A federal judge in Rhode Island ordered the Trump administration Thursday to find the money to fully fund SNAP benefits for November.
The ruling by U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell Jr. gave President Trump’s administration until Friday to make the payments through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, though it’s unlikely the 42 million Americans — about 1 in 8, most of them in poverty — will see the money on the debit cards they use for groceries nearly that quickly.
The order was in response to a challenge from cities and nonprofits complaining that the administration was only offering to cover 65% of the maximum benefit, a decision that would have left some recipients getting nothing for this month.
“The defendants failed to consider the practical consequences associated with this decision to only partially fund SNAP,” McConnell said in a ruling from the bench after a brief hearing. “They knew that there would be a long delay in paying partial SNAP payments and failed to consider the harms individuals who rely on those benefits would suffer.”
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday.
McConnell was one of two judges who ruled last week that the administration could not skip November’s benefits entirely because of the federal shutdown.
The Trump administration chose partial payments this week
Last month, the administration said that it would halt SNAP payments for November if the government shutdown wasn’t resolved.
A coalition of cities and nonprofits sued in federal court in Rhode Island and Democratic state officials from across the country did so in Massachusetts.
The judges in both cases ordered the government to use one emergency reserve fund containing more than $4.6 billion to pay for SNAP for November but gave it leeway to tap other money to make the full payments, which cost between $8.5 billion and $9 billion each month.
On Monday, the administration said it would not use additional money, saying it was up to Congress to appropriate the funds for the program and that the other money was needed to shore up other child hunger programs.
The partial funding brought on complications
McConnell harshly criticized the Trump administration for making that choice.
“Without SNAP funding for the month of November, 16 million children are immediately at risk of going hungry,” he said. “This should never happen in America. In fact, it’s likely that SNAP recipients are hungry as we sit here.”
Tyler Becker, the attorney for the government, unsuccessfully argued that the Trump administration had followed the court’s order in issuing the partial payments. “This all comes down to Congress not having appropriated funds because of the government shutdown,” he said.
Kristin Bateman, a lawyer for the coalition of cities and nonprofit organizations, told the judge the administration had other reasons for not fully funding the benefits.
“What defendants are really trying to do is to leverage people’s hunger to gain partisan political advantage in the shutdown fight,” Bateman told the court.
McConnell said last week’s order required that those payments be made “expeditiously” and “efficiently” — and by Wednesday — or a full payment would be required. “Nothing was done consistent with the court’s order to clear the way to expeditiously resolve it,” McConnell said.
There were other twists and turns this week
The administration said in a court filing on Monday that it could take weeks or even months for some states to make calculations and system changes to load the debit cards used in the SNAP program. At the time, it said it would fund 50% of the maximum benefits.
The next day, Trump appeared to threaten not to pay the benefits at all unless Democrats in Congress agreed to reopen the government. His press secretary later said that the partial benefits were being paid for November — and that it is future payments that are at risk if the shutdown continues.
And Wednesday night, it recalculated, telling states that there was enough money to pay for 65% of the maximum benefits.
Under a decades-old formula in federal regulations, everyone who received less than the maximum benefit would get a larger percentage reduction. Some families would have received nothing and some single people and two-person households could have gotten as little as $16.
Carmel Scaife, a former day care owner in Milwaukee who hasn’t been able to work since receiving multiple severe injuries in a car accident seven years ago, said she normally receives $130 a month from SNAP. She said that despite bargain hunting, that is not nearly enough for a month’s worth of groceries.
Scaife, 56, said that any cuts to her benefit will mean she will need to further tap her Social Security income for groceries. “That’ll take away from the bills that I pay,” she said. “But that’s the only way I can survive.”
The next legal step is unclear
This type of order is usually not subject to an appeal, but the Trump administration has challenged other rulings like it before.
An organization whose lawyers filed the challenge signaled it would continue the battle if needed.
“We shouldn’t have to force the President to care for his citizens,” Democracy Forward President and CEO Skye Perryman said in a statement, “but we will do whatever is necessary to protect people and communities.”
It often takes SNAP benefits a week or more to be loaded onto debit cards once states initiate the process.
Mulvihill and Casey write for the Associated Press. AP writers Sara Cline in Baton Rouge, La.; Susan Haigh in Hartford, Conn.; and Gary Robertson in Raleigh, N.C., contributed to this report.
THERE are some places that thrive in the summer, but others are best explored when there are crisp orange leaves on the ground, and the grass is littered with frost.
On my recent adventure to Northumberland, I discovered sprawling National Parks, living museums, quaint village and plenty of cosy pubs.
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Northumberland is even better in November – especially for autumn walksCredit: AlamyYou can take a stroll past where the Sycamore Gap once stoodCredit: Alamy
My adventure took me to the site of the former Sycamore Gap tree – the story that seemed to upset the entire nation.
The famous tree was mysteriously cut down in the middle of the night in September 2023. Something about the hateful environmental crime captured the public imagination globally.
Before and after pictures appeared in the media around the world and tears were shed.
It would later emerge that the 120-year-old specimen tree – which had featured in the 1991 Robin Hood film as well as countless holiday snaps – had been felled by two oddball friends as some kind of warped prank.
The pair were eventually jailed this summer for four years and three months each.
The episode initially seemed to spell the end of one of the North East’s greatest tourist attractions – but in fact it hasn’t.
The following year, the area earned nine per cent more from recreational visitors than it had before the tree was felled.
But if that makes it sound like the area is overrun with tourists, it isn’t. Not at all.
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Unlike rivals such as the Lake and Peak Districts or the Yorkshire Dales, rural Northumberland doesn’t have quite as much mass appeal and it’s big and desolate enough to absorb the visitors it does get, so seldom feels busy.
Autumn is a particularly good time to go because the landscape and vernal colour palette seem to blend harmoniously together.
I love walking in Northumberland and found great pubs along the wayCredit: John SturgisThe local drinking holes are cosy in the autumn with crackling log firesCredit: John Sturgis
If you go at low season (and now that half-term week has passed, that’s pretty much right now) you will find it feels most of the time as if you have the place to yourselves.
And it won’t cost much either – there’s excellent value for money.
Like the Sycamore Gap itself, much of what you will see is dotted along or near Hadrian’s Wall, the 2000-year-old fortification line that snakes its way up hill and down dale through all this glorious countryside.
And, of course, it joins up various other Roman sites that pepper the area with historic interest.
Our favourites were Vindolanda, an excavated village, the museum at Corbridge and the Temple of Mithras which has a counterpart in the buzzing heart of the City of London.
But naturally this one has a very different vibe as it’s out on its own on windswept moorland, miles from anywhere – and so superbly atmospheric.
We based ourselves in an Airbnb in converted outbuildings of a farm just outside the small town of Riding Mill, about 20 miles to the east of the Gap.
Dogs are allowed back on beaches during the low season tooCredit: John Sturgis
It was modestly priced but very pleasant and made an ideal base when motoring.
A couple of times we went east towards Newcastle or Beamish museum, with its charming recreation of streets and buildings from different periods.
We could also explore the coast, from the sweeping sands at Tynemouth to the more dramatic cliffs northwards.
Heading inland to the west it was more remote. Even at more managed spaces like the stunning National Trust park at Allen Banks, we scarcely saw another walker.
Our dogs loved it as much as we did. And after every walk we seemed to find ourselves conveniently close to a decent pub.
The area teems with them. I even compiled a top ten of the many boozers we went to during our week in Northumberland.
