Defenders: Alex Sandro, Danilo, Leo Pereira (Flamengo), Bremer (Juventus), Ibanez (Al-Ahli), Wesley (Roma), Marquinhos (Paris St-Germain), Gabriel (Arsenal), Douglas Santos (Zenit St. Petersburg).
Midfielders: Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle), Casemiro (Manchester United), Danilo Santos (Botafogo), Fabinho (Al-Ittihad), Lucas Paqueta (Flamengo).
Forwards: Endrick (Lyon), Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal), Igor Thiago (Brentford), Matheus Cunha (Manchester United), Raphinha (Barcelona), Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid), Luiz Henrique (Zenit St. Petersburg), Neymar (Santos), Rayan (Bournemouth).
The World Health Organization is getting health experts and supplies to DR Congo to battle the Ebola outbreak. WHO representative Anne Ancia says the situation in Bunia, the epicentre of the outbreak, is complex and difficult.
Foad Izadi of Tehran University says US President Trump’s repeated threats of renewed full-scale war are a sign of weakness, coming after 37 days of US bombing failed to force Iran into capitulation.
Coronation Street spoilers for next week’s episodes have teased lots of drama, discoveries and a new arrival on the ITV soap, with new romance, and some shocking news
Coronation Street spoilers for next week’s episodes have teased lots of drama(Image: ITV)
There’s some big moments ahead next week on Coronation Street, spoilers have revealed.
Will’s shocked as Sam confronts him, before Will overhears a heartbreaking admission from Ben. Will climbs high up on the shop yard scaffolding, swigging vodka as Megan watches on, but can Maggie talk him down?
George and Christina attempt to bury the hatchet with Todd, while Tracy speculates Danielle is guilty of Theo’s murder. When Todd refuses to attend Theo’s funeral, Danielle accuses him of being the killer, only for Ryan to drop an admission about Danielle.
Ryan tells Lisa what he knows, and Danielle is taken in for questioning. Leanne gives Dylan and Betsy a trial shift at Speed Daal but explains there’s only one vacancy.
Idris arrives, and deals with a situation at the restaurant, while Adam takes an instant dislike to him. Soon, it’s revealed Idris is hiding something. Idris invites Leanne for a drink, but Alya is unhappy to find out they’ve kissed.
Daniel tells Ken that Bertie’s being bullied, as he’s determined to identify his troll. As the police get involved, Jodie tells Daniel it seems the troll has stopped posting, but Daniel is soon ambushed.
Sarah is struggling without Kit and Todd takes a call only to receive some shocking news. Jodie loses her job at the café, and Hope gets closer to Will.
It comes as fans speculated Summer Spellman is not the killer of Theo Silverton. As Monday’s episode heavily hinted she was to blame, she became the prime suspect.
Many fans do not think she did kill him though, and that someone else carried out the crime. While some added that she could be covering for this person, it’s yet to be revealed just how involved Summer is.
Fans think it was Sam Blakeman who killed Theo by accident though. With him experiencing hallucinations and possible psychosis, fans think he might have killed Theo thinking he was Will. A fan posted online: “I’m saying Sam.”
Another viewer posted: “I think Sam killed Theo during one of his mental health breakdowns.” A third fan added: “I think Sam pushes Theo (thinking he was Will), and Summer is covering for him.”
Sharing a similar theory, another fan posted: “Was that scene of Sam hallucinating with the view of the scaffolding an hint to him being the killer of Theo thinking he was Will?” A fan then wrote: “I really think Sam killed Theo.” The suggestion kept on being shared online, as one said: “I think Sam pushed Theo off the scaffolding while he was in a deluded state of mind maybe thinking it was Will.”
Earnings Call Insights: Agilysys, Inc. (AGYS) Q4 fiscal 2026
Management View
“Fiscal 2026 Q4 was an excellent overall business quarter for Agilysys, including with respect to sales, revenue and profitability, each of which set a new quarter record.” (CEO, President & Director Ramesh Srinivasan)
Seeking Alpha’s Disclaimer:This article was automatically generated by an AI tool based on content available on the Seeking Alpha website, and has not been curated or reviewed by humans. Due to inherent limitations in using AI-based tools, the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of such articles cannot be guaranteed. This article is intended for informational purposes only. Seeking Alpha does not take account of your objectives or your financial situation and does not offer any personalized investment advice. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank.
It seemed fitting that Arsenal have one hand on the Premier League trophy thanks to a 1-0 win – of their past four league matches, all victories, three have ended with that score – with the Gunners conceding just once in their past six.
They have conceded the fewest goals in the league (26), while the last time they conceded in open play came in their defeat by Manchester City on 19 April, which was seven games ago.
The clean sheet against Burnley was Arsenal‘s 32nd in all competitions this season.
“I thought that the amount of hair that I have is never going to go away but in this job it is going to test it to the limit,” said Arteta.
“The desire that every single player shows in their defensive duties, their behaviours and the way that they work for each other is phenomenal.
“It’s a lot of work put in by all the coaches as well. And we all know the importance of that and how many results and wins we have because of that.”
It was their 13th 1-0 win of the season. Their playing style, their threat from and reliance on set-pieces, and the relative lack of bigger wins has brought criticism and anxious finishes in equal measure.
Manchester City will have a better goal difference if they win their final two matches, which does mean Arsenal will have to beat Crystal Palace. A draw, in that scenario, would not be enough.
“In a funny way, Man City might actually have taken that,” ex-Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher said on Sky Sports. “Seeing how they played that second half, I think the nerves will really kick in if Man City beat Bournemouth. Crystal Palace are a better team than Burnley even with a few players out.
“Arsenal are going to do it in the fashion of George Graham rather than Arsene Wenger – ‘1-0 to the Arsenal‘ probably sums them up.”
Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville added: “Arsenal are right on the brink but by goodness they don’t half make it difficult for themselves.
“You have to admire their ability to concentrate and focus and keep to the defensive shape and principles. They keep clean sheets and that’s a rare commodity in the modern game, for a team to see out 1-0 victories like this team can.
“I think it’s going to be enough to see them home.”
People look at a mural depicting Colombian-Venezuelan businessman Alex Saab in Caracas, Venezuela, on Sunday, a day after he was extradited to the United States. On Monday, Saab made his initial appearance in a Miami courtroom. Photo by Miguel Gutierrez/EPA
May 18 (UPI) — Alex Saab, a billionaire Colombian businessman and longtime ally of ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, appeared in a Miami federal courtroom on Monday, days after he was extradited to the United States.
Saab, 54, made his initial court appearance in the Southern District of Florida, where a federal indictment was unsealed, charging him with conspiracy to launder money through U.S. banks.
U.S. authorities have long accused Saab of corruption, specifically of using his connections to the Maduro regime to skim money from government programs intended to benefit Venezuela’s poor and of helping Maduro evade sanctions.
