underground

Transport for London (TfL) has announced a number of closures and service changes across the network in November, including the London Underground, London Overground and Elizabeth line

There’s set to be a month of travel chaos as Transport for London (TfL) announces a series of closures across its network for maintenance work. The disruptions will mostly take place over the weekends, with some starting from today (1 November), while others will affect late-night weekday commuters.

The Elizabeth line will face 11 disruptions throughout November, while services on the Mildmay line in East and North London will be altered. The DLR timetable will also be changed, with trains halted at various locations almost every weekend, reports My London.

Passengers are being urged to plan their journeys in advance and use the TfL journey planner to avoid confusion. Here’s the full list of planned track closures, including those set to cause disruption this weekend.

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London Underground closures

Bakerloo line

• Sunday, 9 November: No service from Stonebridge Park to Harrow & Wealdstone until 7.45am.
• Saturday, 29 November: Sunday, November 30: No service from Queen’s Park to Harrow & Wealdstone.

Metropolitan line

• Saturday, 15 November:Sunday, November 16: No service from Harrow-on-the-Hill to Uxbridge.

Northern line

• Saturday, 8 November – Sunday, 9 November: Trains will not stop at Angel station.
• Friday, 28 November – Saturday, 29 November: No service from Hampstead to Edgware during Friday Night Tube.
• Saturday, 29 November – Sunday, 30 November: No service from Golders Green to Edgware, including during Saturday Night Tube.

Piccadilly line

• Saturday, 1 November – Sunday, 2 November: No service from Acton Town to Heathrow, including during Saturday Night Tube.
• Saturday, 1 November – Sunday, 2 November: No service from Rayners Lane to Uxbridge.
• Saturday, 15 November – Sunday, 16 November: No service from Acton Town to Uxbridge.

London Overground closures

Liberty line

• Sunday, 23 November: No service from Romford to Upminster

Lioness line

• Sunday, 9 November: No service from Willesden Junction to Watford Junction until 7.45am.
• Saturday, 29 November – Sunday, 30 November: No service from Euston to Watford Junction.

Mildmay line

• Sunday, 2 November: No service from Willesden Junction to Richmond all day.
• Sunday, 2 November: No service from Willesden Junction to Clapham Junction until 9.30pm.
• Sunday, 9 November: No service Willesden Junction to Clapham Junction.
• Saturday, 15 November – Sunday, 16 November: No service from Gospel Oak to Richmond and Shepherd’s Bush.
• Sunday, 16 November: No service from Camden Road to Stratford after 10.15pm.
• Saturday, 22 November – Sunday, 23 November: No service from Gospel Oak to Richmond and Shepherd’s Bush.
• Monday, 24 November – Thursday, 27 November: No service from Stratford to Camden Road westbound after 11.45pm.
• Wednesday, 26 November – Thursday, 27 November: No service from Willesden Junction to Stratford eastbound after 11pm.

Weaver line

• Sunday, 9 November: No service from Liverpool Street to Enfield Town, Cheshunt and Chingford until 10.15am.
• Monday, 10 November – Thursday, 13 November: No service from Hackney Downs to Enfield Town and Cheshunt after 10.45pm.

Windrush line

• Monday, 3 November – Thursday, 6 November: No service from Highbury & Islington to New Cross, New Cross Gate and Clapham Junction after 9.15pm.
• Sunday, 16 November: No service from Surrey Quays to Clapham Junction.
• Sunday, 16 November: No service from Highbury & Islington to Dalston Junction after 10.15pm.
• Monday, 24 November – Thursday, 27 November: No service from New Cross Gate to Crystal Palace and West Croydon after 11.30pm.
• Sunday, 30 November: No service from Surrey Quays to Clapham Junction.

Elizabeth line closures

• Monday, 3 November – Wednesday, 5 November: Reduced service between Paddington and Maidenhead and at Heathrow Terminal 4 after 10pm.
• Monday, 3 November – Wednesday, 5 November: Trains will not stop at Acton Main Line, Hanwell and West Ealing after 10.30pm.
• Sunday, 9 November: Reduced service between Paddington and Maidenhead and at Heathrow Terminal 4.
• Saturday, 15 November – Sunday, 16 November: No service from Paddington to Abbey Wood and Stratford.
• Saturday, 15 November – Sunday, 16 November: No service from Hayes & Harlington to Heathrow.
• Saturday, 15 November – Sunday, 16 November: Reduced service between Paddington and Maidenhead.
• Sunday, 23 November: No service from Liverpool Street (National Rail platforms) and Whitechapel to Shenfield
• Sunday, 23 November: No service from Paddington to Ealing Broadway until 7.45am.
• Sunday, 30 November: No service from Paddington to Ealing Broadway until 7.45am.
• Sunday, 30 November: Trains will not stop at Woolwich until 10am.
• Sunday, 30 November: Reduced service between Paddington and Maidenhead and at Heathrow Terminal 4.

DLR closures

• Saturday, 1 November – Sunday, 2 November: No service from Tower Gateway to Shadwell
• Saturday, 1 November – Sunday, 2 November: No service from Canning Town to Beckton
• Saturday, 15 November – Sunday, 16 November: No service from Canning Town to Stratford International.
• Saturday, 22 November: No service from Stratford International to Woolwich Arsenal.
• Saturday, 22 November: No service from Poplar to Beckton.
• Saturday, 22 November – Sunday, 23 November: No service from Tower Gateway to Shadwell.
• Saturday, 29 November – Sunday, 30 November: No service from Bank/Tower Gateway to Canning Town/Lewisham
• Saturday, 29 November – Sunday, 30 November: No service from Canary Wharf to Stratford.

Tram closures

• Saturday, 1 November – Sunday, 2 November No service from Wimbledon to Therapia Lane

Oct. 21 (UPI) — A preliminary report released Tuesday about last month’s deadly crash of one of Lisbon’s famed funiculars found that an unapproved underground cable snapped just before the incident.

The Sept. 3 crash of the Elevador da Glória, a 111-year-old two-car funicular that operates the sloping streets of Portugal’s capital, killed 16 people after one of the cars broke free and crashed into a building along the route. More than a dozen other people were injured in the incident.

The preliminary report by Portugal’s Air and Rail Accident Investigations Bureau found that the cause of the crash was an underground cable that snapped, allowing the car at the top of the hill to break free.

Though the cable had a minimum breaking load within the safety parameters of the Glória Funicular, the investigators found the cable was not in compliance with specifications by the city’s transport operator, CCFL.

The haulage cable ran between the two cars and acted as a counterweight between them as one descended the hill and the other ascended from the opposite direction.

The cable broke seconds after the two cars began their 54th trips of the day. While the bottom car abruptly stopped and remained largely in place at the bottom of the hill, the top car lost power and began to increase speed down the hill. According to investigators, the brakeman of the top car attempted to engage the pneumatic brake system, and when that didn’t work, he tried to use the manual brake.

While the brakeman’s maneuvers caused a slight decrease in acceleration, the car was still steadily increasing its speed down the hill. It successfully negotiated the first slight curve in the track, but derailed at the next, sharper bend in the track.

The car then slammed into a building along the route.

Investigators said the haulage cable — multiple strands of twisted steel — showed various breaks in the smaller metal strands that happened at different times.

“The failure occurred progressively over time and involved multiple fracture types,” the report said.

Workers installed the cable between Aug. 26, 2024, and Sept. 30, 2024, as part of what the bureau described as an intermediate repair of the Glória Funicular. This type of cable is commonly used in funiculars, the report said.

However, the manufacturer of the cable said it could not be used with a swivel, a rotating part on the cars that attached them to the cables.

“At this time, it cannot be said whether the use of this type of non-compliant cable intervened, or what intervention it had, in the rupture,” the report said. “And it is certain for the investigation that there were other factors that had to intervene.”

