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AN ELECTRICIAN heroically smashed his way into a burning home to help save two people from a fire which killed a mum and three of her children.

Victor Pedra heard a dad crying and screaming “my children, my wife, my whole family is in there” at around 1.15am on Saturday.

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He bravely ran towards the flames and broke a lower floor window to gain access to his neighbour’s house in Brent, west London.

The dad-of-two helped rescue a grandmother aged in her 70s, who has been released from hospital, and her teen granddaughter who remains in intensive care.

But a 43-year-old mum and her other three children aged 15, eight and four, all tragically died at the scene.

Victor, 33, said: “I heard the dad outside crying and screaming ‘my children, my wife, my whole family is in there’. He was in shock and couldn’t really speak.

“I had gone outside and saw people standing around watching these huge flames so I just knew I had to act. I cut my hand breaking the window.

“The grandmother and one of the daughters managed to get out safely. The only way they could escape was through the garden as the front door was blocked by the fire.

“The flames were so strong and there was smoke everywhere. I couldn’t get to the second floor where the mum and her youngest son was.

“I also had to wake up the people in the house next door before it caught fire as they were all sleeping and hadn’t realised.

“Firefighters managed to bring the mum and one of the sons out and attempted CPR for about an hour but it was no use.

“They also managed to bring the other son and eldest daughter out from the top floor but sadly it was too late for them. It was really tough to see.

“I couldn’t sleep that night as I just kept hearing the screams from inside the house.”

His partner Leticia Maria, 31, added: “I was speechless. One of the firefighters was my friend but I didn’t even recognise him from the shock.

“It all happened so quickly. The fire seemed to take hold instantly. It seemed like it started from the top down because it wasn’t as strong at the bottom.

“The little girl managed to escape and was covered in black stuff from the smoke. She looked about 12-years-old.

“No one knows what caused the fire but you could hear explosions like things were popping.

“All the children must have been sleeping at that time. It’s just such a tragedy.”

Brent councillor Tariq Dar MBE named Usman Ghani, known as Ozzy, as the man who lost his wife and three children in the tragic fire.

He wrote on Facebook: “It is with profound sadness that we share the heartbreaking news of the passing of the wife and three beloved children—a daughter and two young sons—of Brother Usman Ghani in a tragic house fire in Wembley last night.

“Please remember the entire family in your heartfelt duas during this incredibly difficult time.”

The Met Police arrested a 41-year-old man who remains in custody on suspicion of murder.

Firefighters were supervising today while specialist workers secured the terraced home so detectives can investigate safely.

Six bouquets of flowers and a large blue teddy bear were left at the large police cordon surrounding the estate near Wembley Stadium.

A friend who knew the family well said: “It’s very sad. They were such loving and friendly people and will be dearly missed by everyone.

“Usman would always give me good advice. If something ran out like my milk or eggs, I would always go and borrow from them and it would never be a problem.

“He bought this house and worked very hard in a warehouse through an agency. He used to be a bus driver but had to stop due to health issues.

“The family are practising Muslims and were originally from Pakistan when Usman’s parents moved here over 25 years ago. His dad died a couple of years ago.

“I would always see the kids playing outside. It’s making me tear up thinking I will never see them again now the family is broken.

“They had just started half term and it makes me really sad thinking they won’t be going back to school.”

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WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court said Monday that police do not have a broad authority to enter a home to check on someone who may be suicidal and then search and seize evidence that may be used against the person.

In a 9-0 decision, the justices rejected what some courts called a “community caretaking” rule that might authorize police to enter a home even if they had no evidence of a crime or an emergency.

The case before the court began when the wife of a Rhode Island man called police because she was worried about her husband. They had argued the night before, and he possessed a handgun. Officers found the man, Edward Caniglia, sitting on his front porch. He denied that he was suicidal, but the officers called an ambulance and insisted he go to a hospital for an evaluation. He agreed but told them they could not enter his home and take his guns.

After he left, they did just that and confiscated two handguns.

The homeowner sued, alleging a violation of the 4th Amendment, which forbids “unreasonable searches and seizures” and usually requires officers to have a search warrant before going into a residence without the owner’s permission. But the 1st Circuit Court in Boston rejected his claim and said the police were acting to protect the safety and welfare of the homeowner.

The Supreme Court took up his appeal and overturned the lower court’s ruling in a short opinion in Caniglia vs. Strom.

“The 1st Circuit’s community caretaking rule goes beyond anything this court has recognized” under the 4th Amendment, said Justice Clarence Thomas. The police “lacked a warrant or consent” to enter the home, and they were not “reacting to a crime.” Nor was there an emergency that required officers to enter immediately, he added.

In the past, the court had upheld an officer’s search of a car in a similar situation. But “what is reasonable for vehicles is different from what is reasonable for homes,” Thomas wrote.

Several justices wrote separately to say the decision on Monday was narrow. Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh said “police officers may enter a home without a warrant in circumstances where they are reasonably trying to prevent a potential suicide or to help an elderly person who has been out of contact and may have fallen and suffered a serious injury.”

Washington lawyer Shay Dvoretsky, who represented the homeowner, called Monday’s decision “a significant victory for Americans concerned about the sanctity of their homes. The Supreme Court reaffirmed bedrock 4th Amendment principles and held that police do not have an open-ended license to perform community caretaking tasks in the home.”

Meanwhile, the court limited the reach of last year’s ruling that rejected non-unanimous jury verdicts in serious criminal cases. The justices said then that the Constitution as originally understood meant a jury must be unanimous to find someone guilty.

Only two states — Louisiana and Oregon — had permitted guilty verdicts based on a 10-2 or 11-1 vote, and both had agreed to end the practice.

In Edwards vs. Vannoy, the court said it would not apply the new rule retroactively to old cases. Thedrick Edwards was convicted on multiple counts of robbery, kidnapping and rape in 2006 and sentenced to life in prison, but the jury verdicts were not unanimous.

The justices split along ideological lines on whether he could obtain a new trial. The court’s conservatives insisted the justices had said in the past they would not apply new decisions to old cases. But the court’s liberals said an exception existed for “watershed” rulings and that last year’s ruling met that standard.

In 1989, the court left open the possibility that it might extend new rules to past cases if they involved an issue of “fundamental” fairness. Since then, however, the justices have never agreed that a new rule is so “fundamental” as to be such a “watershed” decision.

Across Los Angeles, the Inland Empire and the Coachella Valley, one community health center is extending its services to immigrant patients in their homes after realizing that people were skipping critical medical appointments because they’ve become too afraid to venture out.

St. John’s Community Health, one of the largest nonprofit community healthcare providers in Los Angeles County that caters to low-income and working-class residents, launched a home visitation program in March after learning that patients were missing routine and urgent care appointments because they feared being taken in by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

St. John’s, which offers services through a network of clinics and mobile units across the region, estimates that at least 25,000 of its patients are undocumented, and about a third of them suffer from chronic conditions, including diabetes and hypertension, which require routine checkups. But these patients were missing tests to monitor their blood sugar and blood pressure, as well as appointments to pick up prescription refills.

Earlier this year, the health center began surveying patients and found that hundreds were canceling appointments “solely due to fear of being apprehended by ICE.”

President Trump came into his second term promising the largest deportation effort in U.S. history, initially focusing his rhetoric on undocumented immigrants who had committed violent crimes. But shortly after he took office, his administration said they considered anyone in the country without authorization to be a criminal.

