location

Medical TV show 24 hours in A&E is returning to London hospital St George’s four years after producers announced that it was relocating to Nottingham

Medical reality TV show 24 Hours in A&E which highlights the hectic day to day life of emergency nurses and doctors, is set to return to London after four years. The Channel 4 show will now be filmed in the south west hospital St George’s, four years after relocating to Nottingham.

More than 130 cameras will track and provide viewers with fly on the wall footage of nurses, doctors and patients who walk through the doors of the accident and emergency room. The series has been running since 2014 and Kate Slemeck, who is the Managing Director for St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said that she’s “incredibly proud” to bring it back to St George’s.

“[I’m proud] to showcase the unwavering work of our Emergency Department colleagues and the teams who work with them – from minor injuries to major traumas and everything in-between. A lot has changed since the last time the series was filmed here, including increased demand for our services – but the main thing viewers will take away is the expert care, compassion and kindness our patients receive every day.”

And Gabe Jones, Clinical Director and Consultant for Emergency Medicine and Major Trauma at St George’s, said: “I’m excited to show viewers our brilliant Emergency Department, which continues to deliver excellent care in the most challenging circumstances.”

He continued: “I’m proud of my exceptional colleagues for the life-saving work they will continue to do long after the cameras have stopped rolling, and am grateful to our patients for allowing us to document their most vulnerable moments. “

He went on to say: “We thank the staff at Queen Medical Centre in Nottingham for showing the NHS at its best, and are very pleased to welcome the series back to St George’s.”

In addition to the comments about the show returning to London, Manjeet Shemar, Medical Director at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH), said: “We are so proud to have been the home to 24 Hours in A&E for so long, bringing the show into the heart of our Nottingham community and sharing the incredible stories of our staff and patients. “

Manjeet explained: “The series gives the public the chance to see what it is like working in a busy emergency department like QMC, the complexities of it and the kind of things that staff see and work on day in and day out. It really is quite remarkable. I am so thankful that the series came to QMC, and even more so to those colleagues who were involved.”

Manjeet went on to say: “We’re excited for our colleagues over at St George’s to have the series return to them, and hope that the series will make a return to QMC one day in the future too.”

The show was first broadcast in 2011 and filmed from King’s College Hospital before moving to St George’s in 2014. The decision to relocate the TV show to Nottingham came after the broadcaster announced it was moving its headquarters to the city.

Produced by The Garden, the Director of Factual, Spencer Kelly added: “The privilege of being invited to film the brilliant work of our NHS staff and the brave patients it cares for, never wears thin. We are extremely grateful to everyone at Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham for allowing us to tell their story over the past few years and delighted to be welcomed back to St George’s for this exciting new chapter.”

A broadcast date remains to be confirmed but Rita Daniels, who is the Commissioning Editor for the channel said: “We’re grateful to Nottingham University Hospitals for the powerful and moving stories we’ve been privileged to film during our time there and the compassion and resilience shown by staff and patients alike has made a lasting impact on the series.

“As 24 Hours in A&E returns to St George’s Hospital in London – at the heart of the UK’s most populated city – we look forward to continuing to tell the extraordinary stories that unfold every day in our NHS.”

READ MORE: Shoppers praise ‘bargain’ £35 Christmas tree that looks ‘expensive and traditional’

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

The UK’s best food and drink can be found in a market town that’s been dubbed the ‘loveliest town in England’ – and it’s not where you’d expect but has grown in popularity over the years

Long hailed by poet John Betjeman as “the loveliest town in England,” Ludlow is also globally recognised for its food and drink scene.

With over 500 listed buildings and a skyline dominated by a Norman castle, Ludlow combines ancient charm with modern appeal, cobbled streets lead to delis, bakeries, cosy pubs and renowned restaurants.

Often referred to as the ‘food and drink capital of the Marches’, Ludlow’s hospitality industry thrives due to its diverse local produce. In 2024, a Which? Travel survey of more than 9,000 people asked participants to rate the food and drink in their favourite inland towns and villages.

READ MORE: ‘Magical’ village with hardly any tourists as they visit famous neighboursREAD MORE: Full list of new travel rules for Brits heading to Europe for October half term

Ludlow triumphed as the nation’s top-rated food and drink destination. It was the only inland town to secure a full five stars for food, reports the Express.

As Which? Travel put it: “Instead of a handful of high-end eateries, there’s a culture of local produce as well as numerous pubs and cafes, served by people who care about the food.”

This ethos is reflected on the plate, with a focus on fresh, local ingredients and menus that change with the seasons. TripAdvisor currently ranks Old Downton Lodge as Ludlow’s best restaurant.

Riverside favourite CSONS is another beloved spot for relaxed, quality dining, along with Kin Kitchen and The French Pantry for cafe and bistro-style dining.

Pub lovers are spoilt for choice with establishments including The Queens and The Boot Inn, both receiving rave reviews on TripAdvisor.

Experts from Ludlow Distillery note that the town’s culinary scene thrives thanks to a strong network of food and drink producers, ranging from specialist cheesemakers and bakers to craft brewers and distillers.

They said: “The strength of this offering is best seen (and tasted) by a visit to the Local to Ludlow Market in the Castle Square (where growers and makers based within 30 miles of the town sell a range of high-quality and carefully selected produce), and the award-winning Broad Bean fine food delicatessen on Broad Street.”

The town embraces ‘Slow Food’, a global, grassroots movement with thousands of members worldwide that links gastronomic pleasure with community commitment. Over recent years, the initiative in Ludlow has grown substantially.

Slow Food Ludlow Marches offers year-round events, including visits, talks, demonstrations, meals and Taste Workshops at Ludlow Food Festival in September.

Ludlow Food Festival remains one of the town’s biggest annual events, regularly drawing around 15,000 visitors to Ludlow Castle over three days.

While it has finished for 2025, locals and tourists can look forward to the Winter Festival at Ludlow Castle. Scheduled to take place from 28th to 30th November 2025, the event will showcase local entertainment, mulled wine, and popular favourites from the Ludlow Food Festival.

To make the most of your visit, plan it for the second or fourth Thursday of the month when the Ludlow Local Produce Market is held, featuring food and drink produced within a 30-mile radius.

The stalls emphasise sustainability and seasonality, turning an ordinary shopping trip into a delightful afternoon outing. Beyond Shropshire, Wells was named as the runner-up for inland dining by Which? Travel.

Other places that received accolades include Lavenham in Suffolk, Llangollen in Denbighshire, Stamford in Lincolnshire, and Cartmel in Cumbria. Each offers a unique flavour of a gastronomic getaway.

Help us improve our content by completing the survey below. We’d love to hear from you!

Reality television production in Los Angeles declined sharply this summer, leading to a nearly 21% drop in overall TV shoot days, a new report shows.

The total number of shoot days in the greater L.A. area from July to September was 4,380, down 13.2% compared to a year ago, according to data from FilmLA, a nonprofit that handles film permits for the Los Angeles region.

The third-quarter data does not reflect the full effect of the state’s newly bolstered film and TV tax credit program, which was passed this summer.

