Every week, The Post will bring you our picks of the best one-liners and stories from satirical site the Babylon Bee to take the edge off Hump Day. Want more of a chuckle? Be sure to click the links.
Babylon Bee
Republican donors stated that there simply was no one else that they would rather see representing the Democratic party. READ MORE
Babylon Bee
Though Muhammad admitted he was a terrorist and was about to kill hundreds of people, he said it was unfair of people to treat him that way. READ MORE
Babylon Bee
At publishing time, President Trump revealed Jeffrey Epstein’s accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell, had also been in the East Wing of the White House when it was destroyed. READ MORE
Babylon Bee
“The time has come to set aside our differences and unite around the common cause of defeating evil.” Trump said in a joint press conference held with Carney. READ MORE
By mid-morning today (29 October), the Next (LSE:NXT) share price was up 6% following publication of the group’s third-quarter trading update. And the retailer appears to be doing very well.
As has been a regular feature of its stock market announcements in recent years, it’s upgraded its full-year pre-tax earnings outlook. For 2025, it’s now expecting a profit before tax of £1.13bn, £30m more than previously anticipated.
The catalyst has been a strong sales performance. During the 13 weeks to 25 October, it reported a 10.5% year-on-year increase in its top line. Analysts were expecting a 4.5% improvement.
Surprise!
The group’s generating so much cash that it’s planning to pay (to be confirmed) a special dividend of around £3.10 a share in January 2026.
It’s also decided to stop buying its own shares, which are now changing hands for approximately £143 each. This could be a sign that the retailer believes its stock is now fairly priced. Judging by today’s reaction of investors, they could be wrong.
But the situation is a little more complicated than this. The group has a self-imposed limit of £121 a share and it must seek to achieve an 8% equivalent rate of return — calculated by dividing forecast pre-tax profit by its current market cap — on any purchase.
But with the group performing strongly, I question how it can keep growing. However, there appears to be a strong clue in today’s announcement. Compared to the same quarter in 2024, overseas sales were 38.8% higher. The group’s brand appears to be as well received internationally as it is in the UK.
This success is attributed to a 50% increase in spending on digital marketing and improved stock availability. And to the benefit of both companies, Next shares many of its warehouses in Europe with Zalando.
The group also claims that global entertainment platforms like Netflix and Instagram are giving an insight into how people in other countries are dressing. The internet makes it possible to order from the best retailers in the world without having to travel. And this cycle is self-perpetuating. As more people see others wearing internationally-sourced clothing they want to buy it.
Strong prospects
Next is an impressive business. It faces the same domestic challenges as other UK retailers – including higher National Insurance costs and a sluggish economy — but seems able to cope better than most. Importantly, the group’s managed to embrace the internet rather than see it as a threat. During the first half of the year, online sales of clothing, footwear and home furnishings accounted for 57.9% of total group revenue.
But excluding the special dividend, the stock’s offering a yield lower than the FTSE 100 average. And the fashion business is notoriously difficult. Consumer tastes can change rapidly and with plenty of competition there’s less brand loyalty than previously.
Its share price is up 45% since the start of the year, which could suggest its valuation is becoming stretched. However, largely because of its impressive track record of beating expectations and its international potential, I think Next shares are still worthy of consideration.
Good morning. UPS continues to lean into a strategy positioning it for long-term growth—one that required shrinking its decades-long partnership with Amazon.
The package-delivery giant (No. 47 on the Fortune 500) beat Wall Street expectations for the third quarter, reporting on Tuesday $21.4 billion in revenue and adjusted EPS of $1.74, both well above forecasts. It projects about $24 billion in Q4 revenue, signaling momentum despite a choppy economy. UPS stock was up about 8% at market close.
Refocusing the business
Brian Dykes, CFO of UPS since July 2024, first joined the company as an intern in 1999. I spoke with Dykes about strategy and his front-row perspective on the company’s evolution as a public business.
“We’re transforming our U.S. operations to focus on the market segments where we can add the most value,” Dykes told me. That means shifting away from low-return, capital-intensive volume and doubling down on higher-margin areas like small and midsized businesses, health care logistics, and B2B delivery.
The recent UPS decision to halve its Amazon delivery volume by late 2026—after nearly 30 years of partnership—marks a major strategic shift. “I’ve worked with Amazon for over a decade,” Dykes said. “Over time, our strategies diverged, which caused us to step back and ask where we truly add value.”
Amazon built fulfillment centers optimized for short-haul, last-mile delivery, while the UPS network is designed for long-haul and complex logistics. Amazon will remain a key customer in areas where UPS adds value—like returns and international services, he said.
Even as UPS winds down some Amazon volume, the share it continues to handle has grown, Dykes noted. “Amazon is so large—it’s not like the average customer,” he said.
As part of this realignment, UPS cut about 34,000 operational positions in 2025, largely through attrition and targeted buyouts. Most cuts affected part-time roles, though the company also offered voluntary packages to drivers, Dykes said. As part of its turnaround strategy, the company also closed operations at 93 facilities and eliminated 14,000 management jobs.
Does he think UPS is ready for the holiday season? “Peak season is like our Super Bowl,” Dykes said. Because UPS is handling less of Amazon’s volume, it doesn’t need as much extra capacity or as many seasonal hires, he said. UPS expects a 20% volume increase from Q3 to Q4—roughly 4 million additional packages a day—consistent with recent years, Dykes said.
