The provided text explores the global observance of St. John’s Day, a holiday uniquely dedicated to the birth of Saint John the Baptist rather than his death. This feast day frequently overlaps with ancient pagan rituals associated with the summer solstice, leading many northern European nations to maintain traditions like lighting bonfires to repel supernatural threats. Beyond its festive roots, the article outlines the biblical biography of John, highlighting his role in baptizing Jesus and his eventual execution by King Herod. Modern commemorations are also noted, ranging from his status as the patron saint of Turin to his identity as a cultural symbol in Quebec. Ultimately, t … 

Nolan Schanuel reached third on an error and Logan O’Hoppe drove him in on a soft ground ball in the 10th inning as the Angels rallied back to defeat the Baltimore Orioles 7-6 on Wednesday.

It was the 12th come-from-behind victory for the Halos and sixth walk-off win.

Pinch-hitter Vaughn Grissom started the rally with an RBI single in the eighth, and Wade Meckler tied the game with a two-run single.

Pete Alonso gave the Orioles the lead again with a 10th-inning RBI single, but Oswald Peraza scored on Schanuel’s soft grounder to tie after Keegan Akin mishandled the toss while covering first.

With Schanuel advancing to third on the error, Logan O’Hoppe tried to check his swing on a 1-2 changeup, but made contact. Samuel Basallo attempted to tag Schanuel, but missed, and the Angels completed their improbable comeback.

Basallo’s missed tag spoiled an otherwise stellar day, as the 21-year-old collected his first multihomer game. He joined the Mets’ Francisco Alvarez as the only catcher aged 21 or younger with a multihomer game in MLB history.

Jorge Soler had a first-inning two-run homer that gave the Angels an early lead.

Chase Silseth (3-1) collected the win in relief, allowing two hits and a run in the 10th. Starter José Soriano allowed six hits, five runs, and struck out four over three innings.

Akin (0-1) took the loss and a blown save. He allowed one hit and two runs in 2/3 innings.

Up next

The Angels continue their homestand Friday against the Athletics. Angels RHP Walbert Ureña (5-5, 2.41 ERA) will start.

June 24 (Asia Today) — Economic benefits are emerging as a potential deciding factor in Canada’s competition to acquire a new submarine fleet, with South Korea promoting a broad industrial cooperation package to counter a larger economic-impact proposal from Germany.

Canada is preparing to select a preferred bidder for the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project, a program worth as much as 60 trillion won ($39.2 billion).

German shipbuilder TKMS and South Korea’s Hanwha Ocean are the two qualified suppliers remaining in the competition.

Canadian Secretary of State for Defense Procurement Stephen Fuhr said this week that both proposals meet the Royal Canadian Navy’s requirements, according to industry officials.

With the technical assessment effectively completed, the economic and industrial benefits offered by each bidder could become increasingly important in the final evaluation.

Based on publicly disclosed projections, TKMS appears to have proposed the larger economic contribution.

The German company said its proposal could generate 160 billion Canadian dollars in economic activity and add 86 billion Canadian dollars to Canada’s gross domestic product over the life of the program.

It also projected employment totaling more than 650,000 job-years.

Hanwha Ocean said South Korea’s proposal could support more than 22,500 Canadian jobs annually, equivalent to more than 400,000 job-years, and generate approximately 94.1 billion Canadian dollars in cumulative GDP contributions.

Industry officials said the scale and feasibility of the proposed partnerships may be more important than a direct comparison of headline figures.

Hanwha Ocean has established partnerships with more than 100 Canadian companies, universities and other organizations.

HD Hyundai Group has proposed several billion dollars in cooperation across the energy, commercial shipbuilding and naval sectors.

Hyundai Motor Group is also supporting the broader South Korean proposal through Project Beaver, an initiative intended to establish a hydrogen mobility ecosystem in Canada.

The effort is part of a government-backed package that seeks to position South Korea as a long-term industrial and security partner rather than simply a submarine supplier.

Germany is also offering substantial government and industrial support.

TKMS has emphasized its cooperation with Norway, which is jointly developing and acquiring Type 212CD submarines with Germany.

Norway has offered to share experience involving submarine design and maintenance, repair and overhaul systems.

The German proposal also highlights the benefits of integrating Canada into an existing supply and support network among North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies.

Sustainment carries greatest weight

Canada’s evaluation structure places the greatest emphasis on the ability to support the submarines throughout their operational lives.

Sustainment accounts for 50% of the assessment, while the submarine platform itself represents 20%.

Financial considerations account for 15%, with strategic and economic partnerships making up the remaining 15%.

The weighting indicates that Canada’s primary concern is not simply acquiring advanced submarines but ensuring that it can operate and maintain them reliably for several decades.

Some industry observers have cautioned that excessive attention to economic projections could distract from the program’s core defense objectives.

Both South Korea and Germany have proposed major investments, local partnerships and job-creation plans.

Critics say an escalating competition over economic promises could transform a military procurement decision into a broader contest for foreign investment.

The figures presented by the bidders are also based on different assumptions, industries and time periods, making direct comparisons difficult.