In the most recent round, 22 TV series were chosen amid a nearly 400% increase in applications, with 18 of those shows primarily filming in the L.A. area.

Projects that received an incentive have 180 days to start production after notice of their award, and it often takes time to commence filming.

Because of that, FilmLA executives were not surprised to see on-location production continue to slip during the summer months.

“Fortunately, we’ve already begun to see early signs of these incentives having their desired effect,” he said. “We’re excited to be taking calls from productions looking to line up their locations and pull permits,” FilmLA Vice President Philip Sokoloski said in a statement.

TV production totaled 1,441 shoot days, down 20.7% compared to the same time period last year. The decline is especially significant because TV is the region’s main driver of production.

Reality TV dropped to 649 shoot days, down 31.4% compared to last year. Other genres of TV production also saw a downturn — drama (down 19%) and pilots (down 34.5%). Production of television comedies, however, was a bright spot with 79 shoot days, up 41.1%.

Feature film production in L.A. also ticked up with 522 shoot days, an increase of 9.7% compared to last year. But commercial production, which does not receive a tax incentive, was down 17.9% to 668 shoot days.

The report’s “other” category, which includes student films, still photo shoots and documentaries, saw a decrease of 9.9% to 1,749 shoot days.

A shoot day represents one crew’s permission to film at a single location in a 24-hour period.

Andry Rajoelina’s announcement on Monday followed reports that he had been evacuated by a French aircraft on Sunday.

President Andry Rajoelina has fled Madagascar to protect his life amid nationwide protests, which began late last month.

Rajoelina confirmed in a live Facebook address on Monday that he had travelled to a safe location following reports and rumours that he had been flown out of the country on Sunday.

The 51-year-old did not disclose his whereabouts.

Rajoelina had been due to give a television address on Monday afternoon, but the speech was delayed after “a group of armed forces threatened to take control of the state-owned media”, Rajoelina’s office said on Facebook.

On Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron expressed concern over the situation in his country’s former colony, where the United Nations says at least 22 people have been killed in clashes between protesters and security forces.

Speaking from a summit in Egypt, Macron refused to comment on whether Rajoelina had been evacuated by France.

“I will not confirm anything today,” he said. “I just wish to express our great concern.”

A military source told the Reuters news agency that Rajoelina left Madagascar on Sunday on board a French Army Casa aircraft, after being brought to the Sainte Marie Airport by helicopter.

The president’s reported departure came after army units defected on Saturday, with Rajoelina condemning the move as “an attempt to seize power illegally and by force”.

Hours after his comments, the army’s elite CAPSAT unit, which played an important role in first bringing Rajoelina to power in a 2009 coup, said it had taken control of the country’s military. Earlier, it had announced that it would “refuse orders to shoot” demonstrators.

Protests in Madagascar began on September 25 over water and power outages, but they soon gave rise to wider grievances over the cost of living, poverty and alleged government corruption, with many demanding Rajoelina’s resignation.

On Monday, hundreds of protesters – joined by soldiers and security forces – gathered outside the city hall in Antananarivo, Madagascar’s capital, waving flags and chanting slogans.

One of the protesters, 24-year-old Finaritra Manitra Andrianamelasoa, told the AFP news agency that he hopes the president “will apologise and genuinely announce his resignation”.

“Afterwards, we can consider organising elections and determine who will be suitable to take the leadership role,” Andrianamelasoa added.

The demonstrations in Madagascar follow a global trend of Gen Z protest movements, including in Nepal, which led to the removal of Nepalese President KP Sharma Oli in early September.

My 73-year-old mother is coming to visit from the East Coast. She recently had hip surgery and it’s painful for her to walk too far. She likes quirky experiences like sushi on conveyor belts. I live in Sawtelle. Other times she has come we have gone to the Getty Villa, a couple studio tours, live taping of “Jeopardy!” and a local ramen place. She likes places with a backstory. For example in Boulder, she wanted to drive past the house where JonBenét Ramsey had lived because she is obsessed with true crime. One thing she did say she wanted to do was try to see “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” — CJ Schellack

Here’s what we suggest:

First off, your mom sounds like a good time. And I agree with her: The best places to visit often have an interesting backstory. Let’s start with the food. Given that your mom likes sushi experiences, make a stop at Yama Sushi Marketplace, conveniently located in your neighborhood. The family-owned Japanese seafood shop sells restaurant-quality sushi at takeout prices, writes Tiffany Tse in our guide to Sawtelle. “Just point to what catches your eye, and the staff will slice it fresh, sashimi-style, right in front of you,” she adds. Or if you’d prefer to check out another revolving sushi spot, check out Kura, which has a Sawtelle location.

To satisfy your mom’s appetite for one-of-a-kind, quirky experiences, head to Galco’s Soda Pop Stop in Highland Park. Yes, it’s a bit of a push from your hood — don’t go during rush hour — but it’s worth the trek, especially if you have a sweet tooth. The 100-year-old family-owned shop is stacked with aisles of rare sodas from around the globe, nostalgic candies and retro toys that its 82-year-old owner John Nese tells me “you can’t find anywhere else.” In the back of the shop, next to the make-your-own-soda station, there’s a deli stand that sells “blockbuster” sandwiches — a name that was inspired by boxing legend Rocky Marciano who, after tasting one, declared “This is a real blockbuster!” (Pro tip: If Nese is there when you visit — and the likelihood is high because he “practically lives there,” he says — be sure to ask him for a rec.)

Once you’ve secured your snacks, grab a picnic blanket or low chair and head over to Hollywood Forever Cemetery to watch a movie — a favorite L.A. experience for many of my colleagues. Through Halloween, Cinespia is hosting movie nights at the cemetery where stars like Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney and Johnny Ramone are laid to rest. Films are projected onto a mausoleum wall and moviegoers sit on the lawn (an open area with no graves). There’s a designated wheelchair user and companion area with restrooms close by, and accessible parking is available with a placard (though you’ll still need to buy a parking pass in advance).

But if you think your mom would be more comfortable indoors, check out the Quentin Tarantino-owned New Beverly Cinema, known for screening double features of classic, indie, cult and foreign flicks the old-fashioned way — on 35mm film. As Michael Ordoña writes in our guide to the best movie theaters in Los Angeles, “the New Bev is just what a rep cinema should be. It’s cozy, with a mellow, enthusiastic vibe. Surprises sometimes occur.”

To tap into your mom’s inner true crime fascination, make a visit to some of L.A.’s darker landmarks. “I like to take friends visiting from the East Coast on a drive along the Sunset Strip to show them where famous people died, like Belushi at Chateau Marmont and River Phoenix outside the Viper Room,” senior audience editor Vanessa Franko tells me. (Bonus: You don’t even need to get out of your car.) But if you prefer an actual tour, visit the Greystone Mansion and Gardens, where oil heir and homeowner Ned Doheny and his secretary, Hugh Plunkett, were found dead in 1929. Times travel writer Christopher Reynolds recommends it, saying that at this destination, you get “a crime scene, filming location and L.A. oil history, all in one.” We’ve also curated a list of 12 iconic L.A. film and TV horror homes that’s worth checking out (the filming location for the WB series “Charmed” is featured in the photo illustration above). I hope that you and your very cool mom have the best time. Please send us pictures if you hit up any of these spots.

