vow

MOLLY-MAE has revealed that her two-year-old Bambi is flying first class, despite dad Tommy Fury vowing to ban ‘five star hotels and business class flights’ for his daughter. 

It’s been a hectic year for Tommy and his partner Molly-Mae Hague, both 27, who recently confirmed they had rekindled their romance following their shock break-up.

But the rekindled pair have now jetted off on another holiday to Dubai, and showed a snap of Bambi lapping up first class service en-route.

The tot could be seen in a black and white photo with headphones on watching TV on the plane, as they jetted abroad.

Bambi looked content in her tracksuit as she reclined on the large first class seats with her legs outstretched.

But boxer Tommy, who said raising Bambi is his top priority, had warned that business class flights and five star hotels were a thing of the past for his daughter, while talking on The Good, The Bad & The Beast podcast a few months back. 

FAN DIS-MAE

Molly-Mae slammed as ‘selfish’ & former fans say TV show has ‘put them off her’

FAMILY FURY

Tommy Fury and Molly-Mae’s dad bury the hatchet – but he STILL snubs boxer

During the interview, he said: “Today’s world is tough because you don’t wanna spoil your children, but then it’s hard to not, in a way. I just said to myself, ‘She can’t take business class flights every time, that ain’t the real world.’

“I didn’t go on a plane until I was 17! It was a Flybe flight and the propeller nearly broke.

“But Bambi’s got more air miles than me now, and she’s two and a half.”

Evidently, Tommy’s rule has gone out of the plane window as he continued to say at the time: “I want her to know the meaning of normal, which is, you know, a nice camping holiday, driving to the lake.

“Not staying in five star hotels, not going business class flights, not doing that sometimes – and that’s okay.”

It comes just days after Molly was slammed as “selfish” and “out of touch with reality” by former fans. 

Not only this, but after watching the new episodes of the influencer’s hit new Amazon docuseries, Molly-Mae: Behind It All, many viewers have admitted the Love Island star’s “bratty behaviour” has “put them off her.”

Since the release of the Amazon docuseries, former fans of the influencer have slammed the mother as “selfish” and “tone deaf.” 

A content creator named Emily Entwistle took to social media to share her thoughts on the episode as she wrote: “Why was this scene in episode three the hardest watch?

“At times she’s so relatable but this season just shows a girl who needs a wake up call.”

Not only this, but Emily also added: “Really enjoyed season one but this season is not the one.

“She’s just showing someone who’s so out of touch with reality.”

And it appears that Emily isn’t the only viewer to think this way, as her TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @emilyentwistle_x, caused a flurry of women expressing similar views.

One person said: “I genuinely thought the exact same thing and lowkey put me off her. 

“I’ve always liked her but I think she’s done so many things now that’s off putting. She’s massively out of touch with reality.” 

Another added: “She’s definitely out of touch with reality, these new episodes have made me really change my opinion of her. 

“I actually think she’s selfish and it’s not her friend or her manager’s fault that she forgot the product she was supposed to review.” 

A third commented: “It was very bratty behaviour tbh.” 

Meanwhile, someone else chimed in: “She gives spoilt brat vibes.”

At the same time, one former fan penned: “Tone deaf in today’s economic climate. She’s so out of touch with reality and spoiled.” 

However, others tried to sympathise with the busy mother.

One fan wrote: “She’s trying her best and running a business and being a mum trying to do her best. 

“Being a mum is hard work. I respect her for showing the reality of her world that everyone wants to judge.” 

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Whilst another explained: “You guys have such high standards for these influencers/celebrities. 

“This documentary was supposed to show the inside of her life and not the glitz and glams and to show the true struggles of motherhood.” 

Fans of Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel watched on as a lollipop lady took home one of the biggest jackpots in the show’s history after a dramatic final question

Michael McIntyre made dreams come true after an elated contestant on The Wheel bagged one of the biggest ever jackpots on the show. Lollipop lady Sally from Gateshead went all in in the final showdown, surprisingly choosing the game’s lowest-ranked celebrity to help her with the final question.

It saw her have the chance to scoop a £110,000 jackpot, doubling what she had banked in the cash builder throughout the show. After picking former rugby star Joe Marler as her famous face to help her, he joked: “I’m not doing it. I feel sick,” as he looked stunned she had gone for broke.

But together the pair somehow managed to unearth the right answer, correctly revealing that Jade Jones had medalled in the Olympics in Taekwondo. Sally, who had earlier this year recovered from lung cancer, had doubted herself after locking in the answer.

READ MORE: BBC The Wheel contestant’s heartwarming plan for £110k win revealedREAD MORE: The 1% Club apologises after major mishap leaves fans frustrated

Both she and Joe looked far from convinced they were onto a winner. But thankfully for the north-east based contestant, the ticker turned gold, giving her the huge six-figure sum.

The gobsmacked contestant couldn’t believe it as she gasped: “Oh my God,” before removing her glasses to wipe away the tears. She was in so much shock that she kept asking the celebs around the wheel, including Jill Scott and Roman Kemp, if this was really happening.

Revealing to comedian Michael how she would be spending the prize, she sobbed how she would treat her husband and friends who had helped her through her tough cancer treatment: “We can get the van and we can go off on our adventures,” she revealed.

“I can treat my friends to thank them,” she said before breaking down in tears again to a round of applause from the celebs and the audience. “What a year,” she continued.

“What a year, of course,” Michael replied. “You got the all clear this year.” “Oh my God,” she again exclaimed before revealing: “I’m not going to hang my lollipop up, mind! I love it… Oh my God. Did that just happen?”