The projected employment numbers may include jobs supported for multiple years rather than distinct permanent positions.

“The technological capabilities, delivery competitiveness and industrial cooperation package offered by South Korean shipbuilders are clear strengths,” a South Korean shipbuilding industry official said.

“Both countries are making an all-out effort, so it remains difficult to predict the outcome before the final decision.”

South Korea stresses delivery and industrial ties

Hanwha Ocean is offering a Canadian version of its KSS-III submarine, a platform developed for and operated by the South Korean Navy.

South Korea has emphasized its shipbuilding capacity and ability to deliver vessels within Canada’s accelerated timetable.

The proposal also includes Canadian participation in construction, maintenance, technology development and supply chains extending beyond the submarine program.

South Korean companies have pursued cooperation with Canadian businesses in steel, automotive manufacturing, artificial intelligence, aerospace, energy and critical minerals.

The package is intended to demonstrate that selecting Hanwha Ocean would produce economic benefits across multiple regions and industries in Canada.

TKMS, meanwhile, is offering a submarine supported by the German and Norwegian governments and an established European defense network.

Its proposal stresses operational compatibility with NATO allies, shared training and access to a multinational submarine supply chain.

Canada is expected to announce its preferred approach between late June and early July. Industry officials said a decision could come as early as this week.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260624010008524

Stephanie says she has also started sprinkling her seven-year-old daughter’s bed sheet with water and putting it in the freezer for about half an hour before bedtime – long enough for it to be cool for falling asleep on, but not long enough for it to actually freeze.

Gordon Cooper, 73, from High Wycombe, told BBC Your Voice that he hangs a wet bath towel in his bedroom and places his fan nearby to help cool down the room.

Others have been changing where they sleep to escape the stifling heat.

During the last heatwave, Anabelle Holschuh, 30, found it so hard to sleep in her attic bedroom that she picked up a blanket and cushion and slept on the floor in the hallway.

This time round, Anabelle, who lives in London, is sleeping on her living room sofa, which is north-facing and in a room with tall ceilings and an electric fan. “Last night I slept fairly well on the sofa, so no need to wander further downstairs to the hallway,” she says.

BECKY Hill has hit back at the crowd that booed her during her surprise festival set as she addressed a viral video.

The pop star, 32, was treated badly at the weekend after she vowed to play only new songs at her secret set at TRNSMT. 

Speaking about the viral video that showed the crowd, she has now said: “Getting booed is not nice.

“I haven’t found a single one of these easy, it’s really upsetting.

“Because I love this job and that’s not making me love it as much as I usually do.”

Speaking directly to the camera she added: “I wanted to bring a new and exclusive thirty minute set of brand new music to a festival crowd unannouced.

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“I thought it would be a great opportunity to play the new music I’ve been working so hard on.

“And I personally love so much.”

She then thanked the team at the festival for giving her that stage and also the crowd of people who you stayed and danced with her right until the very end.

She added: “It was amazing to have such a captive audience who wanted to hear the new stuff too.

“I said on stage how difficult it is to transition into a new single, and new music and new albums.

“And all this conversation online is exactly what I meant.

“I’m not a jukebox, I’m an artist and the tickets at TRNSMT were not sold with my name as part of the line-up.

“And I wanted to do something new, artistically driven.”

Becky explained that she doesn’t normally get the opportunity to do that much in her career.

She added: “But trust me when my name is on the poster I will always sing the tunes that people know and love.”

“I feel really grateful to have those records in my catalogue,” she explained.

The singer concluded that in order to have a long career she needed to have new music and thanked those that stayed to listen to her.

The pop star has no shortage of hits to choose from, with 19 top 40 singles, six top 10s and a number one to her name.

Becky played her new track Daddy’s Range Rover at TRANSMT which hits out at Jack Whitehall for mocking her when he hosted last year’s Brit Awards.

The pair have since buried the hatchet and Jack admitted he apologised to Becky for calling her “Wetherspoons Whitney”. 

Addressing her fans while performing earlier this year, she said: “I’ve had enough of all this s*** so I wrote about it.

Andrés Chait has been named superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District three days after the resignation of Alberto Carvalho in a lightning-speed transition that elevates a well-liked insider to the top of the nation’s second-largest school system.

The Board of Education announced its unanimous decision Wednesday, which was made official during the board’s last scheduled meeting before August.

“I firmly believe in leading with gratitude and never taking the work and support of others for granted,” Chait said after the announcement. “So I begin today in that spirit of gratitude. Thank you to the board for your faith in me and for this opportunity.”

“I have always known that there is no greater accelerator of change and opportunity than the school house, and that is still true today,” Chait added. “Throughout my career in various roles, that has remained my focus. How I can be of service and support to our students and families in accessing these opportunities. Please know that commitment has not changed.”

Chait had been serving as acting superintendent since Feb. 27, two days after the FBI raided the home and office of his predecessor, Carvalho. Law enforcement sources have confirmed that the ongoing investigation includes a review of Carvalho’s actions related to a company hired to create an ill-fated AI chatbot. Carvalho has not been charged and maintains that he is innocent of wrongdoing.

