US airlines are experiencing severe delays and cancellations after the Trump administration ordered flight reductions at major airports across the country.
The order was made due to a shortage of air traffic controllers during the longest government shutdown in history.
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America is facing thousands of flight delays and cancellations due to a government shutdownCredit: Alamy
As a result, there are expected to be thousands of flight delays and cancellations at short notice.
Airlines have estimated that around 3.2million travellers will be impacted due to the government shutdown.
What has happened?
On Wednesday, the US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy ordered 10 per cent of flights to be cut, starting today, at 40 major US airports including Los Angeles, New York and Chicago.
Yesterday, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revised this plan and said that airlines must cut four per cent of domestic flights starting at 6am today through to Monday.
This will then rise to a 10 per cent cut by November 14.
It comes after the US government shut down on October 1 after the Republicans and Democrats could not agree to pass a bill on funding government services.
Air traffic controllers are employed by the FAA, which is part of the US government and as a result is one of the services impacted, with controllers expected to work without pay.
For American Airlines, this means 220 flights cancelled each day from today through to Monday.
Delta Air Lines announced that it would be cancelling 170 US flights due to fly today.
United Airlines then confirmed that it would have less than 200 daily flight cancellations.
During the government shutdown, 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 security screeners have been forced to work without pay.
Before the shutdown, the FAA was already approximately 3,500 air traffic controllers short.
So what does this mean for British travellers?
The delays and cancellations aren’t impacting international flights, meaning for Brits travelling from the UK to America or vice-versa, they will not be impacted.
However there will be issues for Brits catching flights within America, including connecting flights.
For example, you could be on holiday in New York and decide to go to Boston – well, in this case your flight might be delayed or cancelled.
In addition, due to internal flights being delayed or cancelled, there may be reduced or congested service when flights land in America.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has warned: “There could be travel disruptions, including flight delays and longer queue times at some airports, due to the current US federal government shutdown.
Though international flights are not impacted, Brits could still face delays or cancalletionsCredit: AFP
“Check for messaging from your travel provider or airline and follow their guidance.
“There may also be restrictions on access to some federally-managed tourist attractions.
“Please check the relevant websites in advance.”
What should you do if you are in America and due to get an internal flight?
The Sun’s Head of Travel, Lisa Minot said: “Scenes of travel chaos as the US government shutdown enters its 38th day are always going to be a concern to travellers.
“While most flights to the United States with our traditional carriers are running ok at the moment, British passengers who have connecting flights in the States are right to worry they could be impacted.
“If the longest shutdown in US history continues, Brits should brace themselves for delays and longer queue times at airports across the country.
“But your passenger rights are very different depending on where you are flying to or from – and on which airline.
Internal flights are impacted, meaning Brits travelling within America could have their flight delayed or cancelledCredit: Alamy
“If a flight from the UK to the US is delayed or cancelled, passengers should be flown to their destination as quickly as possible.
“If the delays are significant, your airline has a duty of care and should be providing you with food and drink and if necessary, overnight accommodation.
“If you are flying back to the UK on a British or European airline, the same rights apply.
“But, take a note of exactly WHO you are flying with.
“Some tickets bought from the likes of British Airways may be code-sharing flights with their partner American Airlines, the same applies for those who have bought Virgin Atlantic flights if the plane they are travelling on is owned by Delta, their code-share partner.
“If you are flying on an American or Delta plane and there are significant delays or cancellations, the same passenger rights do NOT apply.
“The best advice is to check exactly who you are flying with and make sure you check with your airline regularly in the run up to your flight.”
Out of sheer darkness, the Batman logo was emblazoned across the 86-foot-wide screen and dazzled my young eyes.
From Hollywood, I was instantly whisked away to Gotham City. The iconic DC comic book came to life and the booming thuds of the Caped Crusader smashing a pair of common thieves was real.
These were my first vivid memories of watching a movie in the larger-than-life Cinerama Dome on Sunset Boulevard, and being amazed by the screen’s size and the sense of being transported into another galaxy.
But the dome is magical on the outside, as well as the inside. The concrete geodesic dome is made up of 316 individual hexagonal and pentagonal shapes in 16 sizes. Like Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, it’s a structure that has become a Hollywood landmark.
The Dome represented a special place for me, until it became just another of the dozens of businesses in L.A. that never returned after pandemic closures in 2020.
Ever since, there have been rumblings that the Dome would eventually reopen. Although nothing is definitive, my colleague Tracy Brown offered a bit of hope in a recent article.
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Dome Center LLC, the company that owns the property along Sunset Boulevard near Vine Street, filed an application Oct. 28 for a conditional-use permit to sell alcohol for on-site consumption at the Cinerama Dome Theater and adjoining multiplex. The application doesn’t mention an reopening date or any details about movie screenings returning to the dome but suggests that a reopening may be in the works.
Elizabeth Peterson-Gower of Place Weavers Inc., said Dome Center is seeking a new permit that would “allow for the continued sale and dispensing of a full line of alcoholic beverages for on-site consumption in conjunction with the existing Cinerama Dome Theater, 14 auditoriums within the Arclight Cinemas Theater Complex, and restaurant/cafe with two outdoor dining terraces from 7:00 am – 4:00 am, daily,” according to the application filed by the company’s representative.
This would would be a renewal of the current 10-year permit, which expires Nov. 5.
The findings document filed with the City Planning Department also mentions that “when the theater reopens, it will bring additional jobs to Hollywood and reactivate the adjacent streets, increasing safety and once again bringing vibrancy to the surrounding area.”
A representative for Dome Center LLC did not respond immediately Friday to a request for comment.
What happened to the Dome?
The Cinerama Dome opened in 1963 and had been closed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
Since the closing, the news about the future of the theater has been ambiguous.
