worried

When Jerome Powell speaks, markets listen. As well they should. Powell serves as the chair of the Federal Reserve Board. As part of this role, he also leads the Federal Reserve Open Market Committee (FOMC), which sets the monetary policy of the U.S.

Powell recently hinted at a monetary policy change that seems positive for the stock market. But should investors actually be worried?

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell answers reporters’ questions at the FOMC press conference on Sept.17, 2025. Official Federal Reserve Photo.

Good news for investors?

Powell spoke last week at the National Association for Business Economics conference held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. One of his key points in his address was an update on the status of the Fed’s “quantitative tightening” approach.

Quantitative tightening is the term used to describe when the Federal Reserve reduces the size of its balance sheet. To accomplish this goal, the Fed allows assets such as government-issued bonds to mature, or it actively sells those assets. This usually results in higher long-term interest rates, lower inflation, and a cooling down of an overheated economy.

The opposite of quantitative tightening is quantitative easing. With this approach, the Fed increases the size of its balance sheet. Quantitative easing is an expansionary policy that’s usually associated with a rising stock market.

In his recent remarks, Powell hinted that the Fed is close to ending its program of quantitative tightening. He said:

Our long-stated plan is to stop balance sheet runoff when reserves are somewhat above the level we judge consistent with ample reserve conditions. We may approach that point in coming months, and we are closely monitoring a wide range of indicators to inform this decision.

Powell always chooses his words deliberately and can often be somewhat ambiguous. However, the takeaway from his comments is that the Fed’s quantitative tightening policies could be almost over. This would seem to be good news for investors.

A more complicated picture

I chose those words deliberately and left room for ambiguity just as Powell likes to do. Why? Because there’s a more complicated picture if the Fed stops its quantitative tightening policies.

For one thing, the end of quantitative tightening doesn’t necessarily mean a return of robust quantitative easing. Some saw quantitative easing as something akin to steroids for the economy and stock market, while quantitative tightening was like a depressant. Using that analogy, discontinuing taking a depressant doesn’t boost strength in the same way as frequently taking a steroid might.

It’s also important to understand that the end of quantitative tightening could be a warning sign about the economy, and by extension, corporate earnings. The Fed doesn’t reduce the size of its balance sheet when the economy is weak. Powell’s remarks, indicating that quantitative tightening could soon taper off, might reflect significant underlying concerns by the Fed about the health of the U.S. economy, despite his seemingly positive statement last week that the economy “may be on a somewhat firmer trajectory than expected.” As the economy goes, so goes the stock market — usually.

Finally, there is a real risk that ending quantitative tightening could backfire. One of the main goals of the policy is to fight inflation. If the Fed returns to expanding its balance sheet, inflation could roar back. The effects of the Trump administration’s tariffs could add fuel to the fire, at least initially. Powell acknowledged in his speech at the National Association for Business Economics conference, “There is no risk-free path for policy as we navigate the tension between our employment and inflation goals.”

The Fed could find itself in a situation where it has to reverse tactics, which would likely create significant uncertainty for the stock market. If there’s anything investors hate, it’s uncertainty.

Should investors worry?

I think celebrating the Fed bringing its quantitative tightening policies to a halt is premature. However, it’s also too soon to worry about the potential impact on stocks from the decision.

We don’t know yet how quickly the Fed will begin increasing the size of its balance sheet. We don’t know how aggressively it will move if and when quantitative tightening comes to an end. We don’t know what else will be happening with the economy or the stock market.

What we do know, though, is that the stock market rises over the long term. Anyone with an investing time horizon measured in decades shouldn’t have anything to worry about, regardless of what the Fed does or doesn’t do in the near term.

It seems as if all eyes are on Oklo (OKLO 1.39%) right now. Shares have surged in value by more than 700% since April. But when you look closer, Oklo’s entire industry is skyrocketing. Nuscale Power, another company focused on small modular nuclear reactors, has seen its valuation nearly quadruple since April.

Why are stocks like Oklo and Nuscale rising exponentially? There’s one primary factor to be aware of now for investors to consider.

Small-scale nuclear power may soon be a reality

For decades, small modular nuclear reactors have been relegated only to science fiction. In theory, the technology makes a lot of sense. Small modular reactors, commonly referred to as SMRs, can be deployed anywhere in the world, even in remote locations without any road access. Once built, they can produce fairly affordable power with minimal carbon emissions. And they don’t have as many issues with generation intermittency as other renewable energy sources like wind or solar.

Companies like Oklo and Nuscale, however, claim that they are just a handful of years away from constructing the world’s first commercial SMRs. Nuscale is already certified by the Nuclear Regulatory Council in the U.S. Oklo is currently in the application process. If successful, this industry could upend the global energy paradigm, delivering low-cost, low-carbon fuel at any scale, anywhere in the world.

Image source: Getty Images.

Here’s the problem: We still don’t know if what these companies are promising is even possible. Neither Oklo nor Nuscale has any existing orders from customers. And analysts are ready to point out the industry’s consistent failures over the years.

Many of these failures weren’t technological, but simply a matter of cost, with huge cost overruns the norm throughout history. “The technical and extreme cost challenges of SMRs has been known and widely reported on for years, raising the question of why the hype continues to grow,” observes Jim Green, a member of the Nuclear Consulting Group.

It’s impossible to predict with certainty whether a recession is coming, but certain developments sure make it more likely. President Donald Trump’s tariff policies could lead to increased prices and plunge the economy into a downturn. The recent government shutdown, especially if it drags on, could lead us directly into a recession.

Of course, that may not happen, but it’s not a bad idea for investors to prepare for that possibility by investing in stocks that are well-equipped to perform well during recessions. Here are two great examples: Walmart (WMT 0.41%) and Johnson & Johnson (JNJ 0.42%).

Image source: Getty Images.

1. Walmart

Some might point out that Walmart, one of the leading retailers in the U.S., is facing challenges. Trump’s tariffs are increasing the company’s expenses and forcing it to pass these costs on to customers, which in turn affects purchasing decisions. How will Walmart handle a full-blown recession when the purse strings get even tighter? In my view, the company will be just fine. Walmart has performed well for decades, generating steady revenue and profits even if the economy is not doing well.

The past is no guarantee of future performance, but Walmart’s core business remains well-equipped to handle significant challenges. The company’s retail footprint in the U.S. is one of the strongest. Roughly 90% of Americans live within 10 miles of one of the company’s stores. So, for most U.S. consumers, Walmart is a convenient option.

Even if people become more price-sensitive during recessions, Walmart remains a great option. The company’s size grants it significant negotiating power when purchasing items from suppliers. This allows it to pass these cost savings to customers. Even in an inflationary environment due to tariffs, Walmart should remain one of the lower-cost options compared to its peers, who would be dealing with the same challenge. 

Furthermore, the company has become even more convenient by doubling down on its e-commerce efforts. Walmart has one of the largest e-commerce footprints in the U.S., ranking second only to Amazon.

It’s not just its size: Walmart is the second cheapest (again, behind Amazon) online retailer in the U.S. So, whether online or in its stores, Walmart should continue to offer competitive prices, making it a top option for shoppers looking to spend as little as possible.

Lastly, Walmart is an excellent dividend stock. The company is part of the elite group of Dividend Kings that have raised their payouts for at least 50 consecutive years — Walmart’s streak is at 53.

Opting to reinvest the dividend helps smooth out market losses. That’s another reason why Walmart is an incredible investment option when preparing for a recession.

2. Johnson & Johnson

Johnson & Johnson is a leading healthcare giant. It offers products and services, such as pharmaceutical drugs, for which demand is not heavily dependent on the state of the economy. Johnson & Johnson has a diversified pharmaceutical portfolio across several therapeutic areas, including some of the biggest, such as oncology and immunology. Despite losing patent protection for one of its biggest growth drivers, Stelara — an immunosuppressant — in the U.S. this year (and in Europe last year), the company has continued to post strong financial results.

In the second quarter, the company’s revenue increased by 5.8% year over year to $23.7 billion. Johnson & Johnson’s adjusted earnings per share declined by 1.8% year over year to $2.77, due to several factors, including the effect of acquisitions. Nevertheless, this is nothing to be worried about.

Overall, Johnson & Johnson is performing well, and it should continue to do so. The company’s navigation of the Stelara patent cliff shows its ability to overcome these meaningful challenges for drugmakers. Johnson & Johnson’s medtech business enhances its operations with greater diversity. With the company working on the promising Ottava robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) system, it could capitalize on this massive growth opportunity over the long run as the RAS market remains underpenetrated.