Since the crash, the head of Lisbon’s public transport has been fired and though Lisbon Mayor Carlos Moedas faced accusations he failed in his oversight of the funiculars, he won re-election Oct. 12, according to the BBC.

He told SIC television the results of the report released Monday “reaffirms that the unfortunate tragedy … was due to technical and not political causes.”

The bureau is expected to release a final report on the crash in September 2026, The New York Times reported.

A BEAUTIFUL underground train station in London could be mistaken for somewhere in Moscow.

From the outside, Gants Hill looks like nothing special, being on a roundabout in Zone 4.

However, the interiors were designed by modernist Charles Holden, known for creating most of the London Underground system.

Originally starting works in the 1930s, Gants Hill station wasn’t able to open until 1947 due to delays caused by WWII.

During this time, it was even used as an air raid shelter during the war.

It was inspired by the Moscow Metro system, after Holden returned from the Russian city having been there as a consultant.

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The barrel vault ceilings are similar to Elektrozavodskaya metro station in Moscow.

The central concourse even has the nickname “Moscow Hall”.

Joshua Abbott, author of the Modernism in Metroland blog, told local media that the underground “should be listed.”

He added: “It is unique among Holden’s stations due to the Moscow Metro influenced platform design and lack of surface buildings.

“Gants Hill should be very proud of its most secret building.”

Some commuters have raved about it as well.

One wrote: “For an underground station Gants Hill has amazing interior architecture.

“Definitely, a place to visit if you’re into building structures and design.”

If you want to visit it yourself, you can easily hop on the Central Line from London, with the line ending in Essex.

Another unusual metro station was Marlborough Road in North London on the Metropolitan line.

It opened in 1868 before closing in 1939 and later even becoming a Chinese restaurant where the “chopsticks rattled because of the trains”.

And earlier this year, the London Underground ran vintage 1930s trains – here’s everything you need to know.

THE world is full of amazing places to go for a dip, but one spot really is a ‘hidden’ gem – as you can swim underneath a castle.

The Château d’Urspelt, in the heart of the Éislek region of Luxembourg, is a luxurious hotel within a former castle.

But below it is the ultimate surprise – a pool designed in the shape of a sunken grotto.

Guests can step into the pools, with different rock-style formations across the walls and ceilings, as well as plants draping down.

And the indulgent experience doesn’t stop there as the spa also has six treatment rooms, a relaxation room, two hammams, two saunas, a whirlpool and a fitness room.

After enjoying the different spa areas, guests can put their feet up and relax with a cup of tea in the tea room.

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Access to the wellness area costs €60 (£52.36) per person, or it is free when you book a massage or treatment.

As for the castle-turned hotel, which opened back in 2008, the rooms are equally as decadent as the spa experience.

There are a variety of different room types to choose from, with 57 rooms and suites.

Continuing with the theme of grandeur, in the castle’s historic cellars – which were dug out by hand from the original basement – is the U Lounge Bar.

When workers were digging out the basement, they also discovered a well, which has since been exposed.

The bar serves a range of drinks including spirits, wines and cocktails.

Alternatively, guests can head to The Library for a cosy and inviting atmosphere.

In the morning, guests are invited to head behind the reception desk to reach a sprawling buffet breakfast, with homemade jams, freshly baked cakes and honey produced by bees on site.

The outdoor pool, which overlooks the entire estate, even has its own bar, serving up refreshing drinks and light snacks.

In the warmer weather, guests can enjoy the indoor-outdoor Patio or for a more refined experience, The Dining Room.

Otherwise the château is also home to an orchard, three running and walking routes and even electric scooters for hire.

Rooms at the hotel cost from around £147 per night and the hotel is located around an hour from Luxembourg Airport.

Travellers looking to explore the surrounding area won’t be short of options either, as the château is close to many charming towns.

For example, 30km away from the château is Vianden Castle, which was built between the 11th and 14th centuries.

In fact, it was named as one of the 20 most beautiful castles in the world, by CNN Travel.

And each year the castle hosts a medieval festival in August, with duelling knights and jugglers.

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There’s also a UK castle that costs less than a hotel stay in London with an indoor swimming pool, tropical gardens and a private beach.

Plus, you can stay at a fairytale English castle once home to famous king – with tower suites and the UK’s largest four-poster bed.

The Tube strikes are due to come to an end on Thursday, September 11

The RMT walkout has brought London public transport to a standstill since Sunday, September 7 and is due to end on Thursday, September 11. However, certain routes and lines will still be affected into the early hours of Friday morning as service returns to the TfL Underground network.

On Thursday, September 11, there is limited service on the Tube as well as the DLR. The Central, Northern and District lines were partly running on Wednesday afternoon and Thursday according to the Guardian. More information can be found on the TfL website.

The Elizabeth Line, London Overground and tram network are still operational but extremely busy and unable to stop at certain stations shared with the Tube network.

The DLR has seen disrupted services on September 9 and September 11 due to strikes in a separate dispute. On Friday, September 12, the DLR and Elizabeth line are expected to have normal service but there will still be no service on the Tube until 8am.

While some disruptions are expected as the service returns, the TfL predicts that all lines will return to normal by late morning on Friday, September 12. However, as the Tube strike comes to a close, strikes are planned to begin on bus services operated by First Bus.

If these go ahead, it will affect services in west, northwest and southwest London from 5am on Friday, September 12 until 5am on Monday, September 15. The RMT walkout disrupting the Tube lines this week was due to a dispute over pay and conditions.

Including a reported demand for a 32-hour working week according to the Telegraph. The union claimed management had refused to seriously engage with their demands.

It also raised concerns over pay, fatigue management and extreme shift patterns faced by its members. It said: “Management’s dismissive approach has fuelled widespread anger and distrust among the workforce, who voted in overwhelming numbers to take strike action.”

Throughout the strike, commuters have turned to buses, bikes, walking and even boats on the Thames to get where they need to be. This in turn has triggered some congestion on London’s roads but it’s businesses that are believed to be paying the price for this strike.

Centre for Economics and Business Research predicted the strike would deliver a £230million blow to the London economy in research carried out for The Standard. It estimated around 700,000 working days would be lost as it affected the three million passengers the Tube usually serves on a daily basis.

However, the thinktank expects this number to be millions higher due to indirect impacts from the strike. For example, retailers, bars and restaurants receiving a noticeable fall in customers. No talks have reportedly taken place during the strike to resolve the dispute as of Wednesday.

TfL reported around the strikes: “Since the ballot was undertaken, London Underground has offered a 3.4pc pay increase in the ongoing pay discussions. Members of the RMT at London Underground have not had a say on the final pay offer, with the 3.4pc pay increase a figure in line with offers accepted by RMT in recent pay discussions across the rail industry.”

Claire Mann, TfL’s chief operating officer, added: “We are disappointed that the RMT union has announced strike action. We regularly meet with our trade unions to discuss any concerns that they may have, and we recently met with the RMT to discuss some specific points …

“We welcome further engagement with our unions about fatigue and rostering across London Underground, but a reduction in the contractual 35-hour working week is neither practical nor affordable.”

RMT, the UK’s largest transport union, is demanding better pay and shorter working hours.

Members of the United Kingdom’s largest transport union have gone on strike in London, bringing the city’s underground train system to a halt as tube services are suspended.

The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) said about 10,000 members walked off their jobs on Sunday night for the first of five days of strikes over working hours and pay.

The London Underground, which carries an estimated 5 million people daily, showed on its website that all of the capital city’s underground tube lines were either suspended or partially suspended with the exception of the newly built Elizabeth Line, which took the strain of commuters seeking alternative paths into the city. The Transport for London (TfL) website crashed due to increased web traffic.

