Hi, and welcome to another edition of Prep Rally. I’m Eric Sondheimer. The opening weekend of high school football provided some thrills and surprises. Let’s offer some observations.

Corona Centennial’s Quentin Hale makes one-handed catch against Servite on Aug. 20, 2026.

(Craig Weston)

In Las Vegas, St. John Bosco came out against Bishop Gorman looking overwhelmed on offense. The Braves suffered sacks, an interception, a fumble, erratic blocking, no ground game. They fell behind 21-0 and most thought the game was over. Then St. John Bosco came out of the locker room playing like a different team, rallying to tie the score 28-28 before losing 38-28. Here’s the report.

A couple of concerns for the Braves. They have a veteran secondary that surprisingly had communication issues, leaving running backs going out for passes uncovered. Also veteran quarterback Koa Malau’ulu rallied the team in the second half after struggling to throw the ball on the run. The defensive line produced little pressure, requiring lots of blitzing. Coach Jason Negro said everything is “fixable” but clearly the Braves have a lot more to prove.

Corona Centennial took care of its first of three games against Trinity League opponents, beating Servite 41-21. Quarterback Jaden Jefferson and receiver Quentin Hale picked up where they left off during their previous three years at Cathedral. Here’s the report. Next up is a home game Friday against Santa Margarita that’s a rematch of last year’s Division 1 final.

Crenshaw showed off a lot more offense than usual in winning its opener against a Palisades team that enjoyed its first home football game since the Palisades Fire in 2025. Here’s the report.

Santa Margarita coach Carson Palmer chose his son, Fletcher, to start at quarterback and he delivered in a 27-0 win over Orlando (Fla.) Jones. He threw two touchdowns. The Eagles showed off some promising freshmen, including linebacker Aydan Steen and receiver Kiyan Collins.

Sierra Canyon’s defensive line was as good as advertised in a win over JSerra.

Granada Hills Kennedy opened with a 42-14 win over Eagle Rock. That’s surprising since the Golden Cougars lost to graduation their do-everything quarterback Diego Fuentes. Matthew Quintanilla scored three touchdowns and blocked a punt that was returned for a touchdown.

Chaminade blanked Oaks Christian behind four sacks by Hudson Manning. But the Eagles didn’t have standout offensive tackle Jackson Hill, who has been lost for the season after knee surgery. He’s a Notre Dame commit.

Rancho Cucamonga demonstrated it’s another Inland Empire team to watch, grinding out a 28-14 win over Murrieta Valley.

Carson picked up one of the City Section’s best nonleague wins in several years by beating San Diego power Lincoln 35-31. Chris Fields III accounted for four touchdowns.

Jazmin Gamble, the only female head football coach in California, won her debut when Hawthorne defeated Gardena 26-20.

The San Pedro vs. King/Drew game was halted in the third quarter when fans and others thought there was a gunshot, leading to a scramble out of the stadium. Here’s the report.

Former Garfield coach Lorenzo Hernandez won his debut coaching Whittier, 49-6 over Temple City.

Here’s a look at top performances from last week’s openers.

Here’s the latest top 25 rankings by The Times.

Here’s the schedule for the upcoming week.

50 years and counting

Eric Sondheimer interviewing Donovan Dent at end of state championship in Sacramento March 2022.

(Nick Koza)

It’s my 50th year covering high school sports in Southern California, so I thought long and hard to present 50 moments in 50 years when I could have done 200.

Here’s the look.

Columnist Bill Plaschke took time out of his busy schedule and unleashed his beautiful writing skills, humbling me with a column that I never expected honoring high school sportswriters everywhere. Here’s the report.

Standout JSerra receiver Tessa Russell.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

Panorama pulled off the biggest upset of the week, defeating Eagle Rock in four overtimes.

No. 1 JSerra continues to win and win. Here’s the report.

Here’s this week’s top 10 rankings by The Times.

El Camino Real turmoil

There’s still no resolution involving multiple El Camino Real coaches escorted off campus while the school conducts an investigation as to why their CPR and first-aid cards weren’t showing up in the Red Cross database.

Brad Wright, president of the school’s governing board, said, “At this time, I believe it is important to allow the investigation to proceed and respect the process and the privacy of everyone involved.”

Here’s the report.

Notes . . .

Former Huntington Beach star Ralphy Velazquez had a three-home run game in the minors for the Guardians.

Standout receiver Gavin Honore has returned to Mater Dei after transferring to Bishop Gorman….

Baseball coach Michael Gonzales of South El Monte has resigned….

Brody Brooks (Loyola) and Mattias Di Maggio (Dos Pueblos) are part of a final group of 32 baseball players trying to make the USA 15U national team….

Elijah Menzies is the new girls basketball coach at Villa Park. Brad Willis has taken over the boys program….

Addison Archer, who averaged 26.6 points as a freshman at Rancho Christian, has transferred to Mater Dei. The Monarchs also have freshman Janai Turner, the daughter of former Beverly Hills boys coach Jarvis Turner. She is highly regarded….

Junior pitcher Christian De La O of Corona Centennial has committed to UCLA….

Royal football coach Adam Brubaker is no longer coaching the team after a video surfaced that showed him kicking a football into the groin area of a player during practice. Here’s the report. Royal defeated Monroe 62-0 with an interim coaching staff on Friday…

A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit for a second time filed against the CIF seeking to change transfer and NIL rules. Here’s the report.

From the archives: Jeff Engilman

Former Sylmar High footbal coach Jeff Engilman in 2000.

(George Wilhelm/ Los Angeles Times)

Jeff Engilman is long retired but never forgotten. He was old school, his face turning bright red when chewing out players. He was head coach at Sylmar, Arleta, Grant and Manual Arts. He won two upper division City Section titles at Sylmar. He won two City titles at Manual Arts. Golden Valley coach Dan Kelley was his assistant for 15 years at Sylmar.

Here’s a story from 1987 talking about his Manual Arts days.

Here’s a story from 1992 explaining his passion.

He lives in Vazquez and keeps track of Kelley.

Recommendations

From the Los Angeles Times, an appreciation of Russell Westbrook after his retirement.

From the San Diego Union-Tribune, a look at the top 25 high school football players in San Diego.

From the Los Angeles Times, a story on the demolition and plans for a new Veterans Stadium in Long Beach.

From the Los Angeles Times, a look at former NFL players taking to coaching high school football.

Tweets you might have missed

Until next time….

Have a question, comment or something you’d like to see in a future Prep Rally newsletter? Email me at eric.sondheimer@latimes.com, and follow me on Twitter at @latsondheimer.

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Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, (MBS), is on the second day of his two-day state visit to France, where he’s meeting President Emmanuel Macron.

In this explainer, we outline what they are expected to discuss and examine how their latest meetings build on an already evolving relationship.

What is on the agenda?

MBS’s visit to Paris began on Sunday evening alongside President Macron at the closing ceremony of the Esports World Cup. It was the first time the Esports tournament, which includes competitions ranging from video games to chess, had been held outside Saudi Arabia.

On Monday, Macron and Bin Salman are expected to sign several agreements on health, transport and energy.

French media reported that a deal to build a Dragon Ball-themed amusement park, backed by a Saudi investment fund and inspired by the iconic Japanese manga series, could be signed.

Valerie Pecresse, President of the Regional Council of Île-de-France in Greater Paris, told French broadcaster TF1 that the regional government had been working on the project for 18 months.

“There is a very important meeting at the Elysee today that may result in the signing of this agreement. We are waiting for the signature,” she said, describing the project as “on the scale of Disneyland”.

Bin Salman and Macron are also holding bilateral discussions on regional security and their economic ties.

That is expected to include discussions about energy routes that bypass the Strait of Hormuz, such as new pipelines, capacity upgrades and alternative port networks.

