starts

Projected season opening date: By Thanksgiving, if Mother Nature cooperates, or by Yule on Dec. 21 at the latest.

What makes it special: Only 45 miles from Los Angeles in the San Gabriel Mountains, Mt. Baldy has 26 runs spread over 800 acres and three mountains. It also has a respectable vertical descent of 2,100 feet with wide-open glades, tree runs, bowls, moguls, groomed runs, cornices and quarter pipes. For those who don’t ski or snowboard, Mt. Baldy also offers snow tubing.

What’s new this season: With upgrades, Lift No. 3 now features more comfortable carriers to the top of Thunder Mountain at 8,600 feet. Chair No. 4 on the west side has a new drive and control system, allowing year-round use with both uphill and downhill loading when conditions permit. Continuous improvements to snowmaking are also helping Mt. Baldy open earlier each season. The resort’s former Last Name Brewing has rebranded as Mt. Baldy Brewery.

Lift ticket prices: Mt. Baldy season passes are currently on sale through Christmas Day: adults are $549 (regularly $799), teens and seniors are $449 (regularly $639) and children under 12 are $279 (regularly $399). You can pre-purchase lift tickets online for a discount. Walk-up tickets are $129 on busy days when the mountain is in full operation.

Pro-tip: Mt. Baldy has the most steep runs in Southern California. Advanced and expert skiers and snowboarders might want to head to Chair 1 to try “Nightmare,” a 36-degree slope that maintains its drop for 1,000 vertical feet.

Scotland: Kinghorn; Graham, Hutchinson, Tuipulotu (capt) Steyn; Russell, White; Schoeman, Ashman, Rae, Gilchrist, Cummings, Brown, M Fagerson, Dempsey.

Replacements: Turner, Sutherland, Millar-Mills, Sykes, Darge, Bayliss, Dobie, Jordan.

New Zealand: Jordan; Carter, Fainga’anuku, Tupaea, Clarke; B Barrett, Roigard; Groot, Taylor, Newell, Lord, Holland, Sititi, Savea (capt), Lakai.

Replacements: Taukei’aho,  Williams, Tosi,  Darry, Kirifi, Ratima, Proctor, McKenzie.

WASHINGTON — Throwing a sandwich at a federal agent turned Sean Charles Dunn into a symbol of resistance against President Trump’s law-enforcement surge in the nation’s capital. This week, federal prosecutors are trying to persuade a jury of fellow Washington, D.C., residents that Dunn simply broke the law.

That could be a tough sell for the government in a city that has chafed against Trump’s federal takeover, which is entering its third month. A grand jury refused to indict Dunn on a felony assault count before U.S. Atty. Jeanine Pirro’s office opted to charge him instead with a misdemeanor.

Securing a trial conviction could prove to be equally challenging for Justice Department prosecutors in Washington, where murals glorifying Dunn’s sandwich toss popped up virtually overnight.

Before jury selection started Monday, the judge presiding over Dunn’s trial seemed to acknowledge how unusual it is for a case like this to be heard in federal court. U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, who was nominated to the bench by Trump, said he expects the trial to last no more than two days “because it’s the simplest case in the world.”

A video that went viral on social media captured Dunn hurling his subway-style sandwich at a Customs and Border Protection agent outside a nightclub on the night of Aug. 10. That same weekend, Trump announced his deployment of hundreds of National Guard troops and federal agents to assist with police patrols in Washington.

When Dunn approached a group of CBP agents who were in front of the club, which was hosting a “Latin Night,” he called them “fascists” and “racists” and chanted “shame” toward them. An observer’s video captured Dunn throwing a sandwich at an agent’s chest.

“Why are you here? I don’t want you in my city!” Dunn shouted, according to police.

Dunn ran away but was apprehended. He was released from custody but rearrested when a team of armed federal agents in riot gear raided his home. The White House posted a highly produced “propaganda” video of the raid on its official X account, Dunn’s lawyers said. They noted that Dunn had offered to surrender to police before the raid.

Dunn worked as an international affairs specialist in the Justice Department’s criminal division. After Dunn’s arrest, U.S. Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi announced his firing in a social media post that referred to him as “an example of the Deep State.”

Before trial, Dunn’s lawyers urged the judge to dismiss the case for what they allege is a vindictive and selective prosecution. They argued that the posts by Bondi and the White House prove Dunn was impermissibly targeted for his political speech.