Chait’s style and background stands in sharp contrast to Carvalho‘s, who had 14 years of experience leading one of the nation’s largest school systems in Miami.

Carvalho carefully curated his appearances — before and during his L.A. tenure he maintained a high national profile as a sought-after voice in education. In 2018, he had accepted the job leading the school system in New York City before changing his mind and staying in Miami. He was a familiar face in national conclaves on education and among national leaders. He took charge in L.A. in February 2022.

Chait is a district parent who started off as a kindergarten teacher at Queen Anne Place Elementary School and rose gradually through the ranks. He has never worked in another school system, although his experience in L.A. Unified included a variety of roles, including elementary school principal, regional superintendent. Most recently he served as director of operations — a non-academic function — for the entire school system.

Chait was not among the phalanx of senior officials who sat directly behind the school board on the elevated stage during board meetings. Instead, Chait’s was stationed in the back next to the audiovisual equipment, where he was off camera and frequently able to joke and interact with other district staff and community members. He’d also sometimes deal directly with a community member or employee who brought forward a personal problem or issue during the public hearing portion of a board meeting.

Over the last two years, Chait has presented periodically at board meetings, including over such issues as school safety.

The announcement was made by school board President Scott Schmerelson after the board emerged from a closed session.

“This board’s decision reflects the confidence in Mr. Chait’s leadership, his decades of service to Los Angeles Unified, and his demonstrated ability to guide the district during this period of transition,” Schmerelson said. “Throughout his career, and most recently as acting superintendent, he has shown deep commitment to our students, families, employees, and school communities.”

The decision to offer the job to Chait was not entirely a surprise because he already had taken on key tasks typically handled by a long-term superintendent. These included finishing up a four-year strategic plan and selecting administrators to fill key senior positions.

The Board of Education approved a four-year strategic plan Tuesday with academic targets and measures of college, career and social-emotional readiness.

Chait also received good marks from board members and union leaders during a trial-by-fire experience with a labor dispute that came within hours of a three-union strike that would have shut down the school system.

Chait was a key participant in getting to a deal, along with Mayor Karen Bass.

“It was wonderful to have the cooperation from the leadership of the district, from the superintendent, from the school board, from the entire school board, all of that … made a difference,” Bass said in a City Hall news conference, referring to Chait, after the all-nighter.

Leaders of the three unions each praised Chait at the time.

“I want to give you a thanks, Superintendent Chait, for showing humanity. Humanity. Humanity for seeing us, seeing the workers, and believing that you can get it across the finish line,” said Cecily Myart-Cruz, the outgoing president of United Teachers Los Angeles.

Last week, Myart-Cruz said in an interview that Carvalho needed to be replaced and that Chait appeared to have the skills needed to take over — although she said she would prefer a formal selection process that included input from labor leaders and others.

Max Arias, executive director of Service Employees International Union Local 99, also praised Chait after the contract was settled.

“I want to appreciate you … for coming into a very difficult situation and stepping in and showing leadership,” Arias said. “We are ready, our members are ready, to always give a chance to building relationship or partnership.”

Interviewed last week, Arias said Chait should be offered the job outright — that a search process was unnecessary.

Also praising Chait during that April gathering in City Hall was Maria Nichols, president of Associated Administrators of Los Angeles, which represents schools principals and assistant principals among others.

“Thank you so much for listening,” Nichols said. “I know the acting superintendent’s style — collaborative, listens. He takes action. He’s humane, and he wants the best for our students, because he’s a parent and has students in LAUSD.”

The deals accepted by Chait also have critics, who contend is it more than the district can afford.

This $20.6-billion spending plan that was approved Tuesday incorporates the layoffs of up to several hundred workers with due-process rights and perhaps 1,000 more without job protections. Over the next three years, officials project thousands of additional layoffs.

The spending plan for the 2026-27 school year is nearly $2 billion higher than last year’s figure of $18.8 billion. The district’s projected revenue is $18.6 billion, although that figure could rise based on promising state tax revenues.

In the meantime, the district will cover the shortfall with reserves, which may or may not be exhausted over the next two to three years. The increased spending results largely from significant salary increases, maintaining health benefits amid rising costs and expanding the number of part-time employees eligible for benefits.

Also straining the budget has been the expiration of COVID-relief funds, inflation surpassing state funding increases and steadily declining enrollment. L.A. Unified, with about 390,000 students in transitional kindergarten through 12th grade, is about half as large as in the early 2000s.

The board did not immediately release details of the new superintendent’s contract, including the length of the term, on the grounds that is not yet in final form.

Chait’s salary as acting superintendent was $395,867. He also has received $250 per month for expenses and the use of a district car and driver for work-related activities. In his previous job as chief of school operations, which he held for about 20 months, Chait had earned $278,205.

Carvalho’s salary was $440,000 per year with an additional $50,000 paid annually into a retirement annuity. District officials have so far declined to say if Carvalho received a severance package.

Carvalho’s predecessor as permanent superintendent, Austin Beutner, was paid $350,000 per year.

Katelyn Ohashi has gone viral for her gymnastics routines.