France is a major buyer of Saudi oil and mineral products.

Since the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran on February 28, shipping has been severely disrupted in the Strait of Hormuz – the vital waterway on which oil exporters in the Gulf are heavily reliant and where 20 percent of the world’s oil and natural gas supplies are shipped from during peacetime. The disruption sent oil prices soaring.

Before the war, a barrel of Brent crude – the global benchmark – cost about $66. Over the course of the conflict, prices have climbed above $100 – hitting a high of $119 early on in the war.

On Monday, Brent was trading around $93 a barrel.

Bin Salman and Macron are also expected to discuss the war in Iran, the bloodshed in Palestine, as well as developments in Syria and Lebanon, where Israel occupies around one-fifth of its territory.

Other expected topics on Monday’s agenda include global events that Saudi Arabia is set to host in the coming years, including Expo 2030, focusing on sustainability and urban innovation, and the 2034 football World Cup.

How much trade does Saudi Arabia do with France?

The two countries have a fairly equal trading balance.

In 2024, France exported $4.5bn worth of goods to Saudi Arabia and imported $4.6bn worth, according to data from the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC), an online platform that compiles and visualises international trade statistics.

Refined petroleum accounted for 72 percent of Saudi Arabia’s exports to France in 2024. Besides refined petroleum, Saudi Arabia exported crude petroleum and other mineral products to France. It also exported small amounts of machinery, chemicals and cars.

France’s exports to Saudi Arabia in 2024 were more diverse, including airliners, helicopters, gas turbines, pharmaceutical products and perfume, among other products.

What have relations between Saudi Arabia and France been like?

Sunday’s visit marked the third time MBS has visited France after trips in 2022 and 2023.

In December 2024, Macron visited Riyadh, where the two countries founded the Saudi-French Strategic Partnership Council, which formalised and upgraded political and economic ties between Saudi Arabia and France.

The current visit is also MBS’s first international trip since the August 7 signing of the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, known as the Mecca pact – the mutual defence agreement between Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan.

Signed by the prince, Turkiye’s President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, the agreement commits all three states to treat an armed attack on any one of them as an attack on all three.

Analysts say the pact shows that Saudi Arabia is taking steps to diversify its security partnerships beyond Washington.

Ahmed Krim spent 30 years teaching English in Algeria’s middle schools. Now retired, the 60-year-old watched the language he loved remain firmly behind French as the country’s second language.

English was less valued than French, which might have been the language of Algeria’s coloniser, but continues to be present in every dialogue, six decades after independence.

On July 25 , Algeria’s Education Minister, Mohamed Seghir Saadaoui, announced that English will become the sole foreign language taught in the third year of primary school in the new academic year for 2026-2027.

French would be pushed back to the fourth year, ending its domination of foreign language classes in Algerian schools.

From next month, eight-year-olds across Algeria will become the first to learn English before French.

“It is a very good decision. But it requires thinking, planning and resources,” Krim told Al Jazeera.

It is among the first steps in President Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s linguistic overhaul for Algeria, which he first outlined in 2022 with English being introduced to primary schools.

Since then, medicine and science faculties have begun switching from French to English.

The French language has been erased from some utility bills and Air Algerie tickets. Road signs are beginning to feature English alongside Arabic, while government ministers’ websites will also have English as an option.

The shift from French to English as Algeria’s secondary language is both sweeping and structural.

It comes amid the most serious diplomatic crisis between the two countries since Algeria’s independence from France in 1962.

In July 2024, French President Emmanuel Macron publicly backed Morocco’s sovereignty claim over Western Sahara.

Algeria, which supports the Sahrawi Polisario Front and hosts over 170,000 Sahrawi refugees, viewed that as highly provocative.

That, and other issues, saw Algeria expel French diplomats, and vice versa.

Algeria’s replacement of French as the country’s second language accelerated after the diplomatic crisis grew.

A classroom without enough teachers

A rethink of the whole education system in Algeria may be needed.

“First and foremost, specialised training centres must be restored and candidates must not be forced into the teaching profession without wanting it – we need people who genuinely want to do this work,” Krim said.

He refers to dedicated institutes established after independence, where primary and middle school teachers, like himself, trained via a model that combined classroom instruction with direct school placements to meet the gap in Arabic instructors.

The centres operated until the late 1990s, when an economic crunch replaced them with the fewer and more selective Ecoles Normales Superieures.

Most teachers today are university graduates, but lack the practical, classroom-first grounding that the older model provided.

Krim said that school curricula must be designed and entrusted to “a qualified body that includes both linguistic and pedagogical expertise, free from all ideology”.

But journalist and analyst Noureddine Bessadi said the ideological dimension matters in Algeria, which overthrew colonialism following a bloody and bitter struggle against the French.

“Since independence in 1962, every shift in language policy has been fought as much on political as pedagogical grounds,” Bessadi told Al Jazeera.

After independence, Algeria’s Arabisation drive, when French was displaced from government and education, was “part of state building and enforcing Algeria’s identity, centring Arabic and Islam”, Bessadi added.

Tamazight, a non-Semitic language spoken by around a quarter of Algeria’s population, was marginalised until 1995, Bessadi said, shaped by an “ideological perception of unity that prioritised linguistic and cultural harmony”.

Critics argue that the transition from French to English is happening faster than the system can keep up with. For one, it is believed that there are not enough qualified English teachers to make the language reforms work.

But one source familiar with the matter told Al Jazeera that there are enough teachers to roll out this programme in primary schools and that any shortage could be filled through contractors.

In February, Algeria’s education ministry reportedly recruited about 15,000 English language teachers for primary schools.

Rafik Laceb, a lecturer in English at Mouloud Mammeri University in Tizi Ouzou, is cautiously optimistic about the primary school reform. But he considers the parallel push to teach university subjects in English to be rushed and poorly executed.

“Frankly, and beyond any chauvinism, I believe this decision is positive… I believe there is, today, sufficient supervision and evaluation work from the first experience,” Laceb said, in reference to the previous introduction of English in later primary school years.

The university experiment that began in 2023-2024 produced insufficient contact hours, a lack of genuine assessment of students’ English levels and no tracking of their progress.

Around 50 percent of teaching at Tizi Ouzou University’s English department is by younger contract staff, which brings other challenges.

“A young contract teacher must first master the basic principles of medicine before attempting to teach medical terminology in English,” he said.

Levelling the playing field

Currently, children only begin learning a foreign language in the third year of state primary schools, whereas multiple languages are taught at private schools from kindergarten.

Djamel Merah, whose daughter attended private schools before transferring to public secondary school, studied Arabic, French and English simultaneously from kindergarten level.

Merah welcomes the government’s language reforms at state primary schools, which will provide more children with the opportunity to learn English.

“It addresses a question about the gap in opportunities between children who get multilingual education from the start and those in public schools who don’t get the same chance,” he said.

Shakespeare’s rising shelf space

There also appears to be a more organic response among the public that precedes the government’s promotion of the English language.

Krimo Taleb, a bookseller at the Libre Pensee bookshop in Tizi Ouzou, has seen a growth in English-language book sales, particularly among female readers.

“In my opinion, it has nothing to do with government decisions. The majority of young readers today speak three languages fluently,” he said.

His own daughter, a middle school student, reads fluently in Arabic, English and French.

Colleen Hoover, Ana Huang and J. K. Rowling are some of the best-selling authors at his shop.

“Previously, our bookshops provided for English literature students the works of Shakespeare,” Taleb says. “Today, there is a diverse range of English-language titles aimed at the general public.”

However, French remains Algeria’s most influential foreign language. According to the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF), Algeria has approximately 15 million French speakers, nearly a third of its population.

