Good morning, and welcome to L.A. on the Record — our City Hall newsletter. It’s Noah Goldberg giving you the latest on city and county government.
At her official campaign launch Dec. 13, Mayor Karen Bass told Angelenos that they face a simple decision.
After speaking about the Palisades fire, federal immigration raids and the homelessness and affordability crises, she turned to the primary election next June.
“This election will be a choice between working people and the billionaire class who treat public office as their next vanity project,” Bass told a crowd of a few hundred people at Los Angeles Trade Technical-College.
Attendees take their picture against a “photo booth” wall at Mayor Karen Bass’ reelection campaign kickoff rally.
(Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)
In one sentence, without uttering a single name, the mayor appeared to be taking a shot at three different men. Was she talking about President Trump? Mayoral hopeful Austin Beutner? Her previous opponent, the billionaire developer Rick Caruso?
Or how about all of the above, suggested Bass’ campaign spokesperson, Doug Herman.
The billionaire class certainly includes Caruso, who self-funded his 2022 campaign to the tune of more than $100 million. It also includes Trump, who the New York Times estimated could be worth more than $10 billion. Though the mayor is not running against Trump, she likes to cast herself in opposition him. And Beutner, a former Los Angeles schools superintendent, was once an investment banker, Herman pointed out.
Beutner confirmed to The Times that he is not a billionaire. To the contrary, Beutner said, he drives a 10-year-old Volkswagen Golf.
Herman said Angelenos don’t care if Beutner has billions or just a lot of millions.
“Whether you’re a billionaire or multimillionaire is not really important to someone having trouble getting by and playing by the rules,” Herman told The Times.
“I’m trying to find the polite words,” Beutner said when asked about Bass’ comments. “Frankly, I think it’s an attempt to distract people from her record or lack thereof.”
Caruso declined to comment.
In a speech at Bass’ campaign launch, City Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez hammered the same point as the mayor.
City Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez shows his support during Mayor Karen Bass’ reelection campaign kickoff rally at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College.
(Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)
“We’re always going to have rich old white men, the millionaires and billionaires — they think they can do it better,” he said. “They didn’t get it last time, and they’re not going to get it this time.”
Then, Soto-Martínez seemed to reference Beutner.
“Do you want a healthcare worker over a hedge fund manager?” he asked the crowd, to roaring applause (Bass used to work as a physician’s assistant, while Beutner founded the investment banking advisory group Evercore Partners).
With Bass’ reelection campaign underway, Beutner challenging her as a moderate and community organizer Rae Huangrunning to her left, Caruso could be the last major domino left to fall.
The Grove and Americana at Brand developer, who has been mulling a run for either governor or mayor (or neither), still has not revealed his plans for 2026.
Karen Bass supporters created signs for her reelection campaign kickoff rally.
(Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)
Stuart Waldman, president of the Valley Industry & Commerce Assn., was among the diverse array of Bass supporters gathered on stage at Trade-Tech to voice their endorsements.
Waldman told The Times that he is supporting the mayor in his personal capacity, though VICA has not yet endorsed.
In 2022, Waldman and VICA supported Caruso, and Waldman spoke at some Caruso events.
He said he switched to Bass this time partly because of his unhappiness with the $30-minimum wage for airport and hotel workers passed by the City Council earlier this year. Businesses cannot move quickly enough to raise worker wages without laying off other workers, he said.
Waldman said that Bass arranged for him to meet with Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson, who then introduced a motion that would phase in the minimum wage increase over a longer period. The current law brings the wage up to $30 by 2028, while Harris-Dawson wants the $30 minimum to start in 2030.
“Bass was instrumental in making that happen, and we appreciate that,” Waldman said.
Harris-Dawson, a Bass ally, was at the campaign kickoff but did not make a speech.
Some were not pleased with his minimum wage proposal. Yvonne Wheeler, who is president of the Los Angeles County Federal of Labor and was at the Bass event, called it “shameful.” Soto-Martínez, who co-sponsored the minimum wage ordinance, also opposes Harris-Dawson’s proposal.
Waldman said that Soto-Martínez refused to take a meeting with him during the minimum wage fight.
“Hugo and I come from two different worlds and see the world differently,” Waldman said. “Unfortunately, I am willing to talk to everybody, and he is not.”
But at the Bass campaign launch, the two men delivered speeches one right after the other. Waldman said the diversity of opinion among the mayor’s supporters is a good sign for her.
“It’s a broad coalition,” he said.
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State of play
— AFTER THE FIRES: The Times posted a project called “After the Fires” online Wednesday, nearly a year after the Palisades and Eaton fires. The stories, which document mayoral missteps, changes at the LAFD, failed emergency alerts and more, will be published as a special section in Sunday’s print edition.
— VEGAS, BABY: Councilmember John Lee is facing a steep fine for his notorious 2017 trip to Las Vegas, with the city’s Ethics Commission saying he must pay $138,424 in a case involving pricey meals, casino chips and expensive nightclub “bottle service.” The commission doled out a punishment much harsher than that recommended by an administrative law judge. Lee vowed to keep fighting, calling the case “wasteful and political.”
— EX-MAYOR FOR GOVERNOR: Four Los Angeles City Council members — Harris-Dawson, Heather Hutt, Bob Blumenfield and Curren Price — threw their support behind former L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to be the next California governor.
— POOLS OUT FOR WINTER: City swimming pools will be closed on Fridays “until further notice,” the Department of Recreation and Parks announced Monday. “These adjustments were necessary to continue operating within our available resources,” the department said on Instagram.
— HOT MIC: Bass was caught on a hot mic ripping into the city and county responses to the January wildfires. “Both sides botched it,” she said on “The Fifth Column” podcast, after she shook hands with the host and they continued chatting. The final minutes of the podcast were later deleted from YouTube, with Bass’ team confirming that her office had asked for the segment to be removed.
— HOMELESSNESS FUNDING: The Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency on Wednesday approved nearly $11.5 million in homeless prevention funds, the largest single allocation yet for the new agency.
— A YEAR OF JIM: After more than a year as the LAPD’s top cop, Chief Jim McDonnell is receiving mixed reviews. While violent crime is at historic lows, some say the LAPD is sliding back into its defiant culture of years past.
— “CALM AMIDST CHAOS”: LAFD spokesperson Erik Scottannounced this week that he has written a “frontline memoir” about the January wildfires. The book is set to be released on the one-year anniversary of the Palisades fire.
— “THE GIRLS ARE FIGHTING”: Mayor Karen Bass and L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath got into a tiff on X over homelessness. After Bass published an op-ed in the Daily News saying that the county’s new Department of Homelessness is a bad idea, the supervisor shot back, calling the mayor’s track record on homelessness “indefensible.” Following the spat, City Councilmember Ysabel Jurado posted on X, “I fear the girls are fighting.” And Austin Beutner, who is running against Bass, responded with a nearly six-minute video criticizing the mayor’s record on homelessness.
— OVERSIGHT OVER?: Experts worry that effective civilian oversight of the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department could be in jeopardy following a recent leadership exodus. A succession of legal challenges and funding cuts, coupled with what some say is resistance from county officials, raised concerns that long-fought gains in transparency are slipping away.
QUICK HITS
Where is Inside Safe? The mayor’s signature program did not conduct any new operations this week. The team “returned to previous Inside Safe operation locations, building relationships with unhoused Angelenos in the area to offer resources when available,” the mayor’s office said.
On the docket next week: Mayoral candidate Rae Huang will host a text bank and volunteer meetup at Lawless Brewing on Monday, Dec. 22. The City Council remains in recess until Jan. 7.
Stay in touch
That’s it for now! We’ll be dark next week for the holidays. Send your questions, comments and gossip to LAontheRecord@latimes.com. Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up here to get it in your inbox every Saturday morning.
The city of Vilnius in Lithuania has been named this year’s Christmas Capital of EuropeCredit: GettyAlice Penwill visited Vilnius to celebrate the festive period in a city that embraces ChristmasCredit: Supplied
There’s festive fodder in every direction I turn and, unlike many European cities at Christmas, there are no obnoxiously loud rides or tacky grottos.
Instead, the capital of Lithuania celebrates the festive period with pure charm, transforming into a glittery wonderland as soon as it is acceptable to do so (generally in late-November).
Vilnius’s main attraction, an enormous decked-out Christmas tree, stands tall in Cathedral Square, accompanied by a traditional carousel and market stalls dishing out warm apple punch and pots of doughnuts drizzled in chocolate.
This tree has some competition, though. In early November each year, The Senator’s Passage, just up the road from Cathedral Square, receives its own grand tree.
The owner tells me with a grin that it usually takes around 15 workers to drag the tree through the narrow passageway and dress it for the season.
It seemed worth the hassle though, with seven metres of green branches dripping in twinkling lights.
If you plan your travel dates well, you can visit for “Christmas Before Christmas”, where seasonal events take place throughout the city prior to the main event.
This year, the festivities took place on December 13 with performances from carol singers, festive tours and even a holiday-themed train and bus.
Christmas Before Christmas relies on a special currency — a red pine cone which visitors can swap for a warming cherry tea or a sweet treat.
There’s so much to keep you entertained during the day, from ice skating to strolls through wintry gardens, but the magic of Vilnius doesn’t truly comes to life until the sun goes down.
This is especially true for Konstantinas Sirvydas Square, which this year has an impressive 144 Christmas trees.
Delicious grub
Or, for a truly epic festive display, a must-see is the Poniuų Laimė in the Old Town’s Jewish Quarter.
The cafe selling delicate cakes and cookies decorates its front for each season, and this December it became the Orient Express, embellished with huge red velvet bows and suitcases.
If you’re looking for something a little different, however, you may want to swing by the Lukiskiu Kalejimas Christmas market set up in a former prison.
Eagle-eyed Stranger Things fans will recognise this as the filming location of the Russian prison where Hopper was held in the fourth series.