Furthermore, with recent developments in the pharmaceutical industry, tariffs may not be as significant a problem for Johnson & Johnson. The company will face some headwinds, including legal challenges, but its robust balance sheet enables it to effectively navigate those obstacles.

Finally, Johnson & Johnson is also a Dividend King, having achieved 62 consecutive years of dividend increases. The company is an excellent choice to get you through a recession.

Villa launch their Europa League campaign at home to Bologna on Thursday, and will have to juggle the demands of playing Thursday-Sunday matches.

Their failure to finish in a Champions League position meant restrictions were put in place during the summer to comply with the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).

In addition, the loss of loan signings Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio has impacted the depth of quality in the attacking department.

They were able to bring in Nice striker Evann Guessand for £26m plus £4.3m in add-ons, but the Ivory Coast forward has registered just two attempts on target.

“After playing 11 against 10 it should be easier to dominate and take advantage, but we were not playing with our identity,” added Emery.

“I’m disappointed and frustrated, more for how we are not achieving our identity, playing the football we’ve been successful with.”

Looking at positives for Emery, the next two Premier League games offer a decent chance of kick-starting their season.

Villa have back-to-back home games against Fulham on 28 September and Burnley on 5 October.

“We’re not happy,” goalscorer Cash told Sky Sports.

“As a team we’ve got to be better. With the quality we have, we need to be higher up the league.

“Over the last few years we’ve had a lot of highs at the club and at the minute we’re in a bit of a tough period.”

There is no doubt Emery’s spell at Villa has been impressive overall and no-one will be pressing the panic button yet.

However, time and patience remains in short supply in the Premier League.

Emery will know that unless Villa pick up a win soon, the pressure will increase.

Spider-Man and a Hollywood tour guide were having it out.

They stood right outside Jimmy Kimmel’s studio on Hollywood Boulevard, arguing about whether ABC was right to yank the host’s TV show off the air last week after he commented on the political response to right-wing activist Charlie Kirk’s killing.

“I like Kimmel!” said the Spider-Man impersonator, who wore pink Nike sneakers and leaned in close so he could hear through his thin, face-covering costume. “What he said is free speech.”

A tour bus drives past what was Jimmy Kimmel’s studio on Hollywood Boulevard on Sept. 18, 2025.

(Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)

Todd Doten, a tour agent for Beverly Hills Tours of Hollywood, pushed back. He said he believed broadcasters are held to a different standard than private citizens, and that the Federal Communications Commission — which pushed to get Kimmel’s show canceled — “has somewhat of a point.”

The men verbally sparred beside singer Little Richard’s cracked star on the Walk of Fame. Then Doten patted the selfie-hawking superhero on the back and they parted ways amicably.

The scene on Friday afternoon captured the Hollywood that Kimmel embraced and aggressively promoted: Weird, gritty and surprisingly poignant.

Ever since he began filming at the El Capitan Entertainment Centre in 2003, Kimmel has been one of the famed neighborhood’s biggest ambassadors. He drew tourists to the storied Hollywood Boulevard, which — despite being home to the Academy Awards, TCL Chinese Theatre and the Walk of Fame — has long struggled with crime, homelessness and blight. He used his celebrity to help homeless youth and opened a donation center on his show’s backlot for victims of the January wildfires.

And he filmed many a sketch with Hollywood itself as the bizarro backdrop — including one returning bit called “Who’s High?” in which he tried to guess which of three pedestrians was stoned.

Protesters in front of Jimmy Kimmel’s theater a day after ABC pulled the late-night host off air indefinitely over comments he made about the response to right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk’s death.

(Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)

Now, locals and entertainment industry officials alike worry what will happen if Kimmel’s show permanently disappears from a Hollywood still struggling to recover from the writers’ and actors’ strikes of 2023 and the COVID-19 pandemic that literally shut the neighborhood down. While his suspension has sparked a roiling debate over free speech rights nationwide, in this neighborhood, the impact is more close to home.

“A hostile act toward Jimmy Kimmel is a hostile act toward Hollywood itself and one of its great champions,” former Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti told The Times on Friday.

“Hollywood is both a place and an idea. It’s an industry and a geography. Jimmy is always big on both. He actually lives in Hollywood, at a time when not a lot of stars do.”

Miguel Aguilar, a fruit vendor who often sets up near Kimmel’s theater, said Friday that business was always better on the days “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” filmed because so many audience members bought his strawberries and pineapples doused in chamoy. He was stunned when a Times reporter told him the show had been suspended.

“Was it canceled by the government?” Aguilar asked. “We used to get a lot more customers [from the show]. That’s pretty scary.”

A man holding a sign advertising at a nearby diner said he worried about Kimmel’s crew, including the gaffers and makeup artists.

“How many people went down with Kimmel?” he asked.

And Daniel Gomez, who lives down the street, said he feared that nearby businesses will suffer from the loss of foot traffic from the show, for which audience members lined up all the way down the block.

“Tourists still will come to Hollywood no matter what, but a portion of that won’t be coming anymore,” Gomez said as he signed a large canvas outside the theater on which scores of fans and free speech advocates wrote messages about the show being axed.

Protesters in front of Jimmy Kimmel’s theater in Hollywood.

(Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)

“It’s pretty bad that he got shut down because of his comments,” Gomez added. “Comedians should be free to say whatever they want.”

In a joint statement, a coalition of Hollywood labor groups including the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees and Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, said the kind of political pressure that Kimmel faced as a broadcaster “chills free speech and threatens the livelihoods of thousands of working Americans.”

“At a time when America’s film and television industry is still struggling due to globalization and industry contraction, further unnecessary job losses only make a bad situation worse,” the statement read.

During his monologue Monday, Kimmel made remarks about Tyler Robinson, the Utah man accused of fatally shooting Kirk. He said the “MAGA gang” was “desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it.”

Ingrid Salazar protests outside of the “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” studio on Thursday.

(Juliana Yamada/Los Angeles Times)

While Kimmel’s remarks could be interpreted in different ways, Kirk’s supporters immediately accused the talk show host of claiming Robinson was a Trump ally, which many of Kimmel’s supporters reject. Kimmel himself has not publicly responded.

Kimmel also mocked President Trump for talking about the construction of a new White House ballroom after being asked how he was coping with the killing of his close ally.

Nexstar Media Group responded on Wednesday, saying it would pull the show from its ABC affiliate stations because of Kimmel’s comments. Walt Disney Co., which owns ABC, then announced it would suspend “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” indefinitely.

Nexstar’s decision to yank the show came after FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, a Trump appointee, threatened to take action against ABC and urged local ABC affiliate stations to stand up the network.

“We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” Carr told right-wing podcast host Benny Johnson. “These companies can find ways to change conduct and take action, frankly, on Kimmel, or, you know, there’s going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.”

Trump wrote on his Truth Social account: “Great News for America: The ratings challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED. Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done.”

He also targeted late-night hosts Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers, calling them “total losers.” He pressured NBC to cancel their shows, writing: “Do it NBC!!!”

The president this summer praised CBS’s decision to cancel “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” after this season, writing on Truth Social on July 18: “I absolutely love that Colbert’ got fired. His talent was even less than his ratings. I hear Jimmy Kimmel is next.”

Pedestrians walk across the street from the “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” theater a day after ABC has pulled the late-night host off air indefinitely.

(Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)

While the show is in limbo, it is unclear what will happen to Kimmel’s iconic theater in the historic former Hollywood Masonic Temple, a neoclassical 1921 building fronted by six imposing columns.

Disney owns the building, as well as the adjacent 1920s office building that contains the El Capitan Theatre and the Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop. Kimmel’s production company, 12:05 AM Productions, occupies four floors — 26,000 square feet — in the six-story office building, according to real estate data provider CoStar.

Disney did not respond to a request for comment.

Garcetti, who long represented Hollywood on the L.A. City Council, said Kimmel was a major advocate for renovation of the old Masonic lodge and other revitalization Hollywood projects.

And after the Oscars returned for good to the Kodak Theatre (now Dolby Theatre) across the street in 2002 after several years outside of Hollywood, Kimmel “helped usher in what I call Hollywood’s second golden age, when the Academy Awards came back and people saw actual stars in nightclubs and restaurants,” Garcetti said.

When Garcetti was showing off the city to officials with the International Olympic Committee years ago in an effort to host the Games, Kimmel met their helicopter on the roof of a Hollywood hotel to brag about the neighborhood.

Jimmy Kimmel, host and executive producer of the late-night talk show, “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” celebrates as he receives his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Jan. 25, 2013.

(Reed Saxon/Associated Press)

At the 2013 Hollywood Chamber of Commerce ceremony awarding Kimmel a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Garcetti quipped: “When you came here to Hollywood Boulevard, this place was full of drug dealers and prostitutes, and you welcomed them with open arms.”

