Hundreds of residents gathered at a beach in Yokosuka city’s Kurihama area, south of Tokyo, over the weekend to pray for marine safety in a summer festival that fuses sacred ritual and seaside spectacle.
As a portable shrine called mikoshi, decorated with Shinto ornaments, was lifted onto bearers’ shoulders, the audience cheered.
The mikoshi had started from Sumiyoshi Shrine and was paraded through neighbourhood alleyways. Shrine priests paused to bless offerings and pray for good fortune for people gathered outside their homes.
When the procession reached the beach, the priests danced and chanted. The festival reached its climax when the bearers entered the water up to their necks, their sweaty faces splashed with seawater.
The procession made a final stop at the nearby ferry terminal, where the mikoshi was carried onto a vessel for prayers for its safe travels.
“Everyone has been looking forward to this day all year,” said Shuji Shimizu, head of the Kurihama Neighbourhood Association. “It’s a celebration of our own strength and unity. Please stay safe out there … and enjoy every moment.”
As evening fell, the mikoshi was carried back to storage at the shrine, until next summer.
The RNLI reported a staggering 17,000 people were rescued on UK beaches last year which is why it’s important to know what coloured flags indicate on UK beaches
It’s important to know what the different coloured flags mean on UK beaches(Image: Getty Images)
With more and more Brits opting to holiday in the UK with staycations being one of the biggest summer travel trends, it’s important to be clued up on beach safety. New research from Visit Britain found that over 1 in 3 (35%) UK adults plan to choose a domestic holiday trip, compared to just 28% choosing an overseas trip this summer.
But worryingly, recent RNLI figures show lifeguards responded to over 17,000 people last year on UK beaches, which could have been significantly less if beachgoers understood the flag system used to mark safe and unsafe zones.
Learn what the different coloured flags at the beach mean
In a effort to change this, caravan holiday provider Parkdean Resorts has detailed the differnce in flag colours and what they may mean to avoid any confusion or risking danger on the beach.
One red flag
The presence of a red flag on the beach signifies that the conditions are not safe for swimming. Do not enter the water as it’s too dangerous to swim, surf or even paddle.
Two red flags
This means that the beach can’t be used for any water use, so stay clear of the sea as there is a threat.
Orange flag
The presence of an orange windsock signifies strong wind conditions, so beachgoers should be cautious when swimming. Avoid using any inflatables as they could be blown out to sea.
Red and yellow flag
A red and yellow flag at the beach signifies that lifeguards are patrolling the area. The area between the flags is the safest area to swim, paddle and use water inflatables.
Black and white flag
A black and white chequered flag signifies that the area is designated for water sports, surfing, kayaking and paddle boarding. Swimmers should avoid this area and look for red and yellow flags instead.
Blue flag
Blue flags aren’t a safety flag colour but instead they signify excellent beach quality, including water cleanliness, safety provisions and environmental management. Britain has 76 blue flag beaches and wales has 21 – there are plenty of safe options for holidaymakers.
Some of these include:
Trevone Bay, Cornwall – a picturesque sandy cove near Padstow.
Whitley Bay, North Tyneside – stretching along the North East coast, it offers stunning views of St Mary’s Lighthouse and features a wide promenade, clean waters, and family-friendly facilities
Sea Palling Beach, Norfolk – located near Great Yarmouth, it’s perfect for paddling, sunbathing and beachcombing
Trecco Bay, Wales – this long sandy beach in Porthcawl is ideal for families with safe, clean waters and seasonal lifeguards
Westward Ho!, Devon – famous for its expansive sands and excellent surfing conditions. The beach is backed by a natural pebble ridge and has superb accessibility
July 23 (UPI) — The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed the Trump administration to remove three members of the Consumer Product Safety Commission as the case proceeds through the courts in another emergency appeal on firings backed by the conservative-dominated court.
In a dissent by Justice Elena Kagan, joined by fellow liberal justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson, she said the court majority decided on the emergency appeal to “destroy the independence of an independent agency, as established by Congress.”
The majority opinion was unsigned and based upon an earlier 6-3 order that allowed the dismissal of two independent labor boards in Trump vs. Wilcox: the National Labor Relations Board and the Merit Systems Protection Board.
“Although our interim orders are not conclusive as to the merits, they inform how a court should exercise its equitable discretion in like cases,” the court ruled. “The stay we issued in Wilcox reflected ‘our judgment that the government faces greater risk of harm from an order allowing a removed officer to continue exercising the executive power than a wrongfully removed officer faces from being unable to perform her statutory duty.’
“The same is true on the facts presented here, where the Consumer Product Safety Commission exercises executive power in a similar manner as the National Labor Relations Board, and the case does not otherwise differ from Wilcox in any pertinent respect.”
The order is stayed pending disposition by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, based in Richmond, Va. On July 1, the three-judge panel rejected Trump’s request for an administrative stay pending appeal.
“Congress lawfully constrained the President’s removal authority, and no court has found that constraint unconstitutional,” the appeals court said. “The district court correctly declined to permit a President — any President — to disregard those limits.”
District Judge Matthew Maddox found on June 13 that Trump’s removal was unlawful and blocked it. Maddox, who serves in Maryland, was appointed by President Joe Biden.
“Depriving this five-member commission of three of its sitting members threatens severe impairment of its ability to fulfill its statutory mandates and advance the public’s interest in safe consumer products,” Maddox wrote in his decision. “This hardship and threat to public safety significantly outweighs any hardship defendants might suffer from plaintiffs’ participation on the CPSC.”
The terms of the five members are staggered to overlap during presidencies.