Health care as a growth engine
In our conversation about strategy, Dykes noted that UPS’s health care focus predates the pandemic. He helped build this vertical through targeted acquisitions, citing cold chain logistics (a temperature-controlled supply chain), quality assurance, and regulatory oversight as differentiators, and leveraging automation and AI for efficiency.
“Since 2016, we’ve grown that business from kind of zero to a $10 billion business across UPS,” he said. Health care customers stay longer, grow faster, and the margins are higher, Dykes said, which he believes is a winning formula—even through economic or tariff disruptions.
I asked Dykes about his strategic work partnership with Carol Tomé, who has served as UPS CEO since 2020, and was previously CFO of Home Depot for nearly two decades.
Dykes said he benefits from Tomé’s leadership because “she pushes our entire leadership team to be better.”
“Part of me taking the job,” he added, “was the understanding that sometimes I’d have to be the one to push back—and we have that healthy tension. But at the same time, she’s made me a much better executive than I was when I started.”
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Adam S. Elinoff was appointed CFO of Agilent Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: A), effective November 17. Elinoff has over two decades of experience in corporate finance, investment relations, and business transformation. He joins the company from Amgen, where he advanced through a series of finance, strategy and transformation leadership roles over a total of 19 years, most recently serving as vice president of finance and treasurer.
Kathryn (Katie) Eskandarian was appointed CFO onPhase, a financial automation and payments provider. Eskandarian brings more than two decades of leadership in finance and operations. Before joining onPhase, Eskandarian served as CFO at Visual Lease, where she built the financial and operational frameworks. Earlier in her career, she held senior finance roles at iCIMS and Geller & Company.
Big Deal
OpenAI, originally a nonprofit, is moving toward a for-profit structure through recapitalization and an expanded partnership with Microsoft. On Tuesday, OpenAI announced that Microsoft supports the formation of a public benefit corporation (PBC) and the recapitalization plan.
Following this move, Microsoft holds a 27% stake in OpenAI Group PBC valued at about $135 billion, representing all owners including employees, investors, and the OpenAI Foundation. Previously, excluding recent funding rounds, Microsoft’s stake was 32.5% in the for-profit entity. The restructuring converts OpenAI’s for-profit division into a public benefit corporation that can issue equity and provides shareholders a greater voice in governance.
Going deeper
The 2025 Fortune 500 Europe list was released this morning. Europe’s largest company, German automotive manufacturer Volkswagen (founded in 1937), ranks No. 1.
Total revenue for the 500 rose 2.5% to $14.9 trillion, and market capitalization climbed 13.7% to $15.9 trillion. Profits, however, slipped 5.1% to $978.2 billion.
The top three sectors by revenue—finance (107 companies, $3.5 trillion), energy (71 companies, $3 trillion), and motor vehicles and parts (23 companies, $1.4 trillion)—are all being reshaped by digital technology and, in the case of energy, renewables. Yet the dominant players remain well-established incumbents rather than new disruptors.
The highest-ranking newcomer in finance is Italy’s CDP Group (No. 122, founded in 1850). The top pure-play renewables firm, wind-turbine manufacturer Vestas (No. 226), was founded in 1945.
Overheard
“The Hollywood model of work—specialized teams assembling for specific projects, then dissolving and reconfiguring for new ones—is a refreshing alternative to the rigid corporate structures inherited from the industrial era. For decades, this fluid approach seemed impractical for most businesses. Now, it is becoming feasible as AI handles the logistical complexities and knowledge management that once required permanent bureaucracies.”
—Ravi Kumar S, the CEO of Cognizant, writes in a Fortune opinion piece titled, “The Hollywood blueprint holds the key to reshaping organizations in the age of AI.”
Kelsey Parker’s little daughter, Aurelia Rose, has once more charmed the social media followers with a lovely video about her engagement, Kelsey Parker, in which she is the main protagonist. The video is only short, but Aurelia and her mother are sharing their ‘boat stories’ in simple words and thus revealing whole of the emotions, traits, and even the humor of the little one. The public mourning for the death of Tom Parker, Kelsey’s husband and father of Aurelia, was slowly replaced by this tender glimpse of their family life.
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The video shows Kelsey Parker and her little daughter having fun. Kelsey starts the conversation with, “Hey folks, good night. Good night. Did you miss us?” instantly creating a cheerful and warm atmosphere. The mom and daughter almost immediately switch to kidding around when the daughter drops, “The only person I know is the top one,” unveiling the toddler’s budding wit. Kessler goes on with the fish story, “We need to be strong for the fish pull around. We actually both more than anybody else. We both have an eye for the fish.” The beautiful interplay between them ends with Kelsey saying that she will “show you guys” their adventures at sea.
The video, titled “The Parker Edit – Boat stories with @aureliaroseparker,” depicts just the same and other happy things, still in line with the nautical talk and the joyous mood of their conversation. This kind of material grants a rather hearty view into the new things the Parker family is up to in order to keep the spirits high in their everyday life.
The public response was very positive, with many users especially praising the very much alive and vivid character of Aurelia. One of the onlookers pointed out the kid’s natural acting ability and uploaded the comment “She’s a natural performer” along with applauding and star emojis. Another one of the commenters who supported that remark wrote, “Give this girl a tv show she’s just the best,” and pointed out that it was the girl’s lively storytelling that had attracted the gaze.