There is a lot to keep you entertained across the Christmas events throughout the city, day and nightCredit: Supplied
It looks a little different at this time of year, though, with locally-made drinks, teas and gifts being flogged from a once gloomy building that housed prisoners until as recently as 2019.
Of course, a festive getaway isn’t complete with some delicious grub.
I had never considered Lithuania to be a place for foodies — but in fact, Vilnius has four Michelin-star restaurants.
It was one simple snack that took the biscuit for me — kepta duona, which is essentially fried bread in garlic.
The crunchy, delicious treat is a bit like a meat-free pork scratching, but much tastier.
The bagels at Baleboste are a must-try during your trip to LithuaniaCredit: Supplied
If you’re a fan of bagels, then stop by Baleboste, where I felt more like I was being welcomed into someone’s dining room than a Jewish cafe.
Here, the ring-shaped bread is served warm with just the right amount of sweetness and a sprinkling of poppy seeds.
I had mine with a pulled beef filling which comes with mustard and plenty of pickles.
This isn’t something locals will be enjoying at this time of year as traditionally in Lithuania, it’s common to fast in the run-up to December 24, and most families don’t eat meat in this period — even on Christmas Eve.
Instead, they get together for a 12-course evening dinner called Kucios where they feast on beetroot, dumplings, lots of fish, berries and nuts.
You can enjoy a taster of this feast at Ertlio Namas, a Michelin-Guide restaurant in the Old Town.
After that delicious spread, I practically rolled back to the Hotel Pacai which has spacious rooms with enormous bathtubs for when you need to warm up after wandering around the chilly city.
If you’re lucky, like I was, there might even be a sprinkling of snow outside the window come morning.
Vilnius has four Michelin-star restaurants for visitors to try outCredit: Supplied
GO: Lithuania
GETTING THERE: Ryanair flies from from London Luton to Vilnius from £34 return. See ryanair.com.
STAYING THERE: Rooms at the Hotel Pacai cost from £154.21 (€176) per night, including breakfast. See hotelpacai.com/en.
Long Beach City College’s performing arts center is officially being named after Long Beach legend and LBCC alumna Jenni Rivera.
Last week LBCC’s Board of Trustees unanimously voted to name the new facility the Jenni Rivera Performing Arts Center.
“This naming recognizes not just an extraordinary performer, but a daughter of Long Beach whose voice and spirit transcended borders,” said Uduak-Joe Ntuk, president of LBCC’s board of trustees in a press statement. “Jenni Rivera inspired millions through her music, resilience, and advocacy. We are proud that future generations of artists will learn and create in a space that bears her name.”
Jenni Rivera Enterprises will donate $2 million over the next 10 years to the LBCC Foundation, with the bulk of the funds going toward scholarships and education programs, the Long Beach Post reported.
“Our family is deeply honored that Long Beach City College has chosen to memorialize Jenni in this extraordinary way,” said Jacqie Rivera, Rivera’s daughter and CEO of Jenni Rivera Enterprises, in a press release. “Long Beach shaped who Jenni was — as an artist, a mother, and a woman — committed to her community. Knowing that young performers will grow, train, and find their creative voice in a center that carries her name is profoundly meaningful to us.”
The performing arts center, which is scheduled to open in spring 2026, is the second honor the “Inolvidable” singer has received from LBCC. Earlier this year, Rivera was inducted into the LBCC Hall of Fame alongside actor/activist Jennifer Kumiyama and attorney Norm Rasmussen.
Rivera was born and raised in Long Beach, attending Long Beach Poly High School in the 1980s, where she got pregnant as a sophomore. She later graduated from Reid Continuation High School as class valedictorian. She went on to attend LBCC before transferring to Cal State Long Beach to get a bachelor’s degree in business administration.
She immediately put that degree to use as a real estate agent, while simultaneously working at her father’s recording studio and record label.
Her father, Pedro Rivera, was a noted singer of corridos. In the 1980s he launched the record label Cintas Acuario. It began as a swap-meet booth and grew into an influential and taste-making independent outfit, fueling the careers of artists such as Chálino Sanchez. Jenni Rivera’s four brothers were associated with the music industry; her brother Lupillo, in particular, is a huge star in his own right.
She released her first album, “Somos Rivera,” in 1992, launching a prolific career that was tragically cut short when Rivera and six others were killed in a plane crash in Mexico on Dec. 9, 2012.
The self-proclaimed “Diva de la Banda” was a self-made star with a veritable rags-to-riches story. She was a true trailblazer, a U.S.-born woman who took up plenty of space in the male-dominated world of música mexicana.
“One of my mom’s favorite exes used to work in this vicinity. We would come and check in on him and she always dreamt — I remember sitting in the car, in her Mercedes, and she always dreamt, ‘I’m gonna have my star here one day,’” Rivera’s daughter Jenicka Lopez said at the star unveiling ceremony.
“I thought it was impossible after she passed away, but God has a beautiful way of proving people wrong.”
UN refugee agency says women and children arriving ‘exhausted and severely traumatised’ after fleeing eastern DRC.
More than 84,000 people have fled to Burundi from the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) amid a Rwanda-backed rebel offensive near the countries’ shared border, according to the latest United Nations figures.
The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Friday that Burundi had reached a “critical point” amid the influx of refugees and asylum seekers fleeing a surge in violence in the DRC’s South Kivu province.
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“Thousands of people crossing the border on foot and by boats each day have overwhelmed local resources, creating a major humanitarian emergency that requires immediate global support,” UNHCR said, noting that more than 200,000 people had now sought refuge in Burundi.
“Women and children are particularly affected, arriving exhausted and severely traumatised, bearing the physical and psychological marks of terrifying violence. Our teams met pregnant women, who shared that they had not eaten in days.”
The exodus began in early December when the M23 rebel group launched an assault that culminated in the capture of Uvira, a strategic city in the eastern DRC that is home to hundreds of thousands of people.
Refugees started crossing into Burundi on December 5, with numbers surging after M23 seized control of Uvira on December 10. On Wednesday, M23 said it was withdrawing after international condemnation of its attack on the city.
In Burundi, displaced families face difficult conditions at transit points and makeshift camps with minimal infrastructure, the UN said.
Many have sheltered under trees without adequate protection from the elements, and a lack of clean water and proper sanitation.
About half of those displaced are children less than the age of 18, along with numerous women, including some who are pregnant.
Ezechiel Nibigira, the Burundian president of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), reported 25,000 refugees in Gatumba in western Burundi, and nearly 40,000 in Buganda in the northwest, most of them “completely destitute”.
Augustin Minani, the administrator in Rumonge, told the AFP news agency that the situation was “catastrophic” and said “the vast majority are dying of hunger.”
Refugees recounted witnessing bombings and artillery fire, with some seeing relatives killed and others forced to abandon elderly family members who could not continue the journey.
M23 withdrawal
M23 announced earlier this week it would begin withdrawing from Uvira, with the group’s leadership calling the move a “trust-building measure” to support United States- and Qatari-led peace efforts.
However, the Congolese Communications Minister Patrick Muyaya dismissed the announcement as a “diversion”, alleging it was meant to relieve pressure on Rwanda.
Local sources reported that M23 police and intelligence personnel remained deployed in the city on Thursday.
The offensive extended M23’s territorial gains this year after the group captured the major cities of Goma in January and Bukavu in February.
The rebel advance has given M23 control over substantial territory in the mineral-rich eastern DRC and severed a critical supply route for Congolese forces along the border with Burundi.
M23 launched the Uvira offensive less than a week after the presidents of the DRC and Rwanda met with US President Donald Trump in Washington, DC, to reaffirm their commitment to a peace agreement.
The rebels’ takeover of the city drew sharp criticism from Washington, with officials warning of consequences for what they described as Rwanda’s violation of the accord. Rwanda denies backing M23.
The fighting has killed more than 400 civilians in the DRC and displaced more than 200,000 since early December, according to regional officials and humanitarian organisations.
The broader conflict across the eastern part of the country, where more than 100 armed groups operate, has displaced more than seven million people, the UN refugee agency says.
New research analysed nearly 500,000 ratings across more than 17,000 cities globally, with Italy claiming all three top positions.
Chloe Dobinson Digital Production Editor and Vita Molyneux Travel reporter
11:39, 19 Dec 2025
This city won the top spot(Image: FilippoBacci via Getty Images)
When it comes to culinary delights, people often dream of indulging in pasta in Italy, savouring sushi in Japan or relishing tacos in Mexico. Indeed, for many holidaymakers, their trips seem to revolve around the local cuisine.
Now, a study by TasteAtlas has revealed the top destinations for foodies worldwide. The team analysed nearly half a million ratings from 17,073 cities listed on its database.
Interestingly, many of the top-rated locations are conveniently located not too far from the UK, with the majority of the top 10 situated in Europe.
Naples clinched the coveted top spot, thanks to its status as the birthplace of pizza, lasagna and macaroni. However, this picturesque city wasn’t the only Italian destination to make the cut, reports the Express.
Milan bagged second place, owing to its signature dishes such as risotto and panettone. And let’s not forget that Milan is also the home of Campari, perfect for those looking to wash down their meals with a refreshing tipple.
Italy dominated the top three, with Bologna securing third place. The city is renowned for its spaghetti bolognese, ragu and tortellini.
Despite the heavy Italian presence, other popular cities like Paris, Vienna and Mumbai also made it into the top 10.
However, the UK didn’t manage to secure a spot in the top 30, alongside other notable absences including Hong Kong, Barcelona, Ho Chi Minh, Bangkok, and Amsterdam.
A UK city has been hailed as home to ‘one of the world’s most scenic winter train journeys’
The holiday season may be the best time to ride the rails
A city in the UK has been hailed as the backdrop for “one of the world’s most scenic winter train journeys“. National Geographic experts have lauded the route as “breathtaking,” promising travellers an eyeful of unforgettable vistas. In their roundup of Europe’s top 10, they said: “The holiday season may be the best time to ride the rails on these iconic routes through Germany’s enchanted Black Forest, and Norway’s frozen waterfalls.”