Boyle’s term was to end in October after filling a vacancy in 2022, with Hoehn-Saric in October 2027 and Trumka in October 2028. The board consists of five members, and they are operating as a two-member quorum, which is allowed for six months.
The remaining members are Acting Chairman Peter Feldman, who was appointed by Trump during his first term, and Republican Douglas Dziak, who was appointed by Biden in 2024.
Solicitor General D. John Sauer wrote in a court ruling that Maddox’s decision has “sown chaos and dysfunction” at the agency.
In May, the three commissioners were notified their positions were terminated immediately. A president can legally only remove a commissioner for neglect of duty of malfeasance.
The court has allowed the termination of employees as the cases proceed through the courts.
Lower court judges have relied on a decision in 1935, called Humphrey’s Executor vs. United States, about the mass firings. The Supreme Court has said it will act on this matter.
On July 14, the justices allowed the Trump administration to mass fire half of the Education Department. Trump wants the agency abolished, and the court has not ruled on that decision, which requires a vote by the U.S. Senate.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission, which was created in 1972, protects consumers from dangerous products, including issuing safety standards and recalls.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat representing Minnesota, criticized the decision, saying: “For over 50 years, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has been free from politics so it can remain focused on its core mission of keeping Americans safe – from banning lead paint, to ensuring electronics aren’t fire hazards, to making swimming pools safe for kids. Last year alone, the Commission recalled 153 million unsafe items.”
“By firing the three Democratic commissioners, the President has undermined the independent structure of the Commission and its critical work — and the Supreme Court is letting it happen,” added the member of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.
The nation’s highest court has frequently ruled in favour of Trump’s expansive interpretation of presidential powers.
The United States Supreme Court has ruled that President Donald Trump can remove three Democratic members of a consumer safety watchdog, handing him a win in his efforts to concentrate more power in the hands of the executive.
The court’s decision allows Trump to boot three members of the Consumer Product Safety Commission appointed by his Democratic predecessor, former President Joe Biden.
That ruling reverses a lower court decision barring Trump from doing so, on the basis that he had overstepped his authority by seeking their removals.
Mary Boyle, Alexander Hoehn-Saric and Richard Trumka Jr had sued the Trump administration in May after being terminated from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, an independent body created by Congress.
Their seven-year terms were set to expire in 2025, 2027 and 2028, respectively.
In their lawsuit, they argued that Trump had exceeded his powers as president by firing them without cause. A 90-year-old Supreme Court precedent known as Humphrey’s Executor holds that the president cannot fire members of an independent board without providing a legitimate justification.
The commission members also said that their firing would deprive the public of vital expertise and oversight.
The Department of Justice, however, has maintained that preventing the president from firing members of the executive branch undercuts his constitutional authority.
Even independent agencies like the Consumer Product Safety Commission fall under the executive branch, the Justice Department pointed out.
The Trump administration’s argument was dealt a defeat on July 2, when US District Judge Matthew Maddox issued an order blocking the dismissal of the three Democratic appointees while their case proceeded.
But Trump’s Justice Department made an emergency appeal to the Supreme Court, whose conservative majority sided with the president in a brief, unsigned order.
The majority wrote that the government risked greater harm by allowing fired employees to remain in the executive branch than by removing them, even wrongfully, while their court cases proceeded.
The court’s three left-leaning justices, however, issued a dissent that denounced the ruling as an erosion of the separation of powers. Justice Elena Kagan pointed out that the Consumer Product Safety Commission was created by an act of Congress and answers both to the legislature and the president.
“By allowing the President to remove Commissioners for no reason other than their party affiliation, the majority has negated Congress’s choice of agency bipartisanship and independence,” Kagan wrote.
She added that the court’s decision on Wednesday was part of a series of rulings that amounted to “an increase of executive power at the expense of legislative authority”.
The Trump administration has sought to exercise greater control over federal agencies created and funded by Congress, often using a maximalist interpretation of presidential powers to do so. The Supreme Court, which has six conservative members, has mostly ruled in favour of such efforts.
In a similar case in May, the court allowed Trump to remove Democratic members of the National Labor Relations Board and the Merit Systems Protection Board as their cases moved forward.
The Supreme Court also ruled earlier this month that the Trump administration’s efforts to hollow out the Department of Education through a campaign of mass firings could move forward.
The Supreme Court signaled again Wednesday that it believes the president has the power to fire the leaders of agencies and commissions that Congress said were independent.
Granting another emergency appeal, the justices set aside a Baltimore judge’s order and upheld President Trump’s decision to fire the three Democratic appointees on the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
In a brief order, the conservative majority said it had said agency officials may be fired by the president.
The three liberals dissented.
“Once again, this Court uses its emergency docket to destroy the independence of an independent agency, as established by Congress,” Justice Elena Kagan said. “By allowing the President to remove commissioners for no reason other than their party affiliation, the majority has negated Congress’s choice of agency bipartisanship and independence.”
Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson agreed.
The court’s conservative majority has repeatedly sided with Trump and against district judges on matters related to federal agencies, including their spending, staffing and leadership.
They believe the Constitution gives the president the executive authority to control the government, including by firing and replacing the heads of agencies, boards and commissions.
They have ruled for Trump even when his removal orders conflicted with the law as established by Congress.
At issue is whether Congress holds the power to structure the government or instead whether the president has the executive authority to reshape it .
Since 1887, when the Interstate Commerce Commission was established to set railroad rates, Congress has created independent agencies with the aim of giving non-partisan experts the authority to regulate in the public interest.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission was established in 1972 to be led by five members who were appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. They would have seven-year terms and could be fired only for “neglect of duty or malfeasance in office.”