The case is centered on the Venezuelan government program Local Committees for Supply and Production, known as CLAP, an acronym of its Spanish name. Created in 2016 in response to the collapse of Venezuela’s economy, CLAP was intended to provide subsidized food to the country’s poor.
Federal prosecutors allege that Saab and his unnamed co-conspirators paid bribes to Venezuelan government officials to be awarded the CLAP contracts to import food, but instead enriched themselves by siphoning hundreds of millions of dollars from the program.
The charging document further accuses Saab and others of expanding the scheme to include the illegal sale of Venezuelan oil, starting in at least 2019 and continuing until the return of the indictment, which is dated Jan. 14.
The U.S. charges stem from the accusation that at least some of the allegedly ill-gotten money was transferred through U.S.-based bank accounts. If convicted, Saab faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
“When illicit proceeds are moved through the United States financial system, our courts have jurisdiction and our prosecutors will act,” U.S. Attorney Jason Reding Quinones of the Southern District of Florida said in a statement.
The indictment announced Monday is the second a Trump administration has brought against Saab, and his extradition on Saturday is the second time he has been sent to the United States to face criminal charges.
Maduro’s government has been a target of President Donald Trump since his first administration, which sought to oust the authoritarian leader through a so-called maximum pressure campaign of sanctions, including designating Saab in 2019 over the alleged CLAP scheme.
Saab was then arrested in June 2020 in Cape Verde at the request of the United States and was extradited.
But he was returned to Venezuela by the Biden administration in 2023 in exchange for 10 detained Americans. As part of the prisoner exchange, Saab was issued a full pardon for charges included in the first indictment.
After his re-election in 2025, Trump ousted Maduro and brought him to the United States to face narco-terrorism charges in a clandestine early January military operation.
Then in February, under the government of Maduro’s former vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, who was elevated to president following her predecessor’s U.S. arrest, Venezuelan authorities detained Saab at the request of the United States.
Saab’s return to U.S. custody now raises speculation that he could be used in the federal prosecution’s case against Maduro, given his former proximity to Maduro and members of Maduro’s family.
“Saab would be a powerful witness in the prosecution of Maduro — and could offer insights into Delcy’s role in building South America’s prototypical kleptocracy,” Benjamin Gedan, a foreign policy scholar and director of the Stimson Center’s Latin America Program, said in a social media statement.
In the northwest corner of the United States, Oregon has fostered a reputation as a left-wing stronghold. Since the 1980s, the Beaver State has consistently elected Democrats in most of its statewide races.
But even in a comfortably blue state like Oregon, the fight to hold onto political power can be competitive.
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On Tuesday, the state will hold its latest primary races, with each of the major parties picking its nominees for November’s midterm elections.
But a packed field of roughly 25 contenders, both Democrats and Republicans, is jockeying to replace Tina Kotek as she seeks a second term as governor.
Tuesday’s vote could also serve as an economic bellwether. Voters will weigh in on a referendum that could repeal a state fuel tax, as the US-Israel war on Iran heaps strain on consumers at the gas pump.
Who is running? And which races have attracted the most attention? We tackle those questions and more in this brief explainer.
What time do polls open?
Polls will open on Tuesday at 7am Pacific US time (15:00 GMT) and close at 8pm (4:00 GMT).
Oregon Governor Tina Kotek is seeking re-election in 2026 [File: John Rudoff/Reuters]
Who is running for governor?
Incumbent Governor Kotek is making a bid for a second four-year term. But she is fielding competition from dozens of other candidates, including nine Democrats.
Going into the Democratic primary, Kotek is the frontrunner. Her challengers include a children’s book author, the leader of an Indigenous nonprofit and an inventor who hopes to address water shortages.
Even more contenders are angling for the Republican gubernatorial nomination.
Among them is State Senator Christine Drazan, who ran against Kotek in 2022. Drazan has been critical of President Donald Trump’s tariff policies but supportive of his tough stance on immigration.
Also on the Republican ballot is former NBA player Chris Dudley, who was the Republican gubernatorial candidate in 2010. He had the smallest losing margin of any Republican candidate in decades.
State Representative Ed Diehl, meanwhile, is hoping to capitalise on the momentum he gained after leading the charge to block Kotek’s gas tax and fee increase package.
What are the opinion polls saying about the governor’s race?
Polls show Drazan leading the race to receive the Republican nomination, with 35 percent support.
Kotek is likely to grab an easy victory in the Democratic primary, with none of her opponents polling close behind.
What about the Senate race?
Another Democratic incumbent attempting to hold onto his seat is US Senator Jeff Merkley.
The 69-year-old, who began his career working on affordable housing, is running for a fourth consecutive six-year term. He first took office in 2009.
But while the senator faces eight rivals on the campaign trail – one Democrat and seven Republicans – his seat is considered relatively safe.
He is expected to win the Democratic primary on Tuesday and become the frontrunner for November’s general election.
Jeff Merkley is defending what is considered a safe seat for Democrats in the US Senate [File: Annabelle Gordon/Reuters]
What other positions are up for grabs?
All six of Oregon’s members of the US House of Representatives are running for re-election and will face the primary process on Tuesday.
Five are Democrats. One, Cliff Bentz, is a Republican, and he represents Oregon’s second congressional district, a sprawling area encompassing the entire eastern half of the state.
Also on Tuesday, voters will choose their party representatives in races for the state Senate and House.
The election will also determine a nonpartisan commissioner to lead the state Bureau of Labor and Industries.
Why does this race matter?
Oregon is a closed primary state, meaning that voters choose nominees only for the party they are registered under.
Given the state’s left-wing bent, the winners of the statewide Democratic primaries will likely emerge as frontrunners in November’s midterm races.
Still, there is room for surprise. According to state voter rolls, less than 25 percent of Oregonians are registered Republicans. But only 32 percent are registered Democrats, with the largest proportion of voters identifying as “non-affiliated” with any party.
Primary races in right-leaning areas like Oregon’s second congressional district could signify how closely the state’s Republican politicians want to align with President Trump.
Voters will also have a chance to vote on the referendum that could repeal the gas tax increase on Tuesday’s ballot.
Democrats in the state legislature raised Oregon’s gas tax to pay for roads and supplement the state’s transportation budget.
But as the US-Israel war on Iran causes gas prices to skyrocket, Republicans have used the referendum to appeal to voters on the cost of living. Gas is now averaging about 80 cents more in Oregon.
In addition, there are nearly 100 local measures sprinkled on ballots across the state, tailored to different counties. Many will focus on funding local fire departments, schools and libraries.
When are results expected?
Preliminary results are expected on Tuesday evening, shortly after polls close at 8pm local time.
But ballots will continue to arrive after election day, as mail-in votes and provisional ballots are counted, and some races may not be officially called until days later.
EastEnders spoilers for next week have teased a feud brewing between the Brannings and the Mitchells, as well as two exits being teased and some chaos at Vicki and Ross’ wedding
There’s big moments ahead on EastEnders next week(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)
There’s big moments ahead on EastEnders next week, as spoilers confirm bombshells, rivalry and twists and turns.