But it’s Scotland that truly steals the show with its mist-shrouded hills, serpentine lochs, and stark winter landscapes. For those hunting for a festive or winter escape, this rail journey delivers an unrivalled experience.
So, where in Scotland can you find this picturesque railway journey?
Stretching around 180 miles from Glasgow to Mallaig via Fort William, the West Highland Line is your ticket to awe-inspiring scenery.
As the National Geographic expert elaborated: “Route: Glasgow to Mallaig. Often cited as one of the world’s most scenic rail journeys, the West Highland Line serves up raw, haunting beauty.
“It slices through Rannoch Moor, a sprawling peat bog, skirts Loch Lomond, and soars over the Glenfinnan Viaduct, (a spectacle long before the Hogwarts Express catapulted it to Hollywood fame).”
They added: ” Edinburgh and Glasgow both boast unique Christmas festivities worth checking out. Edinburgh’s markets spill across Princes Street Gardens under the watchful eye of the castle, while Glasgow is set to light up with a Christmas lights trail this year.”
Glasgow’s Christmas market
The Winter Wonderland Christmas market at St Enoch Square is set to run from 6 November to 24 December, boasting family rides, an ice rink, local vendors, and live music. As reported by Secret Glasgow, the event will feature the world’s first solar-powered observation wheel and a fully licensed festive bar.
Glasgow is also set to host its largest beer hall yet, accommodating up to 700 guests with pub quizzes, live music, and festive beverages on offer. The venue will be adorned with fairy lights and fire pits, serving mulled wine and winter cocktails in both indoor and outdoor spaces.
In lieu of the traditional Christmas Lights Switch-On, which has been cancelled due to redevelopment works at George Square, the city will instead showcase a festive light trail.
Key attractions include dazzling art installations along Sauchiehall, Buchanan, and Argyle Streets, as well as a grand Christmas tree and crib at the Cathedral Precinct, providing a perfect backdrop for festive photos.
Top 10 scenic train routes in Europe, according to National Geographic
If you’re looking for a completely unique weekend away, there’s a hotel with colourful themed rooms and lots of fun surprises, and it’s set in the UK’s coolest city with plenty to do nearby.
Each room in the hotel has its own unique theme such as the Salon Rouge(Image: Hotel Pelirocco)
While staying in a hotel for the weekend can be nice, one criticism you can level at them is that so many hotel rooms look the same. They may be comfy, but it’s easy to get bored of the same beige style you get in every hotel room.
However, whatever words you use to describe Hotel Pelirocco, “boring” is not one of them. This boutique hotel has 19 rooms, each one with a different theme, and each room is its own colourful little world.
Set on a quiet square in Brighton, the hotel is the perfect place to stay if you’re looking to enjoy the UK’s coolest city. Brighton recently beat competition from cities such as Edinburgh and Manchester to cinch the title, thanks to its independent shops, unique restaurants, and lively music scene.
The hotel is just a 15-minute stroll from the North Laines, famous for its colourful shops including vintage stores, bookshops, record shops, and quirky cafes. There’s also The Lanes area, which has a more historic vibe with narrow cobbled streets full of pretty jewellery stores and designer shops.
Historic Brighton Pier is also just a short walk away, with old-fashioned rides, amusements, and stalls. And of course, there’s the iconic Brighton Beach, a long stretch of shingle that has a promenade full of clubs and bars, and becomes a lively area for nightlife as the sun goes down.
Hotel Pelirocco is set inside two converted Regency townhouses, with its historic façade blending in with the other buildings in a pretty square. However, once you step inside, it’s a maximalist’s dream with colourful walls covered in vintage art and posters. Downstairs it has a bar that hosts live music and events, and opens until the small hours for guests returning from nights out.
However, it’s the rooms that the hotel has become famous for, and themes range from David Bowie to pin-up girls and local artists. The Mod-themed room is perfect for visitors to Brighton who are there to see the city’s filming locations for Quadrophenia, while Do Knit Disturb is a room dedicated to knitting and crochet, with accessories including a knitted telephone.
Brighton has long been a destination for couples’ weekends, and the hotel has a cheekier side to it too. The Botanica suite, for example, comes with a dancing pole and a mirrored ceiling, among other surprises, and there are rooms such as Taboo with more romantic vibes.
The hotel also offers a range of extras that are perfect for couples celebrating a special occasion, from Champagne to boudoir photography in your bedroom. And if you want to really surprise your other half, you can arrange for a hamper from independent store Lust!, which includes an array of toys for couples for a fun start to your break.
Find out more about the Hotel Pelirocco or book a room on their official website.
Have a story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca says reports describing him as a potential successor to Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola are “100% speculation”.
The 45-year-old is the former assistant to Guardiola at City and there have been multiple reports that his mentor could step down at the end of this season.
The Italian was appointed Chelsea manager in June 2024 and has a contract running until 2029, with an option to extend by a further season.
When asked whether there was any truth to the City reports, Maresca said: “It doesn’t affect me at all because I know that is 100% speculation. And at this moment, there is no time for these kind of things.
“First of all, because I have a contract here until 2029 probably. And my focus, I said many times, is just about this club and I’m very proud to be here. But again, it’s speculation. One week ago I was in Italy, the same with Juventus. So I don’t pay attention because I know that is not true.”
Fourth-placed Chelsea play Newcastle in the Premier League on Saturday at 12:30 GMT.
A study has identified the European cities with the highest ratio of tourists to residents, and the top spot didn’t go to London, Barcelona or Paris.
9. DublinUnsurprisingly, another major city has snagged a spot in the ranking, this time in the Republic of Ireland. Dublin ranks just inside the top 10, with 11 tourists for every resident, claims Holidu. Temple Bar is one of the city’s most crowded spots, attracting approximately 3.5 million visits annually. The Guinness Storehouse is another renowned Dublin attraction, but visitors say it’s like a well-oiled machine, and you can beat the queues by booking tickets in advance.(Image: Getty)
Europe boasts a diverse array of holiday destinations, from sun-drenched beaches and snowy ski resorts to vibrant city breaks in the spring.
Many of these locations have become tourist magnets, drawing millions of international visitors annually. As a result, even some spots once deemed ‘hidden gems’ are now grappling with overtourism.
Albania, a small Balkan nation, exemplifies this trend among European countries experiencing an unprecedented surge in tourism. Last year, Albania welcomed over 7.5 million tourists, with more than 10 million expected next year.
However, it’s not just the lesser-known destinations that are feeling the strain of overcrowding. A study carried out by the Holidu team earlier this year identified cities with the highest ratio of tourists to residents.
While one might expect London, Barcelona or Paris to feature, these renowned capitals didn’t make the list. Instead, a rather unexpected destination claimed the top spot, reports the Express.
10. Tallinn
Estonia’s capital city isn’t on everyone’s travel bucket list, but those who have visited it would say it’s a must-see.
With a beautiful old town branded by some visitors as one of the best in Europe, it makes for a charming summer city break.
Tallinn also boasts a unique Nordic-Eastern European fusion culture and is well-known for being a cruise ship destination. But its popularity, thanks to major sights like the Lahemaa National Park, means it’s become overrun with 10 tourists for every resident, according to Holidu. Those looking for a quieter Estonian break will find plenty to explore beyond Tallinn.
9. Dublin
Unsurprisingly, another major city has snagged a spot in the ranking, this time in the Republic of Ireland. Dublin ranks just inside the top 10, with 11 tourists for every resident, claims Holidu.
Temple Bar is one of the city’s most crowded spots, attracting approximately 3.5 million visits annually. The Guinness Storehouse is another renowned Dublin attraction, but visitors say it’s like a well-oiled machine, and you can beat the queues by booking tickets in advance.
8. Amsterdam
As one of Europe’s top tourist hotspots, Amsterdam has 12 tourists for every resident, which is straining the city’s housing market, local neighbourhoods, and character.
Similar to Prague in the Czech Republic, the city has grown frustrated by the influx of drunken stag parties. A campaign to discourage young Britons, particularly groups of men aged 18-35 from visiting was launched in Dutch capital. Additionally, Amsterdam has implemented one of the world’s highest tourist taxes, which might deter travellers in the future.
7. Heraklion
Crete is the largest island in Greece and the fifth largest in the Mediterranean Sea. While it is home to some incredible remote beaches like Balos, the island’s capital, Heraklion is quite the tourist attraction.
It’s been named one of Europe’s most overcrowded destinations, with 13 tourists for every resident. The city’s archaeological sites are a major attraction, but those seeking tranquillity can find quieter spots elsewhere on the island, particularly in the west near Chania.
6. Florence
This romantic Italian city ranks just outside the top five, with 13 tourists for every resident. Home to several cultural treasures, including Michelangelo’s iconic David statue, Botticelli’s Birth of Venus and Brunelleschi’s dome, Florence is popular among global visitors.
However, concerns over over-tourism have sparked frustration among locals, with some workshop owners reporting that they’ve had to close due to the overwhelming number of visitors.
5. Reykjavik
Reykjavik is another European city impacted by over-tourism, with 16 tourists visiting for every resident. Once considered an unexpected tourist destination, the city now has around 140,000 inhabitants and has around two million visitors yearly.
Reykjavik is Iceland’s capital and has taken steps to combat tourism by reinstating its tourist tax in January after it was paused during the pandemic.
4. Rhodes
A second Greek island on the list proves the appeal of a Mediterranean beach holiday, and Rhodes is even more popular than Crete. Rhodes hosts 21 tourists for every resident but faces a crisis affecting its population and visitors.
Wildfires in 2023 saw the island experience the largest evacuation in Greece’s history, while a surge in tourism has triggered overdevelopment and the accompanying pollution.
3. Bruges
The Belgian city of Bruges has 21 tourists for every resident, making it feel very crowded in the peak summer season and during the Christmas period.