Here are John’s top 10 pubs in Northumberland…
1. Lord Crewe Arms, Blanchland – Ancient, spooky, cosy, perfect.
2. The Ship Inn, Low Newton – Understated gem on a gem of a beach
3. The Rat, Anick – Just a perfect country food pub.
10. The Sun Inn, Beamish Museum, Stanley – Technically a fake pub in a theme park- but so well done
It’s still worth going to see the former site of the Sycamore GapCredit: John Sturgis
Pubs aside, there was still the question of actually visiting Sycamore Gap itself – or what’s left of it.
We had put this off as it felt a bit sad but we had to face it before leaving.
It’s a short and very scenic walk from the village of Once Brewed, up to and then along in parallel with the surprisingly intact Roman Wall.
And going back to the question of its surprisingly enduring popularity, we saw more people here than on any rural outing.
It was still not exactly crowded but busier – and you realised that others too wanted to pay tribute to the lost tree, whether that was with a selfie or a quiet thought or two.
Even in this remote corner we weren’t far from not one but two decent pubs: The Twice Brewed Inn at Bardon Mill and The Milecastle Inn at Haltwhistle, both of which were delightful.
Visiting here is a way of putting two fingers up at the vile pair who are now languishing in prison, it’s also an absolute treat.
YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul will seek another fight later in 2025 after his opponent Gervonta Davis was issued with a civil lawsuit.
Published On 4 Nov 20254 Nov 2025
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Jake Paul’s exhibition boxing match against lightweight champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis was scrapped on Monday, with Paul planning a different bout before the end of 2025.
Their highly anticipated fight was scheduled for November 14 in Miami, Florida, though Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), Paul’s promotional organisation, said on Saturday that it was looking into the matter after a civil lawsuit was filed against Davis in Miami-Dade County last week.
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Nakisa Bidarian, MVP’s CEO, said in a statement that Paul would headline another event to be streamed on Netflix later this year, with details on an opponent, a date and a location to be provided when finalised.
The bout was originally slated for Atlanta, but was moved to Florida, where it was sanctioned despite the huge weight difference between the boxers. Paul usually fights at cruiserweight, about 50 pounds (23kg) above the 135-pound (61kg) limit, where Davis holds a title belt.
The fight had drawn significant global interest due to the novelty of the matchup. The contest pitted the much larger Paul (12-1, 7 KOs) – who first became famous for his YouTube boxing exploits and then became a household name after fighting former heavyweight world champion Mike Tyson in 2024 – against Davis (30-0-1, 28 KOs), a current WBA champion and one of the most famous boxers in North America.
Spectators who bought tickets to the event via Ticketmaster will be refunded, MVP said.
Jake Paul, left, shot to worldwide fame after he fought retired heavyweight legend Mike Tyson on November 15, 2024, in Arlington, Texas, US [Julio Cortez/AP]
Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein” didn’t exactly wow audiences and critics when it premiered at the Venice Film Festival, and when it landed at the Telluride Film Festival a day later for a pair of late-night screenings, the response was even more muted. Leaving Colorado, the airport gate was full of hushed conversations between people registering their disappointment with the movie.
“Frankenstein,” the talk went, had three strikes against it — a plodding story, computer-generated imagery that looked appalling and was employed to often ridiculous effect and, outside of Jacob Elordi’s affecting turn as the monster, acting that seemed wildly excessive (Oscar Isaac) or hopelessly lost (Mia Goth). In short: a mess.
But then “Frankenstein” traveled to the Toronto, a city Del Toro regards as his “second home,” and finished as runner-up to “Hamnet” for the festival’s People’s Choice Award. Now playing in a theatrical limited release ahead of its Nov. 7 Netflix premiere, the movie has found favor with the filmmaker’s devoted fan base, selling out theaters, including dates at Netflix’s renovated Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood, where admission lines wrapped around the block. And some prominent critics, including my colleague Amy Nicholson, have written some thoughtful reviews of the movie, praising Del Toro’s lifelong passion project. Amy calls it the “best movie of his career.”
So in this update to my post-festival Oscar power rankings for best picture, you’ll find “Frankenstein,” a movie that’s hard to place on this list but harder still to ignore. Previous rankings are parenthetically noted.
Falling out of the rankings since September: “A House of Dynamite,” “Jay Kelly”
10. ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ (Unranked)
A scene from 2022’s “Avatar: The Way of Water.”
(20th Century Studios)
The last “Avatar” movie grossed $2.3 billion and, yes, earned an Oscar nomination for best picture. Yet I’m hard-pressed to find anyone who’s truly excited about devoting half a day to see the next installment, which clocks in at 3 hours and 12 minutes. Just because the first two movies were nominated doesn’t mean this one will be. But underestimating James Cameron’s ability to connect with audiences — and awards voters — seems dumb. So here we are, No. 10, sight (still) unseen.
9. ‘Bugonia’ (10)
Emma Stone in “Bugonia.”
(Atsushi Nishijima / Focus Features)
Better than “Kinds of Kindness” but not nearly the triumph of “Poor Things,” this is mid Yorgos Lanthimos — off-putting, punishing and misanthropic but also featuring another showcase for Emma Stone’s bold, creative energy. There are a number of movies that could displace it as a nominee. Park Chan-wook’s “No Other Choice” offers a more humane — and funnier — look at ugly things people can do when desperate. But I’ll stick with “Bugonia” for now. After all, how many movies inspire people to shave their heads for a ticket?
8. “Frankenstein” (Unranked)
Oscar Isaac in “Frankenstein.”
(Ken Woroner / Netflix)
Netflix has four movies arriving during the awards season window — the meditative stunner “Train Dreams,” Katherine Bigelow’s riveting, ticking-clock thriller “A House of Dynamite,” the George Clooney meta-charmer “Jay Kelly” and “Frankenstein.” (That’s how I’d rank them in terms of quality.) One of these movies will be nominated. Maybe two. At this moment, nobody, including the awards team at Netflix, knows which one(s) it will be.
7. ‘It Was Just an Accident’ (7)
Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr, left, Madj Panahi and Hadis Pakbaten in “It Was Just an Accident.”
(Neon)
Jafar Panahi’s Palme d’Or-winning thriller possesses a withering critique of the cruelty and corruption of an authoritarian regime, combined with a blistering sense of humor. Panahi (“The Circle,” “Taxi”) has been imprisoned by the Iranian government many times for criticizing the government, and his courage has been celebrated for its spirit of artistic resistance. He has been a ubiquitous presence on the festival and awards circuit this year, eager to share both the movie and his story. As the Oscars have thoroughly embraced international movies the last several years, “It Was Just an Accident” feels like it’s on solid ground.
6. ‘Wicked: For Good’ (6)
Ariana Grande, left, and Cynthia Erivo in “Wicked: For Good.”
(Giles Keyte / Universal Pictures)
An academy member recently expressed some reservations about this movie to me — not about the sequel itself, but about the prospect of seeing stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande embark on another tear-soaked promotional tour. Whatevs. The first “Wicked” movie earned 10 Oscar nominations, winning for production design and costumes. With the added casting category, the sequel might just surpass that number.
5. ‘Marty Supreme’ (8)
Timothée Chalamet in “Marty Supreme.”
(A24)
Josh Safdie’s wildly entertaining, over-caffeinated portrait of a single-minded ping-pong player premiered on its home turf at the New York Film Festival and people left the Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall caught up in the rapture of the movie’s delirium. It might be the movie that wins Timothée Chalamet his Oscar, though he’ll have to go through Leonardo DiCaprio to collect the trophy.
4. ‘Sentimental Value’ (3)
Stellan Skarsgård, left, and Renate Reinsve in “Sentimental Value.”