She has won two ESPY Awards.

She’s a former national champion and All-American who earned 11 perfect scores of 10 during her time at UCLA.

She once took first place in the all-round at an elite national competition, with the now-legendary Simone Biles finishing as runner-up.

But Ohashi apparently has some unfinished business in the sport, as the 29-year-old athlete announced her return to elite gymnastics Tuesday on Instagram.

“After a few years of contemplating whether I wanted to continue chasing a dream I had as a little kid, I have decided to go for it,” Ohashi wrote. “I’m taking it one day at a time; one skill, one event, one dream. I don’t have any regrets in my career and I want to be able to continue saying that no matter what happens. So here goes nothing!”

Katelyn Ohashi accepts the trophy for best play during the 2019 ESPY Awards at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

(Kevin Winter / Getty Images)

Ohashi thanks Pacific Reign Gymnastics, a U.S. national training center in Woodinville, Wash., “for taking a chance on me.” Her post also includes a video of herself at the gym performing a couple of floor skills — with her signature broad smile across her face. The clip uses the same audio of a phone buzzing and ringing as the video Serena Williams posted earlier this month to announce her return to competitive tennis.

Also on Tuesday, Pacific Reign posted on Instagram several photos of Ohashi working out at its facility, along with the caption, “Queen Kate trains to reign.” The gym also announced on its Instagram Story that Ohashi would compete Saturday at the American Classic event in Minneapolis.

Little else is known about Ohashi’s comeback plans. The Times reached out to an agency that represents the gymnast but received no immediate response. Pacific Reign referred questions pertaining to Ohashi to the same agency.

Born in Seattle, Ohashi made her senior elite gymnastics debut at the 2013 American Cup, where she outscored U.S. teammate Biles for all-around gold. Later that year, Biles would win the first of her record six world championships in the all-around.

Ohashi became a fan favorite while competing for the Bruins from 2015 to 2018. She earned nine perfect scores on the floor and two on the beam, with video from a January 2019 floor routine reportedly garnering 240 million views across various platforms (including a repost from future Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris).

UCLA gymnast Katelyn Ohashi’s viral floor routine.

The same routine won Ohashi two 2019 ESPY Awards, for best play and best viral moment.

In 2018, Ohashi was the co-national champion in the floor exercise and helped the Bruins win their seventh and most recent NCAA title. The 10-time All-American last competed in the 2019 national championships, where she placed third on the beam and helped UCLA finish third in the team competition.

“We can’t wait to see you back on the floor, Kate!” UCLA gymnastics posted Wednesday morning on X.

Ohashi was a featured performer in Biles’ “Gold Over America” gymnastics tours in 2021 and 2024.

June 24 (UPI) — The U.S. Justice Department announced charges Wednesday for 12 people it said used drones in a conspiracy to smuggle drugs, weapons and other items into multiple prisons.

The department said the conspiracy affected 10 federal prisons in eight states, including Georgia, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Louisiana and Mississippi, WAPT-TV reported.

U.S. Attorney William Keyes said the operation was based at a former daycare in Macon, Ga., and used multiple drones to deliver contraband to prisons by night.

Keyes said the indictment “charges the most sophisticated and sprawling criminal enterprise using drones to introduce contraband into the federal prison system ever charged by the Department of Justice,” CNN reported.

The drone deliveries allegedly took place between September 2023 and May 2026. Charges say the group used six drones to deliver contraband at least 38 times. This contraband included methamphetamine, marijuana, cocaine,other illegal drugs, tobacco, blades and cell phones.

The prosecutors said that people inside the prisons used phones to help guide the drone pilots. Prison authorities found some, but not all, of the drops, the indictment said.

“The allegations outlined in this indictment describe a coordinated criminal effort involving heavy payload drones to introduce dangerous contraband into federal prisons across multiple states,” William Marshall III, director of the federal Bureau of Prisons, said Wednesday, CNN reported. “Activity of this nature threatens the safety of everyone who lives and works inside our facilities and will not be tolerated.”

The bureau used drone detection systems to uncover the conspiracy, representatives said. A grand jury in Georgia handed down the indictment on charges including drug and firearms distribution on June 10.

Earlier in 2026, a group of state attorneys general launched a combined effort to combat the use of drones to deliver prison contraband.

The California Science Center (CSC) in Los Angeles gave a sneak peek today of its long-awaited, much anticipated attraction — the towering Space Shuttle Endeavour in its ‘full stack’ configuration. The spacecraft was the last of five orbiters ever built and the most advanced. After a long wait, the public will soon be able to view it in all its glory inside its purpose-built permanent display building.

Endeavour is the centerpiece of The Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center. It is a 200,000-square-foot expansion of the museum and will be “the only place in the world to see a complete, authentic space shuttle system, displayed in a 20-story launch position,” CSC said in a media release on Wednesday.

The exhibit is set to open on Nov. 13, 2026.

Endeavor was born out of the tragic loss of Challenger on January 28, 1986.  NASA had to figure out how to replace the doomed orbiter. It looked at several options.

