Set around a stretch of golden sandy bays and framed by three lush mountains, cities don’t come much prettier than Spain’s San Sebastian. 

But it’s the food that sets this coastal city apart; it is the birthplace of the pintxo (also known as pincho) after all, a bar snack that is a meal in miniature. 

And with bars dishing out wine from €2 and pinchos from €1.50, a holiday here doesn’t have to break the bank.

Where to eat and drink

Gandarias

Grab a table outside this standing room-only pinchos bar and eavesdrop on locals speaking in the ancient Basque language. The bar does the best solomillo — steak served on bread, topped with green pepper (restaurantegandarias.com).

Baztan

Fill out a paper order form while browsing the colourful pinchos displayed at the bar and pass it to a waiter. Pair food with the local txakoli, a fizzy, crisp white wine. Find some of the city’s best vegetarian and vegan pinchos here (barbaztan.com).

Bar Ganbara

This family-run pinchos bar in the Old Town uses the freshest ingredients (the simple but delicious plate of tomato and olive oil is testament to this). Sit at the bar and watch the staff dish out plates with impressive frequency. Ganbara’s speciality is spider crab tartlets (€3). Wine and beer from €2 (ganbarajatetxea.com).

Where to stay

Hotel Arbaso

Overlooking the cathedral, with valet parking and an excellent restaurant, Arbaso is a perfect city-centre hotel. Rooms have wooden floors, Marshall bluetooth speakers and Dyson hairdryers. Rooms from £99 (hotelarbaso.com).

Hotel de Londres

An imposing 19th-century building near the seafront. The bar is popular with locals. Doubles from £93 (hlondres.com).

Hotel Zinema7

In the un-touristy Amara neighbourhood, this cinema-turned-hotel has rooms themed on stars who have visited the San Sebastian film festival. Doubles from £67 (zinema7hotel.com).

Things to see & do

Take a dip at La Concha

Join the elderly Basque locals for a swim at La Concha, which stretches a mile from the Old Town to the suburb of Ondarreta and is one of Europe’s best urban beaches. Even in winter, the golden bay is busy with locals walking their fluffy dogs and children splashing about in the water. During summer, a floating platform moored offshore allows swimmers to escape the crowds.

Hike up Mount Urgull

Make room for yet more pinchos by working up an appetite on a hike up this mini mountain, which rises from the Old Town and the bobbing boats of the harbour.

The 30-minute walk is scattered with landmarks and viewing points, and topped with a 12th-century castle and 12-metre-high statue of Jesus Christ. At the top, watch the sunset while sampling a bottle or two of cider from one of the 42 cider houses on the outskirts of the city (buy six bottles from Essencia Wine in the Old Town for €18).

Join a pinchos tour

Pinchos-hopping is obligatory when in San Sebastian. The best way to pack the bars in is to join a txikiteo (the official word for a pinchos crawl), which will see you bounce from bar to bar in the Old Town and pair colourful, small bites with local wines and cider.

A word on etiquette: don’t overload your plate from the bar-top displays but, instead, sample one per drink, two if you must, then move on. Tours from £25 (viator.com).

Stroll around the cathedral

Made of sandstone and slate quarried from local mountains, charming Buen Pastor (the good shepherd) Cathedral was completed in 1897 at a time when the city was becoming a flourishing, aristocratic seaside resort.

The spire of the cathedral, set in a pretty square surrounded by tulips, can be seen from across the city. On a summer’s day, the sun shines brightly through the stained-glass windows, casting an array of dancing colours on its walls. Free entry.

How to get there

London Gatwick to Bilbao returns from £65 (vueling.com). Buses to San Sebastian take one hour (£15, pesa.net).

Nancy Pelosi announced the end of her historic tenure as Speaker of the House of Representatives on Thursday, in a dramatic speech punctuated by a standing ovation from her colleagues. 

The longest-serving Democratic Speaker and first woman to hold the gavel was elected to Congress from California in 1987 through a special election and has since been one of the most effective liberal politicians in US history.

She’s met numerous world leaders, managed to keep control of an at-times fractured caucus, oftentimes as the only woman at the table of power, and maintained control of the Democratic agenda through parts of the George W. Bush, Obama, Trump and Biden administrations.

Through it she’s inspired both accolades and scorn from people on both sides of the aisle.

In her final stretch in leadership Pelosi saw herself become the top boogeyman for Republicans, with millions of dollars being spent on ads across the country – far from where she’s actually on the ballot –  to ‘fire’ her.

The surge in hostility has been blamed for the recent break-in of her San Francisco home by a man who said he wanted to ‘break her kneecaps.’ Pelosi was not home, but the intruder assaulted her husband with a hammer. He’s still recovering from the October attack, Pelosi said as recently as Sunday. 