“And well done Joe as well,” Michael added in between applause. He had helped whittle down the question to two answers, with Sally picking the correct one for a dramatic end to the popular gameshow.

Sally’s tears weren’t the only shed on the show on Saturday. Michael McIntyre said, “I wasn’t expecting this,” as the first contestant also down in tears.

Hannah, a data analyst from Macclesfield, revealed a special connection she had with rugby star Joe. “I struggled with mental health for quite a while,” she said.

“I never really had a hobby,” she went on before pausing as she began to tear up. “I was always kind of a lost kind of person growing up; I didn’t know if I was coming or going. This said person brought out a podcast about mental health and rugby”.

As she welled up again, she then told Michael: “I now play rugby; it is a massive passion of mine and if it wasn’t for Joe, then I wouldn’t be doing it.”

READ MORE: Suitcase packing cubes save so much space there’s ‘room for gifts’ now 45% off

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NIGEL Farage today appeared to row back on his pledge to include women and children in illegal migrant deportations.

The Reform leader said the two groups would be “exempt” from being sent packing for five years – but not “forever”.

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On Tuesday Mr Farage declared that under his mass deportation plan, 600,000 illegal migrants, including females of all ages, would have no right to stay in Britain.

But pushed on the issue again at a press conference in Edinburgh today, he clarified:  “I was very, very clear yesterday in what I said, that deportation of illegal immigrants – we are not even discussing women and children at this stage.

“I didn’t say exempt forever, but at this stage it’s not part of our plan for the next five years.”

It comes as the Taliban confirmed it is “ready and willing” to strike an illegal migrant returns deal with Mr Farage.

A senior official suggested the extremist group would ask for aid to support deported Afghans instead of money.

The official told The Telegraph: “We are ready and willing to receive and embrace whoever he [Nigel Farage] sends us.

“We are prepared to work with anyone who can help end the struggles of Afghan refugees, as we know many of them do not have a good life abroad.

“We will not take money to accept our own people, but we welcome aid to support newcomers, since there are challenges in accommodating and feeding those returning from Iran and Pakistan.

“Afghanistan is home to all Afghans, and the Islamic Emirate is determined to make this country a place where everyone – those already here, those returning, or those being sent back from the West by Mr Farage or anyone else – can live with dignity.”

The Taliban official also suggested it will be easier for Afghanistan to “deal” with Reform than Labour.

He said: “We will have to see what Mr Farage does when or if he becomes prime minister of Britain, but since his views are different, it may be easier to deal with him than with the current ones.

 “We will accept anyone he sends, whether they are legal or illegal refugees in Britain.”

The Taliban are hardline Islamist militants who seized back control of Afghanistan in 2021 after two decades of war.

They enforce brutal Sharia law, with strict rules on women, media and daily life, backed by violence and fear.

Branded terrorists by the West, they’re accused of harbouring extremists and crushing human rights while clinging to power.

Mr Farage yesterday vowed to deport 600,000 illegal migrants in his first term in office – in a crackdown he claims will save taxpayers billions.

The Reform UK boss said the public mood over Channel crossings was “a mix between total despair and rising anger”, warning of a “genuine threat to public order” unless Britain acts fast.

This morning Tory Chairman Kevin Hollinrake confirmed his party would also “potentially” look to strike a returns agreement with the Taliban.

He added that his party’s deportation plan, which was published in May, is “far more comprehensive than the one we’ve seen from Reform, in that it dealt with both legal migration and illegal migration”.

Unveiling a five-year emergency programme, dubbed Operation Restoring Justice, Mr Farage yesterday tore into what he called an “invasion” on Britain’s borders and pledged the boldest deportation plan ever put forward by a UK party.

Speaking at an aircraft hangar in Oxfordshire, Mr Farage declared: “If you come to the UK illegally, you will be detained and deported and never, ever allowed to stay, period. 

“That is our big message from today, and we are the first party to put out plans that could actually make that work.”

Reform’s plan centres on a new Illegal Migration (Mass Deportation) Bill, which would make it the Home Secretary’s legal duty to remove anyone who arrives unlawfully, and strip courts and judges of the power to block flights. 

Britain would quit the European Convention on Human Rights, scrap the Human Rights Act and suspend the Refugee Convention for five years.

Reform would also make re-entry after deportation a crime carrying up to five years in jail, enforce a lifetime ban on returning, and make tearing up ID papers punishable by the same penalty.

Mr Farage said women and children would be detained and removed under the plans, with “phase one” focusing on men and women and unaccompanied minors deported “towards the latter half of that five years”.

He even raised the prospect that children born in Britain to parents who arrived illegally could also be deported, but admitted it would be “complex”. 

He said: “How far back you go with this is the difficulty, and I accept that… I’m not standing here telling you all of this is easy, all of this is straightforward.”

There would also be a six-month “Assisted Voluntary Return Window” with cash incentives to leave before Border Force begins US-style raids. Mr Farage said: “Will Border Force be seeking out people who are here illegally, possibly many of them working in the criminal economy? 

“Yes, it’s what normal countries do all over the world. 

“What sane country would allow undocumented young males to break into its country, to put them up in hotels, they even get dental care? How about that?

“Most people can’t get an NHS dentist. This is not what normal countries do.”

The scheme would also see prefab detention camps built on surplus RAF and MoD land, holding up to 24,000 people within 18 months. 

Inmates would be housed in two-man blocks with food halls and medical suites – and would not be allowed out.

Five deportation flights would take off every day, with RAF planes on standby if charter jets were blocked. 

BROOKLYN Beckham and his wife Nicola Peltz have shared a series of romantic snaps from their recent wedding vow renewal.

The ceremony was officiated by Nicola’s billionaire father Nelson – but Brooklyn’s parents David and Victoria were absent as their family feud rumbles on.