Kimmel joked that his parents brought him to the Walk of Fame as a 10-year-old and left him there to fend for himself.

“I’m getting emotional,” he said during the ceremony. “This is embarrassing. I feel like I’m speaking at my own funeral. This is ridiculous. People are going to pee on this star.”

Kimmel’s star is by his theater, near the stars for rapper Snoop Dogg — and Donald Duck.

On his show in May, pop star Miley Cyrus told Kimmel she developed a serious infection after filming on the Hollywood Walk of Fame last year, where she rolled around on the sidewalk. Part of her leg, she said, started to “disintegrate.”

“Have you been to the Walk of Fame in the middle of the night?” she asked.

“I live here,” Kimmel said.

“I thought it was my last day,” Cyrus responded.

Hundreds of protesters have gathered outside Kimmel’s theater in recent days, decrying the suspension of his show.

The cancellation occurred right after Dianne Hall and Michael Talbur of Kansas City got tickets to a live taping of the show and traveled to Los Angeles. So, they attended a protest Thursday instead.

Hall said she was expecting Kimmel’s monologue “to be something rude toward the [Kirk] family” but was surprised when she actually listened to it.

“I kept thinking, ‘Surely something bad was said for him to get fired,’ ” Hall said. “But it was nothing like that.”

Hollywood resident Ken Tullo said he’s “not a protesting type of guy, but enough’s enough” and he did not want his daughters to grow up with a fear of speaking freely.

“The current administration cannot laugh at themselves,” Tullo said, “and they don’t want anybody else to laugh.”

Times staff writer Roger Vincent contributed to this report.

Charity Dingle is fiercely protective over her children and grandchildren in Emmerdale. Emma Atkins can relate, but she reveals she has another concern for her son Albert.

Charity Dingle’s family is on the verge of implosion in Emmerdale – but Emma Atkins is more concerned about her son’s education.

Soap legend Emma Atkins admits that her own experience as a mother helped her bring depth to Charity Dingle’s antics in Emmerdale. Emma welcomed her son Albert, now 10, with long-term partner Tom in 2015.

“I’m fiercely loyal,” she says, “My love for Albert runs very deep but at the same time, I want him to be his own person. In that regard, Charity and I are similar.” For Emma, parenting is a balance between protecting her son while letting him learn to navigate the world by himself.

“I want him to stand on his own two feet and grow up knowing that I have given him that freedom to make decisions for himself, even at an early age,” Emma says.

“I don’t want to be telling him what to do all the time. I try not to be possessive over my own child. I’ll be there to steer him and encourage him in the right direction.”

Emma’s nurturing instinct extends beyond family. She has stayed close with many of her Emmerdale co-stars over the years, particularly Charley Webb, who played her daughter Debbie for nearly two decades. “If I’ve worked with them, you can bet your life that I’m still in touch with them,” she says.

She’s equally bonded with current cast members. “I’m very close to Katie Hill, we share a dressing room. We’re like sisters,” Emma says. Her friendship with Belle Dingle actress Eden Taylor-Draper is just as strong. “We’ve been friends for years,” she says.

And despite John Sugden being one of the most sinister villains in recent Emmerdale history, Emma only has praise for Oliver Farnworth, who plays the sinister surgery receptionist.

“He’s such a gorgeous human being and so different to John,” she says, “Whenever we’re on set together we spend our time talking about animals because he’s a big animal lover and so am I.”

Over the years, Emma’s portrayal of Charity has won her a loyal following and recognition from critics and fans alike. She has been nominated for multiple TV awards and eventually scooped Best Soap Actress at the TV Choice Awards as well as Best Actress at the Inside Soap Awards.

But Emma insists the real secret to her success is knowing how to separate her on-screen havoc from her off-screen serenity. “I’ve learned to keep it simple,” she says, “But Charity’s world is too chaotic for me.”

READ MORE: Aftershave that ‘turns heads’ and ‘smells more expensive than it is’ now 15% off

Things are about to take yet another drastic turn. The Woolpack landlady faces another storm as she desperately tries to keep her clandestine fling with Ross Barton (Mike Parr).

The tryst is threatening to blow apart her entire family as Charity once vowed to act as a surrogate for her granddaughter Sarah and her boyfriend Jacob – but the baby Charity is now carrying may not even be theirs.

If that wasn’t enough, she’s also reeling from the apparent loss of her husband Mackenzie, who was seemingly bludgeoned to death by John Sugden in a recent and chilling instalment – until it was revealed the hunk was alive and kept hostage in a mystery bunker.

For Emma, who has played Charity for more than 20 years, Mackenzie’s return was never in doubt, despite ITV viewers predicting the worst.

“I had no doubt that Mackenzie would be okay because he’s so good, Lawrence is incredible,” she says. “I knew it would be very exciting for the audience to wonder what his fate would be.

They built a special set for the bunker. We were both very excited.” She adds: “This storyline is proving to be my favourite at the moment. But how will Charity find out Mackenzie is in danger?

Away from the chaos of the Dales, Emma leads a far more peaceful life. She’s even got an unexpected passion – and a special interest for trees. “I’ve always loved taking pictures,” she says.

“I had a Canon 5D and the shutter broke so I turned to my iPhone and decided to take photos of wherever I’d go in nature. It was a good therapy tool.”

That escape to the outdoors is key for Emma, who spends much of her screen life in the middle of brawls, fiery arguments and messy romances.

“I spend most of my time walking the dog out in nature,” she says, “That’s the best way to decompress, it’s what I love doing the most.Trees are beautiful in all seasons. The older and taller, the better.”

On-screen, Charity is defined by her fiery personality and protectiveness, especially when it comes to her children and grandchildren. But her determination to keep them out of trouble sometimes triggers more hassle and harm than intended.

Now, with affairs, betrayals and deadly secrets, Charity Dingle is facing one of the most dramatic times of her life in Emmerdale. Will she come out of it unscathed?

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.

For two years, labor organizers tried to unionize employees at a trio of celebrated California national parks, but they couldn’t reach critical mass.

Then came mass firings of National Park Service employees in February under the Trump administration. Many employees were reinstated, but litigation concerning the legality of the firings winds on. The park service has lost about a quarter of its staff since Trump reclaimed the White House, and that’s on top of a proposed $1-billion budget cut to the agency.

This summer the scales tipped. More than 97% of employees at Yosemite and Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks who cast ballots voted to unionize, with results certified last week. More than 600 staffers — including interpretive park rangers, biologists, firefighters and fee collectors — are now represented by the National Federation of Federal Employees.

Steven Gutierrez, national business representative with the National Federation of Federal Employees, said it took mass firings to “wake people up.”

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

“Culture is hard to change,” said Steven Gutierrez, a national business representative for the union. “It takes something like this administration firing people to wake people up, to say, ‘Hey, I’m vulnerable here and I need to invest in my career.’”

The unionized employees work at some of California’s most celebrated and highly visited national parks. Yosemite is famous for its awe-inspiring valley, while Sequoia and Kings Canyon are known for their giant sequoia trees.

Amid that beauty is a workforce that is frustrated and fearful. Two employees at Yosemite National Park described rock-bottom morale amid recent turmoil — and a sense that the union could provide an avenue for change. Both are union representatives and requested anonymity for fear of retaliation.

“With this administration, I think there’s a lot more people who are scared, and I think the union definitely helps towards protections that we really want,” said one employee.

National Park Service Ranger Anna Nicks walks through a grove of sequoia trees in Sequoia National Park in May 2024.

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Despite staff being depleted by buyouts and a hiring freeze, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has ordered parks to remain “open and accessible.” As a result, the employee said visitors may not notice something is off.

“There’s a lot of folks doing multiple jobs and just trying to hold up the park,” she said, adding that she believes that the union will help ensure people get paid properly for the work they do and that their duties don’t shift.

The employees stressed that many workplace problems they want to see fixed — including low pay and squalid living conditions — predate Trump’s second stint in the White House. But recent developments have exacerbated the situation.

Because pay hasn’t kept pace with inflation, one employee said he’s unable to pay rent and lives out of his car for most of the year. Meanwhile, he said, those in park housing face safety threats such as hantavirus-carrying rodents that invade living spaces, caving-in roofs and unstable decks. Understaffing has plagued Yosemite for years.

“People that you see working here, they’re really at their wit’s end,” he said. “Personally speaking, it’s just a lot of work to handle. Years ago, we had twice as many people doing this work.”

Staffers are “worried about their futures,” he added.