In 2022, news that the property owners obtained a liquor license for the renamed “Cinerama Hollywood” fueled hope among the L.A. film-loving community’s that the venue was still on track to return.
But the Cinerama Dome’s doors have remained closed.
Signs of life
At a public hearing regarding the adjacent Blue Note Jazz Club in June, Peterson-Gower reportedly indicated that although there were not yet any definitive plans, the property owners had reached out to her to next discuss the future of the Cinerama Dome.
Perhaps this new permit application is a sign plans are finally coming together.
After the kind of year Los Angeles has endured — with devastating fires and demoralizing immigration raids — it would certainly bolster the spirits of all Angelenos to have another local landmark reopen its doors to welcome movie-loving patrons like me.
Today’s top stories
California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks as he stands with First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom during an election night news conference at a Democratic Party office in Sacramento on Nov. 4, 2025.
(Godofredo A. Vásquez / Associated Press)
Voters approve Prop. 50
After World Series celebration, ICE and Border Patrol gather at Dodger Stadium once again
Dozens of federal immigration agents were seen staging in a Dodger Stadium parking lot Tuesday morning, a day after the team returned home to celebrate its back-to-back championships with thousands of Angelenos.
Videos shared with The Times and on TikTok show agents in unmarked vehicles, donning green vests and equipped with white zip ties in parking lot 13.
Five months ago, protests erupted outside the stadium gates when federal immigration used the parking lot as a processing site for people who had been arrested in a nearby immigration raid.
Sen. Alex Padilla says he won’t run for California governor
“It is with a full heart and even more commitment than ever that I am choosing to not run for governor of California next year,” Padilla told reporters outside his Senate office in Washington.
Padilla instead said he will focus on countering President Trump’s agenda in Congress, where Democrats are currently in the minority in both the House and Senate, but hope to regain some political clout after the 2026 midterm elections.
What else is going on
Commentary and opinions
This morning’s must-read
For your downtime
A view of landscaping at the home of Susan Gottleib and her Gottleib Native Garden in Beverly Hills.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Going out
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A question for you: What’s the best hiking trail in SoCal?
Alexandra writes: “Sullivan Canyon, for sure.”
Rochelle writes: “Can’t ever go wrong in Griffith Park, but for overall exercise, killer views, artifacts, and entertainment without wearing yourself out, my hiking partner and I like the Solstice Canyon Loop in Malibu, 3.4 miles. The most popular hike in the canyon, for good reason!”
Email us at [email protected], and your response might appear in the newsletter this week.
And finally … your photo of the day
Joe Rinaudo hopes to host tours and educational opportunities at his home theater and museum through a nonprofit group dedicated to preserving photoplayers.
Have a great day, from the Essential California team
Jim Rainey, staff reporter Hugo Martín, assistant editor, fast break desk Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor Andrew Campa, Sunday writer Karim Doumar, head of newsletters
The secretary-general of the United Nations has described the latest wave of atrocities reportedly committed by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in Sudan’s city of el-Fasher as “a nightmare of violence and a horrifying crisis”.
Thousands of people are believed to have been killed, and many more displaced, after the paramilitary group took over the army headquarters and other key installations in el-Fasher last month.
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The United States says that Sudan’s warring sides have agreed, in principle, to work towards a three-month humanitarian truce.
But with violence spreading to other areas beyond North Darfur, can Washington’s plan succeed?
Presenter:
Adrian Finighan
Guests:
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Mathilde Vu – advocacy manager for Sudan, Norwegian Refugee Council
Susan Page – former assistant of the US special envoy for Sudan
More than 70,000 people ordered to leave their homes as forecasters warn of torrential rains, strong winds and storm surges.
Published On 3 Nov 20253 Nov 2025
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Thousands of people have been ordered to evacuate from coastal areas in the eastern Philippines before Typhoon Kalmaegi’s expected landfall.
Forecasters have warned of torrential rains, storm surges of up to 3 metres (10ft) and wind gusts of up to 150km/h (93mph) as the centre of the storm was expected to come ashore on Monday.
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More than 70,000 people in the coastal towns of Guiuan and Salcedo on Samar Island and Mercedes in Camarines Norte province were ordered to move to evacuation centres or buildings certified as sturdy enough to withstand the impact of the typhoon. Authorities also prohibited fishermen from venturing out to sea in the east-central region.
The storm is predicted to make landfall in either Guiuan or nearby municipalities.
Guiuan is no stranger to typhoons. It was badly hit in November 2013 when one of the most powerful tropical cyclones on record smashed into the Philippines. The storm left more than 7,300 people dead or missing and displaced over four million people.
Human-driven climate change
Kalmaegi is forecast to travel westwards overnight before hitting central island provinces on Tuesday. This includes Cebu, which is still recovering from a magnitude 6.9 earthquake in September.
The Philippines is battered by about 20 typhoons and storms annually, and scientists are warning that they are becoming more powerful due to human-driven climate change.
The archipelago was hit by two major storms in September, including Super Typhoon Ragasa, which toppled trees, tore the roofs off buildings and killed 14 people in neighbouring Taiwan.
The Philippines is also regularly shaken by earthquakes and has more than a dozen active volcanoes, making it one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries.
Tens of thousands of people in Sudan have fled el-Fasher and the advance of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in the Darfur region. Al Jazeera’s Hiba Morgan reports from a camp for displaced civilians in the neighbouring Northern State where people are in desperate need of assistance.
In Mexico and parts of Central America, Día de los Muertos is regarded as a day to commemorate and celebrate departed family and friends.
For generations, Greater Southern California has joined the tradition with altars, Aztec dances and displays of marigolds in late October to early November. The day to honor the dead also has served as a day of gathering among the living.