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Brooklyn and Nicola said ‘I do’ again on Nicola’s family estate on August 2 in Westchester County, New York.

Three years after they first tied the knot, the couple decided to have a low key ceremony to reaffirm their love for each other.

Brooklyn captioned the snaps “Only love” alongside a white heart emoji.

He also referred to Nicola as “Forever my girl.”

Booking a summer getaway is a major highlight for many people each year but one popular tourist hotspot has undergone a major change that’s got many people vowing to never return

Tourists have vowed to “never again” visit a popular holiday hotspot after it underwent some unwanted changes this year. Jetting off to a sunnier climate is a highlight of many people’s summers, with guaranteed sunshine, blue skies and the soothing sounds of the ocean a top priority.

Some European countries have established themselves as firm favourites for British tourists, and regularly top the travel wish list for people of all ages. Whether it’s Greece, Spain, France, Italy or Portugal, the continent has an abundance of varied, enticing options to suit all budgets and desires. For some holidaymakers, the destination of choice centres around the availability of bars and clubs, with many keen to take advantage of a thriving nightlife.

This seems to be the case for Albufeira, a popular coastal city based in the southern Algarve region of Portugal. It’s famous for its nightlife, with an abundance of accommodation and activities to indulge in.

Recently, however, its iconic strip has drawn some criticism due to how busy it’s become – one of the downsides to the city’s enduring popularity.

One tourist, who works as a DJ in Albufeira, recently shared a video of the packed strip on TikTok and it’s put many people off from ever returning to the city.

The 11-second clip shows people packed shoulder to shoulder outside the famous bars and nightclubs. Over the top of the footage, the DJ penned the words: “‘iS AlbUFeIrA eVEn BuSy?’ Have you seen the strip.”

The mix of capital letters with lowercase letters is typically used on social media to convey a mocking tone.

In the caption, he simply added: “How busy is too busy?”

The video racked up more than 754K views, with fellow TikTok users keen to share their thoughts. Lots of people pointed out it seems to be much busier this year than it was last year.

One person said: “Oh my that’s some difference from last July,” while another agreed: “Was nowhere near this last year”.

A third shared: “I was there on Saturday and never again!” A fourth said: “Canny be enjoyable that”.

Someone else asked: “is this supposed to make you want to go?”

Another TikTok user said: “Disgusting I can smell the sweat through the screen,” and another simply said: “No thanks.”

However, not everyone had this perspective or experience. One person shared: “It was the perfect amount of busy last week.”

And another wasn’t put off at all: “Ye looks boss that.”

For those keen to avoid the intense crowds, one TikTok user advised: “Best time for Albufeira is mid May to end of May if [you] don’t want to deal with this.”

To which the original poster replied: “Spot on.”

Before it became a major holiday destination, Albufeira used to be a sleepy fishing village. Its golden, sandy beaches are varied with some spots busy and bustling, and others offering secluded coves near dramatic cliffs.

Despite being renowned for its busy nightlife strip, it’s also an ideal destination for families and couples looking for a scenic getaway.

Love Island viewers have threatened to report the show to Ofcom over scenes where Islander Shakira Khan was left sobbing over her treatment by the boys including Conor Phillips

Love Island viewers have threatened to “call Ofcom” as they criticised the “nasty” treatment of one girl in the villa. Fans of the reality dating show saw things take a savage turn among the residents after the latest recoupling.

Shakira Khan and Conor Phillips officially became a thing after they ditched their Casa Amor partners to couple up.

However, as the latest challenge – Couples of Sorts – saw the Islanders learn what viewers really think of them all hell broke loose. As Harrison Solomon was selected as part of a “one-sided” couple, he admitted: “I think Conor and Shakira should be up here.

“We had a conversation – me, you and H – basically what was said was, you like him more than Ty. But I don’t think you like Con as much as you like Harry.”

Moving on to another category Shakira then admitted to Conor: “I’d laugh if this was us now.” However, when she got a frosty reception from him for her joke, she then swiped: “Oh, he’s not laughing, okay.”

After the game Conor went for a chat with Harrison, Harry and Dejon, as they mulled over the events of the challenge. Following that discussion he pulled Shakira for a chat, where she slammed what the other boys had been saying to him as “b******s”.

She added: “It’s been twisted. I told you that and you just wanted to believe the boys straight away.” Shakira was then seen breaking down in tears and sobbing as she discussed the argument with Toni, saying: “Why are they trying to create this narrative like I’m obsessed with [Harry]? I don’t get it.

“They’re all just so fake! I’m surrounded by fake f*****g people who smile in your face and chat s**t about you behind your back.”

Spurred on by seeing her bestie upset by the boys the next day Toni called out Harry, Harrison and Dejon for their behaviour as she ripped into them for reducing Shakira to tears.

Viewers were left disgusted by the scenes and took to X to slam the behaviour. One wrote: “Everybody should write to ofcom because the way Shakira Khan has been treated is nasty #LoveIsland.”

A second added: “The boys reaction to Shakira being upset is telling everything about them.” A third said: “Seeing shakira that upset is so heartbreaking #LoveIsland I can’t watch these villainous men anymore.”

While a fourth social media user shared: “I’m not joking after this episode, I will write a letter to ofcom about how the islanders are mistreating Shakira.” A fifth agreed: “Ofcom will be hearing from me, these people are bullying shakira.”

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JERUSALEM — President Trump’s call for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption trial to be thrown out has plunged the American leader into one of Israel’s most heated debates, unnerving some in its political class just days after they unanimously praised his strikes on Iran.