The National Park Service did not respond to a request for comment. But in a statement to a Senate appropriations subcommittee in May, Burgum said the Trump administration remains committed to supporting the parks, while looking for ways to cut costs.

A waterfall is reflected in water in the meadow in the Yosemite Valley as the snowpack melts in April 2023.

(Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

“Since becoming Interior Secretary, I’ve traveled to National Parks, historic sites, and wildlife refuges to learn and hear from leadership on the ground,” Burgum said. “We’re instituting changes to get more people actually working in the parks and are looking forward to what Yellowstone Superintendent Cam Sholly forecasted to be an ‘outstanding summer.’ ”

The unionization vote comes as the Trump administration seeks to strip federal employees of labor protections many have long enjoyed. On Thursday, Trump signed an executive order that directs certain federal agencies — including NASA, the National Weather Service and the Bureau of Reclamation — to end collective bargaining agreements with unions representing federal employees.

The Department of Veterans Affairs previously moved to terminate protections for more than 400,000 of its workers. The president’s overall effort on this front is being fought in court, although federal judges have so far sided with the administration.

As labor unrest mounts, Americans and foreign tourists are visiting national parks like never before. In 2024, there were a record 332 million visits to national parks, including 4 million to Yosemite. Crowds continued to stream into national parks over Labor Day weekend.

Groups that advocate for public lands say that short staffing is quietly adding to long-standing problems.

Preventative Search and Rescue Program Coordinator Anna Marini gives the Lutter family children junior guide books after they finished a hike in August 2024 in Joshua Tree National Park.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

“It’s clear staffing shortages are directly impacting park operations across the system,” the nonprofit National Parks Conservation Assn. said in a statement Wednesday.

“Parks like Joshua Tree and Yosemite are struggling with search and rescue, law enforcement and even basic medical services, while some parks have no maintenance staff at all. Seasonal roads, trails and campgrounds like those at Sequoia and Kings Canyon remain closed due to unaddressed damage.”

The union voting took place July 22 to Aug. 19, and included permanent and seasonal employees. The National Federation of Federal Employees represents workers at several other national parks, including Yellowstone and, in Ohio, Cuyahoga Valley, as well as those in the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management.

A union sign hailing federal workers is displayed at Sequoia National Park.

(Steven Gutierrez)

Federal employees don’t have the right to strike, Gutierrez said, meaning that much of employees’ advocacy has to happen in Washington, D.C. He said the union can bring workers face to face with congressional leaders to explain why their jobs matter — including the tourism dollars they help generate.

Next steps will include hammering out labor contracts for Yosemite and Sequoia and Kings Canyon, which can provide job protections.

Gutierrez said he’d like to see one drafted by December but acknowledged that it can be a long process.

“If Trump puts his fingers into it, it’s going to take longer,” he said.

DEAR DEIDRE: THE inappropriately close relationship I had with my brother is now ruining my experience of motherhood.

I’m so scared that history will repeat itself that I can’t leave my young children alone together, and I panic when they touch each other.

When I was 17 and my brother was 18, we had a secret relationship — which I instigated.

What started as naive, teenage experimentation turned into an incestuously sexual relationship, which lasted until I left home.

I’ve never told a soul about it, and neither has he.

It wasn’t abusive but we are both aware it was socially unacceptable and against the law, and feel ashamed of what happened.

I can’t explain it, except to say that we were brought up in a strictly religious household where sex was considered to be a sin.

Neither of us was allowed to date or go out to parties and the like.

We were also exceptionally close, perhaps because we were so near to each other in age, without many friends.

I’m now 39 and married with two young children — a boy and a girl who are six and four.

He’s still single. We’re still in touch but we don’t talk about the past.

I didn’t dwell on it until my daughter became a toddler, and began to interact with her brother.

Suddenly, I felt terrified of what might occur if I didn’t prevent it.

I started keeping my kids apart, making them play alone in their rooms.

If I see them play-fighting, I pull them apart.

My husband is starting to notice. I know this isn’t normal, and I worry it’s harming their development.

Please help. All I want is for my children to have a happy, ordinary childhood.

DEIDRE SAYS: You’re brave to admit what happened and to ask for help. You’re not a bad person.

Clearly you love your children and don’t want to damage them.

But, as you’re aware, it’s important they are allowed to interact normally.

What occurred between you and your brother was unusual – though not unheard of – and it’s very unlikely history will repeat itself, especially if your children aren’t brought up in the strictly religious way you were.

It sounds like you may be more traumatised by what happened – and more guilty about it – than you’d allowed yourself to believe.

Speaking about this to people who understand and won’t judge will help you. You can talk in confidence to nspcc.org.uk (0808 800 5000).

You would also benefit from counselling. Read my support pack, How Counselling Can Help.

PAL HAS CROSSED THE LINE

DEAR DEIDRE: MY boyfriend never liked how close I was to my male mate, but I told him it was platonic.

Now I’m worried his fear was well-founded, after my friend crossed a line.

I’m 29, my partner is 30 and we’ve been together two years. My pal and I have known each other since uni. We’d meet for drinks or text about music and life – nothing flirty.

My boyfriend didn’t love it but I told him there he had nothing to fear.

Yet a few nights ago, when my friend walked me home after a gig, without warning he grabbed me and kissed me on the mouth.

I pushed him away and told him he was out of order. He just shrugged and said he “had to try”.

I told my boyfriend immediately – but instead of supporting me, he called me a cheat and stormed out.

I’m upset at how they’ve both behaved. How can I get life back on track?

DEIDRE SAYS: What your friend did was a serious violation of your trust and consent.

You can contact victimsupport.org.uk (0808 168 9111), who can offer free, confidential help.

You did the right thing by being honest with your boyfriend, but his reaction isn’t fair or helpful.

Jealousy can be painful, but it shouldn’t lead to unfair accusations.

Consider having a calm conversation when he’s ready, explaining how his response to this situation has made you feel.

WIFE’S DOGS ARE RUINING MY LIFE

DEAR DEIDRE: MY wife has just bought another dog after we had to have two rehomed a year ago because the neighbours complained about the noise they made.

They wouldn’t stop barking if we left them on their own and were still pretty noisy even when one of us was there.

I am 44 and my wife is 39. We have been together for ten years.

We both work full time and are often out in the evening, so the dogs were left alone for quite long periods on our work days.

One of our neighbours became very aggressive when he complained about the noise.

He swore at me and my wife and threatened us.

It was a very stressful time and in the end it really got to me – the constant barking of the dogs, the rows I was having with my wife about it and then this neighbour having a go at me every time I went outside.

One day I ended up in a fight with this guy when he saw me in the nearby pub – all because of the dogs. The police were called to break it up.

After that, the only option I could see was that the dogs had to be rehomed.

My wife was very much against it and still resents me for making it happen. I thought that was the end of it, but she has now spent money which we can’t afford on a puppy.

She didn’t even ask my opinion. I arrived home one evening to find the dog in our kitchen.

Worse still, even though it cries all night she is talking about getting another one.

I wish she could see what it’s doing to me.

DEIDRE SAYS: She is disregarding your feelings. You need to talk to her and explain how hurtful her behaviour is.

Things can be different this time but your wife needs to understand the puppy needs proper training.

You can talk to the vet for advice on classes. Your puppy also needs plenty of exercise once it is old enough.

The result will be a happier, more settled dog and your neighbours will benefit, too.

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell. It has been so hot the last couple of days, my neighborhood ice cream man has changed the sign on his truck to just say “cream.”

Once again, so you don’t get tired of hearing from me, I have reached out to someone else to answer some frequently asked questions. We welcome my Times colleague Jack Harris, who is our main Dodgers reporter.

Q. The most-often asked question I get now is “Why is Michael Conforto playing so much while Hyeseong Kim rides the bench?” So, why?

Harris: A couple of reasons:

1) Kim’s best defensive position, second base, has been blocked lately by Tommy Edman, who hadn’t been able to play the outfield in recent weeks because of his nagging ankle injury. Kim has primarily been in center field as a result, where his fundamentals aren’t nearly as polished.

2) The Dodgers guaranteed Conforto $17 million this offseason, and still have hope he can turn things somewhat around offensively. At least until the deadline, they need to keep giving him opportunities to see whether he can be a contributor, and if not, whether that’s an area they need to target reinforcements.

That said, Edman did return to outfield duties this week. And Dave Roberts has indicated the playing time between Kim and Conforto will start to even out (though both sat plenty this past week because the Dodgers faced several left-handed starters).

My guess is, over the next couple months, Kim will become a more regular member of the starting lineup — assuming he continues to hit. But in the meantime, you’ll still see Conforto (who, in fairness, has shown some signs of life lately) get regular starts as well.

