Begona Gomez is accused of using her position as the prime minister’s wife ⁠to secure work contracts.

The wife of Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has been barred from travelling abroad as she prepares to face trial on corruption charges.

Investigating judge Juan Carlos Peinado issued the ruling on Saturday, ordering Sanchez’s wife, Begona Gomez, to hand in her passport and appear in front of court twice per month until a verdict is issued. She is charged with embezzlement, influence peddling, corruption in business dealings and misappropriation of funds.

Gomez has consistently denied any wrongdoing in the case, which stems from a complaint filed by an anticorruption group with far-right ties. It focuses on the creation and management of a chair at Madrid’s Complutense University that was co-directed by Gomez, as well as the alleged use of public resources and personal connections to advance private interests.

Sanchez has dismissed the allegations against his wife as an attempt by the right wing to undermine his government. Sanchez’s Socialist Party has said Gomez is innocent and subject to a years-long campaign of political persecution

No date has yet been set for the politically explosive trial.

The case is one of several corruption investigations involving Sanchez’s allies that are approaching trial or already before the courts, increasing pressure on the prime minister.

Several close allies, including the Socialist Party’s number three ⁠and Sanchez’s former transport minister, are under investigation in cases involving alleged ⁠kickbacks linked to public works, oil ⁠and gas contracts, and the procurement of masks during the pandemic. They deny wrongdoing.

Separately, Spain’s High Court said it was investigating former ‌Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero over allegations he led a network that profited from lobbying public authorities ‌on ‌behalf of third parties, including airline Plus Ultra. He denies the claims.

Sanchez, who has not been named in any of the cases, has rejected opposition calls to step down and call early elections.

PARIS — A founder of global gaming company Ubisoft, maker of “Assassin’s Creed,” was killed in a plane crash in western France, authorities said Saturday.

Claude Guillemot, co-founder of the company and president of the Guillemot Foundation, died in an accident, Ubisoft said in a statement to the Associated Press. It did not elaborate.

A Cessna plane carrying Guillemot and one other person crashed Friday evening in a field just before landing at La Baule Airport on the Atlantic coast, a La Baule airport official said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to be publicly named.

Local media said both people aboard were killed.

Guillemot and four brothers founded Ubisoft in 1986. In addition to the popular “Assassin’s Creed” franchise, Ubisoft’s games include “Just Dance,” and the “Rayman” and Tom Clancy game franchises.

Charlton writes for the Associated Press.

Several senior executives sold shares in American Express, Dell, Lowe’s, Take-Two Interactive, and Broadcom, while directors and executives at Broadcom, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, SoFi Technologies, Abbott Laboratories, and MercadoLibre made purchases, potentially signaling varied insider sentiment across these companies.

Good morning, and welcome to L.A. on the Record — our City Hall newsletter. It’s David Zahniser, with an assist from Noah Goldberg and Melissa Gomez, giving you the latest on city and county government.

It’s long been the Holy Grail for the reform crowd that tracks L.A. city government: expanding the size of the City Council.

The idea of giving L.A. more council members was endorsed by the city’s redistricting commission in 2021. Two years later, the concept was debated at length by a council committee focused on reform. After that panel failed to reach a decision, the idea was assigned to the city’s Charter Reform Commission, which endorsed the change, saying the council should have 25 members, up from 15.

Yet even after that five-year journey, the council voted Wednesday to push a proposed ballot measure on that topic off to the future, sending the idea to a new reform committee for more deliberations.

So what happened this time around?

For one thing, the 13-member citizens commission that recommended the idea didn’t offer a lot of specifics on how the change would work.

The commission recommended 10 additional council members, a move that would cause each district to shed more than 100,000 residents, leaving each member with about 159,000 constituents.

But it never explained whether that decrease should be accompanied by a similar reduction in a council member’s salary, now nearly $245,000 a year.

“That’s one of the reasons why [council expansion] is slated for further study,” Councilmember Bob Blumenfield said in an interview. “While the commission might have had a nice discussion and a negotiation among themselves, what we need to have in front of us to vote responsibly is context and information.”

A councilmember’s pay could be a major sticking point for voters during a campaign over council expansion — especially if an opposition campaign arose to defeat it.

Blumenfield said the commission failed to vet other issues, including the number of council aides needed for each district if a district is smaller.

Councilmember Tim McOsker expressed a similar view.

“I think there were gaps in what the commission proposed — substantive gaps,” he said.

Backers of council expansion have argued that an increase in the number of districts would make the council more responsive and more diverse. Opponents said bigger does not necessarily mean better representation.

Raymond Meza, who chaired the Charter Reform Commission, acknowledged that pay, staffing and the cost of each council office didn’t come up during his panel’s deliberations. Those questions should have fallen to the council, which reviews and approves the city budget each year, he said.

“They would need to figure this out through the budget process, like they figure out most other things in the city,” he said.

Meza said he believes that, in the end, council members didn’t want to dilute their own power. Former City Councilmember Mike Bonin offered a similar take, saying elected officials generally don’t want to risk changing the system that got them into office.

“They are in power because of the way the system is structured,” said Bonin, who now runs the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs at Cal State LA.

Before sidelining the expansion proposal, Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson said a larger council would shift the balance of power at City Hall, giving the mayor greater authority and the council less of it.

In the end, none of these delays may end up mattering. No one at City Hall expected council expansion to happen until 2032 anyway, since the change would require a new round of redistricting — the process of drawing new boundaries for each council district. Redistricting won’t happen until after the release of results from the 2030 U.S. Census.

In other words, there’s still time for voters to act.

What happened to the City Hall misconduct measure?

Here’s another proposal that got shunted to the sidelines during the council’s eight-hour marathon meeting: what to do about city elected officials who are charged with serious crimes.

Charter reform was, in part, a reaction to a string of corruption scandals. Among them: three sitting council members who were charged with felonies between 2020 and 2023.

In each case, council members had to decide whether to use their power, spelled out in the City Charter, to suspend colleagues accused of wrongdoing — stripping away their duties until their criminal cases were resolved.

The council moved swiftly to suspend then-Councilmember Jose Huizar in 2020, taking action the day he was arrested, before he even pleaded “not guilty” to racketeering and other charges. The council suspended then-Councilmember Mark Ridley-Thomas in 2021 after a lengthy floor debate, with some saying he was being denied his due process rights. (Ridley-Thomas, who was found guilty of seven felonies, is fighting his conviction.)

A few years later, the council decided not to suspend Councilmember Curren Price, allowing him to step off of his council committees but preserving his other council duties as he contests charges of embezzlement, perjury and conflict-of-interest violations.

Although the case is still ongoing, Price is back on various city committees.

Each of those cases put the council in a bind. Voting in favor of suspension can mean depriving a council member’s constituents of representation. It also runs counter to the idea that a colleague is innocent until proven guilty.

Voting against suspension has its own set of dangers, such as undermining trust in city government. It could also allow an elected official accused of wrongdoing to continue taking part in decisions about contracts, real estate development and other matters where the potential for corruption exists.

Under the current system, a council member can be suspended with just eight votes. Harris-Dawson, who supported the suspension of Huizar but opposed it for Ridley-Thomas, said early on that he wanted the Charter Reform Commission to look at the process for disciplining elected officials accused of wrongdoing.

The Charter Reform Commission offered its answer two months ago, recommending that the council retain the power to suspend, but only with a three-fourths vote — 12 out of 15. That safeguard was meant to guard against potential abuses of power, said Meza, the former commission chair.

The council declined to put that idea on the ballot, saying it needs more study.

Asked about that decision, Harris-Dawson said he has long had serious problems with the idea that “one set of elected officials could suspend another set of elected officials.” He suggested that a third party in another branch of government — not the council — determine whether a member merits suspension.

Under that arrangement, the council could initiate the process but leave it to a judge or other party to make the final call, he said.

“I personally think that we have checks and balances in government that should be respected,” Harris-Dawson said.

A last-minute union threat

One ballot proposal that did survive this week’s gauntlet of votes was a plan to increase, not decrease, the council’s power. That proposal, backed by Councilmember Hugo Soto–Martínez, would give the council the authority to set policy at the Los Angeles Police Department.

But even that proposal may be in danger, thanks to a dispute that has erupted between the city’s labor negotiators and the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the union representing rank-and-file officers.

Union leadership said this week that the league was not formally asked by management to meet and confer over various charter proposals dealing with the LAPD, including the one focused on policy. That step is legally required before such measures can be sent to voters, the union said.

City Administrative Officer Matt Szabo, the city’s chief labor negotiator, told council members on Monday that his office sent three emails to various employee units asking if they wanted to confer over the charter changes. He said his office received no response from the police union.

A day later, after learning of Szabo’s remarks, the league fired back.

In a letter to council members, the union said it only received emails about charter reform that had nothing to do with policing. Those emails did not constitute a formal invitation to meet and confer about potential changes at the LAPD, the union said.

The city “did not follow the law and did not formally contact us,” union President Ricky Mendoza said in a statement.

The council voted to draft the change in LAPD policy making, pending a confidential report from the city attorney on whether the city first has to bargain with the police union. Council members cast that vote even after the union demanded that they suspend any further consideration of the proposal for the Nov. 3 ballot.

If the city attorney concludes that the LAPD ballot proposal does not require further talks, the Police Protective League will file a lawsuit to protect its members’ legal rights, union officials said.