Julia Gatto, one of Dunn’s lawyers, questioned why Trump’s Justice Department is prosecuting Dunn after the Republican president issued pardons and ordered the dismissal of assault cases stemming from a mob’s attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

“It’s an obvious answer,” Gatto said during a hearing last Thursday. “The answer is they have different politics. And that’s selective prosecution.”

Prosecutors countered that Dunn’s political expressions don’t make him immune from prosecution for assaulting the agent.

“The defendant is being prosecuted for the obvious reason that he was recorded throwing a sandwich at a federal officer at point-blank range,” they wrote.

Dunn is charged with assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating and interfering with a federal officer. Dozens of Trump supporters who stormed the Capitol were convicted of felonies for assaulting or interfering with police during the Jan. 6 attack. Trump pardoned or ordered the dismissal of charges for all of them.

Kunzelman writes for the Associated Press.

The Derbyshire Peak District villages of Ashopton and Derwent were lost forever when they were submerged as part of the Derwent Valley scheme to create Ladybower Reservoir

“People come up to me and say isn’t it beautiful around here. But it’s nothing to what it was. It’s all man-made now.”

Those are the words of Morris Cottrill, whose family lived in the village of Derwent before it was lost to the water.

Along with nearby Ashopton, the beautiful Peak District village of Derwent found itself deliberately subsumed on March 18, 1943, when great torrents were unleashed.

As the water level rose higher, buildings that had stood since the 17th century slowly disappeared. Once the 6,310 million gallons of water had flowed in, only the spire of Derwent’s St John and St James church could be seen above the surface.

The church had held its final service the day before the Chairman of the Derwent Valley Water Board, Alderman Sir Albert Atkey, closed the outlet valve and triggered the deluge.

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The villages had been full of life and history before their demolition. The impressive Derwent Hall dated back to 1672 and was, at one point, owned by the Duke of Norfolk. Ashopton was larger and busier than Derwent and boasted a coaching inn, a post office, shop, a chapel and a garage as well as houses and farms.

Despite the furious protests of locals, the buildings of Derwent and Ashopton were purchased compulsorily by the Derwent Valley Water Board between 1935 and 1945. The villagers were moved out and rehoused in an estate at Yorkshire Bridge, in 62 houses built at a cost of £65,758.

“The last church service must have been incredibly sad,” said Kathleen Greenan, Chair of Bamford History Group. “Those villagers gave up a whole way of life. Most of them were rehoused in an estate. Everything must have been completely different for them – they would have been self-sufficient until then.”

Before the water swept over the villages many of the buildings were demolished and bodies were exhumed from the churchyards.

The one remaining visible monument to the lost villages, the spire, was demolished in 1947 over safety concerns. Too many people had been risking their lives by swimming out to the strange shape in the water.

Several years after the Ladybower Reservoir began providing water to the people of the Peak District, the River Noe was diverted into it to meet the rising demands of the thirsty locals, further subsuming Derwent and Ashopton.

Despite this, the villages have been seen again. In fact, they are reappearing with increased regularity.

During periods of drought, when the water level falls, the crumbled remains of the villages can once again be seen.

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The remarkably depleted water levels in 2018 attracted a record-breaking number of visitors down onto the reservoir beds and to the ruins.

Charles Hanson, proprietor of Hansons Auctioneers who sold a collection of postcards taken in the village in the 1930s, said: “It’s hard to believe in today’s world, where conservation is so important, that the government would allow a fine 17th century hall, a Victorian steepled church built on the site of a 14th century chapel, a toll cottage, a Georgian coaching inn and two picturesque villages full of cottages to be submerged under water.

“The history books tell us that there was strong opposition to the move but the authorities insisted more water was needed to serve Derby, Nottingham, Leicester and Sheffield. Consequently, construction of the dam got underway in 1901.

“How would people feel today if the Government passed an Act of Parliament to put their home under a reservoir?”

As well as the prospect of spying Derbyshire’s answer to Atlantis, tourists are drawn to Ladybower by another intriguing feature.

A giant ‘plughole’ sits at the southern end of the dam. Two fishermen recently caused a stir when they were filmed sailing perilously close to the hole, which sucks water down in a great vortex.

While people joked online that it provides a direct route to Australia, Severn Trent Water, which owns the reservoir, did not see the funny side of the near miss with the spillways.

“If somebody fell in, they would very seriously hurt themselves,” a spokeswoman said. “They would also find themselves stuck because access to the river has a grille, so they would need a professional rescue team to get them out.”