The videos have also demonstrated the similarity between the parents and children which was a topic for discussion among the viewers. “Both absolute doubles of their dad,” one of the viewers commented in reference to Aurelia and her brother. Noticing their father Tom Parker’s similarities brought a very delicate tone to the otherwise so cheerful comments. Someone even said, “Reminds me of someone,” and definitely was talking about the late Wanted singer whose presence is still felt in the family moments.
One of the fans was so excited about Aurelia’s fashion taste that she yelled “Omg I love her bikini” and then followed it up with heart-eye emojis. Others pointed out the girl’s humorous timing, and one wrote “Love her she is so funny so animated” and another asked “so dramatic… where does she get it from?” which implies a playful angle of theatrical genes possibly inherited.
Kelsey Parker has always been honest regarding her grief process that began when Tom Parker died of brain cancer in March 2022. The images of her single parenting of little Aurelia and Bodhi have become regular and less painful as they are shared with the followers who supported the family throughout their difficult time. The boat stories video is another proof of the healing process – laughter through creating new traditions while cherishing Tom’s memory.
The mother has talked about the significance of their father’s spirit being alive in his children. Kelsey has mentioned in various interviews that she tells stories and recalls memories of their father to Aurelia and Bodhi. The latest video is a manifestation of those ideas, where Aurelia is gradually taking her vibrant personality while being nourished with love and support.
Kelsey Parker is the virtuous and real person who gracefully balances motherhood in the limelight. Her decision to directly present these priceless family moments to her audience not only provides a glimpse into the healing process of her family but also serves as a beacon for others in similar circumstances. Kelsey recently shared an empowering message of self-belief and strength that resonates with her journey. The boat stories of Aurelia Rose signify a strong reminder that mourning and laughter can coexist, that family bonds can only become stronger through shared moments whether on land or at sea.
At least 64 people have been killed after police in Rio de Janeiro carried out a deadly raid days before the city hosts events linked to COP30.
Officers targeted alleged drug kingpins in the Comando Vermelho gang and their money-laundering operations on Tuesday, leading to clashes so severe that health services, schools and transport were disrupted.
They arrested 81 people and issued 250 warrants during the operation involving 2,500 security personnel across the Alemao and Penha favela, or slums, near the city’s international airport.
Image: Police detained a large group of shirtless men. Pic: Reuters
Image: Motorcyclists surrender to police. Pic: Reuters
The number of dead, including four police officers, was confirmed by the city’s governor, Claudio Castro, and is more than twice Rio’s previous most deadly police operation.
Governor Castro said on social media: “We stand firm confronting narcoterrorism.”
Bursts of gunfire could be heard across the area from early in the day and smoke appeared above the city as gang members burned cars to slow the progress of armoured police vehicles.
Image: Suspected drug dealers sit on the ground after being detained. Pic: Reuters
Suspects used drones armed with grenades against them, according to videos released by police.
After the most intense fighting died away, a special operations unit was seen rounding up dozens of shirtless men, while sobbing family members gathered at a public hospital treating the injured.
The Rio state government called Tuesday’s operation the largest ever targeting the Comando Vermelho gang.
Brazil’s Justice Minister Ricardo Lewandowski said the federal government had not been asked to help what he described as a “bloody” operation.
Image: The police operation targeted drug trafficking at the favela do Penha. Pic: Reuters
Image: A man is detained. Pic: Reuters
Dozens of schools, medical facilities and bus services were impacted as traffic became clogged across several neighborhoods.
However, some civil society groups criticised the heavy casualties in a military-style operation, including Carolina Ricardo, executive director of the security think tank Sou da Paz, who called it a tragedy.
“This is a completely failed approach, because it does not actually target the links in the drug production chain,” she said.
Rio hosts the C40 summit, a global summit of mayors tackling climate change and Prince William’s Earthshot Prize, featuring Kylie Minogue and Sebastian Vettel, next week.
It is part of the build-up to next month’s COP30, the UN climate summit taking place in the Amazon city of Belem.
Police have often conducted large-scale operations against criminal groups ahead of major events in Rio, which hosted the 2016 Olympics, the 2024 G20 summit and the BRICS summit in July.
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Today’s top stories
Today, Jamaica is surveying the damage left behind by Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 storm that made landfall yesterday. The most populous part of the country, the capital Kingston, missed the brunt of the storm. The government says the international airport could reopen for relief flights as early as tomorrow. Meanwhile, the storm is battering the west coast of Cuba.
Residents self-evacuate under pouring rain from Playa Siboney to safe locations ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Melissa, in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba, on Oct. 28.
Yamil Lage/AFP via Getty Images/AFP
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Yamil Lage/AFP via Getty Images/AFP
🎧 More than half a million people are without power, and every region of Jamaica is facing blocked roads and downed power lines, according to the country’s government. NPR’s Eyder Peralta tells Up First that the biggest concern for the country currently is Western Jamaica, which was severely impacted when the storm made landfall with winds reaching 185 miles per hour and generated a storm surge of up to 13 feet. Desmond McKenzie, the minister of local government, said St. Elizabeth Parish is underwater and numerous families are trapped in their homes. McKenzie says rescue teams are hoping that they can get to those families today, and people are still alive.