There is not a single newspaper published in English and written English by Algerians remains in its infancy.

But there are signs that former colonies are turning their backs on France’s linguistic legacy, particularly in Africa, where Paris’s military and political presence made a resurgence in recent decades.

In March 2025, Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso withdrew from the OIF, accusing it of being a political instrument of Paris.

“Mali made its national languages official in 2023, demoting French to a working language. Burkina Faso followed the same year and Niger in 2025,” Bessadi added. “Even Senegal, which has not removed French as an official language, has begun encouraging local languages at its expense.”

For Krim, Algeria’s linguistic ambitions are not far-fetched, but for it to work, the country needs the “necessary resources… and transparency”.

Under the hot lights of the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, the five members of Santos Bravos stood center stage, ready to stake their claim to international stardom. It was the first night of KCON — a three-day festival of Korean pop culture, held every year since 2013 — and on Aug. 14, Santos Bravos became the first Latin American act ever to grace the bill.

Despite the band having debuted less than a year ago, the crowd was buzzing with excitement, but its energy heightened as the slashing knife sounds of “Hooligan,” a song off BTS’ latest hit album, “Arirang,” began to ring out. Because of their popularity, BTS songs are frequently covered by groups at KCON, but newcomers Santos Bravos, who are under the same parent label, Hybe, had more to prove to this audience.

Santos Bravos, a Latin American boy band based in Mexico City, performs on the Artist Stage on Aug. 14 at KCON at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

(Arwen Clemans / Los Angeles Times)

“Hooligan” was produced by Spanish producers Fakeguido and El Guincho (who worked on two records with Rosalía), as well as South Korean producer Ghstloop and American producer Jasper Harris. The multicultural song, with lyrics in both Korean and English, was an apt choice for Santos Bravos — between the five members, they speak and sing in three languages and represent several Latin cultures.

For BTS fans, nothing less than near the performance level of the superstar group is acceptable. But as Santos Bravos sang the opening verses in English, the crowd roared with approval — especially as lead vocalist Kauê Penna, who hails from Brazil, slid onstage to take on the high parts of BTS lead Jungkook.

While artists from different backgrounds working together is nothing new, Santos Bravos, like the Hybe x Geffen girl group Katseye, are part of an effort to bring K-pop training, marketing methods and fandom culture to other regions of the globe.

Fans watch as members of Santos Bravos walk off the stage and into the crowd during a performance on Day One of KCON.

(Arwen Clemans / Los Angeles Times)

Off the global success of BTS, Hybe evolved from a mid-sized label into one of the biggest music and entertainment players in South Korea. Santos Bravos operates under a division called Hybe Latin America, which is based out of Mexico City, where the band calls home. They are the first Hybe group to be based in a region outside of the United States or Asia.

Selected from 17 finalists on a 2025 competition reality show called “Santos Bravos — La Serie,” the contestants had vied to become part of Santos Bravos. Along the way, they received feedback and coaching from Song Sun-deuk, BTS’s longtime former choreographer and performance director. They also worked closely with Miami-based Cuban American choreographer Cultura, who has previously worked with Maluma, J Balvin, and Karol G, among others.

The final five debuted as a group at the show’s finale in October of 2025, where they performed before an audience of 10,000 at the Auditorio Nacional Mexico. Santos Bravos’ members are Penna, 19, from São João de Meriti, Brazil; Kenneth Lavíll,16, from Veracruz, Mexico; Gabi Bermúdez, 21, from San Juan, Puerto Rico; Alejandro Aramburú, 22, of Lima, and Drew Venegas, 26, from L.A. County.

The selected members were no starry-eyed amateurs: Both Lavíll and Aramburú were professional actors in their countries, while the honey-voiced Penna won the fifth season of “The Voice Kids, Brasil” in 2020. Bermúdez, the effusive mood-lifter of the group, was gunning for a career as a soloist when he entered the ring. Venegas, a dance specialist who had performed as a backup dancer for BTS, had a brief stint as a member of the Future X, a co-ed group formed by Simon Fuller that featured members of the queer community.

Not even a year into their formation, Santos Bravos topped Billboard’s new Latin music poll. In January, they performed alongside Mon Laferte and Feid in Willy Chavarria’s Paris Runway show, “Eterno.” In June, their debut EP, “Dual,” made it as high as No. 17 on the Billboard Top Latin Pop Albums chart. That same month, the group won its first award, the fan-voted artist duo or group at the 2026 Premios Tu Música Urbano Mix.

“We’re very disciplined,” said Venegas, who called West Covina home before joining the band. I met the band inside the Los Angeles Convention Center on Saturday, after their KCON breakout moment.

“One day of training was equivalent to one week of training,” he added. “I think combining all of our cultures together, then keeping our Latin essence with the K-pop methodology, [brings] something very new and very fresh for the eye.”

1/5

Santa Monica , CA – August 17: Drew Venegas of Santos Bravos at Hybe America on Monday, Aug. 17, 2026 in Santa Monica , CA. (Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)  (Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)

2/5

Santa Monica , CA – August 17: Kaue Penna of Santos Bravos at Hybe America on Monday, Aug. 17, 2026 in Santa Monica , CA. (Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)  (Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)

3/5

Santa Monica , CA – August 17: Ale Aramburu of Santos Bravos at Hybe America on Monday, Aug. 17, 2026 in Santa Monica , CA. (Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)  (Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)

4/5

Santa Monica , CA – August 17: Kenneth Lavill of Santos Bravos at Hybe America on Monday, Aug. 17, 2026 in Santa Monica , CA. (Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)  (Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)

5/5

Santa Monica , CA – August 17: Gabi Lopez of Santos Bravos at Hybe America on Monday, Aug. 17, 2026 in Santa Monica , CA. (Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)  (Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)

Although the group doesn’t perform in Korean — unless it’s for fun — they cater to K-pop fans, which is easy to do since they too are K-pop fans. They’ve paid a visit to the Hybe headquarters in Seoul, collaborated with bands like Le Sserafim and BoyNextDoor and livestreamed to fans via Hybe’s proprietary social platform Weverse. They’ve even performed on Korean television.

But for the members of Santos Bravos, the cultural exchange goes beyond marketing.

“In Mexico,” Venegas said, “when you’re eating we say, ‘Buen provecho,’ which is like ‘Enjoy your food,’ No matter who it is, no matter who you’re walking by. Food is a big part of acknowledging somebody, and that’s what we have in [common with Korean culture].”

Mostly talking to each other in Spanish — both Venegas and Penna learned to speak it as a second language — they occasionally forget which language they are speaking to each other in.

“Sometimes I find myself talking to Kenneth or Kauê in English when I don’t need to,” interjected the soft-spoken Aramburú, who plays the guitar — and, in between his shifts as a pop star, is finishing up his music degree at USC.

“The fact that we learn so many languages opens so many doors for us,” Aramburú said. “Personally, wherever we go, I love to learn the language. I’m on Duolingo learning Korean right now.”

Penna sees language as a way to not only open doors for Latin artists, but also reach people through their music.

“Thank God Latin America is being watched,” said Penna. “You know, people can see what we’re doing, and people also are interested in in our languages, in our culture. And in every country we [visit], we try to learn as much as possible about the culture. Now we’re focusing on Portuguese” — a language they test-drove in the song “Velocidade” — “and of course, English.”

Venegas has found that his experience as a Mexican American who didn’t grow up speaking Spanish resonates with some people.

“There were a couple of fans who came up to me who were of Mexican descent, but they didn’t get the chance to learn like me growing up,” he said. “And immediately, they were at a loss for words and kind of filled with emotions. I started getting emotional because I can feel the heartache and … feeling scared, like you don’t belong … and that’s what I felt like. Being able to speak with them and hear what they say made me feel like I’m not alone and like I do matter. Hearing, ‘OK you didn’t grow up getting spoken to in Spanish, but you were still called mijo like I was called mijo.’ ”

Asked why some people struggle to grasp multiracial Latino identity — Cardi B is brought up as an example — Penna weighed in.