WASHINGTON — The White House started tearing down part of the East Wing, the traditional base of operations for the first lady, to build President Trump’s $250-million ballroom despite lacking approval for construction from the federal agency that oversees such projects.

Dramatic photos of the demolition work that began Monday showed construction equipment tearing into the East Wing façade and windows and other building parts in tatters on the ground. Some reporters watched from a park near the Treasury Department, which is next to the East Wing.

On Wednesday, the New York Times reported that the plan now called for the demolition of the entire East Wing and that the tear-down should be completed by Sunday. Citing a source, The Times said it marks an escalation over earlier plans for the ballroom.

Trump announced the start of construction in a social media post and referenced the work while hosting 2025 college baseball champs Louisiana State University and LSU-Shreveport in the East Room. He noted the work was happening “right behind us.”

“We have a lot of construction going on, which you might hear periodically,” he said, adding, “It just started today.”

The White House has moved ahead with the massive construction project despite not yet having sign-off from the National Capital Planning Commission, which approves construction work and major renovations to government buildings in the Washington area.

Its chairman, Will Scharf, who is also the White House staff secretary and one of Trump’s top aides, said at the commission’s September meeting that the agency does not have jurisdiction over demolition or site preparation work for buildings on federal property.

“What we deal with is essentially construction, vertical build,” Scharf said last month.

It was unclear whether the White House had submitted the ballroom plans for the agency’s review and approval. The White House did not respond to a request for comment and the commission’s offices are closed because of the government shutdown.

The Republican president had said in July when the project was announced that the ballroom would not interfere with the mansion itself.

“It’ll be near it but not touching it and pays total respect to the existing building, which I’m the biggest fan of,” he said of the White House.

The East Wing houses several offices, including those of the first lady. It was built in 1902 and and has been renovated over the years, with a second story added in 1942, according to the White House.

Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said those East Wing offices will be temporarily relocated during construction and that wing of the building will be modernized and renovated.

“Nothing will be torn down,” Leavitt said when she announced the project in July.

Trump insists that presidents have desired such a ballroom for 150 years and that he’s adding the massive 90,000-square-foot, glass-walled space because the East Room, which is the largest room in the White House with an approximately 200-person capacity, is too small. He also has said he does not like the idea of hosting kings, queens, presidents and prime ministers in pavilions on the South Lawn.

Trump said in the social media announcement that the project would be completed “with zero cost to the American Taxpayer! The White House Ballroom is being privately funded by many generous Patriots, Great American Companies, and, yours truly.”

The ballroom will be the biggest structural change to the Executive Mansion since the addition in 1948 of the Truman Balcony overlooking the South Lawn, even dwarfing the residence itself.

At a dinner he hosted last week for some of the wealthy business executives who are donating money toward the construction cost, Trump said the project had grown in size and now will accommodate 999 people. The capacity was 650 seated people at the July announcement.

The White House has said it will disclose information on who has contributed money to build the ballroom, but has yet to do so.

Trump also said at last week’s event that the head of Carrier Global Corp., a leading manufacturer of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems, had offered to donate the air-conditioning system for the ballroom.

Carrier confirmed to the Associated Press on Monday that it had done so. A cost estimate was not immediately available.

“Carrier is honored to provide the new iconic ballroom at the White House with a world-class, energy-efficient HVAC system, bringing comfort to distinguished guests and dignitaries in this historic setting for years to come,” the company said in an emailed statement.

The clearing of trees on the south grounds and other site preparation work for the construction started in September. Plans call for the ballroom to be ready before Trump’s term ends in January 2029.

Superville writes for the Associated Press.

Oct. 11 (UPI) — Former President Joe Biden has begun radiation therapy, in addition to hormone therapy, to treat aggressive prostate cancer, a spokesperson has confirmed.

The radiation treatments will continue over five weeks to treat the cancer that Biden, 82, first announced in May.

“As part of a treatment plan for prostate cancer, President Biden is currently undergoing radiation therapy and hormone treatment,” a Biden spokesperson told NBC News.

When Biden announced his cancer diagnosis, it already had spread to his bones, which his doctors had been treating with hormone medication.

“The expectation is we’re going to be able to beat this,” Biden told CNN in May.

“It’s not in any organ,” Biden said, adding that the cancer hadn’t penetrated any of his bones.

Doctors diagnosed Biden’s prostate cancer after he reported having issues with his urinary system, which led to the discovery of a small nodule on the former president’s prostate, according to the BBC.

