Three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen was knocked out by Damon Heta on the opening night of the World Masters in Milton Keynes.
The 36-year-old Dutchman – who won the Masters five times in a row between 2015 and 2019 – lost 3-1 to Australian number one Heta, who checked out 101 to seal his victory.
World Championship runner-up Gian van Veen was solid on his Masters debut, progressing 3-1 past Ryan Joyce despite losing the first set, while former world champion Gerwyn Price racked up a three-dart average of 108.51 to defeat in-form James Hurrell.
Jonny Clayton – last year’s beaten Masters finalist – saw off Wessel Nijman 3-1, with Nathan Aspinall defeating Shane McGuirk by the same scoreline.
Defending Masters champion Luke Humphries and world champion Luke Littler – the world number one – both enter the tournament on Friday.
You are a beginning or intermediate skier, allergic to long lift lines, more interested in peace and quiet than après-ski action. Or you have young kids, ripe for introduction to skiing or snowboarding. Or you simply want a rustic mountain getaway, one where you can amble through a woodsy little village with zero Starbucks.
These traits make you a good candidate for June Lake, the eastern Sierra town that lives most of its life in the shadow of bigger, busier Mammoth Lakes.
“It’s way family-friendlier than Mammoth,” said Daniel Jones after a day of June Lake snowboarding with Lorena Alvarado and children Gabriela Gonzales, 7, and Amirah Jones, 2. They had come from Riverside, a first-time visit for the kids.
After a day of snowboarding at June Mountain, Daniel Jones and Lorena Alvarado of Riverside head for the parking lot with children Gabriela Gonzalez, 7, and Amirah Jones, 2.
(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
Like me, they’d arrived in time to savor the sight of the Sierra under all the snow that fell in late December. That storm knocked out power for several days, but led to the opening of all the trails on June Mountain, the town’s ski resort.
The main road to June Lake is the 14-mile June Lake Loop, a.k.a. State Route 158, which branches off from U.S. 395 about 10 miles north of the exit for Mammoth, roughly 320 miles north of Los Angeles.
Once you leave 395, things get rustic quickly. The two-lane loop threads its way among forests and A-frames and cabins, skirting the waters of June Lake and the lake’s village, which is only a few blocks long. Check out the three-foot icicles dripping from the eaves and keep an eye out for the big boulder by the fire station on the right.
After the village, you pass Gull Lake (the tiniest of the four lakes along the loop) and the June Mountain ski area. Then, if you’re driving in summer, the road loops back to 395 by way of Silver Lake and Grant Lake.
The June Lake area in the eastern Sierra includes several bodies of water. Rush Creek, seen here, feeds into Silver Lake a few miles from the village of June Lake.
(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
But in winter, the northern part of that loop is closed to cars, Maybe this is why the village, mountain and environs so often feel like a snowbound secret.
As for the June Mountain ski area, its 1,500 accessible acres make it much smaller than Mammoth Mountain (with whom it shares a corporate parent). And it has a larger share of beginner and intermediate runs — a drag for hotshots, maybe, but a boon for families.
By management’s estimate, June Mountain’s 41 named trails are 15% beginner level and 40% intermediate. (At Mammoth, 59% of 180 named trails are rated difficult, very difficult or extremely difficult.) Leaning into this difference, June Mountain offers free lift tickets to children 12 and under. (Adult lift tickets are typically $119-$179 per day.)
From the chairlifts at June Mountain ski resort, visitors get broad views.
(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
The ski area is served by six chairlifts, and just about everyone begins by riding chair J1 up to the June Meadows Chalet (8,695 feet above sea level). That’s where the cafeteria, rental equipment, lockers and shop are found and lessons begin.
That’s also where you begin to notice the view, especially the 10,908-foot Carson Peak.
“Usually, me and my family go to Big Bear every year, but we wanted to try something different. Less people. And a lot of snow,” said Valeriia Ivanchenko, a 20-year-old snowboarder who was taking a breather outside the chalet.
“No lines and lots of big, wide-open runs,” said Brian Roehl, who had come from Sacramento with his wife.
“The lake views are nice, too,” said Roxie Roehl.
June Lake is a 30-minute drive from Mammoth. Because both operations are owned by Denver-based Alterra Mountain Co., Mammoth lift tickets are generally applicable at June. So it’s easy to combine destinations.