Some locals are frustrated with the high volume of visitors, and tourism officials recommend visiting outside peak times to experience Bruges in a quieter, more relaxed atmosphere. In 2023, more than 8.3 million people visited Bruges, but the city has implemented measures to address over-tourism, including a ban on new hotels in the historic centre and new holiday home permits across the city.
2. Venice
The iconic Italian city hosts 21 tourists for every resident, so it’s no surprise that it’s landed second place on the list. Venice has attracted attention with its daytripper tax and a ban on cruise ships entering its lagoon, but the Italian hotspot remains severely overcrowded-so much so that UNESCO has included it on its list of endangered cities.
As for the local population, Venice has seen numbers decrease dramatically since the 1950s, going from 170,000 residents to less than 50,000 in just 75 years. The exodus has primarily impacted lower- and middle-class residents, youth demographics, and people who rent, according to travel guides at Adventure.com.
1. Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is crowned Europe’s most overcrowded holiday destination, with 36 tourists for every resident. Known as Croatia’s historic coastal gem, its once quaint cobblestone streets have become plagued by the noise of suitcases being wheeled across them, and the limestone surface has been buffed by thousands of flip-flops and sandals to a marble-like finish.
The Old Town, surrounded by its famous walls, is the busiest part of the city and has become increasingly expensive as it grows in popularity. This means Croatian residents have been priced out of the city at prices far higher than anywhere else.
In the quiet village of Kozubivka in Ukraine’s Poltava region, Nelia and her husband Oleksandr open their home to people displaced from Kharkiv, where bombing and shelling have forced thousands to flee.
But rebuilding a life in rural Ukraine is not easy. City people must learn to navigate unfamiliar routines on the farm, endure physical labour and bear the emotional weight of displacement. In the process tempers flare despite moments of tenderness.
Through these intimate encounters, Guests from Kharkiv reveals what it means to create community in the middle of a war and the courage it takes to adapt to a new way of life.
A documentary short by Halyna Lavrinets, produced by Eleron Pictures.
A MAJOR UK city, home to the third oldest subway system in the world, is set to get driverless trains next year.
Glasgow will be getting driverless subway trains in the second half of 2026, according to The Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT).
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Glasgow will be getting driverless trains from next yearCredit: Alamy
The new driverless trains will be introduced in Glasgow slowly, with officials noting in a report that “whilst our new system will be capable of Unattended Train Operation, there may be a requirement for some staff presence within the system beyond this point”.
The move to driverless trains in Glasgow will be the first of its kind in the UK.
The only other similar train system is the DLR in London – while not having train drivers, they do still have ‘Train Captain’s onboard.
In addition to the driverless trains, Glasgow’s public transport more widely has undergone a number of other projects.
These include implementing more glass screens at a number of stations for safety.
And most stations on the circular line have had refurbishments.
There are also a few projects that still need to be carried out including introducing new signalling.
A report from June revealed that the subway modernisation in Glasgow is the “most significant investment and improvement programme to be undertaken in the Subway within the last 45 years”.
The report also listed a number of other areas that will undergo improvements, including the introduction of a new ticketing system.
Glasgow is planning on becoming the first city in Scotland to trial a free public transport scheme as well.
The scheme will start in early 2026 and involve around 1,000 people, who will get free public transport for six weeks.
This means travellers will get unlimited travel on trains, buses and the subway network.
The aim of the scheme is to see whether more people take up public transport, rather than opting to drive.
Currently, fares to travel on Glasgow’s transport network range from around £3.60 to £5.90.
This week, rail operator Lumo also announced that it is extending its London Euston to Edinburgh route to Glasgow.
It comes as Glasgow’s subway network has undergone a number of projectsCredit: Alamy
Passengers will be able to use two northbound services each weekday and one southbound service.
There will then be one service in each direction at the weekend.
And tickets for the route with the low-cost operator will cost from £33.10 between London and Glasgow.
When an LAPD captain stood up during a meeting this fall and asked Chief Jim McDonnell to explain the role of his most trusted deputy, Dominic Choi, other top brass in attendance waited with anticipation for the reply.
Multiple department sources, who requested anonymity to discuss the private meeting and speak candidly about their boss, said McDonnell’s answer drew confused looks.
Some officials had began to wonder how closely the 66-year-old McDonnell, who stepped into the job in November 2024 after recent work in consulting and academia, was involved in day-to-day operations. Choi is often attached to his hip, and McDonnell has privately advised other senior staff to go through the assistant chief for key matters, leaving some uncertainty about how shots are called, the sources said.
At the senior staff meeting, McDonnell joked about not wanting to talk about Choi — who was not present in the room — behind his back, and told the captain that Choi was simply his “eyes and ears,” without offering more clarity, according to the sources.
The awkward exchange reflected the uncertainty that some LAPD officials feel about McDonnell’s leadership style.
Over the last year, The Times spoke with numerous sources, from high-ranking commanders to beat cops on the street, along with recently retired LAPD officials and longtime department observers, to gather insights on McDonnell’s first 12 months as the city’s top cop.
By some measures, McDonnell has been a success. Violent crime citywide has continued to decline. Despite the LAPD’s hiring struggles, officials say that applications by new recruits have been increasing. And support for the chief remains strong in some political circles, where backers lauded his ability to navigate so many challenges, most not of his own making — from the city’s financial crisis and civil unrest to the devastating wildfires that hit just two months after he was sworn in.
At the same time, shootings by police officers have increased to their highest levels in nearly a decade and the LAPD’s tactics at protests this summer drew both public outrage and lawsuits. Some longtime observers worry the department is sliding back into a defiant culture of past eras.
“You’ve got a department that’s going to bankrupt the city but doesn’t want to answer for what it is going to be doing,” said Connie Rice, a civil rights attorney.
In an interview with The Times, McDonnell said he is proud of how his department has performed. He said his bigger plans for the LAPD are slowly coming together.
McDonnell rose through the LAPD’s ranks early in his career, and acknowledged much has changed in the 14 years that he was away from the department. That’s why he has leaned “heavily” on the expertise of Choi, who served as interim chief before he took over, he said.
“He’s been a tremendous partner for me coming back,” McDonnell said.
Dominic Choi, who served as interim LAPD chief before Jim McDonnell was hired, speaks at a 2024 news conference with federal law enforcement officials.
(Al Seib / For The Times)
McDonnell added that he has relied just as much on his other command staff, encouraging them to think and act for themselves “to get the job done.”
Retired LAPD commander Lillian Carranza is among those saying the new chief has failed to shake things up after Michel Moore stepped down abruptly in January 2024.
Instead, she said, McDonnell has lacked the decisiveness required to make real changes in the face of resistance from the police union and others.
“It appears that the chief thought he was coming back to the LAPD from 15 years ago,” she said of McDonnell. “It’s been a disappointment because of the individuals that he’s promoted — it just seems like Michel Moore 2.0 again.”
There are notable contrasts in style and strategy between McDonnell and his predecessor.
Moore, who did not respond to a call seeking comment, often used his pulpit to try to get out ahead of potential crises. McDonnell has kept a lower profile. He has largely halted the regular press briefings that Moore once used to answer questions about critical incidents and occasionally opine on national issues.
Unlike Moore, who developed a reputation as a demanding manager who insisted on approving even minor decisions, McDonnell has seemingly embraced delegation. Still, his perceived deference to Choi, who also served as a top advisor to Moore, has led to questions about just how much has really changed. Choi has represented the department at nearly a fourth of all Police Commission meetings this year, a task usually performed by the chief.
Former LAPD Chief Michel Moore attends an event at the Police Academy on Dec. 7, 2023.
(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
It’s telling of their closeness, LAPD insiders said, that Choi occupies the only other suite on the 10th floor of LAPD headquarters with direct access, via a balcony, to McDonnell’s own office.
Choi did not respond to a request for comment.
Mayor Karen Bass chose McDonnell as chief after a lengthy nationwide search, picking him over candidates who would have been the first Black woman or first Latino to lead the department. He offered experience, having also served as police chief in Long Beach and as L.A. County sheriff.
McDonnell has mostly avoided the type of headline-grabbing scandals that plagued the department under Moore. Meanwhile, homicides citywide were on pace to reach a 60-year low — a fact that the mayor has repeatedly touted as her reelection campaign kicks into gear.
In a brief statement, the mayor commended McDonnell and said she looked forward to working with him to make the city safer “while addressing concerns about police interaction with the public and press.”
Jim McDonnell shakes hands with Mayor Karen Bass after being introduced as LAPD chief during a news conference at City Hall on Oct. 4, 2024.
(Ringo Chiu / For The Times)
McDonnell has taken steps to streamline the LAPD’s operations, including folding the department’s four homicide bureaus into the Robbery-Homicide Division and updating the department’s patrol plan to account for the department being down fewer officers.
John Lee, who chairs the City Council’s public safety committee, said the chief is the kind of experienced and steady leader the city needs as it gets ready to host the World Cup and Olympics. McDonnell, he said, deserves credit for guiding the LAPD through “unprecedented situations,” while largely delivering on promises to reduce crime and lift officer morale.
But among the rank and file, there is continued frustration with the department’s disciplinary system. The process, which critics outside the LAPD say rarely holds officers accountable, is seen internally as having a double standard that leads to harsh punishments for regular cops and slaps on the wrist for higher-ranking officials. Efforts at reform have repeatedly stalled in recent years.
McDonnell told The Times that officers have for years felt that the system was stacked against them. One of his priorities is “making the disciplinary system more fair in the eyes of those involved in it,” he said, and speeding up internal affairs investigations that can drag on for a year or more without “jeopardizing accountability or transparency.”
He said he’d like to give supervisors greater authority to quickly weed out complaints that “are demonstrably false on their face” based on body camera footage and other evidence.”
But the lack of progress on the issue has started to rankle the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the union for officers below the rank of lieutenant. The League urged McDonnell to take action in a statement to The Times.