On Wednesday, Szabo said the proposal to give the council power over LAPD policy decisions doesn’t require collective bargaining.

The proposal to give council say over policy at the LAPD wasn’t the only one focused on that department. Another measure discussed by the council would have given the police chief power to terminate alleged problem officers.

The council sent it to a committee for more study. The union said that proposal also would have required a meet and confer process.

State of play

— CITY CHARTER GRAB BAG: As noted earlier, the council voted to draft an assortment of charter amendments for the Nov. 3 ballot, including one to allow the council to give noncitizen residents the right to vote in local elections. The council also ordered up a measure doubling the amount of money allocated for the Department of Recreation and Parks, discarding an alternative plan that would have increased it by 50%. Other measures would switch the city to a two-year budget process and require a five-year plan for maintaining and upgrading city infrastructure.

— KNOWING ME, KNOWING ULA: Looking to boost apartment construction, the council backed a surprise plan to rewrite Measure ULA, the tax on high-end property sales passed by voters in 2022 and sometimes called the mansion tax. The council voted 9-5 to instruct the city’s lawyers to draft a measure exempting apartment buildings sold within 10 years of construction from having to pay the tax. Another vote will be needed to get it on the ballot.

— ZOO STORY: Membership at the Los Angeles Zoo has fallen by 23% over the past year, dropping from 36,914 in April 2025 to 28,440 in February, according to a report issued by the Los Angeles County civil grand jury. That report urged the city to create a new public-private partnership to run the facility, saying such a move will be critical for the zoo’s long-term survival.

— SHERIFF SUBPOENAS: L.A. County’s Civilian Oversight Commission is suing the Sheriff’s Department, asking a judge to order the release of records on three use-of-force incidents involving its deputies. The commission issued three subpoenas to the agency in February 2025, but according to the suit, the department has declined to fully comply.

— UNION DUES AND DON’TS: A former high-level officer with L.A.’s firefighter union has been accused of stealing more than $82,000 from a charity for injured firefighters to pay for his online gambling, his mortgage and other personal expenses. Adam Walker, former secretary of United Firefighters of Los Angeles City Local 112, was charged with one count each of grand theft and forgery, prosecutors announced Wednesday.

— DOG DISASTER: The Los Angeles Police Department is facing a public outcry after its officers shot and killed the dog of a woman celebrating the New York Knicks’ NBA championship in Canoga Park. Video on social media showed the dog’s owner sobbing and hugging her dog, who was wearing a Knicks T-shirt, as several LAPD officers stood nearby.

— BASS WEIGHS IN: The Canoga Park incident prompted Mayor Karen Bass to issue a statement promising a thorough and transparent investigation into the death of Jameson, the dog killed by the LAPD. “Every life lost to violence is a tragedy, and we know that the devastating loss of Jameson will be felt by his family forever,” she said. “I have spoken directly to the Chief to ensure a full investigation and accountability for any wrongdoing.”

— OFFICE FIRE: A fire broke out at a building in Pacific Palisades where former mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt maintained an office for his crystals company. Pratt, whose home burned in the 2025 Palisades fire, called the latest blaze “very suspicious.” The fire department said it’s investigating.

QUICK HITS

• Where is Inside Safe? The mayor’s signature program to address homelessness went to a stretch of Silver Lake Boulevard that passes under the 101 Freeway. That area is represented by Soto-Martínez.
• On the docket next week: The council meets Wednesday to take up the massive 4th & Central project, which calls for offices, retail space and nearly 1,600 units of housing on a 7.6-acre site in downtown.

Stay in touch

That’s it for this week! Send your questions, comments and gossip to LAontheRecord@latimes.com. Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up here to get it in your inbox every Saturday morning.

Tampa Bay Rays center fielder Cedric Mullins crashed chest first into the blue padding of the wall as he made one last-ditch effort to save his team from a Dodgers home run. His glove, though, came up empty.

Not even a leaping Mullins, one of baseball’s veteran home-run robbers, could stop Freddie Freeman from doing what the Dodgers first baseman does best: hitting clutch home runs.

Freeman’s two-run home run in the sixth inning Wednesday, set up by Andy Pages’ double an at-bat earlier, lifted the Dodgers to a 5-4 win that allowed them to maintain a season-high nine-game lead over their closest National League West rival, the San Diego Padres (38-35). For the Dodgers (48-27), it was their sixth sweep of the season — all while surviving a shaky start on the mound by the usually unshakable Shohei Ohtani.

“He’s like a lot of our guys — when they feel good, they get their rest, production follows,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Freeman. “He’s been good for quite some time.”

If Ohtani’s left knee inflammation was bothering the four-time MVP, it didn’t seem to pose that great of a threat as he pitched the first four innings, and he pinch-hit in the sixth inning for Miguel Rojas, who had started at designated hitter.

Tampa Bay (41-30) eventually broke through in the fifth inning, scoring four runs on small-ball hits that found just enough grass. No particular pitch seemed particularly off for Ohtani, though the Rays connected more on his four-seam fastball that inning than the others. A bleeding blister that opened up didn’t help either.

“The stuff was good,” Roberts said. “The sweeper wasn’t as lights out, swing and miss as we’ve seen. He still always finds a way to manage innings and make pitches when he needs to, but yeah, I mean, I think that he was still kind of working through some delivery stuff with the knee.”

A handful of unlucky plays in the fifth left the Dodgers vulnerable. Take Mullins’ single to Freeman. Mullins hit the ball hard enough that Freeman, more than a handful of steps away from first base, wouldn’t be able to make the play unassisted. Ohtani tried his hardest to match Mullins’ speed but couldn’t.

“There was a little confusion with the Shohei inning, as far as you know, Freddie going to second, then Shohei thinking that, so giving them an extra out there,” Roberts said.

After a five-hit inning, Ohtani escaped on a bunt that went to Tommy Edman — playing third base in his return from the injured list — who threw to first for the third out. Ohtani’s ERA, after he surrendered a season-worst four earned runs, rose to 1.47 but still is second only to Milwaukee’s Jacob Misiorowski among pitchers with at least 70 innings.

Shohei Ohtani gave up a season-worst four earned runs in the fifth inning Wednesday.

(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)

“I felt good overall,” Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton. “It’s just really that inning, that fifth inning, that I wasn’t really too pleased. But aside from that, the stuff was good and felt pretty good overall.”

Rays starter Shane McClanahan also ran into trouble in the fourth inning. Alex Call singled in Mookie Betts for the first run, then stole second base. Call sprinted home on an Alex Freeland single, his helmet popping off and skidding a couple of feet into the grass as he crossed home.

McClanahan left the game with the bases loaded after the left-hander walked Edman — his only time reaching base in an 0-for-3 day — before Pages ended the inning by lining out softly to short against Casey Legumina.

The Dodgers came up short in another bases-loaded opportunity the next inning, squandering a chance to take the lead. Kyle Tucker pushed one run across on a bases-loaded walk. Yet, with no outs, the next three batters — Call, Dalton Rushing and Freeland — went down in order. The Dodgers finished with 11 runners left on base, which nearly cost them.

Alex Vesia put the potential tying run on base with a walk and spent most of his ninth-inning outing with Tampa Bay’s Austin Slater on second. The Dodgers intentionally walked Yandy Díaz with two outs to face Jonathan Aranda, who earned a walk. With the bases loaded, Vesia struck out Mullins swinging to end the game. It capped a stretch of nine scoreless innings by the bullpen in this series after the unit struggled during the team’s recent trip.

“I put myself into that mess,” Vesia said with a small smile while shaking his head. “Rush and I were just — I was leaning on him, to be honest. He had some good words of encouragement during a couple meetings. Just trust my stuff. I felt like I was nibbling around the edge. Overall, I’ll take it. It was a good win for all of us.”

Injury updates

Teoscar Hernández, out with a hamstring injury, is scheduled to take live batting practice Thursday. A simulated game is also in the works for the 33-year-old outfielder before a rehab game early next week, Roberts said.

Will Smith is unlikely to be reinstated Friday when he is eligible to come off the injured list. The Dodgers still are trying to figure out ways to make sure he doesn’t regress once the catcher comes back from a neck injury. He did a full workout Tuesday.

“I don’t want to put a say on when he’s going to play,” Roberts said. “But each day is getting better.”

Iran has said it remains committed to implementing the MoU signed with the United States. However, Tehran warned that it would take reciprocal measures if Washington fails to honour its obligations under the agreement.

More than 80 people received treatment after the crash and 28 remain in hospital.

At least nine people remain in critical condition after two passenger trains crashed into each other and killed one driver near Bedford, about 56 miles (90km) north of London.

British Transport Police said on Saturday that more than 80 people had received hospital treatment on Friday night after the trains collided.

“As of this morning, 28 remain in hospital, and nine are in a critical condition,” Chief Constable Lucy D’Orsi said.

She added that “specialist investigators from British Transport Police are working with colleagues at the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) to gather the facts and determine what has happened”.

Moreover, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said that it was “too early to speculate” on the cause of the crash, and promised that “a thorough investigation … to ensure that lessons are learnt” would be launched.

Friday’s crash involved two London-bound trains on the same track, according to East Midlands Railway (EMR), which operates both services.

On Friday, police confirmed that the driver of one of the trains had died at the scene.

In a statement from Buckingham Palace, King Charles said he was “greatly saddened” by the incident and sent “his thoughts and sympathies” to the dead driver’s family and to those injured.

