NEW YORK — A few weeks before his stunning loss to Zohran Mamdani in the Democratic mayoral primary, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo put forth a political calculus long accepted as fact in New York: “Being a Democrat,” he said, “it’s synonymous that you support Israel.”
Mamdani, who would be the city’s first Muslim mayor, could be on the cusp of shattering that convention.
An unstinting supporter of Palestinian rights, the 34-year-old democratic socialist has accused Israel of genocide in Gaza, backed the movement to boycott the country’s goods and pledged to have Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrested if he sets foot in New York.
In a city with the largest Jewish population outside of Israel, where mayors have long been expected to make the long pilgrimage to the Jewish state, Mamdani identifies proudly as an “anti-Zionist.”
While he says he supports Israel’s right to exist, he describes any state or social hierarchy that favors Jews over others as incompatible with his belief in universal human rights.
City officials, Mamdani often points out, have no say in American foreign policy. And he has consistently and emphatically rejected claims that his criticism of Israel amounts to antisemitism, promising to work closely with those whom he doesn’t agree with if elected.
But as Cuomo and others have framed the race as a referendum on Israel, political observers say a Mamdani victory could reverberate far beyond New York, offering permission for Democrats to speak out on an issue long seen as a third rail of politics.
“This race is a proxy for where the party goes from here in terms of support for Israel — and that’s causing a lot of consternation,” said Basil Smikle, a former chief executive of the state’s Democratic Party. “We’re treading in territory that we’ve not really dealt with before.”
The ‘most important’ issue in the race
From the beginning, Cuomo has staked much of his political comeback on painting himself as a defender of Jewish security, both in New York and the Middle East.
Shortly before launching his campaign, he announced that he had joined Netanyahu’s legal defense team to defend the prime minister against war crimes charges brought by the International Criminal Court. He cast antisemitism as the “most important” issue facing the city and himself as a “hyper aggressive supporter of Israel.”
Mamdani’s own views, he said, presented an “existential” threat to New Yorkers.
Other candidates quickly rushed to burnish their own pro-Israel credentials, including Mayor Eric Adams, who announced he would run on an “EndAntisemitism” ballot line.
As they competed for support among Brooklyn’s prominent rabbis and other Jewish voters, each equated protests for Palestinian rights with support for terrorism and backed a contentious definition of antisemitism that includes certain criticism of Israel.
Days before dropping out last month, Adams shared a smiling photo with Netanyahu.
The strategy appeared willfully ignorant of polls showing growing public disapproval in the U.S. of Israel’s prosecution of the war in Gaza, according to Alyssa Cass, a longtime Democratic strategist.
She said a handful of deep-pocketed campaign donors and some city news outlets “created an impression that you could not ever question Israel, and that impression was completely divorced from reality.”
“The unique dynamics in New York were masking a broader, larger migration in public opinion that had been brewing for some time,” Cass added. “They didn’t realize that the ground beneath them had shifted.”
Shifting political winds
Still, with less than two weeks to go before the election, Cuomo has only leaned into the issue, claiming at Wednesday’s debate that Mamdani had “stoked the flames of hatred against the Jewish people.”
The broadsides have won support from the Anti-Defamation League and pro-Israel donors, like the hedge fund billionaire Bill Ackman. But there is little indication that the strategy is working among ordinary New Yorkers.
In a Quinnipiac University poll conducted in early October, 41% of likely voters in New York City said Mamdani’s views on Israel aligned closest with their own, compared to 26% for Cuomo.
A Fox News poll conducted in mid-October found that 50% of registered voters in New York said they identified more with the Palestinians in the Middle East conflict, compared to 44% who identified more with the Israelis.
Those numbers have alarmed some Jewish leaders, who have laid at least some of the blame at Mamdani’s feet. In an open letter circulated this week, 650 rabbis warned that his candidacy has contributed to “rising anti-Zionism and its political normalization.”
Amy Spitalnick, the chief executive of the Jewish Council on Public Affairs, cautioned against drawing a direct link between Mamdani’s popularity and his pro-Palestinian stance.
She noted that most Jewish voters remain strong supporters of Israel, lamenting the fact that neither Mamdani nor Cuomo had articulated “the liberal nuanced perspective that most New York Jews hold.”
“Mamdani’s views on Israel matter, but it’s not the issue on which the majority of New Yorkers are voting,” she added. “If he wins, it’s because he ran a compelling campaign on making this city more affordable.”
Weaponization and authenticity
In debates and interviews, where Mamdani often faces a barrage of questions about his views on the Israel-Hamas war, he is quick to shift the focus to his platform, which includes freezing the rent for regulated apartments, making buses free and lowering the cost of child care.
“I have denounced Hamas again and again,” an exasperated Mamdani said during a debate last week. “It will never be enough for Andrew Cuomo.”
At Wednesday’s debate, Mamdani again spoke of his proposal to increase funding for hate crime prevention and his recent outreach to Jewish voters about their fears of antisemitism.
“They deserve a leader who takes it seriously, who roots it out of these five boroughs, not one who weaponizes it as a means by which to score political points on a debate stage,” he added.
But despite months of vitriolic backlash, Mamdani has stood firm on his core criticism of Israel. In his statement marking the anniversary of the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, he condemned both Hamas’ “horrific war crimes” and Israel’s occupation, apartheid and “genocidal war” in Gaza.
Whether or not those views are shared by the broader electorate, the consistency of the message has served as “proxy for authenticity” in the minds of voters, according to Peter Feld, a progressive political consultant.
And it has offered a sharp contrast with not only Cuomo, but other pro-Israel Democrats in New York, including Sen. Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Both have spent weeks rebuffing questions about whether they will endorse Mamdani, indicating they were still meeting and speaking with the Democratic nominee.
“The allies divided up Europe in fewer meetings,” scoffed Cass. “At this point, they’re ignoring the majoritarian view of their voters, and there’s no way around that.”
In recent weeks, Feld said he had spoken to several potential candidates weighing primary challenges to other pro-Israel Democratic incumbents.
“Mamdani changed how candidates and donors think about what is politically possible,” Feld said. “We’ve seen that siding with Palestine over Israel doesn’t make you radioactive. It shows voters that you’ll stick to your principles.”
The McLaren drivers go into the final five races free to race with each other and with no internal team rules hanging over them – other than not to crash with one another.
Norris had been facing undefined “repercussions” after colliding with Piastri while taking third place from him at the first sequence of corners in Singapore.
Following the crash between the two at the start of the sprint at the US Grand Prix last weekend, these have now been removed.
“There is a degree of responsibility from my side in the sprint and we are starting this weekend within a clean slate for both of us, just going out and going racing,” said Piastri.
The Australian, who won at Zandvoort, has seen his lead erode after being beaten by Norris in each of the past four races, but he said he had also been surprised Verstappen had come into the equation so quicky.
“The run of form he’s had since Monza has been a bit of a surprise,” said Piastri.
“There were flashes earlier in the season but there were also some pretty big dips. We know they have been throwing a lot of things at their car trying to improve it but he has come to the fight quicker than I expected.”
However, when asked if he was concerned about Verstappen, Piastri said: “It’s not really something I think about. He has been consistent and strong the last few weekends but there is no benefit in worrying about or focusing on that.
“The thing that’s going to help me win the championship is get the most out of myself, the car, the team. He’s there, he’s in the fight but ultimately it doesn’t change how I go about my racing.”
Norris added: “Max has had very good form the last month or so. They have been performing better than we have.
“He has won a good amount of races and he’s Max Verstappen. You’d be silly if you didn’t want to give Max a chance.
“At the minute, they are in better form, a lot of races they have been quicker. But we still have chances. We have a better car from now until the end of the season and we just have to make use of that.”
Verstappen said: “It’s clear we had a good run, definitely been enjoying it a lot more like that and we will try to carry that momentum forward. We know we need to be perfect to the end to have a chance, but we just try to maximise everything and see where we end up.”
DIVISION I #16 LA Roosevelt #1 LA University #9 Larchmont Charter at #8 LACES #12 Reseda at #5 Sherman Oaks CES #13 Sylmar at #4 LA Marshall #14 Triumph Charter at #3 Granada Hills Kennedy #11 San Pedro at #6 Arleta #10 South Gate at #7 Port of LA #15 Vaughn at #2 Grant
DIVISION II #16 Harbor Teacher at #1 East Valley #9 Central City Value at #8 GALA #12 San Fernando at #5 North Hollywood #13 Lincoln at #4 Carson #14 Bravo at #3 Bernstein #11 Canoga Park at #6 Maywood CES #10 King/Drew at #7 University Prep Value #15 Los Angeles at #2 Mendez
DIVISION III #17 Orthopaedic at #16 Wilmington Banning #20 Smidt Tech at #13 Math & Science College Prep #19 Community Charter at #14 Gertz-Ressler #18 Diego Rivera at #15 Narbonne
DIVISION IV #17 Stern at #16 Valley Oaks CES #20 Hawkins at #13 Fairfax #19 Rancho Dominguez at #14 Animo Bunche #18 Alliance Bloomfield at #15 Lakeview Charter
DIVISION V #17 WISH Academy at #16 Discovery #24 Magnolia Science Magnet #9 Santee #21 Roybal #12 Gardena #20 Fremont at #13 Magnolia Science Academy #19 Hollywood at #14 Elizabeth #22 LA Jordan at #11 Sotomayor #23 Annenberg at #10 Dorsey #18 Monroe at #15 Downtown Magnets
WEDNESDAY’S SCHEDULE
Quarterfinals
OPEN DIVISION #8 Chatsworth at #1 Venice #5 El Camino Real at #4 Cleveland #6 Taft at #3 Eagle Rock #7 Granada Hills vs. #2 Palisades, 7 p.m. at Brentwood
Note: Second Round Divisions III-V Oct. 29 at higher seeds; QuarterfinalsDivisions I-II Oct. 30 at higher seeds; Quarterfinals Divisions III-V Nov. 3 at higher seeds; Semifinals Open-Division I Nov. 4 at higher seeds; Semifinals Divisions II-V Nov. 5 at higher seeds; Finals (all divisions) Nov. 7-8
OAKLAND — President Trump said Thursday that he had called off a planned federal “surge” into San Francisco after speaking with Mayor Daniel Lurie and other city leaders — a detente that officials and activists in the East Bay said they were not welcomed into and viewed with some suspicion, as potentially enlarging the target on their own communities.