Feb. 1, 2003: Space shuttle Columbia disaster

The first shuttle, Enterprise, was built as a developmental test vehicle and made its first independent flight from the back of the converted 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) on Aug. 12, 1977. Enterprise was also used for fit checks on the launch pad and many other engineering and testing activities, but it was not built to fly into space. Although it was available for modification and could feasibly be altered for full duty, NASA decided converting it for orbital work was not the best move. Instead, the all new orbiter that would be named Endeavor was authorized for construction in 1987.

Endeavour lifted off on its maiden voyage on May 7, 1992, and flew 25 times, with its final flight coming in May 2011. As the last of its breed, it incorporated new features and upgrades, including being the first shuttle to carry a Station-Shuttle Power Transfer System (SSPTS), according to Space.com. Endeavour also had “the first fully activated Advanced Health Management System to watch over the shuttle’s three main engines during launch, as well as a three-string global positioning system (GPS) for pinpoint navigation during landings,” the publication added. In addition, the last of the orbiters was built with the most advanced avionics, with glass displays, when it entered service.

Space Shuttle Enterprise – Free flight Test – ABC News – 8/12/1977

During its time in space, Endeavour performed a variety of tasks, including helping to construct and sustain the International Space Station. Throughout its career, it spent 299 days in space, orbiting the Earth nearly 4,700 times and logging close to 123 million miles, according to NASA.

“Among Endeavour’s missions was the first to include four spacewalks, and then the first to include five,” the space agency added. “Its STS-67 mission set a length record almost two full days longer than any shuttle mission before it. Its airlock is the only one to have seen three spacewalkers exit through it for a single spacewalk. And in its cargo bay, the first two pieces of the International Space Station were joined together.”

It also flew the first mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope.

During an 11-day mission in 2000, the astronauts “used the radar instruments in Endeavour’s payload bay to obtain elevation data on a near global scale,” NASA noted about the mission with a military connection. “The data produced the most complete, high-resolution digital elevation model of the Earth. The SRTM comprised a cooperative effort among NASA with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, managing the project, the Department of Defense’s National Imagery and Mapping Agency [now the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency], the German space agency, and the Italian space agency. Prior to SRTM, scientists had a more detailed topographic map of Venus than of the Earth, thanks to the Magellan radar mapping mission.”

Endeavour, like the rest of the orbiters, always captured the public’s imagination. In December 2008 the spacecraft made its voyage back to Kennedy Space Center in Florida after landing at Edwards AFB. A photo of that trip, taken from an F/A-18B Hornet flying overhead, was once described by TWZ as “Arguably The Most Spectacular Photo Of NASA’s Shuttle Carrier Aircraft Ever.” You can read more about that picture and the flight in our story from the time here.

On September 21^st, 2012, NASA delivered Endeavour to Los Angeles, noted AmericaSpace.com. “Over the course of four days in October, the orbiter gradually crept her way through the city’s narrow streets.” The move captured a huge amount of attention.

While plans had been in the works for a while to house Endeavour in a purpose-built exhibit, a major issue developed.

“An earthquake-resistant building large enough to house a 184-foot-tall Shuttle stack had a staggering cost estimate of $400 million,” AmericaSpace.com explained. “The California Science Center was unable to raise enough money to build the facility prior to Endeavour’s arrival. The museum still needed to protect the orbiter from the elements, so it built a metal hangar to temporarily house the spacecraft. The more aspirational exhibit would be conducted at a later date.”

That later date will be in November, as we noted earlier. 

Space shuttle Endeavour’s trek across LA: Timelapse

The CSC is one of four locations where the surviving shuttle fleet is being displayed.

Shuttle Atlantis is located at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex; Discovery at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center and Enterprise at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. While each display is unique, and Kennedy Space Center’s is very dramatic, showing the orbiter as it would look in orbit, nothing compares to how CSC is displaying the full Shuttle Launch System (SLS) with its boosters and fuel tank in the vertical orientation, looking like it’s about to blast off one more time.

Contact the author: howard@twz.com

The Owens family curse strikes again — and this time it’s here for the next generation.

In the new trailer for “Practical Magic 2,” released Wednesday, Sally’s (Sandra Bullock) daughter Kylie (Joey King) learns about her family’s legacy and curse after her paramour is involved in an accident.

“It’s true, we’re witches and the curse is real,” Sally tells a tearful Kylie, who along with her sister (Maisie Williams) grew up being told stories where everyone who fell in love died. But the siblings didn’t believe they were actually cursed.

“I will never trust you again,” Kylie responds.

Directed by Susanne Bier, the sequel of 1998’s “Practical Magic” will follow Sally and Gillian (Nicole Kidman) as they chase after Kylie who has set off to “fix the curse,” which will put her on a dark path. Along the way, the sisters encounter a mysterious “scholar of the craft” played by Lee Pace.

The trailer also offers a glimpse into Sally and Gillian’s present lives — with the latter teasing the former’s apparent lack of love life. It seems Sally is uninterested in tempting the fates since for generations those who have fallen in love with members of the Owens family have been cursed to die. Even after things take a turn with the tragic accident, it’s clear that their sisterly bond remains strong. While Sally seems worried about her daughters inheriting her powers, the clip also hints that there might be some happier times ahead.