The Israeli military carried out renewed strikes in the Gaza Strip yesterday, less than three weeks into a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. The military says it was dismantling a Hamas tunnel in an area of Gaza where Israeli troops were stationed when militants opened fire, killing a soldier. In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered immediate “forceful strikes” in Gaza. Gaza Civil Defense reports that the strikes killed about 100 Palestinians, including around 35 children. Israel says it killed 30 militants in the strikes.
🎧 The strikes were one of the single deadliest 24-hour periods in Gaza, even deadlier than some of the days of war, according to NPR’s Daniel Estrin. The ceasefire was back on as of 10 a.m. local time today in Israel. The dispute over the search for Israeli hostage bodies that remain in Gaza threatens to impact the fragile ceasefire. Israel has been considering limiting aid to Gaza to pressure Hamas to hand over the bodies more quickly.
Air traffic controllers say working without pay this week due to the government shutdown is making a difficult job even harder. Maximilian Crawford, a controller at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, states that many controllers are living paycheck to paycheck and are now seeking financial assistance from loans or family members. The shutdown has disrupted flights across the U.S., and there is currently no end in sight.
🎧 The controllers’ union says many workers have turned to gig work, like driving for Uber or DoorDash, to make money. Though these workers are in the minority, it is adding stress to controllers. There have been isolated delays seen at U.S. airports due to staffing shortages, but overall these delays are generally in line with what’s normal outside of the shutdown, NPR’s Joel Rose says. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said yesterday that while many air traffic controllers can make it without their first paycheck, nearly all of them cannot manage without two. Even before the shutdown there was a shortage of air traffic controllers, so it doesn’t take a big increase in sick calls to impact the fragile system, Rose says.
Deep dive
More people are using injectable drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound to control their weight, and the nation’s high obesity rate is coming down a bit.
Dobrila Vignjevic/Getty Images/iStockphoto
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Dobrila Vignjevic/Getty Images/iStockphoto
The obesity rate among U.S. adults has declined to 37% this year, down from a high of 39.9% three years ago, according to a new survey by the Gallup National Health and Well-Being Index. The data indicate that GLP-1 weight loss drugs are having an impact. The number of Americans using injectable obesity treatments has doubled over the past year and a half. GLP-1 agonists, as the new treatments are known, were first approved for obesity treatment in the U.S. in 2021. Here’s what is known about how the drugs’ usage is bringing down the U.S. obesity rate:
💪 Since the drugs have been introduced to the market, obesity rates have declined significantly among people between ages 40 and 64. This correlates with a higher reliance on GLP-1 medications.
💪 The drugs have been a game-changer for patients with obesity, but access to them has been limited and is likely to become a bigger issue. Many private insurers are halting coverage for GLP-1 medications next year, which will make them a costly option for weight maintenance.
💪 Drugmakers are working on bringing potentially less-expensive pill options to the market, but it still might not be the fix needed to make it more accessible for many people.
When someone you know has cancer, it can be challenging to figure out how to support them effectively. One of the best ways to be present for your loved one is by considering what you are good at and how you can help them in their time of need. Life Kit has compiled a list of roles that friends and family members can take on to help someone with cancer. Each role addresses a critical need that a cancer patient may have.
❤️ If you are organized and detail-oriented, you could be a good doctor’s appointment buddy. This role is also good for someone with a medical background. This person could have a prepared list of questions, take the lead during appointments.
❤️ If you are comfortable with physical touch, don’t mind sitting in silence or possibly have a good comedy routine, you could make a great procedure pal and patient advocate. You can go with your loved one to their scans, surgeries and radiation and chemotherapy appointments. This role focuses less on asking questions and more on providing emotional and physical support.
❤️ If you are good at planning and willing to take initiative, you could be a great household helper and meal planner. Try offering to bring over dinner or coordinating with friends who can help with different activities. Instead of asking, offer to do a specific task like laundry.
BHV department store employees take part in a demonstration in front of BHV Marais shopping center in Paris on Oct. 10, during a strike to protest against the arrival of the fast-fashion brand Shein.
Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP via Getty Images
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Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP via Getty Images
Fast fashion giant Shein is set to open its first permanent store in one of Paris’ historic department stores. The move has sparked significant criticism in France, a country known for its craftsmanship and commitment to sustainability.
A coalition of charitable foundations is launching the Literary Arts Fund, which will distribute at least $50 million over the next five years to organizations that provide fellowships, host writers’ retreats, organize book events, publish translated literature and more.
Sometimes, the best place you can go is a dead end. Especially when that dead end is surrounded by crashing surf on empty beaches, dramatic cliffs and lonely trails through forests thick with redwoods.
That’s the situation along Big Sur’s South Coast right now.
A chunk of the cliff-clinging highway has been closed for a series of landslide repairs since January 2023, making the classic, coast-hugging, 98-mile San Simeon-Big Sur-Carmel drive impossible. Caltrans has said it aims to reopen the route by the end of March 2026, if weather permits.
That means the 44-mile stretch from San Simeon to Lucia will likely be lonely for at least six more months. Travelers from the near north (Carmel, for instance) will need to detour inland on U.S. 101. Meanwhile, many Canadian travelers (usually eager explorers of California) are boycotting the U.S. altogether over President Trump’s tariff policies and quips about taking over their country.