Trump’s social media post condemning the trial as a “WITCH HUNT,” and his vow that the United States will be the one who “saves” Netanyahu from serious corruption charges, came just two days after he called off an Israeli bombing raid in Iran to preserve a ceasefire.

Both were dramatic interventions in the affairs of an ally that previous U.S. administrations had always insisted was a sovereign nation that made its own decisions. Now the one leader nearly all Israelis seem to support has fully embraced the one who most divides them.

“With all due respect for Trump, he is not supposed to interfere in a legal process in an independent country,” opposition leader Yair Lapid told Israeli media.

Trump says trial should be canceled

In an extended post on his Truth Social site, Trump condemned Netanyahu’s trial in the same language that both he and Netanyahu have long used to describe their legal woes. Both contend they are the victims of witch hunts by hostile media, crooked law enforcement and political opponents.

“I was shocked to hear that the State of Israel, which has just had one of its Greatest Moments in History, and is strongly led by Bibi Netanyahu, is continuing its ridiculous Witch Hunt against their Great War Time Prime Minister!” Trump wrote, using a common nickname for Netanyahu.

“Bibi Netanyahu’s trial should be CANCELLED, IMMEDIATELY, or a Pardon given to a Great Hero, who has done so much for the State. … It was the United States of America that saved Israel, and now it is going to be the United States of America that saves Bibi Netanyahu,” Trump wrote.

Netanyahu’s allies took to social media Thursday to praise Trump and a spokesperson from Netanyahu’s Likud party translated the post into Hebrew.

Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, a former rival who once challenged Netanyahu over the corruption charges, only to join his Cabinet last year, said the trial was harming the state: “When the president of the United States calls for an annulment of the trial or for a pardon — can anyone say that he is wrong?”

Netanyahu himself said in a post addressed to Trump that he was “deeply moved by your heartfelt support for me and your incredible support for Israel and the Jewish people.”

Netanyahu is a polarizing figure in Israel

Netanyahu became the only sitting prime minister in Israeli history to be indicted when he was charged with fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three separate cases after yearslong investigations accusing him of exchanging favors with wealthy political supporters.

He took the witness stand for the first time late last year and his cross-examination began earlier this month. Several hearings have been postponed as he has dealt with the wars and unrest stemming from Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack out of the Gaza Strip.

Netanyahu portrays himself as a towering statesman fighting for Israel’s very survival and accuses his political opponents of trying to achieve in the courtroom what they failed to do at the ballot box during his nearly unbroken 16 years in power — the longest of any Israeli leader.

His critics accuse him of prolonging the war in Gaza and of leaving dozens of hostages languishing in Hamas captivity to cling to power and more effectively battle the allegations. Massive weekly protests against Netanyahu have been held for years.

Trump seen as Israel’s greatest U.S. friend

Trump is seen by Netanyahu — and many Israelis — as the greatest friend they have ever had in the White House. He has lent unprecedented support to Israel’s claims to territories seized in war, he brokered the Abraham Accords with four Arab nations in his first term and over the weekend he ordered direct strikes on Iran’s nuclear program, which Israel views as an existential threat.

Still, even some staunch supporters of Netanyahu and Trump seemed a bit unnerved.

Simcha Rotman, a lawmaker from the far-right Religious Zionist party and one of the architects of Netanyahu’s controversial judicial overhaul, wrote on X that Netanyahu’s trial “may be an example of an accumulation of many faults” of the justice system.

“Still, it is not the place of the president of the United States to interfere in legal proceedings in Israel.”

Melzer and Hazboun write for the Associated Press. Melzer reported from Nahariya, Israel.

Subscribers have been left fuming over Netflix’s confusing new update

Netflix users have been left outraged and confused by the streaming giant’s latest update to its interface.

Subscribers logging onto the service this week have discovered a new version of the app which has been rolling out globally since 19th May.

The streamer promises to showcase “better recommendations and an improved interface that highlights what matters most to you” with the new revamp.

It includes a “clean and modern” new design, alongside features such as personalised recommendations and improved shortcuts to fans’ favourite titles.

However, a substantial number of Netflix’s 300 million-strong userbase has taken to social media to slam the update, with some even promising to cancel their subscriptions.

One X (formerly Twitter) user warned other subscribers: “Netflix has destroyed the app. Worst UI redesign ever. Everyone needs to cancel.”

Someone else fumed: “netflix’s update is diabolical where the hell is the coming soon section!!”

Another posted: “Whoever’s job it was to update Netflix UI, I’m praying for a resignation in the coming weeks. IT LOOKS TERRIBLE.”

And a fourth user wrote: “[…] the NEW Netflix Update has somehow made the UI like 10000x worse.

“It hurts my brain when I try and search new shows etc. Am I overreacting or do others not like the new UI?”

Discussion continued over on Reddit where Netflix users were equally baffled by the change.

One Redditor commented: “It’s awful. My TV updated to it automatically this week after putting off the update for ages, now it’s a load of rubbish. Will be cancelling [my] subscription.”

And another user agreed: “It’s soo dire. You can’t find anything.

“It was so slick and easy to use before. Now it’s soo clunky. I’m always willing to try new ideas, but this is a big step backwards.”

They then admitted: “Thinking I might actually now cancel my subscription.”

Fans have even gone so far as to launch a change.org petition demanding Netflix returns to the old interface.

The description claims: “The new layout only allows users to see a sparse selection of 3 or 4 titles per screen, compared to the previously user-friendly layout of 20 or more titles.

“This change not only limits variety and accessibility but also diminishes the ease-of-use Netflix was renowned for.”