The East of England Ambulance Service said on Saturday that 11 people sustained “very serious” injuries, while a further 32 suffered serious wounds and 56 others had minor injuries.

EMR’s managing director, Will Rogers, also called the crash “a profoundly sad day for the railway community”.

“We are deeply saddened that our driver has tragically died, and a number of other people have suffered injuries,” he said, speaking at the scene alongside other officials.

He added that EMR was “fully supporting” the RAIB probe.

More than 20 ambulances, specialist hazardous area rescue teams and six air ambulances were dispatched to the scene of Friday’s crash.

While the investigation continues, officials have not said whether signalling issues played a role in the incident.

KATIE Price has made a cryptic post about the hardship couples who are meant to be together sometimes face.

The TV star, 48, took to Instagram to share a quote for her followers and left it standing alone with no extra input on her story.

The quote reads: “Sometimes the two people who are truly meant for each other will face the hardest battles.”

Upon clicking on the post the quote expands to share more detail, continuing to say: “Not because they are wrong for each other. But because the world will test everything real.

“Love like that doesn’t come easy. It’s built through pain. Distance. Misunderstandings. Growth.

“But if they can hold on through the chaos. If they choose each other over and over again. They’ll find something most people only dream of.

JAIL TRUTH

I know exactly why Lee was banged up in Dubai – & why he may end up back in jail

FAME GAME

Princess Andre puts mum’s issues to one side as she makes This Morning debut

“A love that didn’t just survive the storm. But became unbreakable because of it.”

The post comes shortly after Katie’s husband Lee Andrews was released from Dubai’s Al Awir prison.

After being accused of spying Lee claimed he was captured at gunpoint and ‘slapped around’ before Katie managed to save him.

He then praised his wife for her help in getting British authorities involved in his release.

Posting a video of himself on social media, Lee said: “Hi everyone, this is Lee. I’ve been missing now for several weeks. I can tell you I’m now safe and healthy and with my wife.

“I was taken close to the Hatta-Oman border by men at gunpoint and then I was captured by men with assault rifles.

“They did slap me around a little bit, little s***s, and I was hand-tied, shackled and also had a hood over my head.

“From there I was taken to a black site and I had no use of my phone and from what I know it was an extended arm of the National Guard and that’s all I can reveal at the moment.

“I have signed disclaimers now with state security and from there I was put into the system.

“At no point have I faced anything to do with fraud allegations or any criminal activities such as that.

“So thank you to Katie for making such a noise where the UAE actually listened and let me go.”

However, UAE officials debunked his claims he was in jail for spying and confirmed he has spent the past four weeks behind bars on suspicion of fraud.

Katie appeared to accept his story, sharing Lee’s video on Instagram saying: “My husband is back. I love you.”

The Sports Report Hall of Fame, other colleges edition

Those of you who read the Dodgers Dugout newsletter know that for the last few years, we have done a Dodgers Dugout Hall of Fame, asking readers to vote for former Dodgers whom they believe should be in this more fan-oriented Hall of Fame. Clayton Kershaw was the most recent inductee.

Which got me thinking (always a dangerous thing), what if we had a Sports Report Hall of Fame, as selected by the readers, of people who made a huge impact on the local sports scene?

The way it works: Each Thursday over the next few weeks, you will see a list of candidates. A different category each week.

This week, the category is the other colleges. You can vote for up to 15 people. You don’t have to vote for 15, you can vote for any number up to and including 15. Your vote should depend on what the person did on and off the field only as a member of their school. The rest of their career doesn’t count.

If there’s a name not on here that you think should be, please send me an email so that person can be included in next year’s ballot.

Any records mentioned are at the time that person retired.

Whoever is named on at least 75% of the ballots will be elected. The 10 people receiving the fewest votes will be dropped from future ballots for at least the next two years. A person must be retired as a player to appear on the ballot.

How do you vote? For this week’s ballot, click here. Results will be announced every Tuesday.

So, without further ado, here is the ballot for the other sports/colleges category.

Abe Alvarez—One of the greatest pitchers in Long Beach State history. The all-time winningest left-hander in school history who won back-to-back Big West Pitcher of the Year awards in 2002 and 2003.

Damon Allen—A four-year quarterback (1981-84) and three-year pitcher (1983-85) at Cal State Fullerton. He led the football team to its only two conference (Pacific Coast Athletic Assn.) championships in 1983 and 1984.

Dain Blanton—At Pepperdine, lettered for four seasons (1991-94) as an outside hitter. Blanton was a key member of the 1992 NCAA championship team. Still holds the Pepperdine record for digs per game (2.30), and previously held the career record for total digs (707).

Lynn Biyendolo—The first Pepperdine Wave to represent Team USA on the international stage, Biyendolo was the 2011 West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year and eventually became a three-time All-West Region and WCC First Team selection. As a senior, Biyendolo put together an All-American season and helped the Waves reach the NCAA Round of 16 for just the third time in program history.

Doug Christie—A men’s basketball player at Pepperdine, Christie earned All-American honorable mention honors in his junior and senior seasons, and was named the West Coast Conference’s Player of the Year in both 1991 and 1992. He led the team in scoring, assists and steals both seasons and Pepperdine won both WCC regular-season and tournament titles and advanced to the NCAA tournament.

Tara Cross-Battle—A four-time All-American in women’s volleyball, Cross-Battle was the NCAA Player of the Year in 1988 and 1989. When she graduated, she had recorded more kills (2,767) than any man or woman in NCAA history and is or was the holder of nearly every Long Beach State record.

Bob Ctvrtlik—Though he played men’s volleyball at Pepperdine for just one season (1985), Ctvrtlik was the National Player of the Year and led the Waves to the national title. Ctvrtlik led the 1985 squad with 424 kills, 103 digs and 27 service aces and was named MVP of the NCAA tournament.

John Fishel—Holds NCAA records for the most career games played (295) and at-bats (1,114). He was the Most Outstanding Player of the 1984 College World Series.

Jeff Fryer—A key member of Loyola Marymount’s run to the Elite Eight in 1990. Averaged 22.7 points per game in 1990 and finished his career averaging 17.2 points, hitting 363 three-pointers.

Augie Garrido—While at Cal State Fullerton, Garrido’s baseball teams won three national championships, made seven College World Series appearances and 16 conference championships including 11 in a row (1974-84). Four times he won national coach of the year honors.

Hank Gathers—While at Loyola Marymount, Gathers led the nation in scoring (32.7) and rebounding (13.7 RPG) as a junior, only the second player at the time to lead the NCAA in both categories in the same season. LMU’s all-time leading scorer with 2,490 points.

Ashley Gonzales—Long Beach State’s career goals scored leader with 36, Gonzales was a dangerous striker for women’s soccer who led the school to three NCAA tournaments in her four seasons.

Dan Haren—As a pitcher at Pepperdine, Haren won Freshman All-American honors in 1999 from Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball. He was also the West Coast Conference’s Freshman of the Year. In 2001, he earned All-American second team honors and was named conference player of the year after going 11-3 with a 2.22 ERA and hitting .308 with five home runs and 47 runs batted in. Pepperdine advanced to NCAA Regional play in both 1999 and 2001.

Bo Kimble—Led Loyola Marymount to the Elite Eight in 1990 and led the nation in scoring with 35.5 points per game. Only player in school history to score 50 points in a game and he did it four times.

Billie Jean King—While her collegiate career was interrupted repeatedly by national and international competition, she won the Ojai Tennis Tournament intercollegiate singles title while playing for Cal State L.A.

Shayna Kimbrough—An outstanding shortstop for Long Beach State, and one of just two players in Big West history to be named the Big West Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year.

Mark Kotsay—Won the 1995 Golden Spikes Award while at Cal State Fullerton as the nation’s best college baseball player and is an inductee into the College Baseball Hall of Fame.

Evan Longoria—Spent two seasons at Long Beach State, hitting .336 with 16 home runs with 73 RBIs. The Big West Co-Player of the Year in 2006, Longoria was a Golden Spikes Award finalist.

Kevin Magee—A two-time All-American in the early 1980s while playing basketball at UC Irvine, Magee was also the PCAA Player of the Year in 1980–81 and 1981–82. In those two seasons, he averaged 26.3 points and 12.3 rebounds per game. Was a first-team All-American in 1981, when he became the first player in NCAA history to finish in the top four in three statistical categories, finishing third in the country in scoring (27.5), second in field-goal percentage (67.1) and fourth in rebounding (12.5).

Misty May-Treanor—Led the Long Beach State women’s volleyball team to an undefeated 34-0 national championship season in 1998.

Phil Nevin—Led Cal State Fullerton to the College Baseball World Series title game in 1992 and won the Golden Spikes Award.

Christian Okoye—The most celebrated athlete in Azusa Pacific history. Was a nine-time NAIA champion in track and field and a two-time NAIA All-American first team pick in football. On the track, Okoye led Azusa Pacific to four straight NAIA Outdoor Track and Field national championship titles (1983-86). He was the first person in NAIA history to win the discus four years, setting the NAIA record in the process with a heave of 208-4 in 1985. When Okoye was not selected for the Nigerian Olympic team of the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Games, he turned his attention for the first time ever to football and became one of the greatest running backs in small college football history, setting 14 school records and, in 1986, leading all of college football by averaging 186.7 rushing yards a game.

Mark O’Meara—As junior men’s golfer at Long Beach State in 1987, O’Meara won the U.S., California and Mexican amateur championships.

