The way humans refuse to reflect is most ironic. Everyone immediately blamed the heavens for the events of November 2025, when massive floods swept across Sumatra (Indonesia), submerged southern Thailand, and turned Malaysian roads into rivers. It was as if humans were passive victims swept away by something beyond their control, and rain was the sole factor. This elegant narrative is perpetuated to shield us from guilt and responsibility, making us reluctant to acknowledge that these ‘natural’ disasters have actually been engineered by human choices and negligence over a long period of time. The greatest tragedy lies in the audacity to ignore the damage we have wrought upon ourselves, not the water falling from the sky.
What happened at the end of November was not just extreme weather. Reuters stated that heavy rains were the main cause of flooding and landslides, which are estimated to have killed at least 129 people in Southeast Asia before and after 25 November 2025. However, blaming the rain as the sole cause is like blaming a match when your entire house is on fire, even though you were the one who spilled the petrol (Reuters, 2025). The rain is not the problem. Rain is a common climatic event. What is unusual is how vulnerable our countries are to something that should have been anticipated.
For years, Green Theory has reminded us that environmental damage is the result of development and political and economic practices that prioritize growth over sustainability. Theoretically, disasters are political rather than natural occurrences. According to this viewpoint, structural power disparities and policy decisions that favor capital accumulation are the main causes of society’s susceptibility to natural disasters. And what happened in November 2025 shows that current politics prioritizes short-term profits, land exploitation, and dependence on destructive industries over maintaining the ecological balance that enables human life.
For example, flooding in Sumatra is caused by the loss of millions of hectares of forest over the past twenty years. The loss of forests has eliminated the absorption and soil retention systems that previously functioned as a ‘natural brake’ on water flow. FAO data shows that Indonesia’s deforestation rate has been one of the fastest in the world for years and that the damage has not disappeared without a trace (FAO, 2023). When the roots are gone, the soil and water lose their bond. Disaster becomes inevitable when the rains fall.
The same pattern was found in cases in Thailand and Malaysia. Development that destroyed hillsides, settlements that crept up into landslide-prone areas, and concretization that eliminated absorption spaces have made these areas an inevitable ecological hazard. There were no truly ‘sudden’ floods and landslides that struck southern Thailand in the same week reported by AP News (AP News, 2025). What remained suddenly was our realization that the rain was testing the consequences of years of neglect.
Ironically, politicians, mainstream media, and most of the public are more comfortable blaming the heavens. Although terms such as ‘extreme rainfall,’ ‘climate anomalies,’ and ‘unpredictable weather’ are meteorologically accurate, they are also ethically and politically misleading. Blaming the weather is an elegant way to avoid more uncomfortable questions: who cut down the forests? Who issued the plantation and mining permits? Who built cities without drainage systems? Who turned a blind eye to disorderly spatial planning? And who chose not to learn from the same tragedies of last year, the year before, and the year before that?
Green Theory emphasizes that states and markets often collaborate to cause environmental/ecological damage while covering up their political activities with stories of ‘unpredictable nature.’ The disaster that occurred in November 2025 provided an important lesson that these stories are not only misleading but also dangerous. To avoid responsibility, attention is shifted from human actors to an abstract entity called ‘the weather.’ It transforms meteorological chaos into structural chaos. Thus, the sky becomes the most convenient scapegoat for all parties who benefit from the current situation.
We often forget that rain has been with us throughout human history. It is not the sky that has changed; rather, it is the earth beneath our feet that has been altered, divided, and sold without consideration for its ecological limits. The IPCC has repeatedly warned that although climate change increases rainfall in certain areas, its effects are highly dependent on land use, ecosystem health, and human-controlled environmental carrying capacity (IPCC, 2023). In other words, rain may be natural, but its disasters are not.
According to a UNEP report, modern disaster risk consists of a combination of hazards and vulnerability, and it is vulnerability that is most often created by humans (UNEP, 2022). We are the ones who cut down forests, destroy riverbanks, and build cities without considering hydrological logic. We are responsible for turning floodplains into residential areas. Yet we blame the rain for being the culprit simply because the water returns to its source.
This is why November 2025 is not just a date of disaster; it is a date of remembrance. A reminder that we live in an age where environmental damage is caused by human activity, not the weather. A reminder that contemporary disasters are the result of poor decisions. And our hands will remain clean in the story we write as long as we continue to point to the sky, but the ground beneath us will continue to crumble.
If we want to break out of this cycle, we must stop pointing to the sky and start dismantling the political, economic, and vested interests that make communities vulnerable every time it rains. Disasters must be seen as a reflection of failed environmental governance, not as ‘inevitable’ natural events. This necessitates the establishment of political accountability mechanisms for officials who disregard ecological warnings, independent environmental audits for significant projects, and strict spatial planning reform. We must also understand that change will not come from the heavens; it must come from the very people who have been destroying, if they are finally willing to reform themselves.
The rain will continue to be blamed until that day. And humans will continue to try to save their own reputations by pointing upwards so that they do not see the damage happening beneath their feet. However, the sky is never to blame, as will be clearly recorded in history. The rain simply falls. It is humans who cause the destruction. This is the greatest irony of modern civilization: the more power humans feel they have, the more they enjoy washing their hands of the consequences of that power. Humans who destroy mountains for quick profits from mining, build cities without adequate drainage, and pour concrete into rivers, and then feign surprise when everything comes back to haunt them. Rain is merely the trigger; humans prepare the ingredients for the explosion.
It is not the weather that must change, but our morals. No technical mitigation can replace a political culture that continues to trade forests for capital, mortgaging the future for growth charts, or romanticizing ‘development’ that never produces anything but risk. We can keep praying for favorable weather, but those prayers will only echo in the void as long as the Earth is treated as a victim. Because we are the ones who need to live on Earth. Earth is the source of our life. And as long as people continue to deny that, disasters will become timely consequences, not mere warnings.