Doctors determined it was an aggressive form of cancer that is vulnerable to hormone treatment.

The cancer’s spread to Biden’s bones makes it incurable, but recent developments in chemotherapy and hormone therapies can greatly extend the life expectancy of those who are similarly afflicted, Dr. Benjamin Davies, a urologic oncology professor at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, told CNN.

Biden last month also underwent Mohs surgery to remove skin cancer lesions.

While president, Biden launched a “cancer moonshot” program to advance the ways in which cancers are diagnosed and treated.

On Thursday morning, President Donald Trump announced that the United States, working with Egypt, Turkiye and Qatar, had finally reached a ceasefire deal for Gaza. For a moment, it seemed as if Gaza’s long nightmare was coming to an end.

But the ceasefire didn’t bring peace; it only shifted the suffering into a quieter, more insidious form, where the real damage from the rubble began to settle into Gaza’s weary soul. Years of relentless shelling had built up fear and heartbreak that no outsider could erase.

During those two brutal years of bombing and near-total destruction, everyone in Gaza was focused on one thing: Staying alive. We were fighting for every minute, trying not to break down, starve, or get killed. Life became an endless loop of terror and waiting for the next strike. No one had the luxury to dream about tomorrow or even to mourn the people we’d lost. If there was any kind of shelter, and that was a big if, the goal was simply to move from one shattered refuge to another, holding on by a thread. That constant awareness that death could come at any moment turned every day into an act of survival.

Then, when the explosions finally eased, a quieter kind of pain crept in: All the grief we had buried to get through the chaos. Almost everyone had someone torn away, and those pushed-aside memories came rushing back with a force that took the breath out of us. As soon as the rockets fell quiet, another fight began inside people’s chests, one full of mourning, flashbacks and relentless mental anguish. On the surface, it looked like the war was over, but it wasn’t. It was far messier than that. Even when the shelling eased, the emotional wounds kept bleeding.

When the noise finally faded, people began to ask the questions they had forced themselves to ignore. They already knew the answers – who was gone, who would not be coming back – but saying the words out loud made it real. The silence that followed was heavier than any explosion they had survived. That silence made the truth impossible to avoid. It revealed the permanence of loss and the scale of what had vanished. There were holes everywhere, in homes, in streets, in hearts, and there was no way to fill them.

People in Gaza breathed a fragile sigh of relief when the news of a ceasefire arrived, but they knew the days ahead could hurt even more than the fighting itself. After 733 days of feeling erased from the map, the tears locked behind their eyes finally began to fall, carrying with them every ounce of buried pain. Each tear was proof of what they had endured. It was a reminder that a ceasefire does not end suffering; it only opens the door to a different kind of torment.
As the guns fell quiet, people in Gaza were left to confront the full scale of the devastation. You could see it in their faces – the shock, the fury, the grief – the weight of years under fire.

Roads that once hummed with life had fallen silent. Homes that had sheltered families were reduced to dust, and children wandered through the ruins, trying to recognise the streets they had grown up on. The whole place felt like a void that seemed to swallow everything, as bottled-up grief burst open and left everyone floundering in powerlessness. During the onslaught, the occupiers had made sure Palestinians could not even stop to mourn. But with the ceasefire came the unbearable realisation of how much had truly been lost, how ordinary life had been erased. Coming face to face with the absence of loved ones left scars that would not fade, and the tears finally came. Those tears ran down exhausted faces and broken hearts, carrying the full weight of everything remembered.

It was not only the mind that suffered. The physical and social world of Palestinians lay in ruins. When the bombing eased, people crawled out of their makeshift tents to find their homes and towns reduced to rubble. Places that had once meant comfort were gone, and streets that had once been full of life were now heaps of debris.

Families dug desperately through the rubble for traces of their old lives, for roads and signs that had vanished, for relatives still trapped beneath the debris. Amid the wreckage, the questions came: How do we rebuild from this? Where can we find any spark of hope? When an entire world has been destroyed, where does one even begin? Israel’s strategy was clear, and its results unmistakable. This was not chaos; it was a deliberate effort to turn Gaza into a wasteland. By striking hospitals, schools and water systems – the foundations of survival – the aim was to shatter what makes life itself possible. Those strikes sowed a despair that seeps into everything, fraying the bonds of community, eroding trust and forcing families to wonder whether they can endure a system built to erase them.