Mark Pringle—Despite playing just two seasons at Cal State Fullerton, he became the program leader in rushing touchdowns, and is second in rushing yards and scoring. In 1989, he set the single season all-purpose yards record with 2,690. Pringle also shared the NCAA single-game rushing record at one point with 357 yards against New Mexico State.

John Rambo—He led the Long Beach State basketball team in scoring in 1965 (20.3 points per game) and dominated in track. He was a two-time national champion in the high jump and, in 1964, jumped 7-1 to earn a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

Ed Ratleff—A two-time consensus All-American at a time when only 12 players in NCAA history had done so, Ratleff led Long Beach State to conference titles and NCAA tournament appearances in 1971, 1972 and 1973. He finished his three-year career as the school’s all-time scoring, rebounding and assist leader.

Sam Robinson—Jerry Tarkanian’s first recruit to Long Beach, Robinson led the 49ers to a pair of conference titles. He averaged 19.7 points and 10.3 rebounds a game during the 1969-70 season when Long Beach went 24-5 and earned its first invitation to the NCAA tournament. In 1970, Robinson became the first 49er taken in a pro basketball draft.

TJ Robinson—Still the only Long Beach State player to grab over 1,000 rebounds in his career, with 1,208. Fifth in career scoring with 1,718 points, Robinson was part of Long Beach State’s “Fab Four,” starting as freshman and winning back-to-back Big West titles before leading them to the 2011-12 NCAA tournament.

Terry Schroeder—Played men’s water polo for four seasons at Pepperdine and was the head coach for 20 seasons. As a player, earned three All-American awards and set school records for goals in a career (392) and season (138 in 1978). As head coach, he posted a career record of 340-220 and took Pepperdine to the NCAA championships eight times, including the program’s only national championship in 1997.

Steve Scott—Still holds the UC Irvine record in the 1,500 meters. The UC Irvine Steve Scott Invitational is named after him. Won the 1977 NCAA Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Division I championships 1,500-meter title after winning the 1,500 twice and the mile once at three previous NCAA Division II meets.

Jim Snyder—Played tennis for UC Irvine and was the first in school history to be named Big West Men’s Tennis Player of the Year in 1981, then won it again in 1982 and 1983. Won three straight Big West individual singles and doubles titles. First Anteater to qualify for the NCAA Division I tournament in singles. Compiled a 132-53 record and is still UC Irvine’s all-time singles wins leader.

Dwight Stones—Dominated the high jump while at Long Beach State. Set a world record on June 5, 1976 when Stones jumped 7-7 to win the NCAA championship.

Andy Sythe—Retired after 35 years as coach of the Cal State Long Beach track and field team. Over his tenure, he was named Big West Track and Field Coach of the Year 11 times.

Jerry Tarkanian—Compiling a 121-20 mark in his five years coaching Long Beach State men’s basketball. During that span, his teams won one California Collegiate and four Pacific Coach Athletic Assn. championships. Tarkanian’s last four 49er teams qualified for the NCAA Tournament and his 1971 team came within inches of the Final Four, losing to UCLA, 57-55.

Penny Toler—Key member of two Long Beach State Final Four teams in 1987 and 1988, Toler was a two-time All-American and a two-time Pacific Coast Athletic Assn. Player of the Year.

Jenny Topping—One of the most decorated players in softball history. She won an Olympic gold medal with Team USA at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens and was inducted into the Cal State Fullerton Athletics Hall of Fame.

Troy Tulowitzki—Started at shortstop for three years for Long Beach State. A second-team All-Big West selection as a freshman, Tulowitzki then made two first-team All-Big West teams while also earning All-America honors as a junior. Hit .310 over his career with 20 home runs, Tulowitzki then became the highest draft pick in school history, drafted No. 7 overall by the Colorado Rockies.

Tim Wallach—Won the 1979 Golden Spikes Award while at Cal State Fullerton.

Jered Weaver—Won seven different national player of the year awards after the 2004 season, during which Weaver led the nation in wins (15) and strikeouts (213), finishing the season with a 1.62 ERA and a 15-1 record over 144 innings. That capped a career that saw Weaver post a 37-9 overall record with a 2.43 ERA and 431 strikeouts with 73 walks. He holds the Long Beach State and Big West career records in wins and strikeouts, and also leads the school record books in innings pitched (370), starts (55), and consecutive wins (14).

Randy Wolf—Went 25-8 overall at Pepperdine and posted a 1.97 earned-run average with 328 strikeouts in 315 innings pitched. On Pepperdine’s all-time lists, he finished his career first in strikeouts and shutouts, second in ERA, fifth in innings pitched and seventh in wins. Wolf’s Pepperdine team won the 1995 WCC championship and advanced to the 1995 NCAA West Regional. During his time at Pepperdine, he pitched for the U.S. National Team in 1995 and 1996 and posted a 6-0 record.

Leon Wood—While at Cal State Fullerton, he led the United States’ men’s basketball team to gold in 1984, playing point guard. Earlier that year he earned first-team All-American honors.

You can vote here. You can vote for up to 15 people.

Voting is still open in these categories:

To vote in the UCLA ballot, click here.

To vote in the USC ballot, click here.

To vote in the NHL ballot, click here.

The inductees so far:

MLB
Don Drysdale
Clayton Kershaw
Sandy Koufax
Vin Scully
Fernando Valenzuela

NBA
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Elgin Baylor
Kobe Bryant
Chick Hearn
Magic Johnson
Jerry West

NFL
Deacon Jones
Merlin Olsen
Eric Dickerson

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.

June 19 (UPI) — A federal judge on Friday told the U.S. Department of Justice it cannot release a transcript and recording of former President Joe Biden and his biographer’s conversations.

Although U.S. District Court Judge Dabney Friedrich had earlier in the day denied Biden’s request for an injunction, she nonetheless told the department to wait three weeks for the release as his lawyers file an appeal, ABC News and CBS News reported.

Redacted versions of a transcript and recording of conversations between Biden and the ghostwriter of his biography, Mark Zwonitzer, were set to be released by the Justice Department on Friday afternoon after Friedrich’s initial ruling.

The recordings had been set for release to the conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation, which filed a Freedom of Information Act request in 2024 based on reports of Biden’s handling of sensitive and secret government records during the years between serving as vice president to President Barack Obama and being elected to the White House himself.

“Biden has not identified any public harm that would arise absent an injunction in this case,” Friedrich wrote in her decision.

“The harm to Biden’s diminished privacy interest is outweighed by the public’s interest in the Zwonitzer materials and FOIA’s ‘policy of broad disclosure of Government documents in order to ensure an informed citizenry, vital to the functioning of a democratic society,” she wrote.

Biden’s attorney’s argued that the conversations for his book were not intended to have been released and that the public’s only interest is because of the government records case, which investigators referred to in their report.

Biden was not charged or alleged of any wrongdoing after the investigation because while evidence suggested that he “willfully retained and disclosed classified material,” his guilt for having done so could not be fully established for a successful prosecution, investigators said at the time.

The new Air Force VC-25B Bridge jet “has officially arrived at the Presidential Airlift Group and will commence its initial commissioning flights, marking the successful delivery of a secure, modified executive platform,” the Air Force announced Friday afternoon. As we have reported in the past, this modified, Qatari-gifted 747-8i, is set to serve as an interim Air Force One aircraft ahead of the much-delayed arrival of two fully outfitted VC-25Bs from Boeing. The jet wears President Trump’s preferred paint scheme, a major change for dedicated Air Force One aircraft, which have worn the Kennedy-era scheme for over 60 years.

Commissioning flights are the “final exam” for the aircraft modification, the Air Force explained in a media release. “They provide both an opportunity for the White House enterprise to validate mission-capability, while also finalizing protocols required to safely and securely transport the President of the United States and enable his execution of his three constitutional roles; Chief Executive, Commander in Chief, and Head of State.”

Once these flights are successfully completed, the aircraft is officially “commissioned” into the active executive airlift fleet and becomes available for presidential missions along with the VC-25A and C-32 fleets, the service added in a release that included the new jet in its Trump-preferred red, white and blue livery.

You can read all about the program and the controversy surrounding it, especially having to do with the level of security and connectivity this aircraft provides, in our previous story here.

The VC-25B appears to be in the presidential hangar facility at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. You can read more about that in our story here.

UPDATE: 4:14 PM EDT –

Trump held a press conference at the presidential hangar facility to talk about the VC-25B. Here are some highlights.

“Our pilots, designers, and engineers prepared an aircraft that is the largest Air Force One ever built. It flies further and faster than any Air Force One. Those are incredible engines. You may never have to stop for fuel. They call it unlimited — well, it’s pretty close to unlimited. And it is among the most beautiful aircraft the Air Force will ever see or operate. You’ll never have this opportunity again.”

“With the extraordinary devotion of many of you here today, this plane was transformed into a flying White House — at a level of luxury nobody’s ever seen before — in only 10 months, a timeframe no one thought possible. They put a lot of things on here that normally you wouldn’t. Great protective mechanisms, the latest and greatest in every aspect.”

“We have communications equipment up there that nobody’s ever seen before — the highest level, including Starlink. My friend Elon is going to be very happy. We have four or five different sets of double and triple communications systems like people haven’t seen. It represents what can happen with hard work, innovation, and aggressive timelines.”