Also returning for the sequel are Dianne Wiest and Stockard Channing, who play Sally and Gilly’s aunts Jet and Franny Owens. In the original film, Jet and Fran are the witchy, eccentric aunts who took in their nieces after their parents died. The “Practical Magic 2” cast also includes Xolo Maridueña, who plays Kylie’s seemingly ill-fated love interest, and Solly McLeod.

Written by Akiva Goldsman, Georgia Pritchett and Kelly Marcel, “Practical Magic 2” is based on the 2021 novel “The Book of Magic,” the fourth and final installment of author Alice Hoffman’s “Practical Magic” series.

“Practical Magic 2” will hit theaters Sept. 11.

Bosnia and Herzegovina are on the verge of reaching the knockout stages of the World Cup for the first time after beating Qatar 3-1 in their final Group B match.

Bosnia move on to four points and are in a strong position to be one of the best eight third-placed teams to progress to the last 32.

Qatar, meanwhile, exit at the group stage, just as they did four years ago when they hosted the World Cup.

Goals from Bosnia’s youngest-ever World Cup player, 18-year-old Kerim Alajbegovic, and an own goal by Qatar goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunada looked to have put the European side in the box seat.

However, Qatar made a game of it when 35-year-old Hassan Alhaydos, their most capped player, pulled one back late in the first half.

Ermin Mahmic then put the game beyond the Qataris when he scored for the second successive match in the 80th minute.

Bosnia flew out of the blocks as soon as the whistle went, testing Abunada twice inside the first four minutes.

First, Abunada denied Ermedin Demirovic’s fierce drive, and then he tipped away Ivan Sunjic’s shot.

Bosnia’s dominance finally paid off, but it was not the 40-year-old talisman Edin Dzeko who broke the deadlock, but the sublimely talented teenage left-wing.

Abunada was unable to do anything about Alajbegovic’s screamer from outside the area, after he had beaten two players.

The youngster was mobbed by his teammates, and once they had trotted back to the halfway line, he stood and milked the moment, putting a finger to his lips.

Dzeko, winning his 150th cap, came more and more into the game, and not wishing to have his thunder stolen by the new kid on the block, he played an integral role in their second five minutes later.

His shot took a wicked deflection off Sultan Albrake and then Abunada on its way into the net.

Dzeko was well into his stride now, and he broke clear a few minutes later, his shot beating Abunada but rebounding off the post.

Bosnia’s earlier sprightliness dipped in the heat, and it was the doyen of Qatari football, Alhaydos, who repaid coach Julen Lopetegui’s faith by slotting home in the 42nd minute.

The Bosnian defence failed to learn from that, and in time added on, they had the far post to thank for keeping their noses in front as Pedro Miguel’s shot came back off it.

Alhaydos’s World Cup, and perhaps his distinguished international career, ended in tears as he trudged disconsolately off the pitch, injured in the 55th minute.

Chances were few and far between until Esmir Bajraktarevic stole in from the right wing and came close to emulating Alajbegovic’s effort, but Abunada turned it away for a corner.

Bosnian frustration gave way to ecstasy when Mahmic prodded the ball home – the scorer ripping his shirt off in celebration, and the 21-year-old paid little notice to being booked for it.

How has US imperialism targeted Venezuela and Iran? How have years of hybrid warfare shaped resistance? What role does China play in the emerging multipolar world?

In Episode 46 of the VA Podcast, Venezuelanalysis editor Ricardo Vaz is joined by VA co-editor Lucas Koerner and scholar Matteo Capasso to discuss sanctions, sovereignty, deterrence, and international anti-imperialist solidarity.

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As 2026 reaches its halfway point, the editors of De Los are eager to talk about Latin artists to watch — and share their hottest music takes. Over the years, award-winning music journalist Suzy Exposito and Director of Latino Initiatives Fidel Martinez have documented the rise of genres like reggaeton and música Mexicana in mainstream culture.

In her work for Vogue, The Times and Rolling Stone, Exposito has interviewed influential artists like Shakira, Cardi B and Bad Bunny (the last of which made history as the first Rolling Stone cover story written by a Latina journalist).

Martinez has an impressive roster of his own, having interviewed many stars in the Mexican and Chicano music scenes, from Fuerza Regida to Natalia Lafourcade.

Reflecting on a landmark year for Latin music

On this week’s episode of “The De Los Podcast,” they weigh in on the explosive impact of 2025 on the genre: between Bad Bunny‘s Super Bowl halftime show and Karol G‘s Coachella headlining performance, last year was nothing short of a groundbreaking for Latin music.

“Being there, you could feel barriers coming down,” Martinez, who reported live from the Super Bowl in February, said. “It wasn’t Bad Bunny trying to validate us in front of others. It was him saying, ‘This is who we are, and we are proud of who we are.’”

According to the RIAA, 2025 was the first year that Latin music sales in the U.S. reached $1 billion, in its 10th consecutive year of growth. In 2016, American Latin music sales were at just below $150 million.