However, some celebrations are being reconsidered because of fears that participants may get caught in deportation raids executed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
This week the Department of Homeland Security announced it had deported more than half a million undocumented people since the Trump Administration took over in January. More than 2 million people have left the nation overall, the department said.
With raids continuing, some organizers of this weekend’s Día de los Muertos events are moving ahead with celebrations, while others have canceled them.
Times reporters spoke with event organizers to learn what they’re doing differently.
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The event was canceled at the request of City Councilmember Mary Zendejas “out of an abundance of caution,” according to city spokesperson Kevin Lee, because it’s “a large and very public outdoor event.” Officials were not aware of any targeted federal enforcement activity.
“This decision did not come lightly,” Zendejas and the city said in statements. The decision addresses “genuine fears raised by community members, especially those who may face the possibility of sudden and indiscriminate federal enforcement actions that undermine the sense of security necessary to participate fully in public life.”
Roberto Carlos Lemus, a marketer who brought food trucks and other vendors to the festival last year, called the cancellation “very sad.”
“Everyone’s very sad about the situation. Día de los Muertos has been one of the largest celebrations for a very long time, and the city has done a great job putting it on,” Lemus told The Times. “Unfortunately, with Latinos being kidnapped and attacked by ICE and the current administration, I do understand why they made the decision that they made.”
Others are not letting the immigration raids interfere with the celebration.
Last year, tens of thousands of visitors patronized Division 9 Gallery’s Day of the Dead celebration in downtown Riverside. This year’s free two-day event will feature Aztec dancers, a pageant, processions, Lucha Libre wrestlers and altars — the traditional stands along with ofrendras placed inside classic cars — on Saturday and Sunday.
The event, located on Market Street between University Avenue and 14th Street, continues to grow in popularity, organizer Cosmé Cordova said.
Cordova said he’s not sure if there will be 60 altars, as was the case last year, or if 45,000 people will attend Saturday, the most popular of the two days.
“Because of what’s going on, people are afraid,” he said. “But we’re not canceling.”
Cordova said he’s hired security and noted that Riverside police and the mayor will be present.
“We’re working with the city and others to make sure everything is going to be good,” Cordova said. “This is an event that the community comes out for and I’m not concerned about anyone breaking it up.”
The week’s biggest stories
Gladstone’s Malibu, an iconic dining landmark, pictured partially smoking from the Palisades Fire on Jan. 8, 2025.
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For your weekend
(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
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Have a great weekend, from the Essential California team
Jim Rainey, staff writer Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor Andrew J. Campa, reporter Hugo Martín, assistant editor Karim Doumar, head of newsletters
The airline has advised that even if you lost your phone or the battery dies at the airport, you will still be able to travel as long as you have checked in.
The gate agent will instead be able to assist and print one.
Airports will still have desks for checking in.
Some destinations such as Morocco still require a printed boarding pass, so passengers will have to show their digital boarding pass and will then be able to get a printed version at the airport.
Anyone who doesn’t check in before their flight will have to pay a check in fee at the airport.
The scrapping of boarding passes was initially planned for May, but this was then delayed to November 3, then to November 12.
Ryanair CMO Dara Brady said at the time: “This move to 100 per cent paperless boarding passes from November 2025 will allow us to deliver an enhanced travel experience for customers, streamlined through the myRyanair app during our less busy Winter schedule.”
It’s not the only big change that the budget airline recently rolled out.
Disclaimer: Today’s papers carry spoilers for The Celebrity Traitors
Many of the papers continue to look ahead to next month’s Budget. The Daily Telegraph reports that Chancellor Rachel Reeves is considering a 2p increase to income tax – which would be the first hike to the basic rate since the 1970s. The Telegraph also notes that some 100,000 young men have fled fighting in Ukraine after President Volodymyr Zelensky eased departure rules.
The i paper says Starmer has paved the way for “manifesto-breaking” tax increases, which it describes as a “political gamble to find cash to boost growth”. The i also features news from the Caribbean, with testimonies from British tourists trapped by Hurricane Melissa.
Reeves is the story on the front page of the Daily Mail as well – this time on her admission that she broke housing rules by unlawfully renting out her family home without a licence. The chancellor has apologised and the prime minister said he was happy the “matter can be drawn to a close”. But the Mail says Reeves is facing a “crisis”.
The Times carries the story of a potentially life-saving trial which has found that early screening for prostate cancer could save thousands of people each year. A study with 162,000 men saw deaths reduced by 13% by catching the disease early. A photo of King Charles III and Queen Camilla at a Hindu temple in London also makes the front page.
Five victims of grooming gangs are accusing Reform UK leader Nigel Farage of “degrading” remarks over their abuse, the Guardian reports. Farage had suggested they were not victims of grooming gangs but instead other types of child sexual abuse. A picture from Cuba also makes the front page, after Hurricane Melissa hit the Caribbean island.
The Independent shares pictures of the disaster area left by Melissa in Jamaica. The paper also carries an exclusive interview with Justice Secretary David Lammy who says he was “spat on for being black” but believes the UK is not a racist country. Lammy has also launched what the paper describes as a “deeply personal attack” on Reform UK for “pitting neighbour against neighbour, feeding fear and fuelling outrage”.
The Financial Times leads with an investigation into Indian steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal who it says has bought almost $280m of Russian oil transported on sanctions-listed vessels in a joint energy venture. In the US, the Federal Reserve has cut rates by a quarter point. The FT says this “signals the end to quantitative tightening”.
Metro leads with news migrant sex offender Hadush Kebatu, whose crimes sparked protests outside an asylum hotel in Essex this summer, was paid £500 after he threatened to disrupt his deportation to Ethiopia. Kebatu was convicted of sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl and a woman, but was mistakenly released from prison before being rearrested on Sunday.
