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Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell. Today we start a series looking at the NL West, position by position, and we meet our new sports columnist.

NL West, the catchers

It seems like a good time to look at the starting lineups for all the teams in the NL West. The Dodgers are prohibitive favorites to win the division, with some prognosticators thinking they will be the only team in the division to finish above .500.

Baseball Prospectus’ PECOTA projection has the NL West finishing like this.

1. Dodgers, 105-57
2. San Francisco, 81-81
2. San Diego, 81-81
4. Arizona, 79-83
5. Colorado, 61-101

It seems to me at least one other team will finish above .500, but, that’s why they play the games. A lot of projections had Toronto not even making the postseason last year. So take it with a grain of salt.

Now, let’s look at the catchers, ranked from best to worst. Click on the player’s name to be taken to their full stats page.

Dodgers
Will Smith
Last season: .296/.404/.497, 20 doubles, 17 homers, 61 RBIs
Career: .264/.358/.476, 128 OPS+

Smith, who turns 31 on March 28, is the best catcher in baseball and he is a steal at only $14 million a season through 2033. Of catchers who started at least 81 games last season, he was eighth in caught stealing at 25.5%. Some will argue that Cal Raleigh or Alejandro Kirk are better, but when you consider the total package, I put Smith first. Of course, if Raleigh’s huge step up in offense that he took last season is for real, then he could certainly slot ahead of Smith.

Arizona
Gabriel Moreno
Last season: .285/.353/.433, 12 doubles, nine homers, 40 RBIs
Career: .281/.349/.404, 108 OPS+

Moreno has inflammation in his right elbow, but it appears he will be ready for opening day. He has had quite a few injuries the last couple of seasons.

Colorado
Hunter Goodman
Last season: .278/.323/.520, 28 doubles, 31 homers, 91 RBIs
Career: .248/.292/.482, 102 OPS+

Goodman was one of the few bright spots for the Rockies, who lost 119 games last season. Last season was his first good season at the plate. He was an All-Star and won the Silver Slugger award. Earlier this spring training, he had this to say about his defense: “I mean, last year for the whole first half, was kind of like I was in fight-or-flight mode the whole game behind the dish. So just trying to get to where I’m comfortable on the plate and working to get these guys strikes and call better games and stuff like that.”

San Francisco
Patrick Bailey
Last season: .222/.277/.325, six homers, 55 RBIs
Career: .230/.287/.340, 78 OPS+

Bailey is solid defensively, and has proven to be a master at when to challenge a ball/strike call under the new Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) Challenge System (more on that in a future newsletter). Bailey has also focused on his swing in the offseason and has been a much better hitter this spring.

San Diego
Freddy Fermin
Last season: .251/.297/.339, 13 doubles, five homers, 26 RBIs
Career: .264/.309/.376, 91 OPS+

The Padres acquired Fermin from the Royals at the trade deadline last season, and loved how he handled the pitching staff, much like the Dodgers with Ben Rortvedt. He will be backed up Luis Campusano, who hit .336 in triple A but isn’t exactly Johnny Bench behind the plate.

Meet our new columnist

We have a new columnist at The Times, Mirjam Swanson. She will be covering all sports, but here’s guessing she will be writing quite a bit of opinion about the Dodgers. So, let’s get to know her.

Q. Welcome to The Times. What was the road that led you here?

Swanson: Thank you! Oh, it’s been a long and windy road, scenic let’s say. I grew up in Southern California, so it was always my dream to work for the L.A. Times. But journalism is a tough business. And I know I’m not the only mom out there who has turned down and/or taken jobs based on what was best for her children. Plus, I’ve always had this problem of getting really into whatever I’m covering, whether it was action sports or local politics or World Series runs. So while the dream of working at the Times persisted, I was also always happy with what was right in front of me, never desperate to move on. But here I am now, finally, better for the journey, I think.

Q. You will be an all-sports columnist, but we’ll focus on the Dodgers since this is a Dodgers newsletter. Do you have a favorite moment in Dodger history?

Swanson: The moment in Dodgers history that will stick with me most is …

… hmm. The Dodgers’ history books could fill a library — where to start?

I was in the backseat of the family car on a freeway somewhere in Southern California listening to Kirk Gibson put his signature on the improbable 1988 season with his impossibly clutch pinch-hit home run in Game 1 of the World Series. And I was in the ballpark when Gibby met Freddie in 2024, feeling the stadium shake and watching on a TV in the overflow media workspace, feeling awe and angst. Freddie Freeman with grand timing that night, right on deadline.

Watched Shohei Ohtani turn Game 4 of the 2025 NLCS into a Little League game with 10 strikeouts and three home runs. There might never be a greater individual game — or there might be. Put nothing past Ohtani, including the inconceivable.

And I won’t forget my L.A. neighborhood erupting over Miguel Rojas’ “no-way!” ninth-inning solo shot in Game 7 of last season’s World Series.

But all of that is a long and windy way to arrive at this: It’s Andy Pages’ catch.

That’s not recency bias, either. It’s that the play was so confounding, so unexpected, the plot twist no one saw coming. Violent and athletic and hilarious. A whole movie in 10 seconds.

We might not have expected it to be Rojas to hit that season-saving home run, but our brains are trained to accept seeing a home run in such a moment. But an outfielder coming out of nowhere, running down and over his own teammate to make an improbable, impossible season-saving catch for the final out in the ninth inning of Game 7? Wasn’t on my bingo card.

I think about that play daily, it was so cool.

Q. What do you see as the biggest obstacle for the team this season?

Swanson: The answer is health, of course. But the Dodgers are so deep, they’ve done as much as a club can to fortify itself against inevitable injuries and ailments throughout a season, so it feels like less of a concern than it’s supposed to be.

So it’ll be mental. Having to handle the weight of trying to three-peat, of everyone either desperately wanting to see them do it or rooting desperately against them doing it. Every other team is going to treat their games against the Dodgers like it’s the World Series. That should make for good baseball, but it also will test these guys’ psychological stamina.

Manager Dave Roberts said the other night that he felt more pressure to repeat than three-peat, and that at this point, the Dodgers are playing with house money. That might be true, but there’s no ignoring the historic opportunity, either. Heady stuff for a team that’s set up as well as a team can be to do it if players can keep their edge.

Q. I get quite a bit of email from fans saying Roberts is overrated and that anyone could manage this team to the World Series. What are your thoughts on Roberts as a manager?

Swanson: I know some of these people.

And I hope they’re on no one’s jury, because evidence evidently means nothing to them.

A guy I know, an otherwise relatively rational dude, told me after the Dodgers repeated: “The only bad thing about this is Dave Roberts is going to be around longer.”

As if there was any bad thing for fans of the team about the Dodgers’ repeating. You really have to want to be unhappy about something if you’re anti-the manager who has won three World Series crowns in six seasons.

As if it’s automatic to pilot a team with so many talented players, to keep them happy and motivated and locked in, to manage these millionaires with understandable egos. That’s actually so much harder to do than to coach up a team of prospects with modest expectations.

And to pull so many of the right levers along the way, too?

Yeah, Roberts is elite at what he does. And apparently his haters are elite at what they do too.

Q. Is a lockout inevitable after the season, and does baseball need a salary cap?

Swanson: Sigh.

Yes, probably.

No, probably not.

All the salary cap is going to do is save the smarter-than-you Dodgers’ ownership group money while everyone keeps chasing them. It won’t level the playing field, but it will give owners cover for not paying their players as much as they could — and possibly cost us all priceless opportunities to watch Ohtani play baseball while the owners and players arm wrestle over finances offstage.

Sigh.

Q. Lastly, how many games will the Dodgers win this season?

Swanson: Fewer than 100.

Yes, they’re the most talented team money could buy. But every other team is going to give everything it has in every game against the Dodgers. And the Dodgers aren’t going to match that energy every time out — or 117 times out, if you’re hoping the major league record + World Series three-peat combo is on the menu.

The regular season isn’t what it’s really about for the Dodgers. They’ll be conservative with their approach, they won’t push anyone to do anything that could diminish their performance in the postseason. They’re going to play it cool … until they’re not.

And it’s going to drive observers along the way nuts, because it will cost them some games. But let’s try not to fret too much, Dodgers fans. Try not be too hard on Roberts.

Because only one number really matters: Three.

Dodger Stadium has a new field name

The Dodgers agreed to a deal granting Uniqlo naming rights to the field at Dodger Stadium. Though not officially announced by the Dodgers, the name likely will be Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium.

Uniqlo is a Japan-based clothing brand. This is just another example of the revenue the Dodgers are generating because of Shohei Ohtani.

But here’s guessing that no one will call it Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium.

Opening day starter will be…

Dave Roberts said Monday that Yoshinobu Yamamoto will be the opening day starter on March 26 against Arizona at Dodger Stadium. It will be the second straight opening day start for Yamamoto, and after all he did in the postseason last year, it is much deserved.

And the number is….

Some of you who haven’t seen any spring training games have asked what numbers the new Dodgers are wearing.

