OUR much-loved astrologer Meg sadly died in 2023 but her column will be kept alive by her friend and protégée Maggie Innes.
Read on to see what’s written in the stars for you today.
♈ ARIES
March 21 to April 20
Neptune starts quiet, then grows stronger through the day – by tonight there will be no denying your feelings are changing.
So resist any impulse to carry on as usual as your chart is calling you to make some changes.
A work timetable may be too tough or tidy for your skills, but you can find smart ways to adjust this.
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Your daily horoscope for Wednesday
♉ TAURUS
April 21 to May 21
The leap from keeping schemes in your head, to turning them into practical plans, is not an easy one – perhaps you worry you are not ready.
But your chart is supportive, so you can soon be ticking off some impressive boxes.
Steer clear of secrets, trust your gut. If someone feels fake, follow your instincts.
Get all the latest Taurus horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions
♊ GEMINI
May 22 to June 21
Your personal Pluto power is your potential to walk in other people’s shoes, in ways that benefit you both.
So if you get a chance to step in, do take it – even if you know certain experience or information is still lacking.
You can surprise yourself so much. Passion-wise, look closer in your friends zone, as The One is there.
Get all the latest Gemini horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions
♋ CANCER
June 22 to July 22
Unusual interests and a way of living life that is unlike anything you’ve ever tried – all these options can be sent your way by eccentric Uranus.
Plus you also have Pluto ability to believe in who you could be, rather than discounting who you are.
This can future-proof your career chart. Luck selects even numbers.
Get all the latest Cancer horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions
♌ LEO
July 23 to August 23
Being honest with yourself about a cash situation can cue a key conversation later.
In any meeting, try to go equipped with a series of answers, even if you are unsure what the questions will be.
Uranus’ influence draws your eye towards an unusual career opening – way outside your current comfort zone.
Get all the latest Leo horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions
♍ VIRGO
August 24 to September 22
Figuring out what and who you want can go well as the moon intensifies self-awareness.
You can then find ways to fund or otherwise support your decisions.
Second-time-around love can be a theme of your chart – and this time Saturn protects your deepest heart so past mistakes will not be repeated.
Get all the latest Virgo horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions
Solving problems, on paper or screen, can be your lucky linkCredit: Getty
♎ LIBRA
September 23 to October 23
Turning what you consider weaknesses into personal strengths can be the theme of your chart – but first you need to admit to actions you find difficult.
Hiding your feelings can hold you back from progress.
Neptune’s love of compromise may try to keep love safe rather than exciting – you can use this to your advantage.
Get all the latest Libra horoscope news including your weekly and monthly predictions
List of 12 star signs
The traditional dates used by Mystic Meg for each sign are below.
♏ SCORPIO
October 24 to November 22
Accepting help from friends and family is not easy for you – but try to do it.
People who know you well can offer insight into your past which is useful but also beautiful – they see you and love you as you really are so inner tension can disappear.
Solving problems, on paper or screen, can be your lucky link.
Safety versus excitement is just one of the big emotional choices bubbling under in your chart – so many moves are lining up that can change your future.
It’s hard to know who to trust at work, but Mars helps you ask the right questions and apply the necessary heat.
Success linked to “L” can be on the cards for later.
Welcome to June. We’re halfway through this tumultuous year and there’s only one thing I can say for certain about 2025: It’s moving fast.
I have lots to share in this newsletter, including a long list of plant-related events and activities, but let’s start with goats, sheep and this question: What’s the best way to clear highly flammable weeds from L.A.’s steep urban slopes?
Clearing those hills with weed whackers to knock down black mustard and oats, two invasive plants that burn easily once they’re dry, is noisy, difficult work, and hiring others to do it is expensive.
It is much easier to instead use goats and sheep to nimbly devour all the offending plants, leaving fresh fertilizer (a.k.a. manure) along the way to enrich the soil and give native plants a running chance to reappear. And it is wonderful to see a fluid herd moving slowly along the hill, with little lambs and kids frisking behind their mothers, making sweet bleating sounds instead of the polluting, teeth-grinding whine of gasoline-powered weed whackers.
Goats and sheep seem unbothered by the steep grade on Kite Hill in Mount Washington as they chow down on invasive oat grass.
(Juliana Yamada / Los Angeles Times)
A group of Mount Washington small-parcel landowners banded together this spring to create such a pastoral scene, drawing small crowds of delighted neighbors. The goats and sheep got rave reviews, and everyone hopes to see it happen again next year.
Except (you knew this was coming) here’s the problem:
Between transportation and labor costs, the job was a money-losing proposition for the herder, said Brittany “Cole” Bush, owner of Shepherdess Land & Livestock in Ojai and program director of the nonprofit Ojai Valley Fire Safe Council.
Bush agreed to bring 100 of her nearly 600 head of goats and dorper sheep (a.k.a. hair sheep that molt their coats) to Mount Washington as an experiment this spring. Neighbors who own small parcels from a quarter acre to 6 acres banded together to make it happen. Many of those parcels are adjoined, so if enough landowners came together to cover the cost, it seemed like a win-win for everyone.
But there weren’t enough collaborators to make the project pencil out, Bush said, and without a firm partnership, “it’s just not economically viable for small landowners to hire us.” Her company, she said, needs at least $10,000 to clear at least 10 acres before it can cover all its considerable costs.
For example, Bush said she can comfortably fit 100 animals in one of her 24-foot-long double deck trailers, but big rigs like that can’t navigate narrow windy roads, “and the roads around Mount Washington are absolutely bonkers, so we had to use an 18-foot trailer and make three 100-mile round trips to get all the animals we needed up there, about 101 goats and sheep.”
Pliable, solar-powered electric fences have to be erected even on the steepest hills to keep grazers out of yards and both two-legged and four-legged predators away from the herd.
(Juliana Yamada / Los Angeles Times)
And then it takes a day for a shepherd to set up 1,000 to 2,000 feet of pliable, solar-powered electric fences around the grazing area, something they must do repeatedly as the herd moves to new grazing areas. And the shepherds must be on guard 24 hours a day to protect the herd from predators like coyotes, neighborhood dogs and humans who think they’re tasty, or just think it would be fun to knock down the fence to watch the whole herd wander out onto a street, which happened in Santa Clarita in April.
So if you have a landowner with just a small parcel, say a quarter or half acre, they only want to pay around $500, Bush said, “but $500 doesn’t cover my cost for the day. For small acreage it would need to be closer to $2,000 an acre for it to work.”
The solution, she said, will require more cohesive partnerships between small landowners, nonprofits and public entities such as fire safe councils (there are several around L.A. County), resource conservation districts and even county parks and recreation programs to go after state grant money that, thanks to a new law, can now be used to help pay for prescribed grazing.