Or you could just focus on June Lake, an unincorporated community with about 600 people, one K-8 public school and one gas station (the Shell station where 158 meets 395).
In summer, when it’s busiest, fishers and boaters head for the lakes and you can reach Yosemite National‘s eastern entrance with a 25-mile drive via the seasonal Tioga Road.
The Tiger Bar has anchored June Lake’s downtown since 1932.
(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
In winter and summer alike, the heart of June Lake‘s village is dominated by the 94-year-old Tiger Bar & Café (which was due to be taken over by new owners in January); Ernie’s Tackle & Ski Shop (which goes back to 1932 and has lower rental prices than those at June Mountain); the June Lake General Store and June Lake Brewing.
At the brewery — JLB to locals — I found Natalie and Chris Garcia of Santa Barbara and their daughter Winnie, 18 months old and eager to chase down a duck on the patio.
“This is her first snow,” Natalie Garcia said, adding that June Lake “just feels more down-home … less of a party scene.”
“We built a snowman,” said Chris Garcia.
Natalie and Chris Garcia of Santa Barbara play with their daughter, Winnie, and a duck at June Lake Brewing.
(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
It’s fun to imagine that rustic, semi-remote places like this never change, but of course they do, for better and worse. The Carson Peak Inn steakhouse, a longtime landmark, is closed indefinitely. Meanwhile, Pino Pies, which offers New Zealand-style meat pies, opened in the village last spring. (I recommend the $13 potato-top pie.)
Pino Pies, open since 2025 in June Lake, offers New Zealand-style meat pies.
(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
Next time I’m in town I hope to try the June Deli (which took over the former Epic Cafe space in the village last year) and the June Pie Pizza Co. (New York-style thin crusts) or the Balanced Rock Grill & Cantina. And I might make a day trip to Mono Lake (about 15 miles north).
I might also repeat the two hikes I did in the snow.
For one, I put crampons on my boots and headed about 3 miles south on U.S. 395 to the Obsidian Dome Trail, a mostly flat route of just under a mile — great for snowshoes or walking dogs.
For the other hike, I headed to the closed portion of June Lake Loop and parked just short of the barricade. Beyond it, a hiker or snowshoer finds several miles of carless, unplowed path, with mountains rising to your left and half-frozen Rush Creek and Silver Lake to the right.
When part of Highway 158 closes to auto traffic in winter, hikers and snowshoers inherit a broad, mostly flat path with views of Silver Lake.
(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
“You get up to the lake and you hear the ice cracking. It’s wonderful,” said Mike Webb, 73, whom I met on the trail with his son, Randy, 46, and Randy’s 10-year-old and 12-year-old.
“This is serenity up here,” said Webb. “If you’re looking for a $102 pizza, go to Mammoth.”
These are the key developments from day 1,435 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Published On 29 Jan 202629 Jan 2026
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Here is where things stand on Thursday, January 29:
Fighting
The death toll from a Russian attack on a passenger train in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region on Tuesday rose to six, after the remains of several bodies were recovered from the wreckage, the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office said on the Telegram messaging app.
At least six people were injured in a Russian missile attack on Ukraine’s Zaporizhia region, the head of the regional military administration, Ivan Fedorov, said on Telegram.
Russian forces attacked several locations across Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, killing a 46-year-old man and injuring at least two other people, the head of the regional military administration, Oleksandr Hanzha, said on Facebook.
One person was killed in a Ukrainian attack on the village of Novaya Tavolzhanka in Russia’s Belgorod region, the regional emergencies task force reported, according to the country’s TASS state news agency.
A Ukrainian drone attack killed one person in the city of Enerhodar, in a Russian-occupied area of Ukraine’s Zaporizhia region, Russia’s locally appointed official Yevhen Balitsky said, according to TASS.
Fedorov has ruled out installing anti-drone netting as a mode of defence, saying that “there are more effective ways to combat Russian attacks”, Ukraine’s Ukrinform news agency reported.
Military aid
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that France will deliver more “French aircraft, missiles for air defence systems, and aerial bombs” to Ukraine this year, following a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron.
Regional security
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said at an event in Paris that a 2035 target for rearming Europe “would be too late”.
“I think rearming ourselves now is the most important thing,” Frederiksen said. “Because when you look at intelligence, nuclear weapons, and so on, we depend on the US,” she added.
Switzerland plans to inject an additional 31 billion Swiss francs ($40.4bn) into military spending starting from 2028 by increasing sales taxes for a decade.