Bradley Walsh got tongues wagging when he rocked up at the Strictly Come Dancing studio after hosts, Tess Daly and Claudia Winkelman sensationally announced they’re quitting the show
Bradley Walsh has sparked some serious Strictly rumours(Image: ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
Bradley Walsh has added fuel to rumours he’ll host Strictly after he was seen backstage with the show’s crew over the weekend. The presenter, 65, is odds-on favourite to replace Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman as hosts of Strictly when they step down at the end of the current series.
Gladiators host, Bradley, is reportedly in final talks to host the primetime programme after dynamic duo, Tess and Claudia, sensationally announced they were quitting in October.
Bradley headed to the BBC studio during a break in filming ITV’s The Chase, where he posed for a selfie with the crew from the dance show. Both The Chase and Strictly are filmed at Elstree Studios in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire.
Head dressmaker Theresa Hewlett shared a photograph with star on X, formerly Twitter, with a smile a mile wide, posing alongside her colleagues ahead of Saturday’s live show.
She captioned the post: “The Chase is filmed next door and he popped in to say hi. What a lovely man Bradley Walsh is!”
Meanwhile a source told The Sun: “Bradley’s appearance in the studio has certainly set tongues wagging. Bosses are keen for Bradley to take over. He is a real pro and has brilliant experience hosting live shows.
“Producers need a safe pair of hands to steady the ship amid so much damage. Of course, he’d have a female alongside him as part of a duo.
And that female, is reported to be The One Show’s Alex Jones, who took part in Strictly in 2011. A source told the publication: “Alex and Bradley are both the favourites to take over from Tess and Claudia… they have been in the BBC’s sights for some time.”
“Alex is a massive fan of Strictly, too, so this would be the dream gig for her.”
The insider clarified that “nothing is set in stone yet”, but said discussions involving the pair had been “moving in a really positive direction” so far.
Tess and Claudia stunned Strictly fans when they posted a joint video in October, announcing they were calling it quits.
Addressing viewers, they said: “We have loved working as a duo, and hosting Strictly has been an absolute dream. We were always going to leave together, and now feels like the right time. We will have the greatest rest of this amazing series and just want to say an enormous thank you to the BBC and every single person who works on the show.
“They’re the most brilliant team, and we’ll miss them every day. We will cry when we say the last ‘keep dancing,’ but we will continue to say it to each other – just possibly in tracksuit bottoms at home while holding some pizza.”
And it’s not just laptops, but mobile phones can also cause this problem.
Back in 2018, crew were forced to extinguish a fire onboard a Qantas flight from Melbourne to LA after a plane stuck between seats set on fire.
And in 2020, a British Airways passenger’s phone caught o fire after it slipped down while she slept, and she then reclined without realising.
When it come to laptop issues, just last year a United flight from Zurich to Chicago had to emergency land in Ireland after a laptop got stuck in the seats.
Patrick Smith, a pilot, and author of Ask the Pilot previously warned about the dangers of this.
He said: “If you’re in an electrically controlled lie-flat seat, of the type common in first or business class, there are a number of nooks and crannies into which your phone can slip – beyond your reach and down into the mechanisms that control the seat’s various positions.”
Passengers are urged to alert flight crew if any of their devices fall down the side of the seat.
If they can’t be retrieved, then the seat shouldn’t be reclined until the plane has landed.
In British Airways‘ latest onboard safety announcement, they warn: “If you do lose your device within your seat, please don’t move your seat yourself.
“Ask a member of crew for some help.”
A rise in onboard fires has also been caused by portable charges, leading ot many airlines banning the use of them.
Most recently, power banks are no longer allowed to be used on a number of Australian airlines, and must not be put in the overhead lockers.
Other airlines like Emirates are also not allowing passengers to use them during a flight, and encourages the use of the in-seat charging instead.
Only Korean Air fully bans power banks being taken onboard, after one of their aircraft was decommissioned due to fire damage caused by one.
WASHINGTON — Rep. Robert Garcia and his team faced a monumental task on Nov. 5: Sift through more than 20,000 documents obtained from the estate of Jeffrey Epstein in search for something that would shed more light into President Trump’s relationship with the now-deceased convicted sex offender.
After six tedious days combing through the records, Garcia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, and four staff members identified three emails that would go on to ignite a political firestorm.
In the emails, Epstein wrote that Trump had “spent hours” at the late financier’s house with one of his victims and that he “knew about the girls,” suggesting the president knew more about Epstein’s abuse than he had previously acknowledged. The estate released the emails to the committee after receiving a subpoena.
“We thought [the emails] really raised questions about the relationship between the president and Jeffrey Epstein,” Garcia said in an interview last week. “We knew we had to get those out as soon as possible.”
Garcia’s plan to release the emails quickly thrust the second-term Democrat into the national spotlight, elevating his profile as a chief antagonist of Trump on a issue that has dogged the president since his first term. It also increased the pressure on the White House to release its investigative Epstein files.
The assertions in Epstein’s emails about Trump’s involvement or awareness of Epstein’s illicit acts have not been corroborated and the White House has denied the veracity of those accounts.
The White House accused Democrats of “selectively” leaking emails to create a “fake narrative to smear President Trump,” adding that Democrats redacted the name of one of the victims, Virginia Giuffre, who died by suicide in April and had previously said she had not witnessed Trump participating in abuse at Epstein’s house.
The email disclosures on Nov. 12 prompted Republicans on the committee to publish the full cache of records just hours later. At the same time, Democrats — joined by a handful of Republicans — were on the verge of forcing a House vote to compel the Justice Department to release its Epstein files. Days later, Trump urged GOP lawmakers to back the bill he had long resisted, and he ultimately signed it into law.
“If we hadn’t released the initial emails, Republicans would likely have released nothing,” Garcia said. “They never release anything until we push them and we bring pressure from the public.”
Garcia said Democrats were prepared to publish the full set themselves — but incrementally over the course of the week, arguing that such a release needed to be done carefully to protect victims’ privacy.
Republicans on the committee have criticized the minority party’s approach, arguing that it focuses on sensationalizing select pieces of information to damage Trump and politicizing the Epstein investigation.