“The way we see it, the Chief is either going to leverage his mandate and implement change, much to the chagrin of some in his command staff that staunchly support the status quo, or he will circle the wagons around the current system and continue to run out the clock,” the statement read. ”There’s no need to keep booking conference rooms to meet and talk about ‘fixing discipline,’ it’s time to fish or cut bait.”
Perhaps more than anything, the ongoing federal immigration crackdown has shaped McDonnell’s first year as chief.
Although McDonnell is limited in what he can do in the face of raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other federal agencies, some of the chief’s detractors say he is missing a moment to improve relations between police and citizens of a majority-Latino city.
The son of Irish immigrants from Boston, McDonnell drew criticism during President Trump’s first term when, as L.A. County sheriff, he allowed ICE agents access to the nation’s largest jail. As LAPD chief, McDonnell has often voiced his support for long-standing policies that restrict cooperation on civil immigration enforcement and limit what officers can ask members of the public about their status in the country.
“I get hate mail from two extremes: those that are saying we’re not doing enough to work with ICE and those that are saying we’re working with ICE too much,” McDonnell said.
U.S. Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino marches with federal agents to the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building on Aug. 14.
(Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)
Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton, who runs the department’s detective bureau, said McDonnell has to tread lightly politically and can’t follow the suggestion of some people that “we should use our law enforcement agencies to fight back against the feds.”
“He can’t come out and say, ‘We oppose ICE, get out of our city,’ like some of these other clowns are doing,” Hamilton said. “I mean, what, are you just trying to bring the wrath?”
But the LAPD’s response to the protests against Trump’s agenda has repeatedly led to bad optics. Officers have stepped in to keep the peace when angry crowds form at the scene of ICE arrests, which some said created the appearance of defending the federal actions.
During large demonstrations — which have occasionally turned unruly, with bricks and Molotov cocktails hurled by some in the crowds — LAPD officers on foot or horseback have not held back in swinging batons, firing less-lethal munitions and even launching tear gas, a measure that hadn’t been deployed on the streets of L.A. in decades.
Press rights organizations and a growing list of people who say they were injured by police have filed lawsuits, potentially adding to the tens of millions in the legal bills the department already faces for protest-related litigation from years that predated McDonnell.
Attorney Susan Seager, who is suing the department over its recent protest tactics, said that McDonnell has seemed unwilling to second-guess officers, even when confronted with clear video evidence of them violating court-imposed restrictions.
“I’ve never seen LAPD so unhinged at a protest shooting people,” she said.
An LAPD officer pushes back an anti-ICE protester during a rally on “No Kings Day” in downtown Los Angeles on June 14.
What goes unmentioned by the LAPD’s detractors, he said, is how volatile and “kinetic,” protests have been, requiring officers to use all means available to them to avoid being overwhelmed by hostile crowds.
Reporters and others on the front lines should know the risks of being there, he said.
“If the journalists are in that environment, they sometimes get hit with less-lethal projectiles — as do our police officers who are in that same environment,” he said.
It was supposed to be a speech with a clear message of hope for survivors of the Palisades fire.
In her State of the City address in April, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass called for a law exempting fire victims from construction permit fees — potentially saving them tens of thousands of dollars as they rebuild their homes.
Eight months later, the City Council is still debating how much permit relief the city can afford. Palisades residents have been left hanging, with some blaming Bass for failing to finalize a deal.
“This should have been pushed, and it wasn’t pushed,” said electrician Tom Doran, who has submitted plans to rebuild his three-bedroom home. “There was no motor on that boat. It was allowed to drift downstream.”
Since the Jan. 7 fire destroyed thousands of homes, Bass has been announcing recovery strategies with great fanfare, only for them to get bogged down in the details or abandoned altogether.
After two of the most destructive fires in the state’s history, The Times takes a critical look at the past year and the steps taken — or not taken — to prevent this from happening again in all future fires.
At one point, she called for the removal of traffic checkpoints around Pacific Palisades, only to reverse course after an outcry over public safety. She pushed tax relief for wildfire victims in Sacramento, only to abruptly pull the plug on her bill. Her relationship with Steve Soboroff, her first and only chief recovery officer, quickly unraveled over pay and other issues. He left after a 90-day stint.
Critics in and outside the Palisades say the mayor’s missteps have undermined public confidence in the rebuilding process. They have also made her more politically vulnerable as she ramps up her campaign for a second term.
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2
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1.Tom Doran poses for a portrait in the remains of his home in the Pacific Palisades. Doran, who has submitted plans to rebuild the home he lived in for decades, has said that Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass should have done more to secure passage of a law giving residents relief from city rebuilding permits after the wildfires.(Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)2.Statues are seen in an aerial of the remnants of Doran’s home.(Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)3.An aerial of the remains of Doran’s home.(Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)
Bass, seated in her spacious City Hall office earlier this month, said the recovery is happening at “lightning speed” compared to other devastating wildfires, in part because of her emergency orders dramatically cutting the time it takes to obtain building permits.
By mid-December, more than 2,600 permit applications had been filed for more than 1,200 addresses — about a fifth of the properties damaged or destroyed in the fire. Permits had been issued at about 600 addresses, with construction underway at nearly 400, according to city figures.
Still, Bass acknowledged that fire victims are feeling angry and frustrated as they enter the holiday season.
“I think people have a right to all of those emotions, and I wouldn’t argue with any of them,” she said.
Rebuilding a community after a natural disaster is a monumental task, one with no clear playbook. Many of the obstacles — insurance claims, mortgage relief — reach beyond the purview of a mayor.
Still, Bass has plenty of power. City agencies crucial to the rebuilding effort report to her. She works closely with the council, whose members have sharply questioned some of her recovery initiatives.
Perhaps the most disastrous narrative revolved around Soboroff, a longtime civic leader known for his blunt, outspoken style.
Mayor Karen Bass, right, and her disaster recovery chief, Steve Soboroff, during a news conference at Palisades Recreation Center on Jan. 27.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
To many, the assignment made sense on paper. Soboroff had a background in home building, roots in the Palisades and extensive knowledge of City Hall.
Soboroff initially expected to receive a salary of $500,000 for three months of work as chief recovery officer, with the funds coming from philanthropy. After that figure triggered an outcry, Bass changed course, persuading him to work for free. Soon afterward, Soboroff told an audience that he had been “lied to” about whether he would be compensated. (He later apologized.)
Soboroff also voiced frustration with the job itself, saying he had been excluded from key decisions. At one point, Bass appeared to narrow his duties, telling reporters he would focus primarily on rebuilding the community’s historic business district and nearby public areas.
Bass told The Times that she does not view her selection of Soboroff as a mistake. But she acknowledged there were “challenges along the way” — and decisions where Soboroff was not included.
“In those first few months when everything was happening, I’m sure there were decisions he wanted to be in that he wasn’t in,” she said.
In April, amid Soboroff’s departure, Bass said she was searching for a new chief recovery officer. She repeated that assertion in July. Yet she never publicly announced a replacement for Soboroff, baffling some in the Palisades and providing fresh ammunition to her critics.
Real estate developer Rick Caruso, who ran against Bass in 2022 and founded the nonprofit SteadfastLA to speed the rebuilding process, said the recovery czar position is still desperately needed, given the size of the task ahead.
“You’ve got infrastructure that has to be rebuilt, undergrounding of power lines, upgrading of water mains. At the same time, you want to get people back in their homes,” said Caruso, who is weighing another run for mayor.
A Samara XL modular house is lowered into place at a project site in Culver City on March 21. Developer and former mayoral candidate Rick Caruso’s Steadfast L.A. nonprofit wants to raise $30 million in the hopes of providing between 80 and 100 Samara XL homes for fire victims.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Behind the scenes, Bass opted not to select a single person to replace Soboroff, going instead with a trio of consultants. By then, she had confronted a spate of other crises — federal immigration raids, a $1-billion budget shortfall, a split with county officials over the region’s approach to homelessness.
Soboroff declined to comment on Bass’ handling of the recovery. Early on, he pushed the mayor’s team to hire the global engineering giant AECOM to oversee the recovery. Bass went initially with Hagerty, an Illinois-based consulting firm that specializes in emergency management.
At the time, the mayor pointed out that Hagerty was already working with county officials on the Eaton fire recovery in Altadena and Palisades fire recovery in other unincorporated areas.
The city gave Hagerty a one-year contract worth up to $10 million to provide “full project management” of the recovery, Bass said at the time.
Hagerty quickly ran into trouble. At community events, the firm’s consultants struggled to explain their role in the rebuilding.
Two months after Soboroff stepped down, Bass announced she was hiring AECOM after all to develop a plan for rebuilding city infrastructure. Hagerty ended up focusing heavily on the logistics around debris removal, helping the city coordinate with the federal Army Corps of Engineers, which spearheaded the cleanup.
Hagerty quietly finished its work earlier this month, billing the city $3.5 million — far less than the maximum spelled out in the firm’s contract.
The confusion over Hagerty’s role created a major opening for Bass’ best-known challenger in the June 2 primary election: former L.A. schools Supt. Austin Beutner, a onetime high-level deputy mayor.
Beutner, whose home was severely damaged in the Palisades fire, called the selection of Hagerty a “fiasco,” saying it’s still not clear what the firm delivered.
“The hiring of Hagerty proved to be a waste of time and money while creating a false sense of hope in a community that’s dealing with a terrible tragedy,” he said.
Executives with Hagerty did not respond to multiple inquiries from The Times.
An aerial image of some homes being reconstructed and lots that remain empty in Pacific Palisades.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
AECOM joined the city in June, working to prepare reports on the rebuilding effort that dealt with infrastructure repairs, fire protection and traffic management. Those reports are now expected by the one-year anniversary of the fire.
Matt Talley, who spent part of the year as AECOM’s point person in the Palisades, praised Bass for her focus on the recovery, saying he watched as she took lengthy meetings with Palisades community members, then made sure her staff worked to address their concerns.