And so, for those of us in Southern California, the coming months are a chance to drive, hike or cycle in near solitude among tall trees, steep slopes and sea stacks. The weather is cooler and wetter. But over the three October days I spent up there, the highway was quieter than I’ve seen in 40-plus years of driving the coast.
Moreover, those who make the trip will be supporting embattled local businesses, which remain open, some with reduced prices. Fall rates at the Ragged Point Inn, 15 miles north of Hearst Castle, for example, start at about $149 nightly — $100 less than when the road was open.
“It’s kind of perfect,” said Claudia Tyler of Santa Barbara, on her way from Salmon Creek Falls to two nights of camping at Plaskett Creek in Los Padres National Forest.
“I am sorry for the businesses…,” Tyler said, “but it’s good for the traveler.”
Further north, David Sirgany, 64, of Morro Bay, was getting ready to surf at Sand Dollar Beach, thinking about coastal erosion, climate change and this moment in history.
“To me,” he said, “it feels like the end of a time that will never be again.”
The Ragged Point Inn stands at the southern end of Big Sur.
The closed area, known as Regent’s Slide, begins about 26 miles north of Ragged Point, toward the south end of Big Sur, and covers 6.8 miles. Thus, you’d need to detour inland via U.S. 101 to reach most of Big Sur’s best-known attractions, including the Bixby Creek Bridge, Pfeiffer Beach, Nepenthe restaurant, Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn, McWay Falls and Esalen Institute.
But there’s plenty to explore on the stretch from San Simeon north to the roadblock at Lucia (milepost 25.3). Just be careful of the $8.79-per-gallon gas at the Gorda Springs Resort. (At $6.99, the Ragged Point gas station isn’t quite so high.)
San Simeon Bay Pier at William Randolph Hearst Memorial Beach.
Here, from south to north, are several spots to explore from San Simeon to Lucia. Be sure to double-check the weather and highway status before you head out.
See Hearst’s castle. Or just one of his zebras.
I’ve been hoping to see some of the Hearst zebras in the hills of San Simeon for years, and this time I finally did — a single zebra, surrounded by cows in a pasture beneath distant Hearst Castle.
That was enough to make my brief stop at the castle visitor center (which has a restaurant, historical displays and shop) well worth it. Other travelers, however, might want to actually take a tour ($35 per adult and up) of the 165-room Hearst compound (which is officially known as Hearst San Simeon State Historical Monument).
The state park system’s visitor tallies from June through August show that 2025 was slightly slower than 2024, which was slightly slower than 2023.
Perhaps with that in mind, the castle last fall added “Art Under the Moonlight” tours, which continue this autumn on select Friday and Saturday nights through Nov. 16. The castle also decorates for the holidays.
If you’re spending the night, the Cavalier Oceanfront Resort has 90 rooms (for as little as $169) and firepits overlooking the sea.
A zebra, part of the Hearst Castle animal collection, is seen from the visitor center off Highway 1 in San Simeon.
San Simeon Bay Pier or hike San Simeon Point Trail
My southernmost hike was at the San Simeon Bay Pier. From the parking lot there, walk north on the beach and follow a path up into a eucalyptus grove. That puts you on the 2.5-mile round-trip San Simeon Point Trail (owned by Hearst Corp. but open to the public.)
At first, the route is uneventful and surrounded by imported eucalyptus (now being thinned) and pines. But there’s a payoff waiting at the point, where tides lap on a little sand beach, waves crash on dramatic black rocks and pelicans perch on sea stacks. Look back and you see the beach, the pier and the hills of the central coast sprawling beyond them.
Then, if you’re as hungry as I was, you rapidly retrace steps and head to the Seaside Foods deli counter in Sebastian’s General Store, a block from the pier. (I recommend the Coastal Cowboy tri-tip sandwich, $21. But you could also take your meal across the street to the Hearst Ranch Winery tasting room.)
Find the Piedras Blancas elephant seal viewing area, then go beyond it
California’s coast is a catalog of uncertainties, from rising tides and crumbling cliffs to private landowners discouraging public access. But we can count on the elephant seals of Piedras Blancas.
Elephant seals gather at Piedras Blancas, north of San Simeon.
Once you pull off Highway 1 into the observation area parking lot, no matter the time of year, you’re likely to see at least a few hulking sea creatures flopped on the sand and skirmishing for position.
Because it’s a great spectacle and it’s free, there are usually dozens of spectators along the shore. But most of those spectactors don’t bother to follow the boardwalk north and continue on the Boucher Trail, a 1.9-mile path along the bluff tops and across a meadow, leading to striking views of sea stacks and Piedras Blancas Light Station.
Along Boucher Trail, just north of the elephant seal viewing area at Piedras Blancas.
(BTW: Visitors need an advance reservation to tour the Piedras Blancas Light Station. At press time, all tours were canceled because of the federal government shutdown.)
At Ragged Point, that Big Sur vibe kicks in
About 10 miles beyond the elephant seals, the raw, horizontal coastal landscape morphs into a more vertical scene and the highway begins to climb and twist.
Right about here, just after San Carpoforo Creek, is where you find the Ragged Point Inn, a handy place to stop for an hour or an evening. It has 39 rooms, flat space for kids to run around, cliff-top views, a restaurant, gift shop, gas station and a snack bar that’s been closed since the highway has been blocked.