“The most dangerous place in D.C. is between Robert Garcia and a cable news camera,” Republican strategist Matthew Gorman said. “This is simply a ploy for him to draw more attention to himself, and he’s using this issue to do it.”
‘Sometimes you gotta punch back harder’
Garcia’s allies view the 47-year-old’s rise as both foreseeable and reflective of his past.
Born in Peru, Garcia immigrated to the United States as a young child and became a citizen in his early 20s. He later became Long Beach’s first Latino and first openly gay mayor before arriving in Washington — where he is now one of the youngest to ever serve as the ranking member of the main investigative panel in the House.
Five months into the role, Garcia says he remains in disbelief that he is in the position that has been held by people like Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), whom he considers one of his “heroes.”
“To be in a place where I’m doing the job that he was in when I got to Congress a couple of years ago is not something that I expected,” Garcia said. “I want to contribute back as best I can, and take on this corruption, take on what is happening with the Jeffrey Epstein case and holding the administration accountable.”
The oversight committee is one of the House’s most high-profile panels and its chair, Republican Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, has broad subpoena power. Comer, a staunch Trump ally, has been leading a review of the government’s investigation into Epstein and his longtime associate, Ghislaine Maxwell. Comer has subpoenaed both the Epstein estate and the Justice Department.
Comer declined to be interviewed for this article, as did other House Republicans. But Comer told Politico last week that he was “done with Garcia” and that the Democrat had “burned his bridges with this.”
“He just needs to do TikTok videos or something. … He’s not a serious investigator. He’s like a TikTok video kind of guy,” Comer said.
Garcia responded to Comer’s comments with a reference to the movie “Mean Girls.”
“Why’s he so obsessed with me?” he said Wednesday in an Instagram post — an example of how Garcia often uses pop culture to communicate to a more general audience.
Garcia says his tactics are motivated by an allergy to bullies.
“I grew up as an immigrant kid. … I know what it is like to be on the other side of the bully,” he said. “If the bully is going to punch or cause harm to you or others that you care about, you have to punch back. Sometimes you gotta punch back harder.”
Democrats credit Garcia for pushing Comer to act. In July, a Republican-led subcommittee passed a Democrat-led motion to subpoena the Justice Department’s Epstein documents — a move that ultimately prompted Comer to issue his subpoenas.
Rep. Robert Garcia speaks at a ceremonial swearing-in event in Long Beach in August to commemorate his new role as ranking member of the House oversight committee.
(Jonathan Alcorn / For The Times)
Rep. Greg Casar, a Texas Democrat, said the vote “began knocking over the dominoes” that eventually led to the public seeing a copy of Epstein’s “50th birthday book,” which includes Trump’s name, as well as the three emails linking Trump to Epstein.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Fremont), a member of the oversight committee, praised Garcia for securing bipartisan support to secure documents and pushing records out to the public. Khanna, who led the push to force a vote on the House floor to demand the Justice Department release the Epstein files, also co-wrote a letter with Garcia to Epstein’s estate requesting an unredacted copy of the birthday book.
Attorneys for the estate said that they would cooperate, but that they required a subpoena to release materials due to privacy concerns. Khanna said he believes the letter set in motion the push that ultimately led Comer to subpoena the estate.
“I think the way he has worked with Comer to make sure a lot of the investigation has been bipartisan, has been effective,” Khanna said in an interview.
A ‘dynamic’ approach to oversight
Garcia — who is known to use social media and pop culture to amplify his message — has folded those communication tactics into his role on the oversight committee.
The day the emails were released, Garcia promoted them in social media posts and videos and gave multiple interviews. The congressman — a self-described Bravo fan — is scheduled to appear this week on the cable channel’s “What Happens Live with Andy Cohen.”
Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) told The Times that Garcia’s “dynamic” leadership approach is creating new ways to communicate to a younger generation about the work Congress is doing.
“He seems to thrive on it, and that’s a joy to behold,” the former speaker said. “He is young, but has brought members along and the public along as to what the challenge is.”
Rep. Robert Garcia speaks with Mayor Karen Bass at a congressional field hearing at the Metropolitan Water District on Monday.
(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
Republicans on the committee have accused Garcia and Democrats of intentionally using the Epstein investigation to generate a false narrative against Trump — criticism that Democrats see as Garcia being willing to “fight fire with fire.”
Sen. Adam Schiff, who served on the House Select Committee that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, said Garcia’s push to seek records “outside of traditional channels,” including the Epstein estate, helped drive a “public narrative that broke through.”
“Under such a lawless and corrupt administration, we need talented and creative leaders to do oversight work, expose the malfeasance to the public and break through in a fractured media environment, and Congressman Garcia has proven adept at all three,” Schiff said.
Matthew Bartlett, a Republican strategist and former Trump administration appointee, said Garcia’s strategy could backfire if or when all the information on the Epstein investigation comes out.
“I believe that they’ve sprung Pandora’s box with a whole bunch of conspiracy theories, fake memes and news that the left is fully embracing and that may not actually be real,” he said.
As more records from Epstein’s estate are expected to come to light in the coming weeks, Garcia says he is committed to exposing wrongdoing from anyone, regardless of party. The documents have already shown Epstein’s links to prominent Democrats.
The records have also shown links to major banks, a thread Garcia says he believes could be central in understanding Epstein’s plea deal negotiated by a prosecutor who served in Trump’s Cabinet during his first term.
“I am not interested in protecting anybody,” he said. “I’m interested in justice for the survivors.”
David Puig became the first Spanish winner of the Australian PGA Championship since Seve Ballesteros in 1981 with a two-shot victory in Brisbane.
The 23-year-old, who also competes on the LIV Golf Tour, carded a bogey-free five-under 66 in Sunday’s final round to claim his first DP World Tour title on 18 under.
It is Puig’s third title as a professional after two wins on the Asian Tour in 2023 and 2024. His previous best on the DP World Tour was third at the Ras Al Khaimah Championship in January.
“It feels amazing,” said Puig, who finished 10th in the 2025 Liv Golf Rankings. “I’ve really had a lot of close calls in a few events throughout this year and last year and I wasn’t able to pull it through.