In the months since, the new administration has used a variety of tactics to sow fear in immigrant communities. The Department of Homeland Security has launched an ad campaign urging people in the country without authorization to leave or risk being rounded up and deported. Immigration agents are showing up at Home Depots and inside courtrooms, in search of people in the U.S. without authorization. Increasingly, immigrants who are detained are being whisked away and deported to their home countries — or, in some cases, nations where they have no ties — without time for packing or family goodbyes.

The Trump administration in January rescinded a policy that once shielded sensitive locations such as hospitals, churches and schools from immigration-related arrests.

In response to the survey results, St. John’s launched the Health Care Without Fear program in an effort to reach patients who are afraid to leave their homes. Jim Mangia, chief executive and president of St. John’s, said in a statement that healthcare providers should implement policies to ensure all patients, regardless of immigration status, have access to care.

“Healthcare is a human right — we will not allow fear to stand in the way of that,” he said.

Bukola Olusanya, a nurse practitioner and the regional medical director at St. John’s, said one woman reported not having left her home in three months. She said she knows of other patients with chronic conditions who aren’t leaving their house to exercise, which could exacerbate their illness. Even some immigrants in the U.S. legally are expressing reservations, given news stories about the government accusing people of crimes and deporting them without due process.

Olusanya said waiting for people to come back in for medical care on their own felt like too great a risk, given how quickly their conditions could deteriorate. “It could be a complication that’s going to make them get a disability that’s going to last a lifetime, and they become so much more dependent, or they have to use more resources,” she said. “So why not prevent that?”

On a recent Thursday at St. John’s Avalon Clinic in South L.A., Olusanya prepared to head to the home of a patient who lived about 30 minutes away. The Avalon Clinic serves a large population of homeless patients and has a street team that frequently uses a van filled with medical equipment. The van is proving useful for home visits.

Olusanya spent about 30 minutes preparing for the 3 p.m. appointment, assembling equipment to draw blood, collect a urine sample and check the patient’s vitals and glucose levels. She said she has conducted physical exams in bedrooms and living rooms, depending on the patient’s housing situation and privacy.

She recalled a similar drop in patient visits during Trump’s first administration when he also vowed mass deportations. Back then, she said, the staff at St. John’s held drills to prepare for potential federal raids, linking arms in a human chain to block the clinic entrance.

But this time around, she said, the fear is more palpable. “You feel it; it’s very thick,” she said.

While telehealth is an option for some patients, many need in-person care. St. John’s sends a team of three or four staff members to make the house calls, she said, and are generally welcomed with a mix of relief and gratitude that makes it worthwhile.

“They’re very happy like, ‘Oh, my God, St. John’s can do this. I’m so grateful,’ ” she said. “So it means a lot.”

Heavyweight boxer Tyson Fury and his wife Paris are set to get a huge boost following his latest retirement as they open their doors for their own Netflix show once again

Tyson Fury and his wife Paris are set to open to doors of their home once again as their reality show returns. The professional heavyweight champion boxer is preparing to exit the ring once again and will take fans along for the ride.

At Home With The Furys, which aired on Netflix in 2023, saw Tyson try to embrace retirement with wife Paris and their seven children. The no holds barred show followed the family’s lavish holidays and A-list encounters but also their reality of changing nappies and doing the school run.

It was a hit with fans the first time around, as Paris received huge praise for manning the household while Tyson focused on his career. Now, the pair are hoping to reach the same success again with a brand new series.

In series two, Tyson, 36, will give retirement another shot, having previously announced his retirement several times before, only to return to the world of boxing.

The programme will also follow Paris as she explores new business opportunities and taking on the big task of planning her daughter’s 16th birthday as well as her wedding vow renewal.

There will also be a family road trip to Monaco to invest in a racehorse. Series one featured Tyson’s younger brother Tommy Fury alongside his fiancee Molly-Mae Hague.

However, since appearing on the show, Molly-Mae and Tommy shocked fans with their breakup last summer. The couple, who are parents to two-year-old daughter Bambi, have slowly been rekindling their relationship.

During their separation, Molly-Mae filmed her own candid TV show with Amazon Prime. Molly-Mae: Behind It All saw the influencer try to come to terms with single life as she navigated her career and motherhood.

However, her recently released part two saw her confirm her romance with Tommy is back on. She told viewers: “I love Tommy so much and I love our family so much that I’m willing to ride the wave.

“And that’s not something that everyone wants to do, but it’s something that I’m willing to do because I want my family.”

Not to be left out, Tommy is also getting his own show. Earlier in the year, the BBC announced a new “candid, access all areas” documentary series about the life of Tommy.

Tommy: The Good, The Bad, The Fury will see the professional boxer return to the ring and has promised to take viewers into “every aspect of his life”.

Teasing the series, the BBC said: “Just a year ago Tommy Fury seemed to have it all – victory over his biggest adversary Jake Paul, love with Molly-Mae and a beautiful baby daughter, Bambi. But in his last fight he damaged his hand and, unable to train, his life span out of control.”

The documentary filmed Tommy as he trained for a fight after a year away from the sport, featuring unprecedented access to the Love Island star and his inner circle.

Tommy said: “A lot of people see me in the ring, they see me on social media, but they don’t see ME – the person behind all of that.

“I’m excited for everyone to finally be able to see what goes on behind the scenes, how the big fights are made, all the ups and downs as well as a glimpse into my private life.”

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TOTTENHAM fans will welcome home their Europa League winners back to North London TODAY.

The Spurs faithful have flocked onto the streets to witness Ange Postecoglou‘s side parade the European trophy that ended their 17-year wait for silverware.

The parade will run from Edmonton Green, past the stadium, loop around Northumberland Park and then return to the ground.

• Start time: From 5.30pm BST
• FREE live stream: Tottenham’s official YouTube channel

Follow our live blog below…

Brits looking for staycation inspiration make want to check out a beautiful UK seaside town where you can see puffins, seals and even whales if you’re lucky

A picturesque UK seaside town is worth having on your radar if you love wildlife, as it can be a great place to spot the likes of puffins, otters, seals and even whales and dolphins.

North Berwick in Scotland, just half an hour away from Edinburgh, has long been a firm-favourite with birdwatchers thanks to its renowned Seabird Centre. Visitors can take a series of boat trips between April and the end of September to surrounding islands as well as birdwatching hotspots, and keep an eye out for the likes of gannets, gulls, terns and more.

Meanwhile, puffins remain a big draw for tourists in the area. The best time to spot them is between March and August, with the Isle of May playing home to one of the largest puffin colonies in the UK (you can also find puffins on other Scottish islands such as Fidra, Craigleith, St Kilda, Orkney and Shetland). Meanwhile, Bass Rock is home to the world’s largest Northern gannet colony, and makes for a very impressive sight.

Plenty of visitors have taken to Tripadvisor to praise the Seabird Centre’s boat trips, and noted that they spotted everything from puffins to dolphins and even the occasional whale during their holidays. In fact, it’s also worth keeping your eyes peeled for the impressive basking sharks that have been known to make an appearance too!

“We did the Bass Rock and Craigleith catamaran trip and saw lots of gannets, puffins, kittiwakes, eider ducks, seals and many more,” one visitor wrote earlier this year. “Our guide was excellent, can highly recommend this 1h 15min trip, it didn’t feel rushed and the boat rotated so we all got a chance to see everything.”

READ MORE: Charming UK seaside village is ‘must visit’ for 2025 – and may look familiar to TV fansREAD MORE: Europe’s sunniest city is underrated gem – and Brits can get there with £16 flights

Another added: “Even on a cold rainy miserable day the scenery is beautiful the whole sea front just looks completely different than when the sun is shining.”