There is an L.A.-based company that uses goats to clear small parcels of land, typically an acre or less, but even for Party Goats LA, those costs typically run around $1,200 to $2,000 for a parcel under an acre, said owner Scout Raskin, with the cost largely dependent on how much fencing she has to use to contain the herd.
A billy goat munches on a tall, slender stalk of invasive black mustard at the top of Kite Hill in Mount Washington.
(Juliana Yamada / Los Angeles Times)
Raskin has been raising and training a small herd of goats and sheep for seven years, renting them out for parties, films and other special events, but when she lost her job as a television animation producer in 2023, she turned her side hustle into a full-time gig by adding brush clearance to their duties.
She had to increase her flock first, to 28 goats and eight sheep, all of whom she bottle fed, trained and named, and get some lessons in rolling out electric fencing on near-vertical slopes. But the phone has been ringing off the hook this year, she said.
It’s a lot of work, Raskin said, “but the benefits of grazing are insane, because the goats eat the seeds, so the vegetation density goes down every year because the seeds don’t germinate … and they’re depositing their nutrient-rich manure into the soil.”
Final bonus point, said parcel owner Michael Tessler, is the camaraderie and happiness that came with the grazers. Tessler, an architect, bought his small, unbuildable parcel on Kite Hill, a few blocks from his home, to encourage the growth of more native walnut trees and other native shrubs on the steep slope. Grazing wasn’t cheaper than hiring a weed-whacking team to do the work, he said, but the benefits are so much greater.
“I’ve met more neighbors in the past two and a half weeks than I have in the last 15 year of living here,” Tessler said. “People tend to be guarded on a day-to-day basis, but they see a sheep and something changes in them.”
Then bring on the sheep, I say, or as Tessler said more beautifully, “Put joy in the world where you can.”
Two other notes:
Project Phoenix, a joint project of UCLA and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, needs your help to understand how wildfire smoke is affecting birds in California, Oregon and Washington.
Program director Olivia Sanderfoot is looking for volunteers — community scientists — to watch birds in the same specific location for 10 minutes once a week, and report what they see. You can observe multiple locations, just make sure you fill out a separate form for each spot, even if one spot is in your front yard and another is in your back. Signing up is easy, and you’ll be automatically enrolled in online training. I’ll be watching from my front yard, where I have lots of native plants, and my back, where most of my veggies are planted.
An early morning fire at Arlington Garden in Pasadena on May 21 destroyed the garden’s storage shed and all the tools, event furniture and other equipment stored inside, as well as the electricity that powered its extensive drip irrigation system. The fire is still under investigation, but South Pasadena Fire Investigator John Papadakis said arson wasn’t the cause.
In the meantime, the garden is closed until the area can be cleared, said Executive Director A.J. Jewell. The board has started a $40,000 fundraiser to help replace the shed and other items destroyed in the fire.
Newsletter
You’re reading the L.A. Times Plants newsletter
Jeanette Marantos gives you a roundup of upcoming plant-related activities and events in Southern California, along with our latest plant stories.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
Upcoming events
Through Dec. 31 Free soil testing for lead for certain properties downwind of the Eaton fire burn area, provided by the County of Los Angeles Public Health Department. Enter your address on the website to see if your property qualifies. Test results take about a week and measure lead levels in the soil only. Instructions for collecting soil samples are on the website. publichealth.lacounty.gov
June 1 San Gabriel Valley Chrysanthemum Society Chrysanthemum & Plant Sales, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Los Angeles County Arboretum’s Ayres Hall in Arcadia. Admission to the sale is free with $15 ticket to the garden ($11 seniors 62+ and students with ID, $5 children ages 5-12, members and children 4 and younger enter free). arboretum.org
June 6 Propagating California Native Plants From Cuttings, a hands-on class taught by Theodore Payne Foundation Horticulture Director Tim Becker, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the foundation in Sun Valley. Participants will leave with a flat of 50 starts. All materials provided. Tickets are $92.55 ($81.88 members). eventbrite.com
June 7 Monrovia Community Garden Volunteer Day, 9 a.m. to noon in Monrovia. Volunteers will help with a variety of activities, including weeding and garden maintenance. Participation is free but registration is required. portal.caclimateactioncorps.org
Compost Workshop at Apricot Lane Farms, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the farm in Moorpark. A hands-on workshop about how the farm creates compost and uses it to enrich its soil. Tickets are $80.52. eventbrite.com
June 8 California Botanic Garden’s Introduction to the Sunflower family (Asteraceae), an introductory hands-on class taught by Samantha Ingram, the garden’s botany program graduate student, 1 to 4 p.m. at the garden in Claremont. Register online, $55 ($45 members). calbg.org
Community Habitat Restoration work around the Audubon Center, 8:15 to 10:45 a.m. at Ernest E. Debs Regional Park in Montecito Heights. Volunteers will help remove invasive species and water new native plantings. Participation is free but you must register online. act.audubon.org
June 13 Comprehensive Irrigation for California Native Plants, a hands-on class taught by Theodore Payne Foundation Horticulture Director Tim Becker, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the foundation in Sun Valley. Learn how, when and why to irrigate California native plants in a landscape. Tickets are $71.21 ($60.54 members). eventbrite.com
June 14 Planting for Pollinators at San Clemente State Beach, 9 a.m. to noon in San Clemente, one of many activities planned statewide in honor of California State Parks Week June 11-15. The goal of the San Clemente State Parks event is to create a community garden, path and educational area and to enhance habitat for the overwintering Western monarch. The beach is one of only 50 designated coastal overwintering sites for the endangered butterfly. Participants will help with planting, weeding and watering while learning how to identify pollinators and the native plants they need to survive. Activities also include crafts, storytelling and an art installation giving participants a chance to paint a pre-drawn mural. All ages welcome, ADA accessible. Participation is free but registration is required. castateparksweek.org
Southern California Carnivorous Plant Enthusiasts Carnivorous Plant Show & Sale, 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Sherman Library & Gardens in Corona del Mar. The show includes a talk and Q&A about carnivorous plants at 11:30 a.m. and a guided tour of the garden’s carnivorous bog at 1:30 p.m. led by Horticulture Director Kyle Cheesborough. Free with $5 admission to the garden (members and children 3 and younger enter free.) Military ID holders also enter free with up to five family members through Labor Day (Sept. 1) as well as on Veterans Day (Nov. 11). thesherman.org
Black Thumb Farm Native Plant Stewarding and Propagation, 12:30 to 2 p.m. at the farm in Panorama City. Learn how to identify plants, their role in the ecosystem and how to propagate native plants found around the farm. Participation is free, but registration is required. portal.caclimateactioncorps.org