A woman who has visited 100 countries has revealed the one that stands out above all others as she reflects on her globe-trotting adventures

A globe-trotting woman who has explored 100 countries has revealed which destination reigns supreme above all others. Marta Luisa García, 52, has dedicated much of her life to roaming the planet, journeying everywhere from Namibia to Europe‘s grand capitals and far beyond.

Her wanderlust began when her elder brother received an Atlas for his First Communion, leaving her captivated by the nations within its pages. This grew into an obsession with travel programmes on the telly as she became enthralled by their tales.

Yet among all the spectacular marvels she’s witnessed, Marta, hailing from A Coruña, Spain, has confessed to having a clear favourite, reports the Express.

Marta’s favourite country

Chatting to La Voz De Galicia, Marta revealed her adoration for tropical shores including the Maldives but particularly Bora Bora in French Polynesia. Regarding the latter, she declared: “For me, French Polynesia is a dream trip.”

French Polynesia stands as an overseas territory of France, comprising islands such as Tahiti, Bora Bora, and Mo’orea. A standard flight deal to the island haven of Bora Bora – roughly 9,500 miles distant in the South Pacific – can begin from £2,200 per person.

However, those fortunate enough to have visited insist it’s worth every single penny, boasting crystal-clear turquoise waters to discover, stunning scenery and Maldives-style overwater retreats.

Most visited spots

Marta confessed that her love for travel wasn’t limited to French Polynesia. She revealed that France and Italy were the countries she had visited most frequently, attributing this to their proximity and affordability, stating: “I’ve been to France for £10 return.”

Despite having travelled extensively, Marta still has a few destinations left on her bucket list. She shared: “Today, of the seven wonders of the world, only Machu Picchu remains for me to see. I haven’t been to Peru, but I’m terrified of altitude sickness.”

Other favourites of world travellers

Marta isn’t the only globetrotter with favouite destinations. Earlier this year, Cameron Mofid, who has visited every UN-recognised country and territory, also shared his top picks.

After completing his global tour in April with a trip to North Korea, he spoke about his favourite countries and territories, two of which are currently subject to travel warnings from the UK’s FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office).

In a conversation with CNN, he singled out Algeria and Yemen as standout destinations. Speaking about Algeria, he said: “It’s one of my favourite countries in the whole world. The countries that receive the least amount of tourism are often the ones where you have the best experience, because you feel totally immersed in their culture.”

Meanwhile, Yemen caught his eye due to the sensation of stepping back in time. He remarked: “To see people dress the same way that they were hundreds if not thousands of years ago. To see people living in mud houses, to see people still using flip phones.”

A woman has shared a ‘hidden gem’ in the Lake District, as she takes her viewers on a tour of the picturesque and stunning trail she found while visiting the area

There are so many hidden gems in the UK, and with the rise of staycations, people are sharing their travels across the country.

Now one woman has taken to TikTok to walk through a ‘heavenly’ cave in the Lake District. Posting under the username @ adventureamore1 the TikToker shared her trip, as she took viewers along the scenic route to the cave nestled in Little Langdale in the Lake District.

The cave consists of a network of abandoned tunnels and chambers which all find themselves tucked away amongst the rural beauty of the Little Langdale, which offers a tranquil setting to observe the history and geology.

READ MORE: Mysterious car-free island with so many puffins they outnumber humans by 15 to oneREAD MORE: Hidden gem in Spain where flights are just £17 and no tourists around

In the video caption, the TikToker said: “This trail takes you on an epic adventure into one of the lake districts most beautiful spots .. cathedral cave. This otherworldly cave is famous for it’s heavenly light that spills down into the cave from a huge opening above.

“This spot can be viewed from from the opening or from the bottom. I recommend seeing it from the bottom first to get the real sense of wonder. Suitable for dogs and kids, this amazing spot is definitely one to add to your list.”

However she noted that for those wanting to visit, “Parking isn’t the easiest and we ended up having to Google a small car park around a 20 mins walk from this entrance but it was worth it.” She noted how the trail “takes you to somewhere you won’t forget” and called the middle of the cave a true “hidden gem”.

People were loving the video, and one person who had also visited commented: “been there, amazing place … peaceful beautiful,” while a second chimed: “This was on my list when I visited last year but didn’t have time for it. More reason to return to the Lakes!” A thid said: “That’s a nice hidden gem indeed.”

Also known as Cathedral Quarry, the site was once used to extract green slate. This slate is still used today to build walls and roofs throughout the local area. According to LakeLovers, throughout the nineteenth century, the site provided slate to aid in the boom in house building, drilling the rock and using explosives to source the material.

“In 1929, the quarry was purchased by world-renowned author Beatrix Potter. Beatrix gifted the site to the National Trust, who ensured quarrying continued until the 1950s.

“Nowadays, the site is preserved and maintained by the National Trust as an important place of geological interest and history in the Lake District,” the site added.

The last thing you may expect to come across in the depths of the rural Charenteis a scone, clotted cream and strawberry jam served with a hot pot of correctly brewed breakfast tea, but in Tusson, France, you’ll find just this.

In the heart of rural Charente, France, you might be surprised to find a scone, clotted cream and strawberry jam served with a properly brewed pot of breakfast tea.

But in Tusson, this is exactly what you’ll discover. You’ll also hear plenty of English accents.

Gateaux, with its bold lettering and pink exterior, is impossible to miss.

Step inside and you’re greeted by a verdant oasis and an impressive array of beautifully baked cakes, reports the Express.

As I have relatives nearby, I visit Tusson annually, and the lemon meringue cake has never disappointed me.

Other highlights include the chocolate Guinness cake and the cappuccino cupcakes.

There’s also a wonderful selection of teas and barista-made coffees, as well as ice creams and some savoury bakes.

Run by two biologists, Gateaux is adorned with the unexpected beauty of molecular structures, intricate scientific drawings and equations.

Despite having a population of just 240, this tiny village isn’t widely known.

The nearest city is Angouleme, renowned as the capital of comic books and the filming location for Wes Anderson’s ‘The French Dispatch’, featuring Timothee Chalamet.

Yet, Tusson is something of an artistic hub.

It boasts a pottery workshop, a few other artists’ residences and The Maison du Patrimoine.

This is where Francis I of France’s elder sister stayed upon learning of her brother’s death in the 16th century.

It was constructed from a fortified enclosure dating back to the 14th century.

The expansive fields surrounding Tusson are adorned with sunflowers during the summer, their faces tracking the often blistering summer sun.

Tusson’s primary eatery, Le Compostelle, is a bit of a splurge but could be worth your time. With lobster on the menu and their renowned soup de chocolat, a dessert that’s a spectacle in itself, one chuffed reviewer penned on Tripadvisor: “We all sat outside in a charming courtyard under cover in the heat of a full cover of awnings etc. Lovely atmosphere. We all opted for the 25- 30 euro set lunch. Absolutely fantastic value for money. The food was simply exquisite. Michelin standard. If you’re a chocolate lover, you must try the Soupe au Chocolat. Beyond wonderful.”