Q. Max Muncy turns his season around, in some part because he started wearing glasses. Last season, it was discovered that Kiké Hernández needed glasses. Why isn’t a comprehensive eye exam part of every spring training?

Harris: As Hernández noted when we wrote about this last year, players typically do get eye exams in spring training. However, in both his and Muncy’s cases, they had very subtle imperfections that weren’t flagged until they visited with an eye specialist.

Muncy himself said his vision is 20/12 (which, presumably, is why his eyesight had never come under question before), but that the astigmatism he learned he had in his right eye left him left eye dominant; not ideal for a left-handed hitter. He insists the glasses are only part of why he’s been better recently, noting a breakthrough with his swing as the bigger difference the past couple months.

Still, Muncy and Hernández are not the first big-leaguers to discover they could benefit from glasses (Hernández said he first heard a similar story from Martín Maldonado). I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s something that gets a closer look — pardon the pun — in the future from teams.

You can read more about Muncy’s turnaround here.

Q. Your best guess on when these pitchers will return: Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and Roki Sasaki.

Harris: Glasnow will need at least two more rehab outings. If those go well, that should line him up to return shortly after the All-Star break.

Snell should probably be ready to start facing hitters this upcoming homestand, if not soon after. He’ll probably need a couple of live sessions, then 3-4 minor-league rehab outings. And since those happen one week at a time, I’d say early August is a safe bet.

Sasaki is a much bigger question. He got a shoulder injection earlier this month, and was feeling much better this last week, according to Roberts. But he still hasn’t thrown a bullpen, let alone come close to facing hitters. There’s time for him to come back if he can keep progressing, but it would probably be closer to September at this rate. Tony Gonsolin, who remains shut down from throwing himself, is probably in a similar boat.

Q. It was interesting that after Emmet Sheehan pitched so well in his lone start for the Dodgers (four innings, one run, three hits, six strikeouts) that they would send him down after that. What was the thinking there?

That was a surprise to me. But the way the Dodgers looked at it, Sheehan wasn’t fully built up yet, and they needed someone to pitch Tuesday and Sunday (so on four days’ rest) this past road trip — with the first at hitter-friendly Coors Field, no less.

Thus, the team decided it’d be better to let Sheehan continue stretching out in a more controlled environment in Oklahoma City, and keep Justin Wrobleski on the big-league roster for those two outings.

Sheehan will be eligible to return during next weekend’s Astros series, and Roberts has indicated there will be an opportunity for him to start games once they get there. But for now, Wrobleski has also continued to impress in his extended opportunity.

For perhaps the first time all year, the team might actually soon have some legitimate starting pitching depth (but don’t blame me if I just jinxed it).

Q. Should we be worried about the down season Mookie Betts is having at the plate?

Panicked? No. But somewhat concerned? Probably.

While Betts has always been a relatively streaky hitter, the numbers he is on pace for this year would be career-lows across the board.

Granted, he was affected by his early season stomach virus, and did bat better than .300 over 32 games from late April through the first week of June. But overall, he simply hasn’t generated as much power or hard contact as he usually does (he has only six home runs in his last 73 games), and his already underwhelming bat speed has continued to decline.

I’d still expect him to bounce back, at least to some extent, in the second half. But until he does, the more you have to wonder whether — at age 32 — he is starting to enter a new, less productive, stage of his career offensively.

The other explanation, of course, is that his (ever-impressive) shortstop play is taking some toll on him at the plate. However, he has continually denied that, and noted how last year he was posting MVP numbers while grinding just to learn the position, so I remain dubious of that theory.

Q. In a best-case scenario, how many innings would Shohei Ohtani be able to pitch in a start by the end of the season?

There’s no reason he can’t get stretched out to make full-length starts of 6-7 innings by the end of the season.

The question is whether that will make most sense for the Dodgers down the stretch run of the year.

Ohtani’s bat remains the single most important piece of the team’s chances to repeat as World Series champions. The more he pitches, the more variables that are introduced to his offensive capabilities.

It’s worth remembering, Ohtani turns 31 next week. Even his seemingly superhuman strengths have their limits. And Roberts has alluded to bouts of minor fatigue he has dealt with since beginning to ramp up as a pitcher.

My guess is, if the rotation remains ravaged by injuries and there are pitching holes to plug come October, Ohtani will be treated like more a normal starter.

But, if the Dodgers have three to four other healthy starters they trust by then, it might make more sense to limit his innings — and perhaps use him as a de facto opener in bullpen games instead.

That’s why, for now, the team is in no rush to increase his innings. They’re letting him build a foundation a few innings at a time, and will see how the rest of the staff shapes up before adding even more to his plate.

Q. The Dodgers seem to have had a rain delay everywhere they go this season. What do you do in the press box during a rain delay?

It’s always a good time to get caught up on other stories I’m working on (that’s how I spent most of Sunday’s hourlong delay).

Otherwise, either eat, watch other games around the league, or talk to fellow reporters in the press box.

The best delay was definitely at Coors Field this past week. It was their “hometown hoedown” theme night, so they were doing country music karaoke on the scoreboard. Wisely, Garth Brooks’ “Friends in Low Places” was one of the songs (my personal go-to whenever I stumble into a karaoke bar). There might have been some singing from yours truly in the press box that night.

NL All-Star lineup could be all Dodgers

The two finalists for All-Star starter at each position have been announced, and there’s a Dodger or two at each position, so it’s possible that almost the entire NL starting lineup could be Dodgers.
As the top vote-getter in the NL, Shohei Ohtani is guaranteed to start at DH. The other finalists:

National League finalists
Catcher: Will Smith, Carson Kelly (Cubs)
First base: Freddie Freeman, Pete Alonso (Mets)
Second base: Ketel Marte (Diamondbacks), Tommy Edman
Shortstop: Francisco Lindor (Mets), Mookie Betts
Third base: Manny Machado (Padres), Max Muncy
Outfield: Pete Crow-Armstrong (Cubs), Teoscar Hernández (Dodgers), Ronald Acuña Jr. (Braves), Kyle Tucker (Cubs), Andy Pages (Dodgers), Juan Soto (Mets)

They are listed in the order they finished in the balloting. Voting began Monday at 9 a.m. PDT and concludes Wednesday at 9 a.m. PDT. Voting can be done online at MLB.com/vote. The first round of voting is thrown out, and only votes received from Monday-Wednesday will count.

Steve Henson has a closer look at this here.

Austin Barnes update

Former Dodger Austin Barnes, released by the team earlier this season, has signed a minor-league deal with the San Francisco Giants.

Barnes has been assigned to the Giants’ Arizona Complex League team, probably to work himself back into playing shape before heading to triple A or the Giants. If he makes the Giants, they will owe him the prorated portion of the MLB minimum salary of $760,000, and the Dodgers will owe the remainder of the $3.5 million Barnes was due for the 2025 season.

The Giants’ president of baseball operations is Buster Posey, who was the longtime catcher for the team and the backstop for three World Series title teams. Their starting catcher, Patrick Bailey, has struggled mightily this season. The Giants have a mix of veterans and youngsters in the starting rotation, and a guy such as Barnes could prove beneficial for all of them, as he was always considered almost an extra coach for the Dodgers. Or, he could play poorly in Arizona and they never bring him up. Either way, it won’t cost them much.

Catching up with Walker Buehler

Colleague Bill Shaikin caught up with former Dodger Walker Buehler when the Boston Red Sox were in town to face the Angels recently. Buehler has struggled mightily with the Red Sox this season. He is currently 5-6 with a 6.45 ERA.

Among Buehler’s quotes:

“Somehow, this year, I’ve managed to do all the negative things you can. I’ll keep working. It’s just tough to let down our team….”

“I think, in all honesty, it’s a lot easier to stay good than to get good. The guys on the other side of the field from me drive nice cars, get paid a lot of money to be really good at what they do. Outside of a couple swings [during the Angels game], I think largely I beat myself, which is just not something that you can do here.

“I think it’s in there. I think my arm still moves good. I think I can still make the ball move. I think I can still pitch in the major leagues.

“At some point, the belief, it gets hard to keep tricking yourself. At some point, I have got to put some results up there, for myself, but also for this organization.”

One impressive thing about Buehler, is he never hides when he’s doing poorly. He will stand there and answer questions. Hopefully, he rebounds and becomes a productive pitcher again. Though you have to wonder, after seeing him in last year’s World Series, if he would be better off as a high-leverage reliever now.

You can read the whole story here

Scheduling note

With the Fourth of July holiday Friday, the next Dodgers Dugout will be early next week. I hope you all have an enjoyable holiday weekend. When we return, we will resume our “Top 10” at each position series.