Trump’s announcement came amid protests at the entrance to the U.S. Coast Guard base across the bay in Alameda County, where the Department of Homeland Security has begun staging additional forces. It followed a similar announcement by Lurie, who said he had told Trump during a phone call late Wednesday that San Francisco is “on the rise” and that “having the military and militarized immigration enforcement in our city will hinder our recovery.”
Lurie said Trump agreed to call off any federal deployment to the city, and that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem — who is in charge of federal immigration forces — had “reaffirmed that direction” in a conversation with him Thursday morning.
Trump said on social media that his administration had been planning a “surge” in San Francisco beginning Saturday, but that Lurie had asked him “very nicely” to “give him a chance to see if he can turn it around,” and that other “friends” of Trump’s in the city had asked him to call it off because they believe Lurie is “making substantial progress.”
Trump said he told Lurie that he was “making a mistake, because we can do it much faster, and remove the criminals that the Law does not permit him to remove,” but that he had ultimately agreed to pause the surge — in part because Lurie has the support of prominent business leaders Jensen Huang of Nvidia and Marc Benioff of Salesforce.
During a Thursday morning briefing less than an hour after Trump’s post, Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee and other East Bay leaders said they had “no information” about such a stand-down in their communities, and were still bracing for increased federal immigration raids given the staging of forces at nearby Coast Guard Island, which is in the waters between Alameda and Oakland.
“The federal administration, of course, has escalated its rhetoric and its enforcement posture in the Bay Area. We know that Border Patrol agents are being stationed on Coast Guard Island,” Lee said. “But … we are fully prepared. We’re monitoring developments closely and we’ll keep our residents informed if there are any confirmed changes. Oakland is and will continue to be a welcoming city for our immigrants and our refugees.”
The Department of Homeland Security defended the deployment of its agents to the region, saying they would be “targeting the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens — including murderers, rapists, gang members, pedophiles, and terrorists.”
Alameda County Dist. Atty. Ursula Jones Dickson said the staging of immigration forces in the East Bay was part of an established Trump administration “playbook” to rile up communities with immigration actions and then use any unrest to justify further force — and called on East Bay residents not to fall for it.
“We know that they’re baiting Oakland, and that’s why San Francisco, all of a sudden, is off the table,” Jones Dickson said. “So I’m not going to be quiet about what we know is coming. We know that their expectation is that Oakland is going to do something to cause them to make us the example.”
Lourdes Martinez, co-director of the immigrant rights program at Centro Legal de la Raza, said communities are understandably scared given recent legal rulings that federal immigration agents can stop people based on factors such as the color of their skin, the language they are speaking and the job sectors they work in — and organizers expect more such stops given the latest deployments.
She called on immigrants and others to protect themselves by readying documentation and making sure that they and their families are familiar with their rights to remain silent and to have an attorney — and how to contact legal advocacy groups in case of trouble. She also urged community members to report any detentions, to “make sure that nobody disappears.”
“We know this is an uncertain and stressful time. However, this is a moment of unity and power, not panic,” she said.
Shortly after Lee’s event, about 40 protesters gathered near a bridge leading to Coast Guard Island.
Music was blasting. One person wore a blow-up animal costume, a trend that gained momentum amid similar protests in Portland recently. Coast Guard members in tactical gear stood in a line across from protesters who screamed at them.
“We knew there was going to be [an immigration enforcement] presence here and we wanted to disrupt in a peaceful way — to make it harder for them to abduct people,” said Lindsey Swanson, 32, a financial planner who lives in Oakland.
Swanson and others said they believed immigration enforcement would also ramp up in San Francisco, despite Trump and Lurie’s morning assurances, and would continue in the East Bay regardless.
“There’s East Bay — Oakland, Berkeley — so calling off San Francisco means nothing,” said Rachel Kim, a 28-year-old Berkeley resident who is training to become a therapist.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday that Trump’s conversation with Lurie was an example of how he is willing to work with Democrats and other states to “do the right thing and clean up America’s cities.”
“He is genuinely interested in this effort to make our streets safer, to make our cities safe and clean again,” she said.
The morning events followed days of growing tensions in the Bay Area over Trump’s plans for the region, after he repeatedly suggested that he would send federal forces into San Francisco — which he called a “mess” in desperate need of help, despite data showing decreasing crime and homeless encampments and surging positive sentiment.
On Wednesday, Gov. Gavin Newsom confirmed the staging of immigration agents in the area, and suggested it was the first move in a broader effort by Trump and his administration to stoke chaos and intimidate residents in yet another liberal part of the country.
“He sends out masked men, he sends out Border Patrol, he sends out ICE, he creates anxiety and fear in the community so that he can lay claim to solving that by sending in the Guard,” Newsom said. “This is no different than the arsonist putting out the fire.”
The response echoed those of leaders and activists in other cities where immigration forces and federal troops have been deployed, including Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Chicago and Portland. It added to an already rancorous debate around Trump’s mass deportation initiative, which he campaigned on heavily, and the role of federal forces in American cities — something the founders of the nation limited to extreme circumstances.
Central to that debate has been Trump’s repeated and unprecedented decision to repeatedly send troops into American cities without the explicit support of state or local leaders. Federal judges have been divided on that issue, though it has so far been allowed to continue in Los Angeles by the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.
But even in the appellate court, there has been tense disagreement.
Liberal judges on the court recently called for the decision allowing the deployments to continue in Los Angeles, which was made by a three-judge panel, to be reheard before a larger, 11-judge panel. When that request was denied, several dissented Wednesday — excoriating the deployments as a clear breach of constitutional law and the separation of powers.
Judge Marsha Berzon, in a dissent joined by 10 fellow 9th Circuit judges, wrote that the smaller panel in its preliminary deference to Trump had “invited presidents, now and in the future, to deploy military troops in response to the kinds of commonplace, shortlived, domestic disturbances whose containment conventionally falls to local and federal law enforcement units.”
Times staff writer Ana Ceballos, in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report.
Carson was also at Liverpool when the Reds won the Champions League, FA Cup and Super Cup, while he made more than 100 appearances for Derby County and West Brom.
But it was at City where he enjoyed glittering success, including the Treble of Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League in 2023, after spending two seasons initially on loan from Derby in 2019.
Carson became a cult hero among fans, having played only 117 minutes in total as third-choice keeper behind Ederson and Stefan Ortega for much of his time at the club.
His last competitive appearance was as a late substitute in a Champions League last-16 second-leg draw with Sporting in March 2022.
Manchester City defender Manuel Akanji, currently on loan at Inter Milan, called Carson an “absolute legend” in response to his announcement, while “The Goat” was how former team-mate Fernandinho reacted.
Norwegian striker Erling Haaland was among the other City players – past and present – to comment, writing: “Miss you pal, all the best.”
Derby, where Carson spent six years, posted on Instagram: “Wishing all the best to Scott Carson. Congratulations on a magnificent career, Scott.”
Oct. 22 (UPI) — The top two candidates to become New York’s next mayor lashed out at one another Wednesday in their second and final general election debate two weeks before the election.
Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, 67, is running as an independent after Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani, 34, defeated him in the city’s Democratic Party primary.
In 2020, Mamdani, a Muslim, became the first Ugandan and South Asian man to serve in the state chamber. Cuomo was governor from 2011 until 2023, when he resigned amid sexual harassment allegations.
Also on stage was Guardian Angels founder and radio show host Curtis Sliwa, 71, who secured the Republican Party’s nomination and is vowing not to drop out of the race to close Cuomo’s gap.
During the 90-minute debate, they agreed on one issue: a federal crackdown by U.S. Immigration and Law Enforcement. But they disagreed how to best deal with President Donald Trump
Mamdani is polling as the favorite to win New York City’s mayoral election, which is scheduled for Nov. 4, but Cuomo has closed ground in recent polls, though Mamdani has a double-digit lead, according to CBS News. Early voting starts Saturday.
An AARP/Gotham Polling poll released on Monday shows Mamdani with 43.2%, followed by Cuomo at 28.9% and Sliwa at 19.4%. In a head-to-head race, Mamdani prevails 44.6% to 40.7% for Cuomo.
Trump would prefer Cuomo over Mamdani and has asked Sliwa to drop out.
“He has no respect for him,” Cuomo said about Trump, who has called his opponent a Communist. “He thinks he’s a kid and he’s going to knock him on his tuchus.”
Cuomo called Mamdani divisive and lacked experience. Mamdani responded that Cuomo was a “desperate man lashing out.”
Sliwa also noted Mamdani’s lack of experience, saying his resume could “fit on a cocktail napkin.” And he said that Cuomo has enough failures to “fill a library.”
Mandani’s experience was punctuated during an exchange on housing policy.
“The governor doesn’t build housing in New York City,” Cuomo said in response to a question.
“Not if it’s you,” Mamdani responded.