Summer Rose Care Class, a free class about how to care for roses during the summer to prolong your blooms into the fall, 10 to 11 a.m. at Otto & Sons Nursery in Fillmore. ottoandsonsnursery.com
Nature Club for Kids: Butterflies With the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy, a free introduction to the butterflies living on the peninsula, with crafts and a butterfly hike for ages 3 to 10 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the White Point Nature Education Center in San Pedro. pvplc.org
Guided Nature Walk at Alta Vicente Reserve, a moderate to strenuous walk exploring coastal sage scrub habitat with views of Catalina Island and a chance to spot rare birds such as coastal cactus wrens, 9 to 11:30 a.m. in Rancho Palos Verdes. Free, but registration is required. pvplc.org
June 14-15 Los Angeles International Fern Society Annual Fern & Exotic Plant Show & Sale, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on June 14, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on June 15 at the Los Angeles County Arboretum’s Ayres Hall in Arcadia. Admission is free with $15 ticket to the garden ($11 seniors 62+ and students with ID, $5 children ages 5-12, members and children 4 and younger enter free). arboretum.org
June 14 and 28 Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy’s Native Plant Sales 10:30 a.m. to noon both days at the George F. Canyon Nature Preserve in Rancho Palos Verdes on June 14 and the White Point Nature Education Center in San Pedro on June 28. Plants are grown at the conservancy’s nursery. pvplc.org
June 14, 21 and 28th Three-Part California Native Garden Design class taught by landscape designer Mari Taylor of Deerbrush Design, 1 to 5 p.m. each day at the Theodore Payne Foundation classroom in Sun Valley. Learn how to evaluate your existing garden, use or convert irrigation systems and basic design approaches. The introductory, online Right Plant, Right Place class on June 10 from 6 to 8 p.m. ($35, or $25 members) is a prerequisite for this course. Tickets are $348.65 ($295.29 members) or $412.67 for couples ($359.32 members). eventbrite.com
June 20-22 Grow Native Nursery Milkweed Fest & End-Of-Season Plant Sale, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on June 20-21, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on June 22 at the California Botanic Garden. The nursery is celebrating monarch butterflies with the sale of seven different regional species of milkweed, the plant their larva (caterpillars) require to survive, as well as many other California native plants popular with pollinators. This is the last weekend the nursery will be open until the fall. The sale begins June 20. The Milkweed Fest on June 21 will include information about butterfly gardening, the monarch count in Los Angeles and Orange counties and milkweed mapping with vendors from the Xerces Society and Monarch Watch. On June 22, the festival ends with the Butterflies and Brews happy hour from 3:30 to 6 p.m. with drinks, music and socializing. calbg.org
June 21 Fire-Resilient Gardens: A Maintenance Walk and Talk with Theodore Payne Foundation educator Erik Blank, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the foundation in Sun Valley. Learn how to prune and maintain your garden for wildfire safety. Tickets are $39.19 ($28.52 members). eventbrite.com
June 21, 22, 28 or 29 Early Summer Tours of Apricot Lane Farms, the famed organic Moorpark farm behind the documentary film “The Biggest Little Farm,” at 9 to 11 a.m. or 1 to 3 p.m. each day. Participants must be able to walk at least 1.5 miles on a tour that includes several hill climbs. Tickets are $64.69, children 5 and younger enter free with a ticketed adult. eventbrite.com
June 27 Propagating California Native Plants From Seed During the Warm Season, a class taught by horticulturist Ella Andersson, the Theodore Payne Foundation‘s chief botanical technician, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the foundation. Participants will help plant 10 species of warm-season seeds, which they can take home. All materials are included. Tickets are $92.55 ($81.88 members). eventbrite.com
June 28 Los Angeles Chapter of the California Rare Fruit Growers Humongous June Plant Sale, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Sepulveda Garden Center in Encino. The sale includes a variety of rare and unusual plants, including fruit trees, vines, berries, roses, flowers and succulents, and an expert on hand to answer questions about their care. Proceeds from the sale will go to support the chapter’s agricultural education programs. crfg-la.org
Botany of Oaks: A walk and talk native tree workshop with arborist Alison Lancaster, 9:30 a.m. to noon at the Theodore Payne Foundation grounds in Sun Valley. Learn how to recognize the many varieties of oaks during an outdoor walk followed by studying oak leaves under a microscope in a classroom. Tickets are $39.19 ($28.52 for members). eventbrite.com
Queer Ecology Walk and Mixer led by naturalist and educator Jason “Journeyman” Wise, 1 to 4 p.m. at the Theodore Payne Foundation’s gardens in Sun Valley. “Explore California’s native plants and ecosystems through the lens of queer ecology: the study of everything in nature that subverts our Western cultural expectations about how the natural world ‘should’ work,” according to the event description. Complimentary refreshments provided at the end of the walk, participants must be 21 or older. Tickets are $44.52 ($33.85 members). eventbrite.com
Tall, lanky and infinitely gracious, Dan Bifano is known as the gardener to the stars, building huge rose gardens for wealthy, famous SoCal clients like Barbra Streisand and Oprah. His clients can be notoriously picky, but that doesn’t seem to faze Bifano, who keeps his standards simple: perfection.
The sky is clear and PCH is open for the first time since January — summer is approaching in L.A. Celebrate the ease in traffic with a coastal road trip complete with pit stops for coffee and Santa Maria-style barbecue, maybe treating yourself to a stay at the iconic Madonna Inn along the way.
Local restaurants also need your support. On June 13, Here’s Looking at You, a lauded Koreatown restaurant with recurring appearances on The Times’ annual 101 Best Restaurants list, will close after nearly a decade of warm hospitality, late-night double cheeseburgers and tiki cocktails. Reservations are full, but you might get lucky with a bar seat or by showing up early.
It’s a reminder to support the institutions that feel integral to our city’s culinary identity, including landmark restaurants that have been around for close to (or more than) a century. With Rite Aid stores closing across the state, it could be your last chance to order Thrifty’s ice cream at the counter — a superior experience to scooping from a tub at home.
And if you need even more dining ideas this month, our Food writers have you covered, including a destination shopping center in San Gabriel, Gen Z-approved coffee in Historic Filipinotown and celebrity-backed barbecue in Century City.
Renewed US–China trade tensions and the first bout of net outflows from US spot BTC ETFs since mid-May temporarily caused some volatility, briefly knocking Bitcoin lower to around $104,000. This profit-taking comes after Bitcoin’s (BTC) historic record high of nearly $112,000 in May. But seasoned crypto investors continue to show enthusiasm, recognizing that the recent market volatility creates attractive entry opportunities.
Adding to the optimism, US regulators have reaffirmed their friendlier stance toward crypto by dropping a high-profile lawsuit against Binance. Because of fresh tailwinds from regulatory authorities and growing corporate adoption of BTC, Market insiders are now pouring their capital into fundamentally strong cryptos.