“So we had it all painted up in the new colors — red, white, and blue. We liked the baby blue, but it was time for a change. This is the sleekest look. When they asked what color I wanted, I said, “I like the colors of the American flag.” That makes sense. All of the planes in the fleet are being changed to this look — a much better look, and a more appropriate one.”

“The workmanship of this plane — when you see it, you won’t believe it. The quality of the woods, the quality of the materials, the quality of the engines. These engines are the finest and best in the world. Nothing like it. So it’s really an honor, and I want to thank the Emir of Qatar. He’s a fantastic guy. He went through a lot over the last few months.”

• On the VC-25A he used to fly to the G7 summit:

“My return from the G7 summit was the last planned trip aboard the VC-25A — the 747. We’ll probably do the museum thing. We’ll get them fixed up a little, and put them in museums. They’re great planes and great history. It’s a plane that was authorized by President Ronald Reagan so many years ago. It was flown by every president since George H.W. Bush, and it was a great plane. We had very little trouble with it. Boeing has done a fantastic job — they charge too much, but we’re going to get the prices down. Over its lifetime, that aircraft traveled to 96 countries on 223 international trips and flew over 6 million miles. It became the most famous airplane in the entire world. And as you know, it’s actually two planes — Air Force One is two planes, totally identical. The only way I can tell them apart is a slight difference in the wood grain on the desk. They became the most famous airplanes in the world.”

• On the July 4 capital flyover:

“So we’re going to have a big July 4th at the Capitol — flying over the Capitol. The generals promise to do a lot — not just one pass. They’ll do a little back and forth.”

UPDATE: 5:02 PM EDT –

Author’s note: Trump’s statement that his “return from the G7 summit was the last planned trip aboard the VC-25A” contradicts what the Air Force told us yesterday:

“The VC-25B Bridge aircraft will soon join the active executive airlift fleet alongside the VC-25A and C-32,” an Air Force spokesperson told TWZ this morning, but did not offer a firm timeline. When asked if this also meant that both of the VC-25As would remain in the service’s active executive airlift fleet, the same spokesperson said “yes.”

UPDATE 5:25 PM EDT –

Trump left his mark on the aircraft with his signature.

Jon Snow went into a “deep depression” after retiring from Channel 4.

Jon Snow’s wife has revealed they felt he was “struck off” following his dementia diagnosis.

The veteran broadcaster will feature in the one-off 90-minute documentary Jon Snow: A Last Big Story, as he exposes injustice while fighting for a Zambian community whose homes have been demolished by mining operations.

The Channel 4 News presenter will also speak candidly about his Alzheimer’s diagnosis in 2023, two years after stepping down from his long-running career.

Audiences will also be introduced to Snow’s wife, who joins the renowned journalist on his journey to Zambia as he “rediscovers his purpose”.

Who is Jon Snow’s wife?

Former Channel 4 presenter Jon Snow is married to Dr Precious Lunga, a Zimbabwean epidemiologist and neuroscientist.

Born in Rhodesia, she pursued her studies in the UK, obtaining a PhD from the University of Cambridge.

Currently, she serves as CEO and co-founder of Baobab Circle, an award-winning health technology firm utilising AI to tackle the rising challenge of chronic diseases such as diabetes throughout Africa.

Jon, 78, and Precious, 51, first crossed paths on the Caribbean island of Mustique in 2001, tying the knot nine years later in 2010.

The couple went on to welcome a son via surrogacy in March 2021, marking the third time Jon has become a father, having previously had two daughters with his former partner of 35 years, human rights lawyer Madeleine Colvin.

Prior to Jon Snow: A Last Big Story, Precious described how her husband fell into a “deep depression” for six months following his retirement.

Speaking candidly with Anita Rai on Woman’s House, she revealed why Jon has chosen to go public about his condition.

“He said ‘if I don’t speak out who will?'”, Precious began.

“It is something that affected his own mother and affects so many people.

“He felt that when someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s they are written off, but it’s not like you fall off a cliff.

“It’s a gradual degradation of the brain. It doesn’t mean you still can’t contribute to the world and he felt he still had so much to give, which is why he decided to make this documentary.”

Precious also revealed that she was initially hesitant about appearing in the Channel 4 documentary, but quickly had a change of heart.

She said: “What helped me overcome it was the fact I am one of over one million people affected by dementia.

“That helped me get over the nervousness of telling our story. It is not the end and we are looking for opportunities to enjoy our life.”

Jon Snow: A Last Big Story airs tonight, Sunday, June 21, at 8pm, on Channel 4.

UNLIKE other English lidos, this is one you would completely miss if it you didn’t know it was there.

Burford Bridge Lido is tucked away in the grounds of the Sunday Box Hill Burford Bridge Hotel just outside of Dorking.

The peaceful spot is so idyllic that some visitors have said being there makes them feel like they’re “on holiday”.

Stretching 20 metres long, it is heated between 28C-32C.

Between May and September, the pool is open seven days a week to the public who can book morning, afternoon or evening sessions.

Surrounding the lido are plenty of sun loungers, parasols and towel hire which swimmers can take advantage of.

CHEAP DATE

Our fave cheap European destinations with flights under £20 & hotels from £24pp

IT’S A WASHOUT

UK indoor waterparks with VIP spas, mega slides and 30C tropical climates

You can get food and drink there too which is served up from the hotel restaurant.

On offer there are pizzas, salads and burgers, there’s also a children’s menu as well as soft and alcoholic drinks.

As the lido is found on the site of the Sunday Box Hill Burford Bridge Hotel, guests get access to the lido included in their stay.

And over the years, it has been one of the prime selling-points of the hotel.

One visitor wrote on Tripadvisor: “The gardens are a delight, particularly the heated outdoor swimming pool. That was the icing on the cake!”

Another said: “I love outdoor swimming so the amazing 27’ temperature beautiful pool below Box Hill with fab facilities and lifeguards was a treat!”

A third commented: “An unexpected gem of a hotel in an idyllic location (despite the roundabout location!) with a glorious outdoor lido, perfect for poolside lounging and exploring green Box Hill on a hot bank holiday weekend.”

Sun Travel found rooms that start from £64 per night (or £32 each).

Day pass tickets for those not staying at the hotel vary in price depending on the time.

Early bird swims (between 7-11am) start from £12.50 for adults and £7.50 for children.

Mid-day swims (between 11am-3pm) and afternoon swims (3-7pm) start from £20 for adults and £10 for children.

A full day pass starts from £35 for adults and £17.50 for children with a family pass starting from £85.

For those driving, the lido has free parking for up to four hours for those with a day pass.

The outdoor pool is seasonal and will be open this summer until September 27.

World Cup: Big win for the U.S.

From Kevin Baxter: The World Cup is only a little more than a week old, but it’s already a historic one for the U.S.

With Friday’s 2-0 win over Australia, the U.S. matched its best World Cup performance ever with two victories. Their six goals match the most the U.S. has ever scored in the group stage and its goal differential of plus-five is also its best ever in the tournament. The U.S. also clinched a spot in the round of 32.

Most impressive of all, however, is how the U.S. achieved most of that without their best player, Christian Pulisic, who had an electric first half in the U.S. opener against Paraguay but hasn’t seen the field since.

“We’ve known what this team is capable of,” captain Tim Ream said. “I don’t think any of us are surprised. The pieces have always been there. It was just putting them all together.”

Australia coach Tony Popovic agreed.

“There are no surprises in what they did,” he said. “It’s not surprising because their quality is clear, their power is clear, their athleticism is clear.”

It may not have been surprising, but it was historic. The only time the U.S. won consecutive games at a World Cup was in 1930, when the tournament had just 13 teams. That was also the last time the U.S. won its group.

Continue reading here

Click here for complete TV schedule, groups and players to watch

Friday’s World Cup results

Group C
Morocco 1, Scotland 0
Brazil 3, Haiti 0

Group D
United States 2, Australia 0
Paraguay 1, Turkiye 0

Today’s World Cup TV schedule

All times Pacific
10 a.m., Netherlands vs. Sweden, Fox, Telemundo
1 p.m., Germany vs. Ivory Coast, Fox, Telemundo
5 p.m., Ecuador vs. Curacao, FS1, Telemundo
9 p.m., Tunisia vs. Japan, FS1, Telemundo

Sunday’s World Cup TV schedule

All times Pacific
9 a.m., Spain vs. Saudi Arabia, Fox, Telemundo
Noon, Belgium vs. Iran, FS1, Telemundo
3 p.m., Uruguay vs. Cape Verde, FS1, Telemundo
6 p.m., New Zealand vs. Egypt, FS1, Telemundo

World Cup Group standings

Group A
Country, W-D-L, Goal Differential, Points
x-Mexico, 2-0-0, +3, 6
South Korea, 1-0-1, 0, 3
Czechia, 0-1-1, -1, 1
South Africa, 0-1-1, -2, 1

Group B
Canada, 1-1-0, +6, 4
Switzerland, 1-1-0, +3, 4
Bosnia-Herzegovina, 0-1-1, -3, 1
Qatar, 0-1-1, -6, 1

Group C
Brazil, 1-1-0, +3, 4
Morocco, 1-1-0, +1, 4
Scotland, 1-0-1, 0, 3
Haiti, 0-0-2, -4, 0

Group D
x-United States, 2-0-0, +5, 6
Australia, 1-0-1, 0, 3
Paraguay, 1-0-1, -2, 3
Turkiye, 0-0-2, -3, 0