Right now, this stretch of the highway “is a great place to cycle,” said Diane Ramey, whose family owns the inn. “I wouldn’t do it at a normal time. But now the roads are uncrowded enough.”
To recover from the “frightening” drop in business when the road first closed, the inn has put more emphasis on Sunday brunch, the gift shop and live music on summer weekends, Ramey said.
At Salmon Creek Falls, roaring water meets tumbled rocks
At the Salmon Falls trailhead, 3.6 miles north of Ragged Point, there’s room for about 10 cars in the parking area on the shoulder of the highway.
When the highway is open, those spots are often all full. Not now. And it’s only about 0.3 of a mile to the base of the 120-foot falls, where there’s plenty of shade for the weary and boulder-scrambling for those who are bold. In the hour I spent scrambling and resting, I encountered just two couples and one family, all enjoying the uncrowded scene.
If you want a longer, more challenging hike, the falls trailhead also leads to the Salmon Creek Trail, a 6.6-mile out-and-back journey through pines, oaks and laurels that includes — gulp — 1,896 feet of elevation gain.
The yurts and quirks of Treebones Resort
Treebones, about 14 miles north of Ragged Point and 2 miles north of the rustic, sleepy Gorda Springs Resort, is an exercise in style and sustainability, producing its own power and drawing water from its own aquifer.
Treebones Resort, just off Highway 1 in the South Coast area of Big Sur.
Born as a family business in 2004, Treebones has 19 off-the-grid units, mostly yurts, whose rounded interiors are surprisingly spacious. Its Lodge restaurant offers chef’s-choice four-course dinners ($95 each) and a sushi bar.
If you book a yurt (they begin at $385), you’ll find your headboard is a felted wood rug from Kyrgyzstan (where yurts go back at least 2,500 years). The resort also has five campsites ($135 nightly, advance reservation required) that come with breakfast, hot showers and pool access.
A deck at Treebones Resort.
“For the last 20 years, we were basically 100% occupied from April through October,” assistant general manager Megan Handy said, leading me on a tour. Since the closure, “we’ve stayed booked on the weekends, but we’ve seen at least a 40% decline midweek.”
Once you’re north of Treebones, beach and trail possibilities seem to multiply.
Stand by the edge (but not too close) on the Pacific Valley Bluff Trail
Several people told me I shouldn’t miss the Pacific Valley Bluff Trail, a flat route that begins just north of Sand Dollar Beach. It runs about 1.6 miles between the roadside and the bluffs over the Pacific. Here you’ll see sea stacks in every shape, along with a dramatic, solitary tree to the north. In about 45 minutes of walking amid a land’s end panorama, I never saw another soul. Plenty of cow patties, though, and a few patches of poison oak, which turns up often near Big Sur trails.
A little farther north, I did run into four people walking the beach at Mill Creek Picnic Area. I found even more at Kirk Creek Campground, which was booked solid because it has some of the best ocean-view campsites in the area and it’s on the ocean side of the highway.
Waves crash near Sand Dollar Beach.
Big trees and a meandering creek at Limekiln State Park
Limekiln State Park is one California’s youngest state parks, having been set aside in the 1990s. But its occupants, especially the redwoods, have been around much longer.
And now, after park closures over storm damage and infrastructure issues and a reopening early this year, we have a chance to enjoy the place again. Or at least part of it. The park’s campground, Hare Creek Trail and Falls Trail remain closed.
But there’s still plenty of opportunity to check out the rare overlap of species from northern and southern California. As the Save the Redwoods League notes, “You can’t find both yucca and coast redwoods in very many parks.”
The park is about 4.4 miles south of the Highway 1 closure. Entrance is $10 per vehicle. I savored the 1.5-mile out-and-back Limekiln Trail, which is one of the best ways to see redwoods in the area. And once again, no fellow hikers.
Highway still too busy for you? How about an isolated lodge or a silent monastery?
Just south of the highway closure, the rustic, isolated Lucia Lodge and the New Camaldoli Hermitage, a Benedictine monastery, remain open for overnight guests.
But not everyone knows this. Unless somebody at Google HQ has just made a fix, Google Maps will tell you incorrectly that the hermitage and lodge are beyond the road closure. Nope. They’re both on the south side of the road closure, accessible to northbound traffic. And they’re both really quiet.
“People come here for silent, self-guided retreats,” said Katee Armstrong, guest ministry specialist at New Camaldoli Hermitage. Its accommodations, high on the slopes above the highway, include nine single-occupancy rooms and five cottages with kitchenettes ($145 nightly and up).
Meanwhile, on the ocean side of the highway, the Lucia Lodge’s 10 very basic units are visible from the road. Four of them are cabins that go back to the 1930s, when Highway 1 was new.
Some nights, there are only one or two guests, and those guests typically see no hotel employees, because there’s no lobby and the staff is down to a skeleton crew. (The lodge’s restaurant and lobby burned down in 2021.) The nearest restaurant is at Treebones, about 10 miles south.
“We have to have a conversation with every guest who books with us,” said Jessie McKnight, the lodge reservationist. Many “end up canceling once they understand the situation,” she said. “You’re kind of on your own.”