“I was pretty nervous, especially thinking about the past a little bit, what I could have done a little better. But I kept my composure really well.”
As well as emulating legendary compatriot Ballesteros, Puig is also the first European winner since England’s David Howell in 1998.
China’s Ding Wenyi also carded a final-round 66 to finish second on 16 under, with Australian Marc Leishman and New Zealand’s Nick Voke tied for third one shot further back.
Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia began the final day as joint-leader but struggled to a one-over 72 to finish tied for eighth with Australian Daniel Gale.
Goalscorers Lamine Yamal and Dani Olmo help Barcelona fight back against Alaves and return to top of La Liga table.
Published On 30 Nov 202530 Nov 2025
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Barcelona recovered from an early setback to secure a 3-1 victory over Alaves in La Liga on Saturday, with first-half goals from Lamine Yamal and Dani Olmo and a late second for the latter sealing the win at the Nou Camp.
The triumph lifts last year’s champions to the top of the standings on 34 points, two ahead of second-placed Real Madrid, who have a game in hand at Girona on Sunday.
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In their second match back at the partially renovated Nou Camp after two and a half years of redevelopment, Barcelona overcame a shaky start amid uncharacteristic scenes of long pre-match ticketing delays that left the stadium half-empty at kickoff.
According to the club, the problems were caused by technical difficulties that left thousands of fans unable to access their tickets through the club’s mobile app, creating long lines at the fan support office and forcing the match to begin with swaths of empty seats.
Alaves stunned the hosts in the first minute when Pablo Ibanez struck from close range. Barcelona defender Marc Bernal misjudged a corner, allowing Ibanez to pounce on the loose ball inside the six-yard box and neatly slot it into the net with his first touch.
However, Barcelona hit back just seven minutes later. Alejandro Balde darted down the left flank before feeding Raphinha, who delivered a low cross into the box. The 18-year-old Yamal met the ball at the far post with a powerful one-touch finish into the top corner to level the score at 1-1.
Raphinha was instrumental again in the 26th with another assist, this time for Olmo, who expertly curled the ball home first-time from inside the box as the Blaugrana went ahead.
Yamal was inches away from doubling his tally in the 44th minute after receiving a brilliant pass from Robert Lewandowski, but his effort hit the post with the goal gaping.
Alaves nearly found an equaliser just before the break, when Lucas Boye fired narrowly wide following a swift counterattack.
Barcelona’s Dani Olmo scores their third goal against Alaves in the 90th minute [Albert Gea/Reuters]
Olmo seals Barca comeback
Barcelona dominated the second half, with Lewandowski denied by a spectacular reflex save from Alaves keeper Antonio Sivera in the 56th minute. Boye squandered another chance for the visitors in the 77th minute, missing wide from inside the box.
Olmo put the result beyond doubt in added time, finishing off a smooth one-two with Yamal, whose through ball left him free inside the box to slot home with composure.
The match also marked the return of 23-year-old midfielder Pedri, who made his first appearance in more than a month following a muscle injury.
He came on in the second half to give Barcelona a much-needed boost before Tuesday’s crucial clash against Atletico Madrid.
Fourth in the La Liga standings with 28 points, Diego Simeone’s side have not lost in the league since their opening fixture in August.
They have a game in hand and will host last-placed Oviedo later on Saturday, aiming to extend a six-game winning run in all competitions.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has requested presidential pardon amid ongoing corruption cases.
The Israeli president’s office on Sunday said Netanyahu submitted a request for pardon to President Isaac Herzog.
Netanyahu is up against three separate cases of corruption filed in 2019, which include allegations of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. He denies the charges and has pleaded not guilty.
“The Office of the President is aware that this is an extraordinary request which carries with it significant implications. After receiving all of the relevant opinions, the president will responsibly and sincerely consider the request,” Herzog’s office said in a statement.
Netanyahu’s request comes as US President Donald Trump pushes Herzog to pardon Netanyahu in the cases in question. Herzog also received a letter from Trump earlier in November, urging him to consider the pardon.
During Trump’s visit to Israel in October, he had also urged Herzog to pardon Netanyahu in an address to the Israeli parliament.
The Israeli prime minister is also wanted by The Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC). In November 2024, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Netanyahu is the only sitting prime minister in Israeli history to stand trial, after being charged with fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three separate cases accusing him of exchanging favors with wealthy political supporters.
The graft cases against him include allegations of receiving nearly 700,000 shekels ($211,832) in gifts from businessmen.
Despite the largely ceremonial role of the Israeli presidency, Herzog has the authority to pardon convicted criminals under unusual circumstances.
However, Netanyahu’s trial, which began in 2020, has yet to be concluded.
In a videotaped statement, Netanyahu said the trial has divided the country and that a pardon would help restore national unity. He also said the requirement that he appear in court three times a week is a distraction that makes it difficult for him to lead the country.
Netanyahu’s request consisted of two documents – a detailed letter signed by his lawyer and a letter signed by Netanyahu. They will be sent to the justice ministry for opinions and will then be transferred to the Legal Advisor in the Office of the President, which will formulate additional opinions for the president.
Elizabeth Hurley left fans swooning over her ageless figure after sharing her latest snapCredit: InstagramShe previously wore the blue and white paisley bikini, which is now on sale for Black Friday from her beachwear brandCredit: Instagram
The brunette beauty, who is currently dating Billy Ray Cyrus, left little to the imagination as she frolicked on a sandy beach in the new photo offering.
She could be seen hanging from a tree while rocking the blue and white two piece bikini set.
Liz gazed into the camera lens as she smiled, with her eyes sparkling.
Her slender figure was on full display, with the actress’ washboard abs stealing the show, and her toned thighs leaving fans stunned.
The Rams currently hold the top seed for the NFC playoffs. Now their greatest challenge might be shutting out the distraction of being deemed a favorite to win the Super Bowl.
“Humility is only a day away,” coach Sean McVay said. “Our guys understand that.”
On Sunday the Rams will play a potential trap game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C. The Panthers are 6-6 and coming off a 20-9 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
The Panthers are the Rams’ third NFC South opponent. The Rams already dispatched the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They play the struggling Falcons on Dec. 29 in Atlanta.