Max is suspicious of Lauren after a car delivery at the car lot, and he soon confides in Cindy. As Grant, Sam and Phil dismiss Max’s claims, Max and Cindy go public with their suspicions about Mark.
Everyone’s shocked when Grant claims he’s behind the dodgy car scheme. Cindy accuses Grant of lying and Max threatens to call the police.
Lauren tips off the Mitchells as the police arrive, while Sam considers joining Grant in Portugal whenever he plans to go back. Preparations are underway for Vicki and Ross’ wedding, while Zack receives some upsetting news.
He offers Vicki a bracelet but she refuses his gesture, leading to him dropping hints to Ross that Vicki is cheating. As the wedding arrives, Ross is rattled and Zack tries to get Vicki to leave Ross.
Soon, Ross comes to a realisation and asks if Zack was the man she slept with. Tensions simmer between Eddie and Harry after Eddie criticises Gina.
Ian and Elaine clear the air and agree to be friends, while Will is upset when he misses a rave. Ravi returns home, and Priya hopes they can rebuild their relationship.
Denise receives a call from the hospital requesting she come in that morning for a bone marrow test, with her going alone. Meanwhile, Denise receives the results of her recent hospital tests and is left stunned when doctors tell her she has blood cancer.
But will she confide in her loved ones? It’s set to be another big week on the BBC soap next week according to these spoilers. It comes as the soap teased life-changing scenes ahead in the coming weeks.
In the trailer, some of Walford’s biggest names appear to be gathered in the pub in their finery. They’re all enjoying a drink until the clock hand moves and David Bowie’s ‘Changes’ plays.
Everything starts to tilt out of place and sirens can be heard before four characters – George Knight, Ian Beale, Denise Fox and Max Branning – look at the camera. While their smiles fade, an ominous voice warns that this is “the night that everything changes”.
According to the BBC, the night in question is Vicki and Ross’ wedding. The Beale, Branning, Knight-Mitchell and Fox-Trueman families will “find themselves at the heart of the drama”, but all for different reasons.
Over the course of a week, the same night will be explored, with new details emerging about what happened to each family and how this will effect them in the run up to New Year.
SAN DIEGO — Sitting in the Petco Park visiting dugout Monday afternoon, Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes would have preferred to be answering a different set of questions about the team’s rotation depth.
In spring training, it was all about how many difficult decisions the Dodgers had in front of them because of the quality depth they’d built. In the first couple months of the season, a spike of injuries had completely flipped the conversation.
“It’s the reason why you try to go in with as much depth as you can knowing that things can happen,” Gomes said. “You hope that they don’t pile up all at the same time, which has happened as of late. But we’ll keep navigating it. We’ll work through it like we have in the past.
“The biggest thing is we’ve got a big series these three games. Go out and play good baseball here and then keep balancing the short-term, long-term.”
Gomes provided updates on the Dodgers’ mounting pitching injuries, and how the team is combating the absences:
—The Dodgers expect left-hander Blake Snell will undergo the less invasive NanoNeedle scope procedure to remove loose bodies from his elbow Tuesday. The procedure could shorten Snell’s recovery time by a month, compared to a more traditional arthroscopic procedure.
—Right-hander Tyler Glasnow had another back flare-up. He’ll be shut down from throwing for a few days. “No concern long-term,” Gomes said. “But a little slower on the front end than we expected.”
—The Dodgers are leaning toward using Eric Lauer as a starter. They have not yet decided where to slot him in, but it probably won’t be this weekend in Milwaukee.
—Right-handed reliever Brusdar Graterol (right shoulder surgery recovery) sustained a back injury while on rehab assignment with triple-A Oklahoma City. The team is still working to determine next steps and has not ruled out surgery.
Two gunmen have killed three people at the Islamic Center of San Diego in what police are treating as a hate crime. Police say the attackers, aged 17 and 19, died from self-inflicted gunshots. A security guard was among those killed.
Maduro alongside Saab following the latter’s release in December 2023. (AFP)
Caracas, May 17, 2026 (venezuelanalysis.com) – The Venezuelan government turned over former minister and diplomatic envoy Alex Saab to the US to face charges on Saturday.
The executive led by Acting President Delcy Rodríguez announced the “deportation of Colombian citizen Alex Saab Morán” through a statement issued by the Administrative Service for Identification, Migration, and Immigration (SAIME).
The statement said the measure was adopted “taking into consideration that [Saab] is implicated in various crimes in the United States of America, as is publicly known and widely reported.”
According to local media reports, Saab was transferred under custody from the El Helicoide detention center in Caracas to Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetía, where a US government airplane was waiting for him. The operation reportedly involved agents from the FBI and the CIA, under the supervision of the US Justice and State Departments.
EFE confirmed Saab’s arrival at Opa-locka Airport in Miami-Dade County at 9:15 p.m. local time, escorted by Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) personnel. Footage of his arrival showed him placing his fingerprints on a biometric scanner upon entering the airport terminal.
US authorities have yet to issue a public statement on Saab’s detention. The charges against Saab reportedly include criminal conspiracy, money laundering, and bribery of Venezuelan officials. According to the indictment filed in the Southern District Court of Florida, he is accused of having falsified documents and used intermediaries to facilitate international transfers of public funds.
Rumors of Saab’s detention in Caracas, allegedly at Washington’s request, began to circulate in February, with Venezuelan authorities offering no confirmation or denial on his status and whereabouts.
Saab after arriving in Miami on Saturday night. (Archive)
A Colombian-born businessman who later received Venezuelan citizenship, Saab was previously detained on US charges in 2020, during a plane refueling stop in Cape Verde while on a trip to Tehran to negotiate food and fuel imports amid shortages in Venezuela. He was charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Saab’s arrest and subsequent forced departure to US soil saw the Nicolás Maduro administration launch a significant effort to denounce the “kidnapping” of a government diplomatic envoy and demand his release. The “Free Alex Saab” campaign saw Venezuelan authorities and international solidarity movements organize multiple demonstrations and digital campaigns demanding the envoy’s liberation from US custody.
In 2021, Venezuelan National Assembly President and lead negotiator Jorge Rodríguez suspended a dialogue process with the Venezuelan opposition in Mexico following what he described as “the brutal aggression against Saab’s diplomatic status,” insisting at the time that Venezuela would exhaust “all available legal and diplomatic resources” to secure his release.
The Maduro government secured Saab’s return in December 2023, with US President Joe Biden granting him a presidential pardon, as part of a prisoner exchange. Venezuelan authorities released 10 US citizens, including two former Green Berets who had taken part in a failed mercenary incursion. The Venezuelan government hailed Saab’s release as a “victory of truth and dignity.”
He was appointed president of the International Center for Productive Investment (CIIP) in January 2024 and minister of industry in October 2024. Acting President Delcy Rodríguez replaced him in both posts in January, three weeks after the US military strikes and kidnapping of President Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores.