Netflix’s chief product officer Eunice Kim explained the change back in May: “We wanted to create an experience that was more flexible for our broad entertainment offerings, more intuitive and responsive to our members’ needs, and capable of elevating the most thrilling moments on Netflix.”

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Sky is giving away a free Netflix subscription with its new Sky Stream TV bundles, including the £15 Essential TV plan.

This lets members watch live and on-demand TV content without a satellite dish or aerial and includes hit shows like Ginny and Georgia.

Furthermore, not all Netflix users have criticised the change, with one Reddit user saying “it’s still better than the majority of streaming services.”

Plus, fans can now find more info about their favourite shows, from the synopsis and runtime to major award wins, its history in the streamer’s Top 10 and the key cast.

Netflix also maintains that it’s still possible to search by genre and theme, and remind streamers that a welcome message should walk them through the changes when they log on.

In the aftermath of Democrats’ widespread electoral failures last year, party activists in California who gathered for their annual convention this weekend struggled with balancing how to stick to their values while also reconnecting with voters who were traditionally part of their base — notably working-class Americans.

California’s progressive policies and its Democratic leaders were routinely battered by Republicans during the 2024 election, with then-vice president and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris taking the brunt of it. Harris ultimately lost the election to Trump, partly because of shrinking support among traditional Democratic constituencies, including minorities and working-class voters.

“We got to be honest in what happened, because losing elections has consequences,” said Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Harris’ running mate, during a rousing speech Saturday afternoon. “We’re in this mess because some of it’s our own doing. … None of us can afford to shy away from having hard conversations about what it’s going to take to win elections.”

Walz, a potential 2028 presidential candidate, said Democrats don’t need to retreat from their ideals, such as protecting the most vulnerable in society, including transgender children. But they need to show voters that they are capable of bold policy that will improve voters’ lives rather than delivering incremental progress, he said.

“The Democratic Party, the party of the working class, lost a big chunk of the working class,” he said. “That last election was a primal scream on so many fronts: do something, do something, stand up and make a difference.”

California is home to the most Democrats in the nation as well as a large number of the party’s most deep-pocketed donors, making the state a popular spot for presidential hopefuls from across the country.

In addition to Walz, another potential 2028 White House candidate who addressed the 4,000 delegates and guests at the Anaheim Convention Center was New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker. Booker argued that Democrats must remember the courage of their ancestors who fought for civil and voting rights and created the social safety net for the most vulnerable Americans as they try to fight Trumpism.

“Real change does not come from Washington. It comes from communities. It comes from the streets,” he said in a Saturday morning speech. “The power of the people is greater than the people in power.”

Harris, who is weighing a 2026 gubernatorial run and is also viewed as a potential 2028 presidential candidate, addressed the convention by video. Gov. Gavin Newsom, also viewed as a possible White House contender, did not appear at the convention.

Delegate Jane Baulch-Enloe, a middle school teacher from Pleasant Hill in the Bay Area, said she wasn’t sure that California’s particular brand of liberalism will sell on the national stage.

“I don’t know if a California Democrat can win a presidential election,” she said as she and her daughter sorted through swag and campaign fliers in the convention cafe. “California is thought of as the crazy people. … I don’t mean that in a bad way — though I know some people do — but we do things differently here.”

She said she learned from President Obama’s memoir, “Audacity of Hope,” that most, if not all, Americans “want the same things,” but talk about them differently and have different approaches for getting there. California Democrats, Baulch-Enloe said, “need to get people on our side and help them understand that we aren’t just wacko liberals, and teach people that it’s okay to want things” like healthcare for all and high union wages.

But the 2028 presidential race was not the focus of this year’s California Democratic Party convention. Delegates were more concerned about last year’s presidential and congressional losses — though California was a rare bright spot for the party, flipping three districts held by the GOP — and preparing for next year’s midterm elections. Delegates hope Democrats will take control of Congress to stop Trump from enacting his agenda.

Aref Aziz, a leader of the party’s Asian American Pacific Islander caucus, said the party needed to sharpen its messaging on economic issues if they want to have a chance of victory in coming elections.

“When it comes to the affordability issue, when it comes to economics, those are the things that across the broad spectrum of our coalition, all those things matter to everybody,” Aziz said. “And what really is, what really is important is for us to focus on that economic message and how we’re going to improve the quality of life for everyone in these midterm elections and future presidential elections.”

He noted he was in France on his honeymoon recently, and was strolling through a grocery store and buying half a dozen eggs for 1.50 euros (the equivalent of $1.70) when the news broke that California’s economy had grown to the fourth largest in the world.

“When you look at a lot of our economies, California and New York, by all accounts, GDP, the numbers that you look at, they’re doing great,” he said. “But when it comes to the cost that consumers are paying in these places, they’re so high and so far above other countries that we end up diminishing whatever value there is in our GDP, because everything’s so expensive.”

Some Democrats questioned the impact of the weaponization of California’s liberal policies, including defending transgender rights, on voters in battleground states in 2024.

But delegates and party leaders largely argued that the state needs to continue to be on the vanguard of such matters.

“People like to point a finger somewhere, and I think California is an easy target, but I disagree,” said delegate Melissa Taylor, president of our local Foothill Community Democrats. “Because I think that California is standing up for values that the Democratic Party believes in, like we believe in labor, we believe in healthcare, we believe in women’s rights, we believe in rights for LGBTQ people.”

Jodi Hicks, the president of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, said issues such as reproductive healthcare access also have an economic impact.

“We have to walk and chew gum at the same time,” she said, adding that the party’s 2024 losses were likely prompted by multiple factors, including Harris’ being the Democratic nominee for a little over three months after then-President Biden decided not to seek reelection.

“We’re going to be analyzing 2024 for a very long time,” Hicks said. “It was such unique circumstances.”