The area is a hit with ex-pats, many of whom reside in the nearby villages Ville Jesus, known for its brilliant annual village fair, and Aigre, a slightly larger town boasting a tourist office and a town hall.

Here, you can savour a pizza at La Square while taking in the frequent bric-a-bracs, France’s version of a car boot sale. Here, you’ll discover a variety of items from children selling their collages to boxes covered in dust filled with vintage postcards capturing snippets of holidays from half a century ago.

If you’re after a bit more excitement than browsing antiques, Nautilus is the place to be. However, gents, be warned – this water park enforces a strict speedo-only policy.

But don’t let that put you off, as there’s something for everyone here. Keen swimmers can clock up some serious lengths in the full-sized Olympic pool, while thrill-seekers can take on the diving board or brave the outdoor rapids slide that promises a wild ride.

In an age of hyperconnectivity and overtourism, the desire to “get away from it all” when we travel has never been greater. We’d love to hear about those corners of Europe where you can still escape from the noise and the crowds, whether it’s a remote national park, a wild coastline, a rocky islet, off-grid retreat or a sleepy town which the 21st century seems to have overlooked. And if you stayed in a great campsite, hostel or cottage, tell us about that too.

The best tip of the week, chosen by Tom Hall of Lonely Planet wins a £200 voucher to stay at a Coolstays property – the company has more than 3,tres000 worldwide. The best tips will appear in the Guardian Travel section and website.

Keep your tip to about 100 words

If you have a relevant photo, do send it in – but it’s your words we will be judging for the competition.

We’re sorry, but for legal reasons you must be a UK resident to enter this competition.

The competition closes on Monday 29 September at 10am BST

Have a look at our past winners and other tips

Read the terms and conditions here

If you’re having trouble using the form click here. Read terms of service here and privacy policy here.

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court ruled Monday for the Trump administration and agreed U.S. immigration agents may stop and detain anyone they suspect is in the U.S. illegally based on little more than their working at a car wash, speaking Spanish or having brown skin.

In a 6-3 vote, the justices granted an emergency appeal and lifted a Los Angeles judge’s order that barred “roving patrols” from snatching people off Southern California streets based on how they look, what language they speak, what work they do or where they happen to be.

The decision is a significant victory for President Trump, clearing the way for his oft-promised “largest Mass Deportation Operation” in American history.

The court’s conservatives issued a brief, unsigned order that freezes the district judge’s restraining order indefinitely and frees immigration agents from it. As a practical matter, it gives immigration agents broad authority to stop people who they think may be here illegally.

Although Monday’s order is not a final ruling, it strongly signals the Supreme Court will not uphold strict limits on the authority of immigration agents to stop people for questioning.

The Supreme Court has been sharply criticized in recent weeks for handing down orders with no explanation. Perhaps for that reason, Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh wrote a 10-page opinion to explain the decision.

He said federal law says “immigration officers ‘may briefly detain’ an individual ‘for questioning’ if they have ‘a reasonable suspicion, based on specific articulable facts, that the person being questioned … is an alien illegally in the United States.’”

He said such stops are reasonable and legal based on the “totality of the circumstances. Here, those circumstances include: that there is an extremely high number and percentage of illegal immigrants in the Los Angeles area; that those individuals tend to gather in certain locations to seek daily work; that those individuals often work in certain kinds of jobs, such as day labor, landscaping, agriculture, and construction, that do not require paperwork and are therefore especially attractive to illegal immigrants; and that many of those illegally in the Los Angeles area come from Mexico or Central America and do not speak much English.”

Those were exactly the factors that the district judge and the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals said agents may not use as a basis for stopping someone for questioning.

The three liberal justices dissented.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor called the decision “yet another grave misuse of our emergency docket. We should not have to live in a country where the Government can seize anyone who looks Latino, speaks Spanish, and appears to work a low wage job. Rather than stand idly by while our constitutional freedoms are lost, I dissent.”

“The Government … has all but declared that all Latinos, U.S. citizens or not, who work low wage jobs are fair game to be seized at any time, taken away from work, and held until they provide proof of their legal status to the agents’ satisfaction,” she wrote.

Sotomayor also disagreed with Kavanaugh’s assertions.

“Immigration agents are not conducting ‘brief stops for questioning,’ as the concurrence would like to believe. They are seizing people using firearms, physical violence, and warehouse detentions,” she wrote. “Nor are undocumented immigrants the only ones harmed by the Government’s conduct. United States citizens are also being seized, taken from their jobs, and prevented from working to support themselves and their families.”

In response, Kavanaugh said he agreed agents may not use “excessive force” in making stops or arrests. But the judge’s order dealt only with the legal grounds for making stops, he said.

Kavanaugh stressed the court has a limited role when it comes to immigration enforcement.

“The Judiciary does not set immigration policy or decide enforcement priorities. It should come as no surprise that some Administrations may be more laissez-faire in enforcing immigration law, and other Administrations more strict,” he wrote.

He noted the court had ruled for the Biden administration and against Texas, which had sought stricter enforcement against those who crossed the border or had a criminal record.

The case decided Monday began in early June when Trump appointees targeted Los Angeles with aggressive street sweeps that ensnared longtime residents, legal immigrants and even U.S. citizens.

A coalition of civil rights groups and local attorneys challenged the cases of three immigrants and two U.S. citizens caught up in the chaotic arrests, claiming they had been grabbed without reasonable suspicion — a violation of the 4th Amendment’s ban on unreasonable searches and seizures.

The lead plaintiffs — Pedro Vasquez Perdomo and two other Pasadena residents — were arrested at a bus stop when they were waiting to be picked up for a job.

On July 11, U.S. District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong issued a temporary restraining order barring stops based solely on race or ethnicity, language, location or employment, either alone or in combination.

On July 28, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals agreed.

The case remains in its early phases, with hearings set for a preliminary injunction this month. But the Department of Justice argued even a brief limit on mass arrests constituted a “irreparable injury” to the government.

A few days later, Trump’s lawyers asked the Supreme Court to set aside Frimpong’s order. They said agents should be allowed to act on the assumption that Spanish-speaking Latinos who work as day laborers, at car washes or in landscaping and agriculture are likely to lack legal status.

“Reasonable suspicion is a low bar — well below probable cause,” Solicitor Gen. D. John Sauer wrote in his appeal. Agents can consider “the totality of the circumstances” when making stops, he said, including that “illegal presence is widespread in the Central District [of California], where 1 in every 10 people is an illegal alien.”

Both sides said the region’s diverse demographics support their view of the law. In an application to join the suit, Los Angeles and 20 other Southern California municipalities argued that “half the population of the Central District” now meet the government’s criteria for reasonable suspicion.

Roughly 10 million Latinos live in the seven counties covered by the order, and almost as many speak a language other than English at home.

Sauer also questioned whether the plaintiffs who sued had standing because they were unlikely to be arrested again. That argument was the subject of sharp and extended questioning in the 9th Circuit, where a three-judge panel ultimately rejected it.