“Being in Santos Bravos as an Afro Latino is something so important to me,” said Penna. “I feel like this ‘thing’ of being this or being that… It’s just cultural differences. I’m also working to understand how another culture sees me. As Brazilians, we are very mixed. Of course, I have my Afro side, my mom’s side, I have my Indigenous side… but of course, I am very open and very proud [with] what I’m representing in Santos Bravos.”

“People in general like to categorize,” said Bermúdez, who grew up idolizing Puerto Rican singer Chayanne. Raised in Puerto Rico by parents with both Boricuan and Cuban heritage, Bermúdez bristles at attempts to divide Latinos.

“We as Santos Bravos want to transmit to the world that Latin America is one,” he said

Santos Bravos

(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)

On the Monday after KCON, I met up a second time with the members of Santos Bravos, who were milling about in the Hybe America offices in Santa Monica. Venegas scrolled through his phone while Penna shuffled past us to grab a drink from the office fridge. I ask whether he’s tired. “A little” he replies, but he’s good.

Upstairs, walking past a large poster of BTS, I met with Juanse Arenas, president of Hybe Global Label Services, who promotes artists outside of their home markets. He said the company looked closely at data and research when conceptualizing the group.

“Mexican regional music became really big, Bad Bunny himself went global,” Arenas said. “You have Karol G, J Balvin, all these massive artists who come from our countries. Latin music is no longer just Latin; it’s global, right? Now, there is a methodology that exists in K-pop that has produced very successful groups. But you can’t just apply that methodology blindly to new regions and to new places — you have to [consider] where the members are coming from, what makes them tick, what drives them and the audience they’re speaking to.”

After posing for individual promo portraits, they gathered for a group photo before singing an acapella version of the uptempo ballad “MHM” for social content. They also greeted their fans on the Weverse livestream, where they expressed sadness over leaving L.A.

“Nos vamos pronto de L.A., mi gente,” said Lavíll to fans. “Y estamos tristes.”

California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta abruptly pulled out of a planned mediation session Monday to seek a resolution to the antitrust lawsuit that has stalled Paramount’s blockbuster $111 billion merger with Warner Bros. Discovery.

Bonta, in a statement, cited Paramount’s alleged leaking and misrepresenting information the two sides discussed during a preliminary session Friday.

Representatives of Bonta and Paramount Skydance came together late last week to set ground rules for Monday’s meeting, which was to involve Paramount Skydance Chief Executive David Ellison.

One of the rules had been confidentiality of the mediation process.

“I have pulled down this meeting,” Bonta said in a statement. “As I have said before, generally for all cases, I prefer to resolve disputes in the boardroom, not the courtroom. As I’ve also said, if the opposing party in litigation wants to meet in good faith to make a sincere effort to resolve the case.”

Bonta went on to say “Not only did Paramount leak the alleged substance of the settlement discussions, but they misrepresented these discussions, demonstrating a lack of good faith.

“As soon as Paramount stops playing games and engages sincerely, my office is happy to meet again.”

This is a developing story.

Former world snooker champion Graeme Dott has been found guilty of child sexual abuse.

The 49-year-old denied two charges of lewd and libidinous behaviour towards a girl and a boy between 1993 and 2010.

During a trial, the High Court in Glasgow heard that Dott had exposed himself and inappropriately touched a primary school girl in the 1990s and attacked a young boy between 2006 and 2010.

Dott, who won the sport’s world championship at The Crucible in 2006, will be sentenced at a separate hearing in Edinburgh on 29 September.

Dott covered his face with his hands and shook his head while the verdict was delivered by jurors following a five-day trial.

He had previously called the allegations made against him “disgusting”.

During the trial, the court heard how he had “caressed” the girl’s bottom while giving her a piggyback and that, on another occasion, he had exposed himself to her.

Police previously contacted Dott about the allegations in 2001, but no charges were brought.

The woman gave a new statement to police in 2025.

The court was also told how Dott “rewarded” the boy with money, crisps and fizzy drinks after molesting him in the shower at a home in South Lanarkshire.

The boy, now a man in his 20s, also said he was abused in a car on a number of occasions.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

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Netflix’s new brutal crime drama comes from the creator of ITV’s Gone and Netflix’s Lupin

The latest crime drama from Netflix is already being hailed as a ‘masterpiece’.

One of the most recent releases from the streaming giant has become a huge hit amongst fans. Many have admitted that they can’t stop watching the five-part series Blood Sacrifice, as proven by its surge up the platform’s charts.

It has kept millions of viewers hooked and as a result has claimed the third spot in the top 10 series in the UK at the time of writing. It is behind new seasons of Outer Banks and Love Is Blind UK.

According to its synopsis, the Swedish produced drama is set during summer time in Stockholm, when the darkness never really creeps in. An emergency call is received following an apparent home invasion.

Two police officers are sent to the address, a summer house in the archipelago. However, they find that there is no one there, at least not that they can see. The next day the bodies of the officers are found as part of a brutal crime.

This is the start of a series of terrifying murders, all seemingly targeting police officers. The lead detective needs to ask his father, a retired detective, for help in cracking the case.

It comes from George Kay who is also the writer behind other gripping series. Previously, he has created ITV’s Gone, Apple TV+’s Hijack with Idris Elba and Netflix’s Lupin. He also wrote episodes of My Mad Fat Diary, Killing Eve, true crime drama Litvinenko and made Criminal: UK.

Blood Sacrifice, or Blodsoffer to give its original Swedish title, has become a sensation among Netflix fans. It’s been reported that it has proved to be a breakout hit across the globe where it has earned the number one spot in other countries, including the US.

It is believed that with the five episodes adding up to just over four hours duration overall, is helping it become an easy one or two day binge watch. That seems to be the case with some fans who have shared their recommendations so far.

Such as one person who claimed: “ Dark, intense, and absolutely addictive. Blood Sacrifice had me hooked from beginning to end. It’s a dark, intense, and incredibly engaging series, with the perfect atmosphere for anyone who enjoys crime thrillers. For me, it was one of those shows you start watching and simply can’t stop.”

Another agreed: “Unique. Little creepy. Excellent storyline. I loved this show. Only five episodes so it starts off fast and is edgy the whole time. This was put together very well and was a very enjoyable watch from start to finish.”

Meanwhile one critic called it “a crime thriller masterpiece that is the biggest show in the world.” Someone else said: “There are grim scenes and a deep look into personal relationships of a father and son, and others who are involved in solving the murders.”

However there have been some concerns shared about the ending. Without sharing any spoilers, one person suggested: “An intriguing mystery, few episodes, a well-developed script, and a solid cast. I found the final episode rather lacklustre and anticlimactic, I expected more. Still, I recommend it, it’s a good way to pass the time and a short series that’s quick to binge-watch.”

Blood Sacrifice is streaming on Netflix.

SACRAMENTO — Memo to Democrats and independents: Just because an idea emanates from a Republican, doesn’t mean it necessarily stinks. Here are two examples.

Legislators wearing red jerseys have proposed to:

• Make the California secretary of state officially nonpartisan. Rip off the seemingly inevitable blue jersey and replace it with a neutral referee’s garb.
• Similarly, seize the job of writing official ballot proposition titles and summaries from the partisan attorney general and hand it to the nonpartisan, universally trusted Legislative Analyst‘s Office.

Both ideas, of course, were dead on arrival when introduced in the Democratic-dominated state Legislature, which is about to wrap up a two-year session.