Times staff writer Laura J. Nelson contributed to this report.

BRITS chasing the sun this summer could face fresh holiday hell as bar staff prepare to strike during peak season.

It comes after 80,000 employees took to the streets in Tenerife earlier in the year demanding better pay and working conditions.

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In a move that could spark chaos for Brits travelling to Tenerife this summer, union bosses said industrial action could start as early as July.

The unions, Sindicalistas de Base and UGT, have issued bosses with an ultimatum, warning of a major walk out if they are not granted a 6.5 per cent salary bump.

They have made it clear that no further negotiations will happen if these conditions are not met.

This isn’t the first time Tenerife has been at the centre of sweeping industrial action.

Last month, cleaners and restaurant workers in the sunny hotspot took to the streets after deeming an offer from their employer not acceptable.

The tourism employers’ association, formed by Ashotel and AERO, had offered a four per cent increase in pay for workers, hoping it would prevent them from protesting during the Easter holidays.

But unions wanted 6.25 per cent.

They said their decision was unanimous and would not change plans to strike against tourists.

With over 170,000 tourism workers in the Canary Islands set to protest, business owners about to welcome thousands of tourists were despairing.

They planned to demonstrate in all the tourist hotspots, including Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote.

By law, strikers have to provide a “minimum service” but the unions said hotel cleaning, food and entertainment don’t fall into this category.

They said they must try and preserve the health of hotel workers and provide them with the very best of working conditions.

Elsewhere, locals flooded the streets to protest against mass tourism in the area.

Activists vowed to storm popular tourist attractions, disrupt public events and “confront political leaders” in a fiery new phase of protests kicking off May 18 — right as peak holiday season begins.

“From now on, we will take our fight to the very spaces where their predatory model is perpetuated,” declared pressure group Canarias tiene un límite (The Canaries Have a Limit).

“We will boycott public events, confront political leaders during their appearances and occupy symbolic tourist spaces to make it clear that we will not stop until real change is achieved.”

“The Canary Islands can no longer be a postcard backdrop for the enjoyment of a privileged few,” the statement read.

In a separate warning, the group said: “This cry, which reflects the feelings of a people tired of being ignored and mistreated, will be the beginning of a new stage of struggle: firmer, more direct, more uncomfortable for those who refuse to listen to us and take real measures.”

The backlash follows a 170,000-strong hotel and restaurant workers’ strike across the islands just days ago, with locals slamming low wages and poor working conditions in the booming holiday industry.

In June last year, beach workers also walked off the job over what unions called “precarious” conditions.

As tensions boil over, the Canary Islands Government has now announced plans to completely overhaul its outdated 30-year-old tourism laws in a landmark reform effort.

Alfonso Cabello, spokesperson for the regional government, said: “We’re doing this the Canary Islands way — extending a hand and listening to everyone.”

The sweeping reforms aim to tackle everything from sky-high housing costs in tourist areas to crumbling infrastructure and overworked public services.

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On World Hunger Day, Palestinians continue to starve in Gaza, a day after a chaotic rush on an Israeli- and US-backed distribution point delivering the first aid since Israel’s March blockade. Some Israelis oppose even this minimal relief. Here’s what they’ve been saying.

As concern around over-tourism continues to spread across Spain, local authorities in the Balearics deployed a rather unusual strategy – which it now admits massively backfired

The Spanish government has suddenly u-turned on a pro-tourism policy following major backlash. Local authorities in the Balearics (which include the postcard-worthy islands of Majorca, Menorca, and Ibiza) had recently revealed plans to alleviate the strain on popular hotspots by making use of selfie-addicted influencers.

The rather unusual strategy pushed those with a huge social media following to start plugging attractions in the Balearics that have failed to enter the tourist limelight. However, it seems the power these Instagram and TikTok pros have should not be undermined, as the plan worked. In fact, it worked too well…

Take Caló des Moro, for example, an incredible bay tucked away in the southeast corner of Majorca. This idyllic slice of paradise feels worlds away from the bustling streets of Magaluf – boasting 40 metres of sugar-like sand, turquoise waters, and rugged cliffs. For years, it remained a true hidden gem, with travellers often being able to enjoy the spot to themselves if they were willing to get there early.

READ MORE: Brits urged to act now as Spain Airbnb crackdown to have ‘severe’ effect

The cove can accommodate around 100 people, before it would start to feel like you’re being sardined next to a stranger on the beach. But, after a slew of influencers started raving about the destination – an insufferable amount of tourists were flocking their en masse.

The Guardian reports that last June, María Pons, the local mayor, held a press conference saying that a whopping 4,000 people and 1,200 vehicles were visiting Caló des Moro every single day. She reportedly begged travel tour operators to not mention the cove again, or offer Brits excursions to the hotspot.

“It’s had the completely opposite effect to what was intended and runs contrary to government policy on containing tourism,” a government spokesperson added. Local authorities have since scrubbed all images of Caló des Moro from their official website, hoping the hype will eventually die down.

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The influencer-driven boom won’t have been well received by fed-up locals, who blame tourists for the country’s worsening housing crisis. In fact, just last weekend – thousands of frustrated residents flocked to the streets to call for major reform, armed with banners ordering Brits to ‘go home’.

As anti-tourist sentiment gets louder and louder – Spain’s crackdowns become harsher, even if it puts Brits out of pocket. Earlier this week, the government sensationally ordered Airbnb to remove more than 65,000 holiday listings from its website – a move that could spike hotel prices and reduce accommodation availability during the upcoming summer.