“I did things; you have never had a job,” Cuomo said, pointing toward Mamdani and drawing applause from the crowd. “There is no reason to believe you have any merit or qualification for 8.5 million lives. You don’t know how to run a government.”
In describing his opponent’s limited experience, Cuomo said: “You don’t know how to handle an emergency, and you literally never proposed a bill on anything that you’re not talking about in your campaign.”
Mamdani said Cuomo was “creating his own facts.”
“We just had a former governor say in his own words that the city has been getting screwed by the state,” Mamdani said. “Who was leading the state? It was you, governor.”
Cuomo has referred to his opponent as “de Blasio lite” and “de Blasio 2.0.” Bill de Blasio, a Democrat, was the city’s mayor from 2014 until 2021 and has backed Mamdani.
Mamdani has not been endorsed by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer or House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, both Democrats of New York.
Mamdani’s opponents have accused him of promoting antisemitism.
“You’re the savior of the Jewish people? You won’t denounce ‘Globalize the Intifada,’ which means ‘Kill Jews,'” Cuomo said, noting that hundreds of rabbis had signed a letter criticizing him. “There’s unprecedented fear in New York.”
Mandani said: “I look forward to being a mayor for every single person that calls the city home. All 8.5 million New Yorkers, and that includes Jewish New Yorkers who may have concerns or opposition to the positions that I’ve shared about Israel and Palestine.”
He described his own Jewish family members, saying that members of the community were “scared.”
The debate at LaGuardia Performing Arts Center at LaGuardia Community College was moderated by Errol Lewis of NY1, Brian Lehrer of WNYC and Katie Honan of The City and aired live on Spectrum News’ NY1 and via streaming.
Cuomo favors city oversight of the New York City Transit’s budget, while Mamdani has advocated for revising how the city’s Department of Education approves contracts, WABC-TV reported.
Sliwa is running as a law-and-order candidate and on Wednesday morning said he is ending his conservative talk show on WABC Radio due to the station hosting Cuomo several times in recent weeks.
WABC Radio owner John Catsimatidis and program host Sid Rosenberg each have advocated for Sliwa to end his campaign in favor of Cuomo, according to WABC-TV.
After the debate, Cuomo went to the New York Knicks game at Madison Square Garden with Mayor Eric Adams, who lost in the Democratic primary and dropped out as an independent.
As a Los Angeles City Council aide, Jose Ugarte failed to disclose years worth of outside income he made from lobbying and consulting — and, as a result, was prepared to pay a fine.
But the city’s Ethics Commission has now rejected a $17,500 settlement agreement with the council candidate. Two commissioners said the fine was not quite large enough.
“We need to signal that this is a serious violation,” said Manjusha Kulkarni, the president of the commission, who voted against the settlement.
Ugarte is deputy chief of staff to Curren Price and is running to replace his longtime boss on the City Council. Price has endorsed him. But the council aide failed to report outside income from his consulting firm, Ugarte & Associates, for the years 2021, 2022 and 2023, according to Ethics Commission documents.
He said the failure to report the outside income was a “clerical reporting error.”
Although two of the commissioners want a steeper fine against Ugarte, the suggested bump isn’t that large.
Two commissioners voted in favor of the $17,500 settlement, but Kulkarni and another commissioner, Terry Kaufmann, agreed the settlement amount should be around $20,000.
It’s an amount that they believe could send a clearer message.
“There is great concern about what is happening in Los Angeles. … Individuals routinely violate the laws we put in place to ensure trust,” Kulkarni said.
Kaufmann added that she was concerned by the fact that Ugarte still worked for a council member and was running for office.
The proposed settlement with Ugarte included seven counts against him, and each comes with a potential $5,000 penalty. But since Ugarte was cooperative, the commission’s director of enforcement reduced the overall penalty by 50%, bringing it down from $35,000 to the $17,500 figure.
Ugarte told The Times that his work with Ugarte & Associates never overlapped with his time in Price’s office.
He started working for Price in 2013 but left the office in 2019. He returned in 2021. Ugarte & Associates was formed in 2018 and still conducts business. He co-owns the company with his sister.
The Trump administration is sending federal agents to San Francisco following weeks of threats from the president to deploy the National Guard to the Bay Area.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom released a statement on X confirming and criticizing the agents’ upcoming arrival. He called deployment a “page right out of the dictator’s handbook” intended to create the conditions of unrest necessary to then send in the National Guard.
“He sends out masked men, he sends out Border Patrol, he sends out ICE, he creates anxiety and fear in the community so that he can lay claim to solving that by sending in the [National] Guard,” said Newsom. “This is no different than the arsonist putting out the fire.”
Around 100 federal agents, including members of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, are en route to the U.S. Coast Guard’s Alameda base, according to reporting from the San Francisco Chronicle. The Coast Guard and DHS did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment.
Trump has suggested for weeks that San Francisco is next on his list for National Guard deployment, after the administration sent troops to Los Angeles and Chicago and is battling in court to send them to Portland, Ore.
On Sunday, Trump told Fox News, “We’re going to San Francisco and we’ll make it great. It’ll be great again.”
Trump has suggested that the role of the National Guard in San Francisco would be to address crime rates. However, the National Guard is generally not allowed to perform domestic law enforcement duties when federalized by the president.
In September, he said that cities with Democratic political leadership such as San Francisco, Chicago and Los Angeles “are very unsafe places and we are going to straighten them out.”
Trump said he told Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that “we should use some of these dangerous cities as training for our military, our national guard.”
Newsom urged Californians to remain peaceful in the face of the arrival of federal agents.
“President Trump and [White House Deputy Chief of Staff] Stephen Miller’s authoritarian playbook is coming for another of our cities, and violence and vandalism are exactly what they’re looking for to invoke chaos,” said Newsom on X.
The sending of federal agents to San Francisco comes as the Trump administration continues to crack down on immigration across the nation in an attempt to carry out what the president has proclaimed is the largest deportation effort in U.S. history.
BRITS could be set to welcome a new mega zipline after the world’s biggest tunnel flopped.
The Olympic Park’s iconic ArcelorMittal Orbit was crowned the world’s longest tunnel after it was built in 2012.
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A mega zipline could be opening in the UKCredit: AlamyThe Olympic Park’s iconic ArcelorMittal Orbit was constructed in 2012Credit: AlamyWelsh adventure company Zip World took over in SeptemberCredit: ZipWorld
But, despite all its glory, the site never attracted enough visitors to operate a sustainable business.
In a bid to save the location from ruin, Zip World took over in September and vowed to install a huge zipwire.
The company has submitted a planning application which, if accepted, would see a switchback zipwire made.
Tourists would be strapped into a chair that takes them from the top of the Orbit and back up again.
The wire would measure a whopping 440m and stretch over to London Stadium.
Plans need to be approved by Tower Hamlets and Newham council officials.
If they are given the greenlight, it is estimated the attraction would fetch 60,000 visitors each year.
Designed by Sir Anish Kapoor and Cecil Balmond for London 2012, the ArcelorMittal Orbit delighted visitors during the games before reopening to the public in 2014.
The ArcelorMittal Orbit isn’t just a huge sculpture, it’s also home to the world’s biggest tunnel slide, the Helix.
Standing at 76m and stretching for 178m, brave visitors can reach speeds of up to 15mph on the slide.
The huge tunnel slide also features 12 turns, which twist and snake around the Olympic Park sculpture, making for a dizzying journey.
If this sounds too stomach-churning, then visitors can also take in panoramic views over London from the ArcelorMittal Orbit 360 viewing deck.
Located at the top of the sculpture, the viewing platform boasts views for as far as 20 miles on a clear day.
Visitors have praised the attraction in their reviews on TripAdvisor, with one person writing: “The views across London are spectacular, and you get great views across the park, the stadium, and the city”.
ZipWorld boss, Andrew Hudson, said earlier this year: “We are excited to announce the re-opening date for the ArcelorMittal Orbit at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, ready for half term.
“This is just the start for Zip World in London, and we can’t wait to welcome both locals and thrill-seekers from around the world.
“We’ve got many more epic adventures lined up that will redefine urban excitement in the heart of the city.
“We’ll continue working closely with LLDC as we expand our off world-class experiences to bring something truly unique to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.”
Entry tickets to the ArcelorMittal Orbit 360 viewing deck start from £7, with tickets for Helix starting from £14.
Adventure giant Zip World has a host of other attractions in the UK, including the UK’s first zipline rollercoaster at Penrhyn Quarry in Snowdonia.
The Aero Explorer ride opened in 2023 and offers thrill-seekers a “high-speed journey across the quarry” like no other.
An overhead track is connected to a harness on the rider, which enables them to glide around as if they’re on a rollercoaster.
The track is found high above the quarry, offering views of the landscape as people fly around connected to the circuit above.
Plus, how London’s newest tourist town in a “forgotten” district is a £1.3billion attraction with hotels, theatre and a rooftop bar.
It is estimated the proposed zip line would fetch 60,000 visitors each yearCredit: AlamyThe attraction is home to the world’s biggest tunnel slide, the HelixCredit: ZipWorldPlans need approved by Tower Hamlets and Newham council officialsCredit: Alamy
Lonely Planet has unveiled its worldwide Best In Travel list for 2026, with one UK city making the cut
This buzzing city is great for a weekend trip(Image: Mark Angell via Getty Images)
Bristol has been named as a must-visit destination for 2026 by travel guide giant, Lonely Planet, thanks to its vibrant street art scene. The city is the only one in the UK to feature on the Best In Travel list for next year.