(Kasper Tuxen / Neon)
Neon won best picture last year with Sean Baker’s “Anora,” and it’s not unreasonable to think it could run it back with “Sentimental Value,” Joachim Trier’s piercing drama about a family reckoning with the past and wondering if reconciliation is possible — or even desired. The three actors cast in familial roles — Stellan Skarsgård, playing a legendary director angling for a comeback, and Renate Reinsve and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas as his daughters — are excellent, and Elle Fanning has a choice role as an A-list actor who becomes entangled in the family drama. And like “Anora,” this movie ends on a perfect, transcendent note. That counts for a lot.
3. ‘Sinners’ (4)
Michael B. Jordan in “Sinners.”
(Eli Ade / Warner Bros. Pictures)
“Sinners” made a lot of noise when it was released in April and, months later, belongs in any conversation about the year’s best movie. The job now is to remind voters of its worth at events like the American Cinematheque’s upcoming “Sinners” screening with filmmaker Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan. With the level of its craft, it could score a dozen or more nominations, with only “One Battle After Another” as a threat to best that count.
The Gotham Awards did away with its budget cap a couple of years ago, allowing indie-spirited studio movies like “One Battle After Another” to clean up and, one supposes, the show’s sales team to move more tables at its ceremony. It was no secret that Paul Thomas Anderson’s angry, urgent epic would score well with film critics groups. (Panels of critics vote for the Gothams.) It’s just a question of how many dinners Anderson will have to eventually attend for a movie that has easily become the most widely seen film of his career.
Great writing, even when an author sets a story in early 20th century Maine or during ancient uprisings, often sheds light on our own era. From a novel starring a sentient gale-force wind, on to a memoir from a leading African American writer, this month’s titles provide illumination as we lose daylight.
FICTION
Helm: A Novel By Sarah Hall Mariner Books: 368 pages, $30 (Nov. 4)
U.K. inhabitants of Hall’s native Cumbria region have grappled for centuries with a wind known as “The Helm.” Different eras have deemed it a measure of divine anger or human sin, and more recently, as one of earth’s vital signs. Helm’s narration alternates with chapters from perspectives including an astrologer, an astronomer, a Crusader, an herbalist and a climatologist, each adding to the strength of the immortal force.
Palaver: A Novel By Bryan Washington Farrar, Straus & Giroux: 336 pages, $28 (Nov. 4)
As in his first two novels “Memorial” and “Family Meal,” Houston-based Washington weaves scenes of Americans at home and in Japan with exquisite attention both to queer culture and to emotions. “The mother” and “the son” are never named; her Jamaican origins affect his upbringing, as well as his identity. When she makes an unannounced visit to see him in Japan, the title’s gentle irony becomes apparent.
Readers will recall Dr. Wilbur Larch from “The Cider House Rules.” Here he is the 1919 go-between for Esther Nacht, a 14-year-old Jewish refugee whom he places with the Winslow family as an au pair. Like so many women through the ages, that role results in a different kind of labor for her, one that turns this most Irving-esque (wrestling! sex!) book into writer Jimmy Winslow’s origin story.
The 1975 murder of Italian subversive film director Pier Paolo Pasolini forms the tortured heart of Laing’s first historical novel. In 1974 protagonist Nicholas Wade leaves England and lands in Venice, where he meets Danilo Donati, costume designer for Pasolini as well as Fellini and others. Their relationship reflects those auteurs’ themes, especially those of fascism’s rebirth in Pasolini’s “Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom.”
Noted playwright Hudes pens a stunning debut novel that rends conventional notions of motherhood. Years after disappearing from her child’s life, April Soto writes her daughter Noelle a letter to read on her 18th birthday. Less apology than explanation, and less explanation than soul-searching screed, this novel has a huge voice, a woman’s attempt to create meaning from the depths of family trauma.
Only Margaret Atwood could write a debut memoir at age 85 and make it significantly different from her previous work while at the same time infusing it with her droll wit and many passions, literary, environmental and familial. While she has always combined public and private in her acclaimed and groundbreaking novels, essays, and poetry, this volume beautifully fuses Atwood the person, and Atwood the writer.
Barth, a freelance journalist, spent time in three different Bay Area encampments of unhoused people, including Oakland’s Wood Street Commons, and, as Gov. Gavin Newsom moves forward on a new task force targeting these areas for removal, he argues that solutions to homelessness should come from the ground up, with the involvement of those most affected.
Until the 1970s in most states, a married woman could not legally refuse to have sex with her husband. The 1978 Oregon trial of John Rideout for marital rape of his wife Greta — despite his then-acquittal — raised awareness of this legislation and led to Rideout’s conviction for rape and sodomy nearly four decades later in a case involving two other partners. Weinman (“The Real Lolita”) writes with energy about a case with present-day ramifications.
You say you want a revolution — and historian Sassoon says: Consider your predecessors. Although we focus on hot-button moments, the long tale of these uprisings can lead to long-term instability and injustice (e.g., the young United States choosing to persist with enslavement). What is the real price of transformation? Is it worth considering when people unite against tyranny and oppression?
Wideman’s 1985 essay “The Language of Home” was about the power of words to capture our foundations, so it’s fitting that his new collection covering 50 years of his powerful prose mimics that essay’s title. The new title’s plural refers to the author’s constant themes, which aren’t surprising. What does surprise is his prescience about still-relevant concerns, from a disappearing middle class to police brutality.
Deluxe prints and special guests await at November’s best screenings in Los Angeles, including masterpieces by Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese and Ridley Scott.
Over 5 million California residents — including 2 million children — rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits that cover essential food such as fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, dairy, bread and snacks. Those funds are on hold as the federal shutdown continues, putting economic strain on the 1 in 8 Americans who rely on SNAP benefits, during a time of year when budgets are already tight as many prepare for holiday gatherings and gift giving.
But Angelenos are stepping up for those in need, from neighborhood nonprofits and community centers to local restaurants and chefs, offering grocery delivery, mobile farmers markets, grab-and-go meals and Thanksgiving spreads.
Here are 40 food initiatives happening across Los Angeles County this November, from free chicken rice porridge on Sundays to a communal Thanksgiving feast. Be sure to read details carefully; some events are open to all with no registration required, while others require advance sign up with proof of income and residency.
Times staff writer Kailyn Brown contributed to this report.
After years of cooking at the Spanish restaurants of humanitarian-chef José Andrés in L.A. and D.C., including Minibar, the Bazaar, Café Atlántico and Zaytinya, chef-owner Joshua Whigham has opened Casa Leo, a sun-drenched restaurant in Los Feliz dedicated to celebrating Iberian cuisine with gambas al ajillo, seasonal gazpacho, boquerones with potato chips and pan con manchego. Weekend brunch brings Catalan flatbreads topped with tuna conserva and fire-roasted eggplant, along with scones and a Spanish tortilla.
The destination is hugely popular among Brits(Image: Nico De Pasquale Photography via Getty Images)
Ryanair is offering flights to a destination boasting November highs of 21C from just £14.99. The budget airline recently announced a 37% increase in its operations at Murcia airport for the upcoming winter, introducing four routes, including a new route to London Stansted with four weekly flights, and additional flights to Birmingham and Dublin.
Starting fares for flights to and from Murcia are as low as £14.99, and the expansion in connections will create over 450 local jobs and provide passengers with more choices at the lowest fares, according to Alejandra Ruiz, Ryanair’s spokesperson in Spain.
Ryanair’s schedule in Murcia for the 2025/2026 winter season continues to strengthen connectivity outside the peak season, creating over 450 local jobs and boosting year-round tourism in Murcia.
Despite Ryanair’s growth at Murcia Airport this winter season, the airline has been forced to cut one million seats from its overall schedule in Spain for the 2025/2026 winter season due to excessive increases in AENA charges (+6.62%) and ineffective ‘incentive schemes’, which are making regional airports financially unviable.