The Rams are 10-point favorites over the Panthers — and with good reason.
They have won six games in a row and scored at least 34 points in four of their last five games, including their 34-7 victory over the Buccaneers last Sunday at SoFi Stadium.
The Panthers feature quarterback Bryce Young, the top pick in the 2023 draft. Young has passed for 15 touchdowns with nine interceptions for a team that counts victories over the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys among its wins.
Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero and outside linebackers coach AC Carter are former Rams assistants. The roster includes seven former Rams: defensive linemen Bobby Brown III and A’Shawn Robinson, offensive lineman Austin Corbett, cornerbacks Robert Rochell and David Long, linebacker Christian Rozeboom and safety Nick Scott.
From deadly floods in Indonesia and Sri Lanka, to antigovernment protests in the Philippines and demonstrations in Italy to show solidarity with Gaza, here is a look at the week in photos.
Tens of thousands of anti-corruption protesters in the Philippines are calling for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr to resign. Al Jazeera’s Barnaby Lo explains the allegations from the Manila protest.
When photographer Peter Turnley was just 20 years old, an acquaintance from the California Office of Economic Opportunity reached out to him with a question. Would he be interested in taking four months off from school in Michigan to come out west, drive around, and take pictures of the state’s poor and working-class populations? An eager Turnley jumped at the chance and ended up spending the summer of 1975 traversing California in his tiny white Volkswagen, doing everything from spending time with migrant farmworkers in the San Joaquin valley to hopping trains with travelers looking for work to chatting up Oaklanders about how they were making ends meet.
But then his OEO contact left mid-project and, while Turnley says he submitted a set of prints to the department, they never ended up seeing the light of day. That will all change Dec. 4, when the pictures — along with others the news photographer has taken in his current hometown, Paris — will go on display at the Leica Gallery in L.A.
Why did California’s OEO think of you for this project back in 1975?
When I was a freshman in college at the University of Michigan, during the winter break, I went back to Fort Wayne, Indiana, which is where I’m from. There was a very progressive mayor in power at that point and he assembled a really interesting group of people in his city government.
When I began photography at the age of 16, I decided to use it to try to change the world, and I particularly admired photographers that had used photography to affect public policy, like the Farm Security Administration photographers in the 1930s, which included people like Dorothea Lange. So I convinced this mayor to hire me to shoot pictures for the city of Fort Wayne on the themes that the city was making policy around.
During that time, I met a woman who was the public affairs officer for the city of Fort Wayne. Unbeknownst to me, two years later she moved out to California and that’s how I got a letter at the end of my sophomore year of college asking me if I would be willing to come out to California to do a four-month road trip to document the lives of the working class and the poor of California. She explained to me that the Office of Economic Opportunity needed to make a report that underlined its efforts in trying to help the the poor of California, and that they they wanted to use these photographs as a way to illustrate that report.
I was given some very basic statistics of pockets of poverty around the state of California, but no other specific direction, and I was promised just enough money to cover fleabag hotels and diner food and gasoline. I was given access to a government darkroom in Sacramento, where occasionally I would go to develop film and make contact sheets and prints, but otherwise, I was out, driving to every corner of the state.
What were your impressions of the state before you came, as someone originally from the Midwest?
I didn’t grow up on a farm [in Indiana] but I knew a little bit about farming and what really struck me when I went out to California was what I think most of the world doesn’t really realize, and that is that [much] of the state is agricultural and rural. In many ways, the San Joaquin Valley felt a whole lot more like Indiana than almost any other place I could imagine.
What did you take away from the project as a whole?
One of the aspects of this body of work that fascinates me and that I guess in some ways I’m very proud of is that one feels in the photography and in the connection with people an almost innocent and authentic view. The pictures are very direct. They’re very human and they really deal with the lives of people, because you’re looking into their eyes and getting close to them.
Another thing that struck me was that because I was dealing particularly with people that were working class or often very poor, that there was something very similar in terms of people’s plight, whether they were living in urban areas or in the countryside. Everyone I met seemed like really decent, good, hard-working people that just wanted a better life for themselves and their family. They wanted to survive with dignity, and I felt that we all owe these people a great sense of debt.
I also remember that when I spent some time with hobos — and I’m not sure if that’s a pejorative word today, but they’re a little different category of people than simply those who are homeless. Hobos were most often men that chose this lifestyle to ride the trains and stop and work in various places. But I remember being in a boxcar with four men and all four were pretty much like everyone else. It was just that their lives had kind of crossed over a line into the margins, just by a thread. And I remember realizing at this young age just how fragile life is, or how close we can be to that line at almost any time.
Something I found striking in these pictures is how little has changed, in some ways. There have always been people working in California’s fields that are underpaid and underappreciated, and in some ways, things have only gotten worse for a lot of that population.
During COVID, I lived in New York City and every day for three months from the very first day of the lockdown, I went out and I walked. I would meet people and I would ask them three questions: What was their name, their age, and how were they making it? And then after three months, I went back to Paris, and I walked the streets there and did the same thing, ultimately making a book of the pictures I took from that time called “A New York-Paris Visual Diary: The Human Face Of Covid-19.”
But the thing that struck me during COVID was that it was the working class of New York that saved all of our lives. There were whole walls of buildings on the Upper West Side that were dark at night because everyone had gone to the Hamptons or left New York, but the people that saved our lives were cashiers, postal workers, FedEx workers, nurses, doctors, medics, ambulance drivers and mostly working-class people. And looking back, I had this hope that maybe when the COVID crisis was over, that we would rectify in a general way how we looked at our society and how we value the people that are actually doing the work in our society, but in actuality, once the lockdown was over, we just went back to being ruled and led by people that have a lot of money. And, really, the well-to-do of California and the rest of the world would never go and pick their own strawberries.
Have you kept in touch with anyone whose picture you took in 1975, or heard from anyone after the fact?
I’ve for sure wondered what happened to all the people in the pictures, but unfortunately over all these years, I’ve never had contact with anyone. It would be absolutely amazing if somebody from that time would come out of the woodwork.