“Bristol’s street art scene makes for a fantastic inclusion in Best in Travel, Lonely Planet’s annual celebration of essential journeys and experiences for the coming year,” said Tom Hall, Vice President of Lonely Planet.
“As well as showcasing the talents of local artists, we’re delighted to shine a light on one of the UK’s most exciting cities. Exploring the colourful, creative murals dotted around the city is the perfect first step in getting to the heart of Bristol.”
The city reportedly boasts over 250 street artworks scattered throughout its streets. ‘Our Common Ground’, a massive new artwork that adorns part of the Centre, was revealed in September, although it received a somewhat mixed response.
Bristol’s own Banksy, arguably the world’s most renowned street artist, is a major draw. Kathryn Davis, CEO of tourism organisation Visit West, expressed her delight at Bristol’s inclusion in Lonely Planet’s 2026 edition, highlighting how the local arts scene significantly contributes to the city and wider region’s economy, reports Bristol Live.
“Our ever-evolving outdoor gallery draws thousands of visitors from around the world each year, contributing millions of pounds to the local visitor economy,” she said.
“Visitors not only stay in hotels and join tours, but they also contribute significantly to the visitor economy at large… Crucially, this impact extends beyond the city centre, helping to drive economic benefits across the wider city.”
According to Visit West, tourism contributes £2.6bn to the combined economy of Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset.
Approximately 45,000 people are employed in the region’s ‘visitor economy’.
“We are thrilled that Lonely Planet has named Bristol in its Best in Travel 2026 for our city’s street art,” Ms Davis added.
“We look forward to welcoming many more visitors this next year and beyond, to discover the humorous, playful, political and subversive street art in and around the city.”
A celebration event marking Bristol’s inclusion in Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2026 will take place at The Canteen in Stokes Croft this morning (October 22).
Prominent local street artist Alex Lucas – known as Lucas Antics – will create a brand new mural to commemorate the occasion.
Ok I might be biased as it has become my adopted home after moving here 12 years ago from London.
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The Sun’s Alex West left London for Bristol more than a decade ago, and is delighted that it features on Lonely Planet’s best places to visit in 2026 – with seeing the city’s street art among its top global experiencesCredit: Alex West
But it has everything the capital has to offer – just less busy and hectic.
Banksy has made it famous with his brilliant and funny graffiti.
His seminal painting of the naked man hanging out of the window of his mistress, takes pride of place at the bottom of the city’s Park Street.
And if you wander around the docks – once a thriving hub of trade at the heart of the Industrial Revolution – you can spot his iconic Girl with the Pierced Eardrum.
The city, with a population of 500,000, has just been named as one of the top 50 destinations to visit in the world because of its street art.
It ranks alongside stargazing in New Zealand for an experience according to the experts at Lonely Planet which said: “No city in Britain uses its urban landscape as a canvas quite like Bristol, with some of the best street art anywhere in Europe.”
I even have a graffiti mural on the side of my house, painted by a brilliant Italian artist that was done as part of Upfest, Europe’s biggest graffiti festival.
Dozens of other homes and shopfronts in the city are also adorned with all sorts of quirky and irreverent artwork.
Most read in Best of British
But it is not just the street art scene that makes Bristol great.
It has everything from sport, to music, theatre, architecture, and some of the best restaurants in Britain.
There is a glut of brilliant places to eat with cafes, bars and food shacks, and three Michelin starred restaurants.Credit: Alamy
It’s host to the mighty Bristol City and Bristol Bearsfootball and rugby teams, as well as Gloucestershire Cricket Club.
And arguably England’s most famous cricketer, WG Grace, lived and played on the city’s many grounds.
Other famous residents included Archibald Leach – better known as movie star Cary Grant.
Bristol was also where “drum n’ bass” was invented, is home to brilliant bands Massive Attack and the Idles, and in its Bristol Beacon has a world class music venue which has hosted everyone from the Beatles to Jimi Hendrix, the Rolling Stones, Coldplay, and Adele.
Its Motion and Lakota nightclubs are also world famous.
And the people, with their West country burr, are some of the friendliest on the planet.
Many are also radical freethinkers who are at the front of counter culture, and lead the way on environmental and equality issues.
A group famously banded together to pull down a statue of slave trader Edward Colston and throw it in the harbour.
The statue was pulled out later and put in a museum.
Its famous Clifton Suspension Bridge – built so the posh residents of Clifton could cross Avon Gorge and get away from the smog for a walk in the countryside – is one of the most iconic bridges in the world.
It was built by Victorian engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel, whose genius also gave the world the Great Western Railway with its long and complex tunnels, and the then fastest steamship in the world, the SS Great Britain.
On still days, residents are often treated to the spectacle of hot air balloons floating over the city.
The ubiquitous orbs end up landing randomly, including once on a cricket pitch in the middle of a match.
The annual Balloon Fiesta also attracts thousands of visitors.
And one of the greatest advantages of the city is its location and how quickly you can get to some of the best countryside in the UK.
In less than three hours’ drive you can be on the sandy beaches of Cornwall or the rugged coastline of West Wales, with masses of beautiful countryside in between.
There is also a glut of brilliant places to eat with cafes, bars and food shacks, and three Michelin starred restaurants.
One of the greatest advantages of the city is its location and how quickly you can get to some of the best countryside in the UK.Credit: AlamyThe city, with a population of 500,000, has just been named as one of the top 50 destinations to visit in the world because of its street art.Credit: ALEC WEST
One of my favourites is a newly-opened kiosk on the waterfront – near the famous Old Duke jazz pub which has live music every night – called Soft Buoys selling grilled cheese sandwiches and mind blowing ice creams and affogato.
Bristol has a lot going for it, which is why it is believed to have a higher retention rate of university students going on to live in the city than anywhere else in the country.
Bristol University is one of the best in the world and it is just completing a mega new Enterprise campus near the train station, Temple Meads.
I could go on but you get the picture.
It has its bad sides too, as does any big city, but they are too few to bemoan and the benefits massively outweigh them.
In St Albans, Hertfordshire you can wander medieval streets, browse boutique shops, sip something warm in cosy pubs, and soak up the festive vibes at the 1,000-year-old market
St Albans is home to some great pubs and markets
A city that is a surprisingly short train ride away from London has a millennium-old market and some of the oldest pubs in the UK.
Such is the speed of the connection from St Albans to St Pancras in London, locals affectionately refer to it as the Shinkansen or Bullet Train of Hertfordshire.
But it’s not just ease of transport that makes the cathedral city worth visiting. In fact, one could argue that as the golden leaves begin to fall and rooftops frost over, St Albans is the picture-perfect spot for a short break.
There you can wander medieval streets, browse boutique shops, sip something warm in cosy pubs, and soak up the festive vibes at the 1,000-year-old market.
The jewel of the city, St Albans Cathedral, is the oldest site of continuous Christian worship in Britain. Step inside and you’ll find the Shrine of St Alban, Britain’s first saint and after whom the city was named, which has been a focal point for visitors and pilgrims alike for over 1,700 years.
It has the longest nave of any cathedral in England, at 85 metres long, and visitors can climb 211 winding steps to the top of the spectacular Norman Tower, where they may spot the tall buildings of the City of London.
Simply magical during the colder months, the Cathedral’s programme is packed with seasonal events and activities to enjoy, including stunning candlelight concerts, creative workshops and awe-inspiring exhibitions.
Its popular Live Nativity Trail, which on Saturday, December 13, features actors reenacting characters from the Christmas story and bringing the nativity scene to life for families and people of all ages. The fun and festive trail guides visitors around the Cathedral grounds, encountering shepherds, wise men, angels, innkeepers, and even a somewhat grumpy King Herod. Also on 13 December is the popular Carols on the Hour.
The great outdoors
Wrap up warm and embrace the beauty of the season with an invigorating walk, leisurely stroll, cycle or dog walk — St Albans is packed with picturesque, cobbled streets and has an abundance of gorgeous places to enjoy the fresh air.
Venture to Nomansland Common and Heartwood Forest for woodland or take The Alban Way trail, a flat and traffic-free disused section of the Great Northern Railway, ideal for cyclists and walkers.
Named after the Roman City on which it stands, Verulamium Park boasts over 100 acres of parkland just steps from the city centre. It features an ornamental lake, a rare Roman mosaic and hypocaust, café, and more.
And just a five-minute walk from the city centre is Clarence Park, home to an old-fashioned bandstand, but if you’re more of a sports enthusiast, then Clarence Park is also the home of St Albans City Football Club, which always has a great buzz on match days.
Delicious food and drink
After a long walk, there’s nothing quite like a hearty pub lunch with roast potatoes and Yorkshire puddings, a customary pint or a glass of red and a blazing open fire. Whether it’s The Cock Inn, The Peahen, The Boot, The Six Bells, The Lower Red Lion or Ye Olde Fighting Cocks (reputed to be one of England’s oldest pubs), there are plenty of traditional hostelries across St Albans where you can while away a winter afternoon in the company of good friends, excellent food and a welcoming atmosphere in front of the flames.
Fine dining restaurants including Thompson St Albans and Lussmanns Sustainable Kitchen offer award-winning, refined, flavour-filled dishes from the finest seasonal ingredients, matched with meticulous service.
For sweet treats and stop-offs, get your taste buds tingling at wonderful bakeries dotted throughout the city centre. You can try Proto Artisan Bakery brimming with the most delicious twists of Real Sourdough Bread such as cranberry and walnut.
To help discover the best eating and drinking in the city, a new food and drink Map has been created by St Albans City Centre BID, listing 120 locations including the finest dining on offer.