“Agents have conducted many stops in the Los Angeles area within a matter of weeks, not years, some repeatedly in the same location,” the panel wrote in its July 28 opinion denying the stay.

One plaintiff was stopped twice in the span of 10 days, evidence of a “real and immediate threat” that he or any of the others could be stopped again, the 9th Circuit said.

Days after that decision, heavily armed Border Patrol agents sprang from the back of a Penske movers truck, snatching workers from the parking lot of a Westlake Home Depot in apparent defiance of the courts.

Immigrants rights advocates had urged the justices to not intervene.

“The raids have followed an unconstitutional pattern that officials have vowed to continue,” they said. Ruling for Trump would authorize “an extraordinarily expansive dragnet, placing millions of law-abiding people at imminent risk of detention by federal agents.”

The judge’s order had applied in an area that included Los Angeles and Orange counties as well as Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties.

“Every Latino should be concerned, every immigrant should be concerned, every person should be concerned,” Alfonso Barragan, a 62-year-old U.S. citizen, said Monday on his way into one of the L.A. Home Depots repeatedly hit by the controversial sweeps. “They’re allowing the [federal immigration agents] to break the law.”

Savage reported from Washington and Sharp from Los Angeles. Times staff writer Ruben Vives in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

The Netflix film was shot at a stunning Grade II listed house.

The Thursday Murder Club airs on Netflix on August 28 and the film, which has already received mixed reviews, is an adaptation of Richard Osman’s 2020 novel.

Taking place at a retirement village known as Coopers Chase, the film follows four amateur sleuths as they take it upon themselves to investigate a recent murder.

The film was shot primarily at Shepperton Studios in July 2024, as well as on location in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire. The Thursday Murder Club trailer shows Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Celia Imrie and Ben Kingsley in character as Elizabeth, Ron, Joyce and Ibrahim with a stunning stately home doubling up as Coopers Chase.

Here is everything you need to know about where Coopers Chase is and whether you can visit in real life.

READ MORE: Thursday Murder Club’s director admits ‘biggest regret’ creating filmREAD MORE: Thursday Murder Club’s Celia Imrie jokes how extra was ‘sacked on the spot’

Where is Coopers Chase in the Thursday Murder Club?

Production designer James Merifield chose somewhere he had filmed before to replicate the retirement village from the beloved book.

To bring Coopers Chase to life, he chose Englefield House in Berkshire – a Grade II listed house originally built in 1558.

The home has had substantial alterations since the 1820s, with Netflix explaining: “Its scale and architecture worked well as the ex-priory of the book.

“Within the house itself, many rooms and corridors were dressed to provide the residents with their elegant communal spaces, but there were also some substantial set builds including the Jigsaw Room where the gang congregates.”

As for the nearby cemetery, the set was inspired by a corner of the famous Highgate Cemetery in North London. It was constructed so convincingly that several cast members thought it was real.

READ MORE: Thursday Murder Club Netflix release time as cinema fans have just days to watchREAD MORE: Thursday Murder Club director unveils ‘beautiful’ extra film featuring cut scene

Can you visit the Coopers Chase house?

While Englefield House is a private residence and is not open to the public, the gardens are open to visitors every Monday throughout the year.

Visitors do not need to book in advance, but there is an entrance fee of £5. RHS and NGS cardholders, as well as children are entitled to free entry.

From March to October group tours are offered from Tuesday to Thursday for a minimum of 20 people and must be booked in advance. The estate’s website has all the details on how to book.

Englefield House is available to hire for private and corporate events, and the estate grounds and deer park provide a stunning location for outdoor events.

The estate has hosted a number of concerts, country fayres and classic car auctions in the house.

The Thursday Murder Club airs on Netflix on August 28

A small quaint seaside village may be the perfect place for those looking to escape the bustling city life – and the charm comes from the narrow paths where cars and bikes aren’t even allowed

If you’re after some peace and tranquillity, this remote Scottish village may be exactly what you’re looking for.

Crovie, nestled in the north-east of Scotland on the coast of Aberdeenshire is one of the most quaint seaside communities in the country. The slow-pace sleepy village is home to picturesque narrow streets, chunky cottage walls and lots of fishermen – but what makes Crovie so spectacular is there are no roads leading through the cliff-foot village located right on the waters edge.

Cars are to be left outside it and even bikes aren’t allowed in. You can only access the row of some 60 houses on foot, with a steep cliff behind them. Only accessed by a steep hill, the residents of Crovie transport their groceries with wheelbarrows, adding to it’s quaint and secluded charm.

READ MORE: ‘My AI boyfriend proposed – I was surprised but the ring he chose is stunning’READ MORE: ‘Most beautiful’ Italian town is frozen in time with hardly any tourists

Visit Aberdeenshire call it Europe’s best-preserved fishing village, as Crovie boasts the narrowest space between shore and cliff in Scotland. It is characterised by it’s unique layout, with many houses built with their backs to the sea to protect them from the quick changing weather patterns on the coast, but still offer a sight found nowhere else on earth.

According to the Scotsman, Crovie is no stranger to visitors. One Aberdeenshire local, who owns a holiday cottage for him and his wife, said there are just five permanent residents in the village as the rest are holiday homes. You can explore holiday homes and self-catering accommodations adorned with brightly painted pebbles and maritime art.

The village was once a fishing village, until 1953, when a storm washed away some of it and made it impossible for the fishermen to carry on working from there. This led to many fishermen moving along the coast to the larger village of Gardenstown.

For visitors hoping to explore Crovie, there is a car park at the viewpoint overlooking the village and further parking by the final bend as you head towards the village. Drivers are discouraged from driving all the way down and once parked, there is a steep walk down to the houses or you can choose to take the stairs.

It’s an incredibly small place, and those taking the trip to Crovie have shared their thoughts. One visitor took to TripAdvisor and wrote: “Finally made the journey of 9 hours from my hometown. The place is in the middle of nowhere with no shops, cafe, pub etc so you need to take lunch with you[…]Very secluded and no one about.

You get a good view from the viewpoint. It’s a steep walk down and obviously steeper going back up. At the bottom there’s a stoney beach that you can only access at the end!”

While another penned: “Scottish village directly on the sea. Wonderful even just for a visit. You have to walk a very short distance because the cars stop a little further up. There is a small car park, but it’s absolutely worth it. Mandatory stop.”

Do you have a story to share? Email [email protected]

Bridport, located on the Jurassic Coast, boasts a number of attractions, including a beach-side bar and beautiful coastal walks to a Michelin-listed restaurant and thatched brewery

As the cost of living continues to rise, more Brits are choosing staycations over foreign holidays. With this in mind, why not swap your usual holiday destinations like Spain, France or Portugal for the delightful town of Bridport on the Jurassic Coast this year?

Bridport, self-styled as ‘Dorset’s eventful town’, is a vibrant and bustling destination with plenty to offer. One of its highlights is The Watch House Cafe, a beach bar that recently made it onto Conde Nast Traveller’s list of the best beach bars in the UK. Google reviews describe it as a ‘fantastic find’ with a ‘lovely setting right on the beach’ and ‘excellent fish tacos’.