“The world has become more volatile and insecure, and the international order based on international law is under strain,” the Swiss government said, noting that other European countries have also been increasing their defence spending.
Politics and diplomacy
Vladislav Maslennikov, a top European Affairs official at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told TASS that restoring relations with the European Union will only be possible if European countries “cease their sanctions policy”, stop “pump[ing] weapons into the Kyiv regime, and sabotag[ing] the peace process around Ukraine.”
President Macron said at an event in Paris that European countries must focus on asserting their “sovereignty, on our contribution to Arctic security, on the fight against foreign interference and disinformation, and on the fight against global warming”.
“France will continue to defend these principles in accordance with the United Nations Charter,” said Macron, who has turned down an invitation for France to join Trump’s Board of Peace, which some critics say is an attempt to replace the United Nations.
Peace talks
United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio told a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing that negotiations over Ukraine’s Donetsk region, which is part of the Donbas region that is now 90 percent occupied by Russian forces, are “still a bridge we have to cross” in talks between Russia and Ukraine.
“It’s still a gap, but at least we’ve been able to narrow down the issue set to one central one, and it will probably be a very difficult one,” Rubio said.
Energy
Kyiv’s Mayor Vitali Klitschko said that 639 apartment buildings in Kyiv remain without heat, with temperatures forecast to drop to -23 degrees Celsius (-9.4 degrees Fahrenheit) overnight this week.
The club has become an Ibiza icon in recent years, and many celeb social media feeds have included pictures of the resort’s huge pool parties. This includes Katie Price who was seen posing on a sunbed last summer
The resort’s parties are often attended by celebs(Image: O Beach Ibiza)
Summer may seem like a long way off, but many of us are already making plans to visit warmer, more exciting destinations in the coming months.
One spot that Brits seem to return to year after year is Ibiza. While the party island has many iconic venues, one resort often hits the headlines during the summer season thanks to its decadent parties beloved by celebs. And you can already book a spot at its annual opening party.
O Beach Ibiza is owned by Wayne Lineker, who often posts poolside photos on his Instagram, and the resort can often be seen on social media feeds during the summer. From celebs to famous sports stars and influencers, it’s safe to say that you’re bound to see someone you recognise when you visit.
Last year, Katie Price enjoyed a well-documented trip to Ibiza, which included partying at O Beach in a tiny pink bikini. She reportedly danced with UFC-fighter Conor McGregor and posed for selfies with other celebrity pals.
The most famous part of O Beach is its day club, which opens at 1PM and generally closes by 11PM: perfect timing for those heading out to enjoy Ibiza’s nightlife. The official opening party for 2026 is on May 1, and the club opens nearly every day until mid-October, meaning visitors can make the most of the sunny Ibiza weather.
Guests can book a range of sofas, tables, or day beds to stake out their spot, and can either lie back and enjoy the sunshine while ordering cocktails and champagne, or join in the party. One option is to hire a daybed in the Sunset Garden area, which overlooks the pool and enjoys great views. This area also has its own bar for quicker service. Depending on when you visit, you can enjoy DJ sets, live music, or other poolside entertainment throughout the resort.
O Beach also has a restaurant where you can enjoy al fresco Mediterranean dining in the shade, or you can order poolside food to enjoy at your daybed.
While O Beach used to be just a day venue, last year it launched Bonito Ibiza by O Beach, taking over a hotel just across the road. This means guests are just steps from the party and can easily get back to their rooms in the evenings. The Bonito Ibiza has its own pool with more chilled vibes, and a stylish, neutral décor that’s Insta-perfect.
Staying in the area means you’re just steps from Playa de Sant Antoni, a sandy beach in a shallow bay with clear waters. It’s also just a short walk from San Antonio’s popular clubs, including Eden and Es Paradís, where the party can continue until the sun comes up.
The port town of San Antonio is also famous for its Sunset Strip, where you can watch the sun go down while enjoying its al fresco bars, which play chill music to create the perfect atmosphere. From the port, you can also hop onto a boat trip, whether it’s one exploring the coast or a party boat combining sightseeing with cocktails and unforgettable views.
Have a story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com
THE UK’s capital is one of the priciest cities in the world, making it tricky to explore if your bank balance is already in the red.
But there’s one corner of London that’s the perfect budget day out- especially if you’re a broke Gen Z.