Edwin Díaz is wearing No. 3, last worn by Chris Taylor and also worn by such Dodger luminaries as Steve Sax, Willie Davis and Billy Cox. He becomes the 40th Dodger to wear No. 3.

Kyle Tucker is wearing No. 23, last worn by Michael Conforto (I hope that’s not a bad omen) and also worn by, among others, Adrián González, Eric Karros, Kirk Gibson, Jim Wynn, Claude Osteen and Don Zimmer.

In case you missed it

Yoshinobu Yamamoto named Dodgers’ opening-day starter for second straight season

Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani apologizes for ‘shortcomings’ in Japan’s early exit from WBC

Dodgers reportedly agree to deal with Uniqlo for naming rights to Dodger Stadium field

Swanson: Yoshinobu Yamamoto might not wear a cape, but he has super powers

‘Bigger than baseball.’ Why being in Puerto Rico for WBC meant so much to Kiké Hernández

Blake Snell throws first bullpen session of spring training, taking key step forward

Dodgers prospect James Tibbs III attempts to show staying power after multiple trades

And finally

Kyle Tucker hits his first home run with the Dodgers. Watch and listen here.

Until next time….

Have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future Dodgers newsletter? Email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

SOPHIE Habboo has been left sobbing after her husband Jamie Laing’s Mother’s Day present backfired.

The couple welcomed their baby boy Ziggy in December and this year marks Sophie’s very first Mother’s Day.

However, things didn’t end up going so well when Jamie presented his wife with a photo album of their son.

The former Made in Chelsea took to TikTok to share a video to capture the moment in question.

In the short clip, Sophie, 31, is seen bawling her eyes out as Jamie, 37, asks: “Wait, why are you upset?”

As she holds her head in her hands, she emotionally expresses: “He’s never going to be that small.”

READ MORE ON SOPHIE HABBOO

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SOBBING SOPHIE

Sophie Habboo sobs after Jamie Laing’s Mother’s Day present ‘backfires’

He captioned the post: “Reminder… Don’t make your wife a photo album of your newborn baby for Mother’s Day.”

Fans flocked to the comments section as one said: “So valid. You blink and they aren’t the little baby you brought home.”

Another person commented: “That’s the baby bond burrowing it’s way through all the tired days, the hard times and the cray cray. It’s painfully beautiful.”

Somebody else penned: “Bless her, we all know this feeling but the best is yet to come as his little personality develops.

“The days are long but the years are short so just treasure every second.”

Yet another follower gushed: “That’s so sweet. Bless your heart Sophie you’re such a lovely mum.”

While a fifth social media user added: “This was me yesterday, sending you a big hug Sophie.”

The pair announced the arrival of their first child back in December as they took to Instagram to share the news.

Alongside a photo of their baby boy, Jamie wrote: “Ziggy, you have our whole hearts.”

They were flooded with messages from fans and famous pals as Rylan Clark said: “Congrats you two xxx.”

“Congratulations guys,” weighed in Strictly judge Motsi Mabuse. “A new journey begins.”

“You did it mama,” wrote Jessie J.

“Oh my goodness so many congratulations. So excited for you and this amazing new chapter for you all! Biggest hugs,” added This Morning regular Alice Liveing.

Sophie recently opened up about her motherhood journey while attending the Brit Awards with Jamie earlier this month.

During an interview with Chloe Burrows for KISS FM, she was asked: “Is there anything you’re not loving about being a new mum?”

The new mother responded: “The constant mum guilt.”

“You just feel guilty for being here, but then feel guilty… yeah, that’s not good.”

While Jamie added: “The hardest thing about having a baby is the burping.”

Rolling her eyes, Sophie chimed in: “The mums do everything.”

But to that, Jamie claimed: “I mean, this is a joke.”

Moments later, Sophie then shared: “I have the better instincts.”

Stunned by his wife’s claims, Jamie clapped back and snapped: “No, I have better instincts.”

Joking around, the Made in Chelsea icon laughed: “I feel him. I can feel him right now.”

March 17 (UPI) — On this date in history:

In 1762, New York City staged its first parade honoring the Roman Catholic feast day of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. It was led by Irish soldiers serving in the British army. In 2002, President George W. Bush became the first sitting U.S. president to take part in the event, more than six months after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks on the city.

In 1776, the Continental Army under Gen. George Washington forced British troops to evacuate Boston. The Boston area marks Evacuation Day along with its St. Patrick’s Day parade each year.

In 1901, 71 paintings by the late Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh were shown at the Bernheim-Jeune gallery in Paris and caused a sensation across the art world.

File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI

In 1917, Russia appeared headed toward a republic following the end of the 300-year-old rule of the Romanoff family.

In 1958, the U.S. Navy launched the satellite Vanguard 1 into orbit around Earth.

In 1959, the Dalai Lama fled Tibet for India.

File Photo by John Eggitt/UPI

In 1969, Golda Meir, a 70-year-old former Milwaukee schoolteacher, was elected first female prime minister of Israel.

In 1974, the oil-producing Arab countries agreed to lift a five-month embargo on petroleum sales to the United States. The embargo, during which gasoline prices soared 300%, was in retaliation for U.S. support of Israel during the October 1973 Middle East War.

In 1990, Lithuania rejected the Soviet Union’s ultimatum to renounce its declaration of independence a week prior. The Soviets implemented sanctions against Lithuania and conducted a military operation in 1991 before other Soviet republics eventually declared their independence.

In 1992, South African Whites, by a margin of 68.7% to 31.2%, voted to end minority rule. Nelson Mandela was elected two years later as the first president in a fully representative democratic election.

In 2003, as war with Iraq seemed a certainty, U.S. President George W. Bush gave Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and his sons 48 hours to leave the country. The ultimatum was rejected.

In 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin won a fifth term in office, making him the longest-serving leader of the country in about two centuries. A Russian election watchdog called the election unconstitutional.

File Photo by Maxim Shipenkov/EPA-EFE

Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani expressed regret Monday for his “shortcomings” following Japan’s early exit from the World Baseball Classic.

It is unclear what those shortcomings might have been. Over four games during this year’s tournament, Ohtani led Japan with a .462 batting average, three home runs and seven RBI in 13 at-bats.

Those stats are even better than the ones he posted as the MVP of the last WBC. Over seven games in 2023, Ohtani hit .435 with one home run and eight home runs in 23 at-bats to lead Japan to its third WBC championship.

Overall, however, Japan finished with a .284 batting average, down from a .299 average three years ago. Ohtani did account for his team’s final out of the 2026 tournament — an infield popup to seal an 8-5 quarterfinal loss to Venezuela on Saturday — and took to Instagram two days later.

“Thank you to all the fans for your support. Your cheers pushed us forward every day,” Ohtani wrote in Japanese. “We didn’t achieve the results we hoped for, and I deeply regret my own shortcomings.”

The two-way superstar did not pitch in this year’s WBC, after famously striking out then-Angels teammate Mike Trout of the United States for the final out of the 2023 championship game and going 2-0 with one save and a 1.86 ERA in that tournament.

Ohtani had his second Tommy John surgery in September 2023 and did not pitch again until last June with the Dodgers. Manager Dave Roberts revealed in January that Ohtani had decided not to pitch in the WBC.

PHOENIX — It’s only fitting that the pitcher who recorded the Dodgers’ final eight outs of the World Series will take the mound on opening day, as the club tries to pick up where it left off in 2025 and chase a third straight championship in 2026.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Monday that World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto will toe the rubber for the March 26 opener at Dodger Stadium against the Arizona Diamondbacks — the second straight year he’s had the honor and the first time at home, after pitching last season’s opener in Tokyo against the Chicago Cubs.

Roberts added Yamamoto is expected to return to Camelback Ranch soon, after participating in the World Baseball Classic with Team Japan. The Samurai Warriors, seeking a second straight WBC title, were eliminated by Team Venezuela Saturday night in the quarterfinals.

Yamamoto is expected to make one more start in the Cactus League before opening day, although the date has yet to be scheduled, according to Roberts.

Shohei Ohtani returned to Dodgers camp Monday morning, and Roberts plans to have a conversation with him soon about configuring his throwing plan leading up to regular season play. Per Roberts, Ohtani threw four innings in a simulated game while with Team Japan last Thursday.

“He’s going to get here and throw a bullpen,” Roberts said, adding: “I’m trying to figure out when we can get him into a game, but it should be here in the next day or two, to take some at bats. But as far as his progression, there’s going to be a bullpen soon, and [we’re] trying to figure out what day he’s going to pitch this week. It should be this week, but I’m not sure which day yet.”

Ohtani has not pitched in a Cactus League game and did not pitch in the WBC. Roberts does not expect the four-time MVP to be fully stretched out by the start of the regular season. Still, as Roberts notes, he’s further along than he was at this time a year ago, when he was working his way back from Tommy John surgery.

“I think this year we’re certainly north of that, I don’t see how we won’t be able to get to three or four innings in a major league game, so that’s certainly a better jumping-off point than last year, so we’ll see how it goes,” Roberts said.

Beyond Yamamoto, Ohtani and trusty veteran Tyler Glasnow, the Dodgers’ back end of the rotation is still taking shape. Though Roberts had considered a six-man rotation to begin regular season play, he indicated Monday that he expects the club to use a five-man rotation, noting that things are still “fluid.”