The commission investigates complaints about hazardous products, and it can require warning labels, order their recall or remove them from the market.
In May, the Trump White House told the commission’s three Democratic appointees — Mary Boyle, Alexander Hoehn-Saric and Richard Trumka Jr. — they were “terminated” but without accusing them of wrongdoing or malfeasance.
They sued in a federal court in Maryland where the CPSC has its headquarters. U.S. District Judge Michael Maddox, a Biden appointee, ruled the firings were illegal and reinstated the three to their positions.
The judge pointed to the Supreme Court’s 1935 decision that protected the constitutionality of “traditional multi-member independent agencies.”
The court’s opinion in the case of Humphrey’s Executor vs. United States drew a distinction between “purely executive officers” who were under the president’s control and those who served on a board “with quasi-judicial or quasi-legislative functions.”
But the court’s conservatives have hinted they may overturn that precedent.
Five years ago, Chief Justice John G. Roberts spoke for the court and ruled the director of the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau can be fired by the president, even though Congress had said otherwise.
But since that case did not involve a multi-member board or commission, it did not overrule the 1935 precedent.
In late May, however, the court cleared the way for Trump to fire a Democratic appointee on the National Labor Relations Board and a second on the Merit Systems Protection Board.
“Because the Constitution vests the executive power in the President, he may remove without cause executive officers who exercise that power on his behalf,” the court said then in an unsigned order.
Trump’s solicitor general, D. John Sauer, said that decision should have cleared the way for the firing of the three members of the CPSC.
But the 4th Circuit Court stood behind Maddox’s order.
The Constitution “entrusts Congress with the power to design independent agencies that serve the public interest free from political pressure,” said Judge James Wynn of the 4th Circuit. “Here, Congress lawfully constrained the President’s removal authority. … The district court correctly declined to permit a President — any President — to disregard those limits.”
Social media videos show terrified passengers jumping into sea as flames and black smoke billow from burning vessel.
Three people have died and more than 500 others have been rescued after a ferry caught fire off the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, emergency officials said.
Passengers jumped overboard the KM Barcelona 5, as it sailed from Melonguane port in Talaud Islands district towards the city of Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi province, after the fire broke out on Sunday, said the Indonesian coastguard.
Photos and videos circulated on social media showed terrified passengers, mostly wearing life jackets, jumping into the sea as orange flames and black smoke billowed from the burning vessel.
A video released by the Manado rescue agency showed a coastguard vessel spraying water on the ferry, which was emitting black smoke.
Indonesian authorities previously reported five people died in the accident, but later revised the death toll to three after two passengers initially reported as dead were saved in a hospital, including a two-month-old baby whose lungs were filled with seawater.
At least 568 people were rescued from the ferry, the national search and rescue agency said in a statement on Monday.
A coastguard ship, six rescue vessels and several inflatable boats were deployed in the rescue operation, Franky Pasuna Sihombing, chief of the Manado navy base, told The Associated Press news agency.
According to officials, the blaze is believed to have started on the upper deck.
“Until now, the joint rescue team is still conducting the search and rescue operation because the data is still developing,” Manado rescue agency head George Leo Mercy Randang told the AFP news agency on Monday. “Our post is still open 24 hours a day, in case families want to report about their missing relative.”
One survivor described waking up to smoke filling the passenger deck.
“The air was full of smoke and everyone started panicking,” Johan Rumewo told Kompas TV after being evacuated to Manado port. “I managed to grab a life jacket and jumped into the sea. I floated for about an hour before being rescued.”
The ferry’s log had registered only 280 passengers and 15 crew on board. Local media reported that the ship had a capacity for 600 people.
Marine accidents are a regular occurrence in the Southeast Asian archipelago of about 17,000 islands, in part due to lax safety standards or bad weather.
Sunday’s fire came just weeks after another ferry sank off the popular resort island of Bali due to bad weather, killing at least 19 people.
In March, a boat carrying 16 people capsized in rough waters off Bali, killing an Australian woman and injuring another person. In 2018, more than 150 people drowned when a ferry sank in one of the world’s deepest lakes on Sumatra Island.
AUSTIN, Texas — The Major League Soccer game between LAFC and Austin FC was postponed Saturday because of inclement weather.
“The decision was made due to severe weather impacting the safety of travel in Central Texas and with guidance from relevant local authorities,” Austin FC said in a statement.
A new date for the match at Q2 Stadium will be announced at a later date.
In the statement, Austin also expressed sympathy for those affected by flooding in the state, which has claimed the lives of at least 43 people. There are also 27 children missing from a summer camp.
“Our hearts go out to the families, friends, and neighbors who have lost their lives, and we urge that those who are able find their way to safety,” the club said. “We also want to express our gratitude and respect for those who are responding to the crisis with life saving measures.”
Airlines across the globe are cracking down on a popular device following safety concerns and are banning it from being stored in overhead lockers – here’s everything you need to know
Amy Jones Lifestyle & Features Writer and Finlay Healy
14:09, 05 Jul 2025
A growing list of airlines are banning an item from being stored in overhead lockers during flights (Image: Getty Images)
A growing list of major airlines has banned a popular item from being stored in the overhead lockers during flights amid safety fears.
Japan is among the latest countries to join the global clampdown on carrying portable chargers on flights. On Monday, Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism unveiled a series of new regulations for passengers with these devices.
Set to kick in from 8 July, travellers will need to keep power banks – even if not in use – within sight at all times and not stashed away in overhead compartments.