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If you’re on a budget you can still visit London’s capital – and head to CamdenCredit: AlamyWriter Martha Griffiths says you can explore the waterside borough without breaking the bankCredit: Getty Images
Camden in North London has long been a magnet for young Brits, from the punk scene in the 1980s to Britpop fans in the 1990s, to the Indie kids of the Noughties.
After the heyday of the Hawley Arms and bands like the Libertines, the area lost its cool status to the likes of Hackney and Shoreditch in the east of the city.
But, it is now having a resurgence thanks to its wide range of live music venues – which Camden has managed to maintain while other areas face mass closures thanks to rising costs and noise complaints.
Great nightlife and budget-friendly – the perfect combination for anyone under 25 years old.
To see just how affordable it really can be, I attempted to spend a day in Camden without spending more than £25, while still enjoying great food, drinks and attractions.
I started off wandering around the world-famous Camden Market, one of the largest markets in London where even on a budget, there is plenty to see and do.
Stalls sell everything from vintage costume jewellery and slogan t-shirts for a tenner, to the usual I Love London souvenirs.
Camden has always been known for its unique clothes stores and these days, it still has plenty of second-hand clothing.
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Rokit and Traid both have stores on the high street and the market is also home to The Vintage Collection, which stocks Britain’s ‘largest collection of non-worn vintage from the 30s to the 90s,’ – which is great fun to look through.
Or if you’re looking for a bit of art and culture, The Camden Arts Centre offers free entry into its galleries and gardens six days a week.
All that perusing had got me hungry, but thankfully the market has a massive selection of food options with over a hundred food stalls from around the world.
When it comes to food, I opted for the TikTok viral Funky Chips that sells boxes of chip shop-style chips loaded with Indian and Mexican-style toppings.
They weren’t the cheapest, as the nacho chips covered in cheese, onions and jalapenos set me back £9.60 – they were filling and worth every penny.
There are plenty of places to sit and enjoy your street stall food near the market without needing to book or spend extra money.
The Amy Winehouse statue is a popular attraction in CamdenCredit: Martha GriffithsThe Elephants Head pub holds free and live music eventsCredit: Alamy
The market is also home to past Camden resident Amy Winehouse’s statue, which still attracts fans from all over the world 15 years after she passed away.
Having filled my stomach, I was looking for some entertainment so headed for The Elephants Head in the heart of Camden high street, which offers free regular live music events.
On the day I visited, the venue was hosting bands from around the UK, with the Brighton band Cade drawing in the biggest crowd of the day, both inside and outside the venue.
The venue also offers two pints for £12.50, meaning it is a great budget-friendly spot for young people. Where else could you enjoy four hours of free live music?
Of course, if you’re looking for big nights out with a bigger budget, then Camden also houses several huge music venues, including KOKO, the Jazz Cafe and the Roundhouse.
For those looking for some peace, the Regents Canal offers a quiet escape from the bustling crowds of the high street with its colourful longboats, buskers and street art.
This is a prime spot for young people during summer as it is filled with independent cafes, offering other great, cheap lunch alternatives.
If the weather is on your side, it is also worth visiting the neighbouring Primrose Hill, for its panoramic, skyline views of the capital.
Once afternoon turned to evening, I headed to The Lock Inn to take full advantage of their 2-for-1 cocktail deals and rooftop bar.
The deal means you can get two quality cocktails costing £13.95 or just £6.97 every Monday – Friday during Happy Hour.
If cocktails aren’t your bag, head down to The Dublin Castle for affordable pints and more live music or DJ sets.
This popular boozer is known for its ties to Amy Winehouse, with many of her early gigs being here, and these days it attracts an eclectic mix of local locals and fans of the Back To Black star.
It had been a long day, with shopping, TikTok-famous food, a gallery, live music, park hangs and evening cocktails – and how much lighter was my wallet? Just £23.
Not bad for 12 hours in one of the world’s priciest cities.
Actor Quinton Aaron, who shared the screen with Sandra Bullock in “The Blind Side,” is reportedly showing signs of improvement after he was hospitalized for a blood infection last week.
Margarita Aaron, the actor’s wife, told Fox News and TMZ on Monday that her husband is “making significant progress” in his recovery, making minor body movements including opening his eyes and giving a thumbs-up. Though the actor is partially breathing on his own, Margarita Aaron said her husband remains on breathing assistance and antibiotics, according to Fox News.