These names seem familiar

A look at how some prominent Dodgers from the last few seasons are doing with their new team (through Sunday). Click on the player name to be taken to the Baseball Reference page with all their stats.

Batters

Cody Bellinger, Yankees: .270/.332/.460, 319 plate appearances, 15 doubles, 3 triples, 11 homers, 42 RBIs, 120 OPS+

Michael Busch, Cubs: .273/.363/.512, 292 PA’s, 13 doubles, 3 triples, 14 homers, 49 RBIs, 150 OPS+

Jason Heyward, Padres, .176/.223/.271, 95 PA’s, 2 doubles, 2 homers, 12 RBIs, 37 OPS+, on the IL

Gavin Lux, Reds: .272/.359/.391, 276 PA’s, 15 doubles, 1 triple, 4 homers, 37 RBIs, 103 OPS+

Zach McKinstry, Tigers: .283/.357/.450, 287 PA’s, 11 doubles, 8 triples, 5 homers, 25 RBIs, 128 OPS+

Joc Pederson, Rangers, .131/.269/.238, 146 PA’s, 5 doubles, 1 triple, 2 homers, 6 RBIs, 50 OPS+, on the IL

Keibert Ruiz, Nationals, .248/.279/.321, 258 PA’s, 12 doubles, 2 homers, 24 RBIs, 72 OPS+

Corey Seager, Rangers: .244/.342/.430, 225 PA’s, 6 doubles, 10 homers, 23 RBIs, 123 OPS+

Chris Taylor, Angels: .200/.294/.400, 34 PA’s, 3 doubles, 1 homer, 3 RBIs, 94 OPS+, on the IL (numbers with Angels only)

Justin Turner, Cubs: .210/.293/.267, 123 PA’s, 3 doubles, 1 homer, 12 RBIs, 63 OPS+

Trea Turner, Phillies: .296/.348/.456, 368 PA’s, 17 doubles, 2 triples, 11 homerss, 38 RBIs, 119 OPS+

Miguel Vargas, White Sox: .229/.311/.411, 334 PA’s, 20 doubles, 2 triples, 10 homers, 34 RBIs, 103 OPS+

Alex Verdugo, Braves: .242/.297/.294, 209 PA’s, 10 doubles, 12 RBIs, 67 OPS+

Pitching

Ryan Brasier, Cubs: 0-0. 1.32 ERA, 13.2 IP, 10 hits, 3 walks, 11 K’s, 296 ERA+

Walker Buehler, Red Sox: 5-6, 6.45 ERA, 67 IP, 74 hits, 32 walks, 59 K’s, 65 ERA+

Jack Flaherty, Tigers: 5-9, 4.80 ERA, 84.1 IP, 69 hits, 35 walks, 100 K’s, 82 ERA+

Kenley Jansen, Angels: 1-2, 4.40 ERA, 15 saves, 28.2 IP, 28 hits, 11 walks, 26 K’s, 95 ERA+

Craig Kimbrel, Rangers: 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 IP, 1 hit, 1 walk, 1 K, in the minors

Kenta Maeda, Cubs: 0-0, 7.88 ERA, 8 IP, 9 hits, 6 walks, 8 K’s, 52 ERA+, in the minors

Ryan Pepiot, Rays: 5-6, 3.36 ERA, 96.1 IP, 81 hits, 30 walks, 92 K’s, 118 ERA+

Max Scherzer, Blue Jays: 0-0, 5.63 ERA, 8 IP, 9 hits, 3 walks, 5 K’s, 77 ERA+

Ryan Yarbrough, Yankees: 3-1, 3.90 ERA, 55.1 IP, 48 hits, 17 walks, 49 K’s, 105 ERA+, on the IL

Is there a player you’d like to see listed here? Email me at [email protected] and let me know.

Up next

Tuesday: Chicago White Sox (Shane Smith, 3-5, 3.38 ERA) at Dodgers (Yoshinobu Yamamoto, 7-6, 2.61 ERA), 7:10 p.m., Sportsnet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020

Wednesday: Chicago White Sox (Sean Burke, 4-7, 4.22 ERA) at Dodgers (*Clayton Kershaw, 4-0, 3.03 ERA), 7:10 p.m., Sportsnet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020

Thursday: Chicago White Sox (Aaron Civale, 1-4, 4.74 ERA) at Dodgers (Dustin May, 4-5, 4.68 ERA), 7:10 p.m., Sportsnet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020

*-left-handed

In case you missed it

More than the glasses: How a lightbulb moment made Max Muncy a ‘complete hitter’ again

Dodgers pursue record for most MLB All-Star starters as voting resumes for 48 hours

Why Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman have struggled at the plate lately for the Dodgers

Barabak: You can’t separate sports from politics. Just ask the L.A. Dodgers

Shaikin: Walker Buehler struggling to rediscover his Dodgers World Series magic with Red Sox

And finally

From 2002, Shawn Green has six hits, including four home runs, against the Brewers. Watch and listen here.

Until next time…

Have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future Dodgers newsletter? Email me at [email protected], and follow me on Twitter at @latimeshouston. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

On May 21, the forest department of the western Indian state of Gujarat released results of the country’s first lion population estimation since 2020. According to the census, India’s wild lion population – exclusively concentrated in Gujarat – has risen by 32 percent over the past five years to 891 lions.

India’s lion conservation efforts have long been focused on the Gir forest and surrounding areas of Gujarat, especially since the creation of the Gir National Park and Sanctuary in 1965. Today, lions have dispersed and established separate satellite populations outside the Gir region and are found in 11 districts in Gujarat.

But for the first time, the census counted more lions across nine satellite populations (497) than the core population (394) in Gir. These include three new populations in neighbouring districts of Gir, including the Barda Wildlife Sanctuary, areas around Jetpur city, and areas around Babra and Jasdan towns — all in Gujarat.

The census report has earmarked Barda Wildlife Sanctuary as a “second home” for the big cat in Gujarat, echoing the stance of the state and central governments, which also have argued in favour of developing and managing Barda to host more lions. Indeed, that is one of the primary goals of the 29,277 million Indian rupee ($341m) Project Lion conservation programme announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government in March.

But the surging number of lions masks challenges that confront the future of the species in India, say experts, and questions remain over whether the country is doing enough to minimise human-animal conflict and ensure the long-term conservation of the animal. On June 25, a lion mauled a five-year-old boy to death in Gujarat’s Amreli district, after dragging the child away from a farm.

We unpack the key findings of the census and the key battles ahead for the big cat in India.

How were the lions counted?

As per the Gujarat Forest Department, the lion population estimation was conducted over two 24-hour recording schedules from May 11-13. The state’s lion landscape was divided into 735 sampling regions, each entrusted to an enumerator and two assistant enumerators. Lions were located and photographed with digital cameras, and cross-verified with adjacent sampling regions to avoid duplication, according to the report.

Yadvendradev Jhala, an expert on big cat conservation and formerly with the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), however, cautioned that “double counting” cannot be ruled out, and at the same time, some lions might have been missed “due to the time constraint” imposed by the two-day exercise.

Ravi Chellam, a veteran wildlife biologist involved with lion conservation since 1985, questioned the logic of a methodology that required field staff to stay alert for 24 hours on two consecutive days. “One can well imagine the fatigue levels and diminished state of alertness of the field staff,” he said. “I find it difficult to believe that reliable and accurate data can be collected with such an approach.”

According to both experts, there are more robust and reliable scientific methods, like combining photographs of lions with the use of whisker patterns – similar to human fingerprints – to identify individual lions.

Still, Jhala said that the actual count is likely not very different from the census number.

What’s behind the sharp rise in lion numbers?

Experts say that a combination of the Gujarat state government’s policies and the adaptability of lions has contributed to the successful rise in the numbers.

According to Jhala, lions will continue to expand their population as long as there is food and cover available, and the animals aren’t attacked. “There is food in the form of livestock, dead carcasses for scavenging, as well as feral cattle for predation,” he said.

The Gujarat government’s “compensation for livestock loss is almost near market value and is revised regularly to reflect current market rates,” Jhala said. This has allowed continued human-lion coexistence.

Meanwhile, the new census shows that the coastal Gujarat district of Bhavnagar and adjacent areas along the state’s coast – far from the dry deciduous habitats of Gir – are now home to 212 lions. The thorny shrubs of the invasive Prosopis juliflora species (a kind of mesquite) along the coast provide “refuge for lions through the day, and they can come out at night to feed in agropastoral landscapes,” Jhala said.

How many more lions can Gujarat host?