The Conservatives have described the payment to Kebatu as a “farce”, the Daily Express reports. The paper also highlights party leader Kemi Badenoch’s attacks on the reported plan to increase income tax.
The Daily Mirror leads with a parliamentary committee demanding answers over Prince Andrew’s lease of Royal Lodge. The paper also carries a spoiler for hit murder mystery TV show, The Celebrity Traitors.
The Sun leads with that spoiler: “Wossy” – aka Jonathan Ross – has been “whacked” is its headline. It celebrates the cast’s discovery of the traitor with “they’ve finally got one”, labelling them “witless wallies” for taking so long to discover his identity.
And the Daily Star highlights its campaign for charities set up for the late boxer Ricky Hatton, praising its readers for helping them to hit target.
Holly’s famous friends have rallied around her family following her sister Darci’s deathCredit: Getty ImagesHeartbroken Holly shared the tragic news last weekCredit: InstagramFriends including Sophie and Charlotte have donated to help Holly and her familyCredit: Instagram
Now her famous friends have rallied around the family during the incredibly difficult time, The Sun can reveal.
An insider said: “Holly Hagan’s famous pals have donated thousands of pounds to help pay for her tragic sister’s funeral and memorial, and allow them some breathing space from work.
“Charlotte Crosby and her partner Jake Ankers have donated £2,000, Sophie Kasaei has given £1,000, Adam Frisby £1,000 and Gaz Beadle and Nathan Henry gave £500 each.”
“The last four days have been something I hope no family ever has to go through.
“We are traumatised in every sense of the word.
“One day we will share Darci’s story. But for now I please ask that you do respect our privacy and allow us to process what has happened.
“To the incredible ambulance crew, and everyone at Manchester Royal Infirmary A&E and ICU, thank you so much for giving my sister the absolute best chance.
“Because of you all we have had the opportunity to hold her hand, stroke her hair and feel her heart beating for the last time.
“We will forever be grateful for the way you have looked after her and us throughout this unimaginable process.”
Holly added: “Right now my job is to support my family in any way that I can to ensure they don’t have to worry about work/finances.
“Any posts you see this month are pre-recorded and scheduled ahead of time. I will be continuing to work, so they do not have to.”
The TV star then reflected on her late sister and recalled some of the fondest memories they shared together.
Holly continued: “Darci is so beautiful and she genuinely didn’t even realise it.
“I always told her she’d look better without the huge spider lashes but we all know what a hypocrite I was being since I wore nine pairs at her age!
“She lived in Darci world, forgetting to turn lights off, didn’t know how to lock doors after coming in from a night out, leaving the freezer open so my mam came down to a puddle of defrosted food.
“She was the best aunty, Alpha-Jax adored her. She spent his whole birthday on the bouncy castle with AJ and Alba, and that’s a memory I’ll cherish forever.”
EASYJET is turning thousands of old crew outfits into school uniforms to support families struggling with rising costs.
The airline partnered with Luton-based charity Level Trust, which works across 75 local schools, providing uniforms to support the estimated 45 per cent of children living in poverty in the town.
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Children from a school in Luton with the donated uniformsOld airline uniforms will be upcycled into school uniforms
Their initiative is aiming for pilots and cabin crew to donate 100 per cent of their retired outfits – which will be recycled into shirts, skirts, blazers, jackets and trousers.
The garments will then be available for older year students through the charity’s Uniform Exchange.
It comes as 58 per cent of 2,000 parents polled said they feel the pressure of the rising costs of school uniforms.
An average of £256 a year is forked out on school uniform items for just one child, totalling over £3,072 across 12 years in education.
With over a third of parents (34 per cent) sacrificing household essentials to keep up with the costs of school uniforms.
Nearly one in five (19 per cent) have used overdrafts and credit cards to afford school uniforms, as 53 per cent reported having to purchase new items before even the end of the first term alone.
Michael Brown, director of cabin services for easyJet, which is launching a crew uniform refresh on 10th November, said: “We’re proud to launch the uniform recycling programme – our aim for this first phase is both to support parents who are facing financial hardships as well as reduce our textile waste.
“Our crew uniforms have always represented care, professionalism and unity, and we’re honoured they’ll carry those same values into classrooms to empower the next generation.”
It emerged 76 per cent would like to see more government-backed community initiatives, like the uniform exchange, to help families.
Two-thirds of parents (66 per cent) say they would consider second-hand or upcycled uniforms in order to save money.
And a further 93 per cent of parents would also favour increased flexibility when it comes to school uniforms.
With 80 per cent of parents agreeing they would like to see more businesses repurposing retired materials such as uniforms into items to support local communities.
And 85 per cent would be likely to use cheaper or free school uniforms made from upcycled materials.
The research also found that 76 per cent of British parents would like to see more government backed community initiatives like the Level Trust’s uniform exchange rolled out on a national scale.
Jennie White from the charity the Level Trust, added: “We have seen a significant rise in requests for school uniforms, highlighting the challenges many families are facing.
“easyJet’s donation of surplus uniforms is a crucial step in addressing these needs as this initiative not only helps alleviate the financial strain on parents but also ensures that children have the necessary attire to feel confident and focused at school.”
The campaign launches in Luton, home to easyJet’s headquartersAround 58 per cent of parents say they feel the pressure of the rising costs of school uniforms
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It is not yet clear how many passengers have been affected
A massive airline system failure has left thousands of travellers facing lengthy delays. Alaska Airlines called for a temporary ground stop early on Friday morning (October 24) which resulted in at least 229 flights being axed.
The number of passengers – including Britons – who may have been delayed or impacted remains unclear. Horizon Air, a subsidiary of Alaska Airlines, was also hit by the disruption. Flight operations have now resumed.