You’ve been a working photographer for over 50 years now, having worked in 90 countries, taking 40 covers for Newsweek, and shooting many of the last century’s most important geopolitical events. Are there moments you still can’t believe you saw, or pictures you can’t believe you took?
Well, just this morning, I signed the prints that will be in this exhibit and they’re really beautiful. They’re made in Paris and they’re traditional silver gelatin prints, beautiful quality. But I held up one of the images from The Other California – 1975, and it was this Okie, a guy that was born during the Dust Bowl in Oklahoma and moved out to California. Looking at that image today, looking in the eyes and the face of this man, I really had the impression that — even though it’s my own photograph — that I was looking at one of Dorothea Lange’s photographs. I’m very proud of the fact that there’s a continuity of that kind of attention to the heart of people’s lives in my work.
In this modern era of digital photography, on the one hand I think it’s wonderful that everyone is making photographs now more than ever before. On the other hand, I think that the world of photography has moved away from real powerful, direct human connection. And to me, that’s what’s most important. I’m a lot more interested in life than I am in photography. I mean, I care a lot about photography. I love beautiful photographs, and I try to take them as well as possible, but what’s most important to me are the themes of life that I photograph and at the center of all that is emotion.
Peter Turnley — Paris-California
Where: Leica Gallery, 8783 Beverly Blvd. in West Hollywood
When: Dec. 4-Jan. 12. Turnley will present the work at the gallery Dec. 7 from 2 to 4 p.m. and sign copies of his book “The Other California – 1975.”
I WATCH the sun slowly drop away behind the sandy horizon, as the sky transforms into a dozen magical shades of yellow and orange.
My tour group had decided to make a quick photo stop ahead of our dune-bashing tour in the Qatari desert, with aptly named driver Basham.
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The amazing curved Katara Towers dominate the landscape around Lusail in QatarCredit: GettyExplore the Souq Waqif marketCredit: GettyThe towers illuminate the waterfrontCredit: Getty
And we were so glad we did.
This is my first time visiting the Middle East and a 4×4 excursion across the vast sands is the perfect start to my stay in Doha, Qatar’s capital.
After soaking up the sunset, I’m led back to my huge vehicle by Basham who spends the next 30 minutes putting both car and passengers through their paces.
It’s an exhilarating experience, soaring over the ridges of the tall dunes and veering towards the edges of sandbanks at ferociously high speed.
Doha certainly isn’t short of action-packed day trips for adrenaline junkies.
If the dune-bashing isn’t your thing, visitors can also get their kicks at Doha Quest, an indoor theme park that is home to more than 30 rides and attractions including the world’s tallest indoor rollercoaster Epiq Coaster.
If you’re more of a sun worshipper, the Desert Falls Water and Adventure Park at the Hilton Salwa Beach Resort will be the place for you.
There are 30 thrilling slides and rides here, although the lazy river is the most addictive in my opinion — I could spend hours bobbing around on the water, floating serenely around the park.
But if you prefer an adrenaline hit, there are spine-tingling rides here, too.
I swear that I saw some airtime on the Whizzard Mat Racer, a sheer-drop slide that sends riders plummeting towards a blue foam mat.
Qatar isn’t just about thrills and spills, though.
The Middle Eastern country is also a hub for major sporting events, including Formula 1.
Experiencing the Qatar Grand Prix up close is a must for any petrolhead — and I was able to do just that through a package booking with Qatar Airways, a global partner of Formula 1.
Affordable luxury
The airline rolls flights, hotel and F1 tickets into one, making it much easier for Brits who have maybe never visited Qatar before.
You can be sure that I jumped at the chance to go on a pit-lane walk, too, which took me past the teams’ garages where I could take hundreds of pictures and videos.
And you would be a fool to miss out on a tour of the track in a huge open-top truck before the race gets under way — I was able to feel all the twists and turns that the racers would be experiencing during the race, although at an admittedly much slower speed.
After all that excitement, I was grateful that my hotel, the Hilton Salwa Beach Resort, has just over two miles of private beaches, where I could flop on a sun lounger with fantastic views over the glittering Arabian Gulf.
Even the most basic room here feels luxurious, thanks to the huge wooden headboard towering behind the plush bed, a spacious sofa area where holidaymakers can relax to the max after a day of snoozing by the pool, and glass double doors opening on to a large balcony.
That’s the real highlight of Doha — luxury has a much more affordable price tag. Rooms here cost from around £188 with breakfast, which considering the quality and detail is impressive value.
The food is high-end, too. For classic Qatari and Middle Eastern flavours, head to the on-site Levantine restaurant, where you can pick up some excellent kofte for under £20.
If you’re looking to really push the boat out, though, the Raffles Doha hotel will blow your socks off.
Have fun at Meryal amusement parkCredit: AlamyMax Verstappen celebrates winning the 2024 Qatar Grand PrixCredit: AFPExperiencing the Qatar Grand Prix up close is a must for any petrolheadCredit: Getty
Rooms cost from £335 per night here, but this is still a a lot less than most other hotels in the Raffles chain, including The OWO in London where rooms can cost just shy of £1,000 per night.
Raffles Doha occupies half of the prestigious Katara Towers. These U-shaped buildings are a symbol of Qatar’s national seal, representing traditional scimitar swords.
It’s the height of luxury, from its grand lobby all the way through to its suites and restaurants — and the perfect way to celebrate a special occasion.
Decked out with hardwood floors, mirrors and golden motifs, my spacious suite was a luxurious haven — and even came with a personalised butler service.
The huge floor-to-ceiling windows offered fantastic views over the Arabian Gulf and, if you can brave the morning heat, a warm brew on the terrace is the perfect way to start your day.
I was too focused on heading to downstairs to eat at L’Artisan, a restaurant that whips up the very best breakfast omelettes I’ve ever eaten.
You might want to keep food to a minimum if you’re heading out dune-bashing, though.
GO: DOHA
GETTING THERE: Qatar Airways flies from Gatwick or Heathrow to Doha from £357 each way.