Saab’s wife, Camilla Fabri, was likewise removed from her government responsibilities as communications vice-minister and head of the “Return to the Homeland” migrant return program.
During his prior detention, Saab’s legal team argued that the Barranquilla-born businessman had acquired Venezuelan nationality and was entitled to diplomatic immunity as a government special envoy. His Venezuelan citizenship allowed him not only to serve as minister, but also to vote in the 2024 presidential elections. Under Article 69 of Venezuela’s Constitution, Venezuelan citizens cannot be extradited.
However, the SAIME communiqué refers to Saab exclusively as a Colombian citizen, without explaining the legal procedure for his removal from the country. Likewise, the statement frames the move as a “deportation” rather than an extradition, although Saab was immediately flown to US territory. At the time of writing, there has been no judicial sentence publicly issued to approve the surrender of the former minister to US authorities.
Francesco Caballero has been juggling a lot — quite literally.
When he’s not tending to his online studies at the California Virtual Academies, the 13-year-old can be found in the circus ring — hurling bowling pins, straw hats, hollow rings and rubber balls high up in the air, all in one harmonious cycle.
But the bright-eyed teen is also balancing something far greater: a legacy. The rookie showman is proving his mettle as part of the Caballero Circus, a five-generation family of performers, by enchanting audiences with his charismatic stage presence and sharp coordination.
“My family is a circus family. That’s what they did when they were kids and it just passed on to me,” said Francesco, hours before a Wednesday night performance in Santa Ana.
Though Francesco is only a month into his journey as a traveling cast member, he pranced about the ring Wednesday with the confidence of a seasoned ringmaster. For his act, the teen juggled up to five objects at a time; as a couple of stray balls fell to his side, he swiftly picked them up and tossed them into the air, as if it were part of the script all along.
And, once the thrill wore off, Francesco marched into center stage with a small motorbike — enclosing himself in a chamber known as the “Globe of Death”: a mesh sphere where riders ramp their bikes using the power of centripetal force to loop around the Globe. He also played the trumpet.
“In order to grow as a performer and to be better, you really have to be patient,” said Caballero. “It’s not something that’s easy, that you’ll be better in like a week.”
Francesco Caballero, 13, poses for a portrait at the Caballero Circus on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, in Santa Ana.
As boldly charismatic as Caballero appeared on stage, his path to performing in the family circus was hardly clear-cut.
At the age of 3, he was diagnosed with leukemia: a cancer that causes the body to produce too many abnormal white blood cells. This made it difficult for his body to fight infections, carry oxygen and stop bleeding. He was in treatment for four years, until he finally beat cancer by age 7.
This is why his mother, Liliana, a former flying trapeze artist, felt overprotective of him when he began showing interest in the performing world — which began with a small role in the Cirque du Soleil show “The Beatles Love,” in which he played one of the Fab Four in childhood.
At first, Liliana would watch closely to make sure Francesco didn’t get tired or bruised. Yet doctors eventually assured her that physical activity for a recovering pediatric leukemia patient would be beneficial to his quality of life.
“I was against it [at first], but he was so spoiled,” said Liliana. She joked that her son, the youngest of her three children, was “mimado” — a term in Spanish used to describe someone who receives excess attention. Back in the ring, as Francesco prepared his juggling act for another night of play, she stood farther back in the stands, being an ever-observant coach.
“When he told me that he wanted to be like my family, like his grandparents, it was a great satisfaction for me,” said Liliana. “After everything we’ve been through, and still my son dreams of being in the circus, it was a huge blessing for me.”
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The Cartoon Poodles perform at the Caballero Circus on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, in Santa Ana. (Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)
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Chicharron performs at the Caballero Circus on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, in Santa Ana. (Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)
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Francesco Caballero, 13, juggles pins during his performance at Caballero Circus on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, in Santa Ana. (Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)
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Nicole Caballero, 15, second from left, Gianna Rios, 8, Francesco Caballero, 13, Judith Caballero, 15, and Chicharron perform at the Caballero Circus on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, in Santa Ana. (Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)
The Caballero circus dynasty dates back to the turn of the 20th century in Guadalajara, with Adelaida Caballero was the first in the family to practice the joyous spectacle. Her daughter, Isabel, would be the first of the Caballeros to open her own circus, as a way to earn income during the Mexican Revolution. (They allegedly entertained Pancho Villa, a well-known circus-lover, in 1916.)
During this time, circus families blossomed all over Mexico, aided by the appearance of the steamship and railway systems, as the circus historian Julio Revolledo Cárdenas would detail in a 2018 article for the Fédération Mondiale du Cirque.
However, much of the Caballero family’s performance lore begins with Isabel’s son, 82-year-old Rubén: an apparatus connoisseur well-versed in the high wire, trapeze and hand balancing. Around 1981, Rubén would bring the entire Caballero family to the United States; all eight of his children performed for the esteemed Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circuses, with the flying trapeze as their specialty act.
Two members of the Caballero family, Rubén Sr. and Rubén Jr., are also recognized for being the first to execute the quadruple somersault under the big top tent in 1985. It requires extreme faith in the opposite catcher, as much as it does for the individual flipping multiple times over — they even recorded the groundbreaking stunt for posterity’s sake, along with other home videos.
In 1995, this risky act helped the family secure the esteemed Payaso de Oro: the top prize at the International Circus Festival of Monte-Carlo, an award comparable to soccer’s Ballon d’Or or music’s Grammy. Some of the Rubén’s direct descendants would win the award once again 30 years later.
By 2000, Rubén would open his own white-and-purple tent circus, Caballero Circus, where Liliana now oversees the concession stand. Her sisters Maria and Judith manage the circus and supervise show details, respectively.
“My father’s American dream was always to run his own circus,” said Liliana.
Rubén Sr., who continues to be the patriarch of the Caballero family, is teaching his youngest grandson everything he knows. “He wants me to be better,” said Francesco.
Nicole Caballero, 15, from left in the front row, Melody Caballero, 22, Francesco Caballero, 13, and Judith Caballero, 15, at the end of the show at the Caballero Circus on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, in Santa Ana.
Now carrying the family’s torch is the fifth generation of tumbling acrobats skilled in the art of balance and flexibility. Liliana’s 15-year-old daughter, Nicole, specializes in the Globe of Death, where she gets in the locked cage with her cousin Judith, also 15; together they maneuver the motorbikes around the globe at opposing-intersecting paths. This is a skill set she takes pride in, since many in the audience assume there are men underneath the protective gear.
“Once we come out, we take our helmets out and they see girls can do it too,” said Nicole before her Wednesday performance.
Melody, host of the bilingual show, competed as a contortionist on Season 8 of “America’s Got Talent,” which aired in 2013. “ We could have the worst day of our lives, but when we step on stage, we have to have the biggest smile in the world,” said Melody.