North Berwick also plays host to a series of fun events throughout the year, whether you want to watch locals take on impressive feats during the Highland Games, watch entertaining shows at the Fringe by the Sea festival, or want to go all-in on a bird-themed getaway during the town’s annual Puffin Fest.

Still, it’s not just the wildlife that makes North Berwick such a tempting destination to visit. The charming town is home to heaps of pretty tea rooms, classic fish and chip shops, ice cream parlours and coffee spots, as well as plenty of shops and hotels. The harbour is also well worth a visit especially at sunset for those Instagram-worthy views.

On the sunnier days, you can also take in gorgeous coastal setting from the town’s picturesque beaches including Gullane Bents, Seacliff beach, North Berwick Milsey Bay and North Berwick West Beach to name a few. Meanwhile, there are also historic castles and ruins to discover, with plenty of scenic walks and hikes in the area if you want to get those 10,000 steps in.

You can find out more about North Berwick and its wildlife on visitscotland.com.

The travel fan explained how she planned to save on her flight fees by not paying for extra luggage

A travel lover who told passengers not to pay for luggage on flights has shared the £10 hack she recommends to cut costs. Posting on Instagram, Ashleigh Money Saver explained how an under-seat bag from Home Bargains could help Ryanair passengers save on fees.

She recommended the retailer’s £9.99 Salisburys Under Seat Bag, which is available in pink or black. According to the product description, the bag measures approximately 40x20x25cm. As such, passengers could use it as their free small bag when flying with Ryanair, preventing the need to purchase cabin or checked baggage.

The creator used her Home Bargains bag to pack for a four-night city break. Her caption said: “Don’t pay extra for luggage! I got this under-seat cabin bag from @homebargains for just £9.99 and managed to fit SO much in for my 4-night city break! Perfect size for Ryanair flights where every penny counts!”

In the video, she explained how she fit all her essentials in the small bag and demonstrated her packing method. She recommended using packing bags to help compress clothes, and she opted for items she could style multiple ways.

“I pack a capsule collection, so I know I can mix and match everything,” she explained. The savvy shopper added two pairs of shoes, two pairs of shorts, three tops, one shirt, a dress, and a playsuit to her bag.

She also packed underwear, toiletries, makeup, sunglasses, a small bag, a phone charger and an adaptor. As seen in the video, the creator used a Primark makeup bag and mini travel toiletries to save space.

Instead of a bottle of shampoo and conditioner, she used small packets. She also decanted her aftersun and foundation into smaller bottles.

By the time she finished packing, there was still room for more. “There’s still plenty of room for more items, should you wanna add anything else or buy anything as a token,” the shopper added. She also praised the bag’s design, adding: “I love the colour and it also comes with a handy strap inside.”

Explaining the bags’ features, Home Bargains’ product description reads: “Salisbury Under Seat Bags solve modern travel issues of the check-in case. A fantastic size bag that is versatile for the needs of your modern travel. Large open zipped storage compartment with small zip side pouch.”

However, it’s not the only choice for shoppers looking for space-saving luggage. Although dimensions vary, and it’s always best to check with your airline before travel, Home Bargains offers a range of travel-ready luggage items.

The options include a £9.99 Salisburys Weekend Bag, a £9.99 Salisburys PU Leather Weekender Bag, and a £9.99 Salisburys PU Leather Rucksack. The retailer also offers travel accessories such as a luggage strap, luggage tags, combination locks, and toothbrush adaptors.

Searching for patio furniture that is attractive, affordable and long-lasting is like seeking the holy grail: We want to believe it exists, but we’re not entirely sure.

“Outdoor furniture is tough,” said Tatiana Tensen, co-founder of the Eastside Staging Company that has been staging homes in L.A. for a decade. “While we look at the majority of our inventory as an asset, we understand that most patio furniture has a shelf-life of one, maybe two years. After that, most of it ends up being gifted to our local Buy Nothing group.”

Still, Tensen, who shops for furniture as part of her job, was able to offer a few tips on what to look for when investing in outdoor pieces.

“Certain brands like Salterini, Brown Jordan and Eames made outdoor furniture that lasted decades,” she said. “Materials also matter in terms of longevity. Powder-coated metals and well-patina’d teak will stay fresh and current for years.” She added that investing in good outdoor fabrics is also key. “There is a reason why Sunbrella is so popular,” she said.

Many people purchase patio furniture online from chain stores like Crate & Barrel, Restoration Hardware, Ikea, Costco and Home Depot or online retailers like Article and Wayfair. Others have had luck with Facebook Marketplace, where they say getting a deal is like finding a needle in a haystack but can yield a huge payoff if you’re willing to put in the time and energy. The list below is for people like me who prefer to shop at brick-and-mortar stores, aren’t afraid of vintage items and like supporting local businesses.

With help from designers, prop stylists, set decorators and the always informative Atwater Village Mom’s Facebook Group, I’ve assembled this road map to help you find whatever the patio furniture holy grail means for you. Maybe it’s a gorgeous teak peace that’s pricey but will last forever, or a mosaic tile table made by hand. Perhaps you can tolerate a little rust on a midcentury piece if the price is right, or you’re willing to shell out for a perfectly revamped chaise with new powder coating and fresh vinyl straps in the color of your choice.

Whatever it is you hope to find, I’m wishing you best of luck on your quest — and plenty of outdoor lounging.

The UK is full of gorgeous beach towns but there’s one picturesque spot that often slips under the radar, despite having a gorgeous sandy beach and plenty of coastal walks

Summer is fast approaching and as the weather heats up, it’s no surprise that Brits are starting to eye up staycations along the UK’s amazing coast.

Of course there are some spots that never fail to draw in the crowds such as Cornwall and Devon, but there’s one quiet fishing village that travel insiders have dubbed the “UK’s forgotten beach town”. Despite boasting a breathtaking mile-long sandy beach, within an area of outstanding natural beauty, Aberdaron on the Llyn Peninsula often slips under the radar.

In fact, travel experts at Ski Vertigo have named it the UK’s most underrated destination, describing it as a “Welsh gem” that is “often skipped in favour of more popular seaside towns”. One of their insiders explained: “Aberdaron has golden sands, a peaceful village charm, and incredible coastal paths – without the price tag of Cornwall.”

READ MORE: Charming UK seaside village is ‘must visit’ for 2025 – and may look familiar to TV fans

That ‘peaceful village charm’ includes cosy cafes, restaurants and a sailing club, as well as a handful of hotels with everything you could want for a calming seaside getaway. There are plenty of local attractions too such as Plas yn Rhiw, a National Trust property with some pretty enviable views across Cardigan Bay. Meanwhile a trip to St Hywyn’s Church offers up some nice vistas of the village and seaside.

For the outdoorsy tourists, the various sea caves and rock pools are sure to be of interest, but you’ll want to leave time on your itinerary for a trip to Bardsey Island. This breathtaking spot can be reached by boat and is both a National Nature Reserve and a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). It’s open to visitors from March through to October, while its waters have been known to host the likes of dolphins and whales.

Back in Aberdaron, one spot that never fails to attract both locals and tourists is Porthor Beach, which is known for its ‘whistling sands’. The noise comes from the sound that the sand makes as you walk over the granules, a rare phenomenon especially in the UK and Europe.

While it’s not a tourist hotspot, the beach does have plenty of facilities for those who want to make a day of it. There is a cafe serving up delicious snacks and coffees, perfect for replenishing your energy after a walk in the surrounding area, but be wary that some visitors have said the walk down to the beach from the car park can be quite steep, so bring some sturdy footwear. If you want to bring your dog along, take note that there are restrictions between April to September when it comes to letting them run free along the sands.