“It highlights how quickly and with what speed the genre has been taking off,” Martinez said.

However, as Exposito notes, at times, it came at the cost of originality.

A Latin music trend that De Los is leaving behind this year

“Our generation is too married to the past,” Exposito said. “How can we evolve musically if we keep trying to re-create our grandparents’ music?”

Nostalgia, De Los editors note, has driven the wide-ranging popularity of last year’s most successful Latin projects. As Exposito says, the artists “mine the past in their own ways.”

In Bad Bunny’s “DtMF” and Karol G’s “Tropicoqueta,” classic genres like salsa, plena and cumbia took center stage. “DtMF” samples El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico while in Fuerza Regida samples Mexican classics like Vicente Fernández.

While comforting and educational for younger generations, Martinez argues that artists relying on nostalgia could turn that effort into becoming more experimental with their sound.

Some artists, however, are resisting the nostalgia trend, making De Los’ best albums list of 2026 … so far.

De Los’ 2026 Latin albums you need to hear

Suzy’s picks:

Alvaro Díaz, “Omakase”

“He’s experimental … and taking bold swings, with producers like Tainy,” Exposito said.

“Omakase,” which the Puerto Rican star released in May, blends Latin trap elements with electronic, R&B and in one track, cumbia, for a diverse, thoughtful album that Diaz equates in his De Los story to the Japanese dish omakase, or a platter decided by the chef.

RaiNao, “Marcría”

With a worldplay title that blends the words “malcriada” (badly raised woman) and “cria por el mar” (born in the sea), RaiNao’s project promises earthly, intimate lyricism with experimental musicianship.

“The way she melds jazz with reggaeton and folkloric elements, I really enjoy,” Exposito said. “I really appreciate people (like RaiNao) who can remix but also introduce seemingly disparate elements, like saxophone and Caribbean music.”

Other picks include Ibeyi’s “Offering” and Diles Que No Me Maten’s “Escrito en Agua.”

Fidel’s picks:

Julieta Venegas, “Norteña”

Venegas, who De Los interviewed last month, wrote a memoir alongside this album, which delves into her Tijuana heritage with Mexican collaborators like Bronco, is what Martinez calls “a chef’s kiss.”

“She’s such a fascinating character because she started as an indie rocker,” Martinez said. “This album is a love letter to Tijuana. It’s just the perfect fusion of tradition and pop.”

Hermanos Espinoza, “Linaje”

Two brothers from the Rio Grande Valley, Hermanos Espinoza performed at De Los’ SXSW showcase and blew the audience away with their live energy and accordion work.

“Their project talks about lineage. This album certainly has a point of view,” Martinez said. “With this album, they said, música Mexicana can be like rock and roll.”

Also on the list are Tito Doble P’s “Acomodo” and Trio Asesino’s self-titled.

To hear more about 2026’s emerging artists and De Los’ music hot takes, check out “The De Los Podcast.”

BOSTON — A federal judge on Wednesday permanently barred President Trump’s administration from implementing most of his first executive order on elections, part of which sought to require people to show documentary proof of citizenship when they register to vote.

The ruling by U.S. District Judge Denise Casper in Boston in effect converts a preliminary injunction she issued a year ago, in which she temporarily blocked many of Trump’s efforts to overhaul elections, into a permanent ban.

Casper rejected the administration’s argument that the lawsuit to block the changes brought by Democratic state attorneys general was premature because the rules had yet to be implemented. Instead, she agreed that the Constitution gives states and Congress the authority to regulate elections, and that Trump’s requirements violated the separation of powers.

The Constitution “does not grant the President any specific powers over elections,” she wrote.

Among other proposed changes, Trump’s order would have required people to provide documentary proof of citizenship when registering to vote, prevented mail ballots from being counted if they arrive after election day, even if they were postmarked by then, and punished states that failed to comply by withholding certain federal money.

In a statement, New York Atty. Gen. Letitia James said she was grateful the court had blocked Trump’s “unconstitutional attempt to seize control of our elections” and would continue to defend voting rights in this year’s midterm elections.

“Generations of Americans fought tirelessly for the right to vote, and we honor their legacy by protecting that right against anyone who tries to undermine it,” she said.

Requests for comment sent to the White House and Department of Justice were not immediately returned.

It was the latest in a string of rulings against the elections executive order Trump signed just months after taking office for his second term. He has since signed another executive order on elections, seeking to create a national voter list and limit mail balloting. That directive also faces multiple legal challenges.

In the fall, a federal judge in Washington overseeing a separate challenge to the first election executive order by civil rights and Democratic Party-aligned groups blocked the government from taking steps to include the proof-of-citizenship requirement on the federal voter registration form. That judge later barred the secretary of Defense from requiring documentary proof of citizenship when military personnel register to vote or request ballots.

In an apparent nod to the difficulty of implementing a proof-of-citizen requirement by executive order, Trump is pushing legislation in the Republican-controlled Congress to create such a mandate. The SAVE America Act has passed the House but has stalled in the Senate, leading Trump to advocate for eliminating the filibuster that is blocking the legislation.