The carrier emphasised that safety was never compromised during the breakdown, which stemmed from a malfunction at the airline’s primary data centre. Matas Cenys, head of product at Saily, explained that even small technical faults can paralyse vital processes, creating chaos for travellers.
They explained: “Airlines today operate on highly interconnected digital systems. When one system fails, the effects can spread across the entire network, grounding flights and disrupting operations. This is why Alaska Airlines’ recent outage, while labeled a ‘technical error’, caused widespread cancellations and delays. Even minor glitches can freeze critical processes because redundancy systems are not always perfect.
“Airlines’ digital systems are like a row of dominoes. Each system – scheduling, crew assignments, baggage, gates – depends on the one before it. If a single one falls, even from something small, like a database error, it can trigger a chain reaction that stops the whole operation. Most passengers never see these links, but that’s how flights keep running on time.
“There’s also a cybersecurity overlap. Even when outages are accidental, system downtime can create potential opportunities for attackers to exploit vulnerabilities. During a disruption, normal safeguards and monitoring may be reduced or delayed, allowing malicious actors to target systems before defences are fully restored.
“Travel runs on trust that systems will work, flights will depart, and bags will arrive. Every outage chips away that confidence. Rebuilding it will require transparency and visible investment in resilience.
“Every outage has a huge human cost. Travelers get stranded in airports, tired and nervous, and airport workers have to operate under stress trying to manage the chaos. This incident should serve as a reminder to the entire travel and tech industry to reassess and reinforce their IT systems.”
Tom Hanks is one of several celebrities who have fallen for the charm of Muskoka in Ontario, Canada, a region filled with thousands of lakes and tens of thousands of craggy islands
Muskoka is towards Canada’s east coast so is around an eight hour flight from London(Image: Getty)
When you consider Hollywood getaways, you might envision classic destinations like Italy’s Portofino, Monte Carlo, or the Hamptons, but Tom Hanks appears to have discovered the ideal spot for a tranquil retreat, well away from bustling beaches and heaving resorts.
Boasting thousands of lakes and countless rugged islands, the relatively unknown Muskoka region in Ontario, Canada, has attracted the star for serene and scenic breaks before the masses discover it.
It’s a realm of tranquil azure waters, small wooded islets, and timber boathouses that feels worlds apart from Hollywood and mirrors the Lake District but amplified, minus the coach parties and with far superior weather.
Merely two hours from Toronto, Muskoka spans an enormous area of central Ontario, peppered with over 1,500 lakes and encircled by coniferous woodlands.
It’s frequently dubbed “the Hamptons of the North”, owing to its blend of wilderness splendour and waterside opulence, reports the Express.
The ambience here is considerably more relaxed than what you’d experience in that exclusive New Jersey enclave.
You’re far more apt to spot families paddling canoes or toasting marshmallows beside a bonfire than moored, ostentatious vessels with champagne flowing.
Tom Hanks is amongst numerous celebrities who’ve been captivated by the region’s allure.
Sources claim he owns a home on Lake Muskoka itself, one of the area’s most renowned locations, where he spends considerable time between shoots. Muskoka, a tranquil region in Canada, is rumoured to be the summer retreat of choice for many celebrities, including Harry Styles, the Beckhams, Justin Bieber, and even Steven Spielberg, all seeking respite from their hectic lives.
The area is defined by three main lakes: Lake Muskoka, Lake Rosseau, and Lake Joseph, each with its own unique charm. Lake Rosseau is renowned for its elegant cottages and grand holiday homes, while Lake Muskoka offers a more laid-back vibe, ideal for canoeing, paddleboarding or simply watching the sunset from the dock.
For those who love the great outdoors, Muskoka is a dream come true. Walking trails line the banks of the lakes, and there are plenty of places to rent a canoe or mountain bike.
With nearly 30,000 little islands scattered across the region, you can easily spend a day exploring and feel like you’ve truly escaped.
Despite its current status as a hidden gem, Muskoka has been a celebrity favourite for over a century. The iconic Bigwin Resort hosted big names such as Clark Gable and Ernest Hemingway back in the 1930s.
Steve Haid, a luxury waterfront estate agent, perfectly encapsulated the allure of Muskoka when he told Forbes: “To describe Muskoka is like trying to put into words a beautiful dream you just had.
“It’s best that you experience it rather than hear about it; beautiful lakes, unique boat houses, and a variety of cottage-style lake houses from different eras, it’s something out of a storybook really.”
It was one of those performances that will be spoken about for years.
Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani delivered a night for the ages in the Dodgers’ 5-1 win over the Milwaukee Brewers in the clinching fourth game of the National League Championship Series on Friday night.
After slumping throughout the postseason, the Japanese sensation hit three home runs and pitched six shutout innings with 10 strikeouts at Chavez Ravine to advance the Dodgers to the World Series.
Yes, the Dodgers are advancing to their second-straight World Series, where they’ll face either the Seattle Mariners or Toronto Blue Jays, beginning Friday.
They will attempt to become the first Major League Baseball team to win consecutive crowns since the New York Yankees’ threepeat from 1998 to 2000.
However, the night became a celebration of Ohtani, as documented by my sports colleagues.
Let’s take a look at some of what made Friday such a magical evening.
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Los Angeles, can you understand the singular greatness that plays here? Fall Classic, are you ready for another dose of Sho-time?
Ohtani and the Dodgers are back on baseball’s grandest stage, arguably the best player in baseball history concocting arguably the best single-game performance in postseason history.
The final score was 5-1, but, really, it was over at 1-0, Ohtani’s thunderous leadoff homer after his thundering three strikeouts igniting a dancing Dodger Stadium crowd and squelching the Brewers before the first inning was even 10 minutes old.
How far did that first home-run actually travel? Back, back, back into forever, it was the first leadoff homer by a pitcher in baseball history, regular season or postseason, a feat unmatched by even the legendary Babe Ruth.