She made recent headlines for defying the Biden administration’s advice and forging ahead with a visit to Taiwan, aggravating China and temporarily inspiring fears of an armed conflict or invasion of the island.

Her second of two stretches with the Speaker’s gavel saw her become an arch-rival of Donald Trump’s. Their animosity toward one another was palpable through images and videos of their interactions, not to mention frequent verbal crossfire.

It reached a climax when Pelosi stood behind Trump after his State of the Union address and tore its pages in half. 

She also presided over both of his impeachments. 

The veteran legislator was 46 at the time of her election in the late 1980s, and a mother of five children with businessman Paul Pelosi.

During her speech in the chamber on Thursday afternoon, Pelosi marveled about her journey from homemaker to House Speaker. And yet, politics has been in her blood from the start. 

Pelosi was born in Maryland as the youngest child of then-Congressman Thomas D’Alesandro Jr., who was later elected mayor of Baltimore.

She once shared a photo of herself as a 17-year-old Trinity College student alongside then-Senator John Fitzgerald Kennedy on Instagram, writing: ‘My friend who took this picture said, “Save this! He may be President one day.”‘

Another memorable social media moment for the California Democrat came during the COVID-19 pandemic, when she was criticized for sharing a lighthearted video of ice cream stashed in her freezer during lockdowns.

‘I don’t know what I would’ve done if ice cream were not invented,’ she told late night host James Corden in a video interview.

She wrote on Twitter after the fact, ‘We all have found our ways to keep our spirits up during these trying times. Mine just happens to fill up my freezer.’

Critics panned the video as tone-deaf in its privilege at a time when millions were suffering the health and economic impacts of the pandemic. Many highlighted the fact that she was buying expensive artisanal ice cream as well.

It’s a sign of how polarizing a figure she has become over the years – inspiring thousands of political donors to throw in cash both for and against her.

But before securing her top spot, Pelosi was a young coastal Democrat who was vehemently opposed to China’s growing influence.

She won the 1987 special election to replace Rep. Phillip Burton, who died while in office. Burton’s wife Sala personally supported Pelosi as his successor.

People close to Pelosi pointed to the Tiananmen Square Massacre in China as what drove her into public service, according to the Washington Post.

In 1991, when still a relative newcomer, Pelosi garnered international attention when she and two other US lawmakers held a message that read ‘To those who died for democracy in China’ in Mandarin and English while standing in Tiananmen Square.

She bucked the party line in 2002 when, as House Whip, Pelosi led Democratic opposition to the party’s own Iraq War resolution – though it ultimately passed.

Her leading of vocal opposition to the Bush administration’s conflicts inspired an anti-war electoral wave that saw Democrats regain the House majority in 2007 after more than a decade.

Pelosi, who became the Democratic caucus leader in 2003, became the first female Speaker in 2007.

The historic occasion was noted by Bush during his 2007 State of the Union address, inspiring an iconic handshake between the two political rivals.

A homeless woman in San Diego’s neighborhood known as the Bottoms said she believes she and other vagrants are ‘spoiled’ by the city with free phones and other resources. 

Marine Corps veteran Kate Monroe shared video of her talking with several homeless people in the area, one of whom, Mary, described the situation as ‘not that hard.’ 

‘I think we’re spoiled to be honest with you,’ the woman added while talking with Monroe. ‘My sister’s like, “Where do I sign up?”‘ 

According to recent estimates, San Diego has more than 2,000 individuals living on the streets in tents and encampments. 

On Tuesday, the San Diego City Council was slated to vote on a proposed ‘Unsafe Camping Ordinance,’ which has been described as a homeless camping ban. 

Monroe spoke with Fox News Digital about the situation in the area she walked through, saying she stepped around hypodermic needles to talk with locals. 

Other shocking sights found at the scene included human waste. 

‘I have witnessed what I think is some of the worst homelessness in the country,’ Monroe told Fox of the city she has called home for 20 years. 

Despite the conditions, Mary said that she and other vagrants receive access to resources that some might view as enviable. 

‘Usually we’re low income and when you’re low income, you get free phones, free food, free clothing, there’s so many resources that are just give and give and give,’ the homeless woman said.

Others who spoke with Monroe did not agree with Mary’s description, however, saying they have seen sexual assaults, robberies, and brutal beatings. 

‘This ain’t easy, being out here,’ one man who talked with the Marine vet said.

Monroe, who is the CEO of a San Diego business that helps homeless veterans, said the situation is dire in the area, which is located downtown. 

‘Forget that it’s in San Diego. It doesn’t look like it’s in America,’ she said. ‘There’s so much trash and human waste and garbage and just the stench of it.’

Anthony, another homeless person Dahlgren and Monroe talked to, said he had been living on and off the streets for nearly 25 years. 