Two of Rubén’s older sons, who married Russian acrobats during international stints, broke off and founded their own troupe as Circus Caballero. They have their own touring show stationed in Bell through May 25.
Francesco Caballero, 13, gets ready in a mirror inside a trailer at the Caballero Circus on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, in Santa Ana.
Some of the Caballero family members also compete internationally as the Flying Caballero — something the youngest Caballero member, Francesco, hopes he can work his way up to.
“ I’ve been told that they’ve been to France, to Italy, Germany, everywhere,” he said. “My primos just went to one of the most prestigious festivals in Monaco and they won first place. I wanna be like my cousins and do what they’re doing.”
Francesco might still be learning the ropes of the circus world — but before he can compete on the glamorous world stage, he must first conquer his school’s virtual talent show. On June 8, he will participate in a nationwide competition by the virtual academy K12, which will showcase student talent from across the country.
Thankfully, he will have plenty of time to practice. The Caballero Circus will station itself in Lakewood between May 22 to June 7.
“Not a lot of kids do what I do,” said Francesco. “It teaches us to connect with the public, to connect with other people.”
Bayer’s (BAYRY) (BAYZF) Monsanto unit agreed to pay at least $133M to settle claims by Michigan and Rhode Island that the company contaminated the states’ natural resources with toxic chemicals that are known to have dangerous health effects, Reuters reported
Taylor Tinsley has pitched 203 innings and accounted for 30 of UCLA’s 50 wins this season.
As one of three star veterans on a team featuring younger and less experienced talent, Tinsley has embraced a heavy workload and the inevitable miscues that can go along with it.
She opened NCAA tournament play surrendering 10 runs and relied on her teammates to rally for a walk-off win, but Tinsley rebounded with grace while earning back-to-back victories that propelled UCLA to a regional win.
Tinsley is quick to deflect praise to her teammates, especially record-setting hitters Megan Grant and Jordan Woolery.
UCLA coach Kelly Inouye-Perez struggled to contain her emotions when asked about the influence Tinsley had on the program after Sunday’s win, so Grant filled in.
“Everything Taylor said about us as a team, we try to reciprocate it back to her,” Grant said. “We know what she is doing for us. She is sacrificing everything for this team, and especially on offense, we try to give back as much as possible.”
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Tinsley, who has led the Bruins in ERA for three consecutive seasons, earned back-to-back All-Big Ten honors and helped lead UCLA to the Women’s College World Series last season.
She has spent four years at UCLA competing alongside hyper-competitive, intense athletes such as Maya Brady, niece of NFL legend Tom Brady, and more light-hearted players, including Woolery and Grant, who bring joy and laughter to their work. All her teammates, of course, expect to win.
“This year, our team is fun and relaxed; we like to be goofy, ” Tinsley said.
Tinsley credits the team for her success on the mound. She said one of her proudest moments was watching Grant and Woolery break UCLA and NCAA hitting records. Taylor, Grant and Woolery were selected in the Athletes Unlimited Softball League draft.
Before they turn pro, the seniors are trying to win a national championship.
“I definitely think we’ve left our mark on this program in general,” Tinsley said. “We entered as freshmen with a legendary senior class. We had Megan Framo, Aaliyah Jordan, and I even got to play with Maya Brady for two years, so I learned a lot from them.”
The alumni, some of whom attended the Bruins’ NCAA regional-clinching win over South Carolina on Sunday, still have an influence on her today.
Inouye-Perez said Tinsley has put the program on her back since her sophomore year. She inspires her teammates, including freshman pitcher Natalie Cable.
The pitchers are still learning, but their coach is pleased with their commitment to improving and learning from Tinsley.
“I am very fortunate that they have a positive attitude and work hard every day and are ready to do whatever they can to help the team,” Inouye-Perez said of the pitching rotation.
After Friday’s walk-off win over California Baptist, Inouye-Perez trusted Tinsley to shake off one very bad inning to pitch on Saturday and Sunday against South Carolina and she delivered.
Now the Bruins will host Central Florida, which upset regional host Florida State, for a super regional series starting Friday with a ticket to the Women’s College World Series on the line.
Tinsley said her training prepared her to let go of Friday’s game and play her best the rest of the weekend.
“It comes with pitching. Just taking one pitch at a time,” Tinsley said. “We are focused on where our feet are and not worried about the past or future.”
Baseball wraps up record-setting regular season
The No. 1 UCLA baseball team earned a 6-1 win over Washington on Saturday during the Bruins’ regular-season finale at Husky Ballpark, sealing a 2-1 series victory.
UCLA (48-6, 28-2 Big Ten) set a school record for regular-season wins, surpassing the 2019 team’s 47 victories.
The Bruins won every regular-season series and were the only team in the country to win at least two of three games every weekend. UCLA also set a school record for most conference wins.
Top MLB draft prospect Roch Cholowsky led UCLA with 21 home runs, while Will Gasparino smashed 19 and Mulivai Levu added 16. Roman Martin, meanwhile, led the Bruins with a .340 batting average.
Logan Reddemann (8-0), Michael Barnett (6-0) and Wylan Moss (5-1) pitched the most innings and contributed heavily to UCLA’s success.
The Bruins clinched the Big Ten tournament No. 1 seed and will open play Friday in Omaha, Neb.
Rice and Jaquez are thriving in WNBA
The Tempo’s Kiki Rice drives past the Sparks’ Kelsey Plum at Crypto.com Arena on Sunday.
(Harry How / Getty Images)
All six of UCLA’s WNBA draft picks made opening day rosters and they’ve all earned game minutes.
Chicago Sky’s Gabriela Jaquez and Toronto Tempo’s Kiki Rice are off to the hottest starts.
Jaquez, however, had the bigger game Sunday. She is the only former Bruin to start every contest for her WNBA team so far this season. She had 20 points, eight rebounds, one assist and one steal in 32 minutes during the Sky’s (3-1) 86-71 road win over the potent Minnesota Lynx (2-2).
“Her teammates love her, the coaching staff loves her,” Marsh said of Jaquez. “It’s very hard for me to take her off the court, even when she’s gasping for air. She just finds ways to be effective on both ends of the floor.”
Do you have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future UCLA newsletter? Email newsletters editor Houston Mitchell at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.
Ukraine has provided imagery of its first homegrown glide bomb, which it says is now ready for combat. Developments by both sides in the Ukraine conflict underscore the fact that standoff munitions of all kinds are in particularly high demand, to counter the increasing density and lethality of enemy air defenses.
According to the Ukrainian Minister of Defense, Mykhailo Fedorov, the development of the weapon — the name of which hasn’t been revealed — took 17 months. A product of Brave1, the defense tech arm of the Ukrainian government, the weapon is said to carry a 250-kilogram (551-pound) warhead, to which is attached a wing kit and some kind of guidance system, the nature of which has not been disclosed.
The first Ukrainian glide bomb from @BRAVE1ua is ready for combat deployment. Development took 17 months. The warhead weighs 250 kg. The Ukrainian glide bomb features a unique design created specifically for the realities of modern warfare.