A representative for Aaron did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday
“He’s a fighter; he’s a very strong fighter, and you know, he is making progress day by day,” she told Fox News, “and I believe God’s got him, and he believes God’s got him.”
The 41-year-old actor was hospitalized last week in Atlanta after he collapsed while walking up the stairs in his apartment, TMZ reported. He reportedly experienced pain in his neck and back days before his collapse and lost feeling in his legs before he fell. Aaron’s wife said she called 911 and her husband was slipping in and out of consciousness en route to the hospital, where he has since undergone several tests, according to TMZ. The outlet reported on Tuesday that doctors found a “rare cyst” on the actor’s spine.
Nonprofit organization Veterans Aid Network organized a GoFundMe page in support of Aaron, who the organization described as “part of a veteran family himself.” The organization said it has a “longstanding relationship” with the actor and seeks to raise $35,000 to help his loved ones pay for medical expenses and other recovery-related costs. Donors have raised more than $40,000 as of Tuesday afternoon.
“Quinton has spent his life inspiring others, reminding us that compassion and humanity still matter in this world,” reads the GoFundMe description. “Now, as he faces one of the hardest battles of his life, let’s surround him and his loved ones with that same compassion, strength, and care.”
In an update shared to the fundraiser on Monday, Veterans Aid Network said that Aaron “opened his eyes and has some feeling in his foot!” The update also said he remains on life support and will need a wheelchair upon his release.
Aaron has acted in scores of films, according to his IMDb page, but is best known for his turn in “The Blind Side.” The 2009 drama was based on Michael Lewis’ 2006 book of the same name, which tracked the story of football star Michael Oher, who was plucked from homelessness and poverty when taken in by wealthy couple Leigh Anne Tuohy and Sean Tuohy. The family is credited with Oher’s football success. Oher was an All-American player at Mississippi and a first-round draft pick for the Baltimore Ravens in 2009.
Aaron starred as Oher and Bullock as Leigh Anne Tuohy. The film was nominated for two Academy Awards and earned Bullock a prize in the actress in a leading role category.
“The Blind Side” was in the news again in 2023 when Oher sued his self-proclaimed adoptive parents, alleging the pair never officially adopted him and tricked him in 2004 into signing a legal document that deemed them his conservators. The pair denied the allegations and said the athlete’s lawsuit was a “shakedown.”
The date was Dec. 20. It was the day everything changed for the Clippers.
Kawhi Leonard has been the leading scorer in the NBA since, averaging 31.8 points per game. James Harden has averaged 25.1 points in that stretch. The Clippers have the best scoring differential in the Western Conference over that span. They’ve been rolling.
Flom is a blogger who covers the Clippers, and Dec. 20 was when he wrote the following on X: “If they go 15-3 in any stretch this season will print and eat this tweet.”
The Clippers have gone 15-3 since. True to his word, Flom printed the tweet Monday and ate it.
“Pretty crunchy,” he said.
Social media wasn’t around in 1953 or 1985, which means it’s highly unlikely anyone in Baltimore or Cleveland had to endure a crunchy moment like the one Flom put himself through on Monday night.
The 1952-53 Baltimore Bullets got into the playoffs by finishing fourth in a five-team division, in a year when eight of the NBA’s 10 teams made the postseason. The 1984-85 Cleveland Cavaliers got into the playoffs despite spending more than three months of that season holding down last place in the Eastern Conference.
Both teams started those seasons with 6-21 records. Of the 121 teams that started an NBA season with a record that bad or worse, including five this season, those Bullets (who finished 16-54) and Cavaliers (who finished 36-46) are the only two that wound up reaching the postseason.
The Clippers started 6-21 this season. The playoffs were a million miles away. Not anymore.
Going into Tuesday’s game at Utah, the Clippers are three games under .500 at 21-24. They are 10th in the West, but that would be enough to get them into the play-in tournament and give them a chance at a playoff berth.
For a team that was a half-game out of last place in the West a couple of days before Christmas, just getting back to play-in range this soon represents a minor miracle.
“We’re confident, we’re playing well, but we’ve still got to play better,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said after Sunday’s 126-89 romp over the Brooklyn Nets. “We still have to run through the tape and continue to execute the right way. … Overall, we’re playing well. We’ve got to keep it going.”
The Clippers, to their credit, were aware of Flom’s tweet. The Clippers’ social media team had a blast with it — all in good fun, like the tweet itself — and players couldn’t help but react when they got that 15th win in 18 games that ensured Flom would be chewing on paper for a half-hour or so.
