barrel.

The price of jet fuel is around $140 (£103) a barrel.

Northampton chairman Kelvin Thomas said: “This has been a detailed and rigorous process, involving significant scrutiny of the proposed investment, the ownership structure, financial sustainability, and the suitability and financial standing of those involved.

“The successful completion of both the IFR and EFL processes represents an important milestone for the club and should provide supporters and stakeholders with further confidence in the proposed investment and the foundations being put in place for the club’s future.

“We would like to thank both the EFL and the IFR for their professionalism, diligence and thoroughness throughout their respective processes.

“As supporters will see from their varied backgrounds, there is a genuine passion for football within the group. A number of the investors have already visited Northampton, spent time at the club and attended matches.

“They will bring a strong blend of football, corporate and financial expertise to the club and with significant Brazilian representation within the group we also hope they might bring a little Brazilian excitement and flair with them.

“Now the regulatory processes have been completed we move towards completing the remaining documentation and finalising the investment. Full details regarding the investment, structure and the principal investors involved will be announced upon completion.

“We thank the fans for their patience, but it is reassuring that these in-depth processes are in place for football.”

Sept. 4 (UPI) — In a setback for Republicans, the Missouri Supreme Court ruled against the use of a GOP-favored congressional map in this year’s midterms, directing that a referendum on redistricting be put on November’s ballot.

The ruling came down Thursday, two months before the Nov. 3 midterm elections, and after Missouri already using the use of the now blocked maps.

GOP-led Missouri was seeking to use a state legislature-approved redrawn map that was expected to increase the number of Republican-held districts from its 6-2 majority to 7-1, but the state’s high court on Thursday ruled that the opposition had the the right to have the issue put to a referendum.

The state’s General Assembly passed the redistricting bill in September 2025. In December, organizers who submitted a referendum petition collected more than 300,000 signatures in support of the effort.

But then last month, an hour before the statutory deadline, Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins issued a “Certificate of Insufficiency of Petition,” stating that the state’s Constitution “does not authorize a referendum on congressional redistricting plans passed by the General Assembly,” prompting Missouri voters to sue.

The state’s high court ruling on Thursday overturned a circuit court’s judgment, ordering Hoskins to issue a certificate of sufficiency as to the referendum petition to place it on the November general election ballot and enjoining him from implementing the General Assembly-approved map.

“The referendum petition was legal, sufficient and timely, and the secretary incorrectly concluded otherwise. HB 1 did not go into effect and will not go into effect unless and until approved by the voters,” Judge Ginger Gooch wrote in the ruling. “The congressional redistricting the General Assembly established in 2022 remains in full force and effect for the November 2026 general election.”

Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway, a Republican, said the state will appeal to the conservative-leaning Supreme Court.

“Never before in American history has a court overturned a congressional map after a primary and before a general election. This unprecedented decision clearly violates federal law and has thrust our state into a full-fledged constitutional crisis,” she said in a statement.

“We are confident that the federal courts will not allow every Missouri voter to be disenfranchised — which is what today’s decision does.”

President Donald Trump also lambasted the decision on his Truth Social media platform.

“Not only was the ruling horrible, ridiculous and unConstitutional, but there won’t be enough time to change the map back with the Election coming up in a very short period of time,” he said in a statement.

“The Election Process, as usual, is being disturbed in America! Missouri must be able to use the map that was in effect just a couple of months ago, in the Primary. This is a Dark Day for ‘Justice’ in Missouri!”

The midterms have been a focus of Trump, who has warned Republicans that if they lose control of the House, Democrats will impeach him.

To improve their chances of holding on to the House, Trump has encouraged GOP-led states to conduct unorthodox mid-decade redistricting efforts, with Texas last summer being the first to redraw its maps to create additional GOP-favored districts. This kicked off a gerrymandering arms race, with Democratic-led states saying they would do likewise to counter the Republican efforts.

To date, 10 states — all but one being Republican-led — have changed their congressional maps, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, though several others have tried or are in the process of redistricting.

STACEY Solomon has shared an emotional goodbye to Pickle Cottage after selling her £1.3 million home. 

Yesterday she and husband Joe Swash confirmed to fans they had sold their “dream home” and would be moving out “imminently”.  

Now Sort Your Life Out host Stacey, 36,  has shared a montage of her favourite memories from living in Pickle Cottage, which they bought in 2021. 

Writing on Instagram, she said: “Thank You & Goodbye Pickle Cottage.

“A little montage of some of the best years of our lives… We will forever be grateful for the last 5 years at Pickle. 