The destruction went deeper than bricks and bodies. The constant shadow of death, the bombs that could fall anywhere, and the psychological toll made fear feel ordinary, hope seem foolish, and society begin to unravel. Children stopped learning, money disappeared, health collapsed, and the fragile glue holding communities together came undone. Palestinians were not only struggling to survive each day; they were also fighting the slow decay of their future, a damage etched into minds and spirits that will last for generations.

When the fighting subsided, new forms of pain emerged. Surrounded by ruins and with no clear path forward, people in Gaza faced an impossible choice: Leave their homeland and risk never returning, or stay in a place without roads, schools, doctors or roofs. Either choice ensured the same outcome – the continuation of suffering by making Gaza unlivable. Endless negotiations and bureaucratic deadlocks only deepened the despair, allowing the wounds to fester even as the world spoke of “peace”.

The ceasefire may have stopped the shooting, but it ignited new battles: Restoring power and water, reopening schools, rebuilding healthcare, and trying to reclaim a sense of dignity. Yet the larger question remains: Will the world settle for symbolic aid and empty speeches, or finally commit to helping Palestinians rebuild their lives? Wars carve deep wounds, and healing them takes more than talk. It demands sustained, tangible support.

After two years under siege, Gaza is crying out for more than quiet guns. It needs courage, vision and real action to restore dignity and a sense of future. The ceasefire is not a finish line. It marks the start of a harder struggle against heartbreak, memory and pain that refuses to fade. If the world does not act decisively, Palestinian life itself could collapse. Rebuilding communities, routines and a measure of normalcy will be slow and difficult, but it has to happen if Gaza is to keep going. Outwardly, the war may have paused, but here it has only changed shape. What comes next will demand everything we have left: Endurance, stubborn hope, the will to stay standing.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance.

One travel expert has offered handy advice for all visitors to the US

Travellers to the Unites States face paying a new £185 fee from today (Wednesday, October 1) – but many Brits won’t have to fork out a penny more. The US government announced the new measure in the summer, aimed at reducing visa overstays. It came into effect today, meaning Brits – and other foreign nationals heading to the States – could have to pay up before flying across the pond.

The new charge applies to travellers from non-Visa Waiver Program nations, who need to apply for non-immigrant visas. But, as one travel expert explains, the fee won’t apply to many of us travelling to hotspots like New York or Florida.

Brenda Beltrán, a travel expert at Holafly, says that the majority of travelers from the UK will not have to pay the $250 fee. She said: “The UK is part of the U.S. Visa Waiver Program.

“That means most Brits visiting for tourism or short business trips of up to 90 days will continue to use ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) and will not face this new $250 charge.” However, there are still circumstances in which the fee does apply.

Some British visitors to the USA will still have to pay up. If they apply for certain visas that are not included in the usual ESTA route, the charge applies.

For example, the following circumstances would incur the charge:

• Student visas (F-1, M-1)
• Work visas (H-1B, L-1, O-1, etc.)
• Extended stays beyond the 90-day ESTA allowance
• Specialist visa categories for exchange, journalism, or diplomatic purposes

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Brenda added: “For the average Brit heading to New York for shopping or Florida for Disney, nothing changes. But if you’re planning to study in the U.S., take up a job, or stay longer than three months, you should budget for the new $250 cost on top of existing visa fees.”

For the vast majority of British holidaymakers, nothing changes after 1 October 2025. ESTA remains the standard route for short-term visits, and the cost is currently $21.

The introduction of the Visa Integrity Fee is primarily aimed at travellers from countries outside the Visa Waiver Program. Therefore, it is unlikely to affect UK–US tourism levels.

Brenda continued: “This update sounds alarming at first glance, but most Brits won’t notice any difference. As long as you qualify for ESTA, which nearly all UK holidaymakers do, you won’t be hit by the new charge.”

How to get the fee reimbursed

As part of the new law, the US government will reimburse certain travellers the £185 cost. The legislation allows for the Secretary of Homeland Security to pay visitors back if they prove they complied with their visa.

As long as they have not tried to extend their stay without a relevant visa and left the USA within five days of the visa expiring, visitors may be eligible. They must also not accept unauthorised employment and have lawfully changed their nonimmigrant status.

Foreign Office guidance on travelling to the United States

The UK Foreign Office has specific advice on the entry requirements to visit the US. The government guidance on ESTA states: “ESTA is an automated system that determines the eligibility of visitors to travel to the US under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP).