Historical pubs
You can become fully immersed in the fascinating history of hostelries — the term for a traditional coaching inn. From November, St Albans Museum and Gallery will present Inns and Alehouses in Victorian St Albans, an exhibition inspired by the 1884 song The City Pubs, composed by ‘Baron’ Martin and first performed at the annual dinner of the St Albans Licensed Victuallers’ Association.
The lively composition lists the many pubs, inns and taprooms of the city (some still open today) and provides a fascinating glimpse into a time when St Albans boasted nearly one hundred commercial drinking establishments.
The exhibition explores the diverse venues that shaped social life in the late nineteenth century — from bustling beerhouses to traditional taverns — shedding light on the reasons behind their success or decline as the city moved into the twentieth century.
Something for film and theatre fans
Film enthusiasts can head to the Art Deco Odyssey Cinema which dates to 1908 and shows an incredible range of titles that can be enjoyed from plush seats with your choice of drinks, snacks and delicious food plates.
OVO’s production of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol returns this year at two brand-new venues, including the enchanting walled Vintry Garden, overlooking the Cathedral in St Albans. This open-air venue offers a unique festive experience that immerses audiences in the spirit of Christmas past, present and yet to come.
Spectacular shopping and ancient markets
St Albans is a great shopping destination where old meets new with charming independent boutiques offering cutting-edge and unusual items set in beautiful, Medieval buildings and three large shopping areas playing host to well-known brands.
Support small businesses at the award-winning St Albans Charter Market, established over 1,000 years ago. Every Wednesday and Saturday, shop for everything you could possibly want and enjoy the buzz and energy of the legendary market through the quirky cobblestone streets that are at the heart of the St Albans story.
The Second Sunday Market specialises in local food and drink and sustainable arts and crafts while at St Albans Vintage Market you can find all manner of antiques, vintage, brocante and architectural salvage. St Albans Vegan Market brings a big variety of vegan street food, artisan bakers, craft brewers, ethical jewellers, sustainable chandlers, local artists, zero-waste champions, environmental charities and loads more.
At a car lot just off the 405 in the San Fernando Valley, there is more than meets the eye.
Galpin Motors sells new and used Fords — touting itself as one of the largest dealerships in the world. But next door, it also displays exotic rides: Shelby Cobras. A vintage purple Rolls-Royce. Sylvester Stallone’s Harley from “The Expendables.”
And then there’s the on-site diner, the Horseless Carriage, where the vinyl-covered booths have hosted generations of Valley power brokers and men who have shaped the policies of the Los Angeles Police Department for decades.
Bert Boeckmann, owner and president of Galpin Motors, stands with new Fords in his showroom.
( Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Former Galpin boss Herbert “Bert” Boeckmann was an influential figure in local politics and a member of the city’s Board of Police Commissioners, the civilian panel that oversees the LAPD. A longtime lawyer for car dealer, Alan Skobin, also served on the commission.
Now, another member of the Galpin Motors family is poised to carry on the legacy.
The City Council is scheduled to vote Wednesday on whether Jeffrey Skobin, a vice president at Galpin, will follow in his father Alan’s footsteps and join the commission.
Appointed by Mayor Karen Bass, the younger Skobin, 45, already serves on an advisory board that gives the mayor input on issues facing the Valley. He did not respond to an interview request from The Times.
Skobin cleared one hurdle last week, when the council’s public safety committee approved his nomination by a 3-1 vote.
Several committee members professed to knowing Skobin’s family, with one lauding him for the “good stock you come from.”
Skobin said he wouldn’t take the role of commissioner lightly. The five-member panel acts like a corporate board of directors, setting LAPD policies, approving its budget and scrutinizing police shootings.
“I recognize the seriousness of this role and the gravity of this responsibility,” Skobin told the committee. “My story is deeply tied to Los Angeles.”
A mega-dealership with five franchises, Galpin has long wielded influence as a source of jobs and tax revenue for the city. It was Boeckmann who established the business as a powerful player in local politics.
Rare classic Porsche sports cars on display in the Galpin Hall of Customs during the LA Auto Show’s opening day at Los Angeles Convention Center in 2021.
(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
Boeckmann was a self-made millionaire who started out as a car salesman in 1953, seven years after Galpin opened. He eventually bought out the company’s founder, Frank Galpin.
In the decades that followed, he amassed a large corporate empire in the Valley that also included vast land holdings and a film production company.
Boeckmann and his wife, Jane, longtime publisher of the Valley magazine, backed George W. Bush for president, Gray Davis for governor and Antonio Villaraigosa for mayor.
Galpin’s website features a picture of Boeckmann and his wife meeting California Gov. Ronald Reagan in 1974. “When I think about what’s right in America, I will always think of men like Bert Boeckmann,” said the future president, according to the company.
Samantha Stevens, a Los Angeles political consultant and former legislative staffer, said candidates routinely made pilgrimages to the Galpin lot on Roscoe Boulevard to court Boekmann.
“Everybody would go and ask for their support, not just the money. You wanted the name on the endorsement list,” Stevens said.
Although Boeckmann leaned conservative, she said, he was also a force behind the scenes in L.A.’s left-leaning City Hall and seemed to put aside politics when he found causes or candidates that he believed in — including a failed push for the Valley to break away and form its own city.
Ford Explorers on a Galpin storage lot on Woodley Avenue near Van Nuys Airport.
(Los Angeles Times)
“I remember sending my liberal Democrat candidates to meet with them, and they would get donations,” Stevens said.
First appointed to the Police Commission by then-Mayor Tom Bradley in 1983, Boeckmann served two stints under three mayors.
During his 17 combined years on the panel, Boeckmann gained a reputation as its most conservative member — with critics calling him an apologist for former Chief Daryl Gates.
He sat on the commission during two of the darkest chapters in LAPD history: The fallout of the 1991 beating of Black motorist Rodney King and the Rampart corruption scandal, which uncovered cops planting evidence, dealing drugs and committing other crimes.
Boekmann died in 2023 at age 93, but the company still maintains close ties with both the LAPD and City Hall.
Campaign finance records show that Galpin and its employees, including Jeffrey Skobin, have made contributions to numerous local, state and politicians, though not Bass’ mayoral campaign.
Yet when Bass announced the possibility of laying off city workers earlier this year, she chose Galpin as the backdrop of her news conference to rally support.
Last November, less than a week after taking over as LAPD chief, Jim McDonnell held a meet- and-greet at the company’s gleaming showroom of exotic cars across the street.
Galpin twice supported McDonnell’s campaigns for Los Angeles County sheriff, with records showing tens of thousands of dollars in donations during his successful run in 2014 and his failed re-election bid four years later.
In years’ past, the company came under scrutiny after it was revealed that Boeckmann leased city land and sold cars to the city. A controversy arose when the City Council spent $2.4 million to help buy a 239-acre parcel from Boeckmann in Mandeville Canyon. For a time, the LAPD stored some undercover vehicles on Galpin properties.
Those deep ties have led to questions about whether Skobin can be an effective police watchdog. The mayor’s office scrutinized Skobin’s business for any conflicts of interest before putting forward his nomination, city officials said.
LAPD Capt. Johnny Smith said Galpin has given to countless charitable causes and regularly provides meeting space for community groups.
“Their support has always come from a place of partnership, grounded in the belief that together, we can do better for this city we all love,” said Smith, who said he has known the Skobin family for years.
Alan Skobin, 74, told The Times his work on the police commission, on which he served from 2003 to 2012, gave his son a unique window into how the department functions — and what it takes to provide police oversight.
An auto enthusiast views the Batmobile, which was formerly a Ford Futura, on display at Galpin Hall of Customs.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
“Number one, don’t take things that are brought to you at face value. Look beyond the surface,” he said. “Always remember you are a representative of the public, and keep that perspective. Continue to be a good listener of various views.”
The elder Skobin recalled how his teenage son once came home upset over a traffic stop that occurred while he was driving to school with a friend, who was Black. The teens felt they were pulled over for no reason — and the incident left a lasting impression about discrimination by law enforcement, Skobin said.
“One thing I know about LAPD is things slip,” he said. “And Jeff is the kind of person that will look into those things.”
The only vote against the younger Skobin when he appeared before the council’s public safety committee last week came from Hugo Soto-Martinez, who peppered him with questions about his reaction to the Trump administration’s ongoing immigration raids.
“Heartbreaking,” Skobin said, noting that roughly half of Galpin’s employees are of Mexican descent. He is also married to a Mexican American woman.
The license plate data allows law enforcement to track the movements of Angelenos in their vehicles without court orders, and some worry that they could potentially be used to track people for deportation.
“I think I would take a position to seek to understand the legality of that, what options there are,” Skobin said.
The 25-year-old, who has 48 caps for the Netherlands, has found love in Manchester – settling down with her partner Ruth, who she met on a dating app.
Now an openly gay woman, Casparij says the community is “close to her heart”.
“It was hard at times growing up until I got into women’s football. It was normal and openly spoken about [at Heerenveen],” she said.
“I learned a lot about myself. I didn’t have that when I was young, I had so many doubts and questions.
“I was lying awake at night thinking ‘is this weird or am I weird?’ Being able to be that role model now with my partner, for so many young girls, is so important.”
The right-back has a platform to promote inclusivity in women’s football and has taken full advantage.
She wears rainbow laces on her football boots, rainbow armbands, regularly posts messages of LGBTQ+ support on social media and in April, dedicated her goal against Everton to the transgender community.
“Why I find it really important to spread the word and stand with people is because in modern society if it’s often not against you, you won’t say anything,” said Casparij.
“It’s important that we stand up for people that need it so they feel supported. For example, the trans community. They are good people and I care about them.