On Wednesday, he abruptly canceled the expected signing of a bipartisan housing bill, saying he won’t do so until Congress passes his proof of citizenship requirement for voting.

The president and many of his Republican allies have been promoting the narrative that voting by noncitizens is a major problem, when in fact it’s quite rare. The federal voter registration form already requires people to attest that they are U.S. citizens, and violating that is punishable as a felony that can lead to prison or deportation.

In another major voting case, the U.S. Supreme Court is due to issue an opinion soon on whether mail ballots must arrive by election day. That could immediately change the rules in 14 states that allow grace periods ranging from days to weeks if the ballots are postmarked by election day.

Smyth and Casey write for the Associated Press.

Constitutional amendment will keep President Mnangagwa in office until 2030 and allow parliament to elect the president.

Zimbabwe’s Senate has overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment that will keep President Emmerson Mnangagwa in office until 2030.

According to Senate President Mabel Chinomona, the controversial amendments were passed on Wednesday after 75 senators voted in favour and four against extending the term for Mnangagwa, 83.

The raft of sweeping changes, which critics have called a “constitutional coup”, includes a provision that extends presidential and parliamentary terms from five to seven years.

The bill also includes a provision for the president to be elected by parliament rather than by direct popular vote.

With parliament’s backing, the bill now has to be signed by Mnangagwa to become law.

Mnangagwa’s Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) party holds a strong majority in parliament and has ruled since independence in 1980.

Last year, the ruling party resolved to change the constitution to prolong presidential terms, and the plan received cabinet backing in February.

The bill then passed through the National Assembly last week, with 216 lawmakers voting in favour of the draft legislation and 42 against it.

Mnangagwa came to power after a 2017 military coup ousted longtime leader Robert Mugabe, who had been in power since independence in 1980.

Still, the country’s opposition, which has been weakened by years of repression, charges that the measures would entrench ZANU-PF’s control over the country.

Moreover, activists who have tried to mobilise in the country have reported intimidation and violence, including arrests or assault by suspected agents of the state.

Legal challenges have also failed to stop or invalidate the amendment process.

In March, Human Rights Watch said that Zimbabwe’s authorities were using violence and intimidation against those who were opposing the amendments.

“Over the last few months, the police and unidentified armed men have threatened, harassed, and beat up several people who are opposed to the proposed constitutional amendment,” it said in a statement.

Lawsuit claims Tesla’s Autopilot shortcomings led to fatal crash; family seeks $1m in damages and punitive measures.

The family of a Texas woman who was killed has filed a lawsuit against Tesla after a driver using a Model 3’s automated driving assistance system crashed into a suburban Houston home last week.

The complaint, filed on Tuesday, argues that Tesla should be held liable for the wrongful death of 76-year-old Martha Avila. The family alleges that the automaker, led by Elon Musk, failed to adequately warn drivers about alleged defects in its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving systems.

Avila’s daughter, Jennifer Barbour, and her husband, Justin Barbour, said the Model 3’s driver, Michael Butler, told law enforcement he engaged Autopilot before ploughing through the front wall of Avila’s home in Katy, Texas, the United States, on June 19, pinning her before she succumbed to her injuries at a nearby hospital, according to the complaint.

Video obtained by KHOU – Houston’s CBS affiliate — shows the car travelling at top speed over the front lawn of Avila’s home in the Houston suburb before slamming into the front room.

The driver told the Harris County Sheriff’s Office that he was using the technology at the time of the accident. The driver in the incident was not under the influence of alcohol and is cooperating with authorities.

Butler is also a defendant in the Barbours’ lawsuit. It is unclear whether he has a lawyer.

Musk, the world’s richest person, posted on X on Monday night: “FSD drives slowly through neighbourhood streets and this was a high-speed crash!”

Ashok Elluswamy, vice president of AI software at Tesla, posted on X in response, saying that “the driver manually overrode self-driving by pressing the accelerator all the way to 100% of the accel pedal in this residential area.”

The lawsuit filed in a Harris County, Texas, state court seeks more than $1m in damages, and punitive damages reflecting Tesla’s alleged “reckless disregard for a substantial risk of severe bodily injury”.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has been investigating the crash.

Since 2016, the NHTSA has opened nearly 50 special investigations of Tesla crashes believed to involve advanced driver assistance systems. About two dozen deaths were reported.

In March, the NHTSA escalated its probe into 3.2 million Teslas equipped with Full Self-Driving, on concern the system may fail to detect or warn drivers in poor visibility. In 2023, Tesla recalled about two million vehicles, nearly all of its electric vehicles on US roads, to better ensure that drivers pay attention when using Autopilot.

Tesla has said Autopilot enables vehicles to steer, accelerate and brake within their lanes, while Full Self-Driving lets vehicles obey traffic signals and change lanes.

The carmaker has also said both technologies require “fully attentive” drivers whose hands are on the wheel.

The incident comes as the Musk-owned company is rolling out robotaxis using automated software in several US cities this year and plans to invite Tesla owners across the country to put their cars into the fleet using the same system.