With that in mind, we’ve listed four of the best cryptos to buy before Bitcoin marches toward new all-time highs.
Solaxy
Being the first Layer-2 scaling solution on Solana, Solaxy (SOLX) stands out as one of 2025’s most in-demand presales. By bundling off-chain transactions and then settling them on the Solana mainnet, Solaxy aims to vastly improve throughput, especially when network activity is high.
One of Solana’s main criticisms has been its occasional slowdowns or outages under heavy usage. Solaxy’s roll-up tech is designed to reduce these congestion issues, cutting down on fees and confirmation times.
Solaxy is working on launching a bridge between Solana and Ethereum, potentially unlocking cross-chain liquidity for its users. Looking at Solaxy’s progress during its presale phase, early buyers have injected over $42 million in record time, and the capital inflows show no signs of slowing anytime soon.
As Solaxy moves closer to its full launch, analysts see parallels to Ethereum-based Layer-2 success stories and expect the SOLX token to produce similar or even better returns for early adopters.
Ethereum
Next on our list is Ethereum (ETH), which remains the backbone of the decentralized finance and NFT ecosystems.
After a promising rally earlier in May, ETH has settled around the $2,500 mark support. Its recent price movement shows ETH has been testing resistance near $2,700 for nearly three weeks, so a move above this level could signal the next leg up.
A key factor supporting Ethereum’s price is the boom in Layer-2 networks such as Arbitrum and Optimism, which have seen a surge in activity. This increased network usage leads to more transactions on Ethereum and, in turn, more ETH being burned due to the deflationary mechanism.
With multiple tailwinds (like continuing DeFi expansion, ongoing ETH burns, and the possibility of even more regulatory breakthroughs), Ethereum remains one of the top crypto assets for both new and seasoned traders.
BTC Bull Token
BTC Bull Token (BTCBULL) is a Bitcoin-themed meme coin that has attracted massive attention during its presale, mainly because of its unique hold-to-earn BTC model.
As part of its tokenomics, BTCBULL rewards holders with actual BTC whenever Bitcoin reaches specific milestones, such as $150,000 or $200,000 for the first time. The project also implements supply burns at intermediate levels like $125,000, $175,000, and $225,000 for BTC to reduce BTCBULL’s token supply over time.
There’s even a massive community reward planned when Bitcoin reaches $250,000 for the first time. As a celebration bonus, 10% of all BTCBULL tokens will be airdropped to loyal holders.
This structure has resonated with investors who want to double-dip on Bitcoin’s potential future gains, as early supporters pour over $6.5 million into the BTCBULL token presale. The BTCBULL token is currently available for just $0.0025, allowing retail participants to buy at a discounted rate before the exchange listing.
Virtuals Protocol (VIRTUAL) has emerged as a breakout performer by tapping into two of tech’s hottest trends: artificial intelligence and the metaverse. The platform allows developers and users to create AI-powered virtual agents that interact within various digital realms, adapting to human behavior and executing tasks autonomously.
These agents facilitate gameplay, moderate chatrooms, or even manage certain on-chain services while learning from real-world activity. This adaptive element has captured the attention of investors who see the metaverse as a long-term growth sector.
VIRTUAL’s token soared nearly 500% to $2.5 in late May from its April lows. Part of this recovery coincided with the “Genesis Launch,” a tokenomics update that distributed tokens designed to encourage holding, and a listing on Binance.US on April 29.
The token is currently trading near $2, having a market cap of around $1.3 billion. VIRTUAL is still 60% below its January all-time high of around $5.07, leaving substantial room for growth during the next bull cycle.
For investors wanting exposure to the intersection of AI innovation and immersive online worlds, Virtuals Protocol stands out as one of the top choices.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not provide financial advice. Cryptocurrencies are highly volatile, and the market can be unpredictable. Always perform thorough research before making any cryptocurrency-related decisions.
Pride Month, which officially starts Sunday, is already in full swing and continuing through June with a host of activities and events. (After Long Beach Pride in mid-May, West Hollywood, Los Angeles, Venice, Santa Monica, San Fernando Valley, Catalina Island and other communities are following up with their own Pride celebrations.)
Although there is no shortage of opportunities for enjoying this worldwide celebration of the LGBTQ+ community, this year seems like a particularly pivotal time to partake in activities that uplift queer arts programs.
In 2025 and beyond, arts and culture funding is facing increasing threats of cancellation and cuts by the Trump administration. Los Angeles is home to numerous forms of art, but nothing is guaranteed to last forever. And in a world increasingly dominated by AI and virtual technologies, engaging with our imaginations can play a more important role than we might realize.
“I think more than ever people need to embrace the arts because we don’t know how much time we have left or how bad things can get,” said Lucé Tomlin-Brenner, a queer comedian and filmmaker who hosts the film-comedy show “Video Visions” at Highland Park video rental store Vidéothèque.
“We have to get into the practice of recognizing that what makes us feel free and joyful matters because that will strengthen us for the hard times,” she said. “If we’re just despairing, if we feel like we’re trapped already, then they’ve won because we’re not using our voices or our talents to change our realities.”
So this Pride Month, along with celebrating via boozy drag brunches and dancing at the Pink Pony Club until the sun rises, partake in L.A.-area activities that serve as a lifeline for queer community and creativity.
From learning how to use oil paints to discovering queer films streaming networks ignore and sewing your own Pride flag, opportunities abound throughout June to connect with your imagination and help ensure the survival and growth of local arts programs.
The lesser-known Caribbean island of Grenada is a true gem, with stunning white sand beaches, lush rainforests and some incredible natural wonders for a dreamy holiday
The stunning sandy beaches of Grenada(Image: Getty Images)
An undiscovered Caribbean paradise offers holidaymakers white sandy shores, lush forests and untouched natural beauty. Tucked away northwest of Trinidad and Tobago, northeast of Venezuela, and southwest of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the dreamy destination of Grenada personifies classic Caribbean appeal.
Come May and June, Grenada presents superb weather with daytime temperatures averaging a comfortable 29C to 31C, cooling down to a pleasant 23C to 25C at night – a perfect respite from the unpredictable English climate.
Yet, despite its charming climate, Grenada is still a hidden gem compared to its busier neighbours, welcoming just 366,000 visitors annually – far fewer than the likes of Antigua (680,000) and St Lucia (783,000).
Famous for its aromatic nutmeg and mace, the island is fittingly dubbed the “Island of Spice” and has a storied past that includes early Arawak and Carib inhabitants, a period under French control in the 17th century, and its subsequent transformation into a British colony, as per a report by the Express.
Grenada became independent from the UK in 1974 and now thrives as part of the Commonwealth. The nation prides itself on a rich cultural tapestry, with influences from African, European and indigenous Caribbean roots clearly visible in their rhythmic music, expressive dance, delectable food, and lively festivals, including the exuberant Carnival celebrations.