“I want to show that I stand with them. I’m hoping to inspire people to do the same. I think we need more togetherness generally and a sense of community.”
She has supported numerous campaigns – most recently becoming a patron for the LGBTQ Foundation, helping to fund helplines against domestic abuse and transphobia.
“I think queer women are having a tough time at the moment and I want to help them have safe spaces,” said Casparij.
“In domestic violence, for example, queer women are often overlooked. I want to make sure they have a place to heal and someone to talk to.
“I want to be a woman that helps women.”
She is also passionate about setting an example to young, gay women – the type of representation she wished she had as a child.
“It’s nice to be able to make other people take away doubt. It’s about helping them to understand why they are feeling how they are feeling,” she added.
“I always love being surrounded by queer people. Feeling included and supported is important. All I want to do is spread love.”
CHICAGO — The music begins low and ominous, with the video showing searchlights skimming along a Chicago apartment building and heavily armed immigration agents storming inside. Guns are drawn. Unmarked cars fill the streets. Agents rappel from a Black Hawk helicopter.
But quickly the soundtrack grows more stirring and the video — edited into a series of dramatic shots and released by the Department of Homeland Security days after the Sept. 30 raid — shows agents leading away shirtless men, their hands zip-tied behind their backs.
Authorities said they were targeting the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, though they also said only two of the 27 immigrants arrested were gang members. They gave few details on the arrests.
But the apartments of dozens of U.S. citizens were targeted, residents said, and at least a half-dozen Americans were held for hours.
The immense show of force signaled a sharp escalation in the White House’s immigration crackdown and amplified tensions in a city already on edge.
“To every criminal illegal alien: Darkness is no longer your ally,” Homeland Security said in a social media post accompanying the video, which racked up more than 6.4 million views. “We will find you.”
But Tony Wilson, a third-floor resident born and raised on Chicago’s South Side, sees only horror in what happened.
“It was like we were under attack,” Wilson said days after the raid, speaking through the hole where his door knob used to be. Agents had used a grinder to cut out the deadbolt, and he still couldn’t close the door properly, let alone lock it. So he had barricaded himself inside, blocking the door with furniture.
“I didn’t even hear them knock or nothing,” said Wilson, a 58-year-old U.S. citizen on disability.
Dreams and decay
The raid was executed in the heart of South Shore, an overwhelmingly Black neighborhood on Lake Michigan that has long been a tangle of middle-class dreams, urban decay and gentrification.
It’s a place where teams of drug dealers troll for customers outside ornate lakeside apartment buildings. It has some of the city’s best vegan restaurants but also takeout places where the catfish fillets are ordered through bullet-proof glass.
It has well-paid professors from the University of Chicago but is also where one-third of households scrape by on less than $25,000 a year.
The apartment building where the raid occurred has long been troubled. Five stories tall and built in the 1950s, residents said it was often strewn with garbage, the elevators rarely worked and crime was a constant worry. Things had grown more chaotic after dozens of Venezuelan migrants arrived in the past few years, residents said. While no residents said they felt threatened by the migrants, many described a rise in noise and hallway trash.
Owned by out-of-state investors, the building hasn’t passed an inspection in three years, with problems ranging from missing smoke detectors to the stench of urine to filthy stairways. Repeated calls to a lead investor in the limited liability company that owns the building, a Wisconsin resident named Trinity Flood, were not returned. Attempts to reach representatives through realtors and lawyers were also unsuccessful.
Crime fears spiked in June when a Venezuelan man was shot in the head “execution-style,” the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement. Another Venezuelan was charged in the death.
Days after the raid, the doors to dozens of the building’s 130 apartments hung open. Nearly all those apartments had been ransacked. Windows were broken, doors smashed, and clothes and diapers littered the floors. In one apartment, a white tuxedo jacket hung in the closet next to a room knee-deep in broken furniture, piles of clothing and plastic bags. In another, water dripping from the ceiling puddled next to a refrigerator lying on its side. Some kitchens swarmed with insects.
Wilson said a trio of men in body armor had zip-tied his hands and forced him outside with dozens of other people, most Latino. After being held for two hours he was told he could leave.
“It was terrible, man,” he said. He’d barely left the apartment in days.
A city under siege?
Chicago, the White House says, is under siege.
Gang members and immigrants in the U.S. illegally swarm the city and crime is rampant, President Trump insists. National Guard soldiers are needed to protect government facilities from raging left-wing protesters.
“Chicago is the worst and most dangerous city in the World,” he posted on Truth Social.
The reality is far less dramatic. Violence is rare at protests, though angry confrontations are increasingly common, particularly outside a federal immigration center in suburban Broadview. And while crime is a serious problem, the city’s murder rate has dropped by roughly half since the 1990s.
Those realities have not stopped the Trump administration.
What started in early September with some arrests in Latino neighborhoods, part of a crackdown dubbed “Operation Midway Blitz,” has surged across Chicago. There are increasing patrols by masked, armed agents; detentions of U.S. citizens and immigrants with legal status; a fatal shooting; a protesting pastor shot in the head with a pepper ball outside the Broadview facility, his arms raised in supplication.
By early October, authorities said more than 1,000 immigrants had been arrested across the area.
The raids have shaken Chicago.
“We have a rogue, reckless group of heavily armed, masked individuals roaming throughout our city,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said after the Sept. 30 raid. “The Trump administration is seeking to destabilize our city and promote chaos.”
To Trump’s critics, the crackdown is a calculated effort to stir anger in a city and state run by some of his most outspoken Democratic opponents. Out-of-control protests would reinforce Trump’s tough-on-crime image, they say, while embarrassing Johnson and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, seen as a possible Democratic presidential contender.
So the South Shore raid, ready-made for social media with its displays of military hardware and agents armed for combat, was seen as wildly out of proportion.
“This was a crazy-looking military response they put together for their reality show,” said LaVonte Stewart, who runs a South Shore sports program to steer young people away from violence. “It’s not like there are roving bands of Venezuelan teenagers out there.”
Officials insist it was no reality show.
The operation, led by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, was based on months of intelligence gathering, according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly. The building’s landlord told authorities that Venezuelans in about 30 units were squatters and had threatened other tenants, the official said, adding that the building’s size necessitated the show of force. Immigration agencies declined further comment.
Even before the “Midway Blitz,” Trump’s election had whipsawed through Chicago’s Latino communities.
Stewart said Venezuelan children began disappearing from his programs months ago, though it’s often unclear if they moved, returned to Venezuela or are just staying home.
“I had 35 kids in my program from Venezuela,” he said. “Now there’s none.”
A wave of migrant newcomers
The raid echoed through South Shore, pinballing through memories of the surge in violence during the 1990s drug wars as well as economic divides and the sometimes uncomfortable relations between Black residents and the wave of more than 50,000 immigrants, most Latino, who began arriving in 2022, often bused from southern border states.
Chicago spent more than $300 million on housing and other services for the immigrants, fueling widespread resentment in South Shore and other Black neighborhoods where the newcomers were settled.
“They felt like these new arrivals received better treatment than people who were already part of the community,” said Kenneth Phelps, pastor at the Concord Missionary Baptist Church in Woodlawn, a largely Black neighborhood.
It didn’t matter that many migrants were crowded into small apartments, and most simply wanted to work. The message to residents, he said, was that the newcomers mattered more than they did.
Phelps tried to fight that perception, creating programs to help new arrivals and inviting them to his church. But that stirred more anger, including in his own congregation.
“I even had people leave the church,” he said.
In South Shore it’s easy to hear the bitterness, even though the neighborhood’s remaining migrants are a nearly invisible presence.
“They took everyone’s jobs!” said Rita Lopez, who manages neighborhood apartment buildings and recently stopped by the scene of the raid.
“The government gave all the money to them — and not to the Chicagoans,” she said.
Changing demographics and generations of suspicion
Over more than a century, South Shore has drawn waves of Irish, Jewish and then Black arrivals for its lakeside location, affordable bungalows and early 20th-century apartment buildings.
Each wave viewed the next with suspicion, in many ways mirroring how Black South Shore residents saw the migrant influx.
Former first lady Michelle Obama’s parents moved to South Shore when it was still mostly white, and she watched it change. A neighborhood that was 96% white in 1950 was 96% Black by 1980.
“We were doing everything we were supposed to do — and better,” she said in 2019. “But when we moved in, white families moved out.”
But suspicion also came from South Shore’s Black middle-class, which watched nervously as many housing projects began closing in the 1990s, creating an influx of poorer residents.
“This has always been a complex community,” Stewart said of those years.
“You can live on a block here that’s super-clean, with really nice houses, then go one block away and there’s broken glass, trash everywhere and shootings,” he said. “It’s the weirdest thing and it’s been this way for 30 years.”
Sullivan writes for the Associated Press. AP reporters Aisha I. Jefferson in Chicago, Elliot Spagat in San Diego and Claudia Lauer in Philadelphia contributed to this report.
THE UK’S capital isn’t exactly short of train lines – but a completely new service is taking a step closer to getting approval.
Transport for London (TfL) is hoping that its proposed West London Orbital (WLO) line will get the green light next month.
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A new train route is hoping to get approval next monthCredit: Transport for LondonThe project is currently known as West London Orbital (WLO)Credit: Getty
Plans for the WLO launched back in 2017 and propose to create new connections to north and west London.
This would include the line travelling through Hounslow to Hendon and West Hampstead via Old Oak Common – the new rail hub created for HS2.
The proposed rail line promises to cut the journey time considerably between Harlesden and Brent Cross to just a few minutes.
Currently, travellers heading on this route need to make several changes.
In total, the project is expected to cost around £700million.