“I think the mayor gets a bad rap,” said Talley, who left AECOM in mid-November. “She takes a lot of incoming, but in her heart, she really does want to drive the recovery and do the right thing, and that’s evidenced by the meetings she’s having with the community.”
Bass, in an interview, said she eventually decided to have three AECOM staffers form a “recovery team,” instead of a single replacement for Soboroff.
“It didn’t make sense to go in the other direction,” she said. “We evaluated that for quite a while, met with a number of people, consulted many experts.”
By the time Bass announced AECOM’s hiring, she had also begun pursuing another initiative: relief from Measure ULA, the city’s so-called mansion tax, which applies to most property sales above $5.3 million.
Proponents argued that Palisades residents should not have to pay the tax if they sell their burned-out properties. For those who can’t afford to rebuild — either because they are on fixed incomes or have little insurance — selling may be the only option, they argued.
In June, Caruso sent Bass a proposal showing how Measure ULA could be legally suspended. By then, Bass had tapped former state Assembly Speaker Bob Hertzberg to work on a bill overhauling Measure ULA, not only to aid fire victims but to spur housing construction citywide.
Three months later, near the end of the legislative session in Sacramento, Bass persuaded some L.A.-based lawmakers to carry the bill, infuriating affordable housing advocates who accused her of attempting an end run around voters.
But right before a key hearing, Bass announced she was withdrawing the bill, which had been submitted so late that it missed the deadline for lawmakers to make changes.
Bass said city leaders are now working to identify other pathways for suspending ULA in the Palisades.
Meanwhile, her push for permit relief is also a work in progress.
Alice Gould, who lost her home in the Palisades fire, is rebuilding her home on Akron Street in Pacific Palisades. Gould, who has lived on the property for 28 years, is upset that Mayor Karen Bass has not yet secured passage of a law to exempt fire victims from city permit fees for rebuilding.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
In April, a few days after her State of the City speech, Bass issued an emergency order suspending the collection of permit fees while the council drafted the law she requested. If the law isn’t enacted, fire victims will have to pay the fees that are currently suspended.
Councilmember Bob Blumenfield, who sits on the council’s powerful budget committee, said Bass’ team did not contact him before she issued her order.
“When I read that, my first thought was: ‘That’s great. How are we gonna pay for that?’” he said.
Bass issued a second emergency order in May, expanding the fee waivers to include every structure that burned. By October, some council members were voicing alarms over the cost, warning it could reach hundreds of millions of dollars, depending on the details.
Palisades residents called that estimate grossly inflated. On Dec. 2, dozens of them showed up at City Hall to urge the council to pass legislation covering every residential building that burned — not just single-family homes and duplexes, a concept favored by some on the council.
Council members, still struggling to identify the cost, sent the proposal back to the budget committee for more deliberations, which will spill into next year because of the holiday break.
Bass defended her handling of the issue, saying she used her “political heft” to move it forward. At the same time, she declined to say how far-reaching the relief should be.
Asked whether the Palisades should be spared from permit fees for grading, pools or retaining walls, she responded: “I can’t say that,” calling such details “minutiae.”
“What I wanted to see happen was, all fees that were possible to be waived should be waived,” she said.
Hank Wright, against a backdrop of his neighbor’s home being built, walks on the property where he lost his four-bedroom home in the Palisades fire.
(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Hank Wright, whose four-bedroom home on Lachman Lane burned to the ground, remains frustrated with the city, saying he doesn’t understand why Bass was unable to lock down the votes.
“She has not been the point person that I wanted her to be,” he said. “I don’t think she has been able to corral that bureaucracy.”
JUST a few months after Ryanair stopped flying to a much-loved city in France, it has announced that it will in fact return next summer.
It was one of the destinations axed in Ryanair’s ongoing seat-cutting drive, due to increasing air tax in certain countries.
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Ryanair will return to this pretty French city just months after stopping its winter routeCredit: AlamyThe budget airline has been battling rising air tax in particular countriesCredit: Alamy
Bergerac is a commune in the Dordogne region in the southwest of France, known for its old town and riverside cafe and outdoor markets.
While it’s a popular winter destination, Bergerac is a great place to go in summer as it gets highs of 30C in July and August.
Other popular summer activities include wine tasting at local vineyards and visiting nearby châteaus.
Popular sites in the city include the Statue of Cyrano de Bergerac in a small square which is surrounded by restaurants.
Other visitors explore Place de la Myrpe a neighbourhood which one person described as ‘Bergerac’s ancient heart’ with old brick and timber-lined buildings.
And the Eglise Notre-Dame is what visitors call ‘a beautiful church’ in the city centre.
Bergerac Airport feared it might close after Ryanair’s initial announcementCredit: AlamyBergerac has plenty of al fresco dining options during the summertimeCredit: Alamy
Following the announcement that Ryanair would be pulling out of Bergerac back in July of this year, the airport in Bergerac announced that it may be forced to close.
The airline added: “In response to this government tax, Ryanair will cease operations to Bergerac, Brive, and Strasbourg, and reduce capacity at several other French airports.”
Rising airport tariffs were cited for the cancellations, with Michael O’Leary claiming he would “fly elsewhere […] if the costs in regional Spain are too high”.
He added: “We are better off flying at the same cost to places such as Palma [on the island of Majorca] than flying to Jerez.”
French airports Bergerac, Brive, and Strasbourg have also lost their Ryanair flights while airports in Germany including Dortmund, Dresden and Leipzig will not open for winter.
The setting looked almost cozy: Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and a podcast host seated inside her home in two comfy chairs, talking about President Trump, ICE raids, public schools and the Palisades fire.
The recording session inside the library at Getty House, the official mayor’s residence, lasted an hour. Once it ended, the two shook hands and the room broke into applause.
Then, the mayor kept talking — and let it rip.
Bass gave a blunt assessment of the emergency response to the Palisades and Eaton fires. “Both sides botched it,” she said.
“They didn’t tell people they were on fire,” she said to Matt Welch, host of “The Fifth Column” podcast.
The mayor’s informal remarks, which lasted around four minutes, came at the tail end of a 66-minute video added to “The Fifth Column’s” YouTube channel last month. In recent weeks, it was replaced by a shorter, 62-minute version — one that omits her more freewheeling final thoughts.
The exact date of the interview was not immediately clear. The video premiered on Nov. 25, according to the podcast’s YouTube channel.
Welch declined to say whether Bass asked for the end of the video to be cut. He had no comment on why the final four minutes can’t be found on the YouTube version of the podcast.
“We’re not going to be talking about any of that right now,” he told The Times before hanging up.
Bass’ team confirmed that her office asked for the final minutes of the video to be removed. “The interview had clearly ended and they acknowledged that when they took it down,” the mayor’s team said Tuesday in an email.
In the longer video, Bass also talked about being blamed for the handling of the Eaton fire in Altadena, which is in unincorporated Los Angeles County, outside of L.A. city limits. Altadena is represented by L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, not Bass.
“No one goes after the Board of Supervisors,” Bass said on the original 66-minute video. “I’m responsible for everything.”
Bass, in an interview with The Times, said she made those remarks after the podcast was over, during what she called a “casual conversation” — a situation she called “unfortunate.” Nevertheless, she stood by her take, saying she has made similar pronouncements about the emergency response “numerous times.”
In the case of the city, Bass said, the fire department failed to pre-deploy to the Palisades and require firefighters to stay for an extra shift, as The Times first reported in January. In Altadena, she said, residents did not receive timely notices to evacuate.
“The city and the county did a lot of things that we would look back at and say was very unfortunate,” she told The Times.
Bass was out of the country on a diplomatic mission to Ghana when the Palisades fire first broke out on Jan. 7. When she returned, she was unsteady in her handling of questions surrounding the emergency response.
Former L.A. schools superintendent Austin Beutner, who is running against Bass in the June 2 primary election, called the mayor’s use of the word “botched” a “stunning admission of failure on behalf of the mayor” on “the biggest crisis Los Angeles has faced in a generation.”
“She’s admitting that she failed her constituents,” Beutner said.
Bass isn’t the first L.A. elected official to use the word “botched” in connection with the Palisades fire, which destroyed thousands of homes and left 12 people dead. Last month, during a meeting on the effort to rebuild in the Palisades, City Councilmember Monica Rodriguez said that Bass’ office had mishandled the recovery, at least in the first few months.
“Let’s be honest,” she told one of the mayor’s staffers. “You guys have to be the first to acknowledge that your office has botched the first few months of this recovery.”
Bass has defended her handling of that work, pointing to an accelerated debris removal process and her own emergency orders cutting red tape for rebuilding projects. The recovery, she told Welch, is moving faster than many other major wildfires, including the 2023 Lahaina fire in Hawaii.
“It’s important to state the facts, especially because in this environment … there’s a number of people out there who have been very, very deliberate in spreading misinformation,” she said.
Bass, who formally launched her reelection campaign over the weekend, has been giving interviews to a growing list of nontraditional outlets. She recently fielded questions on “Naked Lunch with Phil Rosenthal + David Wild.” She also went on “Big Boy’s Off Air Leadership Series” to discuss the Palisades fire and several other issues.
On “Big Boy’s Off Air,” Bass said she was in conflict with then-Fire Chief Kristin Crowley over her handling of the fire. When she ousted Crowley in February, she cited the LAFD’s failure to properly deploy resources ahead of the fierce winds. She also accused Crowley of refusing to participate in an after-action report on the fire.
Bass told Big Boy, the host of the program, that firefighters “were sent home and they shouldn’t have been.”
She also called the revelation that the Jan. 1 Lachman fire reignited days later, causing the Palisades fire, “shocking.” The Times has reported that an LAFD battalion chief ordered firefighters to leave the burn area, despite signs that the fire wasn’t fully extinguished.