Queues formed outside Elizabeth Line stations, and platforms in the city were crowded. The rest of London’s transport system and national rail services were unaffected by the strike.

The BBC showed an image from the Neasden train depot in northwest London showing dozens of stationary tube carriages.

RMT members took positions on picket lines across tube stations in London as part of the industrial action, which began on Sunday at 6pm (17:00 GMT) and will continue until Thursday.

The transport union decided to take strike action after it rejected an annual pay increase of 3.4 percent from TfL, which is the public body responsible for operating London’s buses, underground and other transport services. RMT is also pushing for reduced working hours from 35 to 32 hours a week.

An RMT spokesperson said: “We are not going on strike to disrupt small businesses or the public. This strike is going ahead because of the intransigent approach of TfL management and their refusal to even consider a small reduction in the working week in order to help reduce fatigue and the ill-health effects of long-term shift work on our members.”

In a post on X, RMT said the tube was operating with 2,000 fewer staff than before the pandemic, which was resulting in “extreme shifts (4 am starts, 1 am finishes) to keep London moving.” The post added: “Fatigue and understaffing are a dangerous mix.”

Kim Johnson, a left-wing MP for Liverpool, showed support for the RMT members and said on social media: “No worker should be put at risk by fatigue & extreme shift rotations”.

TfL says any reduction in hours is “unaffordable and impractical”.

In a post on X, London Mayor Sadiq Khan called on TfL and RMT “to get around the table and resolve their dispute”. He added: “Nobody wants to see strike action – it causes serious disruption for Londoners, businesses and visitors alike.”

No talks are currently scheduled between RMT and TfL. Their last round of talks collapsed on Wednesday.

This Lower East Side hotel is not only in the centre of one of the city’s most eclectic boroughs, but is home to a live music venue, a rooftop bar, and an underground nightclub.

They say New York is the city that never sleeps, and this downtown hotel proves that. I stayed at the Moxy Lower East Side hotel, a haven for eclectic travellers looking to ditch high-brow Manhattan for a taste of the urban boroughs.

Located on Bowery, the Moxy is in the centre of the Lower East Side, with SoHo and Chinatown within walking distance. However, the true draw of the area is its lively atmosphere, with crowds filling the streets in the evenings as they sit outside bars, restaurants, and music venues.

Graffiti-filled corners and event spaces pack the area, which is the birthplace of American punk rock and new wave music. Paying homage to this, the Moxy Lower East Side has so many venues that you don’t need to leave to experience some of the borough’s rich culture.

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“That’s where I go if I want a real night out with my wife,” a local tells me. “First, hitting the rooftop for a pre-drink, then dinner, before catching some live music, and then, if I’m up for it, I’ll go down to the club for a dance.”

It’s almost hard to believe all of that can be done in what’s known as Marriott’s budget-brand Moxy. But lo and behold, as you walk into the modern hotel, there is a piano lounge to the left. Silver Lining Lounge offers nightly acts, including bands, resident performers, and jazz acts in its soundproof location – where hotel guests have first dibs at reservations. BRIT Award winner Lola Young also performed at the venue earlier this year in what was her first NYC showcase, while chart topper Benson Boone has also graced the boards.

With a large stage at the front of the room, the venue – owned by Tao Group hospitality – has table service and offers specialty cocktails alongside light bites such as tacos, fries and oysters.

Across the lobby is The Fix, which is your typical hotel bar filled with families, professionals catching up on work, and friends grabbing drinks. When it hits 9pm, a DJ arrives to lift the mood of the lobby, meaning you get a lively entrance if you’ve got a late check-in time.

Because of its location and modern design, the hotel is a hotspot for Instagram events – something which is in full swing on the Friday night I’m staying. “We’ve got a pop-up jewellery making class for influencers going on,” the hotel manager tells me as we slide past glamorous social media stars on the way to the lifts.

On the top floor of the 303-room hotel is the Highlight Room rooftop bar, which is bustling as I head up for a drink around sunset. With a DJ booth in the corner, indoor and outdoor seating, and an atmosphere that screams glamorous New York City, this is clearly a popular gem for locals looking to let loose after a busy week.

While the hotel doesn’t have a typical restaurant to grab some buffet food, it does have a high-brow modern Japanese eatery, which is well-known in the area and popular amongst celebrities. From sushi platters to wagyu beef and crown melon, Sake No Hana is truly a dining experience and rivals famous friend Nobu, which is just a 30-minute walk away.

Just when I thought there couldn’t possibly be any more nightlife under one roof, I was taken down to the Moxy’s subterranean nightclub, Loosie’s. The small venue is decked out with VIP booths and a sizable dancefloor, meaning visitors can party until 4 am and not have too far to go back to their rooms.

The Highlight Room, Loosie’s, and Silver Lining lounge all have separate entrances from the main hotel, meaning they’re not just for guests to enjoy. In fact, most of the guests inside the Moxy venues were locals taking in the music, food, and cocktails.

Book it

Moxy Lower East Side has rates from $179 (£133) per night. Book at moxylowereastside.com

One London tube station sensationally disappeared from the Underground map, in the same year that it opened, only to make a comeback nearly 20 years later with a new name

The iconic London Underground map, with its vast network spanning across various zones and neighbourhoods, hasn’t always been the same.

For nearly two decades, one station was noticeably missing from its intricate design after it mysteriously disappeared.

Kensington (Olympia) is a peaceful rail and tube stop in West London’s Zone 2, currently served by the London Overground and the District line.

It provides a handy shortcut to avoid Zone 1, as all its Overground services are entirely within Zone 2.

However, if we travel back to 1940, Olympia had a completely different purpose.

Initially opened as Kensington station in 1844, it was so unpopular that it shut down in December of the same year.

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The station returned in 1862 with new services, including the Metropolitan line, and was renamed Kensington Addison Road in 1868.

But during the Second World War, the Metropolitan line was bombed, leading to the closure of the West London stations on the line.

However, this wasn’t the end for Kensington station. As it happens, the station was ideally situated, reports MyLondon.

Not only did it have rail connections to all of London, but it was also conveniently close to the headquarters of the Commander of the Allied Forces, led by Dwight D Eisenhower.

It became his preferred travel spot when he journeyed to Wales in 1944 to prepare for the Normandy landings.

In 1946, the station was renamed Kensington (Olympia) and began transporting workers at the Post Office Savings Bank.

Due to the National Secrets Act, the Post Office Savings Bank kept the station’s existence under wraps, and it wasn’t until 1958 that its presence was officially announced.

That year, Kensington (Olympia) gained a permanent platform and a District line shuttle service to Earl’s Court.

After a significant makeover, the station introduced more regular schedules, added a community garden, and received a facelift.

Despite these improvements, trains remain infrequent at Kensington (Olympia), making it one of London’s only part-time stations.

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Planned strikes over pay, shift patterns and fatigue management are set to disrupt the London Underground tube lines from this week, with DLR staff also taking industrial action over ‘pay and conditions’

London is bracing for travel chaos this week as planned strikes over pay, shift patterns and fatigue management are set to disrupt the Underground tube lines.

Transport for London (TfL) confirmed that from Sunday, 7 September until Thursday, 11 September, tube services will be “severely disrupted, with little to no service expected”. There will also be no DLR (Docklands Light Railway) service on Tuesday, 8 September and again on Thursday, 11 September.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, which represents tube drivers, said they were taking industrial action over “pay, fatigue management, extreme shift patterns and a reduction in the working week”. They also confirmed that DLR staff would be striking in a separate dispute “over pay and conditions”.