Last week, Roberts said he “didn’t see a world in which Roki Sasaki doesn’t break [camp] as a starter.” That would leave one rotation spot up for the taking, with 25-year-old Justin Wrobleski, 26-year-old Emmet Sheehan and 27-year-old River Ryan among those in the running.

IF there’s ever a time to sink a pint of Guinness, it’s got to be today, which is St Patrick’s Day.

You’ll likely find the best pour in its birthplace of Ireland, but there are plenty of bars all over the world pulling stouts for punters.

Sophie Swietochowski shares her pick of unlikely destinations to pick up a Guinness, along with some holiday deals for those who are tempted.

NEPAL

THE aptly named Irish Pub is not only in one of the most off-grid locations in this list — being in the small town of Namche Bazaar — it’s also one of the highest boozers in the world.

Many claim it’s the most difficult pub to reach because of its position in the gateway to Mount Everest.

OK, it may be a two-day hike to get there but it’s well worth it for the views — and at least you can reward yourself with a well-deserved pint at the end.

CHEERS TO THAT

Inside London’s new Guinness brewery with selfies on pints & VIP rooms

CHEERS!

Brewery giant launches Guinness DUPE as Irish favourite could soar to £10 a pint

NORWAY

ON Paddy’s Day, punters sink Guinness like its medicine, so what could be a more fitting setting than a 19th-century pharmacy?

Svanen, in the Norwegian capital Oslo, ranks 32 in the 50 Best Bars in the world list, with its traditional glass medicine cabinets, marble columns and black and white tiled floors still intact.

You’d be hard pushed to find a quirkier joint for sipping the dark stuff.

JAMAICA

RICK’S Cafe has to be one of the most spectacular spots to enjoy a pint, with sweeping views of the Caribbean Sea that are best enjoyed at sunset.

The bar-cum-restaurant in the town of Negril has become a popular spot for cliff jumpers thanks to its hilltop perch, 35ft above a clear and perfectly blue ocean.

A pint of Guinness will set you back a fiver.

THE FAROE ISLANDS

THIS collection of volcanic islands, floating in the sea between the UK, Norway and Iceland, are so unspoilt that it’s hard to picture a bar here being anything more than a few tables and a weathered gent serving only the local poison.

But the Irish Pub (again) is a little more than that.

Located in the capital Torshavn, this charming spot offers lovely views of the harbour.

You may even spot seals, whales and dolphins, too.

ICELAND

IT may be better known for attracting geography enthusiasts than stout-loving stags, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t places serving the black stuff in the Land of Fire and Ice.

Den Danske Kro is a lively spot in capital Reykjavik with Danish-style furnishings and a wide selection of beers on tap — including the Irish favourite for £9.

CZECH REPUBLIC

IN capital Prague, pints are poured with a side serving of history.

Its Old Town dates back more than 1,000 years and is dominated by the Baroque Church of St Nicholas and the dramatic Kinsky Palace.

And just off the square you’ll find Waxy Malone’s.

A pour of Guinness here will set you back around a fiver.

LA28 revealed the schedule Monday for an extended Olympic soccer tournament that will begin four days before the opening ceremony.

The soccer competition begins July 10 with four men’s group stage games across New York, Columbus, Nashville and St. Louis. The women’s tournament begins July 11 with games in all six of the preliminary round sites, including San José and San Diego.

The soccer competition, which will feature 12 women’s teams and eight men’s teams for the first time, has the longest competition window of any sport in Olympic history because the International Olympic Committee Executive Board wanted to give each team two extra rest days throughout the tournament.

Each team will have two days of rest between group stage games and three days between the final group game and the quaterfinal rounds. The men will begin their knockout round games on July 20 while the women start quarterfinal play on July 21, including one women’s quarterfinal match at the Rose Bowl.

The iconic stadium in Pasadena will host only five matches for the Olympics, including a men’s and women’s semifinal July 24 and the men’s gold medal match on July 28 and the women’s on July 29.

San Diego’s SnapDragon Stadium will have the most matches of any site with 11. In addition to three days of women’s group stage games, the home of San Diego State football, San Diego FC and San Diego Wave FC will host a women’s quarterfinal July 21, men’s and women’s semifinals July 24 and both bronze medal matches.

With the coast-to-coast soccer tournament shaping up, LA28 announced additional ticket opportunities for the competition, allowing fans interested in attending soccer matches to buy up to 12 soccer tickets in addition to the current 12-ticket maximum for all other Olympic events. The 12-ticket maximum for Olympic events includes the opening and closing ceremonies on July 14 and 30, respectively, which each have a four-ticket limit.

Ticket registration for the first ticket drop ends Wednesday at 11:59 p.m. PDT with the first tickets going on sale to locals in Southern California and Oklahoma beginning April 2. The first general ticket drop begins April 9. Fans who are randomly selected to participate in the first ticket drop will be notified via email between March 31 and April 7 with information and their assigned timeslot to purchase tickets.

More than 5 million fans have already registered for Olympic tickets, LA28 said, with Paralympic tickets going on sale in 2027. The organizing committee expects 14 million tickets to be available for the Games, which could eclipse the total ticket sales record set by Paris in 2024.

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom’s former chief of staff, Dana Williamson, left state service with two things: a federal corruption investigation and more than $50,000 in pay for vacation time she accrued but never took.

State payroll records reviewed by The Times show Williamson used approximately $30,000 in unused vacation time to remain on California’s payroll through Jan. 31 — seven weeks after Newsom’s office indicated she had departed — before collecting an additional $22,000 lump-sum payout for the hours she had left.

Large cash-outs for departing state workers with hundreds of hours of time off on the books have been a recurring issue in California. The state’s unfunded liability for vacation and other leave owed to employees has ballooned in recent years to $5.6 billion, fueled by generous time-off provisions and a long-standing failure to enforce policies that cap most employees’ vacation balances at 640 hours.

Many state workers accumulate large balances of unused vacation after decades of being on the government payroll. The typical public employee retires with more than two decades in public service, according the California Public Employees’ Retirement System. Their unused time off is paid when they leave state employment at their final rate of pay.

Williamson, however, amassed 462 hours of unused leave in less than two years on the job. She earned $19,612 a month as the governor’s chief of staff.

John Moorlach, director at the conservative think tank the Center for Public Accountability at the California Policy Center, said that a job like Williamson had probably involved incredibly long workdays but that the pace in which employees accumulate days off is a major financial burden.

“A normal blue-collar worker would say, ‘Really? Really?“” said Moorlach, a former Republican state senator from Orange County. “You don’t find this perk in the private sector.”

Williamson notified Newsom in November 2024 that she was under federal investigation and was put on paid administrative leave through Dec. 16, the governor’s office said.

Federal charges against Williamson, which were filed in November 2025, allege she siphoned $225,000 out of a dormant state campaign account belonging to gubernatorial hopeful Xavier Becerra and illegally claimed $1 million in luxury handbags and travel as business expenses on her tax returns. She pleaded not guilty to the charges.

A status conference in Williamson’s case was moved to April 16 after she recently underwent a successful liver transplant and due to the large volume of discovery — more than 280,000 pages so far — according to court records filed last month.

Williamson’s attorney, McGregor Scott, did not respond to a request for comment.

State payroll records show Williamson earned $40,000 in regular pay in 2025, which the state controller’s office said included her December 2024 and January 2025 paychecks. The governor’s office said Williamson’s December 2024 paycheck included 11 days of paid administrative leave, and the remainder of both paychecks was covered by her unused leave.

With her final cash-out of $22,000 in remaining time off, she made a total of $62,000 last year — all tied to administrative leave and unused vacation time rather than time worked.

“That’s shocking, honestly,” said Assemblyman Josh Hoover (R-Folsom), adding that stockpiled vacation time overall is something the state Legislature should look into.

The state paid $453 million in unused leave benefits to state workers in 2025. That was an average of more than $20,000 to the 21,000 employees who received a lump-sum check. The amount paid to departing or retiring state workers has steadily increased each year. In 2024, the state paid $413 million for unused time off.

“Obviously, employees are an important part of our state and they accrue vacation time,” Hoover said. “But, if this is something being used to pad people’s salaries … we need to look into that and possibly reform that.”

Last year, 80 state employees took home at least $250,000 in unused time off, and 1,081 employees were paid more than $100,000. Those numbers have been increasing each year. For example, the state paid 16 state workers more than $250,000 for unused time off in 2010, and 309 employees were paid more than $100,000.

In 2024, the state paid out a record $1.2 million to a prison supervising dentist for unused time off. Last year, the top amount paid for unused leave was about $650,000 to an assistant fire chief with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

The state owed nearly $5.6 billion to state workers for unused vacation and other leave benefits in 2024, according to the most recent financial accounting report issued by the state controller’s office. Although that unfunded liability held steady when compared with 2023, it has risen sharply from pre-pandemic amounts.