With cocktails priced at £9 and a ‘Mermaid’s Kiss’ mocktail for £5, it’s a great spot to enjoy a summer evening with family.

READ MORE: Haven holiday park in UK tourist hotspot plans major expansion

The town also boasts a variety of shopping opportunities, with two main streets filled with unique boutiques. In terms of entertainment, the Art Deco Electric Palace screens films, and live performances are held at the Bridport Arts Centre, The Lyric. And don’t forget to check out the prestigious Bridport Literary Festival, reports MyLondon.

West Bay and Burton Bradstock offer stunning coastal walks with their pebbly beaches and dramatic sandstone cliffs. After a day of exploration, there are a variety of dining options. Dorshi, a Michelin-listed East Asian diner, and the Red Brick Cafe, known for its vegetarian dishes, are among the local favourites.

For a truly unique dining experience, why not try The Station Kitchen, which offers a quirky setting inside railway carriages?

Tucked away in Bridport is Palmers, the UK’s only thatched brewery and arguably the town’s best-kept secret.

When it’s time to hit the hay, Haddon House hotel is a top choice. Just 300 yards from the harbour and boasting a 4.5-star rating on TripAdvisor, it’s a real gem. Guests have described the hotel as ‘excellent’, ‘faultless’, and ‘beautiful’, and some suites even feature spa baths.

Bridport has been dubbed ‘Notting Hill-on-sea’. However, this comparison isn’t entirely accurate. While both places have revamped their Electric Palace Cinemas, the property prices tell a different story.

Notting Hill, one of London’s most expensive areas, boasts an average house price of £1.6 million, according to Rightmove. In contrast, homes in Bridport average at £371K, making them over a million cheaper than their Notting Hill counterparts.

The journey from London to Bridport by car is fairly straightforward, taking around three and a quarter hours, mostly along the M3.

If you’re opting for public transport, catch a train from Waterloo to Axminster. From there, hop on an X51 Jurassic Coaster bus – a treat for all you transport enthusiasts – which will get you to Bridport in just over an hour. All in all, expect the journey to take just under four hours.

Do you have a story to share? Email me at [email protected]

READ MORE: NYX’s new Wednesday range features a ‘mysterious’ £9 colour changing lip oil

Los Angeles has many valleys, but only one is the Valley. You know it as soon as you crest over the 101, 405, 170 or 5 freeways, its bordering hills verdant or golden depending on the time of year. Pull off almost any exit and you’ll immediately be greeted by shopping centers, strip malls, mom-and-pop markets and fine-dining dens serving up some of the city’s most ambitious and heartfelt meals.

Bounded by mountains on all sides, the San Fernando Valley spans 260 square miles and is home to nearly half of L.A.’s population, around 1.8 million people. Across its expanse, it assumes many identities.

Our favorite places to eat and drink in the 818. From high-end sushi to burger shacks, tiki bars, dives and more.

Long before its peaks and basins were crisscrossed with highways and miles-long boulevards, the Tongva people lived along the water-rich and wooded areas of the Valley for more than 7,000 years. In the late 18th century, Spanish settlers by way of Mexico traversed over the Santa Monica Mountains into what is now known as Encino.

More than a century ago, the citrus orchards began to give way as Warner Bros., Walt Disney and Universal studios built out their filming lots. A tinge of Tinseltown and tourism followed, while room to grow brought a midcentury housing boom to the region. Themed restaurants and tiki haunts popped up to keep diners entertained. Now, it’s difficult to find a Valley establishment that hasn’t made a TV or film appearance.

As Valley dwellers began settling in — immigrants, suburban families, celebrities — its food scene flourished in step.

On Ventura Boulevard in Sherman Oaks, you’ll find Casa Vega, its dim interior practically untouched since Rafael “Ray” Vega first founded it in 1956. The son of Tijuana-born immigrants who ran popular Cafe Caliente on Olvera Street beginning in the 1930s, Vega introduced many Valley diners — including a flock of silver screen regulars — to Mexican-American staples such as fajitas and enchiladas.

Farther south in Studio City, take your pick from a parade of Japanese restaurants along Sushi Row. The stretch of Ventura Boulevard became a hub for high-end Japanese cuisine after pioneering chef Kazunori Nozawa opened his Edo-style sushi restaurant Nozawa in 1987. Though that location has since closed, Nozawa has spawned a global restaurant empire with his KazuNori, Nozawa Bar and Sugarfish chains.

Pull off the main drag and you’ll find hidden gem burger shacks, taquerias, hot dog joints, kebab shops and neighborhood delis. Meanwhile, Valley residents are spearheading new concepts.

“We’re born and bred Valley kids, so we had to do it in the Valley,” said Marissa Shammas on opening Yala Coffee, a Middle Eastern-inspired cafe, with her husband Zain Shammas in Studio City. “[People] commonly think [the Valley] is where things go to die — and we think that that’s where things go to be more.”

There’s more to discover than ever when it comes to dining in the 818 (or 747). Eight Times food writers spent months exploring the Valley in search of the best for this guide, reconnecting with old favorites and finding new surprises.

For me, it was also an exercise in nostalgia. Old shortcuts returned like muscle memory as I reacquainted myself with the Woodland Hills blocks where I navigated young adulthood. In North Hollywood, my home for several years into my early 30s, former standbys suddenly returned to the forefront of my mind: The tiki bar across the street from my old apartment, a hole-in-the-wall Puerto Rican restaurant where salsa music draws you in, a vibrant Jamaican bistro that now sits in Sherman Oaks. I found myself wishing I could linger in the Valley longer.

Here are our favorites, spanning Filipino-Mexican fusion in a Northridge car wash-turned-restaurant, a DMV-adjacent street-stand for lamb barbacoa in Arleta and a fast-growing mini chain of Sephardic pastries. It’s time to dig into the Valley.
— Danielle Dorsey

The image is iconic — Kobe Bryant letting out a roar while tugging on his gold Lakers jersey after scoring 49 points during a playoff win over the Denver Nuggets on April 23, 2008.

It has been used in numerous murals around Southern California, including one that is being painted in larger-than-life form on the side of a future Eat Fantastic restaurant on the 700 block of North Pacific Coast Highway in Redondo Beach.

This particular painting, however, is a little different from the others, and from the original image itself. Bryant’s intensity is still there. His pose is exactly the same. He is still wearing a No. 24 jersey.

But in this version, that jersey is not gold with “Lakers” spelled across the chest in purple letters.

It’s white, with “Dodgers” across the chest in blue letters.

Gustavo Zermeño Jr. altered an iconic image of Lakers legend Kobe Bryant for a Dodgers mural he is painting in Redondo Beach.

(Juliana Yamada / Los Angeles Times)

The altered version of the iconic image is just one portion of a sprawling mural paying tribute to the Dodgers’ 2024 World Series championship. It’s on the north-facing side of a former Carl’s Jr. building that will open later this year as part of the growing Eat Fantastic chain in the Los Angeles area.