The unicorn Ohtani basically created the same wizardry again in the fourth inning and added a third longball in the seventh in carrying the Dodgers to their second consecutive World Series and fifth in nine years while further cementing their status as one of baseball’s historic dynasties.
Ohtani took one of the best rounds of batting practice anyone in attendance had seen, getting into the real work of trying to fix a swing that had abandoned him for much of this postseason.
In 32 swings, Ohtani hit 14 home runs. Many of them were moonshots. One even clanged off the roof of the right-field pavilion.
Over his previous seven games, going back to the start of the NL Division Series, he had two hits in 25 at-bats.
He had recorded 12 strikeouts and plenty more puzzling swing decisions. And he seemed, at least in the estimation of some around the team, unusually perturbed as public criticisms of his play started to mount.
Then, two days later, a tour de force performance that will be talked about forever.
“He woke up this morning with people questioning him,” said Andrew Friedman, Dodgers president of baseball operations, during an alcohol-soaked celebration in the clubhouse afterward. “And 12 hours later, he’s standing on the podium as the NLCS MVP.”
Up next for the Dodgers is the World Series and perhaps some more Ohtani magic.
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Crowds packed the US capital on Saturday, part of nationwide ‘No Kings’ protests against President Donald Trump’s policies on immigration, education, and security. Al Jazeera’s Shihab Rattansi reports from the scene.
More than 2,600 rallies are planned in cities large and small, organised by hundreds of coalition partners.
Protesters have gathered in several United States cities for “No Kings” demonstrations against President Donald Trump’s policies on immigration, education and security, with organisers saying they expect more than 2,600 events across the country.
Saturday’s rally is the third mass mobilisation since Trump’s return to the White House and comes against the backdrop of a government shutdown that not only has closed federal programmes and services, but is testing the core balance of power as an aggressive executive confronts Congress and the courts in ways that organisers warn are a slide towards US authoritarianism.
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The rallies started outside the US, with a couple of hundred protesters gathering outside the US embassy in London, and hundreds more holding demonstrations in Madrid and Barcelona.
By Saturday morning in Northern Virginia, many protesters were walking on overpasses across roads heading into Washington, DC.
People attend a ‘No Kings’ protest against Trump’s policies, in Times Square in New York City, US [Shannon Stapleton/Reuters]
Many protesters are especially angered by attacks on their motivations for taking to the streets. In Bethesda, Maryland, one held up a sign that said: “Nothing is more patriotic than protesting.”
Trump himself is away from Washington at his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida.
“They say they’re referring to me as a king. I’m not a king,” Trump said in a Fox News interview broadcast on Friday.
More than 2,600 rallies are planned on Saturday in cities large and small, organised by hundreds of coalition partners.
A growing opposition movement
While the earlier protests this year – against Elon Musk’s cuts in spring, then to counter Trump’s military parade in June – drew crowds, organisers say this one is building a more unified opposition movement.
Top Democrats such as Senate Leader Chuck Schumer and Independent Senator Bernie Sanders are joining in what organisers view as an antidote to Trump’s actions, from the administration’s clampdown on free speech to its military-style immigration raids.
“There is no greater threat to an authoritarian regime than patriotic people-power,” said Ezra Levin, a cofounder of Indivisible, among the key organisers.
Demonstrators gather during a ‘No Kings’ protest against Trump’s policies, in Washington, DC [Kylie Cooper/Reuters]
Before noon, several thousand people had gathered in New York City’s Times Square, chanting “Trump must go now”.
The American Civil Liberties Union said it has given legal training to tens of thousands of people who will act as marshals at the various marches, and those people were also trained in de-escalation.
Republicans have sought to portray participants in Saturday’s rallies as far outside the mainstream of US politics, and a main reason for the prolonged government shutdown, now in its 18th day.
From the White House to Capitol Hill, GOP leaders disparaged the rallygoers as “communists” and “Marxists”.
They say Democratic leaders, including Schumer, are beholden to the far-left flank and willing to keep the government shut down to appease those liberal forces.
“I encourage you to watch – we call it the Hate America rally – that will happen Saturday,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson.
“Let’s see who shows up for that,” Johnson said, listing groups including “antifa types”, people who “hate capitalism”, and “Marxists in full display”.
In a Facebook post, former presidential contender Sanders said, “It’s a love America rally”.
Dana Fisher, a professor at American University in Washington, DC, and the author of several books on US activism, forecast that Saturday could see the largest protest turnout in modern US history – she expected that more than 3 million people would participate, based on registrations and participation in the June events.
“The main point of this day of action is to create a sense of collective identity amongst all the people who are feeling like they are being persecuted or are anxious due to the Trump administration and its policies,” Fisher said. “It’s not going to change Trump’s policies. But it might embolden elected officials at all levels who are in opposition to Trump.”
The country is hit by some 20 storms and typhoons a year, striking disaster-prone areas where millions live in poverty.
Published On 18 Oct 202518 Oct 2025
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Thousands of residents of a Philippine island have fled their homes along the Pacific coast as weather experts warned of coastal flooding ahead of the approach of Tropical Storm Fengshen, rescue officials said.
The eye of the storm was forecast to brush past Catanduanes, an impoverished island of 270,000 people, later on Saturday with gusts of up to 80km/h (50mph).
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Fengshen will bring heavy rainfall, along with a “minimal to moderate risk” of coastal flooding from 1.2-metre (3.2-foot) waves being pushed ashore, the government weather service said.
More than 9,000 residents of Catanduanes moved to safer ground, the provincial disaster office said, in an often-repeated drill on the island that has previously been the first major landmass hit by cyclones that form in the western Pacific Ocean.