But both make good government sense and promote democracy, which the Democratic Party claims it’s fighting for against the President Trump-led GOP.

The secretary of state is the chief overseer of California elections. That office holder, regardless of party, has never favored one side over the other in balloting, although many GOP politicians have been parroting Pied Piper Trump’s nonsense about election rigging.

California Republicans pushing to neutralize the office argue that Democratic incumbent Shirley Weber has taken public policy positions that echo her party’s stands. Shock! This is America. She has a right — a democratic duty — to take any position vocally that she desires.

But it’s logical for the secretary of state to officially operate as a political nonpartisan — as does the state superintendent of public instruction and all county voter registrars, who actually administer the elections and count votes.

“It’s time to take the secretary of state out of the partisan mix,” says former Orange County Assemblyman Don Wagner, who is Weber’s underdog Republican opponent in the November election.

“The secretary should be calling balls and strikes as opposed to being on the red team or a blue team.”

Realistically, no red team member is likely to win any statewide office in California for the foreseeable future, given that Democratic voters outnumber Republicans by nearly 2 to 1 and Trump is widely detested in this state.

“Sometimes Trump does make it harder in California for Republicans,” Wagner acknowledges.

The legislation to make the secretary of state nonpartisan was a proposed California constitutional amendment, introduced by Republican Assemblymembers Natasha Johnson of Lake Elsinore and Josh Hoover of Folsom.

But it was submitted so late in the legislative session that there was no chance of it ever receiving a committee hearing. It didn’t really matter anyway. Even if it had been introduced on Jan. 1, Democrats would have instinctively tossed it in the trash.

They’re never going to make it remotely possible for a Republican to win this office any time soon.

The measure’s authors say their proposal would help “restore Californians’ trust in the electoral system.”

Actually, the only Californians who largely distrust the electoral system are Republicans. And the best way to fix that is for Trump to shut up and stop telling lies about stolen elections and hordes of undocumented immigrants voting illegally.

A recent poll by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies found that 88% of Democrats and 64% of independents have confidence in California’s election system. But 76% of Republicans do not — a sign of our polarized times.

Of the two Republican proposals, the most significant is the one stripping the attorney general of the power to write titles and summaries of ballot measures.

Often, the only thing many voters know about a proposition is what they’re told in the title. They aren’t inclined to wade through neutral details in the official state Voter Information Guide.

The legislative analyst is a political noncombatant appointed by the Legislature and basically agreed to by both sides. The highly respected policy wonk already writes the proposition analyses included in the voter guide. Why not also the measures’ titles?

Increasingly in recent years under Democrats, including projected next governor Xavier Becerra, the attorney general has been dishing out party propaganda in official proposition titles.

State law requires the attorney general to provide an “impartial statement of the purpose of the measure” in language unlikely “to create prejudice for or against” the proposal.

But often on hotly contested measures, the language reads like talking points for the blue side.

The latest example is Proposition 39, a Republican proposal requiring Californians to show identification when voting. Election officials also would have to verify that registered voters are U.S. citizens.

I’m no fan of that measure. It overreaches, is unnecessary, could suppress voting and is merely a tool to drive up the GOP vote. Democratic legislative leaders and the party are fiercely opposed.

But Proposition 39’s title is unfairly negative and loaded against the measure. It reads: “Prohibits citizens from voting unless they present government-issued identification.” All some voters will focus on are the first four words.

Proponents sued, but judges are historically reluctant to interfere in election campaigns. A Sacramento judge OKd Democratic Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta’s biased wording.

The legislation for nonpartisan labeling of propositions cleared the Senate Elections Committee but later was quietly killed behind closed doors in the Senate Appropriations Committee, a notorious graveyard for measures sentenced to execution by legislative leaders.

“The Democratic leadership doesn’t want it passed,” notes the author, Sen. Roger Niello of Sacramento County, who recently was elected the next Senate minority leader. “If they kill it [in appropriations] nobody has to vote on it and it dies without fingerprints.”

That’s common legislative games-playing: Keep potentially popular but politically undesirable bills off chamber floors so majority party members can avoid shamefully voting “no.”

But these are still excellent Republican ideas.

There are times when politics should be taken out of elections.

What else you should be reading

The must-read: California backtracks on good-government policies in divided Trump era
Law & Order & Politics: Eric Swalwell briefly detained as feds seize his phone at San Francisco airport, source says
The L.A. Times Special: It’s beyond debate. California voters deserve a Becerra-Hilton face-off

Until next week,
George Skelton

—
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Dean Herrington won his first game as football coach at St. Bernard last week, but the story you had to see to believe was the 6-foot-9 kid who came in to boot extra points.

Garang-Garang Macham is a basketball player from Sudan who joined the football team as a kicker. Soccer is the most popular sport in Sudan, so it’s no surprise he knows how to kick a ball with his big leg. He made two PATs in his first game.

“He wanted to kick last year but couldn’t,” Herrington said.

The question is, was there a uniform for a 6-9 football player?

“The extra large pants fit him,” Herrington said.

And what about trick plays using his height?

“I asked him, ‘You want us to throw the ball up at the goal line and you can outjump them?’ He told me he can’t catch.”

Basketball coach Bernard McCrumby was skeptical of his kicking ability. “Coach, I can kick,” he said.

Now McCrumby and his basketball teammates are out there cheering him on.

“I’m nervous every time he gets out there, but he loves it,” McCrumby said.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.

Aug. 24 (UPI) — On his first visit to Ukraine as British Prime Minister Andy Burnham promised Monday to share Anglo-French long-range cruise missile technology with Kyiv in its fight with Russia, saying Britain would stand with Ukraine until there was “a just and lasting peace.”

Burnham said European defense contractor MBDA would be authorized to declassify blueprints for the parts of the Storm Shadow/Scalp missiles that are made by Britain to help Ukraine build its own version of the weapon that Britain has for the past three years been giving to Kyiv.

The Storm Shadow enables Ukrainian forces to hit targets 150 miles inside Russia.

Burnham said Britain would join forces with France to build production plants in Ukraine following a similar pledge of help by President Emmanuel Macron, who also told Zelensky at the weekend that France would supply Kyiv with more anti-missile interceptors in the wake of a series of deadly ballistic missile strikes.

“On Ukraine’s 35th anniversary of independence, the Ukrainian people should be in no doubt: the U.K. is behind you today and for as long as it takes. I am proud of the contribution our country has made to Ukraine and I want the Ukrainian people to hear it directly from me that our support will not waver. After all, Ukraine’s security is our security,” Burnham said in a statement issued Sunday night.

“The friendship between our two countries will long outlast Russia’s illegal war. In both the fight and in the rebuilding to come, we will stand with Ukraine and deliver opportunities for people across both our countries. Russia should be in no doubt of our resolve. We will not back down until there is a just and lasting peace,” said Burnham.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov likened the missile plan to pouring gasoline on relations with Russia and warned Britain over “participating in this war” on Ukraine’s side, saying that the Russian military was actively collecting data to uncover and destroy any missile production sites.

“Britain is methodically and regularly adding fuel to the fire and methodically and regularly plotting to prevent any progress in the peace process,” said Peskov.

Burnham’s high-profile, public backing for Zelensky came as he faces challenges both from nightly Russian ballistic missile strikes and to his authority, amid calls for elections which have been suspended for more than four years since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.

As well joining Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for Independence Day celebrations in Kyiv, Burnham was also scheduled to chair a meeting of the U.K.-France-led Coalition of the Willing for talks on providing more help to Ukraine.

Established in 2025, the focus of the 34 country plus Ukraine partnership is to provide security guarantees in the event a cease-fire agreement is reached, including providing a multinational force to support and monitor it from day 1, though not necessarily in the format of a traditional peace-keeping force.