The mural was conceived by artist Gustavo Zermeño Jr. and Eat Fantastic owner Efthemios Alexander Tsiboukas. It features some of the key figures from the Dodgers’ title run — players Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Shohei Ohtani (with his beloved dog Decoy) and rapper Ice Cube, who is shown riding in a classic Dodger blue convertible as he did when he performed before Game 3 of the World Series.

And then there’s the late Lakers legend Bryant, whose inclusion in the piece was a must, Zermeño said.

“Each [Eat Fantastic] location has a Kobe mural, at least the ones that have a good wall,” said Zermeño, who is a huge fan of both the Dodgers and Bryant. “And for this location, [Tsiboukas] wanted to create something for the Dodgers’ championship team. That’s why Kobe has the Dodger jersey on, you know, staying on theme with the locations having a Kobe mural.”

Zermeño said the original idea was to paint Bryant wearing a Dodgers baseball jersey, as he did while attending the team’s games over the years before his shocking death in January 2020.

Lakers’ Kobe Bryant celebrates a three–pointer against the Denver Nuggets on April 23, 2008, at Staples Center.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

“So we looked up a bunch of images,” Zermeño said. “A lot of them are obviously cool images, but either they were very pixelated, or just didn’t have what we wanted, that really aggressive Mamba-mentality feel.

“So we found this image. And you know, this image has been done before in several murals. But with the Dodger jersey, we wanted to throw a twist on it.”

Tsiboukas said: “That’s my favorite picture of him. I have the exact same one [painted at the restaurant location] in Arcadia. He’s wearing the real jersey, though, the yellow one. So I wanted a replica of that same one I did in Arcadia, and do it in a Dodger jersey, because of the Dodger dynasty right now.”

The purple and gold may have been removed from the jersey, but Zermeño said he purposefully incorporated them into the sunset depicted behind Bryant as a nod to the Lakers.

Zermeño started working on the mural Aug. 7 and expects to have it completed next week, ahead of Bryant’s Aug. 23 birthday. The portion featuring Bryant is already done — and it has garnered mixed reactions.

“For the most part, I’ve gotten a pretty positive reaction over it,” Zermeño said. “You know, a lot of Laker fans are also Dodger fans, so I think that overlap is pretty consistent throughout L.A. But yeah, man, you’re always going to have some haters. I think a lot of it is more like playful taunting. …

“A couple of people driving by — I think they’re just trying to be funny, making a joke, like yelling ‘He didn’t play for the Dodgers!’ or like, ‘He was a Laker!’ And then some people are just curious why I made that change. I think the people that are curious are older, some of the older crowd that, I guess, doesn’t understand why I would switch it, you know?”

Tsiboukas said he has seen a lot of online discussion about it, including on the popular kobemural Instagram page.

“Maybe 70% love it, and 30% are like, ‘That looks like a Clipper jersey,’” Tsiboukas said. “It’s causing a lot of friction back and forth, but it’s good topic. It’s raising awareness. It’s keeping Kobe’s legacy alive.”

Gustavo Zermeño Jr. hand paints part of Mookie Betts’ mouth onto his Dodgers mural outside the future Eat Fantastic restaurant in Redondo Beach.

(Juliana Yamada / Los Angeles Times)

Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani and his dog Decoy, holding a Dodger Dog toy in his mouth, are depicted in a new mural by Gustavo Zermeño Jr.

(Chuck Schilken / Los Angeles Times)

Zermeño said he doesn’t mind the discourse over his artwork.

“It just, it sparks that conversation,” he said. “So regardless of whether people like it or not, I think it kind of breaks the ice for people to come up and ask questions and learn more about why we created it, and the process of putting it together. …

“It’s art, you know, and art’s meant to kind of create some type of conversation. And if we were to put him with a regular jersey, people would have been like, ‘Oh, that’s cool, but it’s been done X amount of times,’ you know? I’ve seen that photo in at least five different murals. So, yeah, I think switching it up definitely — I don’t want to say it elevated the piece, but it definitely created more conversation than there would be if we just kept the original jersey.”

THREE men have been arrested on suspicion of murder after a woman was found dead.

Police have launched an investigation after Shara Miller, 41, was discovered in Smethwick, West Midlands, on Monday morning.

1

Emergency crews rushed to Woodbourn Road after her body was found just after 6.10am.

Despite their best efforts, Shara was tragically confirmed dead at the scene.

Three men, aged 38, 31 and 29, have since been arrested and remain in custody.

Cops believe that Shara was killed in the early hours at the location where her body was found.

West Midlands Police have appealed for anyone with information on Shara’s movements before 1am on Monday to come forward.

Detective Chief Inspector Alastair Orencas from the Homicide Unit said: “We have made some significant progress in our investigation and now have three men in custody.

“However, we still want to hear from anyone who saw Shara or spoke to her in the hours leading up to her death.

“We understand she was involved in sex work around the Soho Road, Birmingham area and believe she may have been driven to Woodburn Road from that location.

“If you have any footage or information, and haven’t yet come forward, please contact us.”

In response, the force has confirmed it will be boosting police presence in the area where Shara was found.

A statement on its website read: “Officers are increasing patrols in the area where Shara was found and around Soho Road as reassurance so please do speak to us about any concerns.

“If you’d rather not tell us who you are, but want to help, you can contact independent charity Crimestoppers 100% anonymously on 0800 555 111.”

More to follow… For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online

Thesun.co.uk is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video.

Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thesun and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSun.

A sprawling social club centering on racquet sports — the ubiquitous pickleball and rising padel, a blend of tennis and squash — is making its way to downtown L.A. next summer.

With the cheeky name Ballers, the club will be housed in the former Macy’s building at The Bloc, which spans 100,000 square feet. It will be equipped with 18 pickleball courts and four padel courts — marking the first pickleball and padel courts to open in the DTLA area, according to the founders. The club will also feature five golf simulators, two soccer pitches, a high-end retail shop, two full bars, a restaurant and a recovery zone outfitted with a sauna and cold plunge area.

Membership packages for the social sports club will start at $99 per month and come with perks such as advanced booking windows, access to the recovery lounge and invites to exclusive events. Nonmembers will still be welcome to enjoy the social spaces and book courts for fees between $15 to $25 per hour.

“[We wanted] to bring the country club to the city in an elevated, fun way,” said Ballers CEO David Gutstadt.

Ballers L.A. will be the third Ballers location — the first will debut in Philadelphia later this month and the second will open in Boston later this year. The founders, who are behind hospitality projects like the Fitler Club and Equinox Hotels, have plans to expand to 50 locations across the country within the next seven to 10 years. Ballers has received financial backing from an all-star roster of professional athletes including tennis icons Andre Agassi, Kim Clijsters and Sloane Stephens, pickleball champion Connor Garnett and 76ers star Tyrese Maxey.

Earlier this year, Macy’s at the Bloc was deemed one of the retailer’s “underproductive” locations and closed its doors, leaving downtown L.A. without a department store for the first time in over 150 years. This evolution of the space follows a trend of retail stores transforming into “experiential” spaces — companies are tapping into consumers’ hunger for communal experiences and new hobbies. In 2023, indoor pickleball venue Pickle Pop opened in Santa Monica, in part to try to revive ailing Third Street Promenade.