The Catanduanes provincial government ordered local officials to “activate their respective evacuation plans” for residents of “high-risk areas”, including the coast, low-lying communities and landslide-prone slopes, rescue official Gerry Rubio told the AFP news agency.
The Philippines is hit by an average of 20 storms and typhoons each year, striking disaster-prone areas where millions of impoverished people live.
Scientists warn that storms are becoming more powerful as the planet warms due to human-driven climate change.
Fengshen comes as the country is still reeling from a series of major earthquakes and typhoons that killed dozens of people in recent weeks.
Earlier this month, at least 79 people were killed in a magnitude 6.9 earthquake in Cebu province in the central Philippines.
Days later, another earthquake struck, this time a magnitude 7.4 off the coast of the southern Philippines, killing at least six people and triggering a second, magnitude 6.9 quake later in the day. Tsunami warnings were issued after each earthquake.
In late September, several people were killed and thousands were evacuated from villages and schools in the northern Philippines, while offices were closed, as Typhoon Ragasa struck.
Thousands of people in southern Tunisia joined a rally demanding the closure of a state-run phosphate plant blamed for cancers, respiratory illnesses, and a mass poisoning that hospitalised more than 120 people.
A federal judge said the layoffs by the administration of US President Donald Trump seem politically motivated and ‘you can’t do that in a nation of laws’.
Published On 15 Oct 202515 Oct 2025
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A United States federal judge in California has ordered President Donald Trump’s administration to halt mass layoffs during a partial government shutdown while she considers claims by unions that the job cuts are illegal.
During a hearing in San Francisco on Wednesday, US District Judge Susan Illston granted a request by two unions to block layoffs at more than 30 agencies pending further litigation.
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Her ruling came shortly after White House Budget Director Russell Vought said on “The Charlie Kirk Show” that more than 10,000 federal workers could lose their jobs because of the shutdown, which entered its 15th day on Wednesday.
Illston at the hearing cited a series of public statements by Trump and Vought that she said showed explicit political motivations for the layoffs, such as Trump saying that cuts would target “Democrat agencies”.
“You can’t do that in a nation of laws. And we have laws here, and the things that are being articulated here are not within the law,” said Illston, an appointee of Democratic former President Bill Clinton, adding that the cuts were being carried out without much thought.
“It’s very much ready, fire, aim on most of these programs, and it has a human cost,” she said. “It’s a human cost that cannot be tolerated.”
Illston said she agreed with the unions that the administration was unlawfully using the lapse in government funding that began October 1 to carry out its agenda of downsizing the federal government.
A US Department of Justice lawyer, Elizabeth Hedges, said she was not prepared to address Illston’s concerns about the legality of the layoffs. She instead argued that the unions must bring their claims to a federal labour board before going to court.
‘Won’t negotiate’
The judge’s decision came after federal agencies on Friday started issuing layoff notices aimed at reducing the size of the federal government. The layoff notices are part of an effort by Trump’s Republican administration to exert more pressure on Democratic lawmakers as the government shutdown continues.
Democratic lawmakers are demanding that any deal to reopen the federal government address their healthcare demands. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson predicted the shutdown may become the longest in history, saying he “won’t negotiate” with Democrats until they hit pause on those demands and reopen.
Democrats have demanded that healthcare subsidies, first put in place in 2021 and extended a year later, be extended again. They also want any government funding bill to reverse the Medicaid cuts in Trump’s big tax breaks and spending cuts bill that was passed earlier this year.
About 4,100 workers at eight agencies have been notified that they are being laid off so far, according to a Tuesday court filing by the administration.
The Trump administration has been paying the military and pursuing its crackdown on immigration while slashing jobs in health and education, including in special education and after-school programmes. Trump said programmes favoured by Democrats are being targeted and “they’re never going to come back, in many cases.”
The American Federation of Government Employees and American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees claim that implementing layoffs is not an essential service that can be performed during a lapse in government funding, and that the shutdown does not justify mass job cuts because most federal workers have been furloughed without pay.
Flights grounded, public transport disrupted as 80,000 people take to the streets of the Belgian capital.
Published On 14 Oct 202514 Oct 2025
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A general strike against proposed austerity measures in Belgium has grounded flights and halted public transport networks.
Approximately 80,000 people took to the streets in Brussels’s city centre on Tuesday, police said, denouncing potential cuts to social welfare programmes.
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Some of the protests devolved into scuffles, as police used tear gas and protesters set off flares and smoke bombs, according to The Associated Press news agency. Several dozen protesters were detained, AP reported.
Some demonstrators carried red prohibition signs with the number 67 on them, in reference to a planned increase in the retirement age. “Right to a pension at 65,” the signs read.
Others sported a picture of conservative Prime Minister Bart De Wever with the caption “wanted for pension theft”.
Riot police arrest a protester on the sidelines of a demonstration in Brussels, Belgium, October 14 [Nicolas Tucat/AFP]
“We are heading towards a future that doesn’t look good,” one protester, 59-year-old Chantal Desmet, told the AFP news agency. “The government has to take notice.”
Flights cancelled at Brussels International
Walkouts from airport security staff caused all departing flights to be cancelled at the country’s main airport – Brussels International Airport – the facility said, while protests forced cuts on most of Brussels’s underground train, bus and tram lines, according to public transport operator STIB.
The protest is the latest this year against a push by De Wever’s coalition government – which faces a budget deficit that violates EU rules and is trying to find some $12bn in savings – to introduce cuts to pensions and healthcare systems.
But the prime minister’s plans have infuriated the country’s powerful trade unions, which are leading the protest and nationwide strikes.