Grenada isn’t just rich in history, it’s also an adrenaline junkie’s dream destination where water sports abound.
Where the Caribbean sea meets colourful hillside homes in St George, Grenada(Image: Getty Images)
Thanks to the island’s exceptional conditions, enthusiasts can try their hand at sailing, windsurfing, paddleboarding, and kiteboarding with plenty of resorts and aquatic centres on hand to offer both equipment hire and lessons.
For those who prefer to keep their feet on dry land, a venture into Grenada’s lush heartland to Annandale Falls is a must-do activity. This picturesque cascade invites visitors to either dive into its refreshing pool or simply soak up the tranquil atmosphere.
The secluded spot has earned glowing reviews on TripAdvisor from those lucky enough to stumble upon it. One impressed visitor shared: “First visit, only there for a day from a cruise ship, but just love this beautiful country. The people are extraordinarily polite and friendly.
“Taken around the island on a one hour taxi ride that lasted much longer and showed Grand Anse beach (absolutely gorgeous and where the locals play) and the famous University. Any Uni with its beach must be a winner! A beautiful, calm place to study with lots of happy-looking students milling around.
Despite its beauty, Grenada isn’t as popular with tourists as other Caribbean islands(Image: Getty Images)
“Flowers and trees are in full bloom and taxi driver Ronald is incredibly knowledgeable about the political history of the island. The waterfront is beautiful and so many fish to see. Some serious hills to climb to the fort etc, so wear comfy shoes.”
Another holidaymaker chimed in: “A must, Grenada is my favourite West Indian Island with the locals being very helpful and friendly, and the local shops being interesting and cheap.
“Our favourite trip was on the Rhum Runner, a twin-hulled boat with a large flat deck and upper deck above. We boarded it for our second time just before Christmas with a steel band playing.
“A trip around the main harbour followed by the crew feeding the local large fish. During this time the Rum Punch flowed in abundance, along with soft drinks, fresh local fruit, and cheese.
“The next stop was a very beautiful beach which we landed on by literally walking down a gangplank. The rum still flowed whilst enjoying the scenery, even trays of drink appeared to float along on their own with crew members under the water.”
A strategic reallocation away from U.S. assets is playing a major role in Bitcoin’s optimistic outlook, according to Geoffrey Kendrick, head of digital assets research at Standard Chartered.
The analyst forecasts that the Bitcoin price may exceed $120,000 by the end of June. This also sets an optimistic tone for new Bitcoin-themed meme coin BTC Bull Token, which will be the first-ever cryptocurrency to pay real Bitcoin rewards.
Bitcoin Could Surpass $120,000 in June
Multiple bullish signals suggest that Bitcoin is on its way to new highs next month.
Notably, Kendrick highlighted that US Treasuries trade at a 12-year premium, making them less-attractive and driving investors to seek alternative safe-haven assets, like Bitcoin. Regulatory shifts and rising acceptance on the global stage positions Bitcoin in its strongest-ever position to attract capital from sophisticated investors seeking alternatives to US debt securities.
Kendrick also highlights that whale activity has been surging lately. Holders who control over 1,000 $BTC have been aggressively increasing their Bitcoin exposure, suggesting that they anticipate strong gains in the weeks ahead.
A prime example of this is BlackRock, with its IBIT ETF buying $400 million of Bitcoin on 27 May alone. This reflects a broader trend, with the asset manager accumulating $48.39 billion worth of $BTC in total, per Farside Investors data.
Bitcoin has also shown signs of decoupling from tech stocks in recent months, which is another indication of its strengthening proposition as a safe-haven asset, according to Kendrick.
However, Kendrick recently wrote an email to clients in which he said that the $120,000 target looks “very achievable,” and may even be “too low.” While he didn’t say how far it could go in Q2, Kendrick pointed to an end-of-2025 target of $200,000.
The Bitcoin Lottery? Options Traders Bet on $300K $BTC in June
In a far-flung move, traders on options platform Deribit are increasingly eyeing a Bitcoin price of $300,000 by the end of June.
And here’s where it gets interesting: the options $300K strike price was the platform’s most popular product yesterday.
According to CoinGlass data, bulls have wagered over $500,000 on Bitcoin calls with a strike price of $300,000 so far.
While it may seem like a distant dream for Bitcoin’s price to almost triple in the next month, the fact that traders have risked hundreds of thousands of dollars on that outcome reflects the asset’s highly bullish sentiment right now.
However, as Bitcoin optimism increases, some savvy traders are betting on a new Bitcoin beta play to yield far bigger gains.
BTC Bull Token Predicted 100X as Presale Nears $7M
BTC Bull Token is a Bitcoin-themed meme coin on the Ethereum blockchain. But it’s not just here to make people laugh; it’ll pay them real Bitcoin.
The project will release Bitcoin airdrops at key price milestones, with the first occurring when it reaches $150K and the second at $200K. The airdrops will be available to presale investors, creating a unique opportunity for meme coin fans and Bitcoin enthusiasts to deepen their $BTC positions without having to buy it directly.
The project also has staking and burning mechanisms, which will strengthen its supply and demand dynamics.
Currently, $BTCBULL is undergoing a presale where it’s quickly approaching the $7 million raised mark. Its presale success reflects deep investor support, which isn’t surprising given its meme coin allure and Bitcoin rewards.
Top analysts are also paying attention to the project. For example, Umar Khan from 99Bitcoins says the project could give 100x gains.
With the Bitcoin price expected to surpass $120,000 next month, and some traders betting on it going as high as $300,000, there’s a real opportunity for liquidity inflows into related tokens.
As the only crypto that pays holders Bitcoin rewards, $BTCBULL appears well-positioned to ride this bullish wave.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not provide financial advice. Cryptocurrencies are highly volatile, and the market can be unpredictable. Always perform thorough research before making any cryptocurrency-related decisions.
Officials say more than one million Muslim pilgrims from around the world have already arrived in the country.
Saudi Arabia has announced that the annual Hajj pilgrimage will begin on June 4 after observatories confirmed the sighting of the crescent moon.
The announcement was made on Tuesday by the kingdom’s Supreme Court in a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency.
At a news conference on Monday, Saudi Hajj Minister Tawfiq al-Rabiah said more than one million pilgrims from around the world had already arrived in the country.
Muslim pilgrims gather at the top of the rocky hill known as the Mountain of Mercy on the Plain of Arafat during the Hajj pilgrimage near Mecca on June 15, 2024 [Rafiq Maqbool/AP]
The Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and must be undertaken at least once by all Muslims who are able to.
The pilgrimage occurs annually between the eighth and 13th days of Dhul-Hijjah, the 12th and final month on the Islamic lunar calendar.