Ryanair has long championed and invested in regional airports, supporting access to low fares to stimulate tourism and employment, but it cannot justify continued investment in airports whose growth is hindered by uncompetitive charges.
Alejandra Ruiz, Ryanair’s spokesperson in Spain, announced: “Ryanair is pleased to announce its schedule for Murcia for the 2025 winter season, with four routes, including a new flight to London Stansted, with four weekly frequencies, as well as additional flights to Birmingham and Dublin.
“This new offering increases Ryanair’s capacity at Murcia Airport by 37%, giving our customers even more choice at the lowest fares.
“Despite excessive AENA charges, which have contributed to the loss of two million seats in 2025 in other regions, Ryanair remains committed to Murcia, where it operates year-round and supports over 450 local jobs.”
The Irish airline has decided to make a major change that will impact their passengers from 12 November onwards. Here’s everything you need to know about the new system
Passengers have been urged to familiarise themselves with Ryanair’s new policy before heading to the airport.(Image: Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images)
Ryanair passengers have been given a last-minute warning about a major change the airline is making in a matter of days.
Passengers flying with the Irish airline any time from 12 November onwards will need to follow a new rule – and not everyone is happy about it.
The budget airline has announced it is ditching physical boarding passes and going completely digital, which means paper print-outs will be a thing of the past. Travellers will now be required to show their boarding passes through the Ryanair app.
The company hopes to cut around 300 tonnes of paper annually by switching to digital, with Ryanair CMO Dara Brady explaining the airline settled on November 12 because it’s a quieter time for travel.
However, many have expressed concern about the potential challenges for elderly passengers who might not use the internet or possess smartphones.
Ryanair’s boss, Michael O’Leary, has now sought to reassure passengers with anxieties about the compulsory smartphone boarding passes. He said: “Almost 100 per cent of passengers have smartphones, and we want to move everybody onto the smartphone technology.
“The big concern that people have is: ‘What happens if I lose my battery or whatever, I lose my phone?’ reports Wales Online.
“If you lose your phone, no issue. As long as you’ve checked in before you get to the airport, we’ll reissue a paper boarding pass at the airport free of charge. But you have to check in before you get to the airport.
“Also, if your battery dies or something happens, once you’ve checked in, we’ll have your sequence number anyway at the boarding gate, we’ll take you, you’ll get on. So nobody should worry about it.
“Just make sure you check in online before you get to the airport, and then all will be fine.”
Guidance on Ryanair’s website echoes this, adding: “If you have already checked in online and you lose your smartphone or tablet (or it dies), your details are already on our system and you will be assisted at the gate.”
The website also emphasises the importance of completing their online check-in. “All Ryanair passengers will still receive email reminders to check-in online 48 and 24hrs pre-departure.
“If any passenger arrives at the airport but hasn’t checked in online (having ignored these reminders), they will still be required to pay the airport check-in fee.”
Currently, the fee is set at £55/€55 per passenger for most flights. However, passengers flying out of Spain are obliged to pay £30/€30, while those departing from Austria will be hit with a £40/€40 charge.
There are two exceptions to the new digital boarding pass rule; the first is passengers flying to Albania. Authorities there have insisted passengers present paper passes until March 2026, after which they’ve agreed passes can be digital.
Morocco has the same paper pass policy as Albania, however, it won’t be changing its rules to fit Ryanair’s new paperless policy. Michael O’Leary has confirmed the airline will make exceptions in this case and accept physical passes for flights to the African country.
In a sign of California’s rising status as a major hub of Democratic politics, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Sunday he’s considering a run for president in 2028 — just a day after former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris made the same pronouncement.
Newsom, a Democrat who has won national prominence this year pitching himself a leader of the resistance to President Trump, admitted for the first time publicly that he is seriously weighing a 2028 presidential run.
In an interview with “CBS News Sunday Morning,” Newsom was asked whether he would give “serious thought” after the 2026 midterms to a White House bid.
“Yeah, I’d be lying otherwise,” Newsom replied. “I’d just be lying. And I’m not — I can’t do that.”
Harris said this weekend in an interview with the BBC that she expects a woman will be president in the coming year. “Possibly,” she said, it could be her.
“I am not done,” she said. “I have lived my entire career as a life of service and it’s in my bones.”
It’s still more than three years until the November 2028 election, and entirely possible only one or neither of the two California politicians could throw their hat in the race.
But the early willingness of Newsom and Harris to publicly consider a White House bid shows that the Golden State is still a major hub of Democratic politics. It also sets up a potential 2028 political showdown between two of California’s weightiest political figureheads.
For years, Newsom has denied presidential ambitions. But since Trump defeated Harris in the November 2024 election, the California governor has emerged as a vocal critic of the Trump administration’s agenda.
Under Newsom’s leadership, California has filed dozens of lawsuits against Trump — most noticeably against the Trump administration’ deployment of National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles. The governor has also become more aggressive on social media, taking to X to taunt and troll Trump.
Still, Newsom, whose term ends in January 2027 and who cannot run again for governor because of term limits, cautioned that he is not rushing into a 2028 presidential campaign.
“I have no idea,” Newsom said Sunday of whether he will actually decide to run.
After Trump defeated Harris in November, Harris was viewed as a possible candidate for California governor. But in July she announced that, after “serious thought” she would not run for the top California office.
“For now, my leadership — and public service — will not be in elected office,” Harris said in a statement. “I look forward to getting back out and listening to the American people, helping elect Democrats across the nation who will fight fearlessly, and sharing more details in the months ahead about my own plans.”
Newsom’s interest in the White House raises the stakes for passing Proposition 50, a California ballot measure he has pushed — in response to a similar initiative in Texas — that would allow state Democrats to temporarily change the boundaries of U.S. House maps so that they are more favorable to Democrats. California voters will vote on Prop 50 in a special election next week.
Newsom has cast his effort as a response to Trump’s push to redraw maps in Republican-controlled states to make them more favorable to the GOP.
“I think it’s about our democracy,” Newsom said in the CBS interview. “It’s about the future of this republic. I think it’s about, you know, what the founding fathers lived and died for, this notion of the rule of law, and not the rule of Don.”
If Newsom is successful and Proposition 50 passes, the move could potentially help future Democratic candidates for the White House.
But either way, both Newsom and Harris would face high hurdles in battleground states if they ran for president.
Just being a Californian is a liability, some argue, at a time when Republicans depict the state as a bastion of woke ideas, high taxes and crime.
While California boasts the world’s fifth-largest economy and is home to the massive tech powerhouse of Silicon Valley and the cultural epicenter of Hollywood, it has struggled in recent years with high housing costs and massive income inequality. In September, a study found California tied with Louisiana for the nation’s highest poverty rate.
Newsom, 58, a former San Francisco mayor who was born to a wealthy and well-connected San Francisco family, suggested in the CBS interview that he had already surmounted significant obstacles. Early on, Newsom struggled in school and suffered from dyslexia.
“The idea that a guy who got 960 on his SAT, that still struggles to read scripts, that was always in the back of the classroom, the idea that you would even throw that out is, in and of itself, extraordinary,” Newsom said. “Who the hell knows? I’m looking forward to who presents themselves in 2028 and who meets that moment. And that’s the question for the American people.”
Harris, 61, who served as a U.S. senator and California attorney general before she became vice president in 2020 and then the Democratic Party’s nominee in the 2024 presidential election, received criticism last year after losing to Trump by more than 2.3 million votes, about 1.5% of the popular vote. Some Democrats accused her of being an elite, out of touch candidate who failed to connect with voters in battleground states who have struggled economically in recent years.
“I wrote the book for many reasons, but primarily to remind us how unprecedented that election was,” Harris said.