Bass said that had she known of the danger facing the region in early January, she wouldn’t have gone to Long Beach, let alone Ghana.
Asked where blame should be assigned, Bass said: “At the end of the day, I’m the mayor, OK? But I am not a firefighter.”
On “The Fifth Column,” Bass spent much of the hour discussing the effect of federal immigration raids on Los Angeles and the effort to rewrite the City Charter to improve the city’s overall governmental structure. She also described the “overwhelming trauma” experienced by fire victims in the Palisades and elsewhere.
“To lose your home, it’s not just the structure. You lost everything inside there. You lost your memories,” she said. “You lost your sense of community, your sense of belonging. You know, it’s overwhelming grief and it’s collective grief, because then you have thousands of people that are experiencing this too.”
In the final four minutes, Welch told Bass that he viewed the Palisades fire as inevitable, given the ferocious strength of the Santa Ana winds that day. “As someone who grew up here, that fire was going to happen,” he said.
“Right,” Bass responded.
Welch continued: “If it’s 100 mile an hour winds and it’s dry, someone’s going to sneeze and there’s going to be a fire.”
“But if you look at the response in Palisades and the county,” Bass replied, “neither side —”
The mayor paused for a moment. “Both sides botched it.”
The 2026 World Cup will be held across three countries, and there’s one city using its stadium, which has been named the cheapest destination to visit, with affordable hotels
11:28, 17 Dec 2025Updated 11:30, 17 Dec 2025
Monterrey, a city in Mexico, is considered the most affordable destination to visit for the World Cup 2026(Image: Getty Images)
Football fans are gearing up for a major sporting event as the 2026 World Cup is just months away, and one of the major talking points is price.
England fans were left facing prices starting at £200 for the Group opener with Croatia and over £4,000 for a World Cup final seat, before FIFA made a small concession this week. The footballing body released a new set of cut-price World Cup tickets in the wake of the backlash, now guaranteeing a range of tickets at a fixed cost of £45 for every game at next summer’s tournament.
The cost of travel to the United States, Mexico, or Canada, and the eye-watering price of accommodation once there, means a trip is beyond the means of many hardcore football supporters, even if they manage to obtain one of the cheap tickets.
Happily, there is one host city in particular that bucks the hefty price-tag trend.
Monterrey in Mexico has been named the most affordable host destination to visit during the World Cup. According to Expedia’s Fan Travel Outlook which looked at Hotels.com data, the average daily rate of a hotel in Monterrey is £179, making it the most affordable of all the World Cup hosts.
At its stunning Estadio BBVA stadium, where the Cerro de la Silla mountain hangs over the pitch, four matches will be played. Teams including Tunisia, Japan, South Africa and South Korea will take to the turf.
On match days next June, there are some great deals to be had in Monterrey. They include:
MV Suites, book on Hotels.com from £42 a night, a double room three miles from the stadium
Loft MN960 Mty, book on Hotels.com from £83 per night for a room with two double beds in a city centre apartment
Ibis Monterrey Valle, book on Hotels.com from £387 per night for one standard double room
Autentico Monterrey, book on Hotels.com from £279 per night for one standard room that sleeps two
The average hotel room cost in Monterrey is in stark contrast to the cost of a hotel in Vancouver, is currently setting back the average fan £475 for a one night stay.
Monterrey is set against the backdrop of the majestic Sierra Madre mountains, with the addition of parks like Chipinque, making it an ideal destination for hiking, biking, or taking a stroll around the nearby waterfalls. The city itself is modern, with a major industrial and business hub; yet, its culture and food scene, boasting local cuisine, is not to be missed.
Elsewhere, visitors can take advantage of the shopping opportunities at various outlets, explore museums like MARCO, and stroll through the vibrant streets. However, with sprawling landscapes and mountains surrounding Monterrey, the outdoor activities and hiking opportunities may be just what you need.
Mexico City was also named the best value for money during the World Cup. So if you’re hoping to catch a game and save some extra money, these, along with Monterrey, could be your best option.
Head of Expedia Group brands public relations, Melanie Fish, said: “The moment team draws were made, fans swarmed the Expedia app to make travel plans, with football-crazed nations like England leading the front line.
“Expedia’s Fan Travel Outlook is here to help fans come for football, stay for more: road-trip between host cities, fly into alternative airports, don’t forget holiday homes for extra space and use Expedia’s price tracking tool to score the amazing deals.
“The majority of host cities are seeing a surge in searches and prices. Some hotels closest to the stadiums are expected to sell out, so fans who want to make the trip should book sooner rather than later. If your plans aren’t set yet, use the Hotels.com Free Cancellation filter to secure a refundable rate before your options run out.”
For more information or to book your trip for the World Cup next year, you can visit the Expedia or Hotels.com websites.
The 2026 World Cup will kick off on June 11, as 48 football teams compete for their chance to win the coveted trophy for their country, with the final match scheduled for July 19. The World Cup will take place across 16 stadiums, spread across three destinations: 11 in the United States, two in Canada and three in Mexico.
Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com
A POPULAR Spanish beach city is set to get new flights from the UK.
Valencia is known for its vibrant culture and being the birthplace of paella, and soon the city will get new Wizz Air flights from London Gatwick Airport.
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Valencia in Spain, is only three hours from the UK and will soon get new flightsCredit: Alamy
The new flights will be daily and launch on March 29, next year.
Return flights will cost from £40 per person.
Wizz Air also recently announced that there will be a route between London Luton Airport and Valencia, starting in March next year as well.
It takes just under three hours to get to Valencia, which experiences high temperatures of 17C during the winter months and 300 days of sunshine a year.
The city features a charming old town – also known as Ciutat Vella – home to Gothic architecture including the cathedral where you can climb the bell tower and the Silk Exchange – a UNESCO World Heritage site.
For history lovers, there is also St. Nicholas Church, which is often dubbed as Valencia’s ‘Sistine Chapel’ due to its Baroque frescoes.
Visitors note the ornate ceilings inside and the light show that takes place, called ‘The Light of Saint Nicholas’, which highlights the numerous Baroque frescoes.
It costs €15 (£13.15) per person to visit.
Head to El Carmen too, to see medieval walls and experience a vibrant nightlife.
Of course, there are pretty beaches too, such as beaches Malvarrosa, which is the best-known beach in the city and has lots of deck chairs for hire, kiosks selling drinks and inviting waters.
For a bite to eat, make sure to visit Mercado Central, which is Europe‘s largest fresh produce market.
Visitors can pick up a variety of produce or grab a takeaway, including fresh oysters and raw shrimp with lemon juice and chilli.
One recent visitor said: “Everything was fresh and very tasty.
“We did a little shopping for vegetables and meats and drank Aqua di Valencia at two different stands, before finishing with empanadas and a roll with jamon and queso.
“The market itself is very large, with interesting architecture both inside and outside.”
The city features sprawling beaches, fascinating architecture and a large food marketCredit: Alamy
Other top foodie destinations in the city include Fum De Llum, where diners can try the tasting menu for €28 (£24.53) with citrus-marinated tuna tartare, Iberian pork shoulder and a number of homemade desserts.
One visitor said: “As I walked in, I was instantly greeted by a delicious aroma that filled the air, creating a wonderful atmosphere for my experience.
“The generous portions only enhanced my enjoyment, and it was clear that the ingredients were fresh.
“Each bite was packed with authentic flavours that transported me to a special place.
“I left feeling thoroughly satisfied and pleased with my choice, eagerly anticipating the next opportunity to indulge in such a delightful meal.”
And if you happen to be in the city on March 19, you’ll get to see Las Fallas – a festival where giant cardboard sculptures are burned.
In 2026, Las Fallas will celebrate its 10th anniversary and will last 19 days.
If you happen to be in the city in March, you can head to the festival of Las FallasCredit: Alamy
The festival dates back to the 18th century when carpenters used to burn pieces of wood.
Next year, the city will also be hosting Gay Games from June 27 to July 4.
In total, there will be more than 3,000 people involved in the games across 37 events.
And later in 2026, the Sorolla Museum at the Palace of Communications will open.
The new museum will feature more than 220 works by the famous Valencia painter, Joaquin Sorolla.
There are also hotels for all budgets, including the adults-only Axel Hotel Valencia, which has city views and a spa and costs from £106 per night.
Alternatively, you could stay at the Vincci Mercat, which is less than 100 metres from Mercado Central, from £125 a night.
What’s Valencia liek to visit?
THE Sun’s deputy travel editor Kara Godfrey visited Valencia – here’s what she thought…
Valencia was named the best city in Europe by Conde Nast Traveler – and I was lucky enough to have visited.
My favourite attraction that I think is unmissable is the City of Arts and Science.
The huge complex – costing £760million and taking a decade – is home to a number of different structures to explore.
Film fans will recognise it, featuring in both Westworld and Doctor Who.
There’s the Science Museum, with enough interactive experiences for kids to enjoy.
But for adults there is the Opera House with live musical performances and shows.
Outside of the complex, the city is beautiful enough by itself.
Many of the huge Art Deco buildings make the streets feel like a film set,complete with vintage street lights.
There is El Cabanyal, a trendy district named one of the coolest neighbourhoods in Europe by The Guardian.
I stayed at the Valencia Oceanic by Melia. It was simple, but had its own pool and was a short walk to everything you need.
LA28 announced the next step in its ticketing plan for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games on Monday as ticket registration will open on Jan. 14.
Fans can start registering for tickets on Jan. 14 at la28.org, and the registration will remain open until March 18. All who sign up will be entered into a random draw to receive a time slot to purchase tickets. While registering, fans will enter their zip codes, and those who live in the Los Angeles and Oklahoma City areas near venues will be eligible to access the first time slots reserved for locals.
“The goal there is to make sure that we’re getting tickets into the hands, not just the fans, but of the local fans,” said Allison Katz-Mayfield, LA28’s senior vice president of Games delivery revenue. “Those that are going to be closest to the Games, really helping us host these Games in some ways.”