Although you can swim at this beach, visitors are warned to beware of strong currents and large breaking waves in the area, and to take care especially during strong winds. The beach is nestled amidst some cliffs too which makes for an Instagram-worthy backdrop, but tourists are warned not to climb or dig into the cliffs, and to keep children under supervision at all times.

INDIANAPOLIS — Jim Irsay, the Indianapolis Colts’ owner who leveraged the popularity of Peyton Manning into a new stadium and a Super Bowl title, died Wednesday at age 65.

Pete Ward, Irsay’s longtime right-hand man and the team’s chief operating officer, made the announcement in a statement from the team. He said Irsay died peacefully in his sleep.

“Jim’s dedication and passion for the Indianapolis Colts in addition to his generosity, commitment to the community, and most importantly, his love for his family were unsurpassed,” Ward said. “Our deepest sympathies go to his daughters, Carlie Irsay-Gordon, Casey Foyt, Kalen Jackson, and his entire family as we grieve with them.”

Irsay had a profound impact on the franchise.

With Hall of Fame general manager Bill Polian, Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy and Manning, Irsay helped turn the Colts from a laughingstock into a perennial title contender.

He also collected guitars, befriended musicians and often found inspiration in rock ’n’ roll lyrics.

A drum set played by Ringo Starr of the Beatles is part of the Jim Irsay Collection of rock ‘n’ roll artifacts that was on a national tour.

(Courtesy of Jim Irsay Collection)

Irsay had battled health problems in recent years and became less visible following a fall at his home. Police officers from Carmel, Ind., a northern suburb of Indianapolis, responded to a 911 call from Irsay’s home Dec. 8. According to the police report, the officers found Irsay breathing but unresponsive and with a bluish skin tone.

Ward, the report said, told officers that he was worried Irsay was suffering from congestive heart failure and that Irsay’s nurse had said Irsay’s oxygen level was low, his breathing was labored and he was “mostly” unconscious.

A month later, he was diagnosed with a respiratory illness.

During his annual training camp news conference last summer, Irsay told reporters he was continuing to rehab from two surgeries — though he remained seated in his golf cart. Irsay did not speak during the recent NFL draft as he typically did.

He had also battled addictions to alcohol and painkillers.

Irsay began his football life as a ball boy after his late father, Robert, acquired the team in a trade with the late Carroll Rosenbloom, who took over the Los Angeles Rams. The younger Irsay then worked his way up, becoming the youngest general manager in NFL history at age 24. He succeeded his father as owner in early 1997.

A bipartisan group of Congressional representatives are calling on Secretary of State Marco Rubio to streamline the government’s visa processing system to ensure visitors from abroad will be able to attend next year’s FIFA World Cup as well as the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

The World Cup, which kicks off in less than 400 days, is expected to generate $3.75 billion in economic activity in the U.S. With SoFi Stadium in Inglewood hosting eight games, the economic impact on Southern California is estimated at nearly $600 million.

But cost-cutting measures proposed by Rubio could threaten that by reducing staff and closing some embassies and consulates, increasing visa wait times and making an already cumbersome system more complicated and costly. That could keep tens of thousands of fans at home.

Even without the changes, six countries have at least one U.S. diplomatic post with visa wait times that extend beyond the start of the World Cup.

Rubio is scheduled to appear Wednesday before the House Foreign Affairs Committee where he will be asked about the visa process, said Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Los Angeles). Kamlager-Dove, a member of that committee and a proponent of sports diplomacy, laid out her concerns and those of her colleagues in two-page letter addressed to Rubio and signed by 52 representatives, including Rep. Young Kim (R-Anaheim Hills), the first Republican to sign on; Tom Cole (R-Oklahoma), chairman of the House Appropriations Committee; and Ted Lieu (D-Manhattan Beach), a member of Democratic House leadership.

“I’m hoping to get some answers and some solutions,” said Kamlager-Dove, whose sprawling districts ranges from the border with Beverly Hills to South Los Angeles. “This is a real problem because it impacts attendance and it impacts economic activity.”

The 2026 World Cup will be the largest in history, with a record 48 countries participating. It will also be the first World Cup played in three countries, with Mexico and Canada sharing host duties with the U.S. However the vast majority of the games — 78 of 104 — will be played in 11 U.S. cities between June 11 and July 19, 2026.

“The economic stakes of these games and significant for red and blue districts nationwide, as is the diplomatic and soft-power opportunity of being at the center of the international sports universe,” Kamlager-Dove wrote in her letter. “However the success of these games hinges on the State Department’s ability to efficiently process the visa applications of spectators, athletes and media.”

Kamlager-Dove believes the opportunity is too important to be sacrificed to politics.

“The United States has an obligation to put its best foot forward as the host of these games,” she said. “Sports diplomacy is an important tool for us as we continue to talk about peace and cooperation. It’s also so important as we recognize all of the different ethnic communities that help make up the United States and want to root for their home team.

“And so you want restaurants to be full, clubs and bars to be full, hotels to be full.”

Earlier this month President Trump held the first meeting of a White House task force charged with overseeing what the president called “the biggest, safest and most extraordinary soccer tournament in history.” But the administration has sent mixed signals over exactly how welcoming it intends to be.

At that meeting attended by FIFA president Gianni Infantino, Vice President JD Vance — co-chair of the task force — said the U.S. wants foreign visitors “to come, we want them to celebrate, we want them to watch the games. But when the time is up we want them to go home, otherwise they will have to talk to Secretary Noem.” He referred to Homeland Security secretary Kristi Noem, whose agency has detained and interrogated visa holders at U.S. points of entry.

“It is up to [Rubio] to square that circle for us when he comes to our committee,” Kamlager-Dove said. “The good news is you have Republicans and Democrats asking these questions. These games are non-partisan. And I believe that these are practical, logistical, solvable log jams that deserve a solution.

“Staff the State Department to focus on them. Accelerate and streamline these processes and prioritize diplomacy. Because the games are diplomatic.”

News and social media feeds inundate us with dramatic scenes of immigration policing. Viral videos of immigrant mothers picked up on sidewalks near their homes, news accounts of ICE agents showing up in Los Angeles schools and social media posts of U.S. citizens detained by government agents, all create a frightening spectacle. President Trump fuels the fear by trolling immigrant communities with sinister Valentine cards, dangling self-deportation incentives and implementing a chaotic enforcement strategy that ignores attempts at judicial oversight. Amid all this, many look to state and local leaders for calm, reassurance and support.

In California, there remains a simple and consistent response. No matter who, when, where or how you ask, a commanding majority of registered voters in the Golden State support a path to citizenship for those in the state without proper documents. In other words, across the partisan aisle, and across all kinds of different groups and places, most voters see a path to citizenship as a much-needed policy fix, even now.

In August of 2024, a few months before the presidential election, the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies Poll asked more than 4,000 voters across the state whether they would support or oppose a “path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who come forward, are up to date on their taxes, and pass a background check.”

At that time, the Harris and Trump campaigns were in full swing. Harris’ team had already held a few news conferences at the border, insinuating that increased border security would be top of mind in her administration. Meanwhile, Trump continued his usual discourse about immigrants, once infamously contending that immigrants were “poisoning the blood of our country.” It was difficult to see who, if anyone, felt sympathy toward community members who’d entered the country without authorization or overstayed a visa, despite the fact that many of them had raised new generations of American citizens and contributed to public coffers and local job markets.