Group E
Germany, 1-0-0, +6, 3
Ivory Coast, 1-0-0, +1, 3
Ecuador, 0-0-1, -1, 0
Curacao, 0-0-1, -6, 0

Group F
Sweden, 1-0-0. +4, 3
Japan, 0-1-0, 0, 1
Netherlands, 0-1-0, 0, 1
Tunisia, 0-0-1, -4, 0

Group G
Belgium, 0-1-0, 0, 1
Egypt, 0-1-0, 0, 1
Iran, 0-1-0, 0, 1
New Zealand, 0-1-0, 0, 1

Group H
Spain, 0-1-0, 0, 1
Cape Verde, 0-1-0, 0, 1
Saudi Arabia, 0-1-0, 0, 1
Uruguay, 0-1-0, 0, 1

Group I
Norway, 1-0-0, +3, 3
France, 1-0-0, +2, 3
Senegal, 0-0-1, -2, 0
Iraq, 0-0-1, -3, 0

Group J
Argentina, 1-0-0, +3, 3
Austria, 1-0-0, +2, 3
Jordan, 0-0-1, -2, 0
Algeria, 0-0-1, -3, 0

Group K
Colombia, 1-0-0, +2, 3
Portugal, 0-1-0, 0, 1
Congo DR, 0-1-0, 0, 1
Uzbekistan, 0-0-1, -2, 0

Group L
England, 1-0-0, +2, 3
Ghana, 1-0-0, +1, 3
Panama, 0-0-1, -1, 0
Croatia, 0-0-1, -2, 0

x-clinched round of 32

The top two teams in each group plus the next eight best third-place teams advance to the next round.

Dodgers walk-off the Orioles

From Maddie Lee: Dalton Rushing had been frustrated for much of the game, a fact he hadn’t hidden on his trips back to the dugout. But when it mattered the most, he came up clutch.

Down to his last strike in the bottom of the ninth inning, Rushing lined a single into right field to drive in Alex Call for the tying run. Then, an errant throw by Baltimore right fielder Tyler O’Neill allowed Ryan Ward to score and seal the Dodgers’ 6-5 win over the Orioles.

Dodgers starting pitcher Roki Sasaki had faced just one over the minimum through five innings, allowing the Dodgers (49-27) to jump out to a 3-0 lead, when the Orioles (35-42) finally figured him out the third time through the order.

With two out and a runner on, Sasaki threw a splitter on the inside edge of the strike zone to Gunnar Henderson, who homered to right field. Pete Alonso followed suit, blasting an inside fastball about belt high to left-center field to tie the score.

Continue reading here

Shohei Ohtani out of Dodgers’ lineup vs. Orioles for birth of his second child

Shaikin: Why MLB’s Pride Night cap condemnation isn’t the anti-Christian crackdown conservatives claim

Dodgers box score

MLB standings

Angels blow 11-4 lead and lose

Pinch-hitter Jonah Heim launched a tying homer with two outs in the ninth and the Athletics surrendered 11 straight runs before rallying from seven down to defeat the Angels 12-11 in 10 innings Friday night.

Zack Gelof started the comeback with an RBI single in the sixth, and the A’s got two-run homers from Jacob Wilson in the seventh, Max Muncy in the eighth and Heim in the ninth to tie it 11-11.

Nick Kurtz walked with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th to force home the winning run. It was the largest comeback win for the A’s (38-38) this season.

Continue reading here

Angels box score

MLB standings

Wyndham Clark sets record at U.S. Open

The USGA set up a different golf course at Shinnecock Hills to keep it playable in strong wind. And when the wind subsided late Thursday afternoon, Wyndham Clark looked like he was playing in a different U.S. Open.

Clark seized on a more gentle course — slightly calmer and still soft with receptive greens — by pulling away late to reach six-under-par through 16 holes.

He left in darkness with a four-shot lead over seven players, one of them Oklahoma junior Ryder Cowan, another the surprisingly resurgent Dustin Johnson.

Rory McIlroy thought he had made a fine effort with a 69 in gusts that topped 30 mph in the middle of the day, when the scoring average was well above 74. The afternoon started tough until the wind kept subsiding, and players began taking aim at flags. The afternoon wave was playing at least a stroke easier than the early starters who faced relentless wind.

“Everything was kind of clicking,” said Clark, who came into the U.S. Open playing as well as anyone. “We were definitely fortunate with the wind laying down. Overall a good round.”

Continue reading here

U.S. Open leaderboard

This day in sports history

1908 — Colin wins the Tidal Stakes at Sheepshead Bay and retires undefeated after 15 starts. No major American racehorse approaches this record until 1988, when Personal Ensign retires with a perfect 13-for-13 career.

1936 — Jesse Owens sets a 100-meter record of 10.2 seconds at a meet in Chicago.

1940 — Joe Louis stops Arturo Godoy in the eighth round at Yankee Stadium to retain the world heavyweight title.

1960 — Floyd Patterson knocks out Ingemar Johansson in the fifth round in New York to become the first boxer to regain the world heavyweight title.

1966 — Billy Casper beats Arnold Palmer by four strokes in a playoff to win the U.S. Open.

1967 — Cassius Clay, later known as Muhammad Ali, is convicted of violating the United States Selective Service laws by refusing to be drafted. Clay is sentenced to five years in prison and fined $10,000, the maximum penalty for the offense. Ali remains free while his conviction is on appeal.

1968 — The Night of Speed. In a span of 2½ hours, the world record of 10 seconds for the 100 meters is broken by three men and tied by seven others at the AAU Track and Field Championships in Sacramento. Jim Hines wins the first semifinal in a tight finish with Ronny Ray Smith, becoming the first man to break the 10-second barrier. Both runners are credited with a time of 9.9 seconds. Charlie Greene wins the second semifinal and then ties Hines’ 9.9 record in the final.

1976 — UEFA European Championship Final, Red Star Stadium, Belgrade, Yugoslavia: Czechoslovakia upsets West Germany, 5-3 on penalties following 2-2 draw.

1980 — Roberto Duran wins a 15-round decision over Sugar Ray Leonard at Olympic Stadium in Montreal to win the WBC welterweight crown.

1982 — Tom Watson wins the U.S. Open by two strokes over Jack Nicklaus.

1984 — Jockey Pat Day equals a thoroughbred racing record for an eight-race card when he wins seven races at Churchill Downs. Day’s only loss is in the fourth race.

1993 — Lee Janzen holes a 30-foot chip for birdie on No. 16 and adds birdies on the par-5 closing holes for a two-stroke victory over Payne Stewart in the U.S. Open. Janzen ties Jack Nicklaus’ record 272 total and Lee Trevino’s four straight rounds in the 60′s.

1993 — John Paxson hits a 3-pointer with 3.9 seconds left as the Chicago Bulls win their third consecutive NBA title with a 99-98 victory over the Phoenix Suns in Game 6 of the finals.

1994 — Ernie Els of South Africa becomes the first foreign winner of the U.S. Open since 1981, beating Loren Roberts on the second sudden-death hole.

2004 — Retief Goosen captures his second U.S. Open in four years. In the toughest final round at the U.S. Open in 22 years, Goosen closes with a 1-over 71 for a two-shot victory made possible when Phil Mickelson three-putts from 5 feet on the 17th.

2006 — Dwyane Wade caps his magnificent playoffs with 36 points and 10 rebounds to lead Miami past the Dallas Mavericks 95-92 as the Heat roar back from a two-game deficit to win the NBA finals in six games.

2013 — LeBron James has 37 points and 12 rebounds, and the Miami Heat repeat as champions with a 95-88 victory over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 7 of the NBA Finals.

2017 — Tiger Woods checks into a clinic to manage his pain medication and sleep disorder, following his arrest for driving under the influence.

2018 — Christiano Ronaldo scores a goal against Morocco to become the all-time leading European goalscorer (85) in international compitition.

2019 — Duke power forward Zion Williamson is the first player chosen in the 2019 NBA Draft.

2020 — Tiz the Law, ridden by Manuel Franco, wins the 152nd Belmont Stakes becoming the first New York-bred horse to win the event since 1882.

Compiled by the Associated Press

This day in baseball history

1912 — The New York Giants outslugged the Boston Braves 21-12 with the teams scoring a total of 17 runs in the ninth inning. The Giants scored seven runs to take a 21-2 lead and the Braves scored 10 runs in the ninth.

1932 — Philadelphia’s Doc Cramer hit six singles in six at-bats and Mickey Cochrane, Jimmie Foxx and Mule Haas each drove in four runs in the Athletics’ 18-11 win over the Chicago White Sox. Haas hit a grand slam in the sixth inning to put the A’s up 12-6.

1956 — Mickey Mantle hit two home runs into the right centerfield bleachers at Detroit’s Briggs Stadium. Mantle hit both blasts off Billy Hoeft in the 7-4 win. He became the first player to reach the bleachers since they were were built in the late 1930s.

1973 — San Francisco’s Bobby Bonds broke Lou Brock’s National League record for leadoff home runs. Bonds’ 22nd career leadoff home run came off Don Gullett in a 7-5 loss to the Cincinnati Reds.

1973 — Chicago’s Cy Acosta becomes the first American League pitcher to bat since the designated hitter rule went into effect. Acosta strikes out in the eighth inning and gets the win in the White Sox’ 8-3 win over the Angels.