“What a special place & how lucky we’ve been to have lived there. Memories that will last forever… 

PICK OUT

Emotional Stacey Solomon reveals she’s SOLD £1.3m ‘dream home’ Pickle Cottage

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“Wishing all of the love & happiness to the new family who get to love pickle cottage. And here’s to the next chapter…”

Stacey, who is mum to Zachary,  18, Leighton, 14, Rex, seven, Rose, four, and three-year-old Belle, yesterday explained how she and Joe, 44, are moving to a new property with more land so they are able to rescue more animals.  

She said: “Leaving Pickle Cottage was a massive, massive, decision for us, we had a lot of people we needed to speak to, we needed to get the kids around to the idea and speak to all our neighbours and lovely friends in the area. 

“There were so many people we needed to speak to before we told everybody.

It’s a really special place to us. I gave birth to both of the girls there, we got married there, it’s just so special to us.

“But for a little while we have always wanted to rescue more animals, grow more vegetables, my vegetable patch, I have got so much joy out of it, but it’s on Farmer Scott’s land. So if he decides to do something with that land, it’s gone.”

Stacey added: “We saw somewhere, found somewhere, and I was like ‘Oh my God’ and I was like, we could have a massive vegetable patch and we could offer our land to animals who need it.”

One of the most complex concepts in political science is democracy. While we all have a feel for what it is, whether it is elections, civil liberties, freedom of speech, or a combination of all of the above, it’s rather complicated to measure how democratic a country is. In a context like Venezuela’s rapidly evolving political environment, it’s essential to have a benchmark to evaluate whether the transition the country is experiencing is toward democracy or toward something entirely different. 

Now, a group of political scientists is proposing one way to measure it: comparing it to the installation of an operating system.

“Installing Democracy” is a project led by political scientists Beatriz Fernández and Pablo Hernández Borges to operationalize democracy in Venezuela. It’s part of Umbral, an initiative created by Hernández Borges after January 3rd to evaluate the possible outcomes of Venezuela’s political crisis, drawing from experts and the public. 

Hernández Borges said the initiative emerged partly as a way to combat misinformation, “with the goal of showing citizens that a transition is a very complex process and that it will not happen quickly. This platform sheds light on the path toward transition at a moment when people feel that democracy is at the threshold of possibility.”

A group of experts then independently evaluates each action on a scale from 0 to 100% based on the available evidence. Their assessments are aggregated into a common estimate.

The new branch of the project, rather than presenting potential outcomes, shows a progress bar from 0 to 100%. The project’s creators envision democracy holistically, rather than as an “on and off switch.” Their methodology divides the transition into 11 pillars, ranging from human rights, security, and institutions to political competition, elections, justice, and the economy. 

To calculate the percentage shown on the dashboard, the project identifies 60 key variables consisting of tangible events, timeframes, and verifiable indicators. These include the release of political prisoners, the opening of the electoral registry, press freedom, the renewal of electoral authorities and, eventually, the holding of free elections. Drawing from existing proposals for Venezuela’s democratic transition, the project organizes these actions along an 18-month timeline starting in August 2026, with each one assigned a deadline, an indicator, and a source of verification. A group of experts then independently evaluates each action on a scale from 0 to 100% based on the available evidence, and their assessments are aggregated into a common estimate.

The resulting score places each action into one of four categories: completed, in progress, pending or unfulfilled, or not yet evaluable. This structure allows the dashboard to capture an uneven transition. Currently, it lists the installation of democracy at 7%.  

The identities of the 13 expert evaluators are kept anonymous. “They are a highly qualified group. They are Venezuelan academics, both inside and outside the country. There’s also a group of Spanish academics with expertise in transitions and knowledge of the Venezuelan context,” said Beatriz Fernández.

“These are not variables like measuring a kilo of sugar, whether it’s 800 or 783 grams. We don’t have the precision of the hard sciences. This is an informed approximation…”

Fernández joined Umbral with “Installing Democracy” after previously working with Varieties of Democracy, or V-Dem, a leading global research project that measures different dimensions of democracy across countries using hundreds of indicators and assessments from country experts. Her experience with V-Dem helped inform the project’s approach, alongside elements drawn from presidential performance trackers.

Still, Fernández acknowledged that measuring democracy is particularly complicated. “These are not variables like measuring a kilo of sugar, whether it’s 800 or 783 grams. We don’t have the precision of the hard sciences. This is an informed approximation, which is what experts do and which is valid.”

When users log into “Installing Democracy”, they can see the individual variables, the entity responsible for each aspect of the transition, the verifiable indicators, and the overall progress bar for each of the “milestones” of Venezuela’s potential democratic transition. In addition, it’s possible to see the progress, stagnation or backsliding of each milestone. Moreover, the dashboard includes countdowns for the scheduled end of the negotiation table between the interim authorities and the 2015 National Assembly, the US Midterm elections, and the end of the proposed 18-month roadmap.