But even back in August, 80% of California registered voters who answered the poll supported a path to citizenship. This included close to 60% of polled Republicans, 75% of independents and even 56% of those who intended to vote for Trump. It also included 75% of those who earned a high school degree or less, 80% of those who earned a college degree or more, 80% of women, 78% of men, 75% of homeowners and 84% of those under 40. Among the strongest supporters were Democrats, with 91% support, as well as middle- and high-income earners, and those who lived in the Bay Area. Across most categories, a commanding majority of California voters expressed support for a pathway to citizenship.

But that was then, before the onslaught. Before the viral videos, the renditions to El Salvador, the offer of cash to self-deport. One could argue that in those before-times, perhaps voters were somehow more sympathetic to immigrants because they were distracted by other issues, like the price of eggs and groceries or broader inflation issues. And perhaps some might not have believed that Trump would actually follow through on his attacks on immigrant communities.

So in early May the Berkeley IGS Poll asked survey respondents again about their support for a path to citizenship. This time we polled more than 6,000 registered California voters and we inserted a small survey experiment. We were curious about whether respondents’ support in August had been so strong because the question they were asked included language about a “background check,” an idea that might have primed them to think about “good” and “bad” immigrants and may have inadvertently linked unauthorized status to crime. So for half of all respondents in May, we asked the same question again, but for the second half of respondents, we omitted this language, simply asking if they would support or oppose a “path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who are working or going to school and are up to date on their taxes.”

Our survey found no statistically significant differences between the two groups. The vast majority of California voters think a path to citizenship is simply the right thing to do, background check or not.

Moreover, we found virtually no differences from August to May. Eighty percent of registered voters this month, including close to 60% of Republicans, continued to support a path to citizenship. Somewhere between 70% and 85% of every demographic, including respondents under 40, those over 65, those of different racial groups, those in unions, those that rent their homes, those that own their homes, men, women, those in the Central Valley, Los Angeles County, the Inland Empire and even those on the far North Coast all expressed support for a path to citizenship. The consistency is resounding.

If you’re trying to make sense of the bombast and the whirlwind of executive and law enforcement actions directed at immigrants, remember the one thing that unites a commanding majority of California voters, almost without regard to who we are and where we live, an understanding that good policy is practical policy: Undocumented community members deserve relief.

State and local leaders do not design federal immigration policy, but they should remember this poll data as they make decisions about how to support us all. If it were put to a vote, an overwhelming majority of Californians would support immigration reform, not mass deportation.

G. Cristina Mora and Nicholas Vargas are professors at UC Berkeley affiliated with the Institute of Governmental Studies, where Mora serves as co-director.

Forensic experts in Iraq meticulously work to identify the remains from mass graves, uncovering the fates of thousands who disappeared during decades of conflict. With rare access to excavation sites, the unfolding story reveals the tireless efforts of DNA specialists and the emotional journeys of families seeking closure.

As bones and belongings resurface, survivors confront the harrowing legacy of the Saddam Hussein era, sectarian violence, and ISIL (ISIS) atrocities. The painstaking process of identification not only brings solace to grieving families but also fuels the broader fight for justice and accountability in a country still grappling with its traumatic past.

If the Dead Come Home is a documentary film by Aaron Weintraub.

You only get one shot at a first impression — and for the Sparks, led by a first-year coach and a new superstar, Sunday marked the home crowd’s first glimpse of the new-look squad inside Crypto.com Arena.

With high aspirations, including a return to the playoffs, the Sparks faced an early litmus test in the Minnesota Lynx — a perennial contender and last year’s WNBA runner-up, led by one of the league’s elite talents in Napheesa Collier.

The Sparks showed they are clearly capable of competing for a playoff spot with their energetic and cohesive play, but their 89-75 loss to Minnesota also demonstrated they’re still behind the league’s elite teams.

In the first half, the Sparks (1-1) went toe-to-toe with the Lynx. They trailed 46-45 at halftime, an encouraging start for a team learning to gel under new leadership while facing a battle-tested opponent returning five starters from last year’s Finals run.

Dearica Hamby led the charge on the offensive glass, relentlessly converting at the free-throw line. She led the Sparks with 20 points and 10 rebounds for her second straight double-double.

Azurá Stevens was unshaken on catch-and-shoot looks, confidently letting it fly on her way to a team-high 21 points. Rickea Jackson added a physical presence, attacking defenders and establishing herself in the lane.

But by the start of the fourth quarter, the Sparks trailed by eight. They mounted a brief comeback, sparked by a Kelsey Plum steal that led to a transition layup, cutting the deficit to 80-75. A gritty defensive stand followed, with rookie Sarah Ashlee Barker and Collier hitting the deck for a loose ball, setting up another Sparks possession.

But missed opportunities on the offensive end allowed the Lynx (2-0) to regain momentum and push the lead to double digits — a margin that proved too much to overcome.

Already shorthanded, the Sparks suffered another blow when Jackson went down after a hard collision late in the third quarter. She remained on the floor for a few minutes before walking off with the help of trainers. Jackson watched the rest of the game from the bench.

Stevens was a much-needed contributor, showcasing the skills she worked on during the offseason, notably her improved three-point shooting. She scored 12 of the team’s first 17 points, making her first trio of three-point attempts to give the Sparks an early lead.

Defensively, Stevens drew the tough assignment of containing Collier, a matchup nightmare for the entire Sparks unit. Coming off a 34-point outing Friday that tied her career high, Collier scored 23 points.

The Sparks leaned heavily on Plum in their season-opening win Friday against Golden State, logging 40 minutes — a workload coach Lynne Roberts called “unsustainable.” To lighten the load, Roberts turned to Barker for critical minutes at the point.

While Barker wasn’t stellar offensively, she played 24 minutes and brought a much-needed jolt of defensive energy. Plum finished with 18 points and five assists.

It marked Barker’s first game at Crypto.com Arena — a milestone for the self-proclaimed “Mamba Mentality” disciple, stepping up for a depleted backcourt. With just four healthy guards available, the team continues to navigate Rae Burrell’s absence as she recovers from a knee injury that is expected to keep her out six to eight weeks.

Real Housewives of Cheshire star Tanya Bardsley and her family were sleeping at her lavish home when two masked men allegedly attempted to gain entry to the property

Tanya Bardsley has been left shocked after masked men attempted to break into her home. The Real Housewives of Cheshire star has told how her home in the leafy region was targeted by the masked men on Friday night.

The former model has taken to social media, sharing video footage of one son, Rocco, 16, standing on the driveway of the family home alongside two police officers and a member of a private security firm. Tanya, 44, and her family, including husband, Macclesfield assistant manager Phil, 39, were at home with their children when the incident occurred.

It’s believed that police were alerted about the attempted break-in after it was flagged on Tanya and Phil’s home security system, which is monitored by an external company. Taking to Instagram, Tanya shared a video showing a police car parked outside the gates of her home as the police spoke on their radios.

“Two masked men in Wilmslow lock your doors put your cameras on and call police if you see them,” she said. Tanya added: “Thank God for @tarussecuritygroup.” Now, a source has claimed that while the family were at home, they were fortunate enough that the break-in failed and nobody was injured.

“The family was home at the time, but luckily nobody was harmed,” a source told The Sun. The source went on to add: “Security and police turned up as fast they could, but the two masked men got away.”

The Mirror has approached Tanya and Cheshire Police for comment. Tanya and Phil are not the only stars of the Real Housewives franchise to be targeted by brazen thieves. Her former co-star, Nicole Sealey, was left shaken in 2022 when armed robbers gained access to her Cheshire home with crowbars.