“Think about it. A sitting president of the United States is running for reelection and three and a half months before the election decides not to run, and then a sitting vice president takes up the mantle to run against a former president of the United States who has been running for 10 years, with 107 days to go.”
Newsom has already raised eyebrows this year by traveling to critical battleground election states.
After Newsom spoke in South Carolina, Rep. James Clyburn, the highest-ranking Black member of Congress and renowned Democratic kingmaker who rescued former President Biden’s 2020 campaign, told The Times that Newsom would be “a hell of a candidate.”
“He’s demonstrated that over and over again,” Clyburn said, stopping short of endorsing him. “I feel good about his chances.”
But other leading South Carolina Democrats voiced doubts that Newsom could win over working class and swing voters in battleground states.
Richard Harpootlian, a South Carolina attorney, former state senator and former chairman of the state Democratic Party, called Newsom “a handsome man with great hair.”
“But the party is searching for a left-of-moderate candidate who can articulate blue-collar hopes and desires,” Harpootlian told The Times.
“If he had a track record of solving huge problems like homelessness, or the social safety net, he’d be a more palatable candidate,” he added. “I just think he’s going to have a tough time explaining why there’s so many failures in California.”
The budget airline is making a big change to tickets at most airports
Ryanair said the change will help eliminate check-in charges(Image: rparys via Getty Images)
Ryanair is set to make a significant change to its ticketing system, effective from November 12. Starting from this date, the airline will only issue ‘100% Digital Boarding Passes’ (DBP), and physical tickets will no longer be accepted at most airports.
This scheme, initially scheduled for May 2025, seeks to help eliminate certain charges and save around 300 tonnes of paper each year, while allowing travellers to receive direct flight updates. But if you’re concerned about the practical aspects, don’t worry.
The Mirror has summarised three main questions and answers regarding the upcoming change, using official information from Ryanair. You can also learn more about the boarding pass change on the airline’s website here
1. How can I get a digital boarding pass?
Ryanair passengers can check in online at Ryanair.com or via the Ryanair App, which is available on Apple’s App Store and Google Play. The Express reports that passengers should complete this process before arriving at the airport to avoid extra charges.
After check-in, a DBP will automatically appear in the Ryanair App. You should present this at airport security and the boarding gate before your flight. The budget airline stated that this method is ‘quicker, easier,’ and results in ‘less stress’ compared to using paper tickets.
2. What happens if my phone dies or I lose it before boarding?
Losing your mobile phone can be a stressful experience, but according to Ryanair’s boss Michael O’Leary, it won’t stop you from catching your flight.
In a conversation on The Independent’s daily travel podcast, he explained: “The big concern that people have is: ‘What happens if I lose my battery or what if I lose my phone?’
“…If you lose your phone, no issue. As long as you’ve checked in before you got to the airport, we’ll reissue a paper boarding pass at the airport free of charge.”
Even if your mobile runs out of juice, O’Leary pointed out that staff will have each passenger’s ‘sequence number’ at the departure gate. This means you should still be able to board without it, so ‘nobody should worry’.
Guidance on Ryanair’s website echoes this, adding: “If you have already checked in online and you lose your smartphone or tablet (or it dies), your details are already on our system and you will be assisted at the gate.”
3. What if the airport Wi-Fi is poor, or I have no mobile data?
Ryanair has reassured passengers that once they’ve completed online check-in, their DBP will be accessible offline within the Ryanair App. However, its website guidance emphasises: “All Ryanair passengers will still receive email reminders to check-in online 48 and 24hrs predeparture.
“If any passenger arrives at airport but hasn’t checked in online (having ignored these reminders), they will still be required to pay the airport check-in fee.”
Currently, the fee is set at £55/€55 per passenger for most flights. However, passengers flying out of Spain are obliged to pay £30/€30, while those departing from Austria will be hit with a £40/€40 charge.
The U.S. Department of Justice will monitor polling sites in five California counties as voters decide on Proposition 50 on Nov. 4, it said Friday, after being asked to do so by state GOP officials.
Monitoring, which is routinely conducted by the Justice Department, will occur across Southern California and in the Central Valley, in Fresno, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange and Riverside counties, the Justice Department said.
Proposition 50 — one of November’s most hotly-watched electoral issues, with national political implications — asks California voters whether the state should redraw its congressional districts to better favor Democrats. It is a response to President Trump’s pressure campaign on Texas and other red states to redraw their lines in favor of Republicans, and is considered a must-pass measure if Democrats hope to regain control of the House in next year’s midterms.
The Justice Department said its monitors would work to “ensure transparency, ballot security, and compliance with federal law,” including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, and the Civil Rights Act.
“Transparency at the polls translates into faith in the electoral process, and this Department of Justice is committed to upholding the highest standards of election integrity,” Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi said. “We will commit the resources necessary to ensure the American people get the fair, free, and transparent elections they deserve.”
“Our democracy depends on free and fair elections,” said acting U.S. Atty. Bill Essayli, the top federal prosecutor in the L.A. region, who will be helping to coordinate the monitoring effort. “We will work tirelessly to uphold and protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Justice Department also announced monitors will be stationed in Passaic County, N.J. That state is holding a consequential gubernatorial election.
While federal monitoring is routine, it has been viewed with heightened skepticism from both parties in recent years. When the Justice Department under President Biden announced monitoring in 86 jurisdictions across 27 states during last November’s presidential election, some Republican-led states balked and sought to block the effort.
Democrats have been highly skeptical of the Trump administration’s plans for monitoring elections, in part because of Trump’s relentless denial of past election losses — including his own to Biden in 2020 — and his appointment of fellow election deniers to high-ranking positions in his administration, including in the Justice Department.
Corrin Rankin, chair of the California Republican Party, had specifically asked the Justice Department to send monitors to the five counties in a letter to the Justice Department on Monday.
Rankin wrote that the party had “received reports of irregularities” in each of the counties during recent elections, which they feared could “undermine either the willingness of voters to participate in the election or their confidence in the announced results of the election” this November.
Rankin called Proposition 50 a “politically charged question,” and said it was “imperative to have robust voter participation and public confidence in the results regardless of the outcome.”
Matt Shupe, a spokesperson for the California GOP, declined to comment on the letter Friday.
California officials, including Secretary of State Shirley Weber and California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta, have promised safe and fair elections and said their teams will also be out in the field enforcing California’s election laws in November.
“Our election laws provide the backbone for a free and fair election, and as California’s top law enforcement officer, I will do everything in my power to protect your right to vote,” Bonta recently said. “In the lead-up to the election and on Election Day, my office will be on call to provide assistance to the Secretary of State’s Office in enforcing California’s election laws, as needed, through a team of attorneys and administrative staff located across the state.”
Dean Logan, elections chief for Los Angeles County, said in a statement Friday that federal election monitors are welcome to view election activities and that the state has “clear laws and guidelines that support observation and prohibit election interference.”
“The presence of election observers is not unusual and is a standard practice across the country,” Logan said.
Logan didn’t directly address the California GOP’s specific statements about Los Angeles County, but said that the county regularly updates and verifies voter records in coordination with state and federal agencies and protects the integrity of the election process.
“Voters can have confidence their ballot is handled securely and counted accurately,” he said.
This city is considered a ‘hidden gem’ as it gets fewer tourists than hotspots such as Barcelona or Malaga, but it could be the perfect combination city and beach break for autumn
16:10, 24 Oct 2025Updated 16:12, 24 Oct 2025
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Murcia isn’t a well-known tourist spot (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Ryanair have launched a new direct flight from London Stansted to a Spanish city that has been dubbed ‘underrated’ and a ‘hidden gem’.