In addition, passengers flying domestically within Japan or internationally on Japanese carriers such as All Nippon Airways or Japan Airlines will also face limitations on the type of chargers they can bring onboard. To mitigate the risk of explosions and fires, batteries exceeding a capacity of 160 watt-hours will be prohibited.
The ministry’s rules stipulate that passengers can only carry two such devices when flying. Portable electronic gadgets, like mobile phones or laptops, must be placed somewhere they can be constantly monitored for overheating while charging, reports the Express.
Passengers will need to keep power banks within sight at all times(Image: Getty Images)
These modifications are in addition to existing restrictions that prevent power banks from being stored in checked luggage in aircraft holds.
Japan is following in the footsteps of China’s Civil Aviation Administration in tightening regulations on portable chargers. Just last Saturday, the Chinese regulator decreed that anyone travelling by air within China can only carry devices that have been safety-certified in the country.
The push for tighter regulations follows an incident in which a fire engulfed an Air Busan aircraft in South Korea this January, injuring seven. Portable chargers were cited as a potential culprit.
This led South Korea to issue reminders to passengers to keep their chargers close and visible during flights. Taiwanese airlines EVA Air and China Airlines have also clamped down, prohibiting the use of power banks on board.
Ryanair has also been cautioning its customers against stowing portable chargers in overhead compartments.
The Air Transport Association, representing 350 carriers and over 80% of worldwide air traffic, advised: “We recommend that you keep all your electronic devices in carry-on baggage.”
In the United States alone, 84 recorded incidents last year involved malfunctions of lithium-ion batteries, commonly used in these portable chargers, up from 32 in 2016. With these gadgets becoming increasingly popular, sales are soaring in the UK, where the market was valued at $62m in 2023, as reported by Next Move Strategy Consulting.
World number 33 Yulia Putintseva raised security concerns about a spectator during her first-round match at Wimbledon, asking for them to be ejected.
Early on in her match against Amanda Anisimova on court 15, the 30-year-old complained directly to the umpire about a spectator, whom she described as “crazy” and “dangerous”.
A club spokesperson said the matter was “dealt with”.
During a change of ends when trailing 3-0 in the opening set, Putintseva, from Kazakhstan, first voiced her concerns.
“Can you take him out, I am not going to continue playing until he leaves. These people are dangerous, they are crazy,” she said.
She was then seen pointing towards an area of the crowd and described the person as wearing green.
The chair umpire came down onto the court and spoke to three members of security staff.
When Putintseva was told play would resume, she was heard saying she did not want to do so until security had handled it.
“Take him out, because maybe he has a knife,” she said.
Putintseva was emotional later in the match and went on to lose 6-0 6-0 in 45 minutes.
She did not speak to the media afterwards.
A spokesperson for the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) told BBC Sport: “Following a complaint about the behaviour of a spectator at the match on court 15, the chair umpire informed security and the matter was dealt with.”
Anisimova, meanwhile, told the BBC she believed the spectator had been saying something “when [Putintseva] was about to serve” and added: “I am sure that we were protected”.
Earlier, AELTC chief executive Sally Bolton said on the subject of security: “We’re well-versed in the measures that need to be put in place so players can go about playing here in the confidence they’re being well looked after.”
A travel expert has issued a warning to passengers, telling them they should “never wear” one item of clothing on a plane. However, the popular garment is not banned
15:16, 29 Jun 2025Updated 15:17, 29 Jun 2025
People are advised to avoid one item of clothing (stock image)(Image: Susumu Yoshioka via Getty Images)
Travellers have been cautioned to “never wear” a certain popular item on a plane, despite it not being prohibited. The travel tip was recently divulged by Pollyann, known as travelwithpalma to her over 11,000 Instagram followers, and many were astonished they hadn’t heard of the advice before.
In an Instagram clip, she penned: “I know – leggings feel like a second skin on a flight. But here’s why you really shouldn’t wear them on a plane.
“According to experts, in the rare event of an emergency evacuation (think: fire, sudden landing, etc), synthetic fabrics like polyester and spandex – aka what most leggings are made of – can actually melt when exposed to high heat.
“That means they could fuse to your skin, making injuries way worse. The Federal Aviation Administration and safety experts recommend wearing loose fitting natural fibres like cotton, wool or denim when flying.
“They’re more fire-resistant and safer in worst-case scenarios. So yes, wear something cosy – but make it cotton cosy, not plastic cosy – just to be safe.”
Since being posted, the video has racked up thousands of views, with numerous viewers expressing gratitude for the insight. One commented: “This is such a good tip!”
Another chimed in with: “As a former flight attendant, this precaution is very great advice!” A different voice added their perspective, noting: “It’s not just leggings. Anything with polyester contains petroleum and is considered flammable.
“So someone with synthetic trousers, shorts, dresses would be in the same situation. It has nothing to do with leggings – that’s personal preference.”
Responding to the discussion, the original poster agreed: “Yes, agreed. As stated in the caption, those fabrics in any form can cause harm. Loose fitting cotton is a safer bet.”
Unbeknownst to many, despite the comfort they offer during flights, leggings are not always recommended by aviation safety experts. The concern lies in the fact that in emergencies, such as fires, the synthetic material of leggings could melt onto the skin, exacerbating burn injuries.
However, it’s important to note that there’s no outright ban on wearing leggings on planes; rather, it’s a safety suggestion from some quarters due to the risks associated with synthetic fabrics.
Airline dress codes might restrict certain types of attire for reasons of propriety or potential offensiveness. In addition to avoiding a fashion faux pas, the Federal Aviation Administration also gives guidance on how travellers can dress smartly for their own safety whilst flying.