It’s believed that the armed thieves who entered Nicole’s home, which she shares with her husband, former footballer Joe, went straight for their valuables, which included Nicole’s engagement and wedding rings as well as several Rolex watches. The scary incident comes after Tanya and Phil opened up to the Mirror about their decision to open their doors for the cameras once again, but on their own reality show.

Previously, former Manchester United FC legend Phil had ruled out appearing on their own programme but reluctantly gave in to pressures from his family. “We had to wear him down,” said Tanya when asked on how she persuaded Phil to take part. She went on to add: “Complete peer pressure from the whole family but we got there.” Although both have had glittering careers, Tanya admits that having their own show was “a lot harder” than shows, including Housewives.

“Even when I’m not filming, I’ve got to be there for the kids filming. It was a lot, but I’ve loved it,” she said. But having both been in the business since 2003, Tanya admits that the biggest thing she’s learnt about herself – she “can’t keep her mouth shut,” as Phil joked: “That’s nothing new, is it?” This is seen in one episode, with Tanya oversharing with some of her friends about Phil’s manscaping.

“Phil’s got a d**k-fringe,” she laughed. Explaining the bombshell, Tanya revealed: “He was in the shower for a long time, obviously he had a razor and he got a bit experimental. He walked out and he’s got a d**k-fringe. I told Jenny Powell this. As soon as it came out, I was like ‘S**t, he’s going to kill me!’ because I’d said it on camera, I had to tell him on camera that I said it.

“He took it well.” Although he’s been married to Tanya since 2014, Phil admitted: “Nothing surprises us with Tanya, with what comes out of her mouth.” She joked that she often told her Housewives co-stars about Phil’s manhood and joked he should be proud, as she would also tell them if it wasn’t up to scratch.

“I appreciate the compliment,” Phil joked. When asked about their relationship, Phil joked that he was there to “put fires out” after Tanya’s hilarious outbursts. This show will be different to how Tanya has been seen on TV as she won’t be getting “dolled up” all the time, only when she’s heading on a night out.

“We’re slouching around, the crew have become sort of part of the family, we don’t do scenes – we’re just being us,” she said. Phil added: “It’s more off the cuff stuff is what people want to see.”

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.

CHELSEA goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli has kicked off a row with neighbours after chopping down huge 40ft trees at his Surrey mansion.

The Blues’ stopper was given the go-ahead to extend his luxury pad near the club’s Cobham training ground – complete with a cinema and games room.

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Planners at the local council told him he could chop down two trees to make way for the proposed development but neighbours say he has razed more to the ground – without permission.

They claim the 30-40ft trees are decades old, although not protected by a Tree Preservation Order, and help prevent overlooking on the leafy estate.

The former Fulham goalkeeper was initially granted planning permission for a front and rear extension including a ground floor family room, kitchen and breakfast room and cinema.

He also wants to demolish a porch and chimney stack and add dormer windows for a fourth bedroom and games room on the second floor.

Documents filed at Elmbridge Borough Council state that building work started last year but has not yet been completed.

Bettinelli, 32, has now submitted amended plans for tree planting and landscaping to allow for the removal of trees.

In a letter of objection, one resident wrote: “The initial proposal for ‘bush and hedge pruning’ turned into the felling of multiple 30ft trees, decades old.

“This has significantly affected local wildlife (there were documented owls nesting) and privacy/light shading of multiple properties around.

“The new proposal to replace four trees is well short of any remedial measure in my view and should be significantly enhanced.”

Another neighbour wrote: “More hedging has been removed to erect the fence.

“This was not done by the neighbouring property.

“And versus the previous plan, there is now less commitment to hedging than before.

“As a reminder, 30-40ft trees were cut down without permission.

“There should be no reduction in commitment shown on the plan versus the one before.”

Bettinelli joined Chelsea in 2021 to boost the Blues’ goalkeeping ranks following the departure of Willy Caballero, having been out of contract at Fulham.

He spent a decade at Craven Cottage, making 120 appearances for the Whites and also represented England‘s under-21 team earlier in his career.

The 6ft,4in stopper bought his Cobham pad for £1.5million in September, 2023, before applying for a Grand Designs-style makeover.

In another objection, the local residents’ association said it was “saddened and deeply concerned that the developer, architect and builder have breached the conditions imposed on the allowed application”.

They added: “Mature trees provide benefits to humans and wildlife alike, trees also provide wildlife corridors to and from the surrounding green spaces, woods, commons and heathland of Cobham.

“Trees also provide screening to neighbours’ properties and garden amenity spaces which they should be able to continue the enjoyment of using for everyday activity without the perception of overlooking.”

Council officials are expected to make a decision on the trees later this month.

Bettinelli’s planning agent was approached for comment.

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It’s not the summer destination you’d expect from the head of the Catholic Church, but Pope Leo XIV’s friend has revealed his favourite summer destination

Surfing, beaches, camping and long road trips – not your typical summer for the man leading a billion Catholics. But for Pope Leo XIV, that lifestyle feels like a second home.

While Rome is now where he lives, it was in Australia where he truly enjoyed spending his down time. The 79-year-old has visited Australia many times and is said to have fallen in love with its lifestyle – its beach culture, vast roads and famous laidback spirit.

A close friend revealed it wasn’t just the beaches he fell in love during his trips, but he genuinely connected with the country’s pace and spirit. Father Banks, originally from Melbourne is a close friend of Pope Leo XIV revealed he visited the country many times and “loved the beaches”.

Banks has lived in Rome for the past 12 years and has witnessed how the Pope’s bond with Australia has grown stronger over time. “He felt very much at home in Australia, as a second home,” he added. “He enjoyed being in our company.”

But it wasn’t only the sun that he enjoyed, Pope Leo also saw the beauty in the country’s scale and silence. “He enjoyed driving from Brisbane to Sydney,” Father Banks said. It was the “the loneliness of the distances” that he was really drawn to.

However his connection with Australia was deeper than holidays. He once visited during World Youth Day – a Catholic gathering, typically held every few years. In 2008, it was hosted in Sydney’s Randwick Racecourse.

Over that time, he also stopped at St Augustine’s College in Brookvale and met students and staff in a warm, down to earth exchange. “He has many great memories of Australia,” his friend added.

Australia is known for the relaxed atmosphere, surf scene and beautiful nature, which may seem a world away from the Vatican, but it seems the contrast is exactly why the new Pope loved it.

The country offered something he often didn’t find elsewhere, a place to slow down and just be – enjoying the outdoors and easygoing attitude. Whether it was the freedom of an open road or the casual warmth of a location conversation, Australia gave Pope Leo something beyond a holiday – it gave him a feeling of home, according to Father Banks.

Pope Leo was appointed last week and as he steps into one of the most powerful spiritual roles in the world, the memories he made in Australia will undoubtedly stay with him.

READ MORE: ‘I got an AirTag for the cheapest ever price by stacking a deal most don’t know about’

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame High was supposed to be a year or two away from softball prominence with its collection of six talented freshmen.

Well, the Knights have already arrived after a 9-7 victory over Trinity League champion Orange Lutheran on Thursday in an opening game of the Southern Section Division 1 playoffs in which freshman Jackie Morales hit three home runs.

Notre Dame, the Mission League champion, was leading most of the game until Orange Lutheran scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to take a 7-6 lead. Morales tied the score with a home run in the top of the seventh. Then the Knights scored two more runs on an RBI single from freshman Keira Luderer and an RBI single from junior Ellayne Tellez-Perez.