An estimated 65,935 Airbnb properties will be delisted for breaking strict regulation rules. This could be because owners failed to include their licence number, didn’t specify whether they were running as an individual or a company, or because their listed numbers did not match official records.

Already booked an Airbnb in Spain? You can follow one travel expert’s advice here.

Has rising anti-tourist sentiment put you off from visiting Spain? Email [email protected] for a chance to share your story

WASHINGTON — Landmark legislation that would rewrite the tax code and levy steep cuts to programs providing healthcare and food stamps to the poor passed the House early Thursday, a development that was celebrated by President Trump despite the bill facing an uncertain future among Senate Republicans.

The measure, titled the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” would boost funding for border security and the Defense Department, eliminate taxes on tips and overtime, provide a new tax deduction to seniors and renew the 2017 tax cuts passed during the first Trump administration. To pay for those new funding commitments, the bill proposes eliminating green energy tax benefits passed under President Biden, as well as an estimated $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

Even still, the bill would add so much money to the debt that Congress may be forced to execute cuts across the board, including hundreds of billions to Medicare, in a process known as sequestration, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

The House vote fell along party lines. By opposing the bill, the Trump administration said that Democrats were supporting the largest tax increase on middle-class Americans in decades, a reference to the upcoming expiration of Trump’s 2017 tax cuts at the end of the year.

Democrats, on the other hand, have accused Republicans of voting for the deepest cuts to healthcare in modern times. By creating new barriers to Medicaid coverage through the introduction of work hour requirements, as well as increasing premiums under the Affordable Care Act, the CBO and other nonpartisan organizations estimate up to 14 million Americans could lose their insurance coverage.

Those drastic changes to the healthcare landscape have given pause to several Republican senators.

Sen. Susan Collins of Maine has said she is “very wary of cutting Medicaid.” Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri said he “can’t support” substantial cuts to Medicaid benefits. And after the vote on Thursday, Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas said that material changes should be expected to the House bill.

“We need to go back through that bill with a fine tooth comb and make it better,” Marshall said in an interview with Newsmax. “I think there’s opportunities in Medicaid to make that bill better, to make sure that we strengthen it, that we preserve it for those who need it most.”

Any Senate rollback of cuts to the Medicaid program could face resistance from the House Freedom Caucus during the reconciliation process. Members of that group, which proclaims a commitment to fiscal conservatism, have called for even deeper cuts to the Medicaid program.

Rep. Andy Harris of Maryland, chair of the House Freedom Caucus, voted “present” early Thursday morning, preserving negotiating leverage as the bill makes its way across Capitol Hill.

“I voted to move the bill along in the process for the president,” Harris wrote on social media. “There is still a lot of work to be done in deficit reduction and ending waste, fraud, and abuse in the Medicaid program.”

The vote came hours after Trump met with GOP holdouts at the White House. As late as Wednesday afternoon, before meeting with the president, several of those lawmakers were casting doubt on the prospects of the bill’s passage this week, ahead of a Memorial Day deadline set by House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina was dismissive of the Freedom Caucus on Thursday, telling CNN that the cuts they are pushing for would barely make a dent in the national debt.

“You had your chance,” Graham said to the caucus. “Some of these cuts are not real. We’re talking about over a decade — you know, if you do $1.5 trillion, that’s like a percent and a half. So let’s don’t get high on our horse here that we’ve somehow made some major advancement of reducing spending, because we didn’t.”

Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota also mocked the caucus, calling it “rich” for its members to lecture Senate Republicans on fiscal conservatism, “and end up with not that conservative a bill.” The CBO estimates the House legislation would result in a $3.8-trillion increase to the deficit.

If passed, the new work requirements to Medicaid would kick in at the end of 2026, right after the midterm elections. Green energy tax credits would phase out for any project that is not already under construction 60 days after the law comes into force.

The cap on the state and local tax deduction, known as SALT, will increase to $40,000 from $10,000, phasing out for individuals and households making more than $500,000. And while the president campaigned on a promise to eliminate taxes on Social Security, a parliamentary rule precluded Republicans from including a full cut. Instead, the bill proposes an enhanced tax deduction for senior citizens of up to $4,000.

On Truth Social, the president’s social media platform, Trump wrote that the bill is “arguably the most significant piece of Legislation that will ever be signed in the History of our Country!”

“There is no time to waste,” he added. Johnson, the speaker, has set a goal of sending the bill to the president’s desk by Independence Day.

Trump’s press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, said the president’s team was “suiting up” for negotiations with the Senate now that the bill has passed the House. “We will see how it goes,” she said.

“The ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ is named the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ for a reason, because it is a one big beautiful bill that encompasses just about everything this president could want for the American public. It delivers on so many of his core campaign promises. So surely we want to see those campaign promises signed into law,” Leavitt said. “He’s expecting them to get busy on this bill and send it to his desk as soon as possible.”

The two House Republicans who voted against the bill, Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Warren Davidson of Ohio, should face primary challenges for their defiance of the president’s directive, Leavitt added.

“What’s the alternative, I would ask those members of Congress. Did they want to see a tax hike? Did they want to see our country go bankrupt? That’s the alternative by them trying to vote no,” she said. “The president believes that the Republican Party needs to be unified.”

A group of California legislators representing the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta area said Tuesday that they will fight Gov. Gavin Newsom’s plan to build a $20-billion water tunnel, contending the project is a threat to their region and would leave millions of Californians paying much higher water bills.

Newsom has said the tunnel project is vital to improving the reliability of water deliveries as climate change shrinks California’s snowpack and alters the timing of runoff. But the Democratic lawmakers criticized Newsom’s latest proposal to accelerate steps toward construction of the 45-mile tunnel by short-cutting permitting for the project and limiting avenues for legal challenges.