Their website recommends: “Passengers who wear sensible clothing can reduce their chances of serious injury in the unlikely event of an emergency.
“Dress to cover as much skin as possible. Wear clothes made of natural fabrics such as cotton, wool, denim or leather.
“Synthetics may melt when heated. Wear clothing that is roomy, avoiding restrictive clothing. Wear low-heeled, leather or canvas shoes.”
Pupils at Platt Primary school in Maidstone learn about sun protection
Children as young as five are being taught how to check UV levels and apply sunscreen, as part of a new pilot aimed at reducing future skin cancer cases.
The initiative, currently being trialled in primary schools across Kent, is planned to be introduced into Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) lessons nationwide from 2026.
Melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, is linked to UV exposure – and experts say sunburn in childhood significantly increases the risk later in life.
In 2021, around 18,300 people were diagnosed with melanoma in the UK, according to Cancer Research. That figure is projected to rise to 21,300 by 2026, the charity says.
Michelle Baker, from the charity Melanoma Fund, which is behind the education project, said changing children’s habits early is key.
“People think melanoma is an older person’s disease,” she says, “but it’s often seeded in childhood.”
She says the project aims to “grow skin cancer out of the next generation”.
Giving children a sense of control and responsibility for their sun protection is central to this. “We’re saying this is your superpower,” she adds.
At Platt Primary school in Maidstone, pupils are learning to read UV indexes, apply sunscreen properly, and understand when they need protection.
Headteacher Emma Smith said the pupils have been “really receptive”.
“If we educate them early, they’re more likely to keep that knowledge as they get older – especially when social media starts to influence their choices.”
No ‘safe tan’
The childhood sun safety drive comes as Cancer Research UK says the rise in melanoma cases among adults is a particular cause for concern.
A recent study from the charity found that cancer deaths cost the UK economy £10.3bn a year, more than any other health condition – underlining the importance of preventative measures.
Consultant dermatologist Dr Katie Lacy says that educating children about how to look after their skin is key to reducing melanoma rates.
Research shows that nine out of 10 cases are caused by UV exposure from the sun and sunbeds.
Getting sunburnt regularly increases the chances of skin cancer. Dr Lacy stresses there is no such thing as a “safe tan”, explaining that tanning is a response to skin damage.
“I wish I’d known”: Melanoma survivor’s warning after diagnosis at 29
“Most melanomas don’t come from existing moles – so if you notice something new, get it checked,” she adds.
She also highlights the growing role of AI in screening suspicious moles within the NHS – which could help streamline referrals to specialist services.
The ABCDE checklist can help identify if a mole is abnormal:
A – asymmetrical (does the mole have an uneven shape?)
B – border (are the edges blurry or jagged?)
C – colour (is it an uneven colour with different shades and tones?)
D – diameter (is the mole bigger than your other ones?)
E – evolving (is it changing, such as starting to itch, bleed or become crusty?)
Source: Cancer Research UK
For Kara Leece, diagnosed with melanoma at 29, the message is personal.
“If I’d had that education at primary school, I think I could’ve prevented it,” she told BBC News.
“Now I have a scar that reminds me of what I’ve been through. When children ask about it, I tell them my story – because I don’t want this to happen to anyone else.”
Tips for keeping kids sun safe
Try to keep children in the shade between 11am and 3pm, when the sun is at its strongest
Kit them out with wide-brimmed hats, sunglasses and clothing to cover their skin.
Sunscreen is also very important – apply it regularly and generously, and make sure it’s at least SPF 30 and four or five stars
WASHINGTON — An undocumented man from Guatemala who has leukemia postponed chemotherapy because he was afraid to go to the hospital.
A Mexican grandmother packed most of her belongings into boxes, in case she is deported.
A Pentecostal church in East Los Angeles has lost nearly half of its in-person membership.
Across California and the U.S., immigrants are responding to the Trump administration’s unrelenting enforcement raids by going into lockdown. Activities that were once a regular or even mundane part of life — taking kids to school, buying groceries, driving — have become daunting as immigrants who lack legal authorization grapple with how to avoid arrest and deportation.
To stay safe, some immigrants have swapped in-person activities with digital approximations. Others are simply shutting themselves away from society.
“It’s a harmful form of racial profiling combined with the suspension of constitutional rights and due process. That’s why many families are staying at home,” said Victor Narro, a professor and project director for the UCLA Labor Center.
Pastor Carlos Rincon said that about 400 people used to attend his church every week. Now, half as many attend and viewership of live-streamed services on Facebook and YouTube has increased.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
Pastor Carlos Rincon, who leads a Pentecostal church in East Los Angeles, said that about 400 people used to attend his church every week, people with roots in Guatemala, Mexico, El Salvador and Honduras. Now, half as many attend and viewership of live-streamed services on Facebook and YouTube has increased. Some prayer groups meet on Zoom.
In January, the Trump administration said immigration agents were free to make arrests in sensitive locations once considered off limits, such as hospitals, schools and churches.
At Rincon’s church — which he asked not be named for concern about retaliation — fear has colored life in ways large and small.
A congregant in his late 20s who has leukemia postponed his chemotherapy, afraid he could be caught and deported to Guatemala. After he decided to reschedule the upcoming treatment, church leaders agreed they will take turns staying with him at the hospital.
Pastor Carlos Rincon says he has had to cancel a music class for children due to the raids. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
The Trump administration has said immigration agents are free to make arrests in locations once considered off limits such as hospitals, schools and churches. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
A half-day program to provide resources for landscapers and a music class for children were canceled this month after many said they were too afraid to attend. Rincon restarted the music class last week for those who could attend.