Worshippers take part in four days of ceremonies with the high point coming on the second day with mass outdoor prayers on Mount Arafat, the hill where the Prophet Muhammad delivered his last sermon.
Around the world, many Muslims choose to fast on this day.
(Al Jazeera)
Many pilgrims also visit the city of Medina, home to the Prophet Muhammad’s tomb and the second holiest site in Islam. While not an official part of the Hajj, visiting Medina remains a significant spiritual experience for many Muslims.
This year, the day of Arafat will fall on June 5, followed by Eid al-Adha on June 6, according to Saudi authorities.
Last year, 1.8 million people took part in the pilgrimage, according to official figures.
During the 2024 Hajj, temperatures soared to 51.8 degrees Celsius (125 degrees Fahrenheit), and more than 1,300 pilgrims died, raising concerns about the growing risks of extreme heat during the Saudi summer.
Red cloaks. Stiff white bonnets. Bent heads. If there’s a single image that Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” leaves audiences with as it ends its six-season run this week, it’s this one: That of women in a dystopian anti-America called Gilead, evolving from anonymous sexual slaves into rebels, warriors and, sometimes, survivors.
But for “Handmaid’s” creator Bruce Miller and star Elisabeth Moss, who also directed several episodes in the final season, the series, based on the 1985 book by Margaret Atwood, was never about what the women wore. It was about the women inside the color-coded uniforms.
“June started out as a normal person, a mom, a wife,” says Moss, whose other long-running roles include “The West Wing” and “Mad Men.” She won an Emmy for playing the “Handmaid’s” title character in 2017, the same year the show took home the first drama series prize for a streaming show.
“Then [June] had to shut down and become something that I don’t think she wasn’t proud of,” Moss continues. “But I feel she comes out of that into a place of true heroism, where she is able to be herself, be generous, forgive, inspire other people, lead — but also be vulnerable, ask questions, not know everything.”
Elisabeth Moss in the series finale of “The Handmaid’s Tale.”
(Steve Wilkie / Disney)
Miller, who stepped back from showrunning duties for the final season, with Eric Tuchman and Yahlin Chang taking over, especially wanted to ensure that as a man, he was telling a female-forward story from the female point of view — both in the writers’ room and on camera.
“I’m very mindful of the fact that I’m a boy, and who do I think I am?” he says, adding that winning the Emmy boosted his confidence in being a man telling a story about women’s rights. (The series has 15 Emmys total.) “Definitely, when you win an Emmy it helps you feel a bit less like you have one penis over the limit.”
Knowing that, Miller says he centered the story on June and Moss alike, adjusting camera angles to focus on her point of view — but lowered to an eye level that corresponded with the actress’ 5-foot-3 height. “The crowd scenes get much more scary” when you do that, he says. “I want to see the world not just through June’s eyes — but also Lizzie’s eyes, as much as she’s able to show me those things.”
Meanwhile, Moss used roles as executive producer and director to focus on the show’s look and how June came across on camera. Frequently, she’s shown smoldering with fury or dark intent, gazing up from under her brows with a lowered chin, something Moss says she lifted from Stanley Kubrick’s films. “That is ‘Clockwork Orange,’” she says. “I am certainly not the first person to do that look.”
Elisabeth Moss.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
But she might be one of very few actresses to convey it onscreen. “It’s definitely not something women do [on camera],” she says. “Women aren’t allowed to get angry. [June] uses her anger and weaponizes it at so many points during the show — and by the final season, she knows when to do that and when not to.”
The journey June, Elisabeth and “Handmaid’s” have been on began at an uncomfortably synergistic time in American politics: Amid the airing of a series about women subject to state regulation of their bodily autonomy, real-world politicians were successfully rolling back women’s reproductive rights. In 2018, protestors began showing up at real-world events in those handmaid-red cloaks and white bonnets, putting the show in an unexpected spotlight.
“Art does have an impact,” says Moss about that kind of a response, but suggests that repurposing the show’s images, outfits or story in service of real-world politics misses a key element of the series. “I don’t think any of us necessarily set out, when you’re making a TV show, to [make a political statement], because that’s the wrong way to go about it. You’re telling this one woman’s story. … It’s always been ‘The Handmaid’s Tale,’ her story.”
That’s one reason why after six seasons the series chose to end as it did: With June back in the house where it all began, starting her memoirs — “The Handmaid’s Tale.” When Miller pitched that final episode script, Moss says it made her cry.
“I love the idea that at the end is when she starts to tell the story that is the book, and the circular nature of that gives me chills,” she says. “The fact that she realizes that she has to tell it because it wasn’t all bad.”
But the ending also does one more thing: It shows how little is truly resolved. June’s daughter Hannah is still trapped in Gilead, for example. And fans of the series know the action will pick up 15 years later when “The Testaments,” based on a 2019 sequel by Atwood and now in production, begins airing. (Moss won’t say whether she’ll cameo.)
So this is an ending — just not the ending. Now, the story leaves off, still focused on the woman who escaped the bonnet and cloak and not about the trappings of her enslavement. “For me, the ending is perfect,” says Moss. “I also don’t feel like it is an ending. The war is not over. June’s journey is not over.”
For nearly six decades, Los Tigres del Norte’s name has been all over the charts, on countless marquees, seven Grammys and, now, one street in New York City.
On Thursday, the historic música Mexicana band showed up to the Sunset Park neighborhood of Brooklyn, surrounded by fans at the grand presentation of the newly minted Los Tigres del Norte Way.
“Starting today, a street in Brooklyn carries the name of Los Tigres del Norte,” the group wrote in an Instagram post Thursday evening. “Thank you for walking with us, today and always.”
The Sinaloense legends’ street sign is located on 5th Avenue and 47th Street in Brooklyn, surrounded by a litany of Latino restaurants.
“We’ve been coming to New York for so many years,” vocalist and accordion player Jorge Hernandez said in a TV interview Wednesday with New York’s Fox 5. “We’ve been able to connect with the community, so that’s why we’ve been selected today to have the street and we are very happy to be honored tomorrow.”
The road naming occurred on the same day as the release of the “La Puerta Negra” artists’ latest five-track EP “La Lotería.” The title track is a sociopolitical corrido that uses the imagery of the popular bingo-like Mexican game to comment on topics like immigration and the past criminality of the current U.S. president.
The band will play its first-ever show at New York’s historic Madison Square Garden on May 24 to wrap up their current East Coast stint before performing June 13 at the Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage, Calif., and June 15 in Del Mar, Calif.
However, Thursday’s festivities weren’t the first time that the “Jaula de Oro” band was honored with a street-naming ceremony. A strip of W. 26th Street in Chicago is honorarily named after the 12-time Latin Grammy winners. The street runs through the Windy City’s Little Village neighborhood, which is known as the “Mexico of the Midwest” due to upwards of 80% of its residents being of Mexican descent.