“We gotta get him on camera,” Lue said.
“I don’t know how healthy that is for you,” Leonard said.
Clippers fans got into the act as well, chanting “eat the tweet” during Sunday’s game. It’s a feel-good story, such as it is. And there have been a few of those in the NBA this season.
Among them: Toronto started slowly but is vying for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs now. BetMGM Sportsbook had Phoenix’s over-under for wins this season at 30.5; the Suns have already won 27 games. The Celtics, even without Jayson Tatum, are No. 2 in the East, something few outside Boston probably expected.
The Clippers were supposed to be good, like title-contending good. Starting 6-21 was beyond unexpected. Then again, so was the turnaround. And the tweet is a neat part of why everyone seems happy in Clipperland these days, after tons of drama going back to the summer.
There was a probe of whether a business relationship between Leonard and a California company was legitimate or merely a way for the Clippers to circumvent salary cap rules, then Chris Paul being sent home in a stunning early December move, and a whole lot of losing.
Now, there’s a whole lot of winning. For the record, Flom now says the Clippers will finish 45-37. The way they’re playing, he might not have to eat those words.
These are the key developments from day 1,433 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Published On 27 Jan 202627 Jan 2026
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Here is where things stand on Tuesday, January 27:
Fighting
At least two people were injured after Russian forces launched a drone and missile attack on Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, Mayor Ihor Terekhov said. The attack also damaged apartment buildings, a school, and a kindergarten, he added.
Russian drones also hit a high-rise apartment building in Ukraine’s Kryvyi Rih, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s hometown southeast of Kharkiv. The head of the city’s military administration, Oleksandr Vilkul, said the attack triggered a fire, but there were no immediate reports of casualties.
A Russian drone and missile attack on the Ukrainian capital damaged parts of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, Ukraine’s most famous religious landmark and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ukraine’s Ministry of Culture said in a statement.
In Russia, one person was killed following a Ukrainian drone attack in the border region of Belgorod, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on the Telegram messaging app.
Ukraine’s military said it struck the Slavyansk Eko oil refinery in Russia’s Krasnodar region overnight. The military said in a statement that parts of the primary oil processing facility were hit. There were no initial reports of casualties.
One person was injured, and two business enterprises caught fire in the city of Slavyansk-on-Kuban – also in Russia’s Krasnodar – after fragments fell from a destroyed drone, the regional emergencies centre said.
Russia’s Ministry of Defence said that air defence systems had intercepted and destroyed 40 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 34 in the Krasnodar region.
Military aid
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said Ukraine’s interception rate of Russian missiles and drones has decreased due to Kyiv having fewer weapons to protect it from incoming attacks. Rutte urged allies to dig into their stockpiles to help defend Ukraine.
Humanitarian aid
Czechs have collected more than $6m in just five days in a grassroots fundraising effort to buy generators, heaters and batteries to send to Ukraine, where hundreds of thousands of people are freezing in sub-zero temperatures after Russian attacks on power plants, the online fundraising initiative Darek pro Putina (“Gift for Putin”) said.
Ceasefire talks
Talks between Ukrainian and Russian negotiators are expected to resume on February 1, Zelenskyy said in his regular evening address. He urged Ukraine’s allies not to weaken their pressure on Moscow in advance of the expected talks.
In a separate post on X, Zelenskyy said military issues were the primary topic of discussion at trilateral talks with the US and Russia over the weekend in Abu Dhabi, but that political issues were also discussed. He added that preparations are under way for new trilateral meetings.
The US-brokered trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators were held in a “constructive spirit”, but there was still “significant work ahead”, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists in Moscow. The talks should be viewed positively despite these differences, he added.
The Kremlin also said that the issue of territory remained fundamental to Russia when it came to getting a deal to end the fighting, the Russian state’s TASS news agency reported. Moscow has insisted that for the war to end, Russia must take over all of Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region.
German Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Johann Wadephul denounced Russia’s “stubborn insistence on the crucial territorial issue” following the talks in Abu Dhabi.
Politics
European Union countries have approved a ban on Russian gas imports by late 2027, a move to cut ties with their former top energy supplier nearly four years after Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Ukrainian Minister of Energy Denys Shmyhal welcomed the ban, saying in a statement that independence from Russian energy “is, above all, about a safe and strong Europe”.