When designing Ballers’ Los Angeles club, co-founder and chief creative officer Amanda Potter said it was important that the venue be accessible in location and price so that anyone could visit and try the racquet sports.

In addition to sports offerings, the venue will feature a restaurant and two full bars.

(Ballers)

While the popularity of pickleball has skyrocketed since the COVID-19 pandemic, Potter said not everyone is familiar with it, citing a 2023 study by the Association of Pickleball Professionals which found that less than 10 percent of Angelenos had tried the sport that year. “It’s a sport that people are still getting acquainted with, so we don’t want to have that barrier to people trying our sports by saying it’s members-only,” Potter said.

Garnett, who started playing pickleball about three years ago, said he was eager to become involved with the Ballers’ project.

“You don’t have to be great at pickleball to come out here,” he said. “You don’t have to be great at padel. It’s just really an inclusive way to get people active and on their feet.”

While there is no set opening date for Ballers L.A., the founders say it will launch in the late summer of 2026.

President Trump praised the Philippines’ president for an “unbelievable job” in a fight against illegal drugs that has left thousands dead and drawn condemnation from American lawmakers, according to a leaked transcript of their telephone conversation last month.

Trump’s discussion with Rodrigo Duterte is likely to reinforce the impression that Trump is sidelining human rights concerns in his foreign policy. Trump has met with several authoritarian leaders since taking office in January, offering few critiques of their records on democracy, the rule of law and protecting essential freedoms.

The transcript of the April 29 call was first posted by the Washington Post. It is marked confidential and is contained under a cover sheet from the Philippine Foreign Ministry. Neither the Philippine government nor the White House verified the transcript, but they didn’t dispute its contents.

It also shows the leaders discussing the North Korean threat, with each referring to North Korea’s ruler, Kim Jong Un, as a “madman.” In an unusual disclosure of the movements of U.S. military assets, Trump revealed the U.S. had two nuclear submarines in the region. He said the United States didn’t want to use them.

Democratic lawmakers criticized Trump for his reported comments.

“Today’s reporting leaves me even more concerned by President Trump’s strange fascination with dictators, his support for the extrajudicial killings central to President Duterte’s ‘drug war,’ and his recklessness with sensitive information,” said Rep. Eliot L. Engel of New York, the top-ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Twelve Democratic senators, led by Edward J. Markey, wrote to Trump on Wednesday calling for him to denounce the “murderous” anti-drug campaign and delay any visit by Duterte to Washington until there are improvements in his human rights record.

The Philippines declined to comment on the transcript Wednesday. The Foreign Ministry noted that the unauthorized disclosure and use of illegally or inadvertently obtained government documents are not permitted under Philippine law. A White House official said he could not confirm or deny the accuracy of leaked documents, especially those purportedly from a foreign government.

At the time of the call, Trump raised hackles in Washington by inviting Duterte to the White House. Since Duterte took power in June, his anti-drug campaign has killed 7,000 to 9,000 suspected dealers and addicts, according to human rights groups. The State Department has voiced concern over extrajudicial killings, and U.S. lawmakers have pushed for restrictions on arms sales to Philippine police in response.

“I just want to congratulate you because I am hearing of the unbelievable job on the drug problem,” Trump said in the phone call, according to the transcript. “Many countries have the problem, we have a problem, but what a great job you are doing and I just wanted to call and tell you that.”

Duterte responded that drugs are a “scourge” of his nation. Trump then added, “I think we had a previous president who did not understand that.”

President Obama had criticized Duterte’s drug fight, prompting the Philippine leader to refer to Obama as a “son of a whore.” The insult derailed a planned meeting between them. Strains also grew as Duterte sought warmer ties with China and threatened to end the U.S.-Philippine military alliance.

In the call, Duterte described Southeast Asian nations feeling “nervous” over North Korean rockets and warheads. He offered to call Chinese President Xi Jinping to urge Beijing to use its leverage with Pyongyang. Trump, who hosted Xi at Trump’s Florida resort in April, described Xi as a “good guy.”

John Sifton, Asia advocacy director for Human Rights Watch, criticized the contents of the conversation.

“Trump’s celebration of Duterte’s record is nothing short of horrifying,” Sifton said. “It is an endorsement of the mass killing of the Philippines’ poorest and most vulnerable.”

ALSO

Philippine president’s swagger recedes in the face of a powerful China

Opinion: Is it good strategy for Trump to meet with amoral dictators?

DEA gave a false story about deadly 2012 attack in Honduras, U.S. report says

Ask a random Angeleno to find Piru, Fillmore or Santa Paula on a California map and odds are they’ll shrug and give up. Blame it on location, location, location. Collectively known as the Heritage Valley, these small towns hidden on the stretch of Highway 126 are often ignored and bypassed by L.A. travelers bound for Ojai or Ventura.

But if you take the time to stop in this rural oasis, you’ll find miles of citrus groves, heaps of history and truly tasty Mexican food. Yes, there are more tractors than Tesla Superchargers in this region — that’s part of the draw. This, you realize, is what Southern California looked like before suburbia moved in.

Heritage Valley was previously known as Santa Clara River Valley, which is what the locals still call it. In 1998, a committee was assembled to help bring in tourists, and the new, jazzier label was coined. It was an improvement over an earlier, clunkier nickname, Santa Clara River Valley Heritage Trail, which sounded more like a hiking path.

It wasn’t the only title created for the sake of marketing. The town of Santa Paula has always proclaimed itself “the citrus capital of the world” for its abundance of lemons and oranges. Fillmore, not to be outdone, picked a gem: “The last, best small town,” which inspired a play of the same name that’s set there. Piru was already born with a compelling handle when its devoutly religious founder proclaimed it as “The Second Garden of Eden” in 1887. Today, it’s better known for its popular outdoor recreational area, Lake Piru. (After “Glee” actress Naya Rivera drowned in the lake in 2020, swimming was temporarily banned. It’s now allowed, but only in designated areas between Memorial Day and Labor Day.)

If you go back hundreds of years before Lake Piru was created by the construction of the Santa Felicia Dam, you’d see Chumash villages dotting the valley. Then came the Spanish expeditions in the late 18th century, followed by ranchos that used the land for sheep and cattle. Soon the railroads arrived, and then an oil boom. The valley’s eventual transformation into an agricultural mecca was hastened by a Mediterranean climate that proved ideal for crops — first citrus, then avocados.

But along with the bounty there were disasters, both natural and man-made, including the 1994 Northridge Earthquake and the catastrophic flood from the 1928 St. Francis Dam collapse. Numerous fires also have made the valley live up to a Times article that called it “among the most dangerous wind and fire corridors in Southern California.”

Yet through it all, the population has steadily grown and more travelers are discovering the area for its lively gatherings (the Santa Paula Citrus Music Festival took place last week), new attractions (check out the 17-mile Sunburst Railbike experience) and stunning hikes. Here’s where to go on a road trip along Highway 126.