In June, the group will receive lifetime recognition for its members’ continued immigration advocacy from Monterey County officials ahead of their tour date in Salinas, Calif.
May 23 (UPI) — U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday recommended new tariffs on the European Union, citing difficulties trading with the bloc.
Trump, in a post on Truth Social, said that the United States should implement a “straight 50% tariff” on goods imported from the EU beginning on June 1.
“The European Union, which was formed for the primary purpose of taking advantage of the United States on trade, has been very difficult to deal with,” Trump wrote.
“Our discussions with them are going nowhere!”
He said the proposed tariffs were in response to trade barriers that negatively impact American companies including value-added taxes, corporate penalties and “unjustified lawsuits against American companies,” which he said have resulted in a trade deficit of $250 billion a year between the United States and the EU, adding the number is “totally unacceptable.”
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox News he hoped the tariff warning would “light a fire under the EU.”
“I’ve said before, [the] EU has a collective action problem here. It’s 27 countries, but they’re being represented by this one group in Brussels. So some of the feedback that I’ve been getting is that the underlying countries don’t even know what the EU is negotiationg on their behalf,” Bessent said.
The United States has inked trade deals with Britain and China to reduce tariffs and Bessent said the proposed EU tariffs were in response to the bloc’s “pace” in current negotiations.
“There are 18 important trade deals that we have to do. I’m working mostly on Asia. And that group has moved forward with some very interesting proposals, they’re negotiating in good faith,” he said.
Earlier this month, the EU said it was preparing a list of imported U.S. goods that could be subject to tariffs should the two sides fail to reach a trade deal.
That list was valued at approximately $107 billion.
Trump in early April said the United States planned to impose 20% tariffs on goods from European Union countries.
He later temporarily lowered that number to 10% while the two sides negotiated, while the EU also paused 25% retaliatory tariffs during the 90-day window.
The Handmaid’s Tale will be coming to an end next week
WARNING: This article contains spoilers from The Handmaid’s Tale season 6
The curtain is set to fall on The Handmaid’s Tale, with the series finale of the Emmy Award-winning drama scheduled to air on Hulu next week.
This week’s penultimate episode delivered a shocking blow, claiming the lives of key characters Nick Blaine (Max Minghella) and Commander Joseph Lawrence (Bradley Whitford), along with several other high-ranking Boston Commanders. Their demise came at the hands of a Mayday altitude bomb during a doomed flight.
As the series approaches its conclusion and the New England rebellion escalates, fans are growing increasingly anxious about the fate of protagonist June Osborne (Elisabeth Moss).
Hints from the season six trailer suggest that June will face grave danger, leading some viewers to fear she may meet her end in the series finale, reports the Mirror US.
Executive producer and former showrunner Bruce Miller has shared insights into June’s journey in the final season of The Handmaid’s Tale.
The Handmaid’s Tale is focused on June Osborne’s story(Image: HULU)
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Does June die in The Handmaid’s Tale?
In short, no. June won’t meet her end in The Handmaid’s Tale.
Miller recently revealed to Entertainment Weekly that The Handmaid’s Tale is fundamentally based on Margaret Atwood’s 1985 novel of the same name and is primarily the story of June/Offred, rather than focusing on Gilead, the revolution, or even the sequel novel, The Testaments.
The showrunner confirmed the fate of June, stating: “It doesn’t end up killing June.”
Bruce Miller tantalised fans with hints about the finale, highlighting Hannah Bankole (Jordana Blake), still trapped in Gilead, and June’s relentless efforts to reach her.
He expressed his desire for the series conclusion to strike viewers as “absolutely unpredictable, but inevitable”.
Miller further hinted to fans familiar with the source material: “And the other thing I would say is if you read the book, you know the end, just think about it.
June Osborne’s fate in The Handmaid’s Tale has been revealed(Image: HULU)
“Just think about it a little and you’ll know exactly what’s going to happen at the end of the show.”
The original novel leaves readers in suspense, with June’s destiny ambiguous as she rides away in the back of a van, leaving us to ponder whether she has been rescued by Mayday or captured by the Eyes.
Elisabeth Moss, who leads the cast, is set to don the hat of an executive producer for the forthcoming sequel series The Testaments, ensuring her significant influence over the narrative.
While Moss’s involvement behind the scenes is confirmed, it remains to be seen if she will step back into June’s shoes for The Testaments.
Her executive role does open the possibility of her making an appearance in the new series.
Ann Dowd is slated to return as Aunt Lydia, playing a pivotal role in the unraveling of Gilead in the upcoming series.
The Handmaid’s Tale season 6 airs on Prime Video and Channel 4 on Saturdays in the UK
Manager Steve Clarke has included seven uncapped players in the Scotland squad for June friendlies against Iceland and Liechtenstein.
Hibernian striker Kieron Bowie and Sassuolo left-back Josh Doig join midfield trio Connor Barron, Andy Irving and Lennon Miller of Rangers, West Ham and Motherwell respectively.
Goalkeepers Robby McCrorie and Cieran Slicker make up the uncapped contingent as Angus Gunn returns.
Everton right-back Nathan Patterson is also back, while squad regulars Craig Gordon, Kenny McLean, Ryan Porteous and Greg Taylor are not included.
Ben Doak, Ryan Christie and Lyndon Dykes are recovering from injuries.
Iceland will visit Hampden Park on Friday, 6 June (19:45 BST) and Clarke’s side will travel to Vaduz to take on Liechtenstein on Monday, 9 June (18:00).
Iceland have lost all six of their previous meetings with Scotland, with the latest three encounters finishing 2-1 to the Scots.
Scotland have two wins out of two against Liechtenstein, with both games settled by a one-goal margin.
Bowie, 22, is the only player not to have been called up to the senior squad before, having played 10 times at under-21 level.
Chris Brown is facing the music for allegedly smashing a tequila bottle over a music producer’s head at a London nightclub two years ago. The R&B star was arrested in connection to the incident early Thursday, The Times has confirmed.
The Metropolitan Police force said in a Thursday statement that it arrested a 36-year-old man shortly after 2 a.m. in a hotel in Manchester, England, “on suspicion of grievous bodily harm. “ The controversial “Under the Influence” singer, 36, remains in custody. Brown was arrested for his alleged involvement in a February 2023 “incident at a venue in Hanover Square,” the statement said.
Though police did not provide additional details — including the nature of the incident or the venue — the charge echoes allegations music producer Amadou “Abe” Diaw raised against Brown in a civil lawsuit filed in October 2023. Detectives for the Central West Area Basic Command Unit have launched an investigation, the statement added.
A representative for the Grammy winner did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment Thursday.