— Mykhailo Fedorov (@FedorovMykhailo) May 18, 2026
In a statement today, Brave1 said the glide bomb “has completed all required trials,” and has now been declared ready for combat. The weapon is said to be able to hit targets “dozens of kilometers behind enemy lines.”
Ukraine had no guided aerial bomb. Now it does.
DG Industry, a Brave1 participant, has completed all required trials and declared the weapon ready for combat after 17 month of development. The bomb carries a 250 kg warhead, hits targets dozens of kilometers behind enemy lines,… pic.twitter.com/EXP0PiLOHl
With the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense having placed a first order, pilots are now said to be training with the weapon, meaning that combat deployment is “imminent.”
Ukrainian authorities claim that the weapon was designed from scratch and was “not copied from Western or Soviet systems.”
A close-up of the Ukrainian glide bomb (painted red for testing) in flight. Ukrainian Ministry of Defense screencap
An accompanying video shows the release of the weapon from a Ukrainian Air Force Su-24 Fencer swing-wing attack jet. The bomb is then seen with its range-extending wings deployed; interestingly, these are seen extended immediately after release. Otherwise, the weapon also features notably large cruciform tailfins. The apparent lugs seen under the body of the munitions suggest that, like Russian glide bombs, the weapon ‘topples over’ to assume the correct profile before the wings deploy.
A Russian UMPK glide bomb strapped on a Su-34. Russian Ministry of Defense
We have reached out to Brave1 for more details on the glide bomb.
It is also worth noting that a previous video, from August 2024, showed another type of air-launched munition, apparently also homegrown, being released from a Ukrainian Su-24, as you can read about here.
A full view of the Su-24 carrying the mystery munition that appeared in 2024. @UkrAirForce/Telegram capture
👀👀👀
A Ukrainian Sukhoi Su-24M bomber spotted with (I believe) previously unseen munition installed under its wing.
According to the original source, the video is dated to August 2024. The description says: “A bomber conducts a test flight to test a new guided aerial bomb.”… pic.twitter.com/LZsX5I4PxM
Again, we have reached out to Brave1 to better understand if there is any relationship between these weapons. However, the development of the new weapon officially began in December of 2024, several months after the mystery munition appeared.
As for the Ukrainian Air Force, the new glide bomb should provide an important addition to Western-supplied weapons in this class.
A Ukrainian MiG-29 carrying a JDAM-ER glide bomb. This one carries a slogan commemorating the birthday of the then Ukrainian Armed Forces commander-in-chief, Valerii Zaluzhnyi. Ukrainian Air Force
Based on Ukraine’s experience with its expanding roster of longer-range kamikaze drones and glide bombs currently in service with both sites, a satellite navigation-assisted inertial guidance system would be used to direct the glide bomb to a specific set of coordinates. Additional seekers are possible, but not probable at this time.
It is not clear if the new Ukrainian weapon has any kind of powerplant. Ukraine has already been employing multiple types of jet-powered kamikaze drones. More importantly, Ukraine’s French-supplied Hammer precision-guided bombs also feature a rocket booster. This feature is of unique utility for Ukraine, which often slings its glide bombs via pop-up launch profiles from low level executed by its fighter and attack aircraft. This is due to the extremely heavy air defenses near the front lines. Even without a motor, however, the weapon provides an important capability and one that is increasingly important as stocks of Western-supplied munitions are eroded or their supply is otherwise interrupted.
A video compilation provides a look at the French-made Hammer munition being used by Ukrainian Su-25 attack jets, including low-level toss bombing:
ЖАБА. ЗСУ Су-25 . З Новим роком , друзі !
We will likely have to wait to see the weapon in action before establishing whether it can be launched from platforms other than the Su-24, although this would seem almost guaranteed.
A video of the moment of release of two French-supplied AASM-250 Hammer guided bombs from a Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter jet.
The pilot of this particular airframe, 27-year-old Captain Oleksandr Myhulia, perished while performing a combat mission on August 12, 2024.… pic.twitter.com/yNEbbaFUPt
— Status-6 (War & Military News) (@Archer83Able) August 14, 2024
Whatever the launch platforms and the new weapon’s exact capabilities, its biggest advantage is that it offers a domestic source of air-launched precision-guided munitions with some kind of standoff range. The longer-range Storm Shadows and SCALP-EGs were provided only in relatively limited quantities to Ukraine. They can only be launched by the Su-24 and are reserved for more strategic targets.
A Ukrainian Su-24 carrying a SCALP-EG cruise missile. Ukrainian Ministry of Defense
Meanwhile, the JDAM-ER has never been in widespread use with the U.S. military or other foreign armed forces, so the quantities available are questionable.
An inert JDAM-ER in flight after release. Royal Australian Air Force
To help meet the shortfall, the U.S. Air Force launched a project to develop a new, relatively low-cost precision-guided air-launched standoff munition focused primarily on meeting Ukrainian demands for weapons of this kind. In August of last year, it was reported that Washington had approved the transfer of thousands of these Extended Range Attack Munitions (ERAM) to Ukraine. As well as the Rusty Dagger from Zone 5 Technologies, CoAspire developed the Rapidly Adaptable Affordable Cruise Missile (RAACM) under the ERAM program.
However, evidence of these weapons being employed by Ukraine has yet to emerge.
A full, unedited view of the Rusty Dagger Extended Range Attack Munition live-fire test on Jan. 22, 2025, at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. via U.S. Air Force
There is also the fact that a domestically developed standoff weapon can be used without restriction against any kind of target. Previously, longer-ranged Western-supplied weapons have come with restrictions on their employment. As a result, Ukrainian officials have repeatedly and publicly called for more flexibility in striking targets inside Russia proper. This became especially critical during the Ukrainian incursion into the latter country’s Kursk region.
The apparent rapid pace of development of Ukraine’s first homegrown glide bomb suggests that this is an urgent requirement and one that may well have been driven by problems in the availability of equivalent Western munitions. With that in mind, combined with claims that the weapon is now ready for combat, we may not have to wait too long for evidence of it being used in action.
Victoria Beckham, whose maiden name was Adams, poses with 14-year-old daughter HarperCredit: InstagramDad Tony Adams with wife Jackie and the BeckhamsCredit: Instagram
Fashion designer Victoria, 52, was also joined by her younger sons Romeo, 23, and Cruz, 21, and her mum Jackie.
The lavish celebration at the weekend was at Hotel Café Royal in Central London.
Victoria, who wore a white dress at the party, said as her father turned 80 yesterday: “Happy birthday, Daddy, we love you so so much!
“Thank you to all our friends and family who helped to make it so special! Such an amazing night celebrating my wonderful dad.”
The lavish celebration at the weekend was at Hotel Café Royal in Central LondonCredit: InstagramBrooklyn Beckham wished his grandad a happy birthday on Instagram – but was absent from the partyCredit: Instagram
The mum-of-four was known as Victoria Adams before marrying England footie star David in 1999.