On Wednesday, after neighbors told him that immigration agents had been lurking around the area, he warned families against attending a regularly scheduled in-person church service.
Five miles away at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Father Ricardo Gonzalez said church attendance is down at least 30%. The church doesn’t live-stream Mass, though he’s considering it.
Gonzalez said parishioners expect him to have answers, but as an immigrant green card holder himself, he too doesn’t know how to react if immigration agents show up at the church.
“If I get arrested, am I going to be thrown from the country?” he said. “Who is going to help me out?”
Pastor Carlos Rincon and his wife, Amparo, sing and pray during a livestream service at their church.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
For weeks, agents have been arresting those who show up at courthouses for their immigration proceedings.
Volunteers at USC, UCLA, UC Irvine and UC Law San Francisco responded by establishing a free hotline to help people file motions to move their appointments online. The service was the idea of Olu Orange, a lawyer and USC political science and international relations professor who runs the Agents of Change Civil Rights Advocacy Initiative.
Since the hotline (888-462-5211) went live June 15, volunteers have responded to nearly 4,000 calls and helped more than 300 people fill out the form to move their hearings online.
On Friday, Orange answered a call from a girl who sounded about 12 years old, whose parent had been picked up by immigration agents.
“She saw this number on social media and she called and she said, ‘What can I do?’” Orange said. He gave her the number for CHIRLA, a local immigrant rights nonprofit.
Luz Gallegos, executive director of TODEC Legal Center in the Inland Empire, said the pandemic prepared some rural and elderly residents for the current reality because it taught people to use technology — “to go virtual.” Now they have WiFi access and know how to use Zoom.
Some, though, also fear staying digitally connected.
Gallegos said many people who call TODEC’s hotline say they are changing phone companies because they are afraid of being tracked by immigration agents. Others say they’re swapping cellphones for pagers.
A woman identified only as Doña Chela at her home Tuesday. She has packed up her possessions planning to return to her hometown in Michoacan, Mexico, for the first time in more than 25 years. But her brother said it wasn’t safe.
(Julie Leopo / For The Times)
Many of the immigrants served by TODEC now leave their homes only for work, Gallegos said. They have groceries delivered or run to the store when they think border agents are least likely to be on patrol. Before schools let out for the summer, some parents switched their children to online classes.
Some Inland Empire farmworkers now won’t grab their own mail from community mailboxes, Gallegos said, so TODEC has mobilized volunteers to drop off mail, give people rides and help with interpretation needs.
One person helped by the nonprofit is Doña Chela, an undocumented 66-year-old woman who asked to be identified by her nickname.
Many months ago, Doña Chela packed up her possessions after making plans to return to her hometown in Michoacan, Mexico, for the first time since she arrived in the U.S. in 1999. But in April, her brother called to say it wasn’t safe there, that cartel groups had taken over the neighborhood and were extorting residents.
Her husband, a U.S. citizen, has dementia. She thought of moving instead to a border town such as Mexicali, where she and her husband could still be near their three adult U.S.-born daughters.
Doña Chela stands by the packed luggage in her home. (Julie Leopo / For The Times)
Doña Chela waters her home garden. “If it wasn’t for this garden I would not know what to do with myself,” she said in Spanish. (Julie Leopo / For The Times)
But then her husband’s condition began to decline, and now starting over feels too difficult. Even so, she has chosen to keep her clothes, pots and pans, and jewelry packed away — just in case.
Doña Chela doesn’t leave her home except for emergencies. Her daughters bring her groceries because she has stopped driving. She no longer goes to church or makes big batches of tamales for community reunions. She barely sleeps, thinking that agents could burst through her door any time.
“I don’t know what to do anymore,” she said, crying. “I will wait here until they kick me out.”
Her only distraction from constant anxiety is the lush garden she tends to daily, with mangoes, nopales, limes and a variety of herbs.
Gallegos, of TODEC, said the situation faced by Doña Chela and so many others bring to mind a song by Los Tigres del Norte — “La Jaula de Oro.” The golden cage.
“Our community is in a golden cage,” she said. “I hope it’s not too late when this country realizes they need our immigrant workforce to sustain our economy.”
St. John’s Community Health, one of the largest nonprofit community healthcare providers in Los Angeles County that caters to low-income and working-class residents, launched a home visitation program after it surveyed patients and found many canceling appointments “solely due to fear of being apprehended by ICE.”
The clinic, which serves L.A., the Inland Empire and the Coachella Valley, said that since the immigration raids began, more than a third of all patients didn’t show up or canceled their appointments.
Some of those who canceled signed up for telehealth or home visits performed by a small team of medical staff, according to Jim Mangia, the clinic’s chief executive. The clinic is adding another home visitation team to double the amount of visits they perform.
Community coalitions are stepping in to help immigrants who can’t afford to hide. OC Rapid Response Network, for instance, raised enough funds through payment app Venmo to send 14 street vendors home.
Robb Smith stands by the food he delivered after he unloaded his truck at a food drop site on Monday in Paramount.
(Luke Johnson / Los Angeles Times)
Robb Smith, who runs Alley Cat Deliveries, said he has seen requests for grocery deliveries grow by about 25%.
He doesn’t ask his customers if they’re immigrants in hiding, but there are signs that people are afraid to leave their house. One woman, who said she was making an inquiry for a friend, asked him if he saw any ICE officers when he was picking up items at Costco.