1980 — Freddie Patek, one of baseball’s smallest players at 5-foot-5, hit three home runs and a double to lead the Angels in a 20-2 rout of the Boston Red Sox in Fenway Park.

1992 — Kelly Saunders became the second woman to serve as a public address announcer at a major league game when she filled in for Rex Barney in Baltimore.

1994 — The Detroit Tigers’ string of 25 straight games hitting a home run ended in a 7-1 loss to Cleveland. The streak matched the major league mark set by the 1941 New York Yankees.

2004 — Ken Griffey Jr. hit the 500th home run of his career, off Matt Morris, to help the Cincinnati Reds beat the St. Louis Cardinals 6-0.

2007 — Sammy Sosa hit his 600th home run, making him the fifth player to reach the milestone. Sosa, playing for the Texas Rangers after a year out of baseball, hit a solo homer off Jason Marquis. It came in the fifth inning against the Chicago Cubs, the team he played for from 1992-2004.

2009 — Two games ended on wild pitches in extra innings. Nate Schierholtz scored the winning run for San Francisco on a wild pitch by Jason Jennings with two out in the 11th inning and the Giants beat the Texas Rangers 2-1. Earlier, the Chicago Cubs beat Cleveland 6-5 in 13 innings when Andres Blanco came home on Kerry Wood’s gaffe.

2011 — The Florida Marlins named Jack McKeon interim manager. The 80-year-old McKeon became the second-oldest manager in major league history. Connie Mack managed the Philadelphia Athletics in a suit, tie and straw hat until 1950, when he was 87.

2015 — Max Scherzer pitched a no-hitter, losing his perfect game with two out in the ninth inning when he hit a batter in the Washington Nationals’ 6-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Scherzer dominated in retiring the first 26 batters and was one strike from throwing the 22nd perfect game in major league history since 1900. Pinch-hitter Jose Tabata fouled off a pair of 2-2 pitches before Scherzer clipped him on the elbow with a breaking ball. Scherzer then retired Josh Harrison on a deep fly to left.

2016 — Colorado beat Miami 5-3 where eight solo homers accounted for all the runs in the game and set a major league record. Mark Reynolds hit two homers and Trevor Story, Nick Hundley and Charlie Blackmon also went deep for the Rockies. Marcell Ozuna homered twice and Giancarlo Stanton hit one for the Marlins. The previous MLB mark was five. The eight home runs were also the most in a game at Marlins Park since it opened in 2012. Five of the game’s first 13 batters connected.

2017 — Umpire Joe West worked his 5,000th major league game. West was behind the plate for a matchup between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. The 64-year-old, nicknamed “Cowboy,” is the third umpire to work at least 5,000 games, joining Hall of Famer Bill Klem (5,375) and Bruce Froemming (5,163). West made his major league debut as a 23-year-old on Sept. 14, 1976, at Atlanta’s Fulton County Stadium in a game between the Braves and Houston Astros. He joined the NL staff full time in 1978. His 40 seasons umpiring in the majors are the most by any umpire.

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.

June 18 (Asia Today) — China expressed strong opposition Thursday to recent U.S. extended deterrence talks with South Korea and Japan, warning that expanded nuclear cooperation could increase the risks of nuclear proliferation and conflict.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said Beijing was “deeply concerned” about efforts by the United States and Japan to strengthen extended deterrence.

Lin was responding at a regular news briefing to a question about the Japan-U.S. Extended Deterrence Dialogue and the sixth meeting of the U.S.-South Korea Nuclear Consultative Group. Japan and the United States held their talks in Tokyo from June 8 to 9, while Seoul and Washington held their meeting in South Korea.

“Extended deterrence is a product of the Cold War,” Lin said. “Certain countries have strengthened nuclear deterrence cooperation for geopolitical purposes, increasing the risks of nuclear proliferation and nuclear conflict.”

Lin said many countries had expressed serious concern and strong opposition to extended deterrence arrangements during review conferences for the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

He reserved his strongest criticism for Japan, which has recently been embroiled in heightened tensions with China.

“Japan has long advocated building a world without nuclear weapons, but in reality, it has continued to increase its dependence on the so-called nuclear umbrella,” Lin said.

He accused Japanese officials of making “dangerous remarks” about potentially acquiring nuclear weapons, saying such discussions pose a serious challenge to the post-World War II international order and the global nuclear nonproliferation system.

Lin urged Japan to reflect on its conduct, fulfill its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, abide by its three non-nuclear principles and refrain from seeking nuclear weapons in any form.

His warnings to the United States and South Korea were less severe.

Lin urged Washington to abandon its “Cold War mentality,” stop what he described as provocative policies and abolish nuclear-sharing and extended deterrence arrangements.

He said the United States should take concrete action to protect regional peace and security and maintain global strategic stability.

Addressing South Korea, Lin said Beijing hoped Seoul would “act cautiously and do more things that contribute to regional stability.”

During the same briefing, Lin also criticized plans by Group of Seven leaders to reduce their dependence on China for rare earth elements and other critical minerals.

He urged the group to follow market economy principles and international trade rules and to stop using the rules of “small groups” to undermine the international economic and trade order.

China has said its export control system is consistent with international practices and intended to protect regional stability and meet its nonproliferation obligations.

— 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=20260618010006688

The move comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was stripped of Poland’s top honour.

Top Ukrainian officials have said they are returning Polish awards after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was stripped of Warsaw’s top honour in a dispute between the allies over World War II massacres.

Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, Kyrylo Budanov; Ukraine’s ambassador to Warsaw, Vasyl Bodnar; and Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on Saturday they would relinquish awards bestowed by Poland.

“Our nations have long-standing relations and ⁠different pages of history – both ⁠heroic and tragic,” Budanov posted on social media. “However, this should be an occasion for deep reflection, not crude political speculation.”

Zelenskyy angered many in Poland over his naming of a military unit after a Ukrainian paramilitary organisation accused of massacring Poles during World War II.

In a decree on May 26, Zelenskyy named a military unit the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) – the name of a group that operated in the 1940s and 1950s.

On Friday, Polish President Karol Nawrocki announced he would strip Zelenskyy of the Order of the White Eagle, which was bestowed on him by Former Polish President Andrzej Duda in 2023 for services to security, resilience and the defence of human rights.

For most in Poland, “the Ukrainian Insurgent Army remains above all a formation responsible for cruel crimes against the citizens of the Polish Republic during World War II,” Nawrocki said on social media, adding that the decision would not end Poland’s support for Ukraine against Russia.

Ukrainian officials criticised the decision as one that played into Russia’s hands. Budanov, the Ukrainian Presidential Office chief, wrote on Telegram that it was “an unfriendly act toward our people” and “a gift to the Moscow aggressor, which will certainly use it against both of our countries”.

Foreign Minister Sybiha called it a “strategic mistake” while Bodnar said it was “especially painful” as Ukraine fends off Russian attacks.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, a political rival of President Nawrocki, urged both sides to “calm tensions” in a post on X on Friday.

Conflict between Poland and Ukraine “delights Putin and shocks our allies”, he said.

The UPA fought against both Nazi German and Soviet forces, but is also accused of mass killings of Poles in Nazi-occupied areas. Ukrainians say UPA and Polish underground forces launched large-scale attacks and reprisals against each other that led to deaths among Ukrainian and Polish civilians.

Nick Robinson currently stars in Netflix’s hit rom-com Voicemails for Isabelle, but who is he dating right now?

He has been in a relationship since 2019.

Voicemails for Isabelle is a brand new rom-com that dropped on Netflix yesterday (Friday, 29th June) and is already shaping up to be another huge hit for the streaming giant.

Zoey Deutch plays Jill, an ambitious pastry chef whose talents are suppressed by the insufferably pretentious San Francisco chef Bastien (played by Nick Offerman).

When her sister Isabelle (Ciara Bravo), who has battled cancer for the majority of her life, tragically dies, Jill attempts to process her grief by leaving voicemails on Isabelle’s old number.

What she doesn’t realise, however, is that the number has since been reassigned to Austin-based estate agent Wes (Nick Robinson), reports Wales Online.

Robinson, 31, is one of the most recognisable faces of his generation, yet he guards his private life closely. Here’s what we know about his romantic life.

Who is Nick Robinson dating?

The Hollywood star has reportedly been in a relationship with Samantha Urbani, 39, since 2019.

Urbani is a singer, model and DJ who co-founded the band Friends in Brooklyn in 2010, before they went their separate ways in 2013.

Since then, she has launched her own record label, URU, worked alongside fellow artists and put out a single and EP as a solo performer, while also securing modelling and DJ work.

Watch Netflix hits like Beef season 2 for free

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

from £15

Sky

Get the deal here

Sky is giving away a free Netflix subscription with its new Sky Stream TV bundles, including the £15 Essential TV plan. This lets customers watch live and on-demand TV content without a satellite dish or aerial and includes the new season of Beef.

The pair are thought to still be together, although they rarely appear in public as a couple and haven’t shared any joint social media posts since 2024. Their most recent post together was a photo shared on Urbani’s Instagram in March 2024, showing the pair attending the premiere of Robinson’s previous Netflix project, the fantasy-action film Damsel, starring Millie Bobby Brown.

In addition, a post shared the month before saw Urbani give fans a heartfelt glimpse into how they first met, marking their fifth anniversary together.

“Hello fyi exactly 5 years ago on this very day yes the day of valentines I played spin the bottle with some friends and then a very special one of them- who I’d met a couple years before in berlin- asked me if I wanted to go to SNL…” she wrote.