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In addition to this, bus routes across London were disrupted due to strike action on First Bus services that took place from August 29 to 30, and again from September 1 to 2. Thousands of bus drivers, engineers and controllers at London United and London Transit, both linked to parent company First Bus London, are said to have taken action over “low pay and awful conditions”.

As strikes continue across London this week, we’ve taken a look at what London tube and bus drivers earn. Here’s everything we know…

What do TfL Underground tube drivers earn?

According to The Standard, a recent Freedom of Information (FOI) request to TfL revealed that the yearly wage for a TfL tube operator, also known as a driver, in April 2024 was £65,179, while advanced operators pocketed £75,677.

The standard hourly rate for a regular operator was £35.70, while advanced operators took home £39.20 an hour. The overtime rate per hour for a standard driver was disclosed as £44.62 and £49.00 for advanced drivers.

It was also revealed that tube drivers typically work around 35 hours a week over roughly three and a half shifts.

What do TfL bus drivers earn?

TfL bus drivers are reported to earn between £15 and £20 an hour, depending on their experience. This is estimated to earn them around £31,000 to £37,440 annually.

What do Elizabeth line drivers earn?

Drivers on the Elizabeth line are reported to earn significantly more than the average tube driver after they secured a deal in February to boost their salaries to £75,000.

Amid the upcoming planned strikes, TfL confirmed that the Elizabeth line, London Overground, and trams will continue to run as their staff belong to a different union. However, they’ve cautioned that despite the services running as usual, they are expected to be extremely busy.

It’s also crucial to note that the Elizabeth line or the Overground may not stop at certain stations if they are shut due to the industrial action. Moreover, planned engineering works are scheduled on some Overground and Elizabeth lines during the strikes.

Everyone is urged to check their journey before they travel when using any service. You can do this on the TfL website here.

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On the corner of East 4th Street and South Evergreen Avenue on a recent Friday night in Boyle Heights, a large crowd gathered in front of Picaresca Barra de Café swaying to the syncopated beats of Los Chicos del Mambo. Near the band, Natalia Lara of Tortas Ahogadas El Águila filled birote salado rolls from Gusto Bread with carnitas. But the main event was underway inside the cafe: a latte art throwdown.

Throwdowns, special menus, omakases, pop-ups, speakeasies and out-of-the-box events are part of L.A.’s growing underground coffee scene. And they might be the best way to tap into what’s happening in the world of coffee. Cuppings, signature drink service and guest barista takeovers add to the diversity and creativity of these coffee experiences, which keep evolving.

“Each one is offering something special and has varying approaches with some very limited coffees or methods,” says Mikey Muench of Senses Café Projects, a pop-up that has made its way around Los Angeles from the Lasita window in Far East Plaza in Chinatown to restaurants, breweries and cafes such as Homage Brewing, Canary Test, Ondo, HIGTE and Woon.

Senses Café Projects allows Meunch to explore the coffees he enjoys drinking and to experiment with new tools and brew methods, he says. He focuses on pour-overs. “It’s my personal favorite way to enjoy coffee,” says Muench. “I am also experimenting with the nostalgic flavors of my childhood. I’m half Thai and half German. The majority of the beverage ideas and components are inspired by my Asian heritage.”

Yasuo Ishii, founder of leading-edge Tokyo roaster Leaves Coffee, was a guest brewer at Kumquat Coffee downtown last March. Other barista guest appearances at Kumquat have included brewers from Fritz Coffee in Seoul and Ditta Arigianale in Florence.

A few hard-to-get reservation-only coffee omakases also have popped up in L.A., such as Nobu Coffee at Courage Piano Lounge in Gardena, serving coffee hand-poured into a fabric Nel filter in a traditional Japanese kissaten style. Tangible Gratitude serves by reservation only a five-course sensory tasting experience in its Hermosa Beach design studio for $125 per person.

Strategic planning unlocks access. Follow coffee experts, specialty roasters and professional baristas from the high-profile competition circuit on social media; they often drop breadcrumbs to the next opportunity.

Keep up with the 2025 U.S. Coffee in Good Spirits Champion Jerry Truong, for example. He recently guest-bartended special shifts at Hollywood cocktail bar Night on Earth and Johnny’s Bar in Highland Park to serve his competition-winning coffee cocktails. Other key players include Frank La of Be Bright; Kay Cheon of Dune Coffee Roasters in Santa Barbara; World Barista Champion Michael Phillips of Blue Bottle; and consultant Jaymie Lao.

In addition to cafes, restaurants and farmers markets, coffee events are spilling into culinary festivals, art galleries and retail stores around the city. Automaker Rivian recently invited Cheon to make coffee with his Slayer espresso machine on the back of an R1T truck in its Venice showroom garden. The cafe kiosk at fashion brand Goodfight’s Historic Filipinotown shop has become a favorite destination for the coffee community.

“Coffee pop-ups are happening all the time in Los Angeles where your favorite baristas can express their ideas, and coffee folks, professionals and enthusiasts can celebrate coffee in ways you just don’t see in cafes every day,” says Lao.

Here are nine places where you can check out previews of yet-to-open cafes, guest baristas serving rare coffees, special pop-up menus or multicourse tastings.

ALMOST 150 miners were trapped underground in eastern Ukraine after Russia bombed a coal facility, killing one worker.

The terrifying ordeal comes as details about the security guarantees Trump is prepared to offer Ukraine begin to emerge – namely big guns and intel, according to officials.

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One miner was killed and three injured by the shelling on the coal mine – while 146 were left stuck inside the dark labyrinth.

The mine belongs to DETK, Ukraine’s largest energy company.

A spokesperson for them said: “The attack damaged the company’s buildings and equipment and caused a power outage.

“At the time, 146 miners were underground, and efforts to bring them to the surface are ongoing.”

The precise location of the trapped miners was not revealed by the firm, but a union leader reported they were stuck in the Dobropillia community in Donetsk.

It was reported later in the day that all the miners had been rescued and brought back to the surface.

Donetsk, one half of the Donbas region, has mostly been overrun by Russia – but its famous “fortress belt” is still clinging on.

Donbas is Ukraine’s industrial powerhouse and holds rich reserves of coal and metal underground.

Russia has demanded Ukraine hands over the remaining land in exchange for peace – a proposal Zelensky screwed up and threw out.

Meanwhile, details have finally emerged about the security guarantees the US could give to Ukraine in the event of a peace deal.

Trump first confirmed the US would be involved in Ukraine‘s long-term safety during the White House summit with European leaders – but did not specify what they would look like.

We learned they would definitely not include American boots on the ground – though Trump suggested other willing nations would send manpower.

Now, the US has said it is willing to provide intelligence and battlefield leadership to Ukraine‘s army as part of a deal, reports the Financial Times citing four briefed officials.

Senior US officials have reportedly told European leaders in discussions since the summit that Washington would offer “strategic enablers” to the brave defenders.

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These would include intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, command and control, and air defence weapons.

The objective of these helping hands would be to deter any future Russian attacks.

Members of the Coalition of the Willing – including the UK and France – are expected to take more active roles in Ukraine’s defence.

It’s not clear which countries, if any, would commit to sending troops to the frontline.

Nations have admitted that any deployment of boots would only happen under robust US support.

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This package of military aid offered by the US is dependent on European countries committing to sending tens of thousands of troops to Ukraine.

It could be retracted if that requirement is not fulfilled, the officials warned.

Nonetheless, the promises now firmed up with details mark a major shift in America’s attitude towards the future protection of Ukraine.

Just earlier this year, Trump had ruled out the States having any part in it.

First, however, a peace deal must be reached.

Trump and European leaders have pushed hard for a head-to-head meeting between Zelensky and Putin, but the Kremlin has once again stalled.

Concern is rising that the Alaska summit will turn out to have been fruitless.

The EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, even warned that the red-carpet event even gave Putin “everything he wanted” without demanding a single concession from him.

More than 100 artists, musicians, comedians, actors and performers from L.A.’s thriving, multifaceted underground art scene are featured in a new experimental video game named “Blippo+.” Created by Jona Bechtolt and Claire L. Evans, with music by Bechtolt and Rob Kieswetter, the trio behind the L.A.-based post-pop band YACHT (Young Americans Challenging High Technology), the game is part video art installation, part interactive theater. It was created for the newfangled gaming console Playdate, which was released in 2022 and purposefully conjures old-school devices like the Nintendo Game Boy, with a black-and-white, 1-bit display.

“This is essentially our bootleg way of making television, by skipping all the gatekeepers and going straight to a distribution platform that is still open to artist’s weird experiments, a.k.a. video games,” said Evans, in an interview Thursday in advance of the game’s exhibition party at Bob Baker Marionette Theater in Highland Park.

“Hollywood [production] has left Los Angeles, so the people that are here have to scramble to figure out what to do,” added Bechtolt. “So we moved to where there’s lots of funding, and an openness for experimentation. And that’s the video game world, indie video games, specifically.”

Playdate’s low-res format was ideal for “Blippo+,” which rolls out in a looping, 11-week cycle, with new programming — original, avant-garde soaps, sitcoms, news, weather and talk shows— arriving every Thursday at 10 a.m. PDT. Bechtolt and Evans collaborated with director JJ Stratford, a longtime video artist and music video maker, who runs the all-analog Telefantasy Studios in Glendale, dedicated to, according to its website, “bringing the strange, surreal, and speculative to life.”

“She’s a scholar of video arts, and an artist herself,” explained Bechtolt of Stratford. “When all of the TV studios in Los Angeles converted to digital, they just threw out their analog equipment. So JJ has been collecting this stuff for years and years, and now she has a full-on 1982 television studio.”

The L.A.-based post-pop trio YACHT has created a new art project / video game called “Blippo+.”

(YACHT)

The programming on “Blippo+” was filmed over the course of a year using the kind of tube cameras common in television studios before the digital era, and employing the talents of the band’s aforementioned artist-collaborators including artists Martine Syms and Maya Man; musicians Staz Lindes (of the Paranoyds), Calvin Johnson (of K Records / Beat Happening) Phil Elverum (Mount Eerie); and comedians Whitmer Thomas, Clay Tatum, Mitra Jouhari, Donny Divanian, Kyle Mizono, Anna Seregina, Steve Hernandez, Tipper Newton and Brent Weinbach.

Post-production took another year, and the game was finally released on Playdate in May. Next month “Blippo+” will roll out on Steam and Nintendo Switch.

Playdate was created by the Portland-based software development and video game publishing company Panic Inc. YACHT originated in Portland and the people behind Panic were longtime fans. They approached the band almost a decade ago at a music festival in North Carolina.

“They gave us this open invitation to make something as YACHT if we ever had an idea for a video game,” said Bechtolt.

Evans added that Panic’s interest was likely fueled by the band’s reputation for creating experimental multimedia art projects that exist both on and offline, including co-founding the Triforium Project, which worked to restore and revitalize artist Joseph Young’s controversial Triforium sound-and-light sculpture in downtown Los Angeles, and resulted in a variety of live art and music performances at the site.

“Blippo+” is a natural extension of YACHT’s immersion in underground art and obsession with how analog and digital tools can collide to create new forms and functions for a post-postmodern world. It was also proudly made without the use of AI, Bechtolt and Evans noted.

I’m arts and culture writer Jessica Gelt, heading back underground where I belong. Here’s your weekly dose of arts news.

Best bets: On our radar this week

Gustavo Dudamel conducts the L.A. Phil in John Williams’ score for “Jurassic Park.”

(L.A. Philharmonic)

‘Jurassic Park’ in Concert
Gustavo Dudamel and L.A. Phil perform John Williams’ epic score live to picture as Steven Spielberg’s 1993 blockbuster starring Sam Neill, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum is projected on the big screen in HD.
8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N Highland Ave. hollywoodbowl.com

The Old Globe presents “Deceived,” based on the play “Gas Light,” Saturday through Sept. 7.

(Ben Wiseman)

Deceived
Playwrights Johnna Wright and Patty Jamieson’s update Patrick Hamilton’s classic 1938 stage thriller “Gas Light” (also the basis of the 1944 film “Gaslight”) about a woman who begins to doubt her seemingly perfect new husband as she is increasingly bedeviled by strange occurrences.
Saturday through Sept. 7 Old Globe Theatre, 1363 Old Globe Way, San Diego. theoldglobe.org

The Hollywood Bowl at night.

(L.A. Philharmonic)

The Russians are coming …
And L.A. Phil has them for two separate programs this week at the Hollywood Bowl. Tuesday night, Elim Chan conducts the orchestra performing Tchaikovsky’s “Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35” (with violinist James Ehnes), Britten’s “Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes, Op. 33A” and the 1919 version of Stravinsky’s “The Firebird.” Then on Thursday, Gemma New takes the baton for Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Capriccio espagnol, Op. 34,” Arutiunian’s Trumpet concerto (performed by Pacho Flores) and Tchaikovsky’s Fourth symphony.
8 p.m. Tuesday; 8 p.m. Thursday. Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N Highland Ave. https://www.hollywoodbowl.com/

Brittany Howard and Alabama Shakes play the Hollywood Bowl on Wednesday.

(Amy Harris / Invision / AP)

Alabama Shakes
In their first L.A. show in eight years, the soulful rockers led by singer-guitarist Brittany Howard are joined by Oakland punk quartet Shannon and the Clams.
8 p.m. Wednesday. Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N Highland Ave. hollywoodbowl.com

The North American tour of “& Juliet” arrives at the Ahmanson on Aug. 13.

(Matthew Murphy)

& Juliet
What if Romeo’s tragic love didn’t end it all? Find out in this jukebox musical written by David West Read (TV’s “Schitt’s Creek”) and featuring the music of Swedish pop hitmaker Max Martin and others.
Wednesday–Sept. 7. Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. centertheatregroup.org

Legendary L.A. jazz composer/musician Bobby Bradford, pictured in 2019, brings his tribute to baseball great Jackie Robinson to the Hammer’s JazzPOP series on Thursday.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Bobby Bradford’s Stealin’ Home: A Tribute to Jackie Robinson
The West Coast jazz great leads an all-star septet performing his original composition, an homage to the Dodger legend who broke baseball’s color barrier in 1947. Part of the Hammer’s 2025 JazzPOP series.
8 p.m. Thursday. UCLA Hammer Museum, 10899 Wilshire Blvd., Westwood. hammer.ucla.edu

Culture news

Vincent Van Gogh, “Tarascon Stagecoach,” 1888, oil on canvas

(Henry and Rose Pearlman Foundation)

Los Angeles County Museum of Art announced that it has been gifted its first paintings by Vincent van Gogh and Édouard Manet, in addition to four works by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Alfred Sisley, Wilhelm Lehmbruck and Maurice Brazil Prendergast. The pieces come from the Pearlman Foundation, which is dividing its collection of Impressionist, Post-Impressionist and Modernist art among LACMA, New York’s Museum of Modern Art and the Brooklyn Museum.

Times Classical Music Critic Mark Swed writes an appreciation of experimental theater director and playwright Robert Wilson, who died at the end of July. Swed was in Austria when he heard the news, attending the Salzberg Festival, and watching, “the kind of uncompromisingly slow, shockingly beauteous and incomprehensibly time-and-space-bending weirdness Wilson took infinite pleasure in hosting when he made what he called operas.”

The Japanese Pavilion at the L.A. County Museum of Art in 2012.