He blamed local politicians for failing to solve the crisis. 

‘They throw money at the problem but they kinda gotta get their hands dirty to really find out what the people really need,’ Anthony said.

In April, data released by the Downtown San Diego Partnership revealed that more people were living outside this year than in the last 10 years. 

Portland homeless advocate Kevin Dahlgren joined Monroe on her recent trip to the Bottoms and said he was ‘shocked by how bad it is there.’  

‘A lot of these counties are simply hiding the problem and convincing people that it’s really not that bad. And it’s usually cities that rely heavily on tourism,’ he said. 

Monroe said that she believes San Diego does not get enough attention for its homeless crisis and therefore do not feel the pressure to address it.

She also added that she believes city leaders have gotten away with ‘just sweeping it under the rug.’

The shocking video shared with FOX was released just hours before the San Diego City Council voted on a ban against tents on the streets. 

The encampments would be outlawed near schools, homeless shelters, transit stations, waterways or in parks.

The plan has fostered support from San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria who has shared his belief that the city needs safer and more hygienic streets. 

‘They expect to be able to walk on sidewalks unobstructed, they expect to be able to get their children to school safely, they expect to be able to use our parks in a hygienic and clean and safe way,’ Mayor Gloria said. 

Fernando Tatis Jr. orchestrates superb San Diego display as Padres pummel Yankees 5-1 in the Bronx… as he and Juan Soto both hit huge homers

• Tatis Jr. launched a 439ft home run amid taunts of ‘steroids’ during the victory 
• Fellow San Diego superstar Juan Soto smacked a homer into the second deck 
• DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news 

By Patrick Djordjevic For Dailymail.Com

Published: 00:24 EDT, 27 May 2023 | Updated: 01:33 EDT, 27 May 2023

When Pacha, Ibiza’s super-club renowned for its decadent dance parties, held its opening night for the new season last month, thousands of ravers queued to pay homage to the latest superstar DJ and partied till dawn.

But as someone who’s been to Ibiza a dozen times, I’m witnessing how shifting sands are transforming this Balearic island — and the biggest change is in San Antonio, the bay town on the north-west.

For decades, its notorious West End strip was the epicentre of Club 18-30 tours, raucous Brits Abroad behaviour and raunchy stag dos. Families and anyone who wanted a semblance of peace were advised to steer well clear of San An.

Today, it’s a different story. The strip is still home to some tacky bars, and Linekers bar is a Three Lions institution. But a 3am curfew has curbed booze tourism and smoking has been banned on many of the most popular beaches.

Now, holidaymakers are flocking to this natural inlet’s glorious scenery, upscale wellness offerings and activities that don’t involve a fishbowl of alcohol. Whisper it, but San Antonio has become aspirational.

One of the new places to be is OKU, a swanky hillside hideaway on the fringes of San An, whose holistic wellness programme includes gong baths, reiki sessions and crystal healings.

Here, the beautiful people are content to laze around its adults-only pool — one of the largest in Ibiza — and, like them, I’m happy to skip the madness of the clubbing scene and soak up the bohemian splendour here instead.

At OKU’s restaurant, we’re treated to Japanese fusion gastronomy of wasabi oysters, chicken tsukune and miso black cod. Evidently, this is no Club 18-30 holiday.

Hiking is one of the most popular activities in San Antonio, and Toby Clarke, a Briton who’s been organising tours here since 2010, says he’s seen a huge rise in demand in the past couple of years. ‘There’s so much more on the island than partying,’ he says, explaining how the pandemic changed the way travellers want to explore.

Even the stag dos want a piece of the new action. ‘We did a walk last week for 13 guys who were staying right in the middle of San Antonio centre’, says Toby. ‘They all had hangovers, but we took them away for a walk to Punta Galera [nature reserve] on the coastline.

‘Within 15 minutes, you’re in a completely different zone; there are caves, clifftops and clear water. They saw the beaches of Cala Saladeta and Platja de Sa Galera, and were blown away by all this beauty so close to their hotel.’

Toby’s Ibiza Outdoors offers e-bike tours, not only on trails departing from San Antonio through the mountains of the western coast, but also along rugged and remote northern Ibiza.

I’m sceptical about managing a mountain bike trail, but the motorised bicycles require only the most basic fitness level to traverse terrain that would otherwise require Herculean stamina.

Over 12 miles, my group of 40, 50 and 60-somethings pedal serenely from San Juan, a tiny village in the centre of the island, before pausing on the north coast to take in the views.

We loop back round towards Benirras beach and cove, but not before stopping to forage and taste the sweet overhanging loquat fruit.

The ride is soundtracked by birdsong and whizzing on the chalky dirt roads, through pungent gusts of pine and rosemary from the fields beyond, it’s hard to believe I’m in one of the party capitals of the world.