Since 2010, Gujarat’s lion population has more than doubled, and their territorial range has increased by 75 percent, from 20,000 to 35,000 square kilometres (7,700 to 13,500 square miles). However, only 1800sq km falls under protected areas, of which only 250sq km is exclusive to lions.

According to the census, 45 percent of lions recorded were found in non-forested areas such as wastelands, agricultural lands and near human habitats.

“They run the risk of falling into open wells, being run over by heavy vehicles and trains, getting electrocuted and also contracting infections,” Chellam said. He pointed out that lions have been regularly documented in unusual locations such as the terraces of homes, in the basement parking lots of hotels, and on busy highways.

Chellam argued that “the region as a whole has far exceeded its carrying capacity.” He says it’s not sensible to have an “increasing lion population in what are essentially human habitations”.

Jhala agreed. “The question is: How much are people willing to tolerate a large carnivore in their neighbourhood?”

What is the impact of soaring lion numbers on the people of Gujarat?

According to a human-lion conflict study in the Conservation Biology journal published in November, there has been a 10 percent annual increase in the number of villages in Gujarat reporting livestock attacks and a 15 percent increase in livestock killed per year.

The paper uses data collected from 2012-2017. Jhala, who a co-author of the study, anticipates growing human-lion conflict.

“It’s not easy to live with a large carnivore,” he said. “You learn that you can’t let your kids roam around in the fields at night, that you need to clear the vegetation near your huts, that going out for defecation in the field during twilight hours is to be prevented, that you need walled corrals for your livestock.”

Chellam agreed. “While the increase in the number of lions is viewed by many, and especially the government, as a positive sign, the reality is that more and more lions are risking themselves as well as the lives of tens of thousands of people,” he said. “There have been numerous instances of people harassing lions and also an increasing trend of lions attacking people.”

Is Barda a ‘second home’ for the lion?

As per the census report, for the first time since 1879, the Barda Wildlife Sanctuary has an established lion population (17) within its range. While the Gujarat government pitches Barda as a “second home” for lions, Chellam and Jhala say its small size and proximity to Gir mean that it fails the test of what qualifies as a geographically distinct habitat that can sustain a “second” lion population.

“The satellite population in Barda counts as a range expansion for lions, but it cannot be considered a separate population since they are contiguous with Gir,” Jhala said.

“The whole point in translocating lions to establish a ‘second’ free-ranging population is to ensure geographical isolation, to mitigate the risks of having the entire population of an endangered species at a single site,” Chellam explained.

Barda is 100km from Gir, and just 200sq km in size, compared with 1,400sq km of core protected area in Gir. “It [Barda] is a small area with a very low-density prey population. It is incapable of hosting a viable population of lions,” he added.

“The risks are numerous and include cyclones, floods, forest fires, disease outbreaks, political decisions, droughts, poaching, violence and wars.”

Why aren’t lions being moved outside Gujarat?

That’s a question that has piqued conservationists – and frustrated even the Supreme Court of India.

In April 2013, the country’s top court ordered the Gujarat state government to translocate a few Asiatic lions to Kuno National Park in the neighbouring state of Madhya Pradesh within six months to create a geographically separate, free-ranging lion population. Kuno, with its large tracts of forests and grasslands, was identified as having the perfect landscape and prey base for lions.

Though the Gujarat government assured the top court that it would comply with the order, 12 years later, the order is still to be implemented, and neither the federal nor the state government has faced any consequences. “It is very disappointing to see the levels of impunity with which the state government of Gujarat and also the government of India have been operating when it comes to the translocation of lions to Kuno,” Chellam said.

According to Jhala, it is also a failure on the part of wildlife biologists and conservationists. “You cannot do conservation without the government. I think biologists have failed in convincing the government that Kuno is an ideal place to have a second home for lions,” Jhala said.

Haven’t cheetahs been moved to Kuno?

On September 17, 2022, eight Southeast African Cheetahs were flown in from Namibia to Kuno National Park as part of India’s efforts to reintroduce the cheetah to the country. Cheetahs had previously gone extinct in India in 1952.

However, the introduction of cheetahs to Kuno set off a debate over whether that would impede plans to also move lions to the Madhya Pradesh reserve.

Jhala, who led the 2022 plan to bring cheetahs back to India, said it was “fantastic” to have the animals back in India – and that lions and cheetahs could easily coexist in Kuno.

“In no way do cheetahs prevent lions from going there. In fact, they would do better than cheetahs, the landscape and prey base in Kuno is perfect for lions,” he said.

Bringing in lions could also be helpful for cheetahs, Jhala added. Kuno has one of the highest leopard densities in the world, at 22 leopards per 100sq km. Leopards pose more of a predatory threat to cheetahs; lions can help reduce leopard density as they prey on leopards, especially the young ones.

Chellam, though, questioned the intentions of the cheetah reintroduction plan, which he alleged was “more to continue to stall and delay the translocation of lions [to Kuno] rather than to conserve cheetahs”.

Like Jhala, Chellam said that lions would do well in Kuno. “Lions are very hardy and robust animals. If the translocation is planned and carried out carefully, there is no reason for the lions not to thrive in Kuno.”

What’s next for the big cat?

“It [lions in Gujarat] is a wonderful conservation story,” Jhala said. “But a lot can be done for the lion as a species. Forget about Kuno; we should try and establish lion populations across its historical range, within and outside of India”. The old range of lions in Asia extended from Persia to eastern India – the last of Asia’s lions outside India were shot and killed in Iran in the 1940s.

The current concentration of lions in just Gujarat, Chellam said, was a “ticking time bomb”.

With lion numbers ballooning in human habitats, he said it was important for the government to recognise that “space and availability of good quality habitats are a severe constraint [in Gujarat].”

DEAR DEIDRE: IF my best pal finds out that I’m having an affair with his mum, it will ruin our friendship and tear his family apart.

I’m 20, the same age as my mate. He has two siblings, aged 17 and 15.

I’ve known his mum, who is 49, since I was a kid. She used to pick me up from school sometimes when my mum was working late.

She was our biggest supporter when we played football for our local team, always ready with encouragement and snacks.

When we were in our early teens, her husband cheated on her.

My mate told me how she didn’t cope well, but within the year she’d moved on with another guy, who she was with for three years.

But that relationship also ended when he moved abroad for work.

Soon after, I bumped into her in a new cafe in town.

I helped her carry her shopping home, chatting all the way.

When we got there, she asked me to do a little DIY job while I was there.

My mate is away at training college so isn’t around to help her.

She also asked me if I could do a few other repairs for her and I agreed to do them.

The next time I went round, though, we began flirting.

Before I knew it, we were kissing and cuddling. We went to her bedroom — she led me there by the hand.

We ended up having the most awesome sex. Afterwards, she said it was a one-off not to be repeated.

However, we have had sex many times since then.

She is really worried that my mate will find out, but we are very careful — and so far our secret is safe.

I love her, but she says I need to find a woman my own age. I worry that someone will get hurt and it’s likely to be me.

DEIDRE SAYS: This relationship won’t ever work. She’s running a home with no partner to give her support, but she should know better than to seduce her son’s friend.

Your mate would be devastated if he knew what his mother is doing, and you stand to lose his friendship if he ever finds out.

You don’t have to give in to temptation. Don’t go round to her house again.

Get out with friends your own age and give yourself the chance of a more equal relationship.

You’ve had a lucky escape and got away with it.

Put it down to experience and get on with enjoying your life.

I STILL FEEL ANGER OVER CHEATING EX

DEAR DEIDRE: I CANNOT stop feeling angry with my ex-wife – who I broke up with after coming home early one day and seeing her in bed with another guy.

I am 36. I thought we had a great relationship, but clearly I was wrong.

We had been married for five years and were talking about starting a family.

But she began going out regularly, getting drunk and not coming home until the early hours.

After I caught her cheating, we divorced. She has remarried and has a baby. I have moved on, too, and am now with a wonderful woman.

Our mutual friends have accepted my ex’s new husband, yet they don’t seem to want to know my partner, who has done nothing wrong. It feels like I am being punished for her affair when I am completely innocent.

My ex’s life seems to be going so smoothly. She hasn’t suffered in the way I did and I sometimes wish she had. Why can’t I just move on?

DEIDRE SAYS: The fact you are still hurt and angry over the loss of your marriage is understandable. You were betrayed in the worst way possible.

Counselling could help you to find peace and contentment with your new partner and leave the past behind. My support pack, How Counselling Helps, explains more.

Unfortunately, many people feel pressured to choose sides when a couple divorce.

Building up new friendships will help shift your focus from this pain.