In 2019, the state owed $3.9 billion for employees’ unused time off before COVID-19 curtailed travel and work-from-home policies resulted in fewer workers taking time off. State employees have argued that under-staffing at state agencies can make it difficult to take vacations.

Nick Schroeder, a policy analyst at the nonpartisan California Legislative Analyst’s Office, said the state has plans to reduce unfunded liabilities for pensions and retiree healthcare, but that isn’t the case with unused time off.

“There isn’t a plan to address it,” Schroeder said.

When an employee retires with a large leave balance, the department where that person worked last is on the hook for the amount.

“It can be a big effect on that individual department’s budget,” Schroeder said.

During budget deficits — including in the current fiscal year — the state has cut employee pay or deferred annual raises in exchange for additional days off, a strategy that helps balance budgets but also adds to workers’ growing vacation balances.

In Newsom’s January budget proposal, which estimated a $3-billion deficit, the governor recommended providing $91 million in ongoing funding to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to help the prison system pay departing employees for their unused time off. The department said that from 2020 to 2025, it paid about $130 million annually on average to employees leaving state service, according to a Legislative Analyst’s Office report.

When employees cash out banked leave, the state pays them not only for the hours they have accumulated, but also for the additional vacation and holidays they would have earned had they taken that time off.

That means a person with 640 hours of vacation would also be paid for all of the vacation and holidays they would have earned had they taken those 80 days off. Each hour of leave is paid based on an employee’s final salary — not what they were earning when the time was accrued.

Most private-sector employers cap vacation accrual between 40 and 400 hours and stop employees from earning additional time once they reach those limits. Some companies have moved in the opposite direction, adopting “unlimited paid time off” policies. Under those systems, employees do not accumulate vacation days that can be banked or cashed out, but critics say the policies can lead to workers taking less time off because there is no guaranteed number of days and employees may feel pressure not to appear absent.

Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Assn., said there appears to be little appetite in the state Capitol to address California’s burgeoning vacation liability.

“This problem is systemic within California government and no one seems willing to take it on,” Coupal said. “At the same time, they are clamoring that there is a budget crisis. I suspect they will continue to kick the can down the road.”

Match of the Day pundit Wayne Rooney describes Max Dowman becoming the youngest goalscorer in Premier League history as a “moment he’ll never forget” and argues it will bring those connected to Arsenal closer together, seeing an academy graduate make his mark on the first team.

READ MORE: How history-maker Dowman stole show for Arsenal

Available to UK users only.

Police make 12 arrests as demonstrators defy government restrictions to gather on Thames embankment.

Hundreds gathered in central London for the annual Al-Quds Day demonstration, an international show of solidarity with Palestinians that this year took place under sweeping new restrictions and a heavy police presence.

Crowds assembled on Sunday along the Albert Embankment of the River Thames, where demonstrators waved Palestinian flags, held banners, and chanted slogans – some carrying images of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed earlier this month during US-Israeli attacks on Iran.

Police made 12 arrests during the event, including for showing support for a proscribed organisation and threatening or abusive behaviour.

Chants of “from the river to the sea” and “Israel is a terror state” were heard. Al-Quds Day is named after the Arabic name for Jerusalem.

More than 1,000 officers were deployed across the area ahead of what police Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan warned would still be “a difficult public order weekend”. Earlier estimates suggested 12,000 people could attend, but only hundreds showed up.

The demonstration marked the first time in more than a decade that authorities banned the march through the capital.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood approved Scotland Yard’s request for a month-long prohibition on marches, with the government citing public disorder risks linked to the “volatile situation in the Middle East”, and potential clashes between different groups of demonstrators.

Organisers from the Islamic Human Rights Commission proceeded with a “static” rally in defiance, telling supporters the event would go ahead regardless.

The group accused London police of having “capitulated to the pressure of the Zionist lobby”.

‘Words have consequences’

Al-Quds Day takes place annually on the final Friday of Ramadan, with rallies held worldwide in solidarity with Palestinians and in opposition to Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory. It was held on Sunday in London as Friday was a regular workday.

Police put demonstrators on notice that “intifada” chants and displays of support for proscribed groups would result in arrest, with Adelekan stating “these words have consequences”.

On the opposite bank, a smaller counterprotest organised by Stop The Hate and the Lion Guard of Iran drew Iranian dissidents and others opposed to the Islamic Republic, some waving Israeli flags.

Scotland Yard used the River Thames as a physical barrier, with police boats patrolling the water and Lambeth Bridge closed to separate the two sides.

Both demonstrations were confined to the stretch between Vauxhall and Lambeth bridges and permitted only between 1pm and 3pm.

Both demonstrations wrapped up at 3pm, with police saying the security plan had worked and neither side attempted to breach conditions by marching.

BROADCASTER Greg James sobbed as he spoke about his dad’s recent stroke on day two of his 1,000km tandem bike ride for Red Nose Day.

Earlier this month the Radio 1 host, 40, had to cancel his show and rush home after his beloved father Alan Milward suffered a stroke during a planned heart operation.

Greg, who took off from stormy Weymouth in Dorset on Friday will ride solo all the way to Edinburgh by next Friday.

Undertaking the mammoth task to raise money for Red Nose Day just a week after his dad’s stroke, Greg got on emotional talking about the man he calls “Big Al.”

“I feel elated. I feel a bit overwhelmed by all these people who just turned up out of nowhere. I just burst into tears as I was going up to Blaenavon. It was all a bit much,” Greg said on BBC Radio 1 after the second day of his ride.

“Just thought about… I just thought about everything. Just thought about my dad, thought about my mum. It got way too much. It’s so silly. It must have been the altitude.”

RED KNEES DAY

Greg James reveals secret that’ll keep him going on bike for Red Nose Day

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Greg James Comic Relief cycle challenge route map, tracker and how to donate

Greg continued: “And then someone gave me a Wales flag and I was holding that and I thought about my old nan, and she’s Welsh. And then I just thought about everything and then everything just made me cry, and I just felt really overwhelmed by it all. 

“But the day is done, and I actually can’t believe I’ve managed to get to Abergavenny.”

Before heading off on his mammoth mission, Greg opened up to The Sun about his gruelling training regimen.

“I have been training really hard on my bicycle from about Christmas, and every day has been leg day,” he said.

“It’s been a f***ing nightmare. But it’s all for a good cause and totally worth it.

“I have done thousands of miles, either out in the real world or on a bike in the spare room with a laptop propped up watching Heated Rivalry.”

Greg also confirmed he has an upbeat playlist to keep him going.

He said: “The song I just can’t stop listening to is Aperture by Harry Styles. I’ve also got a lot of Chemical Brothers because that’s just nice, upbeat, good dance music.”

Vernon Kay, Sara Cox, Jo Whiley and Scott Mills have been cheering him on, while Jamie Laing and Mollie King have been offering advice following their own challenges.

Greg, who has affectionately named his bike Tando Norris, is still hoping for a message of support from Formula One McLaren driver Lando Norris.

He said: “Zak Brown and the McLaren team, if you’re reading this, please donate generously.”

You heard the man, McLaren!

Greg added: “The reason I’m doing this is because it will raise a lot of money for people that don’t have a safety net.

“I feel very lucky in my life. I have great friends and a really great family to support me if things go wrong.

“Imagine a tough time with no one looking after you. That’s what’s going to spur me on.”

• Donate at comicrelief.com/ride.

It started with a Shohei shot.

Ohtani began the World Baseball Classic in Tokyo for Team Japan with a double on the first pitch he saw and then, one inning later, a grand slam … of course he did.

It continued with an espresso shot …

The hitters of lovable Team Italy celebrated home runs with shots of Italian espresso in a dugout dripping with cheek kisses and caffeine.

After hitting three homers against Mexico, Italy’s Vinnie Pasquantino told Fox that he was, “beaned up.”

Truly, this blip of a tournament has been beaned up, a glorious 10 days of deafening cheers and eye-blacked tears, fans dressed like discount popes and bald eagles, TV ratings through the roof, baseball at its October best … in the middle of spring training?

Italy’s Jac Caglianone takes a shot of espresso as he celebrates with teammate Vinnie Pasquantino after hitting a solo home run against the U.S. during the World Baseball Classic on Tuesday in Houston.

(Kenneth Richmond / Getty Images)

What a thing! What a treat!

All hail the WBC, 20 years old and all grown up, its sixth incarnation stealing the stage in a sweet spot during NBA doldrums and before March Madness.

Have you watched any of it? Have you been energized by all of it? It’s been like two weeks of All-Star games, only the players are serious. It’s been like when baseball was part of the Olympics, only the players are all truly the best in the world.

In the middle of the most boring part of the Cactus and Grapefruit Leagues, it’s like a Superhero League. Two weeks before opening day, it’s like the final week of a pennant race.

It’s competitive, and it’s crazy, and Friday’s quarterfinals were filled with both.

There was giant Vladimir Guerrero Jr. going airborne to score a run for the Dominican Republic against Korea, and then leaping up and pumping his fist as if he had just won the World Series.

There was Juan Soto flying home to score an inning later, his head-first dive celebrated by Soto doing a swim move in the dugout.