“Fast-tracking the Delta Conveyance Project is a direct attack on our region’s environmental integrity, economic stability and public trust,” said Assemblymember Lori D. Wilson (D-Suisun City). “We are united in our opposition to this project, not just because of what it threatens to destroy, but because of what it represents — a broken process that silences local voices.”

Wilson and other members of the Delta caucus spoke at a news conference in the Capitol. They said the project would harm the Delta’s farmlands, communities and ecosystem, and would place a large financial burden on ratepayers in Southern California.

They said the cost, most recently estimated at $20.1 billion, is likely to be much higher.

“The project would have to be paid for by ratepayers who are already overburdened with soaring utility costs and aren’t even aware of how the cost of this is going to impact them in their pocketbooks,” said state Sen. Jerry McNerney (D-Stockton). “This project will set a precedent for bypassing well-established environmental laws.”

The tunnel would transport water from the Sacramento River to the state’s pumping facilities on the south side of the delta, where supplies enter the aqueducts of the State Water Project and are delivered to 27 million people and 750,000 acres of farmland, including parts of the Central Valley.

Supporters of the plan, including water agencies in Southern California and Silicon Valley, say the state needs to build new infrastructure in the delta to protect the water supply in the face of climate change and earthquake risks.

Opponents, including agencies in the delta and environmental advocates, say the project is an expensive boondoggle that would harm the environment and communities, and that the state should pursue other alternatives.

The legislators called for different types of water solutions, including investing in projects to recycle wastewater, boost water storage, and rebuild aging levees in the delta to protect freshwater supplies and reduce earthquake risks.

Newsom, who is set to serve through 2026 and then leave office, has said the tunnel project is critical for the state’s future.

The governor said his latest proposal would simplify permitting by eliminating certain deadlines from water rights permits; narrow legal review to avoid delays from legal challenges; confirm that the state has authority to issue bonds to pay for the project, which would be repaid by water agencies; and accelerate state efforts to acquire land for construction.

The governor’s approach, part of his latest budget proposal, was praised by supporters of the project and managers of water agencies, who said it would reduce regulatory and legal uncertainty.

Charley Wilson, executive director of the nonprofit Southern California Water Coalition, said the ability of the State Water Project to reliably deliver water is declining, while demand continues to rise.

“Southern California stands to lose up to 10% of our water supply from the State Water Project if we don’t act,” Wilson said, calling the project the best path to offsetting those losses.

Graham Bradner, executive director of the Delta Conveyance Design and Construction Authority, said the governor’s proposal would “save years of delay and potentially billions in costs by removing unnecessary hurdles.”

The legislators, however, said they will fight Newsom’s attempt to short-cut the established process.

“The governor is asking for a blank check, without cost caps, without meaningful oversight, without even committee hearings,” said state Sen. Christopher Cabaldon (D-West Sacramento). “What we have before us is a proposal to advance this under the dead of night with no public oversight or input.”

Cabaldon stressed that the public ultimately would pay for the project.

“The real threat here is to the pocketbooks, the monthly water bills, of residents throughout Southern California,” Cabaldon said.

McNerny said he expects the group of legislators will “do pretty well in gathering Senate opposition.”

“There is going to be significant opposition. It’s going to be vocal. It’s going to be harsh,” he said.

The project has been supported by leaders of water agencies in Southern California who are considering investing in it.

In December, the board of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California voted to spend $141.6 million for a large share of the preliminary planning work. The district, which delivers water for 19 million people, isn’t expected to decide whether to invest in building the tunnel until 2027.

The legislators spoke beside leaders of environmental, fishing and tribal groups who oppose the project. Malissa Tayaba, vice chair of the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, said the project would harm the region and her tribe.

“It seems that to Gov. Newsom, our culture, our ancestors and the environment that sustains us is worth less than the ability to over-divert water from our rivers to send more water and money to commercial water interests,” Tayaba said.

THE HUMBLE crab stick has been popular since the 80s tossed in salad, now they seem to have had a resurgence as people add them to ramen or seafood boils.

The food has often been used as a cheap alternative to crabs but fans are vowing to never eat them again.

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It comes after foodies have just realised how the crab sticks, also known as imitation crab, are really made.

After seeing the process of how the red and white sticks are processed some have dubbed them the ‘hot dog of the ocean.’

It comes after a Thai crab stick factory revealed their manufacturing secrets through a YouTube video, reports the Mirror.

It showed the transformation from unappetising grey blocks to the familiar red-and-white striped sticks seen in shops.

Initially resembling massive, grey, concrete-like slabs, the frozen fish meat blocks undergo several stages before becoming edible.

They’re first pulverised by machinery into a mushy mix, then carried along a conveyor belt where salt and various spices are infused.

Next ice, vegetable oil, and sugars are blended in.

The footage shows factory workers funnelling the mixture through a tube, which turns it into a grey paste which is then shaped and coloured to achieve the iconic crab stick appearance.

The Thai factory boasts being the globe’s largest, churning out 40,000 tons of fish sticks annually – that’s quadruple the weight of the Eiffel Tower. It sells to more than 37 nations.

But it seems the video has put people off of the snack.

Taking to Reddit, people shared their disgust after witnessing the video.

One person wrote: “Hot dogs of the sea”.

Another commented: “The only ingredient I could identify was the ice”.

Humorously addressing the unappetising mush, a comment read: “Everything ok hun? You’ve hardly touched your grey.”

A fourth penned: “Bet that place smells wonderful”.

Another person noted: “If the title hadn’t specified they were making crab sticks, or in fact any type of food, I would’ve gotten to 1:38 before I realised that they weren’t making some sort of industrial building material.”