Orange Lutheran was the Division 1 runner-up last season. For Notre Dame to go on the road and win is quite an accomplishment for coach Justin Siegel and the Knights.

“Big players show up in big situations and Jackie Morales has been a big player for us all season,” Siegel said.

Huntington Beach 8, Charter Oak 7: The Oilers hung on for the Division 1 win. Tea Gutierrez and Maleah Humble each had three hits.

DOWNIEVILLE, Calif. — Patrice Miller, 71, lived by herself in a small yellow house beneath towering mountain peaks on the edge of a burbling river in this Sierra County village. She doted on her cats and her exotic orchids, and was known to neighbors for her delicious homemade bread. One fall afternoon in 2023, after Miller had failed for several days to make her customary appearance at the town market, a store clerk asked authorities to check on her.

A short time later, a sheriff’s deputy found Miller’s lifeless body in her kitchen. Her right leg and left arm had been partially gnawed off. On the floor around her were the large paw prints of a bear.

Months after her death, officials would make a stunning disclosure, revealing that an autopsy had determined that Miller had likely been killed by the animal after it broke into her home. It marked the first known instance in California history of a fatal bear attack on a human.

But amid the contentious politics around black bears and other apex predators in California, not everyone accepts the official version of how she died.

“We don’t believe the bear did it,” said Ann Bryant, executive director of the Bear League in the Tahoe Basin. “And I will go on record as saying that. … We’ve never had a bear kill anybody.”

The story of Miller’s grisly end — and the increasingly heated battles around predators in California — have come roaring into the state Capitol this spring. Lawmakers representing conservative rural districts in the state’s rugged northern reaches argue that their communities are under attack, and point to Miller as one example of the worst that can happen. One solution they have pushed is changing the law to allow people to set packs of hunting dogs after bears to haze them. A similar measure has been floated — for now unsuccessfully — to ward off mountain lions considered a threat.

Wildlife conservation advocates are aghast. They say turning dogs on bears is barbaric and won’t make anyone safer. They contend the proposed laws don’t reflect a scientifically backed approach to managing wild populations but instead are pro-hunting bills dressed up in the guise of public safety. The real solution, they say, is for humans living near bears to learn to safely co-exist by not leaving out food or otherwise attracting them.

“These people are using [Miller’s death] to try to start hounding bears again,” said Bryant, who maintains that Miller, who was in poor health, must have died before the bear came into her home and devoured her. “She would roll in her grave if she knew that in her death people would create a situation where people were going to mistreat bears, because she loved bears.”

In a recent report, the Department of Fish and Wildlife estimates there are now 60,000 black bears roaming California and notes a marked increase in reports of human-bear conflicts.

(John Axtell / Nevada Department of Wildlife)

Founded in 1849, Downieville, population 300, is one of California’s oldest towns, and also one of its quaintest. Colorfully painted wooden buildings sit at the junction of two rivers, beneath majestic pines and mountain peaks.

Along with tourists, who flood in in the summer for rafting and mountain biking, the town also receives frequent visits from bears and mountain lions. More recently, wolves have arrived with deadly force, snatching domesticated cattle off the open pastures that stretch across the plains on the other side of the mountains east of town.

Miller wound up here about a decade ago, at the end of a rich, complicated life. She had worked in an oil refinery, and also as a contractor. She was a master gardener, expert at transplanting Japanese maples, according to her neighbor, Patty Hall. She was a voracious reader and a skilled pianist. But she also struggled with a variety of serious ailments and substance abuse, according to neighbors and officials.

Longtime residents in the area were used to the challenges of living among wild animals. But in the summer of 2023, Sierra County Sheriff Mike Fisher said he started getting an overwhelming number of calls about problem bears.

“We had three or four habituated bears that were constantly here in town,” said Fisher. “They had zero fear. I would say, almost daily, we were having to go out and chase these bears away, haze them.”

But bears have a sharp sense of smell, a long memory for food sources and an incredible sense of direction. If a tourist tosses them a pizza crust or the last bits of an ice cream cone, or leaves the lid off a trash can, they will return again and again, even if they are relocated miles away.

That summer, Fisher said, no matter what he did, the bears kept lumbering back into town. It was unlike anything he had experienced, he said, and he had grown up in Downieville. “A police car with an air horn or the siren, we would push the bear up out of the community. Fifteen minutes later, they were right back downtown,” he said.

Founded in 1849, Downieville, population 300, is one of California’s oldest towns and also one of its quaintest.

(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

And then there were the bears harassing Miller and her neighbors.

“There were three bears,” recalled Hall, who lives just up the hill from the home Miller rented. “Twice a night they would walk up and down our [porch] stairs. The Ring cameras were constantly going off.”

Fisher said some of Miller’s neighbors complained that she was part of the lure, because she was not disposing of her garbage properly. Some also alleged she was tossing food on her porch for her cats — and that the bears were coming for it. Miller’s daughter later told sheriff’s officials that bears were “constantly trying” to get into her house, and that “her mother had physically hit one” to keep it out. One particular bear, which Miller had nicknamed “Big Bastard,” was a frequent pest.

Fifty miles from Downieville, in the Lake Tahoe Basin, the Bear League was getting calls about Miller, too. The organization, which Bryant founded more than two decades ago, seeks to protect bears by helping residents coexist with them. This includes educating people about locking down their trash and helping to haze bears away from homes.

“We got calls [from her neighbors] that told us she had been feeding the bears, tossing food out to them, and let them come into her house,” Bryant said. She added that some thought, erroneously, that the Bear League was a government organization, and “maybe we had the ability to enforce the law” against feeding bears.

Hall, Miller’s friend, told The Times that Miller was not feeding bears. Still, the problems continued.

Eventually, officials with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife were called and told Miller she could sign a “depredation permit,” after which authorities could kill bears trying to get into her house. But Miller declined to do so, Fisher said.

In early November, Miller stopped showing up around town, prompting calls for a welfare check.

A little before 3 p.m. on Nov. 8, 2023, Deputy Malcolm Fadden approached Miller’s home, which was a short walk from the sheriff’s office. The security bars on the kitchen window had been ripped off. The window itself had been busted from the outside.

“I knocked on the door,” Fadden wrote in his report, but got no answer.

Patrice Miller was found dead in her rental cottage in November 2023. Bear advocates take issue with an autopsy report that said she probably was killed in a bear attack.

(Jessica Garrison / Los Angeles Times)

Through the window, he saw blood streaked across the living room floor. He took out his gun and burst into the house, where he was greeted by a giant pile of bear scat. He found Miller in the kitchen, her half-eaten body surrounded by food and garbage, which, Fadden wrote, had been “apparently scattered by bears.”

Fisher was horrified. Already frustrated at what he saw as the Department of Fish and Wildlife’s lackluster response to the escalating bear incursions that summer, now he wanted the bear that had fed on Miller to be trapped and killed.

He said the department told him that for the bear to be killed, “the person who lives at the house has to sign the [depredation] permit.” Fisher said he responded: “How many times do I have to tell you the person who lives at that house was eaten by the bear?”

This was the start of a long-running conflict between the sheriff and agency officials that would complicate the release of the autopsy findings about Miller’s death, and also convince Fisher that more aggressive steps were needed to protect his community.

Eventually, Fisher managed to get a depredation permit for the bear that had fed on Miller; his deputies tracked down her landlord, who as the homeowner could sign it. Wildlife officials set up a trap near Miller’s house, and in short order, a bear was caught.