“You can apply for an ESTA via the Official ESTA Application Website or using the ESTA Mobile app on android or on iOS. All Visa Waiver Program (VWP) travellers intending to enter the US by land, sea and air will be required to obtain an approved ESTA prior to application for admission at land border ports of entry.

“Individuals who are not eligible to travel under the VWP may apply for a visa at any U.S. Embassy & Consulates. Travellers whose sex on their passport differs from their sex recorded at birth should contact the US Embassy or a consulate in the UK for further advice.”

Those who may not be eligible for an ESTA visa waiver include those:

• who have been arrested (even if the arrest did not result in a criminal conviction)
• with a criminal record
• who have been refused admission into, or have been deported from, the US
• who have previously overstayed under an ESTA visa waiver

Furthermore, there are a list of countries that visitors must not have been in on or after March 2011 to apply for an ESTA waiver. These are Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

You also cannot apply for an ESTA visa waiver if you travelled to or were in Cuba on or after 12 January 2021. An ESTA may not be sufficient for all types of business travel – particularly if you are travelling on behalf of a US company.

The Foreign Office says: “Please check the rules on the ESTA website carefully. If you are not eligible for an ESTA, you must instead apply for a US visa. Travelling on an ESTA when ineligible can lead to detention and deportation by the US authorities.”

Brenda’s expert tips for travelling to the US

• Apply early for ESTA: it’s valid for two years and covers multiple trips, so don’t leave it until the last minute.
• Double-check eligibility: if your circumstances don’t fit the Visa Waiver rules (e.g. long-term study or work), be prepared for the additional cost.
• Stay updated: Immigration rules evolve regularly, so always check official guidance before booking flights.

The shutdown comes as Republicans failed to reach deal with Democrats concerned by steep hikes in health insurance costs.

WILKO is now selling official Labubu dolls – but shoppers have been infuriated by the hefty price tags.

The dolls, which originate from Hong Kong, are retailing for £50 at the high street chain.

1

Customers took to social media to express their anger at the prices of the fang-toothed, fuzzy dolls.

One said on Instagram: ” The prices are horrendous.”

Another added: “Get stuffed.”

While a third said: “Disgusting prices.”

The dolls are currently available both in Wilko stores and online.

Wilko returned to UK high streets last year after announcing it would be closing all of its shops back in October 2023.

The Labubu doll was first introduced in 2015 but has soared in popularity through celebrity endorsements and its ‘ugly-cute’ design.

They are particularly popular across Southern Asia, with K-Pop performer, Lisa, sharing the fluffy doll on her Instagram story which skyrocketed the craze around the toy.

The hashtag Labubu has appeared more than a million times on TikTok.

Where else can you purchase Labubu’s

The figures are available on the Pop Mart platform but consumers have to be incredibly savvy to get them as they are often sold out.

However, if you live near London, Pop Mart’s new flagship shop has just opened on Oxford Street, which often has exclusive drops of the dolls.

These retail for £32, far less than Wilko.

The doll is also available on Amazon for much cheaper prices, although highly sought after editions can sell for upwards of three figures.

You might have more luck looking on second hand retailers such as Vinted or Depop, who often sell high quality items for half the price.

If you don’t want to purchase the item, you can even rent the dolls.

You can borrow the charms for around £4 a day on platforms such as By Rotation.

Growing number of fakes

Not only have the dolls risen to extremely high prices, there is huge number of counterfeits arriving in the UK.

Out of the 259,000 fake toys that arrived in the UK this year, 90% have been Labubu dolls.

Experts value this haul at nearly £3.3million.

Many of these toys fail safety checks for banned chemicals and pose significant choking hazards.

However, despite these safety concerns, IPO research said that 92% of customer we’re aware they we’re buying counterfeit products, but that the price was more important.

How to avoid buying fake toys

Many customers are not aware that they are buying fakes, but the IPO research found that 58% would think twice before purchasing if they knew the safety risks.

Customers should stick to there trusted retailers and official branded websites to avoid purchasing fakes.

Additionally, prices that look ‘to good to be true’ are likely to imply a fake item.

You should also look thoroughly through the reviews before purchasing, look beyond the first few.

When the toy arrives you should look for a UKCA safety mark and a UK or EU contact on the pacakaging.

The packaging should also look of high standard and not have any immediate signs of wear.

For Labubu’s particular, collectors suggest looking for signs such as brightness of the packaging, pop mart stamp on their foot, number of teeth of the dolls should have (nine) and the presence of the a QR code, to ensure the validity of the doll.