The stand by Burnham, coincided with a similar pledge from from Brussels, backed up by a multi-billion dollar package of fresh European Union military aid.

“On Ukraine’s Independence Day, we show our unfaltering support. Today, we approved $7.1 billion for the air and missile defense systems, missiles, ammunition and radars that Ukraine urgently needs. Europe stands with you today, tomorrow, and for as long as it takes,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a post on X.

The package is in addition to $18.7 billion already approved by the 27-country bloc, $9.7 billion of which has already been provided to Kyiv.

SAMANTHA Fox has been forced to cancel her upcoming show on ‘medical advice’ after suffering from ‘ongoing pain.’

She became one of the country’s most famous women almost overnight after her debut on The Sun in February 1983.

Her Page 3 career also became the launch pad to a world of lavish celebrity parties and later for her global success as a pop star, with 30million record sales.

Samantha, 60, continues to perform and was set to appear at Hard Rock Live in Florida at the end of August alongside a string of other stars.

However, she has cancelled her appearance and took to Instagram to share a statement with fans.

She captioned the image: “Sorry, I’m truly so upset about doing this, I think in 40 years this is only the 3rd time I’ve had to cancel a show.

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“Getting the right treatment now but the worst is the pain, love you Foxys. I’ll be fighting fit soon love Sammy.”

In the statement, Samantha explained that she had been struggling with ongoing back and hip pain for some time and following medical advice, it wasn’t possible for her to make a long-haul journey.

She explained: “I absolutely hate letting my fans down, as well as everyone who worked so hard and was looking forward to the show.”

Samantha also revealed she was heartbroken to withdraw from the event as she was so excited to be back performing in America.

She added: “This isn’t goodbye America, I am determined to get myself properly fit and well.

“I very much hope to return to the USA for a live show again very soon.”

Fans flocked to comment and one wrote: “I hope you get better soon and sending you so much love and positive energy!

“Us fans in the US will be here with open arms when you return someday, until then, I hope you stay healthy and get well.”

Another said: “Sending lots of love and well wishes!”

“Your health is the most important! I wish a speedy recovery for you,” wrote another fan.

A fourth added: “I am so sorry that you have to cancel but your health is the most important! Get well soon.”

Tasting the food and drink specialities of a particular region is one of the great joys of travelling. Whether it was discovering the perfect pastry in Scandinavia, sipping a memorable glass of wine on a vineyard tour in France, or enjoying the fruits of the truffle season in Italy, we’d love to hear about your favourite regional food discoveries in Europe.

The best tip of the week, chosen by Tom Hall of Lonely Planet wins a £200 voucher to stay at a Coolstays property – the company has more than 3,000 worldwide. The best tips will appear in the Guardian Travel section and website.

Keep your tip to about 100 words

If you have a relevant photo, do send it in – but it’s your words we will be judging for the competition.

We’re sorry, but for legal reasons you must be a UK resident to enter this competition.

The competition closes on Monday 31 August at 10am BST

Have a look at our past winners and other tips

Read the terms and conditions here

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A MUCH-LOVED Devonshire beach and pier could soon be forced to close.

Teignmouth beach and pier in Devon are popular spots for holidaymakers in the summer months.

However, both could soon disappear.

It comes as work to stop erosion taking parts of the beach away may not be completed until 2030.

According to the Mid-Devon Advertiser, the Environment Agency (EA) is working on a case to secure Government money for the work.

Reportedly, erosion has sped over the past few years and as a result, some of the structural piles holding up the pier have been exposed.

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A petition calling for urgent action to save the beach and pier has been signed by over 900 people.

While coastal erosion is natural, there is a risk of safety if it continues at Teignmouth Beach.

A spokesperson for the EA said: “Teignmouth seafront is an important local landmark.

“This work is ongoing, but the funding needed to develop the project further is not currently available.”

A decision on funding is unlikely to occur before 2028/2029, according to the EA.

If it is approved then, work would be set to be completed by 2030.

Back in January, part of the historic pier washed away and the sea wall next to the railway line crumbled due to storm damage.

In fact, over the years the pier has suffered several closures due to storm damage.

One of the most notable closures was in 2014, when massive waves and high winds damaged multiple parts of the pier forcing it to close for seven months.

Since 2014 and to date, the wider 30- metre deck at the end of the pier has been closed as it is deemed unsafe.

This is the part of the pier that then fell into the sea earlier this year.

With the pier’s structure now exposed, if another storm were to happen it could damage the pier further.

This could result in the local council cordoning off the beach and shutting the pier for safety reasons.

Teignmouth Grand Pier was built between 1865 and 1867 and used to be a landing stage for steamboats.

The 190-metre-long pier then became a popular tourist destination.

At one point, the pier was home to a ballroom at its end, however this was later destroyed in a fire.

There would be performances on the pier too including ‘Peg-leg Pete’ who was a one-legged performer that would set himself on fire before jumping into the sea.

Today, the pier features a range of amusement arcades and penny slot machines.

Brits prefer several UK-based micro-cations across the year – over a holiday abroad

More than four in 10 now prefer several UK-based micro-cations throughout the year – over one annual holiday, according to research.

A poll of 2,000 adults found they’d rather put the money one big getaway would cost towards multiple tiny breaks throughout the year.

With 20 per cent planning one of these short breaks – set within 100 miles of their home – this bank holiday weekend.

It emerged 76 per cent appreciated these types of holidays as they’ve helped them discover local hidden gems, such as historical landmarks, coastal towns, and British countryside.

Over two in five (44 per cent) are now taking more micro-cations than they were five years ago, compared to only 27 per cent who are upping the number of overseas trips.

The study, commissioned by Smart Energy GB, also found 49 per cent have taken a micro-cation in the past year alone, while 58 per cent agreed micro-cations are now part of their annual travel plans.

And 44 per cent would choose them as a first-choice option rather than a backup.

Victoria Bacon, director at Smart Energy GB, said: “With household budgets under pressure, shorter breaks closer to home offer the chance to relax, recharge and create lasting memories without travelling far and often at a lower cost.”

The study also found 69 per cent agreed a micro-cation was more affordable than visiting somewhere overseas, and of those who have swapped a holiday abroad for a micro-cation, 67 per cent did so to cut down on costs.

Of those who’ve saved money by doing this type of holidaying, 34 per cent have used the extra cash to take more short breaks, while 47 per cent put it straight into savings.

The study also polled 593 EV drivers and found almost half (47 per cent) said owning an electric vehicle has made them more likely to take a micro-cation.

Two in five (39 per cent) enjoyed the simplicity of leaving home with a fully charged car, and not having to hunt for a service station or public charging point.

Based on public data verified by New Automotive, a 200-mile round trip costs £36.57 in fuel in an average family car.

While it costs as little as £14.92 to charge an EV at home on a standard electricity tariff to cover the same distance – a saving of 59 per cent.

Smart meter owners could reduce costs even further by turning that already-lower cost of £14.92 into just £4.57 on average by charging overnight on a flexible EV tariff.

The OnePoll.com data also revealed 37 per cent of electric car drivers are already displaying this behaviour, versus only 14 per cent who choose public charging points.

Victoria Bacon added: “By using a smart meter to access an EV tariff that fits your needs best, you can save a significant amount on travel costs by charging during cheaper, off-peak periods.”

Double Olympic champion and EV enthusiast, Helen Glover OBE, said: “Some of our best family adventures haven’t involved travelling hundreds of miles – they’ve been spontaneous trips that are less than a couple of hours away by car.

“Whether it’s the rolling countryside of Devon, the dramatic coastline of Cornwall or the peaceful trails of Dartmoor, there are so many hidden gems waiting to be discovered.