But, according to Fisher, officials initially said it wasn’t the same bear. They said DNA tests showed that the bear who had eaten her was male, and the bear they had caught appeared to be female. They intended to release the bear, he said.

Fisher padlocked the cage, and threatened to call the media. In response, he said, wildlife officials sent a biologist, who determined the bear in the trap was male. It was shot that night.

At that point, few people, including Fisher, believed that the bear had actually killed Miller, as opposed to feeding on her after she died of natural causes. Though there are recorded instances of fatal black bear maulings in other U.S. states, they are rare, and there had been no reports of one in California. Fisher issued a news release saying that the death was under investigation, but that “it is believed that Patrice Miller passed away before a bear, possibly drawn by the scent or other factors, accessed the residence.”

After performing an autopsy, however, the pathologist on contract with Sierra County came to a different conclusion. She issued a report that found that Miller had “deep hemorrhage of the face and neck“ as well as “puncture injuries (consistent with claw ‘swipe’ or ‘slap’).” These injuries, she noted, were “characteristics more suggestive of a vital reaction by a living person.” In short: The pathologist found that Miller was probably killed by the bear.

Because of Fisher’s feud with Fish and Wildlife, that autopsy report, dated Jan. 4, 2024, wouldn’t become public for months.

Fisher said the state agency was refusing to provide him with copies of the DNA analysis of the bear that had been trapped in Miller’s yard. He wanted to see for himself that it matched the DNA evidence collected at her home, saying he hated the thought that a bear that had feasted on a person might still be roaming his town.

“I requested DNA from Fish and Wildlife, and they refused to provide it to me,” he said. “So I withheld the coroner’s report. We stopped talking.”

He said he verbally told department officials that the pathologist believed Miller had been killed by the bear — a seemingly noteworthy development. He said that officials responded: “I guess we’ll see when we get the report.”

In an email to The Times, state wildlife officials confirmed that Fisher had verbally shared the results of the autopsy report, but said they felt they needed to see the report to do their “due diligence before making an announcement about the first fatal bear attack in California.” The agency had sent an investigator to the scene after Miller’s death, who like Fisher and his deputies, thought the evidence suggested she had died of natural causes, said agency spokesperson Peter Tira.

By the time Fisher got the autopsy report, it was deep winter in the mountains, and bear activity decreased. Then came spring, and along with the blossoms, the bears came back to Downieville.

Bears were knocking over trash cans and breaking into cars. In May, residents on Main Street reported that a bear had broken into multiple houses, including one incursion that involved a bear standing over 82-year-old Dale Hunter as he napped on his couch.

A few days later, a bear tried to break into the cafeteria at Downieville High School while students were at school.

Fisher declared the bear a threat to public safety. Fish and Wildlife eventually issued a depredation permit, and the bear was shot.

That led to a story in the Mountain Messenger, the local paper. In it, the sheriff dropped a bombshell: “Miller was mauled to death after a black bear entered her home,” the paper reported. The story went on to say that the sheriff had made “numerous attempts” to inform Fish and Wildlife “about Miller’s death and more recent dangerous situations.”

After the story ran, state Sen. Megan Dahle, a Lassen County Republican who at the time served in the Assembly, set up a conciliatory meeting between Fish and Wildlife and Fisher. They have been meeting regularly ever since, Fisher said.

Fisher got his DNA results confirming that the bear trapped in Miller’s yard was the same bear that had eaten her. And Fish and Wildlife officials finally got a copy of the pathology report, which said Miller was probably alive when she encountered the bear.

The revelation made headlines around the state. “We’re in new territory,” Capt. Patrick Foy of Fish and Wildlife’s law enforcement division told the San Francisco Chronicle.

Bryant and other bear advocates found the release of such a significant finding so long after the fact confounding.

“I absolutely do not believe it,” Bryant said. If the bear had killed her, Bryant added, “the evidence should have been so clear, like immediately.”

“We don’t believe the bear did it,” Ann Bryant, executive director of the Bear League, says of Patrice Miller’s death. “We’ve never had a bear kill anybody.”

(Max Whittaker / For The Times)

The Downieville saga unfolded as bears seemed to be making news all over California.

To many, it seemed there were just many more bears encroaching on human settlements. A Fish and Wildlife report released last month estimated there are now 60,000 black bears roaming the Golden State, roughly triple the figure from 1998, the last time the department issued a bear management plan. That’s the highest population estimate for anywhere in the contiguous U.S., although the report also suggests that California’s bear population has been stable for the last decade.

In the Lake Tahoe area, where 50,000 people live year-round and tens of thousands more crowd in on busy tourist weekends, bears were breaking into houses and raiding refrigerators; they were bursting into ice cream shops and strolling along packed beaches.

State and local officials went into overdrive, trying to teach residents and tourists how to avoid attracting bears. The state set money aside for distribution of bear-proof trash cans and “unwelcome mats” that deliver a jolt of electricity if bears try to break into homes.

The Bear League will loan Tahoe Basin residents “unwelcome mats” that deliver a little jolt of electricity to bears if they try to break into homes.

(Max Whittaker / For The Times)

The Bear League stepped up its efforts. From a small office on Bryant’s property, the organization’s 24-hour hotline was ringing, and volunteers were rushing out with paintball guns to haze bears and to advise people on how to bear-proof their houses.

The tensions continued to escalate, nonetheless, between people who wanted to protect bears at all costs and those who wanted some problem bears trapped and relocated — or killed. In 2024, after a homeowner in the Tahoe area fatally shot a bear he said had broken into his home, many people were outraged that the Department of Fish and Wildlife declined to file charges.

Advocates also complained that the state has fallen behind in its efforts to help people and bears coexist. In recent years, the state had hired dedicated staff to help people in bear country, but the money ran out and some of those people were laid off, said Jennifer Fearing, a wildlife advocate and lobbyist.

“We have the tools to minimize human-wildlife conflict in California,” Fearing said. “We need the state to invest in using them.”

In Sierra County, the sheriff had come to a different conclusion. “We’ve swung the pendulum too far on the environmental side on these apex predators,” Fisher said.

Earlier this year, Fisher found common cause with newly elected GOP Assemblymember Heather Hadwick. “Mountain lions, bears and wolves are my biggest issue. I get calls every day about some kind of predator, which is crazy,” said Hadwick, who represents 11 northern counties.

In February, she introduced a bill, AB 1038, that would allow hunters to sic trained dogs on bears to chase them through the woods, but not kill them. While California has a legal hunting season for bears, it is strictly regulated; the use of hounds to aid the chase has been banned since 2013.

Hadwick argued that hounding bears would increase their fear of humans, which she said some are starting to lose: “We’re keeping them in the forest, where they belong.”

Bears have a long memory for food sources and an incredible sense of direction. If a tourist tosses them a pizza crust or leaves the lid off a trash can, they will return again and again.

(California Department of Fish and Wildlife)

Wildlife advocates showed up in force last month to oppose Hadwick’s bill in an Assembly committee hearing. Sending hounds after bears is cruel, they said. Plus, hounding bears in the woods would have no impact on the bears knocking over neighborhood trash cans and sneaking into ice cream stores.

Fisher testified in favor of the bill, and spoke of Miller’s death.

Lawmakers listened, some with stricken looks on their faces. But in a Legislature controlled by Democrats, Hadwick did not garner enough votes to send her bill on to the full Assembly; it became a two-year bill, meaning it could come back next year.

Fisher returned to Sierra County, where he has continued to advocate for locals to have more power to go after predators. The current situation, he said, is “out of control.”