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1.Tito Rodriguez helps unload Robb Smith’s truck of drieg goods and groceries at a drop site on Monday in Paramount.2.Robb Smith, left, unloads his truck with the help of Tito Rodriguez at the drop site on Monday in Paramount.3.Robb Smith carries a box of groceries down a driveway Monday in Long Beach. He founded and runs Alley Cat Deliveries.(Luke Johnson/Los Angeles Times)
Glen Curado, the founder and chief executive of World Harvest Food Bank in Los Angeles, said there has been a significant drop in people coming in to pick up groceries in person. Up to 100 families visit the food bank on a weekday, down from the usual high of 150, he said.
The food bank has a program, called Cart With A Heart, in which people can donate $50 toward fresh produce, protein and other staples to feed two families for a week. The donors can then take those groceries to people sheltering in place.
“It’s almost like a war scene,” Curado said. “You hide here. I’ll go out and I’ll get it for you, and I’ll bring it back — that mentality.”
Castillo reported from Washington and Wong from San Francisco. Times staff writer Melissa Gomez in Los Angeles contributed to this report.
An ex-flight attendant is sharing the details of exactly how, why and when crews ‘check out’ passengers and the reason has more to do with health and safety than attractiveness
A former flight attendant reveals if ‘code words’ for attractive passengers are a myth(Image: Getty Images)
A former flight attendant has lifted the lid on why some members of staff “check out” passengers when they get on the plane.
Divulging trade secrets and tips, the attendant who says they worked for a major airline says there is an important reason they eye up the general public as they get comfy in their seats.
Part of the TruTravels team, the flight attendant acknowledged that there are “so many stories of code words for hot passengers” admitting that they certainly don’t go unnoticed by the crew. “We see them and talk about them. But we’d rather just straight up say ‘that businessman in 2A is kinda [sic] fine’ than use some code word”.
That said, the attendant revealed that there is a legitimate safety reason that requires them to assess passengers. “We check you out to see if you’re looking well, healthy, in a fit state, aka not hammered and who would be helpful in an emergency.”
Flight attendants typically screen for able-bodied and intoxicated passengers at the aeroplane doors(Image: Getty Images)
While the greeting by flight attendants as passengers board is often attributed to common politeness or mandated etiquette, this is usually the point where crew members assess passengers. If passengers are too inebriated to fly, it can pose a health and safety risk and they can be removed from the flight.
Additionally, flight attendants need to assess who can provide physical assistance in the unlikely event of an emergency – looking out for a specific type of passenger. “We call them ABP’s (able-bodied people), the sort of people who can help you throw a door off and help passengers down an emergency slide. You know, the important stuff.”
It is for this reason that only able-bodied individuals are allowed to sit in the seats next to emergency exits. These seats are typically highly coveted – despite sometimes coming with added booking charges – because they offer extra legroom and there is no row immediately ahead.
However, the privilege of extra legroom comes with great responsibility; these passengers are required to be ready to assist in emergencies.
Passengers sitting next to emergency exits need to be able to assist in an emergency(Image: Getty Images)
Reflecting this commitment, Ryanair’s terms and conditions state it reserves the right to ” change your allocated seats at any time, even if you had reserved it, if we need to do this for operational, safety or security reasons.”
The airline’s guidelines state that passengers who want to sit in rows 1, 16, or 17 – where the emergency exits are located – must meet specific requirements. These include being over 16 years old, capable of assisting in an emergency, not travelling with an infant, not needing any special assistance at the airport, not requiring a seat belt extender, and not having booked an extra comfort seat.
Another trade secret the former flight attendant shared is why aeroplanes are so cold. “This is for a few reasons, but normally temperatures should stay at around 21 degrees [Celcius] mainly because anything above people start to faint (trust me, this happens most flights).
“Although the flow of air throughout the plane makes 21 degrees feel more like 15 degrees, and if you’re [sitting] near a door, that suctions gonna freeze [you]. So, that’s the price you pay for extra legroom.”
Research by consumer group Which? found two sun creams that failed its safety checks – plus others that others, including budget brands that passed with flying colours
Tests by consumer group Which? discovered sunscreens that failed its safety checks
A popular sun cream aimed at families with a £28 price tag has failed safety tests.
Consumer group Which? urged shoppers to avoid the product – Ultrasun Family SPF30 – while also revealing supermarket alternatives at a fraction of the price had passed with flying colours.
The results are especially timely, given Britain is in the grip of a heatwave and people will be rushing to buy sun block. Which? found the Ultrasun product – which comes in a 150ml bottle and is marketed as being “perfect for the whole family” and “especially suitable for children and those with sensitive skin” – failed to meet minimum UVA (ultraviolet A) protection levels. Ultrasun’s UVA score was 9.1 and 9.5 in a retest.
It needed to be 10 or more to pass. It did, however, pass for the alternative UVB protection. Another sun block that failed was Morrisons’ Moisturising Sun Spray SPF30 at £3.75 for a 200ml bottle.
Lidl’s Cien Sun Spray 30 SPF High was among given a ‘Great Value’ badge by Which?
It passed for UVA protection but came up short for SPF (sun protection factor) against UVB. Like the Ultrasun product, Which? labelled it a “don’t buy”.
As part of an annual exercise, the group carried out lab tests on 15 popular sun creams using what it says were industry-recognised methods. If a product failed on a first test, it was repeated. If it passed the second time, a third test will be done. But if a product failed the SPF or UVA twice overall, it became a ‘don’t buy’.
Ultrasun sun block failed UVA tests by Which?
Among those that passed was budget supermarket Aldi’s Lacura Sensitive Sun Lotion SPF50+, which costs just £2.99 for 200ml. Researchers found it protected skin from both UVA and UVB rays, as claimed.