The 2028 Olympics will feature the largest Games schedule in history, with 36 sports and 11,198 athletes. The majority of the Games will be held in L.A., including major sports zones in downtown, Exposition Park and the Sepulveda Basin, but cities including Carson, Inglewood and Long Beach will also have multiple venues. Oklahoma City will host the softball and canoe slalom events at existing facilities.
LA28 is still finalizing the duration of each purchasing window, although the plan is to have multiple opportunities per day, so fans would be assigned time slots that are open for several hours. Tickets for a variety of events will be available during each drop in 2026, with single-event tickets beginning at $28. When tickets for the Paralympics go on sale in 2027, the system will be similar and fans will not have to re-register their interest.
While the Olympics will be back in L.A. for the third time in 2028, it will be the first time the city is hosting the Paralympics.
LA28 plans to release 14 million tickets for the Olympics and Paralympics. The total would be a Games record, eclipsing the 12 million sold in Paris, where ticket sales began almost a year after the timeline LA28 is currently using. The Paris Games that opened in July 2024 did not begin ticket registration until November 2022, 20 months before the event.
Fans will have two-and-a-half years to register and purchase tickets before L.A. opens the Olympics on July 14, 2028.
Khedija Shaw scored four of Manchester City’s six goals as she took her tally to 103 for the club in all competitions during their rout of Aston Villa.
The NBA Cup is the competition’s annual in-season tournament, with all matches except the final also counting towards the regular season standings.
The Thunder were beaten in last year’s final by the Milwaukee Bucks and had a 16-game winning run ended by the Spurs as they exited this season’s competition.
Oklahoma City had equalled the best 25-game start to a season when they went 24-1 by beating the Phoenix Suns in the quarter-finals, but they have now made the second best start to a campaign after 26 games as the Golden State Warriors were 25-1 at the same stage in 2015-16.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the NBA’s reigning Most Valuable Player, top scored for the Thunder against the Spurs with a game-high 29 points.
San Antonio will play the New York Knicks in the final after they beat the Orlando Magic 132-120.
Jalen Brunson scored a season-high 40 points to inspire the Knicks to victory, while team-mate Karl-Anthony Towns added 29 points.
“We came out here and did exactly what we said we wanted to do, which was play Knicks basketball,” said Towns.
Good morning, and welcome to L.A. on the Record — our City Hall newsletter. It’s Noah Goldberg, with an assist from David Zahniser, giving you the latest on city and county government.
With the 2028 Summer Olympics creeping closer, the Los Angeles City Council still has not come to an agreement with the private committee overseeing the Games over who will pay for the additional city services required to host athletes and spectators from around the world.
With hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars at stake, the city has blown past its own Oct. 1 deadline for hammering out an “Enhanced City Resources Master Agreement” contract with LA28 and is now considering filing suit.
City officials indicated the potential for a lawsuit against LA28 Monday during a meeting of the council’s ad hoc Olympics committee. In closed session, the committee conferred “with its legal counsel relative to possible initiation of litigation,” according to the meeting agenda.
But after a lengthy closed-door meeting, the committee broke without moving any closer to suing LA28.
“There was no recommendation to move forward on litigation,” said Councilmember Bob Blumenfield, who sits on the Olympic committee, in a brief interview with The Times after the closed session.
Although it remains unclear exactly why the city might sue LA28, the stakes of the negotiations between the two parties are high.
The Olympics have repeatedly been billed as a “zero cost” event for Los Angeles, with the city’s costs reimbursed by LA28 and the federal government. But depending on how “enhanced services” are defined, the city, which is facing financial headwinds, could end up bearing significant costs for services, including security, trash removal, traffic control and paramedics, that will go well beyond what it provides on typical days.
One of the biggest expenses will be security, with the LAPD, as well as a host of other local, state and federal agencies, working to keep athletes and spectators safe during the 17-day Olympics and the two-week Paralympics.
During a presentation before the council committee on Monday, City Administrative Officer Matt Szabo used the Dodgers’ 2024 World Series victory parade as an example of a similar, albeit much smaller scale, situation.
The baseball team reimbursed the city nearly $2 million for police, fire department, transportation and other services to pull off the parade safely.
Monday’s developments provided a small glimpse into the secretive negotiations between the two sides. Coupled with the missed October deadline to finalize an agreement, it was apparent that the negotiations were not going completely smoothly.
A senior city official, who requested anonymity to discuss sensitive negotiations, said the city is not at an “irresolvable impasse” with LA28 but that litigation is very much on the table in an effort to make sure the city is fully reimbursed.
The city and LA28 are meeting daily to try to hash out an agreement, the source said, characterizing the negotiations as “intense and focused.”
“All parties are working actively at the table to finalize the [ECRMA] that will ensure reimbursement of the city’s costs required by the 2028 Games,” the city and LA28 said in a joint statement to The Times.
Szabo told the council committee that it’s more important to get a good deal than an on-time deal.
“This needs to be the right agreement for the city,” Szabo said.
The city also hopes to recoup some costs from the federal government. PresidentTrump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” included $1 billion to reimburse state and local governments for security, planning and other Olympics-related costs. But exactly what the money can be used for won’t be known until next year, Szabo said.
But the unpredictability of the Trump administration has left the city and LA28 wary about whether all the security costs will be reimbursed, said Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson.
“With this administration, you don’t know what the hell is going to happen, right?” Harris-Dawson said during the Los Angeles Current Affairs Forum Luncheon on Thursday. “So both of us [the city and LA28] are looking at a $1.5-billion bill, and we’re like, ‘Yeah, I’m not paying it. You’re gonna pay it.’”
So far, Harris-Dawson said, the federal government has been “good” about putting money aside for the Games. But that could change, Harris-Dawson said.
“I could show up here 10 days from now and the world could have turned on its head, because you just never know how the guy’s gonna wake up in the morning, or what he’s gonna see on TV to make him react,” he said of Trump. “So … it’s day to day, but on this particular issue, so far so good.”
Outside of security, LA28 should cover costs like staffing, expenses and equipment related to the Games, Szabo said.
Some don’t have high expectations that the costs will be completely footed by others. In a July letter to the city, retired civil rights attorney Connie Rice said she had heard from city employees worried that L.A. would be left with a massive bill.
What if LA28 dissolves after the Olympics — how would the city force it to provide reimbursement? Security and other city services typically extend beyond the Olympic venue itself — how large of a radius around the venue would be included in the reimbursement?
These are questions Rice feels the city has not yet answered.
“I have seen 10th-graders plan their prom better than the city is planning these Olympics,” Rice said in an interview.
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State of play
— RECRUIT-GATE: Months of tension between Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and members of the City Council burst into public view Friday when the council rebuffed the mayor’s request to significantly increase police hiring. The council instead agreed to a more modest increase, which could ramp up if the city finds money for more police recruits.
— JUST A COUPLE HUNDRED MILLION OFF: L.A. County officials justified their $200-million purchase of the Gas Company Tower by claiming that seismic retrofits of their old 1960s headquarters would cost $700 million. But experts hoping to save the building now say the retrofits could cost under $150 million, using standard techniques applied to other historic L.A. buildings.
— STEP DOWN: The chief executive of Weingart Center, Kevin Murray, resigned from the L.A. County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency board amid a federal real estate investigation. Federal prosecutors say a Cheviot Hills property was purchased for $11.2 million, then flipped to Weingart for $27.3 million. Weingart used public money to finance the purchase and conversion of the site into homeless housing.
— ED1 FOREVER: The L.A. City Council approved an ordinance on Tuesday formalizing Mayor Karen Bass’ Executive Directive 1, which fast-tracks planning department approval of 100% affordable housing projects. That initiative, which began as an emergency order issued by Bass in 2022, will now be a permanent part of city law.
— CROSSWALK VIGILANTE: An activist with People’s Vision Zero was arrested and cited while painting a crosswalk at an intersection in Westwood on Sunday. The arrest marks the latest clash between the city of Los Angeles and traffic safety advocates who are frustrated by delays in marking pedestrian crossings and are taking it upon themselves to do the work they say can’t wait.
— END OF WATCH(DOG): L.A. County Inspector General Max Huntsman, who served as chief watchdog over the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department for 12 years, is retiring. In a farewell letter, he laid into county leaders, saying they ignored his office’s efforts at oversight.
QUICK HITS
Where is Inside Safe? The mayor’s signature program to combat homelessness went to Downtown L.A., South L.A., Exposition Park, Hollywood, Silver Lake, North Hills, Pacoima, Woodland Hills, Shadow Hills and Van Nuys this week, bringing more than 70 people inside.
On the docket next week: The city’s Ethics Commission will meet Wednesday. The City Council is on recess until Jan. 7.
Stay in touch
That’s it for this week! Send your questions, comments and gossip to LAontheRecord@latimes.com. Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up here to get it in your inbox every Saturday morning.
The army claims the member was working to re-establish Hamas’s capabilities in the Strip.
Published On 13 Dec 202513 Dec 2025
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The Israeli military has said it struck a “key” Hamas member in the area of Gaza City, without elaborating on who they may be.
In a post on Telegram, the army alleged that the member had been operating to re-establish Hamas’s capabilities, which have been severely depleted by more than two years of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.
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There was no immediate comment from the Palestinian group.
The Wafa news agency reported that an Israeli drone hit a vehicle at the Nabulsi junction in the west of Gaza City, resulting in casualties.
The agency did not report on specific numbers, and it was not clear if the attack was the one that allegedly killed the Hamas member.
Since the ceasefire started in October, Israel has continued to attack Gaza daily – reaching nearly 800 times – in a clear breach of the agreement, according to authorities in Gaza.
Israel also continues to block the majority of aid trucks from entering the enclave. The United Nations General Assembly on Friday overwhelmingly backed a resolution demanding that Israel open unrestricted humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip, stop attacking UN facilities, and comply with international law, in line with its obligations as an occupying power.