Then there was Team USA’s David Bednar, screaming along with the chanting crowd as he worked out of a seventh-inning jam in a win over Canada.

In a tournament filled with equal parts emotion and edginess, Team USA now plays the Dominican Republic Sunday in Miami in a semifinal that could be the most-watched game of this season before the season starts.

Paul Skenes versus a lineup so deep Julio Rodriguez bats seventh? A team led by Aaron Judge and Bryce Harper versus a team featuring Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr?

Dominican Republic’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr. dives past South Korea catcher Park Dong-won to score on a double by Junior Caminero during the World Baseball Classic on Friday in Miami.

(Lynne Sladky / Associated Press)

“I expect it to be one of the best games of all time,” said Team USA Manager Mark DeRosa.

No, the WBC isn’t as big as the World Series. One notable player said it’s even bigger.

“The Classic kind of feels above the World Series,” Kiké Hernández told reporters earlier this spring. “Maybe it’s because of what we have on the chest,”

Hernández, who didn’t play for his home country Puerto Rico because he is recovering from elbow surgery, nonetheless showed up in San Juan for the pool-play games.

He was so excited when Puerto Rico beat Panama on a walk-off home run, he texted Dodgers baseball president Andrew Friedman and asked if he could accompany the team to Houston for the knockout round. Friedman of course said yes.

Yes, yes, yes, more, more, more.

Before this spring, I had watched exactly one WBC at-bat. The entire deal felt cheesy and contrived. American players didn’t appear to care. American players would rather lounge through the final days of spring training in occasional games and on countless golf courses

Other countries loved it. Other countries caused a ruckus. The fan experience was highlighted by a memorable and deafening 2009 final at Dodger Stadium featured a Japan victory over South Korea in a game that many observers said was the loudest they ever attended.

Not me. Didn’t care. I pretty much ignored the whole thing until stumbling upon that one at-bat, the final out in the 2023 title game, that stunning dramatic strikeout of Mike Trout by then-Angel teammate Ohtani to give Japan the title.

Ohtani threw his cap and glove in a rare show of emotion, setting off a wild and sincere celebration as my ignorant self finally realized, “Hey, this is a thing.”

Three years later, the American players have agreed, stacking the roster with stars like Judge and Harper, kids like Pete Crow-Armstrong, vets like Kyle Schwarber and Big Dumpers named Cal Raleigh, all transforming this occasional baseball oddity into must-see TV.

You know how one can tell it’s real American baseball? The team spent its first week mired in social media drama and a second-guessing controversy.

American right fielder Aaron Judge celebrates his team’s win over Canada during a World Baseball Classic quarterfinal game on Friday in Houston.

(David J. Phillip / Associated Press)

Tarik Skubal, the game’s best pitcher, found himself defending his patriotism after leaving the tournament early to better prepare for his opening day start with the Detroit Tigers.

First, he admitted he was surprised at how bad he felt about abandoning Team USA. That seemed to be a theme in a clubhouse that has been stunned at how much this matters.

“I totally misread how I would feel,” he said.

Then, he seemed genuinely hurt that people think he is turning his back on the flag.

“It’s just not fair,” he told the Athletic, later adding, “If they know me, though, and they know me on a personal level and they know what my peers think of me, I don’t think it’s fair to say those things.”

Also finding himself in hot water was USA manager Mark DeRosa, who nearly allowed his team to be eliminated in pool play because he didn’t know the rules.

When Team USA played Italy on Tuesday night, DeRosa rested most of his starters, nearly used retired Clayton Kershaw and basically managed the game as if he thought they didn’t need to win to guarantee advancement to the next round.

Guess what? They needed to win. But they didn’t win, losing 8-6 in a shocking upset. So they were forced to sweat out the Italy-Mexico game on Wednesday, where another Italian upset allowed them to back into the quarterfinals.

DeRosa claimed he knew the rules all along, which he clearly did not.

Before the game against Italy, in an interview on the MLB Network, he said, “Our ticket’s punched to the quarterfinals.”

After the game, DeRosa claimed he just, “misspoke”

And then Thursday he told the media, “I was well aware that we had to win the game.”

The 16-year journeyman clearly messed up, and then tried to cover up, and here’s guessing even if Team USA wins this tournament, he won’t be managing them in the 2028 Olympics or in any future WBC events.

Seems like the perfect job for Dave Roberts, no?

Meanwhile, one American player had a dissenting view about the status of this tournament, Harper offering a tired argument.

“Obviously, the WBC has been great, but it’s not the Olympics, right?” he told reporters. “That’s no disrespect to the WBC or anything, but everybody knows that when the Olympics are on, everybody’s watching. It doesn’t matter what sport it is; it could be the most random sport, and it’s got all the fans watching it.”

Wrong. Here’s guessing more fans will be watching Sunday night in a matchup for the ages. Then, imagine if Team USA wins and plays Japan on Tuesday night for the championship?

With the sport headed toward a seemingly inevitable work stoppage this winter, this could be the sweet beginnings of a long farewell. Soak it in. Enjoy the buzz. Get all beaned up. March madness indeed.

Harry Styles is no stranger to “Saturday Night Live,” having performed multiple times with his former boy band One Direction and more recently as a solo artist. But this isn’t his first time as host either.

This week, the pop star returned to the Studio 8H to host for a second time, more than six years after his debut. That’s a long time in between, during which Styles has starred in a couple of films, “Don’t Worry Darling” and “My Policeman,” and released a trio of albums, including his latest, “Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally.,” which he was there to promote.

Styles has a knack for radiating charm, honed after years in the spotlight as a musician, and now with some notable acting roles under his belt, he’s more than primed for the stage. And the timing is perfect, considering many actors are in Hollywood this weekend for the Oscars.

He delivered again with a variety sketches, including one about a prosecutor distracted by the famous comedian/lawyer appointed to defend an alleged thief, a pretaped sketch that riffed on HBO Max’s hit medical drama “The Pitt,” and a closing sketch where he played himself promoting a line of clothing modeled after some of his most famous outfits for Target.

He also excelled in parts where he could show off his vocals and dancing, like in “Sparkle of the Sea,” an infomercial about a German cruise line, and another pretaped sketch, “She’s an Irish Dancer,” where guys find out just how Irish their dates are in a nod to St. Patrick’s Day on Tuesday. Flatter, though, were sketches about a pair of Best Buy workers, and one where Styles played a drive-thru worker at a White Castle, but that’s because Jane Wickline and Veronika Slowikowska stole the skit as a pair of nerdy girls trying to ask him out to the school dance.

Styles performed his new single, “Dance No More,” after last week’s host Ryan Gosling introduced him, a fitting appearance since Styles crashed his monologue. And Paul Simon also stopped by to introduce Styles before his second song, “Coming Up Roses.”

This week’s cold open touched on the ongoing war in Iran. The patriarch (Mikey Day) of a family at a gas station says he needs to fill up their car. As a piano begins to play, his wife (Ashley Padilla) says, “Fill up? Not all the way, right?” “We have to,” Day replies emphatically. “But it’s $5 dollars,” she says before turning to her two children (Marcello Hernández and Sarah Sherman) to say they have to leave one of them behind because gas is too expensive. Why? “The Epstein files,” exclaims President Trump (James Austin Johnson), who jumps into the scene. “It’s called butterfly effect. Epstein was the first domino,” he says, miming dominoes falling. Trump goes on to introduce himself by saying we might remember him from campaign promises such as “lower gas prices” and “no more wars” (“Psych!”). “We love to make promises because a promise is a lie that just hasn’t happened yet.” As for the stock market, he puts it in a way that Harry Styles fans might understand — it’s going in one direction, garnering loud cheers and applause. He jokes about Iran’s age, saying it is old and nobody likes them, “Iran is like ballet and opera and weird Timothée Chalamet,” referring to the actor’s comments that have caused an uproar.

But Trump says he has everything under control, meeting with top minds including influencer and boxer Jake Paul, who he says was booed “very badly” at his fight against Mike Tyson. “Did someone say booze?” Department of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth (Colin Jost) says as he emerges from the family’s car and dozens of cans fall to the ground. (“It was just a couple of road sodas, chill.”) He then thanks Trump for the “beautiful, size 16 Florsheim shoes,” a reference to the Wall Street Journal report that they are the president’s gift of choice to close friends and advisors. Hegseth goes on to say that they are “hashtag winning” the war with Iran, and as for the Strait of Hormuz, he advises that the tankers moving oil should just do what he does at a DUI checkpoint: “Close your eyes and gun it.”

In his monologue, Styles, dressed in a grey pinstripe suit and bright blue tie, said he couldn’t resist hosting when he heard they booked his favorite-ever musical guest. After his tour ended in 2023, he took a lot of time off, realizing he’d spent much of his life on the road and “making songs about fruit that people think were about sex.” He just really likes fruit — and sex. He also said a lot of people pay attention to the clothes he wears (true, see above), with some people accusing him of “queerbaiting,” to which he responded, “Maybe you don’t know everything about me, dad.” But as far as what he did in his time off, he took up boring things, like jogging (his sub-three hour marathon in Berlin was the buzz of the running world). It’s better than the alternative, he says, as the screen flashed to an image of the former Prince Andrew. But now he’s promoting his new album, “Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally.”, because what’s better than kissing? He actually doesn’t want to kiss all the time, leading to a brief appearance and disappearance of cast members Chloe Fineman and Sherman, unless its Ben Marshall. He complimented Marshall’s backside, and gave him a smooch on the lips: “Now that’s queerbaiting.”