Brooklyn made a rare mention of his family by posting a photo on social media, right, of him and Tony and saying: “Happy 80th papa x I love you so much.”
Brooklyn is said to still be close to his grandparents despite not seeing them for months amid his feud with his parents and brothers. He has remained in the US with his wife Nicola Peltz, 31.
Sir David, 51, gave Tony a leg of Monte Nevado ham as a gift and called him “the best father-in-law I could ask for”.
There was a more down-to-earth birthday celebration yesterday — a visit to a pie and mash shop in Waltham Abbey, Essex, where Tony was presented with some school cake.
Mustafa Kemal is now more commonly known as Atatürk. His precise birthday isn’t known, but in speeches he referred to May 19th as his birthday, most likely he was referring to the acts of independence, but this means the day is also a time to remember his contributions to modern Turkey.
Following the war of independence, May 19th wasn’t celebrated as an event until 1936, when Atatürk himself suggested that May 19th should be remembered with a holiday focusing on the youth and therefore it became a holiday in 1938 when the ‘Festival of Youth and Sports’ was passed into law. In 1981, to mark the centenary of Ataturk’s birth, the holiday was renamed as ‘Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day’.
In a statement released in 2019 to mark the centenary of the events of 1919, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan described the day as “the first step taken towards freedom and independence.”
“May 19 is the day when Mustafa Kemal Atatürk arrived in Samsun and effectively initiated our national struggle 100 years ago. May 19 is the day when the national will, the spirit of unity and solidarity and an unwavering faith revived to eradicate the occupying forces from our land. May 19 is the day when our nation stood back up. May 19 is the first step taken towards freedom and independence,” the statement said.
From MNT-Halan to Zeepay, digital pioneers are building a high-value corridor to the Middle East.
As African fintech matures, companies that once focused on domestic markets are now increasingly seeing Dubai as a strategic base for MENA and international expansion.
Some key players are already on the move. Egypt’s fintech giant MNT-Halan recently launched in Dubai with salary-financing products, while Paymob Technologies has expanded across the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Oman — securing a full UAE Central Bank license last year. Nigeria’s Innovate1Pay runs global operations from Dubai’s Jumeirah since 2019. Lagos-based Flutterwave, one of Africa’s first and fastest-growing fintech unicorns, will soon be the latest to set up shop in the UAE after expanding into Saudi Arabia and Bahrain in 2024.
Gulf Remittance Corridor
A key driver of this expansion is the remittance corridor between the Gulf and Africa. Researchers estimate that between 3 million and 5 million African migrants now live and work across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), including large Egyptian, Sudanese, Ethiopian, Kenyan and Ugandan communities. According to the World Bank, global remittances to Africa reached $109 billion in 2024. About a third comes from the GCC, but a lot of transfers remain unrecorded in national data sets.
Currently, a lot of the money still moves around in cash, through operators such as Western Union, MoneyGram or Gulf exchange houses, where the cost for sending funds averages between 8% and 9% — among the highest in the world.
This opens a clear opportunity for lower-cost digital alternatives. A recent Visa study found nearly two-thirds of UAE residents now prefer digital apps over physical locations for sending money abroad. Key drivers include ease of use (50%), followed by safety, privacy and speed (46%). Cashless solutions are heavily encouraged by most GCC governments to increase compliance, traceability and transparency.
Kojo Amofa, Zeepay
Some companies like Zeepay, a Ghana-based payment firm that already operates in 25 countries, are gearing up to tap into that market and the recent war in the Middle East is far from deterring their motivation.
“For us, it’s a new chapter. We are eager to make an impact and become the remittance solution in the Gulf,” said Kojo Amofa, Partnerships Manager at Zeepay. “Many migrant workers want to send money home, and the current volatility creates an even more drastic need that we want to answer.”
For Zeepay, the UAE is the natural entry point. It is the MENA region’s most mature tech hub and the world’s third-largest remittance sender — sometimes described as a financial “switchboard” for Africa-bound flows. To make its first steps, the company is looking for partnerships with digital payment firms already located in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, who would be interested in trying out an African remittance corridor.
“We need to test the appetite. Rather than entering a market we are not native to, we prefer collaboration so that our services can be tried out,” said Amofa. “Once there is a significant level of interest, we can then start to explore creating a physical presence.”
Sovereign Wealth Interest
While exploring options in the GCC, the teams at Zeepay, like many African startups, are also keeping an eye open for funding opportunities.
In 2025, African Fintechs raised $1.5 billion across 150 deals, according to data from global investment platform Partech Partners. A growing number of deals involve GCC investors as sovereign wealth funds and family offices from the UAE and Saudi Arabia are increasing their exposure to African assets. In the past decade, GCC countries have invested more than $100 billion in the continent.
In 2022, Nigeria’s Moove.io — a mobility fintech that provides car loans and operates a green ride-hailing platform — raised a $30 million private credit sukuk arranged by Franklin Templeton Investments in Dubai. It later opened an office in the UAE to oversee its MENA expansion.
More recently, Kenya’s iconic fintech M-Pesa has teamed up with the UAE-based ADI Foundation to explore blockchain. The partnership gains significant weight from ADI’s parent company, IHC — a $240 billion giant chaired by the UAE president’s brother.
Future Growth Markets
For Gulf investors, the appeal is straightforward: Africa remains the fastest-growing fintech market globally, with revenues projected to rise thirteenfold to $65 billion by 2030, according to Boston Consulting Group. For now, digital payment tools still dominate, but the next phase is expected to center on small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) finance, credit, and broader digital banking services.
In the medium-long term, a Gulf–Africa fintech corridor is taking shape, with companies scaling up and capital circulating between the two regions. In the short term, there are some regulatory bottlenecks and geopolitical challenges ahead. The war in the Middle East might slow down Gulf investments for a while as governments prioritize spending money at home.
A lot has changed since Jacori Perry attended Morningside High School.
Perry is now a renowned artist who goes by the names Mr. Ace and AiseBorn.
The school is now known as Inglewood High School United.
And the lecture hall on that campus now features a large, ornate mural of a soccer ball being grasped by the hands of two people — freshly painted by the 2004 Morningside graduate as the city of Inglewood prepares to host eight World Cup games at SoFi Stadium starting next month.
Local artist Mr. Ace works on his mural at Inglewood High School United on May 11. The artist, whose real name is Jacori Perry, attended the school when it was known as Morningside High more than two decades ago.
(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
“If you told me that I would be back here painting one of the walls on this campus when I was in high school, I don’t think that I necessarily would have foreseen it,” Mr. Ace said as he put the finishing touches on his mural last week. “So I’m a little in amazement about just the way life works in that sense.”