“Which became adventure all night > which turned into lighting tiny fireworks stolen from afterparty, outside the Plaza, in chilly NYC sunrise > and perfectly magically became morning borscht at veselka… aka top tier heart thawing revitalizing joyful times / ultimate nyc dream date / a # 1 best memory ever.”

Robinson’s past romantic history has largely remained out of the public eye, though he has previously been linked to two of his co-stars.

Rumours circulated in 2016 that he was in a relationship with his The 5th Wave co-star Chloë Grace Moretz following their appearance in the sci-fi thriller together, though this was never confirmed.

Fan speculation also connected Robinson to his Melissa and Joey co-star Taylor Spreitler, however this too was never substantiated.

Voicemails for Isabelle is available to stream on Netflix.

Just past noon, a young man appeared on the north side of San Vicente Boulevard, a block west of Hauser, and eyeballed the flow of westbound traffic.

When he saw an opening, he slid across to the median strip, where he waited for eastbound traffic to let up before crossing over to the south side of San Vicente to pick up some takeout food. And then he retraced his steps across the 150-foot wide thoroughfare that knifes through the heart of the city along what once was the Red Car line of the Pacific Electric Railway.

He should have used the nearby crosswalk, but there aren’t enough of those on the boulevard, so pedestrians routinely skitter and scoot across the street like they’re in a game of Frogger.

I watched this drama the other day from Dam Good Coffee, where I met with two guys who live in the neighborhood and, in their spare time, have been doing a lot of thinking. They’re fine-tuning a pitch to reengineer the boulevard, reduce traffic, improve access to two new transit lines and transform the Mid-City portion of San Vicente Boulevard — from the Beverly Center on the west to just past La Brea on the east — into a 3-mile, 30-acre linear park.

Ambitious. Outlandish. Insane.

From left, Catherine Geanacouras, Oren Hadar and Michael Wacht of the San Vicente Park Foundation have a plan to turn a stretch of San Vicente Boulevard into a greenway.

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

It’s all of that and a longshot undertaking, given the countless obstacles that can derail their dream. But Oren Hadar, a sound engineer, and Michael Wacht, an architect, are serious, along with a small coalition of neighborhood believers.

“One of the things I always say is L.A. needs to get back into the business of taking big swings,” Hadar said. He is motivated in part by the fact that his two young kids don’t have a nearby park to play in.

The big swing comes at a time when Los Angeles has just fallen from 90th to 93rd in terms of park acreage, investment and accessibility in the annual Trust for Public Lands ranking of the 100 largest cities in the U.S. You’d think a city with great weather and thousands of apartment dwellers with little or no outdoor space would fight its way into the top 10 rather than settle for sinking to the bottom of the heap.

“What if L.A.’s next great park was already here, hiding in plain sight?” a narrator asks in a video that appears on the group’s San Vicente Park website.

Local resident Jo and her dog Elle carefully cross San Vicente Boulevard in Los Angeles on Wednesday, June 17, 2026.

(Christina House/Los Angeles Times)

Sun-baked asphalt would give way to turf. Pedestrians and cyclists would have more breathing room. There’d be far less traffic.

“You can put in micro forests,” Wacht said. “You can do farmers markets. You can do growing areas. You can do fountains. Playgrounds.”

Catherine Geanuracos, a CicLAvia board member who was an advocate for turning the Silver Lake Reservoir into an aquatic park, joined our conversation and called the idea “eminently feasible.”

“I think this is what makes L.A. great,” Geanuracos said. She’s lived in New York City and San Francisco and thinks there’s greater opportunity here for engaged residents to advance their civic improvement ideas.

The advocates said they’d gotten some encouragement from Councilmembers Heather Hutt and Katy Yaroslavsky, whose districts include the area of the proposed park. Hutt’s office sent me a statement saying she supports “effrorts to create more walkable, green communities.” She said she has encouraged the group to keep exploring the vision, and she looks forward to hearing input from various other neighborhood groups.

Hadar writes a blog called The Future Is L.A., which is part love letter to Los Angeles and part lament on unmet potential.

“Just about every other major American city has a policy and research think tank dedicated to pursuing ideas that could make the city better,” Hadar recently wrote, calling for L.A. to have its own.

I don’t want to say the park idea’s chances are slim, but let’s look at a few hurdles.

Traffic passes through the intersection of San Vicente Boulevard and La Brea in Los Angeles on.

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

L.A. city government has trouble managing existing parks and even the open spaces around City Hall, so how can it build and care for another 30 acres of greenery?

The cost would be in the millions, and the cup does not runneth over.

And then there’s the biggest pothole of all on the road to pastoral wonder:

Creating the park would mean squeezing off one or two lanes of traffic in each direction of San Vicente. That would dump more cars onto surrounding streets and set up another road diet clash that pits car culture against growing demand for a city that is safer and more inviting for those who walk, bike and use transit.

All of this would be examined in a feasibility study the advocates are raising money for. But the supporters claim San Vicente is lightly traveled compared to Wilshire, Pico and Olympic, so stealing traffic lanes wouldn’t be catastrophic.

I mentioned that I’d think twice about sending kids to play in a median strip park. But the supporters said San Vicente would become more of a neighborhood service street than a thruway, with safer crossings into the new park, which by the way already has plenty of full-grown trees.

When I took a walk and polled people on the park idea, I got mixed reactions.

“That’s a bad idea,” said a man who was walking along the median strip. He said he thought that after the addition of bike lanes a few years ago squeezed vehicular traffic, San Vicente became more dangerous, and the idea of a park between lanes of traffic sounded disastrous to him.

Miguel Lopez looked like he was trying to bring the park vision to life. He sat on the median strip reading a book and smiled when he was shown a rendering of San Vicente Park.

Blanca Vanburian practices tai chi in her yard along San Vicente Boulevard on Wednesday.

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

Blanca Vanburian, who was doing a variation of Tai Chi on the lawn outside her apartment building, had several good questions, including one about whether the city could be trusted to maintain a new park. She said a lot of residents would be concerned about new traffic flows through side streets, and she wondered if the park would attract more homeless people.

Hadar told her the feasibility study would probe all of that, and the more she heard, the more Vanburian came around to the idea of the park.

“It’s up to us how we use public space,” Wacht said, looking out on a particularly unattractive stretch of roadway that generates so much exhaust and serves as a barrier, dividing two neighborhoods. “I get disappointed when I see so much of it devoted to this, and it’s keeping us from being more of a cohesive neighborhood.”

Margaret Free walks three basset hounds, named Bob, Doris and Ruth, along San Vicente Boulevard in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

Margaret Free was walking three Basset hounds — Bob, Doris and Ruth. She said she and the dogs could be counted as four votes in favor of the park.

A woman named Jo safely managed a Frogger crossing with her dog, Elle. Jo said she was absolutely in favor of a park and doesn’t think losing lanes of vehicle traffic is a bad thing, but she feared backlash from drivers who disagree and asked me to withhold her last name.

Joshua Mock, owner of Dam Good Coffee, said everyone would benefit from the park, especially neighborhood children. “It’d be dope,” he said, “and good for business.”

For all the doubters, the advocates point to several projects around the country where public spaces were repurposed, including the New York City High Line. And they note that several local projects are in the design or construction phase, including the L.A. River master plan, the Broadway-Manchester streetscape project and the park under the Sixth Street bridge.

If you have ideas for remaking your neighborhood, send them my way.

And take big swings.

steve.lopez@latimes.com

It is the ultimate test for any parent.

Two sons playing on opposite teams in a match. Who are you rooting for?

But this is not a kickabout in the local park or a schools’ match. This is a game at the World Cup.

There are four sets of siblings playing for different nations on the biggest stage of all, including Desire and Guela Doue who could face one another this summer.

Born to a French mother and an Ivorian father in the French city of Angers, the brothers play for Paris St-Germain and Strasbourg respectively.

They have taken different paths in international football, with two-time Champions League winner Desire, 21, turning out for France and overlapping full-back Guela, 23, playing for Ivory Coast.

“We tell each other everything and have no secrets,” Desire told French football programme Telefoot about his relationship with his older brother.

“He’s such a massive support for me in my daily life.”

But could their close bond be tested in the United States?

Should France finish runners-up in Group I and Ivory Coast finish runners-up in Group E, the pair will face one another in the last-32 stage in Arlington, Texas, on 30 June.

When Ivory Coast defeated France 2-1 in a pre-World Cup friendly on 4 June, Guela sang both countries’ national anthems before the match.

Desire, who had won won the Champions League with PSG five days earlier, was an unused substitute.

“It’s a shame I didn’t get to play against [my brother], as this was our first France-Ivory Coast match, but I’m happy, and he isn’t too fed up,” said Guela afterwards.

There has been only one previous case of siblings squaring off against ⁠each other at the World Cup,, external and it happened in back-to-back tournaments.

Jerome Boateng of Germany faced older half-brother Kevin Prince of Ghana in Johannesburg in 2010. Germany won 1-0. Four years later, the pair were on opposite sides again in Brazil when ⁠the group game ended 2-2.

Desire and Guela could well be next.

So, who are the other brothers appearing at this World Cup?

An Israeli court has convicted seven men over the 2021 lynching of Sa’id Moussa, ending a five-year trial. Moussa was dragged from his car and beaten unconscious by a mob during the May 2021 riots.