Best sketch of the night: I don’t know if your dad did this, but my dad used to pop it twice

The first sketch of the night took us into a courtroom, where a New Jersey prosecutor (Styles) rose to present his case against the defendant, Mr. Donovan (Tommy Brennan), who didn’t have an attorney. So the judge (Kenan Thompson) appointed one: comedian Sebastian Maniscalco (Hernández). It’s the second time Hernández has played the comedian, whose caricature of Maniscalco in a red blazer and black turtleneck is at turns spot on, exaggerated and completely hilarious. He chimed with retorts as the prosecutor explained the charges of stealing $5,000 in merchandise, including a belt. “Let me tell you something about a belt. When I was a kid, the belt wasn’t to keep the pants up, it was to keep the volume down,” Maniscalco says, motioning to his waist and explaining how his dad would use it. Maniscalco’s manic energy was too much for the courtroom sketch artist, though, who complains to the judge about having to draw him, showing a sketch of a blurred, multi-limbed man. Kudos to Styles who managed to mostly keep his composure as Hernández glided around him. But Styles had the last laugh with his own impression of Maniscalco, before a final sketch of him was revealed. Put it in the Lourve!

Also good: Why get real healthcare when you’ve got ‘Mahaspital’

“The Pitt,” one of the buzziest TV shows in America, has been lauded for its realistic portrayal of emergency rooms and the stresses that medical workers endure on a regular basis. So when the opening scenes of this pretape began playing, the crowd went wild. But this isn’t “The Pitt,” it’s “Mahaspital,” brought to you by producer Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the team behind Make America Healthy Again. Styles channels Noah Wyle’s Dr. Robby, marching toward an incoming patient on a gurney as she’s pushed through the ER hallway. “What she needs is a steak,” he says. “Give me beef tallow and six raw eggs, too.” The sketch touches on many of the hallmarks of the MAHA movement: healing crystals, vaccine skepticism, raw milk and lots and lots of protein. And we can’t forget that Central Park bear.

‘Weekend Update’ winner: Battle of the heart (emojis)

“Update” anchors Michael Che and Jost focused most of their attention on the Iran war this week, but they also touched on another event happening this weekend: the Oscars. They brought in Tucker Carlson (Jeremy Culhane) to talk about the best picture nominees. Culhane’s impression of the conservative pundit was pretty impressive, capturing his cadence and habit of using rhetorical questions — I hope we see it again.

But it was Day and Hernández who stole the segment as emojis aerial tramway and heart, respectively, who joined to comment on Apple’s addition of eight new emojis. Heart emoji on the new additions: “All I know is they’re all going to be more popular than this loser,” pointing to Day. “I’m No. 1 because I’m useful. People use me for everything.” But you can’t put an aerial tramway down, who tried to explain other ways to use the emoji somewhat unsuccessfully. At least he has a solid crew of bangers: orange square, division sign, snorkel and “my boy, the goat” building with a horn on it. Day was dedicated to the bit, making Hernandez crack with muffled laughter. Don’t be surprised if you see a lot more of aerial tramway (and his girlfriend, on with two arrows) in your texts.

WEARING protective suits, masks, hats and gloves, we approach the buzzing hive in front of us.

The Canarian black bee, our guide tells us, is a hardy species adapted perfectly to the high heat and dry lands that make up Lanzarote’s volcanic climate.

My mum Rhona and I seem to have adapted pretty well ourselves, as we soak up the last of the afternoon sun.

The fourth-largest Canary Island, Lanzarote was the ideal destination for a pre-Mother’s Day trip, with its year-round “eternal spring” climate, lunar-like landscapes and white-sand beaches.

While a fly-and-flop holiday is always tempting, particularly when it’s 21C, I was determined to include some bonding experiences during our visit.

And our beekeeping tour was just that. Ahead of reaching the hive, our guide taught us all about the insects that live there.

WAIL OF A TIME

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Then, after shedding our protective suits, we were treated to samples of the organic honey, taking note of the sightly different flavours depending on which plants the bees had visited.

We felt fully connected to the surrounding nature.

When we weren’t off exploring, we could relax at the 4H Seaside Los Jameos, in Puerto del Carmen, one of the island’s most popular resorts.

With its beachfront location, palm tree-lined pools, gym, spa and cactus gardens, the recently renovated hotel is an oasis within the town, with plenty of activities on site.

I’m lucky enough to have a mother who can run rings around me, so we started each day with a jog on the beach.

I picked up pace as the week progressed, but never quite managed to catch up with my mum.

It was the perfect way to work up an appetite for the plentiful buffet breakfast.

My highlights were the mimosa station, with crisp cava and freshly squeezed orange juice, and the DIY waffle machines.

In the evenings, guests can expect live entertainment from acts such as an ABBA tribute band, as well as magic shows and children’s discos.

Outside of the hotel, nearby restaurants included beachfront tapas joint Restaurante El Molino, which was within walking distance, and Sebastyan’s Atlantico Lounge on the water (be sure to arrive in time for the stunning sunset).

Lanzarote also has a thriving plonk scene, with wineries dotted all around the island.

Our final First Choice excursion took us on a tasting and museum tour at Bodega Finca Mota, a charming family-run winery surrounded by Lanzarote’s distinctive volcanic landscape, where grapes grow in the black sand.

We started our visit with an introduction to vintage winemaking tools in the museum, before sitting down for some sipping.

We tasted three different wines accompanied by locally-produced cheese and traditionally-cured tuna, and enjoyed it so much we bought a bottle each to take home.

On our final day, we decided to explore the picturesque village of Yaiza, famed for its beautifully maintained whitewashed houses and palm-lined streets.

Mum and I both love to shop, so we enjoyed a potter around the boutiques selling jewellery and ceramics and found a delightful cafe to have coffee and baked goods.

Literally the cherry on top of the cake to end a dreamy Mother’s Day getaway.

Demonstrators gathered in Toronto for Al-Quds Day, denouncing US-Israeli attacks on Iran and Lebanon.

March 14 (UPI) — Saturday’s Google Doodle celebrates everyone’s favorite math holiday, Pi Day.

The Doodle features an animated illustration of how the mathematical constant is used in equations dealing with a circle’s circumference and diameter.

“Long before modern technology, the Greek mathematician Archimedes popularized an innovative approach: He approximated the value of pi by sandwiching a circle between two 96-sided polygons to determine its precise upper and lower bounds,” a Google post about the Doodle reads.

“Today, we honor this mathematical legacy as enthusiasts worldwide celebrate with pi-reciting contests and slices of pie.”

The value of pi is roughly 3.14, but since it’s irrational, the number of decimal places beyond .14 go on infinitely. There are contests worldwide in which math lovers memorize and recite as many digits of pi as possible.

Last Pi Day, in 2025, a 10-year-old British boy recited 280 digits of pi from memory in 1 minute, breaking a Guinness World Record.

Pi Day is celebrated March 14 each year because the date is typically expressed as 3/14. Those less interested in math often choose to celebrate the day by eating a slice of their favorite pie.

MAURA Higgins looked incredible as she stripped off for a bubble bath for a new St Patrick’s Day advert.

The former Love Island star, 35, was seen relaxing in the tub with a cold pint of Guinness on the side.

Maura used the bubbles to cover her modesty as she enjoyed a relaxing soak.

Meanwhile, her crew were seen frantically searching a pub for her as one member screams: “Did you lose Maura?”

The video then cuts back to Maura who admits there’s nothing better than an “Irish exit”, which is the act of leaving a party or social gathering quietly without telling the host or saying goodbye to anyone at the event.

Looking seductively at the camera, Maura said: “There’s nothing better than a successful Irish exit. 

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“Sneaking away quietly in a well-timed Uber. I think it’s my new thing.”

Maura then reached over to her phone as she scored her Uber driver a five star rating.

She continued: “It’s like when you’re out or at a pub filming a work thing. I don’t think you should say anything to anyone about leaving anywhere. 

“You know it’s nothing personal, and the people usually understand.”

The clip then jumps back to her crew becoming increasingly panicked as they realise that Maura is missing.

One asked: “Does anyone have eyes on Maura?

“We can’t find her. She’s gone.”

The new advert is part of a campaign with Uber for St Patrick’s Day.

A relaxing soak in the bathtub is perfect for Maura after being rushed of her feet in recent months – from one project to another.

On Friday, the Irish star pulled out all the stops with her latest incredible outfit as she attended the Women In Film Oscars nominee party.

She made sure all eyes were on her as she stepped out for an A-list party in a strapless dress as she continues her American takeover.

The TV star posed up a storm in her corset style dress at the party to celebrate the Oscars, which take place tomorrow.

Last night’s party is just the latest in a string of glitzy bashes that the Love Island star has been attending as she continues her US domination tour.