Germany’s Wadephul said that Russia is testing European countries’ resilience with hybrid tactics, such as the damaging of undersea cables, the jamming of GPS signals and the deployment of a shadow fleet of vessels to break sanctions, as its deadly war in Ukraine continues.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said that Budapest would summon Ukraine’s ambassador over what Orban said were attempts by Kyiv to interfere in a Hungarian parliamentary election due on April 12. In recent weeks, Orban has intensified his anti-Ukrainian rhetoric and sought to link opposition leader, Peter Magyar, with Brussels and Ukraine.
Pedestrians walk past a person with an amputated leg begging at a metro station during an air raid alert in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, on Monday [Sergei Gapon/AFP]
I would love to take my girlfriend out on a romantic date in L.A. There is no special occasion but instead “just because.” She loves movies, food and new experiences. She is very adventurous. She’s a horror fan but also a hopeless romantic. I want to give her a date she will never forget.— Daisy Vargas
Looking for things to do in L.A.? Ask us your questions and our expert guides will share highly specific recommendations.
Here’s what we suggest:
Daisy, this is so sweet. It sounds like you love your girlfriend a lot. Lucky for you, there are several places around L.A. where you can give her an unforgettable experience.
Since she’s into horror films, she’d probably love Horror Row, the stretch of Magnolia Boulevard in Burbank that is densely populated with spooky, spine crawling horror-themed shops and attractions you can enjoy year round. You’ll find the terror-themed coffee shop Horror Vibes Coffee, a convenience store known as the Horror Boodega, a year-round Halloween store called Halloween Town and the Mystic Museum, which Times contributor Jess Joho calls “a perfect date spot for oddity-inclined couples” in a guide about nightmare inducing spots in L.A. The museum sells occult essentials, cursed antiques and movie merchandise. In the back of the shop, there’s an interactive maze that changes seasonally.
For movie screenings, check out the VHS (Variety Horror Screenings) Society, which hosts monthly events. The next screening, happening on Feb. 22 at Benny Boy Brewing, will be a double feature of horror romance films, “Warm Bodies” and “Lisa Frankenstein.” (Goth fashion and ‘80s-themed outfits are encouraged.) After the event, if you’re hungry, Times food writer Stephanie Breijo suggests the nearby Macheen, which sells “amazing tacos” and was featured in our 101 best restaurants list or OG taco shop Guisados.
Brain Dead Studios in the Fairfax District also hosts film screenings throughout the month, and don’t sleep on the concession stand, Breijo tells me. It’s stocked with “some of the best snacks in all of L.A.” including Burritos La Palma and La Morra Pizzeria, she says. The independent theater and retail shop is also down the street from “all the hits on Fairfax” including the new location of Genghis Cohen, Lucia, Canter’s and Badmaash,” she adds.
Chances are that at least a few of your girlfriend’s favorite movies were filmed in L.A. so here’s a date idea you can steal from my colleague Jaclyn Cosgrove. For Valentine’s Day in 2020, they took their wife to different locations around the city where scenes from films she loves were shot. “I had the shots on my phone,” Cosgrove tells me. “It was both movie-focused and romantic, and a nice adventure before the shutdown.” You can also check out this list of 12 iconic L.A. film and TV horror homes to add to your tour.
For a thrill-inducing date, consider taking your girlfriend to a rock climbing gym. In this guide, Dakota Kim writes about seven gyms, including Sender One, which has three locations around the city, all of which “make indoor climbing feel luxurious.” Or if soaring across the sky is more your jam, go on a zip lining adventure. Cosgrove recently visited Highline Adventures near Solvang, which boasts the fastest and longest zip line in the state. The third zip line on the course, which is about 2,650 feet long, can reach up to 60 mph. Make it a weekend trip.
Times entertainment and features editor Brittany Levine Beckman suggests the Santa Monica Trapeze School, which is where her husband/then boyfriend took her on a birthday date years ago. “We had a good time and it was adventurous,” she tells me. Afterward, you can take a walk along the Santa Monica Pier or the beach, then grab what food columnist and critic Jenn Harris calls “the best grilled cheese in the universe” at Pasjoli.
Valentine’s Day is around the corner, so I hope these recommendations help you plan the perfect, memorable date for you and your girlfriend. The beautiful thing about love is that anything can feel romantic when you’re with the right person, so I’m sure whatever you end up doing will be amazing. Sending love. <3 <3 <3