The budget airline will now operate a London to Murcia flight four times a week, with the journey taking just under three hours. Murcia, which is set in Spain’s southeast, just over an hour from Alicante, is a lesser-known region, but once you step off the plane you can choose to explore the city or head to the nearby coast.
The timing of the new route is perfect for those who are already a little sick of the autumn weather. This week, Murcia has seen highs of 31C, while in November it can hit up to 21C. While it’s not the hottest destination in December and January, with highs of 18C and 17C respectively during the day, it tends to be mild and have low rainfall. However, it’s worth packing cosy pyjamas, as it can get cold at night.
The city of Murcia is packed with things to do, and it’s a must for history buffs, having been settled by the Romans and the Moors. Visit Murcia Cathedral, an ornate, Gothic cathedral that dominates the skyline, or the Santa Clara Museum which was once a Muslim palace, that became a Monastery in the 14th-century.
You’ll also find a wide variety of museums, such as the Museo Arqueológico de Murcia, which is full of treasures, and the Salzillo Museum, dedicated to the locally born sculptor Francisco Salzillo, who made dramatic religious artworks.
Murcia also has amazing shopping. The huge Centro Comercial Nueva Condomina has lots of big Spanish and European brands from Bershka to Zara, while Centro De Artesania De Murcia is full of handcrafted and artisanal items that make great gifts. It’s no wonder Murcia was dubbed ‘underrated’ by National Geographic.
Just over 20 minutes from the airport is the port city of Cartagena, famed for its Roman Amphitheatre. It’s also packed with historic sights such as the Roman Forum Museum and the Punic wall dating back to the 3rd century BC.
Cartagena is also perfect for a beach break. Visit Cala Cortina, an unspoilt beach surrounded by rugged cliffs. It has soft sands, and because it’s set in a bay, the waters are calm for swimming.
Another beach destination close to Murcia is La Manga, just over half an hour from the airport. This unique spot sits on a strip that’s 13 miles long, but only 100 metres wide, with a lagoon on one side and the Mediterranean Sea on the other. This means you’ll never struggle for a place on the long sandy beach, and pretty much all hotel rooms have either a sea or lagoon view. There’s also a large marina with lots of restaurants and boat hire if you want to take to the water.
Whether you’re planning a city break, or want to hit the beach, it’s worth considering Murcia instead of one of the bigger, more touristy Spanish cities. Despite its numerous historic attractions and close proximity to amazing beaches, Murcia only received 1.16 million visitors last year, compared to 26 million who chose Barcelona. But tourist numbers are on the rise, so plan your visit before it gets discovered by the crowds.
Book it
There are direct flights to Murcia from several UK airports available this October from £15.
The filing also urged the Court to overturn the landmark Obergefell v. Hodges ruling, calling it “grounded entirely on the legal fiction of substantive due process.” Davis further claimed that the 2015 decision forced her to choose “between her religious beliefs and her job.”
On 23 October, the Court announced that it had set a date to consider whether to hear the challenge.
According to SCOTUSblog, the nine justices will be meeting in a private conference on 7 November.
The blog went on to reveal that the Court usually grants reviews after two consecutive conferences. The upcoming hearing will be the first for Davis’ case. If the Court denies a review following their meeting on 7 November, an announcement can be released as soon as 10 November.
The recent update comes a week after conservative Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett – who was appointed to the high court during Trump’s first term– addressed the possibility of Obergefell v. Hodges being overturned.
During a recent conversation withThe New York Times‘s Ross Douthat, Barrett said marriage equality has “very concrete reliance interests,” making it unlikely to be taken away.
Ted Eytan on Flickr
She went on to define “reliance interests” as “things that would be upset or undone if a decision is undone.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Douthat inquired if there can be “social reliance interests in the sense of people making life choices on the basis of a right being protected.”
He added: “One of the arguments for why Obergefell v Hodges is unlikely to ever be overturned is the idea that people have made decisions about who to marry and therefore where to live and children… Everything else, on the basis of that ruling.”
In response, Barrett described Douthat’s example as “absolutely reliance interests,” stating that she wouldn’t classify them as “social reliance interests.”
“That kind of sounds like in things in the air. Those are very concrete reliance interests. So those would be classic reliance interests in the terms of the law, in terms of legal doctrine… Those are financial. Those are medical,” she explained.
Another conservative Supreme Court Justice who shared a similar opinion is Samuel Alito. While speaking at an academic conference on 3 October, he said that marriage equality is “entitled to respect,”despite his dislike of the Obergefell v. Hodges ruling.
For information about the status of marriage equality in the US, click here.
Former Rep. Katie Porter’s gubernatorial prospects are uncertain in the aftermath of the emergence of two videos that underscore long-swirling rumors that the Irvine Democrat is thin-skinned and a short-tempered boss.
How Porter responds in coming days could determine her viability in next year’s race to replace termed-out Gov. Gavin Newsom, according to both Democratic and Republican political strategists.
“Everyone’s had a bad day. Everyone’s done something that they wouldn’t want broadcast, right? You don’t want your worst boss moment, your worst employment moment, your worst personal moment, captured on camera,” said Christine Pelosi, a prominent Democratic activist from the Bay Area and a daughter of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
“I definitely think that it’s a question of what comes next,” said Pelosi, who had endorsed former Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis before she dropped out of the race.
Porter, the 2026 gubernatorial candidate who has a narrow edge in the polls, came under scrutiny this week when a recording emerged of her brusquely threatening to end a television interview after growing increasingly irritated by the reporter’s questions.
After CBS reporter Julie Watts asked Porter what she would say to the nearly 6.1 million Californians who voted for President Trump in 2024, the UC Irvine law professor responded that she didn’t need their support if she competed against a Republican in the November 2026 runoff election.
After Watts asked follow-up questions, Porter accused Watts of being “unnecessarily argumentative,” held up her hands towards the reporter’s face and later said, “I don’t want this all on camera.”
The following day, a 2021 video emerged of Porter berating a staffer who corrected her about electric vehicle information she was discussing with a member of the Biden administration. “Get out of my f— shot!” Porter said to the young woman after she came into view in the background of the video conference. Porter’s comments in the video were first reported by Politico.
Porter did not respond to multiple interview requests. She put out a statement about the 2021 video, saying: “It’s no secret I hold myself and my staff to a high standard, and that was especially true as a member of Congress. I have sought to be more intentional in showing gratitude to my staff for their important work.”
Several Porter supporters voiced support for her after the videos went viral on social media and became the focus of national news coverage as well as programs such as “The View.”
“In this critical moment in our country, we don’t need to be polite, go along to get along, establishment politicians that keep getting run over by the opposition,” wrote Peter Finn and Chris Griswold, co-chairs of Teamsters California, which has endorsed Porter and represents 250,000 workers in the state. “We need strong leaders like Katie Porter that are willing to call it like it is and stand up and fight for everyday Californians.”
EMILYs List, which supports Democratic women who back abortion rights, and Rep. Dave Min (D-Irvine), who won the congressional seat Porter left to unsuccessfully run for U.S. Senate last year, are among those who also released statements supporting the embattled Democratic candidate.
Lorena Gonzalez, president of the influential California Labor Federation, alluded to growing rumors in the state’s Capitol before the videos emerged that powerful Democratic and corporate interests dislike Porter and have been trying to coax another Democrat into the race.
“The only thing that is clear after the past few days is that Katie Porter’s willingness to take on powerful interests has the status quo very afraid and very motivated,” Gonzalez said in a statement.
There has been a concerted effort to urge Sen. Alex Padilla into the race. The San Fernando Valley Democrat has said he won’t make a decision until after voters decide Proposition 50, the redistricting proposal he and other state Democratic leaders are championing, on the November ballot.