(LACMA)

Times contributor Sam Lubell takes a deep dive into the work of Bruce Goff, who designed Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s Japanese Pavilion, noting that while Goff remained largely under-the-radar throughout his life, he nonetheless inspired a host renegade of West Coast architects.

Gustavo Dudamel appeared onstage at the Hollywood Bowl on Tuesday, to the great joy of fans and the orchestra alike. This summer marks the 20th anniversary of the now legendary conductor’s U.S. debut, writes Swed in a review of Dudamel’s single homecoming week this Bowl season. “After 20 years, Dudamel clearly knows what works at the Bowl, but he also likes to push the envelope as with Tuesday’s savvy blend of Duke Ellington and jazzy Ravel,” Swed writes.

The SoCal scene

Philanthropist Glorya Kaufman at her Beverly Hills home in 2012.

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Glorya Kaufman, the philanthropist who transformed dance in Los Angeles through the establishment of an eponymous dance school at USC as well as a prominent dance series at the Music Center, among many other initiatives, has died. She was 95. Read her full obituary here.

The Tom and Ethel Bradley Residence in Leimert Park — along with the Stylesville Barbershop & Beauty Salon in Pacoima, St. Elmo Village and Jewel’s Catch One in Mid-City, the California Eagle newspaper in South L.A. and New Bethel Baptist Church in Venice—have been designated Historic-Cultural Monuments as part of a project meant to recognize Black heritage and led by the Getty in collaboration with the City of Los Angeles’ Office of Historic Resources.

When Pasadena Playhouse announces its new seasons each year, it typically delays naming one show until a later date. That time has now come, and Producing Artistic Director Danny Feldman sets Julia Masli’s “ha ha ha ha ha ha ha,” directed by Kim Noble, as the theater’s fifth Mainstage production, running from Oct.15 to Nov. 9. The playhouse also announced some juicy casting news: Tony Award winner Jefferson Mays will star as Salieri in Peter Shaffer’s “Amadeus,” which is scheduled to open Feb. 15.

Paging parents of teenagers! There is an organization called TeenTix that has paired with a veritable cornucopia of L.A.-area arts institutions to offer a youth pass that charges local kids between the ages of 13 and 19 $5 to attend shows, concerts and exhibits. More than 35 groups participate in the program, including Geffen Playhouse, Center Theatre Group, the Soraya, Pasadena Playhouse, Boston Court, Pasadena Symphony, the Armory, A Noise Within, the Autry Museum of the West, Heidi Duckler Dance, Skirball Cultural Center, Sierra Madre Playhouse and Actors Gang. Reservations are required, and info and passes can be found here.

— Jessica Gelt

And last but not least

There is a free plant stand in Altadena — a symbol of new life in the wake of January’s devastating Eaton fire.

COPS are urgently hunting for a topless man after a woman was allegedly sexually assaulted on the Tube.

Police said that their suspect struck on a Jubilee line train travelling between Southwark and London Bridge on Monday, June 30.

The alleged sexual assault happened just before 5pm, when thousands of commuters would be leaving the office and getting on the London Underground.

Now, the British Transport Police (BTP) has released a CCTV image in the hopes someone can identify the person of interest.

The picture shows a middle-aged white man of medium build with short dark hair.

He is wearing black and white patterned shorts and appears to have a tattoo on his right arm.

A BTP statement said: “Officers would like to speak to the man pictured as they believe he may have information which could help their investigation.”

The statement added: “Anyone who recognises him is asked to contact BTP by texting 61016 or by calling 0800 40 50 40, quoting reference 500 of 30 June.

“Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”

Data released by Transport for London revealed over 800 reports of sexual assault on the London Underground were made in 2024.

This was an increase of 56 assaults when compared to the previous year, with 745 occurring between April 2022 and April 2023.

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The town offers a bit of everything to those who still want to live within easy reach of the capital

Buckinghamshire is a popular choice for commuters, with many of its towns serving as homes to those who travel into London for work. The rise of remote working led to a significant migration away from the capital.

Despite its name, the London Underground extends well beyond the city limits, serving numerous towns outside London. One such Tube stop brings both tourists and commuters to the charming town of Amersham.

It’s no surprise that the town, popular with both groups, is frequently recognised as one of the best places to live in the country.

A brief tour around the town makes it easy to understand why. But a deeper exploration reveals even more reasons.

Nestled in the Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire, Amersham is divided into the Old Town and Amersham-on-the-Hill. The Old Town boasts buildings that are 700 years old and, unsurprisingly, a rich history.

Expect to see quaint cottages and cobbled streets. It resembles a typical English village, complete with a 13th-century church and an abundance of pubs.

Old Amersham also offers boutiques, spas, historical sites and beautiful areas for walks and exploration. Meanwhile, Amersham-on-the-Hill is known for its modernity, featuring a lively high street and the Tube station.

While it may not be as picturesque, residents still enjoy tree-lined streets. Property guru Phil Spencer of Move IQ dubbed Amersham one of the top commuter towns for London.

However, this charming town doesn’t come cheap. The average property in Amersham will set you back £750,000 – making some parts of London seem like a bargain.

But the ease of travel from London to Amersham makes it an ideal commuter spot for those Londoners seeking respite from the capital’s hustle and bustle. Amersham Underground station falls under Zone 9 on the network.

There are 18 stops between Amersham and King’s Cross, with the Metropolitan Line terminating at Aldgate. A 55-minute journey on the Metropolitan line will whisk you from Amersham to King’s Cross.

The service operates twice an hour, with the first train from Amersham to London departing at 5.30am and the last return leaving around midnight. And if you’ve had your fill of the Tube, you can opt to catch a train to Marylebone which takes a mere 32 minutes.

For those driving to Amersham, the M40 will get you there in just an hour.

A creepy underground station that has been left to rot for more than 30 years once played a vital part in protecting Brits from air ride strikes during both World Wars

Beneath the bustling streets of central London lies a ‘ghost’ station that remains eerily frozen in time. Thousands of Brits walk over this underground hub every single day, completely unaware of the abandoned station below them which has been described as a ‘deserted time capsule’ in the heart of the city.

Aldwych (also known as Strand) opened up back in 1907, and was once a terminus of the Piccadilly line, serving trains to and from Holborn station. Consisting of two platforms, interconnecting tunnels, and a ticket hall, this disused station played a key role during both World Wars, providing shelters for Londoners desperate to escape air raids.

It was also used to protect some of the nation’s most valuable artworks from being destroyed by bombs, including sections of the Elgin Marbles and paintings from the National Gallery.

READ MORE: Abandoned UK island with only one road running through it loved by the Beckhams

However, the station was never used by passengers as much as intended, resulting in it permanently closing to the public in 1994. Now, it remains a creepy omen of what once was, and has been used as a filming venue for several iconic films and TV shows, including Sherlock, Luther: The Fallen Sun, Mr Selfridge, 28 Weeks Later, and Netflix’s Bodies.

Distinguished by its famous red-tiled façade, Brits can now go on a tour of the station and spot the decades-old posters that still stick to the walls. The original 1907 lifts and vintage tiles have been left abandoned for decades, which makes for a perfect Instagram snap.

“Step back in time and immerse yourself in the beautifully preserved Leslie Green architecture that defined the Edwardian era,” states London Transport Museum, a charity dedicated to conserving and sharing London’s transport and design heritage.

“Retrace the steps of passengers from over a century ago in the turn-of-the-century ticket hall, step into the original 1907 lifts, and admire vintage tiles and signs dotted throughout the station. Discover how the station’s role extended beyond providing safety, with stories of the entertainment and community spirit that kept morale high beneath the city streets.”