At £1.50 per 100ml – six times less than Ultrasun – the product also earned a Which? Great Value badge. Another given the same rating was rival Lidl’s Cien Sun Spray 30 SPF High, at £3.79 for 200ml.
Morrisons’ Moisturising Sun Spray SPF30 failed the Which? test for SPF (sun protection factor) against UVB
Natalie Hitchins, Which? head of home products and services, said: “It’s really concerning that widely available sunscreens could be putting families at risk by failing to offer the level of sun protection claimed on the packaging.
While shoppers should avoid buying our Don’t Buys, our results prove that there’s no need to splash out to keep you and your loved ones safe in the sun as we’ve found cheap reliable options at Aldi and Lidl.”
A spokesperson from Ultrasun told Which? it was fully confident in its testing protocols and that its detailed testing processes continued to not only meet, but surpass industry standards.
It stated that its chosen testing protocol is one of the strictest available. Morrisons told Which? that it’s looking closely at the data and working with its supplier to carry out additional independent testing.
Aldi’s Lacura Sensitive Sun Lotion SPF50+ costs just £2.99 for 200ml
Full list
‘Don’t Buys’
Morrisons Moisturising Sun Spray SPF30, £3.75/200ml
Ultrasun Family SPF30, £28/150ml
Passes
SPF30 sunscreens
Boots Soltan Protect & Moisturise Suncare Lotion, £5.50/200ml
Boots Soltan Protect & Moisturise Suncare Spray SPF30, £5.50/200ml
Nivea Sun Protect & Moisture Lotion SPF30, £7.90/200ml
Lidl Cien Sun Protect Spray SPF30 High, £3.79/200ml
Sainsbury’s Sun Protect Moisturising Lotion SPF30, £5.50/200ml
Superdrug Solait Sun Spray SPF30, £5.50/200ml
SPF50/50+ sunscreens
Garnier Ambre Solaire Sensitive Advanced Sun Spray SPF 50+, £11/150ml
Sainsbury’s Sun ProtectMoisturising Spray Lotion SPF50+, £5.75/200ml
Aldi Lacura Sensitive Sun Lotion SPF50+, £2.99/200ml
Boots Soltan Protect & Moisturise Suncare Lotion SPF50+, £5.50/200ml
Nivea Sun Protect & Moisture Spray SPF50+, £7.90/200ml
SPF50/50+ kids sunscreens
Childs Farm Sun Cream Fragrance-Free SPF50+, £12/200ml
Soltan Kids Protect & Moisturise Lotion SPF50+, £5.50/200ml
Russian President Vladimir Putin says Israel has given assurances about the safety of its personnel at Iran’s Russian-built nuclear power plant in Bushehr. Russia and Iran have been working on the joint project for three decades. He made the comments at a meeting with foreign press.
WASHINGTON — President Trump has fired a Democratic commissioner for the federal agency that oversees nuclear safety as he continues to assert more control over independent regulatory agencies.
Christopher Hanson, a former chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, said in a statement Monday that Trump terminated his position as NRC commissioner without cause, “contrary to existing law and longstanding precedent regarding removal of independent agency appointees.”
The firing of Hanson comes as Trump seeks to take authority away from the independent safety agency, which has regulated the U.S. nuclear industry for five decades. Trump signed executive orders in May intended to quadruple domestic production of nuclear power within the next 25 years, a goal experts say the United States is highly unlikely to reach. To speed up the development of nuclear power, the orders grant the U.S. Energy secretary authority to approve some advanced reactor designs and projects.
White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said in an emailed statement that “all organizations are more effective when leaders are rowing in the same direction” and that the Republican president reserves the right to “remove employees within his own executive branch.”
Trump fired two of the three Democratic commissioners at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, an independent federal agency responsible for enforcing federal laws that prohibit discrimination in the workplace. In a similar move, two National Labor Relations Board members were fired. Willie Phillips, a Democratic member and former chairman of the independent Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, stepped down in April, telling reporters that the White House asked him to do so.
Trump also signed an executive order to give the White House direct control of independent federal regulators such as the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Federal Trade Commission and the Federal Communications Commission.
New Jersey Rep. Frank Pallone, the top Democrat on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, called Hanson’s firing illegal and another attempt by Trump to undermine independent agencies and consolidate power in the White House.
“Congress explicitly created the NRC as an independent agency, insulated from the whims of any president, knowing that was the only way to ensure the health, safety and welfare of the American people,” Pallone said in a statement.
Senate Democrats also said Trump overstepped his authority. Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse, Patty Murray and Martin Heinrich said in a joint statement that “Trump’s lawlessness” threatens the commission’s ability to ensure that nuclear power plants and nuclear materials are safe and free from political interference.
Hanson was nominated to the commission by Trump in 2020. He was appointed chair by former President Biden in January 2021 and served in that role until Trump’s inauguration to a second term as president. Trump selected David Wright, a Republican member of the commission, to serve as chair. Hanson continued to serve on the NRC as a commissioner. His term was due to end in 2029.
Wright’s term expires on June 30. The White House has not said if he will be reappointed.
Edwin Lyman, director of nuclear power safety at the Union of Concerned Scientists, called Hanson a dedicated public servant and a strong supporter of the NRC’s public health and safety mission. Firing Hanson is Trump’s “latest outrageous move to undermine the independence and integrity” of the agency that protects the U.S. homeland from nuclear power plant disasters, Lyman said in a statement.
The NRC confirmed Hanson’s service ended on Friday, bringing the panel to two Democrats and two Republicans. The commission has functioned in the past with fewer than the required five commissioners and will continue to do so, the statement said.
McDermott and Daly write for the Associated Press. McDermott reported from Providence, R.I.