Ad yet, she added, “it’s so rare to experience Big Sur like this. Once the road opens, I think it’s going to be right back to being a zoo.”
Aviva (LSE:AV) stock’s up 45% over the last year. It has vastly outperformed the broader FTSE 100, recently hitting its highest level in over a decade. That might all be in the past, but investors are now focused on where the Aviva share price can go from here. Here’s what the experts think.
Forecast prices
Of the 16 analysts that currently have a view on the stock, the average target price for the next year is 689p. For reference, the share price currently sits at 668p. Within that bucket, there’s a variety of views.
The team at RBC Capital are top of the tree with a target of 800p. In terms of reasoning, it said: “With the acquisition of Direct Line complete, Aviva is positioned for enhanced earnings per share growth and returns on capital, reflecting a shift towards a higher proportion of ‘capital-light’ business“.
On the other hand, analysts at Jefferies forecast 560p.
What’s interesting to note is the bunching of expectations around the current share price. This suggests that banks and brokers share a view that the strong rally in Aviva shares might be easing. Although relatively few expect the stock to fall from here, the broad expectation is for it to consolidate and tread water around current levels, with some minor gains.
My opinion
From my perspective, I’m leaning toward the stock gaining value in the coming year. H1 2025 operating profit jumped 22%, thanks to a rise in insurance premium pricing.
This didn’t include the results from Direct Line, as the acquisition was only completed at the beginning of July. However, as the company becomes integrated over the next few months, I think it could provide a further boost to the group overall. Let’s not forget that Direct Line has 3.7m motor policy customers and 4.9m non-motor clients. So the potential for driving Aviva forward is high based on these numbers alone.
The stock could also benefit from continued purchases from income investors. With a dividend yield of 5.34%, it’s easily ahead of the FTSE 100 average yield of 3.11%. With the steady operating model and dividend history, I get why people would want to own the stock just for the dividends.
One risk is a messy integration with Direct Line. Cultural challenges, the high cost of mergers, and other factors could make the deal a headache for management. This is something investors will want to watch out for. Further, the stock has a price-to-earnings ratio of 28.57. This is well above both the FTSE 100 average and also the benchmark figure of 10 that I use when looking at a fair value.
When I weigh everything up, I do agree with the consensus view that the Aviva share price could rise modestly over the coming year. But when I look at other opportunities in the stock market, I think investors could consider more juicy options for income and growth elsewhere.
Jacob Elordi and Olivia Jade‘s relationship is in the news again. The duo rekindled their romance in September, but now, as per the sources, the couple has once again ended their romance. And this time, it seems there is no chance of getting back again. Their relationship is “fully over.”
Jacob Elordi and Olivia Jade are ‘not getting back together,’ per source
Jacob Elordi and Olivia Jade have finally parted ways months after their reconciliation. The former couple, who have been dating on and off since 2021, got back together in September. However, it looks like this time their separation is final. “It’s fully over. They are not getting back together,” a source told PEOPLE.
Jade is reportedly more concerned about her parents, Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli, who separated after 28 years of marriage, than her own break. “She’s fine about the Jacob split, she’s more upset about what’s going on with her father.”
The 26-year-old influencer was seen supporting Elordi in September at the Toronto International Film Festival. She was there for the actor’s new horror film, “Frankenstein.” Although the duo did not pose together, the Australian star was seen stepping inside the Princess of Wales Theatre with Jade.
The exes were first linked together in 2021, after being spotted having coffee together in Los Angeles. Their sighting came just a month after the 28-year-old actor called it quits with actor Kaia Gerber. However, Elordi and Jade reportedly ended their on-again, off-again relationship after four years together in August. The influencer later shared on her YouTube vlog that she is seeking therapy following the split.
“I think summer gets painted as this like carefree, perfect, kind of month or two, and I’m here to remind you that it’s totally normal if you’re feeling a little off or a little nervous during big transitions or seasonal transitions or whatever it may be.” Jade added that she is “somebody who has used therapy as a tool to fight a lot of nerves and uncomfortable changes.” However, in September, sources said they were “seeing each other again.” But it seems now the couple have parted for good.
L.A. County supervisors have unanimously approved an $828-million settlement for alleged victims of childhood sexual abuse, finalizing the deal while questions mount over the legitimacy of some claims in a separate multibillion-dollar payout that they agreed to this spring.
The settlement approved Tuesday brings the county’s spending on sex abuse litigation this year to nearly $5 billion, with the bulk of that total coming from a $4-billion deal made in April to resolve thousands of claims filed by people who said they were abused decades ago in county-run juvenile detention centers and foster homes.
The latest settlement involves similar claims brought by 414 clients of three law firms who opted to negotiate separately from the rest. The $4-billion settlement initially covered roughly 6,800 claims, but has ballooned to more than 11,000.
The larger settlement has come under scrutiny after The Times found nine people who said they were paid to sue. Four said they were told to fabricate the claims. All had lawsuits filed by Downtown LA Law Group, which represents more than 2,700 clients in the first settlement.
The firm has denied paying clients to sue and said it has “systems in place to help weed out false or exaggerated allegations.” The firm has asked the court to dismiss three claims on behalf of allegedly fraudulent plaintiffs this month.
Downtown LA Law Group will be required to detail any claims that came to it through recruiters, the county’s top attorney said Tuesday. The firm has denied any wrongdoing.
(Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)
The settlement approved Tuesday involves cases only from Arias Sanguinetti Wang & Team, Manly, Stewart & Finaldi, and Panish Shea Ravipudi and has no cases from DTLA. But the firm nevertheless took center stage Tuesday as the supervisors pressed their top attorney on how the lawsuits were vetted.
“What were we doing prior to this article?” said Supervisor Kathryn Barger, referencing The Times’ reporting from earlier this month.
The county was in a tough spot, county counsel Dawyn Harrison explained. Many plaintiff attorneys didn’t want the county interviewing their clients, she said. And a judge had temporarily paused the discovery process, providing the county little insight into the identities of the thousands of people suing.
Harrison said Tuesday that DTLA cases now will be required to go through a “completely new level of review” beyond the standard vetting that was already underway by retired Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Louis Meisinger. In addition to having a new retired Superior Court judge vet all their cases, DTLA must provide the county with information on plaintiffs acquired through “a recruiter or vendor,” she said.
“DTLA is required to identify every recruiter it used, a list of each plaintiff brought in per recruiter, information about any funds that changed hands, and a declaration under oath by each recruiter identifying what was done, what was said, and any monies paid,” Harrison said.
It’s an unusual request.
California law bans a practice known as capping, in which non-attorneys directly solicit or procure clients to sign up for lawsuits with a law firm.
DTLA has denied knowledge of any of its clients receiving payments to sue and said the firm wants “justice for real victims” of sexual abuse.
“If we ever became aware that anyone associated with us, in any capacity, did such a thing, we would end our relationship with them immediately,” the firm said.
The rush of lawsuits was kicked off by a now-controversial bill known as AB 218, which changed the statute of limitations for victims of sexual abuse and created a new window to sue. The county, which is responsible for the safety of children inside juvenile carceral facilities and foster care, has seen more than 12,000 claims and counting since the law took effect in 2020.
The allegations of fraud that now hover over these cases was the fault of “an unmanageable law,” not the county’s vetting process, Harrison said.
“AB 218 erased those guardrails and allowed decades-old claims that no one can meaningfully vet,” she said.
The county’s lawyers and politicians have become increasingly loud critics of the law, which they say has left them facing a deluge of decades-old claims with no records. Supervisor Hilda Solis said she felt the county had become the “guinea pig” for the bill.
Joe Nicchitta, the county’s acting chief executive officer, estimated that anywhere between $1 billion to $2 billion in county taxpayer money from the settlements will go to attorneys.
“The law had some very noble intentions but it has been … and I’m just going to say what I think, hijacked by the plaintiff’s bar,” he said. “They do all of the vetting, they do all of the intake, they advertise extensively. They’re incentivized to bring as many cases as possible.”
Nicchitta said he’d heard rumors that venture capitalists were poking around Sacramento to find out “whether or not we have enough cash to pay for another settlement, so that they can finance a law firm to bring another round of settlements against us.”
“It’s clear to me the system is ruptured,” he said.
Courtney Thom, who was the lead attorney on cases from Manly, Stewart & Finaldi, said she believed the county was blaming the new state law for the failures of its own lawyers.
“To blame AB 218 and say that’s what enabled the fraud is just a pathetic attempt to deflect responsibility,” Thom said. “Our firm has been saying for two years we’re concerned about fraud.”
Mike Arias, who represents clients in the latest settlement as a partner with Arias Sanguinetti Wang & Team, said the three firms involved stopped adding clients more than a year ago.
“That’s a big distinction,” Arias said. “We said, at the time, the number of plaintiffs would not change. Ethically, my view was that’s who we represent and who we’re going to negotiate for.”
Arias said the allocation for the second settlement will be done by retired Orange County Superior Court Judge Gail Andler, who specializes in overseeing sexual abuse litigation. Potential payouts will range between $750,000 and $3.25 million, he said.
Victims say the money represents a sliver of justice for the abuse they say they suffered while confined in county custody — little of which has been criminally prosecuted.
One man, who is part of the settlement and asked not to be identified, said he has no idea what happened to the probation official who he alleges raped him at around 16 while he was asleep in his cell at Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Hall, knocked out on sleep medication.
“I had no control in that place,” said the man, now 34. “My body hasn’t ever felt the same since.”
The county has launched an “AB 218 fraud hotline” where tipsters can report misconduct related to the flood of sex abuse claims.
(Rebecca Ellis / Los Angeles Times)
The county recently launched an “AB 218 fraud hotline” where tipsters can report misconduct related to the flood of claims. The county says it also plans to start a hotline for victims to safely report allegations of sex abuse in its facilities.
“It is illegal for anyone to file, pay for, or receive payments for making fake claims of childhood sexual abuse,” states a banner now running atop the county website with a hand doling out hundred-dollar bills.
The county also has launched a website that asks people to report if they were offered cash to sue, which law firms were involved, and whether they were coached, among other questions.
Supervisor Holly Mitchell, whose district includes the South Central social services office where seven people told The Times they were paid to sue, said she wanted to see the hotlines advertised as aggressively as the plaintiff attorneys advertised for their cases.
“You couldn’t turn on an urban radio station without hearing a commercial advertising these cases,” Mitchell said. “I certainly hope whatever we use, as we talk about our outreach, that we lean in as hard.”