There have been so many big days for this group of Slaughtneil hurlers with 13-straight Derry titles and now a sixth Ulster crown.
Of course, there have been disappointments on the provincial stage along the way too and O’Doherty says they have made victories like Saturday’s all the sweeter.
“Mark [McGuigan, captain] alluded to it in his speech – these are special days for the club and something we don’t take for granted,” he continued.
“That’s shown in our hunger and desire, year after year. We lose games and have setbacks, but we always bounce back up again and days like this are so special, so worth it.”
Slaughtneil now have an All-Ireland semi-final against Galway’s Loughrea to look forward to with the game pencilled in for Saturday, 20 December.
Last year, they fell agonisingly short when losing out to Sarsfield’s of Cork by one point, so the ambition now turns to taking the next step and reaching a final for the first time.
“Last year hurt us a lot – there’s no point saying any different,” O’Doherty acknowledged.
“We thought we had a great chance and we did but for whatever reason we didn’t get over the line.
“We are exactly where we want to be now. [We’ve] three weeks to prepare for a massive battle in another All-Ireland semi-final – what else would you want coming up to Christmas?”
Ukrainian forces used drones to attack two oil tankers in the Black Sea, alleged to be part of Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’ used to evade sanctions. The Gambia-flagged ships, named Kairos and Virat, were said to be empty and are now out of service.
Republican strategist Adolfo Franco talks about the threat of US military action against Venezuela and what he thinks is the Trump administration’s desired outcome.
BBC Breakfast announced the death of acclaimed playwright Tom Stoppard at age 88, sharing tributes from King Charles and Queen Camilla
Rachel Burden(Image: BBC)
BBC Breakfast was paused as today’s presenter delivered devastating news of a death just minutes into the programme.
During Sunday’s (November 30) episode of the beloved breakfast show, hosts Rachel Burden and Ben Boulos were back on our screens delivering the day’s top headlines from Britain and around the world.
But mere moments into the broadcast, Rachel broke the news of Tom Stoppard‘s passing as she disclosed that the Royal Family were amongst the first to honour his memory.
The cherished playwright, who scooped an Oscar and a Golden Globe for Shakespeare In Love, was 88-years-old when he passed away.
Addressing audiences at home, Rachel announced: “The King and Queen have led tributes to the playwright Tom Stoppard, who has died at the age 88.”, reports the Express.
“They have described him as a ‘dear friend who wore his genius lightly’. Among the awards was an Oscar for the screenplay for the film Shakespeare in Love.”
The programme then switched to a dedicated tribute segment for the legend as entertainment correspondent Guy Lambert reflected on Tom’s extraordinary career.
Returning to the studio, Rachel noted: “Tributes have been pouring in to celebrate the life of Sir Tom Stoppard.”
Just before sharing the King and Queen’s complete statement, the television host remarked: “King Charles and Queen Camilla called him a dear friend.”
United Agents released a statement at the time, expressing: “We are deeply saddened to announce that our beloved client and friend, Tom Stoppard, has died peacefully at home in Dorset, surrounded by his family.
“He will be remembered for his works, for their brilliance and humanity, and for his wit, his irreverence, his generosity of spirit and his profound love of the English language. It was an honour to work with Tom and to know him.”
King Charles paid tribute, stating: “My wife and I are deeply saddened to learn of the death of one of our greatest writers, Sir Tom Stoppard. A dear friend who wore his genius lightly, he could, and did, turn his pen to any subject, challenging, moving and inspiring his audiences, borne from his own personal history.
“We send our most heartfelt sympathy to his beloved family. Let us all take comfort in his immortal line: ‘Look on every exit as being an entrance somewhere else’.”
Sir Tom’s illustrious career in entertainment spanned over six decades, during which he bagged numerous Tony and Olivier awards, as well as the Golden Globe and Academy Award alongside Marc Norman for their 1998 screenplay Shakespeare In Love – featuring fellow Oscar-winner Gwyneth Paltrow.
BBC Breakfast is broadcast daily from 6am on BBC One and iPlayer.
THE top bars across the globe have been named and in the top spot is one right here in the UK.
Now, you might think the world’s best bar would be in London but it’s actually in Edinburgh, Scotland.
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Panda & Sons pub has been given the title of ‘world’s best’Credit: World’s 50 Best Bars / Panda & SonsPanda & Sons is in EdinburghCredit: TripAdvisor
The boozer called Panda & Sons secured the number one spot of the Top 500 Bars list this year.
Founded back in 2013, Panda & Sons is a ‘hidden’ Prohibition-style speakeasy, according to Time Out.
Top 500 Bars said: “Panda & Sons is the brainchild of famed Scottish bartender Iain McPherson.
“It’s a table service cocktail bar, that’s all about friendly Scottish service in an intimate and cosy surrounding. Their cocktail menu offers exciting drinks using the latest techniques, including their very own called ‘Switching’.
“Their technique Switching is where you isolate the water from spirits and swap it with another non-alcoholic liquid.”
To get inside you have to find the secret door, which is behind a bookshelf underneath a barbers.
Once inside, you can find cool panda themed decorations throughout the place.
It won’t break the bank either with cocktails for around £9, but of course, you can go for a fancier drink with some costing up to £15.
It’s a popular spot having amassed a solid Tripadvisor rating of 4.5 out of 5 with lots of visitors complimenting its ‘super friendly’ staff and ‘unique’ drinks menu.
One visitor even said they were “literally the best drink I’ve ever had in my life” and that when they went to the bathroom the bartender kept their drink in the fridge so it would stay cold.
Cocktails start from £9Credit: AwAyeMedia
If Edinburgh isn’t your local spot – there were other UK bars hat also made the top 10.
Somehow, someway, Los Alamitos is your Southern Section Division 2 football champion. A team of overachievers filled with a roster of best friends combined chemistry, determination and toughness to overcome all odds.
Saturday night before an overflow crowd at San Clemente High, the Griffins recorded seven sacks and took advantage of one of the strangest touchdowns scored by a lineman to beat the Tritons 33-20. This same Los Alamitos team lost to San Clemente 28-9 in a league game on Oct. 24.