Tickets to enter Aldwych are priced at £45 for adults and £42 for concessions and children. The tour is open to guests aged 10 and over, and those under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

The guided tour lasts for around 75 minutes and does not offer step-free access. There are 160 steps connecting the entrance at street level to the platforms below, meaning wheelchair users cannot be accommodated. “This tour also takes guests to confined areas and spaces with low lighting and that may be dusty, which may make it unsuitable for people with claustrophobia,” London Transport Museum added.

You can find out more about the tour here.

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June 20 (UPI) — U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents have discovered and closed a tunnel carved into the ground between San Diego and Tijuana that stretched more than 1,000 feet into the United States, the agency announced Thursday.

The agency said the tunnel, located near the Otay Mesa Port of Entry, had an exit point near a commercial warehouse. The tunnel entrance was discovered in a residential area in the Mexican border town of Tijuana, and had been concealed with freshly laid tile, CBP said.

“The investigation revealed the tunnel was equipped with electrical wiring, lighting, ventilation systems and a track system designed for transporting large quantities of contraband,” a CBP release said.

The tunnel stretched nearly 3,000 feet, spanning the United States and Mexico border and measured nearly 4 feet high and more than 2 feet wide.

It is the latest in a long series of tunnel discoveries in the Southwest.

Drug and human smugglers have used clandestine, underground tunnels along the U.S.-Mexico border for decades and routinely use them to move drugs and people into the United States.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has discovered more than 95 tunnels in the San Diego area alone since 1993. They are also routinely discovered in other border states, including Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.

“Contractors will pour thousands of gallons of concrete into the tunnel, preventing the tunnel from use by Foreign Terrorist Organizations,” the release continued.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Israel pounded Iran for a fifth day in an air campaign against its longstanding foe’s military and nuclear program, as U.S. President Trump warned residents of Tehran to evacuate and suggested the United States was working on something “better than a ceasefire.”

Trump left the Group of Seven summit in Canada a day early to deal with the conflict between Israel and Iran, telling reporters on Air Force One during the flight back to Washington: “I’m not looking at a ceasefire. We’re looking at better than a ceasefire.”

When asked to explain, he said the U.S. wanted to see “a real end” to the conflict that could involve Iran “giving up entirely.” He added: “I’m not too much in the mood to negotiate.”

Trump’s cryptic messages added to the uncertainty roiling the region as residents of Tehran fled their homes in droves and the U.N. nuclear watchdog for the first time said Israeli strikes on Iran’s main enrichment facility at Natanz had also damaged its underground section, and not just the suface area.

Israel says its sweeping assault on Iran’s top military leaders, nuclear scientists, uranium enrichment sites and ballistic missile program is necessary to prevent its adversary from getting any closer to building an atomic weapon. The strikes have killed at least 224 people in Iran.

Iran has retaliated by launching more than 370 missiles and hundreds of drones at Israel. So far, 24 people have been killed in Israel. The Israeli military said a new barrage of missiles was launched on Tuesday.

Damage at Natanz

The International Atomic Energy Agency said on Tuesday it believes that Israel’s first aerial attacks on Iran’s Natanz enrichment site had “direct impacts” on the facility’s underground centrifuge halls.

“Based on continued analysis of high-resolution satellite imagery collected after Friday’s attacks, the IAEA has identified additional elements that indicate direct impacts on the underground enrichment halls at Natanz,” the watchdog said.

Located 135 miles southeast of Tehran, the Natanz facility was protected by anti-aircraft batteries, fencing and Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard.

The underground part of the facility is buried to protect it from airstrikes and contains the bulk of the enrichment facilities at Natanz, with 10,000 centrifuges that enrich uranium up to 5%, experts assess.

The IAEA had earlier reported that Israeli strikes had destroyed an above-ground enrichment hall at Natanz and knocked out electrical equipment that powered the facility.

However, most of Iran’s enrichment takes place underground.

Although Israel has struck Natanz repeatedly and claims to have inflicted significant damage on its underground facilities, Tuesday’s IAEA statement marked the first time the agency has acknowledged impacts there.

Iran maintains its nuclear program is peaceful, and the United States and others have assessed Tehran has not had an organized effort to pursue a nuclear weapon since 2003. But the head of the IAEA has repeatedly warned that the country has enough enriched uranium to make several nuclear bombs should it choose to do so.

While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed on Tuesday that Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites have set the country’s nuclear program back a “very, very long time,” Israel has not been able to reach Iran’s Fordo uranium enrichment facility, which is buried deep underground.

Shops closed, lines for gas in Iran’s capital

Echoing an earlier Israeli military call for some 330,000 residents of a neighborhood in downtown Tehran to evacuate, Trump on Tuesday warned on social media that “everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!”

Tehran is one of the largest cities in the Middle East, with around 10 million people, roughly equivalent to the entire population of Israel. People have been fleeing since hostilities began.

Asked why he had urged for the evacuation of Tehran, Trump said: “I just want people to be safe.”

Downtown Tehran appeared to be emptying out early Tuesday, with many shops closed. The ancient Grand Bazaar was also closed, something that only happened in the past during anti-government demonstrations or at the height of the coronavirus pandemic.

On the roads out of Tehran to the west, traffic stood bumper to bumper. Many appeared to be heading to the Caspian Sea, a popular vacation spot where a large number of middle- and upper-class Iranians have second homes.

Long lines also could be seen at gas stations in Tehran. Printed placards and billboards calling for a “severe” response to Israel were visible across the city. Authorities cancelled leave for doctors and nurses, while insisting everything was under control.

The Israeli military meanwhile claimed to have killed someone it described as Iran’s top general in a strike on Tehran. Iran did not immediately comment on the reported killing of Gen. Ali Shadmani, who had just been named as the head of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, part of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard.

Iran has named other generals to replace the top leaders of the Guard and the regular armed forces after they were killed in earlier strikes.

Trump leaves G7 early to focus on conflict

Before leaving the summit in Canada, Trump joined the other leaders in a joint statement saying Iran “can never have a nuclear weapon” and calling for a “de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including a ceasefire in Gaza.”

French President Emmanuel Macron told reporters that discussions were underway on a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, but Trump appeared to shoot that down in his comments on social media.

Macron “mistakenly said that I left the G7 Summit, in Canada, to go back to D.C. to work on a ‘cease fire’ between Israel and Iran,” Trump wrote. “Wrong! He has no idea why I am now on my way to Washington, but it certainly has nothing to do with a Cease Fire. Much bigger than that.”

Trump said he wasn’t ready to give up on diplomatic talks, and could send Vice President JD Vance and special envoy Steve Witkoff to meet with the Iranians.

“I may,” he said. “It depends on what happens when I get back.”

Israel says it has ‘aerial superiority’ over Tehran

Israeli military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said Monday his country’s forces had “achieved full aerial superiority over Tehran’s skies.”

The military said it destroyed more than 120 surface-to-surface missile launchers in central Iran, a third of Iran’s total, including multiple launchers just before they launched ballistic missiles towards Israel. It also destroyed two F-14 fighter planes that Iran used to target Israeli aircraft, the military said.

Israeli military officials also said fighter jets had struck 10 command centers in Tehran belonging to Iran’s Quds Force, an elite arm of its paramilitary Revolutionary Guard that conducts military and intelligence operations outside Iran.

Israel’s military issued an evacuation warning for a part of central Tehran that houses state TV and police headquarters, as well as three large hospitals, including one owned by the Guard. It has issued similar evacuation warnings for parts of the Gaza Strip and Lebanon ahead of strikes.

Krauss, Gambrell and Melzer write for the Associated Press. Melzer reported from Nahariya, Israel. AP writers Nasser Karimi and Amir Vahdat in Tehran; Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv; and Tara Copp in Washington contributed to this report.