A pivotal indicator of Porter’s plans is whether she takes part in two events that she is scheduled to participate in next week — a virtual forum Tuesday evening with the California Working Families Party and a live UC Student and Policy Center Q&A on Friday in Sacramento.
Democratic gubernatorial rivals in California’s 2026 race for governor seized on the videos. Former state Controller Betty Yee called on Porter to drop out of the race, and wealthy businessman Stephen Cloobeck and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa attacked her in ads about the uproar.
Former Sen. Barbara Boxer said she saw the same traits Porter displayed in the videos — anger, a lack of respect, privilege — previously, notably in the 2024 Senate contest, which is why she decided to back then-Rep. Adam Schiff, who ultimately won the race. Boxer has endorsed Villaraigosa for governor.
“I had a bad taste in my mouth from that experience,” Boxer said, growing upset while describing her reaction to the video of Porter cursing at her staffer. “This video tells us everything we need to know about former Congresswoman Porter. She is unfit to serve. Period.”
Disagreements arose between Boxer and her staff during her more than four decades in elected office, she said.
But even when “we weren’t happy with each other, there was always respect, because I knew they deserved it, and I knew without them, I was nothing,” Boxer said, adding that men‘s and women’s behavior as elected officials must be viewed through the same lens. “We are equal; we are not better. She’s proof of that.”
Beth Miller, a veteran Sacramento-based GOP strategist who has worked with female politicians since the 1980s, said women are held to a different standard by voters, though it has eased in recent years.
“In some ways, this plays into that bias, but in other ways, it unfortunately sets women back because it underscores a concern that people have,” Miller said. “And that’s really disappointing and discouraging to a lot of female politicians who don’t ascribe to that type of behavior.”
Miller also pointed to the dichotomy of Porter’s terse reaction in the television interview to Porter championing herself in Congress as a fearless and aggressive inquisitor of CEOs and government leaders.
“You exhibit one kind of behavior on the one hand and another when it affects you,” Miller said. “And you know, governor of California is not a walk in the park, and so I don’t think she did herself any favors at all. And I think it really is a window into who she is.”
Senegal is a vibrant West African country that’s just a six-hour plane trip from the UK – and it boasts some pretty incredible beaches as well as 32C heat in November
A six hour flight from the UK to the pristine beaches and waters of Senegal(Image: Leamus via Getty Images)
Just a six-hour flight from the UK, the lively African nation of Senegal boasts pristine golden beaches that stretch along most of its coastline.
This haven for beach lovers offers endless expanses, with each beach offering something unique for every type of traveller. Whether you’re looking to unwind and relax, get involved in watersports or dive into the party scene, there’s a beach in Senegal just for you.
The West African country has become a hotspot for the international surf scene. Home to a world-renowned wave, it’s not uncommon to spot pro surfers on Senegal’s shores. But don’t worry if you’re new to the sport – there are plenty of calmer beaches with surf schools catering to all abilities.
In the heart of Dakar, Senegal’s vibrant capital, keen surfers often flock to the bustling Virage beach. After a day riding the waves, visitors can kick back and enjoy the stunning views at one of the many beach bars or restaurants lining the coast, reports the Express.
But it’s not just about the beaches – this diverse country is also home to an array of incredible wildlife. Birdwatchers will be in their element, with the chance to spot some of Africa’s rarest species.
And with a range of habitats to explore – from mangroves and freshwater pools to savannah lands and forests – nature lovers won’t be short of places to explore.
Senegal, known for its stunning beaches, is also a hub for trendsetting art, culture and fashion. It hosts the renowned Dak’Art exhibition every two years, attracting art enthusiasts from around the world to celebrate African artwork.
While many African countries boast of their cuisine, Senegal’s rich culinary dishes are a standout. The national dish, Thieboudienne (pronounced ceebu jen), is a tantalising rice and fish meal. It features stewed broken jasmine rice and vegetables paired with marinated fish, which can be any type available.
For those with a penchant for trying new foods, this dish can be perfectly complemented with Bissap, Senegal’s national drink. This highly nutritious tea is made from hibiscus flowers, sweetened with sugar and flavoured with mint.
However, first-time travellers to Senegal are warned by the UK Government about potential dangers, such as pickpocketing, particularly in Dakar.
Holidaymakers are advised against walking alone in the evening and after dark, especially women. They’re also cautioned not to wear conspicuous jewellery and to keep handbags or satchels on the side furthest from the street.
The Government further advises travellers to pre-arrange taxis to avoid bogus drivers and ensure they show ID. For those who fancy a self-drive holiday, UK driving licences are valid for up to six months in Senegal. However, due to the stark difference in driving standards, Brits are advised against driving after dark if possible.
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We’ll be updating this guide all month with the most significant price drops, bundle steals and limited-time codes, so you can move fast when the best offers hit.
It’s the day after Thanksgiving in the US, which is why retailers ramp up offers across the long Black Friday weekend.
If you’re eyeing Charlotte Tilbury Black Friday drops, that timeline usually means early-bird bundles and sitewide codes ahead of the big day.
We’ll keep this page updated throughout November with the standout offers as they appear, so you can move fast and nail your wishlist in time for December.
There’s also moremeaning behind Black Friday than just sales and savings, and our explainer covers everything you need to know.
In recent events, Charlotte Tilbury has run up to 30% off across selected edits and bundles, plus tiered “the more you shop, the more you save” offers on its own site.
With that track record, we’re expecting Charlotte Tilbury Black Friday deals to kick off in November and build over the weekend.
It’s also worth checking major stockists, as many mirror or add their own discounts alongside the brand’s offers. You can also check out our pick of the best Charlotte Tilbury dupes, if you’re feeling extra-thrifty.
We’ll update this page as soon as the first deals drop so you can compare bundles and bag the best prices.
Here are some of the best sites to buy the brand’s products:
What deals to expect from Charlotte Tilbury’s Black Friday sale 2025?
In 2024, we also saw limited-time kits up to 40% off, as well as the buzzed-about mystery boxes, which tended to sell out quickly.
Deals typically build across Cyber Weekend, with fresh offers landing over the long weekend — 2024’s sale went live on Black Friday and kept momentum with limited-time picks that sold fast.
If you’re chasing hero products, past discounts have included Magic Cream, Beautiful Skin Foundation, Airbrush Bronzer and Exaggereyes Volume Mascara, so keep those on your watchlist.
What was in Charlotte Tilbury’s sale last year?
Last year, Charlotte Tilbury shoppers were treated to these products at a discount on the brand’s website and at other beauty retailers, so keep an eye out to see if these products are on sale again this year.
Here are some of the highlights from 2024:
Charlotte’s Award-Winning Complexion Trio, £60.90 (was £87) – buy here
Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution So 90s Lipstick, £29 – buy here
Charlotte Tilbury Hypnotising Pop Shots, £25 from Sephora – buy here
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder Refillable, £39 from John Lewis – buy here
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Night Cream, £35 from Cult Beauty – buy here
When is Cyber Monday 2025 and is Charlotte Tilbury taking part?
Expect a fresh wave of online-only offers and flash deals to land on the day, often with slightly lower discounts than Black Friday but solid savings on bestsellers and bundles all the same.
As for Charlotte Tilbury, the brand typically maintains momentum going into Cyber Monday, so we’re expecting more edits, bundle drops, and sitewide codes to carry through the Monday rush.
Keep an eye on CharlotteTilbury.com as well as major stockists, as retailers often mirror the brand’s promos or throw in their own perks like freebies or extra cashback.
Our advice? If you see a good price on your wishlist items, pounce—sell-outs are common once the weekend wraps.
Delivery promos often appear around Black Friday, so it’s worth checking during November.
As ever, prices and timeframes can change—double‑check at checkout before you buy.
Does Charlotte Tilbury offer any other discounts?