Brown was arrested more than two years after he allegedly “brutally assaulted” Diaw by “beating him over the head” with a bottle of Don Julio 1942 Tequila at the TAPE nighclub in London, according to the lawsuit reviewed by The Times. The complaint, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, accuses Brown of assault and battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The co-defendants include Live Nation, Sony, RCA Records, and another musician, among others.
In the 13-page complaint, Diaw claims he and a friend entered the nightclub and noticed Brown and the other artist “approaching them in a seemingly friendly manner.” The encounter took a turn when Brown allegedly began beating Diaw “on top of the head” with the tequila bottle, striking the top left side of his head three times, the lawsuit said. Diaw claims Brown — whose music career has been marred by numerous allegations of assault (he notably pleaded guilty to assaulting ex-girlfriend Rihanna) — “inflicted severe and lasting injuries” by smashing his head with the bottle and “continued to ruthlessly stomp on” him as he lay unconscious on the nightclub floor following the bottle attack. The other artist who was with Brown also allegedly kicked Diaw in the stomach and legs.
Nightclub staff intervened and brought Diaw out of the venue. Diaw was hospitalized “with lacerations on his head and torn ligaments on his leg,” according to the suit. He continues to suffer “double vision and significant pain in his legs” and needs continued treatment and therapy.
The bottle attack was captured by nightclub surveillance cameras and Metropolitan Police obtained the footage, the complaint said. Diaw also accuses Brown and the other co-defendants of engaging in “defamatory conduct by spreading false rumors about” his clients and claiming he “is a thief in an effort to sabotage professional relationships.”
Diaw seeks an unspecified amount in damages exceeding $25,000 including medical expenses, loss of earnings and other relief deemed appropriate by the court. The next hearing in the case is set for May 30. A jury trial is also set to begin in June 2026, according to a legal database.
Ryan J. Daneshrad, an attorney for Diaw, said in a statement shared with The Times on Thursday: “We can confirm that Chris Brown was involved in an incident with our client, and the injuries sustained are serious.
“We are pursuing all legal remedies to hold him accountable,” Daneshrad added. “At this time, we will let the facts speak for themselves through the proper legal channels.”
Brown’s arrest precedes the kickoff of his Breezy Bowl 20th anniversary tour in June. The performer will launch his slate of live performances on June 8 in Amsterdam. He is set to perform three shows in Manchester on June 15, 16 and 24.
After the European leg of his tour, Brown will come stateside beginning July 30 when he will perform in Miami. The stadium tour will come to Los Angeles at SoFi Stadium on Sept. 13 and 14.
BEIJING — China will allow visa-free entry for nationals of five Latin American countries for one year to boost closer connections with the region.
Starting June 1, citizens of Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru and Uruguay will be allowed to enter China for up to 30 days without a visa, China’s Foreign Ministry announced Thursday. The trial program will be in effect for one year.
“We welcome more foreign friends to visit China, to experience the colorful and vibrant China,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at a daily briefing.
Beijing hosted the China-CELAC, or Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, Forum earlier this week, aiming at strengthening its alliances in the region as a counterweight to U.S. influence.
China has been opening up to dozens of countries including most of the European nations, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Malaysia to boost the economy after strict pandemic travel measures. China and Uzbekistan will also begin mutual visa-free entry for up to 30 days starting June 1, according to China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
English defender Eric Dier will join Monaco on a three-year deal when his Bayern Munich contract expires on 1 July.
Dier made 47 appearances for Bayern but turned down the chance to stay at Allianz Arena and will leave as a Bundesliga champion.
The 31-year-old initially joined the German club on loan from Tottenham in January 2024 before signing a permanent deal last summer.
He will join Ligue 1 Monaco as a free agent until June 2028, with the option for an extra 12 months.
The German title is the first trophy won by Dier, who has been capped 49 times for England and finished as a runner-up with Spurs in the 2015 and 2021 League Cup finals, as well as the 2019 Champions League final.
Dier made 365 appearances in nine and a half seasons with Spurs, who he joined in August 2014 from Sporting Lisbon.
In a video published on Monaco’s X account, external, Dier posed with the club shirt and said: “I cannot wait to get started.
“I’m really looked forward to wearing this shirt and I can’t wait to meet everyone at the club and the Stade Louis II. I’m going to give everything to the club.”
The Greek island of Symi is filled with pretty houses, epic beaches, and crystal-clear waters, but it has not seen the same visitor numbers as the likes of Crete, Santorini, Mykonos and Corfu
Symi isn’t as popular as some neighbouring islands(Image: Lisa Mei Photography via Getty Images)
Greece is home to dozens of beautiful islands that attract millions of tourists annually. Among the most frequented are Santorini, Crete, Naxos, Mykonos and Corfu. However, while some enjoy immense popularity, there are others that despite their own charm, haven’t seen the same vast numbers of visitors.
Symi, located off the west coast of Greece and east of Tilos, is one of the most picturesque in the region. Part of the Dodecanese island group, it’s best known for its charming houses, stunning beaches and close proximity to the popular and significantly larger Greek island of Rhodes located to its south east.
According to Visit Greece, the main town shares its name with the island it resides on. Interestingly, the town of Symi is reportedly divided into two parts, Gialos and Chorio.
Gialos is the section of the town nearest to the harbour and Chorio, meaning village, sprawls across the closest hillside, reports the Express.
Despite its small size, there’s a wealth of activities and attractions for visitors to engage with. These include visiting the local clock tower known as the Roloi, the statue of fisher boy Michalaki, the town hall, and the Naval Museum. Moreover, thousands of visitors make the journey to the Agios Ioannis, which serves as the main church of the town.
Symi town is located right on the coast(Image: Jennika Argent via Getty Images)
Access to Symi is only possible by boats and ferries after landing in mainland Greece. Travel website Greeka stated that it’s possible to reach the island via Athens and its Piraeus port.
Symi, like many other Greek islands, can get scorching hot during the summer months, with temperatures averaging around 26C in June and 28C in July and August.
These sweltering temperatures make it ideal weather for lounging on the beach, soaking up the sun’s rays and cooling off in the sea. As a result, spots like Saint George Bay and Nanou Beach have garnered rave reviews on TripAdvisor.
On Saint George Bay, Stavros L raved: “A must if you visit Symi. Amazing blue water and the surrounding cliffs create a unique atmosphere, quite crowded during July/August but worth it.”
Port Yialos on Symi(Image: Franz Marc Frei via Getty Images)
Fellow user Hills A was equally impressed with Nanou Beach, saying: “Arrived at Nanou beach via our hired boat from Symi Coral Rent a Boat in Pedi Beach…our favourite bay in Symi.
“Crystal clear water, turquoise blue, perfect for snorkelling! The taverna there has delicious and fresh cuisine, plus friendly goats! Definitely going back soon!”