Ultimately, the purpose of the project is to show audiences that the discussion of democracy goes deeper than whether elections are held or not. Fernández and Hernández Borges emphasize that the conditions under which those elections take place, and whether their results are respected, are just as important. In fact, they argue that projects like this one invite citizens to think beyond elections as the “be-all and end-all” of a democratic transition and, as their press release puts it, to evaluate “the forest rather than the latest event.” At 7%, the forest is still very much taking shape.

Teoscar Hernández stepped into exactly the kind of situation the Dodgers had failed to capitalize on during the past couple of games: runners in scoring position. And with one out in the ninth inning, the Dodgers were running out of chances for a comeback.

Hernández worked a full count against St. Louis closer Riley O’Brien with runners on first and second. Then he got a sinker up and over the middle of the plate, a pitch he could drive. And he did.

Hernández lined it into the left-center field gap. Tommy Edman scored easily, and Mookie Betts slid across the plate head first as the throw came in high and too late.

The Dodgers walked off the Cardinals with a 3-2 victory Thursday, narrowly avoiding a series sweep at Dodger Stadium.

“We needed it,” manager Dave Roberts said. “Obviously for seven innings, it didn’t look good at all. Then we found a way to scratch one across. But a win’s a win, however it looks.”

Before Hernández’s walk-off double, the Dodgers (83-57) had taken 26 at-bats with runners in scoring position over two games. Only one of those had resulted in a hit.

Hernández, however, unlocked something on a long fly out he hit in Detroit on Saturday.

“It’s just the way my body was reacting, was more under control,” he said. “I was able to notice everything that I was doing, even though it was an out. …That was the swing that is leading to all the good results that I’ve been having lately.”

Hernández, who entered this series with a .668 OPS against right-handed pitchers, had been struggling for so long that Roberts contemplated a left-field platoon.

Teoscar Hernández hits a walk-off double against the St. Louis Cardinals in the ninth inning Thursday at Dodger Stadium.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

“I told Dave, if you feel like you have to use somebody else in there, just do it,” Hernández said. “But know that I am going to keep working and I’m going to try to be ready for the times that you need me.”

On Sunday in Detroit, Hernández hit a home run off Framber Valdez. And when rosters expanded on Sept. 1, the Dodgers decided against bringing up an outfielder who could share playing time with Hernández, betting that he could end his slump.

Hernández went six for 13 in three games against the Cardinals (70-71), with Roberts remarking it was “as good as I’ve seen him versus [right-handers] since April.”

“I’ve always said that we’re better when he’s in the lineup,” Roberts said. “But performance certainly matters, and this series, albeit a small sample, was really good. As you get to the postseason and towards the end of the season, we’ve got to start figuring out who we can play, who we can count on, who’s dependable. And the at-bats he’s taken these last three games, really good.”

Hernández and Edman — hitting leadoff in place of Shohei Ohtani, who got the day off while dealing with a nagging biceps problem — were the only Dodgers with hits Thursday. Edman led the team with four, but Hernández’ second knock was the most important one.

“It was huge to finally get that big hit,” Edman said of Hernández. “We were kind of pressing a little bit in those first two games. Everybody was kind of trying to do too much in the big spots. Teo came through huge in that moment. Just can’t say enough about him, and that was just such a huge at-bat, and able to kind of steal that win today.”

The Gaura Festival is a significant three-day Hindu celebration in Nepal that honors the deities Shiva and Gauri. Observed primarily in the western regions, the event begins on the birth anniversary of Lord Krishna and involves married women participating in specialized rituals. These women create grass idols, perform traditional songs, and observe fasts to seek longevity and health for their husbands. A central cultural highlight is the Deuda dance, where participants form a circle and move to rhythmic folk music. The festival serves as a tribute to divine reincarnationand remains a vital public holiday that preserves Nepalese spiritual heritage.

Froun, Lebanon – Hasan Saeid Ramadan, 56, was at home in this southern Lebanese municipality when he heard the explosions.

“It shook the ground like an earthquake, and the mountain collapsed,” he said, pointing at the nearby Qantara mountains.

Israeli forces are present just south of Froun and occupy large areas of southern Lebanon, where they conduct operations, including regular detonations, that they say target the Lebanese group Hezbollah.

The ones conducted by Israel along the Qantara mountain range this week led to a visible collapse in at least two places in the mountains. Locals and officials in villages along the edge of Israeli-controlled Lebanese territory, such as Froun, Ghandouriyeh, Bourj Qalaway and Qalaway, told Al Jazeera that the sounds of war – warplanes, drones but, most of all, Israeli demolitions – are constant and often keep them up at night.