He was one of several Los Angeles-based artists to participate in a Road to World Cup Community Day last month at Inglewood High United. Many of the artists — including Juan Pablo Reyes (“JP murals”), Michelle Ruby Guerrero (“Mr. B Baby”) and Angel Acordagoitia — sketched designs on portable panels (12-feet by 8-feet) and picnic tables for community members to paint.
The picnic tables will remain at the high school in front of Mr. Ace’s mural. The mobile murals will be placed throughout LAX to welcome visitors arriving for the World Cup.
Kathryn Schloessman, chief executive of the Los Angeles World Cup 2026 Host Committee, said in a news release that the event was “just one example of how the energy of the World Cup can be felt in neighborhoods across our region.”
“Students, artists, and volunteers came together to create a work of art that will live on well beyond the end of the tournament,” Schloessman said. “It’s a reflection of the creativity, diversity, and community pride that makes our region so special as we prepare to host the world for FIFA World Cup 2026.”
Community members were encouraged to take part in the painting process, no matter their skill level.
“We made it easy enough for people that have zero experience to a proficient level of experience, for them to all be involved,” said Reyes, who designed and helped paint two mural panels and three tables. “We did the sketch, and then I tried to dab a little bit of color — whatever color is supposed to be there, I dabbed a little bit of color right there, so they would have a guide. …
Students and community members help paint a mural panel during a Road to World Cup Community Day event May 2 at Inglewood High School.
(Dawn M. Burkes / Los Angeles Times)
“I was right there, kind of supervising, making sure that everything went as planned. And if anybody has questions, they’re more than welcome to let me know about them. But, yeah, it’s pretty easy for them to kind of be involved and feel that sense of ownership and have a sense of pride that, ‘Yeah, I was part of that mural-creation process.’ It’s a rich experience for them.”
Acordagoitia sketched several tabletop designs for the public to paint at the event.
“They did great,” he said of the community members. “They helped a lot. They were asking questions. They got all the other colors correct. So, yeah, they were excited. A lot of kids were excited to see the live painting, because now kids are used to being on their phones. So that was a great experience for them.”
Acordagoitia also opted to paint a mural panel on his own because “it was a little more technical,” involving portraits of his 8-year-old son, a nephew and a friend.
“I wanted to focus more on the youth because that’s really our future,” he said. “So that’s, that’s the main thing about the mural, just about the kids, soccer, culture, community. It’s exciting for me, because I grew up playing soccer and to include soccer with art, it’s just a dream come true.”
Guerrero said “the community was a big help in filling in all the background colors that I need in order to build the detail and layers” on the two mural panels she designed.
“My whole style is based on culture. And I think that there’s a connection there with the World Cup and how I feel like it brings together all the culture and just, like, celebration,” Guerrero said. “It kind of goes hand in hand with the type of work I do, because my stuff is really festive, celebrating culture. And just as an L.A.-based artist, I think the collaboration made sense.”
The four artists also took part in another Road to World Cup Community Day in downtown L.A. at Gloria Molina Grand Park on March 14. At that event, the artists sketched designs on large sculptures shaped like soccer balls and on an oversized picnic table, also for community members to paint.
While Mr. Ace opted to paint his permanent mural at Inglewood High School United on his own, he was sure to include the community theme into his work.
“The idea was really centered around just creating something that was community-based — something that represented the World Cup but also represented some sense of community,” he said. “And so what I did was try to create something that was symbolic, very direct in terms of its relationship to soccer and figuring out through that how to create something simple that [brings] into that a sense of community. And that’s how I landed on the two hands holding the soccer ball.”
Local artist Mr. Ace works on his World Cup-themed mural at Inglewood High School United on May 11.
(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
Back when he was a student on that campus, Mr. Ace said he was always involved in art and knew he wanted a career as an artist. He struggled to come up with the right words to describe how it felt being back there creating a work of art to be shared with the students, all of the community and everyone who happens to see it on the way to a World Cup match.
“I guess there’s no words to really describe it,” he said. “I think if any artist gets the opportunity to paint at their own high school — especially if they’ve been doing large-scale works around the city, the country or the world — I think that is a little touching. When it’s attached to something like the World Cup … you know, a large part of my childhood was spent in Inglewood, so coming from my circumstances and life, I think it’s even more intriguing.”
The Trump administration has frequently accused US allies of failing to live up to mutual defence obligations.
Published On 18 May 202618 May 2026
The United States has said it will not take part in a joint board for continental defence with Canada, depicting the country as failing to live up to its defence obligations.
On Monday, US Undersecretary of Defense Elbridge Colby wrote on social media that his department would halt its involvement in the Permanent Joint Board on Defense to “reassess” the forum’s benefits.
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The board dates back to World War II and has served as a forum for regional security. But relations with Canada have grown strained since US President Donald Trump returned to office for a second term in 2025.
“A strong Canada that prioritizes hard power over rhetoric benefits us all. Unfortunately, Canada has failed to make credible progress on its defense commitments,” Colby wrote on X.
“We can no longer avoid the gaps between rhetoric and reality. Real powers must sustain our rhetoric with shared defense and security responsibilities.”
The announcement is the latest instance of the Trump administration chiding Western allies for what the president believes is an overreliance on US military power.
Allied countries have largely refuted his claims, arguing that they are ramping up military spending and taking steps to take greater control over regional security.
Just last year, at a NATO summit in The Hague, nearly every member state agreed to increase defence spending to 5 percent of their gross domestic product (GDP). Spain petitioned to be excluded from the agreement, though.
Canada, under Prime Minister Mark Carney, was among the countries committing to the increased spending.
Of the 5 percent earmarked for defence, 3.5 percent would go to bolstering Canada’s “core military capabilities”, Carney’s government said. The rest would go to security-related expenses, including port improvements, emergency preparedness and other resources.
Since taking office as prime minister in March 2025, Carney has been an outspoken supporter of lessening Canada’s dependence on the US’s military and economy.
In a speech this year, he outlined a vision in which “middle powers” like Canada banded together to sidestep the current “era of great power rivalry”, a veiled reference to countries like the US, Russia and China.
While the US and Canada are neighbours, Trump’s second presidency has resulted in fraying bonds between the two countries, even beyond matters of security.
Trump has accused Canada of pursuing unfair trade policies and failing to crack down on the illicit traffic of people and drugs across the border, though critics have questioned the legitimacy of these claims.
To force Canada to comply with his policies, the US president has pursued an aggressive tariff regimen to tax cross-border imports.
Trump has suggested in the past that Canada could avoid such penalties by ceding its sovereignty and becoming the US’s 51st state.
“Cooler and wiser brains are needed to preserve a close alliance w/ our neighbor,” US Republican Representative Don Bacon said in a social media post on Monday, criticising the decision to pull out of the defence forum with Canada.
“This all started w/ taunts of ‘Canada will be the 51st state’ and ‘their Prime Minister will be the 51st governor’. The insults gained us nothing but animosity that cost us economically and now militarily.”
The US, Canada and Mexico are set to negotiate an updated version of a regional free trade agreement, known as the USMCA, later this year.