Back in San Antonio, the relaxed far south of the bay is home to many of the smartest family hotels.

At the glamorous four-star INNSiDE, I’m told 90 per cent of guests are British families who come not for the pumping techno and vodka shots, but for water-skiing and sailing boat excursions.

The hotel’s panoramic rooftop, infinity pool and Bali beds provide the best place for sunset cocktails without heading into town, but for anyone who wants to cross the bay to the livelier end, there’s a water taxi running regularly from the secluded golden Cala Pinet beach at the hotel’s back door.

No Ibiza trip is complete without a pilgrimage to Cafe Mambo, the Balearic beats bar where people from all corners of the island gather on the rocky beach at dusk to watch the sun go down.

We round off our break with cocktails and a blazing sky of pink and orange, safe in the knowledge that no matter how much it changes, San Antonio will always lay claim to Ibiza’s best sunsets.

San Francisco’s DA has released graphic footage of a Walgreens security guard shooting dead a transgender shoplifter – and said she will not charge him because he was in ‘mortal danger’.

Michael Earl-Wayne Anthony, 33, was working at the drugstore in the downtown area on April 27 when he shot unarmed Banko Brown, 24. A murder charge against Anthony was dropped after the DA ruled the killing was self-defense.

Graphic surveillance footage released on Monday shows Brown holding a bag as he walks toward the store exit. Anthony steps in his path, confronts him about allegedly stealing from the store, which leads to a scuffle before Brown is shot. 

His death sparked outrage across the Bay Area, but despite this, DA Brooke Jenkins’ office announced on Monday they were not pressing charges against Anthony.

The surveillance footage shows Brown in a white T-shirt and gray sweatpants, walking out of the store, when the confrontation between him and the security guard unfolds. 

Anthony is able to pin Brown to the ground, but then lets him go and Brown walks out of the store, still clutching his bag. 

More words are exchanged and then Brown appears to move slightly forward with his arms out, then backs up just as Anthony shoots him. 

Brown collapses on the sidewalk outside the store and a crowd of people gather around him. He was rushed to a nearby hospital where he later died. 

Anthony was originally booked on suspicion of murder the day after the shooting, but then released without charge after the District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said Anthony was in ‘mortal danger’ and ‘acted in self-defense.’

In the report released on Monday, the DA citied ‘insufficient evidence’ that his actions equated to a murder or manslaughter charge. Instead, the evidence showed Anthony was ‘sincerely afraid,’ the DA’s office said. 

‘All of this evidence strongly suggests that Anthony firing at Brown in self-defense was objectively reasonable,’ the office’s report reads. 

The report also notes that that Anthony claimed Brown had repeatedly threatened to stab him. However, investigators found no knife at the scene or on Brown, the SF chronicle reported. 

Protests had already began following the decision to drop the charges against Anthony last week and at a meeting of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, activists held up signs reading ‘Justice for Banko Brown’. 

One protestor, who identified herself as Lia McGeever, erupted into a scream over the death of Brown, who was homeless and an intern with the Young Women’s Freedom Center.

She said: ‘I hate a lot of people on this board for the reasons that led up to Banko Brown’s death.

Speaking to The San Francisco Standard , Anthony said: ‘[I’m] still dealing with it, still don’t understand and don’t have the time to reflect.

‘It’s not like I go through this many times. This is a very life-changing matter.’

Anthony pointed to the pressure that security guards are under during these types of confrontations, saying: ‘This is important for more people to be more aware of,’ he said. It was happening too frequently.

‘It’s a lot to deal with. It’s a lot of pressure. A person can only take so much. When you are limited to certain options, something will happen.’

‘Who has my back? Nobody. You are left with no support. It’s a frightening feeling with a lot of people around you.’ 

Last week, a group of community activists gathered outside the Walgreens in downtown San Francisco for a vigil to honor Brown’s memory. 

Many local residents have since left floral tributes and candles in memory of Brown.

In a social media post, the Young Women’s Freedom Center wrote: ‘Our community stands strong together in the face of tragedy.

‘In times like these, we show up for each other and we fight for our folks, especially for our siblings that are taken from us way too soon.

‘Thank you to every voice that has spoken, every foot that has marched, and every fist raised in solidarity.’

The incident comes after a number of major chains announced they would be shuttering stores in San Francisco due to soaring crime figures.

Retailers including Nordstrom, Whole Foods, Office Depot and Anthropologie have all said they would be pulling out of the city.

Nordstrom chief stores officer Jamie Nordstrom blamed the state of San Francisco in recent years for reducing foot traffic ‘and our ability to operate successfully.’

Remaining stores like Target have been reduced to locking up their entire stock behind glass to deter shoplifters.