“As an EV driver, those local adventures can be more affordable, convenient and sustainable too.”

HELEN’S BUDGET-FRIENDLY TIPS ON HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF A MICRO-CATION:

• Plan ahead: Pack the essentials and plenty of equipment – from a picnic to bikes or paddleboards – so you can enjoy a full day out and keep active without breaking the bank.
• Swap expensive attractions for the great outdoors: Some of the best days out don’t cost a thing.
• Save before you set off: For those who drive an EV, charging at home with a smart meter can unlock access to flexible tariffs, meaning you can charge when electricity is cheaper, keeping travel costs down before you even leave the house.

Fifty years and still going strong

From Bill Plaschke: Fifty years in the shadows, gently nudging Southland kids into the light.

“It’s not my story,” said Eric Sondheimer. “It’s their story.”

Fifty years of covering more than 700 high schools like they were the only school, writing about thousands of athletes as if they stood alone.

“Los Angeles is so big, I try to treat it like a small town,” Sondheimer said. “And I love writing about that town.”

Fifty years on messy sidelines, in crowded bleachers, facing angry coaches, locked in ancient stadiums, juggling impossible deadlines, all for the sake of writing deeply buried stories that might be read by only family and friends.

“But when a parent comes up to me and thanks me for writing about their child, it’s the greatest feeling in the world,” Sondheimer said.

Fifty years of childhood tales about countless young athletes, stories about future Hall of Famers, he was their first interview, stories about anonymous benchwarmers, he was their only interview, stories filling dusty scrapbooks and crooked picture frames in parents’ houses all over the Southland, stories about teenage John Elway and whiz kid Tiger Woods and some anonymous sprinter from Taft.

And, now, finally, a story about him.

Continue reading here

50 memorable moments from 50 years covering high school sports in Southern California

Dodgers sweep the Pirates

From Sam Farmer: On a steamy Sunday when everyone in the Dodger Stadium seats was using programs to fan themselves, Blake Snell was fanning Pittsburgh Pirates — six strikeouts in six innings of work — and the bottom of the order played like the top of the lineup, providing ample offensive spark for a 4-0 victory that stretched the Dodgers’ winning streak to six games.

What a weekend for Dodger pitchers — Yoshinobu Yamamoto followed by Tarik Skubal followed by Snell, with Tyler Glasnow on deck and Shohei Ohtani getting healthier by the day and scheduled to throw a bullpen session during the upcoming series in Atlanta.

“It’s daunting,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, barely suppressing a smile. “As an offense — an opposing offense — to look at the probables you see Glasnow, Yamamoto, Snell, [Roki] Sasaki, and then potentially Shohei. It gets daunting.”

The team is coming off back-to-back sweeps of the Colorado Rockies and Pirates (63-69), who mustered two hits Sunday after a combined 14 in the first two games of the series.

For his part, Snell was happy but not thrilled about his performance, which included three walks and one hit batter.

“There were a couple innings there where, you know, get two quick outs and then full-count walk, full-count walk,” he said. “It’s not acceptable. Especially with, I feel good, I know I can command the ball. Honestly, it’s lazy. It’s me trying to get strikeouts instead of, you know, trying to go seven, eight, nine. So I definitely got to clean that up. But I know I’m going to do that, and just continue to get better, and learn, and grow.”

Continue reading here

‘I haven’t done my job.’ Edwin Díaz accepts low-leverage role with Dodgers — for now

Dodgers box score

MLB standings

Angels lose to the Rangers

Ezequiel Durán and Elias Díaz hit solo homers, Cal Quantrill worked six scoreless innings and the Texas Rangers beat the Angels 5-3 on Sunday.

With the win, the Rangers moved into a tie with the Houston Astros for first place in the AL West with records of 65-66.

Durán put Texas on the board early, launching his 14th home run of the year into the left-center seats for a 1-0 lead. Cody Freeman added an RBI triple — his first of the season — before Díaz extended the lead to 5-0 in the fifth inning with a solo homer, his sixth of the season.

Yusei Kikuchi (0-4) gave up five runs on seven hits. He struck out four in five innings.

Angels box score

MLB standings

Angel City draws with Gotham

Angel City goalkeeper Angelina Anderson saved a penalty kick from Guro Reiten to preserve a scoreless draw against Gotham FC at BMO Stadium on Sunday.

Initially ruled a clean block in the 82nd minute, video review reversed the call and a handball was called on Angel City defender Sarah Gorden. On the ensuing penalty kick attempt, Anderson denied Reiten.

Anderson made four saves for her sixth shutout for Angel City (7-7-5).

Continue reading here

Angel City summary

NWSL standings

How Boobie Feaster, 17, became a player to watch at USC

From Ryan Kartje: Long before he arrived at USC, a couple days shy of his 17th birthday, Ethan “Boobie” Feaster had always been in a hurry to grow up.

He was the baby of the Feaster family, seven years younger than his next youngest sibling. But nothing about his behavior, even as a kid, suggested as much. He was always quiet, calm, determined, seemingly from birth, according to his father, Lee. When Lee Feaster encouraged Boobie at age 8 to write down his goals, and “make ‘em plain,” Boobie took the advice literally. He went straight to his bathroom mirror and copied them down. They’re still written on the bathroom mirror, to this day.

When he was 9, Boobie asked his father to buy him a football poster. Lee came in later to find it attached to the ceiling, above his bed. He asked Boobie why.

“I need it to be the first thing I see when I wake up,” Lee recalled him saying, “and the last thing I see when I go to bed.”

This, needless to say, was not exactly normal behavior for a 9-year-old. But nothing about Boobie Feaster has ever been normal. Least of all the relentless drive that would one day have everyone at USC raving and others around the nation whispering about one of the most anticipated freshman in college football.

Continue reading here

Court ruling helps James Madison star come to UCLA

From Connor Dullinger: Former James Madison linebacker Trent Hendrick — who went undrafted in the 2026 NFL draft and participated in rookie minicamps with the Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs but never signed with a team — committed to UCLA football Sunday, reuniting with coach Bob Chesney and defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler in Westwood.

Recruiting website On3.com was the first to report his move.

The former JMU linebacker exhausted his eligibility after the conclusion of the 2025 season, but Hendrick, along with 15 other football players, was granted a temporary restraining order Wednesday by a Louisiana judge to play a fifth season of college football and enter the transfer portal.

Hendrick had 106 tackles, seven tackles for a loss, three sacks and two forced fumbles last season at James Madison under Chensey’s direction. His play earned him Sun Belt Conference defensive player of the year honors.

The restraining order follows a Colorado court ruling on July 31 that granted athletes who began their collegiate careers in the 2022-23 season a fifth year of eligibility for the upcoming season. Although the Colorado ruling stated players would not be allowed to enter the transfer portal, a federal appeal court granted the NCAA a temporary stay on the Colorado court order Friday, pausing the nationwide injunction.

Continue reading here

This day in sports history

1904 — Holcombe Ward wins the men’s singles title in the U.S. Lawn Tennis Assn. singles title.

1908 — Tommy Burns knocks out Bill Squires in the 13th round at Sydney, Australia to retain the world heavyweight title.

1925 — Helen Wills, 19, wins her third straight U.S. Lawn Tennis Assn. singles title with a 3-6, 6-0, 6-2 victory over Kathleen McKane. An hour later, Wills teams up with Mary K. Browne to win the doubles title.

1929 — Helen Wills wins her sixth U.S. Lawn Tennis Assn. singles title by defeating Phoebe Holcroft Watson, 6-4, 6-2.

1963 — Don Schollander becomes the first swimmer to break the two-minute barrier in the 200-meter freestyle with a 1:58.4 time in a meet at Osaka, Japan.