While Ramadan was speaking, an explosion echoed in the distance – another apparent Israeli detonation of a home. “Day and night,” he said. “We even see them.”

He added: “It’s become routine.”

Pilot zones

In March, Israel invaded Lebanon for the second time in less than two years. The first invasion in October 2024 was followed by a near-full Israeli withdrawal with soldiers remaining in five locations in southern Lebanon. After the second invasion, however, Israeli officials have said their troops will stay on in southern Lebanon despite promises from United States officials that the Israelis do not have territorial ambitions in Lebanon.

While US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire in April, Israel’s military has continued to attack what it says are Hezbollah targets and infrastructure around southern Lebanon.

Meanwhile, the Lebanese state has been locked in US-brokered direct discussions with Israel despite objections from Hezbollah and its allies, who favour indirect discussions with the Israelis to try to end the war and the Israeli presence in southern Lebanon.

Israel and Lebanon agreed a “framework agreement” in June, which launched a “pilot zone” plan. The pilot zones are to act as a test area for the Lebanese army to disarm Hezbollah and for the Israelis to withdraw. The first pilot zones were the villages of Froun, Srifa and Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh. But locals disputed the inclusion of Froun and Srifa, saying they were never occupied by Israel in the first place.

“[The Israelis] didn’t take a single step here,” Ramadan said.

For its part, Israel is also reportedly critical of the pilot zone scheme, and analysts doubt their willingness to allow it to progress.

“The pilot zones can only really work if you have goodwill of various parties,” Nicholas Blanford, a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and author of a book on Hezbollah, told Al Jazeera. “The trouble is the Israelis have said they are not going to stage any more withdrawals, so it brings the process to a halt.”

And regardless of the efforts from the Lebanese state and the Lebanese army, both Hezbollah and Israel have played a role in undermining the process.

“Hezbollah opposes the scheme outright and argues that Lebanon should rely on Iran to pressure the US into demanding an Israeli withdrawal,” David Wood, the International Crisis Group’s senior analyst for Lebanon, told Al Jazeera. “Israel has paid lip service to the pilot zones scheme but has recently expanded – rather than reduced – its occupation of Lebanese territory.”

Demolitions and destruction

In the villages near the areas Israel controls, many of the homes and local infrastructure lie destroyed. Piles of concrete rubble and dust line many of the roads to the villages. Explosions were heard throughout the day on Thursday, and locals said they are often worse at night and disrupt their sleep.

During the harshest days of the war, these villages were ghost towns. Residents fled north to Sidon or Beirut, where they stayed with family, in displacement centres, or slept rough on the streets, locals said.

Residents began to return to these villages after the announcement of the framework agreement. But what they returned to was not what they had left behind.

Mohammad Ali Nader, the head of the municipality of Ghandouriyeh, said his area was mostly agricultural and farmers grew olives, wheat, chickpeas, corn and tobacco, among many other crops. But now, the area lies overwhelmingly in ruins. Most residents don’t have access to water or electricity.

The clanking sound of cranes and other construction equipment moving rubble or smashing concrete echoed out into the rolling hills behind Nader. He stood on the ruins of a home that had been destroyed by two Israeli rockets.

“Much like all the other houses that were destroyed, this house is no longer habitable,” he said, saying it had once boasted two storeys and a large garden. He added that the electric and water infrastructure in the area was also mostly destroyed. “We used to grow carob here, but where is there carob now?” he asked rhetorically. “Not a carob is left nor olives, tobacco or wheat.”

Nasser Mokdad, an official in the municipality of Froun, said the area was currently not receiving state-provided electricity but added that the Lebanese government was working on returning services, setting September 15 as a target date.

No water, no electricity, no return

Residents in the affected villages said the current period reminds them of the days of the Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon from 1982 to 2000. Hasan Bazzi, the head of the municipality of Froun, said the only difference is that during the previous occupation, southerners remained in their Israeli-occupied villages.

This time around, the Israeli demolitions are ensuring that those whose homes are in Israeli-occupied areas will have difficulty returning, even if the troops eventually withdraw.

When the war restarted this year, Ramadan fled his home of 30 years and took refuge in an area near Tyre, a coastal city in southern Lebanon, and then moved farther north to Sidon, about an hour south of Beirut.

When he returned after the truce in the area, his house had been badly damaged. Still, it fared better than the neighbouring houses, which he said belonged to his cousins. He’s now sleeping in his garage with his wife. Their house, like the surrounding area, has no access to water or electricity.

He said the heat at night bothers him and he’s developed a bad heat rash. During the day, he slowly works on fixing the shrapnel-pocketed walls of his home.

Dripping with sweat under the midday sun, he smiled. “My conscience is at ease because I’m by my home,” he said.