TfL is hoping that they will receive backing from the government in its autumn budget and if the project is approved, then the line will become the seventh branch of the London Overground network.
Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said that the WLO could “transform the future of transport in the capital”.
He added: “As the West London Orbital route would be integrated into the London Overground network, it would be given its own line name, consistent with the principles of the individual line names I launched in 2024.
“The local communities along the line, the local heritage, history, and interchanges with other lines would all be taken into consideration to find a suitable name that showcases London’s rich diversity and makes sense for wayfinding and navigation.”
A number of other rail projects are proposed for the capital including the DLR extension and Bakerloo extension.
The Bakerloo Line extension would extend the tube line from its current terminus at Elephant & Castle, to Lewisham.
If plans are approved, then the route will connect boroughs in both north and west LondonCredit: YouTube
The project would involve adding a number of new stations along the route, including on Old Kent Road and New Cross Gate.
And an extension will also be carried out on the DLR to Thamesmead, veering off the current line at Gallions Reach.
This involves adding a new station at Beckton Riverside too.
Commenting on the ongoing projects in July, Sadiq Khan said: “Subject to successful funding discussions, as well as further project development, planning and public consultation, I am confident that the DLR extension could be delivered by 2032, with the Bakerloo line extension and West London Orbital following later in the 2030s.”
Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/
After 12 years on the Los Angeles City Council, Curren Price will be term-limited out of the legislative body this coming year.
The candidate he hopes will replace him comes from his staff, his deputy chief of staff, Jose Ugarte, who has been referred to in the past as Price’s “right-hand man.”
But with many months to go before ballots are cast, Ugarte is already in hot water with the city’s Ethics Commission.
According to documents released by the commission, Ugarte has agreed to pay a $17,500 fine for repeatedly failing to disclose outside income he made from his lobbying and consulting firm while also working as a council staffer.
A commission investigation found that Ugarte failed to report outside income from his consulting firm, Ugarte & Associates, for the years 2021, 2022 and 2023, according to the documents.
The Ugarte proposed settlement is set to go before the Ethics Commission on Wednesday.
“This was an unintentional clerical reporting error on my part. As soon as I was made aware, I took full responsibility and corrected them,” Ugarte said in a statement emailed to The Times. “I take disclosure seriously. Moving forward, I have implemented steps to ensure nothing is missed.”
Ugarte said his work with Ugarte & Associates never overlapped with his time in Price’s office. He started working for Price in 2013, but left the office in 2019. He returned in 2021. Ugarte & Associates was formed in 2018 and still conducts business. He co-owns the company with his sister.
The settlement comes as Ugarte’s boss faces his own ethics quandary.
Price was indicted two years ago on 10 counts of grand theft by embezzlement after his wife’s consulting firm received payments of more than $150,000 between 2019 and 2021 from developers before Price voted to approve projects.
Prosecutors also said Price failed to list his wife’s income on his ethics disclosure forms.
Prosecutors have since filed additional charges against Price saying his wife, Del Richardson, was paid hundreds of thousands by the city housing authority while Price voted in favor of millions in grants to the agency. He also wrote a motion to give $30 million to the L.A. County Metropolitan Transportation Authority from 2020 to 2021, a time frame in which Richardson was paid more than $200,000 by the agency.
Price said he supports Ugarte despite the ethics violation.
“This matter dates back to 2021, when he was not employed by the city, and is clerical in nature,” Price said in a statement texted to The Times. “I wholeheartedly support Jose Ugarte, alongside an unprecedented coalition of elected officials, labor groups, and community leaders who stand behind his character, leadership and proven record of results.”
Ugarte is one of the leading candidates running to represent Council District 9, which covers South Los Angeles. He raised $211,206 in the first reporting cycle of the election, far outpacing his rivals.
One of Ugarte’s opponents, Estuardo Mazariegos, called the Ethics Commission findings “very disturbing.”
The Ethics Commission also alleged that Ugarte’s documents about outside income, known as Form 700s, failed to report clients who gave $10,000 or more to Ugarte & Associates.
Those clients were mostly independent expenditures for local candidates.
His firm was paid $128,050 to help with the reelection campaign of Congressman Jimmy Gomez (D-California). It was also paid $222,000 by Elect California to help with the reelection campaign of Mitch O’Farrell among other clients.
“This proposed settlement raises more questions than it answers: Are these the only payments Ugarte hid? Why was he concealing them from the public? And above all, how did these massive payments in outside interests affect Jose Ugarte’s work as a city employee?” Mazariegos said in a statement to The Times.
ON the Beach is branching out from the holidays that gave it its name, with nearly 200 city breaks now on offer.
There are 188 destinations on offer across the world, whether you’re seeking sun in Portugal or the best of both worlds with beach and city in the likes of Barcelona.
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The waterfront city of Gdansk is where you can get the cheapest city breakCredit: Aleksa TorriStaying in the Polish city can cost as little as £83ppCredit: Alamy
The travel operator shared with us their cheapest deals, and the most affordable is Gdansk, a city in Poland known for its Hanseatic Old Town and brand new theme park.
Holidaymakers can stay in the Moon Hostel Gdansk from £83pp based on a two-night city break.
It’s got 24 hour reception, luggage storage, a cosy TV lounge and shuttle bus to the beach.
Read more on Gdansk from travel writer Helen Wright who visited the Old Town, Mariacka Street and discovered the restaurant for unbeatable waterside views.
The second cheapest city break on the list, based on a two-night stay, was to Prague for £88 per person.
You can book to stay at the a&o Prague Rhea which is 20 minutes from the heart of the city.
Here you’ll find basic rooms but all with private bathrooms, free Wi-Fi, and a 24-hour lobby bar.
As for what to do when you get to the city, check out our 10 things to do in Prague from visiting the castle to strolling along Charles Bridge and checking out the Retro Museum that takes you back to the 70s.
The third cheapest city break is in the capital of Hungary, Budapest, which has two-night city breaks from £90pp, with a stay at the MP Hostel Budapest .
It’s recommended for groups, families, or solo travellers who can stay in one of the 47 rooms decorated in pastel colours.
The third cheapest break is to Budapest in HungaryCredit: Alamy
The hotel is ideally located for anyone exploring the city for the first time, as it’s close to St. Stephen’s Basilica and the Dohány Street Synagogue.
Top recommendations from one writer who stayed in Budapest were to check out the Rudas Thermal Baths where you can buy day tickets from €29 (£25.19) as well as the city’s many bars and restaurants.
With almost 200 spots to visit on the cheap, travellers can explore Italian cities like Florence, Milan and Venice.
On the Beach also offers budget breaks to Berlin, Copenhagen and Stockholm, Brussels, Bruges and Antwerp.
For those who love a lakeside escape, Lake Como, Lake Garda and Lake Bled join the list, alongside Alpine favourites like Salzburg, Innsbruck and Geneva.
There are long-haul city destinations on offer too from New York, where you can stay in Pod Brooklyn from £820pp, to Cape Town and even Tokyo.
FANCY a cheeky city break but worried about blowing the Christmas budget?
Fear not, because we’ve rounded up nine of the best bucket-list weekenders, where you can find bargain flights, as well as cheap eats and drinks during the winter months.
Here are some of the best places that are just an hour from the UKCredit: Getty
Bilbao, Spain
For easily accessible winter warmth on a shoestring budget, Bilbao is a good bet.
This is the Spanish city that is the fastest to reach from the UK, with flights from Bristol taking approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes (and under two hours from London).
It’s also super affordable to reach – one-way Gatwick fares with Vueling Airlines start at just £23 this autumn.
Step off the plane and into double-digit temperatures – the city has highs of 17C in November, ideal for exploring the lush green landscape and Casco Viejo, the picturesque old town with its cobblestone streets and medieval architecture.
You can’t visit without indulging in pintxos – the Basque version of tapas – paired with the local tipple Kalimotxo (red wine and cola).
Cheap but highly-rated pintxos bars include local hangout Bar Bacaicoa, known for its griddled mushrooms, £1.13 (€1.30), cod croquettes, £1.50 (€1.70), and spicy chorizo. £1.65 (€1.90).
Beer at a restaurant or pub is also cheaper than in the UK, with a “zurrito” (small glass) of local beer like San Miguel costing around £3.50 (€4).
The world-famous Guggenheim art museum is the city’s main attraction, home to popular works by artists such as Richard Serra, Robert Rauschenberg and Yayoi Kusama.
Although you need a ticket to enter, it’s completely free to admire the outdoor art installations, such as Jeff Koons’s Instagrammable Puppy sculpture guarding the entrance.
Dublin, Ireland
Close to home, Dublin offers a quick city getaway with affordable prices if you know where to look.
Flights from most UK airports are very short, taking just an hour from Manchester and 1 hour 20 minutes from London.
November is the cheapest month to travel to Ireland – return fares to Dublin cost around £36 with Ryanair from the East Midlands and £72 from Heathrow with British Airways.
This leaves extra spending money for its lively pub culture.
The typical price range for a pint of Guinness in city boozers – like O’Donoghue’s, Doheny & Nesbitt’s, Toners and The Baggot Inn – is similar to the UK’s national average of £5.15 (€5.80-€7.00), depending on location.
Tourist hotspots like Temple Bar push prices to £9 (€10.45) for a pint of the black stuff.
Avoid this by heading to a local boozer like The Auld Triangle, where a pint will set you back less than a fiver (€4.95).
You’ll still get traditional live music at a slice of the price.
But there’s much more to Dublin than a giddy Guinness binge.
Take in the city sights, including Phoenix Park and the grounds of Trinity College, both free to explore.