The former Islander is currently starring in The Traitors US alongside The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills icon Lisa Rinna, who she was also seen chatting with at the Oscars nominees party.

The show may not have aired in the UK yet, but the Irish star’s quick wit has already made her a fan favourite in the States.

American viewers have also been enjoying watching the chemistry between Maura and Love Island USA star Rob Rausch, 27, play out on Traitors.

Maura was recently asked about their relationship when she appeared on US talk show Watch What Happens Live recently.

Host Andy Cohen told her: “The internet wants you and Rob to get together.” 

Speaking about her close friendship with RHOBH star Lisa, she told Andy: “Lisa helped majorly, majorly.”

Maura added: “Lisa, thank you very much for this!”

Meanwhile, further proof that Maura has cracked the USA, something that British reality stars have found hard to do, is that she has been signed to the top-tier agency Align PR.

Their client roster includes A-list stars like Madonna, 67, Matthew McConaughey, 56, and Bryce Dallas Howard, 45.

Maura has also proved herself to be popular with Hollywood stars.

In March last year, the star revealed that she had been invited to lunch with Margot ­Robbie.

The Barbie actress, 35, is a huge Love Island fan and previously described Maura as one of her favourite contestants.

Maura wrote on Instagram: “When Margot Robbie invites you to lunch . . . you go.” 

RAIL commuters will face a number of disruptions as the UK’s busiest train station is hit with a series of closures this month.

Scheduled works will be carried out on select weekend days throughout the remainder of March, beginning tomorrow.

Anyone planning to travel through Liverpool Street Station in London tomorrow may want to double check their plans.

Network Rail has revealed “vital maintenance, renewals, and repairs” for the bustling hub, impacting all routes and services to and from the station. 

Liverpool Street’s mainline station, which sees approximately 98 million commuters annually, is set to shut for five weekend days, during which its concourse will also be closed.

These closures will impact Elizabeth line and London Overground, as well as National Rail services, including Greater Anglia and c2c.

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Five new train stations opening in UK over next month in £185m ‘rail revolution’

ON TRACK

Brand new £10m UK train station to open on ex-RAF base next to nuclear bunker

While the station itself will undergo roof drainage repairs, work will also be carried out relating to track drainage and maintenance, as well as vegetation management and litter clearance along railway lines.

Commuters can expect disruptions on the following dates:

Sunday, March 15

The entire station will be closed on this date, with London Overground services running from London Fields instead.

Elizabeth line services will continue to run, though commuters are advised there will be no access to the main concourse on this date.

Saturday, March 21 – Sunday, March 22

Again, the entire station will be closed for both these dates, with Elizabeth line services continuing to run on Saturday, March 21, with no access to the main concourse.

On Sunday, March 22, there will be no Elizabeth line trains running.

There will also be no Overground Weaver line trains on either of these dates.

Saturday, March 28 – Sunday, March 29

Liverpool Street Station will again be closed for both these dates, while Elizabeth line services continue to run throughout the weekend.

Again, there will be no access to the main concourse on these dates.

There will also be no Overground Weaver line trains running throughout the weekend.

To avoid travel disruptions, rail passengers are advised that rail replacement buses will operate between Stratford and Romford, and between Newbury Park and Shenfield tomorrow.

And before 9.50am, buses will replace trains between Seven Sisters and Enfield Town/Cheshunt and Hackney Downs and Chingford.

Check the Network Rail website for further details on replacement services throughout March.

Whether you’re Irish by blood or Irish just for the day — you want to head to the best spots in the UK to ring in the festivities — and that’s where we come in.

St Patrick’s Day is just around the corner and it’s the one day of the year people really like to let loose and celebrate.

Every year on March 17, people all over the world outside of Ireland — but especially the UK — come out in hordes to celebrate St Paddy’s Day. We’re talking lively parades, a sea of endless green, and booze. Lots and lots of booze.

Whether you’re Irish by blood or Irish just for the day — you want to head to the best spots in the UK to ring in the festivities. And that’s where we come in.

It goes without saying that the capital cities of Belfast in Northern Ireland and Dublin in the Republic of Ireland are must-visits if you’re looking for the ultimate St Paddy’s celebrations, but for those of you who can’t make it all the way to Ireland — don’t worry, we got you.

We’ve compiled a list of the best cities in Britain where you can celebrate St Patrick’s Day this year, so whether you’re planning to head out with a group of mates or go on a solo adventure, make sure to give these spots a whirl.

Let the Guinness and the good times roll.

London

It’s no surprise London is on this list. The UK’s capital city hosts a massive St Paddy’s Parade every year, and this year it’s going to be bigger and better than ever.

March 15 will see the official parade weave its way from Hyde Park to Trafalgar Square, with Irish music, pageantry, dance troupes, floats, and marching bands on display, along with a free-for-all party in Trafalgar Square for the public to enjoy featuring live music, comedy, food and drink.

It’s not just the parade that’s a draw — the weekend closest to March 17 always sees a flurry of activity as London’s thriving Irish community comes out in full force — along with just about every other person looking for a fun time. The Guinness Open Gate Brewery has also recently arrived in the city, hosting a line-up of craic, comedy, and electric music.

Look no further than London for a truly epic time.

Birmingham

The UK’s second largest city is undoubtedly one of the best to celebrate St Patrick’s Day in. In fact, it was one of the first cities in the country to begin hosting St Patrick’s Day celebrations, with a dedicated parade for the day since 1952.

With endless welcoming pubs, restaurants and clubs, there’s no dearth of exciting ways to celebrate the Irish holiday in Birmingham.

While the city’s annual St Patrick’s Day Parade has unfortunately been cancelled once again this year, there’s still more than enough to do in Brummy to get the celebrations going.

Revellers can instead head to St Patrick’s Family Fun Day at the Irish Centre on March 15 which will see a host of activities and entertainment including live bands, music and plenty of food and drink.

Or you can just head down to one of the local pubs — because parade or no parade, St Paddy’s Day is always a rip-roaringly fun time in Birmingham.

Manchester

There’s no way Manchester wasn’t going to be on this list. The city is all set to host its Irish parade for Paddy’s Day on March 15 and revellers can enjoy foot-tapping live Irish music, mouthwatering food, drinks and much more.

Expect to see “plenty of bright costumes, lively parades, and fun events happening across the city”.

In fact, the 10-day Manchester Irish Festival has been running since March 7 and will go on till March 17, with the parade on Sunday being the event’s highlight.

Liverpool

Liverpool is another UK city that’s always a good time on St Patrick’s Day. Irish pubs, karaoke bars and top-class entertainment means if you’re in Liverpool, it’s going to be a hell of a time.

Those hoping for a more peaceful and religious St Paddy’s Day can make their way to Liverpool Cathedral which is Britain’s biggest.

The 10th Annual Liverpool St Patrick’s Day Parade will take place at the Old Irish Centre on March 17, Tuesday. The anniversary parade promises to be “the biggest and best yet — with music, dance, colour, and Irish pride filling the streets. Bands, floats, and community groups are all welcome, and the whole city is invited to join in the festivities”, as per the official website.

Tens of thousands of people have gathered around the world for al-Quds Day, an annual event on the final Friday of Ramadan demonstrating solidarity with Palestine and opposition to Israeli occupation.

Rallies took place across numerous countries, including Iran, Malaysia, Indonesia, Kashmir and Yemen. In Tehran, thousands marched, chanting “death to Israel” and “death to America” as the United States-Israeli military campaign entered its 14th day of conflict.

The event has long been associated with Iran, and was established by the country’s first supreme leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, in 1979.

This year’s observance coincided with the US-Israel attack on Iran that has killed at least 1,444 people, including the Iranian supreme leader, Ali Khamenei.

Crowds turned out in Tehran and other cities, despite ongoing US and Israeli strikes in the region during the commemoration, state media reported.

Demonstrators worldwide expressed solidarity with both Palestinians and Iranians. In Kashmir, protesters burned mock coffins bearing images of US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while shouting slogans against the United States and Israel.

For the first time in 40 years, the United Kingdom banned London’s al-Quds Day march, citing risks of public disorder related to the “volatile situation in the Middle East” and potential confrontations between opposing groups. This marks the first protest ban since 2012, when authorities prohibited marches by the far-right English Defence League.

According to Iran’s Health Ministry, another 18,551 people have been injured in US-Israeli attacks on Iran since February 28.

Six days after the commencement of Operation Epic Fury, President Trump took to Truth Social to announce, in the context of the ongoing joint American-Israeli military campaign against the Islamic Republic of Iran: “There will be no deal with Iran except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!” In the same post, the president seemed to equate such “unconditional surrender” with “the selection of a GREAT & ACCEPTABLE Leader” to lead Iran, which would enable the country to come back from the “brink of destruction” and emerge “stronger than ever.”

Just three days after announcing “unconditional surrender” as his goal, Trump, speaking on March 9 in Doral, Fla., proclaimed that the end of the war will happen “very soon.” One might be forgiven for experiencing some whiplash — especially because earlier that same day, Trump told Fox News he was “not happy” with Iran’s naming of a new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei. In fact, around the same time he was demanding “unconditional surrender” the prior week, Trump had already called Khamenei the younger “unacceptable.”