A protester with a sign depicting Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever and politician Conner Rousseau that reads, ‘Wanted for pension theft’ attends a demonstration in Brussels, Belgium, October 14 [Omar Havana/Reuters]
“What really mobilises people are pensions,” Thierry Bodson, leader of the 1.5 million-member-strong FGTB union, said on the French-language state radio station RTBF.
“This government promised more sustainable jobs and increased purchasing power. Hot air! And once again, everyone is paying, except the rich,” said trade union CSC, as it urged people to join Tuesday’s protest.
The action is ramping up pressure on De Wever, who has pledged to cut deficits without raising taxes but is struggling to finalise next year’s budget.
On Monday, De Wever’s coalition failed to agree on a budget, forcing the prime minister to postpone a key speech to parliament that had been scheduled for Tuesday.
In the last few weeks, USC has found itself caught in a political tug-of-war that could potentially change campus life permanently.
Gov. Gavin Newsom threatened on Oct. 2 to cut “billions” in state funding, including the popular Cal Grants that many students rely upon, if California schools bowed to pressure from the Trump administration.
Newsom’s messaging came in response to a White House directive that asked USC and eight other major national universities to commit to President Trump’s views on gender identity, admissions, diversity and free speech in exchange for priority access to federal dollars.
USC and other universities were asked to sign a “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education,” which commits them to adopt the White House’s conservative vision for America’s campuses.
The Oct. 1 letter also suggests colleges should align with Trump’s views on student discipline, college affordability and the importance of hard sciences over liberal arts.
The compact asks universities to accept the government’s definition of gender — excluding transgender people — and apply it to campus bathrooms, locker rooms and women’s sports teams.
But the White House letter to USC and other campuses is more stick than carrot.
The government says it will dole out new federal money and give preference to the universities that accept the deal over those that do not agree to the terms.
Signing on would give universities priority access to some federal grants, but White House officials say the government money would not be limited solely to those schools.
How Trump wants to cut back on international students
The federal compact would also severely restrict international student enrollment to 15% of a college’s entire undergraduate student body. Plus, no more than 5% could come from a single country.
That provision would hit USC hard, where 26% of the fall 2025 freshman class is international. Half of those students hail from either China or India.
Cutting into that rate would be a financial blow to USC, where full-fee tuition from international students is a major source of revenue. The university has already endured hundreds of layoffs this year amid budget troubles.
How Newsom is responding
Newsom wrote that “if any California university signs this radical agreement, they’ll lose billions in state funding — including Cal Grants — instantly.”
He added, “California will not bankroll schools that sell out their students, professors, researchers, and surrender academic freedom.”
Students become eligible for Cal Grants through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or California Dream Act Application. In 2024-25, $2.5 billion in Cal Grants were doled out to California students.
What is USC doing?
The school’s faculty members strongly denounced Trump’s offer at a meeting Monday, calling it “antithetical to principles of academic freedom.”
But interim President Beong-Soo Kim told the roughly 500 attendees that the university “has not made any kind of final decision.”
Kaleem, one of the Times reporters on this story, noted that universities throughout Southern California, including USC, UCLA and others in the UC or Cal State systems, find themselves under siege from the White House, whether they were offered Trump’s proposal or not.
“Grants for funding and research are being held up because of investigations into antisemitism or diversity or other issues,” he said. “There are very few universities untouched by the push from Trump on higher education.”
Kaleem spoke with several politically active students and professors at USC who see Newsom’s gesture as a blessing in disguise.
“They felt the governor’s threat to take away money actually gives the USC campus cover to resist Trump more forcefully,” Kaleem said.
Now USC administrators could defy the White House under the guise of trying to avoid losing funding from the state, according to those who spoke with Kaleem.
“They could say they can’t be blamed because they’re being forced to resist Trump,” he said. “It’s an interesting potential strategy.”
Part of the debate over the ongoing federal government shutdown focuses on funding for the treatment of undocumented immigrants at hospital emergency rooms.
(Ashley Landis / Associated Press)
Trump claims Democrats want to use federal funds to give undocumented residents healthcare. That’s misleading
President Trump claimed recently that Democrats “want to have illegal aliens come into our country and get massive healthcare at the cost to everybody else.”
Democrats called Trump’s assertion an absolute lie, accusing Republicans of wanting to slash federal healthcare benefits to Americans in need to pay for tax breaks for the wealthy.
Beutner launches bid for L.A. mayor, vowing to fight ‘injustices’ under Trump
Former L.A. schools Supt. Austin Beutner kicked off his campaign for mayor on Monday with a video message that hits not just Mayor Karen Bass but also President Trump and his immigration crackdown.
Beutner vowed to counter Trump’s “assault on our values,” while also criticizing City Hall over homelessness, housing costs and rising city fees.
Three more L.A. County deaths tied to synthetic kratom
The deaths have been linked to kratom, a compound that is being synthetically reproduced and sold over the counter as a cure-all for a host of ailments, the county Department of Public Health announced Friday.
The compound was found to be a contributing cause of death in three residents who were between the ages of 18 and 40, according to the county health department.
That brings the total number of recent overdose deaths related to kratom in L.A. County to six.
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The Griselda’s Revenge cocktail from the Black Lagoon pop-up bar.
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A question for you: What frustrates you the most about parking in L.A.?
Karen writes: “My frustration is that the city started making people pay to park along the road up to the Griffith Observatory. That was the one free and delightful place to get both some sight-seeing and some good walking in after the hunt for a spot. It felt very unfair and opportunistic of the city to limit access to city parks by charging that fee.”
Email us at [email protected], and your response might appear in the newsletter this week.
And finally … your photo of the day
Theatergoers take their seats to see “Les Miserables” on Oct. 8 in Los Angeles.
Have a great week, from the Essential California team
Jim Rainey, staff writer Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor Andrew J. Campa, reporter Hugo Martín, assistant editor Karim Doumar, head of newsletters