“I’m not smart enough to articulate how I feel and how proud I am of these guys,” said Los Alamitos coach Ray Fenton, who was hugging one player after another.
Los Alamitos (12-2) received a sensational performance from quarterback Colin Creason, who completed his final 13 passes and combined with the Griffins’ strong running back tandem of Kamden Tillis and Lenny Ibarra to generate enough offensive firepower to end San Clemente’s five-game winning streak and deliver the Griffins their first championship since 2002.
The game changed on consecutive plays late in the third quarter after San Clemente took a 20-17 lead on a 35-yard field goal by Ethan Miller. Creason completed a shovel pass to tight end Beckham Hofland inside the five-yard line, but he fumble the ball. It went off the leg of a San Clemente defender and was picked up by offensive guard Luke Wehner, a rugby player who knew exactly what to do to score his first high school touchdown — run toward the goal line. He went seven yards for a 24-20 lead.
“I was so scared,” Hofland said.
Said Wehner: “I was not expecting that at all.”
Then Los Alamitos forced a San Clemente fumble on the next offensive play that was recovered by Hunter Eligon. Tillis scored a 22-yard touchdown for a 30-20 lead. The momentum and the game had switched to Los Alamitos.
Individuals kept stepping forward to deliver big moments for the Griffins. Jackson Renger had two of his team’s seven sacks. Hofland had a 24-yard touchdown catch and two field goals. Tillis rushed for 141 yards. The versatile Ibarra had an interception, a 65-yard punt and rushed for 99 yards. And Los Alamitos’ offensive line kept creating opportunities for Creason and the running backs.
The first half ended in a 17-17 deadlock when Hofland made a touchdown catch for Los Alamitos with 39 seconds left. San Clemente had opened a 17-3 lead behind Jaxson Rex, who had a 25-yard catch, forced a fumble and made an interception. Colin Granite scored two touchdowns on short runs.
Los Alamitos’ no-huddle, up-tempo offense started to cause problems for San Clemente’s defense. Tillis had 100 yards rushing at halftime while Creason had 156 yards passing.
Los Alamitos won the Southern Section Division 2 championship with a 33-20 win over San Clemente.
(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)
Los Alamitos started the season 8-0, then lost to San Clemente and Mission Viejo in consecutive Alpha League games. The Griffins regrouped and never stopped believing in themselves. They are expected to face San Diego Section champion Cathedral Catholic in a state playoff game next weekend.
Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami will host Vancouver in the MLS Cup final after a dominant victory against New York City FC.
Published On 30 Nov 202530 Nov 2025
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Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano hailed Lionel Messi as “extraordinary” after the Argentinian superstar steered the club into their first Major League Soccer (MLS) Cup final with a 5-1 thrashing of New York City FC on Saturday.
A Tadeo Allende hat-trick and goals from Mateo Silvetti and Telasco Segovia sent a revitalised Miami roaring into the championship game next Saturday at their home field in Fort Lauderdale.
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While Messi did not get on the scoresheet, the 38-year-old provided a crucial, classy assist for Miami’s third goal scored by Silvetti that killed off the game as New York chased an equaliser.
“Leo has accustomed us to the extraordinary,” Mascherano said of his former Barcelona and Argentina teammate.
“He’s someone extraordinary, someone we’ll never see again. Today, perhaps we’re surprised that he didn’t score, but he gave us peace of mind with the third goal, an assist that only he can see. He practically sealed the game.”
Miami will host the Vancouver Whitecaps in next Saturday’s MLS showpiece.
Vancouver, spearheaded by former Germany and Bayern Munich star Thomas Muller, advanced to the final with a superb 3-1 victory over San Diego in California on Saturday to claim the Western Conference crown.
Messi and his teammates will head into the final bristling with confidence after another ruthless, high-scoring demolition job that followed on from their 4-0 drubbing of FC Cincinnati in the previous round.
Allende – who scored twice in the victory over Cincinnati – was once again the focal point of the Miami attack.
The 26-year-old Argentinian forward opened the scoring in the 14th minute after cleverly springing the New York offside trap and then headed in a superb second to make it 2-0.
New York rallied back with a headed Justin Haak goal in the 37th minute and came within a whisker of an equaliser when Julian Fernandez forced a fine one-handed save from Miami goalkeeper Rocco Rios Novo in the 66th minute.
That near-miss was to prove crucial.
Miami immediately swept upfield and a flowing move saw Rodrigo De Paul and Jordi Alba combine before Messi slipped a pass to Silvetti who rifled home to make it 3-1.
Tadeo Allende #21 of Inter Miami scores his hat-trick in the 89th minute against New York City FC [Rich Storry/Getty Images via AFP]
‘Unbreakable’
Segovia then eliminated any doubt with Miami’s fourth goal in the 83rd minute before Allende completed his hat-trick a minute from time to prompt wild celebrations.
The victory leaves Miami just one win away from completing a remarkable transformation after a season that appeared to be unravelling in disarray earlier in the campaign, following a string of defeats.
“We strengthened as a group and reached the end of the season with a brotherhood within the team, where everyone pulls together, and it doesn’t matter who starts,” Mascherano said. “We are a group, and the power of a group is unbreakable.”
Meanwhile, Vancouver – who thumped Miami 5-1 on aggregrate when they met in the CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals in April – signalled that they will be ready to take on the star-studded Florida outfit with a masterful display to beat San Diego.
The Canadian club got off to a dream start with Brian White firing them into the lead after only eight minutes.
More relentless Vancouver pressure forced an own goal from San Diego goalkeeper Pablo Sisniega three minutes later, and a second White goal on the stroke of half-time made it 3-0.
San Diego raised hopes of an unlikely fightback when Mexico striker Hirving Lozano lashed in a long-range effort in the 60th minute.
But Vancouver continued to look the likelier team to score, and Sisniega was shown a red card for bringing down Ryan Gauld when the Whitecaps player rounded him to go in on goal.
Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi, left, greets one of his children after the match against New York FC [Chandan Khanna/AFP]