1963 — John Pennel breaks the 17-foot barrier in the pole vault with a 17-0¾ vault in a meet at Miami.

1988 — Minnesota North Stars forward Dino Ciccarelli is sentenced to one day in jail and fined $1,000 for hitting another player with his stick. Ciccarelli, who was given a match penalty and 10-game suspension by the league for the Jan. 6, 1988 attack on Toronto’s Luke Richardson, is believed to be the first NHL player to receive a jail term for an on-ice attack of another player.

2003 — Jockey Julie Krone becomes the first female rider to win a million-dollar race taking the Pacific Classic at Del Mar aboard Candy Ride.

2004 — Four-time world 1,500 champion Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco, a heartbreak loser at the last two Olympics, holds off Bernard Lagat down the stretch to win in 3 minutes, 34.18 seconds. El Guerrouj edges Lagat by .12 seconds for the gold medal. El Guerrouj had lost four races in the last eight years, but two of those defeats came at the 1996 and 2000 Olympics.

2006 — After signing a one-day contract with the San Francisco 49ers, Jerry Rice officially retires from the NFL.

2007 — The NFL indefinitely suspends Michael Vick without pay just hours after he acknowledged in court papers that he did, indeed, bankroll gambling on dogfighting and helped kill some dogs not worthy of the pit.

2008 — On the final day of the Beijing Games, the United States beats Spain 118-107 and win the gold medal in men’s basketball for the first time since 2000. China has one of the most dominating and diverse performances at an Olympics ever, winning a games-leading 51 golds and an even 100 overall. The United States finishes with 110 medals and trails well behind the Chinese in golds with 36, the first time since 1992 it doesn’t lead the category.

2008 — Danny Lee becomes the U.S. Amateur’s youngest champion, supplanting Tiger Woods by holding off Drew Kittleson 5 and 4. The 18-year, 1-month-old Lee is six months and 29 days younger than Woods when he won the first of his three Amateurs in 1994.

2018 — French Open Tennis bans Serena Williams′ black Nike catsuit from future tournaments citing ‘respect for the game and the place.’

Compiled by the Associated Press

This day in baseball history

1905 — The Chicago Cubs beat the Phillies at Philadelphia 2-1 in 20 innings behind the complete game pitching of Ed Reulbach.

1940 — Outfielder Ted Williams pitched the last two innings for the Boston Red Sox against Detroit at Fenway Park. He gave up one run on three hits, but struck out Rudy York on three pitches. The Tigers, behind Tommy Bridges, won 12-1.

1951 — St. Louis Browns owner Bill Veeck gave over 1,000 fans behind his dugout YES and NO placards, allowing them to have a part in the strategy of the game. The fans flashed the cards when asked by the coaches what the Browns should do and it worked as St. Louis beat the Philadelphia Athletics 5-3.

1963 — The Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa. is covered by ABC’s Wide World of Sports for the first time.

1971 — Ernie Banks hit the 512th and final home run of his career as the Chicago Cubs beat the Cincinnati Reds 5-4. Banks’ shot came off Jim McGlothin in the first inning.

1975 — Ed Halicki of San Francisco pitched a 6-0 no-hitter against the New York Mets to lead the Giants to a sweep of a doubleheader.

1989 — After six months of denial, defense and delay, Cincinnati manager Pete Rose was banned for life from baseball by Commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti for gambling. Rose, baseball’s all-time hit leader and holder of 19 major-league records, signed a five-page agreement with Giamatti in which he agreed to a lifetime penalty but did not admit to gambling on baseball.

1996 — Hsieh Chin-hsiung sets a Little League World Series record with his seventh home run as Taiwan wins the title for the 17th time with a 13-3 victory over Cranston, R.I.

2001 — Colorado starting pitcher Jason Jennings went 3-for-5 in his major league debut, including a homer and an RBI single, while giving up five hits and striking out eight in a complete game shut out over the Mets, 10-0. The right-hander became the first pitcher in modern history to throw a shutout and hit a homer in his first game.

2003 — Ramon Hernandez and Miguel Tejada hit grand slams as Oakland routed Toronto 17-2.

2008 — Hawaii’s mini-mashers get a little help from Mexico’s miscues to win a fourth straight Little League World Series title for the United States. Tanner Tokunaga smacks two homers and Iolana Akau adds a solo blast as the boys from Waipahu, Hawaii, defeat Matamoros, Mexico, 12-3.

2008 — Francisco Rodriguez earned his 50th save, striking out two in a scoreless ninth inning to secure the Angels’ 5-3 victory over Minnesota.

2012 — Adrian Beltre of Texas hit for the cycle in an 8-0 win over Minnesota.

2013 — Adam Eaton hit a go-ahead double in the 18th inning and the Arizona Diamondbacks outlasted the Philadelphia Phillies 12-7 in a record-setting, marathon game for both clubs. The teams combined to use 20 pitchers in a contest that ended at 2:12 a.m. and took 7 hours, 6 minutes — setting a mark for length of game for both teams.

2013 — Detroit’s Max Scherzer outpitched Matt Harvey, striking out 11 and hitting a stunning RBI double that sent the Tigers to a 3-0 victory over the New York Mets. Scherzer (19-1) joined Rube Marquard in 1912 and Roger Clemens in 2001 as the only major league pitchers to win 19 of their first 20 decisions in a season.

2016 — David Ortiz became the oldest player ever to hit 30 homers in a season, but the Tampa Bay Rays came back from a three-run deficit to beat Boston 4-3 in 11 innings. The 40-year-old designated hitter connected for a two-run home run off starting pitcher Matt Andriese during the first inning.

2022 — George Kirby of the Mariners starts today’s game against the Nationals by throwing 24 consecutive strikes — a record since 1988, when all pitches were tracked for the first time. In the 8th inning. Seattle’s Julio Rodriguez hits his 20th homer to become only the fourth rookie to have a season of 20 homers and 20 steals. But while Mariners players grab the headlines, Washington scores twice in the top of the 9th to win the game, 3-1.

Compiled by the Associated Press

Until next time…

That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

AVROTROS says escalating international conflicts are undermining the event’s neutrality and fuelling divisions.

The public broadcaster in the Netherlands has announced it will not participate in next year’s Eurovision Song Contest because the event can “no longer be considered neutral” due to ongoing divisions over the war in Gaza.

“It is undeniable that international conflicts are increasingly affecting the Contest, undermining its neutral character. The Eurovision Song Contest has therefore become a platform for division,” said Taco Zimmerman, Director-General of AVROTROS, in a statement on Monday.

The widely-watched show has recently faced a series of boycotts over Israel’s participation. Organisers announced earlier this month that they would exclude any country involved in an armed conflict from hosting the competition.

“However, the recently announced changes… do not provide sufficient confidence that the independent and neutral character of the Eurovision Song Contest has been restored,” the AVROTROS statement added.

Israel finished second in the competition – the world’s largest live televised music event – in both 2025 and 2026.

Next year’s Eurovision is due to be held in Bulgaria’s Black Sea city of Burgas, after Bulgarian singer Darina Yotova, known as Dara, won this year’s contest in Vienna, Austria, with her catchy floor-filler ‘Bangaranga’. The contest on May 15 will be the first time the Balkan nation has hosted.

Since its launch in 1955, Eurovision has become the ultimate pop platform, catapulting Swedish icons ABBA to worldwide fame, while also boosting the careers of artists such as Celine Dion, Cliff Richard and Olivia Newton-John.

However, this year’s competition pulled in 131 million viewers, 35 million fewer than last year, after five countries boycotted over Israel’s participation. The Netherlands, Iceland, Spain, Ireland, and Slovenia all pulled out, with the latter three refusing to broadcast the show at all.