If you’ve got a spare £16 (€18), the Little Museum of Dublin is also well worth a visit.
Set in a cute Georgian townhouse, it’s a quirky one-stop shop for history fans.
Peckish? Wood-fired pizza costs less than £6 (€6.50) from Sano Pizza, while other cheap eats include Brother Hubbard (mezze plates from €7.50) and street food at EatYard, which is open Thursday-Sunday.
There is much more to Dublin than GuinnessCredit: Alamy
Brussels, Belgium
The capital of Belgium is within striking distance of the UK – super affordable flights take just over an hour.
One-way fares this November cost from as little as £33 from Luton with easyJet, with a flight time of 1 hour 20 minutes.
You can find even cheaper flights to the city’s second airport, Charleroi, which is around an hour from the city centre by bus.
The city’s main highlights – including the magnificent Grand Place, Sablon’s Gothic church and the famed Manneken Pis statue – are walkable and free to see.
You can keep costs down by visiting museums on reduced admission days.
For instance, the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium (normally €10) are free on the first Wednesday of each month from 1pm.
Sample gaufres de Liège (waffles), frites (fries) and Belgian chocolate – but find them at street food stalls, trucks and small cafés for the best price.
Maison Antoine sells a small cone of fries for around £3 (€3.50), while many good chocolate shops give out free samples.
When it comes to beer, avoid tourist trap bars around Grand Place and head to local boozers instead.
Beer Capital has beers from £2.87 (€3.30), and happy hour from noon until midnight, while Cafe Belga is a firm favourite with students.
Brussels has amazing street food if you are on a budgetCredit: Alamy
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
With its quaint canals, treasure-packed museums and vibrant dining scene, Amsterdam is perfect for a European city break.
You can reach this Dutch metropolis in 1 hour and 20 minutes, with easyJet flights from Manchester costing as little as £67 return this winter.
Walking is the best way to see the city’s gorgeous neighbourhoods of Prinsengracht, Herengracht and Keizersgracht, and the trendy Nine Streets area with its independent boutiques.
Planning to see as much as possible? You could save money with the I Amsterdam card, which allows free entry to some museums, including the Van Gogh Museum (but not the Anne Frank House, which you need to book in advance), travel discounts and bicycle rent. A 48-hour card costs £78 (€90).
Grab a £2.61 (€3) beef croquette straight from the wall at FEBO, automated snack machines dotted around the city.
Or head to a street stall to sample Dutch herring with onions and pickles for around €3, or stop by a Stroopwafels stand for freshly made caramel-filled wafers.
Fancy a drink? De Pilsener Club is a cosy, wood-panelled pub and one of the best spots for a cheap beer in the city centre.
Meanwhile, Kriterion is a trendy arthouse cinema with a student bar offering cheap beer (around £4.54 a pint), while Waterhole has happy hour every day (noon-9pm) with beers from £3.48 (€4).
If you’re planning to see a lot of sights, the Amsterdam tourist card could save you cashCredit: Alamy
Paris, France
Just 1 hour and 15 minutes from the UK by plane, Paris should make your budget-break bucket list.
While the City of Love has its fair share of overpriced tourist traps, there are ways you can shave euros off the prices you pay.
Avoid eating and drinking around the city’s main attractions, like the Eiffel Tower, Louvre and Arc de Triomphe, where restaurants charge a premium.
Instead, head to neighbourhoods just outside the most central zones (like the 11th, 19th and 20th arrondissements) for cheaper bars and restaurants.
With the average Parisian pint, or ‘pinte’, costing £5.22-£6.96 (€6-8), your best bet for finding budget beer in Paris is to avoid tourist zones and look for happy hour.
The cheapest pint in Paris is reportedly at Chez Marie in the 10th arrondissement – where you can enjoy a pint for £2.18 (€2.50) at happy hour (6-9pm).
When it comes to top-notch food, the French do it well – and crêpes (pancakes) are both filling and good value.
You can find street-side stands selling crêpes or eat them “à emporter” (to go) from around £3.48 (€4).
For lunch on the run, locals grab sandwiches and quiches from boulangeries (bakeries).
Other cheap eats include croque monsieur (ham and cheese toastie), which costs around £6-£8 (€7-9).
Other money-saving tips for Paris include taking the Metro instead of expensive taxis and visiting big museums like the Louvre and Musee d’Orsay on the first Sunday of the month, when they offer free admission.
You can also bag a bargain with flights – easyJet and Vueling offer one-way prices from as little as £24, with Fridays in November and March often offering the best results.
Paris is one of the closest cities to the UK by flightCredit: Getty
San Sebastian, Spain
In the heart of Spain’s Basque Country, San Sebastian is a foodie’s delight that won’t break the bank.
This city in the north of the country is home to amazing pintxos – tapas-style snacks that are small in price but huge in flavour.
Think olive and pepper skewers, chistorra (AKA smoky sausage), and traditional tortillas – with each dish typically costing less than £4 (around €2-€5).
A pint of beer typically costs around £5 (€5-7) in San Sebastian bars – but you can save money by ordering a smaller ‘caña’ (200ml draft beer), which is usually priced around £2.60 (€3).
British Airways flies direct to San Sebastian from London City, with one-way fares from £120 this autumn.
And with a flight time of 1 hour 55 minutes, you’ll be exploring its golden beaches, lush hillsides and cobbled lanes before you know it.
Even in winter, the weather can be pretty mild, with daytime temperatures rising to around 15 °C in November.
Some of the cheapest pintxos are in the Gros District, a surfing neighbourhood that’s a 10-minute walk from the old town.
The best way to burn the pintxos-hopping calories is to explore on foot.
Walk the scenic promenade along La Concha Bay or hike up Monte Urgull for epic city views that won’t cost you a penny.
La Concha beach in San Sebastian is a must-visitCredit: AlamyThe weather in San Sebastian is still around 15C in NovemberCredit: Getty
Prague, Czech Republic
A couple of hours from the UK by plane, Prague is a firm favourite as a European city break, with cheap food and pints costing a couple of quid.
Even in the centre of the Czech capital, a pint will only set you back around £1.70-2.50 (50-70CZK).
Head further out, and you can expect to pay just £1-1.78 (30-50CZK) for similar drinks.
Hany Bany, a boozer in the city’s old town, sells a small draft beer for just 78p (22CZK) and a pint for £1.25 (35CZK).
Working up an appetite? Grab a plate of hearty goulash and dumplings for £4.20 (119CZK) at Havelská Koruna, which opened as the country’s first fast-food restaurant in 1931.
Located in the old town, it’s a thriving and affordable diner, so arrive by 11.30am to beat the lunchtime crowds.
Save even more on your trip by sampling cheap street food at Havel Market and exploring the grounds of Prague Castle for free.
For a culture fix, some museums have free or cheap entry days, like the National Gallery Prague, which is free to enter on the first Wednesday of the month after 3pm.
In the Old Town Square, you can also watch the Astronomical Clock’s hourly dancing figurine show without spending a single koruna.
Return flights from London to Prague this winter cost from £34 with Ryanair, from £44 with Wizz Air and from £57 with easyJet.
Pints in Prague can set you back just £1.25m with some goulash for under a fiverCredit: GettyPrague is known for its pretty multicoloured housesCredit: Getty
Bordeaux, France
Also under two hours from the UK, the French city of Bordeaux offers cheap wine, local markets and a UNESCO area to discover.
It’s also affordable to reach, with easyJet offering return Bristol flights from £44 this winter.
While a pint of beer will set you back around £6 (€7) in most central bars in Bordeaux, wine is inexpensive.
In Le Bar à Vin Bordeaux, located opposite the tourism office, you can get glasses of decent wine for less than £3 – like a 15cl glass of Bordeaux rose for €2.50.
Meanwhile, you can keep costs low by chowing down street food near Place de la Victoire, or indulging in “canelés”.
These sweet, cylindrical pastries are typically priced less than a euro – La Toque Cuivrée sells them for a mere 60p (€0.70).
When you’ve eaten and drunk your fill, take in the historic centre and 18th-century architecture – a UNESCO World Heritage site.
It won’t cost you a penny to see sights like Place de la Bourse with its beautiful reflecting pool of water.
Later, find souvenirs at the Grands Hommes market or on the rue Sainte Catherine, one of the longest streets in Bordeaux.
If you’re on a tight budget, pick up a steal in Mad Vintage, a second-hand shop, or head to the southern end of the street, which has cheaper, more student-oriented boutiques compared to the higher-end shops of the north.
Bordeaux is less than two hours from the UKCredit: GettyExpect wine to be cheap in BordeauxCredit: Getty
Munich, Germany
The Bavarian capital is under two hours away, with return Gatwick flights costing from just £59 with easyJet this winter.
Which leaves plenty of spending money once you touch down in this edgy metropolis, which has lakes and mountains on its doorstep and oodles of cultural sights.
Contemporary gallery Museum Brandhorst is a must if you enjoy pop art, and is one of many museums that offer cheap entry for 87p (€1) on Sundays.
Other free must-do activities include watching the famed Glockenspiel show in Marienplatz and strolling around the lush grass and shimmering lake of the English Garden.
Of course, Munich is the beer capital, so it’d be rude not to sample the city’s tipple of choice, Dunkel, which ranks among the best German beers.
A pint of this dark, malty lager is best enjoyed in a noisy beer hall like Augustiner Bräustuben, where it’s £3.35 (€3.85) a pint.
For a cheap bite, make for Viktualienmarkt where you’ll find stalls selling sausage sandwiches for less than £6.09 (€7) or try a bakery for a €1 fresh pretzel.