What exactly is going on here?

Trump is a conservative nationalist, which means his general approach to foreign policy and his specific foreign policy “excursions” are guided by his view of how best to secure the American national interest. Accordingly, since Operation Epic Fury started, Pentagon press briefings featuring Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine have repeatedly emphasized empirical metrics for measuring success, such as Iranian naval vessels sunk, Iranian air force planes shot down, Iranian ballistic missile silos and launch sites destroyed and so forth.

Trump hasn’t said it explicitly, but the Trump administration’s goal — and thereby, definition of victory — in Operation Epic Fury seems clear enough: the neutralization of Iran as an active, ongoing threat to the United States and our interests. If nothing else, at least, that is how victory in the current campaign should be defined.

That does still raise at least one pressing question, though, especially in the context of exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi’s call to the Iranian people to prepare for “the decisive stage of our final struggle”: Where does that most controversial of foreign policy goals, “regime change,” fit into the puzzle?

At this point, it is undeniable that wholesale regime change is the most desirable outcome for the conflict in Iran. The pursuit of regime change as a goal unto itself is often now disparaged, coming in the aftermath of the failed neoconservative boondoggles earlier this century. But it ought to be axiomatic that there are some foreign regimes that behave in a manner that redounds to the American national interest, and there are some foreign regimes that behave in a manner that is contrary to the American national interest. It is natural and logical that we would wish for the latter types of regime to be heavily reformed or outright replaced — especially with the local populace leading the way.

Perhaps even more to the point: One does not take out a 37-year-ruling despot like Ali Khamenei, as the American and Israeli militaries did in the opening hours of the present operation, and not hope for full-scale regime change. All people of goodwill should be hoping for that outcome — for the Iranian people to rise up like lions and throw the yoke of tyranny off their necks once and for all, delivering a long-sought victory for the American national interest in the process.

But it’s entirely possible full-scale regime change won’t happen. The people of Iran just witnessed tens of thousands of their countrymen brutally gunned down during the anti-regime uprisings of late December and early January. They are an unarmed populace facing Nazi-esque regime jackboots, in the form of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Basij paramilitary.

All of that, then, raises one final question: Is it possible for there to be victory in Operation Epic Fury, and for the Iranian regime to be neutralized as a threat to the United States and our interests, if there isn’t full-scale regime change in Tehran?

In theory, the answer is yes. Venezuela provides a model.

Delcy Rodríguez, the current leader, is a hardened Marxist-Leninist in the mold of her predecessors Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro. But Rodriguez has been fully cooperative with the United States since the astonishing January operation to extract Maduro for the simple reason that she has no real choice in the matter: She remains in power, yes, but only on the condition of an “offer” presented by Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio that, to borrow from Vito Corleone in “The Godfather,” Rodríguez “can’t refuse.” Rodríguez has thus been fully cooperative in areas such as American oil extraction and the reestablishment of diplomatic relations with the United States.

In theory, a similar arrangement is possible with a decimated, chastened regime in Tehran. And some experts predict that such an arrangement will characterize the regime in Iran a year or two from now. In practice, however, there is the ever-thorny problem that has frustrated and perplexed Westerners for decades when they attempt to reason with zealous Islamists: They do not fear death. A socialist like Delcy Rodríguez can, ultimately, be reasoned with; an Islamist like Mojtaba Khamenei (or his successor), perhaps not.

The cleanest solution to the Iran quagmire at this particular juncture — and the one that most clearly fulfills Trump’s “unconditional surrender” victory criterion — is indeed full-scale regime change. That is certainly the outcome that would be best for the neutralization of the Iranian threat and the corresponding advancement of the American national interest. I’m far from certain it will happen. But like many, I pray that it will posthaste.

Josh Hammer’s latest book is “Israel and Civilization: The Fate of the Jewish Nation and the Destiny of the West.” This article was produced in collaboration with Creators Syndicate. X: @josh_hammer

Phil Rosenthal likes to sit at the counter of Max & Helen’s, the diner he recently opened with acclaimed chef Nancy Silverton, and chat with people while they eat.

“I sometimes feel like the mayor of Larchmont,” Rosenthal says over the phone as he greets diners who notice him at the counter. “When people come in and realize I’m involved, they’re always surprised to see me. It’s a bit like being at Disneyland and running into Goofy.”

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

Rosenthal is probably best known for creating the popular TV show “Everybody Loves Raymond” and hosting Netflix’s “Somebody Feed Phil,” which is moving to YouTube in 2027, but he is more than just a famous foodie. He’s now touring the country for his live show, “An Evening With Phil Rosenthal,” and he recently published his second children’s book, “Just Try It! Someplace New!,” which he wrote with his daughter Lily. (They’ll sign books at Barnes & Noble at the Grove on March 14.)

“The book series started when my daughter called and said, ‘Kids love your show. Why don’t you do a kids’ book?’ “ he says, before adding with a laugh: “I told her, ‘Yes, if you’ll do it with me.’ That’s a dad trick to get more time with your daughter.”

Rosenthal believes stories about kids feeling nervous or afraid to try new things connect with both children and adults. “When you write a kids’ book, you realize that it is not just a kids’ book,” he says. “It’s really a book for everyone.”

Although he travels a lot, Rosenthal likes to spend Sundays close to home. He enjoys walking his dog Murray to Larchmont Village and hosting movie night with friends at his place in Hancock Park.

Here’s what his perfect Sunday in L.A. looks like, with lots of good food along the way, of course.

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

7:45 a.m.: Coffee with Murray and neighborhood friends

Every Sunday morning, I walk my dog Murray to Larchmont Village and stop at Go Get Em Tiger. It’s our daily ritual. Over time, we’ve built a great community there, and I always invite others to join us. We sit outside, talk and have become close friends. I usually post a photo of Murray on Instagram each day. He’s a rescue mutt, and I like to joke he’s part Pyrenees, part psychopath.

9 a.m.: Shop for produce at the Larchmont Village Farmers’ Market

After about an hour, I head across the street to the Larchmont Village Farmers’ Market, which is held on Wednesdays and Sundays. I usually pick up some fruit for the house. It’s a great community spot.

9:30 a.m.: Breakfast at Max and Helen’s

Next I walk down the street to Max and Helen’s, the diner my family opened. I’m about to order the L.E.O., which is Gingrass Smoked salmon lox, three eggs and onions. So if I sound like my mouth is full, you’ll know why.

One of my favorite things on the menu is the sourdough waffle Nancy [Silverton] created, topped with butter mixed with maple syrup. I also love the hot chocolate, and the tuna melt is a special, more romanticized version of the classic. If you eat there every day, it’s smart to pick something healthy, like I’m having today — high protein and no carbs.

11 am: Browse titles at a neighborhood bookstore

I love visiting Chevalier’s Books, the oldest independent bookstore in Los Angeles. I’ve been going there since I moved to Los Angeles from New York in 1989. It’s just two doors down from the diner and feels like our community bookstore.

Noon: Hit the gym

Afterwards, I walk home and fit in a workout. I have to exercise every day because I eat a lot. If I didn’t walk everywhere, I’d probably weigh 300 pounds. My gym is simple — just some weights and a bench — but it works for me. Since I travel often, I stick to a routine I can do anywhere.

1 p.m.: Enjoy a surprising meal at a Michelin-noted restaurant

If I weren’t hosting movie night, I’d love to stop by République. It’s an amazing place, maybe the best restaurant in L.A. Every menu is great. I usually eat just about anything there, and sometimes I ask them to surprise me. It’s an all-day restaurant and I’ve gone for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Their egg dishes are excellent, the burger is top-notch and the roasted chicken, which is cooked over an open fire in the kitchen, is superb. I often let the chef decide what to bring me, especially when I’m with a group. It’s fun to be surprised and try shareable dishes.

I also really enjoy Connie and Ted’s in West Hollywood, Michael Cimarusti’s casual spot. The seafood is just as good as it is at Providence, his fine dining place. Their fresh Maine lobster roll is excellent, and they have the best oysters in L.A. It’s pretty awesome. Check before you head over there, though, as I’ve heard it’s for lease.

3 p.m.: Go for a hike

I used to hike more before I started traveling so much, but I still enjoy it. After all, this is L.A. While other places deal with bad weather, we get to be outside. I love hiking in Runyon Canyon and Griffith Park. It’s great to make the most of the outdoors here.

6 p.m.: Movie night and Pizzeria Mozza at home

On Sundays, we host movie nights at home. We have a dedicated screening room, a wood-burning pizza oven in the kitchen and a chef from Pizzeria Mozza, who comes over to make pizza. The best part is that someone connected to the film often joins us. Sometimes we watch new movies, other times old favorites. Aaron Sorkin came for “The Social Network,” and when we screened “Tootsie,” Elaine May, Dustin Hoffman and Bill Murray joined us. We usually have about 25 to 30 people.

I really love my neighborhood and the people in it. One of the best things about traveling so much is that it makes you appreciate home even more.