SILLY GAME HAS RUINED SEX LIFE

DEAR DEIDRE: A DRUNKEN game of truth or dare went disastrously wrong when I admitted to my husband that my ex had a bigger penis than him.

I bitterly regret blurting this out and, since then, our once regular, amazing sex life has virtually died out completely.

I am 33 and my husband is 35. We have been married for eight years.

He was so hurt and admitted that something inside him just switched off and destroyed his sex drive.

Apart from the lack of sex, we have a wonderful relationship.

We are very tactile and always have lots of kisses and cuddles.

He is my best friend and always calls me every day when he is at work to say that he loves me. I know that I have let him down terribly.

Since that night, sex has dwindled to a couple of times a year at best.

And it’s always me who initiates it when my husband has had a few drinks. He admits he probably needs help, but he never does anything about it.

It is so frustrating. I feel like I am being punished even though I have apologised for my mistake many times.

I am missing the sensual closeness and intimacy of sex. My friends all say we are lucky to be so in love and happy. If they knew the truth, they would be shocked.

DEIDRE SAYS: If your husband already had insecure feelings about his size, then your confession would intensify that.

You have apologised and I assume that you have never complained about your sex life before this.

Reassure your husband that being a great lover is about skill, not penis size, and you are more than happy.

Tell him how much you miss being intimate and want to get your sex life back to normal. My support pack on Penis Size will reassure him.

Watch what you drink in future, to avoid being insensitive.

TAIPEI, Taiwan  — Liu Jia-yen had been living in Taiwan for more than two decades when she received notice that she was suddenly at risk of being deported.

In April, the National Immigration Agency told Liu, a 51-year-old Chinese immigrant, she had three months to provide evidence that she gave up her household registration — an official record of residence that grants benefits such as healthcare and education — in Guangxi, China. If she couldn’t find the right documents, she’d have to leave.

Liu thought she’d submitted the files long ago and called her 26-year-old daughter, Ariel Ko, in tears.

Ko, who was born and raised in Taiwan, called the immigration agency dozens of times over the next few days, unable to reach an operator. Meanwhile in China, Liu’s 80-year-old grandfather began visiting his local police station in search of old records, and her brother scoured his government contacts for anyone who could help.

Taiwanese military cadets holding Taiwan flags pose for selfies after attending the New Year’s Day flag-raising ceremony outside the Presidential Palace in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 1. Chinese leader Xi Jinping has warned that no one can prevent China’s reunification with Taiwan.

(Daniel Ceng / Anadolu via Getty Images)

There are tens of thousands of Chinese-born people in Taiwan, which has been increasing scrutiny of them over the past year, citing concerns about infiltration and espionage. The immigration agency says the vast majority of Chinese living in Taiwan have filed the appropriate paperwork showing that they have canceled household registration in China, but about 12,000 people are facing a scramble — similar to Liu’s — for documents.

“I understand that the government has its policies, and we can respect that,” Ko said. “But what makes us upset is that we’re just ordinary citizens. If you’re going to ask us to do something this difficult, have you considered things from our perspective?”

China considers Taiwan to be part of its territory and has threatened to take it by force, stepping up simulated attacks in recent years. Beijing has taken a particularly harsh stance against President Lai Ching-te, whom Chinese officials have called a “dangerous separatist” because he has promoted Taiwanese independence.

Concerns about spying in Taiwan and China date back to the Chinese civil war, after which the defeated Chinese Nationalist Party, or the Kuomintang, fled to Taiwan in 1949. Eventually, tensions began to ease as the two governments slowly resumed dialogue and cooperation over the next several decades. But in recent years, both China and Taiwan have been taking unprecedented actions in the name of national security.

Last year, China said it would ratchet up the punishment for advocates of Taiwanese independence, including imposing the death penalty. Lai, who took office a year ago and has called China a “foreign hostile force,” has proposed reinstating military trials for some espionage cases, criminalizing expressions of loyalty to China within the armed forces and tightening oversight of people traveling between China and Taiwan.

In March, three members of the Taiwanese presidential security team were convicted of spying for China. Taiwan also deported three Chinese immigrants for voicing their support online for unification through military action. Taiwan’s National Immigration Agency said this is the first time that spouses of Taiwanese citizens have had their residency revoked for such reasons. More than 140,000 Chinese immigrants hold residency in Taiwan because they are married to Taiwanese citizens.

Chinese influencer YAYA (Liu Zhenya) with a white hat and members of a NGO assisting her case hold a news conference, as she complies with Taiwan’s order to leave Taiwan after her residency was revoked for posting videos advocating “One China” and “Unification with China by Force” at Songshan Airport in Taipei, Taiwan, on March 25, 2025.

(Daniel Ceng / Anadolu via Getty Images)

Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council said the records requirement has existed since 2004, and the recent notices were sent to ensure that those who want to stay in Taiwan can do so. But critics say that the sudden enforcement is unfair.

“It’s like our government has been asleep, like Sleeping Beauty, for 21 years. And now, all of a sudden, it wakes up and demands that Chinese spouses who’ve been living in Taiwan for so many years provide an important document from two decades ago,” said Chang Chi-kai, an opposition party legislator who is urging the administration to give Chinese spouses and their children more time.

After the public backlash, Taiwan announced additional exemptions for individuals with extenuating circumstances such as financial hardship, medical needs or safety concerns about traveling to China to search for records.

In Taiwan, people born in China are subject to different immigration laws than other nationalities. Milo Hsieh, founder of the consulting firm Safe Spaces in Taipei, says that distinction makes them more susceptible to discriminatory legal treatment, particularly in times of extreme political polarization.

“It resembles what I’m observing in the U.S. right now in Trump’s immigration crackdown, particularly on international students,” said Hsieh, referring to the hundreds of student protesters who have had their visas revoked. “They are deliberately targeting this class of individuals that are associated with a national security threat.”

Some frustrated residents say the bureaucratic bind is emblematic of long-standing discrimination.

Ko, who was born and raised in Taiwan, still remembers how her classmates used to tease her for having a mother from China, and would tell her to go back to the mainland. On social media, some were sympathetic to her mother’s struggle, while others told her to “save your fake tears,” or “if you want to be Taiwanese then follow our rules.”

Taiwan’s government has said that, according to its own polls conducted in March, more than 70% of respondents in Taiwan want officials to more thoroughly investigate whether Chinese immigrants here still hold residency or household registration in China, especially those who work in the military or public sector.

In this photo released by the Taiwan Presidential Office in July 2022, Tsai Ing-wen, president at the time, is seen through glass on board a ship during military exercises.

(Shioro Lee / Associated Press)

“If China decides to start a war, then Taiwan needs to determine what to do in that situation,” said Fan Hsin-yu, an associate professor at National Taiwan University who specializes in immigration law. “First, it has to clarify who belongs to which side, who is the enemy, and who is one of us. That’s why this process is something they feel must be finalized soon.”

Fan said legal experts are divided on whether the government is justified in its recent documentation demands. She added that the measures may even be counterproductive, since China could simply issue certification to its spies or collaborators, while those who support Taiwanese sovereignty could put themselves at risk by going to China, or otherwise be forced to leave.

“The issue is not about legality, it’s about whether this is a smart move,” she said.

Chang and his family in China

(Courtesy of Chang Chih-yuan)

Chang Chih-yuan moved to Taichung, a city in central Taiwan, at age 4 and served in Taiwan’s military. He needs to secure documents to remain here but said he feels uneasy about providing all of his personal information — including his household registration history, physical ID card and travel permit — to the police station in Guangdong, China, where his family once lived.

Ultimately, he decided that he didn’t have much choice. His Chinese mother had received the immigration notice in April, and after many sleepless nights, she decided to take a month off from her cleaning job to obtain the certificate. When Chang, 34, inquired about his own paperwork, the immigration agency told him he would probably get a similar notice later this year.

“It just made me feel like I’m still not considered a real Taiwanese person,” he said.

A man walks past a hoisted Taiwanese flag at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei on Oct. 15, 2024. The day before, China insisted it would never renounce the “use of force” to take control of Taiwan, after ending a day of military drills around the island.

(I-Hwa Cheng / AFP via Getty Images)

Another resident who immigrated from China as a child said he has been considering emigrating to Singapore since he received his notice. His father traveled to China’s Fujian province to seek household documentation on his behalf, but he still worries that his mainland roots could put his status at risk again in the future.

“The situation now feels like they assume if you were born in China, you’re an ally of the Chinese Communist Party and you have to prove your innocence,” the 33-year-old said, requesting anonymity for fear that speaking publicly could affect his case. “I feel like I’ve been completely betrayed by my country.”

Times staff writer Yang and special correspondent Wu reported from Taipei, Taiwan.