Yes! Beyond the big Charlotte Tilbury Black Friday rush, there are a few year-round ways to save.
Keep an eye out for gift-with-purchase promos: recent offers have included a FREE Unreal makeup bag when you buy three products, automatically added at checkout while stocks last.
The brand also runs rotating freebies (think surprise full-size treats when you hit a spend threshold), plus you can choose two complimentary samples with every order to test new formulas before you commit.
Charlotte Tilbury’s site regularly features promo codes, curated kits and ‘magical savings’ edits with built‑in discounts, so it’s worth checking the offers hub before you check out.
Students and key workers can often access partner discounts via platforms like UNiDAYS and Health Service Discounts—availability can vary—while makeup artists can apply to the Pro Program for exclusive pro-only pricing and perks.
Tip: sign up for emails and app alerts ahead of November—delivery perks, early-bird bundles and limited-time codes tend to land around Charlotte Tilbury Black Friday.
Is Charlotte Tilbury cruelty-free?
Yes, Charlotte Tilbury is officially cruelty‑free.
The brand has the Leaping Bunny seal of approval by Cruelty Free International, a certification it announced in 2021 and continues to hold.
Leaping Bunny is the globally recognised “gold standard” for cruelty‑free beauty, meaning brands must meet strict, supply‑chain‑wide criteria and agree to ongoing independent checks to keep their status.
You’ll also spot the Leaping Bunny logo across Charlotte Tilbury’s communications and packaging as a quick reassurance while you shop.
For the latest wording direct from the brand, Charlotte Tilbury’s help centre confirms its Leaping Bunny approval and cruelty‑free position..
Who is Charlotte Tilbury?
Charlotte Tilbury is the British makeup artist turned beauty entrepreneur behind the eponymous brand.
She’s an MBE and the founder, chair and chief creative officer of Charlotte Tilbury Beauty, which she launched in 2013 after years of shaping red‑carpet and runway looks.
After more than two decades in fashion and beauty, she translated her pro toolkit into a consumer line that’s now a global favourite.
Raised in Ibiza, she made her name in the 1990s backstage, helping to set trends and turn them into wearable looks for everyday fans.
Her “pro secrets made simple” approach champions easy‑to‑use makeup for all ages and skin tones, cementing her reputation as a creative visionary and innovator.
Cult heroes like Charlotte’s Magic Cream began life as her backstage formulas and remain icons today.
No wonder Charlotte Tilbury’s Black Friday sale causes a stampede every year.
Is Charlotte Tilbury worth it?
2
We’ve tried lots of Charlotte Tilbury products and loved them!
Charlotte Tilbury sits at a premium price point, but the payoff is there on the brand’s biggest hitters.
Our writers highly rate the textures, flattering shades, and long-wear finishes.
Sun Shopping writer, Maisie Bovingdon, put the Pillow Talk Plumpgasm lip gloss to the test and shared: “The formula is not tacky or sticky, but silky smooth like a nourishing lip oil should be, but the best part and a non-negotiable for me is the product doesn’t slip.”
That said, it’s still worth matching formulas to your skin type and testing shades where you can—minis, samples and curated kits help you dial in the right fit.
If you’re value-minded, keep an eye on bundle edits, loyalty perks and, of course, Charlotte Tilbury Black Friday, when you’ll often see sitewide codes or set savings that make the splurge smarter.
What are Charlotte Tilbury’s most popular products?
Charlotte Tilbury’s icons are the ones shoppers talk about for a reason.
Charlotte’s Magic Cream is the glow-boosting moisturiser makeup artists reach for to prep and plump skin before foundation.
Hollywood Flawless Filter is the radiance hero you can wear alone or mix with base for that soft-focus sheen fans love.
Pillow Talk stays the brand’s most famous pink‑nude across lipstick and liner, with Lip Cheat in Iconic Nude, another everyday liner favourite.
Former Rep. Katie Porter, the 2026 gubernatorial candidate who has a narrow edge in the polls, raised eyebrows Tuesday when footage emerged of her apparently ending a television interview after becoming irritated by a reporter’s questions.
The footage shows CBS Sacramento reporter Julie Watts asking Porter, a Democrat, what she would say to the nearly 6.1 million Californians who voted for President Trump in 2024, and the UC Irvine law professor responding that she didn’t need their support if she competed against a Republican in the November 2026 run-off election to replace termed-out Gov. Gavin Newsom.
After Porter highlighted her experience winning a closely divided Orange County congressional district, she grew palpably irritated by Watts’ follow-up questions about her dismissiveness about needing support from voters who supported Trump.
“I feel like this is unnecessarily argumentative. What is your question?” Porter said.
Watts responded that she had asked every other candidate similar questions in relation to Proposition 50, the redistricting ballot measure that Newsom and other California Democrats put on the ballot in a special election in November.
Porter said she would seek every vote she could win, but then grew testy over follow-up questions.
“I don’t want to keep doing this. I’m going to call it,” Porter said, saying she objected to multiple follow-up questions. “I want to have a pleasant, positive conversation. … And if every question you’re going to make up a follow-up question, then we’re never going to get there.”
She later said, “I don’t want this all on camera.”
Porter, a protege of Mass. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, won election to Congress in 2018 and gained attention for grilling executives and her use of a white board to explain complex policies. The 51-year-old unsuccessfully ran for U.S. Senate in 2024 and returned to teaching law at UC Irvine.
On Tuesday night, Porter’s campaign said that the interview continued for an additional 20 minutes after the heated exchange but did not offer further comment.
The former congresswoman’s Democratic rivals in the 2026 gubernatorial race seized on her comments, and Democratic strategists not associated with any candidate in the race also cringed.
“When you’re governor, you’re governor of everyone, not just the people in your party. It’s a bad look to say you don’t want or need votes from certain Californians, even those you really disagree with,” said Elizabeth Ashford, who served as a strategist for Govs. Jerry Brown and Arnold Schwarzenegger as well as former Vice President Kamala Harris when she was the attorney general of California.
“But, also, even good candidates have bad nights,” Ashford added. “This was a miss for Katie, but not every interview is going to go great.”
Proposition 50 would shift the state’s congressional district lines to favor Democrats. It is Gov, Gavin Newsom’s response to a similar effort in Texas designed to put more Republicans in Congress. The new district lines would override those created by the state’s nonpartisan, independent redistricting commission.
Supporters include Democratic politicians and party organizations and labor unions. Newsom has said that this is a needed step to counter President Trump and to protect Californians. Republicans oppose the measure, arguing that partisan maps would take the state backward.
Overall fundraising
The Times is tracking contributions to one committee supporting Proposition 50 and two committees opposing the measure. Many committees have contributed to these main committees.
The Times is tracking contributions to the main fundraising committee supporting Proposition 50, which is controlled by Newsom. George Soros’ Fund for Policy Reform is the top donor with $10 million. House Majority PAC, the second-largest donor, aims to elect Democrats to the U.S. House of Representatives. Labor unions are also major supporters.
The measure has received support from several business executive and philanthropist donors, including Michael Moritz, Gwendolyn Sontheim and Reed Hastings.
Almost 150,000 individuals gave $100 or more. More than $11 million, about 14% of the total raised, came from small-dollar contributors, or those who gave less than $100.
Biggest opposition
The Times is also tracking contributions to two main opposition committees. Most of the money to these groups has come from extremely large contributions from a handful of donors.
Charles Munger, Jr., son of the former Berkshire Hathaway vice chairman, contributed more than $32 million to the Hold Politicians Accountable PAC.
Small-dollar contributions have made up $7,500 of the total raised.
The Congressional Leadership Fund has given $5 million to the Stop Sacramento’s Power Grab committee.