Imagine you’re on a cruise ship for a four-day excursion to the Bahamas. You’ve got your swimsuit, an adult beverage, and you’re ready to relax. As you make your way to the pool deck, you’re hit with the sound of distorted guitars and in-your-face vocals as legendary L.A. punk band X rips through “Johnny Hit and Run Paulene.”

That was the scene on Little Steven’s Underground Garage Cruise, which set sail from Miami on May 9-13 on board Norwegian Cruise Lines’ Norwegian Gem, and the 1,800 or so passengers were in punk rock heaven.

The lineup featured an array of SoCal-based bands, including Social Distortion, L7, Rocket From the Crypt, the Lords of Altamont and the Dollyrots. They were joined by dozens of other performers across the rock ’n’ roll spectrum, from the hard-stomping Fleshtones to the incorrigible Supersuckers, to Tommy Stinson’s Bash & Pop, to the ageless Linda Gail Lewis — younger sister of music icon Jerry Lee Lewis.

As John Doe of X said, “bands you never thought you’d see on a boat.”

The festival-at-sea concept isn’t new. Sixthman, the company that ran the cruise, has been organizing festivals since 2001 and offers more than 25 curated cruise experiences. Upcoming sailings include Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea Alaska, Chef’s Making Waves Boston, Rock the Bells Cruise and Headbangers Boat.

In many ways, the first Little Steven’s Underground Garage Cruise is an offshoot of Sixthman’s Outlaw Country Cruise, which completed its ninth sailing earlier this year. It was a somewhat somber celebration because both its architect, SiriusXM’s Jeremy Tepper, and its ambassador, Mojo Nixon, died suddenly in 2024.

That cruise drew an eclectic mix of performers such as Steve Earle, Lucinda Williams and Dave Alvin, who share musical DNA with many of the artists on the Underground Garage Cruise and vice versa. For example, Alvin’s former band the Blasters played alongside X during L.A.’s first wave of punk, and Social Distortion’s Mike Ness was often in the front row watching them play.

“Jeremy and Mojo were incredibly close,” Alvin said. “They were like soulmates in a weird way. Cultural, artistic soulmates.”

One surprise guest on the Outlaw Country Cruise was Jello Biafra, who released the album “Prairie Home Invasion” with Mojo Nixon in 1994. He played with Nixon’s backing band the Toadliquors during an emotional tribute to his late friend.

“It’s hard,” Biafra said, “because there is a little bit of a pall over this whole event, because Mojo isn’t here, and everybody’s got their memories bubbling up. I have plenty of that.”

Many of the performers, including some who’d never taken a cruise before, had reservations about what the Underground Garage Cruise would be like.

“I thought there was going to be a lot of crazy drunkenness,” said Donita Sparks of L7. “I was thinking it was a booze cruise, but I haven’t seen a whole lot of that. I haven’t seen a single fight. I’ve seen people laughing and hugging and rocking out to the music. I’ve just seen a lot of joyousness.”

John Reis, vocalist and guitarist of Rocket From the Crypt, was concerned about seasickness and feeling “trapped” but neither proved to be an issue, and he found it easy to “succumb to the vibe.”

“We don’t take certain things all that seriously,” Reis said of Rocket From the Crypt, “and festivals can be very regimented. There’s often a lot of stress involved, mainly with the people putting on the shows. The cruise isn’t like that at all. It’s way more casual.”

Even Ness of Social Distortion was seemingly won over by the cruising lifestyle. “Ease into the day, do what you want. No traffic, no hassles,” Ness said from the stage.

X performs on Little Steven’s Underground Garage Cruise

(Eli Johnson)

Punks of a certain age are all too familiar with the phenomenon of looking forward to a show but, once it’s time to actually leave the house, losing all enthusiasm to drive across town, find parking and wait for opening bands to wrap up their sets. On the Underground Garage Cruise, all shows are a short walk away and run from an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes. No openers. No encores.

Although some shows overlap, unlike most festivals, the bands play several times throughout the course of the cruise. So if you missed a band’s performance on the spacious pool deck, you could catch them later at the 850-seat Stardust Theater or one of the more intimate lounges that provide a clublike setting.

That means you can choose where and when you want to see the band — even early in the afternoon.

“We’ve been doing this a long time,” Eddie Spaghetti of the Supersuckers told the crowd at the band’s 1:15 p.m. gig. “But never this early,” quipped bandmate “Metal” Marty Chandler.

Fans cram the deck of the cruise to watch their favorite bands play on a trip sailing from Miami to the Bahamas

(Rich Johnson)

Performers participated in events offstage as well: autograph signings, a wine tasting with the Dictators, a poker tournament with the Slim Jim Phantom Trio and interview sessions that will eventually make their way to the Little Steven’s Underground Garage channel on SiriusXM. An interview with Mike Ness ended with a surprise short set by Social Distortion, accompanied by keyboardist Ben Alleman on the accordion.

There are, of course, drawbacks to the cruise experience. If you’re not having a good time at a festival, you can always leave and go home. Obviously, you can’t do that on a cruise ship. There are also larger concerns with the cruise industry itself, from the impact these behemoth ships have on the environment to the low wages paid to foreign workers, who do the bulk of the cooking and cleaning.

John Doe said he was conflicted about the gig. “As you grow up, you do things for love or money, right? This is for money. But I love the band X.”

Then there’s the elephant in the room: the perception that cruises aren’t for kids; they’re for elderly people.

A lot of these old punks are, well, old. And if you were in the pit with bands like X, Social Distortion and L7 when they were first making waves, then so are you.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing.

“Rock ’n’ roll is like jazz now,” said Eddie Spaghetti. “Essentially, it’s become a niche art form for older people because most kids don’t like rock ’n’ roll anymore.”

As fans age, their bodies may break down but their passion for the music of their youth remains the same. But a lot of music fans, this writer included, deal with disability, health and/or mobility issues that can put a damper on the typical festival experience. Sixthman, however, excelled at making sure every passenger felt welcome.

For instance, all of the venues on the Underground Garage Cruise had an abundance of ADA seating, with staff designated to assist those who requested it. One staff member I spoke with told me she scans the crowds during the shows and looks for people who might benefit from extra assistance.

That kind of personal attention goes a long way toward explaining why fans, performers and staff members alike think of these cruises as a community. There’s a camaraderie on these trips that you won’t find at your typical festival.

The people you meet at the show aren’t just festivalgoers; they’re your neighbors and sometimes your breakfast companions. The intimidating-looking punk rocker covered in tattoos is a lot more approachable when eating pancakes with his partner at the buffet.

This camaraderie isn’t what leads most fans to sail on a music cruise, but it’s one of the reasons they return year after year. During the Outlaw Country Cruise in February, passengers assembled for a group photo for those who’d sailed on all nine Outlaw Country Cruises.

That camaraderie is important to the musicians too. Everyone I talked to raved about the shows they’d seen. Jonny Two Bags of Social Distortion told me that when he received the schedule, he highlighted the bands he wanted to see — just like any fan. He was especially excited to see Bash & Pop, who he’d played with in the early ’90s.

L7 performs at Little Steven’s Underground Garage Cruise

(Rich Johnson)

Donita Sparks of L7 had fond memories of playing with the Supersuckers in the early ’90s. “We used to sleep on the Supersuckers’ floor in Seattle,” Sparks said, “and we would have a dance party every night.”

That excitement for what L7’s Jennifer Finch called “the buffet of bands” is infectious. It’s also why Little Steven’s Underground Garage Cruise will sail again next April, to Cozumel, Mexico.

“We’re all alive,” Sparks said. “We’re here and we’re still rocking.”

Jim Ruland is the L.A. Times bestselling author of “Corporate Rock Sucks: The Rise & Fall of SST Records” and of the novel “Make It Stop.”